AP Sports Summary for October 14th.
Bryce Harper shines as Phillies aim for second straight World Series
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper has the Philadelphia Phillies on the brink of their second straight trip to the World Series. The National League champions host the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series on Monday. Harper hit three homers with a .462 batting average in a four-game NL Division Series win over Atlanta. Harper has nine postseason home runs in his two playoff appearances with the Phillies. Harper gave his team a scare when he clutched his right elbow late in Game 4. The slugging first baseman said he just stung his funny bone and was ready to play in Game 1. He turns 31 on Monday.
Diamondbacks thriving in postseason atmosphere. Another hostile one awaits for NLCS in Philly
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks are back in the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2007. Now they know who they're going to face. The Philadelphia Phillies are back in the NLCS for a second straight year after beating the Braves in four games of the best-of-five series. The D-backs know they'll face a hostile environment at Philly's Citizens Bank Ballpark. They feel prepared after facing tough road games in Milwaukee and Los Angeles. The first game of the NLCS is on Monday in Philadelphia.
Armed robbery at St. Louis Cardinals complex in Dominican Republic leaves players, staff 'shaken'
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Authorities are seeking at least five people in an armed robbery of the St. Louis Cardinals complex in the Dominican Republic on Friday. Dominican Republic police spokesman Diego Pesqueira told The Associated Press that the suspects bound and gagged a security guard and stole watches, rings, necklaces and other items from athletes and personnel. Pesqueira said the suspects used the guard's shoelaces to tie his wrists and ankles together. No one was injured, and no shots were fired, he said. A statement from the St. Louis Cardinals said baseball equipment was also stolen. Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak says players and staff at the complex were shaken.
Lexi Thompson falls short in her bid to make PGA Tour cut in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lexi Thompson looked to be on the verge of becoming the first woman in 78 years to make the cut on the PGA Tour. Two late bogeys stopped her. She missed a 6-foot birdie chance at the end and the 28-year-old American shot 69 in the Shriners Children's Open. She wound up missing the cut by three shots. Cameron Champ and Lanto Griffin shared the lead going into a weekend that will not include Thompson. Her 69 missed by one shot the record by a female on the PGA Tour. Michelle Wie twice shot 68 in the Sony Open.
Russian athletes won't be barred from the Paris Olympics despite their country's suspension
MUMBAI, India (AP) — The IOC says Russian athletes can be directly invited to next year's Paris Games despite the suspension of their country's Olympic committee. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach commented on the issue a day after the Russian Olympic Committee was suspended for violating the territorial integrity of its Ukrainian counterpart by unilaterally adding sports councils in four occupied regions as members. Isolating Russian Olympic officials won't affect the process of evaluating individuals to compete in Paris as neutral athletes. Bach says "these will be direct invitations which we will manage."
Hornets' Miles Bridges turns himself in after arrest warrant issued over protection order
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has turned himself in after a warrant was issued for an alleged protection order violation stemming from a domestic violence case last year. Bridges turned himself in Friday morning in Lincoln County, a suburb of Charlotte. He was accompanied by his attorney. Bridges appeared before a district court judge and was released on $1,000 bond. The warrant had originally been issued on Jan. 2, but had not previously been served. Messages left with Bridges' attorney were not immediately returned. According to court documents made available on Friday, Bridges "unlawfully and willfully did knowingly violate valid protective order" and "continually contacted the victim via social media and telecommunication device."
Deep in the heart of Texas, Astros and Rangers set for Lone Star showdown for spot in World Series
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Everything is certainly bigger deep in the heart of Texas this baseball postseason. There is a Lone Star State showdown for a spot in the World Series. The defending world champion Houston Astros are in their seventh consecutive American League Championship Series. This time, they play the up-and-coming Texas Rangers. It will be the first time they have met in the playoffs. Game 1 is Sunday night in Houston, where the benches cleared the last time they played there in late July. The AL West rivals both won 90 games during the regular season, but Houston was 9-4 against the Rangers.
Iowa State's Jack Trice Stadium remains only major college football stadium named for a Black man
George Trice is thankful that the tragic story of his cousin, Jack Trice, still is being told a century after he died from injuries sustained on a football field. Trice was trampled during a game at Minnesota on October 6, 1923. He died two days later upon his return to Ames, Iowa. After years of pressure from students, the school named its stadium for him in 1997, making it the first major college stadium to be named for a Black person. All these years later, Jack Trice Stadium remains the only major college football stadium named for a Black person.
Bjugstad and Schmaltz score in shootout as Coyotes beat Devils 4-3
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Bjugstad and Nick Schmaltz scored in the shootout, and the Arizona Coyotes recovered after giving up a two-goal lead and rallied to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Schmaltz also had a goal and an assist in regulation, and Matt Dumba and Sean Durzi also scored for the Coyotes in their regular season opener. Rookie forward Logan Cooley had two assists in his NHL debut and Karel Vejmelka made 33 saves. Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist, Dougie Hamilton had a goal and an assist, and Jack Hughes had three assists for New Jersey. Akira Schmid finished with 30 saves. Bjugstad and Schmaltz scored on Arizona's two attempts in the shootout, and Vejmelka stopped New Jersey's Timo Meier and Bratt to secure the win.
The 2020s are starting to feel like the 1990s for the Braves after another playoff flop
ATLANTA (AP) — The 2020s are starting to feel like the 1990s for the Atlanta Braves. Another dazzling regular season. Another flop in the postseason. After tying a major league record with 307 homers, the slugging Braves went down meekly to their rival Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Division Series for the second year in a row. Other than a stunning Braves comeback in Game 2, the Phillies totally dominated the best-of-five series. Just like that, a historic season for the Braves is over — with clear reminders of their postseason misery from another era.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
Final San Antonio 120 Miami 104
Final Golden State 129 L.A. Lakers 125
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final SO Arizona 4 New Jersey 3
Final Pittsburgh 4 Washington 0
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
New Orleans at Atlanta 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota at New York 7:30 p.m.
Portland at Utah 9 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Philadelphia at Ottawa 1 p.m.
Florida at Winnipeg 4 p.m.
Calgary at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
Chicago at Montreal 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Toronto 7 p.m.
N-Y Rangers at Columbus 7 p.m.
Nashville at Boston 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Detroit 7 p.m.
Buffalo at N-Y Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Seattle at St. Louis 8 p.m.
Anaheim at Vegas 10 p.m.
Colorado at San Jose 10 p.m.
Vancouver at Edmonton 10 p.m.
Carolina at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(8)Oregon at (7)Washington 3:30 p.m.
(18)UCLA at (15)Oregon St. 8 p.m.
(10)Southern Cal at (21)Notre Dame 7:30 p.m.
(25)Miami at (12)North Carolina 7:30 p.m.
(3)Ohio St. at Purdue 12 p.m.
Indiana at (2)Michigan 12 p.m.
(1)Georgia at Vanderbilt 12 p.m.
Arkansas at (11)Alabama 12 p.m.
Syracuse at (4)Florida St. 12 p.m.
California at (16)Utah 3 p.m.
(23)Kansas at Oklahoma St. 3:30 p.m.
Umass at (6)Penn St. 3:30 p.m.
Texas A&M at (19)Tennessee 3:30 p.m.
(14)Louisville at Pittsburgh 6:30 p.m.
Arizona at (19)Washington St. 7 p.m.
Auburn at (22)LSU 7 p.m.
Missouri at (24)Kentucky 7:30 p.m.
NC State at (17)Duke 8 p.m.
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
New England at Nashville 8:30 p.m.
Colorado at FC Dallas 8:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at LA Galaxy 10:30 p.m.
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