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The Houston Astros stumbled at times down the stretch of the 2015 regular season, but those struggles weren’t evident Tuesday night as they downed the New York Yankees, 3-0, in the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium. 

The win was Houston’s first in postseason play since 2005, and it was just the fifth time in franchise history the Astros posted a shutout in a playoff game, per ESPN Stats & Info. 

MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart offered a look at Houston’s clubhouse celebration following the long-awaited triumph. (Warning: Some videos contain NSFW language.)

Selfies were also a big hit during the postgame festivities: 

ESPN reporter Buster Olney couldn’t escape the champagne showers, per Baseball Tonight on Vine: 

Pitcher Collin McHugh offered the line of the night, per Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan: 

Passan also posted a picture of the team after it migrated from the clubhouse back to the Yankee Stadium diamond: 

Center fielder Carlos Gomez—who smashed a solo home run to put the Astros up 2-0 in the fourth inning—summed up what most Astros fans have been thinking during the team’s improbable run, per SB Nation’s Ryan Dunsmore: 

Yankees manager Joe Girardi couldn’t express a similar sentiment following the loss, according to Baseball Tonight on Twitter:  

As ESPN Stats & Info noted, New York tied its longest playoff losing streak in franchise history Tuesday night by dropping a fifth straight game on the postseason stage. 

The Yankees were stifled all night, as Astros ace Dallas Keuchel allowed just three hits and struck out seven pinstriped batters over six efficient innings. 

ESPN’s Michele Steele offered up a new slogan for the Astros and their elite pitcher centered around his elite facial hair: 

“The kid Keuchel, who hasn’t been to arbitration yet, or even a barber for that beard apparently, put up nothing but zeroes for the third time in three starts against America’s most storied franchise,” CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman wrote. “He’s now up to 22 straight scoreless innings against the Yankees this season, the first pitcher ever to do that.”

Given how dominant Keuchel was on the mound, the Astros needed just one run to take control of Tuesday’s game. They received it in the second inning when left fielder Colby Rasmus went yard. MLB.com had the highlight:  

Houston reveled in its first postseason win in 10 years Tuesday evening, but the up-and-coming AL contenders will need to lock in again Thursday night when they travel to Kauffman Stadium for an ALDS showdown with the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals will provide a stiff test for Houston. But after A.J. Hinch’s club went 4-2 against the defending AL champions during the regular season, the Astros shouldn’t be discounted as legitimate threats to capture a pennant.

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The Washington Nationals have been mired in turmoil over the past week, but Max Scherzer made the pain of dugout brawls and clubhouse chaos disappear Saturday night as he twirled his second no-hitter of the season in a 2-0 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field. 

Scherzer’s the first pitcher to record two no-hitters in the regular season since 1973. The last, according to B/R Insights, is Nolan Ryan. 

Washington’s ace recorded 17 strikeouts in the win—seven more than he notched in his no-hit effort on June 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 17 strikeouts also tied Ryan for the most in a no-hitter since 1900, per ESPN Stats & Info, which also noted Scherzer is the only player in MLB history to throw two no-hitters without allowing a walk (a hit-by-pitch and an error kept the outings from being perfect games). 

Scherzer’s repertoire was simply devastating Saturday night, just as it has been all season. He mixed pitch speeds beautifully and sat down Mets batters with filthy changeups, fastballs and sliders. 

“To throw a no-hitter, sometimes it takes a little luck,” Scherzer said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN). “I was able to execute all four of my pitches whether I was behind in the count or ahead in the count.”

The timing of the historic outing, though, was a bit strange. Not only have the Nationals been in a full-blown tailspin thanks to a 37-44 record that spanned July through September, but Scherzer’s second half also hasn’t been nearly as prolific as his first half. 

Scherzer posted a 2.11 ERA and held opposing batters to a .185 average prior to the All-Star break, but a 6.43 ERA in a winless August coincided with Washington’s nosedive in the standings. 

ESPN’s David Schoenfield analyzed Scherzer’s second-half struggles and related them to the Nationals’ lost season: “Hitters hit a lot of home runs off Scherzer’s fastball, and his mediocre second half became a part of the Nationals’ meltdown, along with the injuries, the bullpen, the manager, the rest of the rotation, the clubhouse chemistry and maybe the Thomas Jefferson mascot.”

However, the National League Cy Young candidate has been dominant on the road all season. Entering Saturday night, Scherzer was 8-5 with a 2.38 ERA as a visitor. By comparison, the 31-year-old is 5-7 with a 3.44 ERA at Nationals Park. 

Washington’s 2015 campaign undeniably disappointed relative to expectations, but Scherzer’s ability to consistently blow away opposing batters stands out as one of the most impressive individual feats by any MLB player this year.  

Washington isn’t going anywhere this postseason, and Scherzer isn’t likely to make any real Cy Young noise with Zack Greinke and Jake Arrieta continuously wowing.

However, there’s no denying, bad second half or not, that Scherzer was a bright spot for the Nationals this year. Scherzer showed he’s the ace Washington wanted when it signed him this past offseason.

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The Houston Astros maintained a grip on the American League’s second wild-card spot in prolific fashion Friday evening, scoring a franchise-record 21 runs in a 21-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

All told, the Astros collected 19 hits from 13 different players in an explosive offensive display. According to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, the 21 runs are also the most the Diamondbacks have surrendered in a single game in franchise history.  

Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel picked up his 20th win of the season by scattering six hits and allowing just two runs in six innings. According to the Astros’ official Twitter account, Keuchel is the first Houston pitcher in 10 years to win 20 games. 

As for the performance at the plate, ESPN Stats & Info noted the Astros were late arrivers when it came to crashing the 21-run party: 

Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the Houston Chronicle offered a telling statistical juxtaposition regarding the Astros’ outburst:

The Houston Chronicle‘s Brian T. Smith put the outrageous run total in perspective by comparing the Astros’ offense to the Houston Texans’ 23rd-ranked unit: 

MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart offered another reason to be impressed with Houston’s showing:  

After Houston put up four runs in the top of the eighth to temporarily stretch the lead to 19, the Diamondbacks’ official Twitter account decided to have some fun with the situation: 

As has been the case throughout the season, shortstop Carlos Correa led the way. The 21-year-old phenom went 3-for-4 with four RBI and four runs scored. He also fell a double short of the cycle, which put him in some seriously elite company, according to the Astros’ Twitter account:

MLB.com passed along video of Correa’s solo shot in the top of the fourth inning:

The homer was the 22nd of the season for Correa, who now owns the Astros’ rookie record for dingers previously held by Lance Berkman.

As a team, Houston clubbed four home runs, as Luis Valbuena, Colby Rasmus and George Springer all chipped in long balls to crush the Diamondbacks. 

For a team that lost eight of 11 games between Sept. 14 and Sept. 25, the resiliency that’s been shown of late has been quite impressive. Including Friday night’s drubbing, the Astros have won five of their last six games and are finally getting their mojo back. 

“We’ve gone full circle,” manager A.J. Hinch said, per Nightengale. “We’d gone from being an underdog with low expectations, to high expectations, to difficult times in September, and now being an underdog again.”

If the Los Angeles Angels lose to the Texas Rangers and the Astros beat the Diamondbacks on Saturday, Houston would clinch a wild-card berth and the team’s first postseason appearance since 2005. The Astros control their destiny, as they have a one-game lead on the Angels and a two-game lead on the Minnesota Twins.  

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The Cincinnati Reds have endured their fair share of struggles throughout 2015, but Joey Votto‘s superlative campaign has offered the franchise and its fans a reason to remain optimistic as the team’s regular-season slate nears a conclusion.  

Friday, Votto tied Pete Rose’s franchise record by reaching base safely in 48 straight games, thanks to an infield single in the third inning, per the team’s official Twitter account. 

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s C. Trent Rosecrans, Votto has now reached base safely in 143 of 156 appearances this season. 

Entering Friday night’s showdown with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Votto was batting .317 while posting a league-leading .463 on-base percentage and career-high 142 walks. 

The first baseman’s numbers since the All-Star break have been particularly ridiculous.

Over the season’s second half, Votto’s batting .372, with a .641 slugging percentage and massive 1.188 OPS. He’s also racked up 14 home runs and 37 RBI during that span. Since the Midsummer Classic, Votto’s OPS ranks tops among all NL players with at least 100 at-bats. 

“He’s been terrific,” manager Bryan Price said on Sept. 28, according to the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com). “It’s a huge bounce-back year after missing 100 games last year, and that’s been great to see.”

Shortly before Friday’s contest, Rose and Hall of Famer Frank Thomas engaged in a lengthy debate regarding Votto’s standing among MLB‘s elite hitters, per Fox Sports 1: 

The four-time All-Star will have a chance to extend his streak and shatter Rose’s mark Saturday when the Pirates host the Reds at 7:05 p.m. ET.

And if the slugger’s production over the past few months has been any indication, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he leapfrogs the legend and pens his name atop an esteemed list in the Reds record books.

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The Texas Rangers were eight games back of the Houston Astros for the AL West lead on Aug. 1, but a late-season run of epic proportions vaulted them back into the pennant chase and the postseason party for the first time since 2012. 

On Thursday, the Rangers secured a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The victory also shrank their magic number to clinch the AL West down to one. 

ESPN Stats & Info broke down just how improbable the Rangers’ return to the postseason is by referencing their early-season struggles:     

Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller offered up some praise for Rangers manager Jeff Banister following the win:

Utility pitcher Anthony Bass passed along a celebratory picture from the locker room:

Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki also joined in on the congratulatory parade: 

To put the accomplishment in perspective, the Rangers became just the fourth team in the last 30 years to gain sole possession of first place in their division beyond the season’s 144th game, according to Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN.com). The three teams that accomplished the feat prior to the Rangers were all bounced in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Ever since the trade deadline, Texas has resembled a completely different beast. While a 42-46 pre-All-Star Game record didn’t provide much reason for optimism, the Rangers bounced back and throttled the opposition by going 18-10 in August. Since the All-Star break, Texas has posted a cumulative mark of 45-26. 

Although the Rangers’ biggest trade-deadline splash revolved around the acquisition of left-handed ace Cole Hamels, the team’s most noticeable improvements beyond July 31 came at the plate. After batting .247 as a team in the 88 games prior to the break, Texas experienced a revival that pushed its second-half batting average toward .270. 

Shin-Soo Choo has been particularly hot of late, as his batting average and on-base percentage have both spiked in concert with the Rangers’ ascent up the American League ladder. In September, Choo is batting over .400 with an on-base percentage in excess of .500. 

“He’s got a gap-to-gap approach,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, according to the Star-Telegram‘s Jeff Wilson. “It doesn’t matter lefty or righty or off-speed. He’s locked in. You see the difference it makes when you have him on base. It changes the whole dynamic.”  

On the mound, Hamels has offered Texas’ pitching staff an added dimension. Since arriving in Arlington, the 2008 World Series MVP has gone 6-1 with a 3.86 ERA. 

Buoyed by Hamels’ experience on the big stage and his well-rounded arsenal of pitches, the Rangers have the ability to play the role of postseason disrupter—especially if Colby Lewis and Yovani Gallardo raise their games under the bright lights of the second season. 

Factor in Prince Fielder’s big bat and Adrian Beltre’s wealth of talent on an offense that ranks among the league’s best, and Texas is in prime position to keep its positive momentum churning. 

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Following a two-year postseason absence, the New York Yankees guaranteed they’ll be playing playoff baseball in October again thanks to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. The victory was also the 10,000th in franchise history.

According to the New York Times‘ Tyler Kepner, the game’s final out was also historic:

With the wild-card berth, New York has now made 23 more postseason appearances than any other team in MLB history, per ESPN Stats & Info:

The Yankees’ official Twitter account celebrated the evening’s other big milestone: 

Following the on-field celebration, the Yankees took to the clubhouse to pop champagne, per Baseball Tonight:

Shortstop Didi Gregorius posted a video of the festivities: 

While the Yankees got off to a modest 26-25 start, they hit their stride during the dog days of summer. After going 15-12 in June, New York walloped the competition to the tune of a 17-7 mark in July. During that stretch, the Yankees batted a season-best .275 with a collective .344 on-base percentage while ascending to the top of the American League East.

A 14-14 August that coincided with the Toronto Blue Jays‘ 21-6 post-trade-deadline explosion brought the men in pinstripes down a peg, but they stayed competitive and banged down the postseason barrier. 

Buoyed by stellar power, New York has been one of baseball’s elite teams when it comes to pushing runs across the plate.

Back from a season-long performance-enhancing-drug suspension, Alex Rodriguez assumed vintage form and provided a jolt by crushing more than 30 home runs for the first time since 2010. In July, A-Rod spoke to Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci about his comeback:

One thing I’ve been this year is consistent. Even in my really good years, I’d have some periods—two, three weeks—where I just looked terrible. It was always because of tension, trying too hard. Now I’m just happy and relaxed. I’ve been more consistent because of that.

Mark Teixeira also boosted the Yankees’ offerings at the plate before a right shin fracture ended his season early. In 111 games, Teixeira batted .255 with 31 home runs—his most since 2011. However, the Yankees were able to plug Greg Bird into the lineup and receive more than 40 dingers combined from their starting first basemen.

Coupled with Carlos Beltran’s improved production during his second season in pinstripes, the team evolved into an offensive powerhouse.

Entering the postseason, the Yankees’ primary concern will be their ability to keep the runs flowing while finding sources of consistency on the mound. Manager Joe Girardi’s club ranks around the league average in ERA, and shaky, injury-riddled seasons from CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka have left the team without a true starting ace.

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi started to look like a workhorse after the All-Star break, but elbow inflammation cut his regular season short. Now the Yankees hope the 25-year-old can return in time to offer stability in some capacity.

And even if question marks abound, the Yankees and their fans can celebrate a return to the postseason as they prep for a wild-card showdown next Tuesday (8 p.m. ET on ESPN).

A trip back to the American League Championship Series may fall on the optimistic end of the spectrum, but with a power-packed lineup that can put up runs in a hurry, New York has the raw talent to pull off a stunner.

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Twenty-two years after the Toronto Blue Jays captured a division title en route to winning the World Series, the franchise took a momentous step toward replicating the feat with a 15-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Toronto’s margin of victory was the third largest ever in a division clincher as it secured an AL East title for the first time since 1993. 

The Blue Jays cruised thanks to a lights-out performance from Marcus Stroman on the mound, as the right-handed ace notched his fourth win of the season by striking out eight and allowing just five hits over eight innings. 

“You’re on the road, but it felt like a home game,” Stroman said, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). “I thought the majority of the stadium was Blue Jays fans. So that just goes to show how excited people are to take the trip down from the North to see us clinch. It’s been special.”

Stroman tweeted out a statement to Blue Jays fans following the team’s afternoon triumph: 

Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star passed along video of Josh Donaldson soaking things up after Toronto dropped the second half of Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader, 8-1: 

Blue Jays great Carlos Delgado joined the celebration and sent his former team a congratulatory message after it snapped a drought that spanned more than two decades:

Major League Baseball followed up with a scene from Baltimore that summed up the feelings of long-suffering Toronto supporters:

Beyond the historic implications of Toronto’s division title, the way the Blue Jays rebounded following early-season struggles was truly remarkable.

As ESPN Stats & Info noted, Toronto started the season 45-46 before going on a 47-19 tear that was facilitated by trade-deadline acquisitions of Troy Tulowitzki, David Price, Ben Revere, Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins, who recorded the final out of the division-clincher.  

“It still feels like a dream, to be honest with you,” Stroman said, per the Canadian Press (via Sportsnet.ca). “How everything played out from the beginning of this season and being in this position to help my team clinch, it’s been a journey, it’s been a special ride. I’m just thankful for everybody who helped me get to this point.” 

Now that they’ve secured the division title following an improbable run, the Blue Jays can focus their attention on squashing American League competition as they try to capture the franchise’s first World Series berth since 1993. 

And given the rate at which manager John Gibbons’ club has torched opponents over the past two months, Toronto should be considered the favorite to emerge from the postseason with an AL pennant in tow. 

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San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt had knee surgery to repair a “minor” meniscus tear, according to CSN Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic. 

Continue for updates. 

Belt Set to Rehab for 4 Weeks

Wednesday, Sept. 30

Belt hadn’t appeared in a game since Sept. 18 after suffering a concussion, per Pavlovic, so his ability to play before the end of the season was already in doubt. After going under the knife, Belt’s 2015 campaign is over. 

A year ago, Belt was limited to appearances in 61 games after he underwent surgery to repair a broken thumb. 

And even though the Giants failed to clinch a playoff spot after capturing a 2014 World Series title, Belt acquitted himself nicely. In 556 plate appearances, the 27-year-old batted .280 en route to hitting a career-high 18 home runs and driving home a career-best 68 RBI. 

The good news for the Giants is that the meniscus tear won’t require an extensive rehabilitation stint, so the first baseman should be good to go for spring training assuming he doesn’t suffer any setbacks. 

Buster Posey should continue to draw starts at first base as the Giants’ season winds down. 

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New York Mets center fielder Yoenis Cespedes was hit on the left hand by a pitch from Philadelphia Phillies hurler Justin De Fratus in the third inning of Wednesday night’s game.

Continue for updates.

Cespedes’ Hand X-Rays Negative

Wednesday, Sept. 30

The Mets announced Cespedes had a contusion of his index and middle fingers after the game. 

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported Cespedes “dropped his bat and let out a yelp” after being struck by a pitch, which forced him to leave the game.

“We’re very relieved he’s OK,” manager Terry Collins said, per Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal. Collins told reporters the outfielder wouldn’t play on Thursday, but the hope would be he’d play after that. 

According to Newsday‘s Marc Carig, Kirk Nieuwenhuis came on as Cespedes’ replacement.

How Cespedes’ Injury Could Impact Mets

Cespedes made his Big Apple debut on Aug. 1 after the Mets acquired him from the Detroit Tigers, and they proceeded to win 10 of their first 12 games after his arrival.

All told, he has batted .287 while tallying 17 home runs and 44 RBI in just 53 games with the Mets. He’s also posted a .610 slugging percentage and .940 OPS en route to cementing his status as a National League MVP contender.

Cespedes has power that can single-handedly help stabilize the Mets lineup, and the team’s batting splits prove as much. Prior to the All-Star break, New York ranked 28th in total runs scored but now ranks No. 2 overall behind only the Toronto Blue Jays.

New York has already clinched a playoff spot, but if Cespedes is forced to miss extended action, the Mets’ hopes of representing the National League in the World Series would take a serious hit.

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Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Huston Street was forced to leave Saturday’s game against the Seattle Mariners with a groin injury that will likely end his 2015 campaign.

Continue for updates.

Street Ruled Out for Regular Season

Sunday, Sept. 27

Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported Street was diagnosed with a Grade 1 left-groin strain and that he is hopeful he’d be available for the playoffs if the Angels make it.

Los Angeles hasn’t been eliminated from postseason contention yet, but Street’s injury could hamper the team’s quest to pull off the improbable.

Entering Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Mariners, Street led the American League in saves with 40, and the team’s next-best option is rookie Trevor Gott.

On Sept. 21, an MRI confirmed that setup man Joe Smith had suffered a sprained ankle, per MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, and Smith only started playing catch again Saturday.

Scioscia is unsure whether Smith will be able to return, per the Orange County Register:

The chances of him getting back and pitching might be there, although there is a lot that has to happen before he’s out there pitching in a game. You are going to have to get him on the mound and see how he does. See how he recovers. He’s not at that point yet. There is more healing that has to take place.

Given the perceived severity of Street’s injury, Los Angeles is in deep trouble as it heads down the regular season’s home stretch.

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