Rory McIlroy was pleased with a 'solid' bogey-free round of 66 as he sits joint-second on 15 under par, three shots off leader Matteo Manassero, ahead of the final day of the BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy carded a six-under round with four birdies and one eagle on the fourth, only bettered by leader Manassero's 63 and Billy Horschel's 65, which included a run of seven straight birdies and put him in a tie for second alongside the Northern Irishman.
The 35-year-old, who won the event in 2014, was happy enough with his third round, despite finding the water on 18 and scrambling a par on the scoreable final hole.
He said to Sky Sports: "I had a few chances that I let slip there on the back nine, but I got going out there on moving day, shooting six under par, trying to keep up with Matteo.
"It was another solid day, my lowest score of the week and no bogeys. I know I'm going to need another low one tomorrow to try to catch him.
"I love it here. It would be amazing to get my name on the trophy again."
Manassero, who also tasted success at Wentworth in 2013, was delighted with his round, coming towards the end of a season in which he has returned from the wilderness to play some of his very best golf.
"I have to be honest, one of the best rounds I've ever played," the Italian said afterwards.
"Thinking of the difficult years, to be standing here right now in the lead - it feels amazing."
"My perspective has changed. I'm going to go out and enjoy tomorrow."
Lando Norris "had faith" that McLaren were quick and was rewarded with pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.
The Brit was quickest in a dramatic qualifying session, crossing the line 0.203 seconds quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who will start in second.
After tough practice sessions, Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell improved on their performances to finish third and fourth respectively, with Oscar Piastri in fifth.
The times came from a one-lap shootout after Carlos Sainz forced the third session to be stopped as he crashed into the barriers on the final corner of his first lap.]
And Ferrari's day got worse as Charles Leclerc had his lap time deleted for a track limits breach at turn two.
Norris admitted it was a tough qualification session but was pleased to come out on top as he attempts to close the gap to Verstappen in the divers' championship.
"It was tough, especially through qualifying. I was finding it a little difficult to progress much and gain a lot of lap time," Norris said.
"And all of the guys around seemed to get quicker and quicker, so it put me under a bit more pressure, especially with just one lap at the end.
"I had faith we were quick, so I didn't have to over-push and I could just do what I've been doing the whole weekend.
"It was good enough for pole, and I'm happy with that, especially here in Singapore. A good feeling. I've felt good all weekend, I've felt confident, maybe not so much in qualy but we got the job done."
Asked how he felt about the one-lap shootout, he added: "I like it. It gets your heart rate going and it's good fun. My lap wasn't as good as my lap previous to the red flag, so there's always just that little bit more in it.
"But the car's been feeling good and when you have a good feeling car, and you're confident, you can go out and push and get the lap time, so I did the job I had to do today and excited to see what we can do tomorrow."
Verstappen struggled in the second practice session, finishing 15th on the timesheet, but he improved on Saturday to ensure he would start on the front row with Norris.
The Dutchman had been unhappy with his car’s performance on Friday but was feeling more optimistic about his chances on Sunday after qualifying.
"The whole of qualifying went quite well. We managed to improve the car run after run," Verstappen said.
"I'm happy to be on the front row if you look at where we came from yesterday.
"Q3 was tough. Your lap gets, of course, cancelled with the double-waved yellow, then everyone only has one run to do the lap, so you don't want to overdo it. You want to stay within the limit. I'll take second - I'm happy with that.
"Tomorrow is a bit difficult to say. In Singapore, a lot of things can happen, but at least we have a shot at it like this."
Qualifying results
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
8. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
10. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
World number one Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the upcoming China Open due to personal reasons.
Swiatek won her sixth WTA 1000 title on her tournament debut in Beijing last year, only dropping one set in the competition and beating Liudmila Samsonova in the final.
She fell to Jessica Pegula at the quarter-final stage of the US Open last time out, and she will surrender her China Open crown after being forced to back out of the competition.
"Due to personal matters, I'm forced to withdraw from the China Open in Beijing," Swiatek announced on Friday.
"I'm very sorry as I had an amazing time playing and winning this tournament last year and was really looking forward to being back there.
"I know that the fans will experience great tennis there and I'm sorry I won’t be a part of it this time."
The women's singles tournament in China begins next Friday, with the final to be held on October 6.
Sergio Perez expressed his concerns about Red Bull's potential at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend after citing a lack of balance during Friday's practice sessions.
Lando Norris set the pace, finishing 0.058 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with the Perez's team-mate Max Verstappen 1.294secs off the pace in 15th.
Perez managed a eighth place finish, just behind the Mercedes of George Russell and the RB of Daniel Ricciardo.
The Mexican will be hopeful of a better outcome in this weekend's race after crashing out on the penultimate lap in Baku last week after an incident with Carlos Sainz.
There is no driver in this season who has not finished a Grand Prix on more occasions than Perez (three level with Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda).
He has now gone 11 races without finishing in four seasons for Red Bull, his highest number of retirements with a team, surpassing the 10 in five years for Force India.
Reviewing the two practice sessions, and whether any progress was made between FP1 and FP2, Perez said: “I think we improved a little bit, but still we are lacking quite a lot of balance.
"It’s quite difficult out there to put a lap together, [so] it’s not looking great at the moment."
Perez went on to comment that the level of Red Bull’s struggles “took us by surprise” despite the problems they faced at the Marina Bay street circuit last season.
“Definitely we’ve got some work to do overnight because we are quite far [behind],” said the Mexican, who was 0.871s down on pace-setting McLaren rival Norris.
“We are nearly a second off the pace, so we need quite a big change to be able to come through. We’ll see what we’re able to do.”
New Zealand maintained their grip on the Bledisloe Cup with a 31-28 victory over Australia, but only after withstanding a spirited fightback from the Wallabies.
The All Blacks scored four first-half tries at the Accor Stadium, as they bounced back from their narrow defeat by South Africa last time out.
New Zealand came flying out of the blocks and were 21-0 to the good inside the opening 16 minutes, with Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke all crossing.
Fraser McReight got Australia on the scoreboard, while Matt Faessler also went over, but Ardie Savea's converted try kept New Zealand in control at half-time at 28-14.
Damian McKenzie kicked the visitors further in front early in the second half, but Scott Robertson's side were made to cling on towards the end.
With Clarke and Anton Lienert-Brown sin-binned inside the final quarter of an hour, the Wallabies launched a late rally.
Hunter Paisami reduced the deficit, and the hosts closed the gap to a single score when Tom Wright went over in the final minute, but it proved too little too late for Joe Schmidt's side.
Data Debrief: Slipper out on his own as Savea surpasses McCaw
It was an historic day for Slipper, with the veteran prop becoming Australia's most-capped player when he ran on for his 140th Test early in the second half.
Ultimately, it proved a bittersweet day as he was forced off with a head injury just 21 minutes later, but he now stands alone on the Wallabies' all-time list.
However, the match belonged to New Zealand, who retained the Bledisloe Cup as they have done every year since 2003.
Savea created his own piece of history when he scored his 28th international try, surpassing the great Richie McCaw as the most by any All Blacks forward.
Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her Korea Open quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina with a foot injury.
Raducanu, who beat Peyton Stearns and Yue Yuan on her way to a last-eight showdown with the top seed, withdrew from the contest after losing the opening set 6-1.
The 21-year-old was looking to make her second WTA Tour semi-final this year, but struggled against the Russian who had beaten her in straight sets in both previous encounters.
Raducanu found herself immediately on the back foot after losing her opening game on serve, but got her first point on the board in the third game.
Kasatkina then took control, racing into a comfortable lead as Raducanu required a medical timeout after the fifth game, having been broken to love.
Despite a spirited showing in the final game that saw Raducanu handed a break point opportunity, Kasatkina held firm before seeing her British opponent retire.
The world number 13 will face compatriot Diana Shnaider in the semi-finals, with a potential showpiece match against Beatriz Haddad Maia or Veronika Kudermetova awaiting her.
Alec Bohm went 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead a 17-hit attack that powered the Philadelphia Phillies to a playoff-clinching 12-2 rout of the New York Mets on Friday.
Bohm's three-run homer capped a big fourth inning in which the Phillies scored six times to break a 2-2 tie, and J.T. Realmuto added a two-run shot in the eighth to secure Philadelphia's place in the National League playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Philadelphia, which entered the day tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL's best record, can wrap up its first NL East title since 2011 by winning one of its two remaining games with the Mets this weekend.
The Phillies also received three hits and two RBIs from Nick Castellanos, while Johan Rojas had a two-run double among his two hits.
Jose Iglesias went 2 for 4 with a solo homer for New York, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. The Mets dropped a game back of Arizona for the NL's second wild card after the Diamondbacks earned a 7-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Iglesias led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run and Starling Marte followed with a single before later crossing the plate for a 2-0 New York lead against Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez.
Sanchez (11-9) allowed just one more hit over his five-inning stint while finishing with seven strikeouts, and the Phillies scored single runs in the second and third before breaking things open in the fourth.
Rojas' two-run double in the fourth put Philadelphia ahead 4-2, and Bohm later delivered his 15th homer of the season to extend the margin to 8-2.
David Peterson (9-3) lasted just 3 2/3 innings for New York and was tagged for five runs - four earned - on eight hits.
Ohtani follows historic night with encore performance
Shohei Ohtani followed Thursday’s unforgettable performance with another record-breaking outing, and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-4.
On Thursday, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history with 50 home runs and 50 steals in the same season, reaching the milestone by going 6 for 6 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and two stolen bases.
Ohtani finished Friday 3 for 4, launched his 52nd home run of the season and stole his 52nd base. It was the 14th time this season that he hit a home run and stole a base in the same game, an MLB record.
Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages also went deep for the Dodgers (92-62), whose magic number to clinch the NL West over the San Diego Padres was reduced to four.
The Dodgers opted for a bullpen day, with eight pitchers combining to allow just five hits and strike out 15 batters.
The Rockies squandered home runs from Charlie Blackmon, Michael Toglia and Sam Hilliard.
Kyle Freeland, who allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, was saddled with the loss.
Orioles cool off Tigers to pad AL wild card lead
The Baltimore Orioles belted five home runs, including two each from Colton Cowser and James McCann, to increase their lead atop the American League wild card standings with a 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Anthony Santander also homered for Baltimore, which got all its runs via the long ball to back seven scoreless innings from Corbin Burnes to move five games up on Kansas City for the AL's top wild card. The slumping Royals were dealt a 2-1 loss by the San Francisco Giants for their fifth straight defeat.
Detroit, which entered this key three-game series having won four straight, dropped one game behind Minnesota for the third and final wild card after the Twins posted a 4-2, 12-inning win over the Boston Red Sox.
Burnes (15-8) yielded just three hits and struck out eight to beat the Tigers for the second time in less than a week. The Baltimore ace also tossed seven scoreless innings in a 4-2 win at Detroit on Saturday.
Santander's two-run homer off Tyler Holton in the first inning staked the Orioles to an early lead, and Cowser made it 3-0 an inning later with a solo blast off Keider Montero.
McCann added a two-run shot in the fourth, and he and Cowser came through with solo homers off Montero in the sixth to increase the margin to 7-0.
The Tigers' lone run came on Trey Sweeney's RBI single in the ninth. Sweeney finished with two of Detroit's seven hits.
Carlos Alcaraz suffered defeat on his Laver Cup debut, as he was beaten in straight sets alongside Alexander Zverev in doubles by Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton.
Team Europe put up a strong fight but struggled to match Fritz and Shelton, who won 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in one hour and 37 minutes.
Alcaraz and Zverev made a slow start to the match, losing their serve in the fourth game as the Americans went on a three-game winning streak, but they pulled it back to level the tie, only to lose the tie-break.
Team Europe looked to have found their groove in the second set but failed to convert four break points in the fourth game as Fritz and Shelton levelled the score at 2-2.
A three-game winning run at the end of the set, including one more break, was enough to get Team World over the line, pulling them back to 2-2 at the end of day one.
Francisco Cerundolo had originally given Team World the lead with a shock win over Casper Ruud before Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov's wins had put Team Europe 2-1 up.
Lando Norris topped the second practice session in Singapore but was "hoping to have a much bigger gap" over Charles Leclerc.
The Brit was 0.058 seconds clear of the Ferrari driver after an impressive session on Friday.
Norris had started strong in the first practice too, only for Leclerc to displace him by 0.076s, but he reversed the roles later in the day.
It was the sort of start he was looking for, as he sets out to close the 59-point gap to Max Verstappen, who struggled in practice, in the drivers' championship.
And Norris was feeling positive after the run, but admitted he would have preferred a bigger advantage over those behind him.
"Yeah, pace is good. I'm feeling good, it was also a nice lap," Norris said after the second session. "I think we're doing what we expect, I guess, to be up at the front and to be there with Ferrari.
"But it was a very nice lap and Charles is only [0.058s] behind. I was hoping to have a much bigger gap than what I had, honestly, which means they're quick, it means Ferrari are very, very fast.
"But, yeah, things are going well so far."
Unlike Norris, Verstappen endured another difficult day as he finished 15th, 1.294s behind Norris' time.
Red Bull dropped into second in the constructors' championship after Oscar Piastri's win in Azerbaijan last weekend and need a better performance in Singapore if they want to reassert themselves in the standings.
But Verstappen, who has not won any of the last seven races, was left frustrated by his lap time.
When asked to sum up his day, Verstappen said: "Difficult. Not having the grip that we would like. We have a few things to look at.
"I was not really struggling with the bumps or kerbs, just general grip, so we have to look at the trade-off between the two."
Carlos Sainz was six-tenths off the pace in third, while RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo were surprise strong performers, finishing fourth and sixth respectively, either side of Piastri.
Mercedes also struggled to match up, with George Russell taking seventh, having damaged a front wing late on, and Lewis Hamilton 10th.
The Jamaica Boxing Association (JBA) has announced its first fight card for the 2024 season, scheduled for this Saturday, September 21, at the Stanley Couch Gym in Kingston. The event will begin at 7:00 PM and will feature at least seven local amateur bouts, ranging from novice to elite fighters.
Stephen "Bomber" Jones, president of the JBA, shared that the boxers are eager to get back into the ring after months of training without competition. The fight card will showcase some of the island’s national boxers, providing an opportunity for these athletes to demonstrate their skills and hard work.
This event will be the first in a series of monthly fight cards at Stanley Couch Gym, dubbed the "Gloves Over Guns Futures Programme." The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is also involved, with its boxers and support staff set to participate. Additionally, boxing clubs from across the island are on board for the fight card, making it a highly anticipated event for the local boxing community.
With the focus on developing talent and promoting positive engagement through sport, the JBA’s initiative aims to provide regular competition for amateur boxers and further grow the sport in Jamaica.
Jamaica's men’s netball team, "The Suns," have successfully defended their title at the America's Netball Championships, leaving Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis, as the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Their dominant performance across seven matches reaffirmed their status as the reigning champions, having first claimed the title in 2022.
The Suns opened the tournament with a thrilling 30-27 victory over England in what was their closest match of the competition. From there, they never looked back. They followed that up with a commanding 56-27 win over Grenada before a resounding 76-20 thrashing of the host nation, St. Kitts & Nevis. However, their most emphatic victory came against the United States, where they posted a staggering 109-10 scoreline. Antigua & Barbuda fell 83-14, and despite a more competitive match against Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica pulled through with a 62-49 win. They capped off the tournament with a decisive 75-28 win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
As the dust settled, "The Suns" stood tall as the only unbeaten team in the second edition of the tournament, proving once again that they are the team to beat in men’s netball. Their commanding performances reflect the resilience and unity that defines Jamaican sports across all disciplines.
Richard Hendricks, one of the standout players for Jamaica, was named the Tournament MVP, a testament to his brilliant performances throughout the competition. His leadership on the court was pivotal in guiding the team to victory.
Anthony Joshua must beat Daniel Dubois to set up a showdown with Tyson Fury, says former heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr.
All eyes will be on Wembley this Saturday as Joshua aims to climb back to the top of the division against IBF world heavyweight champion Dubois.
The Briton returns to the ring six months after his second-round triumph over Francis Ngannou, extending his unbeaten run to four fights after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua has once held the title he will fight for this weekend, beating Charles Martin in two rounds back in 2016, going on to retain it for five fights while also claiming the WBO, WBA (Super) and IBO titles in the process.
The 34-year-old's return to the top faces its sternest test under the Wembley arch, with Dubois winning the IBF title against Filip Hrgovic in June.
While the pressure of fighting in front of a post-war record 96,000 spectators in London is weighing on the Briton's mind, there are also expectations for Joshua to deliver a victory to set up a long-awaited clash with Fury.
The pair have exchanged in a war of words over the years but have yet to settle it in the ring, with the Gypsy King set for a rematch with Usyk in December after his split-decision loss to the Ukrainian in May.
And Jones Jr, who won 66 of his 76 professional fights, believes Joshua has to win against Dubois to give British boxing fans the fight they have been craving.
"Well, he's hungry. He's still searching for direction. And, I think he found a good direction with the training he has now," Jones Jr told Stats Perform.
"So, hopefully, he can come back and get back to the form of what people want to see.
"Because even though he lost to Usyk twice and Fury may lose to Usyk twice, the people in the U.K. still want to see Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury."
When asked to pick a winner, Jones Jr placed more pressure on Joshua to prevail, adding: "He has to win that fight.
"And the only way I think he'll lose it is if he gets knocked out, which I don't think will happen.
"So for the sport of boxing and for the love of his fans, he has to win that fight. Because people still want to see who's better out of him and Tyson Fury."
The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Friday.
The max contract extension is worth $193million over three years, multiple media outlets reported, guaranteeing Embiid over $299million through the 2028-29 season.
Embiid announced the deal with a post on Instagram.
“Philadelphia is home. I want to be here for the rest of my career,” Embiid said in his social media post. “I love this community and everything you’ve given me and my family.
“There is a lot more work to do. You guys deserve a championship and I think we’re just getting started!”
The team announced the extension without disclosing terms, citing a team policy, with managing partner Josh Harris saying Embiid is “one of the greatest Sixers of all time and is well on his way to being one of the best players to ever play the game.”
With the start of the NBA regular season just over a month away, Embiid’s extension caps a massive offseason spending spree by the 76ers.
Philadelphia committed an estimated $550million in new money with extensions for Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, plus the free agent signings of Paul George and several role players.
Embiid has established himself as a franchise cornerstone and perennial MVP candidate but is still seeking the corresponding play-off success while dealing with several injuries.
Embiid was voted the 2022-23 MVP after second-place finishes in the two previous seasons.
He scored 34.7 points per game last season, but his 39 games played did not qualify him for the scoring title.
A seven-time All-Star, Embiid is coming off a summer in which he helped Team USA win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Aaron Rodgers believes his budding chemistry with Garrett Wilson can transpire into something "special" after he led the New York Jets to victory on Thursday.
After suffering a ruptured Achilles at the start of last season, Rodgers orchestrated a commanding 24-3 triumph over the New England Patriots in his first home start since the injury.
The 40-year-old ended the contest at MetLife Stadium with an impressive stat line of 27 completions on 35 attempts, yielding 281 yards and two touchdowns, one of which went to Wilson in the third quarter.
Rodgers' back-shoulder throw was perfectly delivered into the hands of Wilson, whose game had been subdued until then.
And speaking after the game, Rodgers was excited about what the future may bring for his improving relationship with the 24-year-old wide receiver, who has already racked up 15 catches this season.
"Once five (Wilson) and I get on that same page, it's going to be special," Rodgers said.
Rodgers didn't miss the chance to address the loyal Jets fanbase either, acknowledging their long-suffering endurance after last season's disappointment.
A 2023 campaign they entered with Super Bowl aspirations finished at 7-10 for the second consecutive season, and failed to improve on their record during 2022.
It was also the Jets' fourth consecutive season with at least 10 losses, but Rodgers spoke about his eagerness to transform their fortunes in New York after they improved to 2-1 this time around.
"It felt great to be able to play an entire game in front of our amazing fans. I feel like we started faster than we have and we were way more efficient," Rodgers said.
"Had a lot of guys involved. A lot of guys made a lot of plays. Feel like the line did a nice job up front. We had to finish drives, and we did a good job of that.
"We're trying to change this whole attitude around here. We're trying to build something special around here, get these fans to believe in us.
"They've been tortured for a long time. Last year was obviously a tough year, but it's good to be back, good to be healthy.
"It's great to be a Jet, great to have nights like this, and even better to have a weekend off!"
Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited (CPJ) has officially announced its continued partnership with Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) as a main sponsor of the 2024 Mouttet Mile Invitational, which will be held at Caymanas Park on December 7, 2024. The Grade One event, which features three-year-olds and upward competing over a mile (1,600m), will offer a historic purse of US$250,000.
As a premier food and beverage company in the Caribbean, CPJ's sponsorship marks its third year supporting this prestigious event. The Mouttet Mile has grown in prominence, drawing elite horses, jockeys, and racing enthusiasts from around the world. CPJ's backing will continue to ensure that the event maintains its reputation for high-quality entertainment, premium hospitality, and an elevated experience for racing fans.
Natesha Powell, Brand Manager of Spirits and Beverages at CPJ, highlighted the synergy between the Mouttet Mile and CPJ’s premium offerings. “This is our third year sponsoring the Mouttet Mile, and it’s a perfect fit for us," Powell said. "Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and we wanted to bring that same prestige to Jamaica. Last year, we introduced Woodford Reserve at the event, and the feedback was phenomenal. This bourbon is relatively new to the Jamaican market, and there’s no better platform to showcase it than the Mouttet Mile.”
In addition to the main race day, CPJ will play a key role in the build-up to the event with a series of "Trail to the Mile" events. The first of these events, hosted by CPJ, is scheduled for September 28, 2024, and will feature a special Woodford Reserve tasting. These events will give fans a preview of the premium experience they can expect at the Mouttet Mile in December.
SVREL, the operators of Caymanas Park and promoters of the Mouttet Mile, expressed their satisfaction with CPJ's ongoing commitment. Christopher Wills, VP Operations at SVREL, shared his enthusiasm about CPJ’s continued involvement. "The SVREL team is pleased that the Mouttet Mile continues to attract corporate sponsors in the third staging of this unique entertainment product," Wills said. "We are excited to have CPJ back onboard with us for another year. Their premium brands are a big part of creating the elevated experience for our patrons. CPJ’s return as a sponsor for the third-year running is not only a good signal for the Mouttet Mile, but also a positive indicator of the growth potential of the horseracing industry in general."
As the Mouttet Mile Invitational grows into one of the Caribbean’s premier horse racing events, CPJ’s continued sponsorship, along with other corporate support, will play a crucial role in enhancing the fan experience and expanding the international reach of the event. With the combination of top-tier racing and premium entertainment, the 2024 Mouttet Mile promises to be a standout day at Caymanas Park.
Shohei Ohtani became the first major league player to exceed 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season during the most spectacular game of a history-making career for the Los Angeles Dodgers star, going deep three times and swiping two bags in a 20-4 rout of the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
Ohtani hit his 49th homer in the sixth inning, his 50th in the seventh and his 51st in the ninth. He finished 6 for 6 with a franchise-record 10 RBIs while becoming the first big league player to hit three homers and steal two bases in a game.
The Japanese superstar reached the second deck in right-center on two of his three homers at LoanDepot Park. In the sixth inning, he launched a 1-1 slider from George Soriano 438 feet for his 49th.
Ohtani hit his 50th homer in the seventh inning, an opposite-field, two-run shot to left against Marlins reliever Mike Baumann. Then, in the ninth, his 51st travelled 440 feet to right-center, a three-run shot against Marlins second baseman Vidal Brujan, who came in to pitch with the game out of hand.
Ohtani took care of the stolen bases earlier in the game, swiping his 50th in the first and his 51st in the second. He has been successful on his last 28 stolen base attempts.
He led off the game with a double against Edward Cabrera and swiped third on the front end of a double steal with Freddie Freeman, who reached on a walk.
Ohtani finished 6 for 6 with two doubles and four runs scored, falling a triple shy of the cycle.
He reached the milestone in his 150th game. Ohtani was already the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, needing just 126 games.
Oakland's José Canseco became the first 40-40 player in 1988 and has been joined by San Francisco's Barry Bonds in 1996, Seattle's Alex Rodriguez in 1998, Washington's Alfonso Soriano in 1996, Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023.
Lost in Ohtani’s historic game was the Dodgers clinching a playoff spot for the 12th straight season and extending their NL West lead over idle San Diego to four games.
Jake Burger, Griffin Conine and Nick Fortes homered for the Marlins, who dropped to 56-96.
Guardians secure postseason berth
Andrés Giménez singled home José Ramírez from second base in the 10th inning and the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff berth in dramatic fashion, beating the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Thursday.
With Ramírez on second as the automatic runner, Minnesota reliever Caleb Thielbar struck out Josh Naylor and the Twins walked Lane Thomas intentionally to face Giménez.
Cleveland's second baseman then hit a 3-2 pitch into right to easily score Ramírez.
As the All-Star third baseman rounded third, Cleveland's dugout emptied onto the field in celebration as the Guardians posted their MLB-leading 42nd comeback win and second straight in extra innings.
The Guardians are the second AL team to qualify for the postseason, following the New York Yankees, who locked up a spot Wednesday night.
The Twins threatened in the 10th, loading the bases with one out against Eli Morgan. But the right-hander got out of the jam by retiring Carlos Correa on a foul pop and Byron Buxton on a liner to right.
Cleveland's bullpen, which has carried the team all season, combined for 5 2/3 hitless innings.
Rookie Kyle Manzardo homered for the Guardians, who lowered the magic number to clinch the AL Central title to three.
The Twins fell into a tie with Detroit for the final AL wild card. The Twins own the tiebreaker.
Sale wins MLB-best 18th as Braves roll
Matt Olson hit two of Atlanta's six home runs, Chris Sale cruised to his major league-leading 18th win and the Braves cruised to a 15-3 rout of the Cincinnati Reds.
The Braves became the first team in major league history to hit four three-run homers in a game.
Along with his career-best win total, Sale (18-3) also leads the majors in ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225).
The left-hander pitched five innings, allowing two runs and five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. It was the 18th consecutive game in which he allowed two runs or fewer.
Olson hit his 27th home run and second of the series leading off the second inning. Ramon Laureano hit a three-run homer in the third off rookie Julian Aguiar.
Marcell Ozuna doubled in a run in the fifth after Aguiar hit Michael Harris II and Jorge Soler to lead off the inning. Olson greeted Yosver Zuleta with his second homer of the game. It was his fourth multi-homer game of the season and 25th of his career.
Harris hit the Braves' sixth home run with two on in the ninth off Brandon Leibrandt.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns in a stellar performance as the New York Jets rolled to a 24-3 rout of the New England Patriots in their home opener on Thursday night.
Rodgers started his first game at MetLife Stadium since leaving the field just over a year ago with a torn Achilles tendon in New York's opener. The 40-year-old quarterback showed no signs of the injury - or playing in his third game in 11 days - while scrambling several times and making off-balance throws all night, slicing through New England's defence with surgical precision.
Rodgers finished 27 of 35 for 281 yards with TD tosses to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard and heard chants of “Aa-ron! Rod-gers!” throughout as the Jets (2-1) ended an eight-game home losing streak against the Patriots (1-2).
New York, which stopped a 15-game skid against New England in Bill Belichick's final game as the Patriots' coach, sacked Jacoby Brissett five times. Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in April, made his NFL debut when he replaced Brissett with 4:24 left in the game.
Breece Hall ran for a score for the Jets, who also snapped a six-game skid in Thursday night games.
In the first half, the Jets outgained the Patriots 252 yards to 40 and had 17 first downs to New England's four. It was the fewest first downs for the Patriots in any half since 2000.
New York made it 21-3 with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter when Rodgers zipped a pass to his right and found Garrett Wilson, who toe-tapped in the front corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.
It marked the third straight game the Jets had at least three touchdowns on offence.
Tina Charles became the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder on Thursday, when the Atlanta Dream center recorded her 4,007th career board against the New York Liberty.
Charles broke Sylvia Fowles’ mark with an offensive tap-out in the first quarter of Atlanta’s 78-67 win.
Finishing the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, Charles also broke Fowles’ record by recording her 194th career double-double.
Charles, who played six seasons with the Liberty from 2014-19, was honoured by the New York crowd during a video tribute. The New York native was inducted into the city’s Basketball Hall of Fame before the game.
Charles has averaged 9.3 rebounds over her 14-year career. She signed with Atlanta before this season after taking last year off.
Charles ranks second behind Diana Taurasi on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.
Not since 2019 have South Africa held the Rugby Championship title, but Saturday could be the day as they head to Argentina knowing victory will seal their fifth crown.
Rassie Erasmus' Springboks have been perfect in the competition thus far, making it four wins from four games with their 18-12 victory over New Zealand two weeks ago.
Standing in their way, though, are a Pumas side that have enjoyed a terrific campaign, handing Australia the heaviest defeat in their storied Test history last time out.
The Wallabies will be desperate to respond in matchweek five's other contest, and a victory over the All Blacks would help them off the bottom of the standings after a difficult campaign.
Ahead of the penultimate round of fixtures, we dive into the best Opta facts and figures to preview both games.
AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND
Australia were utterly humiliated by Argentina last time out, the game running away from them in the second half as they succumbed to a record-breaking 67-27 defeat, having earlier led by 17 points.
Joe Schmidt's team are up against it as they bid to bounce back this weekend. The Wallabies have only won one of their last 12 Tests against New Zealand, drawing one and losing 10.
The All Blacks have won each of the last seven meetings between the teams by an average margin of 17.4 points per game. The last time they enjoyed a longer winning run against their neighbours was a 10-match span between August 2008 and September 2010.
They also boast a tremendous record in Sydney, where this week's contest takes place. New Zealand have only lost one of their last 10 Tests against Australia in the city, winning the last four while averaging 44.3 points per game.
Australia have themselves, however, won their last two Tests in Sydney, as many victories as they managed in their 15 games in the city prior to that span (two wins, one draw, 12 defeats).
And New Zealand have not exactly been faultless on their travels lately, losing three of their last four Tests on foreign soil, including their last two – both in South Africa in this year's Rugby Championship.
If the All Blacks are to halt their miserable run on the road, their ability to create turnovers could be key.
Their 23 turnovers won in the 2024 Rugby Championship are more than any other team, while their four tries scored from turnovers won are second only to Argentina's five.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Marika Koroibete
Koroibete has made four line breaks in this year's Rugby Championship tournament, the joint-most of any player this campaign (also Beauden Barrett, with four for New Zealand).
He has recorded at least one in each of his three games in the tournament, after making only two line breaks across his six Test matches before this year's competition began.
New Zealand – Damian McKenzie
McKenzie has made 10 break assists in the Rugby Championship this year, at least four more than any other player in the tournament.
In addition, he has been directly involved in a try on each of his last three starting appearances in Tests against Australia (one try, two try assists) – will he haunt the Wallabies again here?
ARGENTINA V SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa have dominated from the off in this year's edition of the Rugby Championship, scoring 112 points but, most impressively, allowing their opponents just 58 through their four outings to date.
Another victory on Saturday would take them second in the outright charts for most Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship titles, ahead of Australia but behind New Zealand (20).
It would also bring up their outright longest winning run in the history of the Rugby Championship, at six games. History is on their side in Santiago, with the Springboks having won their last eight Tests against Argentina by an average margin of 15.4 points per game.
They were given a scare when the teams last met in August 2023, though, trailing 10-3 at half-time before rallying to secure a 24-13 victory.
Los Pumas may need something incredible to overhaul South Africa in the standings from here, but they will be on a real high following their thumping win over Australia.
Of the last six occasions where Argentina have scored 50 or more points in a Test, they have followed up with a victory four times, including in their last two such matches.
Felipe Contepomi's team have scored a half-century of points twice in 2024, last doing so on three occasions back in 2015.
They will not expect a repeat against South Africa's fearsome defence, but they could trouble the visitors with their physicality.
Los Pumas have scored three tries when starting their possession from a scrum in this year's Rugby Championship, as many as all the other teams combined (South Africa two, New Zealand one).
South Africa, meanwhile, have made a habit of praying on their opponent's mistakes, making 11 kicks in play that resulted in an opposition error, more than twice as many as Argentina, who are second by that metric with five.
The Springboks have also retained possession from 26 in-play kicks, at least 15 more than any other team in the competition, with Argentina and New Zealand logging 11 apiece and Australia recording eight.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Argentina – Tomas Albornoz
Albornoz has gained 98.4 metres per 80 minutes from his 152 minutes played in the Rugby Championship this year – the most of any player in the campaign.
South Africa – Ruan Nortje
Nortje (26 – including two steals) and team-mate Eben Etzebeth (21, one steal) have won more lineouts (including steals) than any other players in the Rugby Championship this year.
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