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Tag: MLB Playoffs

  • The Angels say they won’t trade Shohei Ohtani. He celebrates with a 1-hitter, 2 homers

    The Angels say they won’t trade Shohei Ohtani. He celebrates with a 1-hitter, 2 homers

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    DETROIT — DETROIT (AP) — Shohei Ohtani looked his manager in the eye and in just a few words, left no doubt of his intentions.

    “I’ll finish it,” Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin recalled Ohtani telling him after the eighth inning of what became his first complete game in Major League Baseball. “He wanted it. I could see it, too.”

    Ohtani polished off his one-hit shutout of the Detroit Tigers, then continued his extraordinary day in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader, hitting two homers to increase his major league-leading total to 38. The two-way superstar became the first player in major league history to throw a shutout in one half a doubleheader and hit one homer — much less two — in the other.

    Hours before Ohtani delivered the message to his manager, the Angels delivered one of their own.

    The franchise, desperate to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, made a win-now trade to bolster its pitching staff and confirmed that Ohtani will stay for the rest of the season before he becomes a free agent.

    “We’re going to roll the dice and see what happens,” Angels general manager Perry Minasian told reporters before Ohtani led Los Angeles to a 6-0 win over the Tigers in Game 1 of the doubleheader, just days before MLB’s trade deadline.

    Ohtani’s start was his best in the majors, a one-hitter with eight strikeouts on 111 pitches, including fastballs nearing 100 mph and wicked sliders and splitters that left the Tigers flailing.

    In Game 2, Ohtani returned to the designated hitter role. The left-handed hitter hit a two-run homer to left in the second inning and a line drive to right-center in the fourth.

    Ohtani became the second player since at least 1900 to throw a one-hit shutout or better and hit a home run on the same day, joining Philadelphia’s Rick Wise, who hit a two-run homer during his no-hitter against Cincinnati on June 23, 1971.

    It was just the latest display of why Ohtani could have landed a huge prospect haul in a trade, and why he’s expected to cash in on perhaps the world’s most lucrative contract in any sport this offseason.

    Some speculate the 29-year-old might make $500-600 million on the open market , but the recent developments don’t seem to affect his thinking.

    “From the beginning, my plan was to finish strong this season with the Angels,” Ohtani said through a translator after his gem on the mound. “I don’t think things are really going to change mentally.

    “But all the people talking about the trades, that’s going to be all gone. So I feel like I’m just focused on taking this team to the playoffs.”

    The Angels are, too.

    They’re motivated to get rid of their reputation for wasting the talents of MVPs Mike Trout and Ohtani. The Arte Moreno-owned ballclub has the majors’ longest streaks of consecutive losing seasons (seven) and consecutive non-playoff seasons (eight, tied with Detroit).

    The Angels plan to hold onto Ohtani for as long as they can.

    “I never went up to Shohei and said, ‘Hey, we’re not trading you,’” Minasian said. “Think I made it pretty clear the last time we talked, I think, that he wasn’t going anywhere.”

    The 2021 AL MVP leads the majors in homers and OPS at the plate and is among the leaders in opponent batting average and strikeouts on the mound.

    “He’s doing the impossible,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re playing against a generational talent.”

    When Chad Wallach tracked down a popup in foul territory for the final out of the fifth, Ohtani went out of his way to pick up the catcher’s mask and hand it to him.

    He really can do it all.

    “I love Shohei Ohtani,” Minasian said. “He comes in, prepares, works, goes out and performs on a nightly basis. Obviously, does both (hitting and pitching). He’s a great teammate. He takes this really seriously. He eats it. He sleeps it.

    “He’s somebody that we would love to have going forward.”

    Aiming to bolster their chances of challenging for the AL West title or earning a wild card if they fall short in the division, the Angels acquired right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Giolito is expected to make his Angels debut Friday night against Toronto.

    “I think this is the first time in my six years that we’re buyers,” Ohtani said.

    The Angels also made another decision, designating 2021 All-Star slugger Jared Walsh for assignment. Walsh hit .119 with one homer and five RBIs in 28 games this season, coming off an injury-stunted 2022. He’s been struggling with headaches and insomnia this year.

    “Gone through some hard times, and he’s trying to find it back,” manager Phil Nevin said. “I know he’ll keep working. I hope he remains with us because I know when he gets on top of his game, we’re a better team with him.”

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Bader hits a 3-run homer in the 8th inning as the Yankees rally late to beat the Orioles 6-3

    Bader hits a 3-run homer in the 8th inning as the Yankees rally late to beat the Orioles 6-3

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Harrison Bader hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees rallied for a 6-3 victory Monday night over the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a four-game series between AL East playoff contenders.

    Anthony Volpe scored the tying run in the seventh on a wild pitch by All-Star reliever Yennier Cano (1-1) before the Yankees completed the comeback ahead of a postgame fireworks show.

    Giancarlo Stanton opened the eighth with a hard single off Cano, and Anthony Rizzo followed with a single against Danny Coulombe.

    Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer and scored the go-ahead run from first base on Giancarlo Stanton’s fifth-inning single, leading the New York Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles 8-4.

    New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, center, talk with Sarah Langs, their HOPE Week honoree, on the 84th anniversary of Lou Gehrig making his famous "Luckiest Man" speech, Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in New York. Langs, one of Major League Baseball's most respected and universally liked statistical analysts, has been in a battle with ALS the last three years. Langs and women from the organization "Her ALS Story" made a pregame tour of Monument Park and the Yankees Museum. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

    Sarah Langs, a beloved member of the baseball community who has Lou Gehrig’s disease, was honored at Yankee Stadium on the 84th anniversary of Gehrig’s famous “luckiest man on the face of the Earth” speech.

    St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (47) is removed by manager Oliver Marmol, second from left, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 2, 2023, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

    Jordan Montgomery beat the Yankees for the second time since they traded him last summer, pitching the St.

    New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, right, yells after being ejected by home plate umpire Dan Merzel, left, as umpire crew chiefs Lance Barksdale (23) stands between the two during the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Sunday, July 2, 2023, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

    New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected for the fifth time this season, tossed for arguing balls and strikes in the top of the third inning of a game against the St.

    After showing bunt on the first pitch, Bader drove a 1-1 sweeper into the left-field seats for his seventh homer.

    “I was only going to play it for one pitch probably there and then he did the rest,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Got a hanger and did good things with a hanger.”

    Bader lifted his arms to celebrate the 415-foot drive as he rounded first base.

    “It was cool,” he said. “The Bronx showed up tonight with the energy and we’re right in the middle of the season, right in the thick of it. So to get a win for them is great. I just wanted to round the bases, go back to my team and play defense and finish that game off.”

    Bader has been on the injured list twice this season, for an oblique injury that delayed his 2023 debut until May 2 and a hamstring injury that cost him 16 games. The Yankees are 26-12 when he plays, and the New York native hit his first career go-ahead homer in the eighth inning or beyond.

    Bader’s clutch drive came after he popped out on the first pitch with two on in the sixth against Baltimore starter Tyler Wells. After that, Bader got a pep talk from injured Yankees captain Aaron Judge in the dugout.

    “It was a really good reminder from him, which I appreciate tremendously,” Bader said.

    Volpe and Kyle Higashioka hit back-to-back homers in the fifth to start the comeback before Volpe scored on a headfirst slide in the seventh.

    Tommy Kahnle (1-0) stranded former Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks in the eighth to keep it tied. Clay Holmes struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save, capping 4 2/3 scoreless innings from the New York bullpen, which lowered its major league-best ERA to 2.83.

    The second-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games and are three games ahead of third-place New York in the division standings.

    Baltimore had 12 hits, matching its total from a three-game series against Minnesota, but also struck out 11 times.

    “We had 12 hits and only scored three runs,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We had multiple opportunities to extend the lead a few times and that’s disappointing, but they just beat us with homers tonight.”

    All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman had three hits for Baltimore, including an RBI double, after announcing he will participate in the Home Run Derby next week in Seattle.

    Cedric Mullins had a run-scoring bloop single and Ryan O’Hearn hit an RBI single as the Orioles opened a 3-0 lead through three innings against Domingo Germán.

    Coming off the fourth perfect game in team history at Oakland last week, Germán allowed three runs — two earned — and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 32 curveballs after throwing the pitch 51 times against the Athletics.

    Germán got a hand from the crowd when he headed out to the bullpen to warm up and received a nice ovation when he exited. Between innings, clips of his perfect game played on the videoboard.

    “It meant a lot,” Germán said through a translator. “It was good to see all the fans showing support like that.”

    Wells allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

    HAMLIN KICKS OFF HOPE WEEK

    Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who was resuscitated with CPR in a game against Cincinnati on Jan. 2 and cleared in April to resume football activities, was honored as the Yankees began their 14th annual HOPE Week events.

    Earlier in the day, Hamlin participated in CPR training with several Yankees. Wearing a Babe Ruth jersey, Hamlin threw out the ceremonial first pitch along with former Fordham softball player Sarah Taffet and both participated in the exchange of lineup cards. Like Hamlin, Taffet was also resuscitated during a game in October 2021.

    HICKS RETURNS TO BOOS

    Hicks returned to the Bronx for the first time since the Yankees released him on May 25 and went 1 for 4.

    He heard boos before each at-bat and fans booed during a brief tribute video before the Yankees batted in the second.

    Before the game, he expressed his appreciation to the Yankees with an Instagram Story that read:

    “Thank you to the Yankees organization for 8 years. I was blessed to be able to represent the city of New York.”

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Orioles: All-Star OF Austin Hays (bruised hip) and rookie INF Jordan Westburg (sore left hand) were held out of the lineup. Both players are feeling better, and testing on Westburg did not show a fracture.

    Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (left rotator cuff strain) threw his second bullpen since going on the injured list June 8.

    UP NEXT

    Baltimore RHP Kyle Gibson (8-5, 4.66 ERA) opposes Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (3-6, 4.37) for the second time this season Tuesday afternoon. Gibson allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings May 25 in New York.

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    More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Betts, Outman homer as Dodgers stun Padres 5-2

    Betts, Outman homer as Dodgers stun Padres 5-2

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    Mookie Betts hit a game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning and James Outman hit a two-run shot in the 10th to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres

    ByRICHARD J. MARCUS Associated Press

    SAN DIEGO — Mookie Betts hit a game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning and James Outman hit a two-run shot in the 10th to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

    The Dodgers won two of three games in the series in the first meeting between the teams since the Padres stunned Los Angeles in the NL Division Series in October.

    With the Padres leading 2-1, San Diego reliever Josh Hader got two outs before Betts homered over the left-center field fence to tie the game.

    In the 10th, Michael Busch drove in the go-ahead run ahead of Outman’s shot.

    Dodgers reliever Caleb Ferguson (2-0) earned the win and Evan Phillips earned his fifth save with a scoreless 10th inning. Brent Honeywell (2-1), who pitched the 10th inning for San Diego, took the loss.

    Manny Machado had three hits and an RBI for the Padres. Fernando Tatis Jr. had a double and made a spectacular sliding catch in the second inning to rob Max Muncy of a hit.

    Padres starter Joe Musgrove was sharper in his third start of the season then his first two starts. He gave up one run and three hits in five innings while striking out five.

    The Dodgers knocked him out in the sixth after Will Smith doubled to drive in Freddie Freeman, who reached second on a two-base error by San Diego left fielder Juan Soto.

    Padres’ relievers Tim Hill and Steven Wilson combined for the three outs in the inning without allowing the tying Dodgers run.

    The Padres jumped on Dodgers starter Julio Urias in the first inning. Tatis and Machado hit consecutive doubles to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Xander Bogaerts hit a ball up against the wall in right-field that Betts got his glove on but could not haul in.

    SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RIVALRY

    The last time the Padres won a regular season home series against the Dodgers at Petco Park was when they swept them in three games from June 21-23, 2021. Since then, San Diego has lost all four series versus Los Angeles. In the regular season since August 24, 2021, the Padres have gone (6-25) against the Dodgers.

    UP NEXT Dodgers: RHP Tony Gonsolin (0-0, 3.38) takes the hill to start a three-game series on Monday night at the Milwaukee Brewers.

    Padres: RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 5.46) opens a three-game series on Tuesday night at the Minnesota Twins.

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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  • Tatis has 2 HRs, 3 RBIs off Kershaw, Padres beat Dodgers 5-2

    Tatis has 2 HRs, 3 RBIs off Kershaw, Padres beat Dodgers 5-2

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    SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit two home runs off Clayton Kershaw and had three RBIs for San Diego, which beat NL West rival Los Angeles 5-2 Friday night in the first meeting between the teams since the Padres eliminated the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

    Yu Darvish (2-2) outpitched Kershaw (5-2), who was knocked out in the fifth inning in front of a loud, festive crowd on Cinco de Mayo. The division-leading Dodgers had their six-game winning streak snapped.

    It was the first matchup between the teams since Oct. 15, when the Padres beat the 111-win Dodgers 5-3 on a rainy Saturday night to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

    Tatis sent Padres fans into a frenzy when he homered to center leading off the third and again when he lined a two-run shot to left with no outs in the fifth for a 3-1 lead. He has four homers since returning April 20 from an 80-game PED suspension.

    It was Tatis’ ninth career multihomer game and fourth against the Dodgers. He also connected twice against Kershaw on April 23, 2021, at Dodger Stadium.

    “He’s one of the best pitchers of all time,” Tatis said. “You’ve got to bring your best when you’re facing him. I put in a good approach against him, getting good pitches and putting the ball in play. … They’re one of the best teams out there. We were looking forward to facing them and we were ready.”

    Tatis did his trademark stutter step around third base and a teammate placed a green, red, white and black sombrero on his head after he scored. Tatis bought the sombrero a week earlier in Mexico City before he and a cousin went on a boat ride on the Xochimilco Canals, and the Padres began using it for home run celebrations the next day, when they hit six in a 16-11 win against San Francisco.

    The Padres have had piñata parties after wins ever since, and Tatis got his first whack Friday night. “It was fun. Glad I got to hit the piñata for the first time and I’m looking forward to it again,” Tatis said.

    “It’s just amazing,” the 24-year-old Tatis said about the sombrero and piñata celebrations. “It’s bringing the boys together, the energy, having a great time with the boys in this jungle. It’s what it’s about.”

    Manager Bob Melvin said Tatis “is an extreme talent. These are the type of games, off elite pitchers, he hits good pitching. When you’re down 1-0 all of a sudden he comes back and now you’re even, and he hits another home run. It doesn’t surprise you. He can hit good pitching.”

    After Tatis’ second homer, Manny Machado and Juan Soto singled before Kershaw struck out Xander Bogaerts and Nelson Cruz. Jake Cronenworth then walked and Machado scored on Ha-Seong Kim’s infield single, when shortstop Miguel Rojas couldn’t make the play to second baseman Miguel Vargas.

    Manager Dave Roberts popped out of the dugout to lift the 35-year-old Kershaw, who allowed four runs and eight hits on 94 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked five.

    It was just the second time in Kershaw’s career in which he worked as few innings and allowed as many earned runs and walks. On April 16, 2011, against St. Louis, he allowed five earned runs and walked five in 4 2/3 innings. It was his first-ever outing in which he allowed at least four earned runs, five walks and eight hits in 4 2/3 or fewer innings.

    Kershaw, who won his previous four starts, saw his ERA rise from 1.89 to 2.53.

    “We made him work some. I think the walks were key,” Melvin said. “Obviously Tati had a big night, but we made him throw some pitches, for sure.”

    Darvish, moved up a day after Joe Musgrove developed a blister on his right foot, permitted two runs, one earned, and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

    The Padres, who have won 10 of 14, drew a season-high 11 walks.

    The Dodgers had runners on second and third with no outs in the first after Mookie Betts drew a leadoff walk and advanced on Freddie Freeman’s double into the right field corner. They got only one run out of it, though, when Betts slid in headfirst on Max Muncy’s grounder to first base.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Padres: OF Oscar Azocar was placed on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday. OF Adam Engel was reinstated from the 10-day IL.

    UP NEXT

    Dodgers RHP Dustin May (3-1, 3.19 ERA) and Padres LHP Blake Snell (1-4, 5.28 ERA) are scheduled to start Saturday night.

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Padres rookie Sullivan hits 1st HR, has 4 RBIs in 7-1 win

    Padres rookie Sullivan hits 1st HR, has 4 RBIs in 7-1 win

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    SAN DIEGO — Rookie Brett Sullivan hit his first home run and had his first four RBIs, and Juan Soto hit a three-run double to make up for a baserunning blunder that cost Xander Bogaerts a club-record on-base streak as the San Diego Padres beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 Wednesday to take two of three.

    Seth Lugo (3-2) pitched six strong innings for the Padres, who have won 7 of 10 heading into a home weekend series against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. It’ll be the teams’ first meeting since the Padres eliminated the 111-win Dodgers in four games in the NL Division Series to reach their first NL Championship Series in 24 years.

    The 29-year-old Sullivan, catching a day game after a night game, hit a two-run double down the right field line with one out in the second and then drove a two-run homer to right with two outs in the fourth. His double, off Luis Cessa (1-4), snapped the Padres’ 0-for-15 skid with runners in scoring position and brought in Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim.

    Sullivan’s homer came off Alex Young and scored Rougned Odor. Sullivan made his major league debut on April 18 against Atlanta and got his first hit, a single, at the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. Sullivan was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on April 16, two days after Luis Campusano sprained his left thumb. He was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee for catcher Victor Caratini on April 6, 2022.

    “I’m feeling pretty good,” said Sullivan, who had more than 200 messages waiting for him on his phone. “Just to be able to get those RBIs for the boys early to take the lead, that’s what probably felt the best. Then seeing that ball get out was a dream come true, and I definitely heard the fans. I tried to soak it in as much as I can but I blacked out a little bit.”

    Said manager Bob Melvin, a former big league catcher: “I had one big game, too, so he’s got a couple at this point already. To come up to the big leagues and you don’t really know what to expect and to catch a couple of wins, get your first big league hit and you have a game like that, it resonates with you. It’s great we have an off day, too, that he can answer all his phone calls and texts.”

    Soto cleared the bases with a two-out double into the right field corner with two outs in the sixth. He also walked three times to extend his big league lead to 31. He was erased on a double play in the third and then committed an embarrassing baserunning error in the fifth that cost Bogaerts a single.

    Soto took off for second on Bogaerts’ sinking liner that bounced just in front of diving right fielder Stuart Fairchild. Soto, who rounded second, thought Fairchild caught it and touched second again as he headed back to first even though Bogaerts and acting first base coach David Macias were motioning for him to go back to second. It was ruled a 9-4 force-out.

    Bogaerts had two more chances to extend his club-record on-base streak of 30 games to open a season but he popped up to end the sixth and struck out to end the eighth.

    “What can I say, it’s baseball,” Bogaerts said. “You never know what to expect when you come to the ballpark. Obviously Soto didn’t want to do it on purpose. So definitely he feels bad also. But I’ll get more.”

    Looking back on his streak, Bogaerts said, “It’s good, man. Now I can use my other cleats. I have two pair of cleats so I’ve been riding that one pretty hard. I’ve been superstitious with that one so I can probably break in my other set of cleats now.”

    Lugo allowed only one run and seven hits in six innings while striking out five. His only big mistake was allowing Spencer Steer’s leadoff homer to left in the sixth, his third.

    Cessa lasted only 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs and four hits.

    NICE D

    Padres center fielder Trent Grisham, a two-time Gold Glove winner, doubled TJ Friedl off first to end the first after catching Steer’s fly ball. Lugo made a terrific snag of Fairchild’s liner to end the second, one play after Jake Fraley went first to third, sliding in headfirst, on Nick Senzel’s routine grounder to third. In the bottom of the inning, Fraley made a nice diving catch of Odor’s sinking liner to left.

    SOMBRERO SEASON

    The Padres are getting great use out of the black, green, red and white sombrero Fernando Tatis Jr. bought at the team hotel in Mexico City on Friday night. Not only do the Padres put it on the head of whoever hits a home run and use in it clubhouse piñata parties after wins, but Nelson Cruz wore it out to the plate meeting to exchange lineup cards before Wednesday’s game. Cruz wore the sombrero as he destroyed a Buzz Lightyear piñata while his teammates danced around, many wearing lucha libre masks, after a 16-11 win against San Francisco on Saturday night. Manny Machado, who got the day off, placed the sombrero on Sullivan’s head after his homer.

    UP NEXT

    Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (0-1, 2.89 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a home series against the Chicago White Sox, who counter with Lance Lynn (0-4, 7.16).

    Padres: In a marquee matchup, Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.89) opposes RHP Joe Musgrove (1-0, 10.80) on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Kings end long playoff drought with 120-80 win over Blazers

    Kings end long playoff drought with 120-80 win over Blazers

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    PORTLAND, Ore. — While a throng of purple-clad visiting fans were already celebrating, De’Aaron Fox was watching from the bench as the moments ticked down in Sacramento’s 120-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

    For Fox, drafted by the Kings in 2017, the wait was finally over. Sacramento clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

    “We want to do bigger things, but 16 years — that’s a long time,” Fox said.

    Fox finished with 18 points in the victory, which also gave the Kings home-court advantage. The team’s 16-year playoff drought was the longest in NBA history and the longest active postseason dry spell among teams in the NBA, NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball.

    “Definitely with this team, I think you’re just playing for a higher purpose,” Fox said. “And I think we have a team that’s capable and we know that we can continue to get better.”

    The last time the Kings made the playoffs, Fox was 8 years old.

    Kings rookie Keegan Murray made his 188th 3-pointer of the season with 6:44 to go in the third quarter to set the NBA record, passing Donovan Mitchell’s mark of 187 set in 2017-18. Murray, who flashed an understated grin after the shot fell, finished with 13 points.

    Malik Monk finished with 19 points off the bench and Kevin Huerter added 17. The Kings fans at Portland’s Moda Center celebrated with the team’s rallying cry, “Light the Beam!”

    “For all the support they’ve given us over the years, continuing to come to the arena, heartbreak, frustration and disappointment season after season,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “To finally get this moment for them, it’s everything.”

    The Kings (46-30) sit in third in the Western Conference. The first-place Denver Nuggets and the Memphis Grizzlies, who sit three games back, had already clinched.

    Rookie Shaedon Sharpe had 30 points for the Blazers, who have lost four straight and 10 of their last 11 games. The loss to the Kings eliminated Portland from playoff contention.

    Portland was depleted with regular starters Damian Lillard (right calf), Jusuf Nurkic (right knee), Anfernee Simons (right foot) and Jerami Grant (left quad) all nursing injuries. It got a bit worse for Portland on Wednesday when Keon Johnson, who had 20 points in a loss to New Orleans on Monday, broke a finger in shootaround. Only seven Blazers played.

    The Kings are 23-14 on the road this season, third-best in the NBA. And they’ve avoided extended losing streaks: The team’s longest came at the start of the season when the Kings opened with four straight.

    “Our guys are excited about it,” Kings coach Mike Brown said about finally reaching the playoffs. “They’re excited about the way that they played tonight and the accomplishments that they’ve had so far. They were excited for Keegan. But in the same breath, and not to downplay anything, they expect more.”

    Portland had a 20-19 edge after the first quarter, but the Kings took over, going up 44-32 on Huerter’s 3-pointer with 3:51 to go before halftime. Portland closed the gap to 50-46 at the break.

    The Kings went on to lead by as many as 40 points in the second half. Domantas Sabonis finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

    “Biggest difference was in the second half, they started making 3s, and they’re that type of team,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “They’re going to play the same way. They’re going to shoot a lot of 3s, and miss or make, they’re going to play that way. We just couldn’t keep up.”

    PRAISE FOR MURRAY

    Murray’s milestone was not lost on Brown in the midst of the celebrating.

    “Breaking any type of records at the highest level in anything you do is absolutely amazing. And to see Keegan do that tonight, with the way he’s played all year and how hard he’s worked, was an amazing feat,” Brown said. “You don’t take that for granted. That is hard to do when you’re talking about something in the history of something.”

    TIP-INS

    Kings: The Kings were also in a position to clinch Monday, but they fell to Minnesota 119-115. … “I think every experience that we’ve gone through this year can help translate (to the playoffs),” Brown said before the game. “But I’m telling you, we’ll experience it in the playoffs at another level. And every round you advance in the playoffs, it’s going to even take it up another notch.”

    Trail Blazers: It will likely be the second straight season the Blazers have missed the postseason. … Forward Justise Winslow had surgery Wednesday on his left ankle. He is expected to be ready to play next season.

    UP NEXT

    The Kings and the Trail Blazers play again Friday night at the Moda Center.

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Astros’ Peña 1st rookie hitter to win World Series MVP

    Astros’ Peña 1st rookie hitter to win World Series MVP

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    HOUSTON — Jeremy Peña’s key to success was keeping his head dry.

    Capping a freshman season like no other, he became the first rookie position player to win a World Series MVP award Saturday night after hitting .400 in the Houston Astros’ six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

    “The hardest part was just blocking everything that’s not part of the game,” Peña said. “There’s a saying that you can’t sink a ship with water around. It sinks if water gets inside. So I just try to stay strong and keep the water outside my head.”

    Peña also won a Gold Glove and was the AL Championship Series MVP. The 25-year-old shortstop became the first hitter to win those three prizes in a career, according to OptaSTATS — and he did it all in his rookie season.

    “It has a lot to do with my family, my upbringing,” he said.

    Peña praised Dusty Baker, the Astros’ 73-year-old manager. When Baker made his major league managerial debut for San Francisco on April 6, 1993, the leadoff hitter for the other team was Peña’s father, St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Gerónimo Peña.

    “Dusty Baker’s a legend in the sport,” Jeremy Peña said. “Not just because he’s been around. He’s had success at this game. He brings the best out of his players. He gives you the confidence to just go out and play hard and let the game take care of itself.”

    Peña singled to chase Phillies starter Zack Wheeler in Game 6, giving the Astros two baserunners for the first time. Yordan Alvarez followed with a go-ahead, three-run homer that sent Houston to a 4-1 victory.

    Peña finished the postseason with a .345 batting average, four homers, eight RBIs and a 1.005 OPS. He also became the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove, as well as the first to homer in the World Series.

    Just 24 when he was handed the starting job at the beginning of the season after Carlos Correa left as a free agent, Peña became the third rookie at any position to earn World Series MVP, joining a pair of right-handed pitchers: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Larry Sherry in 1959 and Miami’s Liván Hernández in 1997.

    Peña’s 18th-inning homer completed a Division Series sweep at Seattle and he hit a go-ahead drive off Noah Syndergaard in Game 5 of the World Series. His Game 2 jersey is headed to the Hall of Fame.

    “You have to make tough decisions in this job, and Jeremy’s making it look like it was an easy decision, and it wasn’t,” Houston general manager James Click said. “Carlos is a great player, and he’s been a huge part of this franchise. But to do what Jeremy did, to step in and elevate his game in the playoffs, it just speaks to his hard work, his character and the talent that he has. There’s not that many special guys on the planet that can do what he just did.”

    Peña became the ninth player to win MVP of a League Championship Series and the World Series in the same season. He batted .353 with two homers and four RBIs against the Yankees in the ALCS.

    The only other player to win an LCS MVP award, World Series MVP and a Gold Glove during their career was pitcher Orel Hershiser, who took all three prizes with the Dodgers in 1988.

    Peña hit .291 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs during the regular season and likely will finish high in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez is the favorite.

    Others to win LCS and World Series MVP in one year were Pittsburgh’s Willie Stargell (1979), St. Louis’ Darrell Porter (1982), Hershiser (1988), Hernández (2003), Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels (2008), the Cardinals’ David Freese (2011), San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner (2014) and the Dodgers’ Corey Seager (2020).

    Only four other rookies were LCS MVPs: Baltimore right-hander Mike Boddicker in 1983, Hernández in 1997, St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha in 2013 and Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena in 2020.

    Peña thought back to last year’s Game 6 loss to Atlanta at Minute Maid Park, where he joined the Astros but was inactive.

    “These guys were left with a bitter taste in their mouth last year,” he said. “Me being in the dugout last year, I didn’t want to experience that again.”

    ———

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Astros rookie star Peña delivers again in World Series win

    Astros rookie star Peña delivers again in World Series win

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    PHILADELPHIA — Jeremy Peña trotted around third base, looked toward the Houston dugout and gave the most casual two-handed shrug you’ll ever see on a ballfield.

    Like it was any routine game in May.

    Only this was November. In the World Series. In the biggest game of his life.

    Yep, this Peña postseason just kept getting better and better.

    Showing the polish and poise of a proven veteran, the 25-year-old Peña put on quite an all-around performance Thursday night. He became the first rookie shortstop to homer in the World Series, added two key singles and made a critical leaping catch in a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5.

    “Rookie or not rookie, it doesn’t matter,” Peña said. “We’re in the World Series. You just go out and play. Go compete and let the best man win.”

    Having already won the AL Championship Series MVP award and a Gold Glove in the last two weeks, the emerging star from the Dominican Republic helped Houston move one win away from the ultimate prize — the World Series trophy.

    Ahead 3-2 in the matchup with the Phillies, it’s hard to imagine now the Astros started the season with many fans wondering how in the world they would replace All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa, who signed with Minnesota as a free agent.

    “I never saw it as having to fill shoes,” Peña said. “I just had to come in and be myself, play my game. But at the end of the season, once we accomplish our goal, which is to go all the way, then I’ll sit down and reflect on the journey. But there’s still work to do and we’ve got to lock in.”

    Again proving the biggest moments in baseball aren’t too big for him, the expressive and exuberant Peña grounded a hard RBI single up the middle in the first inning, then reached high to spear Nick Castellanos’ liner to thwart a potential rally in the third.

    In the fourth, Peña lofted a go-ahead, solo drive into the left-field seats for a 2-1 lead and chased Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard.

    “It felt good off the bat but I didn’t know if it was enough,” Peña said. “I was running normal and then when the umpire signaled, that’s when I started jogging.”

    Peña pointed his right index finger high as he approached second base and slapped his hands together after crossing the bag. He gave a shrug moments later — shades of Michael Jordan, maybe — and put his hands together to form a heart after touching home plate.

    No wonder manager Dusty Baker and the Astros love him so much.

    “Well, he came into camp as a young player. He had his eyes open. He always paid attention. You could tell he was very attentive and confident, but quiet,” Baker said. “Boy, he’s played remarkably well. Boy, I mean, he’s really carried us for a while here through this postseason, and that’s especially tough for a young player, a young shortstop. And I’m just glad we have him.”

    Peña showed he could play small ball, too, adeptly delivering a hit-and-run single that set up a much-needed insurance run in the eighth.

    The three-hit show made Peña 8 for 21 (.381) with a pair of doubles to go along with the homer in the World Series.

    That’s all come after he was 7 for 16 (.353) with two home runs and two doubles in the four-game sweep of the Yankees in the ALCS.

    “I just go out and enjoy it, have fun, play hard, play my game, and then just trust my preparation,” Peña said. “There’s a lot of preparation that’s gone into this.”

    He credited his Houston teammates for helping him keep his composure under pressure in close games this time of year.

    “They prepare for every single game. It rubs off on you. They have a sense of calmness because they have been here I guess four years out of the last six,” Peña said. “So you just gravitate towards them and just go out and compete and have fun.”

    The Astros thought they saw something special as Peña batted .253 with 22 home runs during the regular season while excelling on defense.

    This October — and November — the Astros and the baseball world have seen just how special.

    “I talked to him earlier in the year about being ready, especially in a clutch situation, and to remain aggressive. And he works at it. He works at his game,” Baker said.

    “Every once in a while these guys come along — not that often. But it just goes to show you, I mean, his future is very, very bright.”

    ———

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Wife of Phillies’ Hoskins puts beers on her World Series tab

    Wife of Phillies’ Hoskins puts beers on her World Series tab

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    PHILADELPHIA — Jayme Hoskins is tapped in to Philly sports fans.

    The wife of Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins has let fans crush some World Series beers on her tab. Jayme Hoskins has turned into a baseball barfly and let the free beers fly during recent Phillies’ postseason games.

    The beer runs are nearly as popular as the ones the Phillies poured on against the Astros in Game 3, a 7-0 drubbing that included a homer from Rhys.

    Wearing a red Phillies blazer with “Hoskins” printed on the back, Jayme had fans chanting her name Wednesday night as she sidled up to the closest bar to right field on the concourse before Game 4.

    She had previously tweeted out section 104 as the corner bar of her choice at Citizens Bank Park and sent out a hint she could be found there again about 30 minutes before first pitch — and her husband set to take the field at first base.

    “If you know anything about baseball and it’s quirks then you know where beers are about to be,” she tweeted.

    One bartender painted Hoskins “No. 17″ in red on her cheek and wore the first baseman’s “Ring the Bell” T-shirt. Another exclaimed, “she wants 50 more?” when Jayme ordered another round.

    Yes, of 50. At $17 a pop.

    Hoskins may as well have been Rhys as fans mobbed her for selfies, and she took a knee for a group photo with dozens of World Series suds suckers. She was polite — she is a Phillies fan, after all — and asked the drinkers to have their IDs ready and to say “please” and “thank you” to the servers sliding out Buds at a faster rate than her husband is crushing postseason homers.

    She sent her first “beer here!” tweet when the Phillies clinched the NL pennant in Game 5 of their Championship Series against San Diego. She joked on Twitter that someone should buy her a beer.

    Hoskins said she then decided, “No, I’m buying you all a beer.”

    She kept up the boozy tradition — the couple hosted a charity event this year at Philly’s Yards Brewery — and has no plans to stop for Game 5 on Thursday night

    “I’ve been hearing about Red October for about seven years,” she said. “It has not disappointed in any way. It’s been amazing.

    “And I know it’s not over!”

    Joseph Connolly of South Philly, wearing a Bryce Harper jersey, sipped his first free Hoskins beer at the first World Series game of his life. The 28-year-old Phillies fan read Hoskins’ tweets and, ahem, just happened to linger in the area at the same time frame as her tweets from previous beer giveaways.

    “It’s one of the more generous things you could ever do,” he said.

    Rhys Hoskins was on board with his wife playing baseball bartender.

    “Whatever it takes right now, really,” he said before Game 4. “She’s having a lot of fun with it. Obviously, the fans are enjoying it, too.”

    Hoskins, though, just might pass on one of those Budweiser tall boys. The slugger’s beer of choice: Yuengling.

    ———

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Realmuto, Phils rally past Astros in 10 to open World Series

    Realmuto, Phils rally past Astros in 10 to open World Series

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    HOUSTON — A timely swing by J.T. Realmuto propelled the Philadelphia Phillies to an unlikely win in the World Series opener.

    A terrific stab by right fielder Nick Castellanos gave him that shot.

    Realmuto hit a solo home run in the 10th inning and the Phillies, saved by Castellanos’ sliding catch, rallied past the Houston Astros 6-5 Friday night.

    Down 5-0 early against Astros ace Justin Verlander, the Phillies became the first team in 20 years to overcome a five-run deficit to win a World Series game.

    They can thank Castellanos for getting the chance. Known much more for his bat than glove, he rushed in to make a game-saving grab on Jeremy Peña’s blooper with two outs in the ninth inning and a runner on second.

    “All in all, it was a great game, a great come from behind victory, and it just showed the resilience of the club again and how tough they are and they just never quit,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.

    Realmuto, who hit a tying, two-run double in the fifth off Verlander, completed the comeback when he led off the 10th by sending a fastball from Luis García into the seats.

    Realmuto hoped for the best as he saw right fielder Kyle Tucker pursuing the ball.

    “Once I saw him running back to the wall, I was thinking in my head, ‘Oh, please just don’t catch it, just don’t catch it.’”

    He didn’t, the ball sailing just beyond his reach.

    Realmuto circled the bases in a scene he dreamed about as a kid.

    “Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean Wiffle Ball games in the backyard, the whole 3-2, bases-loaded, two-out situation. I probably had 7,000 at-bats in that situation growing up,” he said.

    And did he usually deliver?

    “Every time, yes,” Realmuto said, laughing.

    Realmuto became the first catcher to hit an extra-inning home run in the World Series since Carlton Fisk waved his walk-off fair in the 12th inning of Game 6 in the 1975 Series against Cincinnati at Fenway Park.

    Big-hitting Bryce Harper added two singles for the Phillies in his World Series debut. The two-time NL MVP is batting .426 (20 for 47) with five homers this postseason.

    Tucker homered twice for the Astros, who had been 7-0 in this postseason.

    “Disappointing, yeah, for sure,” Verlander said. “I need to do better. No excuses.”

    Houston had a chance in the 10th when Alex Bregman doubled with one out. After Yuli Gurriel drew a two-out walk, David Robertson bounced a wild pitch that put runners on second and third.

    Pinch-hitter Aledmys Díaz was then hit by a 2-0 pitch from David Robertson — but plate umpire James Hoye ruled that Díaz leaned into the pitch and didn’t permit him to go to first to load the bases.

    Díaz grounded out on a 3-1 pitch to end it.

    The last team to blow a 5-0 lead in the World Series was the 2002 San Francisco Giants, who squandered their chance in Game 6 to close out the Angels and win the title under manager Dusty Baker.

    Baker saw it happen again this time as manager of the Astros, by the same 6-5 final score.

    The 106-win Astros hadn’t lost to anyone since Philadelphia beat them on Oct. 3 behind Aaron Nola to clinch a wild-card spot as a third-place team and earn its first playoff trip in 11 years.

    Houston raced out to a big lead thanks in large part to Tucker’s two homers. But the Phillies stormed back as Verlander again struggled in the World Series.

    Perfect as he took a 5-0 lead into the fourth, he exited after the fifth with the score 5-all. That left him 0-6 with a 6.07 ERA in eight career World Series starts — hardly the line for a pitcher who’s expected to soon pick up his third Cy Young Award.

    The Astros fell to 0-5 in World Series openers and dropped their first game this postseason after sweeping in the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series.

    Seranthony Domínguez pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win when Castellanos made his stellar play.

    With Jose Altuve on second base after his two-out single and stolen base, Peña hit a ball that came off the bat at 68 mph and went only about 200 feet. Castellanos ran a long way, then with a lunge made the inning-ending catch while sliding to the ground.

    Right before the pitch, Castellanos moved in a little closer.

    “That was just what my instincts told me to do. I just thought he had a better chance of trying to bloop something in there than torching something over my head,” he said.

    In the opener of the NL Division Series against Atlanta, Castellanos drove in three runs and helped preserve the lead with a somewhat similar catch in the ninth of that 7-6 win.

    “I’ve had a couple people say that it seemed like a carbon copy of each other,” he said. “But I’m just happy that an out was made and we were able to go on and win both those games.”

    In the World Series for the fourth time in six years — and after losing to Atlanta in six games last year — these Astros are looking to give Baker his first title as a manager and get their second championship after winning it in 2017, a title tainted by a sign-stealing scandal.

    The surprising Phillies, who have two championships, are in the World Series for the first time since 2009. They bounced back from a 21-29 start that led to manager Joe Girardi’s firing.

    Tucker had the orange-clad home crowd rocking early as he became the first player in franchise history with a multi-home run game in the World Series. One of the few players in the majors to hit without batting gloves and suddenly exuding attitude, he had four RBIs a year after finishing the Fall Classic without one.

    The normally mild-mannered Tucker punctuated his first homer with a nifty bat flip and mixed in an expletive as he screamed toward the dugout while beginning his trot.

    Nola took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his last trip to Minute Maid Park, more than three weeks ago when Philadelphia secured its first playoff spot since 2011. Things didn’t go nearly as smooth in his return Friday.

    Tucker sent an off-speed pitch from Nola soaring high and into the seats in right field to put Houston up 1-0 with no outs in the second. Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Martín Maldonado added singles for another run.

    Peña, the ALCS MVP, doubled to open Houston’s third before Yordan Alvarez grounded out. He was initially ruled safe, but the Phillies challenged the call, and it was overturned.

    Bregman, who was Nola’s roommate at LSU, walked before Tucker went deep again, knocking a ball into the stands behind the bullpen in right-center to extend it to 5-0.

    Verlander, who had an MLB-best 1.75 ERA in the regular season, allowed six hits and five runs in five innings. He joined Roger Clemens as the only pitchers in major league history to make a World Series start in three different decades but still could not claim that elusive World Series win. Friday was his 12th career start in a postseason series opener, tying him with Jon Lester for most in MLB history.

    Verlander, who started his third Series opener, retired the first 10 batters before Rhys Hoskins singled with one out in the fourth. Harper and Castellanos singled for a run and Alec Bohm hit a two-run double to cut the lead to 5-3.

    Brandon Marsh opened the fifth with a double before Kyle Schwarber walked. Realmuto sent them both home with a double off the wall in left-center to tie it at 5-all.

    UP NEXT

    Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler opposes Framber Valdez when the series continues Saturday night.

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Hot Harper carries Phillies into 1st World Series since 2009

    Hot Harper carries Phillies into 1st World Series since 2009

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    PHILADELPHIA — The billionaire owner of the Philadelphia Phillies pounded his fists on Bryce Harper’s chest and joked the Phillies slugger was almost underpaid at $330 million over the life of his contract.

    It was absurd to put a price tag on the moment for John Middleton as he pulled in Harper for a hug while the National League championship celebration swirled around them on the field. This was a moment the duo visualized when Middleton took a jet in February 2019 to Las Vegas to court Harper in meetings and dinners that would eventually yield a 13-year, $330-million deal, the biggest in baseball history for a free agent.

    So when Harper and Middleton finally embraced — once the Phillies beat San Diego 4-3 on Sunday in Game 5 of the NLCS and reached their first World Series since 2009 — yeah, the feelings were a bit more personal.

    “You bet it was! Of course it was,” Middleton said. “(It’s) $330 million later, mutual promises of being committed to winning and doing whatever it took to win.”

    Harper delivered in the postseason, a place seen only in fits and spurts for a franchise that has two World Series championships in 140 years. The tater forever etched as an all-timer in team history — the one that had Middleton and Phillies fans everywhere pleading for the ball to keep going — was his game-winning, two-run homer in the eighth that lifted Philly into the World Series and left even Harper momentarily bewildered.

    “Oh my gosh. I just did that,” Harper said in the dugout.

    Sure did.

    Next stop, Houston.

    The Phillies open the World Series on Friday against the Astros with more than a puncher’s chance against the defending American League champions strictly because of Harper. The numbers only tell part of the tale, even as the 30-year-old designated hitter is piling up stats among the best in postseason history, all while declaring Citizens Bank Park is his house. He leads in the clubhouse, and from his Phillie Phanatic cleats and headband, to his novelty T-shirts to his shoutouts for Philly sports legends, he has embraced the fans and the pressure of playing in the city like few outsiders ever have in any sport.

    “All the things we thought he was, have turned out to be true,” Middleton said. “There’s been no disappointments. Sometimes when you go through that process you think you understand somebody and what you really get is a little bit different. There is nothing different with Bryce. He is just committed to winning. He’ll do whatever it takes. I think if I told him he had to play third base, he’d play third base.”

    The right fielder who bowed to Phillies fans each time he ran out to start the game was forced into a DH role in April because of a small tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his throwing elbow. Because Harper could not throw with the injury, had the National League not adopted the DH rule this season, he might have missed a considerable chunk of time, if not the season. Remember, too: When Harper’s thumb was broken by a pitch from San Diego’s Blake Snell in late June, there were concerns he might not be back until next year.

    The 2021 NL MVP slumped a bit late in the season as the Phillies made a run a the NL wild card. But in the playoffs against St. Louis, Atlanta and the Padres, Harper’s numbers soared higher than his jersey sales. Unlike Padres slugger Manny Machado, Harper did not ask for an out in his contract, though his postseason play would have provided ample negotiation fuel.

    Among his October achievements:

    — Harper is hitting .419 with six doubles, five homers, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored and a 1.351 OPS in the postseason.

    — His 11 extra-base hits are most for a Phillies player in a postseason and his 10-game hitting streak matches Lenny Dykstra (1993) for the team’s longest in the playoffs.

    — Harper’s go-ahead home run was the sixth in MLB postseason history in the eighth inning or later that gave his team the lead when trailing in a potential series-clinching game.

    “As good as it gets,” Phillies manger Rob Thomson said. “I mean, he’s proved to me over and over and over again that there’s no moment that’s too big for him, and he’s come through so many times. You just kind of expect it when he goes to the plate.”

    Harper almost does, too. With the Phillies down 3-2 and reliever Robert Suarez on the mound, Harper had a message in the dugout.

    “Let’s give them something to remember,” Harper said.

    He got the help he needed once J.T. Realmuto led off the inning with a single. Padres manager Bob Melvin elected to stay with the right-handed Suarez against the lefty Harper rather than bring in Josh Hader, the hard-throwing lefty closer.

    Harper started 1-1, then fouled off three straight pitches in the rain as a sellout crowd of 45,485 grew louder. He took ball two. Then, boom. Harper hammered a 98.9 mph sinker to left-center, and minutes later, the Phillies had won the game and the pennant. He had long ago won over Philly.

    “I just looked at my dugout and kind of it’s for all of them,” Harper said. “It’s for this whole team. It’s for this whole organization. We haven’t been here for a long time. It’s for every single fan that’s here now and that isn’t here. It’s for all of them no matter where you came from, who you are, you’ve got Phils on your chest, you’re family. I really believe that. That’s from right here.”

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • World Series teed up: Harper, Phillies go deep, face Astros

    World Series teed up: Harper, Phillies go deep, face Astros

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    Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber breaking the Bank in Philly. Yordan Alvarez launching moonshots in H-Town.

    Dusty Baker trying for a most elusive win. Justin Verlander, too. A fired-up Harper and All-Stars J.T. Realmuto and Zack Wheeler, stepping onto baseball’s biggest platform for the first time.

    Yo! The Philadelphia Phillies, of all teams, are headed to the World Series. Against those back-for-more Houston Astros, y’all.

    A pretty tasty matchup starting Friday night at Minute Maid Park, a Fall Classic full of vibrant sights, scents and sounds.

    Think cheesesteaks, hoagies and water ice vs. BBQ brisket, Tex-Mex and Blue Bell ice cream.

    The Phanatic and Phils fans need a late rally at Citizens Bank Park? Dial up something from “Rocky.” Want to party in Houston? Sing and clap along with mascot Orbit to Moe Bandy’s bouncy “Deep in the Heart of Texas” during the seventh-inning stretch.

    Harper already has hit five home runs this postseason. In the signature swing of his career, his eighth-inning drive against San Diego on Sunday in Game 5 sent the Phillies into the World Series for the first time since 2009 and earned him the NL Championship Series MVP.

    The Astros are 7-0 this postseason after finishing off a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series. Alex Bregman’s go-ahead single keyed a 6-5 win Sunday night.

    After losing the World Series last year, Houston opened as a solid favorite to win the title this year, according to FanDuel.

    Odds are, crowd might witness a Schwar-bomb or the Chas Chomp along the way.

    But no possibility of seeing a sibling rivalry. Astros reliever Phil Maton broke a finger on his pitching hand when he punched his locker after a shaky performance in the regular-season finale, an outing that included giving up a hit to his younger brother, Phils utilityman Nick Maton.

    City of Brotherly Love, not so much. But a nice treat for fans in both cities: The Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL’s only unbeaten team, visit the Houston Texans on the travel day between Games 5 and 6, if those are needed.

    Weather won’t be an issue with the retractable roof in Houston. No telling what the elements will be with the open air in Philly.

    With the likes of Jose Altuve, ALCS MVP Jeremy Peña, Rhys Hoskins and Alec Bohm, this World Series is a best-of-seven matchup representing some of the game’s best present and future. Plus a good piece of the past — remember, these teams have played each other nearly 600 times.

    There was the thrilling 1980 NL Championship Series, when Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Steve Carlton and the Fightin’ Phils outlasted Nolan Ryan at the Astrodome on the way to their first World Series title.

    Years later, closers Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner, Mitch Williams and Ken Giles spent time with both clubs. So did future Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Robin Roberts.

    And this neat piece of history — the Phillies were the first team to ever beat Houston, back in 1962 when the expansion Colt .45s lost at Connie Mack Stadium.

    Funny, the Phillies are also the most recent team to beat the Astros. Way back on Oct. 3, Philadelphia opened the final series of the regular season with a 3-0 win at Houston, with Schwarber homering twice as Aaron Nola outpitched Lance McCullers Jr.

    The Astros then closed out an AL-best 106-56 record by winning the next two behind Verlander and Framber Valdez — Philadelphia still leads 297-283 in their head-to-head matchups, mostly all before Houston moved from the National League to the American League in 2013.

    Houston then swept Seattle in the AL Division Series and the Yankees in the ALCS featuring its winning formula of imposing starting pitching, a dominant bullpen and a lineup full of home run hitters such as Alvarez and Kyle Tucker.

    This marks the Astros’ fourth trip to the World Series in six years and their only title in 2017 was tainted by an illegal sign-stealing scandal. Last season, they lost to Freddie Freeman and the underdog Atlanta Braves in six games.

    At 73 and in his 25th season as a manager, Baker is looking for a crown to cap his ample resume.

    “I mean, victories drive me. And I’ll get it,” he said during the ALCS. “You can’t rush it before it gets here because it ain’t here yet. So you just got to put yourself in a position to do it.”

    Verlander, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner after bouncing back from Tommy John surgery, is hoping to improve his 0-6 mark in seven career World Series starts.

    The Phillies, meanwhile, looked like a big zero this year before getting to this point in October.

    Stuck at 21-29 going into June, they fired manager Joe Girardi a few days later and put the interim tag on bench coach Rob Thomson. Then suddenly, the Phillies took off.

    They overcame Harper’s broken thumb, sidelining the two-time NL MVP for two months, beat out Milwaukee for the final playoff spot in going 87-75, and quickly topped NL Central champion St. Louis in the wild-card round. Philadelphia eliminated defending World Series champ Atlanta in the NLDS and topped San Diego in the NLCS.

    Now, with Thomson having been rewarded with a two-year contract, the Phillies are the first third-place team in baseball history to reach the World Series.

    Philadelphia lost to the Yankees in its last trip this far. A year earlier in 2008, Lidge capped off his remarkable year of going 48 for 48 in save chances to close out the Phillies’ second title as a team led by Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard beat Tampa Bay in five games.

    Spurred by their rollicking home crowd, Harper and this bunch of Phils hope to add another banner.

    Thomson is trying to join Jack McKeon (Marlins, 2003) and Bob Lemon (Yankees, 1978) as the only managers hired in midseason to win the title. To the 59-year-old Thomson, it’s not such a surprise his team is in this position.

    “Coming out of spring training … we knew we had a good ballclub. We knew our bullpen was good, rotation was good, we had great offense,” he said earlier in the playoffs. “We just got off to a little bit of a slow start and kind of spiraled.”

    “And we had ups and downs during the season, just like any other club does. But they knew that they were going to come out of it at some point and start winning again. And we did,” he said.

    —————

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  • Cortes hurt, leaves after tying 3-run HR in ALCS Game 4

    Cortes hurt, leaves after tying 3-run HR in ALCS Game 4

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    NEW YORK — Nestor Cortes’ fastball dropped 3 mph from the end of the second inning to the third in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series, and New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone walked to the mound with head athletic trainer Tim Lentych.

    “He said he was fine,” Boone recalled. “I’m not going to just pull him out of the game because he isn’t perfect.”

    Eight pitches later, Cortes allowed a tying three-run homer to Jeremy Peña and the Astros went on to a 6-5 victory Sunday night that completed a four-game AL Championship Series sweep.

    “It’s kind of embarrassing that that happened, obviously, with the circumstances we were in,” Cortes said.

    Cortes had reaggravated his strained left groin during workouts in the five days ahead of the Division Series opener against Cleveland on Oct. 11 but made a pair of starts against the Guardians and won Game 5.

    He allowed a single and a walk in the first two innings against the Astros, then walked Martín Maldonado leading off the third and had a 2-1 count on Jose Altuve when Boone made the mound visit after his eighth pitch of the inning.

    “He asked me how I felt and I told him, `I feel well enough to compete. I feel great,’” Cortes recalled. “He knows I’m a competitor. He knows that it’s going to be hard to take me off the mound. And I think I showed all year that I’ve gained respect from him to leave me out there and grind through it.”

    Cortes threw 17 fastballs in the first two innings against Houston ranging from 89.4 to 92.4 mph. His seven in the second inning were from 87.7 mph to 89.1 mph.

    His control was off. Cortes went to three-ball counts on seven of 11 batters and he threw just 28 of 55 pitches for strikes.

    “It gradually got worse. It started locking up on me there in the third,” Cortes said.

    Altuve’s walk marked the first time the 27-year-old All-Star left-hander walked consecutive batters this year. He fell behind 3-1 when Pena homered on a cutter, driving it into the left-field seats.

    “I don’t think that homer was because I was hurt,” Cortes said. “It was just, he put a good swing to it. I thought I had located the pitch pretty well.”

    Cortes did not pitch between Aug. 21 and Sept. 8 because of a strained left groin, then returned to make five regular-season starts and two in the Division Series, when he allowed three runs in 10 innings.

    “It’s been lingering for a while,” he said.

    Cortes thought he could pitch through it and Boone believed him.

    “We’ve been dealing with this on different levels for a couple months,” Boone said. “He said he was fine and then obviously wasn’t quite fine enough.”

    ———

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  • Judge, slumping Yankees on the brink after getting blanked

    Judge, slumping Yankees on the brink after getting blanked

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    NEW YORK — Back home for a must-win game, Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees generated more boos than base hits.

    One more punchless performance and their season is over.

    Handcuffed again by Cristian Javier and Houston’s stingy pitching staff, the power-packed Yankees went down meekly Saturday on three harmless hits in a 5-0 defeat that left them on the brink of a four-game sweep by the Astros in the AL Championship Series.

    “Our backs are against the wall now,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said in a quiet Yankees clubhouse. “Collectively, we’ve just got to do a better job of putting pressure on them.”

    New York must find a way to bust out of its playoff slump Sunday night in Game 4 and beyond, or it will be 13 years and counting without a World Series appearance.

    That’s a long time in the storied annals of baseball’s most successful franchise. But the only hope remaining for these $254 million Yankees is an improbable rally that would make them just the second team in major league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series.

    Boston accomplished the feat in the 2004 ALCS against the rival Yankees on the way to winning its first World Series championship in 86 years.

    Right now, though, New York would welcome something as simple as a clutch single — because the Astros are Yankees kryptonite.

    “I think they’ve attacked the zone,” Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson said. “They have good stuff. They have good arms over there. Can’t take anything away from those guys, but we just need to be better.”

    After totaling just four runs during two losses in Houston to begin the series, New York’s normally potent lineup looked even more overmatched Saturday in providing zero support for ace Gerrit Cole.

    Judge, who set an American League record with 62 home runs during the regular season, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and never got the ball out of the infield. New York is batting .128 with 41 strikeouts in the series.

    This from a team that led the majors with 254 homers during the season and finished second in runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    “I don’t think I’m perplexed about it. It’s just the nature of the game sometimes,” said outfielder Harrison Bader, who made a costly error when he nearly collided with Judge in right-center. “It’s a small sample size.”

    Giancarlo Stanton doubled on a 3-0 delivery with one out in the fourth inning — the first hit Javier had allowed in 167 pitches versus the Yankees this year. The 25-year-old righty threw seven innings and struck out 13 in a combined no-hitter by three Houston hurlers at Yankee Stadium on June 25.

    This series was supposed to be an entertaining clash between the American League’s preeminent powers, but the Yankees have been no match for Houston pitching.

    “They’re not really missing over the big part of the plate a lot,” Rizzo said.

    The playoff-proven Astros improved to 8-2 against New York this year, including October. They eliminated the Yankees from the postseason in 2015, 2017 and 2019, and are right on the cusp of doing it again.

    Yankees manager Aaron Boone has shuffled his lineup during the series in an attempt to get the offense going. Nothing has worked.

    “Obviously, frustrating day. It felt like we had some pitches there with Javier to do some things with and just fouled some pitches off. I thought there were some good at-bats sprinkled in there. But obviously just not able to mount enough,” Boone said. “We just need to get a little bit of a spark and something to bounce our way and try and grab a lead and play with it a little bit.”

    As the Astros paraded six pitchers to the mound, New York was in danger of being held to one hit for the first time in its 422-game postseason history before Matt Carpenter and Bader got consecutive singles with two outs in the ninth.

    Donaldson then struck out to end it, bringing the last round in a string of boos all day from the scattered fans who remained.

    “I think they were booing a lot tonight,” Donaldson said.

    ———

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  • MLB Playoffs: Astros seek 2-0 lead vs Yanks; NLCS tied, off

    MLB Playoffs: Astros seek 2-0 lead vs Yanks; NLCS tied, off

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    Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros got the jump on the New York Yankees again.

    Now they’ll try to take a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series when All-Star lefty Framber Valdez pitches against Yankees right-hander Luis Severino on Thursday night in Houston.

    It’s a day off in the NLCS, with the Padres and Phillies tied 1-all as their best-of-seven series shifts from San Diego to Philadelphia for three games beginning Friday night.

    Verlander recovered from a rocky start and struck out 11 over six strong innings to lead the Astros past the Yankees 4-2 on Wednesday night.

    Yuli Gurriel launched a tiebreaking homer in the sixth. Chas McCormick and rookie Jeremy Peña also went deep as the AL West champions improved to 4-0 in the playoffs after going 106-56 during the regular season.

    It was a familiar result in the power struggle between the teams over the past few years.

    Houston knocked New York out of the playoffs in 2015, 2017 and 2019 before going 5-2 against the Yankees during the 2022 regular season.

    This is the sixth straight ALCS appearance for the Astros, their third meeting with the Yankees during that span.

    Houston is trying to reach the World Series for the second consecutive season and fourth time in six years. New York hasn’t made it since beating the Phillies in 2009 for the most recent of its 27 championships.

    Verlander set a major league record with his eighth double-digit strikeout game in the postseason. He passed Clayton Kershaw (213) to become the career leader in postseason strikeouts with 219.

    New York whiffed 17 times in all to only two for the Astros — the largest difference ever in a postseason game.

    “They’re obviously really dynamic,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Outstanding starting pitching, but can shorten the game with the best of ’em. So we’ve got to find a way to break through against them.”

    Valdez went 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA during the regular season. He led the American League with 201 1/3 innings pitched and three complete games. In Game 2 of the Division Series against Seattle, he allowed four hits and two runs over 5 2/3 innings.

    Severino was 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts this season. He yielded eight hits and three runs over 5 2/3 innings in Game 3 of the ALDS versus Cleveland.

    Here’s what else to know about the MLB playoffs Thursday:

    THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times ET)

    ALCS Game 2: New York Yankees at Houston, 7:37 p.m., TBS

    OH, BROTHER!

    In danger of heading to Philadelphia down 0-2 in the NLCS, the Padres produced another huge rally in front of their rowdy fans to put some punch into the all-wild card matchup.

    Brandon Drury hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a five-run outburst in the fifth inning and San Diego stunned Aaron Nola and the Phillies 8-5 on Wednesday to tie the NLCS at one game apiece.

    The fifth-inning surge started with Padres catcher Austin Nola hitting an RBI single off his younger brother that brought the sellout, towel-twirling crowd of 44,607 to life after San Diego trailed 4-0 early.

    Drury and Josh Bell hit back-to-back homers. Manny Machado went deep late.

    The rally was similar to the one the Padres pulled off Saturday night, when they scored five runs in the seventh inning of a 5-3 victory that eliminated the 111-win Los Angeles Dodgers.

    Joe Musgrove is scheduled to start Game 3 for his hometown Padres against Ranger Suarez.

    STILL SLUMPING

    Astros star Jose Altuve, a three-time batting champion, went 0 for 3 with a walk in Game 1 against the Yankees and is 0 for 19 this postseason.

    The 2017 AL MVP hit .300 with 28 homers during the regular season.

    “Jose, he’s due to break out and have some remarkable games,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “This guy has been good for so long, and sometimes the rest of your lineup’s got to carry a guy like that until he gets going.”

    OFFSEASON INJURY UPDATES

    José Ramírez didn’t let a torn thumb ligament stop him from leading the Guardians during a surprising season.

    Cleveland’s All-Star third baseman played the second half — as well as the team’s playoff run that ended Tuesday in the AL Division Series — with a torn right thumb ligament that will require surgery.

    Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners will head into the offseason with four key players needing downtime or surgery to heal injuries, including AL Rookie of the Year favorite Julio Rodríguez. The star center fielder broke his left pinkie during the Game 3 loss to Houston that ended their AL Division Series.

    The Guardians said Ramírez injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb during a June game in Los Angeles. The 30-year-old could have opted for surgery, which would have sidelined him for two months, but decided to keep playing.

    He’ll have an operation in the next few weeks. Renowned hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham will perform the surgery in Dayton, Ohio.

    The Guardians said the rehab will not significantly impact Ramírez’s offseason training or availability for next season.

    Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said an exit exam this week revealed the injury to the 21-year-old Rodríguez, but he’s not expected to need surgery. He got hurt sliding headfirst into second base on a double in the eighth inning of what became an 18-inning marathon defeat.

    Also needing downtime to recover from injuries are Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh (left thumb) and standout reliever Andrés Muñoz (foot), while outfielder Jesse Winker has already undergone one of two operations needed to repair injuries to his left knee and neck that he dealt with during the season.

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • MLB Playoffs: Guardians-Yankees ALDS Game 5; Astros await

    MLB Playoffs: Guardians-Yankees ALDS Game 5; Astros await

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    For the second night in a row, the only playoff game on the schedule features the New York Yankees facing the Cleveland Guardians.

    This time, it’s Game 5 at Yankee Stadium to decide their American League Division Series after New York staved off elimination Sunday, tying the series 2-all with a 4-2 victory in Cleveland behind $324 million ace Gerrit Cole.

    Aaron Civale (5-6, 4.92 ERA) starts for the Guardians, his first career postseason appearance. Jameson Taillon (14-5, 3.91) goes for the Yankees after taking the Game 2 loss in a playoff debut that marked his first major league relief outing.

    Taillon allowed two runs and three hits without getting an out. Civale hasn’t pitched since Oct. 5, but he’s won his last three starts with a 3.18 ERA. The right-hander was on the injured list three times this season.

    The winner heads to Houston for Game 1 of the best-of-seven AL Championship Series on Wednesday night against Justin Verlander and the rested Astros.

    Houston reached its sixth straight ALCS by completing a three-game Division Series sweep of Seattle when rookie Jeremy Peña homered in the 18th inning Saturday for a marathon 1-0 win over the Mariners.

    AL West champion Houston (106-56) went 4-3 against the Guardians this season and 5-2 versus the Yankees.

    With a history of postseason heartbreak, Cleveland teams are 1-7 in winner-take-all games — losing their last seven.

    The young Guardians are trying to end Major League Baseball’s longest current World Series championship drought in their first year after a franchise name change. Cleveland hasn’t won it all since 1948.

    Here’s what else to know about the MLB playoffs Monday:

    MONDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times ET)

    ALDS Game 5: Cleveland at New York Yankees, 7:07 p.m., TBS

    A LONG TIME COMING

    The San Diego Padres haven’t reached the World Series since 1998. The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t made it since 2009.

    One of them is going to the final round this year.

    The all-wild card matchup of Philadelphia and San Diego in the NL Championship Series features two teams that have known mostly losing in recent years. The Phillies are in the postseason for the first time since 2011, and the Padres are making the franchise’s third-ever NLCS appearance.

    “This is what the city’s been waiting for for a long time,” San Diego slugger Manny Machado said.

    Game 1 is Tuesday at Petco Park. Zack Wheeler is expected to start for Philadelphia, and Yu Darvish takes the mound for San Diego.

    The Phillies went 4-3 against the Padres this season, last meeting on June 26.

    “I don’t think any of us are shocked about where we are,” Phillies slugger Bryce Harper said. “We’re really excited about the opportunity ahead for us, and we’ve taken every opportunity and tried to go with that. And we’re just all excited as a club and a group that we can go out to the West Coast and play.”

    The best-of-seven matchup features a fun twist, too — Phillies ace Aaron Nola facing his older brother, Padres catcher Austin Nola.

    HARRISON’S HOMERS

    Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are the biggest sluggers in the New York Yankees’ power-packed lineup. But who knew the Cleveland Guardians would have such a hard time keeping Harrison Bader in the ballpark?

    Bader hit his third homer of the AL Division Series for his hometown Yankees on Sunday night, an early two-run shot that gave them a 3-0 lead on the way to a 4-2 victory in Game 4.

    Bader’s first three postseason homers have been his first three long balls with the Yankees. They acquired him from St. Louis in a surprising deal for starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery at the Aug. 2 trade deadline, but the Gold Glove center fielder didn’t make his New York debut until Sept. 20 because of a foot injury.

    “To be able to do it in a Yankees uniform is definitely sweet, no doubt about it,” Bader said.

    The 28-year-old Bader grew up a Yankees fan just north of New York City and went to Horace Mann School, located 5 miles from Yankee Stadium.

    “Every day I wake up, it feels good to be a Yankee,” he said.

    Bader’s three homers in the series are his three longest this season.

    RELIEF REPORT

    Both managers are expected to empty their bullpens in the Division Series finale between the Guardians and Yankees, though Cleveland’s top relievers are probably fresher.

    Working his third straight day, New York left-hander Wandy Peralta earned a save in Game 4 on Sunday night, retiring three batters on just seven pitches.

    Yankees manager Aaron Boone said it’s possible Peralta could pitch in his fifth consecutive game Monday, and Game 2 starter Nestor Cortes is also available in relief.

    New York’s depleted bullpen blew Game 3 on Saturday, when the Guardians became the first team in 168 postseason games to overcome a multi-run deficit in the ninth inning and beat the Yankees.

    Cleveland manager Terry Francona is confident Civale will pitch well, and after that he’s got Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak and All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase — his top three relievers — all rested and ready.

    ———

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  • Cole, Yankees save season, beat Guards to force ALDS Game 5

    Cole, Yankees save season, beat Guards to force ALDS Game 5

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    CLEVELAND — Gerrit Cole brought the Yankees back from the brink. They’re Bronx bound, still chasing a championship.

    Cole gave New York what it needed, seven solid innings and Harrison Bader hit a two-run homer as the Yankees saved their season and forced a decisive fifth game in the AL Division Series with a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 4 on Sunday night.

    “This series certainly isn’t over, and we have bigger goals,” Cole said. “But I’m definitely having the time of my life and I love it and I can’t wait to keep going.”

    New York’s $324 million man, Cole allowed two runs and struck out eight in beating the Guardians for the second time in six days. He didn’t dominate, but Cole kept Cleveland’s hitters off base and off balance.

    Bader homered for the third time in the best-of-five series, connecting in the second inning off Cal Quantrill, who came in unbeaten in 44 games at Progressive Field.

    After blowing Game 3 on Saturday, when the Yankees’ bullpen had its greatest meltdown in the team’s storied postseason history, New York recovered and is headed home.

    New York will start Game 2 loser Jameson Taillon against Aaron Civale on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

    The winner advances to meet Houston in the AL Championship Series.

    Josh Naylor homered for the Guardians, who are trying to end Major League Baseball’s current longest World Series drought in their first year after a franchise name change. Cleveland hasn’t won it all since 1948.

    With a history of postseason heartbreak, Cleveland teams are 1-7 in winner-take-all games.

    “You know if you would have told me back in March, we just signed up to play Game 5 in New York to go to the ALCS, I would have jogged to New York,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “I’m excited.”

    Cole was pulled after 110 pitches and Yankees manager Aaron Boone brought in closer Clay Holmes for the eighth. Holmes didn’t pitch in Game 3 after Boone decided to shut him down but didn’t tell the right-hander.

    Holmes struck out Amed Rosario and All-Star José Ramírez in the eighth before Wandy Peralta finished for the save. Working his third straight day, Peralta retired three batters on just seven pitches.

    “Our guys had that look in their eyes tonight, and it starts with Gerrit,” said first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “It’s a complete win for us and that’s who we are and that’s the wins we need to have.”

    The Guardians weren’t supposed to be here. But they won the AL Central, swept Tampa Bay in the wild-card round and had the Yankees on the cusp of elimination. All Cleveland’s kids have to do now is beat the Yankees in baseball’s most hostile environment.

    This was the kind of game the Yankees envisioned Cole pitching in when they signed him to a nine-year contract in 2019 as a free agent after he spent two seasons with the Astros.

    There was no magic this time for the Guardians, who overcame a two-run deficit in the ninth inning on Saturday to win Game 3 in dramatic fashion.

    Cleveland not only rallied against New York’s bullpen on Saturday, but the Guardians became the first team in 168 games to overcome a multi-run deficit and beat the Yankees in the postseason.

    The Guardians closed within 3-2 in the fourth on Naylor’s second career postseason homer — and third homer in 17 at-bats — off Cole.

    Naylor’s laser shot into the seats fronting the outfield bullpens sent Cleveland’s crowd into a frenzy that got wilder as the animated DH circled the bases swinging his arms back in forth as if he was rocking a baby.

    Bader’s 429-foot shot into the left-field bleachers put the Yankees ahead 3-0 in the second, and not only gave them momentum but belief they would even the series following their gutting loss in Game 3.

    New York’s dugout erupted with shouts and fist pumps as Bader rounded first following his fifth hit in six career at-bats off Quantrill. He also homered in Game 1, when Cole and the Yankees beat Quantrill.

    The Guardians got a run back in the third, but missed a chance for more when Ramírez got a little overaggressive on the base paths.

    With runners at first and second, Ramírez dropped a bloop into left field that scored rookie Steven Kwan. Thinking he had a chance to take an extra base, Ramírez went about halfway to second before realizing he had no chance and got thrown out retreating to first.

    HAND HIM AN OSCAR

    Oscar Gonzalez’s quick rise from rookie to postseason has mirrored Cleveland’s stunning jump to World Series contender.

    While the 24-year-old, who has twice walked-off postseason wins with clutch hit, has an aggressive approach at the plate, he’s also a selective hitter — most of the time.

    “He swung at a ball in in the fifth inning that almost hit him in the Adam’s apple,” Francona said, recalling a Game 3 at-bat. “And he comes back and that was an at-bat he went deep to right field. He’s a little unique.”

    BULLPEN BUSINESS

    Boone spent much of his pregame news conference attempting to clarify the communication breakdown between him and Holmes in Game 3.

    After the bullpen melted down, Holmes, who was recently sidelined with a shoulder strain, told reporters he was available. Boone, though, said he never informed the right-hander he was down, creating confusion and awkwardness.

    Boone said he decided not to pitch Holmes on consecutive days so as not to risk his health. Holmes reported soreness after pitching in Game 2.

    Boone said he and Holmes “hashed it out.”

    “He could have pitched and 1, 2, 3, boom, we win,” Boone said. “That’s one of the tough decisions that comes across that we try to make thoughtfully.”

    UP NEXT

    Making his first career relief appearance, Taillon allowed two runs ad three hits without recording an out in Game 2. Civale hasn’t pitched since Oct. 5. He’s won his last three starts with a 3.18 ERA. The right-hander was on the injured list three times this season.

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

    Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

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    SAN DIEGO — Baseball fans in San Diego have been waiting a long time to party like this and the Padres were more than happy to finally oblige.

    What made it so much sweeter was that they toppled the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in the majors this year and one that had beaten up on the Padres regularly for the better part of two seasons.

    Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning and San Diego rallied past the Dodgers 5-3 Saturday night to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1998.

    Petco Park shook and the sellout crowd of 45,139 roared when Josh Hader struck out Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman in succession to end the Padres’ third straight win against the Dodgers.

    Hader and third baseman Manny Machado jumped into each other’s arms and the rest of the team joined them in a wild celebration on the infield grass as fireworks went off above the downtown ballpark. Machado and Juan Soto exhorted the fans for more as they all reveled in the middle of a rare San Diego rainstorm.

    “Our fans have been waiting for so long and I used to be that fan that was waiting,” said Joe Musgrove, the hometown kid who started the clincher. “It feels good to be on this side of the ball, I’ll tell you that, but these fans deserve to celebrate tonight.

    “I know the job’s not done, we’ve got a lot of baseball ahead of us still, but this is something that needs to be celebrated,” Musgrove said. “Those guys handed it to us all year long and when it came down to it and we needed to win ballgames we found ways to do it.”

    Before a sign-carrying crowd chanting “Beat LA! Beat LA!,” the Padres stunned the 111-win Dodgers with a five-run seventh to win their best-of-five NL Division Series 3-1.

    “It’s about to be a party out here tonight,” said Musgrove, who grew up a Padres fan in the San Diego suburbs.

    “I mean, since I was a little kid we’ve been getting beat up by the Dodgers. But when it comes down to it and the games matter, this team stepped up, from top to bottom.”

    The Padres had lost nine straight series to the Dodgers before winning the one that mattered the most.

    San Diego will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Games 1 and 2 of an all-wild card NLCS on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Phillies beat the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves 8-3 earlier in the day to win their NLDS in four games.

    “This is what the city’s been waiting for for a long time,” said Machado, the Padres’ $300 million third baseman and unquestioned leader.

    The Padres last reached the NLCS 24 years ago when they beat Atlanta in six games and were then swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series. A handful of players from that team watched from a luxury suite, including Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman and center fielder Steve Finley.

    It was a soul-crushing ending for the Dodgers after the best regular-season record in club history and manager Dave Roberts’ prediction during spring training that they’d win the World Series.

    “Shock factor, very high. Disappointment, very high. It’s crushing,” Roberts said. “Each guy gave everything they had all year long, and a tremendous season. The great thing about baseball is the unpredictability, and the tough thing about it is the same thing.

    “Nothing I can say is going to make it feel any better. Obviously we didn’t expect to be in this position,” he added.

    The game was delayed 31 minutes at the start by showers, which returned in the eighth inning and prompted a short delay while the grounds crew worked on the mound.

    After left-hander Tyler Anderson stymied the Padres through five scoreless innings, San Diego broke through against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the seventh.

    Jurickson Profar drew a leadoff walk against Tommy Kahnle, took third on Trent Grisham’s single and scored when Austin Nola’s infield single glanced off Freeman’s glove at first base. Yency Almonte, who took the loss, came on and was greeted by Kim Ha-seong’s RBI double inside the third base line, followed by Soto’s tying single to right.

    With two outs and the crowd on its feet, Cronenworth singled to center off local product Alex Vesia to give the Padres the lead, raising his arms in celebration as he rounded first and then punching the air with his right fist as he pulled into second base on the throw home. Soto, acquired from Washington in a blockbuster trade Aug. 2, slid home headfirst and jumped up and cheered.

    “We talked about it all day — we’re winning tonight no matter what the situation is,” Cronenworth said.

    “It took a team effort to beat a really good team and we did that,” Machado said.

    After the first rain delay, fans were amped up in anticipation of Musgrove pitching his hometown Padres into the NL Championship Series. The big right-hander from suburban El Cajon, a first-time All-Star in 2022, was the first Padres pitcher from San Diego to make a postseason start in his hometown.

    But Anderson outpitched Musgrove, holding the Padres to two hits through five innings.

    The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the third. Betts walked with one out and Turner scorched a grounder past third baseman Machado, who has carried the Padres much of the season, to move Betts to third. Freeman, who helped the Braves win the World Series last year before signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, doubled down the right field line to bring them both in.

    Will Smith hit a sacrifice fly against Steven Wilson with the bases loaded in the seventh for a 3-0 lead, but winning pitcher Tim Hill prevented further damage.

    The Dodgers will be left with an empty feeling. They won the NL West for the ninth time in 10 seasons and finished 22 games ahead of San Diego. The Dodgers went 14-5 against the Padres in the regular season.

    Musgrove was trying for his second straight playoff series-clinching win. On Sunday night, he dominated the New York Mets at Citi Field, allowing just one hit and one walk in seven innings in a 6-0 win that sent the Padres to the NLDS.

    He gave up two runs and six hits in six innings against the Dodgers, struck out eight and walked three.

    FIRST PITCH

    Jake Peavy, the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner who was Musgrove’s boyhood idol, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Mark Loretta. Musgrove switched to Peavy’s No. 44 after he was obtained by the Padres prior to the 2021 season.

    UP NEXT

    Dodgers: Play their spring training opener Feb. 25 against Milwaukee.

    Padres: RHP Yu Darvish likely will get the start Tuesday in Game 1 of the NLCS.

    ———

    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • MLB Playoffs: Mariners host Astros, Yankees visit Guardians

    MLB Playoffs: Mariners host Astros, Yankees visit Guardians

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    Playoff baseball returns to the Pacific Northwest on Saturday.

    The Seattle Mariners are hoping it’s more than a one-day cameo.

    Julio Rodríguez and company host Yordan Alvarez and the Houston Astros for Game 3 of their AL Division Series. The Mariners are hoping to extend their October stay after dropping the first two games of the best-of-five series in Houston.

    Matt Olson and Atlanta look to stay alive against Bryce Harper and Philadelphia, and the Los Angeles Dodgers take on Manny Machado and San Diego in Game 4 of their NLDS on Saturday night. The New York Yankees face the Cleveland Guardians in the other ALDS matchup.

    It’s the first playoff game in Seattle since the Mariners were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the 2001 AL Championship Series.

    “The factor that I don’t think is getting talked about enough and I think it’s going to show up tomorrow on the first inning is when there’s 45,000 Mariner fans in the stands pumped and ready to go, and all behind us. Because we certainly need it,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I talked about it when we clinched, ended the drought, how valuable our fan base has been to this team. This team really, somehow, we get wired, we get going when it’s loud here.”

    Seattle snapped the longest playoff drought in the four major North American sports when it clinched one of the AL wild cards on Sept. 30 thanks to Cal Raleigh’s home run.

    Even the starting pitcher for Houston — trying to end Seattle’s season on Saturday — has appreciation for seeing the Mariners back in the postseason.

    “Moments like these where the fans get to come back out and watch postseason baseball for an organization that hasn’t been there in a while I think is really cool,” Houston right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. said.

    Here’s what else to know about the MLB playoffs Saturday:

    SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times ET)

    NLDS Game 4: Atlanta at Philadelphia, 2:07 p.m., FS1

    ALDS Game 3: Houston at Seattle, 4:07 p.m., TBS

    ALDS Game 3: New York Yankees at Cleveland, 7:37 p.m., TBS

    NLDS Game 4: Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego, 9:37 p.m., FS1

    ALL RISE?

    Maybe a change of scenery will help Aaron Judge as he looks to find his timing at the plate. Judge and the Yankees visit the Guardians for Game 3 of their AL Division Series on Saturday.

    Judge went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts in Friday’s 4-2 loss in Game 2. He is 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts in the deadlocked best-of-five series.

    “Just a little late,” Judge said. “When you’re a little late, you’re missing pitches that you’re usually doing some damage on. You’re swinging at stuff that you usually don’t. So it’s truly all about timing.”

    The 30-year-old Judge hit .311 with 62 homers and 131 RBIs this season, leading New York to the AL East title and setting himself up for a big payday. The 6-foot-7 outfielder is eligible for free agency after breaking Roger Maris’ AL home run record.

    ON THE EDGE

    Atlanta is on the brink of elimination heading into Game 4 at Philadelphia. The Braves won the World Series last year, and then rallied past the Mets for their fifth consecutive NL East title this season.

    Charlie Morton starts for Atlanta, and Noah Syndergaard takes the mound for Philly. Morton, who turns 39 on Nov. 12, is 7-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 17 career postseason appearances. Syndergaard is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in six postseason games, including a scoreless eighth inning in Game 2 at Atlanta.

    Morton was in the mix for Friday’s Game 3, but the Braves went with Spencer Strider instead. The rookie right-hander was tagged for five runs in 2 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss.

    “It’s the postseason. You’ve just got to be ready to throw when they call on you,” Morton said.

    ___

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  • Alvarez homers again, Astros top Mariners 4-2, lead ALDS 2-0

    Alvarez homers again, Astros top Mariners 4-2, lead ALDS 2-0

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    HOUSTON — Yordan Alvarez and his mighty bat did it yet again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 on Thursday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.

    Alvarez was the Game 1 hero with his gut-punch, three-run shot off reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray with two outs in the ninth inning that gave the Astros an 8-7 win in a game where they’d trailed by four.

    Castillo, acquired from the Reds near the trade deadline and coming off 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball against Toronto in the wild-card round, gave up an early home run to Kyle Tucker but little else as he took a 2-1 lead into the sixth.

    But with two outs, Jeremy Peña singled on a blooper that fell in between second baseman Adam Frazier and center fielder Julio Rodríguez. Castillo bent down and slapped his legs in disappointment as he watched the ball drop in shallow center.

    That brought up Alvarez, who hit a 98 mph pitch tailing away to the opposite field, into the short porch in left to put the Astros on top 3-2.

    Alvarez, who had 37 homers in the regular season, trotted around the bases as cameras panned to his Cuban parents, who are watching their first postseason series after arriving in Houston in August. The lefty pointed to them as he reached the plate before reenacting the powerful swing that has the Astros one win away from their sixth straight AL Championship Series.

    There were two outs and a runner on first in the eighth when Seattle had surely seen enough of Alvarez leaving the yard. The Mariners intentionally walked him and Alex Bregman made them pay, adding some insurance when he singled to make it 4-2.

    Houston starter Framber Valdez had a solid start, allowing four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He had a different look than he did in his last postseason appearance after he and fellow pitcher Luis Garcia both got hair extensions this season.

    Hector Neris got the win after getting the last out of the sixth inning to escape a bases-loaded jam. Bryan Abreu got the first two outs of the seventh before Rafael Montero came in and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

    Ryan Pressly walked the leadoff batter in the ninth before J.P. Crawford lined into a double play. Rodríguez doubled after that, but Pressly struck out Ty France for the save. The Astros won despite issuing seven walks overall.

    The Mariners will head back to Seattle for Game 3 Saturday in a huge hole in the best-of-five series as they host their first playoff game in 21 years.

    Alvarez has carried the Astros early in this division series, shouldering such a load that Houston catcher Martín Maldonado asked Alvarez after Game 1 if his back was sore because “you carry us as a team.” The 25-year-old bounced back this postseason after a tough time in last year’s World Series where he batted just .100 with no homers and six strikeouts.

    The slugger who’s been criticized for poor defense in the past has been making big plays in left field, too.

    Alvarez grabbed a sharp liner hit by Eugenio Suarez to end the seventh. In Game 1, he fielded a single by Suarez in the fourth and threw a perfect strike to Maldonado, who tagged out France at the plate.

    Castillo yielded five hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings.

    There was one out in the second inning when Tucker hit a slider from Castillo into the seats in right field to put Houston up 1-0.

    Crawford doubled with two outs in the third. But second baseman Jose Altuve made a leaping throw after fielding a sharp grounder hit by Rodríguez that just beat him to first base to end the inning.

    Suarez walked with one out in the fourth and Mitch Haniger doubled. Carlos Santana then hit a one-hopper that Valdez fielded cleanly toward the third base side, but his throw home was offline for an error that allowed Suarez to tie it at 1-all.

    Santana was out on the play after getting caught in a rundown. Haniger scored when Dylan Moore singled to put the Mariners up 2-1.

    Valdez walked Haniger on a full count with two outs in the sixth, Santana doubled and Moore drew a walk to load the bases and chase Valdez. Neris took over and retired Cal Raleigh on a groundout to escape the jam.

    UP NEXT

    Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr., who started just eight games this season after missing the first four months of the year with a forearm strain, will oppose rookie George Kirby in Game 3 in Seattle Saturday. Kirby pitched in relief in Game 2 of the wild-card round and became the first rookie in MLB history to record a postseason season in his first career relief appearance.

    ———

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