MLB Playoff Schedule 2013: Breaking Down Road to World Series

The playoff field is getting smaller and smaller, and the elite clubs in Major League Baseball are coming to the forefront in the 2013 MLB playoffs.

The postseason hasn't been short on excitement thus far, with a handful of games going the distance and even the short-lived series' living up to the hype. But the stakes are heightening by the day, with a World Series showdown looming in the coming weeks.

Let's break down what's coming up next in the MLB playoffs.

American League

Red Sox Advance Past Rays

It didn't end up being quite as easy as it seemed when the series began, but the heavily favored Red Sox were able to get past a pesky Rays squad that grew accustomed to playing with their backs against a wall.

The Red Sox trailed for a part of Tuesday night's Game 4 before a two-run seventh inning that they were able to nourish throughout the final nine outs and end Tampa Bay's season. 

Moving forward, the Sox look to face a stiffer test in whoever comes out of the ALDS showdown between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics, who face a decisive Game 5.

Tigers and A's Going to Game 5

The Tigers' bats have been quelled in much of their series against the A's, but they came alive on a couple of occasions in a Game 4 that they had to win.

Jhonny Peralta, coming in off a 50-game suspension from the Biogenesis scandal, wasted no time giving Detroit's fans a reason to welcome him back. His three-run bomb tied the game in the fifth inning and jump-started another offensive attack later to guarantee victory.

Victor Martinez had a huge game with three hits, and Miguel Cabrera notched a hit, which was promising considering his disappointing series and injury problems.

The Tigers will rest their season's hopes on Justin Verlander for Game 5, but it'll take more of the same offensively.

National League

Dodgers Cruise Past Braves

A resurgent offensive attack catapulted the Dodgers from a slow start to being one of Major League Baseball's hottest clubs coming into October. 

It showed in their NLDS showdown against the Atlanta Braves. Despite their noted playoff struggles recently, the Braves came in as one of the favorites out of the NL and were disposed by L.A. in four games.

The Dodgers proved that Atlanta's stacked pitching staff was no match for their star-studded lineup, boasting unstoppable bats such as Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and more players who are knocking the cover off the ball.

It'll be interesting to see if either the Cardinals or the Pirates, as well as each of them are playing, will even stand a chance against this dangerous looking club.

Cardinals Face Pirates in Game 5

When Pittsburgh goes into St. Louis to attempt to continue its best season since 1992, they'll do so in a must-win Game 5 with a rookie on the mound.

Gerrit Cole got the start over veteran A.J. Burnett in the decisive game, largely due to the differences each had earlier in this series. Cole helped Pittsburgh seal an easy Game 2 win, while Burnett was torched in Game 1 by the potent Cardinals bats.

Cards ace Adam Wainwright will have the task of quelling the Pirates' bats, which he's awfully familiar with after a grueling season as division rivals. 

Who will come out on top? It'll be a battle of experience vs. inexperience, but it comes down to much more than that to decide if the Cardinals' bid for their second World Series in three years will remain alive.