Playoff series for the ages as Dodgers, Giants go to Game 5Video
SAN FRANCISCO — Everybody expected a playoff series for the ages between the century-old rival Dodgers and Giants, and now they’ve got it. Anything less than a winner-take-all Game 5 would have been a baseball travesty, leaving the sport short-changed on the October stage. It’s the 107-win, NL West champion...
Dodgers beat Giants to force winner-take-all Game 5
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts homered and drove in three runs, Will Smith also went deep and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-2 on Tuesday night to force a decisive Game 5 in their NL Division Series. The 107-win Giants host the 106-win Dodgers on Thursday...
Freeman home run sends Braves to NLCS with 5-4 win over BrewersVideo
ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman hit a tiebreaking home run off Milwaukee closer Josh Hader with two outs in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves advanced to the NL Championship Series for the second year in a row, finishing off the Brewers 5-4 on Tuesday night. The Braves won the...
Altuve, Astros going back to ALCS after topping White SoxVideo
CHICAGO — It was Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman again. Led by their October-tested stars, the Houston Astros are going back to the AL Championship Series for the fifth straight year. Altuve hit a three-run homer, scored four times and stole a base, and Houston eliminated the Chicago...
Braves’ Jorge Soler sidelined after testing positive for covid-19
ATLANTA — Braves right fielder Jorge Soler was pulled from the lineup for Tuesday’s Game 4 of the NL Division Series against Milwaukee after testing positive for covid-19. Outfielder Cristian Pache took Soler’s spot on the roster, Major League Baseball announced. Soler was replaced at the top of the order...
Giants edge Dodgers on Evan Longoria homer, take series lead
LOS ANGELES — Evan Longoria homered off Max Scherzer in the fifth inning and the San Francisco Giants edged the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on a blustery Monday night to take a 2-1 lead in their NL Division Series. Los Angeles nearly tied it with two outs in the ninth...
Red Sox eliminate Rays with late sacrifice fly
BOSTON — Kike Hernandez delivered Boston’s second straight walk-off win, scoring pinch-runner Danny Santana with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to send the Red Sox to the AL Championship Series with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. After winning Game 3 of their...
Joc Pederson delivers in pinch again; Braves blank Brewers for 2-1 NLDS leadVideo
ATLANTA — Joc Pederson credits his postseason success to “not making any moment bigger than it needs to be.” With another jolt, Pederson put the Atlanta Braves on the verge of advancing in the playoffs. Pederson kept enhancing his “Joctober” nickname with a three-run, pinch-hit homer and the Braves shut...
Astros dismiss sign-stealing implications by White Sox pitcherVideo
CHICAGO — The Houston Astros found themselves in familiar territory Monday, brushing aside comments by Chicago White Sox reliever Ryan Tepera after he implied they stole signs while winning the first two games of the AL Division Series in their ballpark. “He can say what he wants to say,” Astros...
Game 4 of Astros-White Sox ALDS postponed because of forecast
CHICAGO — Game 4 of the AL Division Series between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox has been postponed because of rain in the forecast. The teams are now set to meet Tuesday afternoon. José Urquidy was scheduled to start Monday for Houston, with Carlos Rodón pitching for Chicago....
Leury García, Yasmani Grandal star as White Sox beat Astros in ALDS
CHICAGO — Two big swings by pint-sized Leury García. A rule-testing run by Yasmani Grandal. Solid relief work from Liam Hendriks and company. Right when the Chicago White Sox got in big trouble, they found a way. García and Grandal homered, and Grandal’s borderline baserunning helped the White Sox top...
Red Sox bounce Tampa Bay in 13 innings after odd wall callVideo
BOSTON — Saved a bizarre bounce and an obscure ruling, the Boston Red Sox beat Tampa Bay, 6-4, on Sunday night on a walk-off, two-run homer by Christian Vazquez in the 13th inning to move one victory from eliminating the 100-win Rays from the AL Division Series. The wild-card Red...
Julio Urias hits, pitches Dodgers past Giants to tie series
SAN FRANCISCO — With some mighty swings, solid pitching and defensive gems that have defined the Dodgers’ success the past decade, the defending World Series champions are headed home in prime playoff position having grabbed momentum away from the division-winning Giants. Fittingly, this NL Division Series between rivals has become...
Braves beat Brewers to even NL Division SeriesVideo
MILWAUKEE — Max Fried pitched six sharp innings and Atlanta’s bullpen held on after manager Brian Snitker’s quick hook, sending the Braves over the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-0, on Saturday to tie their NL Division Series at a game apiece. The Brewers brought the tying run to the plate in each...
Red Sox blast Rays to even series
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Boston slugger J.D. Martinez wasn’t sure how well he’d run, but he thought his sprained left ankle would be OK in the batter’s box Friday. Lucky for him, the Red Sox took their time rounding the bases all night while turning an early deficit against the...
Logan Webb masterfully pitches Giants past Dodgers in playoff opener
SAN FRANCISCO — Logan Webb struck out 10 pitching masterfully in his postseason debut, Buster Posey hit a two-run homer that held up, and the 107-win San Francisco Giants blanked the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 Friday night in the opener of their NL Division Series. Those...
Tellez gets Rowdy as Brewers beat Braves in Game 1 of NLDSVideo
MILWAUKEE — Rowdy Tellez spoiled Charlie Morton’s gem with a two-run homer in the seventh inning and threw out a runner at home plate, leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the Atlanta Braves, 2-1, on Friday in the opener of their NL Division Series. Corbin Burnes, Adrian Houser and Josh Hader...
Correa, Alvarez help Astros take 2-0 lead over Sox in ALDSVideo
HOUSTON — Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros are relentless at the plate and in the field. That’s why they are so tough to beat in the playoffs. Correa hit a two-run double during Houston’s five-run seventh inning, and the Astros beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-4, on Friday for...
MLB Network broadcaster Jim Kaat apologizes for ’40-acre’ commentVideo
HOUSTON — MLB Network broadcaster Jim Kaat apologized during Friday’s AL Division Series game between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox after saying teams should try to “get a 40-acre field full of” players who look like Chicago infielder Yoan Moncada. Kaat, a former All-Star pitcher and longtime commentator...
Randy Arozarena shines again; Rays blank Red Sox in ALDS openerVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena became the first player to hit a home run and steal home in a postseason game, and rookie Shane McClanahan pitched the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener Thursday night. The breakout...
Astros open ALDS with convincing win against White SoxVideo
HOUSTON — Lance McCullers Jr. was terrific. Yordan Alvarez delivered, and Jose Altuve scored on a nifty slide. The Houston Astros sure love October. McCullers pitched scoreless ball into the seventh inning, and the Astros beat Lance Lynn and the Chicago White Sox, 6-1, in Game 1 of their AL...
Chris Taylor hits walk-off HR, Dodgers beat Cards in wild-cardVideo
LOS ANGELES — Chris Taylor hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 Wednesday night in the NL wild-card game. The 106-win Dodgers advanced to a best-of-five NL Division Series against the rival Giants. Game...
Indians manager, New Brighton native Terry Francona confident he’ll return in 2022Video
CLEVELAND — Indians manager Terry Francona is confident he’ll return next season after missing most of the past two because of serious health issues. Francona, a New Brighton native, was forced to step away from the club in late July to undergo hip replacement surgery as well as a procedure...
Scrappy defending AL champ Rays poised to open ALDS against big-market Red SoxVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have won more games than any other team in the American League over the past two seasons, going about their business with a quiet confidence that has the full attention of the Boston Red Sox. The AL East rivals meet in a...
77-year-old Tony La Russa back in MLB postseason with White Sox against AstrosVideo
HOUSTON — A three-time World Series winner, Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa certainly couldn’t be nervous as his team prepares for the opener of a best-of-five AL Division Series against the Houston Astros on Thursday. Except he is — and it has nothing to do with the Hall...
