Guardians-Yankees [Music] welcome to sports center on YouTube I'm David lyd this is Ryan Smith we get you set up for Notre Dame's biggest playoff test yet but first pant races gearing up the majors let's start in the Bronx where the Yanks hope to stay at top the AL with the Guardians nipping right out their heels Juan stto Aaron judge kind of the Tail of Two streaks for them best of times for judge seven game hit streak stto worst of times three game hitless streak that tip to Charles Dickens okay but not anymore bottom of the first Juan stto do that to your hitless streak solo shot 35th of the Season Yanks up one- nothing very next batter Aaron judge and taking that Sinker out of here backto back Jacks fifth time these guys have done it this season and for judge 45th Homer of the season third career 45 Homer season Trails Babe Ruth with nine and luk Garing with four Elite company right there and the Yanks up two nothing bottom of the eth big moment here Austin Wells pinch hitting game tied at three Trent G on First and Wells deep drive to Center and that one going to go off the wall Stephen Quan's got to run him from left to get it they recover it they throw it TR gr rounding third kind of hesitating a little and out at home so what happened there third base coach Luis Rojas both hands in the air and then sends gram home that miscommunication would cost the Yankees dearly because you lose it you don't get a run right there you're out and the game would end up going to extras so top of the 12 still tied at three lane Thomas came to the Guardians in July and gets an RBI double right there his first RBI with the Guardians and it gives him a 4-3 lead in the 12 now Jose Ramirez at the dish Runners on the corners RBI single they're just manufacturing runs in the 12th inning they're up 5-3 and then David fry base is loaded into the right center Gap and SoDo oh can't get there it's going to go all the way to the wall base is empty Fry on third they tack on six in the 12th of a 4H hour 5minute game longest in the major this year and it ends with a 95 Guardians win so the Yankees now Trail the Orioles by a half game in the AL East toour tied with the Guardians for the best record in the American League now remember the top two seeds in each league receive a first round buy and advance to The Division Series ESPN bet has the Yankees as the favorite to win the pennet at plus 240 we have a changing the guard at Mariners-Dodgers top the NL as well Phillies have been running out front all season but the Dodgers making a push La hosting the Mariners last night bottom four Dodgers down three nothing Gavin Lux at the dish it's a shot to Right Center victor roblet goes back he's in pain where's the B the ball's sitting right there it looked like it went over Lux is confused he thinks it's a home run and then they're throwing it back in stops at third what what happened take a look again it is a home run it goes back behind there and somehow then pops out out from behind the pad onto the how does that even happen I don't even know it's a home run okay for Lux it's his second in two nights Max Muny more conventional home run also his second in two nights after just coming off the iil on Monday oh he liked that one didn't he knew it right away Dodgers down 3-2 at that point in the seventh Mook bets the shot down L great job by the ball boy getting out of the way hustling around the track the runner scores that'ss ties the game with a double we got dancing eighth inning now two on two outs for the pinch hitter Jason Hayward and he turns around a 99 mph heater from the allstar Andres Munoz sticks it into the bullpen the Dodgers win 6-3 sh stole his 38th base he closes down 4040 dodg win they've been chasing the Phillies for a while what happened with that te well those Phillies-Braves faltering Phillies taking on the Braves Phillies tied for the second worst record in baseball since the All-Star break Ronaldo Lopez on the mound for the Braves first start since July 28th right form inflammation had a tough task of facing that potent Phillies lineup let's start off with Kyle scharber got him down swinging with the slider and then later had the curve moving see you Kyle and then how about another slider for you Kyle bombing at the plate Lopez said he didn't expect things to go as well as they did but they sure did against schwarber couldn't solve the Lopez conundrum and Lopez wasn't done against Bryce Harper got him on the curve and then how about a slider for you too Bryce and then we're going to change it up with the change up Lopez taking care of Harper five innings pitch five hits allowed 10K season high for Lopez bottom of the six game tied up at one a low scoring Affair and then Marcel Ozuna adding to that score crushing it solo Homer 37th of the Season by the way NL leader in average second and homers in RBI don't forget about him for the Triple Crown Braves win it 3 to one so the Phillies continuing to struggle since the All-Star break the Dodgers had passed them for the best record in the National League putting them in a tie with the Brewers for second ESPN bet has the Dodgers as the favorite to win the pennant at plus 160 Notre Dame football [Applause] [Applause] they're ready college football season starting in three days and they are chopping at the bit in South Bend expectations always Skyhigh there but year three in particular holds extra meeting for Notre Dame head coaches Lou Holtz W of natti with the Fighting Irish in his third season Brian Kelly LED Notre Dame to the national championship game in his third year will Marcus Freeman shake down the thunder in South Bend this season here's Kevin nandhi on that in 2023 nerd a had perhaps the quietest 10- win season in its illustrious history the Irish were out of the national title chase by the first Saturday in October oh my goodness on the final play of the game just a heartbreaker for Notre Dame which EXP why so many people fail to notice how strong the team turned out to be nerd A ranked just 14th in the final polls but metrics such as FBI and overall efficiency consider the Irish to be a solid top 10 team 12 starters back Riley Leonard transferring in to replace Sam Hartman this Notre Dame team is talented enough to really do some damage this year Notre Dame has High Hopes in 2024 the expanded playoff field significantly helps the team that can't be a conference champ while the schedule is also quite favorable the Irish have no opponents ranked in FBI's preseason top 10 and their schedule ranks as just the 55th toughest in the country that combined with playing only three true Road games and no conference title game gives Notre Dame the best chance of any FBS team to go undefeated through the regular season this probably is one of the most talented rosters we've had since I've been here I'm excited for the build that we're creating right now right we're building towards that first [Music] game simply getting into the playoff won't automatically make 2024 a success for the Irish but in year three under Marcus Freeman it sure seems like a very realistic goal read into Notre Dame's future a Heather Dinich little bit we need college football reporter Heather D to do that Heather good to see you this revised playoff format emphasizes Conference champions maybe a little bit of a problem for Notre Dame where does that leave the golden domers well it should leave them in the college football playoff because they have a loaded roster with 11 projected NFL picks the only teams that have more are Ohio State and Georgia but the 12 team playoff will highlight their independence because while other contenders are playing for a conference Championship Notre Dame gets to rest but they can't get a first round bot even if Notre Dame is the committee's number one team on selection day and undefeated the highest they can finish in the seating is number five because those top four seeds go to the four highest ranked Conference champions and they get the first round buys that means Notre Dame has to win four straight games to win the national title but I'm telling you I talked to Marcus Freeman and I know he's excited about the possibility of hosting a first round home game okay it's a challenge you get a little rest but you got a little bit of a gauntlet to run to make it to the Natty we'll see what they can do by the way they got a new quarterback and Duke transfer Riley Leonard he's got some Wheels what does his addition mean for their offense well I talked to Coach Marcus Freeman last night after practice and he told me that the addition of Leonard is not going to change their offensive identity but it does allow them to incorporate more Zone reads More Design quarterback runs he said we're not going to run him all of the time but it does force defenses to make a choice are you going to put an extra guy in the Box he's somebody you have to account for because he can scramble he can extend plays with his legs but that's not the reason they brought this kid to the program Freeman told me that they brought him in because he's the total overall package and he was the best fit for the Irish right now at this time thanks Heather seventh Notre Dame opens the season gets number 20 Texas A&M August 31st that one's going to be on ABC Notre Dame it's interesting could end up the season undefeated slightly weaker schedule than we're used to see him with them okay listen Lou Holtz won a title in his third year at Notre Dame Ryan Kelly got into the national championship game in his third year we'll see what Marcus Frey can do that'll do it for us Sports Center on YouTube