AP Sports Summary for September 21st, 2024:
Better than Babe Ruth? Ohtani's feats make the superstar a legend even among MLB peers
If baseball fans are lucky, Shohei Ohtani's greatness in the batter's box and maybe even on the pitching mound could be on display for at least another decade. But in the minds of many, the 30-year-old is already on the shortlist of the sport's all-time legends. The Japanese superstar added to his feats on Thursday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season. Ohtani is only in his eighth big-league season after playing five years in Japan.
Phillies clinch 3rd straight playoff berth and close in on NL East title
NEW YORK (AP) — Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have clinched their third consecutive playoff appearance by beating the New York Mets 12-2. Assured at least a National League wild card, the Phillies can secure their first NL East title since 2011 with one more win this weekend against the second-place Mets at Citi Field. With the division crown so close, Philadelphia planned a mellow celebration following Friday night's game — hoping to let loose soon with a boozy clubhouse bash after locking up first place. Seeking their third World Series championship, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven't trailed since.
Joel Embiid signs a 3-year, $193 million contract extension with the 76ers
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping him with the franchise through the 2028-29 season. The NBA All-Star and the 76ers reached a three-year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-2029 season, a person familiar with the deal said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been announced. Embiid broke his own news early Friday morning when he posted a photo on Instagram of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.
A'ja Wilson set records. So did Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. WNBA stats in 2024 were eye-popping
A'ja Wilson had a season like none other in WNBA history. Caitlin Clark set records and made the Indiana Fever the biggest draw in the women's game. Angel Reese rebounded like nobody the league has ever seen. The WNBA regular season is over and the stat sheets were filled like never before. Lots of records like most points, most rebounds, most assists, even most people at a game all fell during the WNBA's 28th regular season.
QB Jordan Love questionable for Packers' game Sunday at Tennessee
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with the Tennessee Titans as he continues his recovery from a knee injury. Love has been practicing on a limited basis each of the last three days after sitting out the Packers' 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Love injured his left medial collateral ligament Sept. 6 during the final series of the Packers' 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Former Titans quarterback Malik Willis would start if Love is unable to play.
Hotter summers are making high school football a fatal game for some players
BRANDON, Mississippi (AP) — The beginning of high school football season has seen a string of deaths. Players are most at risk in the late summer months of August and September of suffering heat-related illnesses due to searing temperatures and high humidity. Those conditions have worsened in recent decades due to climate change. Fifty-eight players have died from exertional heat stroke between 1992 and 2024, according to the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut, and thousands more are sickened each year. This summer has been especially bad, with five high school players dying since July of suspected heat-related illnesses.
Many players who made their MLB debuts in 2020 felt like they were 'missing out'
Nearly half of the 212 players who made their MLB debuts during the pandemic-altered 2020 season are still playing or have been in the big leagues this year. There have been 17 players from that class that became All-Stars, six for the first time this season. But there are also 24 players who after making their debuts never got back to the majors after that season to play a game with fans in the stands. Boston Red Sox All-Star pitcher Tanner Houck feels blessed to have been part of the group that got to continue to play in the big leagues after such a weird year.
A trio of NASCAR stars in danger of playoff elimination at Bristol cutoff race
The first elimination race of NASCAR's playoffs has a three-time Daytona 500 winner and a pair of former Cup Series champions in danger of being bumped from title contention at Bristol Motor Speedway. The trio also happen to be among NASCAR's biggest stars in a 16-driver playoff field in which popular drivers Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Bubba Wallace were among those who failed to qualify. This year's field is fairly watered down, and yet Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr. and Harrison Burton are all below the cutline headed into the first elimination race of the playoffs. The bottom four drivers at the end of Saturday night's race will be eliminated.
Journeyman ties 36-hole record at Wentworth to lead by two; McIlroy four shots back
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Matthew Baldwin is setting an unexpectedly hot pace at the BMW PGA Championship after shooting 6-under 66 to establish a two-stroke lead after the second round. Baldwin is an English journeyman ranked No. 363. He built on his overnight one-shot lead after a first-round 65 by making seven birdies to go along with a dropped shot at No. 11 for his only bogey so far this week. Baldwin has been through the tour's qualifying school six times and was ranked just inside the top 850 two years ago. Now he is on 13 under overall to tie the event's 36-hole record and is leading one of the European tour's top fields that includes Rory McIlroy. McIlroy shot 68 and was four off the lead.
Laver Cup is 2-2 after Fritz and Shelton win doubles from Alcaraz and Zverev
BERLIN (AP) — American pair Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton have edged Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev in doubles to tie the Laver Cup after the first day in Berlin. Alcaraz and Zverev, who faced each other in the French Open final three months ago, had a point for 5-4 in the second set but lost it and the game. Fritz and Shelton served out to win 7-6 (5), 6-4. That left Team Europe and Team World at 2-2 with two more days to go in a format reminiscent of golf's Ryder Cup. Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov won their singles for Team Europe while Casper Ruud lost his to Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina. The tournament ends on Sunday.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Cleveland 5 St. Louis 1
Final San Francisco 2 Kansas City 1
Final San Diego 3 Chicago White Sox 2
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 1 Toronto 0
Final Baltimore 7 Detroit 1
Final Seattle 8 Texas 2
Final Houston 9 L.A. Angels 7
Final Minnesota 4 Boston 2
Final N.Y. Yankees 4 Oakland 2
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Chicago Cubs 3 Washington 1
Final Cincinnati 8 Pittsburgh 3
Final Miami 4 Atlanta 3
Final Philadelphia 12 N.Y. Mets 2
Final Arizona 7 Milwaukee 4
Final L.A. Dodgers 6 Colorado 4
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (24)Illinois 31 (22)Nebraska 24
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
San Francisco at Kansas City 5:10 p.m.
Cleveland at St. Louis 7:15 p.m.
Chi White Sox at San Diego 8:40 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit at Baltimore 4:05 p.m.
Minnesota at Boston 4:10 p.m.
Toronto at Tampa Bay 4:10 p.m.
Seattle at Texas 7:05 p.m.
L-A Angels at Houston 7:10 p.m.
N-Y Yankees at Oakland 9:07 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati 1:10 p.m.
Washington at Chi Cubs 2:20 p.m.
Atlanta at Miami 4:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at N-Y Mets 4:10 p.m.
Arizona at Milwaukee 7:10 p.m.
Colorado at L-A Dodgers 9:10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON
Pittsburgh at Buffalo 7 p.m.
St. Louis at Dallas 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Winnipeg 8 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(12)Utah at (14)Oklahoma St. 4 p.m.
(6)Tennessee at (15)Oklahoma 7:30 p.m.
(11)Southern Cal at (18)Michigan 3:30 p.m.
NC State at (21)Clemson 12 p.m.
Marshall at (3)Ohio St. 12 p.m.
Arkansas St. at (20)Iowa St. 2 p.m.
Kent St. at (10)Penn St. 3:30 p.m.
UCLA at (16)LSU 3:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech at (19)Louisville 3:30 p.m.
Buffalo at (23)N. Illinois 3:30 p.m.
Miami (Ohio) at (17)Notre Dame 3:30 p.m.
Vanderbilt at (7)Missouri 4:15 p.m.
(8)Miami at South Florida 7 p.m.
Bowling Green at (25)Texas A&M 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern at (5)Mississippi 7:45 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe at (1)Texas 8 p.m.
(13)Kansas St. at BYU 10:30 p.m.
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Miami at New York City FC 2 p.m.
New England at Charlotte FC 4 p.m.
Orlando City at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Chicago at CF Montréal 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta at New York 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Austin FC 8:30 p.m.
Los Angeles FC at FC Dallas 8:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Sporting Kansas City 8:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at Nashville 8:30 p.m.
Toronto FC at Colorado 9:30 p.m.
Portland at Real Salt Lake 9:30 p.m.
Vancouver at LA Galaxy 10:30 p.m.
St Louis City at San Jose 10:30 p.m.
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