MLB Playoffs: Day Six

And on the Sixth Day the Rays of Tampa Bay discomfited the Astros of Houston.

For lo, the manager of Houston thought within himself, and said, "I will start Justin Verlander, the ace hurler who overthrew the Rays in Game One.  For he is a mighty man of valor, and will lead the Astros to victory over their foes."

But this Verlander was a man of one score and sixteen, and no longer could his arm renew itself so rapidly as it had done in former years.

And lo, whilst the man Verlander made a noble effort, his hurlings were too feeble to halt the Rays attack.  And the Rays scored three times in the first inning, and won the contest by a score of 4 runs to 1 run.

And there were many scribes, especially in the city of Houston, who said, "What manner of manager is this?  Why would he force the man Verlander to pitch on short rest, given his great age?  No hurler of great heart and noble deeds should be treated in such manner."

But other scribes answered, and said, "Why should ye displeased?  Hath not this manager won many great victories in the past for Houston?  Did not he over throw the Yankees and Dodgers in 2017, and capture the crown of the whole world, and was there not rejoicing in all the parts of Houston, and even out to the lands around Galveston?  Besides, the final contest between the Astros and Rays will be played in Houston itself, in that theater where the Astros have enjoyed so many great triumphs."

And so the people of Houston prepared to host the Rays once again.

But some of them were sore afraid, and asked:  what doth it profit a club to win five score and seven games during the ordinary season, if it cannot advance in the playoffs?

In other lands men dreamed great visions of victory.  For lo, the Cardinals and the Nationals, who were regarded as but feeble folk, had driven their great adversaries in Atlanta and Los Angeles to the brink of elimination.

And so the day came when the Cardinals of St. Louis traveled to Atlanta (or, to be more exact, to the nearby county of Cobb), for a final contest against the Braves.  And most of the scribes said that the Braves would be victorious.  But others said, "Are not these Braves the same tribe that have failed in so many other October contests?  And did they not lose Game Four when it was in their grasp?  And have not these Cardinals often been triumphant in the playoffs?"  So the hosts of Georgia were troubled, and gathered themselves together to see what wonders would occur.

As for the Nationals of Washington, that town so great in policy and so weak on the field of play, few men dared to believe that they could soar across the country and discomfit the Dodgers on their home ground.  For these Dodgers were mighty men who had ruled over the National League for two years, and their legions were feared by all who faced them in that League.  But a few scribes asked:  "Can these Dodgers win three pennants in a row, when no team in the National League has done such a deed since the distant years of the 1940's?"  And others answered:  "Shall deliverance come from Washington?"

Here are the contests of this day (all times Central, which some men do regard as the very time of God Himself):

4:02 P.M:  St. Louis at Atlanta (series tied 2-2) (TBS)
7:37 P.M:  Washington at Los Angeles (series tied 2-2) (TBS)