Aaron Judge hit his third walk-off homer this year, his major league-leading 39th home run of the season, to lift the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 1-0.
Jorge Soler became the first player to begin a World Series with a home run and the Atlanta Braves, despite the loss of pitcher Charlie Morton to a broken leg, hushed the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 1.
Freddie Freeman hit a tiebreaking home run off Milwaukee closer Josh Hader as the Atlanta Braves advanced to the NL Championship Series for the second year in a row.
Giancarlo Stanton lined a laser beam of a home run, Aaron Judge added a three-run shot as the Yankees powered past the Rangers 7-1 to keep pace in the crowded AL wild-card chase.
All-Star slugger Adolis García tied the Rangers' single-season rookie record with his 30th home run and last-place Texas beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 8-1.
Jake Bauers hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning off struggling closer Lou Trivino, and the Seattle Mariners rallied past the Oakland Athletics 5-3.
The Toronto Blue Jays hit it out of the park four times, including two from George Springer and a grand slam by Teoscar Hernandez, to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 10-2.