The Chicago Cubs are back in the MLB play-offs for the first time since 2008 despite falling to defeat on Friday.
The Cubs were beaten 3-2 by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but clinched a National League wildcard place when the San Francisco Giants went down 5-4 to the Oakland A's later in the day.
Joe Maddon's side appear unlikely to make up their 7½ game deficit on the Central Division-leading St Louis Cardinals and, were the season to finish now, they would take on the Pirates on October 7 in Pittsburgh in the one-off wildcard game.
Friday's game saw Pittsburgh pitcher Gerrit Cole star, the right-hander claiming his 18th win of the season as well as providing the Pirates with their first run on a third-inning single.
The three NL Central teams are joined by the Kansas City Royals as the four teams to have punched their ticket to the post-season, with plenty more to play for over the final week of the season.
The New York Mets are one game away from the play-offs, needing one win or one defeat for the Washington Nationals to secure the National League East title.
Lucas Duda hit two home runs for the Mets in their 12-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, with the Nationals falling to an 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.
San Francisco's defeat also means the Los Angeles Dodgers' 'magic number' is down to two going into their final nine games.
The Dodgers were beaten 7-4 by the Colorado Rockies on Friday, with Corey Dickerson, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez all hitting home runs in the fourth inning, but a combination of two wins or two Giants defeats will see them win the National League West pennant.
The Toronto Blue Jays hold a four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East after a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays - the Yankees were beaten 5-2 by the Chicago White Sox.
And the Texas Rangers are four-and-a-half games ahead in the race to win the American League West after beating main rivals Houston 6-2.
The Yankees are favourites to land a wildcard place, leading the Astros by four-and-a-half games but the Los Angeles Angels and the Minnesota Twins are also in close contention, with those three teams separated by only a game-and-a-half.
