Detroit Tigers' Jahmai Jones reacts as he strikes out in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card series against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rocctober has returned to Cleveland.

Brayan Rocchio came up with another clutch hit in the postseason with the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as the Guardians evened their AL Wild Card Series against the Detroit Tigers with a 6-1 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday.

“It was huge, an 0-2 count and he was ready to fire,” manager Stephen Vogt said of Rocchio’s blast. “It was a frustrating day offensively for us. Two hits leading into the 8th. For our guys to explode and get separation felt good.”

Bo Naylor also went deep in the eighth as the Guardians put up five runs to take control of the game.

George Valera also homered to force a deciding game in the best-of-three series.

The winner today faces the Seattle Mariners in a Division Series. No team has lost Game 1 of a Wild Card Series and advanced since the expanded round began in 2022.

Javier Báez had two hits and an RBI for the Tigers, who were 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 runners.

Detroit had the bases loaded with two out in the ninth inning, but Cade Smith got Dillon Dingler to line out to first baseman C.J. Kayfus.

“They made the most of their opportunities and we left 15 guys on. I think that paints the picture that it was today,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The score doesn’t really indicate how the game was. But we kept giving ourselves a chance.”

The game was tied 1-1 with one out in the eighth inning when Rocchio connected on a 99.9 mph fastball from losing pitcher Troy Melton and drove it 379 feet into the right-field stands for his second homer in three games. He had a three-run drive in the 10th inning Sunday to give the Guardians a 9-8 victory over Texas in the regular-season finale.

Cade Smith got the win as the Guardians bullpen held Detroit scoreless over 4 1/3 innings.

Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA) makes his eighth postseason start today and Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (7-7, 4.30 ERA) gets his first playoff start.

San Diego 3,

Chicago Cubs 0

CHICAGO (AP) — Manny Machado hit a two-run homer, Mason Miller dominated again and the San Diego Padres sent their NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs to a decisive third game.

Jackson Merrill hit an early sacrifice fly as San Diego avoided elimination after losing 3-1 on Tuesday. Dylan Cease struck out five in 3 2/3 innings before handing the ball to his team’s hard-throwing bullpen.

The finale of the best-of-three series is back at Wrigley Field today.

The playoff-tested Padres are looking for a repeat of 2020, when they dropped Game 1 in the special pandemic wild-card round before advancing with two straight victories against St. Louis. Machado also homered in Game 2 of that series.

Chicago finished with four hits. The franchise is making its first appearance in the playoffs in five years, and it hasn’t advanced since it eliminated Washington in a 2017 NL Division Series.

San Diego jumped in front on Merrill’s flyball to right off Andrew Kittredge in the first, driving in Fernando Tatis Jr. Kittredge started for Chicago as an opener, and the right-hander was replaced by left-hander Shota Imanaga in the second.

The Cubs threatened in the fourth, putting runners on first and second with two down. Adrian Morejon then came in and retired Pete Crow-Armstrong on a bouncer to first.

The Padres added two more runs on Machado’s 404-foot drive to left off Imanaga in the fifth. Tatis reached on a leadoff walk and advanced on a sacrifice ahead of Machado’s 12th career playoff homer.

The three runs were more than enough for San Diego’s bullpen, with Miller and Robert Suarez combining for 14 pitches of over 100 mph.

Morejon pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings before Miller showed off his electric stuff while striking out five consecutive batters. The 6-foot-5 right-hander reached 104.5 mph on a called third strike to Carson Kelly in the seventh that was the fastest pitch in the postseason since Statcast started tracking in 2008.

Miller, who was acquired in a trade with the Athletics on July 31, struck out the side in the seventh in his postseason debut on Tuesday. The eight straight Ks tied the postseason record set by Josh Hader in 2022.

Yu Darvish will get the ball for San Diego today. There was no immediate word on Chicago’s starter.

Darvish played for the Cubs for three seasons before he was traded to the Padres in December 2020.