MLB

2021 MLB playoffs: Red Sox advance to the ALCS in a big way

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Bybmalandrone

Oct 11, 2021
9:50 PM ET

The wildly dramatic — and sometimes controversial — 2021 MLB playoffs continue Monday with a tripleheader.

To catch you up, the Boston Red Sox took a 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays after winning a 13-inning game with a walk-off homer from Christian Vazquez on Sunday. In Sunday’s other AL division series, the Chicago White Sox got their first win, beating the Houston Astros, who lead the series 2-1.

The Atlanta Braves got today’s action going with a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers (Atlanta leads 2-1) ahead of Game 3 between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers (tied 1-1).

Game 4 of the Astros-White Sox series was postponed due to rain. It is scheduled to now be played on Tuesday. Ready for a day with high-stakes October baseball? Here’s the best from Monday’s games:

Braves 3, Brewers 0

Braves lead series 2-1

Whether it’s the Braves’ pitching, the Brewers’ hitting or, most likely, a combination of both, the bottom line is the same: Milwaukee must figure out some way to generate some offense, or its season will end with Game 4 on Tuesday.

All three games in the Atlanta-Milwaukee division series have followed the same script. The starting pitchers for both sides put up zeros, the bullpens mostly do their jobs and the outcomes are determined by one or two key offensive sequences. The Braves converted their best scoring opportunity in Monday’s Game 3, the Brewers did not, and Atlanta grabbed a 2-1 lead in the series with a 3-0 win.

Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta and Atlanta counterpart Ian Anderson both were dealing in the early innings, and both were removed for pinch hitters in the fifth inning, because their teams both put two runners on base and runs have been oh-so-hard to come by in this series.

While the Brewers’ second-and-third, one-out threat in the top of the fifth fizzled, the Braves’ two-on, none-out surge in the bottom of the fifth did not, as Atlanta manager Brian Snitker was able to exploit what has emerged as a highly favorable matchup for Atlanta.

In Game 1, Adrian Houser, working in relief, gave up a solo homer to pinch hitter Joc Pederson in the late innings, the only run the Braves scored in that contest. With two runners on, Anderson due up and Houser again on in relief, Snitker sent Pederson up again. And, again, it worked: Pederson clubbed a three-run, pinch-hit bomb to right field that accounted for the only scoring in the game.

So here we are, three games in, and the Brewers have scored two runs total in the series. Over their last seven postseason games, Milwaukee has gone 1-6 and scored a total of eight runs in those seven games. It’s a nasty trend for the Brewers, one that they have about 24 hours to curb or else their season will come to a very quiet end. — Bradford Doolittle

According to ESPN’s Stats & Information, the Braves are now 6-3 in the postseason at Truist Park (opened in 2017), winning four straight dating back to 2019.

Atlanta will seek to close out the NLDS having lost 10 of their last 13 potential series-clinchers since losing the 1999 World Series.

It’s Joctoberfest in Game 3. And, apparently, Joc Pederson hit that pinch-hit homer with former Chicago Cubs teammate Anthony Rizzo‘s bat.

Brewers left fielder Christian Yelich showing off the arm.

The Brewers and Braves have arrived in style.

Red Sox 6, Rays 5

Boston advanced past the Rays thanks to Enrique Hernandez driving in the go-ahead run via a sac fly.

Tampa Bay found its groove in the 8th and pulled even with Boston thanks to a pair of timely bats.

A home run in the 6th by rookie shortstop Wander Franco drew the Rays closer to the Red Sox and joined him with some distinct company.

Boston appears quite committed to keep Devers’ moving in the right direction.

The Red Sox took control in the third inning beginning with a 3-run homer by Rafael Devers. Alex Verdugo drove in Xander Bogaerts via double before scoring his own run to give Boston a 5-0 lead.

The outburst drew approval from a couple notable Red Sox fans.

Hunter Renfroe didn’t take long to get fans on their feet with this web gem.

Boston bling alert.

Giants at Dodgers

Evan Longoria put San Francisco on the board with his 10th career postseason homer. It marks his first since Game 3 of the 2013 ALDS with the Rays.

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