MLB Playoffs: The Bay Area’s Postseason Misery
The MLB postseason has been a source of joy for a few fanbases, but that has not been the case in the Bay Area.
Needless to say, Bay Area fans of all sports are unhappy with how the MLB postseason is turning out. Not only will Game 4 of the NLDS haunt their dreams until 2017, Bay Area fans must be upset that both the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers are still in the postseason. Besides those Oakland Athletics fans, who root for the Dodgers in the National League, the playoffs are not turning out well for the Bay Area.
Despite narrowly edging out the Saint Louis Cardinals and dramatically beating the New York Mets in the Wild Card game, the Giants fell apart in Game 4 against the Chicago Cubs. Dropping the first two games in Chicago, the Giants grinded to win Game 3 in 13 innings. Tied at five, Brandon Crawford doubled in a lead off double to win the game.
The Giants’ Game 3 victory came thanks to an unusually quality outing from the bullpen. After Sergio Romo allowed the game-tying home run in the ninth, Will Smith and Ty Blach held the Cubs to two hits through four innings. For the first time in the series, the Giants had momentum.
Once it seemed like the Giants’ bullpen was coming around, they collapsed in Game 4.
After Matt Moore’s ace-like performance, where he allowed two hits, two runs and struck out 10, the bullpen stumbled in the ninth inning. The Cubs extinguished the Giants’ postseason run with four-runs in the top of the ninth. As Chapman struck out the bottom of the ninth, the bullpen took ownership for the loss.
Their bullpen was a problem that plagued the regular season and it snapped the Giants’ even-year magic.
Rivals Moving On
Meanwhile, their Southern California rival rallied to overcome the Washington Nationals to advance to the NLCS. Facing a 2-1 series deficit, the Dodgers won two in a row to eliminate the Nationals.
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BoSox Injection
In the deciding fifth game, the Nationals struck first and took a one-run lead in the second. Joc Pederson’s solo homer to lead off the seventh sparked a four-run inning for the Dodgers. Although the Nationals fought back and scored a pair in the bottom of the seventh, the Dodgers took the series with a 4-3 victory.
Interestingly, Clayton Kershaw entered the ninth inning on one-days rest and notched the last two outs of the game. As a result, he received his first career-save after a pop out and striking out Wilmer Difo.
This marks only the second time in the last four years the Dodgers have reached the NLCS. They began their four-season playoff appearance streak in 2013 and lost to the Cardinals in the NLCS. Now, all Bay Area fans can do is watch as their rival continue their postseason run.
Indians Reinforce the Cavaliers
Furthermore, the Indians sweep of the Boston Red Sox puts them eight wins away from bringing Cleveland their second sports championship in 2016. They won a pair of one-run ballgames and clinched the ALCS berth at Fenway Park.
While Giants fans may be more worried about seeing the Dodgers move further into October, Bay Area fans cringe as they remember the 2016 NBA Finals. The Indians’ World Series chase brings back memories of how the Golden State Warriors won three games in a row to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, only to get a taste of their own medicine from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Four games into the NBA Finals, the Warriors held a 3-1 advantage over the Cavaliers. However, a three-game melt down cost Golden State the championship and put an asterix next to their historic 73-9 season. The chance of the Indians bringing Cleveland a World Series championship only arouses dreadful memories of the NBA Finals.
Next: Los Angeles Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw’s Greatest Save
As much as Bay Area fans want to forget the disappointment of 2016, the end of the Giants’ even year magic, the Dodgers moving up to the NLCS and the Indians fighting to follow up the Cavaliers bring those memories fresh to their minds.