The Washington Nationals won the first World Series in franchise history on Wednesday night after orchestrating a comeback win to beat the Houston Astros in Game 7.

After trailing 2-0 heading into the seventh inning, Washington’s bats woke up and came through in the clutch to deliver the city its first baseball championship since 1923.

Anthony Rendon hit a solo home run off of Astros starter Zack Greinke to cut Houston’s lead to 2-1 in the top of the seventh.

After Greinke exited with a runner on base, reliever Will Harris gave up a two-run home run to Nats DH Howie Kendrick that gave the Nationals a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish.

They added one more run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to secure a win that the city of Washington won’t soon forget.

After starter Max Scherzer departed after five shaky innings, Patrick Corbin threw three innings of scoreless relief before Daniel Hudson entered to close out the game and send the Nationals into pandemonium.

After the conclusion of the game, starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named series MVP after winning his two starts, throwing 14.1 innings and allowing only 4 runs while striking out 14 batters.

The Nationals were never expected to go this far after making the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but they peaked at just the right time to bring the Commissioner’s Trophy home.

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The 2019 World Series is finally upon us, with Game 1 of the title clash between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals taking place on Tuesday night.

The Houston Astros, who finished with the top record in all of Major League Baseball this season, will hold home-field advantage in the series. They were widely expected to make the Fall Classic and were a popular pick to win the title throughout the season.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are a surprise in this position. After coming back to beat the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game, they pulled off a shocking upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS before sweeping the overmatched Cardinals in the NLCS to earn their first-ever World Series berth.

Let’s take a look at the matchup to see who owns the edge.

Starting Rotation

The Astros and Nationals have arguably the two best starting pitching rotations in baseball. Each team has a formidable three-headed monster, with Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke representing Houston and Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin representing Washington.

These are likely the only starters that we’ll see in the series, and this looks to be a doozy of a matchup. Cole might have been the best pitcher in baseball this season, with Verlander not far behind him. Greinke has struggled in the playoffs with Houston, but we still give the slightest of edges to Houston due to their playoff experience and their performance in a more difficult league for pitching.

Advantage: Houston Astros (slight)

Bullpen

The Astros had the better bullpen over the regular season, that much is for certain. They have a balanced group with Roberto Osuna at closer and a bevy of right and left-handed options that are solid, such as Wade Miley, Will Harris, and Hector Rondon. It isn’t a strength for the ‘Stros, but it isn’t a weakness either.

Nationals’ bullpen was the worst in baseball in the regular season, but it has been hot in the postseason. Daniel Hudson, their closer, has shut the door, allowing a grand total of zero runs in 5 appearances. The Nats have tried to compensate for this weakness by using their starting pitchers in relief appearances too, to mixed results.

The long-term numbers don’t lie. The Astros have an edge here.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Offense

The Houston Astros, quite simply, have the best offense in baseball. They have MVP-caliber players all over the diamond, with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman all being in the conversation as the best players at their respective positions in baseball. Their absurd .272/.352/.495 regular season team slash line is one of the best in the history of the game. They’ve been a little quieter in the playoffs, however.

The Nats might not have quite the offense that Houston does, but it’s quite good as well. Anthony Rendon might well be the NL MVP this season, and Juan Soto is arguably the best young hitter in baseball. They don’t quite have the lineup depth that Houston does, however, with question marks at positions like second base and center field.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Defense

This is a little easier to evaluate than the other categories thanks to the straightforward advanced metrics that are available.

Both teams have middle-of-the-pack defenses, with players like Victor Robles (Washington) and George Springer (Houston) as strengths and liabilities like Yuli Gurriel (Houston) and Adam Eaton (Nationals) making them pretty even here.

Advantage: Even

Final Prediction

The Nationals have made an incredible run to this point, and we don’t expect them to give up without a major fight. The Astros, however, are the better team from top-to-bottom on paper, and they hold a big offensive advantage. They are also working with home-field advantage, so it’s not easy to go against them. We’re taking them in 6 games to win their second title in the past three years.

Houston Astros in 6

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After a tense and exciting round of division series matchups, the 2019 MLB Championship Series have been set.

The Houston Astros took care of the upstart Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of the ALDS, making them the last team to join the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals as the last four teams left standing this Major League Baseball season.

Now, it’s time to take a look at the ALCS and NLCS and decide who might win.

ALCS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

The Astros and Yankees were the two best teams in the regular season in the American League, and they’ll now battle for a place in the World Series in what promises to be a highly entertaining ALCS.

The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins handily, whereas the Astros had to beat the Wild Card winning Tampa Bay Rays in 5 games to earn their spot here.

This is a fascinating series with loads of star power and talent. The Astros arguably have baseball’s best starting pitching trio with the three-headed monster of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. In addition, they have one of the best offenses in the league, headlined by MVP candidate Alex Bregman and sparkplugs Jose Altuve and George Springer.

The Yankees, on the other hand, might not have the starting pitching strength of the Astros, but they do have an offense that produced the second-highest total of home runs ever in a single season (306). Their bullpen is also strong, with relievers like Aroldis Chapman and Adam Ottavino making things easier for their relatively average starting pitching.

This will, no doubt, be a fascinating series, but I think the Astros are just a little bit more well-rounded and they also have home-field advantage.

Prediction: Houston Astros in 6

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals

If the ALCS matchup is a clash of titans, the NLCS is a matchup of two teams that few expected to be here.

The Nationals shocked the Dodgers in the NLDS and the Cardinals surprised many by taking down the Braves.

Washington, much like Houston, has a deadly pitching threesome with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin. They also have a lineup with big bats like Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto, but they definitely have a weakness, and it’s their mediocre bullpen.

St. Louis, on the other hand, is a team with no obvious weaknesses but no obvious big strengths. They do, however, play excellent team defense and have a lineup that has been hot recently. Both Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna had a big series against Atlanta, and this team appears to be peaking at the right time.

Despite this, I like the Nationals to win this series in close fashion. I think that they are simply the more talented team, and that they have the pitching and offensive depth to move on to the World Series.

Prediction: Washington Nationals in 7

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After mounting a late rally to come back to beat the Braves in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the St. Louis Cardinals left no doubt in a convincing win on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals dominated the Braves from the first pitch, winning in a 13-1 laughter that sets them up for a showdown with the Washington Nationals with a trip to the World Series on the line.

St. Louis jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first inning after a comedy of errors by the Braves. A combination of shoddy pitching from starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and Max Fried, who relieved him after the former got only one out, and defensive blunders led to the Cardinals taking a lead that they knew that they would not relinquish.

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis’s starter, was at his best in the laugher, throwing 6 innings of one-run ball and striking out 8 Braves. Only third baseman Josh Donaldson was able to touch him with a solo home run in the fourth inning.

St. Louis, who was an underdog heading into the series of the Braves, is now only one series win away from playing for its first World Series title since 2011.

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Game 4 of the National League Division Series was full of the drama and excitement that makes playoff baseball so intriguing. After a ten inning, back-and-forth matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves, the NL Central champions rallied to force a decisive Game 5 in Atlanta.

St. Louis rallied to tie the game in the eighth inning before pushing a run across the board in the tenth inning to walk-off against the NL East champions. It was a tense game that was full of lead changes.

The Cardinals took an early 2-0 lead after Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the first off of Braves starter Dallas Keuchel.

Atlanta cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third inning, but St. Louis doubled its lead in the fourth when Ozuna hit his second solo homer of the game.

That lead did not last, however, as Atlanta finally got to Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson in the fifth, scoring a run on a Matt Carpenter error and then taking a 4-2 lead after Ozzie Albies hit a two-run blast.

The Cardinals rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th after a Paul Goldschmidt bloop double and a Yadier Molina bloop single that fell just past the outstretched arm of Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman.

After a scoreless ninth inning, the Cardinals finally took home the win in the bottom of inning number ten after Kolten Wong doubled, took third base on a fielder´s choice, and then scored on a Molina walk-off sacrifice fly.

It was an exciting game that was everything that is exciting and fun about playoff baseball. Game 5 on Wednesday night in Atlanta will determine which team advances and gains a spot in the National League Championship Series.

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After a Game 2 loss that saw the Washington Nationals even the NLDS at one game apiece, the Dodgers’ offensive firepower came out in full display on Sunday in a 10-4 win that saw them take a 2-1 series advantage.

After being frustrated by Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez, who threw five innings of one-run ball to begin the game, LA took control with a huge sixth inning in which they roughed up Nats pitcher Patrick Corbin.

Washington took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after young phenom Juan Soto’s solo home run. The Dodgers cut the lead in half in the fifth inning after Max Muncy went yard.

Things broke open, however, in the sixth. The team that is widely considered to be the favorite to win the National League showed off their offensive muscles in an inning that saw them take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Catcher Russell Martin gave his team the lead with a two-out, two-run double, and then Kike Hernandez got in on the act with a two-run double of his own.

After Justin Turner hit a three-run home run off of Wander Suero, who relieved Corbin, the Dodgers were up 8-2 and the game was out of reach.

Los Angeles went on to win 10-4, putting them within a game of advancing to the National League Championship Series.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up where they left off in the regular season, dominating the Washington Nationals in a 6-0 victory in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

The Dodgers rode a terrific pitching performance by Walker Buehler to a shutout of the Wild Card winning Nationals, taking a 1-0 lead in the series heading into Game 2.

Buehler dominated the Nationals, throwing six shutout innings and striking out eight hitters. He allowed only four batters to reach base, three on walks and one on a Juan Soto single in the top of the second inning.

The Nationals were in it for much of the game, thanks in large part to their starter, Patrick Corbin. He also threw six innings and allowed only one run after walking the bases loaded and then walking in a run in the first inning.

The Dodgers, however, broke things open late in the game. In the 7th frame, Max Muncy singled in a pair of runs, and then Joc Pederson and Gavin Lux hit home runs off of reliever Hunter Strickland in the eighth inning.

Los Angeles appears to be in command of the series, and they’ll look to extend their lead to 2-0 when Clayton Kershaw takes the mound against the Nats in Game 2.

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The Tampa Bay Rays took care of business at the Oakland Coliseum on Wednesday night, beating the A’s by a 5-1 final score to earn a date with the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series.

Tampa Bay went on the road and beat the A’s on the backs of strong pitching performances from starter Charlie Morton as well their relief core and a barrage of home runs.

It didn’t take long for the Rays to take a lead, as leadoff man Yandy Diaz hit a solo shot to lead off the game off of A’s starter Sean Manaea.

Rays starter Charlie Morton, who pitched five innings, allowing zero earned runs and striking out five, got two more runs of support in the next inning when Avisail Garcia hit Tampa’s second home run of the game, a two-run blast off of Manaea.

Diaz then tagged Manaea with another solo shot in the 3rd, his second of the night, to give Morton and the Rays a 4-0 lead.

Tommy Pham hit Tampa Bay’s fourth and final homer of the night in the fifth inning.

The A’s pushed across a run after an error and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, but ultimately couldn’t put together any more offense for the rest of the night.

Tampa will now have the chance to take on the MLB’s strongest regular season team, the Houston Astros, in the AL Divsion Series.

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The Major League Playoffs’ division series matchups are set, and it’s almost time to begin the most exciting times of the year for any fan of America’s pastime.

The Division Series kicks off this week with the following matchups:

• NL: Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• NL: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
• AL: Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays
• AL: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

It’s time to take a deeper look at this series and make our picks for who will win.

Braves vs. Cardinals: Braves in 5

This series hinges on the health of Atlanta’s star players. First baseman Freddie Freeman and center fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each missed games in the final week of the season due to elbow bone spurs and a groin strain, respectively, but are both set to go for the division series.

If they can stay healthy, we think the Braves’ dynamic offense with the two aforementioned players as well as Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson will back a pitching staff that has seen improvement from its bullpen in recent weeks to beat St. Louis. The NL’s best second half starter, Jack Flaherty, as well as Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong, however, won’t make it easy. 

Dodgers vs. Nationals: Dodgers in 4

The Nationals have one of the league’s best 1-2-3 pitching tandems with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, but we just don’t think it’s enough to handle LA’s big bats. The Dodgers’ lineup is insanely deep, and they should be able to inflict some damage on Nationals pitching.

Keep an eye on Hyun Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw, however. If these two lefty starters for LA can’t revert recent struggles, it’s possible that right-handed bats like Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman could lead the Nationals to an upset.

Astros vs. Rays: Astros in 3

Sorry, Tampa. The Rays experienced an emotional high after beating the Oakland A’s in the AL Wild Card Game, but we don’t think they’ll be much of a challenge for the Astros. The World Series favorite has arguably baseball’s best rotation and lineup.

Zack Greinke, Gerrit Cole, and Justin Verlander are on a mission, and big bats like Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez bring the thunder to put a scare into any pitching staff. The Rays might be able to sneak a win when Charlie Morton starts, but don’t expect them to get much more than that.

Yankees vs. Twins: Twins in 5

The Yankees might have a home-field advantage and the bigger name in this series, but don’t be surprised if the Twins pull the biggest upset in the first round and knock off the Bronx Bombers.

If the Yankees have an Achilles heel, it’s their mediocre starting pitching staff. The Twins’ powerful lineup could end up turning Yankee Stadium into batting practice and slugging their way past the Yankees in what could end up being one of the highest-scoring series in the history of playoff baseball.

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In one of the most improbable stories of this Major League Baseball season, the resilient Milwaukee Brewers clinched a spot in the National League playoffs with a 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.

Despite finding themselves outside of the playoff picture during much of September and losing MVP candidate Christian Yelich earlier in the month, the Brewers have caught fire late in the month and will now play in the postseason for the second consecutive season.

The two consecutive postseason appearances in 2018 and 2019 are only the second time in franchise history that the Brewers have accomplished this feat. They also did so in 1981 and 1982.

Ryan Braun hit a first-inning grand slam to power the Brew Crew to their 17th win in their last 19 games. Eric Thames and Keston Hiura also got in on the power train with homers of their own, while Jordan Lyles pitched five innings of two-run ball to earn the win.

The Brewers, who moved to 88-70 with their win, still do not know if they will play in the NL Wild Card Game or if they will come back to overtake the Cardinals for their second consecutive NL Central title.

They trail the Cardinals by 1.5 games heading into their season-ending series with the Colorado Rockies.

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The Washington Nationals won the first World Series in franchise history on Wednesday night after orchestrating a comeback win to beat the Houston Astros in Game 7.

After trailing 2-0 heading into the seventh inning, Washington’s bats woke up and came through in the clutch to deliver the city its first baseball championship since 1923.

Anthony Rendon hit a solo home run off of Astros starter Zack Greinke to cut Houston’s lead to 2-1 in the top of the seventh.

After Greinke exited with a runner on base, reliever Will Harris gave up a two-run home run to Nats DH Howie Kendrick that gave the Nationals a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish.

They added one more run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to secure a win that the city of Washington won’t soon forget.

After starter Max Scherzer departed after five shaky innings, Patrick Corbin threw three innings of scoreless relief before Daniel Hudson entered to close out the game and send the Nationals into pandemonium.

After the conclusion of the game, starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named series MVP after winning his two starts, throwing 14.1 innings and allowing only 4 runs while striking out 14 batters.

The Nationals were never expected to go this far after making the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but they peaked at just the right time to bring the Commissioner’s Trophy home.

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The 2019 World Series is finally upon us, with Game 1 of the title clash between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals taking place on Tuesday night.

The Houston Astros, who finished with the top record in all of Major League Baseball this season, will hold home-field advantage in the series. They were widely expected to make the Fall Classic and were a popular pick to win the title throughout the season.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are a surprise in this position. After coming back to beat the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game, they pulled off a shocking upset of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS before sweeping the overmatched Cardinals in the NLCS to earn their first-ever World Series berth.

Let’s take a look at the matchup to see who owns the edge.

Starting Rotation

The Astros and Nationals have arguably the two best starting pitching rotations in baseball. Each team has a formidable three-headed monster, with Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke representing Houston and Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin representing Washington.

These are likely the only starters that we’ll see in the series, and this looks to be a doozy of a matchup. Cole might have been the best pitcher in baseball this season, with Verlander not far behind him. Greinke has struggled in the playoffs with Houston, but we still give the slightest of edges to Houston due to their playoff experience and their performance in a more difficult league for pitching.

Advantage: Houston Astros (slight)

Bullpen

The Astros had the better bullpen over the regular season, that much is for certain. They have a balanced group with Roberto Osuna at closer and a bevy of right and left-handed options that are solid, such as Wade Miley, Will Harris, and Hector Rondon. It isn’t a strength for the ‘Stros, but it isn’t a weakness either.

Nationals’ bullpen was the worst in baseball in the regular season, but it has been hot in the postseason. Daniel Hudson, their closer, has shut the door, allowing a grand total of zero runs in 5 appearances. The Nats have tried to compensate for this weakness by using their starting pitchers in relief appearances too, to mixed results.

The long-term numbers don’t lie. The Astros have an edge here.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Offense

The Houston Astros, quite simply, have the best offense in baseball. They have MVP-caliber players all over the diamond, with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman all being in the conversation as the best players at their respective positions in baseball. Their absurd .272/.352/.495 regular season team slash line is one of the best in the history of the game. They’ve been a little quieter in the playoffs, however.

The Nats might not have quite the offense that Houston does, but it’s quite good as well. Anthony Rendon might well be the NL MVP this season, and Juan Soto is arguably the best young hitter in baseball. They don’t quite have the lineup depth that Houston does, however, with question marks at positions like second base and center field.

Advantage: Houston Astros

Defense

This is a little easier to evaluate than the other categories thanks to the straightforward advanced metrics that are available.

Both teams have middle-of-the-pack defenses, with players like Victor Robles (Washington) and George Springer (Houston) as strengths and liabilities like Yuli Gurriel (Houston) and Adam Eaton (Nationals) making them pretty even here.

Advantage: Even

Final Prediction

The Nationals have made an incredible run to this point, and we don’t expect them to give up without a major fight. The Astros, however, are the better team from top-to-bottom on paper, and they hold a big offensive advantage. They are also working with home-field advantage, so it’s not easy to go against them. We’re taking them in 6 games to win their second title in the past three years.

Houston Astros in 6

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After a tense and exciting round of division series matchups, the 2019 MLB Championship Series have been set.

The Houston Astros took care of the upstart Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in Game 5 of the ALDS, making them the last team to join the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals as the last four teams left standing this Major League Baseball season.

Now, it’s time to take a look at the ALCS and NLCS and decide who might win.

ALCS: Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

The Astros and Yankees were the two best teams in the regular season in the American League, and they’ll now battle for a place in the World Series in what promises to be a highly entertaining ALCS.

The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins handily, whereas the Astros had to beat the Wild Card winning Tampa Bay Rays in 5 games to earn their spot here.

This is a fascinating series with loads of star power and talent. The Astros arguably have baseball’s best starting pitching trio with the three-headed monster of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. In addition, they have one of the best offenses in the league, headlined by MVP candidate Alex Bregman and sparkplugs Jose Altuve and George Springer.

The Yankees, on the other hand, might not have the starting pitching strength of the Astros, but they do have an offense that produced the second-highest total of home runs ever in a single season (306). Their bullpen is also strong, with relievers like Aroldis Chapman and Adam Ottavino making things easier for their relatively average starting pitching.

This will, no doubt, be a fascinating series, but I think the Astros are just a little bit more well-rounded and they also have home-field advantage.

Prediction: Houston Astros in 6

NLCS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Nationals

If the ALCS matchup is a clash of titans, the NLCS is a matchup of two teams that few expected to be here.

The Nationals shocked the Dodgers in the NLDS and the Cardinals surprised many by taking down the Braves.

Washington, much like Houston, has a deadly pitching threesome with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin. They also have a lineup with big bats like Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto, but they definitely have a weakness, and it’s their mediocre bullpen.

St. Louis, on the other hand, is a team with no obvious weaknesses but no obvious big strengths. They do, however, play excellent team defense and have a lineup that has been hot recently. Both Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna had a big series against Atlanta, and this team appears to be peaking at the right time.

Despite this, I like the Nationals to win this series in close fashion. I think that they are simply the more talented team, and that they have the pitching and offensive depth to move on to the World Series.

Prediction: Washington Nationals in 7

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After mounting a late rally to come back to beat the Braves in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the St. Louis Cardinals left no doubt in a convincing win on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals dominated the Braves from the first pitch, winning in a 13-1 laughter that sets them up for a showdown with the Washington Nationals with a trip to the World Series on the line.

St. Louis jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first inning after a comedy of errors by the Braves. A combination of shoddy pitching from starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and Max Fried, who relieved him after the former got only one out, and defensive blunders led to the Cardinals taking a lead that they knew that they would not relinquish.

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis’s starter, was at his best in the laugher, throwing 6 innings of one-run ball and striking out 8 Braves. Only third baseman Josh Donaldson was able to touch him with a solo home run in the fourth inning.

St. Louis, who was an underdog heading into the series of the Braves, is now only one series win away from playing for its first World Series title since 2011.

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Game 4 of the National League Division Series was full of the drama and excitement that makes playoff baseball so intriguing. After a ten inning, back-and-forth matchup between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves, the NL Central champions rallied to force a decisive Game 5 in Atlanta.

St. Louis rallied to tie the game in the eighth inning before pushing a run across the board in the tenth inning to walk-off against the NL East champions. It was a tense game that was full of lead changes.

The Cardinals took an early 2-0 lead after Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the first off of Braves starter Dallas Keuchel.

Atlanta cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third inning, but St. Louis doubled its lead in the fourth when Ozuna hit his second solo homer of the game.

That lead did not last, however, as Atlanta finally got to Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson in the fifth, scoring a run on a Matt Carpenter error and then taking a 4-2 lead after Ozzie Albies hit a two-run blast.

The Cardinals rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the 8th after a Paul Goldschmidt bloop double and a Yadier Molina bloop single that fell just past the outstretched arm of Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman.

After a scoreless ninth inning, the Cardinals finally took home the win in the bottom of inning number ten after Kolten Wong doubled, took third base on a fielder´s choice, and then scored on a Molina walk-off sacrifice fly.

It was an exciting game that was everything that is exciting and fun about playoff baseball. Game 5 on Wednesday night in Atlanta will determine which team advances and gains a spot in the National League Championship Series.

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After a Game 2 loss that saw the Washington Nationals even the NLDS at one game apiece, the Dodgers’ offensive firepower came out in full display on Sunday in a 10-4 win that saw them take a 2-1 series advantage.

After being frustrated by Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez, who threw five innings of one-run ball to begin the game, LA took control with a huge sixth inning in which they roughed up Nats pitcher Patrick Corbin.

Washington took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after young phenom Juan Soto’s solo home run. The Dodgers cut the lead in half in the fifth inning after Max Muncy went yard.

Things broke open, however, in the sixth. The team that is widely considered to be the favorite to win the National League showed off their offensive muscles in an inning that saw them take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Catcher Russell Martin gave his team the lead with a two-out, two-run double, and then Kike Hernandez got in on the act with a two-run double of his own.

After Justin Turner hit a three-run home run off of Wander Suero, who relieved Corbin, the Dodgers were up 8-2 and the game was out of reach.

Los Angeles went on to win 10-4, putting them within a game of advancing to the National League Championship Series.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up where they left off in the regular season, dominating the Washington Nationals in a 6-0 victory in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

The Dodgers rode a terrific pitching performance by Walker Buehler to a shutout of the Wild Card winning Nationals, taking a 1-0 lead in the series heading into Game 2.

Buehler dominated the Nationals, throwing six shutout innings and striking out eight hitters. He allowed only four batters to reach base, three on walks and one on a Juan Soto single in the top of the second inning.

The Nationals were in it for much of the game, thanks in large part to their starter, Patrick Corbin. He also threw six innings and allowed only one run after walking the bases loaded and then walking in a run in the first inning.

The Dodgers, however, broke things open late in the game. In the 7th frame, Max Muncy singled in a pair of runs, and then Joc Pederson and Gavin Lux hit home runs off of reliever Hunter Strickland in the eighth inning.

Los Angeles appears to be in command of the series, and they’ll look to extend their lead to 2-0 when Clayton Kershaw takes the mound against the Nats in Game 2.

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The Tampa Bay Rays took care of business at the Oakland Coliseum on Wednesday night, beating the A’s by a 5-1 final score to earn a date with the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series.

Tampa Bay went on the road and beat the A’s on the backs of strong pitching performances from starter Charlie Morton as well their relief core and a barrage of home runs.

It didn’t take long for the Rays to take a lead, as leadoff man Yandy Diaz hit a solo shot to lead off the game off of A’s starter Sean Manaea.

Rays starter Charlie Morton, who pitched five innings, allowing zero earned runs and striking out five, got two more runs of support in the next inning when Avisail Garcia hit Tampa’s second home run of the game, a two-run blast off of Manaea.

Diaz then tagged Manaea with another solo shot in the 3rd, his second of the night, to give Morton and the Rays a 4-0 lead.

Tommy Pham hit Tampa Bay’s fourth and final homer of the night in the fifth inning.

The A’s pushed across a run after an error and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, but ultimately couldn’t put together any more offense for the rest of the night.

Tampa will now have the chance to take on the MLB’s strongest regular season team, the Houston Astros, in the AL Divsion Series.

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The Major League Playoffs’ division series matchups are set, and it’s almost time to begin the most exciting times of the year for any fan of America’s pastime.

The Division Series kicks off this week with the following matchups:

• NL: Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• NL: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals
• AL: Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays
• AL: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

It’s time to take a deeper look at this series and make our picks for who will win.

Braves vs. Cardinals: Braves in 5

This series hinges on the health of Atlanta’s star players. First baseman Freddie Freeman and center fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each missed games in the final week of the season due to elbow bone spurs and a groin strain, respectively, but are both set to go for the division series.

If they can stay healthy, we think the Braves’ dynamic offense with the two aforementioned players as well as Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson will back a pitching staff that has seen improvement from its bullpen in recent weeks to beat St. Louis. The NL’s best second half starter, Jack Flaherty, as well as Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong, however, won’t make it easy. 

Dodgers vs. Nationals: Dodgers in 4

The Nationals have one of the league’s best 1-2-3 pitching tandems with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, but we just don’t think it’s enough to handle LA’s big bats. The Dodgers’ lineup is insanely deep, and they should be able to inflict some damage on Nationals pitching.

Keep an eye on Hyun Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw, however. If these two lefty starters for LA can’t revert recent struggles, it’s possible that right-handed bats like Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman could lead the Nationals to an upset.

Astros vs. Rays: Astros in 3

Sorry, Tampa. The Rays experienced an emotional high after beating the Oakland A’s in the AL Wild Card Game, but we don’t think they’ll be much of a challenge for the Astros. The World Series favorite has arguably baseball’s best rotation and lineup.

Zack Greinke, Gerrit Cole, and Justin Verlander are on a mission, and big bats like Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez bring the thunder to put a scare into any pitching staff. The Rays might be able to sneak a win when Charlie Morton starts, but don’t expect them to get much more than that.

Yankees vs. Twins: Twins in 5

The Yankees might have a home-field advantage and the bigger name in this series, but don’t be surprised if the Twins pull the biggest upset in the first round and knock off the Bronx Bombers.

If the Yankees have an Achilles heel, it’s their mediocre starting pitching staff. The Twins’ powerful lineup could end up turning Yankee Stadium into batting practice and slugging their way past the Yankees in what could end up being one of the highest-scoring series in the history of playoff baseball.

The post 2019 MLB Division Series Predictions appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In one of the most improbable stories of this Major League Baseball season, the resilient Milwaukee Brewers clinched a spot in the National League playoffs with a 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.

Despite finding themselves outside of the playoff picture during much of September and losing MVP candidate Christian Yelich earlier in the month, the Brewers have caught fire late in the month and will now play in the postseason for the second consecutive season.

The two consecutive postseason appearances in 2018 and 2019 are only the second time in franchise history that the Brewers have accomplished this feat. They also did so in 1981 and 1982.

Ryan Braun hit a first-inning grand slam to power the Brew Crew to their 17th win in their last 19 games. Eric Thames and Keston Hiura also got in on the power train with homers of their own, while Jordan Lyles pitched five innings of two-run ball to earn the win.

The Brewers, who moved to 88-70 with their win, still do not know if they will play in the NL Wild Card Game or if they will come back to overtake the Cardinals for their second consecutive NL Central title.

They trail the Cardinals by 1.5 games heading into their season-ending series with the Colorado Rockies.

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