MLB
Jack Flaherty combined on a three-hitter and Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers tied the postseason record of 33 consecutive scoreless innings by routing the New York Mets 9-0 last night in the National League Championship Series opener. Los Angeles knocked out a wild Kodai Senga in the second inning, built a six-run lead by the fourth and matched the scoreless record set by the Baltimore Orioles over the first four games of the 1966 World Series against the Dodgers. Backed by chants of “MVP! MVP!,” Shohei Ohtani was 2 for 4 with a walk while scoring two runs and driving in another. Game 2 is 4:08 this afternoon in L.A.
Shohei Ohtani was caught stealing for the first time in nearly three months, ending a streak of 36 consecutive successful stolen base attempts. Ohtani was thrown out trying for second base by New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ final out of the second inning in the NL Championship Series opener. San Francisco’s Patrick Bailey had been the last catcher to throw out Ohtani, on July 22, also at second base. Ohtani finished 2 for 4 with a walk while scoring two runs and driving in another in the Dodgers' 9-0 rout.
Elsewhere, the American League Championship Series gets under way tonight, with the Guardians and Yankees facing off at 7:38 in the Bronx.
WNBA
Breanna Stewart scored 21 points and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added 20 to help the New York Liberty beat the Minnesota Lynx 80-66 Sunday in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals. The win evened the series at a game apiece as it shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 at 8 Wednesday night. Just like Game 1, New York built a double-digit lead in the first half, only to see it evaporate. This time they didn’t completely collapse. Minnesota was down nine early in the fourth before getting within 68-66 on Courtney Williams’ layup with 3:40 left in the game. Those were the last points Minnesota would score.
NFL
Joe Burrow scored on a career-long 47-yard run on the opening possession, and the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense carried them to a much-needed 17-7 victory over the New York Giants. Evan McPherson made a go-ahead 37-yard field goal in the third quarter after a botched snap and hold contributed to him missing a potential game-winning kick a week earlier. And Chase Brown scored on a 30-yard run with 1:52 to play to give the Bengals some hope after a dismal start to the season. Cincinnati is now 2-4. The Giants fell to 2-4 and they are winless in three home games with one touchdown.
Drake Maye's performance in the New England Patriots' 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans provided a jolt of energy for a 1-5 team. The rookie made his first start and finished 22 of 30 for 243 yards with an 88.3 passer rating. With three touchdown passes, the 22-year-old exceeded the five-game total of Jacoby Brissett, whose ineffectiveness prompted Patriots coach Jerod Mayo to switch to the rookie. Maye was the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft. Receiver DeMario Douglas says Maye “gained confidence throughout the game.”
Jared Goff threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns after his completion streak ended on his first throw, and the Detroit Lions blew out Dallas 47-9. It was a fourth consecutive lopsided loss at home for the Cowboys. David Montgomery had two rushing TDs for the Lions. Detroit lost pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to an injury to his left tibia that will require surgery. Dak Prescott threw two interceptions in the worst home loss since 1988 for the Cowboys. Dallas is 0-3 at home and 3-0 on the road.
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was carted off the field with a serious injury to his left tibia on a sack of Dallas’ Dak Prescott. Lions coach Dan Campbell said after Sunday's 47-9 win over the Cowboys that Hutchinson will stay in the Dallas area for surgery. Hutchinson’s leg appeared to snap above the ankle when it collided with the left leg of teammate Alim McNeill as Hutchinson was pulling Prescott down in the third quarter. There was a delay of about 10 minutes as medical personnel tended to Hutchinson while players from both teams made a large circle around him.
Jalen Hurts threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 45-yard toss to DeVonta Smith in the fourth quarter, and the ragged Philadelphia Eagles held off the Cleveland Browns 20-16. Hurts also threw a 22-yard TD to A.J. Brown, who returned along with Smith after both wide receivers missed time with injuries. The Eagles improved to 3-2 coming off their bye, while the Browns fell to 1-5. Cleveland got its only touchdown on a blocked field goal by Myles Garrett that Rodney McLeod Jr. returned for a score. Quarterback Deshaun Watson had another ineffective game for the Browns.
Caleb Williams threw four touchdown passes — two each to receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Cole Kmet — and the Chicago Bears held a tea party celebration in the end zone in a 35-16 rout of the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Along with the rookie quarterback’s big day, Kmet chipped in by handling emergency long-snapping duties as the Bears (4-2) won their third straight game for the first time in nearly four years. The Jags fell to 1-5.
Romeo Doubs returned from a one-game suspension and caught two of Jordan Love’s four touchdown passes in the Green Bay Packers’ 34-13 victory over the mistake-prone Arizona Cardinals. Doubs missed the Packers’ 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams for conduct detrimental to the team after missing two practices. He scored Sunday on receptions of 10 and 20 yards. Love also threw touchdown passes of 5 yards to Jayden Reed and 44 yards to Christian Watson while going 22 of 32 for 258 yards with one interception. His four touchdown passes matched a career high.
Joe Flacco threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 20-17 win Sunday over the Tennessee Titans. The Colts got a much-needed split of back-to-back road games inside the AFC South with second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson scratched again with an injured right hip. The battered Colts also had 2021 NFL rushing champ Jonathan Taylor out for a second straight game. The Titans (1-4) now have lost three straight to their division rival. They will have to wait until November to try and win their first home game this season for first-year coach Brian Callahan.
Baker Mayfield overcame three turnovers with 325 yards and four touchdowns passing, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 51-27 in what they hoped would be a morale boost to their many fans who endured Hurricane Milton. The result blemished rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler’s first NFL start for New Orleans, which has lost four straight after opening the season with a pair of lopsided victories. The Bucs escaped Milton's path by leaving Tampa Bay on Tuesday and practiced in New Orleans all week. They responded by putting up big numbers in the Superdome. Tampa Bay rushed for 277 yards and finished with 594 yards. Rattler passed for 243 yards and a TD but was intercepted twice.
Justin Herbert led a methodical Chargers offense to a 23-16 win over the Broncos after star cornerback Patrick Surtain II was concussed on Denver's first defensive snap. Without Surtain, the Broncos couldn't consistently get the Chargers' offense off the field. Herbert led the Chargers to scores on their first four drives and their only possession that ended without points came on the quarterback's kneel-down just before halftime. The Chargers moved into second place in the AFC West. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh missed the start while being evaluated, but returned in the first quarter.
Najee Harris finally found his form after a slow start to the season, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown to lift the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 32-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Harris exceeded 100 yards for the first time since ending last season with back-to-back such performances. Quarterback Justin Fields added 59 yards on the ground and two TDs, though he passed for just 145 yards. Pittsburgh had its highest-scoring game since last season as it stopped a two-game skid to improve to 4-2. Aidan O'Connell finished 27 of 40 for 227 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception for the Raiders.
Bijan Robinson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns, Tyler Allgeier added 105 yards rushing and a score and the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Carolina Panthers 38-20 on Sunday for their third straight win over an NFC South foe in three weeks. Kirk Cousins completed 19 of 30 passes for 225 yards and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Drake London. Andy Dalton finished 26 of 38 for 221 yards with two touchdowns passes and two fourth-quarter interceptions for the Panthers (1-5), who have lost three straight.
Lamar Jackson threw for 323 yards and a touchdown to outshine rookie Jayden Daniels and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Washington Commanders 30-23 for their fourth consecutive victory. Washington's winning streak ended at four. Derrick Henry ran for 132 yards and scored his NFL-leading eighth and ninth TDs. Mark Andrews found the end zone for the first time this season with a 13-yard reception from Jackson. Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on two TDs but the Commanders struggled to get much of a running game going and could not contain Jackson and Henry.
The Bills and the Jets were off and will face off in Monday night football at 8:15 tonight in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kyle Connor scored a power-play goal 51 seconds into overtime and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 for their season-opening third straight win. Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist in his 800th NHL game and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots as the Jets won their second straight in overtime. Jake Middleton scored for Minnesota, and Filip Gustavsson finished with 33 saves.
Sam Steel and Wyatt Johnston scored 14 seconds apart late in the first period, Casey DeSmith made 25 saves for his 11th career shutout in his Dallas debut and the Stars beat the Seattle Kraken 2-0. It was the second shutout in two nights for the Stars as No. 1 goalie Jake Oettinger blanked the New York Islanders on Saturday night. Steel was alone at the back post to poke a cross-ice pass from Colin Blackwell behind Philipp Grubauer with 3:43 remaining in the first. Johnston snapped a wrister home stick side at 13 seconds later following a drop pass from Jamie Benn. Grubauer finished with 21 saves.
Rasmus Andersson had a goal and two assists, and the Calgary Flames beat the winless Edmonton Oilers 4-1 to remain undefeated. Anthony Mantha, Justin Kirkland and Connor Zary also scored for the Flames, who improved to 3-0-0. Dan Vladar stopped 24 shots. Jeff Skinner scored for the Oilers, who are 0-3-0 after beginning last season at 2-9-1 before rebounding to make it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton has been outscored 15-3 in the first three games, all at home. Stuart Skinner had 25 saves for the Oilers.
Brett Howden, Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev each scored a goal and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. Ilya Samsonov had 22 saves for Vegas. Troy Terry scored the lone goal for the Ducks and James Reimer made 29 saves. Vegas improved to 3-0-0 in its first three games for the fifth time since it joined the NHL in 2017. The Knights also improved to 24-7-1 all-time against the Ducks, including a 14-3-0 mark in Vegas.
SOCCER
Mateusz Bogusz scored 35 seconds into the match, Ilie Sánchez found the net during second-half stoppage time, and Los Angeles FC pulled out a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps. Bogusz used assists from David Martínez and Olivier Giroud to score his career-high 15th goal of the season for LAFC (18-8-7). Martínez notched his fourth assist in his 16th career appearance and Giroud picked up his third in his ninth career appearance. Sebastian Berhalter pulled Vancouver (13-12-8) even in the 62nd minute when he scored off a free kick. It was his second goal of the season and the fourth of his career. The kick came after a hand ball foul on LAFC midfielder Sergi Palencia.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Oregon and Penn State each moved up a spot in The Associated Press college football poll following thrilling wins in high-profile games. AP Top 25 newcomers Navy and Army are in the rankings together for the first time since 1960. Texas strengthened its hold on No. 1 with its 31-point win over Oklahoma. The Longhorns received 56 of 62 first-place votes, four more than last week. Oregon’s 32-31 win over Ohio State moved the Ducks to No. 2 for their highest ranking since the 2014 season. Penn State rose to No. 3 with a 33-30 overtime win at Southern California.
NASCAR
Kyle Larson raced to his Cup Series-high sixth victory of the season Sunday to easily advance to the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs, winning on the hybrid road course/oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson led a race-high 62 laps in the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, beating Christopher Bell by 1.511 seconds. It was Larson’s second victory of the playoffs, but he’s the first championship-eligible driver to win in the round of 12. The playoff field was cut from 12 drivers to eight, and among those knocked out were Hendrick driver Alex Bowman for failing post-race inspection, Team Penske driver Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse Racing and Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing. Three of the four Hendrick drivers advanced.
GOLF
Matt McCarty started the year on the Korn Ferry Tour. Now he's going to the Masters and two other majors. His dream season hit a peak when McCarty won the Black Desert Championship by three shots over Stephan Jaeger. The victory comes with an invitation to the Masters and a spot in the PGA Championship. He already was in the U.S. Open from leading the Korn Ferry Tour points list. The biggest shot in his closing 67 was when his lead was down to one shot. McCarty hit 3-wood to about 3 feet for eagle on the reachable par-4 14th.
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