National Sports

VANCOUVER — By clinching a Major League Soccer playoff spot, the Vancouver Whitecaps have reached "the minimum expectation" for their season, says striker Ryan Gauld. The Whitecaps scored three second-half goals to defeat St.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Two years after suffering through a 110-loss season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are spraying champagne and heading to the NL Division Series. They feel like they belong, too.

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — For the fourth time this pre-season, the Canucks were outscored by their opponents, leaving their head coach looking for more from his players.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryson Stott swung the bat, then stared almost in a daze as the ball plopped 412 feet away into the right-field seats. Stott swears he has almost no memory of the second grand slam in Philadelphia Phillies postseason history.

SASKATOON — Brandon Lisowsky scored a hat trick to lead the Saskatoon Blades to a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in Western Hockey League action on Wednesday night.

EDMONTON — Connor Brown has made his presence felt for the Edmonton Oilers. Brown had two goals and an assist while Connor McDavid added a goal and three assists as the Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 7-2 on Wednesday.

GATINEAU, Que. — Louis-Philippe Fontaine scored twice to help the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies earn a dominant 7-3 victory over the Gatineau Olympiques in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Wednesday night.

MONTREAL — Lassi Lappalainen scored a 97th-minute equalizer as CF Montreal played to a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night and earned a crucial point in the Major League Soccer playoff race.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New Toronto FC coach John Herdman got a firsthand look at the massive repair job in front of him as Toronto FC was thumped 3-0 by Charlotte FC on Wednesday.

SARNIA, Ont. — Adrian Misaljevic scored a goal and added an assist as the Kitchener Rangers defeated the Sarnia Sting 3-1 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday night.