The Cincinnati Reds had one heckuva celebration after clinching the NL Central title on Tuesday night, dowsing each other with champagne and emerging from the clubhouse to party with fans.
It was a dramatic night in the MLB playoff races on Tuesday, with the Cincinnati Reds clinching the NL Central for their first postseason trip since 1995, and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays also assuring themselves places in the postseason, eliminating the Boston Red Sox in the process.
The American League playoff field is set, with the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins clinching their divisions, and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays soon to sort out who will be the AL East champion and who will be the wild card team.
Despite dropping their last two games to the New York Yankees this week, the Tampa Bay Rays have been among the best teams in baseball all season long.
Brandon Phillips, the All-Star second baseman for the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds, left Wednesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants after he was hit on the hand by a pitch from Santiago Casilla.
On Tuesday night, Phillies slugger Ryan Howard was ejected from a 16-inning loss to the Astros when he argued a questionable check-swing strike call by third base umpire Scott Barry.
The Texas Rangers beat the Minnesota Twins for the second straight night on Tuesday, a nice confidence builder for the Rangers after being handed their lunch by the Rays the week before.
According to the Associated Press, the judge on the Roger Clemens perjury case has issued a gag order prohibiting “public comments by the principles in the case.”
