Austin Wells hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees avoided elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their American League wild-card series on Wednesday night.
Game 3 of the best-of-three set will be played Thursday in New York, and the winner will advance to face the top-seeded Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Division Series on Saturday.
Boston reliever Garrett Whitlock (0-1) got the first two outs in the eighth before Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked. Following a mound visit, Wells put the Yankees ahead when he lined a full-count changeup down the right field line. Chisholm scored from first, sliding in headfirst just ahead of the throw from right fielder Nate Eaton.
New York’s Ben Rice hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Brayan Bello and had two hits in his postseason debut. Aaron Judge hit an RBI single in the fifth as the Yankees beat the Red Sox in the postseason for the second time in the past 11 meetings since Game 3 of the 2004 AL Championship Series.
Trevor Story drove in three runs off New York starter Carlos Rodon. He hit a two-run single in the third and blasted a game-tying homer to open the sixth.
Guardians 6, Tigers 1
Brayan Rocchio belted a go-ahead solo homer and Bo Naylor had a three-run shot as part of a five-run eighth inning, giving Cleveland a victory over Detroit in Game 2 of their American League wild-card series.
Rocchio’s 379-foot shot to right field occurred after Troy Melton (0-1) retired C.J. Kayfus to start the eighth, giving Cleveland a 2-1 advantage. Steven Kwan followed with a double and was driven in by Daniel Schneeman.
The Central Division champion Guardians forced a winner-take-all Game 3 at home Thursday, when they will attempt to become the first team to advance after losing Game 1 since the current wild-card format became permanent in 2022. The Tigers left 15 on base and went 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
Padres 3, Cubs 0
Manny Machado belted a two-run homer in the fifth inning, helping visiting San Diego square their National League wild-card series against Chicago at one win apiece.
Fernando Tatis Jr. scored on a sacrifice fly from Jackson Merrill in the first inning. Luis Arraez contributed two of the seven hits for the Padres. Adrian Morejon (1-0) relieved starter Dylan Cease in the fourth inning and did not allow a hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings.
Opener Andrew Kittredge (0-1) gave up the first inning run and Shota Imanaga pitched the next four innings, allowing Machado’s blast. San Diego pitching allowed only four hits; Seiya Suzuki accounted for the lone extra-base hit, a two-out double in the fourth.
–Field Level Media
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