Rays beat Yankees 4-3 for 3-game Division Series sweep behind Mesa homer, fan interference call
NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Mesa Jr. hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Max Fried in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-3 with the help of a fan interference call for a three-game sweep of their AL Division Series. Ryan Vilade also homered for the Rays, who reached the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2020 and host the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in the opener on Monday. After Mesa’s homer gave the Rays a 4-2 lead, Anthony Volpe appeared to hit a two-run shot against Griffin Jax with two outs in the bottom half as a fan reached over the left-field wall and caught the ball. A video review left Volpe with an RBI double.
Pages delivers go-ahead single in 7th as Dodgers beat Braves 4-1 to clinch NL Division Series
ATLANTA (AP) — Andy Pages drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the seventh inning to give Los Angeles the lead, and the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 to clinch their NL Division Series. The Dodgers won back-to-back games in Atlanta to take the best-of-five matchup 3-1 and advance to the National League Championship Series as they seek to become the first NL team to win three straight World Series. The Dodgers will face Milwaukee or San Diego in the NLCS beginning Sunday. Pages lined a 3-2 pitch from Robert Suarez up the middle to drive in Teoscar Hernández and pinch-runner Tommy Edman.
Fan interference denies Anthony Volpe a tying homer for Yankees against Rays in Game 3 of ALDS
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Volpe was denied a tying home run for the New York Yankees in Game 3 of their AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays when umpires ruled a fan interfered with his drive to deep left field. The play was initially called a two-run homer that would have tied the score at 4 with two outs in the sixth inning. But a lengthy video review by Major League Baseball determined a fan reached over the wall to catch the ball as Rays left fielder Victor Mesa Jr. tried in vain for a leaping grab. Spectator interference became the ruling, and Volpe was awarded an RBI double that scored George Lombard Jr. from first base, trimming Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-3 at Yankee Stadium.
Jo Adell and José Ramírez star as the Guardians beat the White Sox 9-3 to avoid elimination
CHICAGO (AP) — Jo Adell and José Ramírez powered Cleveland with a pair of two-out triples, and the Guardians avoided an AL Division Series sweep by cooling off the Chicago White Sox with a 9-3 victory in Game 3. Adell’s three-run triple gave Cleveland a 4-1 lead in the third inning. Ramírez’s three-bagger drove in Travis Bazzana and Patrick Bailey for a 7-3 advantage in the eighth. The Guardians hit two triples in a postseason game for the first time in franchise history. Game 4 is Thursday in Chicago, with the White Sox leading 2-1 in the best-of-five matchup. Once again, they’ll try to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time since the 1906 World Series.
Breanna Stewart says Liberty were told they did not have a reset timeout in overtime
ATLANTA (AP) — The New York Liberty opted not to advance the ball for a better shot at a tying 3-pointer, then said after their loss Wednesday night that officials told them they didn’t have a reset timeout left. Angel Reese made two free throws to give the Atlanta Dream a three-point lead with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime. The broadcast of the game showed that the Liberty had their reset, which is a WNBA rule allowing a team to advance the ball to halfcourt without going back to its bench to huddle. But Breanna Stewart said after missing the potential tying shot that a referee told her the Liberty didn't have a reset remaining.
Burton's 3-pointer with 41 seconds left helps send Valkyries past Aces 83-81 for 2-0 semifinals lead
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Veronica Burton hit a deep 3-pointer that put Golden State ahead with 41 seconds left and converted two free throws in the closing seconds, Tiffany Hayes had 21 points, and the Valkyries held off the Las Vegas Aces 83-81 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five WNBA semifinal series. In a wild finish, Jackie Young missed the second of two free throws with six seconds left to give Las Vegas one last chance and Chelsea Gray grabbed the rebound and droved under the basket for a layup attempt. Kiah Stokes blocked the shot and Burton corralled the ball. The Valkyries moved a win away from reaching the WNBA Finals in just their second season. Game 3 is Friday night in Las Vegas.
The midterm elections won't keep Trump from college football on Saturday. A hurricane might
WASHINGTON (AP) — A hurricane is menacing the Gulf Coast, but President Donald Trump remains eager to attend a big college football game in Alabama on Saturday night. Trump hopes to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Top 10 Alabama-Georgia matchup. Officials are still discussing how the storm might affect the game. Trump said on Wednesday that he doesn't want to do anything to strain resources. His love of sports and large crowds are often key factors in his travel plans, even close to the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The White House sees the games as a way to energize Republicans, but others say mixing sports and politics can be risky.
Ronald Acuña Jr. fights back tears after the Braves' Division Series elimination by the Dodgers
ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. fought back tears and cut his postgame interview session short after the Atlanta Braves were eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Acuña struggled throughout the NL Division Series and went 0 for 3 in Wednesday night's 4-1 loss in Game 4. He said through an interpreter that he feels like he did nothing to help the team. Acuña wasn't the only Braves hitter who struggled against the Dodgers' star-studded rotation. He combined with Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin to go 5 for 45 in the series with no homers and one RBI.
Yankees swept out of the AL Division Series by the Rays, extending their title drought to 17 years
NEW YORK (AP) — Max Fried gave up two home runs, the New York Yankees had one taken off the board by fan interference and then their season ended with a whimper. After Anthony Volpe’s would-be tying homer in the bottom of the sixth inning turned into a double on video review, the Yankees did not get a runner past second base. When leadoff hitter Trent Grisham struck out to end the ninth, it capped a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the AL Division Series and a series sweep that extends the Yankees’ championship drought to 17 years.
Jon Rahm says he won't be part of the next version of LIV Golf
Jon Rahm wants out of LIV Golf. An attorney for the Spanish star said in a bankruptcy court hearing in New Jersey that Rahm has looked at the proposal for LIV 2.0 and doesn't want to take part. Still to come is a formal separation to get out of the remaining years of his LIV contract. And then it's up to the PGA Tour to see if it wants back the two-time major champion and former world No. 1. The decision wasn't a big surprise, but the hearing brought confirmation. LIV is trying to emerge from bankruptcy without Saudi Arabia funding.
