Cam Schlittler can’t save Yankees again, but Phillies keep their hopes alive in Los Angeles

Make sure you hug your favorite Yankees fan today. There was a chance for all four MLB Division Series to end on Wednesday, but the only one that did featured the Pinstripes playing at home with Cam Schlittler going against Toronto’s bullpen. Schlittler wasn’t as amazing as he was in Game 3 of the Wild Card series against Boston, but he was still pretty solid with just two runs allowed in six and one third innings. He just wasn’t a sharp as the group of eight Blue Jays relief pitchers that held New York to two runs in nine innings. The first run came on a Ryan McMahon solo shot in the third inning off of Mason Fluharty that tied the score at 1-1. The Yankees didn’t score again until Aaron Judge singled off of Jeff Hoffman in the ninth to drive in Jasson Dominguez. However, the next batter Cody Bellinger struck out to end the game with Toronto on top 5-2.

Toronto got to Schlittler early when George Springer led off the game with a double and was driven in on Vladmir Guerrero Jr.’s single. The Blue Jays wasted an Addison Barger leadoff double in the fourth, but struck again in the fifth when Ernie Clement and Andre Gimenez hit back-to-back singles and Springer followed with a sac fly. Clement got Toronto’s offense started again when he singled with one out in the seventh, and then Jazz Chisholm botched a potential double play ground ball to set up a clutch two-RBI single by Nathan Lukes.

That made the score 4-1, and Toronto would add another in the eighth when Myles Straw drove in Alejandro Kirk following his leadoff double. The Yankees loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but Austin Wells was retired on a routine fly ball to left off of Hoffman’s first pitch to him.

We were so close to having the Yankees and Phillies eliminated in the same night. It seemed like a possibility when Tommy Edman homered off of Ranger Suarez in the top of the third inning in Los Angeles, but Suarez ended up pitching five innings without allowing another run while the Philadelphia offense responded immediately and took the lead in the top of the fourth. Kyle Schwarber set the tone with a massive solo tank off of Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

The Phillies went on two score two more runs in the frame thanks to singles by Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm as well as a throwing error from Andy Pages and a sac fly by Brandon Marsh. Philadelphia blew big opportunities to extend their 3-1 lead in the fifth and the seventh, but it didn’t matter because Suarez held down the fort until the visitors finally broke through for five runs in the eighth off of Clayton Kershaw, adding to the future Hall of Famer’s postseason struggles. The Phillies won 8-2 to force a Game 4 tonight at Chavez Ravine. I would encourage the Dodgers to not let this series return to the City of Brotherly Love.

Just like Philadelphia, the Cubs went down 1-0 but then rallied to force a Game 4. Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in a pair of runs during Chicago’s four-run splurge in the first. Even thought the Cubs didn’t score again for the rest of the game, they still held on for the 4-3 win thanks to another great bullpen effort. Five relievers combined to allow just one run over five innings after Jameson Taillon left the game. If the Cubs can win once more at the Friendly Confines, they’ll force a Game 5 in Milwaukee on Saturday.

Over in the American League, the Tigers won a massive Game 4 at home to ensure that Tarik Skubal gets at least one more start this season. He’ll take the bump in Game 5 at Seattle thanks to Detroit overcoming a three-run deficit and defeating the Mariners 9-3 on Wednesday. Seattle’s Bryce Miller got off to a good start on the mound and the team took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning, but it could have been more since one of those runs scored when Victor Robles grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the fourth. In the bottom of the fifth, Dillon Gingler chased Miller from the game with an RBI double before Jahmai Jones and Javier Baez notched RBI hits off of southpaw Gabe Speier.

In the next inning, Riley Greene homered off of Speier to give Detroit its first lead. The Tigers then scored three runs off of Eduard Bazardo with the last two coming on a two-run blast by Javier Baez. The four-run rally allowed Detroit to cruise to victory and Baez ended the day with four RBI.

We’ve got a wild sports night ahead of us. Not only are the Phillies and Cubs trying to stave off elimination, but the Giants are hosting the Eagles on Thursday Night Football. That’s probably good news for MLB since the Giants are quite shallow at wide receiver with Darius Slayton missing the game and Malik Nabers out for the season. The Eagles have a chance to get the sour taste of losing out of their mouths after they blew a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter against Denver on Sunday. New York is a ripe target after losing in New Orleans. Maybe that loss doesn’t happen without the Giants turning the ball over five times in a row, but there is still a talent gap to worry about. If we are going to pull of the upset, we need to protect the ball, get some big plays from Daniel Bellinger and Theo Johnson in the passing game, and force Jalen Hurts to throw the ball.

There are also 14 NHL games on the slate with the Rangers, Islanders, and Devils all in action. The Rangers are slight favorites in Buffalo after getting shut out by Pittsburgh two nights ago at Madison Square Garden. Hopefully the Penguins will be just as tough when they host the Islanders tonight. Meanwhile, New Jersey is at Carolina to face the team that ended its last two playoff runs.

And don’t forget college hockey! Gavin McKenna and Penn State get Clarkson in the home opener tonight. Anyway, here are my NFL picks for this week.

Eagles at Giants +6.5

Eagles coming off a loss should hammer the Giants. This isn’t a homer pick, it’s a sharp pick. Public will be all over Philly.

Broncos at Jets +7.5

The Jets were not feisty at home last week against Dallas, but I think they will have an easier time with Denver’s offense and stay inside the number.

Cardinals at Colts -6.5

The Colts destroy bad teams. Jonathan Gannon apologizing after he chewed out his player for inexcusably dropping the ball is very soft and a sign that the inmates are running the asylum in Arizona.

Chargers -4.5 at Dolphins

I am thinking that the Bolts will bounce back after dropping two straight to NFC East opponents.

Browns +4.5 at Steelers

The Browns showed fight in England and I am loving what I see with Quinshon Judkins. He is a horse.

Cowboys -3.5 at Panthers

The Boys easily covered for me against the Jets, so I am sticking with them to take care of business on the road again.

Seahawks -1.5 at Jaguars

Letdown spot for the Jaguars after they used a pick six to flip their fate against the Chiefs.

Rams -7.5 at Ravens

Are the Ravens really this bad? Have to fade them after they burned me last week.

Patriots at Saints +3.5

I told you the Saints are tough at home! I also picked the Giants last week, but that was mostly a homer pick.

Titans +4.5 at Raiders

Tennessee’s win in Arizona was a total fluke, but it will still raise the vibes of that team. Plus, the Raiders shouldn’t be laying points to anyone.

49ers at Buccaneers -2.5

This should be another thrilling Buccaneers game that Baker Mayfield finds a way to win at the end.

Bengals +14.5 at Packers

Too many points! Even though the Bengals lost their last three games by a combined 76 points!

Lions at Chiefs -1.5

Detroit has returned to form since its disappointing Week1 loss, but it has only played Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Arrowhead at night will be a different story.

Bills -3.5 at Falcons

This is a very square pick, but it’s going to take more than one win over Washington to wipe Atlanta’s 30-0 loss to Carolina from my mind.

Bears at Commanders -4.5

Washington has already clobbered the Giants and Raiders by double digits at home. Chicago isn’t much better.

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