Last Night in Sports: Rays Sweep Into the ALCS, Dodgers and Brewers Set an NLCS Rematch

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2026 — Sixteen finals, and October is starting to sort itself out. The Rays swept the Yankees into the ALCS, the Dodgers and Brewers closed out their series to set up an NLCS rematch, the Guardians refused to go quietly in Chicago, and both WNBA semifinals sit at 2-0 with history whispering. The rest of the night belonged to opening-week hockey, NBA preseason hoops and a pair of Wednesday-night college football finals.

October baseball: the Rays sweep, and the NLCS is set

The Tampa Bay Rays are going back to the ALCS. Victor Mesa Jr.’s 401-foot two-run homer broke a sixth-inning tie, and when Anthony Volpe’s would-be game-tying drive died in a fan-interference review, the Yankees’ season died with it — a 4-3 Game 3 loss in Tampa that completed a 3-0 sweep. Tampa reaches its first ALCS since 2020, sweeping a Yankees team that never stopped tripping over itself: four errors in the Game 2 loss, then a reviewed-away homer in Game 3. Full recap · Rays page · Yankees page

The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to a third straight NLCS. Andy Pages broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run single in the seventh, and the bullpen slammed the door on a 4-1 Game 4 win over the Braves at Truist Park, taking the series 3-1. Two nights after Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out a postseason-career-high 10 in Game 3, the Dodgers’ October machine kept humming — never flashy on Wednesday, just inevitable. Full recap · Dodgers page · Braves page

They’ll meet a familiar foe. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Padres 3-1 in Game 4 at Petco Park, winning the series 3-1 and setting up an NLCS rematch with the Dodgers. Jackson Chourio broke the franchise record with 17 career postseason RBIs, and Garrett Mitchell robbed Manny Machado of a game-tying homer in the eighth — the kind of October moment that turns a series. San Diego staved off elimination in Game 3; on Wednesday, Milwaukee made sure there would be no Game 5 drama. Full recap · Brewers page · Padres page

The one series that isn’t decided got interesting. The Cleveland Guardians walked into Rate Field and punched back, beating the White Sox 9-3 to force a Game 4. Jo Adell and José Ramírez each hit two-out triples — the first time in franchise history Cleveland has hit two triples in a postseason game — Ramírez added a double and a diving stop, and the Guardians struck out 19. Chicago still leads 2-1, but the sweep is off the table: Game 4 is Thursday at Rate Field with Parker Messick starting for Cleveland, and a winner-take-all Game 5 waiting back in Cleveland if the Guardians win again. Full recap · Game 4 preview · MLB page

Every final: MLB Division Series

• Rays 4, Yankees 3 — TB wins series 3-0
• Guardians 9, White Sox 3 — CHW leads 2-1
• Dodgers 4, Braves 1 — LAD wins series 3-1
• Brewers 3, Padres 1 — MIL wins series 3-1

WNBA: two semifinals, two 2-0 leads

The Atlanta Dream are one win from the Finals. They survived an overtime classic at State Farm Arena, beating the New York Liberty 101-98 to take a 2-0 semifinal lead — despite Breanna Stewart pouring in 43 points for New York. Atlanta took Game 1 92-82 behind Jordin Canada’s 25 points and 32 points off turnovers; on Wednesday they needed five extra minutes to hold off a Stewart masterpiece. The series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday. Full recap · Dream page · Liberty page

The Golden State Valkyries are one win from the Finals too — and making expansion-team history look routine. They held off a furious Las Vegas Aces comeback to win 83-81 at Chase Center on Wednesday night, taking a 2-0 series lead. Here’s the number that should terrify Las Vegas: no team in WNBA history has ever rallied from 0-2. The Aces are playing for their season every night now. Full recap · Valkyries page · Aces page · WNBA page

Every final: WNBA semifinals

• Dream 101, Liberty 98 (OT) — ATL leads 2-0
• Valkyries 83, Aces 81 — GS leads 2-0

NHL: opening week keeps rolling

The Capitals beat the Penguins 5-3, the Jets edged the Avalanche 3-2, and Leon Draisaitl’s goal and two assists powered the Oilers’ 5-2 road win over the Ducks as the NHL’s opening week kept rolling. Two home wins, one road statement — the West is already jostling. NHL page

Every final: NHL

• Capitals 5, Penguins 3
• Jets 3, Avalanche 2
• Oilers 5, Ducks 2

NBA preseason and Wednesday college football

Five NBA preseason finals: Aaron Nesmith and Anthony Edwards traded 19-point nights as the Pacers beat the Timberwolves 123-112, the Magic edged the Grizzlies 122-118, the Bucks outlasted the Thunder 128-126, Dillon Brooks’ 24 points carried the Bulls past the Suns 124-117, and Miles Kelly’s 24 led the Trail Blazers over the Warriors 123-118. In college football’s Wednesday doubleheader, Jacksonville State slipped past Kennesaw State 27-26 and FIU handled New Mexico State 22-3. NBA page

Every final: NBA preseason

• Pacers 123, Timberwolves 112
• Magic 122, Grizzlies 118
• Bucks 128, Thunder 126
• Bulls 124, Suns 117
• Trail Blazers 123, Warriors 118

Every final: college football

• Jacksonville State 27, Kennesaw State 26
• FIU 22, New Mexico State 3

On deck: ALDS Game 4, WNBA Game 3s

Thursday brings the Guardians and White Sox back to Rate Field for ALDS Game 4 — Parker Messick starts for Cleveland with the season on the line, and the White Sox can still clinch at home. Then Friday, the WNBA semifinals resume with the Dream visiting the Liberty in Brooklyn, both road teams one win from the Finals and both home teams fighting history. MLB · WNBA