Clemson Beats VA Tech for Another Top-15 Win
The Clemson Tigers have had plenty of opportunities to prove that they are still title contenders this season, even without Deshaun Watson at quarterback. They have taken advantage of every one of those opportunities, including on Saturday night with a 31-17 win over 12th-ranked Virginia Tech. The win was their 12th straight on the road, and their third of the season over a top-25 team. Kelly Bryant was making his fifth start at quarterback and threw for 186 yards and a score, while also running for 94 yards on 19 carries, all while never turning the ball over. The one touchdown pass connected for a 60-yard score with Tavien Feaster, who also added a one-yard touchdown run. The game was sealed early on in the fourth quarter when Dorian O'Daniel returned an interception 22 yards for a pick-six, which was the third Hokies turnover of the night. Josh Jackson had two interceptions on the night, as he finished with 251 yards passing and a touchdown pass in the loss. This tough performance comes after he had 11 touchdowns and just one interception in the first four games of the season. The win for Clemson was their fifth in a row over Virginia Tech, which includes a win in the 2016 ACC Championship Game. They are now 5-0 on the season, which also includes wins over No. 13 Auburn and No. 17 Louisville. They will now move on to visit Wake Forest next week, while VA Tech hits the road against Boston College.
Rockies, Dodgers Both Do Clinching on Saturday
The Colorado Rockies forced their game to start 21 minutes later than scheduled on Saturday night, but it was for good reason. That was because they were busy celebrating clinching the second Wild Card spot, which was sealed with the Milwaukee Brewers' 7-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, It was a comeback win for the "Redbirds" that had Colorado popping champagne even before their home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They did still have a game to play, which they dropped at home, 5-3, which gave the Dodgers reason to celebrate. The win for Los Angeles clinched the best record in the majors, which gives them home-field advantage throughout the entire postseason. The Dodgers rallied from a 3-0 deficit, as Yasiel Puig's 28th home run tied the game in the fifth. Chris Taylor and Chase Utley both added RBIs in the seventh and ninth to give the Dodgers the lead for good. Despite the loss, the Rockies clinched their first postseason berth since 2009. They will visit the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Wild Card Game, with the winner of that game visiting their division rival, the Dodgers, in the National League Divisional Series. The Rockies and Dodgers will finish off their season with a nationally-televised matinee matchup on Sunday.
Red Sox Clinch Second Straight Division Title
It took a while due to recent struggles, but the Boston Red Sox have clinched their second straight AL East Division Title, doing so with a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon. Drew Pomeranz threw six innings of one-run baseball in his 17th win of the season, as the Red Sox have now won division titles in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Mookie Betts went deep, while Boston scored five runs between the fourth and fifth innings to pull away for good. Mitch Moreland's two-run double in the fifth was the early dagger against Houston, who could not take advantage of the Cleveland Indians' loss to the Chicago White Sox. The Astros remained one game behind the Indians for the American League's best record, and with one game left and the Indians holding the potential tiebreaker, The Tribe are now the No. 1 seed in the A.L. The win for Boston leaves the New York Yankees to host the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card Game, as they are able to avoid using Chris Sale on Sunday to prevent a tiebreaking game with New York on Monday. Ironically, the Red Sox will face the Houston Astros in the ALDS beginning in Houston on Thursday. They will go at it one more time in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon.
The Clemson Tigers have had plenty of opportunities to prove that they are still title contenders this season, even without Deshaun Watson at quarterback. They have taken advantage of every one of those opportunities, including on Saturday night with a 31-17 win over 12th-ranked Virginia Tech. The win was their 12th straight on the road, and their third of the season over a top-25 team. Kelly Bryant was making his fifth start at quarterback and threw for 186 yards and a score, while also running for 94 yards on 19 carries, all while never turning the ball over. The one touchdown pass connected for a 60-yard score with Tavien Feaster, who also added a one-yard touchdown run. The game was sealed early on in the fourth quarter when Dorian O'Daniel returned an interception 22 yards for a pick-six, which was the third Hokies turnover of the night. Josh Jackson had two interceptions on the night, as he finished with 251 yards passing and a touchdown pass in the loss. This tough performance comes after he had 11 touchdowns and just one interception in the first four games of the season. The win for Clemson was their fifth in a row over Virginia Tech, which includes a win in the 2016 ACC Championship Game. They are now 5-0 on the season, which also includes wins over No. 13 Auburn and No. 17 Louisville. They will now move on to visit Wake Forest next week, while VA Tech hits the road against Boston College.
Rockies, Dodgers Both Do Clinching on Saturday
The Colorado Rockies forced their game to start 21 minutes later than scheduled on Saturday night, but it was for good reason. That was because they were busy celebrating clinching the second Wild Card spot, which was sealed with the Milwaukee Brewers' 7-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, It was a comeback win for the "Redbirds" that had Colorado popping champagne even before their home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They did still have a game to play, which they dropped at home, 5-3, which gave the Dodgers reason to celebrate. The win for Los Angeles clinched the best record in the majors, which gives them home-field advantage throughout the entire postseason. The Dodgers rallied from a 3-0 deficit, as Yasiel Puig's 28th home run tied the game in the fifth. Chris Taylor and Chase Utley both added RBIs in the seventh and ninth to give the Dodgers the lead for good. Despite the loss, the Rockies clinched their first postseason berth since 2009. They will visit the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Wild Card Game, with the winner of that game visiting their division rival, the Dodgers, in the National League Divisional Series. The Rockies and Dodgers will finish off their season with a nationally-televised matinee matchup on Sunday.
Red Sox Clinch Second Straight Division Title
It took a while due to recent struggles, but the Boston Red Sox have clinched their second straight AL East Division Title, doing so with a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon. Drew Pomeranz threw six innings of one-run baseball in his 17th win of the season, as the Red Sox have now won division titles in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Mookie Betts went deep, while Boston scored five runs between the fourth and fifth innings to pull away for good. Mitch Moreland's two-run double in the fifth was the early dagger against Houston, who could not take advantage of the Cleveland Indians' loss to the Chicago White Sox. The Astros remained one game behind the Indians for the American League's best record, and with one game left and the Indians holding the potential tiebreaker, The Tribe are now the No. 1 seed in the A.L. The win for Boston leaves the New York Yankees to host the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card Game, as they are able to avoid using Chris Sale on Sunday to prevent a tiebreaking game with New York on Monday. Ironically, the Red Sox will face the Houston Astros in the ALDS beginning in Houston on Thursday. They will go at it one more time in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon.
