MLB postseason roundup: Chad Pinder’s HR helps rally Athletics past Astros 9-7, trail ALDS 2-1
Ramón Laureano sensed his teammates’ energy dragging. They were down three runs with time running out to save their season.
So the Oakland outfielder lit into them in the dugout during the sixth inning, getting so loud he was heard easily in mostly empty Dodger Stadium.
And just in case Laureano’s words did not get the message across, he ripped a double as the A’s got a pair of sacrifice flies in the eighth to rally past the Houston Astros 9-7 on Wednesday in Los Angeles and avoid elimination in their AL Division Series.
“We live another day,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.
Suitably inspired by Laureano’s outburst, Chad Pinder tied the score with a three-run homer in the seventh before Sean Murphy hit the go-ahead sac fly in the eighth.
“Ramón got everything fired up, saying this wasn’t it, we’re not going to let it be our last game, we’ve gone through too much this season,” Pinder said. “It was awesome.”
Houston leads the best-of-five series 2-1 and can advance to its fourth straight AL Championship Series with a victory in Game 4 on Thursday.
Rays 8, Yankees 4: Randy Arozarena homered for the third straight game and Kevin Kiermaier and Michael Perez also went deep as Tampa Bay topped New York in San Diego to move within one victory of reaching the AL Championship Series for the first time in 12 years.
New York’s Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer off rookie Shane McClanahan to center field in the eighth inning to become the first player with a home run in each of his team’s first five games of a single postseason. Stanton has six homers in those five games. McClanahan made his major league debut in Game 1 on Monday night.
The Rays took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five Division Series. Game 4 is Thursday night at Petco Park, which has yielded 16 home runs in three games – nine by Tampa Bay.
The Rays are looking to advance out of the ALDS for just the second time. They reached the 2008 World Series before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies.
NLDS
Braves 2, Marlins 0: Rookie Ian Anderson pitched like a poised veteran, right fielder Nick Markakis made a nifty defensive play late and Atlanta threw another playoff shutout, beating Miami in Houston to take a 2-0 series lead.
The Braves have pitched three shutouts in four games this postseason. Travis d’Arnaud and Dansby Swanson each homered for the second straight day, putting Atlanta one win away from a sweep in the best-of-five matchup.
The 22-year-old Anderson scattered three hits and struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings. The lanky right-hander, who made his major league debut in late August, added to his impressive outing last week in the wild-card series when he fanned nine in six scoreless frames against Cincinnati.
Dodgers 6, Padres 5: Cody Bellinger made a sensational catch to rob Fernando Tatis Jr. of a home run, and Los Angeles held off a late rally to top San Diego in Arlington, Texas, and earn a 2-0 series lead.
Corey Seager drove in two runs and scored twice, while Bellinger added a fourth inning solo homer for the Dodgers.
San Diego was able to load the bases against Los Angeles closer Joe Kelly in the ninth inning, but Eric Hosmer grounded out to end the game.
Game 3 is Thursday.
Associated Press