MLB-WORLD SERIES
You can cross the Houston Astros off the list of major league teams without a World Series title.
The Astros are champions in their 56th big league season following a 5-1 win over the Dodgers in Game 7 at Los Angeles. They did it with another big homer from George Springer and an outstanding performance from their bullpen.
Houston was able to coast after scoring five times off losing pitcher Yu Darvish, who was lifted after just 1 2/3 innings for the second consecutive start. The Astros scored twice in the top of the first on an error by first baseman Cody Bellinger and an RBI grounder. Pitcher Lance McCullers later drove in a run with a second-inning grounder before Springer's two-run homer made it 5-0 later in the inning, chasing Darvish.
Springer tied a World Series record with five home runs. He also became the first place to homer in four consecutive games during the same Fall Classic.
Springer was named the World Series MVP. Springer has a capital connection having played for the tri-city Valley Cats.
Darvish also was lifted with two out in the second inning of Game 3, which the Astros won 5-3. His ERA for the series is 21.60.
McCullers also received a quick hook, although he left with a 5-0 lead after allowing three hits over 2 1/3 innings. It was the first time neither starting pitcher got past the third inning in Game 7 of a World Series game, but that didn't matter once the Astros' relievers began to frustrate the Dodgers.
Andre Ethier ended Houston's series-clinching shutout bid with an RBI single in the sixth. It was the final hit of the year for the Dodgers as Houston's pen retired its final 11 hitters to wrap up the series.
Winning pitcher Charlie Morton closed it out with four innings of one-run relief.
NBA-SCHEDULE
The Cleveland Cavaliers held a lengthy meeting before Wednesday's game against the Indiana Pacers after falling under .500. It didn't help.
The Pacers shot 16-for-28 from 3-point range and handed the Cavs their fourth consecutive loss, 124-107. Thaddeus Young led Indiana's offense with 26 points and Darren Collison added 25.
The Cavaliers lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped to 3-5 overall despite LeBron James' 33 points and 11 assists.
Meanwhile, things continue to look up for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ben Simmons came within one assist of a triple-double, finishing with 19 points and 13 boards in Philadelphia's third straight win, 119-109 over the stumbling Hawks. Joel Embiid had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who also received 22 points from Robert Covington to reach the .500 mark for the first time in four years.
Dennis Schroder scored 25 points in the Hawks' seventh straight loss since a season-opening win.
Checking out the rest of Wednesday's NBA schedule:
— The Celtics cruised to their sixth consecutive victory as Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points in three quarters of a 113-86 thumping of the Kings. Daniel Theis had 10 points with 10 rebounds in Boston's 11th straight win over the Kings.
— James Harden hit six of the Rockets' 19 3-pointers and contributed 31 points with nine assists in a 119-97 rout of the Knicks. Ryan Anderson added 21 points in Houston's eighth straight win at Madison Square Garden.
— The Clippers rolled past the Mavericks as Blake Griffin scored 20 points and Austin Rivers had 19 in a 119-98 victory. Lou Williams added 17 as Los Angeles snapped a two-game skid and handed the Mavericks their fourth straight loss.
— T.J. Warren scored 28 of his career-high 40 points in the second half and finished with 10 rebounds as the Suns beat the Wizards 122-116. Devin Booker added 22 points for Phoenix, which trailed by 22 before improving to 4-1 under interim coach Jay Triano.
— Goran Dragic scored 20 points and the Heat halted a three-game skid by downing the Bulls 97-91. Hassan Whiteside returned from a five-game absence with a bruised knee and scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Heat.
— The Hornets earned their third straight win as Kemba Walker dropped in 26 points on 8 of 12 shooting to lead a 126-121 win over the Bucks. Milwaukee center Giannis Antetokounmpo was plagued by foul trouble and finished with a season-low 14 points after entering the game averaging a league-high 33.7 points a game.
— Jamal Murray scored 16 of his 24 points in a decisive third-quarter spurt that put the Nuggets ahead by 36 in a 129-111 romp over the Raptors. Paul Millsap provided 20 points for the Nuggets, who also got 16 rebounds and 10 assists from Nikola Jokic.
— Utah needed overtime to beat Portland as rookie Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 28 points to lead the Jazz over the Trail Blazers 112-103. Ricky Rubio added a season-best 30 points in a game that featured 17 lead changes and 14 ties.
— The Magic were 101-99 winners over the Grizzlies as Evan Fournier scored 22 points and Aaron Gordon finished with 19 for Orland. Gordon's 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining put the Magic ahead for good before Memphis missed long-range jumpers from Mario Chalmers and Dillon Brooks in the final 20 seconds.
— Jimmy Butler capped his 23-point performance by nailing a 20-foot jumper as he was fouled with 34 seconds left in the Timberwolves' 104-98 triumph over New Orleans. Andrew Wiggins contributed 18 points in Minnesota's third straight win.
NBA-SPURS-PARKER
The San Antonio Spurs have recalled Tony Parker from their G-League affiliate.
The move comes one week after the veteran point guard started working out with the Austin Spurs as part of his rehab program. Parker is working his way back from a ruptured left quadriceps tendon that he suffered during last spring's Western Conference semifinals.
It's unclear if Parker will play tonight against the Warriors.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Two of the NHL's biggest stars locked horns in Edmonton on Wednesday as the Penguins dealt the Oilers their fourth loss in five games.
Evgeni Malkin scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play with 7:37 remaining to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 victory. Patric Hornqvist and Conor Sheary also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins.
Sidney Crosby assisted on Sheary's game-tying goal late in the second period. It came after Connor McDavid collected his second assist of the night, feeding Leon Draistaitl to put Edmonton ahead 2-1.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Corey Crawford turned back 35 shots and the Blackhawks stopped a three-game slide with a 3-0 win against the Flyers. Artem Anisimov and Jonathan Toews scored 20 seconds apart in the second to support Crawford's 22nd career shutout.
— Cory Schneider claimed his 24th career shutout by stopping 37 shots in the Devils' 2-0 win at Vancouver. Jimmy Hayes and Drew Stafford also scored to help the Metropolitan Division-leading Devils improve to 9-2-0.
— Joonas Donskoi and Mikkel Boedker each had a goal and an assist to carry the Sharks' offense in a 4-1 win over the Predators. Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic each had second-period goals to support Martin Jones, who needed to make just 19 saves in San Jose's third straight win.
— Patrick Marleau snapped a 1-1 tie early in the third period and Frederik Andersen handled 28 shots as the Maple Leafs downed the Ducks 3-1. Jakob Silfverberg had the tying goal waived off with 1:38 remaining after the officials ruled he kicked the puck in.
NHL-HURRICANES-PESCE
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce will miss the team's upcoming two-game road trip with a concussion. Pesce was struck in the head by a puck during Tuesday's practice.
Around the league:
— Devils center Brian Boyle made his season debut Wednesday after fighting cancer. The 32-year-old center was diagnosed in September with chronic myelogenous leukemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer.
— The Coyotes have recalled goaltender Louis Domingue (dah-MIHNG') and defenseman Dakota Mermis from Tucson of the AHL.
NFL-NEWS
The Patriots have signed former 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer to be Tom Brady's backup.
Hoyer was released by San Francisco on Tuesday, one day after the team acquired Jimmy Garoppolo in a trade with New England.
Hoyer began his career as Brady's backup in New England in 2009 and has spent time with seven NFL teams during his nine-year career.
In other NFL news:
— Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has joined the team on the practice field and is expected to start Sunday against the Titans. Flacco sustained a concussion last Thursday night in Baltimore's 40-0 victory over Miami, causing him to miss the second half.
— Jets cornerback Buster Skrine has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and will be available to play against the Bills on Thursday. Skrine sat out last Sunday against Atlanta after being injured at Miami the previous week.
— The Falcons have activated linebacker LaRoy Reynolds, who was placed on the injured list after suffering a chest injury before the season. Reynolds returned to practice two weeks ago will become eligible to play Sunday at Carolinas.
— Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker has taken a step forward in his comeback from a shoulder injury. Decker returned to practice Wednesday and was taken off the physically unable to perform list.
— Vikings general manager Rick Spielman says the organization has not yet determined whether to activate quarterback Teddy Bridgewater from the physically unable to perform list next week. Spielman says Bridgewater will be evaluated again following practice on Monday. Spielman will discuss the situation with coach Mike Zimmer, the medical staff and Bridgewater's surgeon before a final call is made.
— Suspended Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon has been conditionally reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and can begin practicing on Nov. 20 unless he runs into further trouble. Gordon hasn't played since the 2014 season and will have to comply with personal conduct requirements. Gordon had been suspended indefinitely since 2016 for multiple violations of the league's substance abuse policy.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP-SITES
The College Football Playoff says the national championship game will be held in Miami Gardens, Florida, Indianapolis, Inglewood, California, and Houston from 2021 through 2024.
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will be the first cold-weather site for the championship in 2022.
In other college football news:
— Tennessee offensive tackle Brett Kendrick won't play Saturday against Southern Mississippi after leaving in the final minute of a loss at Kentucky last week. Volunteers coach Butch Jones didn't specify the nature of the injury that knocked Kendrick out of the Kentucky game.
— Northwestern running back Justin Jackson, Virginia linebacker Micah Kiser and Miami receiver Braxton Berrios are among 13 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the top scholar-athlete in college football. The winner will be announced Dec. 5 at the National Football Foundation awards dinner and College Football Hall of Fame induction, and receive an additional $7,000 scholarship.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-PRESEASON POLL
Duke is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason men's basketball poll for the second straight season and ninth time as a program, matching rival North Carolina for most all-time.
Led by senior guard Grayson Allen and freshman phenom Marvin Bagley III, the Blue Devils received 33 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel. No. 2 Michigan State received 13 first-place votes, No. 3 Arizona had 18 and No. 4 Kansas got one.
Kentucky rounds out the top 5, followed by Villanova, Wichita State, Florida, the defending-champion Tar Heels and Southern California.
No. 19 Northwestern is ranked in the preseason poll for the first time.
In other college basketball news:
— Michigan State forward Kyle Ahrens is out indefinitely after aggravating his injured right foot. He averaged eight-plus minutes in 34 games last year and had a chance to earn some playing time this season for the second-ranked Spartans.
