Guardians take WC opener as Ramírez homers, Bieber dominates
CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez connected for a two-run homer, Shane Bieber dominated Tampa Bay for 7 2/3 innings and the young Cleveland Guardians played with poise in their postseason debut, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 in their wild-card opener. Ramírez’s shot off Shane McClanahan in the sixth inning helped Cleveland end an eight-game postseason losing streak. Bieber was rocked in his only other playoff appearance two years ago. He allowed just three hits this time and struck out eight before being lifted in the eighth. Emmanuel Clase took it from there, getting four outs for his first postseason save. Jose Siri homered for the Rays, who dropped their sixth straight game overall and must win Game 2 on Saturday to force a decisive Game 3 Sunday.
Castillo sharp, Mariners blank Jays 4-0 in wild-card opener
TORONTO (AP) — Luis Castillo and Andrés Muñoz combined on a shutout, Cal Raleigh hit a two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners won in their first postseason game since 2001, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 in their AL wild-card series opener. Eugenio Suárez had two hits and two RBIs and rookie Julio Rodríguez reached base three times and scored twice for the Mariners, who can wrap up the series with a win in Game 2 Saturday. Robbie Ray starts for the Mariners against Kevin Gausman. Castillo scattered six singles in 7 /13 innings. He struck out five and walked none, facing the AL’s second-highest scoring team. Castillo, acquired in a midseason trade from Cincinnati, became the first pitcher in Mariners history to throw more than seven scoreless innings in a postseason start.
Phillies’ 6-run ninth tops Cardinals in 6-3 wild-card win
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Phillies scored six times in the ninth inning off the stingy St. Louis bullpen, highlighted by a bases-loaded single by Jean Segura, and Philadelphia beat the NL Central champion Cardinals 6-3 in the opening game of their National League wild-card series. The Phillies had struggled all afternoon against Jose Quintana and the rest of the Cardinals relievers. But they loaded the bases against Ryan Helsley in the ninth, then proceeded to push across six runs to take the opener of the best-of-three series. With a win on Saturday night, the Phillies will advance to face NL East champ Atlanta in the divisional round.
Padres hammer Scherzer, rout Mets 7-1 in playoff opener
NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Bell and Manny Machado smashed two of San Diego’s four home runs off Max Scherzer, and the Padres romped past the New York Mets 7-1 in their playoff opener. Yu Darvish shut down the Mets once again, and San Diego also got long balls from Jurickson Profar and slumping Trent Grisham against an ineffective Scherzer — booed off the mound in the fifth inning at Citi Field. The three-time Cy Young Award winner exited his first postseason start for New York down 7-0, a massive disappointment after Scherzer was signed to a $130 million contract in December. San Diego needs one win over the next two days to take the best-of-three National League wild card series and advance to face the top-seeded Dodgers.
