October 10, 2019 3:55 am
UNDATED (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals have advanced to the National League Championship Series by putting together the most productive first inning in major league postseason history.
The Cardinals sent 14 batters to the plate while erupting for 10 runs on five hits, four walks and a huge error in the first inning of a 13-1 rout of the Braves in Game 5 of the NL Division Series in Atlanta. The Braves had a chance to get out of the frame trailing just 1-0, but first baseman Freddie Freeman botched a potential inning-ending double play grounder. Tommy Edman, Dexter Fowler and Kolten Wong provided two-run doubles following the error, allowing the Cardinals to turn the deciding game into a laugher. Pitcher Jack Flaherty walked with the bases loaded and Fowler reached base twice during the rally. Braves starting and losing pitcher Mike Foltynewicz retired just one batter while surrendering seven runs – six earned – on three hits and three walks. Max Fried (freed) allowed three runs in the first and was lifted to start the third inning with Atlanta trailing 11-0.
October 9, 2019 3:50 am
TAMPA BAY, Fla. (AP) – Willy Adames homered and made a sensational relay throw from shortstop, Tommy Pham also went deep and the wild-card Tampa Bay Rays chased Justin Verlander early and beat the Houston Astros 4-1 to even their AL Division Series at two games apiece on Tuesday night. Nick Anderson and four other relievers combined on a five-hitter to beat Verlander, who was pitching on short rest after dominating the wild-card Rays in Game 1 of the best of five series that shifts back to Houston for the decisive fifth game on Thursday. Verlander, whose eight career ALDS victories are a major league record, yielded three runs in the first inning. Adames homered leading off the fourth to make it 4-0, and the Houston ace didn’t make it through the rest of the inning. A fifth and deciding game will be Thursday evening in Houston.
October 8, 2019 3:49 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The New York Yankees have completed a playoff sweep of the Minnesota Twins and will advance to AL Championship Series. Gleyber Torres got New York going with a second-inning home run and scored on each of his two doubles, giving Luis Severino sufficient support and fueling the Yankees to a 5-1 victory over Minnesota. In Washington, Max Scherzer’s season-saving, seven-inning pitching performance and Ryan Zimmerman’s three-run homer lifted the wild-card Washington Nationals to a 6-1 victory over the league-best Los Angeles Dodgers to force a deciding Game 5 in their NL Division Series. They will face off on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The St. Louis Cardinals survived with a 5-4 win over the Atlanta Braves in the other NLDS contest. Yadier Molina hit a tying single in the eighth and a sacrifice fly in the 10th. The Tampa Bay Rays cut their AL Division Series deficit to 2-1 with 10-3 romp over the Houston Astros. Former Astros hurler Charlie Morton allowed one run and three hits while striking out nine over five innings. Astros manager AJ Hinch announced after the game that Houston will start Justin Verlander on three days of rest in Game 4 of the best-of-five matchup at Tropicana Field on Tuesday. Tampa Bay will use Diego Castillo as an opener.
October 8, 2019 3:47 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Richard Sherman has a strong message for anyone still doubting the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers. “Don’t flip-flop,” Sherman said after the 49ers thumped the Cleveland Browns 31-3 on Monday night. “If you said we weren’t going to make it, you said we were some way early on, stick with that position. Hold it. Don’t try to give us credit now. At least stick by your word because I want you to sound like an idiot at the end. We know what we have in the building.” What the 49ers have is their best start since Joe Montana was throwing touchdowns to Jerry Rice. But it wasn’t the passing game that carried San Francisco past Cleveland. A steady, pounding running game and a dominant defensive effort did the trick this time. Matt Breida ran 83 yards for a touchdown on San Francisco’s first play from scrimmage, Baker Mayfield was harassed into his worst game as a pro, and the 49ers stayed unbeaten for their best start in nearly 30 years. Even then, there were some questioning San Francisco’s legitimacy. “I feel like they’re going to say that all year about us,” said Breida, who had 114 yards on 11 carries. “I don’t think anyone expected us to be 4-0 this year, to be honest. Probably expected us to be 0-4. They can say whatever they want. All that matters is who’s in this locker room.” Tevin Coleman added a 19-yard score as part of a dominant ground game on a day when quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 181 yards and kicker Robbie Gould missed a pair of field goal attempts and had a third try blocked. San Francisco (4-0) joined the 5-0 New England Patriots as the only remaining undefeated teams in the NFL. It’s the first time the 49ers have won their first four games since 1990. “It’s a good start is really all it is,” Garoppolo said. “We have a good mindset in that locker room.” The Browns (2-3) are headed the opposite direction after losing two of three, with fresh concerns about their young quarterback.
October 8, 2019 3:46 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph appears on his way to recovery following a frightening hit against Baltimore that left him unconscious. Rudolph attended meetings with his teammates on Monday, though he remains in the concussion protocol. Pittsburgh could have to turn to rookie Devlin Hodges when it heads to Los Angeles next weekend to face the Chargers. Hodges played well in place of Rudolph, completing 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards in his first regular-season action.
October 7, 2019 3:48 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – After Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph was knocked unconscious by a head-high hit in the third quarter Sunday, Justin Tucker made a 46-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Baltimore Ravens past the Steelers 26-23 on Sunday. Baltimore (3-2) snapped a two-game skid when safety Marlon Humphrey stripped Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and recovered the fumble at the Pittsburgh 34. Tucker knocked through the winner four plays later. Lamar Jackson threw for 161 yards with a touchdown and three picks and also ran for a game-high 70 yards. Mark Ingram ran for a touchdown for the Ravens, who won in Pittsburgh (1-4) for the second straight season. Rudolph threw for 131 yards and a score before suffering a concussion following a hit to the chin by Baltimore safety Earl Thomas. Backup Devlin Hodges played admirably in Rudolph’s place, throwing for 68 yards and directing a pair of scoring drives after Rudolph’s exit. James Conner ran for 55 yards and a touchdown for Pittsburgh. Long one of the AFC’s most heated rivalries, the game took a turn in the third quarter with the Ravens leading 17-13. The Steelers were facing third-and-11 at the Pittsburgh 12 midway through the third quarter when Rudolph dropped back to pass. The play broke down and Rudolph scrambled to his left and stepped up field. He flicked the ball to teammate James Washington just before the crown of Thomas’ helmet hit Rudolph under the chin. Rudolph fell to the ground and lay on the field motionless for several minutes while several teammates became visibly upset as the stadium fell silent. Rudolph’s injury thrust Hodges, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Samford, into a role he couldn’t have envisioned when the Steelers signed him to be a “camp” arm before organized team activities. He played well in the preseason but didn’t make the cut only to find himself signed to the practice squad when Pittsburgh traded Josh Dobbs to Jacksonville. Hodges was elevated to backup status when Roethlisberger went down with an elbow injury. Rudolph was taken to the hospital for further evaluation but, according to reports, was released Sunday night and is resting at home. He is now in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
October 6, 2019 6:18 am
UNDATED (AP) – The New York Yankees have outscored the Minnesota Twins, 18-6 in taking the first two games of their AL Division Series. The Yankees followed Friday’s 10-4 win by erupting in the third inning of an 8-2 win over the Twins. Didi Gregorius had two hits and highlighted the Yankees’ seven-run third with a grand slam. Gleyber Torres and Brett Gardner provided RBI singles during the huge rally that chased Twins starting pitcher Randy Dobnak. Yanks starter Masahiro Tanaka struck out seven while holding Minnesota to a run and three hits over five innings. Minnesota also managed just three hits against the Yankees’ bullpen. Dobnak was reached for four runs and six hits over two-plus innings. The series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Monday as the Twins try to avoid elimination. Jake Odorizzi will start for the Twins against Luis Severino. Like the Yankees, the Astros enjoy a 2-0 lead in their AL Division series after holding off the Rays, 3-1. Gerrit Cole was dominant over 7 2/3 shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out 15. Cole’s performance comes after Justin Verlander tossed three-hit ball over seven scoreless frames to lead the Astros’ series-opening win. Alex Bregman broke a scoreless tie with a home run in the fourth off Rays starter Blake Snell, who was lifted from the game just one batter later. It remained a 1-0 game until Martin Maldonado poked an RBI single in the seventh, one inning before Carlos Correa’s single capped the scoring for the Astros. The Rays staged their only significant rally in the ninth, scoring on an RBI grounder before Robert Osuna before loading the bases for the second time in the inning. Will Harris followed Osuna and struck out Travis d’Arnaud before Kevin Kiermaier grounded out to end the game. Game 3 will be Monday in St. Petersburg. Zack Greinke will try to close it out for the Astros against Tampa Bay’s Charlie Morton.
October 4, 2019 3:49 am
SEATTLE (AP) – The Seattle Seahawks withstood a wild finish to beat the Los Angeles Rams, 30-29. Russell Wilson threw for four touchdowns, including a go-ahead, 5-yard pass to Chris Carson on fourth-and-goal with 2:28 remaining. The Rams had a chance to win it before Greg Zuerlein missed a 44-yard field goal with 11 seconds to play.
October 3, 2019 3:48 am
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Tampa Bay Rays are going to the American League Division Series after taking care of the Oakland Athletics in the wild-card game. Yandy Diaz homered twice and Avisail Garcia unloaded a two-run shot as the Rays downed the A’s, 5-1 in Oakland. Diaz became the third player to homer twice in a wild-card game, leading off the contest with a blast and adding a solo shot in his next at-bat. In between, Garcia delivered a two-run homer off Sean Manaea, who was tagged for all three homers and four runs in just two-plus innings. Charlie Morton picked up the win by limiting the A’s to an unearned run and five hits over five innings. Oakland’s run came on Ramon Laureano’s sacrifice fly in the third following a three-base throwing error by infielder Michael Brosseau. Brosseau had just moved from second the third base at the start of the inning. The outcome sends the Rays to Houston to take on the Astros, who finished with a major league-leading 107 wins during the regular season. The ALDS begins on Friday. The Athletics have lost nine straight winner-take-all games since 2000, going 1-15 with a chance to advance to the next round.
October 2, 2019 3:49 am
NEW YORK (AP) – San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane has been suspended for the first three games of the season for abuse of an official. The punishment handed out Tuesday comes after a run-in Kane had with Vegas’ Deryk Engelland in a preseason game on Sunday. Kane responded with a slash after being cross-checked by Engelland. His stick also made contact with linesman Kiel Murchison. Murchison later grabbed Kane’s jersey to split the two players up and the two fell to the ice. Kane then appeared to shove the linesman as he got up. Kane was given a game misconduct for the play. The Sharks open the season Wednesday night in Vegas and then host the Golden Knights on Friday night. Kane will also miss a game in Nashville on Oct. 8. Kane will forfeit more than $112,000 based on his annual salary because of the suspension.
