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As of this writing, we find the Major League Baseball playoffs in the divisional round of competition, with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres battling for the right to play for the National League Championship, and the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers locked in competition to see who will represent the American League in this year’s World Series.
The National and American League divisional playoff series are the best of five events.
A breakdown of the Phillies/Mets series
This series, tied at one game apiece and headed to New York for games three and four, has been the most action filled. In game one, the Mets exploded for six runs in the eighth inning for a stunning 6-2 win after being blanked by former Met Zack Wheeler, who completely handcuffed his former teammates for seven innings and led 1-0 when he exited.
The Mets, who have shown remarkable comeback quality during their late-season run to the postseason — their circuitous journey over the final days of the MLB regular season to get into the playoffs, which included having to play a doubleheader on Oct.1 and travel to Milwaukee to start a best of three Wild Card Series with the Brewers the next day — have proved that their act will travel.
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams delivers. PHOTO: MILWAUKEE BREWERS/MLB
Two straight comeback wins over the stunned Brewers, with special mention to the ninth inning rally highlighted by a massive three-run homer by Pete Alonso off relief specialist Devin Williams, sent the Mets off to Philadelphia and the Brewers home for the year.
It was more of the late inning lightning that pushed the Mets past the Phillies in game one and had them sweating through their game jerseys in game two. Mark Vientos’ two-run homer in the ninth inning tied the see-saw affair at 6-6, only to see the Phillies escape with a 7-6 triumph on a walk-off game-winning single by Nick Castellanos.
The primary question mark for both the Phillies and Mets is the spotty work of their bullpen relievers as this series moves to New York for the next two contests.
LA Dodger Shohei Ohtani takes a lead PHOTO: ALL PRO REELS
In the other National League divisional series, the San Diego Padres have put the Los Angeles Dodgers’ backs to the proverbial wall following their 10-2 demolition in game two at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers had to rally to squeeze out a 7-5 victory in game one, mostly due to the heroics of Shohei Ohtani, whose three-run homer was the highlight of his four-RBI day in his first-ever MLB postseason game.
Game two was a very different affair as the Padres blasted six home runs and played sparkling defense to embarrass the home team from LA, whose fans showed a serious lack of class by throwing debris at the Padres outfielder Jurrickson Profar and his teammates. The incident infuriated the Padres to the point that they took joy in spanking the Dodgers and shared in the back-and-forth profane language and verbal exchanges between the two teams. The Padres have shown a command of this series as it moves to San Diego for the next two games.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff is replete with injuries and will have to get more offensive production from Mookie Betts, who is mired in a woeful postseason hitting slump with three hits in his last 40 plus at bats, and Freddie Freeman, who is playing on a badly sprained right ankle and has not done much better. Unless Betts, Freeman and the rest of the Dodgers start hitting, especially with men on base and in scoring position, it will be a short playoff run for the team that led the league with the most regular season wins. This situation could also add to the discussion about firing manager Dave Roberts.
The American League divisional playoff series
Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians PHOTO: ERIK DROST
The Cleveland Guardians jumped on the surprising Detroit Tigers for five runs in the first inning on their way to a 7-0 triumph in game one of their series, while the New York Yankees edged their way past the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of their best of five matchup.
The Tigers, coming off a two-game sweep of the favored Baltimore Orioles in their Wild Card series, are one of the feel-good stories of this baseball season. A strong second-half run got the Tigers to their first postseason appearance since 2014.
The Kansas City Royals, making their first trip to the postseason party since 2015, when they beat the N.Y. Mets in the World Series, gave the Yankees a stiff test in the opening game of their divisional series before falling to the heavily favored Bronx Bombers, 6-5.
Game two of the Tigers/Guardians series proved a high-drama occasion. Tigers ace lefthander Tarik Skubal, the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s American League Cy Young Award, showed why as he pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out eight and keeping his team in the game and the series. The game went scoreless into the ninth inning when Kerry Carpenter, who battled injuries all season, hit a climactic three-run homer off Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase. Clase threw three straight sliders to Carpenter, the third of which was deposited into the right field stands.
Guardians’ manager Steven Vogt’s strategy to pitch his closer in a scoreless game, considered a no-no by some baseball aficionados, will be up for debate, as well as the closer throwing three straight sliders, his second-best pitch, to Carpenter with the game on the line. It was the first homer given up by the right-hander on a slider since 2022. That was a very questionable pitch choice by Clase at a critical time.
The Detroit Tigers, like the Mets, continue to play exciting baseball in high-tension moments. This series, tied at one game apiece, shifts to Detroit.
Royals pitcher Ángel Zerpa is 2-0 this postseason. PHOTO: KANSAS CITY ROYALS/MLB
The Kansas City Royals scratched out four runs in the fourth inning against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon. They got solid pitching from their starter Cole Ragans, reliever Ángel Zerpa and closer Lucas Erceg to defeat the Yanks 4-2, tying their best of five divisional playoff series at one game apiece. Ragans and Zerpa stymied the Yankees offense before turning matters over to Erceg, who closed his third straight playoff game.
Maikel Garcia had a big offensive night for the visiting Royals with four hits in five at-bats, a stolen base, an RBI, and a run scored for the winners. Catcher Salvatore Perez’s home run, his sixth career in the postseason and second on the Royals’ all-time franchise list behind Hall of Famer George Brett’s 10, and Tommy Pham, who had an RBI single and a stolen base, also played starring roles for Kansas City. This series now moves to Kauffman Stadium for the games three and four.
PHOTO: COURTESY MLB
Luis Tiant, baseball legend
On a sad note: Luis “El Tiante” Tiant, former pitching great of the Boston Red Sox, has left this life, passing away on Oct. 8 at 83. The game of baseball has lost one of its true legends and gentlemen. Condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans. May he rest in eternal peace.
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