Playoff baseball is finally in swing.
Each of the eight teams in the MLB Division Series have earned a spot in the tournament for one reason or another, and now it’s time for them to fight forward en route to the World Series.
The following list highlights keys to victory for each team—and an aspect that will potentially hold each of them back.
As always, feel free to defend your colors in the comments section below.
Let’s do this.
October is almost upon us, meaning Major League Baseball’s best action is just around the corner.
Playoff teams don’t make the postseason without good play when it counts, and this list recognizes 12 players who have made a considerable difference in September, looking to do the same in the playoffs.
There are no rankings on this list; everyone on it is pretty much equal in terms of importance to their respective teams during the last month.
With that being said, here are two simple criteria to help you understand how the following dozen ballplayers made this list:
And away we go.
The Los Angeles Dodgers gave the San Francisco Giants fits for the second straight game in a 2-1 victory Tuesday night.
LA also increased its lead in the NL West to 5.5 games with the win.
As expected, this game was a pitcher’s duel between two of the best in baseball. The Dodgers’ Zack Greinke allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out five Giants. He is still undefeated in his career against San Francisco.
Madison Bumgarner allowed seven hits and a home run to Dodgers’ center fielder Joc Pederson in the bottom of the seventh inning. He pitched through seven innings before being replaced by Tim Hudson.
Adrian Gonzalez singled on a line drive to left field to bring in Jose Peraza for the game’s first score in the third inning.
Peraza helped make the game’s most important play. With San Francisco runners on second and third with one out in the eighth inning, Peraza snagged a ground ball and flipped it to Jimmy Rollins, who threw to first base for a clutch double play.
Greinke was pulled earlier in the side after putting the two runners on base.
Matt Duffy hit a RBI single in the top of the eighth to drive in the Giants’ only run of the game.
San Francisco will see the Dodgers again tomorrow and in a home stand in late September, which is the Giants’ second to last series of the regular season.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com