Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon homered in the seventh inning as the Nationals overcame a two-run deficit, rocking the Houston Astros 6-2 Wednesday night to win the first title in franchise history.

With all eyes on Max Scherzer

Astros ace Gerrit Cole did not have his best stuff against the potent Yankees offense in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday. 

Cole went seven often-laborious innings in Houston's 4-1 win, striking out seven and walking a career-high-tying five batters. But he held New York to just four hits over his seven scoreless frames, extending his streak of starts without a loss to 25, dating back to May 22.

Extending their stunning turnaround, the wild-card Nationals got RBI from middle-of-the-order stars Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto in a seven-run first inning Tuesday night, and Patrick Corbin's 12-strikeout performance plus a trio of relievers helped hold on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4 in Game 4 to complete a sweep in the NLCS.

Right-hander Anibal Sanchez carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Howie Kendrick had two more big swings and the Nationals beat the Cardinals 2-0 on Friday night in the NL Championship Series opener.

"Tonight was obviously vintage Anibal," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said.

Houston ace Gerrit Cole dominated the upstart Tampa Bay Rays for the second time during the American League Division Series as the Astros beat the Rays 6-1 at Minute Maid Park on Friday, winning the best-of-five series 3-2. 

Howie Kendrick hit a tiebreaking grand slam off in the 10th inning and the Washington Nationals, boosted by a stunning rally against Clayton Kershaw, beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 Wednesday night and advanced to the NL Championship Series against St. Louis.

Stephen Strasburg turned in another dominant playoff outing, Max Scherzer overpowered Los Angeles for an inning out of the bullpen and the Washington Nationals held off the Dodgers 4-2 Friday night to even their National League Division Series at a game apiece.

Yandy Diaz drove a stake through the heart of the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night, hitting a pair of opposite-field solo home runs in the Rays' 5-1 win at Rickey Henderson Field, stunning a wild-card record crowd of 54,005, and sending Tampa Bay into a division series with the Houston Astros.