Dodgers move on as other series heat up

The Los Angeles Dodgers, left for dead in late June, are the first team to reach the 2013 League Championship Series after Juan Uribe’s two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 4 of their NLDS tilt with the Atlanta Braves. The other series were also on the field Monday and there was plenty of intensity and excitement in all three parks.

Atlanta Braves (3) at Los Angeles Dodgers (4) – Dodgers win series 3-1

• Uribe couldn’t lay down a sac bunt during the at-bat which ended with his homer.
• Clayton Kershaw was a late decision to start over Ricky Nolasco on three days’ rest. He did the job – 6 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 R (both unearned) and 6 K.
• Atlanta’s Freddy Garcia kept his team in the game scattering eight hits and allowing two earned runs across six innings.
• Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig hit .500 and .471 respectively for the series.
• The Dodgers mashed 18 extra-base hits in the series.
• David Carpenter, the Braves’ eight inning setup man had a tough series – 2.2 IP, 4 ER & 2 HR allowed.

Oakland Athletics (6) at Detroit Tigers (3) – Athletics lead series 2-1

• Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez allowed 3 home runs in six innings yesterday – he had given up just nine homers through the entire regular season (182 IP).
• Seth Smith, who has great numbers against Sanchez, rocked a two-run homer giving the A’s a 6-3 lead and knocked the Tigers’ righty from the game.
• The Tigers have yet to homer in the series and own a .515 team OPS.
• Benches cleared in the bottom of the ninth as A’s closer Grant Balfour jawed with Tigers DH Victor Martinez, exchanging expletives about what each of them was staring at…

Today's Game 4 Probables
Athletics – Dan Straily (12-9, 3.94 ERA)
Tigers – Doug Fister (14-9, 3.67 ERA)

St. Louis Cardinals (2) at Pittsburgh Pirates (1) – Series tied 2-2

• Michael Wacha tossed 7.1 innings of one-run ball and flirted with a no-hitter. He struck out nine batters.
• Trevor Rosenthal earned the save, getting Andrew McCutchen to pop out as the Pirates outfielder represented the winning run with two out in the ninth.
• Wacha (22 years old), Rosenthal (22) and Carlos Martinez (23), the Cardinals pitchers in Game 4, are all rookies by definition.
• Pedro Alvarez hit his third home run of the series for the Pirates.
• The series shifts back to St. Louis where Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has a decision to make about his starting pitcher. Adam Wainwright will start for the Redbirds.

Boston Red Sox (4) at Tampa Bay Rays (5) – Red Sox lead series 2-1

• Evan Longoria, who turned 28 Monday, launched a game-tying three-run home run off Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz in the bottom half of the fifth which energized the Rays.
• Fernando Rodney, making his first appearance in the series, blew the save opportunity in the ninth.
• Rays catcher Jose Lobaton took the virtually invincible Red Sox closer Koji Uehara deep for a two-out game-ending home run.
• Alex Cobb, who also celebrated his birthday yesterday (he’s 26), worked five innings allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. He struck out five.
• Jacoby Ellsbury is 8-for-14 with six runs scored and three stolen bases in the series.
• Tampa Bay is 4-0 in elimination games this season.

Today's Game 4 Probables
Red Sox – Jake Peavy (12-5, 4.17 ERA)
Rays – Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 5.17 ERA)

Can the Tigers and Rays extend their series or will there be more champagne celebrations tonight?

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