Four teams moved within one win of the division series after opening the wild-card round with Game 1 victories on Tuesday.
The New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres opened the MLB playoffs with Game 1 victories on Tuesday, Sept. 29, putting their opponents on the brink of elimination in the best-of-three wild-card round.
Shutout in the Bronx and late rally in Atlanta
At Yankee Stadium, New York routed the Boston Red Sox 9-0 behind right-hander Cam Schlittler. Schlittler struck out 10 batters and allowed two hits and one walk across 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He threw a career-high 117 pitches before a sold-out crowd of nearly 48,500, the most by a Yankee in the postseason since CC Sabathia threw 121 in 2012. Designated hitter Ben Rice drove in six runs on four hits, including two home runs and an eighth-inning grand slam. Boston started left-hander Payton Tolle, while the Yankees played without Aaron Judge and left infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the bench.
In Atlanta, the Braves rallied for a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo allowed one run over five innings in his first start in 22 days. Philadelphia pulled ahead in the seventh inning on J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple after Atlanta ace Chris Sale departed. Braves third baseman Austin Riley then hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth off All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. Duran had saved 33 of 35 games in the regular season and completed a scoreless seventh inning before allowing two baserunners and Riley’s homer in the eighth.
White Sox victory and wild-card schedule
In Houston, the White Sox beat the Astros 6-3 at Daikin Park. Chicago hadn’t won a postseason game since Game 3 of the 2021 American League Division Series against Houston. Relying on a bullpen game, the 84-win White Sox took a 5-0 lead by the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Munetaka Murakami, a two-run single from Sam Antonacci, a solo home run by Colson Montgomery and an RBI single from Chase Meidroth. Jose Altuve cut the margin to 6-3 on an eighth-inning groundout, while Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez finished 1-for-4 with a single.
In San Diego, the Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs to push them to the verge of an exit. According to the MLB playoff schedule, all four wild-card matchups continue Wednesday, Sept. 30, with Game 2. If necessary, deciding third games will take place Thursday, Oct. 1.
