- Cricket: Six to watch at the women's T20 World Cup
- Ten Hag demands Man Utd response in Europa League
- In Colombia, paying at-risk youngsters 'to not kill'
- Extreme heat another form of death sentence in Texas jails
- On world stage, Harris promises alliances and Trump puts US first
- Vance, Walz clash in US VP debate
- X agrees to pay Brazil fines, court orders finances unblocked
- California passes law allowing Dutch-style cannabis cafes
- Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Krathon approaches
- Netflix war epic to open Asia's largest film festival
- Can music help plants grow? Study suggests sound boosts fungus
- Death toll from powerful storm Helene tops 150 in US
- Guatemala dismantles migrant trafficking ring
- Tigers beat Astros, Royals blank Orioles to open MLB playoffs
- US, Israel warn of response to Iranian missile attack
- Nike earnings drop, says turnaround will take time
- Vance, Walz set for US VP debate clash
- Arsenal beat PSG in Champions League duel, Dortmund hit Celtic for seven
- Inter sweep past Red Star to claim first Champions League win
- Tigers defeat Astros 3-1 to open MLB playoffs
- Celtic got 'spooked', says Rodgers after Dortmund beating
- 'Rusty' Foden happy to kickstart Man City season in Bratislava rout
- Fires taking Amazon closer to 'point of no return': expert
- NFL suspends Bills' Miller four games for personal conduct violation
- US dockworkers launch mass strike a month before election
- Leverkusen hold on to beat AC Milan in the Champions League
- Lewandowski hits brace as Barca crush Young Boys
- Man City kickstart Champions League campaign with Bratislava rout
- Dortmund and Adeyemi hand Celtic brutal European reality check
- Havertz and Saka star as Arsenal sink PSG
- Iron Dome: Israel's key anti-missile shield
- Babar Azam resigns as Pakistan's white-ball skipper
- Iran threatens 'crushing attacks' if Israel responds
- Over 100 people to sue Sean 'Diddy' Combs for sex assault: lawyer
- Kompany confident Kane will be fit to face Aston Villa
- Pras Michel sues Lauryn Hill for fraud over canceled Fugees tour
- Cranes stand still as US dockworkers fight for 'future'
- Prayers and applause: two sides of Jerusalem react to Iran missiles
- Real Madrid to take no risks with Mbappe at Lille in Champions League
- Brest claim stunning Champions League win, Stuttgart draw
- Mexico's new president tells investors their money is safe
- GM reports US sales dip, but says EVs grew
- Man Utd captain Fernandes has red card rescinded
- US breast cancer rate rising sharply even as deaths fall: study
- Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico's first woman president
- Iran fires missiles at Israel in new escalation
- Euro 2025 ticket sales kick off in snowy Alps
- Ireland unveils bumper budget with Apple tax cash boost
- Webb telescope detects carbon dioxide on Pluto's largest moon
- Emery keen to show Villa can compete in 'special' Bayern clash
Tigers beat Astros, Royals blank Orioles to open MLB playoffs
Detroit's Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings and the Tigers held off a late fightback to defeat Houston 3-1 on Tuesday as the Major League Baseball playoffs began.
The visiting Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three American League wildcard series, which continues Wednesday in Houston.
Skubal, a 27-year-old left-hander, struck out six while allowing four hits and a walk in his first playoff start.
The American was the first pitcher to complete a pitching Triple Crown sweep in a full season since 2011, leading the AL with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts and a 2.39 earned-run average.
"Skub was Skub," Detroit catcher Jake Rogers said. "He has been electric. He has been in the zone. He has challenged guys all year. It was awesome."
Houston, seeking a second MLB crown in three seasons, produced drama in the ninth inning, pushing across a run and loading the bases before Jason Heyward flew out to Tiger first baseman Spencer Torkelson to end the game.
"That ninth inning was crazy," Rogers said. "But we got through it and got the win."
In the other AL wildcard opener, Kansas City edged host Baltimore 1-0, dealing the Orioles a ninth consecutive playoff loss since they last won a post-season game in 2014.
"It's huge," said Royals slugger Bobby Witt Jr., who drove in the winning run. "It just shows the team's relentlessness and how we play every pitch until the end."
Royals left-hander Cole Ragans struck out eight over six scoreless innings while allowing four hits in the victory.
"He did an unbelievable job," Witt said of Ragans.
At Houston, Astros left-hander Framber Valdez surrendered three runs in the second inning as Wenceel Perez singled, took second base when Torkelson walked, advanced on a fielder's choice and scored on a Rogers single. Trey Sweeney and Matt Vierling followed with run-scoring singles for the Tigers.
In the ninth, the Astros scored when Jordan Alvarez doubled then was followed by singles from Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz. Jeremy Pena advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt and reliever Beau Brieske issued a two-out walk to Chas McCormick to load the bases but Heyward's fly out ended the game.
Ex-Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who guided Houston to a 2017 World series crown, managed the Tigers to their first playoff trip since 2014.
- Royals edge Orioles -
At Baltimore, Kansas City scored in the sixth when Maikel Garcia walked, stole second, took third on a ground out and crossed home plate on Witt's single to left field.
After stranding two runners in the eighth, the Orioles put the tying run on base again in the ninth when Ryan O'Hearn walked, but Royals reliever Lucas Erceg retired the next three batters to end the game.
Baltimore right-hander Corbin Burnes pitched eight innings, the longest Orioles playoff start since 1997, and struck out three while allowing only one run on five hits and a walk.
National League wildcard openers later Tuesday include the New York Mets at Milwaukee and the Atlanta Braves at San Diego.
Atlanta left NL Triple Crown pitcher Chris Sale off the roster for the Padres series. The 35-year-old left-hander was sidelined Monday by back spasms after leading the NL with 18 wins, 225 strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have NL first-round byes while the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians have AL first-round byes.
A.Santos--PC