MLB Postseason Recap

The ALCS and NLCS both saw some action last night, with strong performances from the leading teams.

The Kansas City Royals now lead the ALCS 3-1 after blowing out the Toronto Blue Jays 14-2 . The Royals had two home runs by the second inning and scored four runs in the first, one in the second, four in the seventh, three in the eighth, and two in the ninth.

The Royals were also strong on the mound, allowing only seven hits, two walks, and earning eight strikeouts.

Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez will get his first start since Game 1 of the ALCS, and will hopefully overcome the difficulties he’s had so far in the postseason. Volquez allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in Game 3 of the ALDS, but held the Blue Jays to only two hits in his last trip to the mound.

“I’ve got to execute my pitches and keep the ball down,” says Volquez, “I have to stick with the plan and just pitch in and out and be consistent. I have to stay aggressive with that and see what happens.”

“It’s not a cookie cutter game.” said Royals manager Ned Yost, “You just don’t know what you’re going to get until you get out there, find out what’s working, how your command is, and if you’re duplicating your mechanics and being able to repeat.”

Game 5 of the ALCS will be tonight, and the Royals will return to the World Series with a win.

 

The New York Mets are leading the Chicago Cubs 3-0 in the NLCS, after a 5-2 victory. New York’s Daniel Murphy hit a home run for the fifth straight game, bringing his postseason total to six, when he went long in the third inning. Murphy tied the home run record set in 2004 by Houston’s Carlos Beltran.

“I wish I could explain it, I would have done it like six years ago.” says Murphy when asked about his success hitting recently, “I wish I could explain it, but I can’t. This is just a lot of fun right now.”

Chicago scored both runs off homers, but the Mets were able to score off multiple opportunities. The Cubs allowed 11 hits and five runs while the Mets gave up five hits. Chicago used seven pitchers in the loss, as opposed to New York’s three.

“We got our backs up against a wall,” says Chicago catcher Kyle Schwarber, “but we’re going to still keep fighting until the end, and just keep battling and grinding until the last pitch.”

Game 4 of the NLCS will be tonight, and the Mets could make their first World Series appearance in 15 years with a win.