The intensity of the MLB Playoffs is ramping up as we get to the end of the division series round. The Toronto Blue Jays have already advanced to the ALCS by knocking out the Texas Rangers, while the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants are both looking to fight off elimination on Monday. Here's a recap of this weekend's games and a preview of today's matchups:
Blue Jays advance to ALCS
This series moved to Toronto on Sunday after the Blue Jays easily won the first two games of the series over the Rangers, and this was the closest game between the two. Toronto was hot early as Edwin Encarnation blasted a two-run homer and Russell Martin hit a solo shot in the bottom of the first, and while Texas came back to take a 6-5 lead at the top of the sixth inning, the Blue Jays got another run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the 10th. Josh Donaldson doubled to lead off the frame, and after the Rangers intentionally walked Encarnation, Toronto had runners on first and second with no outs. Following a strikeout from Jose Bautista, Martin hit a ground ball on a full count that ended up winning the game for the Blue Jays in crazy fashion:
Toronto swept the series for the first time in franchise history - including two walk-off wins - and are now the first team to advance to the ALCS, which will start on Friday.
Red Sox facing elimination
The Cleveland Indians have a chance to follow Toronto's lead and sweep the Red Sox on Monday. The Indians won each of the first two games at home, and as the series shifts to Boston, they're looking to end the series before the Red Sox can gain any momentum.
Game 3 was supposed to be yesterday, but it was postponed due to rain. It is now tonight and starts at 6:00 pm ET on TBS. Here are the projected lineups for each team:
Indians
CF Rajai Davis
2B Jason Kipnis
SS Francisco Lindor
1B Mike Napoli
DH Carlos Santana
3B Jose Ramirez
LF Brandon Guyer
RF Lonnie Chisenhall
C Roberto Perez
SP Josh Tomlin
Red Sox
2B Dustin Pedroia
3B Brock Holt
RF Mookie Betts
DH David Ortiz
1B Hanley Ramirez
SS Xander Bogaerts
LF Andrew Benintendi
C Sandy Leon
CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
SP Clay Buchholz
Nationals, Dodgers look to gain edge in Game 3
Game 2 of this series was also postponed due to rain, but the Washington Nationals managed to even the series 1-1 with a needed home win. After trailing 2-0 through three innings, backup catcher Jose Lobaton blasted this three-run shot to put the Nationals up for good:
Daniel Murphy added two more RBIs later in the game to pad the lead, pushing Washington to the 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Game 3 will start at 4:08 pm ET on the MLB Network in Los Angeles. Here are the projected lineups for each team:
Dodgers
2B Chase Utley
SS Corey Seager
3B Justin Turner
1B Adrian Gonzalez
RF Josh Reddick
CF Joc Pederson
C Yasmani Grandal
LF Andrew Toles
SP Kenta Maeda
Nationals
CF Trae Turner
RF Bryce Harper
LF Jayson Werth
2B Daniel Murphy
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Ryan Zimmerman
SS Danny Espinosa
C Jose Lobaton
SP Gio Gonzalez
Cubs put Giants on brink
After a 1-0 pitcher's duel in Game 1, we finally saw some offense in this series - and most of it came from a pitcher. The Chicago Cubs built a 4-0 lead in the first two innings, then relief pitcher Travis Wood - who came in when Kyle Hendricks left with an injury - became the first reliever to hit a postseason home run since 1924.
That was all the insurance the Cubs needed, as they went on to beat the San Francisco Giants, 5-2. The series shifts to San Francisco for Game 3, which starts tonight at 9:38 pm ET on FS1. Here are the projected lineups for the game:
Cubs
CF Dexter Fowler
3B Kris Bryant
1B Anthony Rizzo
LF Ben Zobrist
SS Addison Russell
RF Jason Heyward
2B Javier Baez
C Willson Contreras
SP Jake Arrieta
Giants
CF Denard Span
1B Brandon Belt
C Buster Posey
RF Hunter Pence
SS Brandon Crawford
LF Angel Pagan
3B Conor Gillaspie
2B Joe Panik
SP Madison Bumgarner