MLB ROUNDUP: CAM SCHLITTLER (12 K’S) PITCHES YANKEES PAST RED SOX
Rookie Cam Schlittler struck out 12 in eight innings during a stellar postseason debut as the New York Yankees eliminated the Boston Red Sox with a 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series on Thursday night.
The Yankees, who won the final two games of the best-of-three set, advance to the AL Division Series to face the Blue Jays. Game 1 of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Saturday in Toronto.
New York capitalized on shaky Boston defense in a four-run fourth inning. That was more than enough for Schlittler (1-0), who allowed five hits and no walks while throwing consistently in the upper 90s. He became the first Yankees rookie to fan 12 in a postseason game.
Red Sox rookie starter Connelly Early (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Cubs 3, Padres 1
Michael Busch homered to cap a three-hit performance, helping host Chicago advance to the National League Division Series with a Game 3 wild-card win over San Diego. The Cubs will meet the top-seeded Brewers beginning on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered an RBI single to highlight his own three-hit outing. Daniel Palencia (2-0) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Andrew Kittredge got the final two outs to secure the save.
Jackson Merrill homered in the ninth for the Padres, but their rally in the inning was hampered by a controversial called third strike on Xander Bogaerts. San Diego starter Yu Darvish permitted two runs in one-plus inning.
Tigers 6, Guardians 3
Dillon Dingler hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning and Wenceel Perez had a two-RBI single in a four-run seventh as Detroit pulled away from host Cleveland in the decisive Game 3 of their AL wild-card series.
The Tigers advance to play the Seattle Mariners in the best-of-five AL Divisional Series. Detroit sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh against the AL Central champion Guardians, with Perez driving in two and Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene pushing across one run apiece on three consecutive singles.
Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan (1-0) tossed 1 1/3 shutout innings. Guardians reliever Joey Cantillo (0-1) allowed Dingler’s homer during his 2 2/3 innings.
SHOHEI OHTANI TO MAKE POSTSEASON PITCHING DEBUT FOR DODGERS IN GAME 1 OF NLDS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut when he starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers open the best-of-five series on Saturday in Philadelphia.
“Very talented ballclub. It’s going to be a fun environment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented, all throughout the lineup.”
Roberts confirmed Ohtani as the starter after the Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 to complete a sweep in the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night. The Dodgers had planned to start Ohtani if the Wild Card had gone to a deciding third game.
Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA) didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last season while recovering from a second elbow surgery that he had in September 2023. He became the first player in major league history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases as the Dodgers won the World Series over the New York Yankees.
The two-way superstar never made the playoffs during six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
At the plate, Ohtani revived himself in September, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a 1.165 OPS. He finished the regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than last season.
Against the Reds in Game 1, he hit two homers. He was 1 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI in the closeout win Wednesday.
