SPORTS SHORTS
MLB: Bosox complete wild rally to top Braves
Brandon Phillips hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday, highlighting his long-awaited season debut and capping the biggest comeback by the Red Sox this year for a 9-8 win over the Braves in Atlanta.
The Red Sox overcame a late six-run deficit and seesawed past Atlanta to sweep the three-game series between division leaders.
Boston, with the best record in the majors, scored six times in the eighth to make it 7-all. After Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer with two outs in the Braves’ eighth, the Red Sox bounced back for their 97th win of the season.
The 37-year-old Phillips sat out the first half of this year, signed a minor league contract with Boston in late June and was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday.
In Denver, Trevor Story hit solo homers in his first three at-bats, including one projected at more than 500 feet, to lead the Rockies to a 5-3 victory over the Giants.
Story’s first home run, a 459-foot shot to left, according to Statcast, gave the Rockies a 2-1 lead in the first inning. He topped that with another solo homer in the fourth that traveled an estimated 505 feet. It is the longest homer in franchise history and the longest since Statcast began tracking distances in 2015.
He came up in the eighth with a chance for his fourth of the night. He had a chance to tie the major league record with his fourth homer, but struck out leading off the bottom of the eighth.
In Cleveland, Corey Kluber became the first 18-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 10 and pitching the Indians past the Royals 3-1. Kluber allowed one run and two hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo indicated during a session with reporters that first-year manager Dave
Martinez will return next season. “I haven’t considered any other scenario,” Rizzo responded when asked if Martinez would be back.
ETC.: NYCFC drop another one
Brian Wright scored his first MLS goal in the 71st minute and the New England Revolution beat New York City FC 1-0 on Wednesday. It was NYCFC’s first home loss of the season. New England (8-10-9) snapped a nine-game winless streak to move within three points of sixth-place Montreal. NYC (14-8-6) has just one win in its last seven games.
The investment group hoping to bring an expansion NHL franchise to Seattle for the 2020 season has announced a new set of local investors including Seattle Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer and members of the Ackerley family that previously owned the Seattle SuperSonics.
The Saints waived rookie running back Boston Scott and signed offensive lineman Michael Ola.