Alvarez hits 3-run HR vs Ray in 9th, Astros jolt M's in ALDS
HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez smashed a game-ending, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning off Robbie Ray, wrecking Seattle’s strategy of using a Cy Young Award winner in a rare relief role and vaulting the Houston Astros over the Mariners 8-7 in their playoff opener. Trailing all game after a poor start by Justin Verlander, the AL West champion Astros overtook rookie star Julio Rodríguez and the wild-card Mariners at the end to begin their best-of-five Division Series. Houston was down 7-5 when rookie pinch-hitter David Hensley was hit by a pitch from Seattle closer Paul Sewald and Jeremy Peña singled with two outs. Mariners manager Scott Servais then made the bold move to bring in Ray. Alvarez homered on Ray's second pitch.
Turner, Dodgers start fast, hold off Padres in NLDS opener
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trea Turner homered and doubled as the Los Angeles Dodgers started fast and held off the San Diego Padres 5-3 in their NL Division Series opener. The Dodgers raced to an early 5-0 lead and appeared to be on their way to another blowout of the Padres. Los Angeles dominated in the regular season, owning a 14-5 advantage and outscoring San Diego 109-47. The 111-win Dodgers claimed the NL West and the Padres finished second, 22 games back. With Sandy Koufax watching from the owners’ box, 17-game winner Julio Urías retired the first eight batters. Chris Martin pitched a scoreless ninth for Los Angeles. Struggling closer Craig Kimbrel was left off the Dodgers’ roster for this best-of-five matchup. Game 2 is Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Cole cruises, Bader, Rizzo bash, Yanks beat Guardians 4-1
NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole cruised for most of the night, Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo homered and the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in their AL Division Series opener. Not even another Josh Donaldson baserunning blunder could slow the Yankees, who have won six straight postseason games against Cleveland dating to a comeback from a two games to none deficit in the 2017 Division Series
Draymond Green fined but not suspended, set to rejoin team
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Draymond Green has been fined but won’t be suspended by the Golden State Warriors for a violent punch to the face of teammate Jordan Poole last week. Coach Steve Kerr said after a preseason win against Portland that Green would return to practice Thursday then play for the defending NBA champions against the Nuggets on Friday night and again in the season opener Tuesday against the Lakers. Kerr, general manager Bob Myers and players have met to decide how to best proceed, including Green and Poole talking to each other.
AP source: NFL to discuss roughing calls, no change imminent
A person with directly knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press that the NFL did not give officials a directive to emphasize roughing-the-passer penalties following Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion, but the topic will be discussed next week when NFL owners meet in New York. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are internal. The person said the league isn’t planning to make any rule changes amid outrage over two disputed calls in Week 5. Roughing-the-passer penalties are down 45% from this point last year. Through Week 5 in 2021, 51 were called. Only 28 have been called this season, according to league stats.
Castellanos' bat, glove help Phillies top Braves 7-6 in NLDS
ATLANTA (AP) — Nick Castellanos drove in three runs and made a potentially game-saving catch in the ninth inning, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies over the reigning World Series champion Atlanta Braves 7-6 in the opener of their NL Division Series. The Phillies have won three straight games to begin these playoffs, hardly looking like a team making its first postseason appearance since 2011. They followed up their wild-card sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a victory over the team that finished 14 games ahead of them in the NL East. It wasn’t easy. Matt Olson hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Zach Eflin to bring the Braves within a run.
MLB Playoffs: Phillies, Dodgers take early NLDS leads
Nick Castellanos and the Philadelphia Phillies can put the defending World Series champion Braves on the brink of elimination. Same for the Dodgers against the rival Padres. Meanwhile, the Mariners and Guardians get a day to shake off tough losses to the Astros and Yankees, respectively. The National League Division Series pitting Phillies vs. Braves and Padres vs. Dodgers are set for their second games Wednesday, while the American League clubs get a day off. Castellanos carried a big load with his bat in a 7-6 Game 1 victory Tuesday over Atlanta. But despite driving in three runs, his glovework was what really had people talking.
Ex-Angels employee gets 22 years in Skaggs overdose death
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A former Los Angeles Angels employee has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for providing Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs the drugs that led to his overdose death in Texas. Eric Kay didn’t react when U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means read the sentence. Kay faced at least 20 years in prison on one of the two counts. There was no reaction from Skaggs’ widow and mother or members of Kay’s family. One of Kay's sons testified on his behalf. The 27-year-old Skaggs choked to death on his vomit with a toxic mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone in his system.
Paulson steps away as CEO of Timbers, Thorns amid scandal
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Merritt Paulson has removed himself as chief operating officer of the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer and the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. Paulson’s move comes in the wake of an investigation that found abusive behavior, misconduct and administrative failure throughout the NWSL. The club dismissed a pair of executives last week in response to the investigation. Paulson previously stepped away from day-to-day operation of the Thorns.
NFL keeping watch on return of HBCUs to national prominence
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An uptick in national prominence for programs at historically Black colleges and universities has caught the eyes of NFL evaluators. During the 1960s, the Kansas City Chiefs realized quicker than any team in the AFL or NFL that players coming out of HBCUs were really good. So they drafted them, and Buck Buchanan and Emmitt Thomas and the many others helped to form the backbone of two Super Bowl teams. That’s why it made some poetic sense when Kansas City used a fourth-round pick last April on defensive back Joshua Williams. It was the highest pick of any team in several years used on an HBCU player.