Cincinnati Reds 5 San Francisco Giants 2
Reds lead NLDS best-of-five 1-0
The Cincinnati Reds took NLDS Game One in San Francisco despite losing pitching ace Johnny Cueto to a back injury after just eight pitches.
Cueto had the shortest postseason start in eight years when back spasms forced him to leave while pitching to the second batter of the game. Reliever Sam LeCure and scheduled Game 3 starter Mat Latos held the Giants scoreless until Buster Posey's leadoff homer off Latos in the sixth. If Cueto's injury isn't serious, he could come back and take Latos' spot in the rotation in Game 3.
Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce homered off San Francisco' Matt Cain - the first earned runs Cain had ever allowed in the postseason, ending a run of 23 1/3 innings that was the fifth-longest ever.
Cincinnati had taken the lead on Phillips' one-out homer in the third that also scored Drew Stubbs. Bruce added a solo shot in the fourth. It was the Reds first postseason win since 1995, having lost seven straight since then in the 1995 NLCS to Atlanta and the division series two years ago to Philadelphia.
Cueto's outing was the shortest start in the postseason since Atlanta's John Thomson also only retired one Houston batter in Game 3 of the 2004 NLDS. He threw just four pitches before leaving injured.
Detroit Tigers 3, Oakland Athletics 1
Tigers lead ALDS best-of-five 1-0
Justin Verlander allowed a homer to the first batter of the game but that was the only run scored by the Oakland A's in the motor city.
Verlander shut down Oakland after that Coco Crisp homer, and Alex Avila homered in the fifth inning to lift the Detroit Tigers over the Athletics 3-1 in the opener of their best-of-five AL playoff.
Joaquin Benoit pitched the eighth and Jose Valverde struck out two in a perfect ninth for the save. Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, went hitless.
It was only the second victory for Detroit in their last seven postseason series openers. The Tigers lost Game 1 to the Yankees in the division series last year before winning in five. Detroit then lost the opener of the AL championship series to the Texas Rangers.
The A's won their final six regular season games to take the AL West away from Texas, who have already been eliminated in Friday's wildcard playoff. The Athletics tied a postseason record by starting four rookies - Jarrod Parker, Josh Donaldson, Yoenis Cespedes and Derek Norris.
Game 2 is Sunday, with Doug Fister taking the mound for Detroit and left-hander Tommy Milone for Oakland.
