MLB Playoffs: ALCS and NLCS live updates, matchups, analysis

It's another blockbuster night in the MLB Championship Series – and what a night it has been so far.

First, the Cleveland Guardians earned their first win of the ALCS in dramatic fashion. They tied the game in the ninth inning with a two-out, two-run home run before David Fry blasted a two-run pitch in the tenth inning for the 7-5 walk-off victory over the New York Yankees and New York Series lead shortened to 2:1. Meanwhile, in the NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to gain a commanding 3-1 lead over the New York Mets at Citi Field.

With all four baseball finals teams in action, we'll bring you live updates and analysis on both games, as well as insight and information on what's next for the winners and losers after the final pitch.

Live updates

Takeaways

The Yankees lead the series 2-1

The Guardians were in control of Game 3 for most of the night, following a script that couldn't have been more perfect. Matthew Boyd pitched five solid innings to hand the lead to the leverage squad of Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase – and things were going well until Clase became the reliever's tailback. Baseball's most dominant reliever, a man who belted two home runs during the regular season, delivered a stunning, game-winning two-run slicing blast against Aaron Judge and then a solo shot against Giancarlo Stanton.

So it was the Yankees with the perfect script who handed a two-run lead to red-hot closer Luke Weaver in the ninth. Two down. Nobody on. Two hits. Lane Thomas jumped off the wall to keep the Guardians alive. Then, on the second pitch he saw, rookie pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel threw one into the seats in left field. The scripts? Out the window. And the new script called for a starring role for Cleveland's Super All-Star David Fry, who beat Clay Holmes with a two-run blast to left to give Cleveland the lead. The Guardians were almost dead and now they are very much alive. This game will have a win probability table that looks like the worst roller coaster ride ever.

What to watch in Game 4: The Guardians and Yankees will both have young right-handers making their postseason debut in Game 4 – Gavin Williams for Cleveland, Luis Gil for New York. Gil had the much better regular season. Both pitchers have tried to stay current with simulation games and side sessions. We'll see who's ready from the opening bell tomorrow, but Friday's early innings will be crucial. Either way: we have a series. –Bradford Doolittle

Matchup

Always east

Dodgers lead the series 2-1

Pitching matchup: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA) vs. Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75 ERA)

Lineups

Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani (left) DH
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Teoscar Hernandez (R) LF
Tommy Edman (S) SS
Enrique Hernandez (R) 3B
Max Muncy (L) 1B
Will Smith (R) C
Andy Pages (R) CF
Chris Taylor (R) 2B

Mets

Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Starling Marte (R) RF
JD Martinez (R) DH
Jose Iglesias (R) 2B
Harrison Bader (R) CF
Francisco Alvarez (R) C