Monday Division Series Recap: Dodgers Advance; Astros and Red Sox Rout Opponents

Monday’s Division Series action featured the two ALDS matchups as well as Game 4 of the NLDS between Los Angeles and Atlanta. The Dodgers punched their ticket to the National League Championship Series behind star INF Manny Machado, while the Astros and Dodgers beat their opponents in blowout wins. Fittingly, Atlanta and Cleveland were eliminated on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, thus marking the final appearance of the racist Chief Wahoo logo on Cleveland’s uniforms.

Astros 11, Indians 3

W: McHugh; L: Bauer

Player of the Game (negative): Trevor Bauer (BS, L, 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO)

Houston Wins Series 3-0

The Houston Astros completed the sweep of the Cleveland Indians in a blowout victory behind two home runs from OF George Springer and one homer by INF Carlos Correa. Cleveland took an early lead over Houston thanks to a sacrifice fly by OF Michael Brantley to plate C Yan Gomes, but the visitors tied the game in the top of the 5th on George Springer’s first dinger. In the bottom of the inning, Cleveland INF Francisco Lindor hit a solo shot, his second of the series, to give the home team a one-run advantage.

Cleveland RP Trevor Bauer took over for SP Mike Clevenger (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 SO) in the top of the 6th and worked a scoreless inning. However, he ran into trouble in the top of the 7th following a leadoff single by DH Tony Kemp. During a pickoff attempt to 1st, a throwing error by Bauer allowed Kemp to advance to second base during Springer’s at-bat. Later on in the at-bat, Springer hit a soft grounder fielded by Gomes, allowing Kemp to reach third base with no outs. INF José Altuve hit a ground ball to Lindor scoring Kemp to tie the game. Springer was out at second on the play, but Altuve reached first. Another throwing error by Bauer allowed INF Alex Bregman to reach first, advancing Altuve to second. Bauer then walked INF Yuli Gurriel to load the bases. The big blow came on the 2-run double by OF Marwin Gonzalez scoring Altuve and Bregman to give Houston a 2-run lead. The Astros followed up with a 6-run 8th inning including Springer’s second dinger of the game and third of the series, as well as another RBI hit by Gonzalez. They also scored one more in the top of the 9th for a total of 11 runs, while Cleveland managed only one more tally on a wild pitch by RP Will Harris allowing INF Edwin Encarnación to cross home.

This Houston win means they will face the victors of the Red Sox-Yankees series in the American League Championship Series to begin on Saturday.

Dodgers 6, Braves 2

W: Madson; L: Venters

Players of the Game: David Freese (1-1, 2 RBI – go-ahead single); Manny Machado (2-5, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR)

LA Wins Series 3-1

LA took an early lead on a 2-out RBI double by INF Manny Machado that drove in INF Max Muncy, but fell behind in the bottom of the 4th inning thanks to a 2-run single by PH Kurt Suzuki scoring INF Johan Camargo and C Tyler Flowers. In the top of the 6th, PH David Freese came through with a 2-run single driving in OF Cody Bellinger and OF Yasiel Puig to give the advantage back to the visitors, The Dodgers added insurance runs in the top of the 7th on a 3-run bomb by Machado to plate INF Justin Turner and Muncy. LA’s victory secured a third straight NLCS appearance in a matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers to open on Friday at a time TBD.

Red Sox 16, Yankees 1

W: Eovaldi; L: Severino

Player of the Game: Brock Holt (4-6, 3 R, 5 RBI, cycle)

Boston Leads Series 2-1

The Boston Red Sox took a 2-1 advantage in the ALDS on a rout in back of a strong pitching performance by SP Nathan Eovaldi (7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 5 SO) which featured the first-ever MLB postseason cycle by INF Brock Holt. The Red Sox chased New York SP Luis Severino after just three innings (3.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 SO), scoring 7 runs in the top of the 4th to break the game open. The Yankees mustered their only run in the bottom of the 4th on a challenged call ruled as a forceout at second of DH Giancarlo Stanton on a ground ball by INF Didi Gregorius, who was called safe at first on review, scoring INF Luke Voit. Boston scored additional runs in its last three innings to yield a final score of 16-1. The game also featured a position player pitching appearance by backup C Austin Romine for New York. Romine allowed the 2-run homer by Holt which completed his cycle.

First base umpire Ángel Hernández had three calls of close plays overturned on review, leaving one beat writer in doubt about the legitimacy of his calls Tuesday night, when he is expected to rotate to home plate.

Angel Hernandez now with three calls overturned in the series, two so far tonight. He’ll work the plate in Game 4

�?? Erik Boland (@eboland11) October 9, 2018

Tonight’s eliminations means that only one matchup will be played tomorrow: the Red Sox at Yankees, starting at 8:07 PM ET. If necessary, the decisive Game 5 will be played in Boston on Thursday at 7:40 PM ET.