>>Montero’s Grand Slam Gives Cubs Game One
(Chicago, IL) — Miguel Montero’s tiebreaking, pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning lifted the Cubs to an 8-4 win over the Dodgers in Game One of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field. Dexter Fowler scored twice and went back-to-back with Montero, icing the cake with a solo shot. Javier Baez doubled twice and stole home as the Cubs took a 1-0 series lead. Jon Lester tossed six innings of one-run ball, and Aroldis Chapman picked up the relief win. Andre Ethier homered for the Dodgers in the fifth, and Adrian Gonzalez tied it in the eighth with a two-run single. Kenta Maeda gave up three runs in four frames, and Joe Blanton took the loss after surrendering Montero’s dinger. Game Two is Sunday in Chicago.
>>Alabama Pounds Tennessee
(Knoxville, TN) — The top-ranked Crimson Tide piled up 438 rushing yards against number-11 Tennessee in a bruising 49-10 victory in Knoxville. True freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts rumbled for 132 yards and three touchdowns on a dozen carries for ‘Bama. Bo Scarborough had an 85-yard touchdown run to cap the win. The defense and special teams got involved, with Ronnie Harrison notching a 58-yard pick-six, and Eddie Jackson taking a punt 79 yards for a score as the Tide moved to 7-and-0 and 4-and-0 in the SEC. The Volunteers got stuffed, finishing the game with 32 rushing yards as a team on 32 carries. They also punted 10 times. Tennessee’s second straight loss drops it to 5-and-2 and 2-and-2 in the SEC.
>>Late Touchdown Lifts Razorbacks Over Ole Miss
(Fayetteville, AR) — Rawleigh Williams the Third rushed for 180 yards as number-22 Arkansas beat 13th-ranked Ole Miss 34-30 in Fayetteville. Jared Cornelius scored go-ahead rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter and Austin Allen threw for three scores as the Razorbacks improved to 5-and-2. Rebels’ quarterback Chad Kelly threw a touchdown and rushed for two in the losing effort. Evan Engram had 111 yards receiving and a score. With the loss Ole Miss dropped to 3-and-3.
The Indians will head to Toronto with a 2-0 lead in the ALCS after posting a 2-1 win in Game 2. Josh Tomlin, pushed up to make the start after Trevor Bauer cut his right finger while repairing a drone, struck out six while allowing one run over 5 2/3 innings and Francisco Lindor, whose two-run homer provided the only scoring in Friday’s 2-0 Game 1 victory, went 2 for 4 with an RBI single. Bauer is slated to start Monday’s Game 3 at Rogers Centre opposite Marcus
Stroman.
>>Wagner Takes Lead At Rain Soaked Safeway Open
(Napa, CA) — For the second day in a row play was suspended due to rain at the PGA Safeway Open in Napa. When play was stopped Johnson Wagner was through 15 holes and sat atop the leaderboard at 15-under. Scott Piercy led going into the day but also was only able to make it through 15 holes and is tied for second at 14-under with Patton Kizzire. Paul Casey is in fourth place at 13-under while Martin Laird rounds out the top-five at 12-under. Third round play is scheduled to resume Sunday morning at 10:45 a.m. Eastern time.
>>Blackhawks Down Predators
(Chicago, IL) — Richard Panik’s hat trick paced the Blackhawks past the Predators, 5-3, at the United Center. Nick Schmaltz and Brent Seabrook also scored for Chicago. Scott Darling made 33 saves in the win. It’s first win of the season for the Blackhawks, who improved to 1-2-and-0. Nashville’s Colin Wilson, Craig Smith, and Viktor Arvidsson [[ AHR-vihd-suhn ]] each found the back of the net in defeat. The Preds dropped to 1-1-0 on the year.