Potential for Ultimate Chaos – Red Sox Beat Nationals 5-3 Saturday [VIDEO]
It all comes down to Sunday, October 3rd with 4 teams all within 1 game of each other, and the potential for a 4 way tie, after the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Saturday. If the Red Sox win Sunday, they're in, and are guaranteed 1 of the 2 wild card spots.
Saturday afternoon Tanner Houck started for the Red Sox, and was perfect! He pitched 5 innings of no-hit baseball, striking out 8 and not allowing a walk.
Garrett Richards followed, pitching the 6th inning, and allowing just a hit.
Ryan Brasier pitched the 7th inning, and allowed 2 hits, but no runs. He struck out 2 and walked 1.
Adam Ottavino came on in the 8th inning and allowed 1 run, striking out 1 and walking 2, retiring just 1 batter.
Austin Davis retired the last 2 batters but allowed a 2-run homer to Andrew Stevenson
Hansel Robles pitched the 9th, striking out 1 and walking 1, to pick up his 14th save of the season.
The Red Sox had taken a 1-0 lead in the 4th inning, when Rafael Devers hit a home run, his 36th of the season.
It was tied 1-1 going into the 9th inning, when the Red Sox exploded for 4 runs.
Christian Vazquez tripled, driving in a run.
Kike Hernandez hit a 2-run homer, his 20th of the season.
Manager Alex Cora on the game.
On Saturday, the Yankees were crushed by Tampa Bay 12-2 in New York. The Yankees and Red Sox are tied for the Top Wild Card spot. If the Yankees and Red Sox both win on Sunday afternoon, the Red Sox will earn the Top Wild Card spot by virtue of them winning the season series over the Yankees, and will host the Wild Card game against the Yankees on Tuesday.
The Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners are both 1 game back. Toronto beat Baltimore 10-1 and the Mariners beat the Angels 6-4.
If the Yankees lose on Sunday, and either Toronto or Seattle win, then there would need to be a 1-game play-in game to see who plays the Red Sox in the Wild Card game, which would be Wednesday.
If the Red Sox lose, the Yankees lose and the Blue Jays win and the Mariners win, then there would be a 4-way tie for 2 Wild Card spots.
Bottom line...If the Red Sox win, they're in and they'll host the Wild Card game on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Lose and they're in a play-in game. The Red Sox will send Chris Sale to the mound to start.
The best part? Every game on Sunday starts at 3:05 p.m. so get ready for lots of scoreboard updates!
Hear Sunday afternoon's pregame starting at 2:05 with the 1st pitch at 3:05 p.m on AM 1370 WDEA.