ALCS-RED SOX/ASTROS

Astros clinch trip to World Series

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros are back in the World Series.

The Astros are American League champions after Yordan (yohr-DAHN’) Alvarez, Luis Garcia and Kyle Tucker led them to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Alvarez went 4-for-4 with an RBI double and two runs scored. He opened the scoring in the first inning and scored on Tucker’s three-run homer that put the game out of reach in the eighth inning. Alvarez hit an ALCS-record .522 in the series to win MVP honors.

Garcia limited the Red Sox to one hit and a walk while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings. He pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning, leaving to a huge ovation with two outs after a triple by Kiké (KEE’-kay) Hernández.

Houston’s bullpen followed with one-hit ball over the final 3 1/3, helping the Astros reach the Fall Classic for the third time in five seasons.

Red Sox starter and loser Nathan Eovaldi (eh-VAHL’-dee) was reached for one run and five hits over 4 1/3 innings.

NLCS-BRAVES/DODGERS

Braves try again to oust Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are still alive in the NL Championship Series after snapping out of their hitting funk while getting an outstanding performance from six relievers.

Just like last year’s NL Championship Series, the Braves have led this year’s series 2-0 and 3-1. LA forced a Game 6 by hitting five home runs and tossing five-hit ball in an 11-2 rout of Atlanta.

The Braves will start right-handed Ian Anderson in the potential clincher. The Dodgers had planned to go with ace Max Scherzer, but he’s been scratched after working 4 1/3 innings in Game 2. The Dodgers did not announce a reason for the decision, nor did they name a replacement.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Nets rally to beat Sixers

UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have their first win of the season after bouncing back from a 23-point loss to the Bucks in the season opener.

Kevin Durant had a triple-double and the Nets closed on a 16-1 run to beat the 76ers, 114-109.

Durant had 29 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nets, who trailed by 14 before getting their first win. James Harden dropped in 20 points and helped Brooklyn come back from a 108-98 deficit.

Tobias Harris and Seth Curry each scored 23 points for the Sixers.

Checking out Friday’s other NBA action:

— Chris Paul scored his 20,000th career point on the way to 23 with 14 assists in the Suns’ 115-105 victory over the winless Lakers. Paul became the first player in NBA history to pair 20,000 points with 10,000 career assists while helping the defending Western Conference champions lead by as many as 32 points in the third quarter.

— Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Mike Conley provided 17 as the Jazz dumped the Kings, 110-101. Rudy Gobert (goh-BEHR’) scored seven of his 17 points over the final 3 1/2 minutes and finished with 20 rebounds.

— Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH’-lah YOH’-kihch) atoned for six turnovers by delivering team highs of 28 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in the Nuggets’ 102-96 win against the Spurs. Will Barton contributed 12 points, seven boards and six assists to the win.

— The Knicks are 2-0 for the first time in eight years after Julius Randle had 21 points and 10 rebounds in their 121-96 rout of the Magic. Evan Fournier added 18 points for the Knicks, who set a team record with 24 3-pointers and led by 31 in the first half.

— Scottie Barnes provided 25 points and 13 rebounds as the Raptors crushed the Celtics, 115-83. Gary Trent Jr. scored 12 of his 20 points in the third quarter, when Toronto went on a 20-3 run to go ahead, 80-61.

— Davis Bertans (DAH’-vihs bur-TANZ’) made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 34.4 seconds left in overtime to push the Wizards past the Pacers, 135-134. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 34 points in his home debut for the Wizards, including a 3-pointer to tie the game with 33.6 seconds left in regulation.

— The Bulls picked up a 128-112 victory over the Pelicans as Zach LaVine (lah-VEEN’) dropped in 32 points and DeMar DeRozan added 26. Chicago’s Lonzo Ball added a triple-double against his former team with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

— Miles Bridges scored 30 points and Kelly Oubre (OO’-bray) Jr. added 25 for the Hornets in a 123-112 victory over the Cavaliers. Gordon Hayward made two 3-pointers while Charlotte outscored Cleveland, 19-2 in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter.

— Christian Wood’s 31 points and 14 rebounds highlighted the Rockets’ 124-91 dismantling of the Thunder. Kevin Porter Jr. had 18 points and nine assists for Houston, while veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon scored 22 on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

NBA-NEWS

Beal sits one out

UNDATED (AP) — Wizards guard Bradley Beal sat out the Washington Wizards’ home opener Friday night against Indiana because of hip problems. Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he expects Beal to be available Monday night at Brooklyn.

Beal scored 23 points in 34 minutes of Washington’s season-opening win at Toronto on Wednesday.

Also in the NBA:

— Ben Simmons sat out the 76ers’ home opener against Brooklyn for personal reasons. Simmons was suspended for the first game of the season for conduct detrimental to the team after coach Doc Rivers threw him out of practice for refusing to participate in a drill. The Sixers do not know when the three-time All-Star guard will return.

— The Suns have released a statement denying that the organization or owner Robert Sarver has a history of racism or sexism. The Suns issued the statement after becoming aware that ESPN is working on a story accusing the organization of misconduct on a “variety of topics.” The Suns responded by saying they were “completely baseless claims” and “documentary evidence in our possession and eyewitness accounts directly contradict the reporter’s accusations.”

NFL-NEWS

Cardinals still dealing with COVID issues

UNDATED (AP) — Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury remains away from the team after missing last week’s game due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Kingsbury, quarterbacks coach Cam Turner, Jones and defensive linemen Zach Allen and Corey Peters all missed last week’s 37-14 win over the Browns after testing positive.

The Cardinals face the Texans as they try to improve to 7-0 for the first time since 1974.

In other NFL news:

— Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan will not play against the Chiefs on Sunday as he recovers from a concussion. The Titans also declared out linebacker Monty Rice and wide receiver and punt returner Chester Rogers. Wide receiver Julio Jones is questionable with a hamstring along with outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who did not practice Friday due to a knee issue.

— Falcons defensive end Dante Fowler has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and will miss at least three games. It’s not clear when Fowler was injured.

— Dolphins coach Brian Flores has reiterated that Tua Tagovailoa (TOO’-ah tuhng-ah-vy-LOH’-ah) is “our quarterback.” There are reports that the Dolphins might be looking to acquire Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is seeking a trade.

— While the Giants will again be without star running back Saquon (SAY’-kwahn) Barkley and playmaking receivers Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, the offense is expected to get back wideout Darius Slayton. Slayton has led the team in yards receiving in his first two NFL seasons, but he has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury.

— The Bears have placed veteran tight end Jimmy Graham on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The five-time Pro Bowl selection has just one catch for 11 yards in his second season with Chicago. He joins running back Damien Williams and linebacker Robert Quinn on the COVID list.

T25 FOOTBALL-OKLAHOMA STATE-GUNDY

Oklahoma St. coach Gundy agrees to perpetual 5-year deal

UNDATED (AP) — Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has agreed to a new contract that will keep him on a perpetual five-year deal at his alma mater.

Gundy has a career record of 143-67 in 17 years and has led the program to 15 consecutive bowl games and 15 straight winning seasons. The 54-year-old has coached the Cowboys to four New Year’s Six bowl games since 2010.

NHL-SCHEDULE

B’s deal Sabres first loss

UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Bruins have handed the Buffalo Sabres their first loss of the season.

Charlie Coyle had a goal and two assists as the Bruins earned a 4-1 win at Buffalo. Coyle scored on a power play to give the Bruins a three-goal lead about five minutes into the second period. It was the first power-play goal the Sabres allowed this season.

Taylor Hall added a goal and an assist to back Linus (LEE’-nuhs) Ullmark, who stopped 34 shots against his former team.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— The Oilers are off to a 5-0 start after Zack Kassian’s goal snapped a 3-3 deadlock in a 5-3 victory over the Golden Knights. Leon Draisaitl (DRY’-sy-tul) and Zack Hyman each had a pair of goals for Edmonton.

— Logan Couture (koo-TOOR’) had two goals and an assist as the Sharks downed the Maple Leafs, 5-3 to improve to 4-0. Timo Meier, Jonathan Dahlen and Erik Karlsson also scored to back Adin Hill’s 30-save performance.

— Denis Gurianov (gur-ee-AH’-nahv) scored on a rushing backhander 4:15 into overtime to give the Stars a 3-2 victory against the Kings. Braden Holtby kept Dallas in the game by stopping 43 shots.

NHL-PENGUINS-CROSBY

Still no timetable for Crosby’s return from injury

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby still isn’t sure when he’ll return from left wrist surgery.

Crosby skated with his teammates for more than an hour Friday in the latest step in his recovery from surgery in early September. The team announced at the time of the procedure that Crosby would miss a minimum of six weeks.

COLLEGE SPORTS-SOUTHERN MISS

Southern Miss heading to Sun Belt

UNDATED (AP) — Southern Mississippi reportedly is leaving Conference USA, a league it helped found in 1995.

Two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press Southern Miss has accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference at a date to be determined.

Conference USA already had six members announce their departures from the league earlier this week.

TENNIS-BARTY

Barty taking time off

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Ash Barty won’t defend her season-ending WTA Finals title and is done for the year due to continuing COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions.

Barty hasn’t played since the U.S. Open in September and says her focus now is on preparing for another attempt at winning her home Australian Open in Melbourne in January.

The 25-year-old Barty won five titles this season, including a second major at Wimbledon in July. She is assured of ending the year atop the WTA rankings.

AAU COACH-ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

FBI looking for players victimized by Connecticut AAU coach

UNDATED (AP) — The FBI says it has identified “quite a few” victims of a former girls basketball coach who helped run a Connecticut AAU program. Authorities on Friday said they are seeking the public’s help in finding others.

Danny Lawhorn of Hartford faces both state sexual assault and federal child enticement charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of three girls who played for the Bria Holmes Elite program between 2017 and this year. His attorney says Lawhorn was not coaching the 17-year-old at the center of the case at the time of the alleged abuse.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-DOMINION ENERGY CHARLITY CLASSIC

Alker leads through 18

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Steven Alker shot a 9-under 63 to take the first-round lead in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first of three PGA Tour Champions playoff events.

Alker had a bogey-free round that included nine birdies in a 12-hole stretch. Steve Flesch was a stroke back. He closed with a birdie on the par-4 18th.