In a night packed with tension at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs punched their ticket to the Division Series with a gritty 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres, wrapping up their Wild Card matchup in three games. The Cubs' offense, led by a timely home run from Seiya Suzuki in the fifth, finally broke through against Dylan Cease's sharp pitching. Indeed, Chicago's bullpen held firm after starter Jameson Taillon wobbled early, allowing just one run over the final four innings. Fans erupted as the final out sealed it—their first postseason advancement since 2017. But let's not overlook the defensive gems; those plays kept San Diego's threats at bay.
Meanwhile, across the league, the New York Yankees clawed back from the brink to eliminate the Boston Red Sox with a 5-3 win in Game 3 of their AL Wild Card Series. Aaron Judge's RBI double in the seventh proved decisive, igniting a comeback after Boston jumped ahead on Trevor Story's solo shot. The Yankees' rookie Cam Schlittler shone in relief, striking out four in two scoreless frames to close it out. Yes, it was messy—New York left nine runners on base—but they capitalized when it mattered, forcing Boston into an early offseason exit. The rivalry's intensity boiled over, with ejections and near-brawls adding to the chaos.
Over in the AL Central clash, the Detroit Tigers stunned the Cleveland Guardians 6-4 in their decider, advancing behind a three-run homer from Riley Greene. Cleveland's offense sputtered despite a solid start from Tanner Bibee, managing only four hits after the third. The playoff bracket now sharpens: Cubs face the Dodgers in the NLDS starting Saturday, while Yankees draw the Tigers. Guardians and Padres, both with 90-plus win seasons, bow out unceremoniously— a harsh reminder of October's unforgiving nature.
Red Sox and Guardians scores from last night? Boston fell 5-3, Cleveland 6-4—both tough pills. Cubs' next game is against LA; check ESPN for live updates on that brewing showdown. As the bracket tightens, one wonders how these survivors will hold up under the brighter lights ahead.