Rasmussen has no-hit bid for 7 2/3 innings, Rays open AL Division Series with 1-0 win over Yankees
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Drew Rasmussen didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the eighth inning, Jonathan Aranda homered off Gerrit Cole and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in their AL Division Series opener. Rasmussen retired 15 consecutive batters before Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the eighth, ripping a line drive just inside the right-field line on an inside sinker. He tried for a triple but was easily thrown out at third. A 31-year-old righty, Rasmussen struck out 10 and walked two in eight innings against a Yankees lineup again missing injured slugger Aaron Judge. Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth for the save.
Skubal brings 101 mph heat in 100-degree weather as Dodgers take NLDS opener over Braves
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tarik Skubal dominated in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of their National League Division Series. He tossed six strong innings and retired 15 consecutive batters after giving up a single to Drake Baldwin leading off the game. The game-time temperature was 100 degrees, making it the second-hottest postseason game in Dodger Stadium history. Skubal has been a strong addition to the Dodgers since being acquired just before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The two-time Cy Young Award winner's confident approach and quick adaptation have impressed fans and teammates alike.
White Sox beat Guardians 3-0 in Game 1 of ALDS behind Murakami homer, 3-hitter
CLEVELAND (AP) — Munetaka Murakami hit a two-run homer, five Chicago pitchers combined for a three-hitter and the White Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 in Game 1 of their AL Division Series. Colson Montgomery added an RBI double for the White Sox, who have won nine of their last 11 games dating back to the regular season. Chicago advanced to the division series after sweeping Houston in the wild card series. Cleveland — which won its third straight AL Central title by one game over the White Sox — had the bases loaded with two outs the third and fourth innings, but couldn’t get any runs across.
Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama remain unbeaten and mostly untested; Florida falters
Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama remained unbeaten — and mostly untested — as top-10 teams. Defending national champion and No. 6 Indiana, meanwhile, roughed up Rutgers 47-15 in New Jersey a week after holding off pesky Northwestern. Eighth-ranked Florida was the big loser in Week 5. The Gators came out flat and never recovered, getting drubbed 45-17 at 25th-ranked Missouri seven days after dismantling then-No. 4 Mississippi 52-28. It was a huge letdown for Florida, whose apparent turnaround under new coach Jon Sumrall may have been more flukish than formative. No. 2 Georgia, third-ranked Notre Dame, No. 4 Miami and seventh-ranked Alabama had no such disappointment.
No. 25 Missouri trounces No. 8 Florida 45-17 to snap 9-game skid against Top 25 opponents
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — No. 25 Missouri ended a nine-game skid against ranked opponents by blowing out No. 8 Florida 45-17. Austin Simmons threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns and Jamal Roberts ran for 211 yards and three scores. The Tigers gave coach Eli Drinkwitz his first regular-season win over a top-10 team in 11 tries with them. Missouri bounced back from a late collapse at Mississippi State last week and improved to 4-1 and 1-1 in the SEC. Florida was held to 325 yards of total offense, and Heisman Trophy candidate Jadan Baugh ran 12 times for only 13 yards.
Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith lead No. 5 Ohio State past No. 14 Iowa, 31-14
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Julian Sayin threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jeremiah Smith, and No. 5 Ohio State beat No. 14 Iowa 31-14 on Saturday. Sayin was 20-of-27 passing, and his favorite target was Smith, the nation’s top receiver. Smith had 11 catches for 206 yards, becoming Ohio State’s leader in receptions (207), receiving yards (3,381) and receiving touchdowns (36). Smith caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Sayin with 12 seconds left in the first half to give the Buckeyes (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) a 17-6 lead. Sayin threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Smith with 6:11 left in the third quarter. Iowa (4-1, 1-1) got its only points on two field goals and Braeden Jackson’s fourth-quarter 2-yard touchdown run.
Keelon Russell is boosting No. 7 Alabama's prospects with poised and prolific play
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — The growth Alabama's Keelon Russell exhibited in a 56-23 victory at Mississippi State has his Crimson Tide teammates encouraged about how far the 19-year-old quarterback can take them. Russell completed six of his seven third-down passes for 146 yards, including connections of 50 and 39 yards to Lotzeir Brooks and 22 yards to Ryan Coleman-Williams. Russell finished with 285 yards and three touchdowns passing and also ran 17 yards for a score. Russell's threw two, third-down TD passes to Rico Scott, who says it's “hard to believe how fast” Russell has grown. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby says Russell is already playing at an “elite level.”
Silva unanimously outpoints Cong to claim the UFC women’s flyweight championship
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Natalia Silva unanimously outpointed Wang Cong to claim the vacant UFC women’s flyweight championship Saturday night at UFC 332. Silva (21-5-1) extended her winning streak to 15 bouts after largely dominating Wang (10-2) over five rounds. Silva went from challenger to favorite in the title bout after Valentina Shevchenko vacated the UFC women’s flyweight title nearly a month ago because of back and shoulder injuries. She proved far more aggressive than Wang early, using her speed, fluid movement, and strong legs to create an advantage. Wang fought back in the final round, but Silva landed enough blows to stay in control.
Padres' uncanny ability to foul off pitches chases Misiorowski from NLDS opener after 4 innings
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski opened his first career playoff start by throwing a 104.8 mph strike to Fernando Tatis Jr. that set a record as the fastest postseason pitch since tracking began in 2008. Misiorowski’s next pitch to Tatis went 104.6 mph. Yet the San Diego Padres hung tough against the NL Cy Young Award favorite by continually fouling off pitches to chase him from the NL Division Series opener after only four innings. That matched the average length of Misiorowski’s three postseason relief appearances during the Brewers’ run to the NL Championship Series last year.
Wells ends Rasmussen's no-hit bid in 8th inning in Game 1 of Yankees-Rays AL Division Series
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Austin Wells ended Drew Rasmussen’s no-hit bid when he doubled with two outs in the eighth inning in Game 1 of the AL Division Series only to get thrown out trying for a triple, and the Tampa Bay Rays led the New York Yankees 1-0. Wells ripped a liner just inside the right-field foul line on an inside sinker. He was easily thrown out on shortstop Taylor Walls’ relay to third baseman Junior Caminero of right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. ‘s throw. The two-time All-Star right-hander struck out 10 and walked two, retiring 15 consecutive hitters before Wells’ hit.
