October 19, 2023 4:35 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Altuve homered, Cristian Javier worked into the sixth inning of another solid postseason start and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5, closing to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series. Texas lost for the first time this postseason after a 7-0 start as three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was gone after four innings in his first outing in more than a month after recovering from a strained shoulder muscle. Javier set a franchise record for the defending champion Astros by extending his postseason scoreless streak to 20 1/3 innings.
October 19, 2023 4:39 am
NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell received his long-expected contract extension on Wednesday. “The Compensation Committee updated the full ownership today that an agreement has been reached to extend Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract for three years, through March 2027,” the league announced in a statement. A person familiar with the details told The Associated Press that Goodell’s deal includes clauses for extension or succession. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because details weren’t released. Goodell’s current contract was set to expire in spring 2024.
October 18, 2023 4:34 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit two of Philadelphia’s three solo homers off Merrill Kelly, and the sweet-swinging Phillies pounded the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-0 for a 2-0 lead in the NL Championship Series. Trea Turner also connected and J.T. Realmuto had two hits and three RBIs as Philadelphia improved to 7-1 in the playoffs, moving closer to a second straight World Series appearance. Aaron Nola tossed three-hit ball and struck out seven in six innings. Game 3 is Thursday at Chase Field.
October 18, 2023 4:35 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Scherzer is getting back on the mound for the Texas Rangers with a chance to put them up 3-0 in the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros. Scherzer has been out a month because of a muscle strain in his shoulder. The three-time Cy Young Award winner made only one more start after allowing seven runs on three homers in three innings against Houston on September 6. That was the end of a three-game series in Arlington when the Astros hit 16 homers and outscored them 39-10. Cristian Javier starts for the Astros. The Rangers have won all seven of their playoff games. This will be only their second one at home.
October 18, 2023 4:37 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL is looking to eliminate the hip-drop tackle and will again discuss the “tush push” in the offseason. League executive Jeff Miller said Tuesday the hip-drop tackle increases risk of injury by 25 times the rate of a standard tackle. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith briefly left a game against the Giants in Week 4 after getting hurt by a hip-drop tackle. The league made the horse-collar tackle illegal several years ago because a defender’s body weight ends up on the legs of the ball carrier, enhancing risk of injury. Rich McKay, the chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, called the hip-drop tackle a “cousin” of the horse collar.
October 17, 2023 4:41 am
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for 272 yards and a touchdown, and the Dallas Cowboys rebounded from a rout a week ago, beating the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 Monday night. Prescott completed 21 of 30 passes and also had a rushing TD. He connected with Brandin Cooks for a 2-yard score with 11:19 remaining in the game to give the Cowboys a 17-10 lead. Los Angeles tied it at 17 with 7:11 remaining when Gerald Everett caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert. After Brandon Aubrey gave the Cowboys a 20-17 lead with a 39-yard field goal, the Chargers had one last chance to send it into overtime. But Stephon Gilmore picked off Herbert at the LA 33-yard line with 1:22 remaining to seal the victory.
October 17, 2023 4:40 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos homered to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series. Zack Wheeler struck out eight in six innings to help the defending National League champions win their seventh Game 1 of the last two postseasons. Arizona was handed its first loss of the postseason after ripping off five straight wins against the Brewers and Dodgers. Game 2 in the best-of-seven playoff is Tuesday night.
October 17, 2023 4:43 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Jonah Heim homered, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six effective innings and the Texas Rangers beat Framber Valdez and Houston Astros 5-4 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. Adolis García, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe each hit an RBI single during Texas’ four-run first inning against Valdez, and José Leclerc closed it out for the Rangers after Yordan Alvarez powered an Astros rally. Eovaldi struck out nine, including two in a row after Houston loaded the bases with none out in the fifth. He was charged with three runs and five hits in his third win this postseason. The Rangers improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, including six wins on the road.
October 16, 2023 4:37 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Jordan Montgomery shut down the Houston Astros and Leody Taveras homered as the Texas Rangers did just enough against Justin Verlander to get a 2-0 win in the opener of the AL Championship Series Sunday night. Montgomery threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Taveras made it 2-0 with his solo homer in the fifth inning. Rookie Evan Carter helped in the win, too. The 21-year-old doubled and scored in the second and made two nifty defensive plays. The Rangers, who are in the ALCS for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2010-11, improved to 6-0 this postseason after sweeping the Rays in the Wild Card Series and the Orioles in the ALDS.
October 16, 2023 4:34 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Jake Moody missed a 41-yard field goal with six seconds left as San Francisco was stunned 19-17 by the Cleveland Browns, who ended the 49ers’ regular-season winning streak at 15 and handed quarterback Brock Purdy his first loss as an NFL starter. Dustin Hopkins kicked four field goals — the last with 1:40 left — for the Browns, who pulled off the upset without quarterback Deshaun Watson. He missed his second straight game with a bruised right shoulder. P.J. Walker came off Cleveland’s practice squad and outplayed Purdy, who had won his first 10 starts. The 23-year-old drove the 49ers into field-goal range, but Moody was wide right on his attempt.
