Cody Bellinger Powers Dodgers To Sweep Of Arizona; George Springer Leads Houston Past Boston, 5-4

Players of the Day for Monday, October 9, 2017

American League

George Springer went 3-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a key at-bat as the Houston Astros rallied for a 5-4 win over Boston, taking the ALDS three games to one.

Springer: 3-4, Run, 1 RBI

Leading off the game with a double to deep center, Springer scored Houston's first run on a double play ball struck by Jose Altuve. The Red Sox responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning, but Springer untied it with an RBI single in the second for a 2-1 lead.

The score remained the same until the fifth, when Andrew Benintendi scorched a two-run homer to right for a 3-2 Boston lead. In the eighth, Alex Bregman homered to tie the game at three, followed by a single by Evan Gattis. Cameron Maybin ran for Gattis. Springer drew a two-out walk after Maybin took second on a wild pitch. Josh Reddick drove home Maybin with Houston's fourth run, stranding Springer at third.

In the top of the eighth, Carlos Beltran's pinch hit double drove home what would prove to be the game-winner, as Rafael Devers hit an inside-the-park homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Springer had a sensational regular season as Houston's primary leadoff hitter, batting .283 with 34 home runs, 85 RBI and 112 runs.

The Astros will have to wait until Wednesday to see who they will play in the league championship series as the Yankees forced game five in Cleveland, taking their second straight in New York with a 7-3 win over the Indians, tying the series at two games apiece.

National League

Bellinger: HR, 2 RBI

Max Scherzer took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but the Cubs rallied for a run in the seventh and another in the eighth for a 2-1 win over Washington and a 2-1 lead in the NLDS series.

Later in the eventing, the LA Dodgers completed the three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks with a 3-1 victory.

Cody Bellinger drove in a first-inning run on a ground out and homered off Zack Greinke in the fifth, providing all the runs Dodger starter, You Darvish, and four relievers, would need. Darvish gave up one run on two hits over five innings, fanning seven. Darvish took the win. Kenley Jansen recorded his second save of the series, allowing a hit but fanning two in a scoreless ninth inning.

Bellinger was the team leader in home runs, swatting 39 with 97 RBI. The 22-year-old is almost certain to be awarded Rookie of the Year honors.

The Dodgers await the winner of the Chicago-Washington series for the NLCS. The Nationals host the Cubs in game four on Tuesday, at 5:38 pm ET. Chicago can wrap up the series with a win.