*The New York Giants defeat the Minnesota Vikings, 34–13. Vikings' wide receiver Randy Moss left the game early with continued tightness in his right hamstring. The Vikings were nearly shutout at home for the first time in over 40 years before scoring two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.
NASCAR: Just a week after a plane crash killed ten people including members of Hendrick Motorsports and team owner Rick Hendrick's family, team driver Jimmie Johnson wins his seventh race of the season at the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500.
October 30, 2004
Rugby league Tri-Nations: Australia defeat Great Britain 12–8 at the City of Manchester Stadium and qualify for the Tri-Nations Final, where they will play either New Zealand or Great Britain, depending on results over the next three weeks.
Baseball – 2004 World Series, Game 3: Manny Ramírez homers and Pedro Martínez pitches seven shutout innings as the Boston Red Sox defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 4–1 to take a 3–0 series lead. The only team to come back from a 3–0 deficit to win a best-of-7 series in Major League Baseball history was these very same Red Sox, last week in the ALCS.
Ice skating – Russian ice skater Tatiana Totmianina is released from a Pittsburgh area hospital, after being admitted days earlier, with a head concussion suffered after a fall during a competition.
National Football League Week 7, Monday Night Football: In their first MNF appearance in over a decade, the Cincinnati Bengals upset the AFC West division-leading Denver Broncos 23–10. It had also been fourteen years since their last MNF win and fifteen since their first Monday night home game.
October 24, 2004
Baseball – 2004 World Series, Game 2: The Boston Red Sox achieve another home-field victory over the St. Louis Cardinals 6 to 2. Red Sox pitcherCurt Schilling earns another win playing through his ankle injury, despite Boston committing four errors. Games 3 through 5 are slated to be held in St. Louis starting Tuesday.
Cross-country skiing: World Cup 2005 season opening in Düsseldorf, Germany: The Ladies' 6×0.8 km Team Sprint relay race is won by the Norwegian No.1 team, with Germany's No.2 team and Italy's No.1 team taking the 2nd and 3rd place. In the Men's 6×1.5 km race, Norway's No.1 team wins, while Germany's No.1 team and No.3 team finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
*The New England Patriots set another NFL record with their 18th consecutive regular-season victory, 13–7 over the New York Jets. The loss is the first of the year for the Jets, while the Patriots remain undefeated. Jets running back Curtis Martin moves into seventh place on the all-time career rushing yards list.
*The Philadelphia Eagles also remain undefeated with a 34–31 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns.
*The Miami Dolphins stun the St. Louis Rams 31–14 for their first win of the season.
NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson's sixth win of the 2004 NASCAR season, at the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway near Martinsville, Virginia, is overshadowed by the crash of a private plane today belonging to his racing team, Hendrick Motorsports. All 10 people on board the plane were killed, including four relatives of team owner Rick Hendrick.
Ice skating: During an ABCtelevised competition, skater Tatiana Totmianina suffers a fall after her partner slipped off his right foot. She remains unconscious for some minutes, and is hospitalized with damage to her head, neck and eyes.
October 23, 2004
Baseball: 2004 World Series, Game 1: Hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on a cold night at Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox won the highest scoring Game One of Series history, 11–9. The Red Sox took a 7–2 lead in the third inning, but the Cardinals tied it by the 7th. Mark Bellhorn's two-run home run in the bottom of the 8th provided the winning margin.
Rugby league Tri-Nations: Australia defeat New Zealand 32–12 at Loftus Road, London.
October 21, 2004
Baseball:
*National League Championship Series, Game 7: The St. Louis Cardinals advance to the World Series with a 5–2 win over the Houston Astros. In the sixth inning, Albert Pujols ties the game with an RBI double, and Scott Rolen gives the Cardinals the lead for good with a two-run homer on the next pitch. Pujols is named Series MVP.
*National League Championship Series, Game 6: The St. Louis Cardinals come back to beat the Houston Astros 6–4. Jim Edmonds drives in the winning runs with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the twelfth. This series is all tied up at 3–3 and the stage is set for a dramatic Game 7 in St. Louis on October 21.
*American League Championship Series, Game 7: The Boston Red Sox defeat the New York Yankees, 10–3, going on to the World Series for the first time since 1986. The Red Sox won four games in a row, winning the series 4–3. They become the first team in Major League Baseball, and the third team in North American professional sports, to win a postseason series after trailing three games to none.
*American League Championship Series, Game 6: The Boston Red Sox defeat the New York Yankees, 4–2, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball history to force a Game 7 in any postseason series after being down 3 games to 0. Curt Schilling pitches seven innings on a hurt ankle, giving up only one run on four hits.
Football: UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Matchday 3
*American League Championship Series, Game 5: The Boston Red Sox outlast the New York Yankees to win 5–4 in a 14 inning marathon. David Ortiz is a hero once again with the game-winning RBI, driving in Johnny Damon. New York now leads the best-of-seven series 3–2. The game lasted 5 hours and 49 minutes, the longest by time in postseason history.
*National League Championship Series, Game 5: The Houston Astros defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3–0. Jeff Kent drives in the winning runs with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. Houston leads the best-of-seven series 3–2.
National Football League Week 6, Monday Night Football: Spurred by a 93-yard fumble return by Adam Archuleta, the St. Louis Rams defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28–21.
October 17, 2004
Baseball:
*American League Championship Series, Game 4: The Boston Red Sox stay alive in the series with the New York Yankees with a 6–4 win in 12 innings. The Sox, who now trail 3–1 in the series, tie the game in the bottom of the ninth against Yankees closerMariano Rivera, and win on a walk-off home run by David Ortiz in the 12th.
*National League Championship Series, Game 4: The Houston Astros even the series with the St. Louis Cardinals at two games apiece with a 6–5 win. Carlos Beltrán supplies the winning margin with a solo home run in the seventh inning. Beltrán ties records for the most home runs in a single postseason and most consecutive postseason games with a home run.
National Football League Week 6:
*The New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets remain the NFL's only undefeated teams, by beating the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers respectively. New England's win tied an NFL record for consecutive regular-season victories, at 17, and continues their record of most consecutive NFL games won to 20.
*The Buffalo Bills get their first win of the year by beating the Miami Dolphins 20–13. The Dolphins, at 0–6, are the NFL's last winless team in 2004.
*Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper throws five touchdowns for the third time this season, setting an NFL record. The Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 38–31.
Motorcycle racing: Valentino Rossi wins the World MotoGP title for the third successive year, the first year for Yamaha since 1992, when he wins the Australian MotoGP, one race before the end of the series. He is only the second rider to win successive titles for different teams. , .
*National League Championship Series, Game 3: The Houston Astros defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 5–2 behind home runs by Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltrán, and Lance Berkman. Roger Clemens pitches seven innings for the win, which leaves the Astros trailing 2–1 in the series.
*American League Championship Series, Game 3: The New York Yankees take a 3–0 series lead over the Boston Red Sox, pounding out 22 hits in a 19–8 win. Hideki Matsui and Alex Rodriguez each score five runs, and Matsui also drives in five runs.
Snooker: During the second round of qualifying for the UK Championship, Jamie Burnett achieves a break of 148 against Leo Fernandez, the first time a player has made a break higher than the nominal maximum of 147 in a professional match.
October 15, 2004
NBA pre-season: In the first NBA game ever played in China, the Houston Rockets defeat the Sacramento Kings, 88–86, despite a half court shot made by the Kings' Chris Webber at the end of the third quarter.
Baseball: Game 3 of the American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox is postponed due to rain at Fenway Park. Games on Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17 will be played as scheduled, and a make-up game will be played if necessary on Monday, October 18. The Yankees lead the series 2 games to 0.
October 14, 2004
Baseball:
* National League Championship Series, Game 2: The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 6–4 and take a 2–0 lead in the series. The Cardinals break a 4–4 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with back-to-back home runs from Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen; Rolen also hit a game-tying homer in the fifth inning.
NBA pre-season: The Washington Wizards defeat the Charlotte Bobcats, 128–126 in double overtime, despite Jason Hart's game tying three-point shot with one second to go in the first overtime.
October 13, 2004
Baseball:
*American League Championship Series, Game 2: The New York Yankees take a 2–0 lead over the Boston Red Sox. In a 3–1 win, Jon Lieber outpitches Red Sox star Pedro Martínez. John Olerud hits a two-run homer for the Yankees.
*National League Championship Series, Game 1: In the series opener, the St. Louis Cardinals break open a 4–4 game with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and hold on for a 10–7 win over the Houston Astros.
**United States, Guatemala and Mexico clinch places in the final stage of qualifying.
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October 12, 2004
Baseball
*American League Championship Series Game 1: Mike Mussina of the New York Yankees has his perfect game broken up in the 7th inning, and the Boston Red Sox rally to within 8–7, but the Yankees win 10–7 to take a 1–0 series lead. Mariano Rivera, who attended the funeral of two members of his wife's family in Panama earlier in the day, returns in time to record the save. Red Sox key starting pitcher Curt Schilling is markedly off his game, due to an ankle injury which was aggravated during the ALDS.
*National League Division Series: The Houston Astros win a postseason series for the first time in the franchise's 43-year history, crushing the Atlanta Braves 12–3 in the fifth and deciding game of their series. Carlos Beltrán leads the Astros' offense with two home runs.
National Football League Week 5, Monday Night Football: Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair completes 15 of 26 passes for 206 yards as the Titans give the Green Bay Packers their third consecutive home loss 48–27.
October 10, 2004
Formula One: In a dominating performance, Michael Schumacher wins his 13th race of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix. His brother Ralf holds off Jenson Button for second.
Baseball:
*National League Division Series:
**The Atlanta Braves even their series with the Houston Astros at two games apiece, ending the Astros' 19-game home winning streak with a 6–5 win. Rafael Furcal scores the winning run in the ninth on a single from J. D. Drew.
**The St. Louis Cardinals win their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 1, with a 6–2 win. Albert Pujols breaks open a 2–2 game with a three-run homer in the fourth inning.
*New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera returns to Panama City, Panama after two relatives of his wife were electrocuted while cleaning the swimming pool at his home there.
*The New England Patriots set a record for the number of consecutive NFL games ever won, at 19, after beating the Miami Dolphins 24–10.
*The Seattle Seahawks take their first loss of the season, against the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis scores 17 points in the final six minutes of regulation to tie the Seahawks, and go on to beat the Seahawks 33–27 in overtime.
*The Atlanta Falcons also take their first loss, to the Detroit Lions. The San Francisco 49ers get their first win by beating the Arizona Cardinals in overtime.
Marathon: Eurasia Marathon: David Kiptanui, from Kenya wins in 2:18:19 before Konstantin Permitin, of Russia and Yuriy Hychun, from Ukraine. In the women's category, Russian Svetlana Demidenko, wins in 2:36:44 before her compatriots Zhanna Malkova, in 2:39:36 and Olga Glok, in 2:42:45.
WNBA: The Seattle Storm even their best-of-three championship series with the Connecticut Sun at one game apiece, winning 67–65. The Sun's Nykesha Sales sets a WNBA Finals record with 32 points, but misses a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game. Betty Lennox leads the Storm with 27 points; Lauren Jackson racks up a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
**The New York Yankees win their series against the Minnesota Twins, 3 games to 1, with a 6–5 win in 10 innings. The Yankees come back from a 5–1 deficit with four runs in the eighth inning, capped by a three-run home run from Rubén Sierra. In the top of the 10th inning, Alex Rodriguez scores the winning run on a wild pitch.
*National League Division Series:
**The Los Angeles Dodgers stay alive in their series against the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 4–0 behind a complete-game shutout by José Lima. The Dodgers, who now trail 2 games to 1 in the series, get their runs via a two-run double from Steve Finley and two solo homers from Shawn Green.
**The Houston Astros win their 19th consecutive home game to take a 2 games to 1 series lead over the Atlanta Braves, winning 8–5. The Astros' offense is sparked by Carlos Beltrán, who goes 2-for-5 with a two-run homer.
*The Boston Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Anaheim Angels. The Red Sox take a 6–1 lead after six innings, but the Angels even the game with five runs in the seventh, punctuated by a grand slam from Vladimir Guerrero. The game goes into extra innings; in the bottom of the 10th inning, David Ortiz hits a two-run walk-off home run to win the game 8–6, ending the series.
*The New York Yankees take a 2–1 lead in their series against the Minnesota Twins with an 8–4 win. The Yankees erase an early 1–0 Twins lead with three runs on four consecutive two-out singles in the second inning, and later add home runs from Bernie Williams and Hideki Matsui. Kevin Brown pitches six innings for the win.
NFL: The league announces that Jamal Lewis, who pleaded guilty yesterday to trying to set up a cocaine deal in 2000, will be suspended for two games without pay, and in addition will be fined two weeks' salary. This action will cost Lewis approximately US$760,000.
WNBA:
*In the first game of the best-of-three championship series, the Connecticut Sun beat the Seattle Storm 68–64. Sun rookie Lindsay Whalen barely misses a double-double, scoring 11 points and dishing out nine assists. Katie Douglas leads the Sun with 18 points. The Storm are led by Betty Lennox with 17 points and Lauren Jackson with 16.
*Los Angeles Sparks centerLisa Leslie is named the league's MVP for the second time. The All-WNBA team is also named; Leslie is joined on the first team by:
*The Atlanta Braves even their series with the Houston Astros 4–2 in 11 innings. Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal hits a game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to even the series at one game apiece.
*The St. Louis Cardinals take a 2–0 lead in their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning by the same 8–3 score as in Game 1.
NFL: Baltimore Ravens star running back Jamal Lewis, who was scheduled to go on trial on federal charges of conspiracy to deal cocaine, pleads guilty to a lesser charge of using a cellular phone to set up a drug deal. Under the plea agreement, Lewis will serve four months in a federal prison and two months in a halfway house after the end of the 2004 NFL season.
October 6, 2004
Baseball:
* The Houston Astros open their National League Division Series matchup with the Atlanta Braves 8–3. In the later games, the New York Yankees needed 12 innings to defeat the Minnesota Twins 7–6 to even their series at one game apiece and the Boston Red Sox defeat the Anaheim Angels 4–3 and take a 2 games to 0 lead.
Baseball: The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8–3 in the first game of a best-of-five National League Division Series, while the Boston Red Sox defeat the Anaheim Angels 9–3, and the Minnesota Twins defeat the New York Yankees 2–0, in the opening game of their respective American League Division Series. The Twins break a post-season record with 5 double plays and the Cardinals break an NLDS record with 5 home runs.
Football: The draw for the group stage of the 2005 UEFA Cup takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Results:
*Group H: AEK Athens, Alemannia, Lille, Sevilla, Zenit St. Petersburg
Basketball:
*NBA: Scottie Pippen, who starred alongside Michael Jordan for all of the Chicago Bulls' six NBA championships in the 1990s, announces his retirement.
*WNBA: Sue Bird recovers from a collapse the day before, and the Seattle Storm defeat the Sacramento Monarchs, 82–62, to win their series, 2 to 1 and advance to the WNBA Finals, against the Connecticut Sun.
NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is fined US$10,000 and penalized 25 championship points for cursing during a television interview after his Sunday win at Talladega Superspeedway. The points penalty knocks him out of the lead in the race for the series championship.
Boxing: in what some experts are already calling the fight of the year, Félix Trinidad rises from a knockdown in round three and drops Ricardo Mayorga three times in round eight to score an eighth round knockout.
Baseball: Ichiro Suzuki sets the major league record for base hits in a season, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old record of 257 base hits.
Sports magazines: Sports Illustrated releases its 50th anniversary issue.
Basketball: DeMya Walker of the Sacramento Monarchs sinks a shot as time run out in overtime, to lift the Monarchs to a 74–72 win and a 1–0 lead over the Seattle Storm, in their WNBA western conference finals series. Walker's shot seemed to have gotten stuck on the back of the rim, then the ball moved slightly and went into the basket as time had expired.
