MLB playoffs: Padres clinging to lead vs. Dodgers in NLDS Game 2 as Braves shut out Phillies to even series

MLB’s 12-team postseason bracket has already been whittled down to eight contenders. Now, the top two seeds from each league have joined the fray in the Division Series. After advancing directly to their ALDS and NLDS slots via byes, the Astros, Yankees, Dodgers and Braves are taking on challengers.

Game 1 saw the Braves fall behind the plucky Phillies, and the Astros snatch a victory from the Mariners in heroic, historic fashion, while the Dodgers and Yankees took care of business. The schedule begins to stagger the leagues on Wednesday. The NL picks up with Game 2, but the AL takes an odd off day before resuming on Thursday.

Here’s Wednesday’s slate and TV schedule.

Game 2: Phillies (Wheeler) at Braves (Wright) 4:35 p.m., FOX (delayed by rain to 7:30 p.m. ET)

Game 2: Padres (Darvish) at Dodgers (Kershaw) – 8:37 p.m., FS1

[Find the complete MLB playoff schedule]

You can follow all the action right here on Yahoo Sports.

Padres even series with Dodgers in frustrating game for L.A.

The San Diego Padres will head home with the NLDS even against the Los Angeles Dodgers after a back-and-forth game that saw some major missed opportunities for the 111-win team. The Padres won 5-3.

Manny Machado opened the scoring with a homer and the Padres added two more runs in the third off Clayton Kershaw, who allowed three earned runs in five innings (take that how you will, narrative-wise). The Dodgers matched the early scoring with a solo homer off Yu Darvish in each of the first three innings.

The Padres took another lead when a mistake by Trea Turner on a potential double play allowed a run to score (they would have had more had it not been for brilliant plays by Brusdar Graterol and Cody Bellinger). The Dodgers never responded, though.

That wasn’t for lack of opportunities, as the Dodgers finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven on base. Four of those at-bats came in the sixth and seventh innings, right after the Padres took the lead.

Story continues

But at least there was a goose.

Braves, Kyle Wright stifle Phillies to pull even in NLDS

Chalk up another win for Braves starter Kyle Wright. The MLB wins leader with 21 Ws in the regular season, Wright outlasted the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler in a stellar pitching duel in NLDS Game 2. He allowed only two hits across six scoreless innings.

The Braves only got to Wheeler in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Phillies a dose of their own medicine by stringing together three softly struck hits with two outs. Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Travis d’Arnaud each singled to bring in three runs, and the Braves bullpen made it stick.

The series will head to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday. The Phillies will send Aaron Nola to the mound, fresh off dominant performances in the wild-card series and his final regular season start. The Braves haven’t technically announced a starter, but this could be the game where flame-throwing rookie Spencer Strider makes his return from an oblique injury.

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