Yankees sweep
Cards edge Braves, Scherzer sensational
New York punch ticket to ALCS after beating Twins in three games
LOS ANGELES: Gleyber Torres clubbed a second inning home run and made a couple of clutch defensive plays as the New York Yankees punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series by sweeping the Minnesota Twins 3-0.
Torres, of Venezuela, started things off with a homer in the second and belted two doubles as the Yankees sent the Twins crashing out of the Major League Baseball play-offs with a dominant 5-1 win on Monday.
“I compete everytime, it doesn’t matter who is pitching,” the 22-yearold Torres said. “I just try to focus and do my job, going to home plate, getting a really good at bat, and keeping it simple.”
The Yankees advanced to the ALCS for the second time in three years as they outscored the Twins 23-7 in the best-of-five series.
Didi Gregorius hit two RBI singles for the Yankees, who extended their play-off winning streak over the Twins to 13 consecutive games.
“Our pitching did a great job,” said Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, who added an RBI single. “Anytime we get a little lead and turn it over to our bullpen we feel good about our chances.
“It is just a lot of fun. We got a young team they are pumped up about moving on.”
New York start the AL Championship Series on Saturday, at home against the Tampa Bay Rays or at the Houston Astros. Earlier on Monday, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier smashed a three-run homer to help power the Rays over Houston 10-3 to sustain their title hopes.
The hosts Rays pulled within 2-1 in the series and will host game four this morning (Thai time), when Houston’s Justin Verlander will pitch on short rest to seek a series-winning victory.
In St Louis, catcher Yadier Molina drove in the tying and winning runs to rally the Cardinals past Atlanta 5-4 in 10 innings and force a one-game showdown to advance in the play-offs.
The Cardinals pulled level at 2-2 in the series with the final game tomorrow (Thai time) in Atlanta, the winners advancing to the National League Championship Series.
St Louis second baseman Kolten Wong doubled down the left-field line off Atlanta reliever Julio Teheran in the 10th and Marcell Ozuna, who hit two home runs, reached on a fielder’s choice that moved Wong to third.
Molina, who had singled in the tying run in the eighth inning, then blasted a sacrifice fly to left field, sending Wong to home plate for the winning run.
“I was ready to hit the fastball and he gave it to me right down the middle,” said Molina, in his 93rd career playoff start. “We put some good at-bats together in the last inning and we got the win.”
Elsewhere, Max Scherzer pitched seven quality innings on a short rest and the Washington Nationals routed the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 to even their series 2-2.
The 35-year-old Scherzer allowed just one run on four hits and struck out seven for the Nationals, who forced a decisive game five in southern California.
Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer and Anthony Rendon drove in three runs. Right hander Scherzer threw 72 of his total 109 pitchers for strikes and walked three.
The Dodgers are trying to book a third straight trip to the NLCS.