NLDS: Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper HRs Power Nationals' Comeback Win Over Cubs

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 7, 2017

National League

The two most prominent features of baseball this season have been home runs and strikeouts, so it may be fitting that in Saturday's game two of the NLDS between the Cubs and Nationals, all of the runs were scored via the long ball, including the tying and winning runs.

Harper: 2-run HR

Washington rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Cubs, 6-3, evening the series at a game apiece.

Jon Lester, the Chicago starter, put in a strong performance, limiting the Nats to one run on just two hits over six innings, but, the Cubs' relief staff could not hold the lead as the game entered the latter stages.

In the eighth, Bryce Harper tied the game at 3-3 with a two-run homer to right and later in the same inning, Ryan Zimmerman belted the game-changing three-run shot into the left field stands.

Zimmerman: 3-run HR

The victimized relievers were Carl Edwards, Jr., who allowed two hits, a walk and was credited with giving up three earned runs, retiring only one batter in the inning. Mike Montgomery came on with one out and allowed two more hits, including Zimmerman's blast.

Harper, who missed half of August and almost all of September due to injury, still managed a solid season, batting .319 with 29 homers and 87 RBI. Zimmerman, who has played all 13 years of his major league career with the Nationals, is almost a no-doubter for NL Comeback Player of the Year, swatting 36 home runs and driving in 108 runs with a .303 batting average during the regular season. In 2016, he hit .218 with 15 HRs and 46 RBI.

The teams get a day off Sunday, resuming the series Monday in Chicago.

Los Angeles took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five divisional series with an 8-5 victory over the visiting Diamondbacks.

Yasiel Puigled the Dodgers, going 3-for-4, driving in a pair of runs. Logan Forsythe was 3-for-5, scoring three times with an RBI.

The series shifts to Arizona on Monday. First pitch is slated for 7:08 pm ET.

American League

There were no games in the American League on Saturday, but Sunday's games are do-or-die for the two teams from the AL East, Boston and New York. Both the Red sox and Yankees are down two-games-to-none and face elimination as they return to their home fields.

Boston hosts the Astros at 2:38 pm ET in game three. Brad Peacock starts for the Astros. Doug Fister goes to the mound for Boston. The Yankees welcome the Cleveland Indians to Yankee Stadium at 7:38 pm ET. Masahiro Tanaka will try to keep the Yankee hopes alive, facing Cleveland hurler, Carlos Carrasco.