The Astros win Game 7 of the ALCS, 4 – 0, over the Yankees to clinch their-first ever American League pennant. Having also won one in the National League in 2005, they become the first team to have done so in both major leagues. In the game, the Astros get a great combined pitching performance by Charlie Morton, who goes the first five innings, and Lance McCullers, who pitches the last four, limiting the Yankees to just three hits. Evan Gattis and Jose Altuve hit solo homers and Brian McCann drives in two runs, as CC Sabathia is charged with the loss.

The Astros force a Game 7 in the ALCS by defeating the Yankees, 7 – 1, in Game 6. Justin Verlander has another great performance, with 7 scoreless innings, and Houston scores three times in the 5th against Luis Severino on a double by Brian McCann and a two-run single by Jose Altuve. Aaron Judge brings the Yankees close with a monster home run off Brad Peacock in the 8th, but Altuve leads off the bottom of the inning with a solo shot off David Robertson, starting a four-run inning that puts the game away.

The Yankees win their third straight game in the ALCS to take a 3 games to 2 lead over Houston. Masahiro Tanaka baffles the Astros’ hitters over 7 innings, giving up just 3 hits and a walk, while the Yankees take a lead in the 2nd on an RBI single by Greg Bird and keep gradually adding to it until finishing with a 5 – 0 win.

The Cubs avoid elimination by winning Game 4 of the NLCS, 3 – 2, over the Dodgers. All five runs are the result of solo homers: for Chicago, a monster blast that travels almost 500 feet by Willson Contreras, and two by Javier Baez, all against Alex Wood, and replies by Clay Bellinger and Justin Turner for Los Angeles. Jake Arrieta is the winner and Wade Davis gets credit for the save.

An article by Tracy Ringolsby published today in Baseball America claims there is growing consensus among owners for a complete realignment of Major League Baseball. This would include an expansion adding teams in Montreal, QC and Portland, OR to increase the ranks to 32 teams, who would then be divided into four divisions of eight teams each – north, east, midwest and west. Under the alleged plan, the schedule would also be shortened to 156 games and teams would play largely within their division during the regular season.

The Yankees even the ALCS with a 6 – 4 win over the Astros in Game 4. The Astros head into the bottom of the 7th leading 4 – 0, thanks in part to a bases-clearing double by Yuli Gurriel, but Aaron Judge gets the Yankees on the scoreboard with a huge homer, then adds a run-scoring double that ties the game in a four-run 8th inning during which New York bats around against three Houston relievers. Gary Sanchez drives in three runs for the Yanks.

The Dogers defeat the Cubs, 6 – 1, in Game 3 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field to move within one game of the World Series. Yu Darvish gives up a 1st-inning homer to Kyle Schwarber but then shuts down the Cubs until the 7th, when the bullpen takes over. Meanwhile, solo homers by Andre Ethier and Chris Taylor put the Dodgers ahead, and they seal the deal with a couple more runs on a triple by Taylor and a bases-loaded walk to Darvish, before adding a pair in the 8th.

The Dodgers win Game 1 of the NLCS, 5 – 2, at home over the Cubs. Chris Taylor breaks a 2 – 2 tie with a solo homer off Hector Rondon in the 6th, and Yasiel Puig follows suit with a shot off Mike Montgomery in the 7th as six Dodgers pitchers limit Chicago to 5 hits.

The Astros take a two games to none lead in the ALCS with a 2 – 1 defeat of the Yankees in Game 2. Justin Verlander pitches a masterful complete game and the Astros score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th as Jose Altuve runs all the way from first base on a double to right by Carlos Correa off Aroldis Chapman.