MLB playoffs

NLDS

Cardinals 4, Cubs 0

ST. LOUIS

John Lackey outpitched old teammate Jon Lester, allowing two hits into the eighth inning, and rookies Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty each homered late as the Cardinals cooled off the Cubs Friday night in the opener of their NL Division Series.

In front of a standing room only crowd of 47,830 — the second-largest at 10-year-old Busch Stadium — thousands of Cubs faithful mixed into the red throng for the first postseason game between the two long-time rivals.

Lackey held the Cubs hitless for five innings, getting help from Kris Bryant’ double-play ball by to end the fourth. Addison Russell ended the suspense with a solid single up the middle to open the sixth and Kyle Schwarber’s bunt hit leading off the seventh was the only other hit allowed by Lackey in 7 1-3 innings.

Game 2 of the best-of-five series is Saturday. The Cardinals turn to lefty Jaime Garcia (10-6), who made 20 starts coming off risky thoracic surgery. Kyle Hendricks (8-7) makes his postseason debut for the NL wild-card winners.

Matt Holliday had an RBI single in the first, giving St. Louis a lead after just three at-bats. Pinch-hitting, Pham homered off Lester with one out in the eighth to snap a string of 13 straight outs for the lefty. Piscotty had a two-run shot off Pedro Strop in the eighth.

ALDS

Rangers 6, Blue Jays 4 14 innings

TORONTO

Backup infielder Hanser Alberto singled home the go-ahead run in the 14th inning and the Rangers beat the Blue Jays for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.

The underdog Rangers will try to sweep the Blue Jays at home in Game 3 Sunday. Martin Perez will start for Texas against Marco Estrada.

Alberto, batting last and only in the lineup because star third baseman Adrian Beltre was out with a strained back, made an error that led to Toronto’s first two runs. He delivered an RBI single with two outs in the 14th, and Delino DeShields followed with an infield hit for another run.

Alberto, a 22-year-old rookie who made his big league debut this season, also had a sacrifice fly.

Texas shut out the highest-scoring team in the majors after the fifth inning. The victory for first-year manager Jeff Banister’s team made road clubs 5-0 in the playoffs so far — the only previous time that happened in the postseason was the 1906 all-Chicago World Series, STATS said.

Keone Kela (1-0) worked one inning for the win, staying calm after a dustup with Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson.

Ross Ohlendorf, with an old-school, double-armed windup, finished for a save. The 33-year-old journeyman picked up the first save of his major league career earlier this year.

Mike Napoli hit a tying single for Texas in the eighth.

Royals 5, Astros 4

KANSAS CITY, MO.

Ben Zobrist hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, reliever Wade Davis got replay help for a key pickoff in the ninth and the Royals rallied from a three-run hole to beat the Astros, evening their AL Division Series at a game apiece.

The Royals knotted the game at 4 off Scott Kazmir and relievers Oliver Perez and Josh Fields in the sixth. Kansas City took the lead in the seventh when Alcides Escobar led off with a triple against Will Harris (0-1) and Zobrist followed with his single through the left side.

Kelvin Herrera (1-0) and Ryan Madson each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Royals, and Davis came on to close it.

Davis walked Preston Tucker with one out, and speedy Carlos Gomez came in as a pinch-runner. Davis snapped a throw that first baseman Eric Hosmer neatly snagged on one hop as Gomez made a dive back to the bag — Gomez was initially ruled safe, but the call was overturned upon review. Jose Altuve then grounded out to end it, giving Davis a save.

It was a crucial victory considering what awaits Kansas City in Game 3 on Sunday: Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, who was 15-0 at home this season. Edinson Volquez will start for Kansas City.

Two starters acquired with October in mind, Johnny Cueto of the Royals and Kazmir of the Astros, pitched largely to a stalemate Friday, which meant the outcome hinged on the bullpens.

Kansas City’s relief corps was simply better, allowing the reigning AL champions to become the first home team to win in six games this postseason.

Colby Rasmus homered, doubled and drove in two runs for the Astros, becoming the first player in major league history with an extra-base hit in his first six playoff games. George Springer also drove in a pair of runs after hitting a solo shot in the series opener.

Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City. Hosmer also drove in a run.

Associated Press