From Jack Harris: Andy Pages hit a ground ball to the mound.
Orion Kerkering picked it up and threw away the Philadelphia Phillies’ season.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th in Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Thursday, that’s how the Dodgers secured a walk-off, series-clinching 2-1 win that sends them to the NL Championship Series.
On a throwing error from Kerkering, who initially booted the broken-bat grounder before retrieving the ball in front of the mound.
On a toss home that went sailing to the backstop, even as catcher J.T. Realmuto motioned for Kerkering to get the sure out at first base.
On a brutal, inexplicable decision from the Phillies’ 24-year-old reliever, one that allowed Hyeseong Kim to score from third and pandemonium to be unleashed inside Dodger Stadium.
“Instant classic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“That ranks up there,” third baseman Max Muncy added.
Plaschke: A wild finish propels the Dodgers into NLCS and past their toughest playoff test
Tommy Edman and Andy Pages put struggles aside to be key part of decisive Dodgers’ inning
MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE, RESULTS
NL Division Series
All times Pacific
Dodgers vs. Philadelphia
Dodgers 5, at Philadelphia 3 (box score)
Dodgers 4, at Philadelphia 3 (box score)
Philadelphia 8, at Dodgers 2 (box score)
at Dodgers 2, Philadelphia 1 (11) (box score)
Chicago vs. Milwaukee
at Milwaukee 9, Chicago 3 (box score)
at Milwaukee 7, Chicago 3 (box score)
at Chicago 4, Milwaukee 3 (box score)
at Chicago 6, Milwaukee 0 (box score)
Saturday at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max
AL Division Series
Detroit vs. Seattle
Detroit 3, at Seattle 2 (11) (box score)
at Seattle 3, Detroit 2 (box score)
Seattle 8, at Detroit 4 (box score)
at Detroit 9, Seattle 3 (box score)
Friday at Seattle, 5 p.m., Fox
New York vs. Toronto
at Toronto 10, New York 1 (box score)
at Toronto 13, New York 7 (box score)
at New York 9, Toronto 6 (box score)
Toronto 5, at New York 2 (box score)
*-if necessary
LAKERS
From Broderick Turner: Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James will miss the season opener with what the team said was a sciatica nerve injury on his right side, the team announced after practice Thursday. The Lakers said James will be re-evaluated in approximately three to four weeks and that further updates will be provided at that time.
James, who is entering an NBA-record 23rd season, was limited to mostly individual workouts while dealing with nerve irritation in the glute during training camp. He didn’t play in the Lakers’ first two preseason games.
The Lakers open the regular season Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors, but fans won’t get to see legends James and Stephen Curry share the court together at Crypto.com Arena.
Fan is suing LeBron James for ‘fraud, deception’ after Lakers star teased ‘Second Decision’
RAMS
From Gary Klein: Matthew Stafford has been regarded as one of the NFL’s top arm talents since he was selected No. 1 overall in the 2009 draft. The 17th-year pro ranks among the top 10 all-time in several passing categories.
But the Rams star quarterback has never finished a season No. 1 in yards passing.
Stafford, 37, came close a few times during his 12-season tenure with the Detroit Lions. He finished third behind Drew Brees and Tom Brady in 2011, second behind Brees in 2012, third behind Peyton Manning and Brees in 2013, and third behind Brady and Philip Rivers in 2017.
And in 2021, his first season with the Rams, he was third behind Brady and Justin Herbert.
Could this be the year Stafford finishes at the top?
DUCKS
Mason Marchment scored in his Seattle debut, Joey Daccord made 35 saves, and the Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 on Thursday night to win their season opener for the first time in team history.
Vince Dunn and Jared McCann also scored for the Kraken, who had gone 0-3-1 in their previous four openers, including a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ducks in 2022.
Daccord, who last Friday became the first player in Arizona State hockey history to have his number retired, made 16 of his saves in the first period on 17 shots.
Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks in his NHL debut and Lukas Dostal made 28 saves.
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1920 — The Chicago Cardinals play to a 0-0 tie with the Chicago Tigers in their first American Professional Football Association game. The game is held at Cubs Park, later renamed Wrigley Field.
1936 — Ohio State trumpet player John Brungart dots the ‘i’ in “Script Ohio” for the first time during halftime of the Buckeyes’ 6-0 loss to Pittsburgh at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. After Brungart, the honor began to go exclusively to sousaphone players, with exceptions made for well-known fans of the Ohio State program, like John Glenn, Jack Nicklaus and Bob Hope.
1964 — John Henry Johnson of Pittsburgh rushes for 200 yards to lead the Steelers to a 23-7 triumph over the Cleveland Browns.
1974 — Danny Gare of Buffalo scores 18 seconds into his first NHL game as the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 9-5.
1979 — Quebec’s Real Cloutier scores three goals in his first NHL game, but the Nordiques lose 5-3 to the Atlanta Flames.
1981 — USC’s Marcus Allen rushes for 211 yards, his fifth straight 200-plus rushing game, in a 13-10 loss to Arizona.
1987 — Columbia sets an NCAA record with its 35th straight loss, 38-8 to Princeton.
1998 — New Hampshire’s Jerry Azumah becomes the first back in NCAA Division I-AA history to run for more than 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. He has 165 yards and one touchdown in a 22-13 loss to Richmond.
2004 — New England wins its 19th straight game, setting an NFL record for consecutive wins — counting the playoffs — with a 24-10 victory over Miami.
2011 — NBA Commissioner David Stern cancels the first two weeks of the season after owners and players are unable to reach a new labor deal and end the lockout. Games originally scheduled to be played from Nov. 1 through Nov. 14 are wiped out.
2011 — Anthony Calvillo becomes pro football’s all-time passing leader in spectacular fashion with a 50-yard TD pass to Jamel Richardson that cements the Montreal Alouettes’ 29-19 win over the Toronto Argonauts. Calvillo needed 258 yards to break Damon Allen’s all-time CFL record of 72,381 yards.
2017 — The United States are eliminated from World Cup contention with a shocking 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad scores a pair of first-half goals and the United States will miss the World Cup for the first time since 1986. The 28th-ranked Americans needed merely a tie against 99th-ranked Trinidad, which lost its sixth straight qualifier last week.
2017 — The Vegas Golden Knights win their home opener and remain unbeaten three games into their inaugural season with a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Marc-Andre Fleury makes 31 saves for the Golden Knights, who become the first team in NHL history to begin their debut season with three straight wins.
2020 — 19 year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland wins her country’s first singles major title as she beats American Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1 at the French Open.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1920 — Cleveland Indians second baseman Bill Wambsganns completes an unassisted World Series triple play.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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