Chicago began the day with a chance to host the game, needing a victory and a Pirates loss.
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After winning AL West titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999, the Rangers lost each time in the division series to the New York Yankees. The Rangers won each of his last 10 starts as they roared past the Astros to win the AL West by two games. In 2013, there was the disappointment of losing the wild card tie-breaker to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Houston is going to the playoffs for the first time in a decade despite the Astros ending the regular season with a 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They were suffocated at the plate, as Hamels went all the way through the ninth, dropping a complete game domination on the visiting Halos; a swift, but grisly, coup de grace from the season’s final boss.
The Rangers weren’t so fortunate as the Astros ace settled in the third, backed by a Jake Marisnick two-RBI double off Perez in the bottom of the second, retiring 15 straight Rangers until a Mike Napoli single in the seventh inning. The Cubs did their part, sweeping Milwaukee for the third time this season. They beat the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and lost to the Giants past year, so they’ve got direct experience – if it was really needed – of just what this game means. David Price will start for the Jays in game one of the AL Division Series against the Rangers on Thursday. Instead, Houston will play the New York Yankees in Tuesday night’s wild-card game.
Texas Rangers’ Hanser Alberto runs onto the field after the final…
Kershaw finished with 301 strikeouts.
CHICAGO – Anthony Gose, Tyler Collins and Daniel Norris will head into the offseason on a positive note after leading the Tigers to a shutout win.
Hamels went to the mound and promptly gave up a two-run home run.
On August 1, they were eight games out of first place. Richards will be taking only his second career turn on short rest but has been spectacular in 17 career appearances (13 starts) against the Rangers, going 9-1 with a 3.10 ERA. The win secured home field advantage throughout the postseason for the Royals. Home games for the ALDS will be October 11 & 12.
Next up, the Rangers are headed to Toronto for the American League Division Series.
PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies avoided franchise infamy with a win in their season finale. Like their old NL Central rival, the Cubs deliberately chucked several seasons away as they rebuilt a team that had got old and expensive, and have climbed back into competitiveness earlier than most expected.
ATLANTA – Braves right-hander Shelby Miller ended his four-month winless drought by throwing eight shutout innings in the first game of a doubleheader at Turner Field.
Kershaw allowed 2 hits and no walks on 60 pitches over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He threw 110 pitches. For the second game in a row both Choo and Fielder had multiple RBIs.
When Pujols gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the first, Texas fans, a hearty and dedicated group who have endured more than their share of heartbreak over the years, had to be wondering if this would be the latest example of the Rangers breaking their hearts.
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Upping the Camera ComplementESPN’s 34-camera complement will include four Sony HDC-4300 4K/high-speed cameras (two running at 360 fps, two at 240 fps), which were standard on Sunday Night Baseball shows this season, as well as an NAC/Ikegami Hi-Motion II unit added specifically for the Wild Card Game.
