MLB Playoffs 2014: Day 4 Schedule, Updated AL and NL Series Predictions

Day 3 of the 2014 MLB playoffs featured a pair of tense, low-scoring affairs that did plenty to underscore the narrow gaps in talent between the teams fortunate enough to survive the 162-game slog and make it into the postseason. 

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Washington Nationals 2-1 in an 18-inning marathon, and Matt Kemp's eighth-inning solo home run prevented hoards of Los Angeles Dodgers fans from quitting on the sport forever, as the Boys in Blue recovered from the Clayton Kershaw debacle to win 3-2.

Day 4 should provide a similar level of excitement, with both the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels working to stave off elimination.

Take a look at the games slated for Sunday, followed by updated predictions for the division series.

Home	Series	Away	Time (ET)	Channel	Predicted Day 4 Winners
Detroit Tigers	0-2	Baltimore Orioles	3:30 p.m.	TBS	Tigers
Kansas City Royals	2-0	Los Angeles Angels	7:30 p.m.	TBS	Royals

ALDS	Series	Predicted Winner
NLDS
Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers	BAL 2-0	Orioles in 4
Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals	KC 2-0	Royals in 3
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals	Tied 1-1	Dodgers in 5
Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants	SF 2-0	Giants in 5

Day 4 Preview

Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers

Delmon Young's go-ahead double in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the American League Division Series was likely the killer blow for the Tigers' postseason hopes. It's the kind of gut-punch play that can embolden a team in the short term but leaves it in too great of a hole to make a comeback.

Three games in a row against an Orioles team featuring a locked-in Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones will be too much to overcome, but the Tigers should have a puncher's chance at winning Game 3, with David Price set to take the mound in friendly confines.

Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter knows the team is depending on Price to stand and deliver in a pressure-packed situation.

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

"David Price, man, I am pretty sure he's going to give us every opportunity to get the win tomorrow," he said, via Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. "When we've really needed him, he's stepped up and pitched his butt off. The pressure is on him again. I hate to put that much pressure on him all the time, but it seems like he thrives on situations like this."

Price was steady, if unspectacular, after his midseason move to the Tigers from the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the regular season with a 3.56 ERA as a member of the Tigers, but he does have a 1.69 ERA in his last two starts, per Baseball-Reference.com.

With a lineup featuring sluggers such as Cruz and Jones, Price will have to be wary of giving up the long ball. Cruz notched a career-high 40 home runs in the regular season, but Price did fairly well to avoid mistake pitches, giving up 25 home runs in 34 starts, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Baltimore will send out Miguel Gonzalez, who posted a 10-9 record with a 3.23 ERA during the regular season. The right-hander's record was hurt by a lack of run support at times during the season, but he's a capable hurler who gave up over three runs in a start just three times in the regular season. Expect this game to be lower scoring than the last, with Price outperforming his pitching opposite and delivering a season-saving win for his team.

Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals 

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

The Angels, one of the favorites to win the World Series with their dominant form down the homestretch, are set up for an early and unlikely exit with the series heading to Kauffman Stadium. 

Perhaps the heatwave rolling across Southern California is responsible for the power outage in the middle of Los Angeles' lineup. Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton have done next to nothing in the batter's box in this series, allowing the Royals to utilize their tough defense and overall team speed to scrape out two wins in a row.

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
Trout	8	0	0	0	1	1
Pujols	8	0	1	1	1	1
Hamilton	9	0	0	0	0	2

The Royals haven't quite lit up the Angels pitching, but they've proved to be the more resilient squad in extra innings.

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas won Game 1 with an 11th-inning homer, ruining a solid start from Angels ace Jered Weaver and a competent bullpen performance.

In Game 2, it was first baseman Eric Hosmer and his two-run homer in, once again, the 11th-inning that propelled the Royals to a 4-1 win. Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times suggested after Game 2 that Angels fans might be fed up with the lack of production from star players:

"

One must always search for good news. For the Angels, that is that one of their stars, Josh Hamilton, won't have to face the boos from his own fans for at least another five days. He is in the second year of a five year contract worth $125 million and his production this year — and last — has not been worth that price.

Angels fans are among the most player friendly, patient people in sports. But not anymore with Hamilton.

"

Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News pointed out that Hamilton hasn't been useful in the postseason since 2011:

Losing two games in a row in extra innings would deflate the spirits of even the hardiest of teams, and the Angels are in a difficult spot, with their season on the line and the next two games in enemy territory. Look for the Royals to take Game 3 and continue their magical march to a possible World Series berth.