Murphy sets HR mark in Mets' sweep
CHICAGO — Two sweet swings by Lucas Duda put New York in position for a playoff sweep of the Chicago Cubs, and Daniel Murphy finished the job for the Mets.
Next up is a trip to the World Series.
Murphy homered for a record sixth consecutive postseason game, and the Mets brushed aside the Cubs 8-3 Wednesday night, capping a National League Championship Series in which New York never trailed.
“I can’t explain it. It’s such a blessing to contribute to what we’ve been able to do,” Murphy said.
Duda hit a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the second, silencing a crowd of 42,227 desperately hoping for the beginning of an epic comeback in Game 4.
Not this time. Not with New York’s array of power arms, and Murphy swinging a hot stick that made him the NLCS MVP.
But the first big question for New York is the health of center fielder Yoenis Cespedes, who left in the second inning with soreness in his left shoulder. Any health issue for the slugger could be a big factor in the next round.
“Cespedes’ shoulder is going to be OK,” manager Terry Collins said. “They didn’t think there was any damage.”
Right when it looked as if his historic streak was coming to an end, Murphy connected for a two-run drive to center against Fernando Rodney in the eighth inning. Murphy finished with four hits and batted .529 (9 for 17) in the series.
Blue Jays 7, Royals 1TORONTO — Marco Estrada took the mound with one task: save the season for the Toronto Blue Jays.He did it, pitching one-hit ball into the eighth inning to give Toronto’s tattered bullpen a rest, and the Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 Wednesday to close to 3-2 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series.Troy Tulowitzki provided three of those runs. He broke the game open with a bases-clearing double off Kelvin Herrera in the sixth, giving him seven RBIs in the series. Edwin Encarnacion had walked with the bases loaded against Edinson Volquez,
