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Williams leads
Valkyries
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Gabby Williams had 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Kiah Stokes added 14 rebounds and three blocked shots, and the Golden State Valkyries took Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals by beating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 71-60.
A’ja Wilson scored 24 points while Chelsea Gray contributed 16 points for Las Vegas, which lost guard Jewell Loyd to a left leg injury early in the third quarter. The team said she was being evaluated.
Playing to chants of “Gabby! Gabby!” from the sellout crowd at Chase Center, Williams scored 18 of her points on 6-for-10 shooting in the first half. Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Wednesday night back at Chase Center.
Dream defeat
NY Liberty
ATLANTA (AP) -- Jordin Canada scored 20 of her 25 points in the second half and had five steals to help the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 92-82 on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-five WNBA semifinals series.
DeWanna Bonner added 23 points and helped fill the void when Allisha Gray went down with a left hand injury in the second quarter. Atlanta once again played stellar defense, scoring 32 points off 21 forced turnovers, including 16 in a dominant third quarter.
New York trimmed a 16-point deficit down to five in the closing minutes, but a clutch 3-pointer by Canada just before the shot clock buzzer followed by another transition layup off a stop stemmed the tide. Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 27 points and Breanna Stewart added 19.
Jets end
pick drought
CHICAGO (AP) -- The New York Jets’ NFL-record interception drought is over after 20 consecutive games. Minkah Fitzpatrick stepped in front of Colston Loveland and picked off Tyson Bagent’s pass in the second quarter of New York’s 23-12 loss at the Chicago Bears.
It was Fitzpatrick’s first game since he left the Jets’ opener with a groin injury. It looked as if the drought was over when defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat intercepted Bagent with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. But Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas was flagged for illegal use of hands.
Rams rally
past Eagles
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Kyren Williams ran for two touchdowns in the final four minutes as Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20. The Rams had struggled offensively all afternoon and a win seemed out of reach until late in the fourth quarter, when Eagles coach Nick Sirianni decided against kicking a chip-shot field goal that would have made it 23-10 and instead went for it on fourth down.
The Eagles failed to convert, giving the Rams new life. Stafford led touchdown drives of 98 and 79 yards, with Williams scoring the go-ahead touchdown from 7 yards out.
Rays take
opener
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Drew Rasmussen didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the eighth inning, Jonathan Aranda homered off Gerrit Cole and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in their AL Division Series opener. Rasmussen retired 15 consecutive batters before Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the eighth, ripping a line drive just inside the right-field line on an inside sinker.
He tried for a triple but was easily thrown out at third. A 31-year-old righty, Rasmussen struck out 10 and walked two in eight innings against a Yankees lineup again missing injured slugger Aaron Judge. Bryan Baker pitched a perfect ninth for the save.
Skubal brings
the heat
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Tarik Skubal dominated in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of their National League Division Series. He tossed six strong innings and retired 15 consecutive batters after giving up a single to Drake Baldwin leading off the game.
The game-time temperature was 100 degrees, making it the second-hottest postseason game in Dodger Stadium history. Skubal has been a strong addition to the Dodgers since being acquired just before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The two-time Cy Young Award winner’s confident approach and quick adaptation have impressed fans and teammates alike.