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New York (AFP) – Jose Ramirez smacked a two-run house run in the 6th inning to offer the Cleveland Guardians a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay in Friday’s Major League Baseball playoff opener.
The host Guardians grabbed a 1-0 lead in MLB’s best-of-three wildcard spherical of an expanded playoff gadget that includes six golf equipment each and every from the American and National leagues.
Other sequence openers Friday noticed Philadelphia, in the playoffs for the primary time since 2011, rating six runs in the final inning to overcome host St. Louis 6-3; and Seattle, in the playoffs for the primary time since 2001, take a three-run lead in the primary inning on how to profitable 4-0 at Toronto.
In Cleveland, the Rays seized a 1-0 lead in the highest of the 6th on a solo homer via Dominican outfielder Jose Siri just for Ramirez, a Dominican 3rd baseman, to ship the profitable runs off a change-up pitch from Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan.
“That was my plan, just look for that change-up,” Ramirez mentioned. “He got me twice with the same pitch. It’s a really good pitch. It really resembles a fastball.
“So I used to be simply sitting on that pitch and attempting to not do an excessive amount of, simply put it at the opposing aspect of the sphere, and I used to be ready to get a excellent touch.”
At Toronto, the visiting Mariners took the lead in the first inning on a run-scoring double by Eugenio Suarez, who scored on Cal Raleigh’s two-run home to give Seattle a 3-0 edge. It was 4-0 after Venezuelan Suarez plated a run in the fifth by grounding into a fielder’s choice.
Dominican right-hander Luis Castillo pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings for Seattle, allowing six hits and striking out five. It was only the second playoff shutout in Mariners history.
Cleveland or Tampa Bay will advance to an American League division series matchup against the New York Yankees while the Houston Astros await the Seattle-Toronto winner.
The Atlanta Braves, trying to become the first back-to-back World Series champions since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have first-round byes in the National League.
The Braves will meet Philadelphia or St. Louis, while the Dodgers will face either San Diego or the New York Mets, who open their series later Friday.
Phillies rally late
At St. Louis, Juan Yepez smashed a two-run homer in the seventh to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead and they kept it into the ninth, moving two outs from victory.
But St. Louis relief pitcher Ryan Helsley allowed a single and walked two batters to load the bases before hitting Alec Bohm with a pitch to force in Philadelphia’s first run.
Cardinals reliever Andre Pallante entered and surrendered a single to Jean Segura that drove in two runs and put the Phillies ahead 3-2.
“It feels superior. It feels wonderful,” Segura said. “We simply stay combating. It’s massive for us. It approach so much.”
Bryson Stott reached base on a fielder’s selection that noticed Edmundo Sosa race house from 3rd base, beating a throw to the plate to place the guests forward 4-2.
Brandon Marsh singled to left box to attain Segura and Kyle Schwarber hit a sacrifice fly to left box to attain Stott, giving Philadelphia a 6-2 merit.
Nolan Gorman’s two-out unmarried in the ground of the 9th drove in a Cardinals run and taken doable tying run Yadier Molina to the plate, however the 40-year-old Puerto Rican catcher struck out to finish the sport.
The Cardinals have been 93-0 all-time when main 2-0 after 8 innings.
© 2022 AFP