The first round of the Major League Baseball postseason came to a close, and was filled with magical moments, major upsets and shocking results.

The MLB playoffs started on October 11th, and the following matchups made for an exciting round.

(AL 3) Cleveland Guardians vs. (AL 6) Tampa Bay Rays

Both the Cleveland Guardians and the Tampa Bay Rays looked to prove themselves this postseason.

Game 1 had Guardians ace Shane Beiber taking the mound. The long ball ultimately decided the game with a final score of 2-1. Game 1 of this Wild Card opener was a record-breaking 2 hours and 17 minutes, the shortest American League postseason game ever played.

Game 2 stretched to 15 innings, with no runs being scored until the 15th inning.

However, in the bottom of the 15th, rookie Oscar Gonzalez belted a home run over the left field wall to end the game, 1-0. Earning the Guardians entrance to the American League Division Series. Gonzalez spoke in a conference after the game.

“There’s no way to describe it [as the home run] was such an exciting moment that it’s hard to put into words,” Gonzalez said.

(AL 5) Seattle Mariners vs. (AL 5) Toronto Blue Jays

The Seattle Mariners broke their 20-year postseason drought by securing their spot in the Wild Card round, while the young Toronto Blue Jays team looked to establish a name for themselves.

The Seattle Mariners did everything that the “Book of Baseball” describes when trying to win a baseball game: have elite pitching, consistent offense and high-level defense. This recipe for success is exactly how the Mariners won their first game, 4-0.

The Toronto Blue Jays came out blazing in Game 2 and scored eight runs through five innings.

However, the Mariners scored enough runs by the eighth inning to tie the game. Ultimately, Adam Frazier capped off the comeback with his tie-breaking RBI, securing the series sweep for the Mariners.

(NL 3) St. Louis Cardinals vs. (NL 6) Philadelphia Phillies

The outcome of this series could be considered the biggest upset of the first round, with the highly talented St. Louis Cardinals taking on the experienced Philadelphia Phillies team.

Game 1 started with elite pitching from aces Jose Quintana  with the Cardinals and Zach Wheeler with the Phillies. However, Cardinals All-Star closer Ryan Helsley lost all control of his pitching in the ninth inning, allowing the Phillies to pull ahead for a final score of 6-3.

In Game 2, Phillies ace Aaron Nola pitched a gem while the bullpen held the Cardinals to no runs. The lone runs were driven in by All-Star Bryce Harper, who hit a 2-run home run to secure the Phillies’ spot in the American League Division Series. Nola spoke with the press after the game about the feelings in the clubhouse.

“Just a bunch of unselfish guys, doing whatever it takes to win a ballgame, no matter what it is,” Nola said. “It’s a lot of excitement.”

(NL 4) New York Mets vs (NL 5) San Diego Padres

The New York Mets hoped to bounce back from a poor regular season finish, while the San Diego Padres hoped to play their National League West rivals.

The Mets’ all-star pitcher Max Scherzer, who had a 2.29 ERA in the regular season, lost control and gave up three home runs that did more than enough damage. The Mets’ offense couldn’t help their starting pitcher get out of the jam, as they dropped Game 1, 7-1.

The Mets’ roster looked to recover from a challenging first game and supported their second All-Star pitcher Jacob DeGrom. The San Diego offense could not keep up and dropped Game 2, 7-3.

The third game was much of the same from Game 1, with sloppy pitching and no offense from the Mets. The Padres silenced the bats and eliminated the 100 plus win team to go on to the National League Division Series, with a final score of 6-0.

Round one showed baseball fans that the high-tension post season can be unpredictable. The elimination of talented teams and the rise of the underdogs are expected to make the 2022 postseason a thriller.

The National and American League Divisional Series are currently in full swing. To view the series’ schedule, click here.