Michael Cunningham: These Braves don’t carry burden of postseasons past
These Braves shouldn’t have to carry the weight of their predecessors who faded in October. It’s easy to forget they weren’t even supposed to be here this soon. The Braves came out of nowhere to win the National League East title last year. They weren’t favored to win the division...
Rays chase Justin Verlander early, beat Astros to even ALDSVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Willy Adames homered and made a sensational relay throw from shortstop, Tommy Pham also went deep and the Tampa Bay Rays chased Justin Verlander early in beating the Houston Astros 4-1 Tuesday night to even their AL Division Series at two games apiece. Ryan Yarbrough and...
Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg, Dodgers’ Walker Buehler meet in Game 5Video
WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg’s 2012 shutdown is a distant memory. This sort of setting and stakes — Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the outcome of the NL Division Series on the line — is exactly why the Washington Nationals protected the pitcher they drafted No. 1 overall...
Giants minor leaguer Tyler Cyr tweets meager paycheck
Tyler Cyr is making a name for himself. The San Francisco Giants minor league relief pitcher has climbed the organizational ladder, from rookie ball in 2015 to Triple-A Sacramento — one rung below the major leagues — this past season. What he is not making: money. In an attempt to...
Braves hope Cardinals won’t become latest team to celebrate in AtlantaVideo
ATLANTA — The Braves are back in the A-T-L for a decisive postseason game. That’s not necessarily a good omen for the home team. Over the years, Atlanta has been the place where other teams come to celebrate in October. The St. Louis Cardinals hope to continue that trend when...
First Call: 49ers’ Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman mock Browns’ Baker Mayfield after ‘MNF’ rompVideo
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” San Francisco is really enjoying beating up Baker Mayfield. Charlie Morton continues to shine in the MLB playoffs. And we see — um — a unique football formation. Sweet, sweet revenge Back when Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was at Oklahoma, he made waves by planting...
Gleyber Torres leads Yankees to sweep of TwinsVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — Gleyber Torres got New York going with a second-inning home run, scored on each of his two doubles and made a pair of sparkling defensive plays, fueling the Yankees to a 5-1 victory over Minnesota on Monday night to finish yet another sweep of the Twins and advance...
Scherzer, Zimmerman lead Nats past Dodgers to force Game 5
WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer is 35. So is Ryan Zimmerman. The Washington Nationals would not be headed to a win-or-go-home Game 5 in their NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers without them. “We’re a bunch of yahoos. We’re old guys,” Scherzer joked. “Old guys can still do it.”...
Yadier Molina ties it, then wins it in 10th as Cardinals even series with Braves
ST. LOUIS — Yadier Molina pushed the St. Louis Cardinals to a deciding Game 5 of the NL Division Series, poking a tying single in the eighth inning and lifting a sacrifice fly in the 10th to beat the Atlanta Braves, 5-4, on Monday. Molina slung his bat far into...
Charlie Morton clutch again as Rays beat Astros to get back in ALDSVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Charlie Morton to the rescue, again. Kevin Kiermaier hit a go-ahead, three-run homer as Tampa Bay teed off on Zack Greinke, and the Rays got another clutch playoff performance from Morton to beat the Houston Astros, 10-3, on Monday and cut their AL Division Series deficit...
Braves rally in 9th, lead NLDS, 2-1Video
ST. LOUIS — Dansby Swanson hit a tying double with two outs in the ninth inning and Adam Duvall delivered a two-run single as the Atlanta Braves rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 on Sunday to take a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series. Atlanta had managed just...
Gerrit Cole strikes out 15 as Astros top Rays in Game 2
HOUSTON — Gerrit Cole carried his splendid September into an outstanding October, Alex Bregman handed fans chanting MVP the mighty swing they craved and the Houston Astros survived a wild ninth inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-1, on Saturday night for a 2-0 lead in their AL Division...
Yankees ruins postseason debut for South Park product Randy Dobnak
Didi Gregorius hit a slump-busting grand slam during a seven-run third inning, and the New York Yankees pummeled the Minnesota Twins again, cruising to an 8-2 victory Saturday for a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series. Uber driver-turned-rookie big leaguer Randy Dobnak — a South Park product — struggled...
Strasburg, Scherzer pitch Nats past Dodgers to even NLDSVideo
LOS ANGELES — The bullpen gate swung open and out trotted … Max Scherzer? Yep, Washington’s ace surprised the Los Angeles Dodgers and even a few teammates in the eighth inning Friday night. “All the chips are on the table right now,” Scherzer explained. “We weren’t expecting that,” Dodgers manager...
Mike Foltynewicz, Adam Duvall lead Braves to Game 2 win over CardinalsVideo
ATLANTA — When Mike Foltynewicz was summering in the minor leagues, it was hard to envision an October like this. Yet there he was Friday, coming through when Atlanta needed it most. Foltynewicz threw seven dominating innings, Adam Duvall hit a pinch-hit homer and the Braves evened the NL Division...
LeMahieu, Yankees torment Twins again, 10-4 in ALDS openerVideo
NEW YORK — New postseason, same old story for the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins. DJ LeMahieu homered and drove in four runs, Gleyber Torres broke a tie with a two-run double and the Yankees extended their October mastery of Minnesota with a 10-4 victory Friday night in the...
Justin Verlander, Jose Altuve lead Astros past Rays in Game 1 of ALDSVideo
HOUSTON — Asked what went wrong for his Tampa Bay Rays, manager Kevin Cash invented a word. “We got Verlandered,” Cash said. Justin Verlander looked every bit the October ace. Jose Altuve polished his postseason resume, and the Houston Astros kept rolling, beating the Rays, 6-2, on Friday to open...
Buehler, Muncy lead Dodgers past Nats 6-0 in NLDS openerVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers overpowered the Nationals on the mound and at the plate, extending the dominance that led to a franchise-record 106 victories in the regular season right on into the playoffs. Walker Buehler allowed one hit over six innings, Max Muncy drove in three runs and Los...
Cardinals score 4 runs in 9th, hold off Braves in NLDS openerVideo
ATLANTA —Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong each hit two-run doubles in the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals overcame shaky defense and a wild finish to extend Atlanta’s postseason misery, holding off the Braves, 7-6, in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Thursday night. The Cardinals, back...
Houston businessman completes $5 million in bets on Astros to win World Series
Houston mattress maven Jim McIngvale made a quick trip to FanDuel’s operations at the Meadowlands racetrack, dropped $1.5 million on his Astros, and then quickly headed out. This was no sucker bet. McIngvale is hedging against himself. McIngvale, the popular owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston, ran a promotion recently...
First Call: Ex-Pirate Charlie Morton is postseason star; Marc-Andre Fleury wins Vegas opener
In “First Call” Thursday, another postseason ex-Pirate moment. Marc-Andre Fleury’s 2019 is off to a good start in Vegas. Jon Gruden is mad about Vontaze Burfict’s suspension. Clutch Chuck Former Pirate Charlie Morton already has a World Series Game 7 win to his credit. He did that for the Houston...
Yandy Diaz homers twice as Rays beat Athletics in AL wild-card gameVideo
OAKLAND, Calif. — When he got to second base, Yandy Diaz stole a glance back toward the dugout and saw all his teammates going crazy. He gleefully kept running. Out for two months, no matter. Diaz slugged baseball’s lowest spender into a playoff matchup with mighty Houston, Charlie Morton silenced...
Nationals-Dodgers star-studded matchup all over fieldVideo
LOS ANGELES — Aces galore on the mound. Power hitters in the lineups. Shutdown relievers out of the bullpen. The National League Division Series between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers is a perfect fit for Hollywood. There are stars all over the field. Having won a franchise-record 106...
Christian Yelich watches helplessly as Brewers fall short again
MILWAUKEE — Christian Yelich watched helplessly from the dugout as Milwaukee’s season ended. The Brewers controlled the first
71⁄3 innings of Tuesday’s NL wild-card game in Washington before a stunning collapse. All-Star closer Josh Hader was wild, and Milwaukee got stung by a disputed hit-by-pitch, a broken-bat base hit and...
Yankees have many roster and lineups decisions to makeVideo
NEW YORK — New nameplates greeted Yankees players in their clubhouse ahead of the Division Series against Minnesota: “OCTOBER SAVAGES” is spelled out under each number, a reference to manager Aaron Boone’s famous tirade at an umpire in July. As players worked out at Yankee Stadium on a summer-like Wednesday,...
