Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler struck out 12 in eight dominant innings and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-0 on Thursday night in the Bronx to win their AL Wild Card Series in a deciding third game.
Taking his place in Yankees-Red Sox rivalry lore, the 24-year-old Schlittler overpowered Boston with 100 mph heat in his 15th major league start and pitched New York into a best-of-five Division Series against AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays beginning Saturday.
The Yankees became the first team to lose the opener of a best-of-three Wild Card Series and come back to advance since Major League Baseball expanded the first round in 2022.
The Blue Jays and Yankees finished tied atop their division, but Toronto got the AL’s top seed and a first-round bye because of its 8-5 edge in the season series.
Toronto could still be without shortstop Bo Bichette, out since spraining his left knee Sept. 6, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and all-star catcher Alejandro Kirk boost a solid lineup.
Aaron Judge, who went 4 for 11 with one RBI against Boston, had a major league-leading .331 batting average with 53 homers and 114 RBIs in the regular season.
Cubs 3, Padres 1
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI single off a shaky Yu Darvish, and the Chicago Cubs shut down Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres for a clinching 3-1 victory in Game 3 of their NL Wild Card Series.
Backed by a raucous crowd of 40,895 at Wrigley Field, Chicago used its stellar defence to advance in the postseason for the first time since 2017. Michael Busch hit a solo homer, and Jameson Taillon pitched four shutout innings before manager Craig Counsell used five relievers to close it out. Next up for Chicago is a matchup with the NL Central champion Brewers in a compelling Division Series, beginning with Game 1 on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Tigers 6, Guardians 3
Dillon Dingler grew up rooting for the Cleveland Guardians. But on Thursday, he sent them home.
Playing in the ballpark where he attended many games as a youngster, the second-year catcher hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 6-3 victory over Cleveland in the decisive Game 3 of their AL Wild Card Series.
Dingler also threw out Jose Ramirez trying to steal second at a pivotal juncture, helping the Tigers reach the Division Series for the second consecutive season.
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch praised Dingler’s stability and presence for the team. The Tigers now prepare to face Seattle in a best-of-five Division Series starting Saturday.
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