MLB ALDS Game 4 and NLDS Game 3s Recap

It could be one of the last multi-game days of baseball action until 2024, as the Diamondbacks and Astros have a chance to clinch LCS berths tonight, with the Phillies getting the chance to do the same for tomorrow. We’ll be updating this all evening as the action goes down.

NL Division Series Game 3: Philadelphia Phillies 10, Atlanta Braves 2
The Phillies seized a 2-1 series lead with a bang at Citizen’s Bank Park, giving Atlanta a taste of their own medicine by smacking six home runs, including a pair of dongs each from Bryce Harper and Nicholas Castellanos, on the way to a 10-2 win. Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh also homered, and Aaron Nola gave the home side 5 2⁄3 solid innings, allowing a pair of manufactured runs. Atlanta, who tied the MLB home run record with 307 round-trippers in the regular season, failed to hit one for the second time in three games this series after doing so just 18 times from April to October. Bryce Elder lasted just 2 2⁄3 innings on the bump for Atlanta, getting shelled for six runs, all earned, along the way. Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia picked up the RBIs on the only two Atlanta runs.

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AL Division Series Game 4: Houston Astros 3. Minnesota Twins 2
Houston clinched their incredible seventh consecutive ALCS berth, dispatching the Twins 3-2 on the back of 5 ²⁄₃ two-run innings from José Urquidy, who threw just 63 innings all year. Rocco Baldelli surprised observers — and presumably Twins fans — by pulling starter Joe Ryan after just two innings, in which he gave up a solo home run to Michael Brantley to tie the game after Royce Lewis had put Minnesota ahead with yet another bomb. Whether it was the right move is debatable; Brock Stewart, Chris Paddack, Griffn Jax, and Jhoan Duran combined for 6 ¹⁄₃ scoreless innings of relief, but the two runs allowed in ²⁄₃ innings by Caleb Thielbar ultimately did them in. Those two runs came courtesy of a familiar face, as it was a two-run homer from José Abreu that gave the Astros their final run total, just enough for the win. Ryan Pressly pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th career postseason save, all with the Astros since coming over from the Twins at the 2018 trade deadline.

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NL Division Series Game 3: Arizona Diamondbacks 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
The Astros weren’t the only team to punch their ticket to the next round, as the Diamondbacks polished off a sweep of the Dodgers to make it five straight wins since sneaking into the postseason. Abreu wasn’t the only familiar face making an appearance tonight, as Lance Lynn got the elimination game start for the Dodgers. Unfortunately for them, the home run troubles that have plagued Lynn all season long manifested at the worst possible time, giving up not one, not two, not three, but four solo home runs in the third inning, being victimized by Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, and Gabriel Moreno, respectively. In spirit, he actually gave up five, as Moreno actually had a foul ball that was initially called a home run overturned before actually sending one deep on the next pitch. Those would be the only runs Arizona could muster all game, but it was more than enough, as a pair of late manufactured runs were all the Dodgers could manage. They’ll now head home early after yet another fruitless 100-win season, while the Diamondbacks will prepare for their first NLCS since 2001 against either Atlanta or Philadelphia.

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