MLB Playoff Scores October 3, 2026: Rays, White Sox Win Division Series Shutouts

Tampa Bay and Chicago opened the Division Series with shutouts, while Los Angeles and Milwaukee used home runs to seize Game 1 victories.

The MLB playoff scores from October 3, 2026, delivered four contrasting Division Series openers. First, the Chicago White Sox blanked Cleveland behind a daring bullpen plan. Then, the Los Angeles Dodgers powered past Atlanta before the Tampa Bay Rays won a tense 1-0 duel against the New York Yankees. Finally, Milwaukee rallied past San Diego at home.

Below is an original capsule recap of every game played Saturday. Final scores and pitching decisions were checked against MLB’s official October 3 scoreboard.

Chicago White Sox 3, Cleveland Guardians 0

Munetaka Murakami broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and the White Sox bullpen carried Chicago to a Game 1 shutout in Cleveland.

Hagen Smith opened with three scoreless innings. After that, Bryan Hudson escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third and Anthony Kay survived another bases-loaded threat in the fourth. Colson Montgomery then added an RBI double in the seventh. Most notably, Grant Taylor handled the final four innings to secure the save.

As a result, Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the American League Division Series while holding the Guardians to three hits. MLB game story

Winning pitcher: Bryan Hudson (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Parker Messick (0-1)
Save: Grant Taylor (1)

Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Atlanta Braves 3

Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy homered as Los Angeles used its power to take the National League Division Series opener in Atlanta.

Hernández started the scoring with a two-run shot in the fourth. Although Sean Murphy answered with a solo homer in the sixth, Tucker hit a two-run blast and Muncy followed with a solo shot in the same inning. Tarik Skubal, meanwhile, allowed one run over six innings and struck out seven.

Atlanta made one last push when Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer in the ninth. However, Evan Phillips stopped the rally and earned the save. Therefore, the Dodgers carried a 1-0 series lead out of Truist Park. MLB game story

Winning pitcher: Tarik Skubal (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Victor Mederos (0-1)
Save: Evan Phillips (1)

Tampa Bay Rays 1, New York Yankees 0

Drew Rasmussen took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, and Jonathan Aranda supplied the only run with a third-inning homer off Gerrit Cole.

Rasmussen struck out 10, matching a Tampa Bay postseason record. Austin Wells finally broke up the no-hitter in the eighth, but the Rays quickly erased him on the bases. Cole was nearly as sharp, yet Aranda’s solo shot proved decisive.

Ultimately, Bryan Baker closed the one-hit shutout and gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the AL Division Series. MLB game story

Winning pitcher: Drew Rasmussen (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Gerrit Cole (0-1)
Save: Bryan Baker (1)

Milwaukee Brewers 3, San Diego Padres 2

William Contreras hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning as Milwaukee erased an early deficit and protected its home field in Game 1.

San Diego scored twice in the second on Luis Campusano’s RBI single and Jake Cronenworth’s run-scoring fielder’s choice. Nevertheless, Jackson Chourio tied the game with a two-run homer in the third. The blast was Chourio’s fifth career postseason homer, a Brewers franchise record.

Later, DL Hall escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. Contreras then drove an Adrian Morejon pitch over the wall in the bottom half, and Trevor Megill finished the victory. Consequently, Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the NL Division Series. MLB game story

Winning pitcher: DL Hall (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Adrian Morejon (0-1)
Save: Trevor Megill (1)

October 3 MLB Playoff Scores at a Glance

• Chicago White Sox 3, Cleveland Guardians 0
• Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Atlanta Braves 3
• Tampa Bay Rays 1, New York Yankees 0
• Milwaukee Brewers 3, San Diego Padres 2