Huffman Sports Wire News Break · ALL · Reporting · Published · Huffman Sports Wire News Desk
Good morning from Huffman Sports Wire. Baseball’s Championship Series picture is taking shape after Tampa Bay completed its sweep of New York and Los Angeles finished off Atlanta.
This October 8 morning edition also covers Wednesday’s NBA preseason results and the Jets’ latest injury outlook ahead of their Week 5 meeting with Cleveland.
MLB Playoffs: Rays sweep Yankees to reach ALCS
Tampa Bay defeated the Yankees 4–3 in New York to complete a three-game AL Division Series sweep and reach the ALCS for the first time since 2020. Victor Mesa Jr.’s two-run home run off Max Fried in the sixth inning broke a tie and supplied the runs the Rays needed to finish the series.
Mesa was involved in the inning’s other pivotal moment when a fan reached over the left-field wall during Anthony Volpe’s drive. Replay officials ruled that the ball would neither have cleared the wall nor been caught, awarding Volpe an RBI double rather than a two-run homer. The ruling left Tampa Bay ahead, and its relievers protected the lead.
Bryan Baker finished the ninth inning with a strikeout of Trent Grisham and a runner stranded at second. The Rays will host either the White Sox or Guardians in Monday’s ALCS opener.
Sources: Associated Press / ABC News
MLB Playoffs: Dodgers end Braves’ run despite Mahle’s strong start
Tyler Mahle gave Atlanta a chance to extend the NL Division Series, striking out Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández in the fourth inning. But the Dodgers ultimately defeated the Braves 4–1 in Game 4 at Truist Park, winning the series 3–1 and securing another NLCS appearance.
Andy Pages changed the game with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the seventh inning that put Los Angeles ahead 3–1. Max Muncy added a solo home run in the ninth, and the Dodgers’ bullpen shut down Atlanta’s remaining opportunities. Los Angeles advances to face either Milwaukee or San Diego.
Sources: USA Today
NBA Preseason: Portland wins opener; Bulls, Magic and Bucks also prevail
Portland defeated Golden State 123–118 at the Moda Center in its preseason opener. Micah Potter contributed from beyond the arc in his first exhibition with the Trail Blazers; ESPN’s play-by-play records made three-pointers from 25 and 23 feet.
Elsewhere on Wednesday’s preseason slate, Chicago defeated Phoenix 124–117, Orlando defeated Memphis 122–118, and Milwaukee defeated Oklahoma City 128–126. These exhibition results give teams another set of game minutes to assess new combinations before regular-season play begins.
Around the Gridiron: Jets weigh injuries ahead of Browns matchup
Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell and Dylan Parham remain week-to-week as the Jets prepare to host Cleveland in Week 5. Aaron Glenn said Wednesday that the group would continue to be evaluated weekly. New York’s report listed Hall with a quadriceps injury, Mitchell with a finger injury and Parham with a knee injury, with all three recorded as nonparticipants.
Kingsley Enagbare and Mason Taylor provided more encouraging signs. Enagbare was listed as a limited participant with a knee injury, while Taylor was listed for full participation as he worked back from a thumb injury. The Associated Press noted that Wednesday’s session was a walkthrough; the participation report does not establish either player’s final game status.
Sources: New York Jets · Associated Press / Medicine Hat News
Sources
- Associated Press / ABC News — Rays defeat Yankees 4–3 and complete ALDS sweep · Published
- USA Today — Dodgers defeat Braves in Game 4 to clinch NLCS berth · Updated
- ESPN — October 7 NBA preseason final scores · Checked
- ESPN — Warriors at Trail Blazers: final score and play-by-play · Checked
- New York Jets — Official Week 5 injury report and practice participation · Checked
- Associated Press / Medicine Hat News — Jets’ week-to-week injuries and expected practice returns · Published