Tigers & Reds forced into Game 5; NY & Cardinals up 2-1

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Seth Smith hit a game-tying two-run double off closer Jose Valverde in the 9th inning and Coco Crisp capped Oakland's rally with a two-out RBI single as the Athletics staved off elimination for a second straight night with a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 of the AL Divisional Series. The Tigers will send last year's MVP Justin Verlander against the A's this Thursday night in Game 5 with the winner moving on to the ALCS.


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Taking the mound for only the fourth time in 2012 after complicated surgery to cure numbness on his right side, the 37-year-old Chris Carpenter spoiled the return of postseason baseball to Washington by throwing almost flawlessly into the 6th inning as the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals shut out the Nationals, 8-0, to take a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series. The Cardinals have a chance to end the best-of-five series this Thursday afternoon in Game 4 at Washington, D.C.


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Angel Pagan hit the first leadoff homerun in Giants postseason history and Gregor Blanco & Pablo Sandoval connected later as San Francisco secured an 8-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that evened the NL Division Series at two. No team has recovered from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series by winning three on the road, according to STATS LLC. The Giants have a chance to do that with a deciding-Game 5 victory this Thursday afternoon at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.


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With Raul Ibanez's two clutch homeruns, the New York Yankees rallied for a stunning 3-2 win in 12th innings over the Baltimore Orioles to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five AL Division Series. Phil Hughes will try to clinch it for the Yankees this Thursday night in Game 4 while Joe Saunders will start for Baltimore.