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Go beyond the scoreboard
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The Dodgers are on the verge of finishing the National League Championship Series before you can say New York twice.
They’re turning the Mets into little-town blues that are melting away.
They’re defrocking the Mets down to their vagabond shoes that are longing to … oh, forget it, one shouldn’t need to crib from a corny song to describe what is happening here.
Fact: The Dodgers are a thoroughly better team than the Mets. Fact: The Dodgers are perfectly set up to finish this shebang by the end of the week.
On a chilly, wind-blown Wednesday night at Citi Field, the Dodgers were acting like kings of the hill and tops of the — sorry, can’t help it — in a dominating 8-0 victory, giving them a 2-1 lead with their two best starting pitchers on deck.
Dodgers follow their October script to perfection in NLCS Game 3 win over Mets
Kiké Hernández adds another homer to impressive October resume: ‘He wants the moment’
After a season full of lessons, Walker Buehler adapting to his post-Butane era
Dodgers spent $1 billion on Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It’s payoff time
Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball can be sold, judge says. But who will pocket the cash?
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MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE
All times Pacific
NLCS
No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 6 NY Mets
at Dodgers 9, New York 0. (box score)
New York 7, at Dodgers 3. (box score)
Dodgers 8, at New York 0. (box score)
Thursday: Dodgers at New York, 5 p.m., FS1
Friday: Dodgers at New York, 2 p.m., FS1
*Sunday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1
*Monday: New York at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/Fox
ALCS
No. 1 NY Yankees vs. No. 2 Cleveland
at New York 5, Cleveland 2 (box score)
at New York 6, Cleveland 3 (box score)
Thursday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
Friday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Saturday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Monday at New York, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*Tuesday at New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/MAX
*-if necessary
RAMS
From Gary Klein: As the Rams come out of their off week, they will play the struggling Las Vegas Raiders and the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings in the span of five days.
Will injured star receiver Cooper Kupp return against one or both? That is perhaps the overarching question for the Rams as they attempt to rebound from a 1-4 start.
Kupp, 31, has been sidelined the last three games because of an ankle injury. On Wednesday he did not practice but went through individual drills, increasing activity that began Monday. He was listed as limited on the injury report.
CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: Even with perhaps their best defender, Kawhi Leonard, out the entire preseason, the Clippers have still overwhelmed teams on defense.
Throughout training camp, the Clippers have made it their goal to be a tough defensive group, to make it hard on opponents to score, to be gritty and sound on defense.
“We’re getting after it defensively,” James Harden said after Monday night’s preseason win over the Dallas Mavericks.
KINGS
Auston Matthews broke out of a season-opening points drought, scoring his first goal and adding his first two assists as Toronto’s captain in the Maple Leafs’ 6-2 victory over the Kings on Wednesday night.
Matthews made it 2-0 midway through the first period, quickly regaining control after fanning on a shot and beating David Rittich with a wrist shot.
The NHL goals leader last season with 69, Matthews also assisted on two power-play goals to to help the Maple Leafs win for the third straight time after an opening 1-0 loss at Montreal. Matthews became the fourth player in Maple Leafs history to score 200 goals on home ice, joining Darryl Sittler (231), Dave Keon (225) and Mats Sundin (217).
DUCKS
Leo Carlsson scored 54 seconds into overtime and the Ducks won their ninth consecutive home opener, 5-4 over the Utah Hockey Club on Wednesday night.
Clayton Keller put Utah ahead 4-3 with 9:10 to play in regulation, but Pavel Mintyukov tied it for the Ducks with 5:05 left.
Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, then converted a pass from Troy Terry for the first goal of his second NHL season.
WNBA FINALS
All times Pacific
No. 1 New York vs. No. 2 Minnesota
Minnesota 95, at New York 93 (OT)
at New York 80, Minnesota 66
New York 80, at Minnesota 77
Friday at Minnesota, 5 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday at New York, 5 p.m., ESPN
*-if necessary
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1948 — The Green Bay Packers intercept seven passes off Bob Waterfield in a 16-0 victory over the Rams.
1960 — The National League formally awards franchises to the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc. headed by Joan Payson and a Houston group headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, Craig Cullinan and R.E. Smith.
1964 — Quarterback Jerry Rhome is responsible for 56 of Tulsa’s 58 points with seven touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in a 58-0 shutout of Louisville.
1974 — The Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 at the Capital Centre to earn the first victory in franchise history.
1989 — The Calgary Flames tie an NHL record by scoring two goals, both short-handed, in 4 seconds and also three goals in a 27-second span during the third period to pull into an 8-8 tie with the Quebec Nordiques.
1991 — Paul Coffey of the Pittsburgh Penguins becomes the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history. Coffey gets two assists in an 8-5 victory against the New York Islanders at the Civic Arena, giving him 1,053 career points (309 goals and 744 assists). Coffey passes longtime Islanders star Denis Potvin.
1991 — Angel Cordero Jr. becomes the 3rd jockey to win 7,000 races.
1992 — Jari Kurri of the Kings scores his 500th goal in an 8-6 win over the Boston Bruins. Kurri becomes the first European-trained player and 18th player overall to reach the mark.
2000 — Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 448th career victory as Colorado beats Washington 4-3 in overtime. Roy snaps a tie with Terry Sawchuk, who held the mark since 1970. Sawchuk earned his 447th victory in his 968th game, while Roy wins No. 448 in his 847th game.
2015 — Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, overtaking club legend Raul with his 324th goal in a 3-0 win over Levante.
2015 — Jalen Watts-Jackson scoops up a flubbed punt attempt and lumbers 38 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game, giving No. 7 Michigan State a shocking 27-23 win over No. 12 Michigan at the Big House.
2021 — The Chicago Sky defeat the Phoenix Mercury 81-74 to win their first WNBA championship. The Sky’s Kahleah Copper is named Finals MVP.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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