The Milwaukee Brewers were five games out of first place in the National League Central on Sept. 1. The Los Angeles Dodgers endured a horrible start in which they at one point were nine games back in the N.L. West. Both stormed to victories in their 163rd game on Monday, capturing division crowns that at various points in the season would have seemed implausible.
A 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies sent Los Angeles to a division series against the Atlanta Braves. A 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs sent Milwaukee to a division series against the winner of Tuesday’s wild-card game between the Rockies and the Cubs.