White Sox, Braves open MLB playoffs with victories

Pope Leo XIV sent support to his hometown Chicago White Sox ahead of their Major League Baseball playoff victory on Tuesday while Atlanta's Austin Riley delivered a triumph with a three-run homer. MLB playoff openers saw the White Sox, of whom the pope is a lifelong fan, defeat Houston 6-3 and Riley's homer in the eighth inning giving the host Braves a 5-3 victory over Philadelphia. The White Sox posted on social media an inspirational letter received Tuesday from the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. "I willingly invoke the Almighty's abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones," the pope wrote to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Divine intervention or not, the White Sox dominated to seize a 1-0 lead over the host Astros in the best-of-three American League wildcard series, with the winner to face Cleveland in the divisional round. The Braves took a 1-0 lead in their National League wildcard series, with the winner to face the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers starting Saturday. Trailing 3-2, Atlanta won after Michael Harris singled, took second base after Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch ahead of Riley smashing a home run to right field off Phillies relief pitcher Jhoan Duran. "He left...