What a night

The final playoff preview(s) will be up soon but what a way to end the regular season.  If you went to bed before 10pm central time you missed out on probably the craziest string of events I've ever seen in my years as a baseball fan.

In summary:

Brewers had a rather uneventful game clinching the 2 spot and avoiding the Phillies

With the 6 division winners decided, the Wild Cards races went crazy.

The Rays and Red Sox were tied in the AL, while the Braves and Cardinals were tied in the NL with both the Sox and Braves trying to avoid epic collapses.  While neither controlled their own destiny, they both were in good position to at least push it to a playoff in Atlanta's case and take it outright in Boston's case.

Yeah that didn't happen.

Let's start with the NL.

The Cardinals made quick work of the Astros putting up 5 in the first and letting Chris Carpenter cruise on a 2-hitter to put the pressure on the Braves.

The Braves took a 3-2 lead into the 8th against the Phillies with their vaunted bullpen against a team playing for nothing but avoiding injuries and were at least poised to force a playoff.  The Phillies loaded the bases in the 8th then Raul Ibanez struck out.

Oh well, the Phillies have nothing to play for right.

Or not.

Chase Utley comes up with a sacrifice fly in the 9th off Craig Kimbrel after a hit and 2 walks.  Kimbrel walks another but gets out of the 9th with the score still tied.

10th, 11th, and 12th go by without any action and the Cardinals standing by with the champagne waiting.

Enter Scott Linebrink.

Phillies score, Braves don't.  Cardinals celebrate!!

How about the AL??

Oh boy.

Yankees take a 7-0 lead over Tampa Bay into the 8th inning while the Red Sox and Orioles were in a rain delay with the Red Sox up 3-2.

That's when things really went nuts.

Tampa scores 6 in the bottom of the 8th to cut the lead to 7-6.

Bottom of the 9th the Rays are down to their last out when .108/.178/157 Dan Johnson steps up to the plate.  He gets to a 2-2 count, and down to his last strike rips one into the right field seats to tie the game and send it to extra innings.

Meanwhile Red Sox/Orioles resume playing.

Nobody scores, still 3-2 Red Sox going into the 9th.  Still at worst a Thursday playoff if they hold on and a Wild Card if they hold on and the Yankees can take care of the Rays.

12th inning in Tampa: with 1 out Evan Longoria does the mirror image Dan Johnson and lines one into the left field seats, Rays win Rays win!!

Ok so Boston is still ahead, looks like a playoff Thursday with Papelbon about to finish the O's.  Adam Jones strikes out, Mark Reynolds strikes out, one more and we'll see you Thursday.

Or not.

Chris Davis doubles.

Nolan Reimold (who??) doubles with two strikes and two outs to score Davis.

Game tied.

Robert Andino singles to left, Reimold scores.

Red Sox are done, Braves are done.

Oh my, that really just happened!!

















hope I got the timeline right, did I miss anything??


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