MLB wild-card series Day 3: Best moments, analysis

What a way to close out the MLB wild-card round!

After losing their series openers, the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees all rebounded with Game 2 wins on Wednesday -- setting up a dramatic day with three winner-takes-all Game 3s, only the second time in baseball history to host three winner-takes-all playoff games in one day.

The Tigers took the American League Central showdown in the first game of the day, setting up an ALDS showdown with the Seattle Mariners. Then the Cubs survived a ninth-inning rally from the Padres, setting up a matchup with their rival Milwaukee Brewers. In the final game, the Yankees took down the Red Sox on the back of a historic postseason debut for rookie Cam Schlittler.

We have you covered with sights and sounds from the ballparks and postgame takeaways from each matchup.

Key links: Mega-preview | Passan's take | Bracket | Schedule

Jump to:
Takeaways | Sights and sounds

Takeaways

New York Yankees 4, Boston Red Sox 0

New York wins series, 2-1

This will go down in Yankees lore as The Cam Schlittler Game. The rookie right-hander was dominant in his postseason debut, becoming the first pitcher to log at least eight scoreless innings with 12-plus strikeouts and zero walks in a game in MLB postseason history. He threw 107 pitches. His fastball registered between 99 and 100 mph most of the night. It was complete dominance -- and it sent the Yankees to the ALDS once again. -- Jorge Castillo

The 2004 Red Sox with David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez wouldn't have touched Cam Schlittler in this game. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap. Alex Cora might have left Connolly Early in a few too many pitches too long in the fourth inning, but the Yankees weren't really hitting him too hard. We've just become so accustomed to the quick hooks that Cora's looked slow by comparison. In the end, it didn't matter. Game 2 is the one the Red Sox will regret after they made some critical mistakes. -- David Schoenfield

Chicago Cubs 3, San Diego Padres 1

Chicago wins series 2-1

A Cubs team that scored runs in bunches in the first half of the season relied on what it does best -- its defense -- to advance to the NLDS on Thursday. Dansby Swanson put on a show at shortstop; the team's up-the-middle play came up big whenever it was called upon. Nico Hoerner made a leaping catch in the deciding game, and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong made a sliding one. The latter player broke out of a slump in a big way, finishing with three hits -- including one with the bases loaded that drove in the Cubs' first run. Reliever Andrew Kittredge accomplished a rare double: starting a playoff game and closing one in the same series as he got the final two outs to secure the series win. It earned the Cubs a date in the division series with manager Craig Counsell's former team, the Milwaukee Brewers. -- Jesse Rogers

Wrigley Field hasn't rocked like this since 2016, especially after Michael Busch slammed a seventh-inning home run to give the Cubs the 3-0 lead. In fact, the Cubs hadn't won a playoff series since the 2017 NLDS, so a dominant effort from the pitching staff -- Jameson Taillon and four relievers who combined for five scoreless frames, with Brad Keller pitching the final two innings -- had Wrigley partying like it was nine years ago. It was a gutsy move by Craig Counsell to remove Taillon when he was pitching so well, but the Cubs' bullpen was the hero of the series, matching zeroes with San Diego's pen. Chicago's relievers threw 4⅔ scoreless innings in the Game 1 victory. As for the Padres, it was the same story as last season, when the Dodgers shut them out in the final two games of the NLDS: Not enough offense. -- David Schoenfield

Detroit Tigers 6, Cleveland Guardians 3

Detroit wins series 2-1

More than anything, the Tigers looked like a team that has shaken off its horrific September. The Detroit offense generated a lot of traffic in the series but couldn't produce a long ball and struggled so much to make contact with runners on base. But the pitchers executed, the defense shined and finally, with Dillon Dingler breaking an 0-for-9 start to his playoff career with a sixth-inning homer off Joey Cantillo, the dam broke. After going 3-for-24 with runners in scoring position over the first 24 innings of the series, the Tigers spun the merry-go-round during a four-run seventh, going 4-for-5 in RISP and mirroring Cleveland's late-game breakout in Game 2. The Tigers almost missed the playoffs, but they now look ready to take advantage of the opportunity they very nearly squandered. -- Bradford Doolittle

Cleveland's magical ride ended, but it will be a season to remember for the Guardians, featuring the greatest September comeback in MLB history. It all fell apart in the seventh inning Thursday, when the Tigers batted around for four runs. Erik Sabrowski and Hunter Gaddis -- both pitching for the third straight game -- weren't crisp. Jose Ramirez made his third crucial baserunning out in the series -- and second in the game -- in the eighth inning after the Tigers had gifted them two runs (Ramirez had also been caught stealing earlier in the game). The Guardians didn't have any margin for error against the Tigers, and they made just a few too many in this series. -- David Schoenfield

Sights and sounds

We've got you covered with all the best moments from the ballparks on the third day of the playoffs.

Red Sox at Yankees

WHAT A GRAB!