MLB roundup: Astros sweep Indians

[October 09, 2018]  George Springer homered twice, and the Houston Astros completed their first postseason sweep, securing the American League Division Series with an 11-3 victory over the host Cleveland Indians on Monday.

Marwin Gonzalez notched two bases-loaded hits, and Carlos Correa snapped a hitless drought with a three-run homer as the Astros advanced to their second consecutive American League Championship Series and sixth LCS overall.

Springer set the franchise record with his ninth postseason homer, a game-tying solo shot in the fifth inning, before igniting a sixth-run eighth with another long ball, an opposite-field blast to right field. He went 3-for-6, joining Gonzalez, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman in recording multi-hit games for the Astros.

Red Sox 16, Yankees 1

Andrew Benintendi highlighted a seven-run fourth inning with a bases-clearing double, Brock Holt hit for the first cycle in postseason history, and Boston rolled to a victory at New York in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

Game 4 is Tuesday, and the Red Sox are one win away from meeting the Astros in the American League Championship Series. Rick Porcello is set to pitch for Boston, while CC Sabathia will start for the Yankees.

Holt went 4-for-6 and finished off his cycle with a two-run homer off Yankees backup catcher Austin Romine in the ninth. The Red Sox pounded out 18 hits and scored their most runs in a road playoff game.

Dodgers 6, Braves 2

Manny Machado drove in four runs with a homer and double, and Los Angeles advanced to the National League Championship Series with a victory at Atlanta.

Astros center fielder George Springer (4) hits a solo homerun in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians during game three of the 2018 ALDS playoff baseball series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It is the third straight trip to the NLCS for the Dodgers, who won the best-of-five NL Division Series in four games. Their next opponent will be the Brewers, who completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the other NLDS. The Braves were eliminated in their opening round of the postseason for the eighth consecutive time.
 

Machado, a pending free agent acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in July, hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning off rookie reliever Chad Sobotka. An inning earlier, David Freese had put the Dodgers ahead with a two-run pinch single.

--Field Level Media

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