Yanks’ Stanton red-hot
Slugger hits two more homers to give him five in four playoff games
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in all four of the team’s postseason games this year. He connected two straight days at Cleveland as New York swept the wild-card series, and has homered in each of the first two games against Tampa Bay at neutral site Petco Park in San Diego.
The oft-injured Stanton hit four homers in 23 games of the regular season. He hit three home runs in 18 games last year.
The two-time NL home run champion is from the Los Angeles area and says “that Socal air” is helping the ball fly. He hit a grand slam in the opener against the Rays, then connected in his first two at-bats in Game 2 of the AL Division Series.
Home on the range
Clayton Kershaw finally gets to pitch in an MLB game near his Texas home after 13 big league seasons and three NL Cy Young Awards with the Los Angeles Dodgers, except there won’t be a full flock of family and fans in the stands, and the stadium isn’t the same one he used to go to as a kid.
Kershaw starts Game 2 of the NL Division Series for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres in the Texas Rangers’ new stadium, which is less than 25 miles from where he grew up, went to high school and still lives.
“It’s definitely different to be in Dallas and have to stay in a hotel,” Kershaw said.
The Dodgers have played four regular season series in Arling
ton since Kershaw’s big league debut in 2008. None of those 10 games matched up with Kershaw’s turn in the rotation, including in late August this season.
Kershaw said he used to get to go to a handful of games each year with some friends who had tickets on the second level right above the third base visitors’ dugout at the old ballpark. While he never got to pitch there, he said it was special just being part of games on the field where he used to watch his favorite players.
He wears No. 22 because of former Rangers first baseman Will Clark.
If the Dodgers advance to the NL Championship Series or World Series, fans will be allowed at those games.
“It’s even more reason to make it to the next round, so people can come and watch,” he said.
Some family members will be permitted at the game, but not a full complement.
Clevinger out
Mike Clevinger’s return to the mound for the San Diego Padres was done after two pitches in the second inning of the NL Division Series opener.
Clevinger missed the first round of the playoffs because of an elbow impingement, but was on the Padres’ 28-player roster for the NL Division Series and started Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After walking two batters and throwing a wild pitch in a scoreless first, Clevinger threw two balls to Cody Bellinger to start the second. Manager Jayce Tingler and an athletic trainer went to the mound, and after a brief conversation the pitcher left the game.
There was no immediate word on what happened to Clevinger, acquired from Cleveland in a nine-player trade on Aug. 31.
Clevinger was making only his second start since a two-hit shutout in a seven-inning complete game Sept. 13. He left after the first inning of his last regular season start on Sept 23.
He was 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in four starts in September.