MLB PLAYOFFS
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 tonight at 6:07. 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.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ third straight 100-win season led to a third consecutive postseason flop. A three-game Division Series sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks that ended with a 4-2 defeat highlighted how much expanded playoffs have devalued the regular season. Los Angeles has reached the playoffs in 11 straight years, the third-longest streak in major league history. The Dodgers won the NL West in 10 of those seasons, yet their only World Series in that span was following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
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.
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.
WNBA
A’ja Wilson scored 26 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and the Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 104-76 on Wednesday to take a 2-0 series lead in the WNBA Finals. Wilson finished 10 of 16 from the field on her way to recording her 26th double-double this season - including her fourth of the playoffs. Chelsea Gray also had a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists. Jackie Young finished with 24 points and Kelsey Plum had 23. Jonquel Jones (22), Breanna Stewart (14), Betnijah Laney (12), and Sabrina Ionescu (10) accounted for 76.3% of New York’s points, as the Liberty got just 18 points from six others who played.
NHL
David Pastrnak scored twice to give the Boston Bruins a 3-1 victory over Chicago and spoil the first career NHL goal for Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard. A year after setting NHL records for wins and points the Bruins won their season opener. Trent Frederic also scored for Boston and reigning Vezina Trophy-winner Linus Ullmark made 20 saves. Bruins top rookie Matthew Poitras assisted on Frederic’s goal for his first career NHL point.
Chicago Blackhawks rookie and No. 1 overall draft choice Connor Bedard scored his first NHL goal in the first period against the Boston Bruins. Bedard scored on a wraparound 5:37 into the game to give Chicago a 1-0 lead. He was assisted by Taylor Hall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, and Ryan Donato. The 18-year-old Bedard is the most anticipated NHL rookie in at least a decade. His arrival in Chicago is expected to elevate the Original Six team from the Central Division basement. He is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year.
NFL
In Thursday night football, Denver is at Kansas City at 8:15 tonight.
NBA PRESEASON
Boston 112 Philadelphia 101
L.A. Lakers 109 Sacramento 101
OLYMPICS
The family of Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton says she is “continuing to fight.” Retton is in intensive care at a Texas hospital with a rare form of pneumonia. Retton's oldest daughter Shayla Kelley Schrepfer says the family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for the 1984 Olympic gold medalist. The family has received more than $275,000 in donations to a fund intended to help Retton pay her medical bills. Schrepfer did not get into specifics of Retton's condition, saying it's a “day to day process.”
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
An independent panel has downgraded five Level I violations lodged by the NCAA against Kansas and basketball coach Bill Self. That effectively ends a long saga that began with a 2017 FBI investigation into college basketball corruption. Kansas will be required to remove its 2018 Final Four banner and vacate wins from the 2017-18 season in which Silvio De Sousa, a player central to the case, participated. The case against the Jayhawks hinged on whether representatives of the apparel company Adidas were considered boosters when two of them arranged payments to prospective recruits. Self served a school-imposed four-game suspension last season.
Southern California basketball coach Andy Enfield said Bronny James, the oldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, is “doing well” nearly three months after the prized recruit went into cardiac arrest while participating in a practice on campus. The coach didn’t offer any other details during Pac-12 media day in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old James went into cardiac arrest on July 24 as the team was holding offseason practices in preparation for a two-week European tour. LeBron James has said his son is progressing in his rehabilitation in hopes of playing for the Trojans this season.
CIVIL RIGHTS
A sculpture commemorating the famous 1967 meeting of Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and other athletes — now known as the Ali Summit — has been unveiled on the site of the original gathering. The carbon steel art piece is a representation of the press conference table where the Black athletes sat — a moment captured by an iconic photo. John Wooten was one of the attendees that day 56 years ago and he made his first visit back to the site for the unveiling. Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul Jabbar were also part of that initial meeting that was viewed as a turning point in the civil rights movement.
© 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
