Top News:
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs stay up late, clinch spot in postseason — Cubs fans should prepare to #FlyTheW to support their team in the 2015 MLB Postseason — CHICAGO — In November, Joe Maddon offered to buy a shot and a beer at his introductory news conference as the new Cubs manager.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Cubs-Cardinals rivalry spices up race for top National League manager
Cubs-Cardinals rivalry spices up race for top National League manager
Discussion:
Fox Sports
Associated Press:
Pollock's Slam, 5 RBIs Carry Arizona Over Kelly, Padres 6-3 — SAN DIEGO — A.J. Pollock hit his first career grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs in his first two at-bats, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 on Friday night in Casey Kelly's first big league start in just under three seasons.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Associated Press:
Rangers Beat Astros 6-2 to Push AL West Lead to 4½ Games — HOUSTON — Shin-Soo Choo homered and drove in three runs as the Texas Rangers beat Houston for the eighth straight time, winning 6-2 Friday night and extending their AL West lead over the Astros to 4 1/2 games.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes, Lone Star Ball and Yahoo Sports
Matt Eisenberg / Metsblog:
Duda's two homers help cut magic number to 1 — Lucas Duda hit two three-run home runs and Noah Syndergaard pitched into the eighth inning as the New York Mets cut their magic number to clinch the NL East to one game with a 12-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday at Great American Ballpark.
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Marc Carig / Newsday:
Mets' bats come alive as 6-4 win shaves magic number to 3
Mets' bats come alive as 6-4 win shaves magic number to 3
Discussion:
Newsday, Amazin' Avenue and NorthJersey.com
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Mets move closer to playoffs with 6-4 over Reds, magic number down to three
Mets move closer to playoffs with 6-4 over Reds, magic number down to three
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, New York Post, New Jersey Online and Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Dickey Earns 100th Win as Blue Jays Beat Rays 5-3 — TORONTO — R.A. Dickey pitched seven innings to earn his 100th career win, Josh Donaldson hit his 40th home run and the Toronto Blue Jays moved closer to clinching their first playoff berth in 22 years with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
Sabathia Gives Up Costly Homers, Yanks Lose 5-2 to White Sox — NEW YORK — CC Sabathia gave up two costly homers in the seventh inning and prized rookie Carlos Rodon pitched out of trouble all night as the Chicago White Sox damaged New York's playoff drive Friday with a 5-2 victory over the Yankees.
Discussion:
South Side Sox and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
LA Angels Beat Seattle 8-4, Move to Edge of Playoff Position — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron hit two-run homers, and the Los Angeles Angels surged within a half-game of playoff position with an 8-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven and Lookout Landing
Associated Press:
Altherr Homers Twice in Phillies' 8-2 Win Over Nationals — WASHINGTON — Rookie Aaron Altherr had four hits, including an inside-the-park grand slam and a solo homer, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 8-2 Friday night in what was likely Jordan Zimmermann's home farewell.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and The Good Phight
Associated Press:
Hill Pitches 2-Hit Shutout and Fans 10, Red Sox Beat Orioles — BOSTON — Rich Hill kept up his startling comeback, pitching a two-hitter and striking out 10 as the Boston Red Sox beat the Orioles 7-0 Friday night. — The 35-year-old Hill (2-0) was released by Washington in June …
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
Carrasco Pitches 1-Hitter, Fans 15 as Indians Beat Royals — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carlos Carrasco pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a seventh-inning single, and struck out a career-high 15 to lead the Cleveland Indians over the Kansas City Royals 6-0 Friday night.
Discussion:
Royals Review and Yahoo Sports
Jason Koebler / Motherboard:
Behind the Scenes of Major League Baseball's Futuristic Player Tracking System — Because my beloved Orioles flamed out early, the 2015 baseball season may seem utterly forgettable. But someday even I may look back on it as the dawn of a new era: The year stats took over.
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Red Sox Name Frank Wren Senior VP Of Baseball Operations — The Red Sox announced this afternoon that former Braves GM Frank Wren has been hired as the team's senior vice president of baseball operations. Wren, 57, worked with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski previously in the Marlins and Expos organizations.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner, MLB Daily Dish, Over the Monster and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
Cole Outpitches Lester, Leads Pirates Over Cubs 3-2 — CHICAGO — Gerrit Cole outpitched Jon Lester as the Pittsburgh Pirates hung on for their seventh straight win, beating Chicago 3-2 Friday to delay the Cubs' playoff celebration. — Pittsburgh increased its lead for the NL's top wild card …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
Davis' HR Boosts Brewers Past Cardinals 4-3 — ST. LOUIS — Khris Davis homered off Trevor Rosenthal leading off the ninth inning and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Friday night. — The loss cut the Cardinals' NL Central lead to three games over Pittsburgh with eight games remaining.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
World Series Champ Giants Lose to A's, Out of Wild-Card Race — OAKLAND, Calif. — The San Francisco Giants ate their postgame meal in an eerie silence, the defending World Series champions' playoff hopes all but over. — San Francisco was eliminated from wild-card contention Friday night …
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Inside Baseball: 25 heroes for 2015; plus notes from all over MLB — Here goes, our 25 heroes of 2015 ... Not only did he win the winter, he won the summer, too. It was his relentless pursuit of Josh Donaldson, a player who wasn't believed to be available, that netted the probable AL MVP.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, MLB Daily Dish and Talking Chop
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Heyman's Latest: D-Backs, Freeman, O's, Samardzija
Heyman's Latest: D-Backs, Freeman, O's, Samardzija
Discussion:
Full Count