NLCS Game 4: Nationals 7, Cardinals 4
There were two MLB Championship Series games played on Tuesday. In the course of the action, the Washington Nationals advanced to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
During their four-game sweep over St. Louis, Washington starters combined for 40 strikeouts and only six walks surrendered over 26.2 innings. The four runs given up in Game 4 by Patrick Corbin over five innings were the first earned runs allowed by Nationals starters during the NLCS.
Last Wednesday in Game 5 of the NLDS between St. Louis and Atlanta, the Cardinals scored 10 runs in the first inning and were up 13-0 after three frames. Game 4 saw the Cardinals fall victim to a first inning offensive explosion as the Nationals scored seven runs before three outs were recorded.
Trea Turner and Yan Gomes both drove in two runs on singles. Juan Soto crossed home on a single by Victor Robles after Soto scored Adam Eaton on a double. Add in another run on Anthony Rendon's sacrifice fly-out, and Washington's offense gave their club all the offense they needed for the sweep before the second inning got underway.
Yadier Molina's solo shot in the fourth inning was the only home run hit on the night. St. Louis scored three more runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by Jose Martinez's two-run double. Aside from loading the bases in the eighth inning, the Cardinals offense fell silent in the ninth, going 1-2-3 against Daniel Hudson.
The Nationals were 19-31 on May 24, trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning of the NL Wild Card Game against Milwaukee, and were down 2-1 in the NLDS against the Dodgers after three games. Washington made their winning efforts against St. Louis look easy as they never trailed at any point throughout the NLCS. It will be interesting to see if they can get the same production out of their starting pitching against either the Yankees or the Astros in the Fall Classic.
ALCS Game 3: Astros, 4, Yankees 1
First inning solo home runs by Jose Altuve and Josh Reddick off Luis Severino gave the Astros a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish in the opening game played at Yankee Stadium.
Combine that with seven shutout innings from Gerrit Cole, and the Astros were on their way to taking a 2-1 lead in the ALCS. Cole struck out seven hitters while allowing four hits and five walks. Houston is 16-0 in the last 16 games Cole has started, and the right-hander has racked up 175 strikeouts in that timeframe. Should the Astros advance to the World Series, there will be some outstanding pitching duels.
A wild pitch by Zack Britton and a sacrifice fly by Yuli Gurriel, both in the seventh inning, doubled Houston's lead to four runs. In the eighth inning Gleyber Torres made it a 4-1 game with his second home run of the series but Roberto Osuna picked up the save by retiring the side in the ninth.
Game 4 of the ALCS was supposed to be tonight, but had to be pushed back to Thursday due to inclement weather. Should the ALCS go to seven games, the Astros and Yankees will play four straight days from Thursday to Sunday.
The World Series is set to begin on Tuesday October 22.
