Golf
Bae leads an International rally amid Mickelson mistake
INCHEON, South Korea – Bae Sang-moon had a dynamic debut at home in the Presidents Cup by winning his match with a 12-foot birdie putt as the International team got back into the game Friday.
Bae is playing for the final time before he starts his mandatory military service in South Korea. His putt gave him and Korean-born Danny Lee a 1-up victory over Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.
The International team won three matches and halved another, cutting the American lead to 5.5-4.5 going into eight matches Saturday.
The halved match was the most peculiar at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea on Friday. Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson were assessed a one-hole penalty at No. 7 when Mickelson used a different model golf ball, ultimately costing the Americans the match.
MLB
Lackey dominates, Cardinals beat Cubs in NLDS opener
ST. LOUIS – John Lackey outpitched old teammate Jon Lester, allowing two hits into the eighth inning, and rookies Tommy Pham and Stephen Piscotty each homered late as the St. Louis Cardinals cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 4-0 victory Friday night in the opener of their NL Division Series.
In front of a standing room only crowd of 47,830 – the second-largest at 10-year-old Busch Stadium – thousands of Cubs faithful mixed into the red throng for the first postseason game between the two long-time rivals.
Matt Holliday had an RBI-single in the first, giving St. Louis a lead after just three at-bats. Pinch-hitting, Pham homered off Lester and Piscotty had a two-run shot off Pedro Strop in the eighth.
Royals rally, beat Astros 5-4 to even ALDS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ben Zobrist hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, reliever Wade Davis got replay help for a key pickoff in the ninth, and the Kansas City Royals rallied from a three-run hole to beat the Houston Astros 5-4 on Friday, evening their AL Division Series at a game apiece.
Kansas City took the lead when Alcides Escobar tripled off Will Harris (0-1) to open the seventh and Zobrist followed with his single through the left side.
Kelvin Herrera (1-0) and Ryan Madson each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Royals, and Davis came on to close it.
Davis walked Preston Tucker with one out. Pinch-runner Carlos Gomez was initially ruled safe when he made a dive back into first base, but the call was overturned upon review. Davis got Jose Altuve to ground out to end it.
Alberto, Rangers beat Blue Jays in 14th, lead ALDS
TORONTO – Backup infielder Hanser Alberto singled home the go-ahead run in the 14th inning, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 Friday for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.
Alberto, only in the lineup because star third baseman Adrian Beltre was out with a strained back, made an error that led to Toronto’s first run. He delivered an RBI-single with two outs in the 14th, and Delino DeShields followed with an infield hit for another run.
Texas shut out the highest-scoring team in the majors after the fifth inning. The victory made road teams 5-0 in the postseason so far.
Keone Kela (1-0) worked one inning for the win, staying calm after a dust-up with Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson. Ross Ohlendorf, with an old-school, double-armed windup, finished for a first save. LaTroy Hawkins (0-1) took the loss.
Associated Press
