Dodgers Beat Braves on Uribe's 8th Inning Homer to Advance to N.L.C.S.

Here’s your morning baseball briefing for Tuesday October 8, 2013:

Monday Results

	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
Oakland 6, Detroit 3	Parker (1-0)	Sanchez (0-1)	Balfour (1)

 Oakland used three home runs (Reddick, Moss & S. Smith) to beat the Tigers in Detroit and take a 2-1 series lead.

	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
St. Louis 2, Pittsburgh 1	Wacha (1-0)	Morton (0-1)	Rosenthal (1)

St. Louis rookie pitcher Michael Wacha took a no-hitter into the eighth and was backed by outfielder Matt Holiday’s two-run home run as the Cardinals evened the series at two to force a winner-take-all Game 5.

	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
at Tampa Bay 5, Boston 4	Rodney (1-0)	Uehara (0-1)	None

Tampa Bay blew a one-run ninth inning lead but erased it in their half of the ninth when catcher Jose Lobaton blasted a walk-off home run to center off Boston closer Koji Uehara that saved the Rays season and forced a Game 4. Boston leads the best-of-five series 2-1.

	WIN	LOSS	SAVE
LA Dodgers 4, Atlanta 3	Wilson (1-0)	Carpenter (0-1)	Jansen (1)

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly changed his starting pitcher just hours before game time as he gave the ball to ace Clayton Kershaw in what proved to be the deciding game of the series as third baseman Juan Uribe smashed a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth that ended Atlanta’s season and propelled Los Angeles into the National League Championship Series.

Schedule (Times EST)

Today 10/8:  All series best of five.

5:07pm – Game 4 A.L.D.S. Oakland (Straily 10-8) @ Detroit (Fister 14-8)

Oakland leads series 2-1

8:37pm – Game 4 A.L.D.S. Boston (Peavy 12-5) @ Tampa Bay (Hellickson 12-10)

Boston leads series 2-1

Predictions:  Detroit, Tampa Bay

Playoff Predictions Overall:  11-6

History

2003 World Series – New York Yankees vs. Florida Marlins

          The 2003 World Series marked the 100th anniversary of the World Series, but was only the 98th as a result of the 1904 Series being boycotted by the New York Giants and the cancellation of the 1994 Series due to a players strike.  The 2003 Fall Classic featured the New York Yankees in their sixth Series appearance in eight years, against the Florida Marlins, who made their second Series in their eleven year existence, having won in 1997 against Cleveland. 

          New York had home field advantage in the series and the teams split the first two games at Yankee Stadium, with Florida winking Game 1 by a 3-2 margin and the Yankees taking Game 2 with a 6-1 win.  In that win, Yankees outfielder Hideki Matusi homered to become the first Japanese player to hit a home run in the World Series.

          Miami hosted the middle games of the series in the sweltering heat, and the Yankees busted open a 2-1 lead in the ninth when they scored four runs, including a three-run shot from center fielder Bernie Williams that broke the all-time postseason home run record at 19 for any player.  New York won the game 6-1 and held a 2-1 series lead.

          In Game 4, New York trailed 3-1 in the ninth when Ruben Sierra tripled in the two tying runs to force extra innings, where Florida shortstop Alex Gonzalez sent everyone home in the bottom of the twelfth inning with a walk-off solo home run off Yankees pitcher Jeff Weaver that barely cleared the left field fence that tied the series 2-2.

          In pivotal Game 5 New York did not appear sharp.  They botched a rundown play in the fifth inning that led to two unearned runs.  Slumping Alfonso Soriano was benched, Jason Giambi nursed a leg injury, and starter David Wells left after one inning citing back spasms.  The night before Wells was interviewed and asked what exercises he does to stay in shape.  The rotund pitcher replied with the phrase “12 oz. curls,” meaning he just drinks beer.  Those words came back to haunt him and Yankee fans cited his out of shape figure as the reason he couldn’t reach the second inning of an extremely important fifth game of the World Series.  The Marlins won the game 6-4 and held a 3-2 series lead as the teams traveled north to finish the season.

          Game 6 in the New York marked the 100th World Series game played in the Bronx, and Florida starter Josh Beckett quieted the crowd with a masterful complete game shutout, holding New York to just five hits in the 2-0 Marlins win.  It was the first complete game shutout in the final game of the World Series since Minnesota pitcher Jack Morris shutout the Atlanta Braves in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.  Florida celebrated their second World Series title and they became the first National League team since the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series in Yankee Stadium.

          For the series, New York outscored Florida 21-17 and were outhit 54-47.  No current Hall of Famers played in the series.

Tomorrow:  2004 World Series – Boston Red Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Trivia

Today’s Question:  The Yankees signed first baseman Jason Giambi to a huge 6-year contract before the 2003 season.  How many World Series titles did Giambi win with New York?

Yesterday’s Question:  Of the top 5 all-time home run leaders – Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Alex Rodriguez, which player never won a World Series title?

Answer:  Barry Bonds, who played in and lost just one World Series in 2002.

House Bet

Today:  Over/Under 33,000 fans in attendance for Tampa Bay in what could be there final game of the season.

Monday:  Over/Under combined 40 runs scored in the all four games today.

Result:  Under.  The teams combined to score 28 runs in all four games.