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.

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.