Game 1: 3-8 L. LP-Baz (5-11, 6 5 4 4 1 9). HR-Mead (15), Soto (34). Was a close one until Scott and Feyereisen allowed 4 runs in the 9th, albeit unearned.
Game 2: 9-4 W. WP-Springs (7-2). Starter-Rasmussen (6 6 2 2 0 4). HR-Pinto (6). 5 runs in the 7th & 8th broke a 4-4 tie. Bregman and Pinto each plated 3 runs.
Transaction: Colby White was sent to AAA on a paper move (he'll be on the playoff roster) and JP Sears was called up to start the regular season finale and skip McClanahan.
Game 3: 2-5 L. LP-Sears (0-1, 6 7 2 2 1 4). HR-Cain (5/10). A makeshift lineup struggled to score runs as numerous regulars rested for the playoffs, with Cain's 2-run homer in the 9th averting a shutout. We still ended up getting a couple of players hurt with Forrest Whitley (who will be missed) straining his elbow and putting him out for the playoffs while Josh Lowe (who was iffy to make the playoff roster) strained his oblique and is also done for the year.
Final Regular Season Record: 102-60. Next up: The ALDS against either the Guardians or the Yankees. All I can say is "Go Cleveland" because I'd rather not face deGrom and Cole in a short series.
Playoff race update: The Mariners truly blew the AL West, finishing a game behind the Angels thanks to blowing a 7-1 lead in the 8th inning in Saturday's game against Oakland. Seattle had the tiebreaker on LA otherwise. Those two teams will meet in the ALDS now with Seattle visiting Anaheim.
In the NL the crazy wild card race saw Milwaukee sweeping Pittsburgh to secure the 1st wild card and eliminate the Pirates; the Mets took 2 of 3 to finish 82-80 and take the second, and Atlanta and San Francisco ended up tying for the third wild card with the Braves winning on the second tiebreaker (intradivision record) as the teams split their 6 games this year. So this is the playoff tree:
