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  • Surging Magic put improved offense up against wayward Clippers

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    (Photo credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

    The struggling Los Angeles Clippers continue a season-long seven-game road trip on Thursday when they visit the rejuvenated Orlando Magic.

    Orlando, which endured a rocky start to the season while losing four of its first five games, comes into Thursday’s contest a winner in four of the last five. The Magic rebounded from their lone hiccup in that stretch, a 117-113 overtime loss at Houston on Sunday, with a 121-113 victory at home over Golden State on Tuesday.

    Desmond Bane stepped up in the continued absence of Paolo Banchero, scoring 23 points with five steals. Anthony Black added 21 points off the bench, providing additional offensive punch on a night when season-long leading scorer Franz Wagner shot just 7 of 17 from the floor and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc.

    Wagner, who is averaging 22.8 points per game, did finish with 18 on Tuesday. Banchero is Orlando’s second-leading scorer for the season at 21.7 points per game but missed the last three contests due to a groin injury.

    Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said that Banchero has progressed to ‘non-contact’ drills with the team and ‘hard weight-room workouts with (Orlando’s) training staff.’

    Jalen Suggs, who was questionable ahead of the matchup with Golden State due to a groin injury, made the start and finished with 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. Suggs’ 1.6 steals per game lead an Orlando defense that ranked seventh in the NBA with 113.9 points allowed, heading into Wednesday’s NBA play.

    The scoring yield is up from last season’s league-leading 105.5 points allowed per game, but over their last six contests the Magic are holding teams to 109.7 points per game.

    On offense, Orlando’s scoring average is up more than 10 points from last season’s 105.4 points a contest to 115.9.

    ‘We’ve talked about being able to defend (in order) to get run; making our defense to fuel our offense,’ Mosley said. ‘Being able to push the basketball after stops and turnovers and blocked shots, I don’t know if there’s one moment that it clicks, but these guys just continue to work.’

    The Clippers come into Orlando on the opposite trajectory, having dropped eight of their last nine. Los Angeles began its seven-game road odyssey with a 133-127, double-overtime win at Dallas on Friday, ending a six-game skid, but dropped the last two in Boston and Philadelphia.

    With the 121-118 loss against the Celtics on Sunday, and 110-108 setback against the 76ers on Monday, the Clippers have dropped four one-possession contests this season.

    ‘Defensively, we are getting better,’ Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said following Monday’s loss. ‘We have some breakdowns here and there. Offensively, just continue to keep trusting.’

    The Clippers have faced a recent rash of high-profile injuries, including the loss of Bradley Beal to season-ending hip surgery. Kawhi Leonard started the campaign strong with 24.1 points per game over the first six, but has missed the last eight with an ankle and foot injury.

    Lue said last week the injury was ‘nothing serious,’ and Leonard is listed as day-to-day.

    A bright spot for Los Angeles amid its struggles has been the play of James Harden. The six-time first-team All-NBA selection is averaging 26.2 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting 43.6% from the floor and 37.6% from 3-point range. He is seventh in the NBA with 3.6 3-pointers made per game.

    In Monday’s loss, Harden became the 11th player in NBA history to score at least 28,000 career points.

    –Field Level Media

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  • MLB roundup: Reds make NL wild card despite loss to Brewers

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    (Photo credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)

    Danny Jansen belted a two-run homer to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to a 4-2 comeback victory Sunday over the visiting Cincinnati Reds, who clinched their first postseason appearance since 2020 despite the loss.

    Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl homered for the Reds, who earned a National League wild-card spot due to Sunday’s loss by the New York Mets. It is the Reds’ first postseason berth in a 162-game season since 2013.

    As the No. 6 seed in the NL, the Reds begin their best-of-three wild-card series at the third-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

    The Brewers, who have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with the best overall record in the majors, have a bye into the NL Division Series, which begins Saturday. Milwaukee (97-65) set a franchise record for victories in a season with help from Jansen’s blow during a three-run fourth inning.

    Marlins 4, Mets 0

    Edward Cabrera pitched five scoreless innings as host Miami eliminated New York from playoff contention. Cabrera (8-7) allowed just two hits and worked around five walks.

    The Marlins scored four runs off three pitchers in a crucial fourth inning. Reliever Brooks Raley (3-1) started that inning, but it was Ryne Stanek, who allowed RBI doubles to Eric Wagaman and Brian Navarreto.

    In the next half inning, the Mets loaded the bases with two outs and Pete Alonso lined a pitch 116 mph, but it found the glove of a leaping left-fielder Javier Sanoja. The game ended with Francisco Lindor (1-for-3, two walks) grounding into a double play.

    Red Sox 4, Tigers 3

    Boston clinched the No. 5 seed in the American League postseason with a win over visiting Detroit.

    Masataka Yoshida and David Hamilton both homered, Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-3, and Jarren Duran had the game-winning RBI to lead Boston past Detroit, which will be the No. 6 seed in the AL field after a late-season collapse. Cleveland trailed Detroit by 15 1/2 games in the division race on July 9.

    Jose De Leon struck out eight and allowed three runs in a quality start of 6 2/3 innings. He was recalled from Triple-A Worcester before the game for his first MLB appearance since 2023. Tigers starter Chris Paddack pitched 4 1/3 innings in the loss, allowing four runs and seven hits while striking out five.

    Yankees 3, Orioles 2

    Ben Rice drilled two home runs, including the go-ahead solo shot in the eighth, as host New York defeated Baltimore to tie Toronto for the AL East title.

    Yankees starter Luis Gil allowed two runs and three hits over five innings before four relievers each threw one scoreless inning, which included Devin Williams (4-6) in the eighth and David Bednar (27th save) in the ninth. New York, which lost the division tiebreaker, hosts Boston in the best-of-three wild-card series that begins Tuesday.

    Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson hit back-to-back homers in the eighth for the Orioles (75-87), who posted their first losing record since 2021. Starter Kyle Bradish allowed two runs over five innings with eight strikeouts while Rico Garcia (0-2) gave up Rice’s second blast.

    Blue Jays 13, Rays 4

    Alejandro Kirk homered twice, including a grand slam, as host Toronto clinched the American League East, routing Tampa Bay. Kirk also doubled and had six RBIs to help the Blue Jays to their first division title since 2015.

    Addison Barger and George Springer added two-run homers. Mason Fluharty (5-2) replaced starter Kevin Gausman in the fifth inning and retired all four batters he faced.

    Jonathan Aranda had two hits and three RBIs for the Rays in their final game of the season. Richie Palacios added three hits. Ian Seymour (4-3) allowed six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.

    Padres 12, Diamondbacks 4

    Manny Machado homered and Jackson Merrill drove in three as host San Diego swept Arizona to enter the playoffs with seven wins in its final eight regular-season games.

    J.P. Sears (9-11) allowed two runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings for the Padres, who reeled off five consecutive hits to spark a five-run first inning. Machado, Merrill and Ryan O’Hearn each collected two of the Padres’ 11 hits.

    Brandon Pfaadt (13-9) surrendered eight runs (seven earned) and six hits over four-plus innings for the Diamondbacks. Ketel Marte slugged his 28th homer to lead off the game while Geraldo Perdomo drove in his 100th run of the year in the ninth.

    Cubs 2, Cardinals 0

    Seiya Suzuki homered for the fifth time in four games as host Chicago capped the regular season with a three-game sweep of St. Louis.

    Suzuki’s fifth-inning solo shot opened the scoring for the Cubs, who host the San Diego Padres in a best-of-three wild-card series that starts Tuesday. Starter Javier Assad (4-1) posted a season-high six strikeouts while scattering three hits and one walk over 5 1/3 innings. Jordan Wicks fanned four over the last three innings for his first save.

    Kyle Leahy allowed just one hit over three innings in his first big-league start before giving way to John King (2-1), who gave up Suzuki’s homer. Thomas Saggese and Victor Scott II posted two hits apiece for the Cardinals (78-84), who closed the season on a four-game slide.

    Royals 9, Athletics 2

    Mike Yastrzemski homered twice to help visiting Kansas City top the Athletics in the season finale for both teams.

    Carter Jensen also homered, singled twice and scored three times, while Michael Massey added four hits, an RBI and two runs scored and Maikel Garcia had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run for the Royals, who won three of their last four to finish with a winning record (82-80). Kansas City starter Cole Ragans blanked the A’s on two hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out eight, and Daniel Lynch IV (6-2) pitched 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief to earn the win.

    Brady Basso (1-1) started for the Athletics and took the loss after allowing one run on three hits over 1 1/3 innings. Nick Kurtz homered for the A’s, who went 13-11 in September to finish with 76 wins.

    White Sox 8, Nationals 0

    Shane Smith took a perfect game into the sixth inning before combining with three relievers on a one-hitter as visiting Chicago ended its season with a win over Washington.

    Brooks Baldwin homered for the second straight game, doubled and drove in three runs for the White Sox. Dominic Fletcher also homered and doubled, and Miguel Vargas added a home run. Smith (7-8) retired the first 16 Nationals before Brady House lined a single to right with one out in the sixth. He allowed one hit over six innings and struck out eight batters without a walk. Chicago (60-102) improved noticeably on its record-setting 2024 campaign, when it went 41-121.

    Washington’s Brad Lord (5-10) gave up five runs on five hits over four innings. The Nationals (66-96) suffered its sixth consecutive losing season since winning the 2019 World Series.

    Guardians 9, Rangers 8 (10 innings)

    Brayan Rocchio hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, completing a four-run rally and lifting American League Central champion Cleveland to a wild win over visiting Texas in the teams’ regular-season finale.

    The Guardians will open the best-of-three wild-card round against the Detroit Tigers in Cleveland on Tuesday. Rocchio’s walk-off round-tripper came off the Rangers’ Jose Corniell (0-1), who was making his major league debut with a three-run lead.

    Rowdy Tellez had staked the Rangers to an 8-5 cushion with his own three-run shot in the top of the frame. The Guardians’ Bo Naylor doubled home automatic runner George Valera to open the bottom of the 10th, and after a walk to Petey Halpin, Rocchio homered to right field.

    Astros 6, Angels 2

    Yainer Diaz and Ramon Urias each homered and drove in a pair of runs, propelling visiting Houston to a victory over Los Angeles.

    Brice Matthews and Victor Caratini also homered for the Astros, who were eliminated from postseason contention Saturday for the first time since 2016. Starter Lance McCullers Jr. allowed one run on two hits across three innings. Astros reliever Colton Gordon (6-4) then threw five no-hit innings in relief.

    Mike Trout homered in his only at-bat for the Angels before Logan O’Hoppe replaced him in the third. Sam Aldegheri (0-2) threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. The Angels (72-90) missed the postseason for the 11th straight year and finished with a losing record for the 10th straight time.

    Phillies 2, Twins 1 (10 innings)

    Nick Castellanos hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to lift Philadelphia to a win over visiting Minnesota.

    Max Kepler added a solo home run for Philadelphia, which is headed to the postseason after winning the National League East. The Phillies finished with an MLB-best 55-26 mark at home. Ryan Jeffers went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead Minnesota.

    Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out eight. Simeon Woods Richardson struck out nine over six scoreless innings for the Twins.

    Giants 4, Rockies 0

    Willy Adames hit his 30th home run of the season, Rafael Devers added his 35th and San Francisco, getting a combined shutout from Logan Webb and three relievers, completed a season-ending sweep of visiting Colorado.

    Webb (15-11) matched his career high in wins by limiting the Rockies to three hits in 5 1/3 innings while Adames finished off his second straight 30-homer season and Devers reached the 35-homer milestone for the second time. With the win, the Giants (81-81) finished the season at .500.

    Brenton Doyle and Hunter Goodman had doubles for Colorado (43-119), which wrapped up the season with six straight defeats. Their 119 losses tied for the third-most in Major League Baseball since 1900.

    Braves 4, Pirates 1

    Chris Sale pitched 5 2/3 strong innings, Ronald Acuna Jr. provided the offense with a home run and Atlanta closed its season with a win over visiting Pittsburgh.

    Sale entered the game with one out in the second inning. He approved the idea of coming out of the bullpen to give 41-year-old veteran Charlie Morton what is expected to be the final start of his career. Morton made his major league debut with the Braves in 2008 and also pitched for Atlanta in 2021-24 before signing with them this week. In his first appearance out of the bullpen since 2012, Sale (7-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.

    Morton, signed by the Braves after he was released by Detroit, pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and left after striking out Alexander Canario on a curveball, the signature pitch of Morton’s career. Pirates starter Johan Oviedo (2-1) pitched five innings and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Pittsburgh got its run in the sixth on an RBI single by Joey Bart.

    Dodgers 6, Mariners 1

    Clayton Kershaw (11-2) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the final regular-season start of his illustrious 18-year career to lead Los Angeles over host Seattle.

    Shohei Ohtani hit his 55th homer of the season — breaking his own franchise record — and Hyeseong Kim and Freddie Freeman also went deep for the National League West champion Dodgers. Los Angeles will be the No. 3 seed in the NL playoffs and will host the Cincinnati Reds in the best-of-three wild-card round that begins Tuesday.

    The Mariners’ Bryce Miller (4-6) allowed four runs on five hits over four innings. Eugenio Suarez drove in his squad’s lone run and finished the season with 118 RBIs.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Braves ride 5-run inning to win over Nationals to open DH

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    (Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

    Jurickson Profar homered and drove in a pair of runs, Jose Suarez threw seven quality innings and the visiting Atlanta Braves posted a 6-3 victory over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday.

    Suarez (2-0) was called up on Monday to make his first major league appearance since April 10 and his first start since Sept. 25, 2024 while with the Los Angeles Angels.

    In the spot start, Suarez allowed two runs on five hits, while walking two and striking out a career-high nine batters. Matt Olson homered in his fourth straight game, while Raisel Iglesias worked a scoreless ninth, securing his 26th save of the year and the 250th of his career.

    The Braves (68-83) have won three straight following a four-game losing streak. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II each had three hits for Atlanta.

    Jake Irvin (8-13) allowed five runs on eight hits across six innings, striking out five and walking two for Washington (62-89), which has dropped five of its last seven. Daylen Lile had two hits, while Jacob Young, CJ Abrams and Jorge Alfaro each drove in a run.

    After the Nationals’ Dylan Crews walked and Brady House singled with one out in the second inning, Young’s RBI base hit scored the game’s first run. Abrams’ sacrifice fly then gave Washington a 2-0 lead.

    Atlanta’s Ha-Seong Kim and Harris singled to put runners on the corners with one out in the fourth, before Eli White’s run-scoring groundout and Vidal Brujan’s RBI double knotted the score at two apiece.

    Profar followed with his 14th homer of the season and Olson then hit his 27th of the year, extending the Braves’ lead to 5-2.

    Kim, Harris and Brujan singled in the eighth off reliever Orlando Ribalta to give Atlanta a 6-2 advantage.

    Lile tripled and then scored on Alfaro’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to cut Washington’s deficit to 6-3 off reliever Pierce Johnson.

    –Field Level Media

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  • Max Arfsten among those auditioning for a U.S. team in transition

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    (Photo credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio — Max Arfsten is not paranoid, but every time he crosses the white line onto the soccer field he feels like the entire world is watching.

    Actually, it’s the weight of the World Cup as the Columbus Crew defender makes a late push for the 26-player U.S. men’s national team roster for the tournament next summer in North America.

    ‘I’m auditioning every match, for sure,’ he told Field Level Media after the U.S defeated Japan 2-0 in Columbus on Tuesday. ‘I don’t ever think anything is handed or given to me no matter what. So honestly, training is the same thing. It’s an audition. I’m trying to prove myself every single time I step on the field. That’s my mentality.’

    The 24-year-old from Fresno, Calif., wasn’t even on the U.S. radar until coach Mauricio Pochettino, who marked one year on the job on Wednesday, debuted him on Jan. 18 against Venezuela.

    Since then, Arfsten has a goal and four assists in 12 matches, including setting up Alex Zendejas for the first goal vs. Japan.

    ‘Just waiting for my moment,’ Zendejas said of his first U.S. start since 2023. ‘It’s crazy to take all this in. I didn’t expect to get called up. Just trying to take advantage of every opportunity.’

    Arfsten, Zendejas, Cristian Roldan and Folarin Balogun improved their stock in the match thanks to a change in schematics.

    For the first time in his 18 matches in charge, Pochettino rolled out a 3-4-2-1 formation after another dreadful performance on Sept. 6 using a 4-2-3-1 in a 2-0 loss to South Korea.

    The switch allowed more players to work in familiar areas. Arfsten was effective at left wingback for the Crew, but playing in a back four for the U.S. exposed his defensive shortcomings. Against Japan he was able to do what he does best — run at defenders and make crosses into the box like the pinpoint pass to Zendejas’ left foot for the goal.

    It was the same on the right side with Alex Freeman, 21, of Orlando City, who has less experience than Arfsten (nine U.S. appearances) but is keeping himself in the roster conversation for now.

    ‘We have players that play in this new formation (with their clubs),’ Pochettino said.

    He also noted center back Chris Richards is more comfortable playing in a back three for Crystal Palace in the English Premier League.

    With Arfsten and Freeman on the wings, it allowed Zendejas on the right and Christian Pulisic opposite him to have space beneath Balogun in the No. 9 role.

    That’s how Pulisic was able to zip an entry ball to Balogun for the second goal vs. Japan, Balogun’s first since June 27, 2024, registered against Panama in the Copa America.

    ‘We are so pleased because he, with his performance, makes us to doubt about (our roster choices),’ Pochettino said of Zendejas. ‘With this type of performance, he’s in the race for the roster for the World Cup.’

    Zendejas, who plays for Club America in Mexico’s Liga MX, has an ally in the U.S. captain.

    ‘I’ve played with him since we were 14 years old, so I’ve always known what a great player he is,’ Pulisic said. ‘He really showed this camp something different, so I’m really happy for him. He deserves it.’

    Roldan was vacationing after the Seattle Sounders won the CONCACAF Champions Cup when he got the call-up. He played alongside Tyler Adams in the midfield vs. Japan, and like the other players on the roster bubble, he impressed Pochettino.

    ‘I am so happy because they understand or understood that they need to perform in the way that we expect,’ Pochettino said. ‘It’s not about to win or to lose the games … but to perform in the way that we expect and the way that we want.’

    There was relief following the win over Japan, No. 17 in the FIFA rankings, which ended a five-match losing streak to teams in the top 25 while being outscored 11-1, though there are still hurdles for players such as Arfsten to make the World Cup roster.

    As good as the performance was Tuesday, it was against basically a B team for Japan and many of the so-called regulars for the USMNT were not brought in for the past two matches for a variety reasons.

    Among the missing were forwards and midfielders Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musa, Ricardo Pepi, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman and Haji Wright. Defenders absent included Mark McKenzie, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson and Joe Scally.

    Another consideration in selecting the right personnel: The U.S. likely will employ four in the back depending on the matchup.

    ‘I think it’s good to have different plans, approaches to the games, different formations,’ Pochettino said.

    He has four more matches this year for evaluation beginning Oct. 10 against Ecuador in Austin, Texas, and Australia on Oct. 14 in Commerce City, Colo.

    At his post-match press conference on Tuesday, Pochettino said he may rely more on European-based players for these autumn friendlies, because in the October window MLS will be entering the final week of the regular season while the November matches will be during the playoffs.

    For Arfsten, the opportunities to make the team could be limited but Pochettino likes what he’s seen so far.

    ‘It’s a player that we really believe in from Day 1, because I see in the way that he is, his character, his personality, the characteristics how he is like a player,’ Pochettino said. ‘I think it’s a combo that we really love, we really like. He’s a very intelligent, very smart guy.’

    Arfsten was in mid-sentence answering a question after Pochettino’s press conference when the coach walked by. With a smile, Pochettino gave him a hug, congratulated him and wished him luck.

    Maybe it was a sign of things to come, maybe not, but Arfsten is staying focused.

    ‘I just try to take it moment by moment,’ he said. ‘I can’t think too much in the future, but I’m definitely going to keep working hard and just do everything I can to get called into the upcoming camp.’

    –Craig Merz, Field Level Media

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  • Hard-hitting Dodgers grab four-game split with Rockies

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    (Photo credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)

    Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages homered and finished with two hits apiece, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 9-5 in Denver on Thursday.

    Alex Freeland had three hits and Mookie Betts contributed two hits for Los Angeles, which earned a split of the four-game series without Shohei Ohtani.

    Ohtani was out of the lineup a day after he was hit by a comebacker from Orlando Arcia while he was pitching.

    The Dodgers scored at least one run in each of the first five innings to back Clayton Kershaw (8-2), who allowed three runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

    Brenton Doyle homered among his two hits and drove in four runs, while Jordan Beck finished with two hits for Colorado.

    Los Angeles jumped on starter Chase Dollander (2-10) in the first inning. Betts led off with a walk and Freeman smashed his 16th home run 451 feet to center to make it 2-0.

    Colorado got a run back in the bottom of the inning. Tyler Freeman led off with a single, went to second on a sacrifice, advanced to third when Kershaw was called for a disengagement violation and scored on Hunter Goodman’s groundout.

    In the second, Pages hit a double and went to third on Tyler Freeman’s error in right field. Alex Call walked and Miguel Rojas reached on a bunt single to drive in Pages. Betts loaded the bases with a single and Dollander hit Will Smith to bring in another run.

    Call had an RBI single in the third inning to make it 5-1, and the Dodgers chased Dollander in the fourth. Betts and Freeman led off with singles, Betts scored on a sacrifice fly and Freeland’s double made it 7-1.

    Dollander allowed seven runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

    Doyle hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth for Colorado. But Pages led off the fifth with his 21st home run and Smith drove in another run with a single in the eighth.

    Doyle, who had an RBI single in the sixth, hit a two-run homer 442 feet to left in the bottom of the eighth, his 13th.

    –Field Level Media

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