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Game 2 results, MLB playoff highlights

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BALTIMORE — It's win-or-go-home day. And in two years of Major League Baseball's expanded wild-card playoff format, the answer has almost always been, “Go home.”

Baltimore hopes to avoid another disappointing playoff win — and break a nine-game postseason losing streak — against the Kansas City Royals at Camden Yards (4:38 ET, ESPN). Milwaukee and the surprising New York Mets (7:38 ET, ESPN) and San Diego Padres-Atlanta (8:38 ET, ESPN2) round out the quartet of games.

Game 3 will be played on Thursday, with start times varying depending on the number of games required. If history is any guide, there won't be many: Seven of eight wild card series in the first two years of this format ended in two-game rounds, and the winner of Game 1 won all eight.

Stay here on Wednesday to see all the action from Game 2 between the Orioles and Royals at Camden Yards:

BALTIMORE – The Orioles’ postseason points drought is over. But they are still drowning in regret.

Baltimore chased Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo in the fifth inning of Game 2 after Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run – stopping a scoreless streak that stretched to 18 innings last year – and the club loaded the bases with no one out of the game, the score was tied, 1-1.

But 44-homer man Anthony Santander hit a 1-1 pitch from Lugo for one out, and then Colton Cowser swung a ball from reliever Angel Zerpa that was so far in that it hit him in the left wrist. What could have easily been a leadoff hit-by-pitch instead became a strikeout, the second out of the inning.

Adleyrutschman then grounded out to shortstop for the final out, ending the golden opportunity.

Lugo and Orioles starter Zach Eflin are both out of the game. Four innings of bullpen battle remain as the Royals look to close out the series with a two-game win.

– Gabe Lacques

BALTIMORE – After a Game 1 stalemate in which runs were difficult to score, the Kansas City Royals wasted no time in taking command to eliminate the Orioles in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.

Leadoff batter Michael Massey hit a double down the right field line and scored on a single from recently activated Vinnie Pasquantino to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead after one inning at Camden Yards.

Starter Seth Lugo had a brief hiccup in the first inning when he hit Jordan Westburg in left with one out, but Lugo recovered and struck out Anthony Santander and Colton Cowser to end the inning.

Here's how to watch Orioles vs. Royals

  • Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA)
  • Oriole: RHP Zach Eflin (10-9, 3.59 ERA)

MLB PLAYOFFS RESULTS: Wildcard results from Game 2 on Wednesday

Who will carry on? Here's what the USA TODAY Sports MLB team looks like this week.

Kansas City Royals (86-76) vs. Baltimore Orioles (91-71)

  • Bob Nightengale: Oriole in 3
  • Gabe Lacques: Oriole in 2
  • Steve Gardner: Oriole in 3
  • Jesse Yomtov: Oriole in 2
  • Scott Boeck: Oriole in 3

Detroit Tigers (86-76) at Houston Astros (88-73)

  • Bob Nightengale: Astros in 3rd
  • Gabe Lacques: Tiger in 2
  • Steve Gardner Astros in 3rd
  • Jesse Yomtov: Astros in 3rd
  • Scott Boeck: Tiger in 3

New York Mets (89-73) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (93-69)

  • Bob Nightengale: Brewer in 2
  • Gabe Lacques: Brewer in 2
  • Steve Gardner: Brewer in 2
  • Jesse Yomtov: Mets in 3rd
  • Scott Boeck: Brewer in 2

Atlanta Braves (89-73) vs. San Diego Padres (93-69)

  • Bob Nightengale: Padres in 2nd
  • Gabe Lacques: Padres in 2nd
  • Steve Gardner: Padres in 2nd
  • Jesse Yomtov: Braves in 3rd
  • Scott Boeck: Padres in 2nd

BALTIMORE – It was 2 hours and 25 minutes of crisp playoff baseball theater on Tuesday afternoon, the margin for error was virtually non-existent, the best-of-three format ensured that either the Kansas City Royals or the Baltimore Orioles came out on top would emerge from the end of this stalemate, and just a few hours later they would be threatened with elimination.

And for 10 Kansas City Royals whose names would appear on the list, Game 1 of their American League wild-card series was their first glimpse of postseason baseball, a battle not just against the talented Orioles but for their own Regulating emotions and calming the heart when needed and letting it out when the situation requires it.

Major League Baseball's youngest team has passed the test like its most seasoned veteran.

– Gabe Lacques

MLB Playoffs Series

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