The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies play Game 7 of the NL Championship Series on Tuesday night for a World Series berth against the Texas Rangers.

Texas routed the Houston Astros 11-4 in Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday night as Adolis García homered twice and drove in five runs.

The wild-card Rangers are assured home-field advantage in the World Series starting Friday night following an ALCS in which the visiting team won all seven games. Texas is 8-0 on the road in the postseason, matching the 1996 New York Yankees for the most road wins without a loss.

“I think that the team, they’re just good at focusing or we’re good at focusing on the little things,” said García, the ALCS MVP. “We try to look at what we need to do, little things, to get that win or to just be successful. I think that’s really been key for us for having that success on the road, as well.”

Tommy Pham and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit back-to-back homers and Merrill Kelly struck out eight before an early five-inning hook to help Arizona force Game 7 with a 5-1 win at Philadelphia on Monday.

Two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper was at the forefront of another cold NLCS outing for Phillies hitters, and Aaron Nola got rocked on the mound.

Rookie right-hander Brandon Pfaadt takes a 2.13 postseason ERA to the mound for Arizona after striking out 15 and walking one in 12 2/3 innings over three playoff outings. Left-hander Ranger Suárez starts for the Phillies after going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings this postseason. He has struck out 13 and walked two.

“I’m expecting some fun,” Kelly said. “Game 7, obviously, they talk about, it’s the best words in sports. I think the fact that we’re here, I don’t think anybody thought we were going to take them to Game 6. I don’t think anybody thought we were even going to make it to Game 1. I don’t think anybody thought we were going to make it past Milwaukee, to be honest with you.”

BETTING FAVORITES

The Rangers are the current betting favorites to win the World Series at -136, followed by the Phillies (+215) and Diamondbacks (+450), according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

NO REPEAT

Texas, one of six big league teams without a World Series title, reached the Fall Classic for the first time since consecutive trips in 2010 and 2011.

Houston’s loss ensured the major leagues remain without a repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.

“This is a tough sport, a tough game. It’s a marathon,” said Dusty Baker, who managed the Astros to the 2022 title. “Nobody stays on top in this sport very long, and the Astros have been on top for quite a while.”

LEADING THE WAY

García homered for the fourth straight game and set a record for RBIs in a postseason series with 15. He had four hits and scored three times.

García’s 20 RBIs are one shy of the postseason record set by David Freese, whose 2011 St. Louis Cardinals beat the Rangers in a seven-game World Series.

“He’s a bad man, isn’t he?” shortstop Corey Seager said. “To be able to come into this atmosphere and get booed every at-bat and do what we did was really special. It was really fun to watch.”

IMPRESSIVE COMPANY

Bochy is trying for his fourth World Series title after winning with San Francisco in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Four championships would tie Walter Alston and Joe Torre for fourth-most behind Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel (seven each) and Connie Mack (five).

Bochy is tied at three with John McGraw, Miler Huggins, Sparky Anderson and Tony La Russa.

Every other manager with three or more is in the Hall of Fame.

HOW TO WATCH

TBS is broadcasting the NLCS. Fox will carry the World Series.

POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

League Championship Series: Oct. 15-24

World Series: Oct. 27-Nov. 4

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SAN FRANCISCO — There was cheering from a crowd of about 1,000 fans at the Sabrato Center but no real surprise Sunday when the USF basketball team was selected to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.

Considered almost a sure thing to join West Coast Conference rivals Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s in the 68-team field based on the strength of their resume, the 10th-seeded Dons (24-9) will face No. 7 Murray State (30-2) in Thursday’s East Region opener in Indianapolis.

“An incredible moment,” coach Todd Golden said after the Dons’ name finally was called 40 minutes into the CBS Selection Sunday show. “A huge relief before a lot of excitement.”

What the Dons want to celebrate next is a victory in college basketball’s three-week season-ending party. They haven’t experienced that since 1979.

“I’d say we’re definitely happy to be here but we want to be in the tournament to win games,” two-time All-WCC guard Jamaree Bouyea said. “I don’t think this is the end of our journey. Hopefully, we get to a Sweet 16 or something like that.”

A win on Thursday would send the Dons into a second-round game Saturday, likely against No. 2 seed Kentucky (26-7), which opens against Saint Peter’s (19-11). The Wildcats, winners of eight national championships, are making their record 59th appearance in the tournament.

Just getting back to the Big Dance was a big first step for USF.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco men’s basketball team celebrates their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News group)

“It’s unexplainable,” senior guard Khalil Shabazz said when asked to describe his emotions. “Just seeing our name up there . . . to see it come in reality, I’m in shock. My hands are shaking.”

Ali Thomas, a freshman starting guard on the 1998 team, is thrilled for his alma mater.

“It’s kind of crazy that they haven’t been back in 24 years,” said Thomas, who scored 15 points in the Dons’ 85-68 loss to third-seeded Utah in their NCAA opener.

“It’s still fresh in my mind,” he said. “We lost to a very good team. They had Andre Miller. It was unforgettable.”

Thomas, now 42, was 12 days away from being born when USF most recently won a game in the NCAA tournament. That was March 11, 1979, and All-America center Bill Cartwright scored 24 points to lead the Dons to an 86-63 win over BYU.

“I’m excited for these guys,” said Cartwright, who serves as director of university initiatives for USF following his 15-year career in the NBA. “Whoever we play, they’re going to have their hands full. Todd does a great job and, particularly, defensively. That’s how I feel good.”

USF lost its three most recent NCAA games, also falling in 1981 and ’82 before the program was shut down for three seasons after All-American guard Quintin Dailey assaulted a nursing student. The Dons previously were placed on NCAA probation in 1980 for recruiting violations.

Phil Mathews was the Dons’ coach when they made it to the ’98 tournament. “I’ve been following them ever since I left there. I’m very happy for them,” said Mathews, 71, who left USF in 2004 after nine seasons, and coaches these days at Riverside JC. “They’re a good team, too. They can play.”

Golden, in his third season as coach, said the first order of business was downloading video of Murray State and studying the Racers deep into Sunday night. “I don’t care what league you play in,” Golden said of the Ohio Valley Conference champs. “If you only lose two games in a year you’re really good.”

Thomas will be pulling for them to win on Thursday. He recalls taking the experience for granted when he was a freshman, confident there were be more NCAA bids in his future.

“I remember watching all the seniors celebrate, but I guess I didn’t really enjoy the moment. I was thinking this is kind of laying the groundwork for next year,” Thomas recalled. “That never happened. As the years go by you cherish it more and more.”

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco’s Gabe Stefanini (15) celebrates with teammates after their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco men’s basketball team fans cheer for the teams NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/ Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco’s Gabe Stefanini (15) poses for a photograph with Waldo Pasache as they celebrate their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco head coach Todd Golden with his son Jake, 5, wait for their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco men’s basketball team celebrates their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco men’s basketball team fan Christine Raher cheers while waiting for USF’s NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V . Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: University of San Francisco’s Julian Rishwain (2) and University of San Francisco’s Jamaree Bouyea (1) wait to hear their NCAA Tournament selection at the Sobrato Center in USF in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

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SANTA CLARA, Calif .– It is still unclear whether Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, will survive his right thumb injury against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

But if he has his way, Garoppolo will be in his usual starting spot in a game the 8-7 Niners must have to reach an NFC playoff spot. He said on Wednesday that he “definitely” had a chance to play against the Texans.

“I’ve basically played the entire game with it so it’s really just about grabbing the ball and doing the things I normally do and we’re going to test these out today, see how it feels and then move on.” said Garoppolo said. “But I am convinced of it.”

The 49ers can secure a postseason spot with a win against the Texans and a loss for the New Orleans Saints to the Carolina Panthers.

Before training on Wednesday, Garoppolo threw under the supervision of the team’s training staff. But Garoppolo was seen leaving the field before training began and was officially listed as a non-entrant on the attendance report.

Garoppolo also did not attend the team’s Monday “bonus” training session as he waited for the swelling of his thumb to subside. On Wednesday he threw for the first time since the Niners’ 20-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.

“We’ll see how it looks today,” said Garoppolo on Wednesday. “If it looks good, it looks good. If it looks bad, it looks bad. It’s just one of those things to test and go through. Until we do, it’ll be hard to tell. But we will all be on the same page and do the right thing for the team. “

While there was some confusion about the severity of Garoppolo’s injury, coach Kyle Shanahan provided more clarity on Wednesday. According to Shanahan, Garoppolo has a grade 3 ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his right thumb, adding that reports of a fracture have been due to the sprain “peeling off” a small patch of his bone.

But Shanahan said Garoppolo didn’t need surgery and insisted it was the sprain that challenged Garoppolo’s status for Sunday.

“Anytime there’s a bone that has something on it, you can call it a fracture, you can call it a chip, you can call it something, but that really doesn’t stop it,” Shanahan said. “It’s the third degree sprain he has. But because it doesn’t move and stuff, he doesn’t need surgery and he has a chance to play this week.”

Rookie Trey Lance took over all repetitions with the starting offensive on Monday and did this again on Wednesday with Garoppolo.

If Lance gets the nod, it would only be his second NFL start after standing up for Garoppolo against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct.10. As of 2017, the Niners are 30-14 in his starts and 7-28 in games started by all the other quarterbacks.

For his part, Garoppolo said whether he plays depends on how he can grab and throw the ball. Suffering the injury late in the second quarter of the Titans loss, he ended the game despite throwing a poor interception to open the third quarter.

Garoppolo added that he had tweaked his throwing movement as the game progressed to compensate for the injury, although he downplayed its severity on the sideline and did not bring it to the media after the loss.

“It’s a torn ligament, so it is what it is,” said Garoppolo. “The pain, it’s not going anywhere so I know how that feels but it’s just about being confident and going out and being able to do what I normally do with football. We will see where it takes us, but I feel good. ” now with it. “

With Garoppolo battling the thumb injury and players across the league being on the reserve / COVID-19 list, the Niners are also taking additional steps to protect all of their players, including the quarterbacks.

San Francisco signed quarterback Tyler Bray to the training team on Wednesday, where he joins veteran Nate Sudfeld behind Garoppolo and Lance.

Shanahan said the team also switched all meetings to virtual on Wednesday, two days after the player added Mitch Wishnowsky as the team’s first player on the COVID list since August.

“We’ve been pretty lucky so far to only have one man on the ground,” said Shanahan. “But just watching the world and watching everyone, knowing that it’s a matter of time, looks like this, so let’s just try to be careful and keep everyone separate until we go outside.”

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When will Trey Lance finally become the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers?

This question has been popular since the 49ers drafted him to third overall in the 2021 NFL draft. Jimmy Garoppolo and Lance fought at training camp before the incumbent was named a starter.

Then Garoppolo went down with a calf injury and Lance was thrown into the starting XI only to go down with a knee injury. Garoppolo has been the starter ever since, and fans are wondering if Lance will ever see the field again in the 2021 season.

Well, it looks like the 49ers have a plan, even if it’s not exactly encouraging to Lance.

The 49ers have revealed Trey Lance’s blueprint but are waiting to get it out

Everyone has been wondering when – or if – Lance will be back on the field this season. Last weekend, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport answered those questions and revealed the 49ers’ future plans for the two quarterbacks.

“Without a Super Bowl run, which is theoretically still possible at this point in time, this is the 49ers’ plan for the next season: start Trey Lance, trade Jimmy Garoppolo. No surprise, they were pretty open about that. What Garoppolo is doing now is add to the value of the picks the 49ers get on a trade he’s in and they make it more likely that a place he wants to go will want to take him away. “

Ian Rapoport on the 49ers’ plans with Lance and Garoppolo

So there it is, the answer everyone has been waiting for.

With the 49ers still alive in the playoff picture, it looks like Garoppolo will remain the starter. San Francisco has scored three straight wins to sneak into the wild card race, and Garoppolo hasn’t played badly either.

The veteran has 2,342 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions a year. It’s not great, but it’s been good enough to lead the 49ers to victory in the past few weeks.

Lance has only played five games and hasn’t been there since October 10, which was a bit of a surprise given his ability to lead football. Still, it’s Jimmy Time in San Francisco for now.

On the surface, the 49ers are doing everything they can to increase the commercial value of Garoppolo in the off-season. The quarterback market will be fluid as stars like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and possibly Deshaun Watson are available.

Garoppolo would undoubtedly be a lot cheaper than this one, and he can still offer a capable quarterback game. But the 49ers are worried here.

What if Garoppolo leads them to a deep playoff run? As Rapoport mentioned, the plan is to swap Garoppolo apart from one Super Bowl run.

Yes, a run to the Super Bowl is highly unlikely, but crazier things have happened in the NFL – especially this season. You never know, although Deebo Samuel’s injury makes things difficult.

Now turn the script over. What if nobody wants to pay to take over Garoppolo this off-season? That’s a very different scenario and a real possibility.

There are just so many factors and as long as the 49ers win with Garoppolo at the center, things will get more uncertain for Lance’s future.

Pulling Kyle Shanahan away from Trey Lance completely is another problem

Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo | Brian Rothmüller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As long as the 49ers are winning football games, it makes sense to keep Garoppolo inside. On the other hand, leaving Lance completely is a concern.

Before the 49ers matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, Shanahan explained why he deviated from the Lance packages (h / t Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports).

“I’m more concerned with telling you the truth. In terms of calling games, we get into a rhythm where we attack a defense and what fronts they play and what covers they play. Every move leads to the next move and you get a feeling for what our players are doing and I for what we are going to do. “

Kyle Shanahan on deviating from Trey Lance packages

Well that’s an interesting tidbit from Shanahan who was full of it when he was talking about Lance.

So it’s not Lance’s fault, but the head coach? That doesn’t sound good to Shanahan in terms of customization.

Ultimately, that doesn’t look at all promising for Lance for the remainder of 2021, or as long as the 49ers continue to stack wins.

It looks like a frustrating season for Lance fans, but a 49ers playoff offer would ease the pain a bit.

The ongoing situation between Garoppolo and Lance needs to be monitored while Jimmy remains in the roster.

Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference

RELATED: 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Sends a Mixed Message to Trey Lance While Dismissing Regression Reports: “I’m As Eager For It As Everyone”

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