Major League baseball playoffs

The New York Yankees downed the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Wednesday night in New York to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five American League Division Series. The game’s hero for the Yankees was Raul Ibanez, who pinch-hit for slumping star Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the 9th inning and hit a home run to tie the game at 2-2, and then hit the winning homer in the bottom of the 12th. Game 4 will be played Thursday night in New York.  The Oakland A’s defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Wednesday night in Oakland to tie their best-of-five American League Division Series at 2-2 and force a deciding Game 5. The A’s rallied from two runs down in the 9th inning to score three times and get the win. Game 5 is Thursday night in Oakland.  In the National League, The San Francisco Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 Wednesday in Cincinnati to tie their Division Series at 2-2. In the deciding Game 5 Thursday, the Giants will try to become the first team to come back from being down 2-0 to win a best-of-five series with three games on the road.  The St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Washington Nationals 8-0 in Washington’s home stadium to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five National League Division Series. Game 4 will be played Thursday in Washington.