The Brewers win Game 1 of the NLDS, 3 – 2 over Colorado, but not before the Rockies give them a scare. They lead 2 – 0 on a 3rd-inning homer by Christian Yelich heading into the 9th, but Jeremy Jeffress gives up a pair of runs, and the Rockies miss a chance to take the lead when Charlie Blackmon is caught in a rundown between third and home. In the 10th, Mike Moustakas drives in Yelich with a two-out single for the game-winning run.

ByBaseball

The Brewers win Game 1 of the NLDS, 3 – 2 over Colorado, but not before the Rockies give them a scare. They lead 2 – 0 on a 3rd-inning homer by Christian Yelich heading into the 9th, but Jeremy Jeffress gives up a pair of runs, and the Rockies miss a chance to take the lead when Charlie Blackmon is caught in a rundown between third and home. In the 10th, Mike Moustakas drives in Yelich with a two-out single for the game-winning run.

In the other NLDS, the Dodgers defeat the Braves, 6 – 0, as Joc Pederson leads off the bottom of the 1st with a homer off Mike Foltynewicz and Max Muncy follows with a three-run shot in the 2nd. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitches 7 innings for the win.

ByBaseball

In the other NLDS, the Dodgers defeat the Braves, 6 – 0, as Joc Pederson leads off the bottom of the 1st with a homer off Mike Foltynewicz and Max Muncy follows with a three-run shot in the 2nd. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitches 7 innings for the win.

2017 – The Diamondbacks outlast the Rockies, 11 – 8 in an appropriately wild National League Wild Card Game. Arizona is up 3 – 0 on a homer by Paul Goldschmidt before Rockies starter Jon Gray has recorded an out, and adds a run in the 2nd and a two-run homer by Daniel Descalso in the 3rd to make it 6 – 0. However, Colorado chases Zack Greinke with 4 runs in the 4th and closes to within one run before pitcher Archie Bradley stuns everyone with a two-out, two-run triple off Pat Neshek in bottom of the 7th. But, undaunted, the Rockies strike back, with back-to-back homers by Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story off Bradley in the 8th to move back within one run before Arizona adds three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Colorado manages one last run off closer Fernando Rodney in the 9th, but it’s not enough to change the final result.

ByBaseball

2017 – The Diamondbacks outlast the Rockies, 11 – 8 in an appropriately wild National League Wild Card Game. Arizona is up 3 – 0 on a homer by Paul Goldschmidt before Rockies starter Jon Gray has recorded an out, and adds a run in the 2nd and a two-run homer by Daniel Descalso in the 3rd to make it 6 – 0. However, Colorado chases Zack Greinke with 4 runs in the 4th and closes to within one run before pitcher Archie Bradley stuns everyone with a two-out, two-run triple off Pat Neshek in bottom of the 7th. But, undaunted, the Rockies strike back, with back-to-back homers by Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story off Bradley in the 8th to move back within one run before Arizona adds three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Colorado manages one last run off closer Fernando Rodney in the 9th, but it’s not enough to change the final result.

2016 – The Blue Jays win the American League Wild Card Game, 5 – 2 in 11 innings over the Orioles. Edwin Encarnacion ends the game with a three-run homer with one out off Ubaldo Jimenez.

ByBaseball

2016 – The Blue Jays win the American League Wild Card Game, 5 – 2 in 11 innings over the Orioles. Edwin Encarnacion ends the game with a three-run homer with one out off Ubaldo Jimenez.

Clayton Kershaw becoming the 34th pitcher to record 300 strikeouts in a season

Clayton Kershaw becoming the 34th pitcher to record 300 strikeouts in a season

ByThis Day in Baseball

Clayton Kershaw strikes out Melvin Upton to end the third inning of LA’s 6-3 victory over the Padres at Chavez Ravine, becoming the 34th pitcher to record 300 strikeouts in a season, and joins Sandy Koufax, who accomplished the feat three times the 1960’s, as the only the second Dodger to reach the mark. The 27 year-old southpaw is the first pitcher in 13 years to achieve the milestone since Diamondback teammates Curt Schilling (316) and Randy Johnson (334) both pass the plateau in 2002.

In an effort to add more drama to the final day of the regular season, MLB schedules all games to start simultaneously at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The scheduling, similar to the English Premier League’s “Survival Sunday,” also evens the playing field by limiting teams’ ability to rest potential playoff starters based on the results of contests played earlier in the day.

ByTom

In an effort to add more drama to the final day of the regular season, MLB schedules all games to start simultaneously at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The scheduling, similar to the English Premier League’s “Survival Sunday,” also evens the playing field by limiting teams’ ability to rest potential playoff starters based on the results of contests played earlier in the day.

The Astros claim the final available postseason slot in spite of losing to the Diamondbacks, 5 – 3, thanks to the Rangers’ 9 – 2 win over the Angels. They will face the Yankees in the Wild Card Game for their first postseason appearance since moving to the American League.

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The Astros claim the final available postseason slot in spite of losing to the Diamondbacks, 5 – 3, thanks to the Rangers’ 9 – 2 win over the Angels. They will face the Yankees in the Wild Card Game for their first postseason appearance since moving to the American League.

The Dodgers waste an excellent start by Zack Greinke in Game 2 of the other NLDS when J.P. Howell allows a two-run homer to Matt Carpenter to tie the game in the 8th, but Matt Kemp homers off Pat Neshek to lead off the bottom of the inning and Los Angeles wins, 3 – 2, over the Cardinals, evening the series at one win apiece.

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The Dodgers waste an excellent start by Zack Greinke in Game 2 of the other NLDS when J.P. Howell allows a two-run homer to Matt Carpenter to tie the game in the 8th, but Matt Kemp homers off Pat Neshek to lead off the bottom of the inning and Los Angeles wins, 3 – 2, over the Cardinals, evening the series at one win apiece.

The Giants take a 2-0 lead in the NLDS by defeating the Nationals, 2 – 1, in the longest game by time in postseason history. It takes 6 hours and 23 minutes to play the 18 innings, the second time that particular inning is reached after Game 4 of the 2004 NLDS. Jordan Zimmermann comes within one out of pitching a shutout for the Nats, but is lifted by manager Matt Williams after walking Joe Panik with two outs in the 9th, and closer Drew Storen allows a game-tying double to Pablo Sandoval. No other run is scored until Brandon Belt leads off the top of the 18th with a homer off Tanner Roark. Yusmeiro Petit is the winner after pitching 6 shutout innings in relief.

ByBaseball

The Giants take a 2-0 lead in the NLDS by defeating the Nationals, 2 – 1, in the longest game by time in postseason history. It takes 6 hours and 23 minutes to play the 18 innings, the second time that particular inning is reached after Game 4 of the 2004 NLDS. Jordan Zimmermann comes within one out of pitching a shutout for the Nats, but is lifted by manager Matt Williams after walking Joe Panik with two outs in the 9th, and closer Drew Storen allows a game-tying double to Pablo Sandoval. No other run is scored until Brandon Belt leads off the top of the 18th with a homer off Tanner Roark. Yusmeiro Petit is the winner after pitching 6 shutout innings in relief.

In the American League, Boston gets off to a fast start in its series with the Rays by scoring 8 runs in the 3rd and 4th innings for a 12 – 2 win in Game 1 of their ALDS. In the other Series, the Tigers win Game 1, 3 – 2, over Oakland, as Max Scherzer allows only 3 hits over 7 innings.

ByBaseball

In the American League, Boston gets off to a fast start in its series with the Rays by scoring 8 runs in the 3rd and 4th innings for a 12 – 2 win in Game 1 of their ALDS. In the other Series, the Tigers win Game 1, 3 – 2, over Oakland, as Max Scherzer allows only 3 hits over 7 innings.