Page 23 - AT

A23
SPORTS Monday 12 noveMber 2018

Martinez scores 2

goals, Atlanta United

beats NYCFC 3-1

By PAUL NEWBERRY Supporters’ Shield stand-
AP Sports Writer ings, returned home merely
ATLANTA (AP) — Josef Mar- needing a tie to go through
tinez scored two goals and to the Eastern Conference
Atlanta United won the first final.
playoff series in franchise They got more than that,
history, knocking off New earning a spot in the con-
York City FC 3-1 in the sec- ference final against either
ond leg of the Eastern Con- Columbus or the Red Bulls.
ference semifinals Sunday. Those teams met Sunday
Atlanta won the two-game night with the Crew holding
series 4-1 on aggregate, fin- an edge after winning the
ishing off the visiting team series opener 1-0.
with Martinez’s second goal With New York City press-
on a breakaway in the 83rd ing hard, knowing it would
minute . The game drew a need two goals to ad- New York Ci ty forward David Villa (7) and Atlanta United forward Josef Martinez (7) battle for
crowd of 70,526 — another vance, United wrapped control of the ball during the first half of their MLS playoff soccer match Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in
attendance record for the up the series. Eric Remedi Atlanta.
2-year-old franchise that sent a brilliantly timed pass Associated Press
has quickly developed one to Martinez, who was able 67,221 for last season’s loss scored off a free kick in the But New York City gave it-
of the world’s most rabid to stay onside because to the Crew. 42nd. It began with a slop- self hope of pulling out the
soccer followings. Valentin Castellanos was United went ahead in the py pass from Yangel Herre- series with a goal late in the
The victory made up for the lingering too deep in the 25th minute on Martinez’s ra, which was picked off by half after Escobar’s hard
bitter disappointment of zone out on the wing. Mar- penalty kick, which was set Almiron and sent him flying tackle brought out another
Atlanta United’s inaugural tinez controlled the ball up by Darlington Nagbe’s toward the area. Herrera yellow card. The free kick
season, when the expan- with his shoulder, looked long pass to Franco Escobar grabbed at the United star, deflected off an Atlanta
sion team made the play- around for any signs of a near the end line. Ismael both pulling him down and player in the wall and went
offs but lost a knockout- challenge and blasted a Tajouri-Shradi converged tripping him for a yellow right to Maxime Chanot.
round game at home to shot past helpless keeper on the Atlanta player, tak- card that easily could’ve Escobar compounded his
Columbus on penalties. Sean Johnson. ing him down as he tried to been a red. initial mistakes by failing to
Atlanta claimed a big From there, the celebra- spin away, prompting ref- Almiron took the kick from mark Chanot, who easily
edge in the series by win- tion was on. The big crowd eree Mark Geiger to point about 25 meters, curling headed it past keeper Brad
ning the first leg, 1-0 at Yan- pushed United past 1 mil- immediately to the spot. a left-footer over the wall Guzan in the 45th.
kee Stadium. United, which lion fans for the season and Atlanta built a command- and into the top left corner But that turned out to be
finished two points behind broke the Major League ing 3-0 lead on aggre- , just beyond the grasp of a New York City’s only goal in
New York Red Bulls in the Soccer playoff record of gate when Miguel Almiron leaping Johnson. the series.q

Molina, Realmuto homer to lead MLB All-Stars over Japan 7-3

TOKYO (AP) — Yadier Moli- was huge,” MLB manager
na had three hits, including Don Mattingly said. “We
a three-run homer, and J.T. got in a little bit of a jam,
Realmuto also went deep pitch count is starting to
to lead the MLB All-Stars climb, then Yadi’s pick.”
over Japan 7-3 on Sunday Rookie Juan Soto hit a fly
for their first win of the six- ball in the fourth that was
game exhibition series after headed for the seats but hit
a pair of defeats. the roof and was caught
Realmuto hit an opposite- by right fielder Shogo Aki-
field solo homer to right in yama. Soto also hit the
the fourth at Tokyo Dome, roof in Thursday’s warmup
and Mitch Haniger scored game against the Yomiuri
the go-ahead run from sec- Giants.
ond in a four-run fifth when Winner Scott Barlow al-
Japan starter Shinsaburo lowed one run and five
Tawata threw wildly for an hits in 4 1/3 innings and 65
error on Mitch Haniger’s pitches, striking out four.
bunt. One out later, Molina Eugenio Suarez hit an RBI
chased Tawata with an op- double over Seiji Uebayashi
posite-field, three-run hom- in left in a two-run seventh,
er to right for a 5-1 lead. then scored on Haniger’s
The nine-time Gold Glove single to open a 7-1 lead.
catcher picked off Seiji Ue- MLB All-Star Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals watches the flight of his fly ball in the fourth “Having Yadi back there
bayashi in the fourth inning. inning of Game 3 against All Japan at the All-Stars Series baseball at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, makes my life a lot easier,”
Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018.
“I felt like Yadi’s pick at first Associated Press Barlow said. “q