MLB:
Jake Arrieta was back in 2015 form Wednesday in Cleveland. So was Kyle Schwarber as the Chicago Cubs earned a 5-1 victory over the Indians to even the World Series at a game apiece.
Arrieta had a no-hitter until Jason Kipnis hit a one-out double in the sixth. Kipnis came around to score on a wild pitch, moments before Mike Napoli singled to end Arrieta's night after 5 2/3 innings.
Arrieta struck out six and walked three in addition to allowing two hits.
Schwarber was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles following a 1-for-3 performance in his return to the lineup in Game 1 on Tuesday. Schwarber missed the entire National League playoffs and all but two regular-season games after tearing knee ligaments on April 7 at Arizona.
Ben Zobrist added a run-scoring single and was 2-for-4 after collecting three hits in the opener. Anthony Rizzo lined an RBI double and scored twice in the Cubs' first World Series victory since Game 6 of the 1945 Fall Classic against the Tigers.
Addison Russell worked out a bases-loaded walk in a three-run fifth that put the Cubs ahead 5-0.
Mike Montgomery and Aroldis Chapman combined to blank the Indians on two hits while striking out six over 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief.
Losing pitcher Trevor Bauer was reached for two runs on six hits and two walks before leaving with two out in the fourth.
The teams have a day off Thursday before resuming the Fall Classic Friday at Wrigley Field. Kyle Hendricks will take the mound for Chicago in Game 3 against Josh Tomlin.
Indians skipper Terry Francona has announced that Game 1 winner Corey Kluber will start Game 4 on Saturday in Chicago.
Elsewhere:
David Ortiz is heading into retirement with some more hardware. The Boston Red Sox slugger captured the Hank Aaron Award as the top hitter in the American League this season. Budding Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant was honored as the top hitter in the National League.
A search warrant affidavit says the bodies of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez and two of his friends had a strong odor of alcohol on them when they were recovered by divers following a boat crash off Miami Beach. The warrant released by the Miami-Dade state attorney's office also says investigators found evidence that the boat was speeding when it slammed into a jetty Sept. 25. The affidavit says officials found a receipt for alcohol from American Social Bar & Kitchen, where the trio had been before the crash.
There's some good news on baseball's labor front. Commissioner Rob Manfred is hopeful an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached before the current deal expires Dec. 1. Negotiators for management and the players' association have been meeting in New York this week. The 2006 contract was announced during the World Series, and the 2011 agreement on Nov. 22. Manfred said whether an agreement is reached during this year's Fall Classic "depends on how long the World Series goes."
NBA:
In the NBA, Boston won against Brooklyn 122-117, Miami bested Orlando 108-96, Indiana beat Dallas 130-121 in overtime, Toronto won against Detroit 109-91, Oklahoma City defeated Philadelphia 103-97, Memphis squeaked by Minnesota 102-98, Charlotte won against Milwaukee 107-96, Denver topped New Orleans 107-102, Sacramento beat Phoenix 113-94, and it was the Lakers over Houston 120-114.
Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin is donating $1 million to Harvard that will help pay for renovation of the school's basketball arena and for undergraduate financial aid. Lin says his time at Harvard prepared him to be successful both on and off the court. He says he wanted to put the same opportunities within reach of other deserving students. Lin was in Boston with the Nets to play the Celtics in the teams' NBA openers.
Mike Conley scored 24 points and David Fizdale won his NBA head coaching debut as Memphis downed Minnesota, 102-98. Marc Gasol chipped in 18 points and Zach Randolph added 19 and 11 boards for the Grizzlies. Conley and Gasol led a push down the stretch as the Grizzlies erased a 90-86 deficit the final 2:44.
NHL:
In the NHL, the Rangers topped Boston 5-2, Montreal edged the Islanders 3-2, Edmonton won against Washington 4-1, and it was Anaheim over Nashville 6-1.
The Montreal Canadiens remain the only NHL team without a regulation loss as they improved to 6-0-1 with their fifth straight win, a 3-2 decision over the New York Islanders. Shea Weber snapped a 2-2 tie by scoring a power-play goal with 2:57 remaining. Al Montoya stopped 26 shots in his first start since Oct. 18 as the Canadiens beat the Isles for the seventh straight time.
NCAA:
Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner, who met in last season's Northeast Conference Tournament title game, are the coaches' choices for the top two spots in the preseason poll. Defending champion FDU received six first-place votes in the balloting while the Seahawks got the other four. Bryant is third in the voting and LIU Brooklyn and Mount St. Mary's tied for fourth. Robert Morris is sixth followed by St. Francis Brooklyn, Sacred Heart, Saint Francis U. and Central Connecticut.
The 2018 Maui Invitational field will include eight Division I programs for the first time, with host Chaminade moving to the opening round every other year. Chaminade has hosted the tournament since its inception in 1984, but will now play in the opening round in alternating years, starting in 2018. The 2018 field includes five-time Maui Invitational champion Duke and two-time champion Arizona. It also will include 2009 champion Gonzaga, Xavier, San Diego State, Auburn, Illinois and Iowa State. This year's tournament includes North Carolina, UConn, Oregon, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Georgetown.
NFL:
On Thursday Night Football, Jacksonville is in Tennessee to take on the Titans at 8:25 p.m.
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy spent practice working out on his own to test a nagging left hamstring injury, leaving his playing status uncertain against New England on Sunday. Coach Rex Ryan says the team's top offensive threat will be monitored through the week.
New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall and center Nick Mangold were among 12 players who sat out practice yesterday. Marshall has been dealing with a sore foot for a few weeks. Mangold sprained his right ankle against Baltimore last Sunday and was walking gingerly through the locker room yesterday with the ankle wrapped.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo took part in throwing drills at practice Wednesday for the first time since he broke a bone in his back in a preseason game at Seattle in August. The 36-year-old worked in several individual drills in shorts and a T-shirt while his teammates were in full pads. The Cowboys have won five straight with Dak Prescott behind center. He will be facing fellow rookie starter Carson Wentz of the Eagles on Sunday.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to knee and pectoral injuries. It's the first time this season that Wilson has not been a full participant in practice. He suffered a sprained ankle and sprained knee in games earlier in the season but still managed to participate fully in practices during the week.
Empire State Winter Games:
The Empire State Winter Games has landed a sponsor and is adding two new sports for the upcoming competition in February. Community Bank will be the title sponsor for 2017. The 37th edition of the Empire State Winter Games will feature mogul skiing and a new "Marathon Skate" event on Mirror Lake.
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