Again, I don’t know if it’s that my brain was starved for baseball during the long shutdown, or if, stuck at home in quarantine I don’t have anything else to do other than watch every single post-season game, but the baseball, it is very good, yes? Today the teams flip-flop with the Braves-Dodgers taking the early game on FS1, and the Rays-Astros moving to the evening slot.
I missed the ninth inning of the Braves-Dodgers game yesterday, which is apparently the only inning that really mattered, argh. I was really impressed with how tight the Braves played the Dodgers, though, and freely admit I was wrong to think the Dodgers would boatrace the Braves en route to the WS. Today the Dodgers look to even the series, but they’ll have to do so without Clayton Kershaw, who was scratched from the game with that nagging back spasms issue he has. Since “Get Kershaw a ring” is the only reason I’m rooting for the Dodgers (unless the Astros come back in the ALCS, in which case “nuke the Astros” remains my primary rooting directive), I like Atlanta in this contest, especially because they’ll be starting Ian Anderson, who is very young, and very good.
This game gets underway at 3:05 PT on FS1.
Yesterday the Rays eked out a win over the Astros thanks in part to this absolute boom-shaka-laka off the bat of Mike Zunino, a familiar sight for Mariners fans:
NO DOUBTER
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2020
Mike Zunino adds to the Rays lead‼️ pic.twitter.com/tzeloLEbJc
Manuel Margot also made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen, and hit a three-run bomb that made up most of Tampa Bay’s offense. The Rays now lead the series 2-0 and will try to extend their lead today. Swapping places with the NLCS series, this game will air at 5:40 PT on TBS.
Here’s how the Astros line up for tonight’s game behind Jose Urquidy. I guess Martin Maldonado needs a rest?
Game 3 lineup pic.twitter.com/uM85wEOf6V
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 13, 2020
On the other side, former Mariner prospect Ryan Yarbrough gets the start for Tampa Bay.
ALCS Game 3 https://t.co/2SnaEJ07tL pic.twitter.com/o5iWY2TlKd
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 13, 2020
Go Flappy Bois! Keep making people mad.