October 10

The Giants force a fifth game in the other NLDS with an 8 – 3 win over Cincinnati. Having collected only 12 hits over the first three games of the Series, they bang out 11 today, including 8 for extra bases as they pound the Reds into submission. Tim Lincecum is the winner in relief of an ineffective Barry Zito, besting Mike Leake, who is activated before the game to replace injured ace Johnny Cueto. Angel Pagan, Gregor Blanco and Pablo Sandoval all homer for San Francisco.

Pinch-hitting for a struggling Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the 9th, Raul Ibanez homers off Orioles closer Jim Johnson to tie the score. Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s bold move pays off twice, as Ibanez homers again against Brian Matusz in the 12th inning to give New York a 3 – 2 walk-off victory in Game 3 of the other ALDS. Baltimore had taken a 2 – 1 lead on homers by rookies Ryan Flaherty and Manny Machado off Hiroki Kuroda, until Ibanez turns the game’s tide.

Ranger left fielder Nelson Cruz hits the first walk-off grand slam in major league playoff history when his 11th inning round-tripper beats Detroit, 7-3, in Game Two of the ALCS. The victory in Arlington gives Texas a 2-0 advantage in the seven-game series.

The Cardinals beat Milwaukee, 12 – 3, in Game 2 of the NLCS. Albert Pujols gets things started with a two-run homer off Shaun Marcum in the 1st, then adds three more doubles, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored in the rout. The Series is even at a game apiece.

The Rangers take a 2 – 0 lead in the ALCS on a walk-off grand slam by Nelson Cruz off the Tigers’ Ryan Perry in the 11th inning, for a 7 – 3 win. Cruz had tied the game earlier with a solo home run in the 7th. All of Detroit’s runs come on a three-run shot by Ryan Raburn in the 3rd.

11 new players are named to the Latin American Baseball Hall of Fame, including Luis Tiant, Fernando Valenzuela, Dennis Martinez and Edgar Martinez.

Alexis Gómez hits a three-run triple in the 1st off Norge Vera and Lorenzo Barcelo allows one run in five innings as the Dominican national team stuns Cuba, 5 – 2, in the finale of the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament. Both teams had already qualified for the 2011 Baseball World Cup and 2011 Pan American Games along with the USA, Venezuela, Panama and Canada. Host Puerto Rico qualifies only for the 2011 Pan American Games.

Behind the solid starting pitching of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels, the Phillies complete the franchise’s first playoff sweep when Hamels throws a complete-game, five-hit 2-0 NLDS victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Philadelphia will have an opportunity to become the first team to win three consecutive National League pennants since the war-time Cardinals raised flags from 1942 to 1944.

2009 – The Los Angeles Dodgers complete a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 5 – 1 win at Busch Stadium in the NLDS. Andre Ethier has a double, triple and three-run homer, while Manny Ramirez has two doubles among his three hits to lead the Dodger offense. Vicente Padilla gets the win, over Joel Pineiro.

In Matt Holliday’s first at-bat at home since his critical error allowed LA to stage an amazing comeback victory, the Cardinals’ left fielder receives a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 47,296 at Busch Stadium. The former NLCS MVP award winner (Colorado – 2007), who will become a free agent after the season, is touched by the fans’ reaction and very appreciative of their support.