Tony Wolters Singles Home Game-Winner In 13th As Rockies Oust Cubs; A's-Yankees Wild Card Wednesday

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 2, 2018

National League

Wolters singles in 13th

It took thirteen innings and four hours and 55 minutes, but the Colorado Rockies finally finished off the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild card game, 2-1, to move to the next round of the playoffs.

Rockies' starter, Kyle Freeland, held the Cubs scoreless over 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and fanning six. Freeland made the one run the Rockies scored in the first inning - on a sac fly by Nolan Arenado which plated Charlie Blackmon - stand up through seven.

In the eighth, the Cubs scored what would be their only run of the game. Javier Baez, the Cubs' most reliable batter throughout the regular season, doubled home Terrance Gore, who was pinch-running for Anthony Rizzo.

The game remained knotted at 1-1 until the 13th inning when the Rockies put two aboard with two outs on back-to-back singles by Gerardo Parra and Trevor Story. Tony Wolters delivered a sharp single to center, sending Story home with the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the frame, reliever Scott Oberg - who fanned Kris Bryant for the third out in the 12th - set the Cubs down in order, striking out Gore, Baez, and Albert Almora Jr. to finish the game and send the Rockies further into the playoffs.

The Rockies move on to the division series with the NL Central champion Brewers, which begins Thursday in Milwaukee. The Dodgers host Atlanta in the other NL division best-of-five series, also starting Thursday night.

American League

There were no American League games on Tuesday. The AL wild card game is scheduled for an 8:08 pm EDT start Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. The Oakland As' start Liam Hendriks against Yankee hurler, Luis Severino.