MLB Playoffs

Clayton Kershaw—season-saver.

The brilliant southpaw controlled the Los Angeles Dodgers' 3-1 victory over the New York Mets Tuesday night to tie the National League Division Series at two games apiece. He pitched seven innings and allowed a single run and three hits while striking out eight. What's more, he came back on short rest with his team facing elimination and overwhelmed the New York lineup.    

CHICAGO — Every traditional sports rivalry has similar components—geography, divisional ties and decades of history. The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry can be similarly characterized but with one very unique attribute attached: envy. 

The Chicago Cubs notched their first playoff victory since 2003 during this year's MLB postseason but are evidently not satisfied with such modest exploits.

For the first time since 2003, the Chicago Cubs are in the National League Championship Series. The Wild Card Game winners booked their place in the NLCS after beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 in Game 4 of the National League Division Series.

Surprisingly, this is the first postseason series the Cubs have won at Wrigley Field, per MLB on Twitter.

FINAL SCORE: Dodgers 3, Mets 1

Trailing 2-1 in the National League Division Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers answered the call to force a final game with a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets in Game 4 at Citi Field on Tuesday night.

The Dodgers took an early lead by scoring three runs in the third inning off Steven Matz. Adrian Gonzalez hit a bloop single that scored Enrique Hernandez from third, and Justin Turner later followed with a double down the left field line that scored Howie Kendrick and Gonzalez.

Everything from late-game heroics to surprise outcomes to controversy has come about in six combined games of the National League Divisional Series, leaving no shortage of storylines for Tuesday's slate.

The Chicago Cubs advanced to their first National League Championship Series since 2003 after eliminating the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

Behind three more home runs, giving them nine in two days, Chicago cemented the series-clinching Game 4 with a 6-4 victory. In place of the injured Addison Russell, Javier Baez began the festivities with a three-run bomb. With the game tied at 4-4, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber provided the deciding solo shots.

A fight outside Dodger Stadium after Game 1 of the National League Division Series between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday has left one fan with severe injuries.

According to Kate Mather of the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles police officer Matthew Ludwig said as of Monday night the fan "remained hospitalized...in critical but stable condition."

It may be a small sample size, but slumps in October are often magnified. In the 2015 postseason, there are a handful of struggling MLB stars who must play better before their teams face an abrupt exit from the festivities. 

Obviously, an unattractive stat line will always catch the eye of fans and pundits alike. But the players on this list have more in common than a bad start to the postseason. Each player is crucial to his team's success, which makes his struggles an even bigger issue. 

The youthful Chicago Cubs are just one win away from the National League Championship Series, but the upstart squad is going to have to get past the most experienced postseason starter in baseball first.

John Lackey, who gets the nod for the St. Louis Cardinals in this must-win clash, has started 19 games in October. As Jayson Stark of ESPN.com notes, that makes Lackey the leader in that department among all active big league starting pitchers.