October 9, 2020 -(From MLB) Whitey Ford, the Yankees’ all-time wins leader, Hall of Famer and six-time World Series champion, has died at the age of 91. The Yankees announced Ford’s passing on Friday, 12 days shy of what would have been Ford’s birthday. They said he died on Thursday night, surrounded by family while…
The Red Sox win Game 4 of the ALDS, 4 – 3 over the Yankees to move on to the ALCS. They rough up CC Sabathia for three runs in three innings before Christian Vazquez homers to lead off the 4th against Zach Britton. The Yanks manage to score twice against Craig Kimbrel in the 9th to move within one run, but Gleyber Torres grounds out on a close play to end the game, stranding two baserunners.
In the ALDS, Houston eliminates Boston with a 5 – 4 win in Game 4. Boston takes a 3 – 2 lead in the 5th on a two-run homer by Andrew Benintendi off Justin Verlander, making the first relief appearance of his career. In the 8th, Alex Bregman ties it with a solo homer off Chris Sale, also making an unexpected relief outing, before Carlos Beltran drives in the go-ahead run with a single off closer Craig Kimbrel.
In the other ALDS, New York forces a decisive fifth game by defeating Cleveland, 7 – 3, in Game 4. Trevor Bauer is victimized by an error by 3B Giovanny Urshela, allowing 4 unearned runs in the 2nd to be yanked out of the game early, then the Yankees score another gift run on another error by Urshela in the 3rd. Luis Severino pitches 7 strong innings to earn the win, while Tommy Kahnle retires all six batters he faces, five of them on strikeouts, to earn the save.
Max Scherzer pitches no-hit ball until one out in the 7th, when Ben Zobrist hits a double for the Cubs then scores the tying run on a single by pinch-hitter Albert Almora. In the 8th, Anthony Rizzo drops a hit between a trio of players in the outfield to allow Leonys Martin to score from second, and Chicago wins Game 3 of the NLDS, 2 – 1.
In the other NLDS, Los Angeles completes a three-game sweep of Arizona with a 3 – 1 win. Mid-season acquisition Yu Darvish allows just one run on two hits in five innings to earn the win as rookie Cody Bellinger drives in a pair with a homer and a grounder.
In the NLDS, Los Angeles takes an early lead on a solo homer by Corey Seager, the second batter of the game, but a three-run blast by Jose Lobaton off Rich Hill in the 4th turns the tide, allowing Washington to win the game, 5 – 2.
Toronto sweeps its Division Series with a 7 – 6, 10-inning win over the Rangers. Toronto takes a quick lead on homers by Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin in the 1st, but Texas comes back with homers by Elvis Andrus and Rougned Odor, then takes a short-lived lead on a two-run double by Mitch Moreland in the 6th. The Blue Jays tie it up on a passed ball, however, and in Matt Bush’s third inning on the mound, Josh Donaldson scores the winning run from second base when Odor throws wildly to first in attempting to turn a double play.
The Rangers take a two games to none lead in the ALDS when they string together four consecutive two-out singles in the 14th inning to defeat Toronto, 6 – 4. Both teams score three times in the first couple of innings before things settle down.
The Royals fall into an early 4 – 1 hole in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Astros, but Johnny Cueto settles down, and they tie the game after Scott Kazmir leaves the game in the 6th. A triple by Alcides Escobar and a single by Ben Zobrist account for the go-ahead run in the 7th, and Ryan Madson and Wade Davis nail down the 5 – 4 win that evens the series.