Tag: October 8

The Astros complete a sweep of the Indians with an 11 – 3 win in Game 3 of the ALDS. Cleveland heads into the top of the 7th leading 2 – 1 at home after a solid start by Mike Clevinger, but its beleaguered bullpen gives up 9 runs over the next two nightmarish innings to blow the game away. George Springer homers twice and Carlos Correa hits a three-run shot for Houston.

The Dodgers eliminate the Braves with a 6 – 2 win in Game 4 of the NLDS. Trailing 2 – 1 in the 6th, they score twice on a pinch single by David Freese then add three more runs on a homer by Manny Machado in the 7th.

The Red Sox humiliate the Yankees in Game 3 of the Division Series at New Yankee Stadium, winning 16 – 1. The Sox score 7 times in the 4th, chasing Luis Severino, to build a comfortable lead, and keep adding to it as Brock Holt hits for the cycle, becoming the first player ever to do so in a postseason game. Nathan Eovaldi pitches 7 innings for the win.

With their backs to the wall in Game 3 of the ALDS, the Red Sox see Houston score 3 runs off Doug Fister in the 1st, but still manage to come back to win, 10 – 3. David Price does some great work out of the bullpen with four scoreless innings, young Rafael Devers hits a two-run homer off Francisco Liriano in the 3rd to give Boston a lead, and Jackie Bradley hits a three-run shot in the 7th to put the game out of reach.

In the other ALDS, Carlos Carrasco for the Indians and Masahiro Tanaka for the Yankees are locked in a pitchers’ duel until the 7th, when Greg Bird hits a solo homer off Andrew Miller to the sole run of the game. Aroldis Chapman records the final five outs for New York, four of them on strikeouts, as the Bronx Bombers avoid elimination.

The Japanese national team wins the 2017 Asian Championship, topping host Taiwan 6-1 in the finale. Tourney MVP Daiki Tajima tosses five shutout innings for the win. In the Bronze Medal game, South Korea routs the Philippines.

Neptunus wins the 2017 Holland Series, beating the Amsterdam Pirates 4 games to 1 for their fifth straight Holland Series title. For the second time this Series, they come back late. Down 4-2 after being stifled by Kevin Heijstek, they score four in the 9th off Kyle Ward, Dennis Burgersdijk, Nick Veltkamp and Daan Hendrix. Neptunus closer Loek van Mil is named Series MVP after getting two wins and a save.

In Belgium, the K. Deurne Spartans repeat as First Division champs, beating the Borgerhout Squirrels 3 games to 2 in the Belgian Series; they take the finale by a decisive 11 – 0 score.

The Cubs win Game 2 of the NLDS, 5 – 2, over the Giants at Wrigley Field by jumping on starter Jeff Samardzija for 4 runs over the first two innings. Starter Kyle Hendricks has to leave in the 4th after being hit on the forearm by a batted ball, but his successor, Travis Wood, becomes only the second relief pitcher in postseason history to hit a home run after Rosy Ryan in the 1924 World Series, going deep off George Kontos in the bottom of the 4th.

Curaçao Neptunus wins the 2016 Holland Series, 4 games to 2. In Game 6 today, they top the L&D Amsterdam Pirates, 4 – 3. Diegomar Markwell tosses six shutout innings but gives up three in the 7th. In the 8th, Rien Vernooij singles in Raily Legito with the winning run. Amsterdam gets two on in the 9th but fails to score. Loek van Mil gets the win and Tom de Blok the loss after having gotten Amsterdam’s two wins.

The Rangers stun the Blue Jays with a 5 – 3 win at the Rogers Centre in Game 1 of the ALDS in the Jays’ first postseason appearance since winning the 1993 World Series. The bottom of the batting order does the damage, as number 8 hitter Rougned Odor homers and scores three runs, while number 9 Robinson Chirinos hits a two-run homer. All five Texas runs come against American League ERA leader David Price. Jose Bautista homers for the Jays in his first career postseason game.

The Astros win Game 1 of the other ALDS, as they score 3 runs off Yordano Ventura in the first two innings, before he is pulled from the game following a 49-minute rain delay. Kendrys Morales hits a pair of solo homers to bring the Royals within one run, but solo shots by George Springer and Colby Rasmus makes the final score 5 – 2 in favor of Houston.

2014 – Dan O’Dowd, who had been the general manager of the Colorado Rockies since 1999, resigns from his position. Jeff Bridich is promoted to take his place as only the third GM in team history.

The Red Sox advance to the ALCS with a 3 – 1 win over the Rays in Game 4 of the ALDS. Down 1 – 0 after 6 innings, the Sox score twice in the 7th and once in the 9th to secure the win.

The other ALDS will require a decisive 5th game after the Tigers defeat the Athletics, 8 – 6, in Game 4. Facing elimination, Detroit manager Jim Leyland uses ace starter Max Scherzer in relief in the 7th; he allows a run in that inning but escapes a none out, bases loaded jam in the 8th while his teammates score 5 runs over those two innings to give him the win.

Taiwanese rookie Wei-Yin Chen pitches into the 7th inning against veteran Andy Pettitte to lead the Orioles to a 3 – 2 win in Game 2 of the ALDS, evening the series. Chris Davis drives in two runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single in the 3rd, then Mark Reynolds provides the winning margin with an RBI in the 6th.

Manager Mike Matheny yanks his starter, Jaime Garcia, after only two laborious innings, but St. Louis goes on to beat Washington, 12 – 4, to even the NLDS at one win apiece. Lance Lynn steps in ably in relief of Garcia while the Cards chase Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann after only 3 innings. Homers by Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso and Carlos Beltran, twice, propel the winners’ offense.

In the season finale for the Orix Buffaloes, Yuki Nishi tosses a no-hitter against the Softbank Hawks. Only a walk to Nobuhiko Matsunaka in the 5th costs him a perfect game. It is the first season-ending no-hitter in Nippon Pro Baseball in the two-league era, the only other one coming in 1937.

Redbird right-hander Chris Carpenter out pitches Roy Halladay, throwing a three-hitter to beat the Phillies 1-0 in the deciding Game 5 of NLDS. The wild-card Cardinals plate the game’s only run in the first frame when Skip Schumaker doubles home Rafael Furcal, who led off the Citizens Bank Park contest with a triple.

Redbird right-hander Chris Carpenter out pitches Roy Halladay, throwing a three-hitter to beat the Phillies 1-0 in the deciding Game 5 of NLDS. The wild-card Cardinals plate the game’s only run in the first frame when Skip Schumaker doubles home Rafael Furcal, who led off the Citizens Bank Park contest with a triple.

2011 – The Texas Rangers take the first game of the 2011 ALCS over the Detroit Tigers with a rain-soaked 3 – 2 win over ace Justin Verlander in Arlington. They score two early runs against the 24-game winner, one on a solo homer by Nelson Cruz in the 4th, before Verlander leaves after a 5th-inning rain delay. Rangers starter C.J. Wilson also has to depart early, but five relievers allow only a hit and a walk in the last 4 1/3 innings; Alexi Ogando is the winner.

Although the Astros finish ten games under .500, the team exercises the 2012 option on the contract of their manager Brad Mills and adds a club option for the following season. After a dismal 17-34 start and the loss of veterans Roy Oswalt to the Phillies and Lance Berkman to the Yankees, the first-year skipper pilots Houston to a 59-52 record after June 1.

The Rockies even their Division Series with a 5 – 4 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. They jump for four runs in five innings against 2008 Postseason hero Cole Hamels, highlighted by Yorvit Torrealba’s two-run homer in the 4th. The Phillies mount a comeback with 3 runs off Aaron Cook in the 6th and a solo homer by Jayson Werth in the 8th, but Huston Street closes out the game with a scoreless inning of relief for the save.

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.

The Los Angeles Angels open their fourth Division Series in recent years against the Boston Red Sox in an unusual manner – with a win. John Lackey pitches 7 1/3 scoreless innings and Torii Hunter hits a three-run homer off Jon Lester in the 5th to drive the 5 – 0 win.

A ninth-inning error by left fielder Matt Holliday with the bases empty and two-out leads to the Dodgers’ stunning 3-2 walk-off victory and gives LA a commanding 2-0 game advantage in the NLDS. After the crucial miscue on the sinking line drive, Cardinals’ closer Ryan Franklin gives up RBI singles to Ronnie Belliard and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta to complete the improbable two-run comeback rally.

The Cubs exercise Rich Harden’s $7 million option for next year, the day after tests reveal the 26 year-old hurler has a sound pitching shoulder. The hard-throwing right-hander, obtained from the A’s in a July deal, compiled a combined record of 10-2, posting a 2.07 ERA in 25 starts for his two teams.

2008 – The Amsterdam Pirates complete a sweep of the 2008 Holland Series, upsetting defending champion Kinheim. The finale is an 11 – 0 rout with a 22-3 hit advantage. It is the 6th sweep in Holland Series history and their first title since 1987, when current manager Rikkert Faneyte was just starting his career.

The Cubs exercise Rich Harden’s $7 million option for next year, the day after tests reveal the 26 year-old hurler has a sound pitching shoulder. The hard-throwing right-hander, obtained from the A’s in a July deal, compiled a combined record of 10-2, posting a 2.07 ERA in 25 starts for his two teams.

2007 – Alex Ramirez of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows raps his 203rd hit of the season, setting a new Central League record. His outfield teammate, Norichika Aoki, had previously held the mark.

With a 6-4 victory at Yankee Stadium, the Indians advance to the ALCS for the first time since 1995. The Tribe’s win ends the Bronx Bombers’ season and begins speculation of the impending firing of New York skipper Joe Torre, who was chastised in the press yesterday by owner George Steinbrenner for the team’s first-round woes.

A 6-4 defeat to the Indians in Game 4 of the ALDS at the Stadium proves to be Joe Torre’s final game with the Yankees. The veteran skipper, who during his 12-year tenure with the Bronx Bombers saw the team win 1,173 games and make the postseason every year, will later reject a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager, a deal many believe to be structured to oust the popular pilot without upsetting the fans.

With a 6-4 victory at Yankee Stadium, the Indians advance to the ALCS for the first time since 1995. The Tribe’s win ends the Bronx Bombers’ season and begins speculation of the impending firing of New York skipper Joe Torre, who was chastised in the press yesterday by owner George Steinbrenner for the team’s first-round woes.

A 6-4 defeat to the Indians in Game 4 of the ALDS at the Stadium proves to be Joe Torre’s final game with the Yankees. The veteran skipper, who during his 12-year tenure with the Bronx Bombers saw the team win 1,173 games and make the postseason every year, will later reject a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager, a deal many believe to be structured to oust the popular pilot without upsetting the fans.

In the inaugural season in their new ballpark, the Cardinals beat the Padres 6-2 at Busch Stadium to take the NLDS playoff three games to one. The Redbirds advance to the championship series for the third consecutive season when Chris Carpenter gets the win, earning his second victory in the best-of-five series.

The Tigers select their former All-Star shortstop Alan Trammell (1977-1996) to manage the faltering franchise. The California native had been a coach with the Padres for the last three seasons.

At Shea Stadium, the Mets blank the Giants, 4-0, to win the NLDS in four games. Bobby Jones, who was sent to the minors earlier in the season to work on his mechanics, retires the side in order eight of the nine innings, allowing only a fifth-inning double to Jeff Kent. It is only the sixth complete-game one-hitter in postseason history.

2000 – Bobby J. Jones pitches the sixth complete game one-hitter in postseason history as the New York Mets eliminate the San Francisco Giants with a 4 – 0 win in Game 4 of their National League Division Series. It is the first one-hit shutout in the postseason since Jim Lonborg of the Boston Red Sox beat St. Louis in the 1967 World Series.

Thanks to a two-run double off Jack McDowell by Edgar Martinez, the Mariners become only the fourth team in major league history to overcome a two-game deficit to win a five-game series when they dramatically come-from-behind to beat the Yankees in 11 innings, 6-5.

In the Mariners’ dramatic come-from-behind Game 5 extra-inning victory to beat the Yankees and win the ALDS, Ken Griffey Jr. ties a major league record when he hits his fifth home run in the postseason series, an eighth-inning round-tripper off David Cone. Reggie Jackson established the mark in 1977, going deep five times in the World Series against the Dodgers.

1995 – In the bottom of the 11th inning, Edgar Martinez drives home the tying and winning runs with a double to left field to rally the Seattle Mariners to a 6 – 5 win and the Division Series over the Yankees. Martinez bats .571 with 10 RBI in the best-of-five series. Ken Griffey, Jr., who beats the relay throw home to score the winning run, belts five home runs in the series. Following the 2010 season, a panel of experts at the MLB Network will vote this game the 15th greatest game of the past fifty years.

1989 – The Oakland Athletics beat Toronto, 4 – 3, in Game 5 of the ALCS to advance to the World Series for the second straight year. Rickey Henderson, who hit .400 with eight stolen bases, is named Series MVP.