The Cardinals litterally drop the ball in their NLDS encounter with the Dodgers. With the Cards leading 2 – 1 with two outs and none on in the bottom of the 9th, Matt Holliday drops James Loney’s line drive for a two-base error. Four batters later, pinch hitter Mark Loretta hits a soft single to center off Ryan Franklin, and the Dodgers win, 3 – 2.

2009 – In the first ALDS, New York beats Minnesota, 7 – 2, in the first postseason game to be played in New Yankee Stadium. Just like old times, Derek Jeter has a key hit, a game-tying home run off Brian Duensing in the 2nd inning. The Yankees and CC Sabathia roll from that point on, with Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui, who blasts a two-run homer, collecting the key hits in the 5th inning.

In the other NLDS, the Dodgers take a one game to none lead with a 5 – 3 win over the Cardinals and Chris Carpenter. Los Angeles’ bullpen compensates for Randy Wolf’s shaky start as five relievers give up a single run over 5 1/3 innings. Matt Kemp homers for the Dodgers.

Detroit loses, 6 – 5, to Minnesota in a one-game playoff to determine the winner of the AL Central title. Alexi Casilla singles home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning. The Tigers had led the division by 3 games with 4 to play, and were ahead by 7 games on September 6th before sputtering down the stretch. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera, under a swirl of controversy over allegations of impaired driving and domestic violence, hits an early home run to put Detroit ahead, but is thrown out at home by Nick Punto in the top half of the 12th. It is the last regular-season game to be played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Following the 2010 season, a panel of experts at the MLB Network will vote this the 16th greatest game of the past fifty years.

In his postseason debut, Cliff Lee comes within one pitch of a shutout before Troy Tulowitzki doubles in a run in the 9th as Philadelphia defeats Colorado, 5 – 1, in Game 1 of their NLDS. Raul Ibanez has two RBI for the Phillies.

The Indians, with six games left on the schedule, announce they have dismissed Eric Wedge, their manager for the past seven years. The Cleveland skipper, whose firing came as no surprise, asks to remain in the dugout to manage the fifth-place Tribe for the remainder of the season.

51,000 fans turn out for what should be the final regular-season game to be played at the Metrodome, but the Twins extend their season with a 13 – 4 defeat of the Royals. Mid-season acquisition Carl Pavano picks up the win, completing a remarkable comeback season that sees him go 14-12 after three nightmarish years with the New York Yankees, and Delmon Young hits two home runs. Combined with the Tigers’ 5 – 3 victory over the White Sox, highlighted by Ryan Raburn’s two long balls, the Twins’ win forces a one-game playoff that will be played in two days, as the dome is being used for a Monday night football game in the meantime.

On the last day of the campaign, Miguel Tejada hits a fourth-inning double off Nelson Figueroa in the Astros’ 4-0 loss in New York to finish the season with 46, the most in the National League. The Astros’ shortstop, who also was tops the AL with 50 two-baggers playing for the Orioles in 2005, is the first player in baseball history to have led both leagues in doubles.

B.J. Upton, in the Rays’ 13-4 rout of the visiting Yankees, becomes the first player in the 12-year history of the franchise to hit for the cycle. The fleet center fielder’s offensive output, which includes five hits and six RBIs, helps Tampa Bay to deny CC Sabathia of his 20th win this season, a feat which hasn’t been accomplished by a Bronx pitcher since Andy Pettitte posted a 21-8 record in 2003.

Delmon Young hits his first career grand slam to lead the Twins to a 10 – 7 win over Kansas City. Jeff Manship earns his first major league win for Minnesota. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy gives up only 2 hits in 8 innings when the White Sox beat Detroit, 8 – 0, reducing the Tigers’ lead over the Twins in the AL Central to just one game.