AP Sports Summary for October 3rd, 2024:
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami win MLS Supporters Shield with 3-2 win at Crew. It's Messi's 46th trophy
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have another trophy, along with home-field advantage throughout the Major League Soccer playoffs. Messi scored twice in the final minutes of the first half, goalie Drake Callender stopped a penalty kick in the 84th minute and Inter Miami beat the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew 3-2 on Wednesday night, wrapping up the Supporters Shield — given annually to the team with the best regular-season record. It was Messi's 46th major trophy won for club or country, extending his record for the most by any men's soccer player in history.
Higashioka's homer starts rally as Padres beat Braves 5-4 to sweep NL Wild Card Series
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kyle Higashioka's solo homer started a five-run rally against Max Fried with two outs in the second inning, and the San Diego Padres held on to sweep the Atlanta Braves with a 5-4 win in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series. Manny Machado added a two-run double with the bases loaded and Jackson Merrill, a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, followed with a two-run triple as the sellout crowd of 47,705 — the largest in Petco Park history — roared. The Padres advance to face Shohei Ohtani and the NL West rival and top-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers in a National League Division Series beginning Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium.
Mitchell hits tiebreaking HR in the 8th, Chourio goes deep twice and Brewers rally past Mets 5-3
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio tied the game in the eighth with his second homer of the night and Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run shot later in the inning to give the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets that evened their NL Wild Card Series. The teams will play a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night. The Brewers will attempt to become the first team to rally win a best-of-three Wild Card Series after losing the opener since MLB went to this expanded playoff format in 2022.
Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals go from 2 late 7-game losing streaks to the AL Division Series
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Kansas City Royals endured two seven-game losing streaks in the final month of the season. The second of those ended with a well-timed joke from a three-time World Series winner. Now they're in the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees after opening the playoffs with a two-game sweep of Baltimore. Kansas City's approach allowed a team that lost 106 games last year to turn things around in a hurry. It will be a bigger challenge for AL batting champion Bobby Witt Jr. and Co. to keep it going.
Gritty Tigers close out playoff sweep of Astros with 5-2 victory in Game 2 of Wild Card Series
HOUSTON (AP) — Andy Ibáñez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in Detroit's four-run eighth inning, and the Tigers swept the Houston Astros with a 5-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series. Parker Meadows homered as Detroit ended Houston's run of seven consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. It was a sweet moment for Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who led Houston to a championship in 2017 and was fired in the aftermath of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. Next up for the wild-card Tigers is a trip to Cleveland to take on the AL Central champions in a best-of-five AL Division Series. Game 1 is on Saturday.
Brewers' 20-year-old rookie Jackson Chourio stepping up his game in postseason
MILWAUKEE (AP) — That $82 million contract Jackson Chourio signed before ever playing a major league game looks like more and more of a bargain with every swing the Milwaukee Brewers rookie takes this postseason. Chourio homered twice Wednesday night to help the Brewers save their season with a 5-3 victory over the New York Mets in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series. That included a leadoff homer and then a tying drive to start Milwaukee's three-run rally in the eighth inning. The Brewers handed Chourio an eight-year, $82 million contract in December when he had played only six games beyond the Double-A level.
Pete Rose still not going into Hall of Fame. His MLB ban was permanent not 'lifetime'
Pete Rose still isn't going into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The career hits leader's banishment from baseball 35 years ago was often referred to as a lifetime ban, and his death this week led some to believe that would end. But Rose was actually declared permanently ineligible by Major League Baseball rules for betting on the game. As in forever unless there is a formal reinstatement. Since players or officials on MLB's ineligible list can't be considered for election into the Hall of Fame, Rose's status didn't change when he died Monday at age 83.
Dream fire Tanisha Wright in WNBA's 3rd coach firing since playoffs began
The Atlanta Dream have fired coach Tanisha Wright. The franchise announced the move on Wednesday. Wright took over the team in 2021 and helped them reach the playoffs the last two seasons. The Dream lost both years in the opening round of the postseason, including to New York last month. Atlanta went 15-25 this year and had to win its last few games to qualify for the playoffs. There's a strong young nucleus with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray leading the way along with veteran center Tina Charles.
Second fan files lawsuit claiming ownership of Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 baseball
MIAMI (AP) — The claim to Shohei Ohtani's potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball. According to online records, the latest suit was filed by Joseph Davidov in Florida's 11th Judicial Circuit Court. The defendants are Chris Belanski, Kelvin Ramirez, Max Matus and Goldin Auctions. Belanski is the man who left the stadium with the baseball. Matus — who filed the first lawsuit last week — and Ramirez have also claimed ownership of the ball. Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases, reaching the mark on Sept. 19 with his homer in Miami against the Marlins. The bidding for the baseball through Goldin Auctions is currently at $1.464 million.
Bills place emphasis on defensive backups in wake of NFL's 4-game suspension of Von Miller
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have grown accustomed to spending the first month of the season leaning on backups stepping up on a depleted defense. Their depth will be further tested in traveling to play the Houston Texans on Sunday minus Von Miller. The Bills' top pass-rusher is out after he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Miller was accused in November of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend at their home outside Dallas during the Bills' bye week. Coach Sean McDermott placed the focus forward in calling it an unfortunate situation, while respecting the league's decision.
AP-Scorecard
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Detroit 5 Houston 2
Final Kansas City 2 Baltimore 1
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NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Milwaukee 5 N.Y. Mets 3
Final San Diego 5 Atlanta 4
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final OT Florida 2 Tampa Bay 1
Final Nashville 6 Carolina 4
Final Winnipeg 5 Calgary 2
Final Seattle 6 Edmonton 2
Final Anaheim 5 Utah 2
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final CF Montréal 2 Atlanta 1
Final Charlotte FC 4 Chicago 3
Final New York City FC 3 Cincinnati 2
Final Orlando City 2 Philadelphia 1
Final New York 4 Toronto FC 1
Final Miami 3 Columbus 2
Final Houston 2 New England 1
Final D.C. United 4 Nashville 3
Final LA Galaxy 3 Colorado 1
Final tie Minnesota 0 Real Salt Lake 0
Final Los Angeles FC 1 St Louis City 0
Final Austin FC 1 Portland 0
Final San Jose 3 FC Dallas 2
Final Seattle 3 Vancouver 0
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