WASHINGTON — Patrick Corbin pitched six effective innings, and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 on Monday night to strengthen their playoff positioning.

Adam Eaton, Yan Gomes and Trea Turner homered for Washington, which moved a half-game ahead of idle Milwaukee for the top spot in the wild-card standings. The Nationals reduced their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to three.

Philadelphia was pushed to the brink of elimination after beginning the season with great expectations after signing former Washington slugger Bryce Harper to a blockbuster deal. The Phillies have to win their final seven games while Milwaukee or Washington loses out to have any hope of reaching the wild-card game.

Corbin (14-7) matched his career high for wins in the first season of a $140 million, six-year contract. He allowed one run and three hits, struck out six and walked four.

MARLINS 8, METS 4: Steven Matz allowed two homers to Jorge Alfaro, including a grand slam, and New York lost to visiting Miami to dim its fading postseason hopes. Amed Rosario cut into Miami’s big lead with his own slam, but the Mets dropped five games behind idle Milwaukee for the final NL playoff spot with six games remaining. They also trail Washington by 51/2 games for the top wild card after the Nationals beat Philadelphia 7-2.

NOTES

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ROYALS: Kansas City Manager Ned Yost will retire at the end of the season, a year in which his team lost 100 games.

His decision was announced by the team Monday, a day after a 12-8 loss in which the Royals fell for the eighth time in 10 games. Kansas City is 57-100 and 391/2 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central.

Yost got the Kansas City job in 2010. He is the all-time winningest manager in franchise history with 744 victories and the first manager to lead the team to consecutive World Series appearances.

YANKEES: Edwin Encarnacion is hoping to return to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, and catcher Gary Sanchez could be back right after him. Encarnacion and Sanchez worked out at New York’s minor league complex in Tampa on Monday’s off day. Encarnacion is coming back from a strained left oblique, and Sánchez is rehabbing a strained left groin.

MARLINS: Shortstop Miguel Rojas is guaranteed $10.25 million in his two-year contract with Miami, a deal that could be worth $15.25 million over three seasons.

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