MLB’s 12-team postseason bracket has already been whittled down to eight contenders. Now, the top two seeds from each league have joined the fray in the Division Series. After advancing directly to their ALDS and NLDS slots via byes, the Astros, Yankees, Dodgers and Braves are taking on challengers.
Friday is shaping up as an unexpectedly busy day of baseball. ALDS Game 2 between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians had been scheduled for Thursday, but was postponed to Friday afternoon because of rain in the Bronx. That means a three-game day as the Phillies and Padres return home to host crucial Game 3s against the Braves and Dodgers. In Philadelphia, there’s extra intrigue thanks to the return of Spencer Strider, Atlanta’s rookie phenom (or one of them) who will take the mound after missing a month with an oblique injury. He will oppose Aaron Nola, the Phillies starter who has been nearly untouchable in recent starts.
Here’s the slate:
Game 2: Guardians (Bieber) at Yankees (Cortes) – 1:07 p.m., TBS (Yankees lead series, 1-0)
Game 3: Braves (Strider) at Phillies (Nola) – 4:37 p.m., FS1 (Series tied, 1-1)
Game 3: Dodgers (Gonsolin) at Padres (Snell) – 8:37 p.m., FS1 (Series tied, 1-1)
[Full updated MLB playoff TV schedule]
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Guardians scratch out Game 2 win over Yankees, even up ALDS
Excellent starters Shane Bieber and Nestor Cortes Jr. dueled to a draw, and it stayed that way for the full nine innings in the Bronx. But in the 10th, sparked by José Ramírez’s dash to third base on a double extended by an error, the Guardians outlasted the Yankees to notch a Game 2 win.
Emmanuel Clase, the Cleveland closer who logged a 1.36 ERA and MLB-best 42 saves this season, pitched 2 1/3 innings to lock down the key win. The Yankees scored on a first-inning, two-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton, but never again.
Cleveland got two bloop singles and a loud double off the bat of Josh Naylor in the 10th inning, logging two runs off Jameson Taillon, the Yankees starter turned playoff relief option.
The Guardians now return home for Games 3 and 4, series tied at one, with a chance at pulling the upset. They will have Triston McKenzie starting Game 3 opposite the Yankees’ Luis Severino. After that, the Yankees will turn to Gerrit Cole and Cleveland skipper Terry Francona’s options will get interesting. With the rest of the series to be played on consecutive days, the Guardians may have an edge on the Yankees’ injury-depleted bullpen.
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