The Sportsletter - The World Series Stage

BY JEFF YODER

OCT. 25, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Welcome Back,

The Braves and Astros are ready for the Fall Classic. First pitch gets tossed tomorrow night. But first, let’s look at how the pennants were won by two teams few expected to reach the World Series.

Letter Rip!

MLB

The World Series Stage is Set

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Houston Astros & Atlanta Braves Advance to 2021 MLB World Series

The Fall Classic is set! The Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves are heading to the 2021 World Series with the first pitch set for Tuesday night. The Astros shut out the Red Sox in Game 6 of the ALCS on Friday night (5-0) to reach their third World Series in the last five seasons. On Saturday, the Braves took down the Dodgers (4-2) to capture their first NL pennant since 1999. Three teams entered the postseason with 100-plus regular-season wins, but none of them have survived. It’s Braves-Astros for all the marbles. Here’s how the LCS Game 6s were won:

How the Pennants Were Won

ALCS Gm 6: Astros def. Red Sox (5-0)

A close-it-out Game 6 for Houston came courtesy of Astros’ pitcher Luis Garcia on Friday night. Garcia went five-plus innings giving up just one hit to kickstart the Game 6 shutout that sends Houston back to the Fall Classic for the third time in five years. Yordan Alvarez carried the big bat on Friday night with a 4-for-4 performance that included two doubles and a triple. Despite two years of criticism from the sign-stealing scandal, the Astros are back again with a shot at the crown. 

(Hou Wins Series 4-2) 

NLCS Gm 6: Braves def. Dodgers (4-2)

The Eddie Rosario show continued Saturday night at Truist Park with a 2-for-4 night (1 HR, 3 RBIs) as the Braves secured their first pennant in 22 years. Atlanta ripped seven hits and four runs in the first four innings off Dodgers’ pitcher Walker Buehler before the defense held the L.A. bats in check. The Braves will now attempt to win their first World Series since 1995.

(Atl Wins Series 4-2)

Both the Braves and Astros are 7-3 in the postseason entering the World Series. It’s Houston who has home-field advantage, as well as the edge in recent World Series experience.

World Series Game 1

Braves at Astros (Tues. 8:00 pm ET)

Pitchers: C. Morton (ATL) vs. F. Valdez (HOU)

Additional Storylines

ESPN: How the Braves Stunned Baseball to Reach the World Series

Yahoo! Sports: The Astros Are Here to Play the Villains in the World Series

MLB: Braves’ Pitcher Charlie Morton Will Start Game 1 of World Series Against Former Team

NFL

NFL Week 7 Snapshot

Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

NFL’s Standings Leaders; Tom Brady Becomes First QB to Throw 600th TD Pass

Sunday’s Week 7 NFL action saw the rich get richer. The Arizona Cardinals (7-0) are still unbeaten, and three one-loss teams also added to extensive win streaks. Among them were the Buccaneers who blasted the Bears behind Tom Brady’s 4 TDs, including his NFL record 600th career TD. In lieu of a game-by-game analysis, we’ll take Week 7 to give a snapshot of the NFL standings. Ten teams have two losses or less through seven weeks, and the cream is quickly rising to the top.

Week 7 Snapshot (Top Teams)

Arizona Cardinals (7-0)

Green Bay Packers (6-1)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1)

Los Angeles Rams (6-1)

Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)

Tennessee Titans (5-2)

Buffalo Bills (4-2)

All Week 7 Scores & Highlights

Browns def. Broncos (17-14) | Giants def. Panthers (25-3) | Patriots def. Jets (54-13) | Titans def. Chiefs (27-3) | Packers def. Washington (24-10) | Falcons def. Dolphins (30-28) | Bengals def. Ravens (41-17) | Rams def. Lions (28-19) | Raiders def. Eagles (33-22) | Cardinals def. Texans (31-5) | Buccaneers def. Bears (38-3) | Colts def. 49ers (30-18)

Monday Night Football

Saints at Seahawks (8:15 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

USA Today: 32 Things We Learned From Week 7 of NFL Season

B/R: Patrick Mahomes Passes Concussion Protocol After Scary Hit

Yahoo! Sports: Tom Brady Becomes First QB to Throw 600th Career TD

CFB

Upset Special: The Longest Game Ever?

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

Illinois Shocks #7 Penn State in 9-Overtime Thriller, Iowa State Topples #8 OK State

It’s another shakeup in the top-10! Two top-10 teams went down by narrow margins on Saturday in college football, including a 9-OT upset — yes, nine overtimes! — between Illinois and No. 7 Penn State. Two new teams entered the top-10 while Alabama earned a jump over Oklahoma for the No. 3 spot. Here’s the latest:

AP Top-10

1. Georgia (7-0) | —

2. Cincinnati (7-0) | —

3. Alabama (7-1) | ↑1

4. Oklahoma (8-0) | ↓1

5. Ohio State (6-1) | —

6. Michigan (7-0) | —

7. Oregon (6-1) | ↑3

8. Michigan State (7-0) | ↑1

9. Iowa (6-1) | ↑2

10. Ole Miss (6-1) | ↑2

Full AP Top-25

Top-10 Highlights

#2 Cincinnati def. Navy (27-20)

#3 Oklahoma def. Kansas (35-23)

#4 Alabama def. Tennessee (52-24)

#5 Ohio State def. Indiana (54-7)

#6 Michigan def. Northwestern (33-7)

Illinois def. #7 Penn State (20-18, 9OT)

Iowa State def. #8 Oklahoma State (24-21)

#10 Oregon def. UCLA (34-31)

Additional Storylines

The Athletic: Illinois Stuns No. 7 Penn State (9-OT) in Longest Game in FBS History

ESPN: Alabama Jumps Oklahoma for No. 3 Spot in Latest Top-25 Poll

THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏀 NBA: A New Era in Chicago

The revitalized Bulls roster looked scary good in the team’s home opener over the weekend. DeMar DeRozan (26) and Zach LaVine (32) led the way with a triple-double from Lonzo Ball. After another win on Saturday, Chicago is off to a 3-0 start.

🏒 NHL: Raymond Nets 1st Career Hatty

Among the weekend NHL highlights was Lucas Raymond’s first career hat trick. The 19-year-old rookie also had an assist in the Red Wings’ 6-3 win over the Blackhawks.

⚽️ SOCCER: Real Madrid Take El Clasico

The first El Clasico of the 2021 season ended with a 2-1 win for Real Madrid over Barcelona despite some late drama, including two stoppage-time goals.

⛳️ PGA: Matsuyama Plays Hometown Hero

Hideki Matsuyama (-15) was a five-stroke winner Sunday at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.

🏎️ NASCAR: Larson Wins 3rd Straight

Kyle Larson won his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday to claim his spot in the Championship 4.

📰 THE HEADLINES

Jets QB Zach Wilson Believed to Have Suffered PCL Injury; Will Undergo MRI

(Bleacher Report)

Protesters of Vaccine Mandate Show Support to Kyrie Irving Outside Nets’ Home Opener

(ESPN)

St. Louis Cardinals Expected to Name Oliver Marmol as Next Manager

(CBS Sports)

Fan Tries to Climb Into Radio Booth During Ravens-Bengals Game

(SI)

Carmelo Anthony Passes Moses Malone for 9th on NBA’s All-Time Scoring List

(The Athletic)

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