Earthquakes’ match tonight against LAFC postponed
The MLS Cup playoff picture got more interesting for the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday after their Western Conference home game against Los Angeles Football Club — schedule for tonight — was postponed in the wake of three positive COVID-19 cases within the visiting team’s player group.
According to the Earthquakes, Major League Soccer officials are assessing whether the game can be held before the regular season ends Nov. 8. The most likely date would be Wednesday, which would force the seventh- place Quakes (7-8- 6, 27 points) to play twice within five days.
San Jose is in a position to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth time since reentering the league 12 years ago. The Earthquakes hope their fate won’t come down to the season finale at firstplace Seattle.
The league plans to use a points-per-game system to determine the playoff field because not all teams have been able to play a 23-game regular-season schedule after cancellations because of positive coronavirus tests.
With 1.29 points per game, San Jose perhaps stands a better chance of advancing to the postseason by not playing LAFC, which like Seattle already has qualified for the playoffs.
One way to look at it is if the LAFC game is canceled playoff challengers Real Salt Lake (1.1 points per game) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (1.14 ppg) would need to win both of their final two games to leapfrog San Jose if the Quakes lose in Seattle.
MAN CITY, CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL WIN >> On a day uncertainty reigned in England as the nation prepared to go back into lockdown, the Premier League returned to something resembling normality.
Three of the teams expected to contend for the title — Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool — all picked up wins in backto-back fixtures on Saturday. There was also the familiar sight of Liverpool, the defending champion, back atop the standings thanks to a late goal that is becoming its trademark.
Diogo Jota came off the bench and scored in the 85th minute to earn Liverpool a hard-fought 2-1 victory over West Ham, extending the team’s unbeaten record in league play at Anfield to 63 games — tied for the longest streak in the club’s history.
Baseball
CUBS PICK UP RIZZO’S OPTION >> The Chicago Cubs picked up their $16.5 million option for Anthony Rizzo on Saturday, bringing back the popular first baseman after he struggled during the pandemicshortened season.
The 31-year- old Rizzo hit just .222 this year for his lowest batting average since his first year in the majors in 2011. But he has been one of the majors’ most productive sluggers since he was acquired in a 2012 trade with San Diego. He’s also a key clubhouse leader for the NL Central champions.
YANKEES ALLOW RELIEVER TO HIT MARKET >> The New York Yankees have let Tommy Kahnle become a free agent rather than allow him to become eligible for salary arbitration ahead of a season he is likely to largely miss while recovering from Tommy John surgery. New York said Saturday that the hard-throwing 31-year- old right- hander had refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues and elected to become a free agent.
Golf
REDMAN HAS SLIM LEAD IN BERMUDA >> Doc Redman found the wind far more manageable, and he took advantage with a 4-under 67 for a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Bermuda Championship.
The wind came out of the opposite direction as the previous day and it wasn’t quite as strong. It showed in the scores and in the number of opportunities for players who never won or have gone without winning in years.
Redman was at 10-under 203, one shot ahead of
Ryan Armour (70), Wyndham Clark (70) and Kramer Hickok (69), who took three putts from a tough spot on the fringe on the 18th at Port Royal.
Another shot behind were Matt Jones (66), Brian Gay (67) and Ollie Schniederjans (69). Jones was bogey-free in the third round, which to him was as impressive as any of his five birdies.
CLARKE, KARLSSON SHARE CHAMPIONS LEAD >> Darren Clarke eagled the par- 5 18th hole for a 10-under 62 and a share of the secondround lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ TimberTech Champions.
Winless on the 50-andover tour, the 52- yearold major champion from Northern Ireland had eight birdies in the bogey-round at The Old Course at Broken Sound. Robert Karlsson of Sweden birdied the 18th for a 66 to match Clarke at 13-under 131.
Motorsports
BURTON DISRUPTS XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFFS >> Harrison Burton played the spoiler for a second consecutive week by winning at Martinsville Speedway to disrupt the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs.
Burton, eliminated from the playoffs in the round of 12, became the youngest winner in Martinsville history at 20 years, 22 days. It broke the mark set by his father, Jeff, in 1990 when he was 23.