A’s advance for 1st time since ’06 postseason
The Athletics ended 14 years of postseason futility, riding Chad Pinder’s go-ahead, two-run single in the fifth inning and repeated costly walks by White Sox relievers to rally for a 6-4 home win Thursday and win the decisive third game of their AL wild-card round series.
The AL West champions lost the opener, then won on consecutive days and advanced to the ALDS against the rival Astros starting Monday in Los Angeles. The winner of that matchup faces the rk Yankees or Rays for a spot in the World Series.
Sean Murphy hit a two-run homer in the fourth against Codi Heuer as wives and families cheered from suites high above the diamond.
The A’s stopped a nine-game losing streak in winner-take-all postseason games, a major league record that dated to the 1973 World Series. The A’s had lost six straight playoff series since sweeping the Twins in the 2006 ALDS only to get swept by the Tigers in the ALCS.
And what a relief for manager Bob Melvin’s slugging, happy-go-lucky A’s bunch that won 97 games each of the last two seasons only to lose the division to the Astros and then the AL wild card game both years.
This one was never comfortable — even after the White Sox lost DHEloy Jimenez and reliever Garrett Crochet to early injuries.
Lou Trivino allowed the first two batters to reach in the seventh, hitting James McCann with a pitch. First baseman Matt Olson ran 98 feet to make a magnificent catch in foul territory for the second out, then Jake Diekman relieved and loaded the bases with a walk to Nomar Mazara before getting Adam Engel’s groundout.
Opening-day starter in July, Frankie Montas pitched two innings for the win.
Liam Hendriks gave up McCann’s leadoff single in the ninth and closed out the game, a day after failing to do so.
Cubs-Marlins pushed back: The Cubs are counting on Yu Darvish to help them avoid a playoff sweep by the Marlins.
They are going to have to wait another day to see if Darvish can deliver.
Game 2 of the NL wild-card series between the Cubs and Marlins was postponed Thursday because there was rain in the forecast.
The Marlins were taking batting practice under sunny skies at Wrigley Field in Chicago when the game was pushed back. The teams will meet Friday, with rookie Sixto Sanchez pitching for the Marlins. If Game 3 is needed, it would be played Saturday. The Marlins won 5-1 in the opener Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Darvish was a steady presence for the Cubs throughout the pandemic-shortened season, joining the NL Cy Young Award conversation. A four-time All-Star with the Rangers, he tied the Indians’ Shane Bieber for the major league lead with eight wins and was second in the NL to the Reds’ Trevor Bauer with a 2.01 ERA.
“Last year, you could really see it click for him, just kind of getting after it a little bit and not being so fine,” veteran Jon Lester said. “I think he felt comfortable with where he was at, physically, getting situated here in Chicago.
“You could really see him go out there with a peace of mind and just compete and pitch. When you allow a person with how much talent he has to do that, you’re seeing what you could get.”
The Cubs are getting exactly what they expected when they signed Darvish to a six-year, $126 million deal prior to the 2018 season. It just took longer than anticipated.
He struggled through elbow and triceps injuries in his first season-anda-half with the Cubs. But he started pitching like his old self down the stretch last year. And he is a big reason why the Cubs are in the postseason for the fifth time in six years after missing out in 2019.
A sharp outing by Darvish could extend the series and give Lester at least one more start at Wrigley Field as a member of the Cubs.