'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
For each of the past eight games, the Washington Nationals have been the ones taking advantage of the other team's mistakes. The ones operating within a margin of error large enough to overcome whatever minor miscues cropped up.
Nelson Cruz hit the first game-ending grand slam in postseason history, lifting the Texas Rangers over the Detroit Tigers 7-3 in 11 innings Monday for a 2-0 lead in the AL championship series.
Counted out by most everyone else, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in position to complete another comeback. And this one could be the greatest of the bunch.
Yovani Gallardo readily calls this start the biggest of his career. Ian Kennedy hoped for any chance to pitch again this season.
Jonathan Lucroy drove in the go-ahead run with a squeeze and the Milwaukee Brewers showed they could bunt as well as bash, breaking away from the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4 Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in their NL division series.
The celebration started on the field, moved into the clubhouse, then back onto the field. Eventually, for a few players, it ended in the pool behind the wall in right center for a still-in-uniform swim that never felt so good.
The Arizona Diamondbacks completed an improbable run to their first NL West crown in four years, beating San Francisco 3-1 Friday night when rookie Paul Goldschmidt lined a two-run triple off Sergio Romo in the eighth inning.
Clint Barmes hit a three-run homer and J.A. Happ pitched six solid innings against his former team as the Houston Astros beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Tuesday night, preventing the Phillies from wrapping up a playoff spot.
Ross Detwiler got everyone talking five days ago. In a dominant six-inning performance as a tough-luck loser, Detwiler showed more than just a glimpse of the first-round talent the Nationals saw when they selected him four years ago.
Two rookies came through in key situations to help Atlanta's Tim Hudson beat Arizona's Josh Collmenter.
