MLB Standings & Scores 2013: Playoffs Results, Clinchers: NL, AL Championship Series Shaping Up
As we get deeper into the month of October, the Major League Baseball playoffs are heating up even more. The League Championship Series are shaping up with half of the teams already set with a spot in the next round.
The Boston Red Sox are in the midst of a classic worst to first story after earning a trip to the ALCS this season following a last place finish in 2012. The Sox celebrated last night after knocking down an ever-so-familiar foe in the division rival Tampa Bay Rays. The benefit that the Red Sox have is that their series is finished up soon enough to get some extra rest and relaxation.
"It's great, but we've still got one more to get where we want to be," Shane Victorino said. "We're going to get a few days off to rest and see what happens in the other division series, and we'll go from there."
And in the National League, the Atlanta Braves did what they're best known for -- exiting the playoffs early. Atlanta was only able to scrape out one win in a three games to one series victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles reached the NLCS for the first time since 2009 and helped erase the nightmarish memories of the ownership collapsing along with the team. The Dodgers completed a mighty turnaround to find themselves 4 wins away from the World Series.
Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are both facing elimination as the series is tied a 2-2 entering tonight's decisive Game 5. In the other remaining series yet to be decided, the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics are also tied at 2 games apiece but they'll be waiting until Thursday to determine which team will be heading to the Championship Series.