CLEVELAND -- It took the New York Yankees nearly five hours on the field, carried them from Wednesday to Thursday and September into October to complete the sweep.

They stumbled into the 2020 postseason. They're standing tall now.

DJ LeMahieu's tiebreaking single in the ninth inning off closer Brad Hand sent the Yankees into the AL Division Series -- and a matchup with rival Tampa Bay -- after a wild 10-9 win over the Cleveland Indians early Thursday in the longest nine-inning game in major league history.

"I'm 47 years old. I've watched a lot of baseball. I've watched a lot of my dad's playoff games, been in some really big games, and I don't know how you top that one -- the back and forth, the amount of big plays," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Tonight just had that feeling that these guys weren't going to be denied.

"They weren't going to lose."

At 4 hours, 50 minutes -- even without two rain delays totaling another 76 minutes -- it was draining. It's no wonder after Aroldis Chapman got the final out well after 1 a.m. that the Yankees barely celebrated on the field. They observed COVID protocols and shared some fist bumps as they left.

"You don't have to pour champagne on each other to appreciate what an epic game that was and the fact that we're moving on," Boone said.

The Yankees will play the Rays in a best-of-five Division Series next week in San Diego. New York went 2-8 during a testy season series with top-seeded Tampa Bay, which won the AL East by seven games over the second-place Yankees.

"They've been the best team in our league all year, so we're excited to play the best team and hopefully can have our way with them," Boone said.

LeMahieu, the AL batting champion during the shortened, 60-game regular season, grounded his hit into center field to score Gio Urshela, who hit a go-ahead grand slam earlier and made a huge defensive play at third base.

"That was one of the best games I've played in my life," Urshela said.

Down 9-8, the Yankees tied it in the ninth on Gary Sanchez's sacrifice fly off Hand, who went 16 of 16 on save tries during the season but was stung by a walk.

The Yankees were staggering last week. But their heavy-hitting lineup got rolling over two nights in chilly, mostly empty Progressive Field. New York pounded Cleveland ace Shane Bieber in the opener and now the Yankees, who hit seven homers in the series, have found their swing as the calendar flips to the month that defines them.

"We probably caught people's attention," Boone said. "We haven't done anything yet. This was just a stepping stone."

Chapman got the last six outs for the win, aided by a spectacular play from Urshela to begin an inning-ending double play in the eighth that kept it a one-run game. The Indians got the potential tying run to first in the ninth on a strikeout passed ball with two outs before Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Austin Hedges.

For the Indians, a season of adversity ends with more heartache. They twice rallied to tie the Yankees and took the lead in the eighth on Cesar Hernandez's bloop RBI single off Chapman only to have the reliable Hand give it away.

Cleveland, which hasn't won the World Series since 1948, has lost eight straight postseason games and dropped 10 consecutive elimination games -- a major league record -- extending back to the 1997 Series.

"We had many different things and a lot of obstacles," said acting manager Sandy Alomar Jr., who filled in while Terry Francona dealt with health issues. "But this group stayed together -- by any means. We had an eight-game losing streak, they came back.

"Today's game reflected how much this team grinds and how much they fight."

Sanchez, benched in Game 1, had a two-run homer and Giancarlo Stanton connected on a solo shot for New York, which was down 4-0 in the first.

The Yankees were two different teams this season as they played much better at home in the Bronx than on the road, going 11-18.

They entered this expanded postseason as a No. 5 seed and not scaring anyone, but now they've got momentum.

"When we're right," Boone said before Game 2, "it doesn't matter where we are."

Down 8-6 and their postseason in jeopardy of a quick ending, the Indians tied it in the seventh on pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow's two-out, two-run double off right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga following a gutty move by Alomar.

With two on, Alomar sent Luplow to the plate instead of Josh Naylor, who became the first player in major league history to get five hits in his first five postseason plate appearances.

Luplow smoked a ball to center that went over Aaron Hicks' head and brought in two, sending Cleveland's bench into a frenzy.

A two-time All-Star, Sanchez was benched for the opener after hitting .147 over 60 games, and he batted ninth for the first time in his career in Game 2.

But he rewarded Boone's faith by connecting in the sixth inning off Indians rookie Triston McKenzie with a wind-aided shot to right to tie it 6-all.

"He's shown me a lot the last couple of days," Boone said of his embattled catcher.

The Indians head into an offseason of uncertainty.

All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor went 1 for 8 in the series and might have played his last game in Cleveland. The Indians have him under control for one more season, but he's turned down several contract offers and the club may have no choice but to trade him before he becomes a free agent.

RECORD STORE

Indians pitchers walked 12, tied for the most in any postseason game. The 19 combined walks by both teams also matched a postseason mark. ... The longest nine-inning game in the regular season lasted 4:45, the longest previous in the postseason took 4:37. ... Urshela is the third Yankees player to hit a go-ahead grand slam in the postseason, joining Gil McDougald (1951) and Tino Martinez (1998).

ANOTHER CHANCE

Depending on what happens with Francona, Alomar could be Cleveland's next manager. The former Indians All-Star catcher has been a managerial candidate elsewhere in the past, but never felt any of the opportunities were genuine.

"Some of the interviews were, to me, token interviews," he said. "If somebody's interested, they can call and we'll talk. But it's not like I'm pushing myself or promoting myself to be a manager."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Indians: C Roberto Perez left with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch in the seventh.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Some rest before the ALDS begins on Monday.

Indians: A potentially turbulent offseason of major decisions on Lindor, Francona's health and perhaps a name change.

Australian internationals win at MK 5km PB Special while Lewis Byng breaks another UK under-20 shot put record in Moulton

The Diamond League in Doha on Friday was the big event of the past few days and you can read our report here but there was plenty of other action in the UK and around the world.

NoblePro MK 5km PB Special, Milton Keynes, September 27

Ryan and Genevieve Gregson scored a family double as the Australian duo, who have been racing regularly on the European circuit lately, won over 5km on the roads in 13:50 and 15:49 respectively.

The men’s winner, who lost his Australian 1500m record to fellow Melbourne Track Club runner Stewy McSweyn the previous day, won by 20 seconds from Adam Clarke while his wife’s winning margin was around 150m from Eleanor Bolton.

Pick of the masters performances on a chilly and windy late-summer morning were M45 Mick Hill’s 15:19, M55 Andrew Leach’s 16:36, W40 Kirsty Longley’s 16:52 and W50 Caroline Hoyte’s 17:42.

Folkestone Half-Marathon, September 27

Anthony Johnson won this event in Kent in 68:25 with Carl Delaney 14 seconds behind as Georgina Wiley won the women’s 13.1-mile event in 84:17.

Harrow AC race night, London, September 24

Mukhtar Musa of Shaftesbury Barnet won the 1500m in a PB 3:53.53 to go third in the UK under-17 rankings for 2020.

Cheshire Half Marathon, Siddington, September 20

British masters marathon record-holder Andrew Davies finished narrowly ahead of former English National winner Charlie Hulson, 2:10 marathoner Jonathan Mellor and Olympic 10,000m runner Ross Millington over 13.1 miles.

Davies clocked 65:51 as the top four (pictured below) were separated by a couple of seconds, while W40 Elizabeth Renondeau won the women’s race by the much bigger margin of two minutes in 78:38.

SM 10km, Belp, Switzerland, September 27

Swiss steeplechase specialist Fabienne Schlumpf ran 32:23 to beat Chiara Scherrer over 10km by 20 seconds as Britain’s Steph Twell was third in 33:38 a few days before tackling the London Marathon.

Hercules Wimbledon meeting, Wimbledon, September 23

European under-18 3000m champion Thomas Keen improved his 3000m PB to 8:13.04.

England Throws Camps Series, Moulton, Northamptonshire September 26

Lewis Byng (below) added over half a metre to his week-old British under-20 shot put record as he launched the 6kg shot to a mighty 20.26m to surpass the 20m metre barrier for the first time.

In total there were five PBs from 31 athletes despite cold and windy conditions.

Lidingöloppet cross-country race, Sweden, September 26

Samiel Russom of Eritrea ran 45:38 for 15km to beat Samuel Tsegay as Charlotta Fougberg took the women’s category ahead of Meraf Bahta in elite-only fields.

Deinze, Belgium, September 27

Thomas van der Plaetsen, the former European and World University Games champion, scored 8027 points in the decathlon.

Vittorio Veneto, Italy, September 27

Veteran Valeria Straneo won the Italian 10,000m title in 32:55.25 aged 44.

Warsaw Marathon, September 26-27

Dominika Stalmach was the quickest woman with 2:41:57 while Pawel Kosek was the No.1 overall 2:23:14 at an event held in four waves.

Monthly magazine to be published by 21six as brand begins exciting new chapter

After a COVID-induced hiatus, AW relaunches just before the London Marathon, bringing out the first issue of what will now be a monthly magazine. As well as receiving a significantly bigger, newly branded and freshly designed magazine, members and subscribers will benefit from a digital version of AW, exclusive podcasts, e-newsletters, access to back issues and a members’ area on athleticsweekly.com, which will contain plenty of member-only content.

The ownership of AW has switched from The Great Run Company to 21six, which owns a number of companies with a great track record and pedigree in sports publications, having interests in titles and brands such as Wisden Cricket Monthly, The Blizzard, England Netball’s 5th Qtr and the rugby podcast The Good, the Bad and the Rugby.

21six group CEO Rick Ankers says: “We are delighted to bring AW into our stable. It is a brand with a great history, a brilliant team and, we firmly believe, a very bright future. I’d like to put on record our thanks to The Great Run Company for having managed AW for so long – they have been nurturing owners and we look forward to enjoying a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with them for a long time to come.”

Ankers continues: “We are passionate about sport and about communication, and we believe we will give AW members, fans and followers the very best in-depth coverage, focusing not only on the major championships, such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships, but also the best in schools and grassroots club athletics.”

To illustrate its breadth of ambition and widespread support from the athletics community, AW has set up an editorial board consisting of Tim Hutchings, Hannah England, Elliot Giles, Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Dave Moorcroft, Steph Twell, Holly Bradshaw, Hannah Cockroft, Colin Jackson and Sally Gunnell.

Olympic and world 400m hurdles gold medallist Gunnell says: “I’m so glad AW is returning and delighted to be on the athlete editorial board as we look forward to working with the AW team in an exciting new era for the brand.

“My mum will be pleased, too. She has got a house full of issues going way back!”

The first issue of the revamped magazine will be with subscribers before the start of the London Marathon on October 4, while other member and subscriber benefits will be available from October 1. To buy a copy of the historic relaunch issue, go to athleticsweekly.com from October 1, and for further information about AW or 21six, email [email protected] and [email protected]

Race director of world’s No.1 marathon explains why Sunday’s event matters more than ever in a year plagued by a pandemic

This Sunday the greatest marathon runners in the world will battle it out on a bio-secure course in St James’s Park in London while elsewhere 45,000 ordinary runners will simultaneously tackle their own virtual 26.2-mile challenge from home. It is happening against all the odds and Hugh Brasher, the race director of the Virgin Money London Marathon, hopes it will be a “beacon of light in the darkness”.

“I am really proud that we’ve been agile enough to put this race on and have been given the support to do it,” said Brasher, referring to the problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “I hope we can be a beacon of light in the darkness and that this event will show the power of the family of mankind coming together which was a value that my father (Chris Brasher) and John Disley set out in 1981.”

On the eve of the 40^th race this weekend, Brasher said: “When I go for a run, I go past my dad’s grave every now and again. And I had a quiet little chat with him recently where I told him how crazy this is, but this is what we’re doing’.”

Brasher admitted his one-way conversation with his father from beyond the grave is “an odd story” but it typifies an unusual year and, following the postponement of the original race in April, he added his team were “delighted to be able to hold this event with the world’s greatest athletes and at the same time with 45,000 in the largest ever virtual marathon in the world, doing it their way, from their homes … and we hope being inspired by Eliud Kipchoge (main picture and below), Kenenisa Bekele, Brigid Kosgei, Manuela Schar, David Weir.

“It will be a 40th race that we believe will live long in the memories for being ‘different’ but for being appropriate for the world that we live in. And even though those 45,000 people are doing that race apart, they are still doing it as one community.”

Speaking five days before the race, Brasher also revealed the elite fields had lost their first athlete, Degitu Azimeraw, due to coronavirus. The 21-year-old, who ran the second-fastest debut marathon in history and a course record of 2:19:26 to win in Amsterdam 12 months ago, tested positive in Ethiopia before travelling to London.

Ethiopian coach Haji Adilo, who advises London Marathon competitors Alemu Megertu and Shura Kitata, also tested positive before travelling but he had not had contact with his athletes in the previous fortnight so they are still safe to race.

They are the first casualties of a stringent system that sees athletes and event staff tested firstly in their country of origin, followed by a further test at their hotel on arrival in London and again 48 hours before the race on October 4.

Organisers will be hoping there are no more positive tests. But nothing is being left to chance with athletes and organisers this week wearing Bump technology – a gadget that buzzes if someone gets too close to you.

Whatever happens now, London looks certain to be the only race in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series to take place this autumn. “We have a quick course,” says Brasher, on a St James’s Park loop that takes place next to Buckingham Palace and which was almost chosen for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge last year. “And you cannot be in a more iconic location in the world.”

The elite races are set to be shown live on an unprecedented 8hr 20min worth of BBC coverage on Sunday. This includes wheelchair races where an innovation includes mid-race sprints to earn bonus prize money and to “ignite” the races in a similar style to those seen in cycling races over the years.

READ MORE: London Marathon reveals ‘biosecure bubble’ plans

“We need to see something that’s going to entertain and inspire us,” says Brasher, “and running, cycling and walking are things people are doing more now as a result of Covid-19.”

In addition to the televised races and 45,000 runners tackling a virtual marathon, there is also a virtual Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon with 150,000 primary school children running 2.6 miles this week. “It shows the power of the brand and the inspiration,” says Brasher.

New event will feature half-marathon and 5km championships and could include other distances such as a road mile in future

A new global road running event will be launched by World Athletics for 2023.

The World Athletics Road Running Championships will include the existing World Athletics Half Marathon Championships and will also feature a world 5km championships as a new event.

It could potentially include other distances such as a road mile in the future, too.

“Road running has become an increasingly significant part of our sport over the past 20 years and it deserves greater recognition within our World Athletics Series events,” said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon.

It is envisioned that mass races will be held alongside the elite championships to allow recreational runners to be part of a global festival of road running.

“The growth in popularity of half-marathons, including our own world championships, as well as community 5km events like parkrun, indicates that there is a need for more high status road racing events,” added Ridgeon. “We also think this will be a commercially desirable concept for host cities, partners and broadcasters.

“With the establishment of the World Athletics Road Running Championships, the whole global community of recreational runners, which numbers in the millions, will be able to come together to celebrate their passion for putting foot to the road.”

The World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, to be held in Gdynia, Poland, on October 17, will be the only World Athletics Series event to be held this year due to the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday World Athletics also announced that in another change to the global calendar, the World Athletics Cross Country Championships will move from odd years to even years in 2024 to align with the Olympic Games.

World Athletics announced at the end of July that it had proposed the inclusion of a cross country mixed team relay for 15 countries in the programme for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

READ MORE: Cross country proposed for Paris 2024 Olympics

The 2021 World Cross Country Championships, to be hosted by Bathurst in Australia, has already been postponed until early 2022, as a consequence of the international travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic.

“The pandemic forced our hand in moving Bathurst from 2021 to 2022 but ultimately, this will allow us to make a smooth transition to the even years for our future cross country championships, so we can build momentum towards, hopefully, the return of cross country to the Olympic Games,” Ridgeon said.

The host of the 2024 World Athletics Cross Country Championships is yet to be selected.

AW shoe guru Paul Freary looks ahead to the epic clash between Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele – and their Nike footwear – at the London Marathon

Sunday’s 40th edition of the London Marathon promises to be one of the best yet, with many already seeing it as a two-way battle between Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele. There’s also lots of talk about the possibility of a world best, with the two men currently holding the two fastest official times in history, just two seconds apart.

But above all this, there’s also lots of talk (as now seems to be the norm with marathons) about the shoes each athlete will wear.

Kenya’s Kipchoge will wear a special edition colour of the shoes that helped him to his sub-two-hour marathon last October in Vienna, the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%. Part of that special edition is his 1:59:40 time printed on the heel – a clear reminder to those behind him of his personal best!

Bekele, however, has chosen to wear the previous version of the carbon-plated shoe, the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%.

The Ethiopian says he needs more time in order to adjust to the Alphafly and so will stick with what he knows work.

The obvious difference in the two shoes is the addition of the twin large forefoot air pods in the Alphafly compared to the Vaporfly. These pods aim to provide a little more cushioning as well as increasing the already responsive feel of the shoes. The Alphafly is also a little wider (in terms of the footprint of its sole) as well as being a slightly higher stack height.

But one subtle difference between the shoes is that the Alphafly has a lower 4mm heel to toe drop compared to the 8mm of the Vaporfly.

While this difference may initially not seem too much of an issue in shoes with so much cushioning under the foot, many athletes that have worn both seem to be favouring the choice of Bekele.

I’ve noticed at the few races I’ve seen in recent months that athletes are going more with the Vaporfly over Alphafly. Personally I think the Alphafly feels a little bulky in the forefoot and it certainly needs more training miles in it to get used to it. Of course, that’s not an issue for Kipchoge, but for most runners, at £260 a pair, they want to keep them for race day.

Perhaps with more of a track background, Bekele prefers a little less shoe under his forefoot, if that could be said of these shoes.

On the general question of the increased use in such footwear, Kipchoge quite eloquently says: “We must all accept technology and move on.”

Let’s hope the shoes don’t detract too much on Sunday and above all, we witness an epic duel between many of the world’s top marathon runners.

Wolves striker Raul Jimenez is in Gerardo Martino's Mexico 26-player squad to face Netherlands (Oct. 7) and Algeria (Oct. 13), while LA Galaxy's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez misses out.

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Three players from Major League Soccer -- Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami), Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City) and Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy) -- were included in Martino's list despite reports that clubs in the league were reluctant to allow players to travel in the October international window.

Inter Miami head coach Diego Alonso had said he wanted to keep Pizarro and if "he doesn't have to travel for the game, that's what we'll do because he is a very important player," but Martino stated after Mexico's 3-0 win over Guatemala on Wednesday that there's no reason for them not to.

"These types of call-ups in FIFA windows aren't managed by relationships, they are governed by legal questions and with MLS, apparently, I still have to confirm because it is recent information, the problem was that players had to quarantine on return," Martino said in a video conference after the game.

Martino added that the Mexican federation had heard from FIFA that MLS players from certain states without obligatory quarantines could be called.

"We understand there is no inconvenience for any of the three footballers and Pulido, Dos Santos and Rodolfo (Pizarro) can travel," he added.

The FIFA window arrives at an awkward time of the season for MLS, with teams jockeying for position for the playoffs and the coronavirus situation still complex in different parts of the world.

Jimenez's inclusion comes as no surprise given his form, but Martino left out Hernandez, who is El Tri's highest ever goal-scorer but has struggled for form at LA Galaxy in 2020.

"In the case of Javier [Hernandez], I decided that the strikers on this occasion would be Pulido, Jimenez and Henry Martin and that's it," Martino said.

The squad features 11 players based in Europe, including surprise calls for Boavista's 18-year-old defender Alejandro Gomez, Genks's Gerardo Arteaga and Zulte Waregem's Omar Govea.

Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas) Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Alfredo Talavera (Pumas), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Rodolfo Cota (Leon) and Jorge Sanchez (Club America) will travel to the Netherlands on Thursday, missing weekend fixtures with their Liga MX clubs.

Both Mexico's upcoming games will be played in the Netherlands without fans.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Rodolfo Cota (Leon), Hugo Gonzalez (Monterrey), Alfredo Talavera (Pumas)

Defenders: Nestor Araujo (Celta Vigo), Luis Rodriguez (Tigres), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Gilberto Sepulveda (Chivas), Hector Moreno (Al-Gharafa), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Alejandro Gomez (Boavista), Jorge Sanchez (America)

Midfielders: Diego Lainez (Real Betis), Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Luis Romo (Cruz Azul), Jonathan dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Carlos Rodriguez (Monterrey), Hector Herrera (Atletico Madrid), Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Omar Govea (Zulte Waregem), Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami)

Forwards: Raul Jimenez (Wolves), Henry Martin (America), Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City), Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Jesus "Tecatito" Corona (Porto)

The Miami Heat started the game sending a double-team at Anthony Davis, but it didn't take long to discover that there wasn't much they could do to slow down the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar big man.

In his NBA Finals debut, an animated Davis dominated, scoring 34 points, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 3 shots to help the Lakers crush the Heat 116-98 and take Game 1 of the NBA Finals with ease in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

"It's easy for AD," Lakers power forward Markieff Morris said when asked about Davis' first Finals game. "Like I've been saying since I got on this team, honestly, if you ask me ... we got LeBron [James], but I think he's the best player in the world.

"He [does] it on both ends, he's doing it consistently every night, he gives you what you ask for every night."

Davis' Finals debut performance is surpassed only by some all-time greats. Since the NBA-ABA merger (1976-77), only Allen Iverson (48 points), Kevin Durant (36 points) and Michael Jordan (36 points) have scored more points than Davis in their first Finals game.

And when it comes to the Lakers' storied franchise history, Davis' 34-point Game 1 performance is behind only Shaquille O'Neal's 43 points and George Mikan's 42 points for most points by a player in his Lakers' Finals debut.

"It's a great honor to be in that category with those guys," said Davis, who made 10 free throws, one fewer than the entire Heat team made in Game 1. "I mean, they have done so much for the game, Hall of Famers, and for me to come out and perform that way and be mentioned with those guys ... obviously that's a great honor, but I also want to be mentioned in categories with champions, so that's the next step."

Davis, 27, has waited eight seasons to get here and he didn't waste any time making his presence felt. The Heat opened by doubling Davis. When the ball swung to James, the Heat doubled James and he passed it over to Davis, who hit a 3-pointer to start the game.

The Heat took an early 13-point lead. But Miami had no answer for Davis, especially when the 6-foot-10 forward played the center position. The Lakers subbed out starting center Dwight Howard and shifted Davis to center. From the point when they were down 25-12 with 4:21 left in the first quarter, the Lakers proceeded to outscore the Heat 75-30.

"I don't think in the beginning that we were physical enough," said James, who had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists in Game 1. "You have to get a feel for how hard Miami plays. I think they smacked us in the mouth, and we got a sense of that. And so we knew how hard we had to play if we wanted to try to make it a game. You know, from that moment when it was 23-10, we started to play to our capabilities."

While the Heat -- who watched Goran Dragic (plantar fascia), Jimmy Butler (ankle) and Bam Adebayo (shoulder) all sustain injuries -- scored only 30 points during that Lakers' blitz, Davis scored 23 of his points in that span.

"We have 48 hours to figure out what the next plan of attack will be," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about Davis. "He was extremely good tonight and we have to be better."

Davis helped the Lakers finish that massive run with a flurry as he scored on a putback, a fastbreak dunk, a 15-foot jumper and then another dunk to give the Lakers an 87-55 lead with 6:04 left in the third. An animated Davis screamed on one of the dunks and shouted and scowled after another score as the Lakers overpowered Miami.

"I expect it out of him," James said when asked about Davis' stellar Finals debut. "Didn't need to give him no advice. We've been preparing for this moment all season. He's been preparing for this moment all season. I'm happy to be on the same floor with him and in the same uniform. He was, once again, a force in every facet of the game, offensively and defensively."

James was all business during Game 1 and afterward during his postgame interview session with the media. His demeanor was dead serious, as James said he knows from experience not to underestimate a team that is down and not to celebrate too early.

"The best teacher in life is experience," James said. "I've experienced moments in my career where you have all the momentum in the world and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game."

Davis doesn't have James' wealth of Finals experience. But he's not taking anything for granted and felt the nerves of playing at this level for the first time.

"First time I'm experiencing this," Davis said. "Obviously want to come out and play well and you want to come out and win. I've always put pressure on myself. I had the same thing [during] Game 1 of the Western Conference finals as well. When the ball gets tipped up, all that goes away and it's just basketball, but everything leading up to it, you're very excited.

"Your adrenaline is going early because you're so excited just to be here and get ready to go out there and play. It went away early, but it was a great experience for me, great Game 1. Job is not done. We have three more."

For the first time in the history of the MLB playoffs, there were eight postseason games played on a single day -- well, almost a single day.

As Wild Card Wednesday stretched into Thursday, the New York Yankees won a wild 10-9 affair to eliminate the Cleveland Indians, and the Los Angeles Dodgers hung on to beat the Milwaukee Brewers. The day began with a Cincinnati Reds-Atlanta Braves extra-inning thriller and the Houston Astros' sweeping the Minnesota Twins out of the playoffs. Then the Miami Marlins took the opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, and the Oakland A's forced a deciding Game 3 against the Chicago White Sox. The second team to advance to the division series after the Astros? The Tampa Bay Rays, who blasted the Toronto Blue Jays. Later, the St. Louis Cardinals took Game 1 from the San Diego Padres.

Here are the heroes, turning points and takeaways from each of Wednesday's matchups.

Key links: Preview | Predictions | Schedule, bracket | Playoff Baseball Classic

Jump to: NYY at CLE | HOU at MIN | CIN at ATL | MIA at CHC | CHW at OAK | TOR at TB | STL at SD | MIL at LA

New York Yankees 10, Cleveland Indians 9

Game 2 hero: The much-maligned Gary Sanchez, who was on the bench for Game 1. Sanchez hit the go-ahead home run in the sixth. Then, after the Indians had taken the lead, he tied it in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly, setting up DJ LeMahieu's go-ahead single.

What it means: It was not exactly one to put into the national archives, with 19 combined walks, but this was postseason baseball at its wildest, at its worst, at its most unpredictable and definitely at its emotional best with every blown lead.

For the Indians, it was another horrific postseason game to forget. They rallied from deficits of 5-4 and 8-6 to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth, only to have closer Brad Hand blow his first save of the season in the ninth. He was his own worst enemy, walking Giancarlo Stanton to lead off the inning and then bobbling Gleyber Torres' chopper over his head. For a franchise that will have to weigh trading Francisco Lindor in the offseason, this was a blown opportunity to face the Yankees in a do-or-die Game 3 with all the pressure on New York.

For the Yankees, next up is a meeting with the Rays, a team that won the season series 8-2, holding the Yankees to 3.4 runs per game in those 10 contests. But as we saw in New York's two wins over Cleveland, which included roughing up Shane Bieber, this Yankees lineup is healthier and deeper than it has been for most of the season. -- David Schoenfield

Next up: The Yankees meet the Rays in the AL Division Series beginning Monday.

Houston Astros 3, Minnesota Twins 1

Game 2 hero: Carlos Correa. One of the players at the center of the controversy surrounding the Astros this season (does the name Joe Kelly ring a bell?), Correa belted a no-doubt solo home run in the top of the seventh that put Houston up for good.

What it means: What can you say? With another 0-and-out, the Twins' record postseason losing streak extends to 18 games, and the 29-31 Astros advance to the division series. The Twins scored two runs in two games, and the lack of offense is par for their postseason history, as that makes 15 games in a row in which they scored four or fewer runs. The key for the Astros was Dusty Baker's employing his starting pitching depth in relief. Framber Valdez threw five scoreless innings behind Zack Greinke in Game 1, and Cristian Javier tossed three hitless innings in relief of Jose Urquidy in Game 2.

The Astros were not the offensive team they were in their three straight 100-win seasons, but even without Justin Verlander, they have one of the deepest slates of starters in the rotation, with five capable guys. We'll see how that plays out in the next round, when it's five games in five days, and whether Baker can use the starters in relief or will be forced to go deeper into his pen of rookie relievers. -- David Schoenfield

Next up: The Astros face the winner of the White Sox-Athletics series in the ALDS.

Atlanta Braves 1, Cincinnati Reds 0 (13 innings)

Game 1 hero: Can you be the hero with a no-decision next to your name in the box score? Trevor Bauer sparkled for 7 2/3 scoreless innings -- striking out 12 and walking none -- but in the 13th inning, Freddie Freeman gave the Braves a 1-0 victory.

What it means: Never before had a playoff game gone scoreless past the 11th inning. This festival of strikeouts concluded in the 13th, when Freeman did what the NL MVP favorite should do: walk off a postseason game. The blown opportunities, baserunning blunders and wasting of Bauer's brilliance will chafe at the Reds, though they don't have time to lament. Game 2 is nigh, and with star rookie Ian Anderson set to go for Atlanta, the Reds can't afford to replicate their punchlessness in Game 1. Of course, the Reds struck out only 16 times compared to the Braves' 21, yet Cincinnati's K's came at the worst possible times, including three straight in the 12th. -- Jeff Passan

Next up: Game 2, noon ET Thursday on ESPN

Miami Marlins 5, Chicago Cubs 1

Game 1 hero: Corey Dickerson. With the Marlins down 1-0 in the seventh inning, Dickerson took Kyle Hendricks to left field with two on. The game changed on that swing.

What it means: Hendricks had issues all afternoon, so manager David Ross will be second-guessed for not pulling Hendricks while the team's best reliever, Jeremy Jeffress, was ready in the pen. As is, Ross eventually brought Jeffress in -- but in a losing situation. It was a waste of an outing when Jeffress might be needed Thursday. The Cubs' offense picked up where it left off in the regular season, garnering just four hits in a stadium in which they produced the lowest batting average by the home team in history. Next Yu Darvish will pitch to keep the Cubs' season going. The last time he did that for a team, he lost Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. -- Jesse Rogers

Next up: Game 2, 2 p.m. ET Thursday on ABC

Oakland A's 5, Chicago White Sox 3

Game 2 hero: Chris Bassitt's seven-plus innings were just what the doctor ordered for Oakland. The A's entered the potential elimination game with the weight of a six-game postseason losing streak on their backs. They were facing grizzled playoff veteran Dallas Keuchel. But they jumped on Keuchel early while Bassitt settled in, mixing in his fastball arsenal that features a sinker, a rising four-seamer and a cutter to boot. Oakland staved off elimination without emptying its bullpen, giving the A's firm footing as they head into the winner-take-all Game 3.

What it means: The White Sox looked tight in the same way that they kind of seized up after clinching a playoff spot during the regular season. Then they regained their swagger against the potent Oakland bullpen. Early, Dallas Keuchel left a couple of pitches up. Nick Madrigal booted a key ground ball that set up Oakland's first-inning rally. The hitters flailed against Bassitt's array of fastballs. Meanwhile, the A's managed to snap their postseason drought, but the win was not without drama. Relief ace Liam Hendriks entered the game with six outs to go and Oakland up by five runs. He was unable to close out the victory despite burning through 49 pitches. The bad news for the A's is that they have lost a record nine straight winner-take-all games, and they look to snap that drought with the availability of one of the AL's top relievers an open question. -- Bradford Doolittle

Next up: Game 3, 3 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPN

Tampa Bay Rays 8, Toronto Blue Jays 2

Game 2 hero: Tyler Glasnow got all the run support he needed in the first two innings en route to tossing six innings, allowing six hits and just two earned runs while striking out eight. Through the first two games of the postseason, everything is going exactly according to Tampa Bay's plan, as they're depending on the strength of the top of the rotation to keep the opposition's offense at bay.

What it means: The Rays are exactly who we thought they were. This team is going to be a force to reckon with this postseason, given the strength at the top of the rotation, the depth of power arms in the bullpen and a lineup that does enough to make Tampa Bay one of baseball's elite. Designated hitter Randy Arozarena, in his first full season with Tampa Bay, has been the offensive catalyst for the lineup in the team's first two games this postseason, collecting three hits and scoring two runs in Wednesday's series-clinching win against Toronto. The depth across all areas of this team will make the Rays an incredibly tough out for the winner of the Cleveland-New York series. -- Joon Lee

Next up: The Rays face the Yankees in the ALDS.

St. Louis Cardinals 7, San Diego Padres 4

Game 1 hero: Rookie outfielder Dylan Carlson hit just .200 in the regular season, but he was moved into the cleanup spot the final day of the season and was there on Wednesday. He went 2-for-3 with two walks, doubling and scoring in the first inning and singling and scoring in the third.

What it means: The Padres were in a tough spot when they had to leave both Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet off the wild-card roster because of injury concerns. Rather than using Zach Davies on short rest (he threw 51 pitches on Saturday), Jayce Tingler went with Chris Paddack, and he made the mistake a lot of first-time postseason managers make: leaving a starter out there too long when there has to be more urgency, especially in a best-of-three scenario. Paddack didn't fool anybody in a four-run first inning, and though that happened quickly, Tingler left him to allow two more runs in the third inning. The Padres' bullpen allowed just one more run the rest of the way, but the early deficit was too much to overcome. With the season on the line Thursday, Tingler can't hesitate to go to his pen. The good news is that Davies was much more effective in the regular season (2.73 ERA) than Paddack, though the Cardinals counter with veteran Adam Wainwright, who pitched his best baseball since 2014 this season. -- David Schoenfield

Next up: Game 2, 7 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPN

Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Milwaukee Brewers 2

Game 2 hero: With Dodgers starter Walker Buehler limited to four innings, manager Dave Roberts needed some length from his bullpen. He got it from Julio Urias, who went three scoreless innings, striking out five and walking none as L.A. nursed a one-run lead until Corey Seager provided some insurance with a solo homer in the seventh.

What it means: There are two main reasons that the Dodgers believe this team is better suited than previous versions to conquer baseball's postseason tournament and finally win it all: They have ideal balance throughout their lineup, particularly at the top, and their bullpen is exceedingly deep.

Both of those traits pushed the Dodgers to a Game 1 victory. Leadoff man Mookie Betts, who has been even better than the Dodgers could have imagined this season, doubled in his first two plate appearances, and No. 2 hitter Seager, back among the game's best shortstops, provided a big insurance run with a seventh-inning homer. But it was the bullpen that really stepped up, with Urias providing three crucial innings in relief of Buehler, who is still fighting a nagging blister, and Blake Treinen and Kenley Jansen cruising through the final six outs.

Jansen allowed only one baserunner in the ninth, but he was noticeably off. Roberts said, "It just didn't seem like the stuff had the teeth that I've seen in recent outings."-- Alden Gonzalez

What's next: Game 2, 10 p.m. ET Thursday on ESPN