Washington Nationals' Gio Gonzalez pitches in the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Washington Nationals' Gio Gonzalez pitches in the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Texas Rangers' Adrian Beltre (29) connects for a single off a pitch from Oakland Athletics' Pedro Figueroa in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez walks off field after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Aaron Vincent Elkaim)
Chicago White Sox's Gordon Beckham looks down after striking out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Chicago, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. The Rays won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria hits a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. The Rays won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Here's how the pennant races look with six days to go:
? CLOSING IN: Washington and Texas can wrap up division titles this weekend. Both teams have a magic number of three. Gio Gonzalez pitched the NL East-leading Nationals past Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night, becoming the first 21-game winner in the majors. Hours earlier, Ian Kinsler hit his seventh leadoff homer this season and the Rangers beat Oakland 9-7 to earn a four-game split that maintained their four-game AL West lead over the Athletics.
? DOUBLE DECK: The wild-card races are coming down to the wire. St. Louis has a three-game lead over the Dodgers for the final NL playoff spot. Baltimore sits atop the AL wild-card standings, a game ahead of Oakland. Two games behind the A's are the Angels and surging Rays. Tampa Bay has won eight in a row.
? FADING FAST: Rookie manager Robin Ventura and the Chicago White Sox have hit the skids at the wrong time. They've dropped eight of nine, falling two games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central. Brett Myers gave up a tiebreaking homer to Evan Longoria in the ninth inning of a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday night.
? NEXT UP: Texas can become the first American League team to clinch a playoff spot with a win Friday night over the Angels. It won't be easy, though. Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver (19-4) pitches against midseason acquisition Ryan Dempster.
? CHASE CHATTER: "We know what's at stake right now and we've just got to go out there and keep picking up wins. We've got a little six-game playoff race." ? Nick Swisher after the New York Yankees lost 6-0 in Toronto, trimming their AL East lead to one game over Baltimore.
Associated Pressallen iverson jr smith chris anderson rondo suspended bay bridge raul ibanez downton abbey season 3
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন