ESPN carries Red Sox, Rays, Braves and Cardinals Wild Card chase down to the wire

For anybody who argues that individual games don’t matter in a 162-game Major League Baseball season, ESPN is airing compelling evidence to the contrary on two of its networks tonight.

ESPN will carry the Red Sox vs. Orioles game at 7pm ET, a game that is crucial to Boston since it is tied with Tampa Bay for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. Viewers who watch these teams on the regional networks NESN and MASN will be able to see the Rays take on the New York Yankees (winners of the AL East) on ESPN.

ESPN2, meanwhile, will carry a doubleheader beginning at 7pm ET with a pivotal matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies (who have already clinched the NL East) and the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are tied for the final NL Wild Card berth with the St. Louis Cardinals, who face the Houston Astros at 8pm ET. ESPN2 will pick up live coverage at 10pm ET in most markets, but check your local listings because regional blackouts do apply and will affect the games shown in your area (especially those who follow the Phillies and Braves on CSN and SPSO, respetively).

Got all that? We know this is confusing, so here are the scenarios you need to know going into tonight’s games:

American League
–If the Red Sox and Rays both win or both lose, they will play a one-game tiebreaker Thursday to determine who advances to the playoffs and whose season is over. The game would be played in Tampa Bay at 4pm ET on TBS.

–If one team wins and the other loses, the winning team advances.

National League
–If the Braves and Cardinals both win or both lose, they will play a one-game tiebreaker Thursday to determine who advances to the playoffs and whose season is over. The game will be played in St. Louis at 8pm ET on TBS.

–If one team wins and the other loses, the winning team advances.

Pitching Matchups
–Tim Lester (Boston) vs. Alfredo Simon (Baltimore)
–David Price (Tampa Bay) vs. TBD (New York)
–Tim Hudson (Atlanta) vs. Joe Blanton (Philadelphia)
–Chris Carpenter (St. Louis) vs. Brett Myers (Houston)

Stay tuned to this website for updates on television coverage for any games that might be played tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy a very rare night in which four teams are literally fighting for their baseball lives. Doesn’t get much better than this.

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