MLB: Mets return to NL Championship Series after nine years

Thanks to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in New York, the New York Mets are returning to the National League Championship Series after nine seasons, becoming the first team this year to advance.

The Mets were led by Francisco Lindor. The Puerto Rican shortstop hit a grand slam in the sixth inning of the game, helping New York come from behind and punch its ticket to the NLCS.

"This is what I wanted. I came here to play winning baseball and have a chance to win a World Series," Lindor said after the game in statements reported by AFP.

Lindor's hitting brought in teammates Starling Marte, Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Alvarez to score.

After posting three wins and one loss overall against the Phillies in the series, the Mets now await their NLCS opponent, which will be the winner of the series between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dodgers hold on

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Padres in Game 4 of their series by a score of 8-0. The game was played at San Diego's Petco Park and served for the visiting team to even the series.

As soon as the game began, the Dodgers rose to the occasion and played like their season was on the line. By the end of the third inning, they were already up 5-0, thanks to Mookie Betts and their star, Shohei Ohtani.

Will Smith and Gavin Lux hit two more homers. The game was a first for the Dodgers, as the franchise had never won a playoff game by eight runs while shutting out their opponent.

Yankees take the lead in the playoffs

In the third game of the series, the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 at Kauffman Stadium. The win brings the Bronx Bombers to within one win of clinching a berth in the American League Championship Series.

The Royals managed to tie the game in the fifth inning after the Yankees went up 2-0. Kyle Isbel and Michael Massey matched the runs scored previously by Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Volpe.

However, it was Stanton who broke the tie with a home run in the eighth inning, sealing a victory for the Yankees.