Browsing: Field

Anaya Bangar (extreme right) with parents on Diwali. Anaya Bangar on Tuesday shared a photo with her father Sanjay Bangar and her family after a long time on Diwali.Anaya shared the photo on Instagram and also penned a heartfelt note: “Light feels different this year — softer, steadier, closer to home.” The photo has gone viral and has already hit 3 lakh likes.Earlier this year, Anaya had revealed that her father had made it clear that she would not be allowed to play cricket in the future.

Indian cricket stars spread Diwali cheer: Kohli, Gill & Bumrahâ€s festive wishes

Click here to check the photo“He was just stating the fact that there’s no place for me in cricket. I had to take a stand for myself. I did get suicidal thoughts as it felt like the entire world was against me, and the decision I took (hormone therapy to become a woman) has now left me with no space in this system,” Anaya had told Lallantop.”Even basic opportunities and rights are no longer there for me. I still had space for myself from the family point of view. But it wasn’t there in society, cricket, or the external world.”Anaya had also revealed how she shared a “complex†relationship with her father.”My relationship with my father is complex, like many families navigating change. I hope that one day he will find a way to stand beside me,” she was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.Earlier this year, Anaya had also posted on Instagram, where the 24-year-old shared a detailed scientific report to support her case to play cricket.”It began as me wanting to play again, but the more I spoke up, the more I realised that my journey is tied to so many who feel invisible in Indian sport,” Anaya wrote on Instagram.

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What do you think about Anaya Bangar’s decision to come out and advocate for her rights in cricket?

“My personal dream and public advocacy have become the same thing now,” she added. “Walking back onto the field, this time as Anaya, wonâ€t just be about playing but reclaiming the right to belong, compete, and dream with dignity.””Well-known cricketers from both the menâ€s and womenâ€s sides have messaged me. Some just sent a heart. Some said, ‘We see you.†It made me emotional. Because in a sport where silence is common, even a whisper of support can feel like thunder,” added Anaya.

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A Milwaukee Brewers fan who threatened “let’s call ICE” on a Latino Los Angeles Dodgers fan in a video recorded Tuesday during NLCS Game 2 has lost her job, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Both fans have been banned from the Brewers’ American Family Field.

The woman in the video is Shannon Kobylarczyk, per the Journal Sentinel, which reported that her employer, the Milwaukee-based staffing company Manpower Group, confirmed on Wednesday she is “no longer with the organization.”

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Additionally, the Journal Sentinel reported that Kobylarczyk resigned from her role on the board of directors at Make-A-Wish Wisconsin.

The video captured an altercation between Kobylarczyk and Dodgers fan Ricardo Fosado in the seventh inning, reportedly after Kiké Hernández hit a leadoff double while L.A. led 3-1 en route to a 5-1 victory and a 2-0 series lead against the top-seeded Brewers.

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Fosado recorded a video of him jeering Brewers fans around him, saying “Why is everybody quiet?”

Kobylarczyk responded by saying, “Real men drink beer, p***y!” to Fosado, who was holding a Happy Thursday spiked refresher.

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Fosado continued: “Why is everybody quiet? What is this?”

Moments later, Kobylarczyk tapped the Brewers fan in front of her and said, “You know what, let’s call ICE,” meaning Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Fosado responded that he’s a U.S. Citizen and a war veteran. He told the Journal Sentinel that he served in the U.S. Navy from 2001-05, including in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“ICE is not going to do nothing to me. Good luck,” Fosado said in the video before laughing.

Kobylarczyk batted the camera away.

Fosado repositioned it and exclaimed, “Call ICE! Call ’em. Call ’em, F***ing idiot.”

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After the incident, Kobylarczyk reported Fosado to stadium security, and he was removed from the ballpark, Fosado, a Los Angeles resident and U.S. Citizen of Mexican heritage, told the Journal Sentinel.

“I don’t think it was like horrible or something that should get her fired. I feel bad for her,” Fosado said, according to the Journal Sentinel. “We cannot be judged on one mistake, and a lot of emotions were involved. It was just hurt feelings, nobody physically hurt anybody.”

The Brewers released a statement Thursday, announcing that both Kobylarczyk and Fosado have been banned from American Family Field.

“The Brewers expect all persons attending games to be respectful of each other, and we do not condone in any way offensive statements fans make to each about race, gender or national origin,” the Brewers said in the statement. “Our priority is to ensure that all in attendance have a safe and enjoyable experience at the ballpark.

“In this instance, the Milwaukee Police Department dealt with the individual who was ejected for actions apart from the events depicted in this video, including disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

“Separately, video shows that the other individual involved in the argument became physical in the course of her interaction with the person who was ejected.

“For these reasons, and, in accordance with our Guest Code of Conduct specific to ejections and physical confrontations, both fans are being notified that they are not allowed to return to the ballpark for future events.”

The Dodgers are hosting the Brewers for Games 3 and 4 and a potential Game 5 of the NLCS.

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Kareena Kapoor, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma (X) Kareena Kapoor recently opened up about her son Taimur Ali Khan on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, sharing a glimpse into what the little star enjoys these days. Contrary to what one might expect from a child growing up in a family of actors, Taimur isnâ€t drawn to films or acting. Instead, he loves sports and cooking, hobbies inspired by watching his father, Saif Ali Khan, in the kitchen or on the playground.Click here to watch the video Taimurâ€s curiosity about sports stars is particularly clear. Kareena shared, “The only thing he keeps asking is, ‘Are you friendly with Rohit Sharma? Are you friendly with Virat Kohli? Can you message and ask him if I can get that bat of his? Is there a contact you have for Lionel Messi?’ Iâ€m like, ‘No! I donâ€t know them!’ He isnâ€t even interested in music; heâ€s just interested in some Chelsea player right now.†The little cricket fan can soon see his idols in action. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to Indiaâ€s ODI squad for the series in Australia starting October 19. Both have retired from Tests and T20Is to focus fully on 50-over cricket. Virat, Indiaâ€s second-highest ODI run-scorer, has 14,181 runs in 302 matches, including 51 centuries and 74 fifties. This year, he has scored 275 runs in seven ODIs, including a century and two fifties. Rohit, Indiaâ€s fourth-highest run-getter in ODIs, has 11,168 runs in 273 matches with 32 centuries and 58 fifties. In eight ODIs this year, he has amassed 302 runs with a century and fifty, showing he remains in fine form.

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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders was unhappy to learn of the Big 12’s rules against rushing the field following his team’s 24-17 upset of No. 22 Iowa State.

The home crowd celebrated the victory by running onto the playing surface, which will draw a fine from the conference.

“How is it $50,000 for rushing the field?” Sanders said in his postgame press conference. “Wow. Shoot. I’m sorry. Wow, fifty grand.”

Still, Coach Prime said that “I absolutely love” to see Colorado students running out of their seats in jubilation and that the automatic fine “ain’t right.”

The Hall of Fame cornerback called the result “kind of vital” for his previously 2-4 squad.

“Your season could go this way or that way. And the most frustrating part about it is that we’re good,” he told reporters. “And I know this sounds crazy, especially when you say the record aloud, but we’re good, we haven’t really gotten our butts kicked. I take a good whooping. I grew up taking a good whooping, so I don’t mind that, but when we’re losing it with self-inflicted wounds, it bothers you.

“But today, right before we completed that third down pass [on the final drive], we said, guys, this is it. This is game. We get this first down, we’re gonna win. We don’t, we can put it on the defense. Anything can happen. They had two or three timeouts at the time, so it was gonna be tough, but we got it. We persevered.”

A three-yard touchdown pass from Kaidon Salter to Joseph Williams put the Buffs ahead 21-17 in the third quarter, and Alejandro Mata added a 29-yard field goal with 5:13 left in the contest.

Iowa State had three opportunities in the fourth quarter to either reclaim the lead or tie the score.

Rocco Becht threw an interception on a 3rd-and-goal from the Coloado 7-yard line at the 13:29 mark. The Cyclones’ next possession ended in a turnover on downs, and their last drive culminated in a punt.

Colorado also kept the Iowa State offense off the field for the final 3:48. A critical 38-yard completion to Williams from Salter on 3rd-and-16 effectively iced the game.

Colorado’s outlook is much different at 3-4 than it would’ve been at 2-5.

Matching last year’s nine wins will require running the table in the regular season and then winning a bowl game. Three victories from five games will at least guarantee bowl eligibility for the second straight season, something the Buffs haven’t achieved since 2005.

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KL Rahul and Shubman Gill (AFP Photo) NEW DELHI: The India vs West Indies second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi wasnâ€t just about intense cricketing action—it also had its share of lighthearted moments on the field. From Ravindra Jadeja cracking jokes and Yashasvi Jaiswal chatting with Shubman Gill to Kuldeep Yadav celebrating wickets, the atmosphere was lively throughout.One particularly funny incident occurred during West Indies†first innings. KL Rahul, standing at slip, pulled out a lip balm from his pocket and applied it on his lips. A few yards away, Gill walked over and exchanged a few words, resulting in a hilarious banter that had teammates and fans in splits.

Shubman Gill on ODI captaincy: Leading India with lessons from Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli

India had begun the series on a dominant note, winning the first Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 140 runs, setting a high benchmark for the visitors.Gill, in only his second match as Indiaâ€s Test captain, continued to shine. On the second day in Delhi, the 26-year-old scored a blistering hundred, marking his fifth Test century as skipper. Since taking over from Rohit Sharma, runs have flowed effortlessly from Gillâ€s bat, and he has continued to ride a scorching purple patch against the Caribbean side.Watch the video hereGillâ€s tally of five centuries in his first year as captain is the most by any player in their debut year in charge. He also equalled Virat Kohliâ€s record for the most Test hundreds as a captain in a calendar year—Kohli had reached the milestone in 2017 and 2018.Remarkably, Gill achieved his fifth red-ball century in just his 12th innings as captain, behind only Alastair Cook (nine innings) and Sunil Gavaskar (10 innings). In terms of matches, he reached the feat in seven Tests, equalling Don Bradman, while Cook (five matches) and Gavaskar (six matches) got there faster.During this consistent purple patch, Gill boasts a staggering batting average of 84.81, second only to Bradmanâ€s 101.51 among those who have captained their teams at least seven times in Test cricket.

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Hardik Pandya (R) with model Mahieka Sharma (L). (Instagram) India cricketer Hardik Pandya was spotted with model Mahieka Sharma at the Mumbai Airport during the early hours of Friday. The India allrounder is reportedly single since his divorce from Natasa Stankovic. Pandya and Sharma made their first public appearance together, with Hardik allowing Mahieka to walk ahead while avoiding photographers at the airport.The relationship speculation between Hardik Pandya and Mahieka Sharma gained traction after social media users noticed they follow each other on Instagram.WATCH: Hardik Pandya spotted with Mahieka Sharma at Mumbai airportMahieka Sharma comes from a professional background with a degree in Economics and Finance before choosing a career in modelling and acting. She has established herself in the fashion industry by walking the ramp for renowned designers including Manish Malhotra, Anita Dongre, and Tarun Tahiliani.Her portfolio includes appearances in music videos and independent films. She has also worked on advertising campaigns for major brands such as Tanishq, Vivo, and Uniqlo.Prior to the current relationship rumours with Mahieka Sharma, Hardik Pandya was reportedly dating model Jasmine Walia after his separation from Natasa Stankovic.In 2024, Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic officially announced their divorce through a joint statement on Instagram. Their statement read: “After 4 years of being together, Hardik and I have decided to mutually part ways. We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest for the both of us. This was a tough decision for us to make, given the joy, mutual respect and companionship we enjoyed together and as we grew a family. We are blessed with Agastya, who will continue to be at the centre of both our lives and we will co-parent to ensure that we give him everything that we can for his happiness. We sincerely request your support and understanding to give us the privacy during this difficult and sensitive time. – Hardik/Natasa.”On the cricket field, Pandya was not named in the limited overs squad to travel to Australia as he recovers from a quadriceps injury. “For Australia, he is definitely not available,†said chief selector Ajit Agarkar, noting that Pandya would begin rehabilitation work at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) soon.

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  Jesse RogersOct 8, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.

CHICAGO — “That is clobbered. Right-center field. That one’s back, Garcia near the wall and … he reaches out and makes the catch. And Tucker absolutely annihilated that.

“There’s a welcome-to-Wrigley Field moment.”

That was the call by Chicago Cubs play-by-play man Jon Sciambi on April 7 when Kyle Tucker flew out against the Texas Rangers after hitting a ball 104.6 mph with a launch angle of 29 degrees and an expected batting average of .880. Instead of clearing the fence, the ball dropped into the glove of right fielder Adolis Garcia — courtesy of the wind, which was blowing in at 17 mph. It was Tucker’s fourth game in his new home ballpark.

“That was an early one I can recall,” the low-key Tucker said this week. “I hit it pretty good off of [Nathan] Eovaldi. It didn’t go out.”

It would be the first of several balls Tucker hit well this season that died on the warning track — and he’s not alone. Once known for high-scoring, back-and-forth games, Wrigley Field has become one of the tougher parks for hitters due to a shift in the wind in recent seasons.

In 81 games played on the North Side this year, including three in the wild-card round last week (the Cubs opened the season with two home games in Japan), the wind blew in 51 times and 12 games featured a right-field-to-left-field crosswind. It only blew out in 19 games. In 2024, the wind blew in 39 times compared with out 21 and 21 games with a crosswind.

“The last two years, it’s blown in, in the summer,” veteran Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. “When it’s gotten hot, it’s blown in. And that’s basically the opposite of what it was traditionally. Now, when it’s cool, it blows out.

“There doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason that we know of but it’s been different.”

Cubs head groundskeeper Dan Kiermaier also can’t pinpoint the reason for the shift, but the man who studies wind patterns for the team can confirm that it is a real trend and not just hitters noticing when the wind works against them.

“It’s kind of bewildering. All my years prior to these past two years, the wind would blow out in the summer. I don’t have a backstory or anything. I can’t really put a finger on why it is the way it is the last couple of years.”

Happ and his fellow hitters are hoping for a shift outward when the National League Division Series resumes Wednesday night at Wrigley as temperatures are expected in the low 60s, but he’s not counting on it. Warm or cool, the Friendly Confines has not been a friend to hitters.

“More than any park I’ve ever played in,” 40 year-old Justin Turner said. “You can’t try to do something different. Hopefully it’s hit hard under the wind and away from a defender.”

Wrigley Field ranked fourth worst for hitters this year in extra distance a ballpark provides, according to Statcast, based on elements that don’t include the temperature. Last year, it ranked 29th. In or out on Wednesday, the Cubs need some runs to stay alive in the postseason as they’re down 2-0 in their best-of-five series against the Milwaukee Brewers. They shouldhave an edge dealing with the home elements considering all the time and energy the team has devoted to it.

“Embrace Wrigley,” hitting coach Dustin Kelly dubbed it. “Instead of shying away and saying the wind is going to kill us today, how do we flip that and use the wind to our advantage today.”

How it impacts hitters

Want to know what mood the Cubs’ hitters are going to be in? Just check which way the Wrigley flags are blowing. Luke Hales/Getty Images

After playing the first two games of the NLDS at Milwaukee’s climate-controlled American Family Field, the initial adjustments for dealing with conditions at Wrigley Field will begin far before the first pitch of Game 3 is thrown.

During their hitter’s meetings before every home game, Kelly shows a graphic of which way the wind is blowing that day. It comes courtesy of Kiermaier, the brother of former major leaguer Kevin Kiermaier. It’s as detailed as it can be, but Chicago isn’t exactly the most predictable of cities when it comes to its weather.

“It’ll switch,” Kelly said. “Our predictions aren’t always perfect but you’re trying to be as prepared for it as you can.”

For some hitters, thinking about the direction of the wind starts well before they get to the park.

“When I drive down Lake Shore Drive and see if the lake is calm or not,” Happ said with a smile.

Dansby Swanson added: “You can’t have it consume you, but it’s also reality. You would be foolish as a player to not take it into consideration when you go play.”

Kelly believes Swanson has been particularly impacted by wind taking away would-be extra-base hits, especially for a right-handed hitter. Just as it did for Tucker against Eovaldi, the ball often dies in right-center — and that was one of Swanson’s preferred places to drive baseballs before coming to Chicago.

“He was really good at it in Atlanta,” Kelly said. “There’s a jet stream that works well for that. He doesn’t have that here.”

“I can’t remember the last time I hit a double to right-center,” Swanson said. “It’s definitely caused its fair share of frustration.”

Of course the wind plays the same for the opponent as it does for Cubs hitters, so in one sense it evens out on a given day — but the difference for opposing hitters is that they’re at Wrigley Field for three games, not 81. Still, Swanson takes some solace in knowing that he is not alone in feeling the frustration of a well-hit ball that results in an out instead of extra bases.

“[Juan] Soto and [Giancarlo] Stanton hit some balls pretty hard last season that stayed in the park,” Swanson recalled. “You could see it in their faces.

“I laugh and I’m like ‘Not here, buddy.'”

So what’s the goal as a hitter when the wind is blowing in? Happ says the tendency is to try to pull the ball, using a player’s strength to that side of the field to hit through the wind. That’s a mistake.

“As a hitter, try to fight that and stay in the middle of the field,” he said. “Best thing you can do is stay with your approach and not worry about it. Easier said than done when you’re looking out there looking for hits.”

How it impacts pitchers

Though a weather report showing the wind blowing in can ruin the day for a hitter, it is always welcome news for the pitchers heading to the mound at Wrigley.

In the 51 games when it did blow in this season, the Cubs and their opponent combined to average just 7.4 runs per game. Those numbers are a stark difference from when the wind isn’t working to a pitcher’s advantage: Teams combined to average 12.4 runs per game when the wind was blowing out, and just under 10 runs when it was deemed a crosswind.

“It could be your best friend or worst nightmare,” St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore said. “I remember a ball that Patrick Wisdom hit (in 2024) that was 110 mph at 35 degrees (launch angle). Everyone dropped their head and thought it was gone. It was a routine pop fly to left field. The next time I was there, balls were flying out everywhere.”

For better or worse — depending on the day — the Cubs employ several fly ball pitchers, including Shota Imanaga. Seventeen of the 31 home runs he allowed this season came at home.

“My job is to have them hit fly balls that die on the warning track,” Imanaga said through the team interpreter.

Righty Andrew Kittredge, who was acquired at the trade deadline this year, learned quickly how unpredictable that job can be at Wrigley Field simply by being surrounded by his teammates in the bullpen.

“Someone in the bullpen usually comments on it in the first inning,” he said. “I try not to pay too much attention to it. I can’t let that dictate how I pitch a hitter.”

Catchers have an even more mixed feeling working at Wrigley Field since they would love to see the Wrigley flags blowing out when they are batting, but also know the added challenges those days bring for the pitchers they are working with from behind the plate.

“I look at it every inning,” Cubs catcher Carson Kelly said. “More defensively because if there is a fly ball somewhere where the wind is blowing against it, it might come back to you at some point.

“It’s all-hands-on-deck when a ball goes up in the air.”

What it means for free agency

Whenever the final out of the Cubs’ 2025 season comes, Chicago will immediately be in the offseason spotlight with Tucker likely to be one of this winter’s highest-paid free agents, whether that contract comes from the Cubs or another suitor.

The high-profile free agency comes at a time when the hitting environment at Wrigley Field seems to be a topic among agents more than ever.

After Cody Bellinger hit 26 home runs for the Cubs in 2023, he signed a three-year, $60 million deal with opt-outs, thinking even better offensive days were ahead. But that’s just about the time the conditions began to shift against hitters, and Bellinger hit just 18 home runs in 2024 before being traded to the Yankees over the winter.

Kelly thinks the wind shift in 2024 impacted Bellinger as much as anyone.

“I love him and he’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached, it was Belli,” Kelly said. “The way that his swing plays. He doesn’t hit balls 112 or 113 mph. He’s a plus contact, launch-angle guy, but with the wind blowing in from right, it cuts down that ball that is hit at 102 mph at 28 degrees. That’s a homer in a lot of places.”

In fact, Bellinger hit 18 home runs in 80 home games with the Yankees this season and an additional 11 on the road.

Bellinger is represented by Scott Boras, who also is the agent for Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman. When the Cubs were recruiting Bregman to play for them during free agency, they had one thing working against them compared to the team he eventually chose: Wrigley Field vs. Fenway Park.

Bregman wanted more guaranteed dollars to sign with the Cubs — at least five years’ worth — but was willing to take a shorter deal in Boston, with opt-outs, because it has a better hitting environment, according to sources familiar with the situation. Bregman compiled an 0.821 OPS this season, his highest since 2019, and seems likely to opt out of his three-year, $120 million deal.

“I don’t think it’s shying hitters away, but guys are more aware of it now,” Kelly said. “Agents are aware of it.”

Perhaps no player in Chicago is more aware of how the Wrigley wind can affect a player and change over time than Happ, a switch-hitter who has been with the team since 2017. After signing a three-year contract to stay with the Cubs in 2023, Happ will hit free agency again following next season. Happ was asked how the conditions at Wrigley might impact a player who is headed to the open market, like Tucker will be in November.

“Expected (stats) help tell a different story going into free agency, but it doesn’t factor in that you knowthe wind is blowing in,” Happ said. “Mentally, it’s challenging.”

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MILWAUKEE — Pete Crow-Armstrong crashing into the center-field wall as Jackson Chourioâ€s three-run homer rattled off the batterâ€s eye in center field felt awfully symbolic. In terms of both the game and the season for the Cubs.

As a roar began to swell from the American Family Field crowd, much like in Game 1 of the NLDS, the Brewers were running away with it. But Chourioâ€s home run on Monday in Game 2 was not only a dagger in the Cubs†7-3 loss to Milwaukee. It also had the feeling of being a dagger in this series and the Cubs†hopes for October, with the Brewers pushing Chicago to the brink of elimination.

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“I ruined the game,†Cubs starter Shota Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry after allowing two homers in just 2 2/3 innings as Chicago fell into an 0-2 hole. “Thereâ€s a lot of frustration within myself.â€

The Cubs had every reason to look at Game 2 as a must-win contest. They needed to slow Milwaukeeâ€s momentum in the series and create some of their own going into Game 3 on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. And after they got just two outs from starter Matthew Boyd in Game 1, they needed a strong start from Imanaga to do that.

Handed a three-run lead thanks to a first-inning blast from Seiya Suzuki before he even took the mound, things were set up for the Cubs†southpaw to thrive. Instead, after he struck out the first two Milwaukee batters, things quickly began to unravel. Back-to-back singles from William Contreras and Christian Yelich set the table for Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn, whose towering, three-run blast instantly erased the Cubs†lead.

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“I was just trying to keep the momentum going, have a team at-bat there,†Vaughn said postgame. “I was able to hit a pitch I could drive, and definitely a big moment there, and the momentum swing — that was huge.â€

With the early lead gone, that swing felt like the beginning of the end for the Cubs†lefty.

More bad outcomes for Imanaga came in the third inning, thanks to Brewers catcher William Contreras. The 27-year-old took a 91-mph fastball from Imanaga and deposited it into the second deck to break the tie and give Milwaukee a 4-3 lead it wouldnâ€t relinquish.

The long ball has been the Achilles†heel all year for Imanaga, who finished the regular season with a 3.73 ERA in 144 â…” innings. In fact, Mondayâ€s outing marked the 11th consecutive start in which he has allowed a home run. Across that span, he has surrendered a total of 18 homers, including the pair in Game 2.

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“After each time [Iâ€ve given up a home run], Iâ€ve talked with the pitching coaches, just trying to figure out a way to prevent that,†Imanaga said. “Good pitches, bad pitches — I feel like I need to have confidence to throw strikes in the zone.â€

Imanaga was on the front lines of this losing battle, but the reality of the NLDS thus far is that Chicago has been completely outclassed through the first two games. Simply put, the Brewers look like the better team. Their offense looks better than the Cubs†offense. Their pitching looks better than the Cubs†pitching. Their defense looks better than the Cubs†defense. And their manager looks better than the Cubs†manager.

[Get more Chicago news: Cubs team feed]

That theme isnâ€t new in the postseason.

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Throughout the 2025 regular season, when the Cubs were good, Milwaukee found a way to be great. The Cubs went on a first-half tear, with their offense carrying them to a lead in the NL Central. But Milwaukee didnâ€t flinch, going on a 14-game winning streak in August and flying past the Cubs en route to their second consecutive division title.

And when the Cubs needed to be at their best on Monday to even the NLDS and regain some swagger before going back to Chicago, the Brewers, once again, were better all-around.

“Itâ€s our job to execute,†Crow-Armstrong said. “I know I havenâ€t done that. … I think itâ€s a pretty simple idea here. If we put more balls in play, weâ€ll probably score more runs.â€

Milwaukee isnâ€t a team known for its slugging, ranking just 22nd this season in homers. The Cubs, on the other hand, finished the season sixth in MLB in that category. Yet in the 7-3 Game 2 loss, in which all seven Brewers runs came via the long ball, Milwaukee even found a way to outshine Chicago in that category.

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“We made a couple mistakes with multiple runners on base,†Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “After getting off to a great start, those mistakes with two three-run homers — you’re not going to win playoff games giving up two three-run homers. That was just too much to overcome.â€

Indeed, the Cubs now have their backs completely against the wall as they look to bounce back against their division rivals. It will be an uphill battle. In MLB postseason history, teams that took a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series have won the series 80 of 90 times.

With the season on the line, Chicago will send right-hander Jameson Taillon to the mound in Game 3. Taillon pitched four scoreless innings in the Cubs†series-clinching victory over San Diego, but since then, the Cubs†starting rotation hasnâ€t done them many favors.

Then again, neither has the offense. Through five postseason games, the Cubs have scored a total of 12 runs. They had four hits Monday. Through two games of the NLDS, theyâ€ve been outscored by Milwaukee 16-6.

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“We had two at-bats with runners in scoring position today,†Counsell conceded postgame. “Thatâ€s a pretty good sign weâ€re not creating enough pressure. We had one hit after the second inning.â€

Despite a somber atmosphere following what felt like a gut punch of a game, the players in the Cubs’ clubhouse still have confidence that their luck can change as the series moves to Wrigley Field.

“Bringing the game home and the fans, players, everybody moving as one unit and playing together, I think we can stack wins,†Suzuki said.

Only time will tell if that belief can turn into anything more than wishful thinking.

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“Iâ€d be a fool to be here and not think [we could come back],†Crow-Armstrong said. “Thatâ€s why weâ€re here.â€

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NEW YORK — Going into the playoffs without a couple of their best young players and two starters, the depth-depleted Boston Red Sox turned to a rookie with four games of major league experience to pitch on the road in a winner-take-all situation.

Connelly Early handled the stage plenty well until his defense let him down and the New York Yankees’ bats wore him down, eliminating Boston by winning Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series 4-0 on Thursday night. The Red Sox became the first team to lose in the best-of-three round after winning Game 1 since the expanded format came into existence in 2022.

“This is brutal,” third baseman and veteran leader Alex Bregman said. “We just didn’t get the job done.”

Not having right-handers Lucas Giolito and Tanner Houck available and losing Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony to season-ending injuries put the Red Sox at a disadvantage on the road at Yankee Stadium. Still, Boston got a gem from Garrett Crochet and a clutch hit by Masataka Yoshida to win the opener and had chances to sweep, even after manager Alex Cora pulled Game 2 starter Brayan Bello after 2½ innings to turn to the bullpen, which eventually backfired.

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Early went further, getting through three without allowing a run before one of the culprits from the regular season came back to haunt Boston in the fourth.

Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, right fielder Wilyer Abreu and second baseman Romy Gonzalez converged on a fly ball by leadoff hitter Cody Bellinger and let it fall between them for a double. Down 2-0 after a walk and three singles, Nathaniel Lowe couldn’t field a grounder to first, and two more runs scored to turn it into a 4-0 deficit.

“We didn’t play defense,” Cora said. “The pop-up drops, it’s a double, and then there’s a walk. They didn’t hit the ball hard, but they found holes and it just happened fast.”

Lowe, who joined in August after being cut by Washington, shouldered the blame for not being able to make a play that could have stemmed the tide.

“I thought I could get to the short hop,” Lowe said. “I didn’t. The between hop ate me up, and obviously runs cashed in, and we couldn’t make up for it.”

The Red Sox led the majors with 116 errors, six more than NL-worst Colorado and 17 more than any other AL team. The Yankees were charged with one for dropping a pop fly in foul territory, but third baseman Ryan McMahon’s catch while falling into the visiting dugout and other sound defensive plays behind rolling rookie Cam Schlittler ensured Boston never had much chance to get back into the game.

“To come this far and lose in the first round, it hurts,” Lowe said.

Just by returning to the playoffs for the first time four years, the Red Sox exceeded expectations, especially following the mid-June trade of Rafael Devers to San Francisco. They were 37-36 at the time and won 52 of 89 games down the stretch to qualify.

“I’m proud of the fight in the room, proud of the guys for fighting all year,” Bregman said when asked his message for the rest of the clubhouse. “Remember this feeling because it sucks. You don’t want to feel it.”

That included seasonlong domination of their biggest rival, winning 10 of 14 games against the Yankees, whom they had also turned the historical tables on in October since just after the turn of the century. Boston had beaten New York in eight of 10 playoff games dating to overcoming a 3-0 AL Championship Series deficit in 2004 on the way to winning the franchise’s first World Series since 1918.

“Compared to other years, we took a step forward,” Cora said. “We didn’t finish the way we wanted.”

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Rishabh Pant (Video grab) NEW DELHI: India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant gave fans a hearty dose of laughter on Thursday, sharing a hilarious video of himself attempting golf while sidelined with injury, just as Team India began their two-match Test series against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Pant, recovering from a foot injury sustained during the England tour in July, was unavailable for selection, with Dhruv Jurel drafted in as his replacement for the opening Test. Taking to X, Pant shared a short clip of his golfing misadventures, writing: “Ball went everywhere…except where it should.â€The video shows the star cricketer struggling to putt the ball, only to celebrate exuberantly after finally making the hole — a playful glimpse of the off-field side of the Indian star.WATCH: The hilarious video pf Pant’s golf failMeanwhile, back on the field, India asserted their dominance on a lively surface, with Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah decimating the West Indies lineup. Siraj returned figures of 4/40 while Bumrah contributed 3/42 as the visitors were bowled out for a meager 162 in 44.1 overs. KL Rahul anchored the Indian innings with a measured 53 off 114 balls, accompanied by captain Shubman Gill, who was unbeaten on 18 at stumps. India finished the day at 121/2, trailing by 41 runs with eight wickets in hand.While Pantâ€s injury keeps him off the pitch, his golf antics provided fans with comic relief, juxtaposed against Indiaâ€s clinical performance, making Thursday a memorable start both on and off the field.

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