MLB-NCLS

Dodgers say Knebel, not Scherzer, will start Game 1 of NLCS

ATLANTA (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are going with Corey Knebel (kuh-NEH’-bul) for Game 1 of the NL Championship Series instead of Max Scherzer.

Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that he planned to start Scherzer only two days after the right-hander earned his first career save in the team’s NL Division Series-clinching win at San Francisco. But that was contingent upon a final go-ahead from Scherzer. The team tweeted Saturday that Knebel would start instead. Though Knebel normally pitches in relief, the starting assignment is not a new role. Knebel was 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 27 games, including four starts, this season.

Max Fried (freed) is set to start for Atlanta. He moved up after Charlie Morton pitched on short rest in the Braves’ 5-4 clinching win over Milwaukee in the NL Division Series.

Meanwhile, the Braves have added right-hander Chris Martin and infielder Johan Camargo to their 26-man roster for the NLCS, replacing left-hander Dylan Lee and outfielder Terrance Gore.

The Dodgers have also made tweaks to their pitching staff. They added left-hander Justin Bruihl and right-hander Evan Phillips, replacing left-hander David Price and first baseman Billy McKinney.

The moves leave the Dodgers with 13 pitchers and 13 position players. The Braves are carrying 12 pitchers and 14 position players.

MLB-ALCS

Game 2 in Houston is homecoming for Boston’s starting pitcher

HOUSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox became the first team with two grand slams in a postseason game in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros. They only needed two innings to do it. J.D. Martinez made it 4-0 with his shot off rookie Luis García with two outs in the first.

Rafael Devers doubled the score with his slam that sailed just fair against Jake Odorizzi with one out in the second after García exited with right knee discomfort. It’s the fourth time in major league history, including the regular season, that a team hit a grand slam in both the first and second innings.

Meanwhile, Houston starter Luis García left Game 2 of the AL Championship Series in the second inning against the Boston Red Sox with right knee discomfort. The rookie walked Kevin Plawecki leading off the second inning and was then visited on the mound by a trainer and pitching coach Brent Strom. García was not sharp from the start, allowing a leadoff double to Kyle Schwarber and walking two batters before a grand slam by J.D. Martinez.

T25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SCHEDULE

No 12 Oklahoma State rallies late to beat No. 25 Texas 32-24

UNDATED (AP) — No. 12 Oklahoma State remains undefeated after rallying to beat No. 25 Texas 32-24. Tanner Brown’s fourth field goal of the game gave the Cowboys their first lead and quarterback Spencer Sanders’ scrambling 10-yard touchdown run sealed the victory. Texas built leads of 17-3 and 24-13 behind three touchdowns from Bijan Robinson before Oklahoma State’s defense and punishing run game behind Jaylen Warren took over the game.

It’s the second straight week Texas surrendered big leads in tough losses. The Longhorns led Oklahoma 28-7 before losing 55-48 last week.

In other Top 25 games Saturday:

— Tyrion Davis-Price rushed for an LSU-record 287 yards and three touchdowns, and the Tigers’ banged-up defense produced four interceptions in a stunning 49-42 victory over No. 20 Florida. After Damone Clark’s interception of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Davis-Price literally and fittingly ran out the final 1:59 on Florida. Max Johnson had three touchdown passes to Jaray Jenkins for LSU. Florida QBs Emory Jones and Richardson each were intercepted twice. LSU converted three interceptions into touchdowns including a pick-six by Dwight McGlothern. Justin Shorter caught two TD passes for Florida including a 42-yard Hail Mary as the first half ended.

— Jerome Ford rushed for a career-high 189 yards and four touchdowns to help No. 3 Cincinnati roll past UCF 56-21. Desmond Ridder passed for 140 yards and a touchdown as the Bearcats extended the nation’s second-longest home winning streak to 24 games. Ford matched a career-long with a 79-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter. Freshman QB Mikey Keene passed for 141 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions for UCF. Coby Bryant had a 74-yard interception return TD for the Bearcats.

— Matt Coghlin’s 51-yard field goal gave No. 10 Michigan State the lead and Payton Thorne’s third-quarter touchdown throw gave the Spartans the breathing room they needed to beat Indiana 20-15. The Spartans improved to 7-0 overall and will stay atop the Big Ten East at least two more weeks. Indiana had a chance to tie the score at 17 after scored its first TD in league play early in the fourth. But the Spartans defense stopped the 2-point conversion attempt.

— Bo Nix threw for 292 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran for score to lead Auburn to a 38-23 win over No. 17 Arkansas, the Tigers’ sixth straight in the series. Marcus Harris recovered a fumble in the end zone for Auburn in the third quarter to give the Tigers a lead after a strip sack by Derick Hall of Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson. Then Harris stuffed Jefferson on a fourth down and one play later Nix hooked up with Demetris Robertson for a 71-yard touchdown as Auburn turned a three-point deficit into an 11-point lead in three minutes.

— Texas A&M’s running back duo of Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane combined for 292 rushing yards and three touchdowns to power the 21st-ranked Aggies to a 35-14 victory over Missouri. Spiller rushed 20 times for 168 yards and one touchdown and Achane added 16 carries for 124 yards and two scores for Texas A&M. The Aggies improved to 5-2 and avoided a letdown after last week’s upset of Alabama. Missouri fell to 3-4.

NHL-COYOTES-SABRES

Sabres score twice in shootout, beat Coyotes 2-1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson and Artuu Ruotsalainen scored in a shootout, helping the Buffalo Sabres top the Arizona Coyotes 2-1.

Cody Eakin scored in the second period for the Sabres, and Dustin Tokarski made 20 saves before stopping two of three shots in the tiebreaker. Karel Vejmelka made 32 saves for the Coyotes, who are 0-2 under first-year coach André Tourigny after losing 8-2 in Columbus on Thursday. Andrew Ladd scored in the first.

Buffalo improved to 2-0 following a 5-1 win against Montreal on Thursday night.

NHL-NEWS

Maple Leafs dress University of Toronto goalie as backup

TORONTO (AP) — Alex Bishop is set to live out his dream. The Toronto Maple Leafs have their fingers crossed that the University of Toronto goalie doesn’t move from the end of the bench. Bishop will dress as backup to starter Jack Campbell tonight against the Ottawa Senators. Petr Mrazek is sidelined because of a groin injury, and the team is facing a salary cap squeeze as a result.

The situation is compounded by defenseman Justin Holl being unavailable to play due to illness.

Toronto could have sent a player that doesn’t require waivers to the American Hockey League and recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson — the club’s third option last season — as the No. 2 behind Campbell, if Holl was available.

NFL-NEWS

Panthers put McCaffrey in IR

UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next three games with a hamstring injury.

McCaffrey already has missed two games, both Carolina losses. The earliest he will be able to return to game action is Nov. 7 against the New England Patriots.

McCaffrey will have missed 18 of 24 games with injuries since becoming the league’s highest-paid running back following the 2019 season. The 3-2 Panthers host the 2-3 Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

In other NFL news:

— The Indianapolis Colts have activated four-time Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton for Sunday’s game against Houston. They also put kicker Rodrigo Blankenship on injured reserve. The recently signed Michael Badgley will replace Blankenship, who has an injured hip. Hilton had been on injured reserve since early September.

— The Tennessee Titans will have outside linebacker Bud Dupree back for the first time in three games when they host the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. They’ll be without starting cornerback Kristian Fulton. Dupree was Tennessee’s biggest free agent signing this offseason despite tearing his right ACL last December while playing for Pittsburgh.

— The Baltimore Ravens have activated rookie receiver Rashod Bateman from injured reserve, and he’s eligible to make his NFL debut Sunday. The first-round draft pick hasn’t played yet for the Ravens because of groin problems. The Ravens also activated offensive lineman Tyre Phillips from IR and elevated running back Le’Veon Bell and tackle Andre Smith from the practice squad and are without injured receiver Sammy Watkins for Sunday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-LOUISVILLE-JACKSON NUMBER RETIRED

Louisville to retire Lamar Jackson’s No. 8 jersey

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville plans to retire the No. 8 jersey of former Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson, the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

Jackson’s number will be retired during a ceremony at Louisville’s Nov. 13 home game against Syracuse.

Athletic director Vince Tyra cited Jackson’s Heisman and his 2019 NFL MVP award with the Baltimore Ravens as examples of the dynamic QB’s talent and success. He also praised the player’s humility that endeared him to Louisville teammates, coaches and staff.

Jackson joins Johnny Unitas (yoo-NY’-tihs) as the school’s only football players to have their numbers retired. Unitas’s No. 16 was retired in 2003.

NBA-NEWS

Injuries to top Golden Knights players testing resolve early

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas lost two more players when forward Max Pacioretty and captain Mark Stone got hurt Thursday against Los Angeles, adding two key names to the Golden Knights’ long list of injuries Pacioretty is week to week after he broke a foot during the 6-2 loss at the Kings. Stone is day to day with a lower-body injury.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

— The Memphis Grizzlies have exercised the rookie contract options for 2022-23 for point guard Ja Morant, forward Brandon Clarke and guard Desmond Bane. Morant was the NBA Rookie of the Year and has started all 130 games played through his first two seasons. He has averaged 18.4 points, 7.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds. Morant also led the Grizzlies to the playoffs last spring where he averaged 30.2 points and 8.2 assists against top-seeded Utah. Clarke was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team as the 21st pick overall in 2019 out of Gonzaga.

GOLF-CASEY MARTIN

Report: Casey Martin has right leg amputated

NEW YORK (AP) — Golf Digest reports that Casey Martin is recovering from having his right leg amputated. Martin suffered from a rare circulatory disease in his right leg that made it virtually impossible to walk 18 holes in a tournament. He successfully sued the PGA Tour for the right to use a cart in a case the Supreme Court decided in 2001.

Martin has been the Oregon golf coach since 2006.

Golf Digest says he broke his right leg two years ago. Being in a case and injections didn’t heal the tibia. That led to his decision to have it amputated.