It was nearly 1:30 a.m. today before the Dodgers finally wrapped up their Game One victory over the Cardinals in the NLDS, a 5-3 victory that set a division series record for a nine-inning game by lasting 3 hours, 54 minutes. The main reason? The teams combined to leave 30 men on base, a record for any nine-inning postseason affair. The Dodgers stranded 16, including the bases loaded three times.
Stunningly, history says the Cardinals are in trouble. Teams losing the opener of an NLDS are just 3-25 in their series (the losers in the ALDS opener are 14-14). The three that came back to win the opening round all went to the World Series -- the '99 Braves, '00 Mets and '03 Marlins.
The biggest story from the opening day of play, of course, was the fact that A-Rod quickly snapped out of his postseason funk with two hits in the Yankees' win over the Twins. Big elephant in the room that's now been shooed away. Great job backing up his bucks by CC Sabathia as well.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
AL Division Series | Major leagues | NL Division Series | Yankees
