Major League Baseball

MLB Recap: Rays Push Yankees to Brink

Updated Oct. 8, 2020 10:29 a.m. ET

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The National League and American League Divisional Series clashes rolled on Wednesday, with all four series in action and plenty of intrigue across the board.

Here is a recap from Wednesday's NLDS and ALDS series:

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A's avoid sweep

The Oakland A's are still kicking in their Divisional Series against the Houston Astros, thanks to some timely hitting and a herculean effort from closer Liam Hendriks.

The first inning set the tone for the game, with both teams getting on the board via solo home runs. 

The Astros would add another in the inning before the A's went to town with a series of solo jacks in the second, fourth and fifth innings, giving themselves a 4-2 lead. 

Houston then responded in a big way, putting up five runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 7-4 advantage.

After a scoreless sixth, the A's knotted things back up in the seventh with a three-run shot off the bat of Chad Pinder, his second home run of the series. Oakland then brought in closer Liam Hendriks for a 1-2-3 bottom half to staunch any designs on a Houston riposte in the inning.

The A's followed that up with a pair of sacrifice flies in a pivotal eighth inning, which saw the first two Astros reach base safely after Oakland took a 9-7 lead.

With runners on second and third with two outs, Houston called on pinch-hitter Josh Reddick to come through in the clutch, but Hendriks sat him down with a swinging strikeout.  

In the bottom of the ninth, Oakland again turned to Hendriks to earn a three-inning save against the top of the Astros lineup. The 31-year-old did just that, dispatching George Springer, Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley to give the A's an ALDS lifeline.

Braves leave Marlins offense floundering

Atlanta's pitching staff, headlined by starter Ian Anderson, shut out Miami, 2-0, on Wednesday to take a commanding two-game lead in their NLDS.

Dansby Swanson and Travis d'Arnaud hit home runs for the second time in as many days, but the Braves on the mound stole the show.

Dansby Swanson opens up Braves scoring with second inning solo shot

Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson blasted a home run to left field in the second inning of NLDS Game 2 against the Miami Marlins. His lone run held up in the Braves' 2-0 shutout win over the Marlins.

Anderson, a rookie, pitched five and 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk while fanning eight Marlins. 

Coupled with his scoreless performance in the Wild Card, Anderson's start to his postseason career has him in some esteemed company.

Once Anderson gave way to Darren O'Day, the Marlins mounted a threat after loading the bases with two out. The veteran reliever wiggled out of the jam, though, getting Matt Joyce to ground out harmlessly to first.

Watch the Atlanta Braves move within one win of a berth in the NLCS

The Atlanta Braves became just the third team in baseball history to record three shutouts in their first four postseason games with a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Watch them record the final out and move within one win of a spot in the National League Championship Series.

The Marlins would have another glimmer of hope in the eighth inning, but a brilliant play from Braves rightfielder Nick Markakis flipped momentum back in Atlanta's favor.

In the ninth, closer Mark Melancon sealed the deal with a routine save to give the Braves a significant 2-0 series lead.

Of note: In 39 innings the Braves have pitched this postseason, 36 of them have been scoreless. That's something they can hang their hats on, unlike, perhaps, Anderson's less-than-flattering nickname:

Rays bomb the Yankees

Tampa Bay Bombers – does that work?

Kevin Kiermaier three-run homer gives Rays 4-1 lead over Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier's three-run tie-breaking home run was the turning point in ALDS Game 3 as Tampa cruised to an 8-4 win over the New York Yankees to take a 2-1 series lead.

Nickname aside, the Rays took down the Bronx Bombers on Wednesday, using the Yankees' best weapon against them – the long ball. 

Tampa Bay hit three home runs en route to an 8-4 win over New York, taking a 2-1 lead in the ALDS series and putting the Yankees on the brink of elimination. 

Homers by centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier in the fourth inning, Randy Arozarena in the fifth inning and catcher Michael Perez in the sixth inning accounted for six of Tampa Bay's six runs. 

Before Wednesday, the Yankees had scored 36 runs in just four playoff games, but Game 3 of the ALDS represented their lowest run total of the postseason.

New York's one homer on Wednesday – a two-run shot in the eighth inning by Giancarlo Stanton, who has now homered in five consecutive games – is their lowest home run total of the postseason.

Giancarlo Stanton breaks MLB record with homer in fifth straight game to start postseason

With his eighth-inning two-run homer, New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton became the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in each of his first five playoff games in a particular season. Stanton has six home runs in five games this postseason, but his Yankees fell to the Rays and now trail in the ALDS, 2-1.

Dodgers win feisty foray

An interesting celebration created an interesting shouting match during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 6-5 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

It began with Cody Bellinger absolutely robbing Fernando Tatis Jr. of a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, a shot that would have given the Padres a one-run lead. 

Cody Bellinger robs Fernando Tatis Jr. of go-ahead home run, Dodgers keep 4-3 lead

In the play of the MLB postseason so far, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger scaled the centerfield wall and robbed San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. of what would have been a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning.

Bellinger's excellence sparked this celebration from Dodgers pitcher Brusdar Graterol.

And Graterol's joy was met with harsh criticism from Padres superstar Manny Machado, which then called for LA first baseman Max Muncy to join the soiree. 

Maybe the entire episode was sparked by this bat flip from Machado in the sixth inning, after he cut the Dodgers' lead to 4-2 after this solo shot.

Needless to say, this NL West rivalry being played out in the NLDS was bound to see fireworks, but for how much longer is the question.

The Dodgers now own a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, and the boys in blue are on an 8-game winning streak dating back to the regular season.

In addition, Los Angeles has yet to lose in the playoffs and have won 14 of their last 16 games, also dating back to the regular season.

Nick Swisher recaps a wild MLB postseason day as four teams move to brink of NLCS, ALCS

Nobody has clinched yet, but Thursday will feature an elimination game in every series after a crazy third day of Divisional Series games. Watch Nick Swisher recap it all for you in just 60 seconds.

Enter the NFL Challenge contest on the FOX Super 6 app for free and you can win the $100,000 jackpot! Download now at foxsuper6.com!

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