Sports Week: Rays force decider; Colts trade stars

The Milwaukee Brewers stood one half inning away from their first World Series title on Tuesday night.

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Williamson hit a single in the 12th inning to break a 3-3 tie. That hit forced a fifth game in the series. The Brewers had a chance to end the championship run immediately but failed to close the door.

Both teams face a short turnaround before Game 5. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Bullpens for both clubs may be strained after the extra three innings of play. Tampa Bay still needs to overcome a steep deficit to win its first Commissioner's Trophy.

In the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts began moving veteran players. The team traded six-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle received a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick for the deal. This addition strengthens Seattle's offensive line without a heavy draft cost.

Indianapolis also sent two-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers, who originally drafted Buckner, received a 2027 fourth-round pick. This return beats the fifth-round compensatory pick the Colts expected if Buckner left as a free agent. Attention now turns to whether running back Jonathan Taylor will be the next star moved.

The NBA suffered two major injury reports. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards will miss up to two months. He requires arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Edwards dealt with this issue since last season and chose the procedure now to increase his availability later in the year. He scored 47 points less than 24 hours before the injury announcement.

Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. will be out at least six weeks with a torn MCL. The injury does not require surgery. This loss hurts the Jazz's rim protection and their postseason hopes. In college football, the playoff selection committee faces a crowded field in the SEC. CBS Sports projects three to five SEC teams in the field. Georgia remains the conference's best team despite an upset loss and a bye week. Kentucky, LSU, Texas, Alabama, and Ole Miss form a tight group of contenders behind the Bulldogs.

The Big Ten has seen most of its top teams fall short of preseason expectations. In college basketball, the season opens Sunday with Notre Dame playing Villanova. Senior writer Matt Norlander ranked Florida as the strongest title challenger in the top 101 list. He called the Gators unquestionably one of the strongest preseason No. 1s of the past 15 years. This is the first season of the 76-team NCAA Tournament era, meaning more programs will be part of the at-large conversation.

Pete Prisco's Week 8 NFL Power Rankings placed the Minnesota Vikings first. They are the league's only unbeaten team at 6-0 and have the NFL's top scoring defense. Prisco noted that the Vikings' offense ranks 23rd in scoring and the passing game is 29th in yards per game. He said quarterback Kyler Murray has to be better with a tough four-game stretch ahead. The Bears and Buccaneers made the biggest jumps in the rankings, while the Texans fell six spots. The Miami Heat opened their season 0-4. Jaylen Brown's representatives denied that he asked the Celtics for a trade. Kawhi Leonard will miss his return to Los Angeles with a knee injury. Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor will have season-ending toe surgery. Alabama dismissed defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. after a second arrest.