Yordan Alvarez smacked a walk-off, three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning as the Houston Astros rallied from a trio of four-run deficits to defeat the Seattle Mariners 8-7 in Game 1 of their American League Division Series on Tuesday in Houston.
Alvarez drilled an 0-1 sinker off Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray (0-1) into the right-field seats to end the opener of the best-of-five series. Ray, normally a starting pitcher, was summoned to face the left-handed-hitting Alvarez after Seattle right-hander Paul Sewald put two runners on base while recording two outs.
Alvarez became the second player in postseason history to hit a walk-off home run with two outs and his team trailing at the time of the at-bat, joining only Kirk Gibson (Game 1 of the 1988 World Series). Alvarez finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs
Rafael Montero (1-0) earned the win with a perfect top of the ninth. Julio Rodriguez recorded two extra-base hits and scored three runs while J.P. Crawford also homered for the Mariners, who rocked Astros ace Justin Verlander for six runs on 10 hits in four innings.
Dodgers 5, Padres 3
Trea Turner hit a first-inning home run, Julio Urias went five innings and host Los Angeles beat San Diego in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.
Will Smith and Gavin Lux had RBI doubles as the Dodgers followed a 111-win regular season by grabbing a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five NLDS. Urias (1-0) gave up three runs on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Four relievers combined for four scoreless innings as Los Angeles improved to 4-0 in two all-time playoff series against the Padres.
Wil Myers homered in a three-run fifth inning for the Padres, who are facing a deficit in the NLDS after not trailing while winning their NL wild-card series against the New York Mets. Starter Mike Clevinger (0-1) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Phillies 7, Braves 6
Nick Castellanos went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and a run to help Philadelphia take Game 1 of the National League Division Series in Atlanta.
Bryce Harper was 3-for-3 with a walk and Jean Segura went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Phillies in the opener of the best-of-five series. Philadelphia led 7-1 through 4 1/2 innings before barely holding on.
Braves ace Max Fried (0-1) yielded a season-high six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Phillies reliever Seranthony Dominguez (1-0) got the win. Zach Eflin served up a three-run homer to Matt Olson in the ninth inning before closing out the win. Atlanta's Travis d'Arnaud also homered and knocked in three runs.
Yankees 4, Guardians 1
Gerrit Cole pitched into the seventh inning, Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer and host New York opened the American League Division Series with a victory over Cleveland.
In his fifth postseason start as a Yankee and first at Yankee Stadium since signing with New York after the 2019 season, Cole allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Cole struck out eight and walked one, improving to 3-1 in the postseason as a Yankee. Harrison Bader hit a game-tying solo homer in his postseason debut with his hometown team, as the Yankees won their sixth straight postseason game over Cleveland. Jose Trevino hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly before Rizzo went deep.
Steven Kwan homered for Cleveland, which has scored four runs through its first three postseason games. Cal Quantrill (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits in five-plus innings. He struck out five and walked three.
More must-reads: