BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - The resilient New York Yankees powered their way to the club’s first AL East title since 2012, routing the Los Angeles Angels 9-1 Thursday night behind three RBIs each from old mainstay Brett Gardner and newcomer DJ LeMahieu.
A day after wasting a chance to clinch first place, the homer-happy Yankees went ahead when LeMahieu hit a three-run drive in the second inning and breezed to their 100th win.
Gardner, among just two holdovers from their last World Series championship team in 2009, added a solo shot in the fourth and then hit a two-run double in the sixth. Cameron Maybin and Clint Frazier homered for good measure in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman struck out Albert Pujols to end it as fans’ cellphones flashed to record to moment.
Players lined up for handshakes and hugs, more exuberantly than usual, but there was no wild celebration on the field.
NEW YORK (AP) - Yankees star pitcher Domingo Germán was placed on administrative leave under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy on Thursday, casting doubt over whether New York’s top winner this season will be available for the playoffs.
Manager Aaron Boone was informed of the decision while he was driving to Yankee Stadium for a game against the Los Angeles Angels. New York won 9-1 to clinch its first AL East title since 2012.
Details on what prompted the action weren’t disclosed. The leave may last up to seven days, barring an extension.
The Yankees begin the AL playoffs on Oct. 4, likely at home.
A 27-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic who made his major league debut in 2017, Germán entered this season with a 2-7 record in 14 starts and 14 relief appearances. He became a full-time member of the rotation after ace Luis Severino got hurt in spring training and is 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances over 143 innings.
MIAMI (AP) - Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly has agreed to a contract extension and will return for a fifth season in 2020, a person familiar with the negotiations said Thursday.
The person confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Marlins hadn’t announced the deal. A news conference with CEO Derek Jeter was scheduled for Friday.
Mattingly’s contract was to expire after this season. He became the Marlins’ manager in 2016 and has guided the team during a rebuilding project under Jeter, who traded away All-Stars Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and J.T. Realmuto.
-By AP Sports Writer Steven Wine.
ATLANTA (AP) - Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves has become only the third player in baseball history to hit 40 homers while 21 years old or younger.
The other two were Eddie Mathews and Mel Ott, who are both in the Hall of Fame.
The 21-year-old Acuña launched a two-run shot Thursday in the third inning, a towering 432-foot drive into the second level at SunTrust Park off Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola.
With eight games left in the regular season, Acuña also has a shot at becoming just the fifth player in baseball history to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season. He has 37 stolen bases.
Mathews hit 47 homers as a 21-year-old for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. Ott was 20 when he hit 42 homers for the New York Giants in 1929.
NFL
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - Desperate for help, the Miami Dolphins are turning to Josh Rosen.
The second-year pro will replace Ryan Fitzpatrick this week as the starting quarterback and try to jump-start a team that has been outscored 102-10 in the first two games.
A person familiar with the decision by rookie coach Brian Flores confirmed the change to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the team had not announced it.
Rosen can’t fix all of the rebuilding Dolphins’ many problems, but he’s considered a potential franchise quarterback and will make his first start for Miami at Dallas on Sunday.
-By AP Sports Writer Steven Wine.
NHL
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot has agreed to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.
The agreement locks up another member of Ottawa’s young core. The rebuilding Senators, coming off a last-place finish, signed center Colin White to a six-year extension last month.
The 22-year-old Chabot had 14 goals and 55 points in his first full NHL season in 2018-19. He was drafted 18th overall in 2015.
General manager Pierre Dorion on Thursday called him an “exceptional talent and an outstanding teammate.”
In the past couple of seasons, Ottawa traded three of its best players - Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone and Matt Duchene - after failing to settle on contract terms.
WNBA
WASHINGTON (AP) - Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne has been named 2019 WNBA MVP in a near-unanimous vote.
Delle Donne received 41 of 43 first-place votes after leading Washington to a league-best 26-8 record. She is the first player in WNBA history to win MVP honors with two different teams after doing so in 2015 with Chicago.
The Mystics went 26-5 with Delle Donne in the starting lineup and lead the Las Vegas Aces 1-0 in their semifinal series. Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists and shot a league-high 97.4% from the free throw line.
Delle Done became the first player in WNBA history to shoot over 50% from the field, over 40% from 3-point territory and over 90% from the free throw line.
Washington hosts Las Vegas in Game 2 on Thursday night.
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