Giants dethrone Phillies, head to World Series...Ross NLCS MVP

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For those wanting something different in baseball's postseason, this is your World Series. How does Texas vs. San Francisco sound to you? The Rangers are going to the Fall Classic for the first time in their 50-year franchise history. The Giants are World Series-bound for the first time in eight years. Juan Uribe (yoo-REE'-bay) poked an opposite field home run in the eighth inning as the Giants dethroned the two-time National League champion Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to win the NLCS in six games. Uribe also won Game 4 with a ninth-inning sacrifice fly. Giants ace Tim Lincecum (LINZ'-ih-kuhm) struggled in the eighth inning, pitching in relief on one day of rest after losing Game 5. Brian Wilson got five outs to finish off the Phillies, who were trying to become the first NL team in 66 years to win three straight pennants. Javier Lopez got the win in relief as the Giants bullpen tossed seven shutout innings. When Wilson punched out Ryan Howard on a called third strike in the ninth inning, the Giants erupted in glee after winning Game 6 on the Phillies' home field. Cody Ross, who had three home runs and five RBIs in the series, was named NLCS MVP. The Giants picked up Ross on waivers from Florida on Aug. 22. He hit .350 with six extra-base hits in the NLCS. The Giants open the World Series at home on Wednesday night against the Rangers, who eliminated the New York Yankees 6-1 in Game 6 of the ALCS Friday night. Probable Game 1 starters are Cliff Lee, who's 7-and-0 lifetime in the postseason, for the Rangers against Lincecum.
T25-LATEST SCORES Mizzou pulls the upset of the night...Tide rolls in Tennessee...Stanford's best start in 40 years (AP) — The BCS standings likely are in for a shakeup. Oklahoma, the top-ranked team in the BCS and third-ranked in the AP poll, committed three costly turnovers and lost 36-27 to Missouri. The 18th-ranked Tigers scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 38-yard pass reception to Jerrell Jackson during Missouri's 16-point fourth quarter. Missouri began the second half with a bang when Gahn McGaffie returned the kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Missouri is 7-and-0 for the first time since 1960. The Tigers ended a seven-game losing streak to the Sooners. In other AP Top-25 finals: — Ed Wesley ran for a career-high 209 yards and two touchdowns and the TCU defense stiffened after giving up its first October touchdown, leading the No. 4 Horned Frogs to a 38-7 victory over Air Force. — Auburn quarterback Cam Newton certainly didn't do anything to hurt his Heisman Trophy chances by running for 217 yards against the SEC's top-ranked defense in leading fifth-ranked Auburn past sixth-ranked LSU, 24-17. Onterio McCalebb sprinted 70 yards for the go-ahead score with 5:05 left. The 8-and-0 Tigers knocked LSU from the ranks of the unbeatens and now are the last remaining undefeated team in the SEC. — For the first time since 1992, the Alabama Crimson Tide has beaten Tennessee four straight times. Trent Richardson's 65-yard touchdown run and 5-yard touchdown reception were part of 28 unanswered second-half points as seventh-ranked Alabama beat Tennessee 41-10. Richardson finished with 119 yards on 12 carries. — Kirk Cousins threw for 331 yards and three TDs and 8th-ranked Michigan State came from behind for a 35-27 victory at Northwestern. The Spartans didn't take their first lead of the game until there were two minutes left. At 8-and-0, Michigan State is off to its best start since the 1966 team won its first nine on the way to a 9-0-and-1 record and a national championship. — Jordan Wynn threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns and No. 9 Utah thrashed Colorado State 59-6. The Utes are 7-and-0 after rolling up a season-high 648 yards. — Montee Ball ran 8 yards for a touchdown with 1:06 left and No. 10 Wisconsin rallied to beat No. 13 Iowa 31-30. Scott Tolzien threw for 205 yards and a touchdown. — Eleventh-ranked Ohio State avenged last year's loss at Purdue by hammering the visiting Boilermakers 49-zip. Terrelle Pryor threw for three scores and Dan Herron ran for two. — Andrew Luck threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns to help No. 12 Stanford beat Washington State 38-28 to go to 6-and-1 — its best record after seven games in 40 years. — Taylor Martinez set a Nebraska freshman record with 323 yards passing and threw a career-high five touchdown passes and the 14th-ranked Cornhuskers knocked No. 17 Oklahoma State from the ranks of the unbeatens, 51-41. — Late in the third quarter, the 15th-ranked Arizona Wildcats are thrashing Washington 37-14. — Brian Maddox rushed for a career-high 146 yards and the game-clinching touchdown to lead No. 19 South Carolina to a difficult 21-7 win over Vanderbilt for coach Steve Spurrier's 40th victory with the Gamecocks. — Syracuse scored nine points off West Virginia turnovers and upset the 20th-ranked Mountaineers 19-14 in Morgantown. Ross Krautman kicked four field goals to help the Orange snap an eight-game losing streak to West Virginia. — No. 21 Arkansas rebounded from last week's loss to Auburn by beating former coach Houston Nutt and Mississippi 38-24. Knile Davis ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns. — Austen Arnaud passed for two touchdowns, Alexander Robinson ran for 120 yards and two scores and Iowa State put another home loss on No. 22 Texas, 28-21. It's the first time since 1997 the Longhorns have dropped back-to-back home games. — No. 23 Virginia Tech rolled to a 44-7 victory over Duke. It's the Hokies' sixth straight win after dropping their opening two games of the season. — Freshman LaDarius Perkins rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown as No. 24 Mississippi State survived an upset scare to beat Alabama-Birmingham 29-24. — Miami scored 30 straight points and the 25th-ranked 'Canes routed North Carolina 33-10. Jacory (juh-KOHR'-ee) Harris threw three touchdown passes to move into second place on Miami's career list. Outside of the Top 25, Navy routed Notre Dame 35-17 at the New Meadowlands Stadium to improve to 5-and-2. It marks the Midshipmen's third victory over the Fighting Irish in four seasons since ending an NCAA-record 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame. The Irish fall to 4-and-4 under first-year coach Brian Kelly.
NHL-FINAL SCORES Sabres road warriors...Columbus beats the champs UNDATED (AP) — On NHL ice, Ryan Miller had 26 saves, Thomas Vanek scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres wrecked goalie Johan Hedberg's Devils' debut in a 6-1 victory over New Jersey. Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers, Tyler Ennis and Patrick Kaleta also scored in Buffalo's best offensive game of the season. The Sabres have had their only success this season on the road. They are 3-1 away from Buffalo, and 0-4-1 at home. Zach Parise scored for the struggling Devils, who benched high-priced left wing Ilya Kovalchuk (EEL'-yah KOH'-vul-chook) on the same night they tried to give Martin Brodeur (mar-TAN' broh-DYOOR') his first night off this season. New Jersey is winless at home under new coach John MacLean and 2-5-1 overall. In the rest of the NHL: — Antoine Vermette scored on a deflection at 6:29 of the third period to snap a tie, and the Columbus Blue Jackets rebounded from an early two-goal deficit to defeat defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago 3-2. — Washington nipped Atlanta 4-3 on Tomas Fleischmann's goal at 1:37 of overtime. Alexander Semin (SEHM'-ihn) recorded his fourth career hat trick for the Caps. — Artem Anisimov and Alex Frolov scored off bouncing pucks 25 seconds apart in the first period and the New York Rangers held off the Boston Bruins 3-2. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 35 shots between the pipes for the Rangers. — Montreal blanked Ottawa 3-0. Andre Kostitsyn (kaw-TIHT'-sihn) scored twice for the Habs. Carey Price made 19 saves for his first shutout in nearly two years. — Pavel Datsyuk (PAH'-vuhl DAT'-sook) scored with 12 seconds left in the game to give the Detroit Red Wings a 5-4 win over Anaheim. — Radek Dvorak's goal with 6:32 left in the third period lifted the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory over the Islanders, despite a hat trick by New York's John Tavares. — Mike Richards scored his first goal of the season and had two assists to help the Philadelphia Flyers snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over Toronto. — Erik Johnson scored 50 seconds into overtime, Jaroslav Halak (YAR'-oh-slav HAH'-lak) made 31 saves and the St. Louis Blues blanked Pittsburgh 1-0 for their 10th straight home victory dating back to last season. — In another close one, Nashville blanked Dallas 1-0. Pekka Rinne (PEH'-kuh RIH'-nuh) made 30 saves for his 15th NHL shutout. — Anton Babchuk scored 2:52 into overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-3 after squandering a three-goal lead. — Brad Richardson had three goals, including a tiebreaking short-handed tally late in the third period, and the Los Angeles Kings beat Colorado 6-4. — San Jose got goals from six different players in the Sharks' 6-1 win over Edmonton.
NBA-NEWS Heat sign Stackhouse...Hornets get Bayless from Blazers (AP) — Jerry Stackhouse is resuming pursuit of his first NBA title with Miami. He signed with the Heat, one day after the club learned it will be without injured swingman Mike Miller until possibly January. Stackhouse, who turns 36 next month, averaged 8.5 points in 42 games as a reserve with the Milwaukee Bucks last season. In another NBA move, the New Orleans Hornets have acquired point guard Jerryd Bayless from the Portland Trail Blazers for a conditional future first-round pick. Bayless made 11 starts last season but is reunited with new Hornets coach Monty Williams, who was an assistant in Portland the last two years.
NFL-FAVRE Manager says Favre contacted ex-hostess NEW YORK (AP) — A spokesman for the woman who allegedly received lewd photos and inappropriate text messages from Brett Favre two years ago says the quarterback tried to contact the former New York Jets game hostess in 2009. Phil Reese, Jenn Sterger's manager, tells The Associated Press that Favre called Sterger last June. Reese declined comment when asked if there were multiple calls, but said Sterger did not answer the phone. The NFL is investigating the allegations against Favre and is attempting to speak with Sterger, who hasn't decided yet whether she will speak with the league. Reese says there has been no discussion "of any kind" with Favre's camp.
PGA-LAS VEGAS Laird leads LAS VEGAS (AP) — Martin Laird fired an 8-under 63 and has a one-shot lead over Jonathan Byrd entering the final round of the PGA tournament in Las Vegas. Laird is 19 under and is trying to win this tourney for the second straight year. Webb Simpson and Cameron Percy are tied for third at 16 under after 54 holes.
CHAMPIONS TOUR-THE WOODLANDS Pavin clinging to lead THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — It's Corey Pavin (PAY'-vihn) by a single shot over Mark Wiebe (WEE'-bee) headed into the final round of the Champions Tour event near Houston. That's right where they stood after Friday's opening round. Both carded a 4-under 62 in round two. Fred Couples fired a 7-under 65 and is alone in third place, two shots off the pace.
LPGA-MALAYSIA International leaderboard in Kuala Lumpur KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Maria Hjorth (yorth) of Sweden and Jee Young Lee of South Korea share a one-stroke lead entering Sunday's final round of this week's LPGA tournament in Malaysia. Americans Natalie Gulbis and 50-year-old Juli Inkster are tied for fourth, two shots behind the leaders.
NASCAR-NATIONWIDE Keselowski wins in Illinois MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Brad Keselowski won the NASCAR Nationwide 5-Hour Energy 250 by rolling past Reed Sorenson with two laps remaining at Gateway International Raceway. Mike Bliss finished second. Keselowski, who has a large lead in the series standings, earned his sixth Nationwide win of the season and 12th of his career.
  Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.