The Texas Rangers are set to be without Adolis Garcia and Max Scherzer for the remainder of the World Series. The team removed the pair from their active roster as both players suffered injuries in Game 3; a devastating setback for a team that’s just one game away from winning their maiden championship in franchise history.

Hours before their 11-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Rangers made the difficult call to exclude both players. The team is now leading 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Garcia was suffering a “moderate strain”, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy explained, leading to the player undergoing imaging. He tweaked his left oblique in the eighth inning, at which point he was taken off for utility man Ezequiel Duran. Scherzer was suffering back spasms before he was removed from play and replaced by left-hander Brock Burke.

The post Texas Rangers Lose Adolis Garcia, Max Scherzer for Rest of World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves couldn’t close out the World Series in front of their home crowd, but that didn’t affect their ability to take care of business in Game 6. The Braves routed the Houston Astros with a dominant 7-0 outing on Tuesday night to claim their first title since 1995.

The Braves took the lead at the top of the third when outfielder Jorge Soler hit a three-run 446-foot homer. This was Soler’s third home run of the World Series and the one that probably clinched him the World Series MVP honors.

At the top of the fifth, the Braves added to their lead with yet another home run. This time it was shortstop Dansby Swanson who hit a 411 feet homer off the pitch by Houston’s reliever Cristian Javier.

First baseman Freddie Freeman then proceeded to close out the game for Atlanta. Freeman first doubled to deep left center and allowed Soler to score at the top of the fifth before hitting a 416-foot home run at the top of the seventh to set the final score of 7-0.

The Braves starter Max Fried also had a huge game, picking up six strikeouts in the first six innings. He also only allowed four singles while finishing the contest with a 4.09 ERA.

“We hit every pothole, every bump you could possibly hit this year, and somehow the car still made it onto the other side,” Freeman said after the game. “It’s just an incredible group.”

The fourth title was a long time coming for the Atlanta Braves. Since going all the way in 1995, the franchise returned to the postseason 16 times and made two unsuccessful World Series trips before finally breaking through in 2021.

The Astros, on the other hand, still only have one World Series title to show after making it to the finals three times in five years.

The post Braves Win 2021 World Series After Routing Astros 7-0 in Game 6 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It sure looked like the 2021 World Series would end on Sunday night. The Atlanta Braves, already holding a 3-1 lead in the series, stormed into Game 5 with a Grand Slam in the first inning and positioned themselves to have a huge celebration at their home park. But the Houston Astros just were not willing to give up.

With their backs against the wall, the Astros bounced back in an impressive fashion and claimed a 9-5 win to keep their World Series hopes alive. They now travel back to Houston, where they will have to get another win on Tuesday if they want to force a deciding Game 7.

The Braves took the lead at the bottom of the first when Adam Duvall hit a 377-foot home run and became the only player in franchise history besides Lonnie Smith to have a Grand Slam in the World Series.

Houston didn’t get discouraged, however, and slowly cut into Atlanta’s lead to make it 4-4 at the top of the third.

The Braves then took the lead again thanks to Freddie Freeman’s 460-foot homer at the bottom of the third. This was also Freeman’s longest homer of the season.

After that, it was all Houston. After Martin Maldonado walked to make it 5-5 at the top of the fifth, Marwin Gonzalez singled and got the Astros into the driving seat.

Maldonado singled at the top of the seventh, and Carlos Correa singled at the top of the eighth to wrap it up for the Astros.

“Before the game we talked and we said, ‘We’re not gonna give up,'” Correa, who finished with three hits, said after the game. “We’re gonna go out there fighting.”

This was the first postseason loss at home for the Braves, but manager Brian Snitker believes this game won’t affect his team’s ability to finish the job and give Atlanta its first World Series win since 1995.

“If we win the World Series, it doesn’t matter where it is,” Snitker said. “I’d have loved to have done it in front of our fans. Hopefully, we can do it the next couple of days.”

The post Astros Survive Braves’ 1st Inning Grand Slam to Keep World Series Hopes Alive appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the MLB Playoffs around the corner, the time has come to discuss the World Series. There’s nothing more exciting than the fall time in Major League Baseball, with countless teams vying for their right to be crowned world champions. So which team has the biggest chance to win it all?

Los Angeles Dodgers

The defending champions haven’t exactly slowed down since last year. Although they trail the Giants in the NL West, the Dodgers still hold the second-best record in the entire league. With an insanely stacked roster, they’re arguably the most dangerous team of all.

San Francisco Giants

With the current best record in the league, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include the Giants on this list. They’ve been incredibly dominant this season and might just carry that success into the postseason as well.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have taken care of business this year, currently tied for third in the league with an impressive .618 win percentage. If they translate that success in the playoffs as well, it’ll be a special year for Milwaukee sports team all around.

Tampa Bay Rays

The defending American League champions are tied with the Brewers for third-best record in the league, and they could easily find their way back to the World Series if they stay on their game. But will they succeed where they failed last year?

The post Who Will Win the MLB World Series This Season? appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LA Dodgers will return to World Series for their third appearance in four years. Dodgers secured their spot by beating Atlanta Braves 4-3 in the deciding NLCS Game 7 on Sunday night and capping off an unlikely comeback after being down 1-3 in the series.

It didn’t start well for the Dodgers, as they found themselves trailing 0-2 after Marcell Ozuna and Dansby Swanson hit home runs for Braves in the first two innings. Will Smith’s two-run single equaled the game in the third, but Atlanta immediately took the lead back with Austin Riley’s single.

Still, Brave couldn’t hold on to the lead that would bring the franchise its first World Series appearance since 1999.

Enrique Hernandez hit a pinch-hit homer in the sixth to tie it once again, while 2019’s NL MVP Cody Bellinger completed the comeback in the seventh inning with another lights-out home run.

“We never gave up,” said MVP of the series Corey Seager. “This team never quit. We came out every night and expected to win. Tip your cap to that clubhouse and how we responded, how we came back. We always found the energy, found the big play, found the big spark. Whether it was defensively, offensively, pitching, we grinded through that series. It was a lot of fun to be on top of that one.”

The LA Dodgers will now face the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series in an attempt to win their first title in 33 years. Dodgers got close in 2018 and 2019 but got beaten by Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.

“The World Series is the World Series, no matter what year you get there—’17 happened, ’18 happened. We fell short; now we are back,” added Enrique Hernandez. “The past is in the past—this one feels super special because it is in front of us, and it is happening.”

Dodgers were the best team in baseball in the regular season, finishing with a 43-17 record. And they managed to translate their claim in the postseason so far, but it won’t count for anything if they can’t deliver in the World Series.

The World Series, which will see Dodgers face Tampa Bay Rays, kicks off on October 20 at Arlington’s Globe Life Field.

The post Dodgers Complete an Unlikely Comeback in NLCS, Secure World Series Appearance appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Astros did not want the ALCS to go to a Game 7 and Jose Altuve made sure of it. With one swing of the bat off of flamethrower Aroldis Chapman, Altuve sent the Astros swarming on to the field, and had Houston celebrating their 2nd World Series appearance in 3 years.

Yuli Gurriel put the Astros up 3-0 in the first inning on a 3 run homer and Brad Peacock made history by becoming the first pitcher since 1924 to pitch the last inning of a playoff game and start another one the next day.

The Yankees scored 2 runs and were stopped from scoring thanks to an incredible diving catch by Michael Brantley who doubled up Aaron Judge at first. The game headed to the 9th with the Astros up 4-2 and Houston on the brink of a celebration.

In the top of the 9th, DJ Lemahieu tied the game on a 2 run shot off of Roberto Osuna that stunned the Houston dugout, but Altuve wasn’t going to let the game go into extras.

In the bottom of the 9th, Altuve crushed a slider off of Chapman deep into the left-field seats that sent the Houston crowd into a frenzy. It was only fitting that Altuve, the longest-tenured Astro, the face of the franchise who saw three 100 loss seasons in a row, would be the one to send them off to the World Series.

Now that the ALCS doesn’t have to go to Game 7, Houston can line up their rotation exactly how they planned, starting Gerrit Cole in Game 1 followed by Justin Verlander and Zach Greinke in games 2 and 3.

The post Altuve’s Walk-Off HR Sends Astros to World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Both the NL and AL East titles were clinched over the weekend, with the Braves and Yankees outlasting the rest of the teams in their divisions. While they both got there through different paths, both teams clinched early enough to take the last week of the season to rest their players and get their rotations in order.

The Yankees did it on their 100th win of the season, as Aroldis Chapman struck out Albert Pujols to finish the game and start the celebrations. The Yankees, who surprisingly haven’t won the division since 2012, dominated the AL East this season and have been in sole possession of first place since June 15.

Despite a record-setting number of injuries to key players this year, younger players have stepped up in their absence and shown the depth of the Yankees both on the mound and in the lineup.

The Braves were predicted to finish 3rd or 4th in the talented NL East this year, but found themselves pulling ahead and not looking back since the beginning of June. Led by Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman, their lineup kept up with the best in the NL. Mike Foltynewicz has been looking more like his All-Star self, which is good news for the Brave’s rotation come the playoffs.

The Braves are looking to win their first postseason series since the 2001 NLDS, and with the other teams in their division on the rise, this year might be their best chance to make a run for the World Series.

The post Braves, Yankees Clinch Division Titles appeared first on SportzBonanza.

For the 7th time in a row, the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West title. Although it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as last year’s title which was won in a game 163 tiebreaker against the Rockies, the Dodgers are happy to have clinched it early and to focus on the playoffs.

Cory Seager led the offense with 2 homers and 5 RBIs, while Gavin Lux hit his first career home run on an emotional night for the young player. Walker Buehler threw 7 shutout innings and recorded his 200th strikeout of the season.

LA’s run of 7 consecutive division titles is the 3rd most in history. The Yankees had 9 from 1998-2006, and the Braves famously hold the record of 14 from 1991- 2005, a record that may never be broken.

While the Dodgers have been so dominant in the regular season over that time period, none of that has translated into a World Series title. After a loss to the Red Sox in last year’s Fall Classic, and this year’s team looking even better and healthier, perhaps this is the year that the World Series banner will be raised in LA for the first time since 1988.

The post Dodgers First Team to Clinch Playoff Spot appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Texas Rangers are set to be without Adolis Garcia and Max Scherzer for the remainder of the World Series. The team removed the pair from their active roster as both players suffered injuries in Game 3; a devastating setback for a team that’s just one game away from winning their maiden championship in franchise history.

Hours before their 11-7 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Rangers made the difficult call to exclude both players. The team is now leading 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Garcia was suffering a “moderate strain”, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy explained, leading to the player undergoing imaging. He tweaked his left oblique in the eighth inning, at which point he was taken off for utility man Ezequiel Duran. Scherzer was suffering back spasms before he was removed from play and replaced by left-hander Brock Burke.

The post Texas Rangers Lose Adolis Garcia, Max Scherzer for Rest of World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves couldn’t close out the World Series in front of their home crowd, but that didn’t affect their ability to take care of business in Game 6. The Braves routed the Houston Astros with a dominant 7-0 outing on Tuesday night to claim their first title since 1995.

The Braves took the lead at the top of the third when outfielder Jorge Soler hit a three-run 446-foot homer. This was Soler’s third home run of the World Series and the one that probably clinched him the World Series MVP honors.

At the top of the fifth, the Braves added to their lead with yet another home run. This time it was shortstop Dansby Swanson who hit a 411 feet homer off the pitch by Houston’s reliever Cristian Javier.

First baseman Freddie Freeman then proceeded to close out the game for Atlanta. Freeman first doubled to deep left center and allowed Soler to score at the top of the fifth before hitting a 416-foot home run at the top of the seventh to set the final score of 7-0.

The Braves starter Max Fried also had a huge game, picking up six strikeouts in the first six innings. He also only allowed four singles while finishing the contest with a 4.09 ERA.

“We hit every pothole, every bump you could possibly hit this year, and somehow the car still made it onto the other side,” Freeman said after the game. “It’s just an incredible group.”

The fourth title was a long time coming for the Atlanta Braves. Since going all the way in 1995, the franchise returned to the postseason 16 times and made two unsuccessful World Series trips before finally breaking through in 2021.

The Astros, on the other hand, still only have one World Series title to show after making it to the finals three times in five years.

The post Braves Win 2021 World Series After Routing Astros 7-0 in Game 6 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It sure looked like the 2021 World Series would end on Sunday night. The Atlanta Braves, already holding a 3-1 lead in the series, stormed into Game 5 with a Grand Slam in the first inning and positioned themselves to have a huge celebration at their home park. But the Houston Astros just were not willing to give up.

With their backs against the wall, the Astros bounced back in an impressive fashion and claimed a 9-5 win to keep their World Series hopes alive. They now travel back to Houston, where they will have to get another win on Tuesday if they want to force a deciding Game 7.

The Braves took the lead at the bottom of the first when Adam Duvall hit a 377-foot home run and became the only player in franchise history besides Lonnie Smith to have a Grand Slam in the World Series.

Houston didn’t get discouraged, however, and slowly cut into Atlanta’s lead to make it 4-4 at the top of the third.

The Braves then took the lead again thanks to Freddie Freeman’s 460-foot homer at the bottom of the third. This was also Freeman’s longest homer of the season.

After that, it was all Houston. After Martin Maldonado walked to make it 5-5 at the top of the fifth, Marwin Gonzalez singled and got the Astros into the driving seat.

Maldonado singled at the top of the seventh, and Carlos Correa singled at the top of the eighth to wrap it up for the Astros.

“Before the game we talked and we said, ‘We’re not gonna give up,'” Correa, who finished with three hits, said after the game. “We’re gonna go out there fighting.”

This was the first postseason loss at home for the Braves, but manager Brian Snitker believes this game won’t affect his team’s ability to finish the job and give Atlanta its first World Series win since 1995.

“If we win the World Series, it doesn’t matter where it is,” Snitker said. “I’d have loved to have done it in front of our fans. Hopefully, we can do it the next couple of days.”

The post Astros Survive Braves’ 1st Inning Grand Slam to Keep World Series Hopes Alive appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the MLB Playoffs around the corner, the time has come to discuss the World Series. There’s nothing more exciting than the fall time in Major League Baseball, with countless teams vying for their right to be crowned world champions. So which team has the biggest chance to win it all?

Los Angeles Dodgers

The defending champions haven’t exactly slowed down since last year. Although they trail the Giants in the NL West, the Dodgers still hold the second-best record in the entire league. With an insanely stacked roster, they’re arguably the most dangerous team of all.

San Francisco Giants

With the current best record in the league, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include the Giants on this list. They’ve been incredibly dominant this season and might just carry that success into the postseason as well.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have taken care of business this year, currently tied for third in the league with an impressive .618 win percentage. If they translate that success in the playoffs as well, it’ll be a special year for Milwaukee sports team all around.

Tampa Bay Rays

The defending American League champions are tied with the Brewers for third-best record in the league, and they could easily find their way back to the World Series if they stay on their game. But will they succeed where they failed last year?

The post Who Will Win the MLB World Series This Season? appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LA Dodgers will return to World Series for their third appearance in four years. Dodgers secured their spot by beating Atlanta Braves 4-3 in the deciding NLCS Game 7 on Sunday night and capping off an unlikely comeback after being down 1-3 in the series.

It didn’t start well for the Dodgers, as they found themselves trailing 0-2 after Marcell Ozuna and Dansby Swanson hit home runs for Braves in the first two innings. Will Smith’s two-run single equaled the game in the third, but Atlanta immediately took the lead back with Austin Riley’s single.

Still, Brave couldn’t hold on to the lead that would bring the franchise its first World Series appearance since 1999.

Enrique Hernandez hit a pinch-hit homer in the sixth to tie it once again, while 2019’s NL MVP Cody Bellinger completed the comeback in the seventh inning with another lights-out home run.

“We never gave up,” said MVP of the series Corey Seager. “This team never quit. We came out every night and expected to win. Tip your cap to that clubhouse and how we responded, how we came back. We always found the energy, found the big play, found the big spark. Whether it was defensively, offensively, pitching, we grinded through that series. It was a lot of fun to be on top of that one.”

The LA Dodgers will now face the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series in an attempt to win their first title in 33 years. Dodgers got close in 2018 and 2019 but got beaten by Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.

“The World Series is the World Series, no matter what year you get there—’17 happened, ’18 happened. We fell short; now we are back,” added Enrique Hernandez. “The past is in the past—this one feels super special because it is in front of us, and it is happening.”

Dodgers were the best team in baseball in the regular season, finishing with a 43-17 record. And they managed to translate their claim in the postseason so far, but it won’t count for anything if they can’t deliver in the World Series.

The World Series, which will see Dodgers face Tampa Bay Rays, kicks off on October 20 at Arlington’s Globe Life Field.

The post Dodgers Complete an Unlikely Comeback in NLCS, Secure World Series Appearance appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Astros did not want the ALCS to go to a Game 7 and Jose Altuve made sure of it. With one swing of the bat off of flamethrower Aroldis Chapman, Altuve sent the Astros swarming on to the field, and had Houston celebrating their 2nd World Series appearance in 3 years.

Yuli Gurriel put the Astros up 3-0 in the first inning on a 3 run homer and Brad Peacock made history by becoming the first pitcher since 1924 to pitch the last inning of a playoff game and start another one the next day.

The Yankees scored 2 runs and were stopped from scoring thanks to an incredible diving catch by Michael Brantley who doubled up Aaron Judge at first. The game headed to the 9th with the Astros up 4-2 and Houston on the brink of a celebration.

In the top of the 9th, DJ Lemahieu tied the game on a 2 run shot off of Roberto Osuna that stunned the Houston dugout, but Altuve wasn’t going to let the game go into extras.

In the bottom of the 9th, Altuve crushed a slider off of Chapman deep into the left-field seats that sent the Houston crowd into a frenzy. It was only fitting that Altuve, the longest-tenured Astro, the face of the franchise who saw three 100 loss seasons in a row, would be the one to send them off to the World Series.

Now that the ALCS doesn’t have to go to Game 7, Houston can line up their rotation exactly how they planned, starting Gerrit Cole in Game 1 followed by Justin Verlander and Zach Greinke in games 2 and 3.

The post Altuve’s Walk-Off HR Sends Astros to World Series appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Both the NL and AL East titles were clinched over the weekend, with the Braves and Yankees outlasting the rest of the teams in their divisions. While they both got there through different paths, both teams clinched early enough to take the last week of the season to rest their players and get their rotations in order.

The Yankees did it on their 100th win of the season, as Aroldis Chapman struck out Albert Pujols to finish the game and start the celebrations. The Yankees, who surprisingly haven’t won the division since 2012, dominated the AL East this season and have been in sole possession of first place since June 15.

Despite a record-setting number of injuries to key players this year, younger players have stepped up in their absence and shown the depth of the Yankees both on the mound and in the lineup.

The Braves were predicted to finish 3rd or 4th in the talented NL East this year, but found themselves pulling ahead and not looking back since the beginning of June. Led by Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman, their lineup kept up with the best in the NL. Mike Foltynewicz has been looking more like his All-Star self, which is good news for the Brave’s rotation come the playoffs.

The Braves are looking to win their first postseason series since the 2001 NLDS, and with the other teams in their division on the rise, this year might be their best chance to make a run for the World Series.

The post Braves, Yankees Clinch Division Titles appeared first on SportzBonanza.

For the 7th time in a row, the Los Angeles Dodgers have won the NL West title. Although it wasn’t nearly as dramatic as last year’s title which was won in a game 163 tiebreaker against the Rockies, the Dodgers are happy to have clinched it early and to focus on the playoffs.

Cory Seager led the offense with 2 homers and 5 RBIs, while Gavin Lux hit his first career home run on an emotional night for the young player. Walker Buehler threw 7 shutout innings and recorded his 200th strikeout of the season.

LA’s run of 7 consecutive division titles is the 3rd most in history. The Yankees had 9 from 1998-2006, and the Braves famously hold the record of 14 from 1991- 2005, a record that may never be broken.

While the Dodgers have been so dominant in the regular season over that time period, none of that has translated into a World Series title. After a loss to the Red Sox in last year’s Fall Classic, and this year’s team looking even better and healthier, perhaps this is the year that the World Series banner will be raised in LA for the first time since 1988.

The post Dodgers First Team to Clinch Playoff Spot appeared first on SportzBonanza.