MLB playoff takeaways: Blue Jays eliminate Yankees; three series stay alive

Shortstop Javier Baez and second baseman Gleyber Torres added to the home run party as the Tigers scored nine consecutive runs to keep their season alive. With ace Tarik Skubal expected to pitch in Game 5 on Friday, the Tigers have to like their chances as they look to overcome what was once a 2-1 series deficit.

Cubs maintain early lead this time to avoid sweep to Brewers

After blowing an early 3-0 lead in Game 2, the Cubs got out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth and held on for a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 to extend the series at least one more game.

Shortly after first baseman Michael Busch hit the leadoff homer, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered with this two-run single off Brewers starter Quinn Priester to put the Cubs up 3-1 early as part of a four-run first inning.

Pitching continues to be an issue for the Cubs after only getting four innings from Jameson Taillon, but the four runs were all they needed on Wednesday to keep the series alive.

Blue Jays finish off Yankees to advance to first ALCS since 2016

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his torrid pace in the ALDS with an RBI single in the first as the Blue Jays proved to be too much for the Yankees in a 5-2 win to take the series in four games and advance to their first ALCS since 2016.

Guerrero was 9-for-17 (.529 average) with three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.609 OPS in the series as Toronto collected 50 hits and scored 34 total runs across the four games. Outfielder George Springer tacked on the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth, but it was Jeff Hoffman who closed the game out with this strikeout of Yankees OF Cody Bellinger.

The Blue Jays await the winner of the Tigers-Mariners series, but if their offense stays on its current pace, they will be a hard out regardless of their opponent.

Kyle Schwarber's two-homer night helps Phillies stave off elimination in Game 3

After dropping each of the first two games of the series at home, the Phillies responded in a must-win situation with an 8-2 win to force a Game 4 on Thursday.

After falling behind in the third following a home run from Dodgers infielder Tommy Edman, the Phillies hit three home runs, two of which were from Schwarber. While his second one extended Philadelphia's lead to 8-1, his first one went 455 feet and nearly left the park.

The Phillies face another must-win on Thursday, but it is hard to count them out with Schwarber swinging with confidence at the plate and solid pitching to back him up.