Astros, Dodgers through to championship series
The Houston Astros will play either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox for a place in the World Series after an 11-3 win at the Cleveland Indians completed their maiden postseason sweep.
The Astros - reigning World Series champions - were 2-0 up in their best-of-five American League division series against Cleveland going into game three on Tuesday [AEDT] at Progressive Field.
Cleveland led 2-1 going into the seventh, when Marwin Gonzalez put the Astros ahead with an RBI double.
George Springer - whose two home runs set a franchise record with nine in the post-season - and Carlos Correa had homers in a six-run eighth inning to put the Astros up 10-2.
The teams traded runs in the ninth as Houston prevailed to progress to their second consecutive American League championship series.
In the National League, the LA Dodgers advanced with a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves and will now face the Milwaukee Brewers in the championship series, for the right to play in the World Series.
It is the third straight trip to the National League championship series for the Dodgers, who won the division series 3-1.
The Braves were eliminated in their opening round of the postseason for the eighth consecutive time.
Manny Machado was the star for the Dodgers, bringing in four runs with a home run and a double.
He gave his side an early lead with an RBI double off Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz following a two-out walk in the first inning, but the Braves took advantage of two walks from Dodgers starter Rich Hill to go up 2-1 in the fourth.
Hill was pulled after the Braves loaded the bases in the fifth with one out on an infield single, a walk and an error, but Ryan Madson (1-0) got out of the jam and ended up as the winning pitcher.
Milwaukee won through on Monday [AEDT] when they completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
PA, with Reuters
Most Viewed in Sport
Please explain
Our weekly podcast giving you insight into the stories that drive the nation.
Listen now