Mets Squash Cubs Hope Of A World Series

CHICAGO -- Daniel Murphy chased his son, Noah, up the third-base line at Wrigley Field. Manager Terry Collins sprayed champagne on a small group of fans behind the visitor's dugout. David Wright soaked in the moment he chased for so long. A new generation of Amazins is heading to the World Series.

Murphy homered for a record sixth consecutive postseason game, and the New York Mets brushed aside the Chicago Cubs 8-3 on Wednesday night for a National League Championship Series sweep.

Lucas Duda hit a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the second at Wrigley Field, 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.

The Mets never trailed against the Cubs and advanced to the World Series for the first time since they lost to the crosstown Yankees in five games in 2000. They will play at either Toronto or Kansas City in Game 1 on Tuesday night; the Royals lead 3-2 in the ALCS.

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 Cespedes could be a big factor in the next round.

"Cespedes' shoulder is going to be OK," Collins said. "They didn't think there was any damage. They thought an injection would calm it down in a day, so he'll be ready."

The Cubs, meanwhile, still haven't won the crown since 1908. Manager Joe Maddon's wild-card bunch surged into this series but was overmatched.

"They did not let us up for air at any point," Maddon said. "Their domination of the early part of the game and their pitching was impressive."

When Dexter Fowler looked at a called third strike for the final out, Jeurys Familia dropped to his knees in front of the mound and then hopped up for a hug from catcher Travis d'Arnaud. They were soon joined by the rest of their jubilant teammates in the infield grass.

Blue Jays 7, Royals 1

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.

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 RBI in the series. Edwin Encarnacion had walked with the bases loaded against Edinson Volquez, who seemed flustered by a couple of close calls against the Royals.

Kansas City totaled 22 runs and 30 hits in the first two games in Toronto, but Estrada faced the minimum 20 batters before Lorenzo Cain walked with two outs in the seventh. Closer Roberto Osuna was perfect in the ninth.

Yordano Ventura will start for the defending AL champions on Friday in Game 6 against David Price, the Game 2 loser.

Thursday, October 22

No games scheduled

Friday, October 23 Schedule (Time Central)

Toronto at Kansas City, 7:07 p.m.