October 13, 2023 4:35 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 306 yards and a touchdown, Harrison Butker kicked four field goals, and the Kansas City Chiefs held off the Denver Broncos 19-8. It was the Chiefs’ 16th straight win over their longtime AFC West rivals. Travis Kelce had nine catches for 124 yards for Kansas City with Taylor Swift again cheering him on from an Arrowhead Stadium suite. The Broncos’ Russell Wilson was held to 95 yards passing with a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Denver has not beaten the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015, the year Peyton Manning led the Broncos to the Super Bowl.
October 13, 2023 4:34 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Castellanos became the first player to hit multiple homers in consecutive postseason games, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-1 win in Game 4 of their NL Division Series that knocked the 104-win Atlanta Braves out of the playoffs for the second straight year. The Phillies head next week to the NLCS and will play the Arizona Diamondbacks, making their first trip 2007. Game 1 is Monday in Philadelphia. Trea Turner hit a solo homer in the fifth for a 2-1 lead as the Phillies make another run at the franchise’s first World Series title since 2008.
October 12, 2023 4:31 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper hit a three-run homer and a solo shot to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-2 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. The Phillies took a 2-1 lead and can advance to the NL Championship Series for the second straight season with a win at home Thursday. Harper’s homers answered ridicule from Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia. Arcia had poked fun at Harper after his baserunning blunder played a role in the Phillies’ loss in Game 2. Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh also homered for the Phillies.
October 12, 2023 4:33 am
PHOENIX (AP) — The hard-hitting Arizona Diamondbacks rode a record-setting barrage of solo homers in the third inning to a 4-2 win in Game 3 of the NL Division Series on Wednesday night, sweeping the 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers out of the playoffs. The D-backs return to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2007, where they’ll face either the Phillies or Braves. Arizona has won all five of its games during the postseason, sweeping aside both the Brewers in a best-of-three series and the Dodgers in a best-of-five. Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Gabriel Moreno all hit solo homers in the third, setting a postseason record for homers in an inning.
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.
