MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Houston Astros gathered in the clubhouse with their bottles and goggles to toast another postseason victory, when manager Dusty Baker called Justin Verlander forward to lead the celebration. “I'm doing the World Series!” Baker said. “You do this one!” Verlander, after a profanity-punctuated speech that had teammates roaring with laughter, started the cork-popping countdown at seven — one for each consecutive AL Championship Series appearance.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper answered Orlando Arcia’s mockery with a mammoth three-run homer and a solo shot, glaring at the shortstop on each trot around the bases, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 10-2 in Game 3 of their NL Division Series on Wednesday night. Nick Castellanos homered twice as Philadelphia rebounded from its disappointing loss at Atlanta on Monday night. Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh also went deep.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves picked right-hander Bryce Elder to start Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Elder (12-4, 3.81) struggled down the stretch after pitching a career-high 174 2/3 innings in his first full season in the big leagues. But the Braves decided he was the best choice to face Philadelphia's Aaron Nola (12-9, 4.46).

In his first season with Texas, veteran manager Bruce Bochy has guided the Rangers into the AL Championship Series. Yordan Alvarez and the Houston Astros are one win from making it a Lone Star State affair. Corey Seager and Adolis García homered early, Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven smooth innings in another playoff clincher and the Rangers completed a Division Series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 7-1 victory Tuesday night in Game 3.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Take the results at face value and maybe there’s enough reason for the Phillies to believe they’re in the same encouraging spot as a year ago. They won an opener in Atlanta, then lost a second game. Philadelphia returned home tied 1-1 in the 2022 National League Division Series -- just like this season — then won two at home behind a thunderous Philly crowd.

ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball’s most potent group of sluggers finally got into the swing of things -- maybe just in time to save the season for the Atlanta Braves. Throw in a game-ending double play for the ages, courtesy of a remarkable catch by Michael Harris II and some astute positioning by Austin Riley, and suddenly this 104-win team has gone from down and out to showing a little postseason swagger.

First, Taylor Swift. Next, the Olympics. The NFL's ongoing push for worldwide exposure got another boost Monday when organizers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics delivered a proposal to put flag football on the program when the Summer Games return to the United States for the first time in 32 years.

Oklahoma moved up to No. 5 in The Associated Press college football poll Sunday, Miami's late-game gaffe nearly cost the 25th-ranked Hurricanes a spot in rankings and six basketball blue bloods made some history. No. 1 Georgia, coming off its best game of the season, a rout of Kentucky, regained some of the first-place votes it lost in the AP Top 25 last week when it needed a late rally to stay unbeaten at Auburn.

ATLANTA (AP) — All the talk from Atlanta coach Arthur Smith the last two years about Desmond Ridder's poise and composure meant little until the quarterback demonstrated he could shine in the final minute with a game on the line. Now Ridder has a last-second comeback win as an impressive answer to his critics.

Carlos Correa had three hits and three RBIs and Pablo López pitched seven shutout innings, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Sunday night to even their AL Division Series at one game apiece. A day after an opening 6-4 loss, Kyle Farmer hit a two-run homer for the Twins. Game 3 of the best-of-five series is at Minnesota on Tuesday. Mitch Garver hit a third-inning grand slam in his first appearance of these playoffs, and the Texas Rangers won their fourth consecutive game to start the postseason, pushing the Baltimore Orioles to the brink of elimination with an 11-8 victory in Game 2.

Simone Biles’s appetite for victory is insatiable. The American superstar claimed a third gold medal at the 2023 gymnastics world championships on Sunday by winning the women’s beam with a superb routine on the final day of the competition.

Haynes King threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Christian Leary with two seconds remaining after Miami turned the ball over with the game all but won, and Georgia Tech stunned the 17th-ranked Hurricanes 23-20 on Saturday night.

Carson Beck passed for 389 yards and four touchdowns, Brock Bowers had seven catches for 132 yards and No. 1 Georgia cruised to a 51-13 victory over No. 20 Kentucky on Saturday night.

ATLANTA (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Ranger Suárez and the Philadelphia bullpen stifled baseball's most prolific offense, and the Phillies blanked the 104-win Atlanta Braves 3-0 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Saturday night.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Carter Peevy passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns — with 14 catches and 285 yards by Ty James — and Mercer beat East Tennessee State 24-6 on Saturday.

KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — Jordan Gant ran for two touchdowns and Tennessee State handed Kennesaw State its fifth straight loss, 27-20 on Saturday.

Rebeca Andrade of Brazil denied Simone Biles a 22nd world title by winning the women's vault competition ahead of the American superstar on Saturday.

The Atlanta Braves made a couple of surprising roster moves for the National League Division Series, adding hard-throwing reliever Daysbel Hernández and top prospect AJ Smith- Shawver ahead of Game 1 Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies.

ATLANTA (AP) — A fast start, and a home win, could take some heat off Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder. Back-to-back losses have dropped the Falcons (2-2) to .500 entering Sunday's game against rookie C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (2-2). The Texans will be trying for their first three-game winning streak since 2018.

CHICAGO (AP) — A photo of Dick Butkus sneering behind his facemask filled the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 1970 NFL preview, topped by the headline, “The Most Feared Man in the Game.” Opponents who wound up on the business end of his bone-rattling hits could testify that wasn’t an exaggeration. Butkus, a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears whose speed and ferocity set the standards for the position in the modern era, died Thursday, the team announced. He was 80.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami’s offense is rolling. Georgia Tech’s defense is not. In simplest terms, that’ll be the story when the 17th-ranked Hurricanes (4-0, 0-0) open Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday night against the Yellow Jackets (2-3, 1-1). Georgia Tech is coming off a 38-27 loss to Bowling Green last week, one that led to Kevin Sherrer being elevated to defensive coordinator.

Georgia’s shaky win at Auburn last week cost the Bulldogs points even as they held the No. 1 spot in The AP Top 25. Now comes the Bulldogs’ first test against another Top 25 team. Georgia (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) will put its top ranking and 22-game winning streak on the line when the Bulldogs play No. 20 Kentucky (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday night.

Two and done. Across the board. Texas, Minnesota, Arizona and Philadelphia finished off postseason sweeps Wednesday as all four best-of-three Wild Card Series ended in two games.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons signed defensive lineman Eli Ankou to their active roster on Wednesday. Wide receiver Josh Ali was placed on injured reserve after missing last week's game against Jacksonville in London with an ankle injury.

ATLANTA (AP) — The image of Ronald Acuña Jr. stealing second base and then holding the bag above his head in triumphant glory is a signature moment from the Atlanta Braves' season. The steal did more than make Acuña the game's charter member of the 40-70 club. It also set him up to score the go-ahead run in a 6-5 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 27.