It was a full slate of MLB playoff baseball on Saturday, and three LDS series came to a conclusion. On the way, the games were wild …
Philadelphia Phillies 8, Atlanta Braves 3 – PHI Wins Series 3-1
This was definitely the LEAST wild of the playoff games yesterday, but it still resulted in an 87-win team taking out a 101-win team and punching their ticket to the NLCS.
The Philadelphia Phillies once again started blowing up on the Braves relatively early, building out a healthy lead and then expanding it later in the game. They even had another GET LOUD home run moment, this time the only inside-the-park home run in playoff history by a catcher.
With the win, the Phillies take the series from the reigning champion Braves, and we will once again NOT see a back-to-back World Series winner. If it isn’t going to be the Cubs, I like that a lot.
Full game highlights:
Houston Astros 1, Seattle Mariners 0 – HOU Wins Series 3-0
It’s a sweep. But it took a helluva long time to get there. For the second time in these playoffs, a game went SUUUUUPER long before the first run was scored. This time it wasn’t until the 18th inning that the Astros finally broke through on a Jeremy Pena home run.
The thrilling run for the Mariners – their first playoff appearance in over 20 years – is over. Good season. But the Astros are just one of those franchises now.
Full game highlights:
Cleveland Guardians 6, New York Yankees 5 – CLE Leads Series 2-1
The Yankees took a two-run lead into the bottom of the 9th when the Guardians scored one, loaded the bases, and Oscar Gonzalez decided to play hero again.
Walk-off winner:
WILD one:
Game Four is tonight at 7:07pm CT, with Gerrit Cole trying to keep the Yankees’ season alive. Cal Quantrill (who actually had a better regular season ERA than Cole) will try to finish things.
Full game highlights:
San Diego Padres 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 3 – SD Wins Series 3-1
Another wild and late comeback win, with the Padres scoring FIVE TIMES in the bottom of the 7th to come back from a three-run deficit and win the game, and the series.
How it looked in win probability form:
Celebration time for one of the most aggressively-adding teams in baseball:
Off to the NLCS to face the Padres, starting on Tuesday. Either way, a Wild-Card-winning, sub-90-win team is going to the World Series this year.
Full game highlights: