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The Chicago Cubs doused champagne on their jubilant fans after winning their second successive National League Central Division title with a 5-4 victory at home over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
"To do it in this ballpark, in front of these fans, two years, back to back, this never gets old," Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa told reporters.
The Cubs had not made the playoffs in successive seasons since 1908, the last year they won the World Series.
Alfonso Soriano drove in two runs with a second-inning single and Ted Lilly overcame a three-run homer from Cardinals' third baseman Troy Glaus in the sixth to claim his 16th victory of the season.
The victory ensured a career high of wins for Lilly (16-9) in a season. He gave up four runs and six hits while striking out five and walking two before leaving after the seventh inning.
Carlos Marmol pitched the eighth and Kerry Wood the ninth.
"We're looking at the big picture," Wood told reporters. "It's nice to get in. We expected to be in this spot.
"This is the best team I've been a part of, the deepest team I've been a part of, the best offense," he added.
Neck and neck
The Philadelphia Phillies retook the NL East lead by ending the Florida Marlins' nine-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory.
Philadelphia moved half a game ahead of the New York Mets, who lost to the Atlanta Braves 4-2. The Mets still lead the NL wild card race, leading Milwaukee by 2-1/2 games.
In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays clinched a playoff spot for the first time in the team's 11-year history with a 7-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
They top the American League East by 2-1/2 games over the Boston Red Sox with nine games to play in the regular season.
The Red Sox lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3, but head the American League wild card race by 6-1/2 games over the New York Yankees. The Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 in the penultimate game at the current Yankee Stadium.
The Los Angeles Angels already have wrapped up the AL West title and the Chicago White Sox enjoy a 2-1/2 game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.
