ALCS Game 5: NYY 5, HOU 0

W: Masahiro Tanaka (1-1, 1.38 ERA)

L: Dallas Keuchel (1-1, 3.09 ERA)

NLCS Game 4: CHC 3, LAD 2

W: Jake Arietta, (1-0, 1.35 ERA)

L: Alex Wood (0-1, 5.79 ERA)

BLECHBLECHBLECHBLECHBLECH

Just scored tickets to Astros' World Series, game 3. Assuming we make it, and it's not a sweep, that will either be Game 5 vs. Dodgers or Game 6 vs. Cubs. Think positive!

Today's game and starting pitchers:

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:

LOS ANGELES DODGERS VS. CHICAGO CUBS

Los Angeles (Clayton Kershaw, 18-4, 2.31 ERA) at Chicago (José Quintana, 11-11, 4.15 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, TBS

RodeoSchro said:

Just scored tickets to Astros' World Series, game 3. Assuming we make it, and it's not a sweep, that will either be Game 5 vs. Dodgers or Game 6 vs. Cubs. Think positive!

No way do the Cubs win four in a row against the Dodgers. Although if they do, the Yankees will gladly pass along their 2004 choke crown to Los Angeles.

NLCS Game 5: LAD 11, CHC 1

W: Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 2.45 ERA)

L: José Quintana (0-1, 10.29 ERA)

Today's game and starting pitchers:

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:

HOUSTON ASTROS VS. NEW YORK YANKEES

New York (Luis Severino, 14-6, 2.98 ERA) at Houston (Justin Verlander, 15-8, 3.36 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, FS1

The Dodgers won the pennant! The Dodgers won the pennant! 4 more wins = IMMORTALITY

ALCS Game 6: HOU 7, NYY 1

W: Justin Verlander (2-0, 0.56 ERA)

L: Luis Severino (0-1, 4.15 ERA)

Today's game and starting pitchers:

AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES:

HOUSTON ASTROS VS. NEW YORK YANKEES

New York (C.C. Sabathia, 14-5, 3.69 ERA) at Houston (Charlie Morton, 14-7, 3.62 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, FS1

ALCS Game 7: HOU 4, NYY 0

W: Charlie Morton (1-1, 7.27 ERA)

L: C.C. Sabathia (1-1, 0.96 ERA)

Good series for once.

Home field was clearly a big advantage for both teams in the Houston/New York series. I didn't get that impression as much watching the Dodgers play. We'll see later this week.

sexton said:

Home field was clearly a big advantage for both teams in the Houston/New York series. I didn't get that impression as much watching the Dodgers play. We'll see later this week.

I kept telling myself the Astros hadn't lost a game at home all playoffs long, even when the Yankees won 3 in a row. Really happy that trend continued!

But we have to win at least one game now in LA in order to win the World Series. Hope we can!

Here's hoping my Dodgers realize that the overall goal was not to just get revenge on the Cubs for last year. Astros are a tough, tough team...hell, the teams are almost identical...both scrappy, never say die squads. Dodgers have the advantage pitching wise (especially in the bullpen), but the key to this series IMHO is Yu Darvish. The Astros are very familiar with him from his days in the AL West. If he falters...hmmm. I can see this series going either way, but COME ON DODGERS....BRING THE TITLE BACK TO LA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting fact: from 1988 to present, the Dodgers have played 18 postseason series. All 18 times...if they won game one, they won the series. If they lost game one, they lost the series. Hmmm....come on, Kershaw!!!!

Today's game and starting pitchers:

WORLD SERIES:

LOS ANGELES DODGERS VS. HOUSTON ASTROS

Houston (Dallas Keuchel, 14-5, 2.90 ERA) at Los Angeles (Clayton Kershaw, 18-4, 2.31 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, FOX

UncleJam said:

Interesting fact: from 1988 to present, the Dodgers have played 18 postseason series. All 18 times...if they won game one, they won the series. If they lost game one, they lost the series. Hmmm....come on, Kershaw!!!!

Pretty impressive. Before game 7 I saw that in games Sabathia started after a Yankees' loss, he was 10 - 0 with a sub-1.00 ERA. Now he's 10-1, LOL. So who knows?

The 'Stros HAVE to win a game in LA in order to win the Series, so they HAVE to hit on the road. Considering they were the best road-hitting team in baseball history, I have to assume they are going to hit.

WS Game 1: LAD 3, HOU 1

W: Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 1.29 ERA)

L: Dallas Keuchel (0-1, 4.05 ERA)

One down, three to go! So proud of Kershaw....silenced quite a few folks tonight, turning in one of the best pitching performances in the franchise's rich postseason history. More work to do...GO DODGERS!

[Edited 10/24/17 20:19pm]

We have found the solution to global warming! And it's Clayton Kershaw. On a 103 degree night, he turned the Astros' bats to ice. Yikes, but not totally unexpected. Tonight's game was always our best chance to win one in LA, so let's do it!

Today's game and starting pitchers:

WORLD SERIES:

LOS ANGELES DODGERS VS. HOUSTON ASTROS

Houston (Justin Verlander, 15-8, 3.36 ERA) at Los Angeles (Rich Hill, 12-8, 3.32 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, FOX

WS Game 2: HOU 7, LAD 6

W: Chris Devenski (1-0, 3.86 ERA)

L: Brandon McCarthy (0-1, 18.00 ERA)

Huge, huge win for Houston...what a game! ARRGHH! Roberts finally got burned by burning thru his bullpen too quickly, pulled Hill waaaaaaay too early, and it bit him in the ass for sure. He's gotten away with it all postseason but it definitely blew up in his face tonight. Dodgers are stil in this for sure, just need to take one in Houston. As I said a few days ago, DARVISH is the key! If Houston takes game three, Dodgers are in trouble for sure with AlexWood pitching game four in that Little League ballpark they play in! GO DODGERS....

What a GAME! Instant classic, one of the best baseball games I've ever seen. Of course, it helped that my guys won, LOL.

I totally agree with the Uncle - Roberts over-managed. He put himself in a position where he entered extra innings with only 2 pitchers and 1 position player. Then before you could blink, he was down to his last pitcher. The Astros still had former closer Luke Gregerson and starter Colin McHugh in the bully. I told my son after Gonzalez hit the 9th inning dinger that if we made it through the bottom of the 9th, we would win. The Dodgers' were simply out of players.

Here's all the things that, if you didn't see this classic, you missed!

1. Vin Freaking Scully and his "relief pitcher" Fernando Valenzuela. Awesome! Well done, LA!

2. Joe Buck. Hey, it might be popular to hate on him but I thought he called a tremendous game. Offering to drive anywhere and pick up Scully if he'd agree to announce a little? Awesome!

3. John Smoltz. Holy moley, he is so great. If you listen to an entire game he announces, you will know more about what REALLY happens in a baseball game than you ever thought possible. SMOLTZY SIDE NOTE: I took my son to an Astros-Cardinals game in 2009, in Smoltzy's last season. We got there early for batting practice. Who was shagging balls in the outfield with all the rookies? Smoltzy! And he was having so much fun. I told my son to take note, because that's what it looks like when a person totally enjoys his occupation. I will always remember that little display of pure awesomeness!

4. Rich Hill. That guy was DEALING. He pitched the game of his life. He should have been left in, and everyone but Dave Roberts knew it. Congrats to Hill on awesome pitching

5. Justin Verlander. He was just as good, save for two litle mistakes that each went about 400 feet. If it goes 6 games, Verlander will be starting again in LA about a week from now. He won't make those mistakes again, I promise you

6. Justin Verlander shouting. Wasn't that great! And despite what Joe Buck said, I am about 100% sure that Verlander wasn't shouting at the team, trying to fire them up. He was shouting as closer Ken Giles for blowing the game. Awesome! That's what Giles needs, IMO

7. The ball off the cap. Are you KIDDING me?!? That was the whole game! If the ball gets past Taylore, or karoms past Joc Pederson, that's two runs and probably a Verlander complete game victory. Craziest play I've ever seen! Except for maybe...

8. Yasiel Puig doing his best Moises Alou imitation. Wow, what an effort! And what a reaction! This alone is worth Googling. In fact, I just did. No internet youths have yet to post a gif of it but give it time. Google "Puig glove throw gif" in a couple of hours and enjoy the passion! I love Puig!

9. George Freaking Springer. His bat finally woke up, and boy did it ever! Please stay awake, George Springer's Bat. We have to have you!

10. Marwin Gonzalez's choke...UP! Watch the replay of his 9th inning dinger. He was choked up about 2 inches! Clearly he was not thinking home run. He was just trying to get on base. And yet, 383 feet later, game tied! Incredible!

11. Will Harris. Probably a forgotten man but his pitching was game-saving. Hat's off to Harris!

12. Brian McCann. The veteran has made all the difference. He calls a great game, his defense on throws to the plate cannot be matched and most importantly, he knows how to calm a pitcher down. Although his bat has already gone on vacation, there's not another catcher I'd rather have right now than McCann. He's head, shoulders and everything else above both Dodgers catchers

13. A. J. Hinch. When the initial playoffs roster was announced and starting pticher Colin McHugh was left off the ALDS roster, many people were puzzled. Heck I was one, too. But I told my friends, "The man has got us this far. I'm going to trust he knows what he's doing". Boy, does he ever! And it's the things he doesn't do that are just as important. He never freaked out over Springer, Reddick or Gonzalez's slumps. And he won't freak out over Giles's performance. He knows how to keep a player's confidence up and that is what matters. But he's smart, too. Unless you follow the Astros closely, you wouldn't notice what I'm about to tell you. It's this - the most important decision Hinch has made is moving McCann from 8th in the order to 6th. This give us a 7-8-9 of Gonzalez (our leading RBI guy); Reddick; and the DH (likely Evan Gattis). Then you turn to the top of the order and you have 35-home-run guy George Springer. I like this a LOT and promise you that it will lead to many runs in the games in Houston

14. And finally, Chris Devensky. He had The Look. Forget about that homerun Culberson hit. And especially forget about Culberson's bush league home run trot (although the Astros won't, I assure you). Devensky was NAILS. He had the look of a viper, didn't he? Dude gives up a home run and then strikes out the Dodgers' best hitter on a cutter in the dirt. THAT was the unhittable Devensky opposing hitters saw most of the regular season. If he's on, our bullpen is going to be hard to beat

So now we go back to Houston tied 1-1. Three days from now, everything I wrote above might have been in vain. But for now, I am enjoying it. Go Astros!

.

[Edited 10/26/17 8:01am]

John Farrell, Dusty Baker, and now Joe Girardi are all not returning to manage their playoff teams next year. Brutal.

Today's game and starting pitchers:

WORLD SERIES:

LOS ANGELES DODGERS VS. HOUSTON ASTROS

Los Angeles (Yu Darvish, 10-12, 3.86 ERA) at Houston (Lance McCullers Jr., 7-4, 4.25 ERA), 8:00 pm ET, FOX

WS Game 3: HOU 5, LAD 3

W: Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0, 5.06 ERA)

L: Yu Darvish (0-1, 21.60 ERA)