Ohtani moving to Dodgers in record 10-yr, $700-M deal

LOS ANGELES -- Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani confirmed on Saturday he is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers in a record-shattering 10-year, $700 million deal -- the richest contract in the history of North American sport.

After weeks of frenzied speculation over where the 29-year-old Los Angeles Angels two-way ace would land in free agency, Ohtani announced on Instagram he had opted for his former club's cross-town rivals.

"To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision," Ohtani wrote on Instagram. "I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team.

"I pledge to always do what's best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself.

"Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world," Ohtani added.

Ohtani's agent Nez Balelo said in a statement the deal would be worth $700 million over 10 years, a historic figure that smashed the previous record baseball contract as well as bettering the largest deals ever agreed in the NFL and NBA.

Balelo described Ohtani's mammoth payday as a "unique historic contract, for a unique historic player."

"Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization," Balelo said. "He is excited to begin this partnership."

The previous largest contract awarded in baseball was the 12-year, $426.5 million extension handed to Ohtani's Angels team-mate Mike Trout in 2019.

Until Ohtani's deal, the largest contract in any sport in North America belonged to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who agreed a 10-year, $450 million extension in 2020.

Mahomes was among several US sports stars to react to news of Ohtani's gargantuan payday.

"Bro like what!...Congrats to him," the NFL star wrote on social media.

Cleveland NBA star Donovan Mitchell chimed in: "$700 million is crazy!! And he deserves every penny of that too."

Ohtani has taken Major League Baseball by storm since landing in the league in 2018, with his almost unheard of combination of elite pitching and hitting prowess earning him comparisons to Babe Ruth.

- Making history -

Although his talents were not enough to help spark a revival in the Angels' fortunes – the team failed to make the playoffs following his arrival – Ohtani nevertheless dazzled in a flagging franchise.

He has twice been named American League Most Valuable Player, in 2021 and 2023, on both occasions winning by unanimous vote – the only player in history to achieve that distinction.

Although elbow injuries have cut short his pitching appearances – he missed the final month of the 2023 campaign with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow – this season was his most successful to date.

As a designated hitter, Ohtani led the AL in home runs with 44, in on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.654) and total bases (325).

He hit 26 doubles and eight triples with 20 stolen bases and 95 runs-batted-in. He hit over .300 for the first time in his six-year major league career.

In 23 pitching starts he went 10-5 with a 3.14 earned-run-average and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.

He had the lowest batting average against (.184) among all AL pitchers with at least 130 innings.

It marked Ohtani's second straight season with at least 10 wins on the mound and 10 home runs at the plate.

The only other player to accomplish that feat was New York Yankees legend Ruth back in 1918.

Although revered as a dual threat, Ohtani will not pitch in 2024 to help his arm recover but will still be able to hit.

Even though he will be absent from the mound next season, his offensive talents and future pitching potential proved irresistible to the Dodgers.

Ohtani's departure from the Angels had become inevitable as the franchise struggled for relevance during the Japanese star's six seasons with the club.

In that time the Angels failed to reach the postseason or even register a winning season.

But while Ohtani was frustrated in his pursuit of success with the Angels, he was the driving force behind Japan's victory in the World Baseball Classic in March.

He helped close out a fairytale 3-2 victory for Japan over the United States in the final of the showpiece in Miami, striking out Angels teammate and US captain Mike Trout to clinch his country's third WBC victory following triumphs in 2006 and 2009.

As well as being a standout on the field, Ohtani has also been a one-man commercial juggernaut off the field. He reportedly made a one-season MLB record $65 million in salary and endorsements these season, making him the highest paid player in baseball.

He also had the best-selling jersey of any Major League Baseball player this season -- the first time a Japanese player topped the list.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Dodgers first to clinch playoff berth

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Major League Baseball team to clinch a 2022 playoff berth on Sunday with a convincing 11-2 victory over the Padres in San Diego.

The Dodgers have booked a post-season berth for the tenth straight season, and with a 96-43 record, they look headed toward home field advantage no matter who they play.

Justin Turner hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lift Los Angeles, who are closing in on a ninth National League West division crown.

Turner's second blast was a grand slam in the seventh inning.

"I don't think you ever take it for granted," Turner said. "I feel fortunate to be a part of an organization that cares about winning and puts winning first."

The Dodgers' magic number for securing the division is two -- meaning any combination of two Dodgers wins or Padres defeats will seal it.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the 10-year post-season streak -- third all-time in major league history -- is worth noting.

"It's something that I feel should be acknowledged," Roberts said. "It's an accomplishment. But we have a lot of work to do."

With that in mind, there was no onfield celebration or champagne spray in the locker room -- although Roberts did offer a toast.

"It just goes to show how much success these guys have all had," said winning pitcher Andrew Heaney, who is in his first season with the Dodgers.

"They've been part of great teams. This is the first time I've been on a playoff team. I was joking with the guys -- ho-hum for them, but this is a big deal for me."

Agence France-Presse

Legendary MLB Dodgers broadcaster Scully dead at 94

LOS ANGELES -- Legendary Major League Baseball broadcaster Vin Scully, "voice" of the Los Angeles Dodgers for 67 years, died Tuesday at age 94, the club announced.

Scully, who retired in 2016, began as the Dodgers broadcaster in 1950 when the club was Brooklyn-based and followed them to Los Angeles when they moved to Southern California in 1958.

"We have lost an icon," said Dodgers president Stan Kasten. "Vin Scully was one of the greatest voices in all of sports.

"He was a giant of a man, not only as a broadcaster but as a humanitarian. He loved people. He loved life. He loved baseball and the Dodgers. And he loved his family. His voice will always be heard and etched in all of our minds forever.

"Vin will be truly missed."

His stay with the Dodgers was the longest by any US sports broadcaster with a single club. He covered 25 World Series and 12 no-hitters with a descriptive style and smooth vocal tone that became a trademark, delighting generations of listeners.

Scully also handled broadcast duties at NFL games and PGA Tour events in the 1970s and 1980s for CBS Sports telecasts.

The press box at Dodger Stadium has been named for Scully since 2001 and a street in the club's Florida pre-season training complex is named Vin Scully Way.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Braves walk off again to take 2-0 series lead over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES -- Eddie Rosario cracked a line-drive single up the middle to score Dansby Swanson and give the Atlanta Braves their second straight walk-off win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in baseball's National League Championship Series on Sunday.

The Braves, who twice trailed by two runs, rallied to beat the Dodgers 5-4 and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The reigning World Series champion Dodgers will try to regroup when they host game three on Tuesday.

Atlanta scored in each of the last two innings, Rosario leading off the eighth against Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias -- a regular starter who was sent in as a reliever -- with a single.

Rosario advanced to second on Freddie Freeman's fly out and scored on a single from Ozzie Albies -- the sliding Rosario managing to avoid the attempted tag at home plate by Dodgers catcher Will Smith to pull the Braves within 4-3.

Austin Riley, who delivered a walk-off hit in game one on Saturday, then belted a double over the head of Mookie Betts and off the centerfield wall that saw Albies score from first base for a 4-4 tie.

After Braves pitcher Will Smith retired three straight Dodgers batters in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers sent Brusdar Graterol to the mound in the ninth.

Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud greeted him with a single but was out at second after Swanson's bunt. After another groundout, Rosario came to the plate with two outs to face Dodgers closing pitcher Kenley Jansen.

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager couldn't corral the hard-hit ball from Rosario that bounced into center field, allowing Swanson to score the winning run.

The ninth-inning drama capped a close game in which the Dodgers took the lead in the first inning on Seager's two-run home run against Braves starting pitcher Ian Anderson before an out had been recorded.

Former Dodger Joc Pederson answered with a two-run blast off a curveball from Dodgers starter Max Scherzer to tie the game in the fourth inning.

Chris Taylor put the Dodgers up again in the seventh with a double that scored two runs before the Braves rallied in the final frame.

Cy Young Award contender Scherzer didn't make it out of the fifth inning, with Roberts going to his bullpen with one out in the frame.

- 'Fun challenge' -

For the second year in a row the Braves now take a 2-0 lead in the NLCS into game three against the Dodgers.

"That's absolutely huge," Riley said of gaining two home wins before heading to Dodger Stadium.

"That's a tough atmosphere, but I feel like it’s going to be a fun challenge."

The Braves have lost seven straight games and 10 of their last 11 at Dodger Stadium. They were swept in a three-game regular-season series there in August-September.

The Dodgers won 15 straight home games at the end of the regular season and have won two of three at home this post-season.

"I don't have to remind them of anything," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of what he will tell his team about the task that awaits.

"I think that they're going to realize, and we all do, last year when we were up 3-1, how hard it is to win a baseball game."

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Dodgers rout Giants, send NLDS to decisive Game 5

Mookie Betts and Will Smith hit home runs, Walker Buehler pitched into the fifth inning on short rest, and the Los Angeles Dodgers forced a deciding fifth game of the National League Division Series with a 7-2 victory over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

The first playoff series between the longtime rivals, both 100-plus-game winners this season, is even at two wins apiece, with Game 5 set for Thursday at San Francisco. The winner advances to a NL Championship Series matchup with the Atlanta Braves, who eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers earlier Tuesday.

After taking the loss in Game 1 on Friday, Buehler (1-1) returned on three days' rest for the first time in his career to give up one run on three hits over 4 1/3 innings in Game 4. He struck out four and walked two.

"I actually felt great ... probably the best I have in the second half of the year," Buehler said postgame on TBS. "We'll see how I feel tomorrow, but tonight I feel pretty good."

Betts added, "I just know that when our backs are against the wall, we've got a guy, Walker Buehler, who'll get us out of it."

Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani (0-1) lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while facing 10 batters in his first career postseason appearance. He fanned two without issuing a walk.

The Dodgers' Gavin Lux had two hits and two walks in four trips to the plate during his first start of the series. Los Angeles won despite going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 runners.

Joe Kelly (1-0) got the last two outs in the fifth inning and was credited with the win.

Dodgers first baseman/center fielder Cody Bellinger said, "We knew we didn't want this to be our last game, especially at home. We came out, stuck with our plan, executed our plan really well -- and we really wanted to take this back to San Francisco."

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead three batters into the bottom of the first, getting a one-out single from Corey Seager followed by an RBI double from Trea Turner. The Dodgers made it 2-0 in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Chris Taylor.

Betts increased the Los Angeles advantage to 4-0 in the fourth with a two-run home run to right off Giants left-hander Jarlin Garcia, his first long ball of the postseason.

After the Giants broke through with a fifth-inning run on a groundout from Darin Ruf, the Dodgers got a sacrifice fly from Betts in the bottom of the inning for a 5-1 advantage.

Kris Bryant had an RBI groundout for the Giants in the eighth. Smith hit a two-run home run for the Dodgers in the bottom of the eighth, his second homer of the series.

Seven Giants relievers saw action, while five Dodgers relievers gave up one run over the final 4 2/3 innings.

The Giants are trying to reach their first NLCS since 2014, while the Dodgers are trying to advance to their fifth NLCS in six seasons.

San Francisco catcher Buster Posey said, "I feel like our team and the Dodgers' team have both been playing meaningful games for a while now. Obviously this one coming up on Thursday is the most meaningful to this point, and it should be fun."

Giants manager Gabe Kapler, looking ahead to Game 5, said, "I'm sure it will be a lively atmosphere. It will be nice to get back to Oracle (Park) and have the support of our fans. We look forward to it."

-reuters-

MLB: Near-perfect Scherzer notches 3,000th career strikeout

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles hurler Max Scherzer flirted with perfection Sunday as he became the 19th Major League Baseball pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts in the Dodgers 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Scherzer, 37, reached the 3,000 strikeout milestone when he fanned Eric Hosmer on a full-count changeup for the second out of the fifth inning.

But it would be Hosmer who broke up Scherzer's bid for a rare perfect game with one out in the eighth inning. Hosmer belted a changeup to the rightfield warning track -- out of the reach of speedy outfielder Mookie Betts -- for a double.

That ended Scherzer's bid for MLB's first perfect game since Seattle's Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfecto on August 15, 2012.

The nine-year drought without a perfect game -- in which a pitcher retires every batter he faces -- is the longest in the major leagues since the dry spell from 1968-1981.

But Scherzer had plenty to celebrate even without a perfect game or the third no-hitter of his career.

He joined former teammate Justin Verlander as the only active pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts.

He needed just 66 pitches to record six perfect innings -- that included striking out the side on nine pitches in the second for the third "immaculate inning" of his career.

"It's hard to describe the emotion," said Scherzer, who was able to celebrate his strikeout milestone with his wife and small children as well as his parents at Dodger Stadium -- which he has called home only since a July 30 trade from the Washington Nationals.

"To me this is a testament to durability, to me going out there making my 30-plus starts a year, year-in, year-out."

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is now in the hunt for a fourth award for the league's top pitcher.

He is 6-0 in eight starts as a Dodger with a 0.88 earned run average and 71 strikeouts in 51 innings.

His ERA for the season is a major league-leading 2.17, a smidge in front of Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes (2.25) and Dodgers teammate Walker Buehler (2.32).

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Dodgers ride epic first inning to 15-3 victory over Braves

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for a record-setting 11 runs in the first inning on the way to a 15-3 rout of the Atlanta Braves in game three of Major League Baseball's National League Championship Series.

The Braves cut the deficit in the best-of-seven series in Arlington, Texas, to 2-1 in historic style.

Max Muncy's grand slam was the Dodgers' third of the first inning, capping the highest-scoring half-inning in post-season history.

The Braves were on the wrong side of the prior record also, surrendering 10 runs in one inning of game five of the NL division series against the St. Louis Cardinals last year.

The Dodgers, buoyed by a late surge that saw them come up just short in an 8-7 loss to the Braves on Tuesday, came out firing.

Mookie Betts led off the game with an infield single on the first pitch from Atlanta starter Kyle Wright.

Corey Seager belted a double off Wright's second pitch of the game to score Betts.

Wright had retired two batters when Will Smith's double scored Seager.

Joc Pederson and Edwin Rios homered on back-to-back pitches, Pederson's blast to left center field scoring three.

Wright walked Chris Taylor before he was replaced by Grant Dayton -- who surrendered a run-scoring single to Seager and loaded the bases to set the stage for Muncy's 435-foot blast to center field.

The three homers were also a record for a first inning in a playoff game -- and tied the record for most in any inning of a post-season contest.

The Dodgers weren't done. Bellinger led off the second inning with a homer, and Seager sparked an three-run third with a lead-off home run as Los Angeles made it 15-0 before Cristian Pache's solo homer down the left field line to open the bottom of the third pulled one run back for the Braves.

Atlanta would tack on two more runs in the ninth, but it was out of reach by then.

The Dodgers' five homers in the first three innings were the most in the first three innings of a post-season game.

All nine Dodgers batters had notched a hit by the third inning -- and Seager had three.

The Dodgers will try to level the series on Thursday in game four, when they expect to have ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the mound after he was a late scratch from game two with back spasms.

The winner of the series will take on either the Tampa Bay Rays or the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The Rays led their American League Championship Series 3-0 with a chance to complete a sweep of the Astros in game four later Wednesday in San Diego.

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Dodgers defeat Padres, Astros put A's on brink of elimination

LOS ANGELES -- Corey Seager scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly as the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for four runs in the sixth inning en route to a 5-1 come-from-behind win over the San Diego Padres in the opening game of their NL Division Series on Tuesday.

Justin Turner scored two runs and walked twice, and starting pitcher Walker Buehler pitched four solid innings and struck out eight for the Dodgers, who recorded their fifth straight NLDS game one victory.

Closer Kenley Jansen got the final out of the four-hour marathon contest by forcing Padres batter Jake Croenworth to ground out to first base at the neutral Globe Life Field stadium outside Dallas, Texas.

The Dodgers were hitless through the first five innings and drew a total of 10 walks in the contest including three to catcher Will Smith.

After falling behind 1-0 in the fourth, Los Angeles did not get their first hit until Mookie Betts smacked a one-out double early in the sixth which helped open the flood gates with a combination of singles, doubles, walks and errors on the part of the Padres.

"It's not about getting a bunch of hits, it's about taking our walks and setting the table," said right fielder Betts.

Game two is Wednesday when the Dodgers will start left hander Clayton Kershaw.

"It is good to get game one under our belt," said Betts. "It is a lot better feeling getting a win in game one and knowing we got Kershew up next."

The Padres didn't announce their game one starter until Tuesday, deciding to go with ace Mike Clevinger who was pitching for the first time in 13 days.

Clevinger's status had been a mystery due to an elbow problem. He hasn't pitched since leaving a start against the Los Angeles Angels after one inning on September 23.

Clevinger missed the Padres' first-round series triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Clevinger worked a scoreless first against the Dodgers but had to exit early, making just two pitches in the second before being pulled by manager Jayce Tingler. Clevinger finished with three walks and one strikeout.

"He's getting checked out," Tingler said. "His stuff was right where it usually is. We've got our fingers crossed and hoping for the best of news." 

- 'We're expecting good things' -

Elsewhere, George Springer hammered two home runs and Framber Valdez won the battle of the lefties as the Houston Astros moved to within one win of reaching their fourth straight AL Championship Series with a 5-2 win over the Oakland A's.

Left-handed starter Valdez gave up two runs on five hits over seven innings and fanned four batters for the Astros, who will try to sweep the best of five series on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

"With every victory, the energy and the confidence grows," Houston manager Dusty Baker said. "We're expecting good things to happen."

Houston grabbed a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on Martin Maldonado's home run that knocked Oakland lefty Sean Manaea from the contest. Springer then smacked the first pitch from Oakland relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit over the left field wall.

Manaea surrendered four runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Astros belted three homers Tuesday, one day after hitting three in a game one victory at the same southern California ballpark.

Elsewhere, Tyler Glasnow and three other pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts and the batting order erupted for four homers as the Tampa Bay Rays rebounded from a game one loss to beat the New York Yankees 7-5.

Rays right-hander Glasnow struck out a franchise playoff-record 10 batters in five-plus innings. He gave up four runs and three hits while walking three as the Ray leveled the series at 1-1.

Randy Arozarena slugged a homer for the second straight game, Mike Zunino and Manuel Margot drilled two run shots, and Austin Meadows hit a solo home run for the Rays, who equaled a club playoff record with four long balls.

Game three is Wednesday night at Petco Park in San Diego. 

New York star Giancarlo Stanton homered in his fourth consecutive playoff game, including a towering 460-foot, three-run drive that cleared the upper deck in the fourth inning.

Stanton's four straight homers tie for the third-longest streak in a single postseason. He now trails only Daniel Murphy, six in 2015, and Carlos Beltran, five in 2004.

Agence France-Presse

Red Sox beat Dodgers to take stranglehold on World Series

LOS ANGELES - The Boston Red Sox overcame a late four run deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6 in Game Four of the World Series on Saturday and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Red Sox scored five runs in the top of the ninth behind RBI hits by Rafael Devers, Steve Pearce and Xander Bogaerts to complete the comeback and put themselves one win away from their fourth World Series title since 2004.

The Dodgers appeared to have the game in hand when Yasiel Puig smashed a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give the home team a 4-0 lead.

But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled starting pitcher Rich Hill in the seventh inning and struggling reliever Ryan Madson gave up a three-run home run to pinch hitter Mitch Moreland later in the inning to cut the Dodgers lead.

Roberts brought Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in to try and pitch out the final two innings but the move backfired when Steve Pearce hit a solo home run to tie the game at 4-4.

The floodgates opened for Boston in the top of the ninth with the biggest hit coming from first baseman Pearce, who hit a bases-loaded double to drive in Devers, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the five-run ninth.

Kiki Hernandez cut the lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of half of innings but it was not enough for the Dodgers, who are trying to win their first title in 30 years.

Game Five will be played at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. 

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

World Series: Dodgers' marathon win over Red Sox smashes records

It took 18 innings -- seven hours and 20 minutes -- for the Los Angeles Dodgers to claw their way back into the 2018 World Series with a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The teams combined to use 46 players, 27 position players and 19 pitchers -- if you count Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw's pinch-hit at-bat.

Max Muncy brought the proceedings to a close with a walkoff home run off Red Sox reliever Nathan Eovaldi, who came on in the 12th inning and threw 97 pitches -- compared to the 61 of Red Sox starter Rick Porcello.

In the immediate aftermath, Red Sox manager Alex Cora couldn't say who he'd be sending to the mound in game four on Saturday, when he'd planned to have Eovaldi as his starter.

"How do you spell that, "TBA"? TBA," Cora quipped.

The game surpassed the San Francisco Giants' six-hour, 23-minute victory over the Washington Nationals in the 2014 National League Division Series as the longest in Major League post-season history.

The longest prior World Series game was five hours and 41 minutes -- the Chicago White Sox's 14-inning win over the Houston Astros in game three in 2005.

"To be honest, as the game kept going, you look up and see the 18th inning and you're like, holy cow, where did the game go?

"Those last nine innings or so just kind of blended together."

By the end of the contest -- at 12:30 a.m. Saturday -- the record-setting exploits of the Dodgers' starting pitcher Walker Buehler were a fading memory.

The 24-year-old rookie right-hander needed 26 pitches to retire the first three batters he faced -- the most thrown in a 1-2-3 inning in post-season history.

He became the youngest Dodgers pitcher to throw six or more scoreless innings in a World Series game since Johnny Podres in 1955.

The rookie right-hander joined Roger Clemens (game two, 2000) and Don Larsen (game five, 1956) as the only pitchers to throw seven or more scoreless innings while allowing two or fewer hits in a World Series game.

Buehler threw 108 pitches, 72 of them for strikes. He struck out seven and walked one, retiring his last 14 batters after surrendering two hits in the third inning.

And Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was able to keep game four starter Rich Hill in reserve along with Ryu Hyun-Jin, thought his pitching staff was in good shape heading into Saturday.

"Considering what we went through tonight, we're in good shape with our pen, we really are," Roberts said. "Obviously Rich is going to have to come out there and get some outs.

"Considering where we're at, down 2-1, home crowd behind us, I think there's a little bit of momentum on our side."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

World Series: Heat turned up as chilled Dodgers return home

After two chilled losses at Fenway Park, the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home on Thursday feeling the heat trailing the best-of-seven World Series 2-0 to the Boston Red Sox and in need of a spark.

While the Los Angeles weather for Game Three on Friday will be more to the Dodgers liking, the back-to-back losses in Boston will have sent a shiver through fans who will be well aware of the uphill climb now facing their team.

Only 13 times have teams lost the opening two games of any best-of-seven Major League Baseball postseason series and rallied to erase the deficit.

"We've got to find a way to win a baseball game," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "Obviously we come out of here (Boston) going home down 2-0.

"We're not swinging the bats well right now. That's obvious. But I think getting home ... I think we'll be ready for Game Three."

Boston with its mid-7 Celsius game time temperatures and Fenway Park with its quirky dimensions and features proved an inhospitable place for the Dodgers.

But with the next three games at the spacious Chavez Ravine where temperatures will hover around 27C, the Dodgers are focused at the task in front of them -- winning Game Three and taking the first step towards sending the series back to Boston.

"I think the big takeaway is you can't win four games in one night," said Roberts. "So just the focus-on-one-game-at-a-time mentality.

"I know it's easier said than done. But that's as simply as you can put it, and that's the best way to go about it."

The odds and history may be against the Dodgers but they are not without hope.

Dodgers teams have dug themselves out of 0-2 holes three times, including in the 1955 World Series when the then Brooklyn Dodgers became the first team to overturn an 0-2 deficit to beat their bitter rivals the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers also accomplished the feat in the 1965 and 1981 World Series coming back after losing the opening two games on the road.

Pressure is not an unknown quantity for the Dodgers, who took the World Series to a Game Seven last year before losing to the Houston Astros and while the situation is critical, it is not yet do-or-die, as Roberts pointed out.

"Understanding and appreciating that it's the World Series, it's still not a do-or-die like Game Seven, it was a do-or-die situation," said Roberts.

"So I know that even just getting back home feels different.

"It's going to be exciting tomorrow. The key is we've still got to go out there and play a good baseball game." (Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Red Sox dump Dodgers to take control of World Series

BOSTON -- David Price and three relievers pitched 5 1/3 perfect final innings and J.D. Martinez singled in the deciding runs Wednesday as Boston defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 to seize command of the World Series.

The Red Sox grabbed a 2-0 edge in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final, which shifts to California for game three Friday with Boston a perfect 5-0 in road playoff games.

"We're playing good baseball," Price said. "We've got to keep it going."

Price, a 33-year-old US left-hander, baffled Dodgers batters much of the night with five strikeouts and three walks over six innings, surrendering his only two runs and three hits in the fourth.

"I take a lot of pride of being able to evolve from pitch to pitch, being able to adjust, and I did that really well," Price said.

"I made a lot of good pitches that inning. They hit some. That was a tough inning, it could have spun out of control pretty fast. Being able to stop it at two right there, that was big for us."

Designated hitter Martinez, with the season's second-best major league batting average, hit a bases-loaded single to right in the fifth to plate the winning runs -- three hits and two walks coming with two outs.

"That was a perfect example of grinding at-bats out, getting guys on and finding ways to score," Martinez said.

Price was then followed by Boston relievers Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi and Craig Kimbrel in retiring the final 16 Dodgers batters over the last 5 1/3 innings to secure the Red Sox 100th all-time playoff victory on a cold and windy night at Fenway Park.

"We pitched extremely well. David was amazing. And then the bullpen did what they've been doing," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "David is a huge part of what we're trying to accomplish. Without him going six, it was going to be tough."

A long way to go'

Price, who lost his first 11 career playoff starts before beating Houston last week in the American League finals, threw 58 of his 88 pitches for strikes.

"Give credit to Price. He made pitches when he needed to. We had him on the ropes. We stressed him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "The difference is they got the big hit when they needed it and we didn't."

Eovaldi's stint as a reliever likely means Boston right-handed pitcher Rick Porcello will start game three against Dodgers' rookie righty Walker Buehler at Dodger Stadium on Friday as Los Angeles tries to win its first World Series since 1988.

"We've got to find a way to win a game," Roberts said. "We're not swinging the bats well right now. That's obvious. But getting home, I think we'll be ready for game three."

Roberts will insert left-handed batters in the lineup that he removed for games against lefty pitchers in Boston.

"We're going to shuffle it up," said Roberts. "When guys are in there they've just got to be productive. We've got a lot of good players and we've got a long way to go."

In World Series history, 43 of 54 teams with a 2-0 lead, just under 80 percent, have won the crown, doing so in each of the past 10 opportunities.

The Red Sox, seeking their ninth title and fourth in 15 seasons, improved to 9-0 in the playoffs when scoring first. They led the major leagues this year at 74-15 when scoring first.

Ryu takes the loss

Dodgers left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin became the first South Korean starter in a World Series but took the loss.

Boston opened the scoring in the second inning when Xander Bogaerts doubled and scored on Ian Kinsler's single.

The Dodgers struck in the fourth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Matt Kemp and a Yasiel Puig run-scoring single up the middle to give the Dodgers their only lead at 2-1.

That set the stage for Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts singles and an Andrew Benintendi walk to load the bases. Reliever Ryan Madson replaced Ryu but walked Steve Pearce to force in the tying run, then surrendered the decisive single by Martinez.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Dodgers seek first World Series crown since '88 against Red Sox

BOSTON -- A classic showdown between two of Major League Baseball's oldest clubs opens Tuesday when the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers meet to open the 114th World Series.

Boston will try to cap a team-record 108-win season with a championship trophy and capture a fourth in 15 seasons and ninth overall starting Tuesday at historic Fenway Park.

"It's huge to be able to continue the trend of winning," Boston outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr, said. "You want to be part of something great. Obviously we want to win it all. And we've got to win four more."

The Dodgers chase their first crown in 30 years and seventh overall after losing to Houston in last year's World Series, one win shy of a title.

"We've got a tough series against the Red Sox coming up," said Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. "We know how hard it is to make the World Series. To do it two years in a row is really special."

Red Sox star left-hander Chris Sale will pitch the opener despite being hospitalized a week ago with a stomach ailment. Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 earned-run average this season.

Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw, hoping to shatter a history of underperforming in big games, is expected to pitch the opener despite throwing Saturday's last inning in a playoff win at Milwaukee.

It's baseball's first version of the Boston-LA rivalry made famous in NBA Lakers-Celtics 1980s title showdowns and it comes in Fenway Park, the oldest venue in the major leagues dating to 1912, half a century before Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers, whose history dates to the 1880s and includes a move from Brooklyn to California 60 years ago, and Red Sox, in their 118th campaign, met in the 1916 World Series, which Boston won thanks in part to 13 scoreless innings pitched by legend Babe Ruth in a 2-1 Red Sox victory.

"I think it's great for baseball," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Two storied franchises going head-to-head. It's going to be a great series."

- Grinding out the hits -

The Red Sox, who had a $240 million payroll, are unbeaten on the road in the playoffs, going 5-0 and outscoring foes 40-13.

"Probably the best team in baseball," Dodgers slugger Yasiel Puig said. "They won the most games. But now they are going to have to face us."

Boston boasts the two top batters in the major leagues in Mookie Betts, who averaged .346 with 32 home runs and 82 runs batted in, and J.D. Martinez, who averaged .330 with 43 homers and 130 runs batted in.

"We take pride in grinding at-bats out," Martinez said. "These guys are great and so fun to be around. I couldn't be happier to go to the World Series with them."

The Red Sox had the winningest major league season since 2001 and are a perfect 7-0 when scoring first in post-season games.

"That's the best team in the game right now. We respect that. We know they are good," Dodgers closing relief pitcher Kenley Jansen said.

"We all stuck together. We never quit. We have one goal and we fell short last year. We just have to play 27 outs and see how it goes."

- Machado will be booed -

Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado, obtained in a July trade with Baltimore, has a history with Boston fans after injuring Dustin Pedroia in a slide that led to an exchange of batters hit by pitchers on both teams. Controversial slides against Milwaukee made him a villain again this month.

"They are always going to boo the best," Machado said after getting jeers from Brewers fans.

Dodgers manager Roberts was traded as a player from Los Angeles to the Red Sox in 2004, when he helped the club win its first World Series title since 1918.

"I'm looking forward to going back to Fenway," Roberts said. "I have a lot of fond memories of the Red Sox and Fenway Park. To be wearing another uniform going in there playing for a World Series championship is going to be special for me."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who could become only the fifth rookie manager to win a World Series, played with the Dodgers and later helped Boston to the 2007 Series title.


source: news.abs-cbn.com

Baseball: LA Dodgers power past Brewers to return to World Series

MILWAUKEE -- Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger acknowledged feeling "ice cold" late Saturday night.

He was referring to the champagne that had doused his uniform, not the struggles that threatened to sink his National League Championship Series.

Persistence flowed like clubhouse bubbly for several players as the resilient Dodgers booked a return trip to the World Series by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-1, in Game 7 of the NLCS.

Bellinger, the NLCS MVP, was a leading example. Though he hit .200 in the series, his home run on Saturday accounted for the go-ahead run, and he had the game-winning hit in the 13th inning of Game 4.

"All postseason, I felt fairly good," Bellinger said. "I wasn't seeing any results. And luckily for me I've got a lot of veterans on this team. They said stick with the process and the result will come. And that's exactly what I did, and it showed."

Yasiel Puig also hit a home run to back a strong effort from rookie right-hander Walker Buehler and four relievers, sending the Dodgers to the Fall Classic in consecutive years for the first time since 1977-78.

Game 1 of the World Series against the Red Sox is set for Tuesday night at Fenway Park in Boston.

The Dodgers and Red Sox franchises -- among the most storied in Major League Baseball -- met in the World Series once before, in 1916, when the Dodgers existed as the Brooklyn Robins.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who helped the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series title as a speedy reserve outfielder, forecast a great series ahead.

"I'm looking forward to going back to Fenway," Roberts said. "Obviously for me personally, I have a lot of fond memories of the Red Sox and Fenway Park. To be wearing another uniform going in there playing for a World Series championship is going to be special for me."

Puig had three of the Dodgers' 10 hits, none bigger than a three-run home run in the sixth inning that gave Los Angeles a 5-1 lead. Buehler helped set the tone for the pitching staff with a strong start, limiting the Brewers to one run and six hits in 4 2/3 innings while striking out seven.

Bidding for its first World Series appearance since 1982, Milwaukee finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position while striking out 14 times against the Dodgers.

"That was the bottom line is they pitched well and they didn't let us get anything going," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

"We weren't able to put together rallies, multiple hits, and get things going. And credit to them for how they pitched tonight."

Los Angeles' sixth-inning rally came on the heels of Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor's dazzling defensive play to end a prime Milwaukee scoring chance in the fifth. With two out and the potential tying run on second base, Brewers right fielder Christian Yelich drilled an opposite-field line drive to the left field gap against Julio Urias.

Taylor ranged toward the ball to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track.

"That was the catch of the year," Bellinger said. "I don't know what would happen if he doesn't make that catch. It would have been a tie game, who knows. That was an unbelievable catch. And it was really cool to see it firsthand, right there."

Yelich opened the scoring with one out in the first inning, delighting the sellout crowd of 44,097 by smacking a solo home run to right field. The ball narrowly escaped Puig's leaping attempt at the wall.

The Dodgers responded in the top of the second, however, as Bellinger hit a two-run homer into the second deck in right to give Los Angeles a 2-1 lead. Shortstop Manny Machado, who had two hits, started the rally by bunting down the third base line on a 3-2 count to beat a defensive shift.

Brewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin worked out of further trouble to end the inning, which proved to be his final action of the game. Counsell pinch-hit for Chacin with two on and two out in the bottom of the second, but Jonathan Schoop grounded out to end the threat.

Chacin (1-1) allowed two runs on three hits in two innings, walking one. A fully rested Josh Hader followed and kept the Brewers afloat by continuing a dominant postseason.

Pitching for the first time since Game 4, Hader struck out four, walked one and allowed one hit in three innings of scoreless relief. The All-Star left-hander fanned 16 of the 35 batters he faced in 10 shutout innings over seven playoff appearances. He allowed five hits and walked one.

Hader said he hopes the Brewers can use their postseason experience to their advantage next season.

"The group of guys that we have here, the talent that we have, the sky's the limit. I really feel like that," Hader said. "We just come back next year, get better and see where it takes us."

Largely reliable throughout the regular season stretch run and into October, the Brewers' bullpen stumbled after Hader exited the game. Puig lined a three-run home run to left field against Jeremy Jeffress with two outs and pumped his arms exuberantly as he rounded the bases.

Urias, Ryan Madson, Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw combined for 4 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Madson (1-0) earned the victory, scattering one hit and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers stood at 16-26 on May 16 and did not climb over .500 until June 10. They took sole possession of the National League West lead for the first time on July 13 but battled with the Colorado Rockies for the division crown through the end of the regular season.

Los Angeles clinched its sixth successive division title with a home victory against the Rockies in the NL West tiebreaker game.

The Brewers also needed a 163rd regular-season game to outlast the Chicago Cubs for the NL Central title, earning the club's third postseason berth since moving to the National League in 1998.

"This series could have went either way," Roberts said. "And they gave us all we could handle."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Baseball: Tennis champion King joins LA Dodgers ownership group

Tennis Hall of Famer and social activist Billie Jean King has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a minority owner, the Major League Baseball franchise announced on Thursday.

King, born and raised in southern California, said she and her partner Ilana Kloss were delighted to join an organization she perceived to be socially progressive.

"The entire Dodger organization are a first-class operation that have proven to be leaders in sports on and off the field of play," she said.

"We share a commitment to equality and inclusion, including the LGBTQ community, and we hope to further expand the team's efforts in those areas as we move forward together."

Team owner and chairman Mark Walter welcomed King.

"Just like Billie Jean and Ilana, the Dodger franchise has a history of and commitment to breaking barriers, inclusion and winning, and we're looking forward to them continuing to promote these attributes within our organization," Walter said.

King, 74, won 12 grand slam titles, including Wimbledon six times.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Judge, Bellinger win top rookie awards

LOS ANGELES -- New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger were named Major League Baseball's 2017 rookies of the year on Monday.

Judge, 25, became the first Yankee player since Derek Jeter in 1996 to pick up the American League award after a dazzling debut season.

Judge blasted 52 home runs during the regular season, breaking Mark McGwire's rookie record of 49 homers in the process.

His tally also surpassed Babe Ruth's Yankees record for home runs in a season.

As well as his home run exploits, Judge made 128 runs and 114 RBIs. The Yankees star also won the Home Run Derby in Miami in July.

Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox finished second on the voting, with Baltimore's Trey Mancini third.

In the National League, Bellinger was also a unanimous pick in the awards voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Bellinger, 22, smacked 39 home runs in his debut season for the Dodgers, who lost in game seven of the World Series to the Houston Astros earlier this month.

Bellinger set an unwanted record in the postseason with 28 strikeouts, including 17 in the World Series.

Paul DeJong of the St. Louis Cardinals was second in the voting with the Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell third.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

World Series: Dodgers battle back to defeat Astros and force Game 7

LOS ANGELES --  Corey Seager's sixth inning sacrifice fly helped the Los Angeles Dodgers eke out a come-from-behind 3-1 Game 6 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday to force a World Series decider.

Seager's deep fly ball to right field allowed Chase Utley to scamper home for the go-ahead run, igniting the sold-out crowd of 54,128 as the Dodgers tied the series up at 3-3 to set up Wednesday's winner-take-all showdown.

Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor continued his clutch hitting in the post-season, tying the game 1-1 earlier in the inning with a double down the right field line off of losing pitcher Justin Verlander.

"I was just trying to put a ball in play," Taylor said.

"He's really tough with that fastball up in the zone and a good slider. I was just trying to get the barrel on the ball and hope for something good and it worked out for me," he said.

Taylor has reached base safely 26 times this post-season, a franchise record.

Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson hit a solo 373-foot blast in the bottom of the seventh to provide the National League champions with an insurance run, and reliever Kenley Jansen came in during the eighth inning for a drama-free six-out save.

The loss was the first of the post-season for the hard-throwing Verlander, who had a no decision in Game 2.

   
Dodgers starter Rich Hill was sharp but gave up a solo home run to center fielder George Springer in the third inning for a 1-0 Astros lead and was pulled with two outs in the fourth.

Dodgers reliever Tony Watson, who came into the game in the top of the sixth inning and escaped a two on-two out jam, was the winning pitcher.

The defensive play of the game came in the top of the seventh when the Astros had runners on first and third with two outs, and second baseman Jose Altuve hit a soft ground ball to Justin Turner.

The third baseman charged to pick up the ball and make a quick throw to first baseman Cody Bellinger, who took it on the hop to get the speedy Altuve and keep the Dodgers 2-1 in front.

Game 7 will pit the Dodgers' Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish against Astros curve-ball specialist Lance McCullers Jr.

Darvish had a nightmare start in Game 3 in Houston, where he could not get out of the second inning in the shortest start in his major league career.

McCullers had a solid outing for the first five innings of the same game before losing his accuracy in the sixth inning.

Wednesday's game will be the first-ever World Series Game 7 played at Dodger Stadium and will either see the hosts win a first title since 1988 or the American League champion Astros bag a first-ever crown in their 55-year history.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Astros win thriller, on brink of World Series crown

HOUSTON -  The Houston Astros escaped a thrilling home-run filled clash with a 13-12 extra-innings victory against Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday to be one win away from their maiden World Series title.

After blowing a three-run lead in the ninth inning during which they had the Dodgers down to their final strike, Houston closed out one of the wildest games in World Series history when Alex Bregman hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning.

"Back and forth, the two best teams in baseball fighting to the very end and going toe to toe with each other," Bregman told reporters. "Everybody was used on both teams, pretty much, every single player. It was special for us to come out on top."

Each team had their left-handed aces on the mound to start the pivotal fifth game of the best-of-seven series but both the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and Astros' Dallas Keuchel failed to produce the pitchers' duel many had expected.

By the time the final out was recorded in a game that had it all and kept the capacity crowd on their feet most of the way, the Dodgers and Astros had combined for a whopping seven home runs, including a trio of three-run blasts.

The Astros, who lead the series 3-2, now have two chances in Los Angeles to win their first World Series championship since the inception of the franchise 55 years ago.

"We knew going into this series, this is the best offensive ballclub that we were going to see all year. And they can slug you. They spoil pitches. They're athletic. And credit to them," said Dodges manager Dave Roberts. "But our guys did the same thing. They just got the hit when they needed."

After rallying back from four, three and one-run deficits, Houston finally pulled in front when Jose Altuve's run-scoring double made it 9-8 just two batters after George Springer tied the game with a solo shot.

Carlos Correa's two-run homer before the inning was over stretched the Astros lead to three but Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager doubled in a run in the top of the eighth to pull his team to within 11-9.

On a night when no lead was safe, the Astros fans remained a tense bunch even after Brian McCann's eighth-inning homer gave the Astros their biggest lead of the night, 12-9.

But the drama was only getting started as the Dodgers stormed back in the ninth compliments of Yasiel Puig's two-run shot and a run-scoring single from Chris Taylor before sending it to extra innings.

Kershaw, who enjoyed a pitching masterclass in the series opener, was locked in early but the wheels came off and by the time he left the game had allowed six runs and four hits with two strikeouts and three walks over 4-2/3 innings.

Keuchel also had a rough night as he loaded the bases in the first before a Logan Forsythe single scored a pair. The Dodgers added another before the frame was done and Keuchel left the game after allowing four runs on five hits through 3-2/3 innings.

"It's hard to put into words all the twists and turns in that game, the emotion, doing it at home, in front of our home crowd," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch.

"Just exactly what you expect to come to the park with Keuchel and Kershaw pitching. Just a perfect setup game for a bunch of runs," he added jokingly.

Game Six is scheduled for Tuesday in Los Angeles where the Dodgers will send Rich Hill to the mound while the Astros will counter with Justin Verlander.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Dodgers beat Astros to level World Series at 2-2

HOUSTON - Joc Pederson's three-run shot in the ninth inning helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday to level the World Series at two games apiece.

With the teams tied 1-1 entering the final inning, the Dodgers got their noses in front through Cody Bellinger's run-scoring single before a sacrifice fly from Austin Barnes scored another.

Pederson then smashed a homer to right field to give the Dodgers a five-run lead and silence the home crowd.

With the Astros down to their final strike, Alex Bregman homered to left but it proved too little too late as their unbeaten home stretch in the postseason ended at seven games.

Game Five is scheduled for Sunday in Houston.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Baseball: Astros player apologizes for racist gesture toward Japanese pitcher

Houston Astros slugger Yuli Gurriel apologized for what appeared to be a racist gesture and remark about Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish during Friday's World Series game.

The Cuban smashed a solo home run off the Japanese pitcher to spark a four-run second inning that powered Houston to a 5-3 victory and a 2-1 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-7 championship final.

During the game, television cameras showed Gurriel putting his fingers to the outer edges of his eyes and pulling the skin wider. There was also concern he had uttered the word "chinito," or "little Chinese".

"Acting like that was just disrespectful to people all over the world," Darvish said through a translator when told of the move. "I feel like the Astros have Asian fans too."

After the game, Gurriel -- who played for Japan's Yokohama BayStars in 2014 -- said through a translator that he meant no offensive gesture or remark.

"I didn't want to offend anybody in Japan. I have a lot of respect for Japan. I never intended to make an offensive gesture," said Gurriel. "I was commenting to my teammates that I haven't had much luck against Darvish.

"If he was offended, I ask for his forgiveness. That wasn't my intention."

As for his remark, Gurriel said that, "In Cuba we call everybody who is from Asia 'chinito.' "

Houston's four-run outburst chased Darvish off the mound after 1 2/3 innings -- the shortest start of Darvish's career in possibly the biggest game of his life.

But after the contest, Darvish's poor outing was less of a concern than Gurriel's actions. And while Darvish did not utter the word forgiveness, it was the spirit he showed to the man who seemingly added insult to victory.

"He made a mistake," Darvish said. "He'll learn from it. We're all human beings."

Well after the game, Darvish released a statement in English on his Twitter account that expressed his desire for people to learn from Gurriel's actions.

"No one is perfect. That includes both you and I. What he had done today isn't right, but I believe we should put our effort into learning rather than to accuse him," Darvish wrote.

"If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind. Since we are living in such a wonderful world, let's stay positive and move forward instead of focusing on anger.

"I'm counting on everyone's big love."

Several media reports said Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred plans to speak to Gurriel on Saturday about the gesture before game four of the best-of-seven championship series now led by the Astros 2-1.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch said that Gurriel was "remorseful" about his actions.

"I am aware of it," Hinch said. "I know he's remorseful. But other than that, I don't know a lot."

source: news.abs-cbn.com