AL and NLDS matchups from Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
HOUSTON VS CHICAGO:
Houston Astros’ skipper Dusty Baker told reporters after the fourth game of the club’s ALDS matchup with the Chicago White Sox was postponed by inclement weather in Chicago that he was happy with the league’s decisive action in making the call early.
“I really appreciate the swiftness that they — that the league office, you know, made this decision,” Baker explained, “and so that gives us time to do whatever you got to do. You know, it gives both sides a chance — another chance at resting their bullpen, but, you know, we’ll see the affects of it tomorrow.
“I just — I just didn’t relish the fact from being so long in Chicago that, you know, you can have extremely long rain delays, and hours of sitting around, you know, here waiting to play, so I think this is a good decision by the league.”
White Sox’ manager Tony LaRussa talked about the adjustments he’d make with the game a day later than originally scheduled.
“We just push [starter] Carlos [Rodon] back to tomorrow, and must-win, so we can get to Game 5,” LaRussa said, after dropping two of the first three games.
“That’s exciting, so I think — I don’t know what Houston is saying, but that game was so long and a quick turnaround. I think this is — makes for better baseball tomorrow.”
MILWAUKEE AT ATLANTA:
After the Astros and White Sox kick things off, the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves play the fourth game of their NLDS matchup after a 3-0 win yesterday gave Atlanta a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five series.
For a club that finished the first half of the season a game under .500, to now be a win away from the NLCS, after they went 44-28 in the second-half, and claimed a 4th straight NL East title, it’s been quite a journey.
“I told people even in June, in the first of July, I mean if you would have told me we’re going to be sitting here right now like this, just where we were, like I said, I don’t know if we were treading water, we had a straw going up through the base sucking air. We weren’t even at the top,” manager Brian Snitker said.
“And, yeah, it is a little bit — I always believed in the guys, and I’ve said many times over the last six months that just keep waiting for when we’re going to have our run because I knew we would at some point in time.
“And then we had it and we got to first place and we kept it. I’m so proud of these guys. They’ll be sitting here right now talking to you all a game away from going to the NLCS again. Who knows what’s going to happen. But that we put ourselves in this position is a credit to all those guys in that room.”
Craig Counsell talked, after the Brewers’ second loss in the series, about staying in the fight and doing what they need to in order to play another day.
“We’re in it, you know?” Counsell said when asked about his club slumping at exactly the wrong time.
“And I thought we swung the bats better today. Luck wasn’t on our side today with some balls in some key spots. As the game got on, I think the first time through the order, we have to probably be a little tougher first time — making it tougher first time through the order. That’s — some good starting pitching is making it tough on us. And we gotta catch a break, frankly. Today we didn’t catch a break.
“But I did think there’s a number of line-outs, number of hard-hit balls. [Christian Yelich] hit — even the double play that Yeli hit, that ball can go through a bunch of times, that ball is well-hit. We didn’t hit the balls in the right spot today.”
SAN FRANCISCO AT LOS ANGELES:
A 1-0 win last night gave the San Francisco Giants a 2-1 lead in their NLDS matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they have an opportunity to wrap things up tonight in Game 4 in LA.
Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts said everything was on the table with his club’s season on the line.
His message for the team as they try to avoid getting eliminated after winning it all in 2020?
“Just win tomorrow,” he told reporters.
“Like I just said, everything’s on the table and our focus has to turn to tomorrow and whatever it takes to win tomorrow and then we’ll kind of pick up the pieces after that.”
Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler talked after going up in their matchup with the Dodgers about giving the ball to right-hander Anthony DeSclafani with a chance to advance tonight.
“DeSclafani’s had a really nice year for us,” Kapler said. “You look back to the beginning of the season, you just kind of objectively look at his performance, he’s done a really nice job and he’s prepared for this, he wants it, he’s ready and he’s the right choice for us.”
Another full day of baseball. Enjoy it…