So far the Toronto Blue Jays are the only team in the 2015 MLB playoffs to go down 2-0 in the league division series. The Chicago Cubs took down the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets on Saturday to even both NLDS series.
Chicago lost Game 1 in St. Louis, but managed to use a big second inning in Game 2 to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole. The Cubs scored five runs in the second inning on Saturday with a little help from Cardinals' starter Jaime Garcia, who made a throwing error to keep the inning alive.
Manager Joe Maddon called for two sacrifice bunts from starter Kyle Hendricks and shortstop Addison Russell that inning, which scored two runs. Garcia's throwing error game on the first bunt, which put runners on second and third with one out. Chicago bunted again, scoring a run and moving the runner from second to third. Leadoff man Dexter Fowler then reached base on an infield single and outfielder Jorge Soler blasted a two-run homer in the next at-bat.
Check out the Cubs' big second inning below:
The Cubs led 5-1 after the second and catcher Miguel Montero extended that lead to 6-1 in the third with an RBI groundout. St. Louis added solo home runs from second baseman Kolten Wong and outfielder Randal Grichuk in the fifth, but the team had no answer for the Cubs' bullpen.
Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill and Hector Rondon combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings (2 H, 4 K) and the Cubs won 6-3.
The series will now head to Wrigley Field for Game 3 on Monday (time TBD).
Similarly, the Los Angeles Dodgers used a big inning to overcome the New York Mets in Game 2 of their NLDS matchup. The Dodgers again found themselves trailing early on when Mets' sluggers Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto smashed solo home runs off Zack Greinke in the second inning.
Los Angeles answered in the fourth with an RBI double from outfielder Andre Either, but it wasn't until the seventh inning they were able to rattle Mets' right-hander Noah Syndergaard. Also, a controversial takeout slide by Dodgers' pinch hitter Chase Utley kept the inning alive.
With runners on first and third, Howie Kendrick grounded into a fielder's choice, which scored outfielder Kike Hernandez. On the play, Mets' second baseman Daniel Murphy fielded the ball and tossed it to shortstop Ruben Tejada to get the out at second. Utley arguably slid into Tejada very late and fractured the shortstop's leg on the play. Utley was ruled safe after Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly challenged the ruling of Utley being called out.
With two outs, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run double and then third baseman Justin Turner added an RBI double (both off reliever Addison Reed) to put the Dodgers up 5-2, which ended up being the final score.
New York had only two hits after their second inning home runs and finished with just five hits and one walk on the night.
The series will now come to New York and Game 3 (time TBD on Monday) features a pitching matchup between Matt Harvey and Brett Anderson.
