Three MLB Wild Card series go the distance, NY Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs advance

The GIST: Yesterday marked just the second time in baseball’s long history with three winner-take-all games on the same day. Take a deep breath and steady that heart rate as we recap what went down on the diamond in the best-of-three Wild Card round.

🍎 NY Yankees outduel archrival Boston Red Sox: The Yanks won last night’s battle of the rookie pitchers, with 24-year-old Cam Schlittler striking out 12 Sox in a 4–0 win. Boston’s own young hurler, 23-year-old Connelly Early, started off strong, but the Bronx Bombers got to him in the fourth inning and never looked back. Play that song.

🐯 Detroit Tigers break out the bats, eliminate Cleveland Guardians: The resilient Guards put up one last fight and forced Game 3, but they couldn’t overcome the Tigers’ four-run seventh inning, falling 6–3 yesterday. What a chapter in this storied divisional rivalry.

🐻 Chicago Cubs shut the door, oust San Diego Padres: The W is flying high after the Chicago pitching staff stymied San Diego in yesterday’s 3–1 victory. Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went three-for-four at the plate with an RBI, helping the Cubbies secure their first postseason series victory since 2017.

💙 Reigning champ LA Dodgers sweep Cincinnati Reds: The only Wild Card series that didn’t go the distance, the explosive LA offense put up 18 runs in two games, making quick work of the Reds to reach their 13th consecutive Divisional Series. Speaking of…