Baseball

You can make this about Clayton Kershaw if you want. You can make this about Don Mattingly if you prefer.

Just don't forget why the Los Angeles Dodgers ace and manager are in a bind one game into a postseason that matters greatly to both of them. The seventh inning was only a problem because of what Jacob deGrom had already done in the first six.

In their first game of the 2015 postseason, the St. Louis Cardinals got a boost from two rookies and one guy who's being paid like a rookie.

The big difference, of course, is that the guy they're only paying like a rookie is 36 years old and is in the middle of what might be the finest season of a long, successful career.

It's October, and Kolten Wong is feeling himself.

The St. Louis Cardinals second baseman celebrated his two-out double in the second inning of Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs by hitting the whip.

Wong was left on base, but the Cardinals still carried a 1-0 lead into the third.

Behind a brilliant outing from Jacob deGrom, the New York Mets opened their first postseason appearance in nine years with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, taking Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

One man. One pitch. That is what stands in the way of the New York Mets potentially taking a 1-0 National League Division Series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

FINAL SCORE: Cardinals 4, Cubs 0

An old-fashioned pitching duel between good friends Jon Lester and John Lackey turned into a 4-0 victory for the St. Louis Cardinals as they jumped out to a 1-0 series lead over the Chicago Cubs.

Lester wound up the hard-luck loser after leaving the game with one on in the bottom of the eighth, as reliever Pedro Strop immediately served up a two-run bomb to Cardinals rookie outfielder Tommy Pham, who was taking his first career playoff at-bat.

In the wave of personnel changes in Major League Baseball since the season ended, the Philadelphia Phillies have been quiet in their pursuit of a new general manager, until now.

Continue for updates. 

There's not much time to rest for the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals. About 16 hours after playing the first game of their American League Division Series, they will be at it again on Friday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

The rain was coming down during Thursday’s opening contest of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals.

Seriously, it was pouring:

There was a rain delay in the top of the third, so the Royals grounds crew had to roll out the tarp. One guy almost got eaten alive.

Four MLB playoff games will take place on Friday in what could be a wild day of baseball, so make sure you are prepared for all of the action.

Between the two Wild Card Games and the start of the division series, road teams are currently 4-0 in the 2015 postseason. This caused early exits for the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals are on notice after falling behind in their series.