October 2, 2024 4:33 am
BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit an RBI single in his playoff debut to back Cole Ragans’ six sharp innings and help the Kansas City Royals return from a nine-year postseason absence with a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series. Witt is a 24-year-old shortstop who led the majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average this season. He singled to left field Tuesday off a 95 mph, first-pitch cutter from 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes with two outs in the sixth. Maikel Garcia came around to score after drawing a walk, stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Ragans left after 80 pitches because of cramping in his left calf. Lucas Erceg earned the save. In Houston, Tarik Skubal added perhaps his most important accomplishment to date to an already sparkling resume Tuesday. The AL pitching Triple Crown winner gave the Detroit Tigers their first postseason victory in more than a decade with a sensational playoff debut in a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros. Skubal, who had had 228 strikeouts to go with 18 wins and 2.39 ERA, allowed just four singles and walked one in six innings.
October 1, 2024 2:31 am
Paul Skenes has been named Baseball America’s 2024 Rookie of the Year. Skenes is the second player from the Pirates to be named the publication’s rookie of the year along with Andrew McCutchen in 2009. The 22-year-old Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA (133.0ip/29er), 170 strikeouts, .198 batting average against and 0.95 WHIP in 23 starts this season for the Pirates.
Skenes ranked first this season among all qualified National League rookies in ERA, batting average against and WHIP, tied for second in wins, and second in strikeouts and winning percentage (.786). Skenes is the first rookie pitcher to record at least 23 starts with a sub-2.00 ERA in a single season since Scott Perry (44 games/36 starts) in 1918 according to StatsPerform. He also finished his rookie campaign with a .198 batting
October 1, 2024 4:34 am
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mason Rudolph led seven scoring drives after starter Will Levis left with a shoulder injury, and the Tennessee Titans beat the Miami Dolphins 31-12 on Monday night. Rudolph threw for 85 yards and completed 9 of 17 passes in relief of Levis, who attempted just four passes before running and diving for a first down on Tennessee’s second drive and coming down hard on his right throwing shoulder. He stood on the sideline with his helmet but didn’t return. Nick Folk made field goals of 53, 52, 47, 51 and 29 yards for the Titans, who won their first game of the season.
October 1, 2024 4:32 am
DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw a perfect game, setting an NFL record by completing all 18 of his passes to help the Detroit Lions beat the Seattle Seahawks 42-29 Monday night. Goff had a touchdown reception for the first time in his career, catching a pass from Amon-Ra St. Brown. He also threw one of his two touchdown passes to the All-Pro receiver. Goff and St. Brown are the eighth duo in league history to throw and catch a touchdown from each other. Kurt Warner had the previous NFL mark for the passes without an incompletion for Arizona against Houston in 2005.
October 1, 2024 4:30 am
ATLANTA (AP) — After a season that didn’t go nearly as planned, the Atlanta Braves find themselves back in a familiar spot. The postseason. The Braves overcame an interminable string of injuries — including the loss of their MVP outfielder and ace pitcher — to lock up their seventh straight playoff appearance with a 3-0 win over the New York Mets in the final game of the regular season. While Atlanta’s streak of six consecutive NL East titles was snapped by the Philadelphia Phillies, there were no complaints after all the team went through.
October 1, 2024 4:29 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Banished baseball great Pete Rose has died. The longtime Cincinnati Red was the career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. His 4,256 hits broke his hero Ty Cobb’s 4,191 and signified his excellence no matter the notoriety which followed. Rose was banned in 1989 after a major league baseball investigation determined he had bet on baseball, including on his own team. A spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose had died.
October 1, 2024 4:35 am
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, says “it’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world.”
October 1, 2024 1:45 am
Pittsburgh Steelers starting guard James Daniels will be out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles, a report says. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler said Daniels suffered the tear during Sunday’s loss against the Indianapolis Colts. Cordarrelle Patterson also suffered an ankle injury during the game. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig also suffered an ankle injury but he returned in the second half. Though initially termed “questionable” to return to Sunday’s game, Daniels afterward was spotted in a walking boot and on crutches.
September 30, 2024 4:41 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes in relief of the injured Anthony Richardson, and the Indianapolis Colts came up with a stop in the final minute to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24. Indy has won two straight since opening the season with back-to-back losses — and two in a row against Pittsburgh. The Steelers fought back from a 17-0 deficit but fell just short of extending their six-game regular-season winning streak. Pittsburgh’s top-ranked defense allowed a season-high point total. Justin Fields ran for two second-half scores and threw for another to cut the deficit to 27-24 with 3:40 to go, but the Steelers couldn’t get closer.
September 30, 2024 4:39 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit a go-ahead, two-run single with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees ended the regular season with a 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Struggling for most of the second half, Verdugo snapped a 4-all tie by hitting a fastball from Carmen Mlodzinski into right field to score Austin Wells and Jasson Domínguez. Wells was hit by a pitch from Colin Holderman, and Domínguez walked. Following a walk by Jon Berti, Verdugo delivered his fourth hit in 24 at-bats with the bases loaded. Acquired from Boston in December, Verdugo batted .233 in his first season with the Yankees.
