Diamondbacks, Twins, Rangers all advance with sweeps

Oct 4, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers during game two of the Wildcard series for the 2023 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Alek Thomas got Arizona on the board with a solo home run in the fifth inning. Then the Diamondbacks took control in the sixth. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters) (USA Today Sports / reuters)

The brooms are busy on Wednesday.

After a pair of sweeps ended wild-card play in the AL, the Arizona Diamondbacks followed suit in the NL with a 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, eliminating the NL Central champions from the postseason.

The Brewers opened the game with a lead for a second straight night while scoring two runs in the first inning. But the Diamondbacks seized control of the game with a fourth-run sixth to secure a 5-2 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Milwaukee’s season is over. Arizona advances to face the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS courtesy of a 2-0 series win.

The Texas Rangers rolled past the Rays again 7-1 to close out their wild-card series and clinch their ticket to the ALDS. It marks the Rangers’ first postseason series win since 2011. The Rangers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field off home runs from Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter, along with an RBI triple from Josh Jung. They added three more over the next two innings and cruised to the six-run win.

Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi recorded eight strikeouts and allowed just one run and six hits through his nearly seven innings on the mound. Texas had 12 hits as a team.

The Rangers will next take on the Orioles starting Saturday in Baltimore. The Rays have lost seven straight postseason games, the longest active losing streak in the league.

After the Twins’ historic win Tuesday — which snapped their 18-game postseason losing skid — Minnesota made easy work of the Blue Jays to close out their series Wednesday. The Twins beat Toronto 2-0 at Target Field, thanks largely to an early pitching change that left many fans baffled.

The Blue Jays pulled starter Jose Berrios from the game in the fourth, even though he had yet to give up a run through 47 pitches. The minute he was pulled, the Twins jumped up 2-0 on a Carlos Correa single and a Willi Castro RBI. From there, Minnesota held on to take the 2-0 win.

The Twins advance to take on the Houston Astros in the ALDS. The series win is the franchise’s first since 2002.

Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides the latest news, scores and injuries on Day 2 of the MLB playoffs.

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