The Lone Star State Sweeps The Day

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

With the first two games of the second round now in the books my predictions are looking really good. So far it looks as though five runs are just enough to win the game as rookies and veterans alike contributed to wins for the two Texas teams. However, it looks like the playoffs may prove to be more costly than expected as there were a few bumps and bruises that have already emerged from the postseason intensity. It should be interesting to see how these matchups progress during the full slate of games today.

Rangers Ruffle Blue Jays 5-3

The Rangers have come into Rogers Centre and taken home-field advantage in the American League Division Series away from the Blue Jays and ace left-hander David Price. Robinson Chirinos and Rougned Odor each hit home runs as the Rangers earned a 5-3 victory in a Game 1 that saw injury scares to Texas' Adrian Beltre and fellow All-Stars Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista for Toronto.

Astros Dethrone Royals 5-2

Perhaps they don't know better. Maybe the Astros, behind a starting lineup Thursday night of nothing but players younger than 30, aren't aware that they're not supposed to treat the pressures of the postseason like a trip to the candy store. The surprising Astros pulled off another clutch win by riding six strong innings from right-hander Collin McHugh and homers by George Springer and Colby Rasmus to stun last year's American League pennant-winning Royals, 5-2, at Kauffman Stadium in Game 1 of the AL Division Series.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

American League Division Series

Houston leads leads series 1-0

Game 2: Friday, October 9, at 3:30 PM

Texas leads series 1-0

Game 2: Friday, October 9, at 12:30 PM

National League Division Series

Cubs at Cardinals

Game 1: Friday, October 9, at 6:30 PM

Mets at Dodgers

Game 1: Friday, October 9, at 9:30 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Remembering The First Championship – Philadelphia was the site of six of the first 12 World Series. Five involved the American League Philadelphia Athletics, who lost to the Boston Braves in 1914. In 1915 the lassic was played for the first time in the city's National League park, Baker Bowl, when the Phillies faced the Red Sox. Although Fenway Park was the home of the Red Sox, they played their home games in the Series at the newly-constructed Braves Field (40,000 capacity). The Philadelphia A's offered Shibe Park to the Phillies, also because its capacity (23,000) was greater than Baker Bowl (18,000), but owner William Baker declined. Instead, Baker added extra seats in front of the left- and center-field walls in an effort to increase the gate. Baker was criticized for the addition. A ball bouncing into the seats was ruled a ground-rule home run and in the end, it cost the Phillies. The World Series share for the Phils was $2,520. Game 1: Oct. 8, 1915: The Phillies produced two runs in the eighth inning on two walks and a pair of infield singles by Fred Luderus and Possum Whitted to break a 1-1 tie, giving the Phils their first World Series win, 3-1. Grover Cleveland Alexander scattered eight singles in a complete-game victory. Babe Ruth, a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher who led the AL with 18 wins, was used as a pinch-hitter in his first World Series appearance, which would be his only one in that year. He grounded out to first base in the ninth inning. Game 2: Oct. 9, 1915: Woodrow Wilson became the first U. S. President to attend a World Series game and throw out the first pitch. Rube Foster three-hit the Phillies and singled in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning. Game 3: Oct. 11, 1915: Another three-hitter, this one by Dutch Leonard, produced another 2-1 Boston victory. Duffy Lewis' two-out single to center drove in Harry Hooper with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game in Boston drew 42,300 fans, a World Series record. Game 4: Oct. 12, 1915: Ernie Shore pitched Boston to its third straight 2-1 win. Luderus had three of the Phillies' seven hits, including the lone RBI in the eighth inning. The series returned to Philadelphia with Boston leading, 3-1. Game 5: Oct. 13, 1915: Because of an ailing right arm, Alexander was unable to start, and Erskine Mayer got the nod. The Phillies scored twice in the first inning and could have had more except for a strange decision by manager Pat Moran. With the bases-loaded, no outs and a 3-2 count on the NL home run leader, Gavvy Cravath, Moran called for a squeeze bunt. Cravath bunted into a 1-2-3 double play. Luderus followed with an RBI double and added another run on a homer over the right-field wall in the sixth. Boston rallied and won as Foster pitched the club's fifth straight complete game. Hooper belted two homers and Lewis had one, which was a ground-rule homer. Hooper's second home run was the game-winner in the top of the ninth inning, another hit that bounced into the additional seats in left field. The victory gave the Red Sox their third World Series championship, after 1905 and '12.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 0-2-0 on this day.