October October: MLB Division Series Open with Drama, Dominance, and Daggers

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Last night, the MLB postseason officially burst into full swing with four Division Series openers, delivering a mix of extra-inning heroics, historic debuts, and lopsided romps. The action set an immediate, intense tone for the road to the World Series.

Detroit Tigers 3, Seattle Mariners 2 (11 Innings)

In a tense, extra-inning battle in Seattle, the Detroit Tigers landed the first blow in the AL Division Series. After a pitching duel kept the game knotted at 2-2 through nine, the game went to the 11th inning before the Tigers broke the tie. Zach McKinstry played the hero, singling home the go-ahead run to give the Tigers the crucial 3-2 advantage.

The Mariners, playing in front of a raucous home crowd, got a solo home run from Julio Rodríguez, but their offense couldn’t find the clutch hit needed to seal the win. On the mound for Detroit, the bullpen was stellar, keeping a dangerous Mariners lineup in check long enough for their offense to finally break through and steal a vital Game 1 victory on the road.

NLDS Game 1: Hernández’s Dinger Bails Out Ohtani, Dodgers Rally Past Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Philadelphia Phillies 3

The much-anticipated National League Division Series matchup between the Dodgers and Phillies lived up to the hype, featuring high drama, a superstar’s playoff pitching debut, and a massive seventh-inning swing.

Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani made his first career postseason start on the mound, and while he was dominant at times, striking out nine over six innings, he struggled with a few key Phillies hitters. The Phillies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, including a two-run J.T. Realmuto triple.

The Dodgers chipped away before the pivotal seventh inning. With the score 3-2, Teoscar Hernández stepped to the plate and delivered the game’s biggest moment—a towering three-run home run that silenced the Philadelphia crowd and put the Dodgers up 5-3.

To close out the dramatic win, Los Angeles unveiled a new weapon: rookie fireballer Roki Sasaki, who secured the save in the ninth. Ohtani’s win and Sasaki’s save marked the first time two Japanese-born players had earned a win and a save in the same postseason game, etching a piece of history into the comeback victory.

ALDS Game 1: Blue Jays’ Bats Explode in Rout of Yankees

Toronto Blue Jays 10, New York Yankees 1

Across the border in Toronto, the Blue Jays wasted no time in flexing their offensive muscle against their long-time rivals. The Jays’ bats were scorching hot, powered by a stellar performance from catcher Alejandro Kirk, who belted two solo home runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also homered in the first inning—his first career postseason blast—and added an RBI sacrifice fly later on.

For the Yankees, the game spiraled out of control after a critical missed opportunity in the sixth inning. Down by only two runs, New York loaded the bases with no outs, but Aaron Judge struck out and the rally fizzled, leading to a late-inning bullpen implosion that saw the Blue Jays pull away for a decisive 10-1 win. The victory snapped a seven-game postseason losing streak for the Blue Jays and put them up 1-0 in the series.

NLDS Game 1: Brewers Dominate Cubs with Blazing Fast Start

Milwaukee Brewers 9, Chicago Cubs 3

In the NL Central showdown, the Milwaukee Brewers made a resounding statement, needing just the first two innings to put Game 1 out of reach effectively. The Brewers’ offense exploded for a combined nine runs in the first two innings, knocking Cubs pitching around to race out to a massive early lead.

Milwaukee’s young star, Jackson Chourio, had a record-setting day, tallying three hits and two RBIs in the first two frames, etching his name into the postseason history books. Though the Cubs managed to score a couple of late runs, including a solo homer from Ian Happ, the damage was done early. Brewers’ pitching coasted the rest of the way, securing a comfortable 9-3 victory and seizing the momentum in their series.