Yesterday was an MLB Playoffs feast, but today is just National League action.
The first full slate of MLB playoff games was Friday, as all eight remaining postseason teams squared off yesterday. Today will be a strictly National League affair, as both National League Divisional Series continue today, with the American League teams getting a day off. The San Francisco Giants face the Washington Nationals in Game Two at 5:30 p.m. EST, while the Los Angeles Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals in the other NLDS Game Two at 9:30 p.m. EST.
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The Giants held off a late rally by the Nationals to win, 3-2, in Game One on Friday. Bryce Harper ad Asdrubal Cabrera solo home runs provided the only offense for Washington, as the Giants, led by emotional starter Jake Peavy, took a 1-0 series lead, but the Nationals will try to even the series up today before heading to San Francisco for Game Three.
In the other NLDS series, likely NL Cy Young (and possible NL MVP) Clayton Kershaw allowed eight runs to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, including blowing a four-run lead in the seventh inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers weren’t able to provide enough offense to back their ace’s poor outing, falling 10-9 in Game One. Adam Wainwright started for St. Louis, but he was worse than Kershaw, allowing six runs in fewer than five innings pitched. The Cardinals will send Lance Lynn to the mound today for Game Two, while Los Angeles will counter with Zack Greinke.
In the American League, the Detroit Tigers face elimination after a dramatic eighth-inning comeback by the Baltimore Orioles in Game Two of their ALDS matchup. Baltimore now leads the series, 2-0, with the Tigers limping back to Detroit facing the prospect of needing three straight wins to keep their season alive. Baltimore continues to impress in the MLB playoffs, and took advantage of an imploding Tigers bullpen for a 7-6 victory on Friday, and Detroit hopes center fielder Rajai Davis can play on Sunday, when the series resumes.
Finally, in the late game on Friday, the plucky Kansas City Royals kept rolling in extra innings, winning their third straight extra-innings affair with a 4-1 Game Two victory against the Los Angeles Angels, thanks to an 11th-inning Eric Hosmer home run and great starting pitching from Yordano Ventura. The Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics in extras to win the Wild Card game, and won Game One against the Halos in extras as well. The Angels, owners of the best record in MLB this season, squandered a great start from Matt Shoemaker, and now face elimination and head to Kansas City for Game Three, and will have to beat Royals’ top starter James Shields to fight off elimination on Sunday.
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