Copyright Los Angeles Times
From Gary Klein: Goodbye, London. Hello, bye week. The Rams’ ended an extended road trip and welcomed some time off with a 35-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Matthew Stafford passed for five touchdowns — three to Davante Adams and one each to rookies Konata Mumpfield and Terrance Ferguson — and edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young led a mostly suffocating defense as the Rams improved their record to 5-2 heading into an off week. “Man,” coach Sean McVay said, “it will make for a much more enjoyable flight home.” A giddy one, even, if the Rams don’t conk out en masse during the 11-plus hours in the air. In a light rain, and without injured star receiver Puka Nacua, McVay and Stafford poured into 10 different receivers during a victory that not only made the nine-day trip worth it, but also showed the rest of the NFL that the Rams remain a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Continue reading here Rams summary NFL standings CHARGERS From Sam Farmer: The Chargers had the look. All-gold uniforms. Retro logos. Powder-blue end zones with script from the nostalgic days of Dan Fouts and Don Coryell. But their defense? As dead as disco when it counted most. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, trampled the Chargers on Sunday with touchdowns of 23, eight and 19 yards in a 38-24 victory at SoFi Stadium. “Until we get it fixed, until we put that fire out…” Chargers All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. said. “The last two, three games, we haven’t been ourselves on defense.” The Chargers have lost three of their last four games and need some quick-drying cement to patch the holes with Minnesota coming to town for a Thursday night game. Continue reading here Chargers summary NFL standings DODGERS From Bill Shaikin: In the opening moments of a new film called “Diamond Diplomacy,” Shohei Ohtani holds the ball and Mike Trout holds a bat. These are the dramatic final moments of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The film puts those moments on pause to share the long and complex relationship between the United States and Japan through the prism of baseball, and through the stories of four Japanese players — Ohtani included — and their journeys to the major leagues. Baseball has been a national pastime in both nations for more than a century. A Japanese publishing magnate sponsored a 1934 barnstorming tour led by Babe Ruth. Under former owners Walter and Peter O’Malley, the Dodgers were at the forefront of tours to Japan and elsewhere. In 1946, however, amid the aftermath of World War II, the United States government funded a tour by the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. Director Yuriko Gamo Romer features archival footage from that tour prominently in her film. “I thought it was remarkable,” she said, “that the U.S. government decided, ‘Oh, we should send a baseball team to Japan to help repair relations and for goodwill.’ Continue reading here MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE, RESULTS All times Pacific NLCS Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Dodgers 2, at Milwaukee 1 (box score) Dodgers 5, at Milwaukee 1 (box score) at Dodgers 3, Milwaukee 1 (box score) at Dodgers 5, Milwaukee 1 (box score) ALCS Seattle vs. Toronto Seattle 3, at Toronto 1 (box score) Seattle 10, at Toronto 3 (box score) Toronto 13, at Seattle 4 (box score) Toronto 8, at Seattle 2 (box score) at Seattle 6, Toronto 2 (box score) at Toronto 6, Seattle 2 (box score) Monday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox/FS1 *-if necessary LAKERS From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Lakers center Jaxson Hayes avoided major injury on his right wrist after a hard fall in Friday’s preseason finale as X-rays taken after the game came back negative and an MRI scan revealed what Hayes on Sunday called “a light sprain.” The 7-footer missed the second half of Friday’s exhibition game with a right wrist contusion after he caught a lob from Luka Doncic and was bumped in the air while jamming a two-handed dunk in the first quarter. He stayed in the game for the second quarter and expects to be ready for Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors. “Being a dummy,” Hayes said after practice Sunday of how he got hurt on the play. “I shouldn’t have tried to catch myself, should’ve just fallen.” Continue reading here DUCKS Ryan Donato scored from the edge of the crease at 2:58 of overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Ducks 2-1 on Sunday night in Ducks coach Joel Quenneville’s first game at United Center since being banned in a sexual-assault scandal. The ban stemmed from the scandal involving his 2010 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks squad that surfaced in October 2021. Quenneville was forced to resign as Florida’s coach, then banned from the NHL for nearly three years before taking over the Ducks in May. He won three titles in 10 years with the Blackhawks. Donato had his third goal in three games. Connor Bedard set up it from behind the net to cap a 3-on-1 rush. Frank Nazar also scored to help Chicago improve to 3-0-1 in its last four. Continue reading here Ducks summary NHL standings ANGEL CITY Olivia Moultrie scored both goals in the Portland Thorns’ 2-0 victory over Angel City in Los Angeles. With the win, the Thorns (10-8-7) clinched a league-record ninth consecutive playoff appearance. Angel City (7-12-6) was already eliminated from playoff contention prior to kickoff at BMO Stadium. ACFC’s last postseason appearance came in 2023. Christen Press came off the bench for Angel City in the 60th, with Ali Riley entering in the 82nd. Both veteran players received a standing ovation from the home fans on their final appearance at home in Los Angeles. The veteran duo are set to retire at the end of season. Continue reading here Angel City summary NWSL standings THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY 1923 — Zev, winner of the 1923 Kentucky Derby, beats England’s Papyrus, winner of the 1923 Epsom Derby, in a $100,000 match race at Belmont Park. The race, the International Special, marks the first time an English champion is sent to the U.S. to race. The race is so popular that it is broadcast on the radio, a first. 1944 — Michigan State and Maryland attempt one pass, the fewest in college football history. The Terrapins threw the pass, while the Spartans did not attempt a pass and Michigan State wins the game 8-0 in College Park, Md. 1963 — Jim Brown sets NFL single-season rushing record, 1,863 yds. 1963 — Clem Daniels of the Oakland Raiders rushes for 200 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-26 victory over the New York Jets. 1968 — American Dick Fosbury using his unconventional technique wins the men’s high jump gold medal at the Mexico City Olympics; “Fosbury Flop” becomes accepted as the most efficient technique. 1972 — The Buffalo Braves score an NBA record 58 points in the fourth quarter, but still lose to the Celtics at Boston Garden, 126-118. 1976 — The Philadelphia 76ers acquire Julius Erving from the New York Nets for $3 million. 1984 — Rueben Mayes of Washington State rushes for 216 yards and scores four touchdowns to overcome a 28-7 halftime deficit and lead the Cougars to a 49-42 victory over Stanford. 1994 — George McCandless, 83, becomes the oldest harness driver to win a pari-mutuel race when he guides Kehm’s Scooter to victory in the fourth race at Freehold (N.J.) Raceway. 2010 — Vancouver enforcer Rick Rypien is suspended indefinitely, pending a hearing, for grabbing a fan in the Canucks’ loss in Minnesota on Oct. 19. The NHL later gives Rypien a six-game suspension. 2012 — Kasey Carrier of New Mexico sets a Mountain West Conference record 338 yards rushing and has three TDs in a 28-23 loss to Air Force. 2013 — Tim Cahill scores the fastest goal in MLS history, and the New York Red Bulls beat the Houston Dynamo 3-0. Cahill puts New York ahead 8 seconds into the game. The previous fastest goal in MLS history was Dwayne De Rosario’s score 11 seconds into a 2003 game. 2016 — Nneka Ogwumike’s short jumper with 3.1 seconds left gives the Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx for their first title in 14 years in the deciding game of the WNBA Finals. 2024 — The New York Liberty win their first WNBA championship with a 67-62 OT victory over the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5; MVP: NYL C Jonquel Jones. Compiled by the Associated Press THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY 2004 — Just three outs from getting swept in the AL championship series three nights earlier, the Boston Red Sox finally beat the New York Yankees, winning Game 7 in a 10-3 shocker to become the first major league team to overcome a 3-0 postseason series deficit. Until next time...
