White Sox Headed to World Series for First Time

 

Behind Zack Wheeler's two wins, the Chicago White Sox eliminated the Oakland Athletics in six games in a semi-final playoff series:

Game 1:  OAK 5, CHI 3 (10) - Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a 2-run homer in the 10th for the game winner.

Game 2:  CHI 2, OAK 1 - Zack Wheeler tosses eight shutout innings.

Game 3:  CHI 3, OAK 2 - White Sox hold on in the bottom of the 9th as Seranthony Dominguez wriggles out of trouble.

Game 4:  OAK 5, CHI 4 - Pinch hitter Matt Wieters hit a walkoff 2-rbi single to tie the series up.

Game 5:  CHI 6, OAK 1 - Luis Severino, acquired in a mid-season trade, came up big with eight solid innings for the win.

Game 6:  CHI 8, OAK 3 - Zack Wheeler wins the deciding game.  Yelich hits homer and Machado knocks in two runs and hit a triple.

Dodgers Headed to World Series

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, behind workhorse Jhoulys Chacin, eliminated the Miami Marlins in a tight six game semi-final playoff series:

Game 1 - MIA 6, LA 2

Wade Leblanc(1-0) contributed a pedestrian performance to earn the win.  He went 5 and 1/3 innings and surrendered up 4 hits and 6 walks.  Miami totaled 8 hits on the afternoon.  

 Jhoulys Chacin(2-1) was charged with the loss.  He was not very effective, surrendering 5 runs in 4 innings.

Game 2 - LA 6, MIA 5 

The game was decided in the 9th inning.  After an out was recorded, Aaron Hicks reached on an error.  Brandon Nimmo got his chance to keep things going, but he went down on strikes.  David Peralta then doubled resulting in a mighty exciting win for Los Angeles and the 55,944 home town fans in attendance.  This was a game of many highs and lows for the home town fans, as the lead kept changing - 5 times in all.   

The victory went to Caleb Ferguson(1-0) who went 1 inning, allowing no runs. Sam Dyson(0-1) was the losing pitcher in relief.  He pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up 1 hit and no walks.

Game 3 - MIA 9, LA 2

Francisco Lindor had a big evening at the plate.  He banged out a single bringing home two baserunners in the 7th inning and cracked a two-run shot in the 8th inning.  Both teams finished the game with 9 hits.  

Sam Dyson(1-1) was the winner allowing no runs in 1 and 2/3 innings. Shawn Kelley(0-1) took the loss in relief.  He gave up 2 runs and 1 hit without retiring a batter. 

Game 4 - LA 5, MIA 4

Los Angeles came up with the deciding runs in the top of the 9th inning with 3 runs using 3 hits.  Tyler O'Neill opened up the inning nicely when he ripped a base-hit.  Austin Barnes came next and he lined a single.  Aaron Hicks then laid down a sacrifice bunt.  Cesar Hernandez dug into the batters box next, but he struck out.  Andrelton Simmons came up to bat and lofted a three-run bomb.  The Miami batters went down meekly in the bottom of the 9th.  

 

Josh Hader(1-0) got credit for the victory, pitching 2 innings and allowing no runs. Sean Doolittle(1-1) was the losing pitcher in relief.  He gave up 3 hits and no walks in 1 and 1/3 innings.   

Doolittle was feeling apologetic in the locker room, 'I sure let that one get away.  What a miserable feeling to let the guys down; and our fans.  One minute things are looking great, then. BOOM, it's over with! I just hope I get a chance to redeem myself real soon!'

Game 5 - LA 9, MIA 3

Miami was unable to recover after Los Angeles went ahead in the 2nd inning plating an isolated run.  Los Angeles ended up with 12 hits for the game while Miami had 7.   

Jhoulys Chacin(3-1) was the winner allowing 1 run in 5 and 1/3 innings. Jeremy Hellickson(1-1) was the loser.  He was knocked around, surrendering 5 runs in 4 and 2/3 innings.  

 

Game 6 - LA 5, MIA 3

Mike Foltynewicz(2-1) pitched a solid game.  He went 6 innings allowing 2 hits and 3 walks.  Los Angeles had 7 hits for the night while Miami had 4. 

Raisel Iglesias earned the save, his 2nd.  The loss was charged to Madison Bumgarner(1-1).  Los Angeles knocked him around a bit, as he gave up 5 runs in 2 and 2/3 innings.  

 

Big 6-Run Third Inning in 7th Game Propels A's over Royals

 

In an exciting finish, the Oakland A's defeated the Kansas Royals in seven games.  A recap of the quarterfinal playoff series:

Game 1:  KC 5, OAK 3 (13)

Yasmani Grandal clubbed a 2-run shot in the 13th inning for the game winner.

Game 2:  OAK 1, KC 0

Rick Porcello and three relievers shut out the Royals on five hits.  The ageless wonder, Yaddier Moina, drove in the only run of the game with a rbi double.

Game 3:  OAK 6, KC 5

Scooter Gennett doubled home Jackie Bradley Jr. in the top of the 9th for the game winner.

Game 4:  KC 2, OAK 0

Back and forth we go.  Michael Wacha tossed 7 2/3 innings of shutout baseball and Albert Almora Jr. hit a solo shot to allow Kansas City to tie the series up at two games a piece.

Game 5:  KC 3, OAK 1

Another sensational pitching performance as Carlos Rondon only allowed one hit over eight innings before the bullpen pitched a hitless ninth inning.  Homers by Mookie Betts and Domingo Santana for Kansas City.

Game 6:  OAK 6, KC 0

Clutch pitching by Rick Porcello who won his second game of the series.  Porcello tossed 7+ scoreless innings.  The bat of Jose Martinez woke up as he had three hits including a homer, scored twice and knocked in three runs.

Game 7:  OAK 6, KC 4

The A's erased an early KC 3-0 lead by scoring six runs in the third.  Blake Treinen pitched 1 2/3 of scoreless innings in relief to nail down the save and the series win.

Dodgers Advance by Defeating Philly in Six Games

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.  A recap of the series:

GAME 1 - Dodgers 9, Phillies 0:  Jhoulys Chacin  tossed seven scoreless innings and homers by  Nimmo, Peralta and Cesar Hernandez led the Dodger attack.

GAME 2 - Phillies 2, Dodgers 0:  Corey Kluber fired a 4-hit/11-strikeout shutout in the opener.  Asdrubal Cabrera knocked in both runs.

GAME 3 - Phillies 5, Dodgers 1:  Mike Clevinger only allowed two hits and four walks in 7+ innings to get the win.  Catcher Elias Diaz hit a grand slam.

GAME 4 - Dodgers 4, Phillies 3 (14):  The turning point of the series.  Aaron Hicks drew a bases loaded walk for the winning run.  Winning pitcher Edwin Jackson pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and also hit a single in the 14th inning rally.

GAME 5 - Dodgers 5, Phillies 3:  Chacin won his second game of the series.  Aaron Hicks hit a 2-run homer for the deciding runs of the game.

GAME 6 - Dodgers 6, Phillies 0:  Mike Foltynewicz carried a no-hitter into the 7th inning and Aaron Hicks provided the offense again.  Hicks had three hits, knocked in a pair and hit his third homer of the series.

Aaron Hicks was the hitting star of the series batting .320 with 3HRs and 6 RBI's.  Jhoulys Chacin was 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA in 12.2 innings.  Elias Diaz hit 2 HRs for the Phillies.