We discovered our fourth playoff team on Friday, as the Los Angeles Dodgers joined the three division champions (Baltimore, Anaheim, Washington) in the playoff picture. Now, the Dodgers haven’t clinched the NL West yet, but they’re up 3.5 on the Giants with only eight games to play (including three with San Francisco). For the Giants to overtake them, it’s going to require a spectacular turn of events.
As for other possible clinchers, we’re still miles away from knowing much of anything about the other three American League spots, while the Cardinals can clinch a National League playoff spot tonight with a win and a Brewers loss. We’re also running out of teams to eliminate – the Mets and Rays were both dumped yesterday, while the Marlins, Braves, and Blue Jays can all be sent packing this weekend.
Game of the Night: Pirates 4, Brewers 2. This could be the game that jammed the stake deep into Milwaukee’s heart. The Brewers led 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth, and Yovani Gallardo handed the ball over to his bullpen to close out a win. Of course, it didn’t go that well. Jonathan Broxton took over, and immediately gave up a single to Starling Marte. After Broxton struck out Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker singled to bring up the go-ahead run in Russel Martin. Martin took a Broxton pitch deep to right field and it just kept carrying all the way over the fence, putting Pittsburgh ahead 3-2. Ike Davis followed up with an RBI single off of Jeremy Jeffress later in the inning to make it 4-2, and Mark Melancon got three ground balls in the ninth to end the game in favor of the home team.
Pitching Lines of the Night: Odrisamer Despaigne pitched the Padres to a 5-0 win over the Giants, allowing two hits over seven shutout innings, walking one and striking out six. In Milwaukee’s crushing loss to Pittsburgh, Yovani Gallardo tossed seven shutout innings, giving up five hits, walking one, and punching out 11. Jon Lester pitched the A’s to a 3-1 win over the Phillies, allowing one run on five hits in seven innings, walking two and punching out seven. John Lackey and the Cardinals topped the Reds 2-1, thanks to Lackey allowing one run on six hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out five without a walk. Zack Wheeler pitched the Mets to a 5-0 win in Atlanta, giving up five hits in six shutout frames, walking a pair and punching out seven.
Hitting Lines of the Night: In Colorado’s 15-3 shellacking of Arizona, Michael Cuddyer went 3/5 with two doubles, a homer, three runs, and seven RBI, while Rafael Ynoa went 4/5 with two doubles, a triple, and three RBI. David Ortiz went 3/5 with two homers and three RBI in Boston’s 5-3, ten inning win in Baltimore. A.J. Ellis went 2/4 with two homers, three runs, four RBI, and a walk in the Dodgers’ 14-5 win over the Cubs, while Yasiel Puig went 2/4 with a double, a homer, two runs, three RBI, and a walk.. Dustin Ackley went 2/4 with two solo homers, three runs, and a walk in Seattle’s 10-5 win over Houston. Ian Kinsler went 3/5 with a double, a homer, two runs, and three RBI in Detroit’s 10-1 win over Kansas City. Jacoby Ellsbury helped the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 5-3, going 2/3 with a double, a homer, two runs, and three RBI.
Other Games: The White Sox edged the Rays 4-3. The Nationals defeated the Marlins 3-2. The Twins walked off on the Indians 5-4 in ten. The Rangers battered the Angels 12-3.
Today’s Games: Max Scherzer and James Shields will battle in Kansas City. Marcus Stroman starts for the Blue Jays in the Bronx. Mike Minor and the Braves host Jon Niese and the Mets. Chris Tillman and the Orioles host the Red Sox. Edinson Volquez and Matt Garza will duel in Pittsburgh. Jordan Zimmermann and Jarred Cosart will battle in Miami. Dallas Keuchel and the Astros battle the Mariners. Mike Leake and Michael Wacha will cross paths in St. Louis. Chris Archer and the Rays host the White Sox. Andrew Cashner and the Padres face Yusmeiro Petit and the Giants. Jered Weaver and the Angels take on the Rangers.
National TV: Tigers-Royals (1 PM, Fox), Dodgers-Cubs (1 PM, Fox), Phillies-Athletics (4 PM, MLB Network), Blue Jays-Yankees (4 PM, MLB Network), Red Sox-Orioles (7 PM, Fox Sports 1), Reds-Cardinals (7 PM, Fox Sports 1), Rangers-Angels (10 PM, MLB Network, joined in progress), Giants-Padres (10 PM, MLB Network, joined in progress)
Enjoy your day of baseball, everyone.
