Page 22 - ATD05October2015

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SPORTSMonday 5 October 2015

NL Capsules

Houston headed to playoffs despite 5-3 loss

The Associated Press Kershaw finished with 301 first postseason appear- that cost them home-field worst record in the majors
at 63-99.
PHOENIX (AP) — Houston strikeouts and joined for- ance since 2008 brimming advantage in the Division BRAVES 6, CARDINALS 0,
GAME 1
is going to the playoffs for mer Arizona teammates with confidence. Chicago Series against the Dodgers. BRAVES 2, CARDINALS 0,
GAME 2
the first time in a decade Randy Johnson (2000-02) ended the regular season Next up, deGrom starts ATLANTA (AP) — Matt
Wisler allowed four hits over
despite ending the regular and Curt Schilling (2002) with a three-game sweep Game 1 in the best-of-five 8 2-3 inning as Atlanta won
for a doubleheader sweep
season with a loss. as the only pitchers since in Milwaukee. matchup Friday at Los An- that sent St. Louis’ batters
to the playoffs with a 27-in-
The Astros led the AL wild- 2000 to reach 300 strikeouts Anthony Rizzo had a two- geles. ning scoreless streak.
St. Louis was held to seven
card race by a game in a season. Kershaw be- run single with the bases Seven pitchers combined hits in the doubleheader,
which included a loss to
heading into Sunday. They came the second to do so loaded in the first to reach to hold Washington to two Shelby Miller in the first
game that ended Miller’s
shared a few high fives in in Dodgers history; his men- a career-high 101 RBIs on hits — the first was Clint 24-start winless streak. The
Braves won 4-0 Friday.
the dugout in the eighth in- tor Sandy Koufax accom- the season. Starter Dan Robinson’s two-out single Wisler (8-8) won each of his
last three starts, allowing a
ning after clinching it when plished the feat three times Haren (11-9) allowed three in the seventh inning off re- combined three runs.
Pinch-hitter Brandon Moss
the Angels lost to Texas. in the mid-1960s. hits and a walk in six innings. liever Jonathon Niese. doubled with one out in
the ninth to become the
Houston finished 86-76 to Kershaw allowed two hits The rebuilding Brewers PHILLIES 7, MARLINS 2 Cardinals’ first runner in
scoring position off Wisler.
reach the postseason for and no walks on 60 pitches finished with 94 losses, 14 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dee Jon Jay hit a groundout to
first, Tommy Pham walked
the first time since playing over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. more than 2014. Gordon went 3 for 4 with a and Edwin Jackson struck
out Randal Grichuk to end
the Chicago White Sox in The left-hander completed The franchise is head- home run and a double to the game.
St. Louis, which won its third
the 2005 World Series. The his final tune-up before the ed into an offseason of win the NL batting title over straight NL Central title,
opens the Division Series
Astros will play their first Dodgers open the NL Divi- change under new gener- Washington’s Bryce Harper at home Friday against
the Chicago Cubs or Pitts-
AL playoff game Tuesday sion Series against the New al manager David Stearns. and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki burgh.
ROCKIES 7, GIANTS 3
night, against the New SAN FRANCISCO — Corey
Dickerson hit a three-run
York Yankees at Yankee homer and pinch-hitter
Justin Morneau delivered a
Stadium. two-run single as Colorado
rallied for seven runs in the
Not bad for a team that ninth inning.
The Giants finished 84-78,
had three 100-loss seasons a year after winning 88
games in the regular sea-
before going 70-92 in 2014. son and going on to take
their third World Series title
PIRATES 4, REDS 0 in five seasons.
Colorado’s comeback
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pitts- spoiled Matt Cain’s outing.
He started for the first time
burgh clinched home field in six weeks and pitched
two-hit ball for five score-
in the National League less innings.
The Giants wound up us-
wild card game, winning ing 11 pitchers. They took a
two-hit shutout into the final
behind J.A. Happ’s stellar inning before the Rockies
rallied. Charlie Blackmon
outing and Pedro Alvarez’s also drove in a pair of runs
for the Rockies.
long homer. Rex Brothers (1-0) pitched
a scoreless eighth for the
The Pirates (98-64) locked win. George Kontos (4-4)
took the loss.q
up the right to host the

Chicago Cubs (97-65)

Wednesday night in a win-

ner-take-all playoff with a

victory on the final day of

the regular season.

Despite having the sec-

ond-best record in the

major leagues, the Pirates

finished second to the St. Houston Astros’ Marwion Gonzalez and teammates celebrate their AL wild card playoff berth
Louis Cardinals in the NL following a 5-3 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 4,

Central. Pittsburgh will host 2015, in Phoenix. Associated Press

the wild card game for York Mets at home Friday. Double-A call-up Jorge Lo- pitched the eighth inning,

the third straight year after He is likely to start Game pez (1-1) went five innings but Philadelphia avoided

beating Cincinnati in 2013 1 against Jacob deGrom and gave up three runs, all a 100-loss season.

and losing to the San Fran- and the NL East champi- in the first. Gordon became the first NL

cisco Giants last season. ons, although the Dodgers METS 1, NATIONALS 0 player to lead the league

The Pirates had 20 straight have yet to announce their NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob in batting average (.333)

losing seasons, the longest rotation. deGrom looked especially and stolen bases (58) in the

streak in major North Amer- The Padres announced sharp in his abbreviated same season since Jackie

ican professional sportshis- after the game that inter- playoff tuneup as NL East Robinson did so in 1949,

tory, before their current im manager Pat Murphy champion New York finally according to the Marlins

run of postseason appear- won’t lead the team next scored on Curtis Grander- citing the Elias SportsBu-

ances. year. son’s eighth-inning homer. reau.

DODGERS 6, PADRES 3 CUBS 3, BREWERS 1 One day after Washing- Harper went 1 for 4 Sunday

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clay- MILWAUKEE (AP) — The ton ace Max Scherzer and finished at .330.

ton Kershaw struck out Chicago Cubs beat the pitched a no-hitter with 17 Luis Garcia (4-6) stranded

seven batters in an abbre- Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 strikeouts to complete a two runners in the seventh

viated start to become the on Sunday for their eighth doubleheader sweep, the and earned the win. Andre

first pitcher in 13 years to straight win, but will have Mets (90-72) made a run Rienzo (0-1) allowed four

reach 300 strikeouts, as NL to play the NL wild card at a combined no-hitter of runs in the seventh without

West champion Los Ange- game in Pittsburgh. their own. They reached recording an out.

les closed the regular sea- Even with the itinerary now 90 wins for the first time in Suzuki allowed a run on

son on a five-game win- taking them to PNC Park, nine years and stopped two doubles.

ning streak. the Cubs head into their a five-game losing streak The Phillies finished with the