For the first time in four years, there will be no one game playoff to determine the final postseason contender in Major League Baseball. It was all decided today, Sunday, October 3.
The San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves both dug deep against talented division rivals to win the third and final game of a series in which they were almost swept. The Giants beat the San Diego Padres, who surprisingly led the National League West almost all season, 3-0, behind the pitching of lefty Jonathan Sanchez and the bat of rookie catcher Buster Posey, who's solo home run to lead off the eighth was sweet icing on the victory cake. The Giants lost 12 games this year against the Padres, versus just 6 wins, and lost the first two games of this series knowing all they had to do was win 1 to get in, but they finally did it. The Padres go home, and the Giants will host the Wild Card Atlanta Braves in their first postseason since 2003.
Speaking of the Braves, legendary manager Bobby Cox's baseball life lives on. His ragtag team (missing stars like Chipper Jones and Martin Prado to injuries) beat the NL East Champion Philadelphia Phillies, 8-7, after losing twice in a row and facing the prospect of a one-game playoff for the Wild Card. That won't happen now. The Braves make their first postseason since 2005 (which was their 14th straight), and give Bobby another week-at least-of action. They face the Giants, who crept in not long after them. The Phillies, whom they defeated after being beaten in the first two games of this crucial series, will host the Cincinnati Reds. In a special sentiment, Braves' closer Billy Wagner, who is also planning to retire after this season, struck out the last four hitters of the game in what could have been his last Major League appearance.
In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays collected their second American League East crown (2008 was the other) by defeating the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, in 12 innings, while the New York Yankees lost, 8-4, to the Boston Red Sox. The Rays entered the top of the ninth after the Sox had already beaten the Yanks--they knew they were already in, but they played for pride, scoring twice in the ninth to erase a goose-egg score, and win later. The Rays will host the Texas Rangers in the first round of the playoffs, while the Yankees will travel to Minnesota, where the Twins' new ballpark, Target Field, will see its first playoff action in its first season.
PLAYOFFS
American League
ALDS-Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins
NLDS-Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies
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