Dodgers are off to a winning start in the playoffs; Rays dominate Yankees

The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their title defense with a 5-3 victory over Atlanta, while the Milwaukee Brewers, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago White Sox also celebrated wins to open their divisional series.

The Dodgers took the first step in their bid to win a third consecutive World Series thanks to a dominant start by Tarik Skubal and the power of their offense.

The two-time Cy Young Award-winning left-hander, acquired from Detroit in August, shone in his postseason debut with Los Angeles.

After allowing a single to the first batter of the game, he retired the next 15 batters in a row and pitched six solid innings amid sweltering heat at Dodger Stadium.

"I think I was just trying to match the temperature out there," Skubal joked. "It was really hot."

The Angels' offense backed up their pitcher with home runs by Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy.

Hernández opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the fourth inning, Tucker extended the lead with another two-run shot in the sixth, and Muncy added a solo home run shortly thereafter.

Atlanta tried to mount a comeback in the ninth inning when Ozzie Albies hit a two-run home run to bring the Braves within 5-3, but the champions managed to close out the game and take a 1-0 lead in the National League Division Series.

Tampa Bay shuts out the Yankees

In Florida, Drew Rasmussen came close to a historic performance and led Tampa Bay to a 1-0 victory over the Yankees.

The right-hander held New York hitless for eight and two-thirds innings before Austin Wells broke up the no-hitter with a double.

Rasmussen finished with ten strikeouts and just two walks in a brilliant performance that made Jonathan Aranda's solo home run off Gerrit Cole in the third inning count.

"Honestly, my heart was racing," Rasmussen confessed.

The Rays' task was made easier by the absence of Aaron Judge, who remains sidelined with a calf injury.

The Bronx Bombers tried to mount a comeback by bringing in Giancarlo Stanton as a pinch hitter, his first at-bat since April, but reliever Ryan Baker retired all three batters he faced to secure the victory.