MLB:
Boston's season has come to an end, with the Red Sox swept out of the American League playoffs by Cleveland in a 4-3 contest last night at Fenway. Tyler Naquin hit a key two-run single while Josh Tomlin pitched five strong innings for the Indians, who move on to face Toronto in the AL championship series starting Friday. David Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth and later walked to prolong the Red Sox's eighth-inning rally. They were the last two at-bats of his major league career.
In the National League, Anthony Rendon belted a two-run homer and Jayson Werth went 3-for-4 with a solo shot and two RBIs as the Nationals whipped the Dodgers 8-3 to take a two-games-to-one lead in the National League Division Series. Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run double for the Nats, who also received 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. The Dodgers will try to extend the series when they host Washington on Tuesday.
The Chicago Cubs have never been accused of taking the easy path to a playoff series victory. Game 3 of their National League Division Series was proof of that, as if their 108-year championship drought wasn't a subtle reminder. Joe Panik prevented the Cubs from completing their first-ever postseason series sweep by lining an RBI double in the bottom of the 13th to give the Giants a 6-5 triumph in San Francisco. The Cubs blew a three-run lead, then tied it with a ninth-inning homer before Brandon Crawford and Panik hit back-to-back doubles to force a Game 4 later today. Panik's hit gives the Giants 10 straight victories when facing elimination.
Former Yankees player Nick Swisher has been spending this week as a guest instructor for the Yankees' instructional league team in Tampa, Florida. Swisher worked with players in the new indoor facility at the team's minor league complex and is expected to stay with the team through the week, when their season ends.
Tim Tebow's transition from football to baseball has taken him to the desert. Tebow participated in his first Arizona Fall League workout Monday night, taking the field with the Scottsdale Scorpions after his stint with the New York Mets' instructional league was cut short due to Hurricane Matthew. The former NFL quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner embarked on a professional baseball career last month when he signed a minor league contract with the Mets. Tebow homered on the first pitch of his instructional league debut in Florida, but the Arizona Fall League will be a step up in competition, filled with some of the top minor league players in baseball. Tebow's first AFL game will be Tuesday.
NFL:
In the NFL on Monday Night Football, Tampa Bay beat Carolina 17-14. Robert Aguayo drilled a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the Buccaneers the 17-14 victory over the Panthers in Charlotte. Jameis Winston was 18 of 30 for 219 yards and a touchdown as the Bucs improved to 2-3 and dropped the defending NFC champs to 1-4. Panthers quarterback Derek Anderson had 278 passing yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and one lost fumble while starting in place of Cam Newton.
Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says he expects quarterback Carson Palmer to pass the final stage of the concussion protocol Tuesday and face the Jets next Monday. Plamer missed Thursday's win over the 49ers due to a concussion suffered against the Rams on Oct. 2. Arians says he expects inside linebacker Kevin Minter to pass the protocol Tuesday as well.
New England Patriots receiver and special teams player Matthew Slater says "all is well" with the team now that Tom Brady is back following his four-game "Deflategate" suspension. Brady's return in Sunday's win over the Browns took the attention off kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who missed a field goal. The team says it still has confidence in Gostkowski.
The Buffalo Bills have activated offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson a week after he completed serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. In making the move Monday, the Bills placed safety Colt Anderson on injured reserve a day after he hurt his arm in a 30-19 win at Los Angeles. Henderson gets an opportunity to resume his career after having two operations on his intestines last offseason to reduce the effects of Crohn's disease. Henderson's agent, Brian Fettner, said his client tested positive for marijuana, which the player was using to treat the inflammatory bowel disease. Buffalo's 2014 seventh-round draft pick started 26 games at right tackle before being diagnosed with the disease last December. Buffalo (3-2) hosts San Francisco (1-4) on Sunday.
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has fired offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Marty Mornhinweg. The move comes a day after the sputtering Ravens failed to score a point on their last 10 possessions in a 16-10 loss to Washington. Washington entered with the game with the NFL's fourth-worst defense in total yardage allowed.
Broncos coach Gary Kubiak has been diagnosed with what the team is calling a complex migraine condition that causes fatigue and body weakness. Kubiak was hospitalized about 45 minutes after Denver's 23-16 loss to the Falcons.
NBA:
In the NBA preseason, the Knicks beat Washington 90-88, Atlanta won against Cleveland 99-93, San Antonio bested Detroit 86-81, Utah topped the Clippers 96-94, Charlotte beat Minnesota 98-86, and it was Sacramento over Maccabi Haifa 135-96.
NBA star Derrick Rose is set to return to the witness stand in a $21 million lawsuit that alleges he and two friends raped an incapacitated woman. Before Rose retakes the stand Tuesday, a judge will consider a mistrial request from Rose's lawyer. The lawyer says the other side failed to reveal a text message that was relevant to the case until it came up Friday. Rose had to miss the New York Knicks' preseason game with the Washington Wizards Monday night in order to get to court Tuesday. When Rose first took the stand Friday, he testified that he had received sexual text messages from the woman throughout the day in August, 2013 when the alleged rape occurred. Rose said he took those messages as consent for sex.
NHL:
NHL teams are making their final roster moves as they pare down to their opening night rosters, with the New York Islanders putting forward Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau on waivers. The move comes three months after Parenteau was signed to a $1.25 million one-year contract.
The Calgary Flames and forward Johnny Gaudreau have worked out a six-year, $40.5 million package. Gaudreau had 30 goals and a team-high 78 points in 79 games last season before becoming a restricted free agent in July. He finished sixth in the NHL points race last season and was fourth in the Lady Byng voting.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby could miss the start of the upcoming NHL season after being diagnosed with at least his third concussion. Pens coach Mike Sullivan said Crosby was concussed during Friday's practice and that there is no timetable for his return. Crosby just led Team Canada to the World Cup title after winning the Stanley Cup and capturing the Conn Smythe (smyth) Trophy as the playoff MVP in June.
NCAA:
Maine's mascot missed last weekend's men's hockey game, with the university saying he was riding in a car as the driver was arrested on a drunk driving charge on the way to the contest. The driver was a UMaine student while the mascot is a former student. The matter has been referred to the school's student conduct office.
The Big Ten has landed four teams among the top-10 in The Associated Press football poll for the first time since 1960. Second-ranked Ohio State leads conference bragging rights, followed by fourth-ranked Michigan, No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 10 Nebraska. Alabama retains the top spot after garnering 56 first-place votes. The Buckeyes and third-ranked Clemson each picked up two first-place votes, one more than the Wolverines. Washington is fifth, followed by Texas A&M, Louisville, the Badgers and Tennessee.
PGA:
Tiger Woods has delayed his comeback by pulling out of this weekend's Safeway Open, saying his health is good but his game isn't where it needs to be. The former No. 1 golfer and 14-game major champion also pulled out of the Turkish Airlines Open scheduled for next month and said he plans to play at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first weekend of December. Woods last played on 14 months ago, a month before undergoing back surgery.
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