On a day when all four division series could have ended, only one did. The Yankees were eliminated by the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays, using a bullpen game, held the Yankees to just 6 hits. The Blue Jays used some clutch hitting to score most of their 5 runs. A tough error by Jazz Chisholm allowed the Blue Jays to score 2 runs in the top of the 7th, extending their lead to 4-1. What I think was not mentioned on the broadcast was that the umpire had to jump out of the way of the ball. It was a hard-hit one-hopper that seemed to just eat up Chisholm. The umpire may have blocked the ball temporarily; at the very least, it had to be a distraction. The Yankee season came to another disappointing end. Aaron Boone proves once again he is one of the worst in game managers in the history of baseball. As long as he is the head man, the Yankees are never going to win a championship. The other close game was the Cubs over the Brewers 4-3. The Cubs scored all 4 runs in the first inning. They barely made them stand up as the Brewers pecked away, scoring single runs in the 4th and 7th, after scoring a run in the top of the 1st. Their best chance of tying the game was in the top of the 8th. Jackson Chourio led off the inning with a double. They had 1st and 2nd with one out and the bases loaded with 2 outs but could not score. Very un-Brewer-like. The Brewers went down in order in the 9th. The Cubs lived to play another day. The other two games were blowouts. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 8-2 as their bats finally woke up. The Tigers defeated the Mariners 9-3 to force a game 5 in Seattle tomorrow.
Today the National League series continues with Phillies-Dodgers at 6 and the Brewers-Cubs at 9. Again, both series could end tonight. The Phillies certainly got the Dodgers attention last night. This could turn out to be one of those road warrior series. After all, we are not that far removed from the 2019 World Series where the visiting team won every game. Here are my guesses. I think the Phillies will force a game 5 and the Brewers will wrap it up tonight. The Tigers will send their big ace Tarik Skubal out on Friday. Even though the Mariners won the game he started last time, I think they are in big trouble. It is like that big playoff jinx is rearing its ugly head again in Seattle. No pitcher is invincible. Even Bob Gibson faltered in the 7th game of the 1968 World Series. Hitting is such a sometime thing; the Tigers’ bats could falter again. Whatever happens, it should be a great game 5 tomorrow night.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 