1st Down: The New York Yankees aren’t going down without a fight. Having seen the other three Division Series all conclude early, the Bronx Bombers ensured that fate wouldn’t happen to them on Sunday night as they beat the Guardians 4-2 in Cleveland to send the ALDS to a fifth and final game back in the Big Apple on Monday. Gerrit Cole pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on just six hits while Harrison Bader hit his third homer of the series, a two-run blast in the top of the second that ended up putting them up 3-0 and proved to be the winning run. The hosts did fight back to get within one, but a Giancarlo Stanton sac fly restored a two-run lead for the visitors, and that’s all they needed on this particular evening. The winner of Game 5 on Monday will prepare to take on Houston in the ALCS.
2nd Down: It was a busy day across Europe with a number of big-time rivalries games taking place. The biggest of them all was ‘El Clasico’ as Real Madrid hosted Barcelona at the Bernabeu. At the end of 90 minutes, it was clear that the hosts are still on top, having won 3-1 over the Catalans. Karim Benzema set the tone early with a 12th minute tally and Federico Valverde made it two after 35 minutes. Ferran Torres made it interesting with seven minutes left for Barca, but Rodrygo put the game to bed in the 91st with a penalty as Madrid opened up a three-point lead in Spain’s La Liga. In the Premier League, Liverpool beat Manchester City 1-0 thanks to Mo Salah’s late goal. In Ligue 1, Neymar led PSG to a 1-0 win over Marseille while Union Berlin moved further clear in Germany with a 2-0 ‘W’ over Borussia Dortmund.
3rd Down: Joey Logano is headed to the NASCAR Cup Series Final Four, sealing his spot in the championship race on Sunday thanks to a win at Las Vegas. The #22 car took advantage of fresher tires on the final run as he stalked Ross Chastain, who led a race-high 68 laps, and eventually passed him with three to go and pulled away. Chastain, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers. As the standings sit currently, Logano would be joined by Chase Elliot, Hamlin, and Chastain in the last four. But there are two races remaining in the round, so that’s also certain to change.
4th Down: After a signature victory on Saturday at home over the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Tennessee Volunteers have been rewarded with a jump from #6 in the AP Poll up to #3. The Vols won a dramatic affair 52-49 in Knoxville, switching places with the team that had beaten them 15 consecutive times prior. Georgia and Ohio State remained in the first two places while Michigan and Clemson rounded out the top five. Bama, Ole Miss, TCU, UCLA, and Oregon complete the top-ten at present.
