11/3/22 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Thursday
3 November 2022 Sports
Thursday Sports
From Wayne Mausser
Cristian Javier and Houston’s bullpen combined on just the second no-hitter in World Series history, silencing a booming lineup and boisterous ballpark as the Astros blanked the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 Wednesday night to even the matchup at two games each.
The only previous no-hitter in the World Series was a perfect game by Don Larsen of the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956.
Javier and three relievers weren’t perfect, but they were close. Plus, they’d done this before: Javier, the starter in a combined no-hitter against the New York Yankees in June, was pulled with a no-hitter in progress after 97 pitches this time.
Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly each followed with a hitless inning, ensuring this year’s championship will be decided this weekend back at Minute Maid Park.
The quartet of pitchers posed with catcher Christian Vázquez near the visiting dugout moments after the game, each putting a hand on the game ball for a photo.
Game 5 is on Thursday night in Philly. Astros ace Justin Verlander will again chase that elusive first World Series win when he faces Noah Syndergaard. They can only hope to pitch as well as Javier.
Alex Bregman delivered the hit Houston desperately needed, a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning, and that was plenty for the Astros.
Completely in charge, Javier struck out nine, walked two and hardly allowed any loud contact. He tamed a club that had been 6-0 at home this postseason while hitting 17 home runs, including a Series record-tying five in a 7-0 romp in Game 3.
When Javier held the Phillies scoreless through the first three innings, it was no small feat. No visiting pitcher had done that during the postseason in this bouncing ballpark.
In Javier’s last start, he shut out the Yankees on one hit in 5 1/3 innings in the Bronx during the AL Championship Series.
This performance by Javier came a year after Atlanta’s Ian Anderson was taken out after pitching five hitless innings against Houston.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 12 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks matched a franchise record with their seventh straight win to open the season, beating the Detroit Pistons 116-91 on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee’s 7-0 season-opening run matches the starts of the 2018-19 and 1971-72 teams.
Jrue Holiday, who was uncertain to play because of a non-COVID-19 illness, added 26 points for the NBA’s only undefeated team. Jordan Nwora scored 12 off the bench.
Four Pistons scored in double-figures, led by Saddiq Bey’s 22 points. Isaiah Stewart finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points and Cade Cunningham 10.
Antetokounmpo has scored 30 or more points in six consecutive games. The two-time MVP tallied 15 of the Bucks’ 31 first-quarter points against Detroit.
The Bucks shot only 26.3% on 3-pointers, but outscored the Pistons 56-30 in the paint and outrebounded them 52-35.
The Bucks led for nearly the entire first half despite shooting 2 for 21 from long distance. They outscored the Pistons 34-14 in the paint and led 56-47 at halftime. Milwaukee increased its lead in the second half.
The Bucks have avoided defeat even though Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton haven’t seen the court. Middleton is recovering from offseason wrist surgery and Connaughton has a strained right calf.
The Bucks are at Minnesota Friday to take on the Timberwolves.
Aaron Rodgers says the Green Bay Packers are optimistic they can turn their season around and earn a fourth straight playoff berth even though they didn’t make any additions at the trade deadline.
“That just sent the message to us that we’ve got to play with the guys we’ve got and win with the guys we’ve got,” the MVP quarterback said Wednesday. “I think there’s still a lot of confidence in the guys in the locker room.
“I do feel like we need to get healthy.”
The Packers historically haven’t made many moves at the trade deadline, opting instead to build through the draft. It seemed this year might be an exception since the Packers (3-5) have dropped below .500 and are in win-now mode with Rodgers a month from his 39th birthday.
Green Bay instead stood pat while a couple of other NFC North teams added playmakers, with the division-leading Minnesota Vikings acquiring ight end T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears getting wide receiver Chase Claaypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Green Bay’s players and coaches are too focused on their upcoming game at Detroit (1-6) to worry about personnel moves that were or weren’t made. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins said he believes the Packers already have enough talent to win.
“I think when you look at this team, you pretty much have everything you need,” Watkins said. “Would (a trade) have brought some more life? I mean, who says it would have or wouldn’t? I think this team has the players they need. If they didn’t, I’m sure the GM would have gone out there and traded for someone.”
The Packers have dropped four straigth and are trying to avoid their first five-game losing streak since 2008. Green Bay ranks 26th of 32 NFL teams in points per game (18.1) and has been hindered by injuries to its receiving corps.
Randall Cobb is on injured reserve and will miss a third straight game Sunday. Rookie second-round pick Christian Watson suffered a concussion early in the Packers’ 27-17 loss at Buffalo and didn’t practice Wednesday.
This is the first time Green Bay has lost four straight since 2016. That slump dropped Green Bay’s record to 4-6, and Rodgers responded by predicting the Packers would win “run the table.”
Sure enough, the Packers won their next eight games before losing at Atlanta in the NFC championship game. Rodgers threw 21 touchdown passes with only one interception during that winning streak.
RB/KR Kylin Hill was activated from the physically unable to perform list. Hill hasn’t played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in a victory at Arizona on Oct. 28, 2021. OT David Bakhtiari (knee), LB De’Vondre Campbell (knee), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee/foot) and CB Shemar Jean-Charles (ankle) joined Watson in sitting out Wednesday’s practice. WR Allen Lazard (shoulder) and OLB Preston Smith (shoulder/neck) were limited practice participants. Lazard didn’t play at Buffalo.
The Badgers continue to practice for Saturday’s game at Camp Randall Stadium against Maryland. Wisconsin is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten while the Terrapins come in at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
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