Dodgers advance in MLB playoffs, Rays sweep Yankees

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to reach the National League Championship Series, while the Tampa Bay Rays eliminated the New York Yankees.

Andy Pages delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning as the defending World Series champions closed out their best-of-five division series 3-1 and kept their bid for a third consecutive World Series title alive.

The Rays won 4-3 in New York to complete a 3-0 division series sweep, with Victor Mesa Jr. supplying a two-run homer before a spectator interference ruling erased what initially appeared to be a game-tying Yankees home run.

In Atlanta, the Dodgers and Braves had been tied 1-1 since the second inning when Pages put earlier postseason disappointments behind him and rewarded manager Dave Roberts’ faith with the decisive hit.

Braves starter Tyler Mahle began the seventh by retiring Shohei Ohtani but gave way to rookie Didier Fuentes after allowing a single to Teoscar Hernandez.

Fuentes recorded an out and issued two walks, leaving the bases loaded with two outs.

Atlanta then called on veteran Robert Suarez, whose fastball Pages sent up the middle for the Dodgers’ first hit with runners in scoring position in the series.

Los Angeles is trying to become the first team to win three straight World Series titles since the Yankees won in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

The Dodgers will face either the Milwaukee Brewers or the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series.

San Diego was scheduled to host Milwaukee later Wednesday, seeking a second consecutive home victory to avoid elimination.

“It’s important,” Roberts said.

“Once you get to an elimination game…anything can happen.

“And to be able to win today, get back, reset, have a day off tomorrow, set the rotation, it’s huge.”

Tampa Bay secured its American League Championship Series berth at the first opportunity to finish off New York, surviving a disputed play in the sixth inning.

Jonathan Aranda drove in a run with a third-inning single, and Ryan Vilade added a solo homer in the fourth, but the Yankees answered both scores.

With the game tied 2-2 and two outs in the sixth, Mesa hit a 401-foot homer to right-center off Yankees starter Max Fried, also bringing home Junior Caminero.

Anthony Volpe appeared to tie the game in the bottom half with a drive to deep left that was initially ruled a two-run homer.

A lengthy video review overturned that ruling after a spectator reached over the wall and grabbed the ball as Mesa tried to make the catch.

“In my opinion, I feel that I could catch that ball, at least could have touched my glove,” Mesa said.

The MLB replay center said the official reviewed “all relevant angles” and “definitively determined” that spectator interference occurred over the field of play.

“The ball would not have left the playing field nor would it have been caught,” officials determined.

Volpe was instead credited with a run-scoring double that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-3.

New York failed to score again, allowing the Rays to celebrate at Yankee Stadium a little more than two weeks after clinching the AL East title there.

Tampa Bay will face either the Chicago White Sox or the Cleveland Guardians, who avoided elimination with a 9-3 victory in Chicago.

Jose Ramirez and Jo Adell delivered run-scoring triples for Cleveland after the Guardians lost the first two games at home.

Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base.

“It was a great mindset from the team,” Ramirez said.

“I think we did the best we could because there’s no way back.”

The White Sox were set to host Game 4 on Thursday, Oct. 8, seeking to continue a turnaround that brought them into the playoffs after three consecutive 100-loss seasons.

Chicago held a 2-1 series lead.