NLCS

Dodgers hoping to stay alive

UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are doing their best to send the NL Championship Series back to Atlanta.

The Dodgers led the Braves, 6-2 in the sixth inning, rallying after Freddie Freeman belted a two-run homer to put Atlanta ahead in the first inning.

Chris Taylor has led the way with a pair of two-run homers and five RBIs. He put the Dodgers ahead with a blast in the second inning, shortly after AJ Pollock hit a solo shot.

Los Angeles already had used five pitchers by the top of the sixth. Joe Kelly had to leave the game with an injury after giving up Freeman’s home run.

Braves starter Max Fried (freed) was lifted with two out in the fifth, charged with five runs and eight hits.

Should the Dodgers win, Game 6 will be on Saturday.

Braves slugger Jorge Soler (soh-LEHR’) is available after being cleared for COVID-19, but Dodgers infielder Justin Turner is done for the season following a hamstring injury suffered in last night’s loss.

ALCS-ASTROS/RED SOX

Game 6 starters announced

HOUSTON (AP) — It will be Luis Garcia starting for the Astros against Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi (eh-VAHL’-dee) in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series on Friday.

Astros manager Dusty Baker announced his pitching selection Thursday afternoon as his team holds a three-games-to-two lead in the series. García started Game 2 and gave up a grand slam in the first inning before leaving with no outs in the second because of discomfort in his right knee.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Hawks blast Mavs in season opener

UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks have begun their season in much the same manner they ended the previous regular season.

Cam Reddish scored 20 points and Trae Young added 19 in the Hawks’ 113-87 rout of Luka Doncic (LOO’-kah DAHN-chihch) and the Mavericks. Atlanta added to a seven-point, halftime lead by outscoring Dallas, 35-20 in the third quarter. Young scored 12 points and dished out nine assists in the decisive period.

Reddish led a stellar effort from the deep Hawks bench, which contributed 44 points.

Doncic was held to 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting, to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists.

NBA-TOP 75 TEAM

NBA completes announcement of Top-75 team

UNDATED (AP) — The NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team team is actually a 76-man roster following a tie in the voting.

The list of newcomers announced Thursday include Dominique Wilkins and Bob McAdoo, who were curiously left off the top-50 team 25 years ago.

The other newcomers announced on Thursday are Dennis Rodman, Ray Allen, Dwyane (dwayn) Wade, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Paul Pierce, along with Stephen Curry, Reggie Miller, Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

NBA-CHINA

After Kanter’s Tibet comments, Celtics blacked out in China

UNDATED (AP) — Chinese broadcaster and NBA partner Tencent is not showing current or archived Boston Celtics games on its platforms, in apparent response to comments that Celtics center Enes Kanter made to advocate Tibetan independence.

Kanter, as part of a series of social media posts, also called Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) a “dictator.”

Kanter was wearing shoes emblazoned with the words “Free Tibet” during Wednesday night’s game.

It’s not immediately clear how long Tencent’s plans to not air the Celtics would last.

NFL-PACKERS-MERCILUS

Packers sign Mercilus

UNDATED (AP) — The Green Bay Packers have signed veteran outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus in hopes of boosting not only their pass rush but their championship hopes.

A first-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2012, Mercilus had 57 sacks in nine-plus seasons. He has three sacks this season, but only one season of eight-plus sacks.

The Texans released the 31-year-old this week.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

— Wide receiver/return specialist Andre Roberts signed with the Chargers after being released earlier this week by the Texans. Roberts is in his 11th season and is one of the league’s top kick and punt returns.

— Former Cowboys offensive lineman Brandon Knight says he’s taking a break from football to address his mental health. Knight went from the Cowboys to Baltimore via waivers this week, but he did not report to the Ravens.

— A Congressional committee is seeking documents and information from the NFL regarding the investigation into the Washington Football Team and how the league handled it. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform said today it sent a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting by Nov. 4 all documents and communication about the probe into the workplace culture within the team. Lawyers representing 40 former employees of the Washington Football Team have urged the league to immediately release the full findings of the investigation.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Cats still perfect after beating Avs

UNDATED (AP) — The Florida Panthers are 4-0 for the first time in team history.

Sam Bennett scored the go-ahead goal and Sergei Bobrovsky (boh-BRAHF’-skee) recorded his 300th NHL win as the Panthers dumped the Avalanche, 4-1. Bennett’s power-play goal put the Panthers ahead 2-1 midway through the second period.

Anton Lundell (luhn-DEHL’) had a goal and an assist for Florida, which also received goals from Carter Verhaeghe (vur-HAY’-gee) and Sam Reinhart.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— Jesperi Kotkaniemi (kaht-kan-YEH’-mee) scored his first goal for Carolina in his return to Montreal, helping the Hurricanes beat the winless Canadiens, 4-1. Sebastian Aho (AH’-hoh) had two goals and an assist against the Habs, who are 0-5 just months after reaching the Stanley Cup Final.

— Daniel Sprong set up the Capitals’ first goal and scored on a second-period breakaway to lead a 4-1 victory over the Devils. Evgeny Kuznetsov (kooz-NEHT’-sahv) scored for the third time in two games for Washington, which also received goals from Anthony Mantha and Dmitry Orlov in improving to 3-0-1.

— The Blue Jackets pulled out a 3-2 win over the Islanders on Patrik Laine’s (LY’-nayz) goal 1:49 into overtime. Elvis Merzlikins (murz-LEE’-kihns) made 28 saves as Columbus improved to 3-1.

— The Flames blanked the Red Wings, 3-0 as Jacob Markstrom made 33 saves in his ninth career shutout. Erik Gudbranson set up second-period goals by Elias (eh-LEE’-uhs) Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane (mahn-jah-PAH’-nee) before Matthew Tkachuk pushed a shot into an empty net.

— Logan Couture (koo-TOOR’) and Kevin Labanc scored in the second period of the Sharks’ 2-1 win over the Senators. Reimer finished with 30 saves for the 3-0 Sharks.

NHL-NEWS

Devils’ Hughes has shoulder dislocation

UNDATED (AP) — Devils forward Jack Hughes is sidelined indefinitely with a dislocated left shoulder suffered in Tuesday’s game against Seattle.

The Devils say the top pick in the 2019 NHL draft has begun physical therapy and will not need surgery at this time.

The team says Hughes will be re-evaluated next week.

Elsewhere in the NHL:

— Jets forward Mark Scheifele (SHY’-flee) missed Thursday’s game against Anaheim after testing positive for COVID-19. He had a negative test and would have been cleared to play Thursday if he had another negative test before the game started. Scheifele is the second Winnipeg player to test positive for COVID-19 this week after captain Blake Wheeler was put in league protocol Monday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT

American Athletic Conference rebuilding with 6 C-USA schools

UNDATED (AP) — The American Athletic Conference will add UAB, Texas-San Antonio, Rice, North Texas, Charlotte and Florida Atlantic to the league.

The AAC is replacing three schools that are scheduled to depart for the Big 12 Conference and is growing to 14 teams.

The additions all come from Conference USA, leaving that league both searching for new members and trying to fend off other poachers. The Sun Belt has said it is interested in expanding beyond its current 10 football members and some of C-USA’s remaining eight schools would be geographic fits.

PGA-ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP

Iwata carries lead into Round 2

CHIBA, Japan (AP) — Japanese golfer Hiroshi Iwata topped the leaderboard heading into the second round of the PGA’s Zozo Championship.

Iwata fired a 7-unduer 63 that gives him a one-stroke lead over Joaquin Niemann and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama on the Narashino Country Club course.

Matt Wallace is two strokes back and one ahead of Brendan Steele.

LPGA-SOUTH KOREA

Ko’s LPGA streak ends as SKoreans pack Busan leaderboard

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Jin Young Ko missed extending an LPGA Tour scoring record in the rain while her South Korean compatriots packed the first-round leaderboard of the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea.

Ko had 14 straight rounds in the 60s. That tied her with Annika Sorenstam and So Yeon Ryu for the most in tour history. But Ko finished with a 1-under 71 after a birdie on the 18th hole at LPGA International Busan. Ko was seven strokes behind leader Na Rin An’s 64.