PHOENIX (AP) — Marcus Semien’s two-run triple and three-run homer powered Texas to a 10-run lead by the third inning, Corey Seager hit another long home run and the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-7 to move ahead three games to one in the World Series. Texas improved to a record 10-0 on the road this postseason and closed within one win of the first title in the 63-season history of a franchise that started as the expansion Washington Senators in 1961. Nathan Eovaldi tries to clinch the third all-wild card World Series on Wednesday night against Zac Gallen in a rematch of Game 1 starters. The Rangers built a 10-0 cushion and became the first team in Series history with consecutive five-run innings. Jonah Heim also homered for Texas.
PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen hasn’t been the ace pitcher the Arizona Diamondbacks hoped for this postseason. If the right-hander can’t revert to form in Game 5 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night, there’s a good chance his team’s season will be over. The D-backs are facing postseason elimination after losing 11-7 to the Texas Rangers in Tuesday’s Game 4. Arizona fell into a 10-run hole by the end of the third inning and now trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Gallen started for the National League in this year's All-Star Game. He has a 2-2 record and a 5.27 ERA so far in October.
UNDATED (AP) — Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Florida State sat atop the season’s first College Football Playoff rankings, with unbeaten Washington and Oregon next. The NCAA is investigating a sign-stealing scheme that allegedly involved impermissible in-person scouting by Michigan. Selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan said the allegations against Michigan were not part of the debate about where the Wolverines should be ranked. He called it an NCAA issue, not a CFP issue.
UNDATED (AP) — The Big 12 is running all over the other Power 5 conferences when it comes to productive running backs. Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II leads the nation at 135.9 yards per game, and the Big 12 has three other backs averaging at least 100 yards. The other four big conferences have five 100-yard rushers combined. Among conferences, the Big 12 is first in rushing yards per game (172.8) and second in total yards (421.7). Jonathon Brooks averages 115 yards per game for No. 7 Texas (7-1).
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa has been suspended nine games for receiving impermissible benefits. West Virginia announced the suspension Tuesday. West Virginia’s athletic department says it learned in late August that Kriisa admitted to receiving the benefits while enrolled at Arizona. Kriisa arrived at West Virginia in April with two years of eligibility remaining after three seasons with the Wildcats. West Virginia says it worked with the NCAA to reach an appropriate resolution. Kriisa can continue to practice and travel with the team during his suspension. Kriisa averaged nearly 10 points and led the Pac-12 in assists with five per game last season.
UNDATED (AP) — Over 1,200 women’s basketball players entered the transfer portal last year. Just over 1,000 found new schools to play for. With so many talented players available, it’s changed how quickly coaches can turn bad teams into good and great ones. LSU coach Kim Mulkey has been one of the most active using the portal, building the Tigers into a super team. The school won its first national championship last season. In the last few years she’s added Angel Reese, Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow. All three earned All-America honors last year. All three will play for LSU this season.
UNDATED (AP) — The transfer portal has become the go-to place for college basketball coaches to immediately upgrade their rosters. Transfers can step in and have an immediate impact and many of the top programs have taken advantage. UConn and San Diego State, the 2023 national finalists, both had transfers in key roles. So did Kansas and Baylor, the previous two national champions. Tighter guidelines by the NCAA on two-time transfers have made navigating the portal a bit trickier. With many of the waivers for second-time transfers being denied, coaches now have to decide if pursuing a player who has played at multiple schools is worth it.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have fired coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. The Raiders under McDaniels went 6-11 in 2022 and are 3-5 so far this season for a .360 winning percentage. McDaniels was hired following the 2021 season when Davis opted not to keep interim coach Rich Bisaccia on for the full-time even after he led the team to a surprising playoff run. The Raiders announced that Antonio Pierce will take over as the interim coach. They host the New York Giants on Sunday.
UNDATED (AP) — Derrick Henry, Davante Adams and everyone on the Denver Broncos stayed put. Chase Young, Montez Sweat and Joshua Dobbs are on the move. Rasul Douglas, Ezra Cleveland and Donovan Peoples-Jones also were dealt Tuesday before the NFL’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. EDT. Overall, there were six deals on the final day teams could improve their rosters by acquiring someone from another club. The San Francisco 49ers made the biggest move of the day, getting Young from the Washington Commanders for a compensatory third-round draft pick. Sweat went to Chicago. The Vikings got Dobbs. The Bills added Douglas. The Jaguars got Cleveland.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rick Hendrick first met William Byron as a local Charlotte teenager, fan of Hendrick Motorsports and budding NASCAR driver. Something about the 15-year-old struck Hendrick, who recognized a young talent with a potentially bright future in NASCAR. Hendrick snagged Byron away from the Toyota camp in 2016, promoted him to the Cup Series in 2018 when he was 20 years old and fresh off an Xfinity Series championship and gave him the tools to become a star. It’s paid off as Byron heads to Phoenix Raceway this week with a shot at winning his first Cup title.
TUESDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Final Texas 11 Arizona 7
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New York 109 Cleveland 91
Final San Antonio 115 Phoenix 114
Final L.A. Clippers 118 Orlando 102
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Los Angeles 4 Toronto 1