MLB

Mike Minor out-dueled Zach Greinke on Friday night, helping the Atlanta Braves tie the NLDS with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of a raucous crowd at Turner Field. 

After giving up a first-inning RBI double to Hanley Ramirez, it appeared as though Minor was intent on repeating Kris Medlen's performance from Thursday night's 6-1 drubbing. 

If St. Louis Cardinals fans partied it up on Thursday night in celebration, it’s likely that on Friday night they’re hitting the bottle.

What happened at Busch Stadium Friday afternoon was the polar opposite of Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Boston Red Sox rolled over the Tampa Bay Rays to kick off the American League divisional round with a bang on Friday.

Game 1 was a nightmare for the Rays, as they were battered, 12-2, behind 14 hits by the Red Sox and sloppy defensive play. They posted a grand total of four hits against Jon Lester and Co. while allowing seven different Red Sox players to register at least one RBI.

It took a collapse aided by chicken and beer, two managerial changes, one blockbuster trade involving a couple hundred million dollars in contracts and an offseason of signing free agents known as much for their character as their play, but the Boston Red Sox made a statement in their first playoff game since 2009. 

Twice this week, the Tampa Bay Rays found themselves in a win-or-go-home scenario, and both times the Rays emerged victorious, living to play another day.

Their reward? A trip up to Fenway Park to face off against their division rivals, the Boston Red Sox, which to some may seem more like a punishment than a reward, given Tampa Bay's losing record against the Sox during the regular season.

The Tigers traveled to Oakland to take on the A's in Game 1 of this ALDS matchup. The A's sent Bartolo Colon the hill with Max Scherzer on the bump for the Tigers.

The Tigers got to Colon early tonight, striking for three runs in the top half of the first inning. Colon has settled in since then, but three runs could be enough for Max Scherzer and the Tigers.

What Gerrit Cole did Friday afternoon in Game 2 of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals is what every organization dreams of from a No. 1 overall draft pick.

The Boston Red Sox took advantage of some defensive miscues by the Tampa Bay Rays to grab an early ALDS lead with a dominant 12-2 win at Fenway Park on Friday afternoon. 

Rays youngster Matt Moore was cruising to start Game 1, giving up zero hits the first time through Boston's formidable lineup. After getting solo home runs from Sean Rodriguez and Ben Zobrist, Moore carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning. 

How a player performs when the games matter most could have an affect on his overall value, which is of greater importance to those who are eligible for free agency at season's end. 

While a majority of these players will not stand out in a good or bad way, there are a handful of them who will. As a result, the price tag could rise or fall, at least slightly. A pair of 2012 postseason stars, Marco Scutaro and Anibal Sanchez, each cashed in after boosting their value greatly with strong playoff performances. 

The Boston Red Sox broke Game 1 open with a five-run fourth inning, and they have Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers to thank for a large part of that. 

Jonny Gomes came through with the big hit—a two-run double off the top of the Green Monster to tie the game—but he never should have been up with two runners in scoring position in the first place.