Dodgers seal home edge throughout ML Series
RED sox BACK-To-BACK AL EAST CHAMPs
DENVER – The Los Angeles Dodgers secured home-field advantage throughout the Major League Baseball playoffs Saturday by beating Colorado 5-3 on a night when the Rockies clinched their first postseason appearance since 2009. It was the Dodgers’ 103rd win of the season, the most since the team moved to Los Angeles. At 103-58, they’re assured of the best record in baseball. Healing from a sore knee, Chris Taylor drove in the goahead run with a groundout in the seventh after Tyler Chatwood (8-15) hit both Yasiel Puig and Chase Utley to start the inning. Puig finished 2 for 2 with a homer, walk and four runs. Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo homer off Clayton Kershaw for the Rockies, who officially wrapped up the second NL wild card spot when St. Louis rallied to beat Milwaukee earlier in the day.
Brandon Morrow (6-0) picked up the win, and Kenley Jansen earned his 41st save on his 30th birthday.
In Boston, David Price came on in relief of Drew Pomeranz and stopped a dangerous seventh-inning rally to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros, 6-3, and clinch the first back-to-back AL East titles in franchise history.
The Red Sox avoided the possibility of a one-game tiebreaker with the rival Yankees, and instead left them with a wild-card spot. Boston also set up an immediate rematch with the Astros in the playoffs.
In St. Louis, Milwaukee was eliminated from playoff contention when it squandered a sixrun lead in a 6-7 loss to St. Louis, handing baseball’s final postseason spot to Colorado.
Brewers reliever Anthony Swarzak (6-4) gave up a tying, two-run single to Stephen Piscotty in the eighth inning and a go-ahead single to Harrison Bader. Milwaukee tried to rally in the ninth, but Brett Phillips struck out with a runner on second to end it.
Milwaukee’s loss clinched the second NL wild card for Colorado.