Baseball, Mlb Playoffs | featured news

Baseball players and owners have signed an agreement for a new labor contract, a deal that starts blood testing on human growth hormone and expands the playoffs to 10 teams by 2013.

The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 12-6 in Game 6 Sunday night to win the National League Championship Series. The Cards will now take on the Texas Rangers in the World Series, which begins Wednesday.

The Cardinals take a 3-2 series lead after the Brewers bounced and bobbled the baseball around the diamond.

Injured, exhausted and facing elimination, the Detroit Tigers went into what could have been their final game of the season needing a strong performance from their ace, Justin Verlander, a revival of their offense and maybe a little luck to stay alive.

Albert Pujols hit an RBI double during a four-run first inning and the St. Louis bullpen bailed out Chris Carpenter as the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Wednesday night for a 2-1 edge in the NL championship series.

Mike Napoli drove in the go-ahead run, then Nelson Cruz added a three-run homer in the 11th inning as the Rangers took a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday.

Sorry, "X Factor" fans. You'll have to wait until Thursday night to see part 1 of the Judges' Homes round, Fox has announced.

Victor Martinez slowed his home run trot to barely a jog, stepping gingerly around the bases after hurting himself with a big swing. The banged-up Detroit Tigers are teetering but still standing, thanks to Martinez, Miguel Cabrera and another pivotal performance on the mound by Doug Fister.

Nelson Cruz hit the first game-ending grand slam in postseason history, lifting the defending American League champions over the Detroit Tigers 7-3 in 11 innings Monday for a 2-0 series lead.

Leave "Beast Mode" to the guys on the other team. Albert Pujols was just a monster. The St. Louis slugger had one of the biggest postseason nights of his career in Game 2 of the NL championship series, going 4 for 5 with a home run, three doubles and five RBIs to lead the Cardinals past the Milwaukee Brewers 12-3 on Monday.