The China Mail - Dodgers beat Braves to advance in MLB playoffs, Rays oust Yankees

Andy Pages put prior post-season disappointments behind him to deliver a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning for the Dodgers, who completed a 3-1 victory over the Braves in their best-of-five National League division series.

The Rays edged the Yankees 4-3 in New York to complete a 3-0 sweep in their American League division series, fueled by a two-run home run from Victor Mesa Jr. and aided by a spectator interference call that denied the Yankees a two-run homer.

A tight game in Atlanta had been knotted at 1-1 since the second inning when Pages came through in the seventh, rewarding the faith of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Braves starting pitcher Tyler Mahle opened the seventh by retiring Los Angeles star Shohei Ohtani but was pulled for rookie Didier Fuentes after giving up a single to Teoscar Hernandez.

Fuentes recorded one out but walked two to load the bases with two outs.

The Braves sent veteran Robert Suarez in to face Pages, who stroked a fastball up the middle for the Dodgers' first hit with runners in scoring position in the series.

The Dodgers, trying to become the first team since the New York Yankees in 1998, 1999 and 2000 to win three straight World Series titles, will face either the Milwaukee Brewers or the San Diego Padres in the National League championship series.

The Padres hosted the Brewers later Wednesday chasing a second straight home win to fend off elimination.

"It's important," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Once you get to an elimination game...anything can happen. And to be able to win today, get back, reset, have a day off tomorrow, set the rotation, it's huge."

The Rays took advantage of their first opportunity to close out the Yankees, but not without drama.

The Rays had a run-scoring single from Jonathan Aranda in the third inning and a solo home run from Ryan Vilade in the fourth.

But the Yankees answered both runs and it was tied at 2-2 with two outs in the sixth inning when Mesa lofted a 401-foot home run to right center field off Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried that also scored Junior Caminero.

That proved the difference maker. Anthony Volpe had appeared to pull New York level again with a sixth-inning shot to deep left field that was originally ruled a two-run homer.

That call was overturned after a lengthy video review that found interference by a spectator who reached over the wall to grab the ball as Mesa attempted to catch it.

"In my opinion, I feel that I could catch that ball, at least could have touched my glove," Mesa said.

A statement from the MLB replay center said that after viewing "all relevant angles" of the incident the replay official "definitively determined" spectator interference over the field of play.

"The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught," officials determined, leading them to credit Volpe with a run-scoring double that pulled New York within 4-3.

The Yankees couldn't find another run and the Rays celebrated again at Yankee Stadium little more than two weeks after clinching the AL East division title there.

- Great mindset -

Tampa Bay will face either the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in the American League championship series after the Guardians fended off elimination with a 9-3 triumph in Chicago.

Jose Ramirez and Jo Adell struck run-scoring triples to power the Guardians, who had dropped the first two games at home.

Ramirez went two-for-four at the plate with a double, a triple, two runs-batted-in, two runs scored and a stolen base.

"It was a great mindset from the team," Ramirez said. "I think we did the best we could because there's no way back."

Chicago host game four on Thursday aiming to extend a fairytale year that has seen them bounce back from three straight 100-loss seasons to improbably reach the playoffs.

G.Tsang--ThChM