National Baseball League

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COLIN COWHERD (big picture, leaning forward):
“Let’s stop pretending this series is complicated. Arizona isn’t just winning—they’re announcing themselves. This wasn’t a road game, this was a hostile takeover. You don’t beat a two-seed 17–3 by accident. You do it because you’re deeper, calmer, and frankly… better.”
VIN SCULLY (gentle, reflective):
“And on a cool October afternoon in Milwaukee, with the wind drifting softly toward right field, the Diamondbacks began to tell a very simple story—one written early, and rewritten often, on the Brewer scoreboard.”
Cowherd:
“Here’s the truth: Milwaukee needed this game. They had to punch back. Instead, Arizona walked into their park and turned it into batting practice by the third inning. Nine to one. Series tone? Set. Confidence? Gone.”
Scully:
“In the top of the third, Steve Schleicher stepped in. The count was friendly, the pitch a changeup that stayed just a moment too long… and when the bat met the ball, the sound told you everything you needed to know. A three-run home run. And suddenly, the afternoon felt very long for the home club.”
Cowherd:
“And let’s talk about Fernando Armendariz—because this is what separates good teams from postseason problems. Your catcher goes 4-for-6 with two homers and two doubles? That’s unfair. That’s depth. That’s an organization that doesn’t rely on one star but rolls waves at you.”
Scully:
“Armendariz was everywhere. A double here, a home run there… and each time he crossed the plate, he did so with the quiet confidence of a man who knew this was simply his day. Four hits, four runs driven in—and a memory that will linger.”
Cowherd:
“Milwaukee’s pitching never stabilized. Arias didn’t survive the second inning, and once you start going to the bullpen that early, you’re not managing—you’re reacting. Arizona smelled it. And once this lineup smells weakness? It’s over.”
Scully:
“By the middle innings, the Diamondbacks were adding runs the way a craftsman adds brushstrokes—methodically, patiently, beautifully. A double. A stolen base. Another ball lifted into the breeze. The scoreboard kept changing, and yet the outcome felt more and more settled.”
Cowherd:
“And while all that’s happening, look at the other side: Milwaukee stranded runners, kicked the ball around, made three errors. That’s pressure baseball. That’s what happens when October speeds up and you can’t.”
Scully:
“Sometimes, in this game, effort is not enough. The Brewers tried, but every small mistake seemed magnified, every hopeful rally met by a calm response from Arizona’s pitcher, Joe Martin—steady for eight and a third, unbothered, unhurried.”
Cowherd (closing it out):
“So now it’s 2–0 Arizona, heading back to Chase Field. And let me be clear—this isn’t about Milwaukee being bad. This is about Arizona being real. Balanced lineup. Road toughness. No fear. These are the teams that ruin brackets.”
Scully (soft finish):
“And as the final out was recorded beneath clear skies in Milwaukee, the Diamondbacks walked off the field having done more than win a ballgame. They carried with them momentum, belief—and the quiet understanding that October, once again, belongs to those who seize it early.”
Final note:
Arizona didn’t just beat the Brewers.
They introduced themselves to the postseason. 🌵⚾

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MICHAEL KAY (measured, big-moment voice):
“Wellllll, the Red Sox are not dead yet. On a chilly October afternoon at Fenway Park, Boston delivered exactly the kind of response you have to have with your season on the line—an emphatic 15–8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3.”
COLIN COWHERD (zooming out immediately):
“This is what urgency looks like. Tampa Bay came in feeling great about itself—top seed, breakout season, house money. Boston came in knowing one thing: you lose today, you’re basically cooked. And the Red Sox played like the grown-ups.”
Kay:
“It didn’t start that way. Tampa Bay scratched, clawed, stayed patient early. But then came the fifth inning—and everything flipped.”
Cowherd:
“Here’s the truth: playoff series swing on one inning. Not vibes, not narratives—one inning. And in the bottom of the fifth, Boston absolutely stole Tampa’s confidence.”
Kay:
“Justin Madigan stepping in… no one out… fastball from Ricky Flores… SWUNG ON AND DRIVEN—DEEP TO LEFT—GONE! A three-run home run, and Fenway Park erupts! The Red Sox take a 6–2 lead!”
Cowherd:
“That’s a knockout punch. Tampa Bay’s starter couldn’t miss bats, and once that lineup saw blood, it was over. You don’t survive October when your pitching cracks under pressure.”
Kay:
“And the inning just kept going. Hit after hit. Double after double. Nine runs cross the plate. Nine. Fenway was shaking.”
Cowherd:
“And this is where experience matters. Boston didn’t panic when they were down earlier in the series. They’ve been here. Tampa hasn’t. That doesn’t mean Tampa’s bad—it means October exposes you.”
Kay:
“And how about Emmanuel Rodriguez? Four for four. A home run. A double. Two singles. A walk. Three runs driven in. Everywhere you looked, he was on base.”
Cowherd:
“That’s a star night. That’s a ‘give me the ball, give me the moment’ performance. This wasn’t random production—this was Boston’s lineup saying, we’re not done yet.”
Kay:
“Tampa Bay did get some late offense—five runs in the eighth—but by then the damage was done. The Red Sox bullpen closed the door, and Fenway stayed loud until the final out.”
Cowherd (big-picture close):
“So now it’s 2–1 Rays—but don’t kid yourself. Momentum just shifted. Tampa Bay still has the better season résumé, but Boston just reminded everyone why seeding doesn’t win games—situational toughness does.”
Kay (classic finish):
“The Red Sox stay alive. Game 4 tomorrow at Fenway Park. And suddenly… this series has a pulse.”
That one felt like October baseball in its purest form ⚾🔥

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HARRY DOYLE (barely holding it together):
“Well folks… I don’t know what that was, but it sure as heck wasn’t boring. The Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays played one of those games where the scoreboard operator starts asking for overtime pay, and Cleveland walks out of here with a 16–12 win in ten innings.”
COLIN COWHERD (zooming out, shaking his head):
“This is why baseball is the most psychologically cruel sport. Toronto had the series lead, the crowd, the momentum—and still found a way to lose control of the game about six different times.”
Doyle:
“And right in the middle of the chaos? John Hollander. Five hits. FIVE. A homer, a triple, singles everywhere. At one point I thought he was just going to move into the batter’s box permanently.”
Cowherd:
“That’s not a hot night—that’s ownership. In big moments, stars don’t hide. Hollander didn’t just show up; he commandeered the game. Toronto threw everything at him except the bat boy.”
Doyle:
“And just when you think Cleveland’s done… here comes the tenth inning. Tie game. Crowd tense. David Quinones steps in…”
Doyle (rising fast):
“SWING AND A DRIVE—DEEP CENTER—YOU CAN FORGET IT! TWO-RUN HOMER! THE INDIANS HAVE BLOWN THE ROOF OFF THIS PLACE!”
Cowherd:
“That’s the moment. That’s when Toronto’s season anxiety kicked in. Good teams survive chaos. Great teams create it—and Cleveland created absolute mayhem.”
Doyle:
“And don’t blink, folks—because Hollander wasn’t finished! Right after Quinones? BOOM! Another homer! Back-to-back thunder, and suddenly Cleveland’s pouring it on like there’s no tomorrow.”
Cowherd:
“This is the danger of bullpen instability. Toronto’s pitchers couldn’t end innings, couldn’t reset mentally, and once it snowballed, it avalanched. Playoff games don’t ask if you’re tired—they expose you.”
Doyle:
“Toronto tried to answer. They always did. Every time Cleveland scored, the Jays said, ‘Hey, not so fast!’ But eventually you run out of answers—and arms.”
Cowherd:
“And now the series is 2–1. Momentum? Gone. Confidence? Shaken. Cleveland didn’t just win a game—they sent a message: you’re not safe.”
Doyle (summing it up):
“So Cleveland lives another day, Toronto’s bullpen is looking for answers, and somewhere John Hollander is probably still standing on second base with another hit.”
Cowherd (final thought):
“October doesn’t reward comfort. It rewards resilience. Tonight, Cleveland had it—and Toronto didn’t.”

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Atlanta Braves: 5th NLCS berth
1911 1927 1929 1931 1932

COLIN COWHERD:
“Alright, let’s start big-picture, because that’s what I do. This series? Never competitive. Atlanta didn’t just beat St. Louis—they outclassed them. A 3–0 sweep, on the road, in a proud baseball city, tells you everything you need to know about where these franchises are right now. One team is built for October. The other? Still telling stories about the past.”
MIKE FRANCESa:
“Yeah but Colin, lemme stop you right there. Because you look at the box score, okay, and people are gonna say, ‘Ahh, Cardinals had thirteen hits.’ Thirteen hits don’t mean a thing if you don’t cash ’em in. They left thirteen men on base. Thirteen! That’s not bad luck—that’s bad execution.”
Cowherd:
“Exactly. St. Louis had traffic all afternoon, and Atlanta just kept slamming doors. Alex Leal wasn’t dominant—he was resilient. Seven innings, 141 pitches, pitching into trouble over and over, and still walking out with the win. That’s playoff pitching. You don’t need perfect—you need nerve.”
Francesa:
“And Colin, lemme tell ya something else. This Fernandez kid? This is not just a hot streak. Six home runs in a division series? That’s not normal. That’s historic. .533 average, .533 on-base—those are video game numbers. You pitch around him, he hurts you. You pitch to him, he hurts you worse.”
Cowherd:
“And notice this—Atlanta didn’t rely on just Fernandez. Larry Smith had one of those sneaky-great playoff games that wins championships. Two triples, three runs scored, three RBIs, and he sets a franchise playoff record. That eighth inning? That’s where contenders separate from pretenders.”
Francesa:
“Yeah, the Mullins inning. That’s where the game ends. Five runs, ballgame over. You could feel it in the park. Forty-eight thousand people, wind blowing out, and the Cardinals just… went quiet. That’s when you know a season’s done.”
Cowherd:
“This Braves team is balanced, confident, and ruthless. They don’t panic when they trail. They don’t press when they lead. That’s maturity. That’s culture. And they’re heading into the League Championship Series fresh, rested, and rolling.”
Francesa:
“And now they wait. Arizona or Milwaukee, doesn’t matter. You sweep a series like this, you send a message to the whole league: You’re gonna have to beat us—we’re not gonna beat ourselves.”
Cowherd (closing):
“Atlanta’s not celebrating yet—and that’s the scariest part. Fernandez said it best: ‘We’re not done.’ October just got very uncomfortable for everyone else.”

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COLIN COWHERD:
“Alright, let me say this right out of the gate—this was not a baseball game, this was a bar fight. No pitching, no brakes, no fear. Milwaukee walks into Arizona down 0–2, backs against the wall, and says, ‘Fine. We’ll out-slug you.’ And somehow… it works.”
MEL ALLEN:
“And how about that, folks—how about that! Sixteen runs for the Brewers, fifteen for the Diamondbacks, twenty hits for Milwaukee, seventeen for Arizona, and it all comes down to one swing in the eighth inning. You don’t see days like this often in postseason baseball!”
Cowherd:
“This is why I love sports. Momentum? Fragile. Arizona scores five in the second, Milwaukee answers with seven in the fourth, Arizona punches back again—nobody could land the knockout. And then Danny Stephenson, the catcher, steps in during the biggest at-bat of the season and flips the whole thing.”
Mel Allen:
“A line drive single into the outfield—Milwaukee back on top, 12 to 11! That hit turned Chase Field upside down. Brewers dugout roaring, Diamondbacks stunned. That, my friends, is postseason baseball at its very best.”
Cowherd:
“And let’s be clear—Chris Grissett was sensational. Two home runs, six RBIs, four hits. If Arizona wins this game, we’re talking about an all-time playoff performance. Instead? He’s the Player of the Game in a loss, which tells you everything about how wild this thing was.”
Mel Allen:
“Dan Arroyo—five hits! Ties a Milwaukee playoff record! Gonzalez with two home runs, Rodrigues driving the ball all over the park—everywhere you looked, somebody was coming through with the bat.”
Cowherd:
“But here’s the bigger takeaway: Milwaukee didn’t fold. Down 2–0 in the series, down multiple runs multiple times, shaky pitching everywhere—and they just kept swinging. That tells me something about their makeup. This isn’t a finesse team. This is a stubborn team.”
Mel Allen:
“And remember, folks, this series isn’t over. Arizona still leads two games to one—but after a contest like this, you wonder… who’s still got something left in the tank?”
Cowherd (closing):
“Sixteen to fifteen. Four hours. Forty-three thousand fans. No pitchers remembered, all hitters immortalized. Milwaukee survives. Arizona stunned. And tomorrow? We do it all again.”

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BILL SIMMONS:
“Okay, let’s talk about Game 4 of this Rays–Red Sox series, because this was basically a playoff thriller, Fenway-style. Tampa Bay’s hanging on, Boston needs a win, and the Red Sox come out like a team that’s had too much coffee and not enough fear. Matt Croke—Matt Croke!—goes 2-for-4, hits a homer, drives in three, scores twice. That’s the kind of performance that turns a series into a blood sport.”
COLIN COWHERD:
“Here’s the thing: if you’re Tampa, you just got punched in the mouth. I mean, your pitching—Maggard—you gave up ten hits, seven runs in less than seven innings. That’s brutal. And Boston? They smell blood. They smell desperation. They came in with a plan: Croke, Jordan, Jimenez—get the big hits when it counts. And they did.”
Simmons:
“Let’s not overlook the subtleties here. John Jordan, the right fielder, adds a double and scores twice. That’s textbook playoff baseball—you don’t just rely on the slugger. You need timely hitting. And Boston executed. Now we’re headed to a Game 5. This is basically a one-game playoff. Tropicana Field will be a war zone.”
Cowherd:
“And that’s the narrative: Boston survives. Tampa Bay had flashes—the triple by Abrego, the home run by Blanco—but they couldn’t string it together. When you’re in October, the margin for error is zero. Boston didn’t just win; they imposed their will in the sixth and seventh innings, and that’s what separates contenders from pretenders.”
Simmons:
“Exactly. And here’s the beauty of this moment: 44,722 people in Fenway, perfect fall weather, winds blowing in from right field—classic Sox conditions. You can almost smell the peanuts and hear the history whispering. If you’re betting on October magic, you want Boston playing like this in Game 5. You want them in that do-or-die spotlight.”
Cowherd (closing):
“Fenway Park delivers again. Boston forces Game 5 in Tampa. The Rays are in danger of blowing a 2-0 series lead. They must win at home. One game. One swing. One mistake. That’s baseball in its purest, most brutal, most thrilling form. And Matt Croke? He just put his name on the map for all of October.”

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Toronto Blue Jays: 2nd ALCS berth
1931 1932

COLIN COWHERD:
“Alright, here’s the headline: Toronto is moving on. Period. They win 10–5, they take the series 3–1, and Cleveland is packing up. And this is what I always talk about—when you get to October, depth, momentum, and confidence matter more than name recognition. Toronto had answers all night. Cleveland had moments. Moments don’t win playoff series.”
JOHN MADDEN:
“Yeah, see, when you look at this game—boom—Toronto gets the early runs, and once you do that, now Cleveland’s playin’ uphill. And baseball’s funny like that. You give up a homer early, now the pitcher’s thinkin’, the catcher’s thinkin’, everybody’s thinkin’. You don’t wanna think. You wanna play.”
Cowherd:
“And Toronto didn’t think—they attacked. Devin Thorn? Series MVP. Two home runs in this game, three hits, three RBIs, and the guy just controls the moment. This wasn’t a fluke series. This was dominance. Thorn hits like a franchise guy. You build October teams around bats like that.”
Madden:
“And look at Cory LeMond—four hits, four RBIs. That’s big-time stuff. That’s when a guy comes up and you say, ‘Okay, this guy’s gonna hurt us.’ Triple, double, homer—he’s doin’ everything. And when you’re doin’ that, the other team’s dugout gets real quiet.”
Cowherd:
“Exactly. Cleveland actually hit the ball—12 hits, a couple home runs—but they couldn’t stop the bleeding. Niccolai gives up six runs early, Torres gives up more, and now you’re chasing the game. You can’t play catch-up against a lineup that deep.”
Madden:
“Yeah, because once you’re down, now you gotta throw strikes, and when you throw strikes—boom—the ball goes a long way. Toronto didn’t walk anybody. That’s huge. No free bases. Make ‘em earn it. That’s playoff baseball.”
Cowherd:
“And now here’s the scary part for the rest of the league: Toronto’s just waiting. Rays–Red Sox is going five games. Whoever survives that meat grinder has to turn around and face a rested, confident Blue Jays team that knows exactly who it is.”
Madden (laughing):
“And that’s tough. That’s real tough. Because when you got guys hittin’ like Thorn and LeMond, and everybody’s pullin’ the rope the same way—boom—you’re dangerous.”
Cowherd (closing):
“So Toronto advances. Cleveland’s season ends. And the message is clear: this Blue Jays team isn’t happy just getting to the League Championship Series. They’re built for it. They’re comfortable here. And that should make the next opponent very, very nervous.”

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Arizona Diamondbacks: 8th NLCS berth
1905 1907 1908 1924 1925 1926 1930 1932

COLIN COWHERD:
Let me start with the uncomfortable truth, because that’s what I do for a living: Milwaukee is still not an October team. They’re good. They’re organized. They win you games from April through September. But when the calendar flips and the lights get hot? Same movie, different year.
They scored seven runs in a road elimination game. That should win you a playoff game. It didn’t matter. Because October isn’t about how much talent you have — it’s about where the mistakes land. And Milwaukee’s mistakes always land at the worst possible time.
You had the lead.
You had momentum.
And once again, when the moment demanded a closer, a stopper, a heartbeat — it slipped away.
This is what separates franchises. Arizona expects to be here. Milwaukee is just happy to arrive.
JOE BUCK:
And for the Arizona Diamondbacks, this night felt… familiar.
A packed Chase Field.
Late-inning tension.
And once again, the Diamondbacks finding a way.
Steve Schleicher — remember that name — delivered all series long. A hit machine, power when it mattered, and calm in chaos. His two hits tonight were part of a larger story: Arizona never panicked. Even when Milwaukee scored twice in the ninth, even when the tying run was looming — the Diamondbacks stayed on script.
Ricky Hernandez set the tone.
Chris Eckert delivered the gut punch.
And when the final out was recorded, Arizona was right back where it’s been so often.
COWHERD:
This is the eighth NLCS appearance in Arizona franchise history. Eighth. That’s not luck. That’s not a hot streak. That’s organizational muscle memory.
And here’s the key difference: Arizona doesn’t need everything to go right. Milwaukee does.
Arizona can survive errors.
Arizona can survive bullpen wobble.
Arizona can survive chaos.
Milwaukee? One crack in the foundation and the whole thing starts creaking.
They’re a very good team. They are not a dangerous team.
BUCK:
Final score, 8–7 Diamondbacks, in a game that had everything — home runs, late drama, and a crowd that felt every pitch.
Arizona moves on to face the Atlanta Braves in the League Championship Series. The Brewers head home again, wondering how another promising October ended before it truly began.
For the Diamondbacks, October continues.
For Milwaukee… October remains unsolved.
And that’s the story from Chase Field.

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Tampa Bay Rays: 2nd ALCS berth
1911 1932

COLIN COWHERD:
I’ll say it right out loud, because people still don’t quite believe it: Tampa Bay is no longer a cute story. This isn’t a plucky little franchise catching lightning in a bottle. This is the second time in club history they’re heading to the ALCS, and they didn’t sneak in — they earned it.
Look at this game. Back-and-forth. Big swings. Boston throws punches all night. And yet when the game stretches into extra innings, you know who I trust? The team that’s been uncomfortable before. The team that doesn’t panic when things get weird.
Boston scored eight runs. On the road. In an elimination game. That should be enough.
But October doesn’t reward effort — it rewards stability. Tampa Bay had it. Boston didn’t.
BOB COSTAS:
It was, in many ways, a throwback postseason game — long, dramatic, exhausting, and ultimately decided not by one moment, but by accumulation.
The Rays scored in four different innings. They hit for power. They ran the bases aggressively. And when the night threatened to slip away, they steadied themselves.
Ricky Abrego embodied that steadiness. A .409 average in the series. Seven runs driven in. Six times crossing the plate himself. There is a rhythm to his at-bats — no wasted motion, no panic — and over five games, Boston simply couldn’t solve it.
Manager Noah Furst called him “the glue,” and that feels right. Not flashy glue. Structural glue.
COWHERD:
And here’s where I zag: Boston wasn’t bad. Boston wasn’t soft. Boston just wasn’t tight enough.
You can’t give Tampa Bay extra innings.
You can’t give them another at-bat.
You can’t let them hang around.
Because this Rays team? They don’t need dominance. They need time.
And once this game hit the tenth inning, it felt inevitable. Tanner Faller delivers the series-winning homer. Tropicana erupts. And suddenly, Tampa Bay is standing where only a few franchises get to stand.
Again.
COSTAS:
There was also a quiet elegance to how Tampa Bay closed it. Three scoreless innings from Mike Bancroft. No theatrics. No drama. Just execution.
That’s how postseason teams reveal themselves — not when everything goes right, but when they must protect a narrow margin in the deepest part of the game.
The Rays will now face the Toronto Blue Jays in the League Championship Series, a matchup that promises both intensity and contrast. The schedule will come soon enough.
For now, the Rays savor a night that confirms something important.
COWHERD:
This franchise has crossed a line.
They’re no longer hoping to arrive.
They’re no longer borrowing a moment.
They belong here.
And for the second time in their history, Tampa Bay is playing for a pennant.

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1932 League Championship Series

Toronto and Tampa Bay are playing for that elusive first World Series berth.

In the National League, it's something very different. Atlanta and Arizona are playing for domination. Both teams have won four pennants and three World Series. One of them will have a chance to equal Baltimore with four World Series titles.

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COLIN COWHERD:
I’m gonna start here, because people love box scores and miss the point. Toronto hit twenty times. Their guy Devin Thorn hit three home runs — three! — drove in seven, tied a playoff record… and they lost.
That tells you everything you need to know about October baseball.
This wasn’t about offense. This was about who could survive dysfunction longer, and Tampa Bay is built for that. Toronto? They’re explosive. They’re dangerous. They’re also volatile. You light them up once, they light you up twice — but when the game turns weird, when it goes ten innings and everyone’s bullpen is leaking oil? I trust Tampa.
Because Tampa doesn’t need perfect. They just need one more swing.
MIKE FRANCESA:
Yeah but Colin, lemme tell ya somethin’, this game was nuts. I mean absolutely outta control. Fifteen to fourteen, twenty hits apiece, nobody could get anybody out. This was not crisp baseball — this was who blinks first.
And Toronto blinked.
You can’t hit three home runs from one guy and lose a playoff game. You just can’t. That’s a bullpen failure, that’s a managerial problem, that’s everybody lookin’ around sayin’, “Who’s gettin’ the out?”
And nobody did.
COWHERD:
Exactly. Toronto won the headline battle. Tampa won the game. And in October, headlines don’t advance you.
Let’s talk about the moment. Bottom of the tenth. Tie game. Crowd buzzing. Tanner Faller steps in — not your loudest star, not your flashiest name — and delivers the walk-off single. That’s Tampa Bay baseball.
Not sexy.
Not viral.
Effective.
That’s how you win a seven-game series.
FRANCESA:
And I gotta tell ya, Toronto’s pitchers? They were throwin’ gasoline on a bonfire. Curtis comes in, can’t stop anybody, inherits runners, they all score — all of ‘em. You can’t do that in the ALCS. You just can’t.
Now Tampa’s pitchers weren’t great either, let’s be honest, but when it mattered late? They got just enough. Clay shuts it down in the tenth, and that’s the ballgame.
That’s playoff baseball. Ugly wins still count.
COWHERD:
And here’s the broader takeaway. Tampa Bay now leads the series 1–0, and they’ve already absorbed Toronto’s best punch. Thorn went nuclear. The offense went bananas. And Tampa still walked them off.
Psychologically? That matters.
Toronto is thinking, “What else do we have?”
Tampa is thinking, “We survived that.”
Big difference.
FRANCESA:
Yeah, Toronto’s gotta be sick today. You score fourteen runs, your guy has one of the greatest playoff games anybody’s ever had — and you’re down 1–0.
That’s a long walk back to the clubhouse.
COWHERD:
This series is gonna be loud. It’s gonna be messy. But Game 1 told us something important:
Toronto might be more explosive.
Tampa Bay is more durable.
And in October? I’ll take durability every time.

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JOE BUCK:
Good evening from Tropicana Field, and if you’re just joining us, check the scoreboard carefully. This is not a typo. Not football. Not a Thanksgiving classic. This was Major League Baseball — and it finished Tampa Bay 21, Toronto 14.
JOHN MADDEN:
Yeah, Joe, I gotta tell ya… 21–14? I thought I was watchin’ football on Thanksgiving, sittin’ on the couch enjoyin’ my turducken! I mean look at this thing — points everywhere! Boom! Boom! Boom! Everybody’s scorin’!
BUCK:
It was a barrage from the opening pitch. Tampa Bay scored seven runs in the first inning, added five more in the third, and never really looked back. And the man at the center of it all — Tanner Faller.
Four home runs. Seven runs batted in. Five runs scored.
MADDEN:
Four home runs, Joe! FOUR! You don’t even do that in batting practice unless the pitcher’s tired. He’s standin’ there goin’ whap! and the ball’s just leavin’ the yard. Over and over again.
You know what that is? That’s when a guy’s seein’ the ball like a beach ball.
BUCK:
And he wasn’t alone. Brian Petro added two home runs of his own, drove in five, and the Rays finished with 22 hits and 21 runs in a League Championship Series game.
That’s a postseason record-setting pace.
MADDEN:
And Toronto? They’re scorin’ too! Fourteen runs! Normally you score fourteen runs, you’re laughin’, you’re shakin’ hands, you’re sayin’ “Nice job, everybody.” But not tonight.
This game was like one of those pinball machines — ball’s just flyin’ everywhere, lights flashin’, noise goin’ nuts.
BUCK:
Devin Thorn continued his remarkable postseason with another home run, his eleventh of the playoffs, but Toronto’s pitching simply couldn’t slow Tampa Bay down. The Rays scored in five different innings, including a five-run seventh that put the game away.
MADDEN:
Yeah and the pitchers? Joe, they were throwin’ so much, they needed a nap after the second inning. Nobody had command, nobody had a feel, and the hitters just said, “Okay, thanks.”
And when you give up seven runs before you sit down? That’s a long day.
BUCK:
In the end, Tampa Bay takes Game 2 and a 2–0 lead in the League Championship Series as it shifts to Toronto.
MADDEN:
That’s a big ol’ lead, Joe. Two games. Confidence. Momentum. And a guy hittin’ four home runs — that’s like havin’ a fullback who just won’t go down.
BUCK:
Final again from Tampa Bay: Rays 21, Blue Jays 14. A game that felt more like a shootout than a ballgame — and one that will be talked about for a very long time.
MADDEN:
I’m just sayin’, Joe… if you’re gonna score like that, somebody better bring gravy next time.

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