Game Recap

It took 14 innings, but the Texas Rangers found a way to come out on top Friday and will head home with a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series.

A day after Rougned Odor hit a game-changing home run, the 21-year-old second baseman made a difference with his legs. He scored twice in the team's 6-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, including the go-ahead run in the 14th inning off a single by Hanser Alberto.

Kevin Burkhardt of Fox Sports noted the difference Odor made:

There's not much time to rest for the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals. About 16 hours after playing the first game of their American League Division Series, they will be at it again on Friday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

An early lead, insurance home runs and shutdown pitching from the bullpen after a solid effort from the starting pitcher made for the perfect formula for the Houston Astros to seize a 1-0 advantage over the Kansas City Royals in the American League Division Series with a 5-2 win in Game 1.

Two of the hottest lineups in baseball are slated for a showdown Thursday, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series starting at 3:37 p.m. ET.

The Jays used a consistent attack and a successful trade deadline as fuel to skyrocket themselves to the top of the AL East for the past several months. Toronto accounted for a 48-23 record in the second half. Its offense averaged 5.5 runs per game and led the majors in home runs (232).

FINAL SCORE: Cubs 4-0 Pirates

The Cubs are moving on.

In a game that had pitcher's duel written all over it, Jake Arietta answered the call and helped lead the Chicago Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game on Wednesday night.

Arrieta was masterful, twirling a complete-game four-hitter while striking out 11 Buccos. He worked through the game unscathed until the Pirates rallied the bases loaded in the sixth inning. However, Starling Marte ripped into a double play to end the threat.

The Houston Astros live to fight another day. Behind a gem from Dallas Keuchel on three days' rest, the Astros blanked the New York Yankees, 3-0, to win the American League Wild Card Game.

Keuchel silenced the Yankees through six frames, and the bullpen followed with three hitless innings. While Masahiro Tanaka avoided major damage, home runs from Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez proved enough.

Somehow a five-month, 162-game MLB season always boils down to the final day.

With all 30 teams simultaneously playing games ripe with playoff implications, Sunday will close the season in beautiful pandemonium. Keep track of the madness here for live updates across the league.

Playoff Picture 

American League

Wild Card: Houston Astros at New York Yankees

Following a two-year postseason absence, the New York Yankees guaranteed they'll be playing playoff baseball in October again thanks to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. The victory was also the 10,000th in franchise history.

The two teams with the best record in the National League, St. Louis Cardinals (87-49) and Pittsburgh Pirates (81-54), squared off for Sunday Night Baseball at Busch Stadium in what could end up being a playoff preview.

It's was a pitcher's duel for most of the game, but the Pirates began to chip away at Cardinals pitcher John Lackey and later into the bullpen.

The Detroit Tigers had no answers for Josh Tomlin.

The right-hander threw a complete game and gave up one run on four hits to lead the Cleveland Indians to an 8-1 victory.

The only knock on Tomlin came in the sixth inning when he gave up a leadoff double to Dixon Machado. After retiring the next two hitters, he gave up an RBI single to Miguel Cabrera.