NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson drove in five runs, Yoenis Cespedes homered into the second deck and the New York Mets overcame Matt Harvey's early struggles to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-7 Monday night for a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series.
Travis d'Arnaud also homered as the Mets set a franchise postseason record for runs in their first playoff game at Citi Field.
Mets rookie left-hander Steven Matz tries to close out the series Tuesday night, when the visiting Dodgers send NL MVP Clayton Kershaw to the mound on three days' rest. Kershaw has lost five straight postseason starts.
Harvey fell behind 3-0 in the second inning before the Mets broke loose.
Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley, jeered by the crowd after breaking the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Game 2, was eligible to play while appealing his two-game suspension, but did not get in (see full recap).
Royals rally late to stay alive
HOUSTON -- Almost out of time and out of the playoffs, the Kansas City Royals realized they needed more than a big home run.
They needed a lot of hits - a maybe a little help, too.
MLB
The defending AL champions saved their season Monday. They took advantage when Astros shortstop Carlos Correa couldn't handle a deflected grounder that might have been a double-play ball, rallying for five runs in the eighth inning to beat Houston 9-6, forcing their playoff series to a decisive Game 5.
"We always feel that we're still in games, and we still have a chance," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "That's the mentality for this whole entire team. It's never quit, and the character we showed today. That's what a championship ballclub does."
Correa homered twice, doubled, singled and drove in four runs in Game 4 of the AL Division Series. Houston took a 6-2 lead into the eighth, but a tough error charged to the 21-year-old rookie keyed the Royals' comeback to even the matchup at two games apiece (see full recap).
Blue Jays dominate Rangers to force Game 5
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Toronto Blue Jays went deep early and used a pair of Cy Young winners to force a deciding Game 5 in the AL Division Series.
Josh Donaldson and Chris Colabello hit home runs before 40-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey threw his first postseason pitch, and the Blue Jays won 8-4 in Game 4 on Monday to send the series back to Toronto.
Game 5 is Wednesday. Cole Hamels starts for the Rangers against Marcus Stroman in a rematch from Game 2, which Texas won in 14 innings.
After losing the first two games in the series at home, the Blue Jays won both games in Texas in a span of 24 hours.
Dickey, the 2012 NL Cy Young winner, allowed one run over 4 2-3 innings and was pulled with a 7-1 lead and a runner on base. Then 2012 AL Cy Young winner David Price took over and pitched three innings, getting the win after losing in the opener (see full recap).
Cubs use 6 HRs to take series lead over Cards
CHICAGO -- The young sluggers of the Chicago Cubs are making themselves at home in the playoffs.
On a rare off night for Jake Arrieta, the Windy City rookies bashed their way to the brink of the NL Championship Series.
Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber connected during a six-homer show for the Cubs, who beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-4 on Monday for a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series. Arrieta struck out nine before departing in the sixth inning, and the bullpen finished the job in the first postseason game at Wrigley Field in seven years.
A third straight win for the Cubs on Tuesday afternoon, and the once woebegone franchise will advance to the NLCS for the first time in 12 years. The Cardinals, who led the majors with 100 wins this season, have won at least one playoff series in each of the last four years.
Jason Heyward and Stephen Piscotty homered for St. Louis, which got to Arrieta for four runs in his worst start in four months. But the Cardinals were unable to keep the Cubs in the ballpark.
The six homers for Chicago set a franchise record for a playoff game, one more than its five long balls in Game 1 of the 1984 NLCS against San Diego (see full recap).