New York Yankees (92-70, .568) at Boston Red Sox (92-70, .568)
Red Sox defeat Yankees, advance to NLDS
PRE-GAME CONTENT
The Red Sox will face the Yankees tonight without star slugger J.D. Martinez, who sprained his ankle tripping over second base, in the final game of the regular season. Martinez is day-to-day.
Nathan Eovaldi on starting against the Yankees:
Gerrit Cole on starting in the AL Wild Card:
Cole
Eovaldi
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at 7:08 pm CDT Fenway Park Yankees / Gerrit Cole, RHP at Red Sox / Nathan Eovaldi, RHP On ESPN
The momentum is with the home team all night. Yankees $324 MM starter Gerrit Cole is off, giving up a 2-run HR to Xander Bogaerts and a solo shot to Kyle Schwarber, in the shortest outing of his career (2 BB, 3 SO in 2.0 IP). Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi is razor sharp, giving up just a solo HR to Anthony Rizzo on 4 hits (0 BB, 8 SO) in 5⅓ IP. Both bullpens perform similarly to their respective starters. Collectively, Yankees pitching issues 7 BB, to the Red Sox 0 BB. Alex Verdugo RBI 2B for the Red Sox, in the 6th. Alex Verdugo is out at 2B on his own 2-RBI 1B that also advances Xander Bogaerts to 3B, in the 7th. Giancarlo Stanton solo HR for the Yankees, in the 9th, is not enough to bend the arc of destiny. Watch game highlights from mlb.com:
This spectacular defensive play by the Red Sox is not to be missed:
This is the third time that the Red Sox and the Yankees have faced off in a winner-take-all postseason game. The first was a tiebreaker game for the AL East title, in 1978. The Yankees won 5-4. The second was Game 7 of the ACLS, in 2003—a 6-5 Yankees win on an Aaron Boone walk-off in the 11th inning.
National League Wild Card Game
St. Louis Cardinals (90-72, .556) at Los Angeles Dodgers (106-56, .654)
Dodgers defeat Cardinals, advance to ALCS
PRE-GAME CONTENT
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Max Muncy and Clayton Kershaw injuries:
Max Scherzer’s mindset ahead of NL Wild Card:
Adam Wainwright on starting against the Dodgers:
Wainwright
Scherzer
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 7:10 pm CDT Dodger Stadium Cardinals / Adam Wainwright, RHP at Dodgers / Max Scherzer, RHP On TBS
That’s a relief! Los Dodgers won 106 games—16 more than the Cards!
A tense low-scoring night, marked by great defense and missed opportunities (Cardinals strand 11, Dodgers leave 7 on). Both starters are shaky, especially Dodgers starter Max Sherzer, yet both manage to escape multiple close calls. There is not a single 1-2-3 inning in the game.Tommy Edman scores for the Cardinals, in the 1st, on a wild pitch by Sherzer. It takes Dave Roberts a minute to pull the future Hall-of-Famer-er, but with two on and one out in the 5th, he sends in Joe Kelly, who retires the next two to end the inning. Sherzer gives up the 1 R/ER, on 3 H (3 BB, 4 SO) in 4⅓ IP. In the 4th, Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright gives up a solo shot to Justin Turner (1) to tie the game at 1. Mike Schildt keeps Wainwright in through 5⅓ (4 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 SO). Although he allows Tommy Edman a base hit, Kenley Jansen pitches brilliantly for the Dodgers, in the 9th, striking out three of four (2 Ks). The game ends in high drama, in the bottom of the 9th. With one on and two outs, center fielder and struggling hitter Chris Taylor delivers in the clutch with a 2-run walk-off HR (1)—the fourth in Dodgers postseason history. He doesn’t start the game—subbing in to last in the lineup, in the 7th—but he sure finishes it! Watch game highlights from mlb.com:
Kenley Jansen fans 3 in the 9th:
Chris Taylor enjoys his walk-off HR, Wild Card win:
Max Scherzer high fives fellow 2019 World Series Champion and former Nationals teammate Juan Soto, and Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long to celebrate the win:
W, 11-1, 67-46 (.593), W4 | WP: Lucas Giolito (9-8, 3.81) | Game 113
DEFENSE: Lucas Giolito dominates across 8.0 IP, in another 2-hit gem (1 R/ER, 0 BB, 8 SO). Garrett Crochet retires 3 and walks 1 (2 SO), in the 9th. OFFENSE: The White Sox open the series with a shock-and-awe 1st inning: for the second night in a row, Tim Anderson leads off the top of the 1st with a solo HR (12), Eloy Jiménez–DH fires off a 2-run HR (4), bringing in César Hernández (walked), and Luis Robert reaches on an E3, scoring Brian Goodwin (doubled). In the 2nd, Eloy Jiménez–DH outdoes himself with a 3-run HR (5), bringing in Tim Anderson (singled) and César Hernández (walked again). Luis Robert RBI 2B brings in Yoán Moncada (singled), in the 5th. Brian Goodwin sac fly, brings in José Abreu (singled), in the 7th. Tim Anderson RBI 1B, brings in Leury García (walked), in the 8th. And finally, Yoán Moncada slams a solo HR (10), in the 9th.Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
Keuchel
Jax
7-5, 4.44, 76 | 2-1, 5.63, 22
Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 7:10 pm CDT Target Field Dallas Keuchel, LHP vs. Twins / Griffin Jax, RHP
DEFENSE: Dallas Keuchel started off shaky, giving up 2 R on 1 H and 3 BB in the 1st, then was fairly solid in the 2nd through the 6th, before giving up a costly 2-run HR with 2 outs in the 6th (4 H, 4 R/ER, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO on 6.0 IP). Ryan Tepera retired 3 out of 4 (2 SO) in the 7th. Aaron Bummer allowed 1 H, issued 1 BB and struck out 3 in the 8th. OFFENSE: After a productive 3rd inning, in which Adam Engel 2-run HR (7) brings in César Hernández (singled), and José Abreu smacks a solo HR (22), the bats go silent.Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
López
Ober
1-1, 3.45, 45 | 1-1, 4.99, 56
Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 12:10 pm CDT Target Field Reynaldo López, RHP vs. Twins / Bailey Ober, RHP
L, 1-0, 67-48 (.583), L2 | LP: José Ruiz (1-2, 3.57) | Game 115
DEFENSE: Notified just today that he would be starting, in place of the originally scheduled Lance Lynn, Reynaldo López goes 1-2-3 in the 1st, allows a lead-off 2B and retires the next three in the 2nd, then issues 2 BB, picking off one of them, in the 3rd (1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO on 3.0 IP). Reliever Garrett Crochet goes 1-2-3 (2 SO), in the 4th, then gives up a 1B and issues a BB with two outs, in the 5th. Both runners advance on a pickoff E1, but Crochet works himself out of the jam with a swinging strikeout to end the inning—4 SO on 2.0 IP. In the 6th, José Ruiz gives up the only run—a solo HR—to Jorge Polanco (1 BB, 2 SO). Matt Foster goes 1-2-3 (1 SO) in the 7th. Craig Kimbrel allows a 3B by Jorge Polanco on two outs, but retires the fourth batter, to end the 8th (1 SO). OFFENSE: Twins starter Bailey Ober allows 6 hits (1 BB, 1 SO) on 5⅓ IP, and the Twins bullpen allow none, collectively striking out four more White Sox to complete the shutout.Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
Yasmani Grandal to Rehab
MLB Advanced Media, LP
August 11—Catcher Yasmani Grandal has been assigned to rehab at Birmingham Barons (AA).
Carlos Rodón to Injured List
MLB Advanced Media, LP
August 11—Carlos Rodón, who was to start in tomorrow’s Field of Dreams game vs. the Yankees, has been placed on the 10-Day injured list, with left shoulder fatigue.
Three-Game Series vs. New York Yankees
Yankees win series 2-1
MLB Advanced Media, LPESPN
MLB Advanced Media, LP Lynn 10-3, 2.04, 130
MLB Advanced Media, LP Heaney 7-8, 5.45, 126
Thursday, August 12, 2021 at 6:15 pm CDT Field of Dreams – Dyersville, Iowa Lance Lynn, LHP vs. Yankees / Andrew Heaney, LHP
➤ MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred commits to returning to the Field of Dreams next season.
➤ The game is managed by bench coach Miguel Cairo, as Tony La Russa misses the game to attend the funeral of his sister’s husband.
DEFENSE: In what was a magical night for baseball and for the nation (5.9 million viewers), Lance Lynn throws a nice start against a tough Yankees lineup—4 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 7 SO on 5.0+ IP. Lynn gives up a solo HR to Brett Gardner and walks Joey Gallo before he is relieved by Michael Kopech, in the 6th. Kopech retires the next three. In the 7th, with one out and a man on (bunted single), he walks DJ LeMahieu, after an unfavorable call that would have meant a SO. Too visibly enraged to continue, Kopech is relieved by Aaron Bummer, who gets the last two outs, giving up a BB in the process. In the 8th, Craig Kimbrel goes GO, BB, then 2 SO. Finally, in the 9th, Liam Hendriks delivers his sixth blown save of the season. Tyler Wade singles on Hendriks’ first pitch. He strikes out the next two. Then Aaron Judge slams a 2-run HR—his second of the night—making it 7-6 White Sox. He walks Joey Gallo, before giving up another 2-run HR to Giancarlo Stanton. Yankees lead 8-7. Hendriks strikes out Luke Voit for the last out. Courtesy of Tim Anderson, it will be the fourth blown save of the season that results in a win for Hendriks. OFFENSE: José Abreu solo HR (23), in 1st, earns him the distinction of hitting the first HR in Iowa in MLB history, and puts him in third place on the White Sox career homers list, with 222 career HRs, behind Frank Thomas (438) and Paul Konerko (432). Tim Anderson RBI double and Eloy Jiménez 3-run homer (6), in 3rd. Seby Zavala 2-run homer (4), in the 4th. White Sox bats go quiet until the bottom of the 9th, when Tim Anderson saves the day with a glorious 2-run walk-off HR—the eighth home run scored in the picture-perfect game. The series resumes on Saturday in Chicago.Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
TA’s walk-off smash
Heaven or Iowa?
Cease
Taillon
9-6, 3.99, 159 | 7-4, 3.82, 112
Saturday, August 14, 2021 at 6:10 pm CDT Guaranteed Rate Field Dylan Cease, RHP vs. Yankees / Jameson Taillon, RHP
DEFENSE: Dylan Cease pitches a solid 5-inning no decision (4 H, 3 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 SO), before Tony La Russa burns through six relievers to finish out the game (10 innings)—Garrett Crochet (1 BB, 4 SO on 1⅔ IP) and Ryan Tepera (1 BB, 1 SO on ⅓ IP) give up no runs in the 6th and 7th. Craig Kimbrel gives up a solo HR (0 BB, 1 SO), in the 8th. Matt Foster preserves the 4-4 tie (1 BB, 1 SO), in the 9th. In the 10th, Liam Hendriks gives up a 1B to Aaron Judge, who scores the automatic runner, followed by a 2-run HR to Joey Gallo, making it 7-4 Yankees with no outs. Hendriks retires the third batter, before José Ruiz steps in to deliver the last two outs, in order. OFFENSE: Eloy Jiménez RBI ground out scores Tim Anderson (singled, advanced to 3B on José Abreu double), in the 1st. Luis Robert solo HR (2), in the 2nd. Eloy Jiménez sac fly scores César Hernández (singled, advanced to 3B on José Abreu double), in the 3rd. José Abreu solo HR (24), in the 9th. Luis Robert RBI 1B scores the automatic runner, and three are stranded, in the 10th.Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
1919 Throwback Jersey Night
Giolito
Cortes
9-8, 3.81, 153 | 0-1, 2.70, 46
Sunday, August 15, 2021 at 1:10 pm CDT Guaranteed Rate Field Lucas Giolito, RHP vs. Yankees / Nestor Cortes, LHP
L, 5-3, 68-50 (.576), L2 | LP: Lucas Giolito (9-9, 3.83) | Game 118
DEFENSE: Lucas Giolito labors against the Yankees lineup. He faces 22 batters in 4.0 IP, allowing 6 H, and giving up 3 R (2 ER), with 3 BB and 8 SO. He is relieved by Ryan Tepera, in the 5th. Tepera walks Giancarlo Stanton, who steals 2B on a wild pitch. He strikes out Kyle Higashioka, who reaches on a passed ball by Seby Zavala. But Tepera makes it through the inning without giving up a run (2 SO). José Ruiz issues 2 BB and retires 4 (2 SO) on 1⅓ IP. Aaron Bummer issues 2 BB (1 intentional–Aaron Judge) and retires 5 (3 SO) on 1⅔ IP. In the 9th, Matt Foster gives up a 2B, a 2-run HR, and a 1B, then retires the next three. César Hernández makes 3 errors—2 throwing and 1 fielding.OFFENSE: Yankees left-handed starter, Nestor Cortes, Jr., pitches 6.0 strong innings against the White Sox (7 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 7 SO). Andrew Vaughn solo HR (14) in the 6th. In the 9th, Zach Collins RBI 2B scores Yoán Moncada–DH (walked), and Tim Anderson RBI 1B scores Luis Robert (singled), before César Hernández hits into a game-ending double play. Tony La Russa is ejected in the 8th, following a rather subdued confrontation with the HP umpire regarding a third strike called on Eloy Jiménez. Watch game highlights at mlb.com:
Leury García Injured
August 15—Veteran super-utility man and struggling hitter Leury García has been placed on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to August 13, due to a concussion sustained when he banged his head into the wall jumping for Giancarlo Stanton’s go-ahead HR in the 9th inning of the Field of Dreams Game, on August 12.
