The road to October starts right here
WORLD SERIES- Giants 4, Tigers O (4 games)
The Giants win the series! Sweep of the Detroit Tigers.
ALCS- Tigers 4, Yankees o (4 games)
They needed one more out. One more out from handing the New York Yankees their first post-season sweep in 32 years. One more out away from heading to the World Series. Prince Fielder, Detroit's $214,000,000 acquisition from free agency waved his arms frantically in the air before catching Jason Nix's pop-out for that one final out. Detroit capped off the sweep with a 8-1 route of the Yankees. Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta each hit two-run homers in the fourth inning against CC Sabathia, who could just not hold the Tigers. ''Yeah, we did it,'' Cabrera said. ''It's an unbelievable feeling. ... Four more wins, guys. Four more wins.'' The Tigers claimed their 11th AL pennant and 1st since 2006. Scherzer took a no-hit bid into the sixth against a New York starting lineup that was again without Alex Rodriguez. Austin Jackson added a solo shot in the seventh for Detroit, and Peralta hit another homer an inning later. Stars Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter could only watch from the dugout with injuries to take to, and Jorge Posada was probably sitting somewhere, observing from retirement. The Tigers, led by Fielder, Cabrera, Peralta and plenty others will face either David Freese and defending champs St. Louis Cardinals or Buster Posey and 2010 champs San Fransisco Giants for the ultimate title.
NLCS- Giants 4, Cardinals 3 (7 games)
Matt Cain came through for the Giants as they defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. The Giants have won 6 elimination games this post-season. They are now headed to their 2nd World Series in the past 3 years, winning in 2010. They are led by Cain, MVP contender Buster Posey, and All-star Pablo Sandoval against the Detroit Tigers and reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, Home Run Derby champ Prince Fielder and the first triple-crown winner since 1967, Miguel Cabrera.
ALDS- Yankees 3, Orioles 2 (5 games)
You know 'em. You love 'em. The everyone's favorite (or not), good ol', Bronx bomber, New York Yankees took on their division rival Baltimore Orioles for the AL Division Series. The Orioles have had a surprisingly excellent season after 14 losing ones. Baltimore gave New York an unexpected run for their money while chasing the AL East title. But in the end of regular play, the Yanks came out on top, sending the O's to wild card. Game 5 was saved for New York by CC Sabathia, as he pitched a complete game win for New York. He was untouchable giving up only one hit through the first 7 innings. He did get a little shaky in the 8th giving up 1 run, but got out of a bases loaded situation. He went on for a perfect ninth earning a win. New York will face Detroit for the ALCS, with veteran Andy Pettite expected to start, while Detroit will probably counter with Doug Fister.
ALDS- Tigers 3, A's 2 (5 games)
Last year's AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander pitched the Detroit Tigers to the ALCS against the New York Yankees. Now, this is a guy who has tossed two no-hitters and came close to a few others. He also won his last four starts of the regular season and Verlander, Prince Fielder and others defeated the Oakland Athletics after the A's captured the AL West division title in a dramatic way, coming from 13 games behind early in June to sweeping the two-time defending AL champion Texas Rangers in the final 3 games of the regular season. The Tigers saw no big performance from Miguel Cabrera, the first triple crown winner in baseball since 1967. Verlander is set to pitch Game 3 and 7 (if there is one) of the ALCS.
NLDS- Cardinals 3, Nationals 2 (5 games)
The defending World Series champs are continuing their second strait championship miracle run. After the amazingly superb Washington Nationals won the first two games of the best-of-five series, they only needed one win at home to head to the ALCS. This was the first baseball playoff appearance by a Washington team since the 1930's, and the Nats have been doing SO well after, SO NOT the past decade. But on the brink of elimination, the St. Louis Cardinals came back to win the first two games in Washington, evening up the series. But around the third inning of Game 5, the Nationals seemed to have had everything all wrapped up, leading 6-0. But the Cardinals behind 7-5, down to their last strike more than once in the bottom of the ninth inning, like they had been twice in the WS, they came back to win and stun a Nationals crowd, winning 9-7. The Giants came back from the Reds in a two game deficit. The Cards climbed out of a 6 run crater, with two outs left. Looking back, shutting down primary ace Stephen Straasburgh 3 weeks before the playoffs probably wasn't a good move on the Nats side. But they still had a chance to sweep the Cards, and they failed to do so. This is just what the Cardinals do, folks. Pushed to the brink, they never blink.
NLDS- Giants 3, Reds 2 (5 Games)
Buster Posey is making his run for NL MVP even greater as he and the San Fransisco Giants came back two games behind from the red-hot Cincinnati Reds. The Reds won the first two games with pitching gems by a Homer Bailey no-hitter follow-up and a magic night by Bronson Arroyo, but the Giants came back sending Dusty Baker, who came back to manage the Reds after suffering a minor stroke for their competition in the bay area. Matt Cain, who pitched baseball's 22nd perfect game earlier in June this season, helped himself to the win in Game 5. The Giants will now play the defending World Series champs in the NLCS, and perhaps make their 2nd World Series appearance in 3 years.
AL Wild Card- Orioles 1, Rangers 0 (1 game)
The Orioles and Rangers who each missed winning their respective divisions in a very close race faced off in the first ever AL Wild Card "series", with the Orioles coming out on top. Rookie Yu Darvish (although he played in Japan before coming to America) and Josh Hamilton could not come through for the two-time defending AL champions.
Nl Wild Card- Cardinals 1, Braves 0 (1 game)
Chipper Jones makes his goodbye to baseball in a sour loss, him going 0-5 and making a costly error. He will still be greatly remembered for a long time, though. The Cardinals, who claimed the second NL wild card spot in a very close race this year, are making another run for a great post-season shot at their second consecutive World Series.