Category: Sport

CHICAGO — With one blow on an ideal early autumn evening, a Francisco Lindor blast made every kind of historical past. For the Mets, although, there stays just one form of historical past to make — the one which lands them within the postseason.

The Mets helped themselves in that regard in knocking off the Cubs 8-5 on Thursday behind one other veteranlike outing from dynamic rookie righty Nolan McLean, who struck out a career-high 11 batters and scattered 5 Chicago runs whereas pitching with a large lead. New York escaped the important thing collection at Wrigley Discipline with a giant collection win.

Nonetheless, with three video games to go, the Mets haven’t locked down something.

“We’ve bought to go on the market and handle enterprise,” Lindor mentioned. “The groups which might be on the market preventing for the playoffs are actually good groups, so we’ve got to go on the market and get it accomplished.”

McLean bought loads of assist in a drama-free win at a time when nothing has been simple for the Mets. Lindor’s thirtieth homer within the third pushed New York’s early benefit to 3-0, and Brett Baty’s three-run shot within the fourth broke the sport open.

Subsequent up is Miami, and the Mets will fly to Florida nonetheless in charge of their very own destiny within the race for the Nationwide League’s final wild-card spot. New York leads Cincinnati by one sport and Arizona by two, however the Mets would lose a tiebreaker in opposition to both membership ought to they end with equivalent regular-season data.

“You wish to keep alive,” Lindor mentioned. “We’re ready proper now the place we management our personal future. However we’ve bought to go handle enterprise. The Marlins have performed as effectively, and we all know that.”

Lindor’s homer was notable for a number of causes. Lindor, who has swiped 31 bases this season, now has his second profession 30-30 season, making him simply the second major shortstop to have two such campaigns, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Kansas Metropolis’s Bobby Witt Jr. was the primary.

As well as, Lindor joins Mets star Juan Soto on this season’s 30-30 membership, making them simply the third pair of teammates to do it in the identical season. The others had been the Mets’ Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry (1987) and the Rockies’ Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks (1996).

As traditional, Lindor deflected from his function in his personal accomplishments.

“I’m blessed to be round good teammates, individuals which might be elite, are on the high of what they do,” Lindor mentioned. “In the case of me, I’m surrounded by good teammates, good hitting coaches, and so they attempt to discover that edge each single day.”

This additionally marks Lindor’s sixth 30-homer season, transferring him previous Cubs legend Ernie Banks for probably the most such campaigns by a shortstop. Lindor now trails solely Alex Rodriguez, who had seven.

Lastly, Lindor joins Soto and Pete Alonso for the Mets within the 30-home run membership, the primary time within the 64-year historical past of the Mets that they’ve had three gamers hit that mark.

“It’s fairly spectacular,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned. “It goes to indicate you the kind of gamers that we’ve bought right here. They’ve been carrying us for just about an entire yr.”

McLean could have debuted too late within the season to mount an actual push for NL Rookie of the Yr, but when he had began earlier, he’d be a front-runner. McLean is now 5-1 over eight begins since his promotion with a miniscule 2.06 ERA. The Mets, whose second-half pitching struggles have brought about all kinds of complications for his or her followers, are 6-2 in his begins. The opposite Mets starters are a mixed 6-12 since McLean’s first begin on Aug. 16.

“I’m simply making an attempt to maintain the sport plan as totally different as doable, as many instances as I can,” mentioned McLean, who used all six of the pitches in his arsenal via the outing. “Simply taking part in that cat-and-mouse sport continually, which I feel is essential.”

New York’s season-ending collection in opposition to the Marlins begins Friday, whereas the Reds end at Milwaukee, and Arizona visits San Diego.

With a pair extra nights like Thursday, the Mets hope to go to Los Angeles to play the NL West champion Dodgers in a wild-card collection, a rematch of final yr’s scintillating Nationwide League Championship Collection. However first there may be enterprise to take care of in South Florida.

“You stroll away from this collection feeling good clearly, however you continue to bought to go on the market and handle enterprise in Miami,” Mendoza mentioned. “We’re on this place, however we’re nonetheless in management.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sam Darnold is enjoying like a franchise quarterback. And Jaxon Smith-Njigba is enjoying like among the best receivers in soccer.

On an evening when the Seahawks turned what appeared like a lopsided win right into a nail-biter, the Darnold-to-Smith-Njigba connection helped them escape State Farm Stadium with a 23-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals because of Jason Myers’ 52-yard area aim as time expired.

The Seahawks shouldn’t have wanted the late heroics. They led 14-3 at halftime regardless of three essential errors. Coby Bryant fumbled an interception, fellow security Julian Love dropped a simple choose and operating again Kenneth Walker III took Seattle out of area aim vary due to a taunting penalty.

Nonetheless, the Seahawks had been in full management — till late. Their vaunted protection gave up 17 unanswered factors, permitting Arizona to tie the rating with 28 seconds left within the fourth quarter.

Seattle obtained the ball on the 40-yard line after Arizona’s kickoff failed to succeed in the touchdown zone, and on a second-and-10 play, Darnold hit Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard acquire, establishing Myers’ winner two performs later.

Smith-Njigba had 323 receiving yards coming into Thursday, making it the very best three-game begin in franchise historical past. It took him some time to get going in opposition to Arizona, however he completed with 79 receiving yards on 4 catches. Darnold was 3-of-3 for 69 yards when focusing on Smith-Njigba on passes that traveled 10 or extra yards downfield within the fourth quarter. Smith-Njigba had only one such goal within the first three quarters.

That is the newest chapter of untamed video games when the Seahawks face the Cardinals in Arizona, the place Seattle is now 11-1-1 since 2013.

Listed here are crucial issues to know from Thursday night time for each groups:

What to make of the QB efficiency: Darnold continues to indicate he’s an efficient scrambler. That was among the many causes he had been sacked solely thrice over the primary three video games. Arizona obtained to him thrice Thursday, however Darnold once more made performs on the transfer. Late within the first half, he hit rookie tight finish Elijah Arroyo for 32 yards on a scramble throw. On the following play, he ran for twenty-four yards. That drive ended with a landing that put Seattle up 14-3 at halftime. Darnold completed 18 of 26 for 242 yards and a landing.

Turning level: After the questionable fumble on Bryant’s interception return, the Seahawks caught an officiating break. Late within the first half, left deal with Charles Cross wasn’t known as for an apparent false begin on a third-and-2 play that Seattle transformed by way of a Darnold throw to Cooper Kupp. Had it been known as, Seattle would have confronted third-and-7 from the 32, probably resulting in a protracted area aim attempt. As an alternative, Darnold hit tight finish AJ Barner for a 16-yard landing and a 7-3 lead on the following play.

Development to look at: Has Josh Jobe overtaken Riq Woolen because the No. 2 nook? When Seattle introduced in security D’Anthony Bell as an additional defensive again, Woolen got here off the sector, not Jobe. This may need been a number of weeks within the making. Coach Mike Macdonald wouldn’t decide to Woolen beginning in Week 2 after the previous Professional Bowler dedicated two pricey miscues late in Seattle’s season-opening loss. However with Devon Witherspoon sidelined, Woolen remained in an every-down function till Witherspoon returned Thursday. Woolen was penalized thrice in opposition to Arizona whereas Jobe continued his wonderful begin. — Brady Henderson

Subsequent sport: vs. Buccaneers (4:05 p.m. ET, Oct. 5)

After Marvin Harrison Jr. got here down with a 16-yard landing catch within the fourth quarter, the second-year receiver took a knee to rejoice.

The Cardinals had been ready for that sort of play from Harrison all sport, but it surely wasn’t sufficient.

The Cardinals’ offense — Harrison included — didn’t discover a rhythm till the fourth quarter, when Arizona tied the rating at 20 with 28 seconds left. However kicker Chad Ryland’s penalty on the following kickoff led to Seattle hitting a game-winning area aim as time expired to win an important NFC West battle.

Till halfway by the fourth quarter, little or no labored for Arizona. The run sport was stifled. The move sport was brief. Yards had been exhausting to achieve, and factors had been even rarer. And, but once more, it was the Cardinals’ protection that stored Arizona inside placing distance, permitting simply two touchdowns and stopping the end result from being one-sided.

Then, because the clock ticked underneath 10 minutes within the fourth quarter, every thing that wasn’t working for the Cardinals’ offense abruptly labored. Quarterback Kyler Murray led Arizona on two landing drives, the one which culminated with Harrison’s landing and a second that ended with a 7-yard reception by operating again Emari Demercado.

Sadly for Arizona, it misplaced its second straight NFC West matchup.

What to make of the QB efficiency: Murray did what he might with what he had out there to him. Each of his interceptions had been on throws to Harrison, and the receiver contributed to each of them. He stopped operating the route on one and bobbled the ball earlier than it was picked on the opposite. Nevertheless, after going 1-of-5 when focusing on Harrison within the first half, the duo was 5-of-5 for 58 yards after the break. Murray completed 27 of 41 passing for 200 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Stat to know: Harrison’s landing within the fourth quarter was the tenth of his two-year profession, and it was essentially the most by a Cardinal by their first two seasons since John Brown had 12 in 2014 and 2015. — Josh Weinfuss

Subsequent sport: vs. Titans (4:05 p.m. ET, Oct. 5)

England, the staff which have every little thing besides the factor they most need, face Canada in Saturday’s Ladies’s Rugby World Cup closing, with coach John Mitchell hoping classes he realized within the males’s sport can finish their lengthy look ahead to world glory.

England are the best-backed staff in girls’s rugby, their governing Rugby Soccer Union reporting annual revenues for the monetary yr of 2023/24 of £175.2 million ($233.6 million).

Canada, in the meantime, launched a crowd-funding marketing campaign to bolster their bid for an inaugural world title, with £1.4 million of backing from their nationwide union boosted by practically £540,000 of exterior funding.

However coach Kevin Rouet insisted Rugby Canada “did their greatest”, with the extra finance wanted “to win the World Cup, not simply to go to the World Cup”.

The Pink Roses, on a report 32-game successful streak, additionally compete in England’s unrivalled Premiership Ladies’s Rugby (PWR).

They now go into Saturday’s finale at Twickenham, the headquarters of English rugby union, set to be roared on by an anticipated capability crowd of over 82,000 — which can smash the report for a girls’s 15-a-side match.

And but for all their benefits, together with a big enjoying base, England have gained the Ladies’s Rugby World Cup simply twice, the final time in 2014 after they beat Canada 21-9 in a Paris closing — the Maple Leafs’ solely earlier look within the showpiece sport.

Defeats in 5 of the previous six finals by Mitchell’s native New Zealand have led to questions on England’s capacity to manage beneath stress when it actually issues.

These doubts resurfaced throughout a semi-final the place England solely led France 7-5 at half-time earlier than successful 35-17.

Certainly Mitchell, a former coach of New Zealand males’s All Blacks, was drafted into the England girls’s set-up following their agonising 34-31 loss to the Black Ferns within the Covid-delayed 2022 closing in Auckland.

– ‘Emotional tank’ –

However it his time as an assistant coach with the England staff crushed by South Africa within the 2022 males’s Rugby World Cup closing in Japan, after defeating the All Blacks within the semi-final, that Mitchell is counting on now.

“I nonetheless look again on 2019 and the semi-final was an enormous efficiency and I believe we generally as coaches dont recognise the emotional tank plus the bodily tank that’s emptied in such events,” mentioned Mitchell after naming an unchanged staff on Thursday.

“We probably in 2019 didnt take care of the emotional tank, refill it nicely sufficient.

“The best way we have now ready this week is we have now made positive we (had been off for) a few days after the semi-final efficiency to have the ability to are available in and get targeted on the plan we have to execute on the weekend.”

England captain Zoe Aldcroft, concerned within the final World Cup closing, mentioned it was vital to not make Saturday’s match “larger than it already is”.

“We’ve got been engaged on this now for 3 years and it’s our time now, we actually really feel like that,” the flanker added.

– ‘England straightforward to play, onerous to beat’ –

But when England, for all their ahead energy, the attacking expertise of full-back Ellie Kildunne, the world participant of the yr and a two-try heroine towards France, make the identical dealing with errors towards Canada as they did within the semi-final, the Maple Leafs might but spoil the celebration.

Canada, who’ve a number of gamers at PWR golf equipment, together with skipper Alex Tessier, are additionally unchanged following an excellent 34-19 semi-final win over New Zealand that showcased their fast-paced dealing with sport and fierce defence.

However they know England signify a distinct problem.

“The Roses, as a result of they’re a extremely structured staff, it’s straightforward to play towards them, onerous to beat them,” mentioned Canada’s most-capped participant, Tyson Beukeboom.

“We all know the best way to play towards them, we simply must do it…They’re an extremely tough staff to play towards, they’ve an aura about them that has been nearly untouched within the final 10 years.

“Our objective is to burst it.”

jdg/nr

PHOENIX — Shohei Ohtani matched his profession excessive together with his 54th residence run, Freddie Freeman went deep twice and the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their twelfth Nationwide League West title in 13 years by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-0 on Thursday.

Ohtani’s homer splashed into Chase Area’s swimming pool behind the right-center wall for a 6-0 lead within the fourth inning. The 2-run shot gave him 101 RBIs for the season and matched his career-best residence run complete with the World Sequence champion Dodgers final yr. He has scored an enormous league-high 144 runs.

Los Angeles, which clinched a postseason berth final week, gained its fourth straight division title.

Arizona (80-79) fell 1½ video games behind the New York Mets (81-77) for the ultimate NL wild-card spot and in addition is one recreation again of Cincinnati (81-78). The Diamondbacks shut with three video games at San Diego.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8) allowed 4 hits in six innings and struck out seven to complete with 201. His 2.49 ERA ranked second within the NL behind the 1.97 ERA of Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes.

Three relievers completed a five-hitter within the Dodgers’ tenth shutout.

Freeman and Andy Pages homered again to again beginning the second inning, Freeman off opener Jalen Beeks (5-3) and Pages towards Nabil Crismatt. Mookie Betts added a two-run single.

Freeman, who had three RBIs, has 23 homers whereas Pages has 27.

Arizona completed 43-38 at Chase Area. The gang of 34,952 raised residence attendance to 2,393,773, the Diamondbacks’ highest since 2008.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Professional Bowl security Kyle Hamilton defended Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr on Thursday, saying “the sky’s not falling” three video games into the season.

“It’s unfair to place all of the blame on him when there’s 11 guys on the market on the sector which can be enjoying their hearts off and he’s put us in the appropriate positions,” Hamilton mentioned. “It’s only a matter of us doing the appropriate stuff. And that’s the place I really feel just like the critiques of Zach or no matter coaches are unfair as a result of he can’t go on the market and play for us as a lot as he desires to. He can’t. So, it’s as much as us to exit and get the job performed. So, it’s not a Zach factor.”

The Ravens protection at present ranks final within the NFL for the primary time in 4 years. Baltimore is within the backside three in complete yards allowed (thirty second), run protection (thirtieth), move protection (thirty first) and factors allowed (thirty first).

That is removed from the usual for the Ravens, who’re identified for Corridor of Fame defenders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Baltimore has completed outdoors the highest 10 defensively eight occasions within the Ravens’ 29-year historical past.

“I really feel like typically Ravens followers could be a little spoiled, identical to the quantity of success that this franchise has had,” Hamilton mentioned. “We lose 5 video games [in 2024] and the world is about to finish.”

Orr mentioned he isn’t on any social media.

“Should you hearken to that, and also you take note of that, it will probably undoubtedly have an effect on you along with your job and simply in your common life,” Orr mentioned. “So, I simply block out the noise, man. I’m specializing in soccer. That’s what we discuss right here and simply specializing in getting higher.”

Orr, who’s in his second yr because the Ravens defensive coordinator, confronted the same tough begin final season. Within the first 10 weeks of 2024, Baltimore allowed 25.3 factors per recreation, which ranked twenty fifth within the NFL. Within the ultimate eight weeks of that season, the Ravens held groups to fifteen.4 factors per recreation, which was the perfect within the league over that span.

“Sadly, it’s hit us once more on this side, however what are we going to do about it?” Orr mentioned. “You’ll be able to both sulk and let it get you down and lay in it, otherwise you [can] rise up, choose your self up and determine it out. The group of individuals we’ve got on this group and the group folks we’ve got in that defensive room — we’re going to determine it out.”

Coming off Monday night time’s 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, Hamilton mentioned Orr has not pointed the finger at anybody.

“I believe having a frontrunner like that, you acquire respect,” Hamilton mentioned. “We’ve been by means of the hearth final yr and we’re going by means of it proper now. I really feel like ZO has mentioned the identical factor. We’re 1-2 and never the place we wish to be, nevertheless it’s an extended yr and it’s 14 extra video games. Hopefully we’re trying again on our 1-2 begin and saying, ‘I can’t consider all people’s making such a giant deal about it.'”

The Ravens protection has taken the brunt of the blame for Baltimore’s 1-2 begin. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense ranks first in scoring, averaging 37 factors per recreation.

However Baltimore has confronted two of the perfect offenses within the league this month within the Buffalo Payments and Lions, each of whom are among the many high three in complete yards. Over the following three weeks earlier than their bye, the Ravens face the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (seventeenth), Houston Texans (twenty ninth) and Los Angeles Rams (fifth).

“We bought to show ourselves each week on this league and didn’t do job final week. However we bought one other week and it’s a giant recreation and a giant alternative for us,” Hamilton mentioned of Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. “So, sky’s not falling. We’ll be all proper.”