The Sportsletter - 1 Epic Fenway Moment

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 11, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

October’s second wild weekend saw drama, intrigue and can’t-miss moments everywhere we looked. There was Fenway’s 13-inning thriller, Tyson Fury’s heavyweight knockout and the upset of No. 1 Alabama, just to name a few. We’ve got ‘em all.

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MLB

13 Innings, 1 Epic Fenway Moment

Photo: Billie Weiss / Getty Images

Red Sox Take 2-1 Lead Over Rays on Christian Vazquez's 13th-Inning Walk-Off

The opening weekend of playoff baseball told us one thing — there will be no easy road to the World Series. With eight teams left in the postseason field, all four divisional series are tight after 2-3 games. Every team has at least one win. And that usually breeds exciting series… Just ask the Red Sox. Here are the latest updates on the MLB Playoffs.

ALDS Gm 3: Red Sox def. Rays (6-4, 13 Innings)

The Red Sox and Rays went into extra innings at 4-4 before three scoreless frames led into the 13th, but that’s where it ended. A bizarre ground-rule double for the Rays saved Boston in the top of the 13th before the bottom of the inning where Christian Vazquez walked it off with a two-run homer. Kike Hernandez also hit two bombs for the Red Sox, and Boston has the edge over the top-seeded Rays. (BOS Leads Series 2-1)

ALDS Gm 3: White Sox def. Astros (12-6)

With their backs up against the wall facing a 2-0 series deficit, the White Sox pulled out the bats in Sunday’s Game 3 against the Astros. Chicago plated 12 runs on 16 hits in a win where 10 different players got on base. The White Sox were held to just five runs in the first two games combined. (HOU Leads Series 2-1)

NLDS Gm 2: Braves def. Brewers (3-0)

The Braves shut out the Brewers in Game 2 to even the series thanks to a gem from pitcher Max Fried and a solo homer from Austin Riley. Fried tossed six shutout frames with nine strikeouts as the series heads to Atlanta tonight. (Series Tied 1-1)

NLDS Gm 2: Dodgers def. Giants (9-2)

The Dodgers bounced back from a shutout in Game 1 to blow past the Giants in Game 2. Chris Taylor, the Wild Card walk-off hero, held the big bat once again with two hits and three runs scored. The series moves back to L.A. tonight. (Series Tied 1-1)

Today’s Schedule

NLDS Gm 3: Brewers at Braves (1:00 pm ET)

ALDS Gm 4: Astros at White Sox (3:30 pm ET)

ALDS Gm 4: Rays at Red Sox (7:00 pm ET)

NLDS Gm 3: Giants at Dodgers (9:30 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

CBS Sports: Christian Vazquez’s Walk-Off in 13th Inning Gives Boston ALDS Game 3

MLB: Umpires Attempt to Explain Quirky Ground-Rule Double in Rays-Red Sox Thriller

NFL

The Week 5 Top-5

Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

All the Top Stories, Highlights & Notes From Week 5 in the NFL

Another Sunday in the NFL delivered highlights aplenty for football fans. With too much to include in one section, we’ve got five of the top storylines that headlined Week 5, including a historically bad day for kickers despite two game-winning kicks. Here are all the top moments from Sunday:

Top-5 Moments From Week 5

Kickers Make History, Good & Bad

Sunday saw an NFL record-tying 12 missed kicks across the league to tie the record for most missed kicks in a single week (Week 11, 2016). The good news? Two kickers ended games with a walk-off winner. Mason Crosby (Green Bay) and Nick Folk (New England) both hit game-winners.

Tom Brady Keeps Defeating Father Time

Even with a right thumb injury, Tom Brady blasted the Dolphins defense for 411 yards and 5 touchdowns in Sunday’s 45-17 win. Brady leads the league in yards (1,767) and touchdowns (15) with just two picks. The Bucs are now 4-1.

Cardinals Stay Unbeaten

The Cardinals held the 49ers and rookie QB Trey Lance to just ten points on Sunday in a 17-10 win within the NFC West. QB Kyler Murray found WR DeAndre Hopkins for a 4th-quarter touchdown that sealed the win, and the Cardinals are the league’s only remaining undefeated team (5-0).

Chargers Beat Browns in Shootout (47-42)

The game of the day was undoubtedly Chargers-Browns where quarterbacks Justin Herbert (26/43, 398 yards, 4 TDs) and Baker Mayfield (23/32, 305 yards, 2 TDs) went blow for blow. Herbert also ran for a TD. Both teams combined for 41 points in the fourth quarter of an epic thriller before RB Austin Ekeler scored the game-winning TD inside two minutes.

Jaguars Lose 20th Straight Game

It’s another ‘L’ for the Jacksonville Jaguars after Sunday’s 37-19 beatdown from the Titans. The Jags are now 0-5 in 2021, and they became the first team since 1977 to lose 20 straight games.

All Week 5 Scores & Highlights

Bills def. Chiefs (38-20) | Rams at Seahawks (26-17) | Falcons def. Jets (27-20) | Vikings def. Lions (19-17) | Saints def. Washington (33-22) | Patriots def. Texans (25-22) | Buccaneers def. Dolphins (45-17) | Packers def. Bengals (25-22) | Steelers def. Broncos (27-19) | Eagles def. Panthers (21-18) | Titans def. Jaguars (37-19) | Chargers def. Browns (47-42) | Bears def. Raiders (20-9) | Cardinals def. 49ers (17-10) | Cowboys def. Giants (44-20)

Monday Night Football

Colts at Ravens (8:15 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

SI: Week 5 Takeaways: Justin Herbert Plants His Flag as Football’s Best Player

NFL: Seven Teams at Risk of Falling Apart Due to Injuries, Weaknesses & More

NY Post: Giants Fall to Cowboys After Horror Show of Injuries

BOXING

Fury Finishes Wilder in Trilogy Fight

Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images

Tyson Fury TKOs Deontay Wilder in 11th Round of Heavyweight Thriller

A boxing masterpiece! Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder met on Saturday night in Las Vegas for one of the most entertaining fights in the history of the sport. After Wilder sent Fury to the canvas multiple times, Fury (31-0-1) rallied to TKO Wilder (42-2-1) in the 11th round of the heavyweight title fight. The trilogy match was memorable from start to finish, culminating in a violent knockout punch from Fury to defend his WBC and lineal titles.

On the Scorecard: Fury led all three scorecards at the time of stoppage (95-91, 94-92, 95-92)

Full Recap: Tyson Fury Caps Wild Trilogy With Late Knockout of Deontay Wilder (NY Times)

Additional Storylines

ESPN: Athletes & Celebrities React to Tyson Fury’s Knockout Win Over Deontay Wilder

FTW: 15 Incredible Photos of the Tyson Fury Heavyweight Title Win Over Deontay Wilder

CFB

Aggies Upend No. 1 Alabama

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Texas A&M Upsets No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Georgia Jumps to Top Spot

A stunner in College Station just threw a wrench in the college football playoff! Unranked Texas A&M shocked the world on Saturday with their upset of top-ranked Alabama courtesy of a walk-off field goal (41-38). That gives Georgia the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 1982 after their 34-10 blowout against No. 18 Auburn. Meanwhile, No. 3 Iowa held off No. 4 Penn State (23-20) in a top-five Big Ten showdown. There’s a massive ripple effect to the top-10 and the college football playoff picture. Not a single team stayed in the same spot after Saturday. Here’s where they stand:

AP Poll (Top-10)

1. Georgia (6-0) | ↑1

2. Iowa (6-0) | ↑1

3. Cincinnati (5-0) | ↑2

4. Oklahoma (6-0) | ↑2

5. Alabama (5-1) | ↓4

6. Ohio State (5-1) | ↑1

7. Penn State (5-1) | ↓3

8. Michigan (6-0) | ↑1

9. Oregon (4-1) | ↓1

10. Michigan State (6-0) | ↑1

Full AP Top-25

Additional Storylines

CBS Sports: Georgia Takes No. 1 Spot for First Time Since 1982

SI: College Football World Reacts to Texas A&M’s Upset of No. 1 Alabama

🎥 THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏀  WNBA: Sky Win Game 1 of WNBA Finals

After the Phoenix Mercury knocked off the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the semifinals, they dropped Game 1 of the finals against the Chicago Sky on Sunday (91-77). Chicago had six players in double figures, including all five starters, while Kahleah Copper got the hot hand (21 points). Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday (9:00 pm ET).

⚽️  SOCCER: Panama Shocks USMNT in WC Qualifier

The USMNT’s 13-match unbeaten streak came to an end on Sunday with a 1-0 loss to Panama in their fifth World Cup qualifying match. Panama’s Anibal Godoy (54’) scored the only goal of the match. The USMNT is now 2-2-1 in their qualifying matches.

⛳️  PGA: Sung-jae Im Wins Shriners With 9-Under Sunday

The PGA Tour stopped at TPC Summerlin over the weekend where Sung-jae Im carded a staggering 24-under to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Im shot a 9-under 63 on Sunday to run away with the victory.

🏎️  NASCAR: Kyle Larson Rallies at the Roval

The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs rolled on to the Roval Course at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, and Kyle Larson swiped the checkered flag. The playoff field was trimmed from 12 to eight with four drivers eliminated: Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Kurt Busch and William Byron.

📰 THE HEADLINES

Bengals QB Joe Burrow Hospitalized With Throat Contusion

(ESPN)

Brooklyn Nets Guard Kyrie Irving to Miss Home Games for ‘Foreseeable Future’

(SI)

Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden Apologizes for 2011 Email With ‘Racist Remark’

(USA Today)

Saints QB Taysom Hill Carted Off After Illegal Hit in Week 5

(CBS Sports)

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