MLB-NLCS
Ishikawa sends Giants back to Fall Classic
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β Travis Ishikawa (ee-shee-KAH’-wah) was a man without a team six months ago. Today, he’s the San Francisco Giants’ latest postseason hero.
Ishikawa sent the Giants to the World Series by launching a three-run, walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to complete a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the NLCS. Pablo Sandoval opened the rally with a leadoff and went to second on a walk by Brandon Belt before Ishikawa sealed San Francisco’s third National League pennant in five years. The blast came off Michael Wacha (WAH’-kah), who was making his first appearance of this postseason and had worked just 16 2/3 innings since June 17 because of a shoulder injury. Wacha was the MVP of last year’s NLCS.
Ishikawa opened the season with the Pirates but became a free agent in April after refusing a minor league assignment. He signed a deal with the Giants April 25, bringing him back to his original team.
Ishikawa finished the series hitting .385 with an NLCS-leading seven RBIs.
The Giants did all of their scoring via the longball. Joe Panik gave the Giants a brief 2-1 lead with a two-run shot off Adam Wainwright in the third inning. It was the only major mistake by Wainwright, who left with a 3-2 lead after scattering four hits in seven innings.
The Cardinals regained the lead on solo homers by Matt Adams and Tony Cruz in the fourth inning, and the lead held up until pinch-hitter Michael Morse smacked a solo homer off Pat Neshek (NEE’-shehk) in the eighth.
Giants starter Madison Bumgarner was named the series MVP after helping the Giants win the first and last games. Bumgarner allowed three runs in eight innings on Thursday, leaving him with a 1.72 ERA for the NLCS.
The Giants now have four days to prepare for Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday in Kansas City. San Francisco will enter the Fall Classic with a 7-2 postseason record, but the Royals are 8-0.
MLB-RANGERS
New skipper for Rangers
UNDATED (AP) β The Texas Rangers have hired Jeff Banister as their new manager, selecting the Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach over interim manager Tim Bogar (BOH’-gahr) and Cleveland Indians bullpen coach Kevin Cash.
The 49-year-old Banister has been the Bucs’ top coach under manager Clint Hurdle the past four years and in the Pirates organization for 29 seasons. He will be formally introduced Friday during a news conference at the Rangers ballpark.
NFL-PATRIOTS/JETS
Pats escape with win over Jets.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) β The New York Jets did a lot of things well against the New England Patriots on Thursday night after dropping five of their first six games. The Jets rushed for 218 yards and limited the Pats to just 63. Geno Smith didn’t turn the ball over while completing 20 of his 34 passes for 208 yards and a late touchdown. However, the Jets had to settle for field goals on their first four drives before Tom Brady’s third touchdown pass of the night eventually led the Patriots to a 27-25 triumph over New York at Foxborough.
Brady’s first scoring strike was a 49-yard pass to Shane Vereen just 89 seconds into the game. Vereen accounted for 114 total yards and two touchdowns.
Brady also hit Danny Amendola for a 19-yard TD with 7:49 left to put the Pats ahead 27-19 before Smith engineered a drive that ended with his 10-yard scoring pass to Jeff Cumberland with 2:31 remaining, giving the Jets a chance to tie the score until Smith threw an incomplete pass on the ensuing two-point conversion.
The Jets gave themselves another opportunity to steal a victory, but Nick Folk’s 58-yard field-goal attempt was blocked as time expired, allowing New England to improve to 5-2.
Brady was 20 of 37 for 261 yards and no turnovers.
Chris Ivory had 107 rushing yards, including a one-yard TD that gave the Jets a brief 19-17 lead in the third quarter before New York fell to 1-6.
T25-GEORGIA-GURLEY
Gurley still out for Bulldogs
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) β Georgia coach Mark Richt says he doesn’t expect star tailback Todd Gurley to be available for this week’s game against Arkansas. The 10th-ranked Bulldogs top offensive threat has been suspended indefinitely after allegations that he broke NCAA rules. The school has launched an investigation.
Richt has said the alleged violations involve autographs and memorabilia.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Habs down B’s…Isles still perfect…Stars rally
UNDATED (AP) β The Montreal Canadiens finally played their home opener after starting the season 3-1-0 on the road.
P.A. Parenteau (PAR’-ehn-toh) and Brendan Gallagher each scored twice and Carey Price stopped 25 shots as the Canadiens downed Boston 6-4. The Bruins led 3-2 before Jiri Sekac and Parenteau scored in the final 1:49 of the second period to put the Habs ahead to stay. Gallagher and Parenteau added third-period goals to seal the win.
Simon Gagne (SEE’-mohn GAHN’-yay) scored his first goal since signing with the Bruins.
Elsewhere in the NHL:
β The New York Islanders are 4-0 for the third time in team history after John Tavares scored the game-winner in the shootout to complete a 4-3 win over San Jose. Tavares also had assists on goals by Nick Leddy and Kyle Okposo (oh-POH’-soh), giving him a league-high nine points in four games already this season.
β Jonathan Quick turned away 43 shots and Jeff Carter provided the lone shootout goal in the Kings’ 1-0 triumph over St. Louis in Los Angeles. The Blues fell despite outshooting the Kings 43-18.
β Tyler Seguin (SAY’-gihn) scored with just 2.9 seconds left to give Dallas a 3-2 comeback win at Pittsburgh. The Stars trailed 2-1 until Jamie Benn tallied with 2:57 remaining.
β Washington handed New Jersey its first loss in four games as Marcus Johansson snapped a 2-2 tie in the second period of the Capitals’ 6-2 rout of New Jersey. The game remained close until Nicklas Backstrom, Joel Ward and Andrew Burakovsky scored in the first nine minutes of the third period.
β Rick Nash ended his four-game goal-scoring streak, but he provided the lone shootout tally as the New York Rangers beat Carolina 2-1 to end a three-game skid. The Hurricanes led until Derick Brassard scored midway through the third period.
β Ottawa fell behind 3-1 early before third-period goals by Bobby Ryan, Clarke MacArthur and Chris Neil gave the Senators a 5-3 win over Colorado. David Legwand had a goal and an assist to help the 3-1 Senators win their home opener.
NHL-AVALANCHE/VARLAMOV
Avs shelve goalie
DENVER (AP) β The Colorado Avalanche have placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov (SEHM’-yahn VAHR’-lah-mahv) on injured reserve with a groin ailment. The move is retroactive to Tuesday, when the Russian goalie possibly tweaked his groin in a 3-2 overtime loss in Toronto. Reto Berra will fill in until Varlamov returns to the net.
NHL-DUCKS
Maroon is out
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) β Anaheim Ducks left wing Patrick Maroon will be out for four weeks with a sprained ligament in his left knee. He was injured Monday during Anaheim’s victory at Buffalo in a collision with Josh Gorges (jawsh GOHR’-juhz). Maroon agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Ducks in August. The power forward scored 29 points in 62 games last year, his first full NHL season.
T25 FOOTBALL: UTAH 29, OREGON STATE 23
Booker scores 3 TDs, Utah outlasts OSU in 2 OT
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) β Devontae Booker ran 19 yards for a touchdown in the second overtime to give No. 20 Utah a 29-23 victory over Oregon State on Thursday night.
Booker finished with 229 yards rushing and three touchdowns for Utah (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12), which has won all four of its road games this season.
Booker also ran for a 15-yard score in the first overtime to put the Utes in front 23-16. The Beavers (4-2, 1-2) answered with Sean Mannion’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Villamin on fourth down to force another period.
Trevor Romaine, whose 49-yard field goal as time expired in regulation tied the game at 16, attempted a 37-yard field goal that went wide right, giving the ball back to Utah for the game-winning drive.
It was Booker’s third straight game with more than 150 yards rushing for the Utes, off to their best start since winning their first eight games in 2010.
PGA-SHRINERS OPEN
Cink, Laird share Shriners lead
LAS VEGAS (AP) β Stewart Cink (sihnk) and Martin Laird are co-leaders through one round of the PGA’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.
Cink birdied seven of his final 11 holes for a 7-under 64 at TPC Summerlin. Laird holed a 50-foot birdie putt on 18 to grab a share of the lead, one shot ahead of Scotland’s Russell Knox.
MLB-DRUG INVESTIGATION
Bosch pleads guilty
MIAMI (AP) β Anthony Bosch, the former owner of the South Florida anti-aging clinic involved in the baseball drug scandal, has pleaded guilty to charges of illegally providing performance-enhancing drugs to athletes including New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. Bosch, who called himself “Dr. T,” faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence but is likely to get far less because of cooperation with prosecutors and with MLB’s investigation into player drug use.
