ALCS-GAME 6
Royals take AL pennant
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) β It will be the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets in the World Series.
The Royals have wrapped up their second straight American League pennant by outlasting Toronto 4-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS. Eric Hosmer broke a 3-3 deadlock with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth, a half-inning after Jose Bautista tied it with a two-run homer.
The Royals never trailed in clinching their fourth AL pennant. Ben Zobrist homered in the first inning and Mike Moustakas (moos-TAH’-kahs) added a second-inning blast to put Kansas City ahead 2-0. Bautista cut the Blue Jays’ deficit to 2-1 with a solo shot, but Alex Rios restored the Royals’ two-run cushion with an RBI single in the seventh. Rios and Moustakas each had two of Kansas City’s nine hits.
Wade Davis was credited with the win after pitching in and out of a ninth-inning jam. Roberto Osuna was the loser.
The Fall Classic will begin Tuesday in Kansas City as the two participants try to avoid lengthy championship droughts. The Mets won their last World Series crown in 1986, one year after the Royals claimed their lone title.
MLB-MARINERS-MANAGER
Mariners hire manager, no experience necessary
SEATTLE (AP) β The Seattle Mariners have hired former big league catcher Scott Servais (SER’-vihs) as their manager, giving the job to someone with ties to the new front office but no experience running a team.
The 48-year-old Servais replaces Lloyd McClendon, who was fired earlier this month after Seattle went 76-86.
Servais has worked the past five seasons as an assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Angels and worked alongside new Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto for most of that time. Dipoto resigned as Angels GM on July 1.
T25 FOOTBALL-MEMPHIS/TULSA
Tigers extend winning streak
TULSA, Okla. (AP) β Eighteenth-ranked Memphis was able to earn its 14th consecutive victory in Friday despite allowing 42 points.
Paxton Lynch completed 32 of 44 passes for a career-high 447 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers outscored Tulsa 66-42. Lynch has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his last six games, helping the Tigers improve to 7-0.
Memphis also had a productive ground game as Doroland Dorceus had a career-high 150 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while Jamarius Henderson added 119 yards rushing and two scores on 14 carries.
Dane Evans was 24 of 36 passing for 421 yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Hurricane.
NFL-INJURIES
Mariota out Sunday
UNDATED (AP) βTennessee rookie Marcus Mariota (mar-ee-OH’-tah) will not play Sunday against Atlanta as he recovers from a sprained MCL in his left knee. Zach Mettenberger will start at quarterback.
Mariota has missed practice all week after sustaining the injury in last week’s loss to the Dolphins.
Mettenberger started six of the seven games he played last season as a rookie. The sixth-round draft pick out of LSU still is looking for his first career win.
The NFL has fined Dolphins defensive end Oliver Vernon $37,363 for a pair of hits on Mariota including the one that injured his knee.
Elsewhere around the NFL:
β Pittsburgh has listed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH’-lihs-bur-gur) as questionable for Sunday’s game at Kansas City. He was a limited participant in practice for a third straight day while continuing to recover from a strained ligament in his left knee in a game with St. Louis Sept. 27. Landry Jones will start if Roethlisberger doesn’t return.
β As the NFL investigates whether Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’) violated its personal conduct policy, Browns coach Mike Pettine (PET’-ihn) said the quarterback will “more than likely” back up starter Josh McCown on Sunday against St. Louis. Manziel could be disciplined by the league after he was questioned by police last week for an in-car argument with his girlfriend.
β Detroit Linebacker DeAndre Levy and tight end Brandon Pettigrew will miss Detroit’s game against Minnesota on Sunday. Cornerback Josh Wilson is questionable. Levy has a hip injury. Pettigrew has injuries to a knee and elbow.
β San Francisco safety Antoine Bethea was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a shoulder injury suffered in Thursday night’s 20-3 loss to Seattle. The move cleared room on the 53-man roster for wide receiver Jerome Simpson’s post-suspension return.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Habs still perfect
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) β The Montreal Canadiens continue to inch closer to yet another NHL record.
Andrei Markov scored once and had four assists as the Habs crushed the Sabres 7-2 in Buffalo to improve to 8-0-0. Brendan Gallagher and Dale Weise (wees) each scored twice for the Canadiens, who are two wins away from matching the league mark for longest season-opening winning streak.
Backup Mike Condon made 34 saves in his second start of the season, and P.K. Subban (SOO’-ban) and Tomas Plekanec (pleh-KA’-nets) each had three assists.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won 10 straight to begin the 1993-94 campaign, 13 years before the Sabres matched the record. Montreal can tie the record with wins Saturday against the Leafs and Tuesday in Vancouver.
Also in the NHL:
β First overall pick Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist, but Evgeny Kuznetsov (ehv-GEH’-nee kooz-NEHT’-sahf) set career highs with three goals and five points in Washington’s 7-4 win over the Oilers in Edmonton. Justin Williams, Nicklas Backstrom and Andre Burakovsky (bur-ah-KAHF’-skee) each had a goal and an assist as the Capitals took over the Metropolitan Division lead at 6-1.
β Jonathan Quick turned back 40 shots and Tyler Toffoli scored the game-winner on a power play as the Kings won their fourth in a row, beating Carolina 3-0. Toffoli also had an insurance goal to support Quick’s first shutout of the season and 38th of his career.
β Joonas Kemppainen and Ryan Spooner each had a goal and an assist as Boston beat the Islanders 5-3, ending New York’s four-game winning streak. The Islanders led 2-1 until Kemppainen and David Pastrnak (PAS’-tur-nak) scored 2:03 apart late in the second period.
β Ondrej Palat (AHN’-dray pah-LAHT’) scored on a 3-on-1 break 36 seconds into overtime to give Tampa Bay a 4-3 win at Winnipeg. Braydon Coburn, Cedric Paquette and Vladislav Namestnikov (nah-MEHST’-nih-kahv) scored for the Lightning, who also got three assists from Victor Hedman.
β Detroit has a four-game losing streak after Mark Giordano scored his second goal of the night at 3:12 into overtime to complete Calgary’s comeback in a 3-2 triumph over the Red Wings. Giordano also set up Joe Colborne’s game-tying goal with just 72 seconds left in regulation.
NHL-PUNISHMENT
Demers, Gionta punished
NEW YORK (AP) β The NHL punished a pair of players for infractions that occurred Thursday night.
Dallas Stars defenseman Jason Demers (deh-MEHRZ’) has been suspended for two games without pay for elbowing Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino. Demers received a major penalty and game misconduct in the third period of the Stars’ 4-1 victory at Pittsburgh. The suspension will cost Demers $36,559.
Devils forward Stephen Gionta (jee-AHN’-tah) has been fined close to $2,300 for spearing Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki in New Jersey’s 5-4 win over the Senators. Gionta was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for the spear, which occurred with 1:42 left in the second period.
OLYMPICS-POPOVICH
Popovich to coach US national team
UNDATED (AP) β San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich will replace Mike Krzyzewski (shuh-SHEF’-skee) as the U.S. basketball coach following the 2016 Olympics.
Popovich will take over starting with 2017 training camp and lead the Americans into the 2019 Basketball World Cup and 2020 Olympics if they qualify.
The Spurs coach had led them to five NBA titles, and is regarded as one of the best coaches in the game.
Cavaliers star LeBron James, who has played in three Olympics, called Popovich the best coach in the world.
Krzyzewski has guided the Americans since 2005 and has led them to consecutive Olympic gold medals, two world titles and a 75-1 record. The Duke coach will stay on as a special adviser to Colangelo.
NBA-FINES
Heat’s Green fined $25,000 for obscene gesture
Miami Heat guard Gerald Green was fined $25,000 by the NBA for making menacing gestures in an exhibition game.
The incidents occurred with 5:33 and 5:12 left in Miami’s 110-105 victory over Washington on Wednesday night. Green scored 28 points in the game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-LOUISVILLE ESCORTS
Pitino to skip ACC media day
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β Louisville has announced that coach Rick Pitino will skip next week’s Atlantic Coast Conference media availability on the advice of counsel. The decision comes after allegations by an escort in a book that former Cardinals staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties at the players’ dormitory.
Pitino has denied knowledge of the allegations.
Pitino says in a statement he doesn’t want other ACC schools to be affected by the expected media attention.
In the meantime, McGee has resigned as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, saying he can’t do his job while fighting what he called false allegations.
PGA-SHRINERS
Stegmaier owns clubhouse lead
LAS VEGAS (AP) β Brett Stegmaier topped the leaderboard when the second round of the PGA’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open was suspended because of darkness.
Making only his fifth career start on the tour, the 32-year-old former University of Florida player was 6 under for the round and 11 under overall with three holes left. Stegmaier eagled the par-5 16th on his opening nine and had four birdies on the 15 holes he was able to finish at TPC Summerlin.
Chad Campbell was a stroke back along with Morgan Hoffmann and Tyler Aldridge. The 41-year-old Campbell had a 4-under 67. Hoffmann shot a 66, and Aldridge had a 68.
LPGA-TAIWAN
Ko takes 4-shot lead
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) β Lydia Ko took a four-stroke lead Saturday in the LPGA Taiwan Championship, putting the 18-year-old New Zealander in position to regain the top spot in the world ranking.
Ko had four birdies in a five-hole stretch and closed with another birdie for a 5-under 67 in windy conditions at rain-soaked Miramar.
Ko had a 13-under 203 total. South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji, a stroke ahead after each of the first two rounds, was second after a 72.
TENNIS
American Johnson in semifinals in Vienna
VIENNA (AP) β Top-seeded David Ferrer (feh-REHR’) eased past Fabio Fognini (FAH’-bee-oh fohn-YEE’-nee) of Italy 6-4, 6-2 to reach his eighth semifinal of the season at the Erste Bank Open. Ferrer will play sixth-seeded Gael Monfils (GAH’-ehl mohn-FEES’) for a place in Sunday’s final. American Steve Johnson plays Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the other semifinal.
