Mystics dim Sun to take 2-1 lead in WNBA Finals

Delle Donne back on court

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut, Oct 7, (AP): Washington didn’t need Elena Delle Donne to be a superstar, they just needed her to be out on the court.

The WNBA’s MVP provided an emotional lift by playing through a back injury and her teammates responded with a solid effort to beat Connecticut 94-81 and move the Mystics within a victory of winning their first championship.

Delle Donne, who has a herniated disk that is pinching a nerve in her back, had not practiced since leaving Game 2 with back spasms. She finished with 13 points, hitting 5 of her 6 shots and played 26 minutes.

“I just want to be a leader for this team. I love them. I did nothing, I was just on the court, they carried me and they’ve done that all season long,” Delle Donne said. “I love them to death. We have one more to go.”

The 6-foot-5 wing was clearly limited in her movement and stayed mostly on the perimeter, but was effective enough to command the attention of Connecticut’s defense.

“Her presence alone, whether she’s 100% or 10% just instills confidence in the rest of the group,” said guard Kristi Toliver. “She showed a lot of character. She showed a lot of heart just being out there on the court today.”

Toliver, Emma Meesseman and Natasha Cloud carried the offense. Meesseman had 21 points off the bench, including nine to start the fourth quarter. Toliver added 20 points and 10 assists. Cloud chipped in with 19 points. The team made 16

Delle Donne

of 27 shots from behind the arc.

Washington will try and close out the series on Tuesday night in Connecticut.

Delle Donne hit an early 3-pointer and the Mystics made six of their nine shots from behind the arc in the first quarter to take a 32-17 lead after 10 minutes.

Washington led by as many as 17 points in the first half. It was 37-23 before the Sun went on a 16-4 run and Washington led 43-39 at the break.

Jonquel Jones converted a 3-point play to open the third quarter cut the lead to one, but that was as close as Connecticut would get.

They trailed by two when Delle Donne hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 58-53. The Mystics took a 68-57 lead into the fourth quarter and stretched that to 18 before a final run by the Sun that Delle Donne ended with a tough layup.

“It was kind of one of those moments, like hey I might give my back up and my body up on this one, but I feel like this is such a big moment to stop that run that they’re making,” she said.

Shekinna Stricklen and Jasmine Thomas each had 16 points for the Sun and Bria Holmes added 15. Jones, who scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in Connecticut’s Game 2 win, scored just nine points to go with her nine boards.

“When the ball was up, they just didn’t care if they were getting a rebound or not, they were making sure they were hitting me, keeping me off the offensive glass,” Jones said. “It hurt us that I wasn’t able to get on the boards.” St Louis Cardinals’ Harrison Bader is tagged out at third base by Atlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson (left), on a steal attempt during the eighth

inning in Game 3 of a National League Division Series on Oct 6 in St Louis. (AP)

ST LOUIS, Oct 7, (RTRS): Pinch-hitter Adam Duvall’s two-run single capped a three-run, ninthinning rally as the visiting Atlanta Braves rallied past the St Louis Cardinals 3-1 in Game 3 of a National League Division Series.

The Braves gained a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series. Game 4 will be played Monday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson had three hits, including the game-tying double in the ninth inning. Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez (1-1) took the loss after entering with a 1-0 lead in the ninth.

“He’s bent, but he hasn’t broken a whole lot,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said of Martinez after the game. “He’s been really, really good a lot. You look at his numbers; one of the big reasons I’m sitting here and we’re playing is Carlos Martinez. He’s been outstanding in that role.”

Sean Newcomb (1-0), the fourth Braves pitcher, earned the victory. Mark Melancon closed out the Cardinals, allowing one hit in the ninth, for the save.

Josh Donaldson led off the ninth with a double. After Nick Markakis and Adeiny Hechavarria struck out, Brian McCann got a free pass before Swanson hammered an RBI double into the left field corner. That set the stage for Duvall’s two-run single into center field.

“It’s like a NBA game; you don’t want to leave this team in the seventh inning because they can lay around dead in the water, and then everything happens in the last hour of the game, last 30 minutes of the game. They never quit, they never give up.”

Braves starting pitcher Mike Soroka held the Cardinals to one run on just two hits in seven innings, both by Marcell Ozuna. He struck out seven and walked none.

Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright held the Braves scoreless for 7-2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out eight. He worked seven or more innings for the eighth time in his 13 postseason starts.

Ozuna hit a lead-off double in the second inning, advanced to third on Yadier Molina’s groundout and scored on Matt Carpenter’s sacrifice fly to put the Cardinals up 1-0.

After the Braves left the bases load

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda throws to a Washington Nationals batter during the eighth inning in Game 3 of a baseball National League

Division Series on Oct 6 in Washington. (AP)

ed in the top of the eighth, Carpenter and Tommy Edman drew walks off reliever Max Fried to open the bottom of the inning.

Paul DeJong popped out before Darren O’Day relieved Fried and picked off pinch runner Harrison Bader at second base. That proved helpful when Jose Martinez lined a single to left.

Newcomb relieved O’Day and coaxed Dexter Fowler to fly out to end the threat.

Duvall is 3-for-3 with four RBIs as a pinch hitter in this series. His two-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 2 provided insurance for the Braves in their 3-0 victory.

Dodgers 10, Nationals 4 In Washington, the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning and never looked back, beating the hosts Washington Nationals 10-4 in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night to take a 2-1 National League Division Series lead.

The outburst, which began with the Dodgers trailing 2-1, included two-run doubles from Russell Martin and Enrique Hernandez, and a three-run home run from Justin Turner. Martin added a two-run homer in the ninth to finish 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Juan Soto homered for Washington, which will turn to veteran right-hander Max Scherzer in a win-or-go-home contest at home Monday in Game 4. The Dodgers will go with 39-year-old lefty Rich Hill.

As for Sunday, Los Angeles righthander Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings. He walked two and fanned three.

Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin (0-2) took the loss in relief after surrendering six runs and recording only two outs. He followed starter Anibal Sanchez, who allowed only one run on four hits in five innings while striking out nine and walking two.