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Volpe slam sparks comeback after Freeman homer, Yankees beat Dodgers 11-4 to force World Series Game 5

Volpe slam sparks comeback after Freeman homer, Yankees beat Dodgers 11-4 to force World Series Game 5
Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees hits a grand slam home run during the third inning of Game 4 of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Getty Images via AFP)
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Updated 30 October 2024

Volpe slam sparks comeback after Freeman homer, Yankees beat Dodgers 11-4 to force World Series Game 5

Volpe slam sparks comeback after Freeman homer, Yankees beat Dodgers 11-4 to force World Series Game 5
  • Volpe, a New York native whose family idolizes the pinstripes going back generations, turned on a knee-high slider and perhaps reshaped the Series, too
  • Game 5 is Wednesday night, with the Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and the Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty meeting in a rematch of Game 1

NEW YORK: Fifteen years after little Anthony Volpe watched the Yankees parade with the World Series trophy, he saved their season and kept alive hopes for an improbable title.

New York had moved closer to getting swept in the World Series when Freddie Freeman hit another first-inning home run.

Volpe, a New York native whose family idolizes the pinstripes going back generations, turned on a knee-high slider and perhaps reshaped the Series, too. His third-inning grand slam sparked the Yankees to an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night that forced a Game 5.

“The place was shaking. I felt the ground literally shaking,” Yankees catcher Austin Wells said.

Wells and Gleyber Torres added homers for the Yankees, who broke open the game with a five-run eighth.

New York, who had scored just seven runs in the first three games, had some of their swagger back. Wells spoke after the game wearing a “Fully Operational Death Star” Yankees T-shirt, referring to general manager Brian Cashman’s 2018 quip.

Fans in the sellout crowd of 49,354 chanted Volpe’s name during the ninth inning.

“It’s like you finally got to see the top blow off Yankee Stadium in a World Series game,” Aaron Boone said after his first World Series win as New York’s manager. “When Anthony hits that ball, it was like fun to see Yankee Stadium erupt.”

Wells said the dire situation after Monday’s loss had relieved the pressure.

“Why not go out tomorrow and have fun?” he described as the mood.

Freeman homered for his sixth straight Series game when he deposited a slider from rookie Luis Gil into the right-field short porch following Mookie Betts’ one-out double. He became the first player to homer in the first four games of a World Series and his streak of long balls in six straight games is one more than Houston’s George Springer 2017 and ‘19.

“I’ll look back on it after hopefully we win and get this thing done tomorrow,” Freeman said. “Pretty cool. Obviously, hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.”

Game 5 is Wednesday night, with the Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and the Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty meeting in a rematch of Game 1.

Seeking to become the first team to overcome a 3-0 Series deficit, New York surged ahead 5-2 on Alex Verdugo’s RBI grounder in the second and Volpe’s drive against Daniel Hudson.

“All it takes is just one swing,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said.

Volpe sent Hudson’s first pitch into the left-field seats.

“I pretty much blacked out as soon as I saw it go over the fence,” Volpe said.

A Gold Glove shortstop in his second big league season, the 23-year-old Volpe also doubled and became the first player in Series history with a grand slam and a pair of stolen bases in one game. He was 8 when the Yankees last won the Series.

Volpe scored New York’s first run when he walked after falling behind 0-2 in the second inning. He made a baserunning blunder when he headed back to second to tag up and failed to score on Wells’ double off the center-field wall — pounding his own leg in anger. Verdugo followed with an RBI grounder.

“They’re going to fight,” Betts said. “If you made it this far, you have a resilient team that’s going to fight the whole time.”

Los Angeles closed within 6-4 in a two-run fifth that included Will Smith’s homer off Gil and an RBI grounder by Freeman. Despite a sprained right ankle, Freeman beat a relay to avoid an inning-ending double play on what originally was ruled an out but was reversed in a video review.

Wells hit a second-deck homer in the sixth against Landon Knack, and Verdugo added another run-scoring grounder in the eighth — capping an 11-pitch at-bat — ahead of Torres’ three-run homer off Brent Honeywell.

Tim Hill, winning pitcher Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr., Luke Weaver and Tim Mayza strung together five innings of one-hit scoreless relief with seven strikeouts, and the Yankees avoided what would have been their first losing Series sweep since 1976.

“As far as outcomes, to have six guys in your ‘pen that are feeling good, rested, I feel good about that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Twenty-one of the previous 24 teams to take 3-0 Series leads went on to sweeps, all but the 1910 Philadelphia Athletics against the Chicago Cubs, the 1937 Yankees against the New York Giants and the 1970 Baltimore Orioles against the Cincinnati Reds. All three of those Series ended in five games.

The 2004 Boston Red Sox, sparked by a stolen base by Roberts, are the only team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in any round, beating the Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

Judge drove in his first run of the Series with an RBI single in the eighth and is 2 for 15 in the four games. Dodgers sensation Shohei Ohtani also is 2 for 15 after going 1 for 4 with a single, his first hit since partially separating his left shoulder in Game 2.

New York stopped a seven-game Series losing streak against the Dodgers dating to 1981. The Yankees got their first seven RBIs from the bottom three hitters in their batting order, Volpe, Wells and Verdugo, who had entered 4 for 32 with three RBIs in the Series.

Volpe was interviewed after the game by former Yankees captain Derek Jeter, now a Fox broadcaster.

“It’s my dream, but it was all my friends’ dreams, all my cousins’ dreams, probably my sister’s dream, too. But winning the World Series was first and foremost, by far. Nothing else compares. So still got a lot of work to do,” Volpe said.

Former Boston star David Ortiz, also a Fox commentator, gave Volpe a shirt.

“I’ve got it in my locker,” Volpe said. “I can’t wear it. It’s got him and Red Sox stuff on it.”

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Cole allowed one run over six-plus innings in the opener — Kike Hernandez tripled in the fifth as right fielder Juan Soto took a poor route, then scored on Smith’s sacrifice fly. Flaherty gave up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, a two-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton.


Youmin Hwang birdies 5 of last 6 holes to win in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title

Youmin Hwang birdies 5 of last 6 holes to win in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title
Updated 06 October 2025

Youmin Hwang birdies 5 of last 6 holes to win in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title

Youmin Hwang birdies 5 of last 6 holes to win in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title
  • Hwang birdied the final four holes and five of the last six at breezy Hoakalei Country Club for a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Hyo Joo Kim
  • Hwang: This is my dream,” Hwang said through an interpreter. “Finally, I achieved my dream here at the LOTTE Championship

HONOLULU: Youmin Hwang won the LOTTE Championship on Saturday for her first victory in an LPGA Tour event, making a big late charge to run the season-opening streak without a repeat winner to 25 tournaments.

A Korean LPGA member in the field on a sponsor invite, Hwang birdied the final four holes and five of the last six at breezy Hoakalei Country Club for a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Hyo Joo Kim.

“This is my dream,” Hwang said through an interpreter. “Finally, I achieved my dream here at the LOTTE Championship, and I also very much look forward to my future as well in the LPGA.”

As a nonmember of the LPGA Tour, the 22-year-old Hwang has the option to accept immediate membership or defer to next season. The two-time KLPGA winner won in her sixth career LPGA start and fourth of the season — after making the weekend cuts in the major US Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA and Evian Championship.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude for LOTTE for inviting me,” Hwang said. “I think it’s all the more meaningful that I can play and also win the tournament sponsored by LOTTE, my sponsor as well.”

Tied for the lead with Kim and Minami Katsu after her birdie on the par-4 17th, Hwang got a break when Katsu and Kim each bogeyed the hole in the group behind. On the par-5 18th, Hwang hit her second shot through the green into rough and chipped to a foot.

Hwang finished at 17-under 271. She shot a career-best 62 on Thursday to open a three-stroke lead, then had a 75 on Friday to drop into a tie for second — a shot behind Akie Iwai.

Kim birdied the 18th for a 68.

Katsu was third at 15 under after a 69.

Second-ranked Nelly Korda closed with a 69 for finish three back at 17 under with Peiyun Chien (70), Jessica Porvasnik (70) and Iwai (71). Coming off a seven-victory season, Korda hasn’t won this year.

“Overall, I’m putting myself into contention.” Korda said. “It’s definitely an interesting year for me result-wise, but at the end of the day I’m giving it 100 percent, controlling what I can control and I’m happy with that.”

The LPGA Tour now heads to Asia for tournaments five straight weeks in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.


Pulisic penalty miss denies Milan top spot after 0-0 draw at Juventus

Pulisic penalty miss denies Milan top spot after 0-0 draw at Juventus
Updated 06 October 2025

Pulisic penalty miss denies Milan top spot after 0-0 draw at Juventus

Pulisic penalty miss denies Milan top spot after 0-0 draw at Juventus
  • Milan have 13 points, third in the standings and two points behind leaders Napoli and Roma, while Juventus are a further point back in fifth, behind Inter on goal difference
  • Massimiliano Allegri was back at Juventus as an adversary, taking on the club where he had won five league titles in his eight seasons in Turin, but there was no happy return for the Milan manager

TURIN, Italy: AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic missed a penalty and his side had to settle for a 0-0 draw away to Juventus on Sunday, denying the visitors a return to the top of the Serie A standings.

After Napoli and AS Roma, along with Inter Milan, all registered wins over the weekend, the pressure was on Milan and Juventus to keep pace at the top, leading to a cagey game where Pulisic’s error proved costly.

Milan have 13 points, third in the standings and two points behind leaders Napoli and Roma, while Juventus are a further point back in fifth, behind Inter on goal difference.

Massimiliano Allegri was back at Juventus as an adversary, taking on the club where he had won five league titles in his eight seasons in Turin, but there was no happy return for the Milan manager.

“I didn’t expect anything different, knowing coach Allegri I knew it would be a blocked and balanced game,” Juventus midfielder Andrea Cambiaso told DAZN.

The first half brought little in the way of entertainment, but both sides did manage to create scoring opportunities, with the hosts let down by struggling striker Jonathan David.

The Canadian scored on his Juventus debut in their opening-day win over Parma but has since struggled to impress and when Weston McKennie flicked on Francisco Conceicao’s cross in front of goal, David failed to read his teammate’s intentions.

David then had the goal at his mercy when set up by Pierre Kalulu in the box but lost his footing at the crucial moment while for Milan, Santiago Gimenez continued his Serie A scoring drought.

Gimenez went on a mazy run into the area but his finish failed to trouble keeper Michele Di Gregorio and after Strahinja Pavlovic put in a great cross, the Mexican sent his header wide of the target.

A corner shortly after the break gave Juventus a gilt-edged chance to take the lead but Milan keeper Mike Maignan spread himself to keep out Federico Gatti’s shot from point-blank range.

Pulisic fails to punish Juve

Minutes later, Milan had their golden opportunity when Lloyd Kelly bundled over Gimenez in the box but Pulisic blazed his penalty over the bar.

Allegri sent on Rafael Leao with less than half an hour remaining, and the Portuguese winger tried an audacious chipped shot from the halfway line which sailed over the bar.

“We could have done much more, winning here would have been very important,” Milan’s Adrien Rabiot, playing against his former club, said.

“But we have to continue to work as we are doing, the important thing is not to have conceded a goal, but we have regrets tonight.”

In added time, Leao was sent through by Luka Modric’s defense-splitting pass but his shot was too close to the keeper and unbeaten Juventus survived to earn their fifth successive draw in all competitions.

“There is enthusiasm, more than last season, but five consecutive draws are a lot,” Cambiaso added, after his side left the pitch to jeers and whistles from the home fans.


Tadej Pogacar claims another title in remarkable season for Slovenian rider

Tadej Pogacar claims another title in remarkable season for Slovenian rider
Updated 06 October 2025

Tadej Pogacar claims another title in remarkable season for Slovenian rider

Tadej Pogacar claims another title in remarkable season for Slovenian rider
  • The European Championships are generally not a key moment in the calendar but this year’s road race attracted particular attention with Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Jonas Vingegaard also on the starting line in France
  • Pogacar’s appetite for victory appears insatiable and he has clearly established himself as the No. 1 rider in the world, drawing comparisons with the greatest of all time, Eddy Merckx

GUILHERAND-GRANGES, France: Tadej Pogacar added the European title to his world crown on Sunday after yet another solo breakaway that marked the latest milestone in a stunning season.

Pogacar, the best rider of his generation, has been in a class of his own this season, winning the Tour de France for the fourth time in July along with prestigious victories at one-day races.

The European Championships are generally not a key moment in the calendar but this year’s road race attracted particular attention with Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Jonas Vingegaard also on the starting line in France.

The hilly race was competed in the DrĂŽme-Ardeche region and Pogacar made the most of the demanding ride to hurt his rivals. After his 66-kilometer solo effort in Rwanda last week on the way to his second world title, the Slovenian went solo with 75 kilometers to go as Evenepoel could not keep up with the pace in a steep ascent.

Evenepoel finished second, with up-and-coming Frenchman Paul Seixas claiming the final spot on the podium. Vingegaard was not in the mix and the Danish rider did not finish the race.

Pogacar’s appetite for victory appears insatiable and he has clearly established himself as the No. 1 rider in the world, drawing comparisons with the greatest of all time, Eddy Merckx.


Sevilla rout ‘horrendous’ Barca, Atletico drop points

Sevilla rout ‘horrendous’ Barca, Atletico drop points
Updated 06 October 2025

Sevilla rout ‘horrendous’ Barca, Atletico drop points

Sevilla rout ‘horrendous’ Barca, Atletico drop points
  • The Catalans sit second in the table after their first league defeat of the campaign, two points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid

BARCELONA: Spanish champions Barcelona collapsed in a shock 4-1 demolition at Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga, with Alexis Sanchez scoring against his former side and Robert Lewandowski missing a penalty for the visitors.
The Catalans sit second in the table after their first league defeat of the campaign, two points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid following Los Blancos’ victory over Villarreal on Saturday, while Sevilla rise to sixth.
Real Betis moved fourth with a 2-1 win at Espanyol, thanks to a stoppage-time penalty save by their goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who formerly played for the Catalans.
Atletico Madrid stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo after having Clement Lenglet sent off in the first half and sit fifth.
Veteran Chilean winger Sanchez put Sevilla ahead from the penalty spot early on against Barca and Isaac Romero doubled the hosts’ lead after having already missed two good chances.
Marcus Rashford pulled a goal back before half-time, but Lewandowski fired wide from the spot to spurn his team’s best chance of an equalizer.
Jose Carmona and Akor Adams wrapped up Sevilla’s emphatic win in the final stages, as Hansi Flick’s side fell to an unusually heavy defeat.
“The team’s first 45 minutes were horrendous. I think we’ve not played a game as bad as that and we must be self-critical,” Barca midfielder Pedri Gonzalez told the club’s media channel.
Flick defended his team despite their loss, saying that he was pleased with their reaction in the second half.
“It’s one match and we lost it, and we have to keep going,” he said.
Barcelona were still licking their wounds after Paris Saint-Germain beat them late on in the Champions League on Wednesday, and were without injured teenage star Lamine Yamal.
“In the first half we didn’t know how to defend well or attack well,” Pedri told Movistar, of his team’s sluggish display.
The rout began when Ronald Araujo clumsily grappled with Romero in the box and conceded a penalty.
Sanchez dispatched it, with the 36-year-old sending Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way to fire Matias Almeyda’s side ahead.

- Sevilla rampant -

Romero swept into the bottom corner from Ruben Vargas’s cutback for the second as Barca were opened up easily again.
Rashford was the first Barcelona player to awake from their slumber and pulled the champions back into the game deep in first-half stoppage time, volleying home Pedri’s cross for his first La Liga goal.
Having won just one league game at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan in 2025 before Barcelona’s visit, the hosts’ nerves began to shake.
Sevilla substitute Adnan Januzaj conceded a penalty for felling Balde as he flew into the box, granting Barca a golden chance to level.
Veteran Polish striker Lewandowski stuttered twice in his run-up before firing wide of the post.
Youngster Roony Bardghji could have equalized but fired straight at the goalkeeper after Lewandowski’s flick-on sent him in on goal.
Sevilla wrapped up their win late on through full-back Carmona, who drilled a low effort past Szczesny and into the far corner, and Adams.
“I’m very happy for the victory, we needed to win at home,” said Sevilla coach Almeyda.
“We couldn’t give them a meter of space... we knew what we had to do and we’re on a good path.”

- Atletico drop points -

Atletico’s draw at Celta left them eight points behind leaders Real Madrid and six behind Barca.
A Carl Starfelt own-goal put Atletico ahead before Lenglet was sent off in the 40th minute for two yellow cards.
Iago Aspas, who equalled the record for most Celta appearances, bundled home an equalizer in the second half, with the hosts on top but unable to find a winner.
It was Celta’s sixth 1-1 draw of the season in eight league games, with the Galician side yet to win.
Atletico had won their prior three across all competitions, including a 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid last weekend.
“I’m very happy with the work of my players,” said an annoyed Simeone repeatedly, in answer to various questions about the game.
The coach had shown his anger on the touchline at the decision to send off Lenglet for two fouls on Ferran Jutgla.
Promoted side Elche fell to their first defeat of the season, a 3-1 loss at Alaves that left them seventh.


India beats Pakistan by 88 runs in women’s World Cup with disputed dismissal and no handshakes

India beats Pakistan by 88 runs in women’s World Cup with disputed dismissal and no handshakes
Updated 06 October 2025

India beats Pakistan by 88 runs in women’s World Cup with disputed dismissal and no handshakes

India beats Pakistan by 88 runs in women’s World Cup with disputed dismissal and no handshakes
  • Amin shared 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Natalia Pervaiz (33) off 96 deliveries to lift Pakistan’s hopes briefly after it was reduced to 26-3

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Seam bowler Kranti Goud and spinner Deepti Sharma took three wickets each as India routed archrival Pakistan by 88 runs in their women’s World Cup match on Sunday which had a controversial dismissal.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bowl first in the 50-over match at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
India was all out for 247 in the last delivery of its innings and, in reply, Pakistan was dismissed for 159 in 43 overs. The only half century of the game came from Pakistan’s Sidra Amin who made 81 runs in her 13th score over 50 in one-day internationals.
Amin shared 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Natalia Pervaiz (33) off 96 deliveries to lift Pakistan’s hopes briefly after it was reduced to 26-3.
Pakistan’s first wicket was lost in a confusing manner when opening batter Muneeba Ali was adjudged run out. Ali had grounded her bat after returning to her crease, having moved forward to play a shot. Her bat was seen lifted when an Indian fielder hit the stumps. Sana argued with the fourth umpire that the batter was not attempting a run but the decision stood.
Amin’s 106-ball innings included a six and nine boundaries.
Goud took 3-20 and Sharma returned 3-45.
Harleen Deol top-scored for India with 46 and Richa Ghosh made a quick-fire 35 not out to lift their team to a competitive total.
No handshakes
Sana and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands during the toss and the teams walked off without greeting each other after the match amid political tensions between the two South Asian neighbors. The captains at the recent men’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates also did not shake hands at matches between India and Pakistan. India has accused Pakistan of being involved in attacks on tourists that killed dozens.
India openers Pratika Rawal and star batter Smriti Mandhana shared 48 runs Sunday for the first wicket before Sana had Mandhana lbw for a 32-ball 23. Rawal made 31 before she was bowled by left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal.
Kaur scored 19 before she was caught behind off seam bowler Diana Baig.
Jemimah Rodrigues (32), Deepti Sharma (25) and Sneh Rana (20) all made valuable contributions.
Ghosh hit two sixes and three boundaries in her innings as India scored 44 off the last five overs.
Baig took 4-69 in her 10 overs while Iqbal and Sana had two wickets each.
The match was stopped for 15 minutes because insects were bothering the players
India’s Amanjot Kaur, who made a half-century in the tournament opener against Sri Lanka, was ruled out of Sunday’s game due to illness. Pakistan made one change from the side that lost to Bangladesh, bringing in Sadaf Shamas in place of Omaima Sohail.
India tops the eight-team league with two wins in two games. It’s a point ahead of defending champion Australia.
Pakistan has lost both its matches so far.
New Zealand and South Africa play each other on Monday in Indore, India, with both teams chasing their first win.