Kyle Wright threw six brilliant innings to outduel Zack Wheeler, and the Atlanta Braves evened their NL Division Series at one game apiece with a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. After rain delayed the first pitch by nearly three hours, Wright surrendered just two hits. He claimed the win when the Braves got to Wheeler for three runs in their half of the sixth. This was a game the reigning World Series champions had to have after losing the best-of-five series opener, 7-6. They had the right guy on the mound. Wright led the majors with 21 wins during the regular season.
Manny Machado homered early and added an RBI double off Clayton Kershaw, and Jurickson Profar singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to even their NL Division Series at a game apiece. Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Trea Turner went deep for the Dodgers, but LA couldn't come up with its usual clutch hitting despite numerous chances. The best-of-five series shifts to San Diego for Game 3 on Friday. A goose landed in shallow right field in the eighth inning, causing a brief delay while the grounds crew chased it down.
To the American League Playoffs where Seattle is at Houston at 3:37 p.m. for Game 2. Houston leads the series 1-0.
Elswhere, Cleveland is at Yankee Stadium to take on the Bombers in Game 2 at 7P:37 p.m. New York leads the series 1-0.
NHL
David Pastrnak had a goal and three assists to help the Boston Bruins beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 in each team's season opener. Pastrnak assisted on captain Patrice Bergeron’s goal on the power play with the initial shot that turned into a juicy rebound and set up Taylor Hall for his with a perfect pass into the middle of the ice. Boston went up 3-0 and allowed consecutive Washington goals before holding on to win. Darcy Kuemper allowed four goals his Capitals debut less than three months since backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup. Washington's power play came up empty on four opportunities.
Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin each scored two power-play goals, Mikko Rantanen had four assists and the fast-skating Colorado Avalanche began their Stanley Cup title defense with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Shortly after raising their newest banner to the rafters, the Avalanche went to work. Andrew Cogliano scored Colorado’s first goal of the season, the only goal in the game that wasn’t on the power play. Nathan MacKinnon, fresh off a new lucrative contract, contributed two assists, while new goaltender Alexandar Georgiev stopped 15 shots. Jonathan Toews and Max Domi had goals as Luke Richardson made his coaching debut for the Blackhawks.
Connor McDavid had three goals and an assist and the Edmonton Oilers overcame an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Wednesday night. Leon Draisaitl added a goal and two assists and Darnell Nurse also scored for the Oilers in the opener for both teams. Jack Campbell made 33 saves. Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Andrei Kuzmenko — in his NHL debut — scored for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko stopped 20 shots.
NFL
Defensive players around the NFL are frustrated about roughing-the-passer penalties, questioning what constitutes a legal hit and wondering how far referees will go to protect quarterbacks. Two disputed calls in Week 5 sparked outrage among players, coaches and fans, prompting many to ask for change. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told The Associated Press he would support video reviews for these penalties. Despite the outcry, 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.
Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams has been charged with misdemeanor assault for shoving a photographer to the ground as he left the field following a loss at Kansas City. Kansas City, Missouri, police said Adams pushed Ryan Zebley to the ground while running off the field following the Raiders’ 30-29 loss to the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night. Police called it an “intentional, overt act” that caused whiplash, a headache and a possible minor concussion. Adams apologized in his postgame comments to the media and later on Twitter.
Zion Williamson had a simple message after New Orleans’ preseason game in Miami on Wednesday night. “I’m fine,” he said. For those who saw the Pelicans’ power forward roll his left ankle in the second quarter of the game, Williamson was delivering excellent news. Williamson — who didn’t play at all last season because of problems with his right foot — got hurt on a play where he grabbed a rebound, brought the ball downcourt, split multiple Heat defenders and got to the rim. His left ankle simply appeared to buckle as he planted, without making contact with any other player.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to practice Wednesday in a limited capacity. He will not play Sunday against the Vikings. Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol since Sept. 29 when he took a hit against the Cincinnati Bengals and had to be stretchered off the field and taken to a hospital. Tagovailoa hadn't practiced since then. He took hard hits in successive games, and the NFL's concussion protocol was subsequently changed to address the symptoms he had during a loss to the Bills. Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson will start Sunday against the Vikings as Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater advance through the concussion protocol.
TENNIS
A Melbourne-based immigration lawyer says Novak Djokovic will likely be successful if he applies for a visa to enter Australia for the season-opening tennis major next year despite his high-profile deportation in January. Djokovic has won nine Australian Open championships among his 21 major titles. But he wasn’t allowed to defend his title this year after a 10-day legal saga over his COVID-19 vaccination status that culminated with his visa being revoked on the eve of the tournament. That means he could face an exclusion period of up to three years. But Australian Border Force officials have said exclusion periods can be waived. Immigration lawyer Kon-ming Tsai says it would “be in Australia’s best interests” to allow Djokovic entry for the 2023 tournament.
