Wild-Card Drama Sets Up Decisive Game 3s
Postseason tension rose on Wednesday as three wild-card series went the distance. The Yankees edged the Red Sox to stay alive in the American League, the Guardians battled back at home to force a decider, and the Padres silenced Chicago to even their National League set.
Each best-of-three now comes down to a winner-take-all Game 3, with division leaders waiting in the next round. Sportshub handicappers are already locked in with picks for Thursday’s decisive matchups.
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Yankees 4, Red Sox 3
Austin Wells lined a tiebreaking single with two outs in the eighth, keeping New York alive in the AL wild-card series. Jazz Chisholm Jr. drew a walk and scored from first on Wells’ hit down the right-field line.
Ben Rice, making his postseason debut, homered in the first inning and added another hit. Aaron Judge drove in a run with a single in the fifth. Carlos Rodón allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings before the bullpen closed it out.
Trevor Story accounted for all of Boston’s offense, driving in three runs off Rodón with a two-run single and a solo homer. The series shifts to New York for a decisive Game 3, with the winner advancing to face the Toronto Blue Jays.
Capper Insight: James Acker, sitting atop the picks leaderboard, flagged New York’s bullpen stability as the difference-maker against Boston’s taxed relief core.
Guardians 6, Tigers 1
Cleveland stayed alive at home, breaking through with five runs in the eighth. Brayan Rocchio’s solo shot put them ahead, then Bo Naylor delivered the knockout with a three-run homer. Daniel Schneeman added an RBI double as the Guardians forced Game 3.
Detroit wasted chance after chance, stranding 15 runners and going 1-for-15 with men in scoring position. Starter Reese Olson allowed one run over five innings but the bullpen collapsed late.
For bettors, Cleveland’s ability to cash in late spots is a textbook case covered in the Bettors Handbook.
Capper Insight: Sas Insider leaned Guardians moneyline, pointing to Detroit’s lack of postseason hitting depth — a weakness that showed in the clutch.
Padres 3, Cubs 0
San Diego’s pitching shut the door to level the series. Manny Machado crushed a two-run homer in the fifth, while Fernando Tatis Jr. scored in the first on a Jackson Merrill sacrifice fly.
Adrian Morejon was sharp in relief, tossing 2 1/3 hitless innings after Dylan Cease exited early. The Padres allowed just four hits total, with Seiya Suzuki’s double the lone extra-base knock for Chicago.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga allowed the deciding blow — Machado’s homer — over four innings. San Diego now returns to Wrigley Field with momentum.
Fans can track every postseason number on the MLB odds and scores board.
Capper Insight: Dan Jones backed the Padres +1.5 run line, citing their superior bullpen and playoff-tested core.
Handicappers Roundup
James Acker (+$1,626), Sas Insider (+$1,576), and Dan Jones (+$1,139) all landed wins across Wednesday’s slate. Patrick Doyle (+$875) and Computer Picks (+$1,200) remain steady as October pressure mounts.
The full board of experts is live with postseason plays. Today’s Free Service Plays give bettors direct access before first pitch.
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