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And just like that, the field of eight is down to five teams. Three series came to an end, with the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers setting up a rematch in the NL Championship Series, while the Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the AL Championship Series. Only one spot remains, which will go to either the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians. That could be determined today.
Division Series Digest
Dodgers Take Care Of Atlanta, On To NLCS
Final score: Dodgers 4, Atlanta 1
Series: Dodgers win 3-1
Next game: Dodgers (LHP Tarik Skubal) at Brewers (RHP Jacob Misiorowski) in Game 1 of NL Championship Series, Sunday, 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
It has been a season of redemption for Andy Pages. And even in that, there is a little more redemption. Known for a spectacular defensive play in the ninth inning of Game 7 of last year’s World Series, Pages went just 4-for-51 at the plate, but he hit a tiebreaking two-run single with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning to propel the Los Angeles Dodgers to a return to the NL Championship Series with a 4-1 victory over Atlanta in Game 4 of the NL Division Series. By winning three times in the best-of-five series, the two-time defending World Series champs continue their quest to become the third franchise to win three straight titles. The other teams to do it are the New York Yankees (twice) and Oakland A’s. They will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS beginning Sunday.
Max Muncy added a ninth-inning homer and scored on an error in the second inning. With one out in the seventh, Teoscar Hernández singled to chase Atlanta right-handed starter Tyler Mahle, who was otherwise excellent. Right-hander Didier Fuentes, the hero of Game 2, came on and got Muncy to ground out, then walked rookie pinch-hitter Josue De Paula and Kyle Tucker to load the bases. Fuentes was replaced by right-hander Robert Suarez, who gave up a ground single up the middle to Pages that scored a pair to break a 1-1 tie.
Mahle finished by going 6⅓ innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Dodgers right-handed starter Tyler Glasnow only went 4⅔ innings, allowing a run on just one hit, but walking five and striking out five.
Brewers Outlast Padres, Set Up NLCS Rematch
Final score: Brewers 3, Padres 1
Series: Brewers win 3-1
Next game: Dodgers (LHP Tarik Skubal) at Brewers (RHP Jacob Misiorowski) in Game 1 of NL Championship Series, Sunday, 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1)
These are the moments the Milwaukee Brewers have been waiting for Garrett Mitchell to have. After battling injuries in the last four seasons, Mitchell changed his offseason regimen and was able to stay healthy this year. He has had his moments, but not the consistency. He came up huge when the Brewers needed him to in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres. Mitchell not only tripled and scored the go-ahead run, but he also robbed a potential tying home run off the bat of Manny Machado in the eighth inning of a 3-1 Brewers victory. The Brewers, who have had MLB’s best regular season record in each of the last two seasons, won the best-of-five series 3-1 and now get an NL Championship Series rematch with the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers beginning Sunday at American Family Field.
As is typical for a Brewers win, there were plenty of contributors. From left-handed starter Robert Gasser’s four innings through left-handed reliever Aaron Ashby’s three innings, Milwaukee’s pitching staff delivered. Mitchell played a big role offensively in this one. After Sal Frelick led off the third inning with a single and stole second, Mitchell grounded a single up the middle that easily scored Frelick. The Padres tied it in the bottom of the third as Fernando Tatis Jr. homered deep over Mitchell in center. In the fifth, Mitchell led off with a triple right over first base and down into the right-field corner, then scored one out later when Jackson Chourio singled to center. It became 3-1 in the sixth when Jake Bauers singled, Cooper Pratt hit a ground-rule double to left and Frelick hit a sacrifice fly to left.
Meanwhile, the Brewers had held the Padres hitless following Tatis’ homer. Tatis walked to open the eighth against right-hander Abner Uribe in what figured to be the Padres’ best chance to tie the game. After Jackson Merrill struck out, Machado took a 99.6 mph sinker from Uribe and launched it to center. Mitchell went back to the wall and made a short jump up to snatch a potential tying homer away from Machado. It was the final blow in a game and a series that was extremely close, but the Brewers made more plays.
Rays Use Homers To Sweep Yankees, Move To ALCS
Final score: Rays 4, Yankees 3
Series: Rays win 3-0
Next game: White Sox-Guardians winner at Rays in Game 1 of AL Championship Series, Monday, 8:08 p.m. (TBS)
The New York Yankees have the bigger names and the bigger payroll. But it is the Tampa Bay Rays moving on in the postseason. With homers from unsuspecting players Victor Mesa Jr. and Ryan Vilade, the Rays swept the Yankees with a 4-3 victory in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. The Rays will play the winner of the Chicago White Sox–Cleveland Guardians series in the AL Championship Series, which begins Monday at Tropicana Field after the Rays posted the best record in the AL.
Mesa’s homer was the big blow, a two-run shot off Yankees left-handed starter Max Fried in the sixth inning that snapped a 2-2 tie. The Yankees had a moment in the bottom of the sixth when it looked like they had tied the game. Anthony Volpe, getting the start at second base, hit a long fly ball to left field. Mesa, the left fielder, leapt up, but a fan reached over and prevented a possible catch. Initially ruled a two-run homer, replay confirmed fan interference, awarding Volpe a run-scoring double that, instead of tying the game with a homer, made it 4-3. The Rays’ bullpen took over from there, not allowing a hit, with star right-handed closer Bryan Baker earning his third save in as many games.
The Rays got the chance to celebrate for a second time at Yankee Stadium after popping bottles when they clinched the AL East title in the final week.
After replay review, the Yankees pull within a run on Anthony Volpe's RBI double!
You know what? It's about time we rethink where the place seats beyond the outfield wall if we don't want to argue about "fan interference"
Victor Mesa Jr's 2 run shot breaks the tie, Rays lead
J-Ram Shows He Still Has It, Keeps Guardians Alive
Final score: Guardians 9, White Sox 3
Series: White Sox lead 2-1
Next game: Guardians (LHP Parker Messick) at White Sox (LHP Hagen Smith), 5:08 p.m. ET (TBS)
With the type of season he had, it is easy for the average fan to forget about José Ramírez’s tremendous all-around talent. But then he goes and does what he did in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. Ramírez joined Jo Adell in hitting two-out triples as the Cleveland Guardians rolled past the Chicago White Sox 9-3 to stay alive. Ramírez also singled, stole a base and scored twice as the Guardians prevented a White Sox celebration by trimming their series advantage to 2-1.
Adell’s triple was more significant. He came up with the bases loaded and the score tied 1-1 in the top of the third when he hit a grounder down the right-field line that slowly rolled to the wall and easily scored all three as he slid into third ahead of the throw. After having one triple all regular season, Adell has now tripled in back-to-back postseason games. Ramírez’s triple provided insurance in the eighth inning, plating a pair of runs to make it 7-3. This was the upstart White Sox’s first loss after a 4-0 start to the postseason.
With the Guardians going with a bullpen game, they struck out 19 White Sox hitters, an MLB postseason record. Right-hander Foster Griffin fanned seven in just 2⅔ innings, while right-handed closer Cade Smith punched out five in two perfect innings.
By The Numbers
11 The Brewers snapped an MLB-record 11-game losing streak in postseason road games. That streak stretched back to the 2018 NLCS against the Dodgers.
3 Rays closer Bryan Baker became the fifth player in MLB postseason history to earn a save in his team’s first three games.
5 The Dodgers have won five straight road games in the postseason, tying a franchise record.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Sweep Sensation
When you visit and you bring your own broom.
Junior Caminero breaks out the broom for a Rays sweep 🧹
Getting Nicked
When you do your job but somebody didn’t like the way you did it.
Another Look
Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell’s robbery deserves another look.
San Diego was this close to a game-tying homer 😱
Around The League
⚾ MLB sent a memo to the 30 clubs detailing rules for the lockout.
⚾ Padres closer Mason Miller was back from the paternity list after his wife gave birth the day before. Left-hander Wandy Peralta was taken off the Padres’ roster.
Articles You Should Read
“A bunch of idiots”: Feeling comfortable in own skin has fueled White Sox — Dan Hayes, The Athletic
The best and worst at ABS in the debut season — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times
MLB piloting outfield positioning rules in Arizona Fall League — Eric Longenhagen, FanGraphs
