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2023 MLB playoffs highlights: Rangers, Astros, Phillies, D-Backs get Game 1 wins
The next round of the 2023 MLB playoffs is here, as all four division series kicked off Saturday, and we've got you covered with all the action!
First, playoff baseball returned to Camden Yards for the first time in nine years as the Baltimore Orioles hosted but lost to the Texas Rangers, who surprisingly swept the Orioles' American League East rival Tampa Bay Rays in the wild-card round. Andrew Heaney took the ball for Texas, while Kyle Bradish was on the bump for Baltimore and young stars Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson made their postseason debuts.
Then the Houston Astros got a win over a Minnesota Twins squad that just won their first postseason series in 20 years. Justin Verlander once again started for the Astros at home to open the playoffs, while Bailey Ober took the hill for Minnesota.
Later, over in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies took down the MLB-best Atlanta Braves in a rematch of last season's shocking NLDS between the two clubs. Can the Phillies upset the mighty NL East champs again? Braves ace Spencer Strider faced Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez.
In the nightcap, the Arizona Diamondbacks got a Game 1 blowout in their trip to Los Angeles for their first NLDS game since 2017, facing the same Dodgers team that swept them out of the playoffs that year. Clayton Kershaw made another Game 1 start in Dodger Blue while Mookie Betts took the field celebrating his 31st birthday. Merrill Kelly started for the D-Backs.
Follow along with all the biggest plays and highlights below!
FINAL: Arizona Diamondbacks 11, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
D-Backs capitalize on error
Ketel Marte led off the game with a line drive to center field, which James Outman couldn't corral. The next batter, Corbin Carroll, drove in Marte with a single to center, which Christian Walker followed up with an RBI double off the left field wall.
5-0 D-BACKS
Faced with a 3-2 count — and still nobody out — Gabriel Moreno sent a Kershaw slider way up into the left field stands. Arizona led 5-0 in the first.
ANOTHER run, Kershaw relieved
Evan Longoria ripped an RBI double to left-center field, chasing Kershaw out of the game; he recorded just one out.
Demolishing a baseball
Carroll led off the top of the second with a solo home run deep into the right field seats for Arizona. Later in the inning, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit an RBI double down the left field line and Longoria hit a sacrifice fly, giving the Diamondbacks a 9-0 lead.
One more for good measure
Alek Thomas launched a solo homer to right in the top of the seventh, giving the Diamondbacks a 10-0 lead.
Kelly with a terrific start
The Arizona right-hander pitched 6.1 shutout innings, posting five strikeouts and surrendering just five baserunners.
Phamtastic shot
Tommy Pham hit the Diamondbacks' fourth home run of the game in the top of the eighth, lifting a solo homer just inside the right field foul pole for his fourth hit.
Dodger runs!
Will Smith lined a triple into the right field corner, bringing in two runs for the Dodgers, but it didn't spark a comeback.
FINAL: Philadelphia Phillies 3, Atlanta Braves 0
Defense on display
On the first pitch of the game, Kyle Schwarber laced a double off the right-center field wall, but the Phillies designated hitter was then thrown out trying to get to third base on a ground ball. Atlanta later turned a 4-6-3 double-play, ending the inning.
Got 'em
Braves catcher Sean Murphy threw out his catching counterpart, J.T. Realmuto, trying to steal second base in the top of the second.
Phillies strike first
After Bryce Harper advanced to second base on an errant throw over to first by Strider, Bryson Stott got the Phillies on the board with an RBI single to left in the top of the fourth.
The Bryce is Right
Philadelphia removed Suarez from the game in the fourth, and its bullpen escaped a bases-loaded jam and then stranded two runners in the bottom of the fifth. The ensuing inning, Harper laced a solo home run to right, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Great start for Strider
The Atlanta right-hander surrendered just two runs (one earned) and posted eight strikeouts across seven innings — and he didn't want to come out of the game.
T-Mobile
After singling to center in the top of the eighth, Trea Turner proceeded to steal second and then third base. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Realmuto reached base on a catcher's interference, bringing home a run. The Phillies led 3-0.
Phillies score a run vs. Braves on controversial catcher's interference call on Sean Murphy
He's a ballplayer
After wreaking havoc on the basepaths, Turner saved at least one run for the Phillies in the bottom half of the eighth with his glove. With runners on the corners and one out, Turner made a diving play on a ground ball to his left and helped turn a 6-4-3 double-play, getting the Phillies out of the inning. Craig Kimbrel then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to put a bow on the Philadelphia win.
FINAL: Houston Astros 6, Minnesota Twins 4
Power up!
Jose Altuve blasted the first pitch Ober threw in the bottom of the first over the left field wall, giving Houston an early 1-0 edge.
LOB
After grounding into a double-play with nobody out in the first inning, the Twins once again grounded into a double-play in the second. This time around, it ended the inning.
Later!
Yordan Alvarez got a pitch to hit and didn't miss it, as the Astros designated hitter unloaded on a 2-run home run in the bottom of the third. Houston led 3-0.
Early pitching change
Ober's outing ended after three innings for the Twins, who relieved him for Kenta Maeda. He threw 43 pitches (28 strikes).
Verlander working it
The veteran right-hander surrendered his fair share of baserunners but continually worked his way out of trouble. Verlander pitched six scoreless innings and totaled six strikeouts, including one that forced Edouard Julien to lose control of his bat, as shown below.
Adding to the lead
The Astros extended their lead to five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jose Abreu hit an RBI single to left, which was followed by Chas McCormick smacking an RBI single to left-center field.
Back in it!
Jorge Polanco blasted a three-run home run to the upper deck in right in the top of the seventh, pulling the Twins to within two runs. Two pitches later, designated hitter Royce Lewis launched a solo home run to left, making it a 5-4 ballgame.
Off the pole
Alvarez lifted another homer in the bottom of the seventh, this one going off the right field foul pole. Houston led 6-4.
Snag it!
Julien made a spectacular airborne catch for the Twins in the bottom of the eighth, which helped keep the score at 6-4. That said, Ryan Pressly shut the door for the Astros in the ninth.
FINAL: Texas Rangers 3, Baltimore Orioles 2
Bradish looking sharp
The Baltimore right-hander Bradish struck out five batters across the first three innings.
Rangers strike
Evan Carter broke the ice for the Rangers in the fourth inning, lining an RBI double down the left field line.
The very next batter, Jonah Heim, then punched out an RBI single, giving Texas a 2-0 lead.
Mounting back
After Texas got two runs in the top half of the inning, Baltimore got a run of its own in the bottom half. With a runner on first base, Ryan Mountcastle laced an RBI double to left, pulling the Orioles to within one run. Later in the inning, the Rangers relieved Heaney for Dane Dunning.
Got that back
Jacob Webb took the mound for Baltimore in the sixth, but Texas third baseman Josh Jung met the right-hander with a bang, lifting a leadoff home run just over the center field wall.
Paging Jim Carrey!
Back and forth!
The Orioles immediately responded in the bottom half of the sixth, as Anthony Santander got ahold of a changeup from Dunning and sent it into the right-center field stands. Santander's solo shot knocked Dunning out of the game.
What a catch!
Orioles left fielder Austin Hays may have saved an inside-the-park home run in the top of the seventh when he made a diving catch near the left field foul line.
HUGE double-play
Rangers reliever Aroldis Chapman walked the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the eighth but then induced a 6-4-3 double-play. Chapman then struck out Mountcastle to get Texas out of the inning unscathed.
Pain …
Henderson led off the bottom of the ninth for Baltimore with a single to right field, but he was later thrown out trying to steal second base. Jose Leclerc then shut the door for Texas.
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