Off the wire

Brown earns first victory

Brandon Brown became the second NASCAR driver to earn his first national series victory Saturday with a win in the Xfinity Series race shortened by darkness at Talladega Superspeedway. Brown was the leader when a crash with 12 laps to go brought out the seventh caution of the race and slowed activity as daylight faded over the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Brown was among a handful of drivers claiming over the radio it was too dark to see and the race needed to be called, a decision NASCAR made with six laps remaining. Brown did several burnouts to celebrate his first win in 113 Xfinity Series races over six seasons.

Trucks race goes to OT

Tate Fogleman smashed his way to his first career NASCAR national series victory with an overtime win in the Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, the opening of NASCAR’s weekend playoff tripleheader. Fogleman spun John Hunter Nemechek from the lead headed to the finish line Saturday on the second lap of a two-lap overtime shootout for his first victory in 46 career Truck Series starts. His Chevrolet wrecked its way across the finish line and Fogleman went to the care center for the mandatory health check instead of the victory lane. It was just the second career top-10 for Fogleman, who is in his second season driving for Young’s Motorsports. Saturday was the second career start at Talladega for the 21-yearold short track racer. Tyler Hill finished a career-best second and was followed by Todd Gilliland as Nemechek dropped to fourth.

Kershaw back on IR

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw returned to the injured list Saturday, days before Los Angeles begins a postseason defense of its World Series championship. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has left forearm discomfort, the same injury that sidelined him for 57 games from Aug. 9 to Sept. 13. Kershaw left his start Friday night against Milwaukee after 12/ innings. 3 He gave up three runs with one strikeout. He is is 10-8 with a 3.38 ERA, his highest mark since a 4.26 ERA as a rookie in 2008.

Gronk out vs. Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski will miss his return trip to New England because of a rib injury. A person familiar with the situation said Gronkowski did not travel with the Super Bowl champions for tonight’s anticipated matchup with the Patriots. The person spoke to the AP on Saturday on condition of anonymity because Gronkowski’s status had not been updated by the team. Gronkowski was listed as doubtful on Friday. It’s the first game he has missed since he came out of retirement to play alongside Tom Brady with the Buccaneers. Gronkowski had 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns in his first season with Tampa Bay, and then caught four more TD passes from Brady during the team’s 2-1 start this year.

Fields to start for Bears

The Chicago Bears say rookie quarterback Justin Fields will start against the Detroit Lions today. The team announced Saturday that Fields will make his second consecutive start while listing Andy Dalton as doubtful. Coach Matt Nagy had said the Bears would wait until game time to announce who would be behind center. Both quarterbacks are dealing with injuries, but Fields was able to go through full practices the entire week while Dalton was limited every day. Dalton is recovering from a bone bruise to his left knee while Fields wore a brace on his injured right hand all week in practice. Fields injured his right thumb during last weekend’s 26-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Dalton got hurt right before halftime in Week 2 against Cincinnati. The Bears (1-2) are last in the NFL in offense and passing. Their offense has scored three touchdowns, and they haven’t had one since Dalton left the second game.

Packers place WR on IR

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has gone on injured reserve after hurting his ankle in a victory at San Francisco. The Packers announced Saturday they had placed Valdes-Scantling on injured reserve and had elevated wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown from the practice squad to the active roster for today’s game with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a covid-19 replacement. The injured reserve designation means that Valdes-Scantling must miss at least the Packers’ next three games. Valdes-Scantling has six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown this season.

Park, Ko share LPGA lead

Inbee Park birdied three of her last five holes to match Jin Young Ko with a 6-under 65 and the leave two top South Koreans in the world tied for the lead Saturday in the ShopRite LPGA in Galloway, N.J. Ko, the No. 2 player in the world, played in the morning on the windy Bay Course at Seaview and ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch on the front nine. She had to settle for only one bogey on the back nine and was the first to post at 11-under 131. Park is the No. 3 player in the world and putted well all day, her hallmark. She holed a 30-foot birdie on No. 6 and had a 6-foot par save on the next hole. They were two shots ahead of ANA Inspiration winner Patty Tavatanakit, who birdied the final hole to cap off a bogey-free 65. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 66 and moved into a tie for 10th. Lewis is at 6-under 136. Maria Fassi (Razorbacks) turned in a 67 on Saturday and is at 5-under 137. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) shot a 69 on Saturday and is at 3-under 139. Alana Uriell (Razorbacks) also shot a 69 on Saturday and is at 1-under 141.

Willett leads at Dunhill

Danny Willett began his third round in sunshine and ended it in torrential rain and high winds, playing some fine golf in between on the Old Course at St. Andrews in a 6-under 66 that left the Englishman with a three-stroke lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday. Willett, who is 14 under par overall, will return to the home of golf today seeking an eighth win of his professional career and first in two years, since the BMW PGA Championship in September 2019. Tyrrell Hatton, the second-round leader and twotime champion of the event, shot 71 and was one of four players tied for second place, along with Shane Lowry (67), Richard Bland (64) and John Murphy (67).

Jabeur, Muguruza in finals

Ons Jabeur and Garbine Muguruza advanced to the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic final Saturday when their semifinal opponents were unable to play. Jabeur led Elena Rybakina 6-4, 3-2 when Rybakina retired due to illness. Jabeur, ranked 16th in the world, converted all three break-point chances to take the first set. From Tunisia, Jabeur became the first Arab tournament winner in WTA history in June at Birmingham, England. She has a WTA Tour-high 44 match victories this season. The ninth-ranked Muguruza advanced without playing a point after Marketa Vondrousova withdrew in the morning because of a gastrointestinal illness.