HERE'S MY RECAP OF THE MLB POSTSEASON:
The 2013 MLB Playoffs took stage on 3 fronts first there was a necessary tiebreaker game in the American League. The Texas Rangers would host the Tampa Bay Rays. Evan Longoria hit a two-run HR and went 3-for-4 and David Price went the distance to lead the Rays into the playoffs for the fourth time in six years. The Rays will play the Indians in Cleveland in the AL Wild Card Game.
The tie breaker game happened because the Rangers and Rays both finished with the same record of 91-71 so a 163rd game would decide it. After the Rays prevail with their ace on the field they took on the Indians at Cleveland for the AL Wild Card game. The NL Wild Card would be a rivalry that was heated through the regular season as the NL Central Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates would play each other who would go on and face their other division rival St. Louis Cardinals
The Pirates earned their first postseason victory since 1992 with a bang. Russell Martin hit two home runs -- and Marlon Byrd went deep in his first career postseason at-bat -- as part of a 13-hit barrage, and starter Francisco Liriano held the Reds to one run over seven innings
Famous Rays deliver, topping Tribe in Wild Card
Cobb's 6 2/3 shutout innings, key hits by Young, Jennings lead way
Desmond Jennings' two-out, two-run double in the fourth gave Alex Cobb some vital breathing room in the American League Wild Card Game as the Rays secured a Division Series match-up vs. AL East rival Boston.
| American League Division Series BOSTON RED SOX vs. TAMPA BAY RAYS BOS WINS 3-1 OAKLAND A'S vs. DETROIT TIGERS DET WINS 3-2 |
National League Division Series
ATLANTA BRAVES
vs.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
LA WINS 3-1
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
vs.
|
LOS ANGELES DODGERS NL WEST CHAMPS
ATLANTA BRAVES NL EAST CHAMPS
SERIES RECAP:
GM 1 Dodgers 6, Braves 1
Clayton Kershaw allowed just three hits and struck out 12 to lead the Dodgers in their Division Series-opening victory. Adrian Gonzalez homered to plate two of the five runs off the Braves' Kris Medlen, while Chris Johnson's RBI single accounted for the only damage vs. Kershaw.
GM 2 Braves 4, Dodgers 3
Jason Heyward stroked a two-run single in the seventh inning that proved to be crucial when Hanley Ramirez homered in the eighth to bring the Dodgers within a run. Mike Minor's strong start and Atlanta's defense loomed large in sending the NLDS to Los Angeles all square.
Jason Heyward stroked a two-run single in the seventh inning that proved to be crucial when Hanley Ramirez homered in the eighth to bring the Dodgers within a run. Mike Minor's strong start and Atlanta's defense loomed large in sending the NLDS to Los Angeles all square.
GM 3 Dodgers 13, Braves 6
Neither Hyun-Jin Ryu nor Julio Teheran lasted past the third, but the Dodgers picked up their starter with an offensive onslaught to put themselves one win away from the NLCS. Hanley Ramirez, Yasiel Puig and Juan Uribe had big hits in a four-run fourth that put the game away.
GM 4 Dodgers 4, Braves 3
Juan Uribe slugged a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Dodgers claimed their first NL Championship Series berth since 2009. The Braves had earlier overcome two Carl Crawford homers and outlasted Clayton Kershaw's first career start on short rest before Uribe's decisive shot.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NL CENTRAL CHAMPS
PITTSBURGH PIRATES NL WILD CARD CHAMPS
GM 1 Cardinals 9, Pirates 1
The Cards didn't stop with Carlos Beltran's three-run jack (which tied Babe Ruth for eighth all time in postseason homers at 15), but Adam Wainwright hardly needed all the support, as he didn't give up a hit until the fourth, allowed only Pedro Alvarez's solo shot and tallied nine K's.
GM 2 Pirates 7, Cardinals 1
The Bucs got a superb postseason debut from Gerrit Cole (6 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 K's), including an RBI knock, to take Game 2 and knot the NLDS. Pedro Alvarez, the first Pirate since '74 to go yard in back-to-back playoff games, walked to KO Lance Lynn; the Cards had to use six relievers.
GM 3 Pirates 5, Cardinals 3
Carlos Beltran drove in all three of the Cards' runs -- including one on a game-tying shot in the eighth -- but Pedro Alvarez's RBI knock in the bottom of the frame handed control, both in Game 3 and in the NLDS, to the Bucs. Russell Martin followed with an insurance run.
GM 4 Cardinals 2, Pirates 1
Michael Wacha retired the first 15 Pirates before Russell Martin's walk, then served up a Pedro Alvarez solo shot with one out in the eighth to end his no-hit bid. But thanks to the rookie's gem and Matt Holliday's homer, the Cards held on, forcing the NLDS back to St. Louis for Game 5.
GM 5 Cardinals 6, Pirates 1
Gerrit Cole's one mistake was a two-run blast to hero of playoffs past David Freese, and it stood up (aided by some insurance) in Adam Wainwright's CG effort in the decisive Game 5. Pedro Alvarez became the first player in history to notch an RBI in his first six postseason games.
