The Sportsletter - The Goose is Loose 🦢

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 13, 2022  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  REFER  |  WEB VIEW

Goose Morning,

Ducks on the pond... Fowl ball... Wednesday night in the NLDS brought out all the baseball puns. Yes, it was a day full of sports action, but the spotlight belonged to the goose who wandered into Dodger Stadium and broke the internet. I've seen squirrels in the end zone and bats in the rafters, but a goose on the diamond is a first.

Letter Rip!

MLB PLAYOFFS

The Goose is Loose in Game 2

Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

Braves Blank Phillies & Padres Fight Back Against Dodgers to Square Up NLDS Series Despite Unexpected Goose Chase

Game 2 of the NLDS saw bounce-back performances from the Braves and Padres on Wednesday night. No sweeps will be had in the National League this round. But there was an unexpected guest at Dodger Stadium — a goose on the loose! It’s anyone’s guess where each series is heading now that we're all knotted up at 1-1. All we learned on Wednesday is that the internet loves when animals interrupt sports. Now, here's baseball:

Gm 2: Braves def. Phillies (3-0)

The Braves bounced back in Atlanta to square things up with the Phillies thanks to a three-run sixth inning that made the difference in a defensive battle. Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler gave up all three runs in the sixth before his night ended. Braves’ bats from Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Travis d’Arnaud delivered the RBIs in succession. Atlanta starter Kyle Wright was brilliant, delivering six Ks and just two hits over six innings en route to the shutout. It was Philly’s first loss of the postseason. Series Tied (1-1)

Gm 2: Padres def. Dodgers (5-3)

The Padres used a late-game takeover to swipe Game 2 in Los Angeles. The Dodgers started hot with solo home runs in each of the first three innings by Freddie Freeman (1st), Max Muncy (2nd) and Trea Turner (3rd). The game was tied 3-3 before the Padres went ahead in the sixth and Jake Cronenworth delivered the knockout punch with a home run in the eighth. Both Yu Darvish (SD) and Clayton Kershaw (LAD) gave up three runs each in five innings of work. Series Tied (1-1)

Tonight’s Schedule (ALDS)

Gm 2: Mariners at Astros (3:37 pm ET)

Gm 2: Guardians at Yankees (7:37 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

MLB: Dodgers Drop Game 2 as Missed Chances Pile Up

CBS Sports: Atlanta Ties NLDS Behind Bats of Olson, Riley, d’Arnaud

FOX Sports: A Goose is on the Loose at Dodgers Stadium (Video)

SOCCER

Matchday 4: Salah Spectacular

Photo: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images

Mo Salah Nets Hat Trick in 6 Minutes for Liverpool; Bayern Munich & Napoli Secure Knockout Spots

Another afternoon of soccer widened the gap in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage. Two teams are through to the Round of 16 — Napoli and Bayern Munich — after dominating wins. Meanwhile, Liverpool pounded Rangers (7-1) behind Mohamed Salah’s hat-trick in a six-minute window to put the Reds in control and one point from the knockout stage. Tottenham secured a crucial victory to take the lead in Group D, and Barcelona’s draw means the Spanish juggernauts are on the brink of elimination. Two matches remain to determine the knockouts.

Matchday 4 Highlights

Liverpool def. Rangers (7-1)

Napoli def. Ajax (4-2)

Bayern def. Viktoria Plzen (4-2)

Tottenham def. Eintracht Frankfurt (3-2)

FC Porto def. Leverkusen (3-0)

Marseille def. Sporting (2-0)

Barcelona draw Inter (3-3)

Club Bruge draw Atletico Madrid (0-0)

Matchday 5: Tuesday & Wednesday (Oct. 25-26)

Additional Storylines

The Guardian: Mo Salah’s Hat Trick Puts Gloss on Liverpool’s 7-1 Demolition of Rangers

SI: Barcelona Risked It All Only to End Up on Brink of Early Champions League Elimination

NHL

Avs Raise the Banner

Photo: Aaron Ontiveroz / Getty Images

Avalanche Begin Stanley Cup Defense With Win Over Blackhawks (5-2)

The return of hockey came Tuesday night with a pair of NHL openers, but five more games took the ice on Wednesday. Among them, a celebration for the defending Stanley Cup champions was the highlight. Four months after the Colorado Avalanche won their third Stanley Cup, they raised a banner to launch the 2022-23 campaign and picked up right where they left off. The Avs got two goals apiece from Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin as they blitzed the Blackhawks with four power-play goals in a 5-2 win. Hockey is back. So are the champs. Let’s play 81 more between now and April.

Watch: Avalanche Pound Blackhawks in Opener (5-2)

Other NHL Highlights

Bruins def. Capitals (5-2)

Hurricanes def. Blue Jackets (4-1)

Canadiens def. Maple Leafs (4-3)

Ducks def. Kraken (5-4, OT)

Oilers def. Canucks (5-3)

Additional Storylines

ESPN: ‘Special Night’: Avalanche Raise 3rd Stanley Cup Banner

NHL: Connor McDavid Passes 700 Career Points in Oilers’ Win

THE STORYLINES

🏈 Way-Too-Early Look at NFL Playoff Picture

Five weeks of the NFL season are in the books. It's certainly too early to go too in depth analyzing the playoff picture, especially with so many 3-2 or 2-3 teams scattered across the league. (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 The Biggest Questions in College Basketball

There are hundreds of variables that will ultimately factor into which team wins the 2023 national championship six months from now, but in the preseason, it's all on paper and easier to boil down a team's fatal flaws to one or two items. (ESPN+)

⚾️ Landing Spots for Top MLB Free Agents

When the 2022 Major League Baseball postseason ends in a few weeks, some of the game's best players will be on the open market. Those players have some tough decisions to make in free agency, but it will ultimately come down to fit. (Bleacher Report)

📰 THE HEADLINES

• Raiders WR Davante Adams Charged With Misdemeanor Assault After Pushing Photographer (CNN)

• Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Returns to Practice But Will Not Start Week 6 (B/R)
• Marshawn Lynch to Join Thursday Night Football Pregame Show (SI)
• Tom Brady & Kim Clijsters Join Star-Studded List of Major League Pickleball Owners (CBS Sports)
• Free-Agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. Says Rams Offer Was “Lowest of Low” (Yahoo! Sports)
• Cowboys Likely to Start QB Cooper Rush in Week 6 With Dak Prescott Still Recovering (ESPN)

NFL PICK 'EM

Week 6 Picks

Let’s reset the points! We’ll keep track of our season-long leaderboard as the year rolls on, but you can join the fun at any time for a shot at weekly prizes. Week 6 picks can be made until Sunday.

Thursday Night Football Games Not Included to Allow Players to Make Picks Until Sunday Morning

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