Log in

LEADING OFF: Happ gets playoff prep; Snell seeks 21st win

Posted 9/23/18

LEADING OFF: Happ gets playoff prep; Snell seeks 21st win by By The Associated Press , Associated Press - 23 September 2018 02:54-04:00 A look at what's happening around the majors on today: THE …

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

LEADING OFF: Happ gets playoff prep; Snell seeks 21st win

Posted

LEADING OFF: Happ gets playoff prep; Snell seeks 21st win

by By The Associated Press , Associated Press - 23 September 2018 02:54-04:00

A look at what's happening around the majors on today:

THE HAPPENING

The Yankees know they'll be playing in the AL wild-card game on Oct. 3, and J.A. Happ on track to be their starter. New York clinched a wild-card berth with a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 11 innings on Saturday. Happ, 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA for New York after he was acquired from Toronto, is scheduled to start Sunday against Boston and would be on normal rest next Friday at Boston and for the wild-card game. The left-hander allowed one run and two hits over six innings to win on Sept. 4 at Oakland, New York's probable wild-card opponent.

ON A ROLL

The Tampa Bay Rays will look to keep their faint postseason hopes alive behind streaking left-hander Blake Snell in their series finale against Toronto. Snell (20-5, 1.97 ERA) is 8-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his past eight starts, striking out 63 over 46 innings in that stretch. The Blue Jays will counter with lefty Ryan Borucki, who pitched eight shutout innings to beat Baltimore in his previous outing. The Rays would need a collapse by Oakland in the season's final week to earn a wild-card berth. If not, the A's would face the Yankees in the winner-take-all game.

TWO'S ENOUGH

The Cardinals shouldn't expect to need an offensive outburst to maintain their position in the NL wild-card race. Miles Mikolas (16-4, 3.01 ERA), who starts Sunday against San Francisco, is 16-0 when receiving two or more runs of support. St. Louis holds the second wild-card position behind the Milwaukee Brewers, with the Colorado Rockies chasing.

LOOKING AHEAD

Now that they've won their first NL East crown since 2013, the Atlanta Braves can start figuring out their postseason rotation. Mike Foltynewicz has been the Braves' most consistent starter and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Saturday's division-clinching win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Kevin Gausman has been solid since coming over in a trade with Baltimore and could start Game 2 of the NL Division Series. Beyond that, the Braves have Anibal Sanchez (6-6, 3.01 ERA), Julio Teheran (16-9, 4.03) and Sean Newcomb (16-12, 4.04). Sanchez can begin stating his case on Sunday when he pitches against the Phillies and ace Aaron Nola.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.