- Blue Jays, Royals wins force Game 5s in ALDS
- Cubs, Mets win in NLDS
NEW YORK — From Carlos Correa to Yoenis Cespedes, baseball’s sluggers put on quite a show.
There were 21 home runs Monday, a record for one day in postseason play. The last was a three-run shot by Howie Kendrick in the ninth inning for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their NL Division Series game against the New York Mets.
The 61 runs scored Monday also set a postseason record. The previous postseason record for home runs was 15 on Oct. 3, 1995, according to STATS. Like Monday, there were four postseason games on that day 20 years ago. The record for runs was 48 on Oct. 5, 2002.
In Texas, The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals are heading to deciding Game 5s in their American League Division Series after crucial wins.
Josh Donaldson and Chris Colabello hit home runs in the Blue Jays’ 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers on to send the series back to Toronto.
Game 5 is Wednesday when Cole Hamels starts for the Rangers against Marcus Stroman in a rematch from Game 2, which Texas won in 14 innings.
In Houston, the defending AL champion Royals rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to beat the Houston Astros 9-6.
The 40-year-old R.A. Dickey, the 2012 National League Cy Young pitching award winner, allowed one run over 4 2-3 innings and was pulled with a 7-1 lead and a runner on base. 2012 AL Cy Young winner David Price took over and pitched three innings, getting the win after losing in the opener.
After losing the first two games in the series at home, the Blue Jays won both games in Texas in a span of 24 hours.
Kevin Pillar also connected as three of the first eight Toronto hitters homered off Derek Holland, in his first postseason start since 8 1-3 scoreless innings against St. Louis in Game 4 of the 2011 World Series.
The Royals took advantage when Astros shortstop Carlos Correa couldn’t handle a deflected grounder that might have been a double-play ball.
Correa homered twice, doubled, singled and drove in four runs in Game 4. Houston took a 6-2 lead into the eighth, but a tough error charged to the 21-year-old rookie keyed the Royals’ comeback to even the matchup at two games apiece.
Game 5 will be back in Kansas City Wednesday night. Johnny Cueto is set to start for the Royals against Collin McHugh.
In Chicago, the Chicago Cubs belted a Major League Baseball playoff record six home runs in an 8-6 triumph over St. Louis Monday that put the Cardinals on the brink of elimination.
The Cubs, trying to end a 107-year World Series title drought, had homers from Kyle Schwarber, Starlin Castro, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler and Dexter Fowler.
They took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series and can advance with a win at home Tuesday.
The winners of the series will face either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers for a World Series berth.
The Mets moved within one win of reaching the League Championship Series with a 13-7 victory over the Dodgers in New York.
Right fielder Curtis Granderson tied a Mets post-season record with five runs-batted-in as New York rallied from an early deficit.
Catcher Travis d’Arnaud and left fielder Yoenis Cespedes both homered and finished with three hits and three RBIs apiece.
Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey shook off his second-inning struggles to earn the win in his first playoff start.
