OK, now it's getting real. The Indians closed out Toronto with yet another dominant pitching performance. This time it was a 6-hit shutout in which the starter, Ryan Merritt, was making only the second start of his career. He lasted 4 1/3 innings, and the bullpen did the rest. The Indians won their third pennant since 1954 with a 3-0 victory. For the series, Toronto batted only .201. The Blue Jays hit only two home runs, and struck out 50 times in five games. So Toronto becomes the first team since the 2000-2001 Seattle Mariners to lose the A.L.C.S. in back-to-back years, and Cleveland will go to the World Series. The Tribe and its magical bullpen went 7-1 in the AL playoffs this year, effectively sucking all the drama out of that side of the bracket.
On the other hand, the NL Playoffs have been full of drama. Last night, in Los Angeles, the Cubs, who had trailed two games to one, got off the mat to pound the Dodgers, 10 to 2. The Cubs had gone 21 innings without scoring at all, before burying the Dodgers under 13 hits, including home runs by Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo. The Cubs also benefited from four Dodger errors. But the Dodgers used a bunch of pitchers who are not named Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, or Kenley Jansen, so they won't be too panicked. Tonight's Game Five in Los Angeles is the biggest game of the year for both teams so far. If the Cubs lose, then Kershaw could close them out in Game Six. If the Dodgers lose, then they will have to win back-to-back games in Wrigley Field to take the pennant. So we are getting very close to zero-sum territory here. Neither the Cubs nor the Dodgers have been to the World Series in many years, and it will be a long winter for whichever fan base loses two of the next three games.
Toronto 0 - 3 Cleveland
Los Angeles 2 - 10 Chicago
AMERICAN LEAGUE:
Cleveland beats Toronto 4-1
NATIONAL LEAGUE:
Chicago and Los Angeles are tied 2-2
Do you still root for the Dodgers or are you all Nationals now? Because if you no longer root for the Dodgers, then I am going to commence with full rooting for the Cubs.
ReplyDeleteI still root for the Dodgers, but you should feel free to root for the Cubs.
DeleteIn fact, I was surprised at how happy I was when the Dodgers went up two games to one.
ReplyDeleteThe Cubs jump out to an early lead with a single by Dexter Fowler and a double by Anthony Rizzo. Going into the bottom of the first, it's the Cubs 1, the Dodgers coming up to bat.
ReplyDeleteCubs still lead 1-0 after 2.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the Cubs are throwing Jon Lester (19-5, 2.44 E.R.A.) tonight. He is a five-time All-Star, and is fully capable of pitching a shut-out.
ReplyDeleteThe Dodgers are going with Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 E.R.A.).
So the Dodgers will have Kershaw for Game Six, and Rich Hill for Game Seven (if necessary).
ReplyDeleteMaeda sets down the Cubs in order in the top of the third.
ReplyDeleteIn the bottom of the 3d, the Dodgers get a runner to second, but no further. Cubs still lead 1-0 after three.
ReplyDeleteCubs now with a chance to break this game open. Javier Baez led off the fourth inning with a double, and then Maeda hit Jason Heyward. So the Cubs have men on first and second with no one out.
ReplyDeleteBut Maeda strikes out Addison Russell and fights back from a 3-0 count to get David Ross to fly out to center. And that's all for Maeda. Dave Roberts is bringing in Josh Fields (1-0, 4.63 E.R.A.) to face Cub pitcher Lester.
ReplyDeleteFields gets Lester to fly out to left, and the Dodgers still trail 1-0 after 3 1/2 innings.
ReplyDeleteIn the bottom of the fourth, Howie Kendrick doubles to left -- and then steals third! That brings up Adrian Gonzalez, who has a tremendous battle with Lester before smacking a tough grounder. Gonzalez is out, but Kendrick scores, and the game is tied 1-1.
ReplyDeleteIn 500 career games against the Oakland A's, Howie Kendrick hit about 1.006 with 250 RBI doubles.
DeleteI don't really understand why the Angels have been so bad lately.
DeleteFor one thing, they longer have Howie Kendrick.
DeleteStill 1-all after 4.
ReplyDeleteNow, in the top of the 5th, Kris Bryant whacks a one-out double to center field, and suddenly the Cubs are on the attack once again.
ReplyDeleteThat's all for Fields. The Dodgers are bringing in left-handed rookie Grant Dayton (0-1, 2.05 E.R.A.) to face Anthony Rizzo.
Dayton does his job, fighting back from a 2-0 count to strike out Rizzo, the Cubs' number-3 hitter.
ReplyDeleteNow Dayton will remain in the game to face the switch-hitting Ben Zobrist.
Dayton v. Zobrist:
ReplyDeletePitch 1: Ball high (1-0)
Pitch 2: Ball low (2-0)
Pitch 3: Ball high (3-0)
Pitch 4: Called strike (3-1)
Pitch 5: Called strike (3-2)
Pitch 6: Lined to deep right, CAUGHT on a running catch by Yasiel Puig. That looked like a double off the bat.
The Cubs are out. Game still tied 1-1.
Cubs now 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position tonight. Nats' fans, who saw their guys go 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position in Game Five of the DS against Los Angeles, know how that feels.
ReplyDeleteJoc Pederson, the Dodgers' number-8 hitter, leads off the bottom of the fifth with a six-pitch at-bat that involves all sorts of bunts and fake bunts and ends with a rifle shot to second. Pederson is out, but it's been a very long time since the Dodgers fielded such a scrappy team.
ReplyDeleteLester sets down the Dodgers in order, and we move on to the sixth with the score tied at 1.
ReplyDeleteAn old-school scoreboard for you.
ReplyDeleteTop 6:
Chi: 1 4 0
LA: 1 3 0
The Dodgers pinch hit for Dayton in the bottom of the 5th, so they bring out former A Joe Blanton (7-2, 2.48 E.R.A.) to pitch.
ReplyDeleteJavier Baez greets him with a single up the middle.
And now Baez steals second! So he's at second with no one out.
ReplyDeleteBlanton strikes out Jason Heyward, but then Addison Russell hammers a hanging slider to center field for a TWO-RUN HOMER that gives the Cubs a 3-1 lead. This is the second night in a row that Russell has hit a big fly.
ReplyDeleteThe Cubs are really good. Now David Ross has doubled. So the Dodgers are suddenly in very big trouble.
ReplyDeleteThe Dodgers escape with no further damage, but now they trail 3-1 after 5 1/2 innings.
ReplyDeleteLester yields one single in the bottom of the 6th, but keeps the Dodgers from scoring. Cubs lead 3-1 after 6.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost 11 o'clock here in the east, so I'm done for the night.
Your reports have been great throughout the playoffs.
ReplyDelete