Onward, to the Adjusted LCS(es)!
New York Mets (NL Adjusted Wild Card) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (Adjusted NL Central), Game Four
STL 0 5 0
NYM 1 6 0
WP: Glavine (2-0)
LP: King (0-1)
Recap: A Queens rainout (thus canceling Day Six of the Adjusted Playoffs) allowed both teams to bring back their Game One starters, and for Tom Glavine it was a near-facsimile of Game Six of the 1995 World Series. Glavine shut down the opposition, and his power-hitting outfielder (with $7.4 billion bust Carlos Beltran playing the role of Dave Justice) homered off the other team's LOOGY to supply all the offense Glavine would need. Alas, Glavine did not give way to his closer---who, after all, is Braden Looper. Instead, Glavine completed the shutout and eliminated the NL's top adjusted seed, the Cardinals.
Series Status: New York wins, 3-1.
Oakland Athletics (Adjusted AL West) vs. New York Yankees (Adjusted AL East), Game Five
OAK 7 9 2
NYY 6 11 0
WP: Rincon (1-0)
LP: Sturtze (0-1)
SV: Street (1)
Recap: Alex Rodriguez delighted a skeptical home crowd with two early home runs, but he choked when it mattered most, striking out into an improbable, season-ending triple-play, as Oakland advanced with a dramatic victory at Yankee Stadium. Jorge Posada led off the bottom of the ninth with a single against Oakland closer Huston Street. Bubba Crosby's walk advanced pinch-runner Tony Womack to second. Derek Jeter's sheer presence forced Street into a wild pitch; A's skipper Ken Macha then elected to walk Jeter intentionally, setting up a force play at every base. Rodriguez, the next hitter, worked the count full, but fanned on a high fastball. Crosby, caught leaning off second, tripped and sprained his ankle. Jason Kendall's throw to second nearly scooted into the outfield, but was retrieved by shortstop Marco Scutaro, who tagged out a writhing Crosby. In the meantime, nonsensically, Womack had broken for the plate, aiming to push the tying run past an unsuspecting Scutaro. However, the return throw beat Womack to the plate, and the A's had survived.
Series Status: Oakland wins, 3-2.
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So, that sets up two compelling Adjusted LCS match-ups: in the NL, the Mets and the Phillies; in the AL, the A's and the Indians.
Stay tuned!