Opening

In the top of the ninth in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, the Padres' Ty France crushed what looked like a go-ahead two-run fly ball, only for it to hit the cables beneath American Family Field's roof and bounce back into play, getting caught for an out as the Brewers held on to win 3-2. Coming up, we'll tell you how the Patriots used a one-handed touchdown grab to end the Bills' unbeaten season, plus a Panthers rookie who shattered his career single-game numbers, and we'll go all the way from MLB's playoffs to the Judo World Championships in Baku.

This Week's Top Sports Stories

1. Roof Cable Swallows a Go-Ahead Homer! Brewers Hold On for Division Series Game 1 Win Thanks to Bizarre Ballpark Rule

• What happened: In Game 1 of the NL Division Series, with the Padres' Ty France launching what initially looked like a go-ahead two-run fly ball in the top of the ninth, the ball struck the cables beneath American Family Field's roof and bounced back into the field of play, where it was caught by Jackson Chourio for an out, allowing the Brewers to hold on for a 3-2 win. According to MLB.com, the Brewers' coaching staff had half-jokingly said before the game that they "hadn't seen a ball hit the cables in six years," only for it to happen that very night. For Game 2, the team simply opened the retractable roof to play it safe.
• Why it matters: It's rare enough for a ground-rule quirk to decide a win-or-go-home game, but having it happen in Game 1 of a series made it all the more dramatic, and it's become the most talked-about moment since this round of the division series began.
• Source: https://www.mlb.com/news/ty-france-s-fly-ball-hits-roof-cable-in-milwaukee-in-9th-inning

2. One-Handed Touchdown Ends Bills' Unbeaten Run! Patriots Win 29-26, Trash Talk Continues After the Game

• What happened: The Patriots beat the previously undefeated Bills 29-26 on the road, handing them their first loss of the season. The decisive play came with 1:50 left in the fourth quarter, when Efton Chism hauled in a 23-yard one-handed touchdown catch from Drake Maye. After the game, Bills player C.J. Gardner-Johnson poked fun at Chism in his press conference, and the next day Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel fired back publicly, extending the on-field rivalry straight to the microphones.
• Why it matters: Ending an opponent's unbeaten streak is already a big deal, but the trash talk exchanged after the game added even more spice to this divisional matchup.
• Source: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/patriots-mike-vrabel-efton-chism-c-j-gardner-johnson/

3. Rookie Sets Career Highs in a Single Game! Panthers Beat Lions Behind McMillan's 14 Catches for 192 Yards

• What happened: The Panthers beat the Lions 32-26 in Sunday Night Football, with rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan hauling in 14 catches for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns, setting new career highs in both receptions and receiving yards. Quarterback Bryce Young completed 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back Chuba Hubbard rushed for a season-high 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. Late in the fourth quarter, McMillan stretched out for a sideline catch and kept both feet in bounds, converting an 18-yard third down that effectively ran out the clock.
• Why it matters: A rookie setting career highs in catches and yardage in a single game is impressive enough on its own, but that clutch sideline catch was a textbook play that sealed the game.
• Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50107710/tetairoa-mcmillan-bryce-young-star-panthers-defeat-lions

4. Ace Pitcher Benched for the Opener! Braves Even the Series Against the Dodgers with a Bullpen Day

• What happened: The Braves took a bold gamble in Game 2, using a "bullpen day" strategy that started Ray Kerr while holding ace Chris Sale back for Game 3, ultimately beating the defending champion Dodgers 3-2 to even the series at 1-1. Michael Harris II went 3-for-3 on the day, including a fifth-inning triple that scored on a wild pitch by Kris Bubic to put the Braves ahead, and he added an RBI double in the seventh. Dodgers starter Blake Snell was pulled after just 3⅓ innings, his shortest postseason start since 2022.
• Why it matters: Sacrificing a start to save your ace for later is a rare gamble in the postseason, and seeing the defending champions' ace fail to make it through four innings completely flipped the momentum of the series.
• Source: https://www.foxsports.com/articles/mlb/michael-harris-ii-leads-braves-to-32-win-over-dodgers-in-game-2-to-tie-nlds

5. Double Upset in WNBA Semifinal Openers! Dream Stun Liberty on the Road, Valkyries Shut Down Aces' Star Power

• What happened: The WNBA semifinals kicked off with a pair of upsets. The Atlanta Dream rode a big third-quarter run to beat the New York Liberty 92-82 on the road, with Jordin Canada as the key driver. Meanwhile, the Golden State Valkyries clamped down defensively on Las Vegas's stars, holding the Aces to just 60 points in a 71-60 series-opening win. Both series are best-of-five.
• Why it matters: Both series saw the favored teams stumble on the very same day, completely upending the outlook for the semifinals after just one game each.
• Source: https://www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/wnba-playoffs-winners-and-losers-semifinals-game-1/

6. Home Favorite Rallies for Gold! Judo World Championships Kick Off in Baku to Roaring Crowds

• What happened: The 2026 Judo World Championships opened in Baku, Azerbaijan on October 4. In the men's 60kg final, home favorite Ahmad Yusifov fell behind after taking a waza-ari from a kouchi-gari, but rallied with two consecutive waza-ari scores to win gold. It's Azerbaijan's fourth world championship gold in judo history, and the country's first-ever world title in the 60kg division. The women's 48kg gold went to Japan's Wakana Koga.
• Why it matters: A capacity home crowd witnessing a come-from-behind gold medal win is a landmark moment for the host nation's judo program.
• Source: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/world-judo-championships-2026-baku-all-results-full-schedule

Closing

The moment from this episode that's hardest to forget has to be that fly ball bouncing off the cables back into play, more over-the-top than anything a script could write. Both MLB division series still have more win-or-go-home games ahead, the NFL divisional rivalries are heating up, and the WNBA semifinals are far from decided, so stay tuned for the next episode. I'm Muyan, see you next time!