Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers and strikes out 10 to lead Dodgers back to World Series with NLCS sweep
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit three home runs and pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning for the Los Angeles Dodgers, putting on a spectacular two-way show in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. With 10 strikeouts on the mound and three homers that traveled a combined 1,342 feet at the plate, Ohtani made history in both of his dual roles for the defending champion Dodgers, who returned to the World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that completed a four-game sweep. After striking out three batters in the top of the first, Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history. He hit a second titanic drive in the fourth and launched a third solo homer in the seventh.
Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers, strikes out 10 in Dodgers' clinching 5-1 NLCS win over Brewers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages. Ohtani hit three mammoth home runs and pitched scoreless, two-hit ball into the seventh inning, and the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Championship Series with a 5-1 victory in Game 4. The Dodgers will have a chance to be baseball’s first repeat World Series champions in a quarter-century after this mind-blowing night for the three-time MVP Ohtani.
Mariners a win from first World Series, beat Blue Jays behind Suárez's grand slam for 3-2 ALCS lead
SEATTLE (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a go-ahead grand slam after Cal Raleigh’s tying drive in a five-run eighth inning, giving the Seattle Mariners a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays and a 3-2 AL Championship Series lead. Suárez also homered in the second inning for Seattle’s first run. The Mariners became the first home team to win in the series and moved within a victory of the first World Series trip for a franchise that started play in 1977. Game 6 is at Toronto on Sunday night.
Louisville intercepts 4 of Beck's passes, tops No. 2 Miami 24-21 to end Hurricanes' home streak
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Louisville has pulled off a stunning victory against the second-ranked Miami Hurricanes, winning 24-21 on Friday night. Miller Moss threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score. Louisville intercepted four of Miami star Carson Beck's passes, the last with the Hurricanes in field-goal range in the final minute. The Cardinals took an early 14-0 lead and never trailed. They also snapped Miami's 10-game home winning streak. Louisville's defense held Miami to just 63 rushing yards. The Cardinals had been 0-18 against Top 10 teams in true road games before this win. This victory could propel Louisville into the AP Top 25 rankings Sunday.
UK police face pressure to reverse ban on Israeli soccer fans at Birmingham match
LONDON (AP) — British officials are working to overturn a decision preventing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a Europa League soccer game at Aston Villa. The ban, due to security concerns, has drawn criticism from politicians, sports organizations, and Jewish groups. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is angered by the decision and the government is working to overturn it. UEFA urged British authorities to ensure the Israeli team’s fans can attend. West Midlands Police deemed the Nov. 6 match high risk, citing past violence and hate crimes that took place when Maccabi Tel Aviv played at Ajax in Amsterdam last year.
Joel Embiid returns to action for 76ers in preseason finale, first game in nearly 8 months
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid started for the Philadelphia 76ers in their preseason finale on Friday night, his first game action in nearly eight months. And he flirted with a triple-double. Embiid — who was limited to 19 games last season because of injuries — finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in 19 minutes in Philadelphia’s 126-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also had three steals, and the 76ers outscored the Wolves by 12 points when Embiid was on the floor. Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Embiid would have “fairly short” stints of action and held true to that plan. Embiid didn’t play in the fourth quarter. The 76ers open the regular season at Boston on Wednesday night.
Alex Ovechkin's first goal of the season brings him within 2 of the 900 mark for his career
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season, moving to within two of 900 for his career and helping the Washington Capitals to a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Ovechkin went without a goal in the season’s first four games — not a crisis but a longer dry spell than he had at any time last season. He scored 44 times in 2024-25 and eventually broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with No. 895. Now that number is up to 898.
Joe Flacco latest vintage performance has the Bengals back in the mix in the AFC North
Joe Flacco looks like he’s ready to lead another AFC North team on an improbable run. Just 10 days after Flacco arrived in Cincinnati, he beat Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers in an unlikely shootout between 40-year-old quarterbacks Thursday night. Flacco threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a 33-31 comeback victory over Pittsburgh. That left Bengals fans chanting: “Thank you, Cleveland!” Mike Tomlin made it clear this week he wasn’t happy the Browns traded Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP with Baltimore 13 years ago, to a division rival. Tomlin criticized Browns general manager Andrew Berry, saying the trade “doesn’t make sense.” Flacco proved Tomlin had good reason to hate the deal.
Minnesota beats No. 25 Nebraska 24-6, sacking Dylan Raiola 9 times
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Darius Taylor ran for 148 yards and a touchdown, Drake Lindsey completed 16 of 20 passes for 153 yards and a score and Minnesota sacked quarterback Dylan Raiola nine times in a 24-6 victory over No. 25 Nebraska on Friday night. The Gophers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) have won six straight against the Cornhuskers (5-2, 2-2). Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck improved to 7-1 against Nebraska, which hasn’t won in Minneapolis since 2015. Raiola completed 17 of 25 passes for 177 yards for the Huskers, who spent part of a short week addressing rumors of coach Matt Rhule’s candidacy for the vacant Penn State job. Anthony Smith and Karter Menz each had 2 1/2 sacks for Minnesota.
Aces celebrate third WNBA championship in four years with parade on Las Vegas Boulevard
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Eight years to the day the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors confirmed the relocation of the San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas, the Aces celebrated their third championship in four years with a parade down the famed Strip. Led by a group of classic low-rider automobiles showing off their hydraulics, five double-deck buses traveled from Tropicana Boulevard down Las Vegas Boulevard, the last one carrying the Aces, who threw streamers and confetti to the thousands of fans who began showing up four hours before the start of the parade. The Aces overcame a 14-14 start to the season and a pair of rugged playoff series before sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the finals.
