MLB-SCHEDULE

Rays foil Yankees’ playoff clinch

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Yankees were stopped cold in their bid to clinch a playoff berth on Saturday.

The Rays are a 100-win team for the first time in franchise history following a 12-2 dismantling of the Yankees. Brandon Lowe belted three home runs and had seven RBIs as Tampa Bay prevented the Yankees from capturing a wild-card berth.

Austin Meadows capped the assault with a three-run homer. The Rays hit four home runs, while the Yankees had just four hits.

The outcome leaves the Yankees and Red Sox tied for the first two AL wild cards, with Toronto one game back and Seattle currently 1 1/2 games off the pace.

In Baltimore, Christian Vázquez tripled home the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning before Kiké Hernández added a two-run blast to put the Red Sox ahead, 5-1 in a 5-3 win at Washington.

Tanner Houck struck out eight over five perfect innings, but the Nationals tied it in the eighth on Juan Soto’s sacrifice fly.

The Blue Jays have set a franchise record with 258 home runs after slamming five more in a 10-1 pounding of the Orioles. Vladimir Guerrero smacked his 47th homer of the season for Toronto, which also received longballs from George Springer, Teoscar (tay-AHS’-kur) Hernández, Bo Bichette (bih-SHEHT’) and Danny Jansen. Alek Manoah limited Baltimore to a run over seven innings, helping the Jays stay alive in the wild-card race.

The Mariners will be eliminated tonight unless they can beat the Angels.

In other big-league action:

— Yordan (yohr-DAHN’) Alvarez and Kyle Tucker hit two of Houston’s four homers as the Astros rolled past the Athletics, 10-4 to wrap up home-field advantage for their AL Division Series against the White Sox. Alvarez connected on a three-run homer to right in the first, and Tucker hit a two-run homer in the sixth.

— Yoán (yoh-AHN’) Moncada hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning of the White Sox’s sixth straight victory, 5-4 versus the Tigers. Lucas Giolito (jee-oh-LEE’-toh) allowed one run and two hits in a playoff tuneup.

— The NL West title remains up for grabs following the Giants’ 3-2 loss to the Padres. Jake Cronenworth hit an RBI double in the 10th to end San Francisco’s seven-game winning streak and prevent the Giants from clinching. Austin Slater had a pinch-hit homer for the Giants, who are stuck on a team record-tying 106 victories.

— The Dodgers kept the AL West race alive as Julio Urias (oo-REE’-uhs) picked up his major league-leading 20th victory in their 8-3 rout of the Brewers. The Dodgers got a three-run homer from Justin Turner in the first inning, a two-run blast by AJ Pollock in the fourth, and a solo shot by Corey Seager in the fifth. That was more than enough offense for Urias, who allowed just one hit over seven innings in becoming the team’s first 20-game winner since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.

— Joc Pederson and William Contreras homered off Carlos Carrasco while the Braves built a 6-1 lead in a 6-5 win against the Mets. New York scored twice in the ninth and had the bases loaded before Atlanta won for the seventh time in eight games.

— Ian Happ drove a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning to push the Cubs past the Cardinals, 6-5. Rowan Wick picked up his fifth save as the Cubs sent the Cardinals to just their second defeat in their last 21 games.

— Jesús Luzardo struck out a career-high 11 and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer in leading the Marlins’ 3-1 win versus the Phillies. Luzardo gave up one run and six hits through 5 1/3 innings.

— Jordan Lyles closed his season by allowing only two hits in seven innings of the Rangers’ 7-2 decision over the Indians. Jonah Heim broke a fourth-inning tie with a three-run home run as Texas avoided its 102nd loss.

— Griffin Jax and a trio of relievers combined on a three-hitter in the Twins’ 4-0 shutout of the Royals. Salvador Perez was hitless in four at-bats for the second straight night as he tries to break the Kansas City record for home runs.

— Bryan Reynolds is batting .302 after collecting four hits, including the tiebreaking, RBI triple in the Pirates’8-6 comeback over the Reds. Ben Gamel had three hits for Pittsburgh which trailed by five before winning its second straight since suffering its 100th loss.

— Pavin Smith reached base five times and Arizona chased Antonio Senzatela with a six-run first in an 11-2 pounding of the Rockies. Christian Walker finished with three doubles and pitcher Zac Gallen (GAL’-ehn) contributed a two-run double in the big first inning.

MLB-NEWS

Kershaw back on IL

UNDATED (AP) — Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has returned to the injured list days before the team begins a postseason defense of its World Series championship. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has forearm discomfort, the same injury that sidelined him for 57 games from Aug. 9 to Sept. 13.

Kershaw was lifted in the second inning of Friday’s starting after allowing three runs. He said after that game that it’s possible he could miss the postseason.

In other MLB matters:

— Yankees manager Aaron Boone says DJ LeMahieu (leh-MAY’-hyoo) has a sports hernia that will require offseason surgery, but the team’s leadoff hitter will attempt to play through the injury in October. The team hopes he can play in the scheduled regular-season finale Sunday and potentially in the postseason.

— The Rockies have made Bill Schmidt their permanent general manager, promoting him from the interim GM spot he’d held since May.

T25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SCHEDULE

Bearcats down Irish

UNDATED (AP) — Seventh-ranked Cincinnati went into South Bend this afternoon, built a 17-0 halftime lead and left with a 24-13 victory over No. 9 Notre Dame.

Desmond Ridder threw for two touchdowns and ran for a big fourth-quarter score, securing a victory in the 5-0 Bearcats’ first-ever top-10 regular-season matchup. Ridder was 19 of 32 for 297 yards, hooking up with Alec Pierce six times for 144 yards.

The 4-1 Fighting Irish got within 17-13 midway through the fourth quarter, but Ridder widened the game with a 36-yard pass to Leonard Taylor and capped the drive with a six-yard scoring run.

Saturday’s action included losses by third-ranked Oregon and No. 10 Florida against unranked teams.

Tanner McKee threw a TD pass on an untimed down at the end of regulation and another on the opening possession of overtime to lead the Cardinal to a 31-24 victory over Oregon. The Ducks appeared poised for their first 5-0 start in eight years when they rallied from 10 points down at halftime to take a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter on Anthony Brown’s second TD run of the game.

Trevin Wallace and Chris Rodriguez Jr. made the big plays for Kentucky in the second half of a 20-13 win over Florida.

The Gators were ready to add to a 10-7 lead when Wallace returned a blocked field goal 76 yards for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter. Rodriguez had a nine-yard scoring run early in the fourth to put Kentucky in control.

In Saturday’s other top-25 action:

— Brian Robinson rushed for career highs of 171 yards and four touchdowns as top-ranked Alabama coasted to a 42-21 victory Saturday over No. 12 Mississippi. Bryce Young passed for a couple of touchdowns for the 5-0 Crimson Tide.

— Zamir White rushed for two touchdowns and recovered a blocked punt for another score as second-ranked Georgia ripped No. 8 Arkansas, 37-0. The Bulldogs gained 273 yards on the ground while holding the Razorbacks to eight first downs and 156 total yards.

— Sean Clifford threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 4 Penn State beat Indiana, 24-0. Jahan Dotson caught a pair of touchdown passes for the Nittany Lions, who forced eight punts, two turnovers and blocked a field goal for their ninth straight victory.

— Spencer Rattler threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns for sixth-ranked Oklahoma in a 37-31 victory at Kansas State. Kennedy Brooks added 91 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Jeremiah Hall reached the end zone twice to help the Sooners get to 5-0.

— Trevin Wallace returned a blocked field goal 76 yards for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter before Kentucky completed a 20-13 upset of Florida. Chris Rodriguez Jr. had a 9-yard scoring run early in the fourth and Kentucky made a final defensive stand to hold off the Gators.

— C.J. Stroud passed for 330 yards and a career-high five touchdowns to send No. 11 Ohio State to its 20th straight Big Ten win, 52-13 over Rutgers. Chris Olave (OH’-lah-vay) finished with five catches for a team-high 119 yards and two TDs.

— Cornelius Johnson caught both of Cade McNamara’s touchdown passes and 14th-ranked Michigan remained unbeaten with a 38-17 victory over Wisconsin. The Badgers lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a chest injury.

— Mississippi State pulled off a 26-22 win at 15th-ranked Texas A&M as Will Rogers threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns. Nathan Pickering sacked Zach Calzada in the end zone late for a safety.

— Grayson McCall threw for 212 yards on 13-of-13 passing with two touchdowns to Isaiah Likely as No. 16 Coastal Carolina rolled to a 59-6 victory over Louisiana Monroe to start Sun Belt Conference play. The Chanticleers are 5-0 for a second straight season and have won 16 of their last 17 games.

— Kenneth Walker and Jayden Reed combined to score five touchdowns in the first half to help No. 17 Michigan State post a 48-31 rout of Western Kentucky. Reed returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown and had 46-yard reception for another score in the first quarter, helping the Spartans take a 21-10 lead.

— Jaylen Warren ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns for No. 19 Oklahoma State in a 24-14 decision over 21st-rated Baylor. Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders passed for 182 yards and ran for 76, but he helped the Bears stay in the game by throwing three interceptions.

— Devin Leary threw for two touchdowns and No. 23 North Carolina State held off Louisiana Tech 34-27.

— Nick Sciba kicked a 29-yard field goal with 22 seconds left to give No. 24 Wake Forest a 37-34 win over Louisville.

— No. 25 Clemson escaped with a 19-13 victory over visiting Boston College behind B.T. Potter’s four field goals.

NFL-NEWS

Gronk to miss Pats reunion

UNDATED (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski will miss his return trip to New England because of a rib injury. It’s the first game he has missed since he came out of retirement to play alongside Tom Brady with the Buccaneers.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

— The Bears say rookie Josh Fields will make his second straight start Sunday against the Lions while listing Andy Dalton as doubtful. Fields was able to go through full practices the entire week while Dalton was limited every day because of a bone bruise to his left knee. Fields wore a brace on his injured right hand all week in practice.

— The Colts have placed three-time All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson on injured reserve, a move that will keep him out at least three weeks.

— The Ravens have activated running back Le’Veon Bell from the practice squad and put defensive end Derek Wolfe on injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game at Denver.

PGA-SANDERSON FARMS

Theegala leads through 54

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — California rookie Sahith Theegala will carry a one-stroke lead into the final round of the PGA’s Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi.

Theegala began the back nine with three straight birdies, had an eagle chip spin 360 degrees around the cup and finished with a 5-under 67.

Cameron Tringale had a pair of eagles from long range with his putter and his wedge. He matched his career best on the PGA Tour with a 62, putting him in a second-place tie with Sam Burns and Denny McCarthy.

LPGA-SHOPRITE

Park, Ko share lead

GALLOWAY, N.J. (AP) — Inbee Park birdied three of her last five holes to match Jin Young Ko with a 6-under 65, leaving the two atop the leaderboard through two rounds of the ShopRite LPGA.

Ko had to settle for only one bogey on the back nine and was the first to post at 11-under 131. She holed a 30-foot birdie on No. 6 and had a 6-foot par save on the next hole.

NHL-CAPITALS-BACKSTROM

No timetable for injured Backstrom to play

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom says he’s taking his hip injury rehab slowly and has no timetable on when he’ll be able to play.

The 33-year-old Swede has ruled out having another surgery on his left hip. He had arthroscopic surgery on it in 2015. The Capitals could put Backstrom on long-term injured reserve to get salary-cap relief. That would force him to miss at least the first 10 games of the season.

Backstrom was Washington’s most consistent player and leading scorer last season with 53 points in 55 games.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MAUI INVITATIONAL

Maui Invitational to be played in Las Vegas

MAUI, Hawaii (AP) — The Maui Invitational is relocating to Las Vegas this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing travel restrictions in Hawaii.

The original field of eight schools remains in place for the marquee early season event, to be held during Thanksgiving week.

The tournament was played in North Carolina last year.