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A minute-by-minute recap of all the nail-biting, postseason-hunting action from Game 162

Minute-by-minute recap of MLB's Game 162 action

By Cut4 Staff

Finales are difficult to pull off, but the last day of MLB's 2015 regular season ended up a lot more like "Six Feet Under" than "Lost."

The day began with the AL West title still up for grabs, along with one AL Wild Card spot and several home-field advantage battles still in play.

By the time all was said and done, the Rangers were AL West champs, the Astros were headed to the AL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser in New York, the Royals had claimed the AL's No. 1 seed and Pittsburgh was preparing to host Wild Card festivities on the NL side. 

Here's how it all went down:

3:13 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): After getting the first two outs in the inning, Cole Hamels gave up a double to Mike Trout and Albert Pujols followed with, yup, his 40th home run of the season. It's his first 40 homer season since 2010 and 7th of his career. 

It's also a reminder that trying to get through the middle of the Angels lineup is kind of like facing an army of ninjas in an action movie -- it never gets any easier: 

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3:20 p.m. ET (Reds-Pirates): Pittsburgh native second baseman Neil Walker opens the scoring in the bottom of the first, lacing a single into right field to score a hustling Josh Harrison.  

3:22 p.m. ET (Cubs-Brewers): With the bases loaded in the top of the first, Anthony Rizzo singled to bring in two runs and give him his first 100 RBI season in his career. And, well, to be perfectly honest, it was 101 RBIs. 

Starlin Castro later grounded into a double play to bring in another run to give Chicago a 3-0 lead. 

3:24 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): The Rangers get on the board thanks to an RBI single from Prince Fielder .

3:27 p.m. ET (Yankees-Orioles): A win would help the Yankees secure Wild Card home-field advantage (as would an Astros loss) but the Orioles struck first with a two-run single:

But the Bronx Bombers shouldn't worry too much -- thanks to an A.J. Pollock home run, Houston is down 1-0:

And Dustin Ackley's second-inning groundout made the contest a one-run game:

3:30 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): With runners on second and third and the Rangers trailing 2-1, Mitch Moreland drove a deep fly ball to center field. Would this drop in and tie the game up or possibly give the team the lead? Sadly, no, because Mike Trout was in the field. The star center fielder raced back at a Statcast-estimated top speed of 18.2 mph to grab Moreland's liner.

The Rangers would then strand a runner at third when Josh Hamilton struck out to end the inning.

3:45 p.m. ET (Blue Jays-Rays): The Rays realized it's the last game of the season, so they decided to score as much as they possibly could, racking up nine runs in the first inning, including a Joey Butler grand slam:

Meanwhile, the Royals are up, 3-0, on the Twins. If this score holds, the Royals will lock up home-field advantage throughout the postseason. 

3:50 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): Down 2-1, the Rangers get two runners on but fail to bring them in. Garrett Richards gets Shin-Soo Choo swinging on a we're-playing-for-our-postseason-lives curveball. 

3:55 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs):  George Springer scored Jose Altuve, knotting up the game at 1-1 and making the Angels very, very nervous. Perhaps luckily for the Halos, Springer was thrown out trying to turn his double into a triple.

4:06 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): The D-backs loaded the bases on two singles and a walk, but Lance McCullers got Jarrod Saltalamacchia looking on a 84-mph knuckle curve to end the inning. 

4:30 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): High-pressure situation can make anyone nervous. Even Lance McCullers, who balked in a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The D-backs lead the Astros, 2-1.

4:34 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): After three quick scoreless innings, the Rangers remember that hey, there's some stuff on the line in this game. Choo singles in the bottom of the fifth and Adrian Beltre belts one out to give Texas the lead, 3-2. HEAD TOUCHES ENGAGE.

4:48 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): Correa took a walk after a 9 pitch at bat, loading the bases for pinch-hitter/mythical American figure Evan Gattis. D-backs reliever Randall Delgado came in for Robbie Ray. Gattis grounded into a forceout but beat the throw to first, scoring Jose Altuve and tying the game 2-2.

4:55 p.m. ET (Royals-Twins): The Royals are relentless. Thanks to a two-run homer from Salvador Perez in the top of the third (he really wants that home-field advantage), KC leads Minnesota, 5-1.

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5:01 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): Sure, McCullers might have sat Salty down earlier in the game, but he wasn't so lucky in the bottom of the fifth. The catcher hit a ground rule double, scoring Paul Goldschimdt and putting the D-backs in the lead, 3-2.

5:07 p.m. ET (Yankees-Orioles): Chris Davis is making up for all the home runs that were stolen from him earlier this year, hitting a two-run shot to left-center field, putting Baltimore up on New York, 7-1.

5:10 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): The Angels swap Richards out and turn to Cam Bedrosian for the seventh inning. The Rangers waste no time getting to the reliever, with Chris Gimenez drawing a walk and Delino DeShields Jr. laying down a spectacular bunt to put two on with nobody out.

5:17 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): Facing the Angels' Cesar Ramos, Choo draws a walk to load the bases and bring up Prince Fielder with nobody out. Battling through nine pitches, Fielder draws the Rangers' third walk of the inning and the Rangers lead extends to 4-2.

5:25 p.m. ET (Yankees-Orioles): In the words of a Yankees great, "It's not over 'til it's over." A Didi Gregorius triple scores Dustin Ackley in the top of the sixth, and the Yankees trail the Orioles 7-2.

5:30p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): Beltre sends a fastball from Mike Morin screaming to David Freese, who does his best to wrangle it but bobbles the transfer from his glove -- all runners are safe and the Rangers are up by three. Mitch Moreland immediately follows with a sacrifice fly to right, Josh Hamilton drops a single and Elvis Andrus fires off a bases-clearing double to bring out the Angels' third pitching change of the inning. Texas leads 9-2.  

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5:32 p.m. ET (Reds-Pirates): Sam LeCure entered the game for the Reds and quickly surrendered a double to Gregory Polanco and another to Josh Harrison to extend the Pirates' lead to 4-0. The Pirates will need to hold on if they want to keep home-field advantage in their Wild Card matchup against the Cubs on Wednesday. Chicago leads the Brewers, 3-1 in the top of the ninth.

5:40 p.m. ET (Astros-Dbacks): D-backs reliever Daniel Hudson gave up a two-out walk to George Springer and a single to Carlos Correa, putting runners on first and third. Springer came around to score on a wild pitch, resetting the game yet again with a 3-3 tie.

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5:49 p.m. ET (Astros-Dbacks): A.J. Pollack singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and Paul Goldschmidt took serious advantage. Arizona's first baseman smashed a two-run homer to snatch the lead back, putting the D-backs up 5-3.

5:58 p.m. ET (Blue Jays-Rays): Joey Butler decided to hit another home run (this one of the two-run variety) and the Rays now lead the Blue Jays 12-1 in the eighth inning. With the Royals leading Minnesota 6-1, Kansas City's bid for home-field advantage is looking stronger by the minute. 


5:55 p.m. ET (Cubs-Brewers): The Cubs get their 97th and final win of the season, topping the Brewers 3-1. After manufacturing their trio of runs in the first inning, Chicago left things to Dan Haren and three relievers to hold the Brewers to just one run on three hits. But with the Pirates leading the Reds, 4-0, they may be shipping off to Pittsburgh regardless.

6:00 p.m. ET (Angels-Rangers): Cole Hamels throws a three-hit, eight-strikeout complete game, and Texas clinches the AL West title. The Rangers are likely headed to Toronto for the ALDS, and their win also seals the Wild Card for the Astros. Texas teams stickin' together. 

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6:18 p.m. ET (Reds-Pirates): Raise the Jolly Roger! Mark Melancon notched his MLB-leading 52nd save and Pittsburgh topped the Reds, 4-1. The victory gives them home-field advantage for Wednesday's NL Wild Card Game against the Cubs.

6:23 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): Down 5-3, the Astros are up to bat in the top of the ninth with one last chance to secure home-field advantage in the AL Wild Card Game.

6:25 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): After Luis Valbuena led off the inning with a single, Jose Altuve punched a single to right field to put runners on first and second with no one out as the Astros try and fight back. It's Altuve's second consecutive season with 200 hits. 

However, George Springer then grounded into a double play, leaving a runner at third with two outs.

6:27 p.m. ET (Astros-D-backs): Carlos Correa then came to the plate, ready to give the Astros a storybook ending to their regular season. But the rookie bounced to short and Arizona claimed a 5-3 victory. It was still a great day for the the Astros, however, as they will take on the Yankees in New York in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday.

With the Rangers comeback complete and an Astros loss in the books, Game 162 is officially a wrap (and there won't be a Game 163). Here's the schedule we're looking at heading into a surely-dramatic 2015 postseason:

The Yankees will host the Astros in the AL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on ESPN at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The Pirates will host the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on TBS at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

The Blue Jays will host the Rangers and the Royals will host the Astros or Yankees in the American League Division Series slated to start on Thursday, Oct. 8.

The Dodgers will host the Mets and the Cardinals will host the Cubs or Pirates in the National League Division Series slated to start on Friday, Oct. 9. Game 1 of the World Series is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Now is the time when we synchronize our watches. Ready ... set ... postseason.