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BASEBALL

LOS ANGELES (AP) From laughingstock to lift off.

George Springer and the Houston Astros rocketed to the top of the baseball galaxy <a title="Eric Wood Jersey" href="http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/eric-wood-jersey">Eric Wood Jersey</a> , winning the first World Series championship in franchise history by romping past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7.

Playing for a city still recovering from Hurricane Harvey, and wearing an H Strong logo on their jerseys, the Astros brought home the prize that had eluded them since they started out in 1962 as the Colt .45s.

For a Series that was shaping up as an October classic, Game 7 quickly became a November clunker as Houston scored five runs in the first two innings off Yu Darvish. Hardly the excitement fans felt during the Cubs’ 10-inning thriller in Cleveland last fall.

Well, except for everyone wearing bright orange. Back in Houston, a huge crowd filled Minute Maid Park to cheer as fans watched on the big video board, and the train whistle wailed when it was over.

Star shortstop Carlos Correa turned the party into a proposal. After doing a TV interview <a title="Colton Schmidt Jersey" href="http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/colton-schmidt-jersey">Colton Schmidt Jersey</a> , he got down on one knee and asked girlfriend Daniella Rodriguez, a former Miss Texas USA, to marry him.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Duke was in good position to be ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll before landing Marvin Bagley III. Once the nation’s top recruit decided to reclassify for this season, the Blue Devils became the voters’ clear choice.

Led by Bagley and senior guard Grayson Allen, Duke was the preseason No. 1 for the second straight season a ninth time overall, matching rival North Carolina for most all-time. The Blue Devils received 33 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel in the AP Top 25 released on Wednesday.

No. 2 Michigan State received 13 first-place votes, No. 3 Arizona had 18 and No. 4 Kansas got one.

Kentucky rounded out the top 5 <a title="Cordy Glenn Jersey" href="http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/cordy-glenn-jersey">Cordy Glenn Jersey</a> , followed by Villanova, Wichita State and Florida. Defending national champion North Carolina is No. 9 and Southern California is 10th.

OLYMPICS

GENEVA (AP) – In a landmark verdict that indicates Russia conspired to run a doping program at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, thered last year by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren.

sociation with the NFL. The company also cut its earnings growth expectations for the year e returning to active status.