John Lackey, Addison Russell Lead Cubs To NL Central Title; Xander Bogaerts Powers Red Sox

Players of the Day for Wednesday, September 27, 2017

American League

Bogaerts: 3-5, HR, 4 RBI

Xander Bogaerts went 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in four runs as the Boston Red Sox outslugged the Toronto Blue Jays, 10-7, taking one step closer to winning the AL East division.

Bogaerts' third inning, three-run homer - his 10th of the season - capped a five-run rally by the Red Sox which largely put the Blue Jays away. In the second inning, Bogaerts singled in the tying run at 3-3, and scored the go-ahead run on Dustin Pedroia's single. The Blue Jays re-tied the game with a run in the top of the third, but the bottom of the frame proved decisive.

Boston's win kept them three games up on the Yankees in the division race. With four left to play, the magic number is two for the Red Sox, who open a four-game series at home with the Houston Astros, who are still fighting with Cleveland for the league's best record. Houston is one game behind the Indians in the race, so the upcoming series at Boston should be hard-fought.

Russell: 3-run homer

National League

John Lackey held St. Louis to one run over six innings and Addison Russell's seventh inning, three-run homer off Cardinal starter, Michael Wacha, led the Cubs back to the post-season.

The 5-1 win in St. Louis clinched the second consecutive NL Central pennant for the Cubs. In 2016, they won the division by 17 1/2 games and rode their wave of success all the way to a World Series championship over Cleveland.

Lackey: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER

Lackey (12-11) has not been consistent all season, but dueled until Russell broke up Wacha's shutout performance. The Cubs added two more runs in the frame, both debited to the S.t Louis starter. Lackey allowed only two hits, the Cardinals scratching out their lone run in the second inning as Paul DeJong doubled home Jedd Gyorko.

Russell's home run was his 12th of the season, but none were bigger than Wednesday's game-winner for the Cubs' third-year shortstop.

The Cubs will enter the post-season with the third-best record of the division winners meaning they'll play the them with the second-best record, the Washington Nationals, and will open the series on the road. The Dodgers - who clinched the league's best record and home field advantage - will face the winner of the wild card game.

Chicago finishes up its series in St. Louis on Thursday and end the regular season with a three-game home stand with Cincinnati.