ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz’s bat backed up his boast, and the Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series again. Díaz and Junior Caminero each hit a two-run homer, Freddy Peralta pitched 5 1/3 gritty innings and the Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series to win their third pennant in 29 seasons as a major league franchise. The Rays will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the first matchup in which both teams are seeking their first World Series title since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals. Game 1 is Friday night in Milwaukee. The loss extended Cleveland’s World Series championship drought to 78 years.
The Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays will meet in a Suds vs. Sun World Series, which starts begins Friday night in Milwaukee. Both teams are seeking their first title, with the Brewers last reaching the Series in 1982 and the Rays in 2020. This matchup likely will be the first all-indoor championship, with both teams playing in ballparks with roofs. The Brewers and Rays become the first teams in the bottom half of payrolls to meet in the championship since 1991. It will mark the first World Series between two teams seeking their first title since the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals in 1980.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Angel Reese had 30 points and 16 rebounds, Allisha Gray added 18 points and the Atlanta Dream stymied Golden State on both ends in the second half, beating the Valkyries 79-65 to even the WNBA Finals at one game apiece. Rhyne Howard set a Finals record with six steals, while Jordin Canada contributed 13 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Dream earned the franchise’s first Finals victory after going winless in three previous trips. They now head home having salvaged a split in front of the boisterous “Ballhalla” crowd at Chase Center. Reese became the third player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw a touchdown pass, Christian McCaffrey ran for two scores and the San Francisco 49ers held on to beat the Washington Commanders 23-17 for their sixth straight win to open the season. The Niners built a 20-point lead and held off the Commanders with two late defensive stops. Jayden Daniels threw two touchdown passes in the second half to cut a 20-point deficit to 23-17, but Malik Mustapha broke up a fourth-down pass to Treylon Burks near the goal line with 1:54 to play to preserve the lead. Washington got the ball back but Daniels was sacked on the final play.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season because of blood clots in his lungs, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because of the sensitivity of the health matter. The Eagles placed Hurts on injured reserve Saturday after revealing he has a blood clot in his calf. On Monday, the team and Hurts' agent provided more details. Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and a bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning a clot has traveled from his legs to his lungs. His treatment involves blood thinners, and he cannot participate in football activities until he's off them.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The Washington Commanders are concerned that wide receiver Terry McLaurin has a serious knee injury. McLaurin was taken off the field on a cart Monday night with the injury to his left knee. He was running a pattern in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers when he went down with the injury. His knee appeared to buckle as he tried to get free from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. McLaurin stayed down while teammates knelt nearby before he was driven off the field. He was immediately ruled out for the game. Coach Dan Quinn says the injury “could be significant.”
Florida starts the men's college basketball season ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25. Coach Todd Golden says the ranking is expected, as the team aims for another national championship. Duke and Illinois are next while UConn and Arizona round out the top five. Michigan State, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Houston finish out the top 10,
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Freddy Peralta rode his fastball to the American League Championship Series MVP award. Acquired by the Rays from the New York Mets before the trade deadline, Peralta turned around his season in Tampa Bay and helped his new team win its third AL pennant. Peralta was 2-0 with an 0.75 ERA in three appearances, including two starts, in the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians. When Rays manager Kevin Cash announced the ALCS MVP winner on the postgame stage at Tropicana Field, he said: “Fastball Freddy.”
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — For yet another season, Cleveland baseball fans will have to wait. The city’s proud major league franchise still hasn’t won a World Series since 1948. After the Guardians fell a little short once again with a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, it will be the Rays meeting the Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic — the first once since 1980 between teams seeking their first World Series title. Seemingly in control of the best-of-seven ALCS after winning two of the first three games, José Ramírez and the Guardians are left to lament three straight losses. Tampa Bay used clear superiority in its starting rotation, bullpen and late-series offense to eliminate Cleveland.
Former N.C. State football coach Chuck Amato has died at the age of 80. The school announced on its athletics website that Amato died early Monday at his Raleigh home under hospice care. Amato had previously battled throat cancer and eventually lost his voice. Amato was a defensive assistant under the late Bobby Bowden during Florida State's peak run of the 1990s before returning to N.C. State as head coach. As a player, Amato was a linebacker who was part of a team that shared an Atlantic Coast Conference title. He also was an ACC champion wrestler at N.C. State.
Finals
AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Tampa Bay 7 Cleveland 3
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final N-Y Rangers 5 Anaheim 2
Final Philadelphia 3 Colorado 2
Final Toronto 3 San Jose 1
Final Utah 5 Pittsburgh 4
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final San Francisco 23 Washington 17