I don’t know that there was any better way to announce to the world that the San Diego Padres are here to stick around. The Friars took Game 1 of the three-game set against the Chicago Cubs in spectacular fashion, scoring eight runs while limiting the Cubs to zero. It’s the biggest postseason shutout in franchise history. Starter Michael King pitched seven dominant innings, taking a no-hitter into the seventh before it was broken up on a liner to third base.

The offense went off, with Fernando Tatis Jr. homering on the first pitch before captain Manny Machado went yard a moment later. Nothing could have set the stage better for a series sweep than last night’s game. Tonight, San Diego will attempt to reverse their 2025 fates and beat the Cubs to advance to the NLDS. It would be their first appearance in the Division Series since 2022 against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Taking the mound

Kevin Gausman (CHC) v. Nick Pivetta (SD)

To say that Gausman has struggled since being traded to the Cubs would be an understatement. He was already struggling with the Toronto Blue Jays (4.38 ERA) before being traded to the North Siders and authoring a 4.83 ERA across nine starts. He looked good at the beginning of his tenure, but slowly started to struggle. In his final three starts of the season, Gausman surrendered 10 runs (15.1 IP).

The right-hander pitched quite well against San Diego when he last faced them as a Blue Jay. He twirled six innings of three-run ball in a no-decision that eventually became a Padres victory. What bit him were the walks. Gausman has an abnormally high 1.27 WHIP. Despite his fantastic stuff (184 K’s), he’s volatile. If the Friars sit and wait, they’ll get their pitch sooner or later.

Pivetta has been nails since returning from the injured list at the beginning of September. In four starts since then, the righty has authored a 1.45 ERA (18.2 IP). It’s not an abundant amount of work to draw from, but he’s looked dominant since his return. If that can continue against Chicago tonight, it would be a massive advantage for San Diego.

The right-hander is also coming off of a sterling outing against one of baseball’s best offenses in the Dodgers. His final start of the regular season came against the NL West rivals, with Pivetta twirling 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Should he be able to similarly stymie the Cubs, the bullpen won’t have too many outs to cover. That would give the Friars a major leg up in a potential NLDS appearance.

Batter up!

The offense was rocking last night, tagging Chicago starter Matthew Boyd for fours runs in as many innings. Xander Bogaerts, Machado and Tatis all homered off of the lefty. The Cubs’ bullpen was mostly solid, but gave up four more runs to San Diego in the fifth and seventh innings.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Dustin Harris, LF
3. Manny Machado, 3B
4. Ty France, 1B
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Luis Campusano, DH
7. Xander Bogaerts, SS
8. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
9. Ethan Salas, C

The Padres’ big four (Bogaerts, Machado, Jackson Merrill and Tatis) combined to go 8-for-14 (.571) last night with two walks, six RBIs and six runs scored. San Diego will likely go as far as their stars can take them. If they continue to get this level of production from them (or even a semblance of it), they’ll be well on their way to where they want to be.

Relief corps

King told reporters on Monday afternoon that he had no interest in turning the ball over to the bullpen. He was almost entirely true to his word. He pitched seven one-hit innings of scoreless ball before Yuki Matsui and Joe Musgrove (yes, you read that right) pitched the final two innings. Matsui pitched a perfect eighth before Musgrove navigated some trouble in his first big-league appearance in almost exactly two years.

That allows the bullpen to be fresh for tonight. Should the wheels fall off with Pivetta, the Friars are equipped with more than enough capable arms to fill out the remaining innings. Jason Adam, Mason Miller, David Morgan, Adrian Morejon, Robbie Ray and Bradgley Rodriguez are available for manager Craig Stammen to turn to. That said, Ray seems unlikely to pitch in relief given his experience as a starter.

About a month before his team reported to spring training this year, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat on the balcony of an upscale restaurant near his offseason home in San Diego, recounting his journey from franchise scapegoat to championship leader.

The more Roberts spoke about his professional evolution, the more it became clear that he wasn’t just explaining who he was a manager at that moment.

He was envisioning the manager he would become.

“At 53,” Roberts said, “I feel I’m just scratching the surface.”

His theory is about to be tested.

The Dodgers have a loaded starting rotation. They have an experienced but inconsistent lineup. They have a hodgepodge of a bullpen.

And they have another X-factor in Roberts, who ranks third all-time in playoff wins as a manager with 59. No other manager in this postseason field has won more than 26.

With the Dodgers reaching the playoffs in each of their 11 seasons under him, Roberts has already managed 117 postseason games.

The experience has resulted in a change in how he sees October games.

“It’s slowed down,” Roberts said.

As the games unfold, he can better predict what will happen next. When making decisions, he doesn’t feel rushed.

That could be especially valuable in this postseason.

The Dodgers have an all-world rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. They have two relievers they trust at the back of their bullpen in Tanner Scott and Roki Sasaki.

The question Roberts will have to face on most nights will be how to manage the innings that aren’t pitched by the starter, Scott or Sasaki. 

When the Dodgers had a weak bullpen last year, Roberts’ approach was relatively straightforward: Ride the starters as long as possible, turn to them whenever possible.

Dodgers starters pitched into the seventh inning or beyond seven times last postseason. Yamamoto pitched two complete games. Snell made an eight-inning start. Three of the team’s four starters were used as relievers at some point, and the other, Shohei Ohtani, started Game 7 of the World Series on three-days’ rest. Yamamoto pitched the final 2 ⅔ innings of that game – a day after pitching six innings in a Game 6 win.

A repeat of that is entirely possible. But what the rotation did last year was historic and the counting on the group to do that again might not be realistic.

The advantage the Dodgers have this year is that their bullpen has more upside than it did last October, which should provide Roberts with a greater number of middle relief options. But every option carries significant risk. 

Displaced $69-million closer Edwin Diaz had a nightmare of a regular season. Edgardo Henriquez is the hardest thrower on the team – and probably the most improved as well – but he missed the end of the regular season with a back injury. Fireman Alex Vesia posted his highest walk rate in five years. Evan Phillips has looked like a ninth-inning possibility on some nights but has been home-run prone. Converted starter Justin Wrobleski was an All-Star but had a rough second half of the season.

Roberts will be counted on to navigate the middle innings of this group, which could also include the left-handed Scott if a particularly dangerous group of left-handed hitters is due up at a critical juncture.

Whatever happens, the situation shouldn’t be nearly as complicated as it was during the Dodgers’ World Series run in 2024.

The Dodgers went into that postseason with only three viable starting pitchers – Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was in his first year in the majors and limited to 90 regular-season innings because of shoulder problems; Jack Flaherty, a trade-deadline acquisition who posted a 4.99 earned-run average the previous year; and Walker Buehler, who registered a 5.38 ERA in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

Roberts had to rely on his bullpen.

The limited number of starting pitchers forced the Dodgers into a bullpen game at least once in every series. He was forced to punt certain games to preserve the little pitching he had for the future.

As chaotic as it looked from the outside, Roberts said he was clear-headed.

“I couldn’t have said that in ‘16, ‘17, ‘18,” he said.

Roberts mentioned how athletes decline after playing a certain number of years.

“But with coaching, your best years are with experience and as you get older,” he said. “That’s the irony. And I do feel that I’m much more wise. My decision-making, I feel, has gotten even better. My feel for the game.”

Now on the brink of a three-peat, the Dodgers might be more reliant on that feel than they ever have.

SAN DIEGO — From a Fernando Tatis Jr. leadoff home run to a shutdown performance from stating pitcher Michael King, Game 1 of the National League wild card series couldn't have gone better for the San Diego Padres.

Or worse for the Chicago Cubs.

The Padres dismantled the Cubs in an 8-0 laugher on Tuesday night, as Tatis and Manny Machado started the fireworks with a pair of first-inning home runs before King settled in to 6 1/3 hitless innings before yielding a Cubs base hit.

On Wednesday, the Cubs will look to overcome long odds, as teams who win Game 1 of the wild-card round are 21-3, with 17 two-game sweeps. Home teams have gone 9-0, with eight sweeps, after winning Game 1.

First pitch in Game 2 is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 30, with Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA) set to take the mound for the Cubs, facing Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA) for the Padres.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoffs LIVE: Cubs vs Padres updates, highlights and where to watch

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Alec Bohm put the Phillies on top.

Some technology helped Philadelphia keep its season alive.

With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, the Phillies completed their 4-3 comeback over the Braves in Game 2 of the wild-card series with the help of the automated ball-strike challenge system.

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ABS PAINTING pic.twitter.com/2LtwMPc4J6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

Atlanta’s Dominic Smith took an 0-2 fastball from Andrew Painter that home plate umpire Andrew Beck initially called inside and off the plate for a ball at Truist Park on Wednesday.

But Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto quickly challenged the call. The veteran catcher was right, as the pitch did clip the inside corner for strike three.

It marks the first time ABS — which was introduced to the majors this year — has been used at the major league level to end a playoff game.

The pressure-packed 10th inning was just the final chapter in what was a roller-coaster Game 2 for the Phillies. Atlanta grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh after Bryce Harper misplayed a fly ball from Drake Baldwin that put the Braves ahead by one. A Matt Olson sacrifice fly made it 3-1.

But one inning later, Kyle Schwarber and Harper hit solo homers to get the Phillies even before Bohm played hero in the top of the 10th with a solo home run off Didier Fuentes to right field, just clearing the high wall.

Painter, normally a starter, provided yeoman’s work out of the bullpen with three scoreless innings and three punchouts — all of which came in the final frame.

The Phillies might be the first MLB team to seal a playoff win on an ABS challenge, but they’re not even the first pro team to do so in the last week. The Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets (Dodgers) won the Triple-A National Championship over the weekend via an overturned ABS decision.

A win-or-go-home Game 3 is set for 2 p.m. Thursday in Atlanta.

The Philadelphia Phillies were six outs away from boarding a chartered flight Wednesday, headed home for the winter, facing perhaps the most tumultuous offseason in nearly a decade.

Interim manager Don Mattingly surely would be fired, with calls immediately placed to Alex Cora to replace him. Many of his coaches would be dismissed along with them. And the roster could be facing a dramatic change, with some of the Phillies’ biggest stars perhaps being placed on the trade block.

Then, like a thunderbolt coming down the sky, it happened, turning a 3-1, eighth-inning deficit into a dramatic 4-3 Phillies victory over Atlanta, saving their season, and setup up a dramatic winner-take-all game Thursday at Truist Park.

The Phillies, who nearly suffered one of the greatest collapses in baseball history, losing 14 of 23 games and almost coughed up a four-game lead with five remaining, are now guaranteed to play in October after all.

The Phillies’ comeback began when Atlanta starter Tyler Mahle came out of the game after seven brilliant innings, bringing in left-handed reliever Dylan Lee.

Kyle Schwarber, who hit 45 homers during the season, greeted Lee by hitting a 3-and-2 slider that nearly sailed out of the stadium, traveling 447 feet into the right-field seats.

Three pitches later, Bryce Harper, who botched a fly ball in right field in the seventh inning that led to two runs, hit another slider 418 feet away into the right-center-field seats.

Tie game.

“That’s why this team is so great," Harper told reporters after the game. “We pick each other up when we need to. ... Obviously my teammates picking me up in that situation, and that's what it's all about.

Two innings later, Alec Bohm hit a two-out homer into the right-field seats, with rookie Andrew Painter, who had been sent to the minors with a 7.06 ERA this summer, pitching the final three innings for the victory and the game ending on a successful ABS challenge.

“Obviously, we’re not going to quit," Bohm said on the TV postgame show. “They just punched us, took the lead, and you know, no two better guys to punch back than [Harper] and Kyle. So yeah, that was pretty electric. It was a great way to answer, and that’s the reason we won the game."

It will go down as one of the greatest postseason games in Phillies history, and Thursday’s result may determine just how long it will be remembered.

“Today was really emotional, a lot of swings in the game,’’ Bohm said. “So, I think as much as we want to enjoy this for a little bit, it's the same as we did [Tuesday]. Turn the page, move on to tomorrow, and show up ready to do the same thing.’’

The Phillies are still alive.

And there’s nothing they’d love than to board a flight Thursday night to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the NL Division Series in a rematch of a year ago.

They’re not ready to go home.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phillies never say die with dramatic comeback to stay alive vs Braves

It began April 4, 2013, with the first pitch from Vidal Nuño to Pawtucket’s Brock Holt. It ended Sept. 19, 2026, when Stephen Jones of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp uncorked a wild pitch with Kenedy Corona batting, enabling Yanquiel Fernandez to score the winning run from third base.

In between, there have been a lot of highs and lows and memorable moments for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Triple-A franchise as the RailRiders. 

Since minor-league baseball returned to northeastern Pennsylvania in 1989, the franchise has been known by three nicknames. First was the Red Barons as a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate until 2006. In 2007, it became a New York Yankees affiliate and adopted the same moniker as the parent club. In 2013, to coincide with the major renovations of its home, PNC Field, it changed from Yankees to RailRiders, which was the winner of a fan name-the-team contest and honored the region having the first trolley system in the United States. 

Now, after 13 seasons, the RailRiders’ final ride has pulled into the station. The name is being rebranded, and the new one will be announced in November. 

From our team to each of you: Thank you fans! 💙 pic.twitter.com/yspYU98Vzx

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) September 21, 2026

As the RailRiders, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre finished with an all-time record of 1,028 wins and 834 losses. Only three times did it have a losing season: 2013, 2014, and 2023.

Six times the RailRiders made the playoffs. Three times they lost in the International League championship series (2017, 2018, 2025). But in 2016, they defeated the Gwinnett Braves in four games to capture the IL title, then beat the Pacific Coast League champion El Paso Chihuahuas to claim the Triple-A national championship.

There were plenty of memorable games throughout franchise history. One came on September 3, 2019. The RailRiders and Syracuse Mets tied for first place in the International League North Division and played a one-game playoff to decide the title. Syracuse led, 7-1, heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the RailRiders scored five runs to pull within 7-6. Syracuse scored six runs in the top of the eighth to make it 13-6. But the RailRiders rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the eighth to win, 14-13. 

Three of the franchise’s seven no-hitters were thrown by RailRiders. Luis Gil, Reggie McClain and Stephen Ridings combined for one against Rochester on July 21, 2021. Sean Boyle tossed a seven-inning no-no in the second game of a doubleheader on August 19, 2021, at Worcester. This season, on June 5th at Syracuse, Brendan Beck and Carson Coleman teamed up for one.

Even the team’s final game as the RailRiders will long be remembered. Trailing Jacksonville 4-0 after two innings, they rallied to tie the game at 5 and force extra innings. With no arms left in the bullpen, position player Edinson Duran came on to get the final out in the top of the 10th with the bases loaded. The RailRiders won in the bottom of the 10th when Fernandez scored on Jones’ wild pitch.

“It was pretty poetic, tying the game in the eighth, showing no quit, could have easily rolled over. Then going extras and having Duran come in (to pitch) was a blast,” Beck said. “He works his butt off, so for him to go out there and pick us up like that and keep that inning at a zero, it felt like there was no way we weren’t going to score in the bottom of the 10th. It was an awesome game, great way to end the season.”

Beck became the fourth player in franchise history and second RailRider to be named International League Pitcher of the Year, joining Greg Weissert in 2022. This season, Beck led the IL in earned-run average (2.93), strikeouts (151), innings (135.1), WHIP (1.06), opponents’ batting average (.210), and tied for second in wins (10). 

Ben Gamel became the third player in franchise history and lone RailRider to be named IL Player of the Year in 2016. One day after winning the honor, the Yankees traded him to the Seattle Mariners for minor-league pitchers Jio Orozco and Juan De Paula. 

Many notable players have worn a RailRiders uniform.

Hall of Famer Derek Jeter spent seven games on a rehab assignment in early July 2013 while recovering from a broken ankle. During his time here, it became a daily game to see where he was spotted in downtown Scranton.

Later that month, Alex Rodriguez played three games here while coming back from offseason hip surgery. He hit a two-run home run in the second at-bat of his first game.

Alex Rodriguez slapping hands with a young fan while playing for the Scranton / Wilkes Barre RailRiders in 2013. ARod played games for the New York Yankees Triple A team before returning to the Major Leagues. #AlexRodriguez#AROD#NYY#baseball#RailRiders#ScrantonWilkesBarrepic.twitter.com/0ZGaOAPPGo

— The Thrill of Victory (@ThrillVictory) March 20, 2023

Curtis Granderson and D.J. LeMahieu were other notable Yankees who rehabbed here over the years. This season, pitchers Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, catcher Austin Wells, and outfielder Cody Bellinger all had rehab stints.

Current Yankees slugger Aaron Judge played 154 games with the RailRiders in 2015 and 2016 and five more games on a rehab assignment in 2019.  He totaled 28 home runs and 95 RBIs. Prospects such as Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, Anthony Volpe, Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler, Spencer Jones, and George Lombard Jr. also spent time here.

🚨 AARON JUDGE DINGER ALERT 🚨

RailRiders lead 7-3 as the Judge hands down a solo shot to right field. #Celebrate30pic.twitter.com/HaNSrhC2nH

— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) June 19, 2019

“A lot of great players have played for the RailRiders,” Beck said. “To be the last ones to do it is fun. The future is exciting as well. Looking forward to starting something new next year.”

When manager Shelley Duncan played in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre from 2007-09, the team was known as the Yankees. But in his four seasons as manager, the term “RailRiders” has come to mean a lot to him.

“I just always think about the character of every team that I’ve had,” said Duncan, whose record as RailRiders manager is 327-195. “I’ve been lucky to be a part of some good groups that fought all the way to the end. Some good memories and some good relationships. Each year has been a different team, and each year has been very special.”

The new nickname has already been decided, and team officials said it will reflect the “beauty, heritage and outdoor legacy” of the region. Whatever it is, it will have a tough act to follow. The RailRiders’ era was quite a successful and enjoyable time. 

The Phillies’ season looked all but over. Thanks to a horrendous fielding error by Bryce Harper, the Phillies found themselves trailing the Braves by two runs in the eighth. But thanks to back-to-back home runs by Kyle Schwarber and Harper, a go-ahead home run by Alec Bohm in the tenth, and some gutsy pitching by rookie Andrew Painter, the Phillies beat the Braves 4-3 to tie the Wild Card series at one win apiece.

The game started out promisingly for the Phillies’ offense. Trea Turner led off with an opposite field double, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored on Harper’s RBI single.

Harp gets us goin' early pic.twitter.com/JDJ1BoWxO6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

A single by Bohm put runners at the corners, but Bryson Stott hit a ball back to the pitcher and Harper was thrown out at home to end the threat.

The Braves answered back in the bottom of the inning. Cristopher Sanchez started the game by walking Ronald Acuna, Jr, and it ended up costing him thanks to Matt Olson’s RBI single two batters later.

The game then settled into a pitchers’ duel between Sanchez and Tyler Mahle. The Phillies continued to flail at Mahle’s split fastball and could only manage three hits over the next six innings. Sanchez ran into trouble in both the fifth and sixth but was able to pitch out of the jam both times.

Despite a rising pitch count, Sanchez began the seventh and started the inning with a walk. The next batter attempted a bunt, and Bohm made a poor decision to try to get the runner at second, putting two on with nobody out. Sanchez bore down to strike out Acuna and then got Drake Baldwin to hit what looked like a routine fly ball to right. However, …

Oh no. Bryce Harper missplays a catchable ball.2-1 Braves pic.twitter.com/H9q5Z0xvgK

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 30, 2026

After an intentional walk, a sacrifice fly by Olson put the Braves up 3-1.

The Braves lifted Mahle in favor of lefthander Dylan Lee, presumably to get Schwarber and Harper out. That move didn’t work out so well.

SCHWARBOMBS AWAY pic.twitter.com/UxdPliUCbv

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

BRYCE BRINGS US EVEN pic.twitter.com/7BQYehGrEV

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

With the back-to-back jacks tying the game at three, manager Don Mattingly chose to bring in rookie Andrew Painter. It was a tough spot for a rookie, and it looked like it might have been a mistake when his first six pitches missed the strike zone. But a mound visit seemed to settle Painter. He coerced a double play and a foul out to end the inning.

After trading zeroes in the ninth, the Phillies had two outs in the tenth when Alec Bohm lifted what looked like a routine fly ball to right field. But somehow, it kept carrying and gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

ALEC'S BOHM RUN GIVES US THE LEAD IN EXTRAS pic.twitter.com/tmlFqG9IrY

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

It isn’t clear if Jhoan Duran was unavailable or if it was just Painter’s game, but the rookie came back out for his third inning. Painter started out the inning with a strike three that nicked the strike zone by about a nanometer. After a single and another strike out, Michael Harris kept the game alive by flicking his bat at a ball that somehow found grass.

With two out and two on, Painter got two quick strikes on Austin Riley and then delivered a pitch that was so perfect that ABS had to call it a strike.

LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ABS PAINTING 🎨 pic.twitter.com/2LtwMPc4J6

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 30, 2026

With the win, the Phillies have set up a pivotal game three on Thursday. It would be nice if they could get out to an early lead and coast to victory. It would also be nice if I could win the lottery.

See you tomorrow!