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Jayson Tatum Sets Cs Milestone

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BROOKLYN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jayson Tatum scored 32 points on Saturday night as the Boston Celtics pulled away midway through the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten with a 124-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in New York.\

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The Celtics did not lead by more than 14 and appeared sluggish at times before improving to 5-0 for the first time since starting the 2009-10 campaign with six straight victories.

Tatum reached the 30-point mark for the fourth time this season and also reached 10,000 career points by converting a three-point play in the second quarter. At 25 years, 246 days old, Tatum became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach the 10K milestone.

Tatum made 10 of 20 shots, hit six of Boston’s 15 3-pointers and collected 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 23 points while Kristaps Porzingis had his way inside against Brooklyn’s smaller lineup and contributed 22 to help the Celtics get 52 points in the paint.

Jrue Holiday added 18 points and 10 assists as the Celtics shot 47.8 percent and improved to 11-1 in the past 12 meetings with the Nets, including playoffs.

Playing the second night of their first back-to-back, the Nets shot 43 percent and saw a three-game winning streak end. Brooklyn also shot 32.7 percent (17 of 52) from 3-point range.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 27 points while Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges added 19 apiece. The Nets played without Nic Claxton (ankle) and also rested Ben Simmons for the first time.

Brooklyn briefly moved ahead in the second, but the Celtics scored the last eight points of the quarter and took a 70-58 halftime lead on Tatum’s trey at the horn.

Dinwiddie scored 12 points in the third quarter as Brooklyn erased nearly all of its halftime deficit and rallied from an eight-point hole to get within 91-88 going into the fourth quarter.

Boston let the lead slip to 96-95 when Dennis Smith Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 7:47 remaining, but Tatum hit two threes in a 14-4 spurt that extended the lead to 110-99 with about five minutes left to effectively seal the victory.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week 9 Previews

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Week 9 NFL Capsules

Miami Dolphins (6-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-2): The Dolphins aren’t getting much attention for their defense, but with safety Jevon Holland (concussion) back in the lineup a week after cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee) returned, Miami has potential to be menacing for teams without multiple threats in the passing game. Enter the Chiefs, who looked mortal at Denver in a 24-9 loss, the third time this season they’ve been held under 20 points. The Chiefs find themselves in unfamiliar territory — no, not the Frankfurt, Germany part — going conservative to keep the ball away from Tua Tagovailoa and former KC No. 1 receiver Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs’ passing defense is no slouch, allowing 176.1 yards per game in 2023. Hill is already over 1,000 receiving yards and has 61 catches, more than twice the number for the Chiefs’ leading wide receiver (Rashee Rice, 30). Tagovailoa has 18 TD passes, tied with Kirk Cousins for the NFL lead, but far more weapons to lean on than Patrick Mahomes. What’s uncertain is the merit of the Dolphins’ position in the AFC pecking order. Miami is winless (0-2) against teams with winning records this season.

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Minnesota Vikings (4-4) at Atlanta Falcons (4-4): Imagining a more chaotic week of quarterback change for two teams going head-to-head isn’t easy to fathom. The Vikings lost Kirk Cousins (Achilles) for the season just as he got Minnesota back to .500 following an 0-3 start. Atlanta benched Desmond Ridder “for this week” with turnovers becoming a detrimental factor. That sets up a save-your-ticket-stub type of QB pairing not to be confused with Montana-Elway: Vikings rookie Jaren Hall gets the call against journeyman Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke makes his first start for the first-place Falcons but the 30-year-old is 12-12-1 as a starter in his career. Minnesota’s toothy defense depends on chaos caused by blitzing more than 57 percent of snaps. DE Danielle Hunter has 10 of Minnesota’s 23 sacks, but if the mobile Heinicke can get Atlanta aligned and see the pressure coming, big plays are possible. Opponents complete 72.2 percent of their passes and converted third downs 43.5 percent of the time. Hall could benefit from a more reliable rushing attack and the Vikings are pushing Cam Akers ahead of Alexander Mattison in search of a spark.

Arizona Cardinals (1-7) at Cleveland Browns (4-3): Rookie Clayton Tune jumped to the front of the line at QB this week when starter Joshua Dobbs was traded to the Vikings. Dobbs was expendable with Kyler Murray nearing his return from a December 2022 ACL tear. Tune’s task would be to get the best of the NFL’s No. 1-ranked pass defense spearheaded by DE Myles Garrett (8.5 sacks). Arizona has averaged just 318.6 total yards and 18.9 points per game. In other words, the margin for error is miniscule. Cleveland coughed up the ball on a late-game interception by PJ Walker to lose at Seattle in Week 8. Deshaun Watson, sidelined with a bruised rotator cuff, said he’s getting stronger and the Browns plan to welcome him back Sunday. But the last time Watson deemed himself ready, he wasn’t, and Walker ended up finishing the game. Walker has six turnovers and one touchdown, and the Browns are also without All-Pro running back Nick Chubb (knee) for the rest of the season. Following this game, the Browns enter a stretch of pivotal AFC North games: at Baltimore next week, followed by a date with the Steelers.

Los Angeles Rams (3-5) at Green Bay Packers (2-5): Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said publicly the next 10 games are critical for QB Jordan Love, whose future with the franchise is likely tied to his performance the rest of the way. Three losses (Falcons, Raiders, Broncos) ended with Love having a chance to win the game but failing to get the Packers points. Green Bay enters on a four-game losing streak but could get a break if Matthew Stafford (sprained thumb) can’t play. Backup Brett Rypien is untested and the Rams lost their leading rusher, rookie Kyren Williams, to a knee injury two weeks ago. Green Bay’s rushing game isn’t exactly dangerous. Aaron Jones is off to a slow start this season. He has yet to rush for more than 45 yards in any of his four games after surpassing that mark in nine of 17 games last season. Love has 11 touchdown passes but his eight interceptions are tied for second-most in the NFL.

Washington Commanders (3-5) at New England Patriots (2-6): Even with losses in five of the past six games, Commanders coach Ron Rivera appears convinced Sam Howell is the right man to lead Washington forward. With showings like last week against the Eagles, it’s easy to buy the argument. Howell have four touchdown passes and put up 31 points against Philadelphia for the second time this season. But he has nine turnovers (eight INTs) and has been sacked 41 times in 2023. With a running game averaging 85.9 yards per game, Howell is being asked to carry a heavy burden. In the team’s four losses in the past five games, the Patriots scored a combined 37 total points compared to 29 in the lone win during that stretch. The Patriots’ top two rushers, Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, are both averaging less than 4.0 yards per carry and the ground game (84.4 yards per game) isn’t a threat. Falling behind in games places the onus on Jones, as New England is being outscored 118-53 in the first half this season.

Chicago Bears (2-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-4): The Bears traded a 2024 second-round draft choice to the Commanders in return for DE Montez Sweat to try and upgrade one of the NFL’s weakest pass rushes. General manager Ryan Poles, who previously traded pass rushers Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack out of Chicago, called Sweat “a huge addition” to a defense with an NFL-worst 10 sacks. Sweat has 6.5 sacks so far this season, giving him a total of 35.5 in five seasons. Rookie QB Tyson Bagent will make his third straight start in place of Justin Fields, who continues to rehab a thumb injury. Bagent completed 25 of 37 for 232 yards but was intercepted twice in a 30-13 loss to the Chargers last Sunday in Los Angeles. New Orleans had lost four of five before recording its highest-scoring performance in the last 20 games in a 38-27 victory at Indianapolis last Sunday. Just in time for Sweat’s arrival, New Orleans changed the left side of the offensive line because guard James Hurst missed the last two games due to injury, and Trevor Penning was benched three games ago. Andrus Peat moved from guard to tackle, and Max Garcia started at guard. The Saints had season highs of 350 passing yards, 161 rushing yards and 511 total yards against the Colts. It was the third consecutive game in which they gained 400 yards.

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) at Baltimore Ravens (6-2): Division leaders separated by 2,300 miles duel in Maryland with critical matchups against more familiar rivals dead ahead. The Seahawks moved past struggling San Francisco and into first place in the NFC West with last Sunday’s 24-20 victory against visiting Cleveland. Geno Smith threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 38 seconds remaining for the winning score. “Our team is such a scrappy team. We find ways to win no matter what,” Smith said. “I feel like if I can play up to my capabilities, play up to my standard, who knows where we can be. Because we’re one of the best teams in football if we play right.” Seattle’s defense has been a big reason why it is atop the division. Over the past four games, the Seahawks have allowed a total of nine second-half points and zero touchdowns. They also acquired DT Leonard Williams from the Giants this week. The Ravens have used their usual ground-and-pound approach to build a 1 1/2-game lead in the AFC North. They labored offensively at Arizona last week, with just 268 yards of total offense. Gus Edwards ran for three touchdowns — two after interceptions — as the Ravens came away with a 31-24 victory, their third in a row.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) at Houston Texans (3-4): Despite losing three in a row, Tampa Bay resides in the NFC South, where front-running Atlanta is only a half-game ahead with a matching record and has made a quarterback change. The Texans are 2 1/2 games behind streaking Jacksonville in the AFC South. The Buccaneers’ position might have influenced their thinking when New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas came calling with a trade proposal involving their top wide receiver, Mike Evans. Playing his 10th season, Evans is on his way to his 10th 1,000-yard season with 507 yards on 33 receptions.
Tampa Bay’s decision not to trade means quarterback Baker Mayfield retains his most reliable target. Mayfield is enjoying the most accurate season of his career at 64.2 percent with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. He intends to make the start Sunday despite a knee contusion. Mayfield and the Bucs are looking to revive an offense that has struggled during their recent slide. They’ve managed just 37 points during the losing streak. The Texans missed a chance to get over the .500 mark last week with a 15-13 loss at previously winless Carolina. The Texans managed only 229 total yards against a team ranked 30th in the NFL in scoring defense at more than 28 points per game. That’s part of a recent trend for Houston, which after averaging 24 points and 368.5 yards per game in the first four games has regressed to 17.3 ppg and 279.7 yards per game in the past three games.

Indianapolis Colts (3-5) at Carolina Panthers (1-6): Frank Reich scored his first win with the Panthers last week, just in time to roll out the red carpet for the team that fired him one year ago. Reich would love to dish out a defeat to the Colts on the near-anniversary of being canned. Indianapolis has lost three games in a row to fall from the top of the AFC South to the bottom. Carolina is last in the NFC South and faces a sharp turnaround to a short week date with the Chicago Bears (2-6) next Thursday. “We’ve got to just continue to find ways for us to take the next step,” Reich said. Reich had a 40-33-1 record in four-plus seasons with the Colts. He was fired Nov. 7, 2022. The Colts are consistently putting up points and are the only team with at least 20 in every game this season. But blending the running game to preserve leads — and prevent self-inflicted wounds from QB Gardner Minshew (four fumbles, five interceptions) — remains a challenge. The Colts’ defense has been part of the issue, allowing an NFL-high 28.6 points per game. Carolina is averaging 18.1 points per game (25th in the NFL).

New York Giants (2-6) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-5): Points are a problem for two teams in and out of disarray since Week 1. The Giants started 6-2 last season but enter with the opposite record for numerous reasons. Anyone tuning in to this late afternoon kickoff to see TE Darren Waller’s return to Las Vegas can skip it. Waller could be headed to IR with a hamstring injury. But there are still a few storylines simmering after dramatic ends to October for both franchises. The Raiders fired GM Dave Ziegler, head coach Josh McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi. Former Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim head coach, and promptly benched Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell. The Giants have been decimated by injuries and haven’t scored more than 16 points since beating Arizona 31-28 on Sept. 17. New York gets QB Daniel Jones back and could be healthier on the offensive line than at any point this season with both offensive tackles in line to play. The Giants have allowed 41 sacks and must contend with Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby (6.5 sacks). Las Vegas has scored over 18 points just once this season and has four offensive touchdowns in the past four games.

Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-1): November games don’t typically settle division titles in the NFL, but there’s plenty of anticipation for the top two teams in the NFC East to meet for the first time this season. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is 8-3 as a starter against the Eagles, completing 67.5 percent of his passes for 2,757 yards with 19 TDs and eight picks. All the Eagles did last week was add an All-Pro safety, trading for Kevin Byard of the Titans, to shore up one of their few defensive weaknesses. The Eagles allowed 31 points to the Commanders for the second time this season, but won last week on a huge performance from Jalen Hurts. He matched his career high with four TD passes and matched his season high — set in the first meeting with Washington in Week 4 — with 319 passing yards against Washington. Hurts (shoulder) didn’t play in the December loss to Dallas last season and Prescott (hand) didn’t play when the Cowboys lost at Philadelphia in Oct. 2022. Dallas’ defense gives up 17.1 points per game and has nine interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns by cornerback DaRon Bland. Hurts is 1-2 in his career against the Cowboys.

Buffalo Bills (5-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-3): Cincinnati knocked the Bills out of the AFC playoffs with a 27-10 win in the divisional round last season, and the Bengals are on a three-game winning streak that corresponds with QB Joe Burrow (calf) saying he’s healthy. His play backs up the claim. Burrow completed 28 of 32 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers last week. He also completed 19 consecutive passes, one shy of Ken Anderson’s team record set on Jan. 3, 1983. The Bills are fourth in the NFL with 27 sacks, which could limit the amount of time the Bengals have to separate from Buffalo’s man coverage. Burrow said he won’t be thinking about the last game at this site between the teams, in January, when the game was canceled due to the medical emergency involving Bills safety Damar Hamlin. The Bills also claim their focus is on this week and enter with a little extra rest, having defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-18, on Oct. 26. Bills quarterback Josh Allen needed the time off. He is dealing with an injured right shoulder and wasn’t a full participant in practice. Allen will be going against Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson, with whom he played collegiately at Wyoming in 2016 and 2017.

–Field Level Media

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Texas Rangers Take Series

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PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers, after 62 years as a Major League Baseball franchise and 51 in the State of Texas, can finally call themselves World Series champions.

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A 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday clinched the Rangers’ first title in three trips to the Fall Classic. Texas took all three games at Chase Field to end the postseason with an all-time-record 11-0 road mark.

Mitch Garver snapped a scoreless tie with a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six scoreless innings and the Rangers’ offense broke open a close game with four runs in the ninth inning off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald.

Game 5 was a case of wasted chance after chance for the Diamondbacks, who hoped to send the series back to Texas for at least Game 6. Starter Zac Gallen no-hit the Rangers through six innings, allowing only one baserunner over that span.

Can Levis Keep Up the Pace?

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Tennessee QB Will Levis made a stellar first impression and is a near-certainty to start for the Tennessee Titans for the second time in five days. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett insists a rib injury won’t prevent him from answering the bell when the Steelers host the Titans on Thursday night.

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Tennessee (3-4) took the wrapping off second-round draft pick Levis this past Sunday, and he put on a show with four touchdown passes in a 28-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in his NFL debut.

Titans injured QB Ryan Tannehill missed the contest with a sprained right ankle and is unlikely to play against the Steelers (4-3). He sat out practice Tuesday while Levis was being prepared to start.

“I would imagine, as of today, it will be Will unless something changes,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday. “Right now, I don’t see Ryan being able to do much with the ankle.”

Levis said he has been looking forward to playing in Pittsburgh.

“Playing or not, I’ve had this game circled on the schedule because of how great the environment is going to be,” Levis said. “I know their fans are going to come out and it’s going to be a nice environment. So, we are ready to handle it. I am looking forward to taking it all in and then just doing my thing.”

Levis clicked well in his debut with wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who caught his first three touchdown passes of the season while making four receptions for 128 yards.

“We knew we were going to go out there and make those plays,” Hopkins said of his time on the field with Levis. “He felt confident in me and trusted me. Obviously, I want to be there for my quarterbacks, especially a first-time starter — that helps build his confidence.”

Tennessee insisted it wouldn’t trade star running back Derrick Henry, and Tuesday’s deadline passed without a deal. Henry has rushed for 10 or more touchdowns in five straight seasons, but he has just three through seven games. He has rushed for 526 yards.

As for Pickett, he was injured during the second quarter of Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and was replaced by Mitch Trubisky.

He was limited during Tuesday’s walk-through and was able to do light throwing and later anointed himself as the starter.

“I’m playing, for sure,” Pickett said.

Pickett has passed for 1,330 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions this season. The Steelers are near the bottom of the league in both scoring offense (29th at 16.1 points per game) and total offense (30th at 271.7 yards per game).

Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Matt Canada said he didn’t think the short week will hinder Pickett.

“Great faith in Kenny that if he’s able to play, he’ll play,” Canada said. “If he feels like he’s not able to perform and do his job, he’ll tell us.”

While star outside linebacker T.J. Watt (8.5 sacks) will be trying to torment Levis, standout free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) will miss the game. Fitzpatrick leads Pittsburgh with 54 tackles.

“We have multiple guys who are going to have to step up,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Tuesday. “Guys are going to have to do some different things, and it’s our job on the short week to try to get them in the right position so they can play to their strengths. But it’s hard. You’re not going to replicate that guy.”

Damontae Kazee is slated to start in place of Fitzpatrick.

It’s possible that star defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (groin) will be cleared to play for the first time since being injured in Week 1. He was a full participant on Tuesday.

For Tennessee, Henry (ankle), Hopkins (toe) and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (ankle) were all limited Tuesday for the second straight day.

Pittsburgh has won the past four meetings with Tennessee. The Titans last beat the Steelers in 2013.

–Field Level Media

Can Eovaldi Bring It Home?

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  1. PHOENIX — The Texas Rangers are one win away from their first World Series title, and they will ask Nathan Eovaldi to finish off the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday. Texas grabbed a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with an 11-7 win in Game 4 on Tuesday, as leadoff hitter Marcus Semien contributed a three-run homer and a two-run triple.
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The Rangers took the 48,388 fans out of the game early with five-run innings in the second and third. The Diamondbacks scored six runs in the last two innings but still fell far short.

Texas, which is a record 10-0 on the road in the postseason, will look to complete a perfect away run behind Eovaldi. The veteran right-hander is 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA over five postseason starts, with 36 strikeouts and five walks in 30 2/3 innings.

Eovaldi allowed five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in Game 1, which Texas won 6-5 in 11 innings. He fanned eight and walked one.

“I try to play to my strengths. At the same time, I try to learn from my mistakes I had,” Eovaldi said. “So coming in this next start against these guys, I’ll be pitching a little differently. But at the same time, just continue to use my strengths and attack their weaknesses.”

In eight career regular-season appearances (five starts) against the Diamondbacks, Eovaldi is 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA.

To fight off elimination and try to send the series back to Texas for at least a Game 6, the Diamondbacks will turn to their ace, Zac Gallen. The right-hander has not been as sharp in the postseason as he was in the regular season, going 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA in five October starts. He has given up six home runs and walked 13 batters while striking out 18 in 27 1/3 innings.

Gallen was in line for a Game 1 win after throwing five innings of three-run ball, but the Arizona bullpen couldn’t finish off the Rangers.

“For me, I’m treating it just like it’s May, honestly,” Gallen said of the Game 5 assignment. “And I don’t know … hopefully this isn’t the last time I’m experiencing this and this heavy of a workload, this late of a workload.

“I’m still trying to get better each day, really. I just threw like a 35-pitch bullpen (session) Monday, where I think some people might try and taper it off, keep that in the 20s or whatever it is. But I’m still trying to work on things, still trying to get better.

“Until the final bell rings, I’m going to keep plugging away and keep seeing what the deal is with my delivery and all types of different things, feels and whatnot. I mean, it’s maybe not the greatest thing to be throwing as much as I am, but it’s what makes me feel prepared and what eases me mentally.”

The Rangers will have to go the rest of the World Series without injured slugger Adolis Garcia, who racked up eight home runs and 22 RBIs in the postseason. Travis Jankowski took Garcia’s place in right field on Tuesday and delivered a two-run double and a single. Ezequiel Duran replaced Garcia on the World Series roster.

Garcia is sidelined due to an oblique strain he sustained in Game 3.

Texas right-hander Max Scherzer also won’t be available. His back spasms in Game 3 forced his removal from the roster, with left-handed reliever Brock Burke taking his place.

Burke yielded three runs and got just one out in Game 4, his first appearance since he gave up two runs in one-third of an inning in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Injuries aside, the Rangers are in a good place entering Game 5.

“Going out there and doing all you can to win a ballgame, and that’s where we have to be thinking,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s where our minds have to be.”

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

TEXAS COAST

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PHOENIX — Texas SP Andrew Heaney, on his fourth team in three seasons, helped his latest club move to the brink of a World Series championship. The left-hander gave the Rangers a solid start in Game 4 on Tuesday, and Texas rolled to an 11-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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The Rangers dominated, even though they let the Diamondbacks make it interesting in the late innings, to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Texas is one victory away from its first World Series crown.

“It’s awesome,” Heaney said after earning a win with five innings of one-run ball. “You know, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career, been on a bunch of different teams and never had this opportunity, obviously. I just want to win the game. I want us to win, and we did that, and we’re in obviously a great position and need to finish it off.”

The Rangers supported Heaney (1-0) by exploding for consecutive five-run innings in the second and third, turning the Halloween contest into a nightmare for the Diamondbacks and their fans.

Marcus Semien, who entered the game batting .197 in the postseason, hit a two-run triple in the second inning and a three-run homer in the third. Corey Seager struck again with his third two-run homer of the World Series, his sixth postseason long ball.

Jonah Heim added a solo home run in the eighth, his third blast of the postseason.

Texas won its 10th consecutive postseason road game, the longest winning streak of its kind in major league playoff history. Another road win in Game 5 on Wednesday would seal the title.

In a bullpen game for Arizona, the Rangers knocked around relievers Miguel Castro, Kyle Nelson and Luis Frias, all of whom allowed three runs without lasting one full inning. Castro yielded Semien’s triple in the second, Nelson served up Seager’s homer in the second and Frias gave up Travis Jankowski’s two-run double and Semien’s home run in the third.

Heaney yielded four hits, walked two and struck out three, leaving with a 10-1 lead. His effort helped the Texas bullpen get extra rest.

The Rangers lost two key players to injuries sustained in Game 3, as right fielder Adolis Garcia (strained oblique muscle) and Game 3 starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back spasms) were removed from the World Series roster. However, Texas didn’t miss the power-hitting Garcia, who had 20 hits, eight home runs and 22 RBIs in the postseason.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys, how they bounce back, how resilient they are, how they dealt with things, whether it’s losing streaks, whether it’s injuries,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “You can’t do anything about it. They’re gonna happen occasionally.”

The Diamondbacks scored their first run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. They added four runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Tommy Pham and Gurriel’s three-run home run, and they didn’t go quietly in the ninth, when Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run single off Texas closer Jose Leclerc.

Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ best hitter in the postseason, had two hits to increase his postseason hitting streak to 20 games, the longest such streak in major league history. But Arizona is on the brink of defeat.

“You commit to the plan and the process for 27 outs,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “And you close the game up to 11-7, got the fans engaged, got a ton of energy, you got their closer in the game.

“There’s a lot of positives to draw upon, and I will, but we gotta tighten up the things we know that went wrong. And we’ll do that. And then we’ll come out tomorrow and we gotta go 1-0 tomorrow. We gotta be ready to play our finest game tomorrow and not worry about anything else.”

Diamondbacks opener Joe Mantiply (2-1) took the loss after allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings.

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

Garcia, Scherzer Out for Series

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Texas Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia has a moderate oblique strain and he, along with starting pitcher Max Scherzer, will miss the remainder of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Garcia left the Rangers’ Game 3 victory in the eighth inning after experiencing side tightness following a swing. He underwent imaging on his torso before Game 4, allowing the team to diagnose the strain.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Garcia tried to take some swings and was “on the table getting further evaluation” with less than three hours before first pitch.

An hour before Game 4, Texas decided to replace both Garcia and Scherzer, who suffered back spasms during his start Monday, for the remainder of the series.

Garcia will be replaced by infielder/outfielder Ezequiel Duran and Scherzer will be replaced by left-handed pitcher Brock Burke.

In accordance with MLB rules, both Garcia and Scherzer will be ineligible to return for the rest of the World Series.

For Tuesday, Travis Jankowski drew the start in right field in Garcia’s place and will bat ninth. Designated hitter Mitch Garver moved up from the fifth spot in the lineup to the third.

Garcia hit the game-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 1. He had already set the record for most RBIs in a single postseason (22).

Scherzer left his Game 3 start with what the Rangers called back tightness. He said after the game his back “went into full spasm.”

Scherzer, a trade deadline acquisition from the New York Mets, would have been in line to start a potential Game 7 if healthy.

–Field Level Media

Diamond (Bounce) Backs

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers look to grab a commanding 3-1 advantage tonight when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 4 of the World Series at Chase Field.

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Texas took Game 3 Monday night 3-1 on the strength of its pitching and a two-run home run from Corey Seager, the one-time World Series MVP’s second two-run home run of this series.

Pitchers Max Scherzer, Jon Gray, Josh Sborz, Aroldis Chapman and Jose Leclerc held the Diamondbacks to a run on six hits. Arizona had scored a combined 14 runs in the first two games of the series.

Game 4 looks like a bullpen game for both teams. Left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-0) is set to make his third start and fifth appearance for the Rangers this postseason, with six innings pitched and four runs allowed on seven hits thus far.

Heaney has a 6.00 earned run average and opponents are batting .292 against him this postseason. Heaney went 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA in the regular season and made 28 starts, with nine wins as a starter.

The Diamondbacks counter with lefty Joe Mantiply, an All-Star in 2022 who made his first career World Series appearance in Game 1. He pitched a scoreless inning.

Mantiply is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA over eight career postseason appearances (all this season). He did not allow an earned run over his last six games of the regular season (8 1/3 innings) and had a 1.38 ERA over 10 games in September.

The Rangers have opened the postseason with nine consecutive road wins, tying a Major League Baseball record.

“We’re just showing up to play every day. We’re trying to win that day. No matter where you are, we’re trying to play good baseball every day,” Seager said. “I don’t know how to credit it to anything other than that, really.”

The Rangers hope to have a healthy Adolis Garcia back in the lineup on Tuesday after he left Monday’s game with left side tightness. Garcia hit a walk-off home run in Game 1, giving the slugger eight in the postseason, and he has also driven in 22 runs.

“We’re being optimistic there but we’ll know more tomorrow,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Garcia after Game 3.

The Diamondbacks come off their first World Series game at their home ballpark in 22 years. They won the World Series in 2001, the franchise’s only championship.

Arizona is 16-10 at home in the postseason all time.

Second baseman Ketel Marte has hit safely in each of his first 19 postseason games, the longest streak in MLB postseason history. He has 22 hits.

“At the end of the day we do have to be better. I think our offense is very capable against any type of pitching, whether it’s a reliever or starter. We just got beat. We got beat. We got maybe out-executed. And we’ve got to figure that out,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said after Game 3.

The Diamondbacks used Kyle Nelson, Miguel Castro, Luis Frias and Andrew Saalfrank out of their bullpen in Game 3. That should leave them with their top relievers rested and available for Game 4 after Mantiply departs.

Ryne Nelson, Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and closer Paul Sewald are in line to pitch in Game 4, especially in a close game.

–Jose M. Romero, Field Level Media

Judge Honored with Clemente Award

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – NY Yankees star Aaron Judge was named the 2023 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to the Major League Baseball player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.”

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Judge, 31, followed up his 2022 American League MVP campaign by recording 37 home runs and 75 RBIs over 106 games in 2023 as the Yankees missed the playoffs.

Off the field, Judge’s ALL RISE Foundation continued to support underprivileged kids in his native California and New York. The foundation gave grants this year to six organizations: Bridge2College, NYC Autism Charter Schools (NYCACS), Tourette Association of America, Edward C. Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology (SUSD), Resiliency Center of Fresno and Birch Family Services.

The award was established in 1973 in honor of Clemente, the first Caribbean-born player and first Latin American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Commissioner Rob Manfred, Clemente’s three children, former players and a panel of journalists help select each year’s winner.

Clemente died while personally organizing and transporting relief supplies to the people of Nicaragua.

–Field Level Media

2023 World Series: Scherzer for Game 3

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer will take the ball for Game 3 of the World Series tonight when the Texas Rangers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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It will be the third start of the postseason for Scherzer, who missed five-plus weeks with a teres major muscle injury in his pitching shoulder before making two starts in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

Scherzer (0-1, 9.45 ERA this postseason) pitched just 6 2/3 innings in the two starts, but Texas manager Bruce Bochy is confident the three-time Cy Young Award winner can pitch deeper into the game this time.

“I think so. He could give us length,” Bochy said of Scherzer on Saturday. “I’ve talked to him about this. He’s comfortable pretty much throwing like he normally does. Maybe not quite as long as he’s been over 100 pitches, whatever, but pretty close.”

Scherzer is 7-8 with a 3.86 ERA in 29 career postseason appearances (24 starts). He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three World Series starts. Scherzer, 39, initially was a first-round draft choice by the Diamondbacks in 2006 and pitched a year in the majors for Phoenix in 2008-09 before being traded to the Detroit Tigers.

At Chase Field, he is 11-8 with a 3.86 ERA 29 appearances (25 starts), with 175 strikeouts in 156 1/3 innings.

Arizona named rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 2.70) as its Game 3 starter. Arizona has won all four of Pfaadt’s starts this postseason.

–Field Level Media