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MILWAUKEE- Triple Crown contender Christian Yelich and Milwaukee brewers at Wrigley Field. Nolan Arenado and Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
October baseball is about to start with match number 163 on Monday.
Two ties the same day for the first time in the history of the major leagues. Both to divide divisions, too.
"It's interesting to note that baseball is such a perfect game that it takes 162 to decide nothing," said Chicago Cubs director Joe Maddon.
Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and the Cubs begin the double-headed drama when they host Milwaukee for NL's central crown. Later in the afternoon, Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler is set to begin when Los Angeles takes on Colorado for the NL West title.
There is a catch, though.
The four teams have already their place for the series, either as division champion or as wild card. The Dodgers, Rockies, Brewers and Cubs knew it before Sunday, the last day of the regular season, and then had a combined score of 48-5.
So, this means this: These confrontations are not one-and-done.
Never before has a team that lost a tie had to keep playing. Bucky Dent's pop-flyer finished the Red Sox in 1978. Matt Holliday slipped home – and perhaps hit the plateau – in 2007 to eliminate San Diego.
This time, they are all in the game. But, there is always a big difference between winning the division or entering the playoffs as a wild card.
The winner of the Brewers-Cubs has the opportunity to launch the best series of home divisions Thursday at home against the winner of the wild card. The Colorado-Los Angeles winner also begins the home LNDS against Atlanta.
"It's a game where it's not easy to do or die, but I think it's a game to win," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts after a 15-0 loss to San Francisco .
"Win the match and take a few days off, organizing the Division Series is very important," he said.
The losers of the tie-break play Tuesday on the site of the NL power plant to determine who is ahead.
The scenario of the AL playoffs is defined.
Oakland and the Yankees host the wild card match Wednesday night in New York and the winner will travel to Boston on Friday. Houston, defending World Series champion, opens the ALDS against Houston.
Arenado scored two goals and Charlie Blackmon scored for the cycle as the Rockies faced Washington 12-0. The Nationals have decided to pass Max Scherzer instead of starting Erick Fedde.
Colorado, which has never won a division title since its debut in 1993, will try to deny Dutch champions Dodgers their sixth straight title. German Marquez, who has beaten eight players in a row to start his last start, faces Manny Machado, Justin Turner and their Los Angeles teammates.
"They are two of the best young pitchers in this type of match," said Rockies manager Bud Black. "That's good."
The Dodgers dominated Colorado 12-7 in the season series. The Cubs are 11-8 against Milwaukee.
In Wrigley, the Cubs' left-hander, Jose Quintana, opposes right-winger Brewers Jhoulys Chacin. Quintana is 6-2 with a 1.60 ERA in 10 starts against Milwaukee.
The Cubs put themselves in this position with a 10-5 win at home against St. Louis. Milwaukee was seventh in a row, beating Detroit 11-0.
"We expect it to be pretty hostile tomorrow," Yelich said. "Every time we play against the Cubs, it's a hostile environment, especially at Wrigley Field. It's going to be a lot of fun. We're waiting impatiently. "
Yelich averaged .323 in his first season with Milwaukee, sealing the first batting title in the Brewers' history. He has 109 RBIs, tied with Arenado and two behind Javier Baez of the Cubs. The 36 Yelich circuits are tied with Trevor Story of Colorado and Matt Carpenter of St. Louis, behind Arenado.
Since the tiebreakers are considered the regular season number 163 game, all Monday statistics will count, giving Yelich the opportunity to win the first Triple Crown NL since Joe Medwick in 1937.
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