October 12, 2023 4:35 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — José Abreu homered for the third time in two games for the Houston Astros in a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Astros reached their seventh straight AL Championship Series and eliminated the Twins in Game 4 of their AL Division Series. Abreu hit a two-run rocket in the fourth inning off reliever Caleb Thielbar. Michael Brantley also went deep as the Astros hit 10 homers in the series. Abreu had eight RBIs. Houston will host Texas in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday. Justin Verlander is scheduled to take the mound for his 36th career postseason start.
October 11, 2023 4:29 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Connor Bedard did not disappoint in his NHL debut. The Chicago Blackhawks rookie picked up an assist and dazzled occasionally with his skating as Chicago rallied past Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2. The 18-year-old Bedard, the top pick in the NHL draft, played over 21 minutes. He often shared the ice with Crosby, one of his idols. Bedard registered five of the 35 shots Chicago fired at Tristan Jarry as the Blackhawks began a new era with an impressive victory over the veteran-laden Penguins. Crosby scored his 551st career goal for Pittsburgh but the Penguins let a 2-0 lead slip away.
October 11, 2023 4:32 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Corey Seager and Adolis García homered early, Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven smooth innings in another playoff clincher and the Texas Rangers completed an AL Division Series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 7-1 victory in Game 3. The wild-card Rangers have won all five of their postseason games and are headed to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2011. AL East champ Baltimore won an AL-high 101 games and was never swept in a series during the regular season. Nathaniel Lowe also homered for Texas, which is taking three-time World Series champion manager Bruce Bochy to his first ALCS.
October 11, 2023 4:33 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — José Abreu hit a three-run homer for Houston in a four-run first inning against Sonny Gray and piled on with a two-run shot in the ninth to power the Astros past the Minnesota Twins 9-1. Houston leads the AL Division Series 2-1. Yordan Alvarez hit his fourth home run in three games and Alex Bregman had a homer and an RBI single for the defending World Series champions. The Astros moved within one win of a seventh consecutive appearance in the AL Championship Series. Cristian Javier had nine strikeouts in five scoreless innings. Game 4 is Wednesday at Target Field.
October 10, 2023 4:33 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Robert Spillane intercepted Green Bay’s Jordan Love twice, Amik Robertson made a game-sealing pick in the end zone, and the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Packers 17-13 to stop a three-game skid. The Raiders’ offense did just enough, with Jimmy Garoppolo completing 22 of 31 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown while throwing his NFL-high seventh interception. Jakobi Meyers caught seven passes for 75 yards and a TD. Love was 16 of 30 for 182 yards and the three picks. Both offenses struggled. The Raiders gained 279 yards and the Packers finished with 285. Las Vegas ended an eight-game skid against the Packers.
October 10, 2023 4:29 am
ATLANTA (AP) — After being held hitless into the sixth inning, the Atlanta Braves rallied for an improbable 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies to even the NL Division Series at one win apiece. Travis d’Arnaud and Austin Riley each hit a two-run homer, and a game-ending double play for the ages wrapped things up for the Braves. D’Arnaud gave the Braves hope with his shot into the left-field seats in the seventh, cutting Philadelphia’s lead to 4-3. Riley won it with his homer into the Phillies bullpen with two outs in the eighth. A great catch by Michael Harris II and an alert backup and throw by Riley ended the game on a double play.
October 10, 2023 4:30 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks made quick work of another Dodgers starter, beating Los Angeles 4-2 behind Zac Gallen for a 2-0 lead in their NL Division Series. The young Diamondbacks, who earned the final National League wild card despite losing their last four regular-season games, improved to 4-0 in these playoffs — all on the road against division winners. They’ll try for a stunning sweep of the 100-win Dodgers when the best-of-five series shifts to Arizona for Game 3 on Wednesday. Gallen allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings for his second win of the postseason. Gurriel laced an RBI single to cap a three-run first, and the Diamondbacks chased rookie starter Bobby Miller in the second.
October 9, 2023 4:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kenny Pickett hit George Pickens for a 41-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining and the Pittsburgh Steelers rallied to beat the Baltimore Ravens 17-10. Pickett and the rest of Pittsburgh’s sporadic offense managed little over the game’s first 55 minutes. A late interception by rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. gave the Steelers life and Pickett responded by driving Pittsburgh 80 yards in eight plays, the last 41 coming on a rainbow down the sideline to Pickens. Lamar Jackson threw for 236 yards for the Ravens, who fell into a tie with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North at 3-2.
October 9, 2023 4:38 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Joe Burrow threw for 317 yards and three touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase, who finished with a season-high 192 yards receiving, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Arizona Cardinals 34-20 on Sunday. It was a much-needed offensive performance for Burrow. He signed the NFL’s richest contract during the offseason but was slowed through his first four games by a calf injury. The 26-year-old looked plenty healthy on Sunday, completing 36 of 46 passes and buying time on a handful of plays with his athleticism in the pocket. Chase set a single-game franchise record with 15 receptions
October 9, 2023 4:40 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw three of his four touchdown passes to George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers extended their dominance over the Dallas Cowboys with a 42-10 victory. The Niners knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in tight games the past two seasons and that added intrigue to this early season matchup between perceived contenders. The rematch wasn’t even close. The Niners led 14-0 before the Cowboys got their initial first down of the night and were never really threatened on the way to matching a franchise record with their 15th straight regular-season win. Dallas had its most lopsided loss in 10 years.
