Cardinals And Red Sox Win – MLB Roundup For Oct. 16th

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Holliday was 0-for-12 in the first three games of the National League Championship Series before helping the St. Louis Cardinals get within one victory of another World Series appearance.

Holliday went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer as the Cards beat the Dodgers 4-2 to take a three-games-to-one lead in the series. Holliday's third-inning blast put the Redbirds ahead 3-0 and came two batters after Matt Carpenter doubled home the game's first run.

Holliday had been hitless in his previous 22 at-bats at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers pulled within 3-2 in the fourth on RBI singles by Yasiel Puig (YAH'-see-ul pweeg) and A.J. Ellis. But pinch-hitter Shane Robinson gave the Cardinals a two-run edge by leading off the seventh with a solo homer.

Winning pitcher Lance Lynn allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Trevor Rosenthal worked the ninth to get the save.

The loss goes to Ricky Nolasco, who was charged with three runs and three hits in four innings.

Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez left in the middle of the sixth after striking out three times. Ramirez was playing his second straight game since being diagnosed with a fractured rib.

The Cardinals will try to close out the NLCS and advance to the World Series for the fourth time in 10 seasons when they take on the Dodgers in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon. Joe Kelly is the scheduled starter for St. Louis against Zack Greinke (GREHN'-kee).

DETROIT (AP) — One run was enough for the Boston Red Sox to take a two-games-to-one lead in the American League Championship Series.

John Lackey combined with three relievers on a six-hitter as the Bosox blanked the Tigers 1-0 in Detroit this afternoon. Lackey limited the Tigers to four hits and no walks while striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings.

But the game remained scoreless until Mike Napoli homered off losing pitcher Justin Verlander in the top of the seventh. Napoli's blast was one of just four hits for the Red Sox, who were no-hit over 5 2/3 innings in Game 2 after collecting just one hit in the opener.

Napoli ruined a fantastic outing by Verlander, who gave up Boston's four hits while striking out 10 in eight innings.

Koji Uehara (KOH'-jee way-HAH'-rah) worked out of a first-and-third situation in the eighth before notching the save.

Game 4 is tomorrow in Detroit, where Doug Fister is the scheduled starter for the Tigers against Jake Peavy of the Red Sox.

DETROIT (AP) — The umpiring crew for Game 3 of the AL championship series lined up in missing-man formation during a moment of silence for umpire Wally Bell, who died of an apparent heart attack.

Jake Peavy, who will pitch Game 4 for Boston, began his news conference by offering condolences to Bell's family. He called Bell a "tremendous, tremendous umpire, but a tremendous person as well."

The moment of silence was held before the national anthem at Comerica Park. Five umpires lined up next to each other, with a gap between them and the sixth member of the crew.

Bell, a veteran of 21 big league seasons, died Monday. He was 48.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians center fielder Michael Bourn has had surgery on his left hamstring after getting hurt in Cleveland's final regular-season game. The Indians say Bourn will need six weeks to recover at his home in Houston before he can begin his normal offseason program.

The 30-year-old leadoff hitter batted .263 with six homers and 50 RBIs in his first season with the Indians, who signed him to a four-year, $48 million contract in February.

DENVER (AP) — Manager Walt Weiss has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Colorado Rockies. In his first season on the job the Rockies went 74-88, a 10-game improvement over the previous season. The 49-year-old came out of the high school coaching ranks last year on a one-year deal with the Rockies after Jim Tracy stepped down following a 64-98 season in 2012.

A former All-Star shortstop, Weiss spent 14 seasons in the major leagues, including four seasons with the Rockies in the 1990s.