MLB Wild Card highlights: Padres blank Braves; Tigers, Royals, Mets also win openers

9TH INNING

The Padres walked away with a dominant Game 1 win, riding a couple of home runs and great pitching to the shutout. Michael King, Jason Adam and Robert Suarez combined to allow just seven hits and no walks while striking out 15 Atlanta batters.

8TH INNING

Catcher Kyle Higashioka helped the Padres pad their lead with a blast over the wall in left field.

4TH INNING

The Braves got their fifth hit when Travis d'Arnaud doubled with two out, but Michael King continued to deal to keep Atlanta off the board.

2ND INNING

Braves pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver got the quick hook after he hit a batter and then gave up a single and sacrifice fly. Kyle Higashioka's RBI made it 3-0. 

Aaron Bummer came in and forced Luis Arraez to ground into a double play.

1ST INNING

The Braves got their leadoff hitter on when Michael Harris II singled to start the game. Padres starter Michael King struck out the next two batters before Matt Olson dropped a bloop single into right field.

King went right back to work, though, and struck out Jorge Soler for a scoreless top of the inning. 

The score didn't remain 0-0 for long. NL batting champ Luis Arraez led off with a single to left, and then Fernando Tatis Jr. sent the Petco Park crowd to their feet with a two-run smash.

PREGAME

With ace Chris Sale out, the Braves gave right-handed pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver his first postseason start. Smith-Shawver only started one game in the majors this season and had a 4.86 ERA in Triple-A. The Padres went with Michael King (13-9, 2.95 ERA), who is making his second postseason appearance and first postseason start. 

Braves lineup:

1. Michael Harris II CF
2. Ozzie Albies 2B
3. Marcell Ozuna DH
4. Matt Olson 1B
5. Jorge Soler RF
6. Ramon Laureano LF
7. Travis d'Arnaud C
8. Gio Urshela 3B
9. Orlando Arcia SS

Padres lineup:

1. Luis Arraez DH
2. Fernando Tatis Jr. RF
3. Jurickson Profar LF
4. Manny Machado 3B
5. Jackson Merrill CF
6. Xander Bogaerts SS
7. Jake Cronenworth 2B
8. Donovan Solano 1B
9. Kyle Higashioka C

9TH INNING

Following an explosion of runs earlier, pitching took over in the second half of Game 1.  Neither team got a hit after the Mets' five-run fifth inning. Only Pete Alonso got on base in that span; New York's first baseman walked in the top of the seventh.

Ryne Stanek closed out the game for the Mets, who retired the last 17 Brewers batters to get the 8-4 win on the road. 

5TH INNING

The Brewers' lead didn't last very long. Though Jackson Chourio made an impressive leaping grab against the wall to rob Starling Marte, the Mets would not be denied. With two runners on, Jose Iglesias beat out the throw to record an infield single and a game-tying RBI. 

Two batters later, Mark Vientos' single to right put the Mets back up 6-4. With the bases loaded, J.D. Martinez came in to pinch-hit for Jesse Winker. The decision paid off for NY manager Carlos Mendoza when Martinez drove in two more runs:

4TH INNING

After a scoreless third frame, the Mets' batters went down 1-2-3 for the second inning in a row. The Brewers' bats were much livelier, though. Sal Frelick started things off with a leadoff double, and after a Joey Ortiz strikeout, Brice Turang followed with an infield single. Rookie Jackson Chourio then ripped an RBI double up the middle to tie the game at 3-3:

William Contreras' groundout RBI gave the home team a 4-3 lead.
 

2ND INNING

The Mets responded quickly to the Brewers' early surge. Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso reached base to open the frame before Jesse Winker knocked them in with a triple to tie the game. 

Starling Marte hit a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to score Winker and give the Mets a 3-2 lead.

Luis Severino kept the Brewers' bats away in the second to hold the lead. 

1ST INNING

The Brewers struck first in Tuesday's Game 1. After Freddy Peralta retired the Mets in order, the Brewers' bats took over. Brice Turang hit a leadoff double and moved to third on Jackson Chourio's single. William Contreras' single scored Turang. After striking out Mitchell, Luis Severino loaded up the bases when he walked Willy Adames. Jake Bauers fouled out, but Severino hit Rhys Hoskins to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead. 

PRE-GAME

After reaching the postseason on Monday, the Mets will have righty Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91 ERA) on the mound for Game 1. Meanwhile, Freddy Peralta (11-9, 3.68 ERA) is on the bump for the Brewers to start Game 1.

Here are the lineups for both teams.  

Mets lineup:

1. Francisco Lindor SS 
2. Jose Iglesias 2B 
3. Brandon Nimmo LF 
4. Mark Vientos 3B 
5. Pete Alonso 1B 
6. Jesse Winker DH 
7. Starling Marte RF 
8. Tyrone Taylor CF 
9. Francisco Alvarez C

Brewers lineup:

1. Brice Turang 2B
2. Jackson Chourio LF 
3. William Contreras C 
4. Garrett Mitchell CF 
5. Willy Adames SS 
6. Jake Bauers DH
7. Rhys Hoskins 1B
8. Sal Frelick RF 
9. Joey Ortiz 3B

9TH INNING 

Corbin Burnes came out for the top of the ninth but was pulled when he gave up a lead single to Maikel Garcia. Keegan Akin then took over on the mound and retired the next two batters. When he gave up a walk, Seranthony Domínguez entered and struck out Salvador Perez for the final out. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Royals reliever Lucas Erceg walked Ryan O'Hearn to lead things off but then settled down. Erceg retired the next three batters to secure the Royals' 1-0 road victory. 
 

8TH INNING

Corbin Burnes was still on the bump for the Orioles and pitching strong in the eighth. He retired the Royals in order to keep the Orioles in striking distance as the top of the order for Baltimore was about to come up.

Kris Bubic opened the eighth on the mound for the Royals, retiring the first two Orioles hitters he faced. But he walked Gunnar Henderson and allowed a single to Jordan Westburg. The Orioles' threat to tie the game ended there, with Lucas Erceg replacing Bubic to get Anthony Santander to ground out to short and end the inning. 

7TH INNING

The pitching remained strong into the seventh inning. Burnes allowed a one-out single, but negated that when he induced an inning-ending double play. 

While Burnes remained on the bump in the seventh, the Royals opted to end Cole Ragans' day. Sam Long relieved Ragans in the seventh and retired the Orioles in order. 

6TH INNING

The Royals got the first run of Game 1 in the sixth inning. Maikel Garcia walked and stole second with one out, putting him in scoring position for Bobby Witt Jr. when the Royals star came up later in the inning. The Royals star shortstop delivered, hitting a two-out single to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. Witt tried to steal another base for the Royals, but was thrown out at second to end the top half of the frame.

Ragans kept a zero next to the Orioles' name, retiring the side in order in the sixth. 

5TH INNING

Corbin Burnes got some luck his way in the fifth. After allowing a leadoff single to Yuli Gurriel, the Orioles turned a double play when MJ Melendez fouled out to first and got Gurriel out. Burnes struck out Tommy Pham to end the top of the frame.

Baltimore created some traffic on the bases in the bottom of the frame. It got runners at the corners with one out. But Ragans struck out the ensuing two hitters, putting away James McCann and Henderson to end the inning. 

4TH INNING

Both pitchers remained dominant in the fourth inning, too. Each retired the side in order, with Ragans striking out two hitters to keep the game scoreless. 

3RD INNING

After Corbin Burnes retired the Royals in order in the top of the third, the Orioles threatened to score in the bottom of the frame. Cedric Mullins hit a leadoff double and moved to third on a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. However, the Royals avoided any damage with Jordan Westburg flying out to end the inning. 

2ND INNING

Each starting pitcher remained strong in the second inning. Burnes put the Royals down in order while Cole Ragans only allowed a hit to Colton Cowser, but he was stranded at first. 

1ST INNING

The opening inning was pretty ho-hum. Michael Massey opened the game with a base hit, but Burnes put down the Royals' next three hitters. Meanwhile, Ragans got a pair of Orioles to fly out while Westburg struck out in the bottom of the frame. 

PRE-GAME

The Royals will have All-Star lefty Cole Ragans on the bump for Game 1 in Baltimore. The Orioles will pitch fellow All-Star Corbin Burnes, hoping he can continue his strong regular season into October.

Here are the lineups for each team.

Royals lineup:

1. Michael Massey 2B 
2. Bobby Witt Jr. SS 
3. Vinnie Pasquantino DH 
4. Salvador Perez C 
5. Yuli Gurriel 1B 
6. MJ Melendez LF 
7. Tommy Pham RF 
8. Kyle Isbel CF 
9. Maikel Garcia 3B 

Orioles lineup: 

1. Gunnar Henderson SS 
2. Jordan Westburg 2B 
3. Anthony Santander RF 
4. Ryan Mountcastle 1B 
5. Adley Rutschman DH 
6. Colton Cowser LF 
7. Ramon Urías 3B 
8. Cedric Mullins CF 
9. James McCann C

9TH INNING

The Astros called on All-Star reliever Josh Hader to keep the score at 3-0 in the top of the ninth. Hader ensured that Houston's deficit wouldn't get larger, allowing just a ground rule double in four batters faced.

The Tigers opted to keep Jason Foley on the mound when the bottom of the ninth began. He allowed a leadoff double to Yordan Alvarez. Zach Dezenzo pinch ran for Alvarez and moved over to third on Alex Bregman's infield single on the next at-bat. The Astros scored their first run of the game when Yandy Diaz singled to right, scoring Dezenzo and moving Bregman to second. 

Foley's day ended after Jeremy Peña hit a sacrifice bunt to move Bregman and Diaz into scoring position with one out, calling on Beau Brieske to close the game out. Brieske got Victor Caratini to line out to left for the second out of the inning, but he walked Chas McCormick to load up the bases with two outs. 

Brieske was able to get out of the jam and end the game. Jason Heyward hit a sharp liner to first that was by Spencer Torkelson to give the Tigers Game 1 and a 1-0 series lead. 

8TH INNING

The eighth was another scoreless frame, with both teams playing the bullpen game. Ronel Blanco was replaced by Caleb Ferguson after he struck out two hitters in the top of the eighth. Ferguson's inning ended after one pitch, with Matt Vierling getting thrown out while trying to steal second.

Will Vest continued into the eighth inning, striking out two hitters before he was replaced by Foley. He got Kyle Tucker to ground out to third on the first batter he faced in the inning. 

7TH INNING

The Tigers threatened to add to their lead in the seventh. Blanco walked a pair of hitters and allowed a single to Wenceel Pérez in between, loading the bases with two outs. Blanco wound up getting himself out of his own jam, striking out Parker Meadows to end the inning.

Detroit went to the bullpen for the first time in Game 1 in the seventh inning, tabbing Vest to replace Tarik Skubal after he threw six innings of shutout baseball. Vest continued where Skubal left off, recording a pair of strikeouts to retire the Astros in order and keep the Tigers' lead at 3-0.

6TH INNING

The Astros made a couple of pitching changes in the top of the sixth. Bryan King took the bulk of the inning, striking out two Tigers hitters with a hit allowed in between. Ronel Blanco finished the frame, striking out Matt Vierling to end the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Tarik Skubal had a brief injury scare when his legs got twisted a bit on the mound. It wasn't a problem. After allowing a two-out single to Alex Bregman, Skubal struck Yandy Diaz to end the inning, keeping the Tigers' lead at 3-0. 

5TH INNING

The Astros made the first pitching change of Game 1 in the fifth inning. Framber Valdez was pulled after allowing a single to Justyn-Henry Malloy and striking out Riley Greene, with righty Hector Neris replacing him. Neris walked the first hitter he faced before striking out Wenceel Pérez and Spencer Torkelson to get out of the inning, keeping Detroit's lead at 3-0.  

Tarik Skubal remained strong on the mound, though, for the Tigers in the bottom of the fifth. He retried the side in order, giving up just three hits and a walk through the first five innings of his first postseason star. 

4TH INNING

The fourth went nearly the exact same way as the third. Detroit was able to get a runner on second before Framber Valdez ended the inning without the Tigers adding to their 3-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the Astros got runners at first and second with one out. But Tarik Skubal recorded two strikeouts to end the inning.

3RD INNING

After a busy second inning, the third inning was a bit quieter. The Tigers were able to get a runner to third, but a nifty grab by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña helped them get out of the frame. Tarik Skubal allowed a pair of hits in the third. Houston wasn't able to do anything else though, leaving runners stranded at second and first to end the inning. 

2ND INNING

The Tigers struck first in Tuesday's game when they went on a tear at the plate in the second inning. Wenceel Pérez hit a single and Spencer Torkelson walked to give Detroit a pair of runners on-base. While Parker Meadows grounded into a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners, that didn't stop them from getting on the board. Jake Rogers hit a single to knock in Pérez. Trey Sweeney followed that up with a single himself, knocking in Meadows. Matt Vierling added a third run in the next at-bat, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead.

Tarik Skubal retired the Astros in order in the bottom of the frame, recording a strikeout to keep the Tigers' lead at 3-0 through two innings. 

1ST INNING

Each side made it through the opening inning of postseason play unscathed. Framber Valdez allowed a walk, but induced a double play on the ensuing at-bat. Meanwhile, Tarik Skubal retried the side in order.

PRE-GAME

The Tigers will have the AL Cy Young favorite on the mound for Game 1, putting Tarik Skubal on the bump. Meanwhile, the Astros will start lefty Framber Valdez.

Here is each team's lineup

Tigers: 

1. Matt Vierling 3B 
2. Justyn-Henry Malloy DH
3. Riley Greene LF 
4. Andy Ibáñez 2B 
5. Wenceel Pérez RF 
6. Spencer Torkelson1B 
7. Parker Meadows CF 
8. Jake Rogers C 
9. Trey Sweeney SS

Astros: 

1. Jose Altuve 2B 
2. Kyle Tucker RF 
3. Yordan Alvarez DH 
4. Alex Bregman 3B 
5. Yandy Diaz C 
6. Jeremy Peña SS 
7. Victor Caratini 1B 
8. Maurico Dubón LF 
9. Jake Meyers CF