MLB:
Cubs fans can now forget about billy goats and Bartman. The Curse has been laid to rest by Ben Zobrist.
The Cubs are World Series champions for the first time in 108 years after Zobrist delivered a tiebreaking double off losing pitcher Brian Shaw in the 10th inning to lead an 8-7 victory over the Indians in Cleveland. Zobrist is now the toast of Chicago and the World Series MVP, less than 11 months after signing a free-agent contract and one year after helping the Royals win the Fall Classic.
The rally began following a brief rain delay between the ninth and 10th innings. Kyle Schwarber got things started with a leadoff single before pinch-runner Albert Almora Jr. took second on a fly ball. Anthony Rizzo was walked intentionally to set up a potential inning-ending double play, but Zobrist ripped a base hit down the left-field line. Miguel Montero followed with an RBI single two batters later, a hit that would become crucial.
Fittingly, the Cubs won it the hard way. Carl Edwards Jr. was one out from earning the save until Rajai Davis poked an RBI single following a walk by Brandon Guyer. Davis also tied the game with an eighth-inning homer.
The Cubs also enjoyed leads of 5-1 and 6-3 before the Indians got to Aroldis Chapman in a three-run eighth. The game-tying rally began with an infield single by Jose Ramirez that skipped off of shortstop Javier Baez with two out. Guyer followed with an RBI double and scored on the home run by Davis.
Chapman managed to get credit for the victory by working a scoreless ninth in the Cubs' third consecutive win. Mike Montgomery got Michael Martinez to ground out to third, touching off celebrations throughout the Windy City.
Dexter Fowler, Javier Baez and David Ross supplied solo homers for Chicago, which trailed three games to one in the series. Fowler led off the game with a blast, Baez made it 4-1 in the fifth and Ross added an insurance blast the next inning.
It was 5-1 for the Cubs in the fifth until Jon Lester uncorked a wild pitch that allowed two runs to score. Lester entered the game with two runners on base and worked three innings after Kyle Hendricks pitched the first 4 2/3s.
Indians starter Corey Kluber struggled over four-plus innings after getting the victory in the opener and Game 4. Kluber was charged with four runs on six hits without striking out a batter.
It's the second time the Indians have lost Game 7 of a World Series in extra innings. They also did it in their last Fall Classic, losing to the Marlins in 1997. The latest setback continues a champion drought that began with their 1948 World Series win over the Boston Braves.
The Indians are the seventh team to lose a World Series after taking a three-games-to-one lead, and the first since the 1985 Cardinals against the Royals.
NHL:
In the NHL, Montreal beat Vancouver 3-0, Philadelphia topped Detroit 4-3, and it was Pittsburgh over Anaheim 5-1.
The Montreal Canadiens remain the NHL's only team without a regulation loss after Carey Price turned back 42 shots in their eighth straight win, 3-0 over the Canucks. Price picked up his first shutout of the season and bailed out the Canadiens while they played poorly over the first period. Nathan Beaulieu and Torrey Mitchell scored for Montreal before Alexander Radulov (RAD'-yoo-lahv) iced the victory with an empty-netter.
The Penguins have traded goaltender Mike Condon to the Senators for a 2017 fifth-round draft pick. Pittsburgh made the move as Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray returned to the ice after missing the start of the season with a broken hand suffered in the World Cup of Hockey. Condon appeared in just one game for the Penguins, stopping all seven shots he faced in a relief role against Nashville on Oct. 22.
NBA:
In the NBA, Brooklyn beat Detroit 109-101, Houston won against the Knicks 118-99, Boston topped Chicago 107-100, Toronto bested Washington 113-103, Charlotte defeated Philadelphia 109-93, the Lakers topped Atlanta 123-116, Memphis beat New Orleans 89-83, Utah won against Dallas 97-81, Phoenix squeaked by Portland in overtime 118-115, and it was Oklahoma City over the Clippers 85-83.
Boston Celtics center Al Horford sat out last night's game against the Chicago Bulls after being placed in the NBA's concussion protocol. The team says Horford reported being hit in the head Monday during practice, but did not exhibit any symptoms that evening or during a pre-practice period on Tuesday. But he was removed from practice later Tuesday after showing symptoms of a concussion.
NFL:
The Buffalo Bills released cornerback Marcus Roberson from the 53-man roster and signed safety Sergio Brown yesterday. Brown has played in 86 career games with 15 starts and has 106 tackles, 2 1-2 sacks, one interception, 10 passes defensed and four fumble recoveries. He spent last season with the Jaguars.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson says wide receiver Josh Huff is expected to play this week against the Giants despite his arrest on gun and drug charges. Huff was charged Tuesday with possession of a 9 mm handgun without a permit, and having a small amount of marijuana after he was pulled over for speeding on the New Jersey side of the Walt Whitman Bridge.
— Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday's game against Jacksonville after banging his head off the turf twice last week's game with the Colts. Nick Foles will start in his place and Tyler Bray will serve as the backup. Smith had concussion tests and was cleared after both hits against Indianapolis, but he thought it would be in the best interests of everyone if he took the weekend off.
— The New York Jets have signed free-agent C.J. Spiller to a contract that puts him in a backfield that includes Matt Forte and Bilal Powell. Spiller was released by Seattle last Wednesday after being signed Sept. 28. Spiller's best season was in 2012, when he ran for 1,244 yards and six touchdowns for Buffalo. He's reunited with Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was Spiller's head coach with the Bills.
— Carolina quarterback Cam Newton says he has spoken with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL') regarding concerned for his safety because of some of the hits he's been getting in games. Newton would not disclose details of the conversation, but says he got his point across and the commissioner got his across.
— Norv Turner has resigned as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, who have dropped two straight since a 5-0 start. Head coach Mike Zimmer says the former coach of the Redskins and Chargers told him he was quitting for the best interest of Turner and the team. Former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been picked to replace Turner.
NCAA:
Harvard University is investigating a document that was circulated by the 2012 men's soccer team making sexual comments about members of the women's soccer team. University President Drew Faust says she's asked school lawyers to conduct a review of the document, which was uncovered last week by The Harvard Crimson student newspaper.
Authorities say a college football player in New Jersey has been arrested on armed robbery charges after police say two students were approached by a man with a gun resulting in a campus lockdown. Monmouth County prosecutors say Monmouth University freshman Keith Williams, of Baltimore, was taken into custody Tuesday night. Bail was set at $100,000 cash.
It wasn't known Wednesday if the 18-year-old offensive lineman has a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. Authorities say two female students reported that a man wearing a hooded black sweatshirt and a stocking mask approached them around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday on the campus in West Long Branch. Authorities say the man pulled out a handgun and demanded their cellphones. The women ran and the suspect was captured a short time later in a dormitory.
The Associated Press has released its preseason All-America team. The first five features Duke's Grayson Allen, Cal's Ivan Rabb, Villanova's Josh Hart, Oregon's Dillon Brooks and Iowa State's Monte Morris. The top vote getter was Allen with 61, while Rabb got 57.
High School:
A longtime high school swim coach in Connecticut who was placed on leave when several of his swimmers became sick after practicing in an improperly chlorinated pool has been reinstated. The Stamford Advocate reports Rick Lewis, head coach of the Westhill-Stamford girls' co-op swimming and diving team, as well as his assistant, were reinstated Tuesday after they were cleared of wrongdoing.
Legal:
The embezzlement trial of the founder of a Rhode Island-based international sport institute is expected to resume after he was released from a hospital. The daughter of Dan Doyle, the founder of the Institute for International Sport, says he plans to return to court Thursday after being released from the University of Connecticut Health Center. Doyle, of West Hartford, Connecticut, faces 18 counts, including embezzlement and forgery.
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