October 11, 2020 7:29 am
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College coach Jeff Hafley was trying to figure out how to stop Pittsburgh’s offense in a second overtime when he took a quick look and realized the game was over after the Panthers missed an extra-point attempt to give the Eagles a 31-30 win on Saturday night. Phil Jurkovec threw three touchdown passes to Zay Flowers — the last a 25-yarder in overtime — and ran for a score to lead BC (3-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Jurkovec, a sophomore transfer from Notre Dame, was 19 of 35 for 358 yards passing as the Eagles rebounded from a frustratingly close loss to then-No. 12 North Carolina. Flowers had six catches for 162 yards. Kenny Pickett completed 25 of 48 passes for 266 yards for Pittsburgh (3-2, 2-2). He threw two TD passes, ran for a score, and then limped off the field late in the third quarter but returned in the next series to throw an interception. On BC’s first possession in overtime, Jurkovec threw a strike down the middle to Flowers in the end zone on third-and-10. Pitt answered in OT when Pickett hit Taysir Mack with a 3-yard TD pass, but Alex Kessman missed wide right on the PAT. Kessman had hit a 58-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in regulation. BC’s Aaron Boumerhi was wide left on a 52-yarder as time expired to force overtime. A week ago, at the same end zone, BC lined up for a potential game-tying 2-point conversion with 45 seconds to play, but North Carolina’s Trey Morrison picked off Jurkovec and returned it for a score. Pittsburgh rallied from a 10-point deficit. Vincent Davis’ 4-yard scoring run sliced it to 24-21 late in the third. The Panthers took over at their own 38 with 3 1/2 minutes to play and marched to BC’s 26. Max Richardson sacked Pickett on third-and-5 for a 15-yard loss before the game-tying field goal. Jurkovec hit Flowers with a 77-yard TD pass down the middle on the second play after halftime to give the Eagles a 24-14 lead. Jurkovec also found Flowers with a 44-yard strike in the left corner of the end zone early into the second quarter.
October 10, 2020 4:55 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The Tampa Bay Rays have earned the right to take on the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series. Mike Brosseau slammed a tiebreaking, solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Rays past the New York Yankees, 2-1. Brosseau supplied two of Tampa Bay’s three hits after entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning. The other hit was Austin Meadow’s game-tying solo shot in the fifth. The Yankees were also held to three hits, including a fourth-inning blast by Aaron Judge. Diego Castillo worked two hitless innings of relief in getting the victory. He ended the game by getting Gio Urshela to line out. Aroldis Chapman served up Brosseau’s home run and took the loss as the Yankees ended their season.
October 10, 2020 4:53 am
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. (AP) – Baseball has lost its Chairman of the Board. New York Yankees great Whitey Ford has died at 91. A family member tells The Associated Press on Friday that Ford died at his Long Island home Thursday night. The cause was not known. Ford’s .690 winning percentage was the best of any pitcher in the 20th century, going 236-106 in a 16-year career that began in 1950. He earned a major league-record 10 World Series victories, with eight coming between 1955 and 1961. Ford was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 along with his best friend on the Yankees, Mickey Mantle. He had been the second-oldest living Hall of Fame member, behind only 92-year-old Tommy Lasorda. The Yankees wore Ford’s No. 16 on their left uniform sleeves for their final AL Division Series game against the Rays.
October 10, 2020 4:51 am
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – The Miami Heat will be playing some meaningful basketball this weekend. The Heat have forced a sixth game in the NBA Finals, pulling within 3-2 in the series with a 111-108 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers. Jimmy Butler delivered 35 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his second triple-double of the series. Butler played all but one minute and was doubled over near the scorer’s table and the foul line in the final minute. He had enough strength to drive the lane, draw contact and drain two free throws with 16.8 seconds left for a 109-108 lead.
Los Angeles had another chance to go back on top, but Danny Green missed a 3-point attempt before Tyler Herro finished it off with two free throws. Duncan Robinson finished with 26 points and Kendrick Nunn had 14 off the bench as coach Erik Spoelstra got the most out of a seven-man rotation. LeBron James had a game-high 40 points to go with 13 boards and assists rebounds for L.A. James hit six 3-pointers, including a trey that sparked a 17-3 run in the final period after Miami lead by 11. Anthony Davis and 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who will try to wrap up their 17th championship on Sunday.
October 9, 2020 3:53 am
CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Bears are 4-1 after defeating Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field with 1:17 left as the Bears beat Brady for the first time in six tries, 20-19. Brady threw for 253 yards and one touchdown, but the Buccaneers came up short after winning three in a row. Brady appeared to lose track of downs on Tampa Bay’s final drive. After DeAndre Houston-Carson broke up his fourth-down pass with 33 seconds left, Brady put up four fingers, appearing to think he had one more down. Nick Foles beat Brady in their first meeting since Foles led the Eagles to a Super Bowl 52 victory over the Patriots. The Super Bowl 52 MVP completed 30 of 42 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown in his second start since replacing Mitchell Trubisky.
October 9, 2020 3:49 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Tampa Bay Rays finally ended Giancarlo Stanton’s home run streak at five games, but they couldn’t close out their AL Division Series with the Yankees. Luke Voit hit a solo homer and Gleyber Torres added a two-run blast as the Yankees beat the Rays, 5-1 to force a deciding fifth game in the series. Voit’s second-inning shot put New York ahead to stay before the Yanks’ pitchers made the lead stand up. Jorden Montgomery gave up three hits over four innings, and the bullpen tossed no-hit, shutout ball the rest of the way. The Yankees also cooled off Randy Arozarena, who went 0-for-4 after collecting 11 hits in the Rays’ previous four games. Game 5 is Friday in San Diego. Meanwhile, Carlos Correa slammed a three-run homer and had five RBIs as the Houston Astros clobbered Oakland, 11-6 to advance to the AL Championship Series for the fourth consecutive year. The Astros trailed 3-0 until Michael Brantley smacked the first of his two home runs, a two-run blast in the fourth. Jose Altuve also homered and Houston’s bullpen didn’t allow a run until the ninth inning after starter Zack Greinke was reached for four runs over 4 2/3s.
October 9, 2020 3:46 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Justin Turner put the Dodgers ahead to stay with a record-breaking hit during a big inning as they finished a three-game sweep of the NL Division Series with a 12-3 win over the San Diego Padres. Turner’s RBI single broke a 2-2 tie as part of a decisive five-run outburst in the third inning. It was his 64th postseason hit, breaking a tie with Steve Garvey for the most in team history. The Dodgers are going to the NL Championship Series for the 14th time, matching the St. Louis Cardinals for the most appearances. They will face the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are in the NL Championship Series following a 7-0 shutout of the Marlins. Kyle Wright struck out seven and held the Marlins to three hits over six innings of his postseason debut, helping the Braves complete a three-game sweep in the division series. Travis d’Arnaud hit a two-run double and Dansby Swanson collected two RBIs to help Atlanta reach the NLCS for the first time since 2001.
October 8, 2020 3:51 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers have moved within one victory of a showdown for the National League pennant. Rookie Ian Anderson combined with four relievers on a three-hitter as the Braves blanked the Marlins, 2-0. Anderson struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings before the Atlanta bullpen tossed no-hit ball the rest of the way. Atlanta is the third team in major league history and first since the 1966 Orioles to open a postseason with three shutouts in its first four games. Dansby Swanson and Travis d’Arnaud both homered for the second straight day to help the Braves take a 2-0 lead in the NL Division Series. Marlins starter Pablo Lopez struck out eight and gave up three hits over five innings, including the two home runs.
The Braves can wrap up the series on Thursday. The Dodgers also can finish up a three-game sweep on Thursday following a 6-5 win over the Padres. Corey Seager delivered three hits for Los Angeles, including a two-run double in the third inning to put the Dodgers ahead to stay. Cody Bellinger padded the lead with a solo shot in the fourth and also robbed Fernando Tatis Jr. of a potential go-ahead, two-run home run in the seventh. Clayton Kershaw was sailing until Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer hit back-to-back homers in the sixth. Kershaw got the win after allowing three runs and six hits over six innings. Kenley Jansen gave up a pair of ninth-inning runs and Joe Kelly walked a pair before retiring Eric Hosmer with the bases loaded to end it. Losing pitcher Zach Davies was reached for four runs and nine hits over five frames.
October 8, 2020 3:56 am
The Rays are up 2-1 in their AL Division Series after blasting three more home runs in an 8-4 trouncing of the Yankees. Kevin Kiermaier provided the big blow with a three-run homer off losing pitcher Masahiro Tanaka to break a 1-1 tie. Randy Arozarena added a solo shot to chase Tanaka an inning later, and Michael Perez smacked a two-run shot against Chad Green in the sixth. Charlie Morton gave Tampa Bay five strong innings, striking out six and allowing one earned run and four hits. Giancarlo Stanton slammed a two-run blast in the eighth for the Yankees. He’s the first player in major league history to homer in each of his first five games of a postseason. The Rays can finish off the Bombers on Thursday.
The Oakland Athletics forced a Game 4 in their AL Division Series by downing the Houston Astros, 9-7. Chad Pinder supplied the Athletics’ fifth and final home run of the day, a three-run blast in the seventh. The A’s went ahead to stay in the eighth when Sean Murphy and Pinder lifted sacrifice flies. Tommy La Stella, Mark Canha, Matt Olson and Marcus Semien also homered for the Athletics. The Astros suffered their first loss of this postseason despite longballs from Jose Altuve and Aledmys Diaz.
October 8, 2020 3:46 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he feels as if he’s “starting from scratch” after the team’s unexpected week off. The Steelers were given Week 4 off by the NFL after the league postponed Pittsburgh’s game against Tennessee because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the Titans. Roethlisberger says he believes his team “got the short end” of the decision to call the game. The 38-year-old Roethlisberger says he spent a portion of the weekend playing catch with his son. The Steelers return to action at home this week against cross-state rival Philadelphia.
