The Sports Report: Dodgers can get redemption against the Padres

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jack Harris: The quote was so apt, Major League Baseball used it on social media to promote the Southern California showdown in this year’s National League Division Series.

“This,” San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado said, “is what everyone wanted to see.”

The Dodgers, it turns out, included.

“Me, I wanted San Diego,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Just because of the adrenaline and the intensity, just the history of these two teams. I think this is the best scenario for us. And not only us, but the whole baseball world.”

“It’s felt like it’s been on a collision course for that,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman added. “It’ll be really good baseball.”

Indeed, while the Atlanta Braves represented a likely easier NLDS matchup for the top-seeded Dodgers, a rematch with the Padres — who swept the Braves in their wild-card series this week, setting up an intradivision clash starting with Game 1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium — brings a unique opportunity.

It’s the team the Dodgers struggled the most with this season, dropping eight of 13 matchups despite still winning the NL West division.

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LAKERS

From Dan Woike: D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers’ repentant point guard who has vowed to be more engaged this season, answered some questions Thursday as drama-free as possible.

“The main goal is basketball. I think I do that,” he said. “Obviously a lot of people get distracted from that and everything else matters but basketball. For me, I’m trying to eliminate the distractions that y’all can use against me or say against me. Trying to eliminate it.”

But when the topic turned to the way the Lakers are preparing for the season under JJ Redick, about the mental demands being put on the team, Russell couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Hell yeah. Yeah, it excites me,” he said. “I haven’t really had the opportunity to — and I’m not throwing shots at anybody, obviously, I know it kinda spins like that — but I’ve never really had the opportunity to build a relationship with a coach over a long period of time.”

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RAMS

From Gary Klein: Despite an offense missing star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and several starting linemen, the Rams have enjoyed opportunities aplenty to finish drives with touchdowns.

The problem for the 1-3 Rams: Instead of reaching the end zone from inside the 20-yard line, they are kicking field goals.

The Rams have scored only seven touchdowns in 17 opportunities from inside the 20. That places them at No. 28 in the NFL for red-zone touchdown percentage, 41.2%, according to teamrankings.com.

So, while rookie kicker Joshua Karty is tied for sixth in the NFL with nine field goals, coach Sean McVay, his staff and players are, well, kicking themselves.

It’s a pressing situation. The Green Bay Packers (2-2) are coming to SoFi Stadium on Sunday with a chance to possibly push the Rams out of playoff contention before the postseason race even begins.

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UCLA FOOTBALL

From Ben Bolch: Come on down, Justyn Martin?

It was increasingly looking that way as UCLA finalized preparations for what’s going to be a difficult challenge no matter who takes the first snap at quarterback.

Barring a gutsy comeback from Ethan Garbers, his understudy will make his first college start Saturday against No. 7 Penn State at Beaver Stadium.

Garbers remained confined to an exercise bike midweek after being knocked out of the Bruins’ loss to Oregon last weekend with an unspecified injury, leaving his status in doubt for the game against the Nittany Lions. Martin, a redshirt sophomore, took first-string snaps in practice, every repetition coveted by a player who has thrown all of five passes in college.

Could Martin guide the Bruins to an epic upset if he gets the nod as expected? Here are four more things to watch when UCLA (1-3 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) faces Penn State (4-0, 1-0) at 9 a.m. PDT in a game televised by Fox:

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ANGEL CITY

From Kevin Baxter: Angel City was hit with multiple penalties Thursday after an investigation by the Women’s National Soccer League determined it violated the league’s salary cap.

Angel City was fined $200,000, was handed a three-point deduction in the standings and president Julie Uhrman and general manager Angela Hucles Mangano were suspended from any duties related to player transactions for the remainder of the 2024 calendar year.

The penalties come after NWSL determined Angel City entered into five side-letter agreements with players in 2023 that were not disclosed to the league. These agreements included a combination of compensation and benefits that resulted in the team exceeding the salary cap of $2.75 million by approximately $50,000 for four weeks during the 2024 season, according to the NWSL.

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SOCCER

From Kevin Baxter: Adam Johnson became a soccer fan by accident.

During a visit with family in London, Johnson’s brother-in-law handed him a Tottenham jacket. And when he put his hand in one of the pockets, he found two tickets to a Spurs’ game.

At the time Johnson may have preferred a root canal to a soccer game, but he went along anyway. The experience proved life-changing.

“It was just really exciting,” he said. “The fans blew me away. The singing and the atmosphere, it was just so incredible that I was on board right away.”

Last spring Johnson, 44, and his wife Clarice, 39, found a way to tap into that soccer fever on this side of the pond, opening a Culver City restaurant they called N17 The Lane, a name every Tottenham supporter will recognize. N17 is the postcode for the North London borough of Haringey, where the club is located, while The Lane refers to White Hart Lane, the iconic stadium that was home to the Spurs for 118 years.

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MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Wild-card round
All times Pacific

National League
No. 6 NY Mets at No. 3 Milwaukee
New York 8, at Milwaukee 4
at Milwaukee 5, New York 3
New York 4, at Milwaukee 2

No. 5 Atlanta at No. 4 San Diego
at San Diego 4, Atlanta 0
at San Diego 5, Atlanta 4

American League
No. 6 Detroit at No. 3 Houston
Detroit 3, at Houston 1
Detroit 5, Houston 2

No. 5 Kansas City at No. 4 Baltimore
Kansas City 1, at Baltimore 0
Kansas City 2, at Baltimore 1

Division Series
All times Pacific

National League
No. 1 Dodgers vs. No. 4 San Diego
Saturday at Dodgers, 5:30 p.m., FS1
Sunday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1
Tuesday at San Diego, TBD, Fox or FS1
*Wed. at San Diego, TBD, Fox or FS1
*Friday, Oct. 11 at Dodgers, TBD, Fox or FS1

No. 2 Philadelphia vs. No. 6 NY Mets
Saturday at Philadelphia, 1 p.m., Fox
Sunday at Philadelphia, 1 p.m., FS1
Tuesday at New York, TBD, Fox or FS1
*Wed. at New York, TBD, Fox or FS1
*Friday, Oct. 11 at Philadelphia, TBD, Fox or FS1

American League

No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Detroit
Saturday at Cleveland, 10 a.m., TBS
Monday at Cleveland, 1 p.m., TBS
Wed. at Detroit, TBD, TBS
*Thursday at Detroit, TBD, TBS
*Saturday, Oct. 12 at Cleveland, TBD, TBS

No. 1 NY Yankees vs. No. 5 Kansas City
Saturday at New York, 3:30 p.m., TBS
Monday at New York, 4:30 p.m., TBS
Wed. at Kansas City, TBD, TBS
*Thursday at Kansas City, TBD, TBS
*Saturday, Oct. 12 at New York, TBD, TBS

*-if necessary

WNBA PLAYOFFS

Semifinals
All times Pacific

No. 1 New York (32-8) vs. No. 4 Las Vegas (27-13)
at New York 87, Las Vegas 77
at New York 88, Las Vegas 84
Friday at Las Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
*Sunday at Las Vegas, TBD
*Tuesday at New York, TBD, ESPN2

No. 2 Minnesota (30-10) vs. No. 3 Connecticut (28-12)
Connecticut 73, at Minnesota 70
at Minnesota 77, Connecticut 70
Friday at Connecticut, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Sunday at Connecticut, TBD
*Tuesday at Minnesota, TBD, ESPN2

*-if necessary

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1940 — Fritzie Zivic scores a 15-round decision over Henry Armstrong to win the world welterweight title in New York. Armstrong had 20 successful title defenses.

1964 — Mary Wills captures the LPGA championship with a two-stroke victory over Mickey Wright.

1964 — Kansas City’s Bobby Hunt ties an AFL record with four interceptions as the Chiefs post a 28-7 victory over the Houston Oilers.

1969 — Mississippi’s Archie Manning becomes the first player in college football history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game as the Rebels fall short in a 33-32 loss at Alabama. Manning passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns while adding 104 yards rushing yards and three touchdowns.

1980 — Alabama’s 45-0 win over Kentucky at Legion Field gives coach Paul “Bear” Bryant his 300th coaching victory.

1987 — The NFL continues the regular-season schedule with replacement players while the players’ association strikes. Average attendance is 16,947, down from 57,205 the first week and 59,824 the second week.

1991 — Edmonton Oilers trade captain Mark Messier (on the team for all 5 Stanley Cups) to the NY Rangers in exchange for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk; Messier leads Rangers to Cup two seasons later.

1991 — The San Jose Sharks surrender 52 shots and lose 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks in their first NHL regular-season game.

1998 — Atlanta scores three touchdowns in a 48-second span of the third quarter — the quickest trio of TDs since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 — and routs Carolina 51-23.

2003 — B.J. Symons of Texas Tech tosses a Big 12-record eight touchdown passes and tops 500 yards passing for the third straight game when the Red Raiders beat Texas A&M 59-28.

2010 — The Europeans reclaim the Ryder Cup winning 14½-13½. The Americans rally from a three-point deficit to tie the score, but Graeme McDowell beats Hunter Mahan in the final singles match.

2012 — The NHL cancels the first two weeks of the regular season, the second time games had been lost because of a lockout in seven years. Unable to work out how to split $3 billion in hockey-related revenues with the players’ association, the NHL wipes out 82 games from Oct. 11-24.

2014 — Jared Goff throws for 527 yards and five touchdowns as California holds on to beat Washington State 60-59. WSU quarterback Connor Halliday breaks the NCAA passing record with 734 yards and six touchdowns for Washington State and sets the NCAA passing yardage record for all levels, breaking the mark of 716 set by David Klingler of Houston in 1990.

2015 — Adam Vinatieri makes a 27-yard field goal in overtime to lift Indianapolis to a 16-13 victory over Jacksonville. Vinatieri converts all three field-goal attempts and one PAT to become the first player in NFL history to score at least 1,000 points with two different teams.

2017 — Sylvia Fowles scores 17 points and breaks her own WNBA Finals record by grabbing 20 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Lynx to their fourth championship in seven years with an 85-76 victory over the Sparks in Game 5.

2018 — Tom Brady becomes the 3rd NFL quarterback to record 500 career touchdown passes.

2022 — NY Yankees slugger Aaron Judge breaks Roger Maris’s AL single season HR record when he slams his 62nd homer in a 3-2 loss against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Compiled by the Associated Press