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In 2011 Bo Jackson Jersey , it was the Rally Squirrel dashing across home plate during Game 4 of the National League Division Series to disrupt Philadelphia pitcher Roy Oswalt and help the St. Louis Cardinals take a win-or-die game. Six years later, the Rally Kitty appeared in center field just before a grand slam by Yadier Molina won an August game against Kansas City and fueled an eight-game winning streak that lifted St. Louis into a first-place tie in the NL Central before the Chicago Cubs finally pulled away.On Sunday, Rally Squirrel II made a road trip, waltzing across the Comerica Park infield in Detroit moments before the Cardinals broke up a scoreless tie with five seventh-inning runs to notch a critical win over the Tigers and maintain their edge for the NL’s second wild card.Article continues below ...“We’ll look for that rally squirrel and try to bring it home,” Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong joked.Given recent trends, St. Louis might need a whole zoo to try to figure out Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Trevor Williams, its opponent Monday night for the beginning of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.Williams (12-9, 3.15 ERA) continued an amazing run on Labor Day Paulo Orlando Jersey , firing 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 5-1 win over Cincinnati at PNC Park. In his last nine starts, Williams has allowed only four runs in 54 2/3 innings, pitching scoreless ball six times and post an absurd 0.66 ERA.One of those six times occurred two weeks ago, when he bagged a 2-0 win over the Cardinals (79-64) at Busch. Williams ceded only three hits and three walks in six innings, striking out eight.“I’m confident in my ability to pitch at the big league level and have success at the big league level,” he said to mlb.com after his win over Cincinnati. “It’s just a matter of executing pitches.”Williams’ shutdown outing against St. Louis reversed a career-long trend of struggles against a division rival. In 11 outings, he’s 3-4 with a 5.98 ERA, permitting 59 hits in 43 2/3 innings and 29 earned runs.The Cardinals would have avoided Williams had Pittsburgh (71-71) not been washed out of its series finale Sunday against Miami. The remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon moved that game back to Oct. 1 http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-danny-duffy-jersey , the day after the regular season was scheduled to end.St. Louis will start veteran Adam Wainwright (1-3, 4.00), who has been out since May 13, when he suffered right elbow inflammation during the third inning of a 5-3 loss in San Diego. Wainwright has fired 17 scoreless innings across six rehab outings. In his career, Wainwright is 13-7 in 36 games with a 4.28 ERA when facing the Pirates.“I feel like I’m getting called up for September,” he said to mlb.com last week. “Earlier this season, I couldn’t lift my bag, pick up my shirt Frank White Jersey , after starts. I threw a bullpen after my last start, and I didn’t know what would happen. And I felt normal.”The Cardinals own a 9-7 edge in the season series with the Pirates, winning five of the seven games at home. WASHINGTON (AP) — Gio Gonzalez ended a personal drought that spanned more than two months — and helped give the Washington Nationals a four-game split with another National League East contender.Gonzalez pitched seven strong innings for his first victory since May 28, leading the Nationals to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.“I think I was just happy that I got to high-five my teammates for the first time in a while,” Gonzalez said. “For me it was not the pressure, it was just the going out there and doing what I can do to go out there and try and pitch the best I can. Today it finally showed. It finally stepped to the right direction that I wanted.”The Nationals moved within 5 1/2 games of idle NL East leader Philadelphia. The Braves fell a game behind the Phillies.Gonzalez (7-8) snapped a seven-game losing streak and had gone 11 consecutive starts without a victory. He allowed six hits and one walk while striking out three. Nick Markakis‘ solo homer to lead off the second was the lone run he allowed.Atlanta starter Anibal Sanchez pitched two scoreless innings but left after getting hit in the left calf by a grounder from Michael Taylor. Manager Brian Snitker said he was hopeful Sanchez would make his next start.“It looked like Anibal was going to have one of his games starting out,” Snitker said. “He was sharp as can be. We just had a hard time getting ahold of Gio. That was the biggest thing. We couldn’t do anything with him.”Sanchez was replaced by Wes Parsons (0-1), who yielded a bases-loaded walk to Juan Soto and a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rendon as Washington went ahead in the third.Taylor homered to left in the fourth to bump Washington’s lead to 3-1 http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-joakim-soria-jersey , and Daniel Murphy added an RBI double in the sixth.But Parsons worked five innings in his major league debut, vital for a team that had two starters last only two innings during the series in Washington and heads home to face Milwaukee after a 5-3 road trip.“A winning road trip, you take that every single time,” said Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had three hits. “Sometimes, you have to lose a battle to win the war. I thought what Wes Parsons did was absolutely huge for this ballclub. That’s going to win us games later on with a fresh bullpen.”Ronald Acuna Jr.’s one-out homer in the eighth pulled Atlanta within two runs, but the Nationals got RBIs from Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-2.Washington went 7-3 on its homestand and begins a seven-game trip to face the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis.“It was big, a big win for us Kelvin Herrera Jersey ,” manager Dave Martinez said. “Happy flight.”HARPER SCRATCHEDWashington outfielder Bryce Harper was scratched from the lineup with right knee soreness. Atlanta reliever Dan Winkler hit Harper just below the right knee in the seventh inning on Wednesday night. Martinez said X-rays on Harper were negative.DOUBLE DEBUTParsons and Adam McCreery both made their major league debuts for Atlanta, combining to pitch the last six innings. It was the first time the Braves had two pitchers debut in the same game since June 30, 2015, when Jake Brigham and Ryan Kelly did so against Washington.TRAINER’S ROOMBraves: 3B Johan Camargo was out of the starting lineup for the first time since July 14. He struck out as a pinch hitter to end the game. Charlie Culberson filled in at third for Camargo.Nationals: Martinez said RHP Stephen Strasburg (cervical nerve impingement) will throw at least one more bullpen session before the team decides whether he is ready for a minor league rehabilitation start. Strasburg has not pitched for Washington since July 20.UP NEXTBraves: RHP Kevin Gausman (0-1, 5.40 ERA) makes his second start since his acquisition from Baltimore as Atlanta returns home to open a three-game series with Milwaukee.Nationals: Washington begins a three-game series in Chicago against the Cubs with RHP Jeremy Hellickson (5-2, 3.56) getting the nod.

NEW YORK (AP) The New York Mets activated third baseman Todd Frazier from the disabled list before Thursday’s game with the Atlanta Braves.Frazier had been sidelined since July 9 with a left rib cage strain and appeared in two rehab games for Class A Brooklyn this week.”We’re glad to have Todd back http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-delino-deshields-jersey ,” manager Mickey Callaway said. ”We’re glad to have his leadership in the clubhouse. It’s always more fun with Todd around on the bench in the clubhouse, during the game. A guy you can plug into the middle of the lineup and he’s got a chance to go hit you a homer. So we’re glad that he’s back.”In the first season of a two-year deal, Frazier is hitting .217 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in 61 games. Frazier also was sidelined from May 8 to June 2 with a strained left hamstring.The DL stints were the first of Frazier’s career, and he said he might need occasional days off.”You appreciate what Cal Ripken Jr. did Joey Gallo Jersey ,” Frazier said. ”It’s one of those things where, don’t be shy to ask for a day off every once in a while. It might help you in the long run.”Besides activating Frazier, the Mets purchased the contract of right-hander Bobby Wahl from Triple-A Las Vegas.New York also optioned right-handed reliever Jacob Rhame to Las Vegas and placed infielder Phillip Evans on the disabled list with a fractured left tibia.To make room for Wahl on the 40-man roster, outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski was designated for assignment.Wahl was one two players acquired on July 22 from Oakland for closer Jeurys Familia.Wahl is 4-2 with a 2.20 ERA with 12 saves in 38 combined appearances between Las Vegas and Nashville in the Pacific Coast LeagueEvans was injured when Adam Eaton slid into him at second base in the first inning of Wednesday’s 5-3 loss at Washington.The Mets said Evans will be on crutches for a few weeks and will be out for about a month.In four stints with the Mets http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-nomar-mazara-jersey , Evans is hitting 3-for-21 (.143) in 15 games.On Thursday, Callaway said he did not think Eaton’s slide was clean. The Mets challenged the call, arguing that the slide was illegal, but it was upheld after a replay review.”I thought it was a little high up on the leg Ferguson Jenkins Jersey ,” Callaway said. ”We have an injured player that could be out the rest of the season because of it.”In six stints with the Mets, Rhame is 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA in 18 appearances. He allowed six runs in two innings in Tuesday’s 25-4 loss at Washington.Kaczmarzki appeared in four games and was optioned to Class AAA on July 11.— NEW YORK (AP) — The Texas Rangers have activated outfielder Delino DeShields from the seven-day concussion disabled list before their series finale against the New York Yankees.DeShields was batting ninth Sunday and playing center field.In a corresponding move, Texas optioned outfielder/infielder Drew Robinson to Triple-A Round Rock.DeShields was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 4 with concussion symptoms. They were believed to be related to the 25-year-old banging the back of his head while attempting a sliding catch against Boston on July 11.He was placed in Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol but returned to the lineup in Texas’ game two days later. DeShields played in seven of the Rangers’ 14 games after the All-Star break before being scratched from the lineup with headaches on Aug. 3.DeShields was batting .208 with 2 home runs and 21 RBIs in 81 games.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies got their offense jump-started. Aaron Nola took care of the rest.Nola pitched six scoreless innings http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-jung-ho-kang-jersey , Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez homered, and the Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 on Saturday night.The Phillies had been shut out in their previous two games and went 18 consecutive innings without scoring at Petco Park, dating back to last season, before they put two on the board in the first inning.“Anytime you are able to jump on the opposition early with a guy like Aaron Nola on the mound it gives you a lot of confidence,” manager Gabe Kapler said.Nola (13-3) struck out five, gave up four hits and lowered his ERA to 2.28 as the Phillies moved one game ahead of second-place Atlanta in the NL East.Franco blasted a 2-0 fastball from Walker Lockett (0-3) into the second balcony of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field in the fourth inning to put the Phillies up 3-0.Hernandez hit his career-high 10th homer in the fifth, and Carlos Santana followed with an RBI groundout to score Rhys Hoskins, making it 5-0 and chasing Lockett. The rookie allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings.“I think the story of the game for him is when he was ahead in the count, he won the at-bat,” Padres manager Andy Green said of Lockett. “When he was behind in the count, they won the at-bat.”The Phillies went ahead in the first on Nick Williams’ RBI triple and Asdrubal Cabrera’s run-scoring double.“We’re playing as a team, we’re playing as a whole Francisco Cervelli Jersey ,” Nola said. “Guys are coming up clutch throughout the whole team.”The Padres got their only run in the seventh after reliever Austin Davis surrendered a triple to Cory Spangenberg and a walk. Victor Arano came in and allowed Manuel Margot’s sacrifice fly before retiring the next two batters.Tommy Hunter and Seranthony Dominguez blanked the Padres the rest of the way.“I think our starting pitching has taken real steps forward from where they were at the beginning of the season, and maybe the bullpen has been even better than we thought it was going to be,” Kapler said.Robert Stock, Phil Maton and Trey Wingenter combined to pitch 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for San Diego.TRAINER’S ROOMPadres: Wil Myers, on the 10-day disabled with a left foot contusion, will play third base Sunday during a rehab assignment at Single-A Lake Elsinore. Myers was an All-Star first baseman in 2015 and began this season as an outfielder.“I don’t think we’d ask him to play third base in the minors if we had absolutely no intention of him ever manning that position in the big leagues,” Green said.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Jake Arrieta (9-6, 3.11 ERA) starts Sunday’s series finale. He pitched eight scoreless innings in his previous start, a no-decision.Padres: Rookie LHP Joey Lucchesi (5-6, 3.70) will make his first career start against the Phillies. The 2018 World Series is finally set, with the Los Angeles Dodgers advancing from the National League Championship Series to take on the Boston Red Sox.After winning a franchise-record 108 games during the regular season, the Red Sox have carried that success over to the postseason. They have gone 7-2 in their two series victories over the New York Yankees and Houston Astros John Jaso Jersey , putting them in prime position to win a fourth World Series title since 2004.The Dodgers are the first National League team to play in back-to-back World Series since the 2008-09 Philadelphia Phillies. After coming up short in last year's Fall Classic against the Astros, they will look to end the franchise's 30-year championship drought. 2018 World Series ScheduleGame 1 (Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red SoxGame 2 (Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red SoxGame 3 (Friday, Oct. 26 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Red Sox at DodgersGame 4 (Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Red Sox at DodgersGame 5* (Sunday, Oct. 28 at 8:15 p.m. ET): Red Sox at DodgersGame 6* (Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red SoxGame 7* (Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red Sox*If necessary PreviewEarly betting odds for the World Series favor the Red Sox to raise their ninth championship flag in franchise history.Per OddsShark, Boston is currently receiving -130 odds (bet $130 to win $100).Despite leading MLB with 108 wins during the regular season, the Red Sox started the playoffs with significant questions about their pitching staff. Their relievers' ERA of 3.72 ranked seventh out of 10 playoff teams.After Boston closed out Houston in the ALCS, the middle relievers out of the bullpen turned into a huge asset. Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes have combined to allow five hits and one run with 11 strikeouts in 13.1 innings.Brasier http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-jordy-mercer-jersey , in particular, has been an unsung hero for manager Alex Cora. The 31-year-old had a 1.60 ERA in 34 games this season, his first full year in the big leagues."He's been amazing for us," Cora told reporters after Game 4 against the Astros. "He's a great story. Everybody knows about it. "Attacks the zone, gets swings and misses in the zone. Expands it and that was another guy that we knew in October he could give us multiple innings, more than three outs. And tonight he was outstanding."Boston's starting rotation looks more dangerous now. Chris Sale is healthy and set to start Game 1 after missing Game 5 against Houston through illness, while David Price should play Game 2 after securing his first playoff win as a starter with six shutout innings on Thursday against Houston.Offense hasn't been a problem for the Red Sox all year. Their 56 runs scored are 14 more than any other team in the playoffs. They led MLB in runs scored (876), hits (1,509), doubles (355), batting average (.268), on-base percentage (.339) and slugging percentage (.453) during the regular season.Because the Red Sox are able to score in bunches Corey Dickerson Jersey , their pitching staff doesn't have to be great for them to win. Getting both sides playing at their peak at this stage of the postseason is why they are favored to win a World Series.Unlike the Red Sox, the Dodgers have been unable to carry their offensive success from the regular season over the playoffs. Their 235 homers during the season led the NL, but they were complemented by a lineup that ranked third in MLB with a .774 OPS.During the playoffs, Los Angeles' .667 OPS is the worst among the four teams that made it to the league championship series.The Dodgers will also have to correct their hitting against left-handed pitching if they want to win their first World Series title since 1988. Their OPS was 63 points lower against southpaws (.733) than it was against right-handed pitching (.796) in the regular season.The upside for Los Angeles is Boston only had one left-handed reliever on the ALCS roster鈥擡duardo Rodriguez鈥攕o if the NL champs can get Price and Sale out of the game early, their lineup will have a decided advantage.This World Series will also be the latest in a series of litmus tests for Clayton Kershaw, though his playoff struggles have always been overblown:Jon Weisman jonweismanClayton Kershaws start today went from red to yellow to orange to green, as in great. In a polarizing postseason career, this was Kershaws 11th career start allowing two runs or fewer. #Dodgers #NLCS #MLB 6pWAd255PaKershaw can erase every playoff narrative that's ever been written about him if he's able to shut down this Boston lineup to get the Dodgers back to the top of the MLB mountain.The Red Sox have been the best team in MLB all season. They have already defeated two teams in the playoffs that won at least 100 games during the regular season.Nothing about Boston's playoff run to this point suggests a letdown is coming in the World Series. After waiting 86 years between championships before 2004, the Red Sox are embarking on a modern-day dynasty if they can win a fourth title in 14 years.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti isn’t sure how long Leonys Martin will be sidelined after the outfielder was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a non-baseball related condition Thursday.Antonetti said Martin http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-jackie-robinson-jersey , who became sick Tuesday night and didn’t play Wednesday night against the Minnesota Twins, could be out for longer than 10 days.“He’s got an illness that he’s working through,” Antonetti said. “It happened really quickly. After the game the other night, he just didn’t feel well. We’re now in the process of getting him assessed and working through the best way to get him healthy.”Antonetti wouldn’t say if Martin has been hospitalized. Manager Terry Francona said before Wednesday’s game that Martin was dealing with an intestinal issue.Martin is batting .333 with two home runs and four RBIs in six games since being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. He’s hitting .255 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs overall in 84 games.Outfielder Greg Allen was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. The Indians have been dealing with injuries to outfielders all season and hoped adding Martin would provide stability.Additional moves for an outfielder might be made before the Aug. 31 trade deadline for players who have cleared waivers.“We’ll continue to spend the month of August looking for opportunities to improve our team,” Antonetti said. “What impact Martin’s condition or illness has on that, we’re not yet sure.”Antonetti expects outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall, who has played in only 29 games because of calf injures, to return this season. Outfielder Tyler Naquin had surgery on his right hip on Aug. 3 and could be back before the season ends. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tim Anderson kept the White Sox in the game with his glove before he won it with his bat.Anderson hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning Kenley Jansen Jersey , and Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday night.Anderson’s blast off Burch Smith (1-5), the sixth Royals pitcher, landed just beyond the fence in left-center. It was his 19th homer this season.“It was a good way to cap off the night,” Anderson said. “I was looking fastball. The at-bat before that, they started me off with a slider. The first pitch was a fastball up, and I had a feeling that he would throw me another one. I was able to jump on it.”In the bottom of the 11th, Rosell Herrera lined out to Anderson at shortstop, and he threw to third to double off pinch-runner Brett Phillips.“It’s a bang-bang play,” he said. “I guess (Phillips) didn’t think I could jump. It was close http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-corey-seager-jersey , but it was a good play to get us out of the jam.”Juan Minaya (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Hector Santiago, the eighth Chicago pitcher, picked up his second save in as many chances. Jose Rondon also homered for the White Sox, who snapped a seven-game skid, one game short of their season-worst losing streak.“Tim put a good swing on it,” manager Rick Renteria said. “All the guys in the dugout were hoping he would do something there, and he did.“Both teams did a good job of protecting the strike zone and limiting the scoring.”Adalberto Mondesi tied a career high with four hits and drove in both of Kansas City’s runs.Both teams wasted plenty of scoring chances. The Royals had five runners retired on the bases, while the White Sox left seven men on base.Royals starter Eric Skogland pitched five innings, allowing two runs on two hits Enrique Hernandez Jersey , with two walks and two strikeouts. He made his first start since May 25 after a long stint on the disabled list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. He returned Sept. 4 and had pitched two scoreless innings in relief.“(Skogland) threw the ball really, really well,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “Our pitching did a great job. … We just couldn’t find ways.”Carlos Rodon pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits.“My command wasn’t great today,” Rodon said. “The defense turned some nice double plays, I got through six and the boys got the win.”Whit Merrifield stole two bases to bring his season total to 35, a new career high. He led the AL with 34 swipes last season and tops the league again this year.After Merrifield stole second in the third inning, Mondesi drove him in with a single for the game’s first run. Mondesi stole his 22nd base, his 17th since the All-Star break.The White Sox answered with two runs in the fourth on Rondon’s homer to left http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-manny-machado-jersey , scoring Avisail Garcia, who reached on a two-out walk.The Royals tied it in the fifth but had a chance for a bigger inning. Ryan O’Hearn reached on a one-out walk, and Merrifield followed with a double to the wall in left center. But O’Hearn went too far around third and was picked off. Merrifield then stole third and scored on Mondesi’s second RBI single.The White Sox had runners on second and third with one out in the seventh, and then loaded the bases with two outs. But Glenn Sparkman induced a fielder’s-choice grounder from Anderson to end the inning.The Royals loaded the bases in the seventh as well but did not score.TRAINER’S ROOMWhite Sox: INF Matt Davidson remains out of the lineup with what Renteria called sore knees. “Maybe these next four days are just giving him that time to recover,” Renteria said. … 3B Yoan Moncada was out of the lineup. “He’s a little sore in the hip,” Renteria said. “Today and a natural day off tomorrow, maybe that will help him.”Royals: INF Hunter Dozier was scratched with a sore back. “It’s nothing serious,” Dozier said before the game. “It’s just a little back tightness. It’s kind of built up and I woke up this morning pretty sore. I could have played, probably Logan Forsythe Jersey , but they decided to give me one day. I’ll be 100 percent tomorrow.”UP NEXTWhite Sox: RHP James Shields (6-16, 4.58 ERA) goes in Baltimore on Friday.Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 4.75) will face Twins LHP Stephen Gonsalves (0-2, 11.68) on Thursday. It will be Fillmyer’s second consecutive start against the Twins. He took a no-decision in a 10-6 loss in Minneapolis last Friday, allowing six runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers will make a rotation shuffle Sunday Kris Bryant Jersey , swapping left-handers for the series finale against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.With a 1 p.m. local start, what they won’t have to worry about is a power failure after Dodger Stadium went dark Saturday for the second time in almost four weeks in the middle of a game.Instead of lefty Alex Wood, the Dodgers will now have lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu take aim at the Padres with the chance at a series sweep on the line. Wood will now be pushed back to Wednesday, which is the finale of a brief two-game interleague series at Texas.Article continues below ...No reason was given for the change, although Wood has been struggling with nagging injuries this season that was originally diagnosed as leg cramps in a couple of early starts. He eventually went on the disabled list earlier this month for left adductor tendonitis.The Padres will stick to their original plan as left-hander Robbie Erlin will make his seventh start, including his fifth this month. Erlin has spent most of the season in the bullpen but in four previous August starts http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-addison-russell-jersey , he has put together a 3.43 ERA, earning two victories in the process.With the Padres looking to make some rotation changes in the coming weeks, every outing is sure to be picked apart. Lefty Eric Lauer (forearm strain) could be back as early as next week. Lis Perdomo (strained right shoulder) could be back not long after that.“We’re going to continue to talk through our rotation plan (we had) coming out of the break,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Nothing is finalized at this point and time. (Lauer) is a candidate to be reinserted at some point in time next week.”Ryu knows all about an up-in-the-air status, having spent 3 1/2 months on the disabled list with a left groin strain. He has made two starts since returning, a tidy six-inning start Aug. 15 when he held the San Francisco Giants scoreless over six innings http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-sammy-sosa-jersey , and a start Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals when he gave up three runs on four hits over four innings.Despite having starter Kenta Maeda working out of the bullpen, the Dodgers will use just four pitchers this time through the rotation: Ryu, Walker Buehler, Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw.The Dodgers moved 2 1/2 games behind the co-division leaders Arizona and Colorado and they do not sound like a club that will take a game on Sunday against the last-place and struggling Padres for granted.“Everything needs to be tightened up as we move toward September,” Hill said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “As we know Joe Maddon Jersey , things get amplified. And you want to be able to be as close to perfection as we can. … We’ll continue playing like there’s no tomorrow.”The future does look bright for a Padres organization loaded with quality prospects. The present, though, is a bit unsightly with 10 defeats in their last 12 games, including a bad-luck loss that happened Saturday on the first pitch after the power was restored in L.A.The Dodgers entered the current series 8-12 in August, but are now on the verge of their first three-game series sweep since July 2-4 at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin will be released from the hospital Sunday after nearly two weeks in the Cleveland Clinic, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.Martin had been dealing with a serious bacterial infection that he first felt symptoms for on Aug. 7.The undisclosed infection had "entered his blood and produced toxins that attacked his internal organs http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-willson-contreras-jersey ," perJoe Nogaof Cleveland.com.He had spent time in the intensive care unit at the Cleveland Clinic but was moved outThursday after making progress.Despite being released from the hospital, the team doesn't have a timetable for his return to the field."It's beyond a relief, especially given where things were a week ago,"Cleveland's president of baseball operations, ChrisAntonetti, said Sunday. "I think it's important to remember we don't know. We're in uncharted waters. There's no precedent you can look back to and say Albert Almora Jr Jersey , 'What does a return to activity look like?' It's very much going to continue to be day to day."The 30-year-old had only played six games with the Indians before suffering the life-threatening infection. He had been traded to the team on July 31 in a deal with the Detroit Tigers after producing a .251/.321/.409 slash line in the first half of the year.Martin was 5-for-15 with two home runs in Cleveland before going on the disabled list.

MIAMI (AP) — Cody Reed is enjoying his starter’s role.After spending the majority of his three-year career in the bullpen http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-ruth-jersey , Reed joined the Cincinnati Reds rotation last month, and on Thursday night the left-hander won his first decision as a starter.Reed pitched six shutout innings and Scooter Gennett homered and doubled to lead the Reds to a 4-2 victory over the Miami Marlins.“I was happy I got the first but the team got the win, that’s the most important thing,” Reed said. “I feel good.”Reed (1-2) scattered five hits and struck out six and extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings.“I was just throwing the ball over the plate,” Reed said. “Getting those quick outs and getting the team off the field and back swinging the sticks was good.”Gennett’s two-run home run in the seventh gave Cincinnati a 4-0 lead. Gennett’s blast off Miami reliever Elieser Hernandez landed in the upper deck in right field and was his 23rd homer.“I knew I got that one,” Gennett said.The Marlins threatened in the sixth as Starlin Castro and J.T. Realmuto singled, but Reed retired Peter O’Brien on a double-play grounder and Austin Dean on a fly to center.“He could be a real weapon for us as we face our division where none of those left-handed hitters sit,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said of Reed. “We talk about it all the time. In our own division, we have to find somebody to get those left-handed hitters out and we’re hoping he can be one of the guys that can do it.”Realmuto’s two-out RBI double off reliever Jared Hughes cut Cincinnati’s lead to 4-1. Raisel Iglesias inherited Realmuto and allowed a run-scoring single by O’Brien before retiring pinch hitter Derek Dietrich on a fly to center.“Everybody went up there and tried to compete,” Castro said. “There is nothing more important than coming in here and try to finish strong.”Iglesias walked two in the ninth before Gennett made a diving stop on a hard grounder by Miguel Rojas and threw him out at first for the final out. Iglesias earned his 29th save in 33 opportunities.“I was just trying to get to the clubhouse and shower, quickest way to do it,” Gennett said of his game ending play. “I was kind of playing more straight up rather than pull. If I was, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get to it.”The Reds struck early on Gennett’s two-run double off Miami starter Jeff Brigham in the third. Gennett drove in Billy Hamilton and Scott Schebler, who had reached on walks.Brigham (0-3) allowed two runs, three hits, four walks and struck out six in his third major league start since being promoted from Triple A New Orleans on Sept. 1“I think I learned a lot again in this start,” Brigham said. “Every start is a step forward.”REALMUTO VOTED TEAM MVP:Realmuto, the Marlins’ leader in home runs, runs batted in and OPS, has been selected the team’s Most Valuable Player in a vote by the South Florida chapter of the Baseball Writers Association. 3B-RF Brian Anderson won the Rookie of the Year award. . The Marlins named OF Austin Dean the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year and Nick Neidert Pitcher of the Year. A September call-up Lou Gehrig Jersey , Dean hit .345, 12 home runs and had 68 RBI, in stops at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans. Neidert, acquired from Seattle for Dee Gordon in the offseason, finished 12-7 with a 3.26 ERA at Double A Jacksonville.FAMILIAR LINEUPS AHEAD:The Reds just completed three series against playoff contending teams but Riggleman said he will continue using offensive leaders Gennet, Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez and Jose Peraza now that the club will play Miami and Kansas City, last in their respective divisions. “I don’t anticipate looking at too many different lineups,” Riggleman said. “I’ve been using them as I have to this point.”TRAINER’S ROOM:Reds: RHP Tyler Mahle, bothered by right shoulder fatigue, will miss his next scheduled start on Sunday and Riggleman is uncertain if he will pitch again this season. “If I had an update as to when he will pitch in a game, I will say so,” Riggleman said. “We don’t even know if he will pitch in a game between now and the end of the year. He feels fine but we’re just going to make a determination – do we want to do it in a controlled simulated situation or putting him a game for two innings?”UP NEXT:Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (10-12, 4.52), a former Marlins prospect, will start the second game of the series Friday. Castillo, acquired for RHP Dan Straily before the 2017 season, pitched eight innings, allowed one run and three hits and got the victory in his other previous start against his former team on July 30, 2017.Marlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (6-11 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-dimaggio-jersey , 4.93) will attempt to continue his home success on Friday. Chen has a 1.77 ERA in 12 home starts while his road ERA in 12 starts balloons to 9.29. After squaring their American League Championship Series with a nail-biting 7-5 victory in Game 2, the Boston Red Sox are going to attempt to keep their postseason road winning streak intact.The Red Sox clinched the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees with back-to-back wins at Yankee Stadium. Now they have to beat the Astros at least once on the road if they are going to advance to the World Series.The Red Sox will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound at Minute Maid Park, and he will face Dallas Keuchel of the Astros. Eovaldi was a midseason acquisition of the Red Sox in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.The 28-year-old was 6-7 with a 3.81 earned-run average this season, and he was brilliant for Boston in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.He allowed five hits and one run in seven innings, and the key to his performance was his control. He did not walk a batter and struck out five while dominating the strike zone throughout the night.Eovaldi has a career record of 1-1 with a 3.19 ERA against the Astros.Keuchel was 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA, and he has been a mainstay for the Astros during the last three seasons. The 30-year-old gave up two earned runs in five innings in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians. The Houston mainstay has a career 3.28 postseason ERA in nine starts.American League Championship SeriesScheduleGame 1: Astros 7,Red Sox 2; Astros lead 1-0Game 2: Red Sox 7, Astros 5; Series tied 1-1Game 3: Red Sox at Astros; Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 5:09p.m. ET on TBSGame 4: Red Sox at Astros; Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 8:39p.m. ET on TBSGame 5: Red Sox at Astros; Thursday, Oct. 18 at 8:09p.m. ET on TBS*Game 6: Astros at Red Sox; Saturday, Oct. 20 at 5:09p.m. ET on TBS*Game 7: Astros at Red Sox; Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7:39p.m. ET on TBS*If necessary.The Red Sox hope to do what the Milwaukee Brewers did Monday night, as the Crew went on the road after splitting the first two games at home and won Game 3.Pitcher List PitcherListquot;How did Jhoulys Chacin perform so well?quot;Showcasing perfect command like this slider to Max Muncy.Right. On. The. Corner. Yk5AZbNzzHThe Brewers received brilliant pitching from starter Jhoulys Chacin and four relievers as they shut down the Dodgers by a 4-0 score.Orlando Arcia, who hit three home runs during the regular season, struck his third long ball of the postseason for the Brewers.The Brewers were in firm control from the start as the Dodgers hitters could not mount any kind of serious attack against the Milwaukee pitchers until the ninth inning. Jeremy Jeffers gave up two ninth inning hits and a walk to load the bases, but he struck out Brian Dozier with the bases loaded to end the game.Chacin pitched 5.1 innings and gave up just three hits and two walks. Corey Knebel did not allow a base runner in 1.2 innings, and Joakim Soria retired the only hitter he faced in the eighth inning.Ace left-handed reliever Josh Hader got the final two outs of the eighth, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell decided the four-run cushion was large enough that he did not have to use Hader for the ninth.The Brewers survived that decision, but the bases-loaded situation created quite a bit of angst.Knebel credited Chacin for his dominant start. "The guy is a beast Mickey Mantle Jersey ," he told Fran Charles of the MLB Network. "He is attacking hitters. We all know how tough that lineup is over there. Chacin doesn't care and he just does his job."The Dodgers will try to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole by winning Game 4 at home Wednesday night. Manager Dave Roberts will send Rich Hill to the mound to get that victory, while the Brewers will depend on their bullpen to get the job done.Counsell will give the ball to Gio Gonzalez to start, and a parade of relievers are likely to follow.National League Championship SeriesScheduleGame 1: Brewers 6, Dodgers 5; Brewers lead 1-0Game 2: Dodgers 4, Brewers 3; Series tied 1-1Game 3: Brewers 4, Dodgers 0, Brewers lead 2-1Game 4: Brewers at Dodgers; Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 9:09p.m. ET on FS1Game 5: Brewers at Dodgers; Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 5:05p.m. ET on FS1*Game 6: Dodgers at Brewers; Friday, Oct. 19 at 8:39p.m. ET on FS1*Game 7: Dodgers at Brewers; Saturday, Oct. 20 at 9:09p.m. ET on FS1*If necessary.NBC Sports NBCSportsNathan Eovaldi to start Game 3 of the ALCS for the Red Sox. b3gBVASKM4 M41MepdchSPredictionsThe Red Sox and Astros are likely to throw figurative punches at each other for seven games. Boston must win one of the next three games in Houston to get the ALCS back to Fenway Park, and we expect that to happen.However, the Astros appear to have the advantage in Game 3 with Keuchel over Eovaldi.Keuchel has been on the postseason stage many times, and while Eovaldi performed well against the Yankees, the Astros can dominate against the fastball, and it will be difficult for the Red Sox starter to hold them in check.The Red Sox will win one of the following two games in Houston and then finish the series with victories in Games 6 and 7 at home.The Brewers answered quite a few questions with their Game 3 win in Los Angeles. Their 12-game winning streak ended with their Game 2 loss at Miller Park, but the Brewers came back with a sharp victory in Game 3.The Dodgers are facing near-desperation after losing Game 3, and they will find a way to win Game 4.This is also a seven-game series, and the Brewers will survive and advance as they win their first National League pennant and progress to their second World Series. (The Brewers were in the American League when they made it to the 1982 World Series).

DENVER (AP) — The starters for Tuesday’s game between Pittsburgh and Colorado reads like this: Jameson Taillon vs. Chad Bettis.A more accurate description: Two starters bouncing back from testicular cancer.“Both healthy. Both in the big leagues Tyler Naquin Jersey ,” the Pirates’ Taillon said. “Life’s good.”The Rockies’ Bettis underwent surgery in November 2016 for testicular cancer and continued cancer treatments through that spring and into last season. So when Taillon had surgery to treat testicular cancer on May 8, 2017, he had an instant line of support.“Baseball is a brotherhood. When something happens to our own, everyone comes together — even more so when there are two people going through the same thing,” the 26-year-old Taillon said. “It made sense to reach out to each other and give our well-wishes and see if there’s anything we could offer up to each other.“I just felt like if I needed anything or had a question, I was very comfortable going to ask him about any part of the process.”Taillon did, too. Simple things: How often did you get your blood levels checked? What was the treatment like?“It was really nothing crazy, but that was comforting,” Taillon said. “He was months ahead of me and what I was going through. It was nice to have somebody I could ask questions.”Taillon’s eyes lit up when he heard that Bettis would come off the disabled list — Bettis has been dealing with a blister — to make the start. Bettis hadn’t been officially named the starter when the clubhouse was open Monday, but he did say how “cool” it would to face Taillon.“It will be really nice for that to happen,” said Bettis, who returned to the Rockies’ starting rotation on Aug. 14, 2017, after his recovery.Bettis hasn’t pitched for the Rockies since July 1 due to a blister on his middle finger. He’s tried every remedy, but it keeps bothering him. So the 29-year-old texted Taillon, who’s been dealing with a cut on his middle finger as well.“He had some good insight,” Bettis said. “There were a couple things he was doing, that I felt we could try and see how it worked out. It was good to get some feedback.”Taillon’s advice? Use a finger sleeve and take days off. He also told Bettis how precisely he was clipping his fingernails.“But you can see I don’t have too much great advice,” Taillon laughed, showing off his cracked finger. “I’m still working through it. I’m still battling my own thing.”It took Taillon about a month to return to the mound last season after testicular cancer surgery. In his first start back on June 12, 2017, he threw five scoreless innings as the Pirates beat the Rockies.Later that season http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-cody-allen-jersey , Taillon got a hit off Chicago Cubs starter Jon Lester, a cancer survivor, and was chatting with first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager.“Rizzo looked at me and said, ‘Hey, there are three cancer survivors right here — me, you and Lester,'” Taillon recounted. “That moment was cool for me.“Facing off against Chad will be one of those cool moments.” NEW YORK (AP) Sonny Gray was chased in the third inning by the team with worst record in the majors, big league-loss leader Alex Cobb ended a nine-start winless streak and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-5 on Wednesday.Despite what appeared to be a midgame lecture in the dugout by third base coach Phil Nevin during a rain delay, New York (68-38) dropped 5 1/2 games behind Boston (75-34) heading into a four-game series at Fenway Park starting Thursday.Gray (8-8) allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 5.56. He was booed as he walked off the mound and was replaced by Lance Lynn.Cobb (3-14) had been 0-7 since winning at the New York Mets on June 5, losing his last five outings. He breezed against the Yankees with an early 7-1 lead, allowing one run and seven hits in six innings and stopping Baltimore’s streak of 11 consecutive road losses.Gleyber Torres homered twice for New York, a solo drive in the second and a three-run shot in the ninth.ASTROS 8, MARINERS 3SEATTLE (AP) – Marwin Gonzalez hit two of Houston’s four home runs, and the Astros knocked Seattle Mariners from the lead for the second wild card in the American League.After a five-game losing streak, the Astros rebounded to win the final two games of the series. Houston has a five-game cushion over Seattle in the AL West and dropped the Mariners into a tie with surging Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot. Seattle led the A’s by 11 games in the middle of June, but has seen the entire lead disappear over the past six weeks.Gonzalez hit a solo home run off Wade LeBlanc (6-2) with two outs in the second inning and added a two-run shot in the fourth. Jake Marisnick, recalled from the minors before the game, added a two-run shot off LeBlanc and Max Stassi greeted reliever Nick Vincent with a three-run homer in the fifth.Dallas Keuchel (9-9) improved to 6-1 in his past nine starts, throwing seven innings.CUBS 9 Roberto Perez Jersey , PIRATES 2PITTSBURGH (AP) – Cole Hamels had little trouble in his return to the National League, keeping Pittsburgh in check over five innings to lead Chicago.Hamels (6-9), acquired in a trade with Texas last week, gave up one unearned run on three hits. The four-time All-Star struck out nine and walked two to pick up his first win for a National League team in more than three years.Willson Contreras went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Cubs. Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist had three hits apiece while Kyle Schwarber and Javy Baez each added two hits and an RBI for Chicago.The Cubs wasted little time jumping on Pittsburgh rookie Nick Kingham (5-6), touching him for four runs in the first inning to give Hamels plenty of breathing room. Kingham needed 51 pitches to get through the first and didn’t come out for the second.NATIONALS 5, METS 3WASHINGTON (AP) – Tommy Milone worked seven strong innings to get his first win in more than a year, Anthony Rendon homered and Washington beat New York to move back above .500.The Nationals followed their 25-4 blowout of the Mets on Tuesday night by jumping on Noah Syndergaard (6-2) early. Bryce Harper singled in the first inning to drive in Trea Turner, who had stolen second. In the third, Rendon got hold of a hanging curveball for his 16th homer this season, scoring Turner.Rendon has six RBIs in two games since returning after the birth of his first child.Filling in for the injured Stephen Strasburg, Milone (1-0) mixed his pitches effectively and faced little stress in the second start of his second stint with Washington. Kelvin Herrera got the save after allowing Wilmer Flores’s ninth-inning homer. Jose Reyes homered from both sides of the plate for the Mets, his 11th career multihomer game and his first since Sept. 8.INDIANS 2, TWINS 0MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings, winning his fourth straight start since returning from the disabled list to carry Cleveland past Minnesota.Brad Hand got the last five outs for his 26th save of the season and second for Cleveland. The Indians stretched their lead over the Twins in the AL Central to 10 games.Carrasco (13-5), who missed three weeks with a bruised elbow before his reinstatement July 6, has 63 strikeouts in his last eight starts.Matt Magill (2-2) was the loser.ATHLETICS 8, BLUE JAYS 3OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Sean Manaea pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Jonathan Lucroy drove in four runs and Oakland completed a season sweep of Toronto.Manaea (10-7) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked two. The A’s won all seven games between the two teams for their first season sweep of the Blue Jays.Franklin Barreto homered and had three RBIs for the Athletics. Lucroy added three hits.Toronto starter Marcus Stroman (4-8) allowed seven runs and 11 hits in five innings. Russell Martin homered for the Blue Jays.TIGERS 7, REDS 4DETROIT (AP) – Jose Iglesias drove in three runs, Jim Adduci homered and Detroit survived the loss of pitcher Mike Fiers to an early injury to beat Cincinnati.Fiers left after the second with a bruised left shin Eddie Robinson Jersey , sustained on Mason Williams‘ comebacker. X-rays on Fiers’ shin were negative, and it was unclear whether he will make his next scheduled start.Drew VerHagen (2-2) followed as the first of six relievers and pitched three scoreless innings. Shane Greene worked the ninth for his 23rd save in 26 chances.Sal Romano (6-9) allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.RAYS 7, ANGELS 2ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Willy Adames homered and drove in two on the day Tampa Bay gave him the regular shortstop job.Adames drove in a run with a two-out single off starter Nick Tropeano (4-6) in the fourth inning, then scored on Mallex Smith’s triple. Adames led off the sixth with his fourth home run to make it 4-2.Jake Bauers added a two-run homer in the ninth for the Rays, his ninth of the season and third in three games.Jake Faria, pitching for the first time since going on the disabled list with a left oblique strain June 22, got the win in the third relief appearance of his career. Faria (4-3) gave up one run on four hits in 3 2/3 innings.ROYALS 10, WHITE SOX 5CHICAGO (AP) – Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer and drove in four, helping Kansas City pound sloppy Chicago.Jakob Junis (6-11) pitched 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball in his first win since May 18. The 24-year-old right-hander was 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA in his previous 10 starts.Chicago lost for the sixth time in seven games. Yoan Moncada broke out of a slump with his fifth career leadoff homer, two hits and two walks, but he also committed one of two costly errors for the White Sox.Dylan Covey (4-7) was charged with seven runs, four earned, and five hits in 4 1/3 innings, dropping to 1-5 with an 8.89 ERA in his last six starts.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 4, 10 INNINGSLOS ANGELES (AP) – Yasmani Grandal hit a two-run homer – his second of the game – in the 10th inning, rallying the Dodgers past the Brewers to snap a three-game skid.The win was also highlighted by Brian Dozier’s homer in his Dodgers’ debut after arriving from Minnesota on Tuesday.All-Star Matt Kemp ended an 0-for-26 skid with a single leading off the inning against Matt Albers (3-3). Grandal followed with his 19th homer after the Dodgers had blown a 4-2 lead.The Brewers tied it 4-all in the eighth. Mike Moustakas doubled off reliever Scott Alexander, who gave up three walks – one intentional – before Manny Pina singled in Ryan Braun.Dylan Floro (4-2) got the win after retiring the side in the 10th.—

David Maxwell/Getty ImagesThe Cleveland Indians placed reliever Andrew Miller on the 10-day disabled list with anexternal impingement in hisleft shoulder Derek Holland Jersey , the team announced Wednesday.The Indians called up left-hander Tyler Olson to take Miller's place on the active roster.The 2018 season has been one to forget for the 33-year-old. He has a 3.38ERA and a 3.20FIP in 27 appearances, per Baseball Reference, and his struggles have mirrored Cleveland's bullpen problems.Indians relievers are 28th in FIP (4.76), according to FanGraphs.A hamstring strain landed Miller on the 10-day disabled list in April. He returned May 11 and gave up a go-ahead two-run home run to Salvador Perez in a 10-9 defeat to the Kansas City Royals.The Indians again placed Miller on the DL later that month after he surrendered three earned runs in an 11-2 defeat to the Houston Astros on May 25.Miller was pivotal in helping Cleveland win back-to-back AL Central titles, and the team's late-inning struggles have highlightedhis importance to the bullpen.Even though Cleveland added Brad Hand and Adam Cimber ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, losing Miller for another extended stretch would be a big blow. LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the Dodger Stadium crowd wasn’t booing Yasmani Grandal or chanting his backup’s name, the fans largely sat in a disappointed hush while the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff mowed down their team.The Dodgers‘ miserable Monday night only got more intriguing after the Brewers’ 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, when Enrique Hernandez wondered aloud why his team and its fans didn’t come to play.“We had no energy,” the Los Angeles second baseman said. “The stadium had no energy. The fans had no energy. Overall, it was a pretty bad game for everybody who calls themselves Dodgers.”The Dodgers fell behind after three batters and never caught up during their first home game of the NLCS. Los Angeles went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position, struck out 14 times and managed just five hits.This comprehensively frustrating evening required an outlet, and Grandal is wearing a target during his miserable postseason. Dodger Stadium Buster Posey Jersey , normally a cauldron of excitement in October, had little to cheer and plenty to lament.After Grandal committed his third passed ball of the series in the eighth inning, a portion of the crowd chanted “We want Austin!” in a call for the catcher’s unsung backup, Austin Barnes. And when Grandal struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Chavez Ravine was filled with boos.“I don’t really hear the noise outside,” Grandal said. “I value my opinion way over anyone else, so that’s what keeps me sane.”The other Dodgers definitely heard the booing, and Hernandez was unhappy with every aspect of the atmosphere at Dodger Stadium for an enormous playoff game.While the second baseman didn’t deny the Dodgers’ role in their poor performance, Hernandez also cited the home fans for not doing their part.“Since the first inning when (Ryan) Braun hit that (RBI) double, the stadium kind of went quiet for the rest of the evening, and it (stinks) that they got loud just to show (up) Yasmani,” he said.“He’s trying his best http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-panik-jersey ,” Hernandez added. “Catchers have a lot going on. The game revolves around them. They’ve got to call every pitch. They’re involved in every situation in the game. It’s the playoffs. It’s the big leagues. If (fans) think they can do it, go ahead. Put on your gear and catch 99 (mph) with breaking balls that have a lot of movement. He’s been one of the best catchers in the game for a while now. He’s having a little bit of a rough patch, which we all as humans, as baseball players, go through. It’s just bad timing.”Immediately after Game 3, manager Dave Roberts said Barnes will start Game 4 on Tuesday.“(Grandal) had a tough night, and obviously the fans voiced their opinion,” Roberts said. “And they’re passionate. They want to win. They want the best out of all of us, especially in the postseason. So I know it’s not personal. … They were just as frustrated as we all were.”In his final postseason before free agency, Grandal dropped to 3 for 22 with 10 strikeouts — including three in Game 3, along with a popup that turned into a ground-rule double.And Grandal’s most glaring failures aren’t even at the plate, but behind it: The veteran made two more defensive miscues after committing two errors and two passed balls in Game 1.Grandal’s passed ball drew the fans’ greatest ire Willie McCovey Jersey , even though happened after the Dodgers already trailed by four runs. Grandal has tied the big-league record for the most passed balls in a playoff series.The unlikely chant for Grandal’s backup also reflected the big-budget Dodgers’ desperate frustration with their own inability to seize the important moments near the halfway point of this series. Game 3 was full of those missed moments, and it pushed the defending NL champions halfway to elimination.Along with his batting woes and his latest passed ball, Grandal also failed to control a wild pitch by Walker Buehler in the sixth inning, allowing Travis Shaw to score the Brewers’ second run from third base.Shaw was only on third because center fielder Cody Bellinger appeared to misjudge Shaw’s long fly, allowing it to carom off the wall for a triple that probably could have been the third out of the inning.And Buehler was still in the game because Roberts attempted to get some extra innings from his young starter instead of employing his customary quick hook.None of those mistakes and debatable decisions was individually decisive. Add them all together, along with the Dodgers’ inability to seize any moments of their own, and LA is down 2-1.While the Brewers celebrated after escaping the ninth, Dodger Stadium made almost no noise.“It’s just a shame that they were quiet all game and they only got loud to throw out the boo birds,” Hernandez said. “It’s a playoff game, and it didn’t feel like a playoff game. Not just because of the fans, but because of how we were playing the game. Just overall a bad game for all of us.”

ANAHEIM Bartolo Colon Jersey , Calif. (AP) — Against one of the best bullpens in baseball, the Los Angeles Angels treated all of the late innings like they were the ninth and the tactic was rewarded when they rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics.Kole Calhoun and Justin Upton hit two-run homers and Albert Pujols reached another milestone as the Angels were forced into comeback mode early on Friday night.With a single in the sixth inning, Pujols recorded his 1,000th career hit with the Angels. He became just the ninth player all-time with at least 1,000 hits in each league after getting 2,073 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Four former Angels are on the list: Dave Winfield, Frank Robinson, Vladimir Guerrero and Orlando Cabrera.Upton’s two-run shot in the sixth inning off Oakland rookie reliever Lou Trivino proved to be the difference. Trivino (8-2), who had given up more than one earned run just once in his previous 46 outings, lost a game for the first time since June 5.It might have been the sixth inning, but Upton came to the plate with a ninth-inning mentality as the A’s not only had their regular stable of relievers available, they also had newly-acquired right-hander Fernando Rodney for the first time.“They have a strong bullpen with guys that can beat you in many ways,” said Upton, who admitted his plan was to attack the first strike he saw. “You play to your strengths against those guys. Just compete. Those guys are pitching well this year.”Upton hit a two-run home run for the third consecutive game.The Angels trailed 3-0 just four batters into the game. Starter Felix Pena regained his composure and gave up just two more hits and no runs while pitching into the sixth inning.“I felt like in the first inning I was a little overamped so I went back to the video room to watch some video and I was able to make the adjustments,” said Pena, who had a similar slow start in his last home outing on July 29 but never made it out of the opening inning.Los Angeles improved to 8-1 over its last nine home games.Matt Chapman and Khris Davis each hit home runs in the first inning for the A’s Jon Niese Jersey , who are now 13-6 since the All-Star break. Chapman hit his 16th homer while Davis’ two-run shot was his 33rd.Oakland starter Brett Anderson gave up two runs on four hits with no walks, but was removed after five innings having thrown just 63 pitches. When asked if A’s starters are growing accustomed to being pulled earlier than usual in favor of a strong bullpen, Anderson offered a simple “no.”“It’s going to take some getting used to,” Anderson said. “In a tie game in the seventh the last time, you kind of see it. This one was a little early. But we’ve lived and died by our bullpen and those arms are tremendous down there so more times than not we’re going to come out with the victory.”Calhoun connected for a two-run drive in the third, his 16th of the season and 11th over his last 25 games. Calhoun’s 15 home runs since June 18 lead the American League.Calhoun had just one home run and was batting .145 over 50 games when he went to the 10-day disabled list with a strained right oblique. In the 44 games since he has returned, he has hit 14 of his 15 home runs, with 34 runs scored and 35 RBIs.Jim Johnson (4-2) retired the only batter he faced for the win. The Angels used three more pitchers in the ninth, with Blake Parker getting the final out for his 11th save.“(The bullpen) came in and made pitches and it was a great job,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “After that first inning, this game could go south in a hurry when you give up a three-spot. But Felix got his bearings and the bullpen was exceptional.”Rodney made his A’s debut, striking out a batter during a perfect seventh inning. Rodney was acquired Thursday in a trade from the Minnesota Twins. One plan for Rodney is to use him to help ease the heavy workload on Trivino.“We won’t have to potentially use Lou for more than one inning,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve used him quite a bit where he has to come in and clean up an inning and go back out for the next inning, which is really tough to do.”RODNEY ARRIVESMelvin says Rodney doesn’t have a set role. Instead, Melvin expects to mix and match his late-inning relievers in a stacked Oakland bullpen.“More than anything, it probably allows us to not overuse a Lou Trivino http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-edinson-volquez-jersey , to not overuse a Yusmeiro Petit,” Melvin said. “As much as we use our bullpen on certain days, we’re not afraid to move guys to the back end of the bullpen if a (Blake) Treinen or (Jeurys) Familia needs time off, so it just makes us better.”Rodney had 25 saves for the Twins in 46 appearances with a 3.09 ERA, but the closer job will still belong to Treinen.VLAD THE HALL OF FAMERThe Angels honored new Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero with an on-field pregame ceremony that pushed back first pitch about a half hour. Guerrero, who made quick introductory speech at Cooperstown last month, was even quicker when he spoke to the crowd in both English and Spanish on Friday.“His forte is to not go up there and spew accolades about himself, and I think it makes him all the more special,” Scioscia said. “He was so beloved by his teammates because when he was playing, he was the best player on the planet but . never talking about himself. He was a special talent.”TRAINER’S ROOMAngels: Mike Trout was put on the 10-day disabled list with an inflamed right wrist. Scioscia expects his All-Star center fielder to return on Thursday when his DL stint ends.UP NEXTA’s: RHP Edwin Jackson (3-2, 2.87 ERA) will take the mound Saturday in the middle game of the series, carrying the sixth lowest ERA in the American League since his contract was selected June 25.Angels: RHP Tyler Skaggs (8-7, 3.34) is expected to make his return from the disabled list Saturday, having not pitched since July 31 because of a left adductor strain. Much has changed since Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs threw one of his best games of the season against the Oakland A’s on June 15.Skaggs has since been on the disabled list three times, while the A’s morphed into the hottest team in baseball over the next three months, making up a 10-game deficit for the final American League wild-card spot and Elvis Andrus Jersey , ultimately, clinching a postseason berth on Monday.Skaggs is scheduled to start Saturday night against the A’s at Angel Stadium, the fifth time he’ll take the mound against Oakland this season. He might face a different A’s lineup now that they’ve locked up the second wild-card spot.Article continues below ...The New York Yankees clinched the first wild-card position and home field for the one-game playoff on Wednesday with an 11-6 win at the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. The victory came about 45 minutes after the A’s started their series opener against the Angels. Oakland went on to lose 8-5.The A’s needed to sweep the Angels this weekend and hope the Red Sox swept the Yankees to send the wild-card game to Oakland.Skaggs (8-9, 3.91 ERA) did not allow an earned run over seven innings in the 8-4 win against the A’s on June 15 in Oakland. He improved to 6-4 with the victory and lowered his ERA to 2.81.The A’s, meanwhile, fell to 34-36 with the loss and dropped 10 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the second wild-card spot.Oakland (96-64) has since gone 62-28 to surge past the Angels and Mariners, clinch a playoff spot and put pressure on the Yankees up until New York’s win on Friday night.Skaggs, meanwhile, has battled groin issues most of the summer.Saturday will be his third start since missing five weeks with a left adductor strain. The Angels (79-81) kept his pitch count in the 50s in his past two outings.He threw three shutout innings against the A’s on Sept. 18 in a 9-7 win, but wasn’t nearly as sharp his next time out, allowing four runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros last Sunday.“Luckily, it’s September, our bullpen is deep,” he told MLB.com after the game. “At the same time, it’s just frustrating.”Skaggs last pitched at Angel Stadium on Aug. 11, also against the A’s Ivan Rodriguez Jersey , and was rocked for seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings of the 7-0 loss. That was his first start game since coming off the disabled list for a second time with an adductor strain.He was much better against Oakland in his other two starts this season. In addition to his outing on June 15, he threw 6 1/3 shutout innings in the second game of the season, earning the victory in the 2-1 win.For his career, Skaggs is 2-5 with a 4.98 ERA in nine starts against the A’s.Trevor Cahill is scheduled to start for Oakland. Cahill (6-4, 3.91) allowed five runs (three earned) and five hits in 3 1/3 innings of a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, which forced the A’s to wait another day to clinch their playoff spot. The left-hander missed a pair of starts before that outing because of upper back discomfort.“All things considered, I think it was a step in the right direction for him,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters after the game. “The last time we saw him, he was completely out of whack and hurting a little bit.”Cahill faced the Angels in Anaheim on Aug. 12 and entered the fifth inning with an 8-3 lead, but he was lifted after allowing a two-out run-scoring double, leaving him ineligible for the win in the 8-7 victory.He is 5-3 with a 2.44 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against the Angels.Cahill is 1-3 with a 7.02 ERA on the road this season.

Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen explained Tuesday that the medication he was prescribed to treatatrial fibrillation affected his performance last week."I don't want to make excuses David Robertson Jersey ,鈥?Jansen said, according to the Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett. "But it's like you're sleepwalking out there. It makes your whole body go slow. I felt sleepy all the time."Jansen added: "I tried. I thought the first day, maybe it would get better. Then the second day it was the same. And the third day...After that, I just thought, 'I'm going to hurt the team. I've got to say something and get off this medication.' It might be making sure my heart doesn't stop. But I told my doctor I can't pitch like this."Jansen, who returned from the disabled list Aug. 20, was uncharacteristically shaky in three appearances last week.He gave up a pair of home runs Aug. 20 against the St. Louis Cardinals en route to his fourth loss of the season, and he added to his ledger in the loss column two nights later by surrendering three hits and two earned runs in a 3-1 defeat.Jansen served up another questionable outing in a 5-4 win over the Padres on Aug. 25 when he blew his fourth save of the season by allowing a solo home run to Austin Hedges in the ninth inning.Fortunately for Jansen, a 12th-inning double from Justin Turner allowed L.A. to avoid another disappointing setback.Jansen is now off the previously prescribed medication and said his cardiologist confirmed he is "safe" without it."I just told him, as a normal person it's fine. You could go to work," Jansen said, per Plunkett. "But those three games I had zero adrenaline. My mind was saying http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-sonny-gray-jersey , 'You gotta go' but my body wasn't working. I can't pitch like that." PHOENIX — Arizona held big hitters Paul Goldschmidt and David Peralta out of the lineup against the Dodgers in a game critical to the NL West. Contender Colorado knew it was coming.Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo briefed Colorado skipper Bud Black in a telephone conversation Sunday, as the Rockers were sweeping a three-game series at Chase Field.“I just wanted to make sure he knew … that even though the lineup may look like we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do, and hold serve for him the best way we could, we were,” Lovullo said.Article continues below ...“Our team is a little emotionally spent. I think we’ve all felt that for the past three weeks. We have two more games against a team we are contending, and we don’t want to make anything easy on them.”It had worked before.Arizona beat the NL Central-leading Cubs with four understudies starting last Wednesday but could not pull it off Monday, when the Dodgers took a 7-4 comeback victory to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Colorado. The Rockies beat the Phillies’ regular group 10-1 Monday.The Dodgers got a homer and three RBIs from David Freese and two RBIs from Manny Machado, one on a double off the right-field fence in a three-run ninth inning, a ball Machado was so sure that was a homer that he eased his was out of the box. He took some ribbing from Matt Kemp in the clubhouse afterward.“I have to hit the weight room, Matthew, I get it,” Machado said Luis Severino Jersey , grinning.“I thought it was way out. At least I got the RBI and we got the lead. Matthew is just trying to play with me. It’s OK. I’ll wear it.”The Dodgers have a little room to play with, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was not concerned what lineup opposing teams use, whether it is the Diamondbacks or the Rockies’ remaining opponents, Philadelphia and Washington.“For us, it’s just about playing good baseball,” Roberts said.“They are men of high character. They are going to do their best to win a baseball game. We will do the same thing. You sign up to put this uniform on, your goal is to win every game, regardless of the situation.Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.74) is to face Arizona right-hander Matt Koch (5-5, 4.26).Buehler, arguably, has been the ace of the staff for the last two months http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-aaron-hicks-jersey , since limiting Milwaukee to one run while striking out seven in seven innings on July 31 at Dodger Stadium. He suffered the loss in that game but has lost only one since.He is 3-2 with a 1.58 ERA in his last 10 starts, with 79 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings. Buehler tied his career high with nine strikeouts in an 8-0 victory in St. Louis on Sept. 14 and set his career high with 12 in his last outing Wednesday against Colorado, although he did not get a decision while giving two unearned runs in a 5-2 victory.Buehler, a first-round pick in the 2015, made eight relief appearances as a rookie September call-up last year. He made his first career start April 21 this season and joined the rotation for good after the All-Star break.“One part of it is, he’s more comfortable being here a lot of the year and getting in a routine and not going up and down, not being in the ‘pen,” manager Dave Roberts said when talking about the strides Buehler has made this year. “Learning hitters. Having the rapport with his teammates.“As far as the stuff, like many pitchers, when his fastball command is on, he’s pretty much unhittable. And a lot of this year, that’s what we’ve had. Now the curve ball Aaron Judge Jersey , the slider, the change off of it has been lethal. It’s two variables, comfort level and consistency and the pitch execution.”Buehler throws his 96-mph fastball about 60 percent of the time and works off that.Koch is making his second spot start in place of Clay Bucholz, who was shut down for the rest of the season when he felt elbow pain while warming up for a scheduled start at Colorado on Sept. 13. Koch replaced him on very short notice that day and gave up four runs in three innings but followed that with four innings of scoreless relief in a loss to the Cubs on Sept. 18.Koch made 12 starts early-season starts after first Taijuan Walker and then Robbie Ray went out with injuries and the Diamondbacks were 7-5 in that stretch, but he lost his spot in the rotation when Ray returned, and Buchholz pitched well. He has faced the Dodgers once this season, giving up three runs (two earned) in five innings in a no-decision in Arizona’s 4-3 victory.