Cards win 10th in row, beat Brewers to extend wild-card lead
Cardinals closer Giovanny Gallegos fanned pinch-hitter Pablo Reyes with the bases loaded for the final out and St. Louis won its 10th straight game, increasing its lead in the playoff chase by holding off the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers 2-1.
Diamondbacks' Gallen has sore forearm, might miss opener
Gallen went 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA during the pandemic-shortened season, striking out 82 in 72 innings. SETBACK IN THE BULLPENBlue Jays right-hander Kirby Yates will miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm. He allowed one run and five hits, striking out five without a walk. Bryan Abreu, a top Astros pitching prospect who turns 24 next month, started and pitched three perfect innings, striking out four. Baltimore starter John Means allowed four hits and walked three over 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.
Bogaerts spring debut after shoulder woe, Tatis HR in return
On that one, we are probably on the same page.”RED SOX 8, RAYS 2Garrett Richards struck out seven in four scoreless innings for Boston. ATHLETICS 5, PADRES 4Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the game with his second spring home run, a smashing return after missing six days with a non-virus bug. The 30-year-old left has pitched four scoreless innings this spring. BREWERS 8, CUBS 3 (7)Brandon Woodruff made his second start for Milwaukee, allowing five hits in two scoreless innings. BRAVES 8, TWINS 5Michael Pineda, who last pitched a full season in 2016, made his first spring start for Minnesota.
Pitchers already experiencing both extremes this postseason
Chicago White Sox pitcher Matt Foster walks to the dugout after retiring the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of Game 3 of an American League wild-card baseball series Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Pitchers already experiencing both extremes this postseason
It's been a feast-or-famine postseason on the pitcher's mound so far. Then there were teams like the Indians and Chicago White Sox, whose seasons are over in large part because of control problems that popped up at the worst possible time. The Atlanta-Cincinnati contest was the first postseason game to be scoreless after 11 innings. San Diego was only in that position because the Cardinals couldn't hold off the Padres' sluggers Thursday. The White Sox ended up using nine pitchers and Oakland used eight.
Kershaw Ks 13 as Dodgers eliminate Brewers 3-0
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, high-fives Justin Turner after the team's 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of a National League wild-card baseball series Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES – Beat up in the postseason over the years, Clayton Kershaw orchestrated one of his best performances against the weakened Milwaukee Brewers. Kershaw struck out 13 while delivering eight innings of three-hit ball, Mookie Betts hit a two-out, two-run double in the fifth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won 3-0 to sweep their NL wild-card series on Thursday night. Only two of the Dodgers' nine hitters didn't strike out during that span; five of the Brewers didn't. That's where the NL Division Series and NL Championship Series will be contested, as well as the first neutral site World Series.
Seager homers, Dodgers beat Brewers 4-2 in playoff opener
The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of a National League wild-card baseball series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers' powerful lineup went mostly quiet against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mookie Betts had two hits and an RBI and Corey Seager homered in the Dodgers' 4-2 victory in the opener of their NL playoff Wednesday night. The eight-time NL West champion Dodgers capitalized early in a bullpen game for the Brewers and can wrap up the best-of-three series Thursday. “A walk is just as good as a hit sometimes, which we showed in the first inning,” Seager said.
LEADING OFF: 2 NL playoff spots still open with 2 days left
(AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday:PLAYOFF CHASEAfter manager Don Mattingly’s Marlins and the Cincinnati Reds clinched postseason spots, two NL playoff slots are still open with two days left in the regular season. They are hoping to get back on track heading into their playoff appearance since 2008, but the health of Jiménez is a concern. Acquired last month in a big trade with Cleveland, Clevinger left his start against the Angels on Wednesday after just one inning. “We have not ruled out anything for next week and the first round of the playoffs,” Padres general manager A.J. If Clevinger can’t pitch the playoff opener, Dinelson Lamet could start.
LEADING OFF: 9 of 16 playoff spots open going into last week
But going into this last week, a lot of postseason spots are still wide open. Tampa Bay, Oakland, the White Sox and Minnesota also have earned AL spots, and Cleveland, Toronto and Houston have the inside track on the three remaining positions. With six spots in play, it should be an entertaining week with Cincinnati, Milwaukee and San Francisco all at .500. NICE STARTDane Dunning is 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA in five starts for the White Sox since making his major league debut this season. The White Sox lead second-place Minnesota by 2 1/2 games.