EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — There was a sense of relief in a somewhat subdued Dallas Cowboys locker room after a hard-fought victory over the New York Giants. There was little celebration. What was important Thursday night were the numbers on the scoreboard at MetLife Stadium. Dallas Cowboys 20, New York Giants 15. The two-game losing streak was over and those who have been criticizing Dallas (2-2) and coach Mike McCarthy and predicting a disappointing season had been quieted for one night. The Cowboys were back to being the Cowboys, a good offense and a solid defense.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is headed to the postseason for the first time in his career after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West on Thursday night by scoring five runs in the seventh inning in a 7-2 win over the second-place San Diego Padres. The Japanese superstar spent his first six MLB seasons in Anaheim, where the Los Angeles Angels never had a winning record or played in October. He signed a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers last offseason. He made a rookie mistake, though. Ohtani wasn’t wearing goggles like most of his teammates during the alcohol-soaked clubhouse celebration. He blinked hard several times and his eyes appeared red while talking to media outside the throbbing party. “It stung a little bit in my eyes,” he said, smiling. “It was an awesome feeling and I’m hoping to be able to continue popping more champagne.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge, spritz from white and gold bottles of Luc Belaire Rare Luxe sparkling wine dripping down his 6-foot-7 frame, appreciated the moment. “Nothing is ever guaranteed,” the New York Yankees captain said. Judge hit his major league-leading 58th home run, going deep for the fifth straight game to help the Yankees romp over the Baltimore Orioles 10-1 on Thursday night and wrap up the AL East with three games to spare. Quite different from 2023’s sputtering descent to an 82-80 record that nearly became the pinstripes’ first losing since 1992. After their 21st division title, including the first half of the 1981 split season, the Yankees (93-66) will open their 59th postseason at home Oct. 5 in a best-of-five Division Series against a winner of next week’s wild-card round.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Kotsay treated this moment, this daunting day, like the World Series he has never had as a player or manager. Kotsay fought tears, just like so many others Thursday, as the Oakland Athletics bid an emotional farewell to their beloved Coliseum they’ve called home since 1968, complete with all its quirks like plumbing problems and rally possums — and those stray cats who helped inspire Hall of Famer Tony La Russa’s former Animal Rescue Foundation. The A’s beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 and Kotsay took the microphone afterward for a heartfelt thank you to a sellout crowd of 46,889 before leading one last chant of “Let’s go Oakland!” Third baseman Max Schuemann grabbed a huge A’s flag and ran it around the field, stopping to wave it in front of different sections. “I’ve never been to a World Series before,” Kotsay said. “But I feel like today is one of those days that you can kind of experience the emotion of that, the magnitude of it. Driving in the gates today and seeing the fullness of a parking lot, feeling the energy and the emotion is something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”
THURSDAY'S SCORES
National Football League
Dallas 20, NY Giants 15
Major League Baseball
(Kansas City gained a game on Minnesota in the Wild Card standings after Miami's comeback win in 13 innings Thursday. The Royals' magic number is now just a single win or Minnesota loss).
American League
Kansas City 7, Washington 4
Miami 8, Minnesota 6 13 innings
Detroit 4, Tampa Bay 2
Oakland 3, Texas 2
Chicago White Sox 7, LA Angels 0
NY Yankees 10, Baltimore 1
National League
Milwaukee 5, Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 10, St. Louis 8
LA Dodgers 7, San Diego 2