Month: October 2021

By CASEY DROTTAR Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Courtney Vandersloot scored 19 points and Kahleah Copper added 18 to help the Chicago Sky beat the top-seeded Connecticut Sun 79-69 and advance to the WNBA Finals. Chicago is back in the finals for the first time since 2014 despite finishing the regular season with a .500

By The Associated Press Two septuagenarians will be on the bench when 77-year-old Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa and the Chicago White Sox face the Houston Astros and 72-year-old skipper Dusty Baker in their playoff opener Thursday. A three-time World Series winner, La Russa returns to the postseason for the first time since

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, a day after fracturing his left ankle in a preseason game. Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, was hurt in the third period of the Kings’ 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Austin Ekeler helped more than a few fantasy football players who drafted him this past week. The Los Angeles Chargers running back, who said during training camp that “if you want to get fantasy points you better have me on your team, certainly lived

By BILL HUBER Associated Press GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers continue to consult with specialists on 2020 Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander’s injured shoulder in hopes of avoiding season-ending surgery. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Alexander probably won’t play Sunday at Cincinnati. It was a whirlwind of a day for the

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan figures he and the rest of New Orleans’ defensive front should disrupt quarterbacks more than they have lately. Jordan doesn’t have a sack through the first four games of 2021 after racking up 48 during the previous four seasons. Meanwhile

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Suspended Dallas offensive lineman La’el Collins has sued the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell over his five-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt the ban with two of the games remaining. Lawyers for Collins have filed

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell faces the obstacle of adapting his postseason bullpen to account for the absence of injured setup man Devin Williams. That’s only the latest of numerous challenges Counsell has encountered this season. Counsell had to navigate the Brewers through a season in

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills’ new and improved defense will be put to the test in facing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night. The Bills’ defense was no match last year in losing twice to Kansas City. The Chiefs had 245 yards

By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays have won more games than any other team in the American League over the past two seasons, going about their business with a quiet confidence that has the full attention of the Boston Red Sox. The AL East rivals meet

By MAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports Writer SAO PAULO (AP) — Not having star playmaker Neymar or midfielder Casemiro available for selection will allow Brazil coach Tite to experiment with his lineup in Thursday’s World Cup qualifying match at Venezuela. Neymar is serving a suspension after picking up two yellow cards in Brazil’s previous game and

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Anthony Barr has been cleared to rejoin the Minnesota Vikings. The four-time Pro Bowl linebacker is back in action after an 18-game absence to give a lagging defense a boost. Barr was sidelined by a balky knee early in training camp. He said he

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Shelby Rogers beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in opening matches at the BNP Paribas Open. Rogers and Stephens were joined by fellow American Madison Keys in advancing. Keys beat Kaia Kanepi, 6-0, 7-5. Men’s main draw play begins Thursday. 

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Jimmie Johnson and Romain Grosjean turned their first laps on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval on Wednesday as part of a test session for approval to race the Indianapolis 500. Rain shortened the session so neither driver completed the testing phase. Johnson said he fulfilled a childhood

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Baker Mayfield was only accurate after his poor performance Sunday in Minnesota. Cleveland’s quarterback said he was terrible and he won’t get much argument. He finished 15 of 33 for 155 yards and missed on some potentially big plays, including a game-sealing touchdown pass to

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa is back in the playoffs with the Chicago White Sox as they prepare to open their best-of-five AL Division Series on Thursday against the Houston Astros. It’s his first postseason since winning the 2011 World Series with the St.

NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert will have to face a disciplinary hearing with the New York Racing Association to address a suspension after a federal judge denied Baffert’s motion to hold the racing organization in contempt. Brooklyn Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the Eastern District of New York ruled

By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s injured calf hasn’t healed enough for him to be able to practice but isn’t injured enough to rule him out of this week’s game for the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners began their practice week before a division showdown against

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Baseball Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Logan Webb will start for the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Friday night against the rival Dodgers. Fellow right-hander and 14-game winner Kevin Gausman will go Saturday night in Game 2 for the NL West champions, having thrived

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon didn’t practice Wednesday and is day to day with an ankle sprain. Coach Zac Taylor said he wanted to see Mixon at full speed in practice on Thursday before he can make a judgment about his fitness for Cincinnati’s game against the Green Bay Packers on

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions put standout center Frank Ragnow on injured reserve, another setback for a banged-up winless team. The Lions made the move along with signing linebacker Jessie Lemonier off the practice squad and activating kicker Austin Seibert from the COVID-19 reserve list. Detroit was without tight end T.J. Hockenson

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — The surprising Oregon State Beavers are the only undefeated team in conference play in the Pac-12 North. It’s the first time the Beavers have ever been in sole possession of the division’s top spot. The Beavers are riding their first four-game winning streak since

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are moving on from linebacker Jaylon Smith without getting into the specifics of the decision to release their leading returning tackler four games into 2021. One of the factors was a looming $9.2 million guarantee on Smith’s 2022 salary if he

By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna are missing from the U.S. lineup because of injuries but Weston McKennie will start in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica after missing two games for violating team COVID protocols. The Reggae Boyz are without top forward Michail Antonio, who

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have reassigned hitting coach Edgar Varela to a minor league role. They now have three openings to fill on manager Rocco Baldelli’s staff. Varela held the position for two seasons. He was the club’s minor league field coordinator for the two years prior to that. Major league coach Bill