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Yesterday's Playoff Games
Royals rally against Blue Jays, win Game 2 | MLB.com
In a short playoff series, winning your home games isn't as important as winning the games in which you have an advantage in starters. The Blue Jays head home down 0-2, which doesn't sound catatrospic (they lost the first two games of the ALDS at home and still won the series), but yesterday's loss was a gigantic missed opportunity that they may not recover from. It was shades of Houston blowing a late lead in Game 4 of the ALDS, and this time it was yet again a defensive miscue that let loose a torrent of Kansas City base hits. A popup hit to shallow right field that could have been caught by Goins or Bautista was caught by neither, and David Price, who going into that inning was on pace to pitch a postseason Maddux, would be pulled from the game after allowing the Royals to take a 4-3 lead. The Royals would tack a couple more for good measure, and held Toronto scoreless to complete the shocker.
One other note: with a good throw, Jose Bautista could have thrown out Eric Hosmer at the plate to keep the tying run off the board, but his throw was well off. Had that play been made, the Blue Jays would have escaped the inning with the lead.
Matt Harvey leads Mets vs. Cubs in NLCS Game 1 | MLB.com
Harvey held the Cubs' prolific offense to two runs in 7.2 innings, and the Mets scraped together four runs off Jon Lester to clinch Game 1. Daniel Murphy once again was a hero, hitting another home run (off a left-hander to boot) and made a game-ending diving stop. Curtis Granderson, who had a magical season, drove in two runs, one on a single to give the Mets the lead, one on a sacrifice fly to drive in run #4. Yoenis Cespedes went 0-for-4, but he made a key throw in the fifth inning to keep the score tied.
It wasn't one of his best throws, but it was on line, and that gave Travis d'Arnaud an opportunity to make the pick and swipe the tag on Starlin Castro.
Indians News
Indians' Cody Anderson reflects on rookie year | MLB.com
Cody is now a local celebrity in his hometown; he was the grand marshall in Quincy High School's homecoming parade this past Friday.
MLB News
Manny still being Manny: Ramirez lending his unique knowledge to Cubs’ hitters - The Washington Post
LGFT Manny Ramirez isn't yet an official hitting coach, but it's a matter of time until he is one.
"The game is still easy," Ramirez said. "All you got to do is pay attention to the game, and the game will tell you what the pitcher is trying to do to you. By you just watching the game and watching what he likes to do, that’s all it is."