MLB-SCHEDULE
Royals still “extra” special…Birds rally in 8th again…Cards hammer Kershaw…Giants silence Nats bats
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) β The Kansas City Royals certainly have found a formula for postseason success after missing the playoffs 29 straight years.
The Royals picked up their third straight extra-inning win as Eric Hosmer belted a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the 11th inning of a 4-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. The outcome gives KC a 2-0 lead over the top-seeded Angels in the AL Division Series and a chance to wrap it up at home Sunday or Monday.
Kansas City had just five hits until Lorenzo Cain hit a one-out single in the 11th and scored on Hosmer’s first career playoff home run. They were the Royals’ first runs since Hosmer scored on Alex Gordon’s second-inning single.
Salvador Perez added an RBI single to cap the Royals’ scoring.
Hosmer finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Royals, who have held the Angels’ mighty offense to two runs in 11 innings.
Albert Pujols (POO’-hohlz) singled home the Halos’ lone run in the sixth.
BALTIMORE (AP) β The Baltimore Orioles put together another strong eighth-inning rally to take a two-games-to-none lead in the American League Division Series.
Pinch-hitter Delmon Young stroked a go-ahead, three-run double to cap the Orioles’ four-run eighth in a 7-6 comeback against the Detroit Tigers in Baltimore. The Birds rallied against Joba (JAH’-bah) Chamberlain and Joakim Soria (WAH’-keem SOHR’-ee-uh) after Anibal (AH’-nih-bahl) Sanchez tossed two hitless innings of relief.
The Tigers led 6-3 in the eighth until Steve Pearce hit an RBI single and scored on Young’s liner to left. Young’s two-bagger gave the Orioles 12 runs in the eighth inning of the two games.
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis (mahr-KAY’-kihs) opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the second inning, but the Tigers responded with a five-run third that was highlighted by a three-run homer by Victor Martinez and Nick Castellanos’ (kas-tee-AH’-nohs) solo shot. It was the second time Detroit has hit back-to-back homers in the series, but they’ve now been outscored 19-9 so far, including a 12-2 margin in eighth innings.
Zach Britton worked the ninth to save the victory for Brad Brach.
Baltimore will try for a sweep in Game 3 Sunday at Detroit. Miguel Gonzalez starts against the Tigers’ third straight Cy Young winner in David Price.
LOS ANGELES (AP) β The expected pitchers’ duel between Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright never materialized as the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers combined for 14 runs against the two hurlers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The Redbirds did most of that damage while scoring eight runs in the seventh to turn a 6-2 deficit into a 10-9 victory at Los Angeles.
Kershaw carried a two-hitter into the seventh before surrendering singles to five of the Cards’ first six hitters. Matt Carpenter chased him with a two-out, three-run double before scoring on Matt Holiday’s three-run homer that put St. Louis ahead 10-6.
Randal Grichuk (GRY’-chuhk) and Carpenter hit solo homers off Kershaw, who dropped to 1-4 with a 5.20 ERA in 45 innings lifetime in postseason play.
The Cardinals’ bullpen allowed two runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings after the Dodgers tagged Wainwright for six runs and 11 hits.
A.J. Ellis and Adrian Gonzalez hit two-run homers for the Dodgers, who host Game 2 on Saturday.
WASHINGTON (AP) β Jake Peavy has helped the San Francisco Giants take the opener of their National League Division Series in Washington. Peavy allowed just two singles and three walks over 5 2/3 scoreless innings as the Giants downed the Nationals 3-2. Joe Panik and Brandon Belt each had two hits and an RBI to help San Francisco build a 3-0 lead.
The Nationals were shut out until Bryce Harper and Asdrubal (as-DROO’-bul) Cabrera hit seventh-inning homers off Hunter Strickland. Washington had runners on first and second with one out in the eighth before Sergio Romo worked out of the jam.
Santiago Casilla worked a perfect ninth to get the save.
Losing pitcher Stephen Strasburg labored over five-plus innings of his first postseason appearance, yielding one earned run and eight hits with just two strikeouts.
Game 2 is Saturday in Washington
MLB-NEWS
DBacks say Towers is gone
UNDATED (AP) β The Arizona Diamondbacks say Kevin Towers has told the team he is leaving the organization. The team’s announcement comes a month after he was stripped of his general manager title and was replaced by Dave Stewart. The Diamondbacks also said the contract of assistant general manager Billy Ryan will not be renewed.
Also in the majors:
β The Atlanta Braves say Fredi Gonzalez will be back as manager next year after his future was in doubt following the team’s poor September. The Braves entered the final month of the season 1 Β½ games off the wild card leaders before posting the National League’s second-worst record at 7-18. Gonzalez is under contract through next season.
β Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos (AHN’-thoo-puh-lihs) is coming back despite his team’s fade down the stretch. Toronto finished third in the AL East at 83-79, extending a playoff drought to 21 years, longest in the majors. Anthopoulos overhauled the Blue Jays roster two years ago, but they have gone 157-167 since them.
NASCAR-KANSAS
Harvick shatters Kansas qualifying mark
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) β Kevin Harvick has shattered his own track record in capturing the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. Harvick turned a lap of 197.621 mph in the last round of qualifying to top his own mark by almost 3 mph.
Kevin Vickers and Aric Almirola were the next best qualifiers, and Joey Logano began a run of five Chase contenders by qualifying fourth. Jeff Gordon was next, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
T25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL-UTAH ST./BYU
Utah State hands BYU first loss.
PROVO, Utah (AP) β Utah St. has handed No. 18 BYU its first loss of the college football season. The Cougars also lost their top offensive weapon.
Darrell Garretson threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns as the Aggies knocked off the Cougars 35-20 in Provo. Brigham Young led 14-7 until Garretson ran for a TD and threw for two others in the last five minutes of the first half.
Hunter Sharp had five receptions for 173 yards, including a 72-yard scoring grab in the final minute of the opening half.
The Cougars finished the game without Taysom Hill, who fractured his left leg in the second quarter after throwing for 99 yards and a touchdown. Backup Christian Stewart struggled the rest of the game, completing just 10 of his 29 passes for 172 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.
NBA-LAKERS/YOUNG
Lakers lose Young
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) β The Los Angeles Lakers say guard Nick Young has a completely torn right thumb ligament that will require surgery.
Young was injured while trying to steal the ball from Kobe Bryant during Friday’s practice. The Lakers don’t know how long he will be out.
Young was the Lakers’ leading scorer last season, averaging 17.9 points while usually coming off the bench.
He agreed to a four-year, $21.5 million deal to stay with the Lakers in July.
Surgery is slated for Monday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bruins give Alford extension
LOS ANGELES (AP) β UCLA basketball coach Steve Alford is getting a one-year contract extension through the 2020-21 season one year after arriving in Westwood. Alford guided the Bruins to a 28-9 record, the Pac-12 tournament title and the school’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2008.
NFL-FINES
Jets’ Smith fined $12K for using expletives at fan…Saints lost Byrd
UNDATED (AP) β New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith has been fined $12,000 by the NFL for shouting expletives at a fan after the team’s game against Detroit last Sunday.
Smith was walking off the field following the 24-17 defeat when he looked into the stands at a heckler and yelled at him, using an expletive. The fine issued by the league was for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The second-year quarterback immediately apologized after the game.
In other NFL news:
β New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton says starting free safety Jairus Byrd has had season-ending knee surgery. Payton added the three-time Pro Bowler injured his lateral meniscus Thursday during a workout. Byrd was a free agent acquisition during the offseason from Buffalo, where he intercepted 22 passes during his first five years in the league.
β Drew Stanton will get his third straight start at quarterback for Arizona when the Cardinals play at Denver on Sunday. Carson Palmer has been out since the season opener with a “dead” nerve in his throwing shoulder. The Cardinals are 3-0 going into Sunday’s game, with Stanton directing the last two victories.
β New York Jets wide receivers Eric Decker and David Nelson will be game-time decisions Sunday at San Diego. Decker has not practiced all week because of an ailing right hamstring that has hampered him since New York’s game at Green Bay in Week 2. Nelson sprained his left ankle against Detroit last Sunday.
β The Atlanta Falcons have ruled out offensive guard Justin Blalock for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants because of a back injury. Also, receiver Harry Douglas will miss his second straight game with a foot injury.
β Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams and linebacker Nigel Bradham are both doubtful for Sunday’s game against Detroit. Williams hurt his right knee and Bradham his left knee in a loss at Houston last weekend.
β The Denver Broncos have cut ties with Matt Prater, who’s about to come off his four-game suspension. First-year kicker Brandon McManus has turned his temp job into a full-time one. Prater appeared in 96 regular-season games for Denver from 2007-13, connecting on 141 of 170 field goal attempts and 259 of 261 extra point attempts for 682 total points.
βThe Chicago Bears will be without starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod and defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff for Sunday’s game at Carolina. Bushrod suffered ankle and knee injuries in practice this week. Ratliff is recovering from a concussion from the Week 2 win at San Francisco.
β The toxicology report shows former Titans kicker Rob Bironas (bih-ROH’-nahs) had a blood alcohol content of 0.218, more than twice the legal limit for driving in Tennessee when he died in a one-vehicle crash. The autopsy report finalized Friday shows the 36-year-old Bironas died of blunt force trauma after his SUV went off the road and crashed into a line of trees Sept. 20. Bironas was described in 911 calls as chasing people and trying to run them off the road before losing control of his 2009 vehicle near his home.
LPGA
Lewis leads
BEIJING (AP) β Stacy Lewis shot a 5-under 68 to maintain a two-stroke lead over Brittany Lang after the second round of the Reignwood LPGA Classic in Beijing. The top-ranked American opened with a bogey that was followed with three birdies on the next four holes and three more on the back nine to get to 12-under 134 overall.
Lang had seven birdies and no bogeys to tie for the low round of the day at 7-under 66.
SOCCER
Judge rejects Messi’s tax appeal
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) β A Spanish judge rejected an appeal filed by Lionel Messi’s lawyers to drop tax fraud charges against the Barcelona soccer superstar. The judge rebutted the counter demand that Messi be excluded from the case against him and his father, who are accused of withholding some $5.3 million in unpaid taxes from 2007-09.
