Divisional Series Update

While the best of five divisional series between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s is tied at a game apiece, the three other such series could end today.

In the other American League series the top ranked Boston Red Sox can win their first post season series since 2008 with a win at Tampa, vs the Rays.

The BoSox won both Fenway park tilts putting Joe Maddon’s Rays on the precipice of a third straight divisional series loss all in a four season span (2010-2013).

The loss is likely but far from certainly to occur in their “no real atmosphere,” home in Tampa, also for a third time in as many appearances in that span.

In the National League with each team playing on the exact 39 year anniversary of their game two clash in the 1974 NLCS, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers won home divisional series games yesterday, making a 1974 NLCS redux a likely, but still far from certain, outcome.

There is action in all four series today. The Tigers host the A’s in the day’s first game, a scheduled 1 pm eastern time start.

The next game will be the Pirates vs the St. Louis Cardinals in game four. The Pirates are hoping to win their first post season series (play in game is not a series) since winning the 1979 World Series in that 3pm start.

Next, the aforementioned Red Sox’ bid to wrap up their series will be in game three at Tampa with a 6pm scheduled starting time.

The day’s final game is in Los Angeles (9:30pm scheduled start) with the Dodgers facing the Atlanta Braves in game four.

Yesterday, on the exact 50 year anniversary of winning the 1963 World Series in four straight games vs the still great New York Yankees, the Dodgers moved one win away from just their third LCS appearance in 25 seasons(1989-2013) with a “football score”(13-6) win vs the Atlanta Braves.