2025 NATIONAL LEAGUE WILD CARD SERIES “A”

Baltimore

Comets

vs.

Sacramento

Capitals

SERIES PREVIEW – The top-seeded Sacramento Capitals (119-43) opened their Wild Card against last seed Baltimore Comets (74-88). Sacramento enters the series with the overall advantage in defense and offense. The Capitals led the Comets in pitching during the regular season, with the Capitals and Comets holding team ERAs of 2.94 and 3.96, respectively. Sacramento’s defense boasted a .986 fielding percentage while giving up only 59 unearned during the regular season, while the Comets struggled with a .978 fielding percentage and 87 unearned runs. The Capitals true strength is its offense, however. The Capitals slightly edged batted .268/.336/.466 with 226 Home Runs and a 5.6 R/G versus the Comets’ .230/.287/.375 line with 166 Home Runs and 3.8 R/G. Sacramento looks to be the dominant team on paper, but will Baltimore surprise?

GAME #1 – Jose Soriano 7-10 (3.40) vs. Chris Sale 18-5 (2.27)

Baltimore jumped ahead quickly in the first when B. Stott singled, stole second, advanced on a bunt, and scored on a sac fly by G. Mitchell. Sacramento answered in the second as F. Lindor doubled and L. Garcia drove in two with a base hit, giving the Capitals a 2–1 lead. But, the lead wouldn’t last. The Comets’ aggressiveness on the bases paid off in the fourth, when G. Mitchell swiped two bags and scored on a J. Bell groundout to tie the game. In the fifth, B. Stott delivered an RBI double after an error extended the inning, pushing Baltimore ahead 3–2.
Sacramento threatened several times but couldn’t break through until the ninth. With one out, F. Lindor blasted a solo homer to right, tying the game 3–3 and sending it to extras. Both bullpens were sharp in the 10th, but in the bottom of the 11th, K. Carpenter ended it with a towering solo home run to left, sealing a dramatic walk-off win for the Capitals.
Sacramento showed why they were the league’s top seed, but the Comets proved they won’t go quietly, pushing Game 1 into extra innings.

Sacramento 4 – Baltimore 3

Win: Alex Vesia 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Ryan Thompson 0-1 (9.00)

GAME #2 – Gavin Stone 11-7 (2.59) vs. Shota Imanaga 24-3 (1.93)

Sacramento’s offense provided all the support their pitching staff would need. F. Lindor got the scoring started with a solo home run in the second inning. M. Busch added another solo shot in the fourth, and B. Rooker doubled and later scored on a defensive error in the sixth, giving the Capitals their third and final run. But, the story of the game was the Sacramento pitching. Starter S. Imanaga was masterful, pitching eight scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven. T. Scott came on in the ninth and closed the door with a perfect inning to earn the save.
Baltimore’s offense was stifled throughout the game, managing only two hits, one each from D. Fletcher and G. Mitchell. Starting pitcher G. Stone took the loss, giving up two earned runs over six innings.
The Capitals’ dominant pitching performance puts them in a strong position as they head to Game 3 with a 2-0 series lead.

Sacramento 3 – Baltimore 0

Win: Shota Imanaga 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: Gavin Stone 0-1 (3.00)
Save: Tanner Scott #1

GAME #3 – Tyler Glasnow 16-3 (2.30) vs. D.J. Herz 6-8 (3.67)

The Capitals got on the board in the second inning when Mark Vientos doubled and later scored on an RBI single by M. Massey. C. Cowser then hit an RBI double to drive in M. Massey, extending the lead to 2–0. Sacramento’s final run came in the eighth on an RBI single by M. Busch.
Sacramento’s T. Glasnow was dominant, pitching six shutout innings while striking out nine batters. Relievers Trevor Megill and Chris Poteet navigated the seventh and eighth innings, giving up Baltomore’s only run, a solo shot by J. Tena in the 7th, Tanner Scott closed out the game in the ninth to secure the win and the series.

Sacramento 3 – Baltimore 0

Win: Tyler Glasnow 1-0 (0.00)
Loss: D.J. Herz 0-1 (2.57)
Save: Tanner Scott #2

SERIES SUMMARY – With the Ghost Win, Sacramento takes the series 3-0. Led by S. Imanaga, the Capitals cruised to a 0.93 ERA, giving up only 4 runs in 3 games. Sacramento’s offense was rather quite given the Capitals’ dominate performance through the regular season. For the series, Sacramento slashed .210/.275/.410 with 10 runs. But, F. Lindor’s .583/.583/1.250 line, 2 HRs, and 2 SB were enough secure the series sweep. Baltimore pitched to a respectable 2.96 ERA but batted an anemic .122/.155/.184 with 1 HR.
Baltimore heads home and prepares for next season while the Capitals move on to the next round.