The Washington Nationals, who upset the reigning National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, finished up a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Washington, who finished in 2nd place in the NL East behind the Atlanta Braves, has been on a magical run that has taken them as one of the playoffs’ biggest long shots to play for a title to the Fall Classic.

The Cardinals, who the Nats defeated by a 7-4 final score on Tuesday night in the nation’s capital, proved to be a little challenge for the hottest team in baseball.

The Nationals scored seven runs in the first inning of Game 4 in an onslaught against Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson, putting the game essentially out of reach just after it began.

Patrick Corbin struck out 12 Cardinals in 5 innings on the mound despite giving up 4 runs, earning the win in a game that Nats fans won’t soon forget.

Now, the team will wait and see whether they will travel to the Bronx to face the Yankees or to Houston to face the Astros in Game 1 of the World Series.

The post Nationals Sweep Cardinals in 4 Games to Advance to World Series appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Nats stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to force extra innings on the strength of two solo home runs before winning with a Howie Kendrick grand slam in the top of the tenth inning before a stunned crowd at Dodger Stadium.

Walker Buehler frustrated the Nationals for the first six innings of the game, allowing only one run. The Dodgers were leading on the strength of a Max Muncy solo shot and a Kike Hernandez two-run home run in the first two innings of the game.

Legendary pitcher Clayton Kershaw entered for Buehler in the seventh inning and promptly allowed solo home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto. The teams didn’t score again in regulation, so the game was forced to extra innings.

There, one of the most improbable endings occurred. Reliever Joe Kelly walked Adam Eaton and then allowed a double to Anthony Rendon before intentionally issuing a free pass to Soto to load the bases. Howie Kendrick made them pay, smashing a grand slam to dead center to give the Nats a 7-3 lead that they wouldn’t give up.

The Nationals will now face the St. Louis Cardinals with a trip to the franchise’s first-ever World Series on the line.

The post Nats Stun Dodgers in Extra Innings to Advance to NLCS appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fortunately for them, ace pitcher Max Scherzer was on the mound at Nationals Park and they rode a gem of a performance by their stud to force a decisive game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

Scherzer, one of the favorites for this year’s NL Cy Young Award, pitched seven innings, allowing only one run, four hits, and three walks. He kept one of the league´s best lineups in check, only allowing a first-inning solo home run to Dodgers infielder Justin Turner.

Despite going down early, the Nationals offense woke up in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach. After an Anthony Rendon sacrifice fly had tied the game in the third, he singled in Trea Turner to put the Nats ahead 2-1.

After that, veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman smacked a huge three-run home run off of Los Angeles reliever Julio Urias to break the game open and give Washington a 5-1 lead that they would not relinquish.

The decisive Game 5 will return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, with the two teams facing off for a berth against the Cardinals-Braves winner in the National League Championship Series.

The post Nationals Rally to Force Game 5 With 6-1 Win over Dodgers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Atlanta trailed 1-0 for the majority of the game after Marcell Ozuna doubled and then came around to scored on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright and Braves starter Mike Soroka spent the first seven innings trading impeccable innings on the mound, with Ozuna’s run being the only event to separate the two teams.

Wainwright, the 38-year-old veteran starter, was dominant, holding Atlanta’s potent offense scoreless and striking out eight batters in 7.2 innings of brilliant work.

Despite allowing a second-inning run, Braves rookie starter Mike Soroka was almost as good, striking out 7 and allowing only 2 hits in seven innings.

Things changed in the top of the ninth inning when Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez entered the game. After allowing a double to Josh Donaldson and walking Brian McCann to face shortstop Dansby Swanson, the young infielder made St. Louis pay with a game-tying double.

Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall then entered, rapping a single to centerfield to bust the tie and put Atlanta up 3-1. Closer Mark Melancon worked a clean ninth inning to save the game for the Braves, who managed to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

Atlanta will now look to win in Game 4 in St. Louis and clinch their first berth in the NLCS since the 2001 season.

The post Braves Battle Back to Win in 9th, Take 2-1 NLDS Lead Over Cardinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Cardinals rallied late to take a 7-3 lead in the ninth inning after being 3-1 down in the eighth inning before overcoming a pair of home runs from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in the bottom half of the frame to hold on to win.

The game had the look of a pitchers’ duel to start off, as starting pitchers Miles Mikolas of the Cardinals and Dallas Keuchel of the Braves combined to allow only one run apiece in the first five innings.

Things changed late, however. The Braves scored a pair of runs in the 6th on an infield single by Dansby Swanson to take the lead. It wouldn’t last, however.

St. Louis got a home run from Paul Goldschmidt and an RBI single from Matt Carpenter in the eighth to tie the game against an Atlanta bullpen that looked extremely shaky. Then, in the ninth, they took a lead that they would not relinquish on the back of two-run doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong.

The Cardinals will look to commanding 2-0 series lead in Game 2 with team ace Jack Flaherty on the mound.

The post Cardinals Beat Braves 7-6 in Wild NLDS Opener appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Washington Nationals, who upset the reigning National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, finished up a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Washington, who finished in 2nd place in the NL East behind the Atlanta Braves, has been on a magical run that has taken them as one of the playoffs’ biggest long shots to play for a title to the Fall Classic.

The Cardinals, who the Nats defeated by a 7-4 final score on Tuesday night in the nation’s capital, proved to be a little challenge for the hottest team in baseball.

The Nationals scored seven runs in the first inning of Game 4 in an onslaught against Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson, putting the game essentially out of reach just after it began.

Patrick Corbin struck out 12 Cardinals in 5 innings on the mound despite giving up 4 runs, earning the win in a game that Nats fans won’t soon forget.

Now, the team will wait and see whether they will travel to the Bronx to face the Yankees or to Houston to face the Astros in Game 1 of the World Series.

The post Nationals Sweep Cardinals in 4 Games to Advance to World Series appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Nats stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to force extra innings on the strength of two solo home runs before winning with a Howie Kendrick grand slam in the top of the tenth inning before a stunned crowd at Dodger Stadium.

Walker Buehler frustrated the Nationals for the first six innings of the game, allowing only one run. The Dodgers were leading on the strength of a Max Muncy solo shot and a Kike Hernandez two-run home run in the first two innings of the game.

Legendary pitcher Clayton Kershaw entered for Buehler in the seventh inning and promptly allowed solo home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto. The teams didn’t score again in regulation, so the game was forced to extra innings.

There, one of the most improbable endings occurred. Reliever Joe Kelly walked Adam Eaton and then allowed a double to Anthony Rendon before intentionally issuing a free pass to Soto to load the bases. Howie Kendrick made them pay, smashing a grand slam to dead center to give the Nats a 7-3 lead that they wouldn’t give up.

The Nationals will now face the St. Louis Cardinals with a trip to the franchise’s first-ever World Series on the line.

The post Nats Stun Dodgers in Extra Innings to Advance to NLCS appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Fortunately for them, ace pitcher Max Scherzer was on the mound at Nationals Park and they rode a gem of a performance by their stud to force a decisive game 5 at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.

Scherzer, one of the favorites for this year’s NL Cy Young Award, pitched seven innings, allowing only one run, four hits, and three walks. He kept one of the league´s best lineups in check, only allowing a first-inning solo home run to Dodgers infielder Justin Turner.

Despite going down early, the Nationals offense woke up in the fifth inning to put the game out of reach. After an Anthony Rendon sacrifice fly had tied the game in the third, he singled in Trea Turner to put the Nats ahead 2-1.

After that, veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman smacked a huge three-run home run off of Los Angeles reliever Julio Urias to break the game open and give Washington a 5-1 lead that they would not relinquish.

The decisive Game 5 will return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, with the two teams facing off for a berth against the Cardinals-Braves winner in the National League Championship Series.

The post Nationals Rally to Force Game 5 With 6-1 Win over Dodgers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Atlanta trailed 1-0 for the majority of the game after Marcell Ozuna doubled and then came around to scored on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright and Braves starter Mike Soroka spent the first seven innings trading impeccable innings on the mound, with Ozuna’s run being the only event to separate the two teams.

Wainwright, the 38-year-old veteran starter, was dominant, holding Atlanta’s potent offense scoreless and striking out eight batters in 7.2 innings of brilliant work.

Despite allowing a second-inning run, Braves rookie starter Mike Soroka was almost as good, striking out 7 and allowing only 2 hits in seven innings.

Things changed in the top of the ninth inning when Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez entered the game. After allowing a double to Josh Donaldson and walking Brian McCann to face shortstop Dansby Swanson, the young infielder made St. Louis pay with a game-tying double.

Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall then entered, rapping a single to centerfield to bust the tie and put Atlanta up 3-1. Closer Mark Melancon worked a clean ninth inning to save the game for the Braves, who managed to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

Atlanta will now look to win in Game 4 in St. Louis and clinch their first berth in the NLCS since the 2001 season.

The post Braves Battle Back to Win in 9th, Take 2-1 NLDS Lead Over Cardinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Cardinals rallied late to take a 7-3 lead in the ninth inning after being 3-1 down in the eighth inning before overcoming a pair of home runs from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in the bottom half of the frame to hold on to win.

The game had the look of a pitchers’ duel to start off, as starting pitchers Miles Mikolas of the Cardinals and Dallas Keuchel of the Braves combined to allow only one run apiece in the first five innings.

Things changed late, however. The Braves scored a pair of runs in the 6th on an infield single by Dansby Swanson to take the lead. It wouldn’t last, however.

St. Louis got a home run from Paul Goldschmidt and an RBI single from Matt Carpenter in the eighth to tie the game against an Atlanta bullpen that looked extremely shaky. Then, in the ninth, they took a lead that they would not relinquish on the back of two-run doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong.

The Cardinals will look to commanding 2-0 series lead in Game 2 with team ace Jack Flaherty on the mound.

The post Cardinals Beat Braves 7-6 in Wild NLDS Opener appeared first on yoursportspot.com.