Sports

PARIS (AP) — The French league has banned fans from Lille and Marseille from traveling to away games for the rest of the year following violence in recent games. The LFP’s disciplinary committee gave each club a suspended deduction of one point. Lens was also given a suspended one-point deduction and ordered to play two

MONACO (AP) — Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare is facing three charges in a doping case which surfaced in dramatic circumstances when she was barred from running in the Olympic 100-meter semifinals hours before the race. The Athletics Integrity Unit has revealed that Okagbare tested positive for blood booster EPO in Nigeria in June. That’s on

TORONTO (AP) — The NHL is returning to an 82-game regular season with its traditional divisions this season. Last year, the league shortened things to 56 games and changed the divisions. In the U.S., that meant three divisions based largely in different regions. In Canada, the North Division included all seven Canadian teams. Many faced

By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jim Furyk recalls the moment celebration turned into compassion at the Ryder Cup. Right when the Americans won, he hugged captain Steve Stricker. And then Furyk looked over at Padraig Harrington. He says the European captain told him Furyk would know how he feels. Furyk

By JILL PAINTER LOPEZ Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — That record winning streak in September meant little for the St. Louis Cardinals in a postseason that ended with one hanging slider. Alex Reyes served up a game-ending home run to Chris Taylor just after entering in the ninth inning, a drive that gave the

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Shelby Rogers beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Sloane Stephens outlasted Heather Watson 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1 in opening matches at the BNP Paribas Open. Rogers and Stephens were joined by fellow American Madison Keys in advancing. Keys beat Kaia Kanepi, 6-0, 7-5. Men’s main draw play begins Thursday. 

By JILL PAINTER LOPEZ Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A stunning September meant little for the St. Louis Cardinals in postseason that ended on one hanging slider. Alex Reyes, who lost his closer’s job last month, gave up a game-ending home run to Chris Taylor just after entering the game in the ninth inning,

By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Taylor hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers over the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 in a scintillating NL wild-card game. The 106-win Dodgers advanced to a best-of-five Division Series against the rival Giants. Game

By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna are missing from the U.S. lineup because of injuries but Weston McKennie will start in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica after missing two games for violating team COVID protocols. The Reggae Boyz are without top forward Michail Antonio, who

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Chelsea Gray scored 22 points and the Las Vegas Aces used a massive third quarter run to beat the Phoenix Mercury 93-76, evening the WNBA semifinals at 2-all. The Aces got off to a good start for the first time in three games and ran away

NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer Bob Baffert will have to face a disciplinary hearing with the New York Racing Association to address a suspension after a federal judge denied Baffert’s motion to hold the racing organization in contempt. Brooklyn Judge Carol Bagley Amon of the Eastern District of New York ruled

By CASEY DROTTAR Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Courtney Vandersloot scored 19 points and Kahleah Copper added 18 to help the Chicago Sky beat the top-seeded Connecticut Sun 79-69 and advance to the WNBA Finals. Chicago is back in the finals for the first time since 2014 despite finishing the regular season with a .500

By The Associated Press Two septuagenarians will be on the bench when 77-year-old Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa and the Chicago White Sox face the Houston Astros and 72-year-old skipper Dusty Baker in their playoff opener Thursday. A three-time World Series winner, La Russa returns to the postseason for the first time since

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Quinton Byfield was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, a day after fracturing his left ankle in a preseason game. Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, was hurt in the third period of the Kings’ 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on