The Sportsletter - The Steal of the Century

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 8, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Happy Friday 👋

You've done it. It's the weekend edition, and it's loaded. A home-plate steal that hasn't been seen in 70 years leads off the order. Don't miss Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder 3 on Saturday night.

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MLB

The Steal of the Century

Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

Randy Arozarena Makes MLB History With Epic Straight Steal of Home Plate in Rays’ Win Over Red Sox

October Randy is back! After stealing the show last October for the Tampa Bay Rays, Randy Arozarena opened this year’s playoff push with a historic feat in the Rays’ 5-0 shutout against the Red Sox. He became the first player since Jackie Robinson (1950s) to complete a straight steal of home plate. What’s better? He also hit a home run a few innings earlier, making him the first player in MLB history with a homer and straight steal of home in the same game. By night’s end, Arozarena accounted for three of Tampa Bay’s five runs.

Watch: Arozarena Makes MLB History With Straight Steal of Home Plate

ALDS Game 1 Highlights

Rays def. Red Sox (5-0)

Astros def. White Sox (6-1)

Today’s MLB Playoff Schedule

Gm 2: White Sox Astros (Fri. 2:00 pm ET)

Gm 1: Braves at Brewers (Fri. 4:30 pm ET)

Gm 2: Red Sox at Rays (Fri. 7:00 pm ET)

Gm 1: Dodgers at Giants (Fri. 9:30 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

MLB: Nelson Cruz Smashes HR Off the Catwalk at Tropicana Field

ESPN: Most Epic NLDS Matchup Ever? Answering the Big Questions About Giants-Dodgers

NFL

Rams Top 'Hawks in NFC West Showdown

Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images

Los Angeles def. Seattle (26-17) With 2nd-Half Comeback on Thursday Night Football

More mid-week NFL action pitted two NFC West rivals last night on Thursday Night Football, and the Rams bounced back. Following a 37-20 loss to the Cardinals last week, Los Angeles scored 23 points in the second half to defeat the Seahawks (26-17). Seahawks QB Russell Wilson left the game in the second half with a dislocated finger, but Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ run game dominated late. The game was still within reach prior to the two-minute mark before Seattle’s backup QB Geno Smith threw a game-sealing interception.

Thursday Night Football Top Performers

QB Matthew Stafford (LAR): 25/37, 365 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

RB Darrell Henderson Jr. (LAR): 17 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD

WR D.K. Metcalf (SEA): 5 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TDs

NFC West Standings

Cardinals (4-0)

Rams (4-1)

49ers (2-2)

Seahawks (2-3)

Watch: Rams Beat Seahawks on TNF (26-17)

Additional Storylines

B/R: Matthew Stafford Guides Rams Past Seahawks After Russell Wilson’s Finger Injury

NFL: What We Learned From Rams’ Win Over Seahawks on Thursday Night Football

BOXING

The Main Event: Fury-Wilder III

Photo: Harry How / Getty Images

World Heavyweight Championship Begins Saturday (9:00 pm, ET) on ESPN+

The trilogy has arrived! Saturday night brings Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder back into the ring at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with the WBC heavyweight title on the line. Fury and Wilder were set to meet in July before Fury and his team tested positive for COVID-19 just two weeks before the event. It’s here now, and it won’t disappoint.

How We Got Here: The heavyweight saga began back in 2018 when Wilder accepted Fury’s challenge. Fight 1 ended in a split decision that prompted Fury-Wilder II in 2020 — a dominating knockout in favor of Fury. Now, it’s 1-0-1 in favor of Fury, and Wilder is eyeing revenge.

Tyson Fury | Fight Preview | Deontay Wilder

32 | Age | 35

6-Foot-9 | Height | 6-Foot-7

85 Inches | Reach | 83 Inches

30-0 | Record | 42-1

21 | Knockouts | 41

It’s he Gypsy King vs. the Bronze Bomber in just one day. Heavyweight legends collide.

Additional Storylines

The Athletic: Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury 3: Everything You Need to Know

ESPN: Fights, Negotiations & Millions Left on the Table: The Long Road That Led Us to Fury-Wilder 3

SOCCER

Pepi's Brace Leads USMNT

Photo: Wilf Thorne/ISI Photos / Getty Images

USMNT def. Jamaica (2-0) in World Cup Qualifying Match Thanks to Double from Ricardo Pepi

The rising star of the U.S. Men’s National Team was the hero once more in another World Cup Qualifying match. Ricardo Pepi scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Jamaica on Thursday night. The 18-year-old striker from Dallas FC has been on a tear with the USMNT as of late. He headed home the game’s first goal to open the scoring early in the second half (49’) before a one-touch finish just 13 minutes later (62’). Pepi’s presence has proven important without injured attackers Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna, and his star is only growing on the international stage.

World Cup Qualifying Progress

The win marked the second straight victory for the USMNT after a pair of draws to open qualifiers. They’ve currently secured eight points after Match 4 of 14 in CONCACAF.

Watch: USMNT Blanks Jamaica Behind Pepi’s Brace

Upcoming Matches

USMNT vs. Panama (Sun. Oct. 10, 6:00 pm ET)

USMNT vs. Costa Rica (Wed. Oct. 13, 7:00 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

NY Times: USMNT, Riding Its Newest Star, Beats Jamaica in Qualifier

CBS Sports: Ricardo Pepi Scores Twice as US Soccer Gets World Cup Qualifying Campaign Back on Track

📰 THE HEADLINES

Browns QB Baker Mayfield Reportedly Playing With Partially Torn Labrum

(USA Today)

NFLPA Executive Director Demaurice Smith’s Job in Jeopardy After Committee Vote

(ESPN)

NWSL Players Stop Games to Protest Amid Sexual Harassment Scandal

(Yahoo! Sports)

18 Former NBA Players Charged With Health Care Fraud

(Bleacher Report)

🗓️ WEEKEND SCHEDULE

The Must-Watch List

Are you ready for the first full weekend of October? The greatest month in sports sets the tone with the heavyweight title fight, baseball playoffs and a heavy dose of football. But just wait, the NBA and NHL will be back by the end of the month. October is sports heaven, and it starts now.

World Heavyweight Championship

Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III (Sat. 9:00 pm)

MLB Playoffs

Gm 2: White Sox Astros (Fri. 2:00 pm)

Gm 1: Braves at Brewers (Fri. 4:30 pm)

Gm 2: Red Sox at Rays (Fri. 7:00 pm)

Gm 1: Dodgers at Giants (Fri. 9:30 pm)

Gm 2: Braves at Brewers (Sat. 5:00 pm)

Gm 2: Dodgers at Giants (Sat. 9:00 pm)

Gm 3: Rays at Red Sox (Sun. 4:00 pm)

Gm 3: Astros at White Sox (Sun. 8:00 pm)

NFL Week 5 (Sunday)

Packers at Bengals (1:00 pm)

Browns at Chargers (4:05 pm)

49ers at Cardinals (4:25 pm)

Giants at Cowboys (4:25 pm)

Bills at Chiefs (8:20 pm)

Full NFL Week 5 Schedule

College Football (Saturday)

#6 Oklahoma vs. #21 Texas (Noon)

#13 Arkansas at #17 Ole Miss (Noon)

#2 Georgia at #18 Auburn (3:30 pm)

#4 Penn State at #3 Iowa (4:00 pm)

#1 Alabama at Texas A&M (8:00 pm)

Full CFB Saturday Schedule

WNBA Playoffs

Gm 5: Mercury at Aces (Fri. 9:00 pm)

WNBA Finals Game 1: Sky vs. TBD (Sun. 3:00 pm)

Soccer (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)

USMNT vs. Costa Rica (Sun. 6:00 pm)

*All Times Eastern

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