Game 2 of ALDS & NLDS: Winners, losers & MVPs ft. Fernando Tatis Jr., Kerry Carpenter & more
Game 2 of the division series has been completed in both the American League and National League. Thanks to the unique scheduling, it took two days for all matchups to finish, but now teams will change venues and resume their play in the next two days.
Never before have all four division series matchups been tied at 1-1. It's been a roller coaster for almost every team, and there are no true favorites the rest of the way. Here are the winners and losers for every game.
Royals at Yankees
The Kansas City Royals utilized a four-run fourth inning to chase Carlos Rodon. It was all the offense they needed, as they won 4-2 to even the series before heading back home.
Winner
Salvador Perez is the big winner, as his dominance against the New York Yankees has been well documented. He has also had specific success against Rodon, and his tying shot in the fourth sent Rodon, who was pitching quite well, into a spiral, and he didn't get out of the inning.
Loser
Carlos Rodon is the loser here, in both the box score and metaphorically. He started on fire, striking out the team in the first inning in a dominant showing. Through three, he was largely cruising, but the wheels fell off. At first, it looked like the Yankees had a good one-two punch with Rodon and Cole, but they have far more questions than answers now.
Padres at Dodgers
The San Diego Padres blasted their way to a 10-2 win against the LA Dodgers, tying the series before heading home. They have had an impressive offense throughout this series, but their pitching was good in Game 2 as well.
Winner
Fernando Tatis Jr. blasted another home run and generally enjoyed a really good day. He loves hitting against the Dodgers, and he's proving why the Padres can't be underestimated despite them being a wildcard.
Loser
Again, Jack Flaherty lost the game, and he (as well as the Dodgers staff as a whole) is the big loser from the contest. Flaherty was supposed to be the saving grace in an otherwise limp pitching staff, but he was rocked, and now the Dodgers also have more questions than answers.
Tigers at Guardians
The Detroit Tigers used Tarik Skubal and the bullpen to keep the Cleveland Guardians off the board until the ninth when the Detroit offense came alive. A Kerry Carpenter home run was the difference.
Winner
Kerry Carpenter entered the game as a pinch-hitter, and his second at-bat was as clutch as it gets. He battled and finally got a pitch to hit, sending the winning runs into the right-field seats to tie the series.
Loser
Emmanuel Clase was virtually unhittable in the regular season, and he was good in Game 1. But the Tigers know he's human now, as they strung together two singles and a three-run home run against the seemingly superhuman closer. They did it all with two outs, too.
Mets at Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets went back and forth in another classic affair, with a walk-off Nick Castellanos single proving to be the difference. They also avoided the dreaded 0-2 hole with a big win.
Winner
Nick Castellanos heard some boos in the early going after two bad swings and misses. Eventually, he rebounded to have multiple hits and won the game for the Philly faithful, who had booed him earlier.
Loser
Edwin Diaz was called on in a key spot early in the game, so he wasn't acting in his normal closer role. Instead, the Mets pitcher opted to work around Bryce Harper. After a single put two on, Bryson Stott gave the Phillies a lead with a triple.