LEADING OFF: Stanton's HR streak, Kershaw at home, Acuña hit

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

STANTON'S STREAK

Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in all four of the team's postseason games this year. He connected two straight days at Cleveland as New York swept the wild-card series, and has homered in each of the first two games against Tampa Bay at neutral site Petco Park in San Diego.

The oft-injured Stanton hit four homers in 23 games during the regular season. He had three home runs in 18 games last year.

The two-time NL home run champion is from the Los Angeles area and says “that SoCal air" is helping the ball fly. He hit a grand slam in the opener against Tampa Bay, then connected in his first two at-bats in Game 2 of the AL Division Series. Still, the Rays won 7-5 to even the best-of-five set.

Stanton became the first Yankees player to homer in four consecutive playoff games in the same postseason — and joined Juan Gonzalez as the only players in big league history with five homers in the first four games of a postseason. The 2017 NL MVP is the first major leaguer whose first five hits in a postseason were all homers.

HOME ON THE RANGE

Clayton Kershaw finally gets to pitch in a major league game near his Texas home after 13 seasons and three NL Cy Young Awards with the Los Angeles Dodgers — except there won’t be a full flock of family and fans in the stands, and the stadium isn’t the same one he used to go to as a kid.

Kershaw starts against the San Diego Padres as the Dodgers try to take a 2-0 lead in their NL Division Series at the Texas Rangers’ new stadium, which is less than 25 miles from where he grew up, went to high school and still lives.

“It’s definitely different to be in Dallas and have to stay in a hotel,” Kershaw said.

The Dodgers have played four...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Stanton-s-HR-streak-Kershaw-at-15627067.php