The Cardinals getting swept and the Guardians’ 15-inning winner got their own standalone treatment, but it’s still good to do the round-up format for anyone who missed those, or the two other Wild Card games, and want the highlights and what comes next …
New York Mets 7, San Diego Padres 3 – Wild Card Round Tied 1-1
Needing Jacob deGrom to do his thing, the Mets mostly got what they wanted (six innings, two earned runs). Although they went into the 7th inning with just a one-run lead, the Mets plated four that inning to mostly put it away.
The decisive game three is tonight at 6pm CT, with Chris Bassitt facing Joe Musgrove. It’s the only game three we’re getting, and the winner gets the Dodgers …
Seattle Mariners 9, Toronto Blue Jays 8 – SEA Wins Wild Card Round 2-0
The injury to George Springer in the process certainly dampened the enjoyable wildness of the Mariners’ comeback in this one, but it really was wild:
The Mariners were down 8-1 at one point in the middle innings, and a game three seemed all but assured. A few hits, walks, homers, and mistakes later, and the Mariners had tied it up in the 8th. Another run in the 9th, and that was it. Mariners move on, Blue Jays stay home.
The Mariners will move on to face the Astros in the ALDS. Justin Verlander is waiting …
Cleveland Guardians 1, Tampa Bay Rays 0 – CLE Wins Wild Card Round 2-0
15 innings. It took 15 innings for a run to be scored, which, yes, is a postseason record. Oscar Gonzalez finally walked it off on Corey Kluber, who wound up being pretty darn solid and healthy this year. He’s a free agent again. Just throwing that out there.
The Guardians now head to New York to face the Yankees, and while I want to see Anthony Rizzo do well, that’s not a hard series for me to pick a rooting favorite.
Philadelphia Phillies 2, St. Louis Cardinals 0 – PHI Wins Wild Card Round 2-0
Well, at least the Cardinals didn’t blow a 9th inning lead in this one, right? Insert devil grin.
The Phillies now take on the Braves in an NL East match-up. Like the other LDS series, things start on Tuesday.