ALCS: Astros face Rangers in Game 6, one win from 3rd straight World Series

• October 21, 2023

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros return home a win from their third straight trip to the World Series.

It won’t be easy, though, considering their lackluster home record and a Texas Rangers team that will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound Sunday night in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series.

Eovaldi who is from Alvin, the Houston suburb where Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan also grew up, is 3-0 in the postseason and got the win in Game 2 of this series after also pitching Texas to victories in the Wild Card Series and Division Series. The 33-year-old right-hander is 7-3 with a 2.87 ERA in 14 games with nine starts in his postseason career.

“His résumé shows that he pitches well in important games, so it’s going to be a great matchup,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said.

Eovaldi is eager to face a Houston team that scored 23 runs combined in the last three games after managing just four in the two Texas wins.

“I enjoy facing the hottest teams,” he said. “I fully believe that pitching wins championships. We’re able to put teams in a funk, go out there and set the tone early.”

The Astros went 39-42 in Houston during the regular season and their home woes have continued this postseason, where they are 1-3. They swept three games in Arlington to take a 3-2 series lead, rebounding from their poor performances at Minute Maid.

Houston manager Dusty Baker has long grown tired of questions about why his team is better on the road. As the most important home game of the year for the Astros approached, Baker was again forced to address it and asked whether he planned to address his team about it.

“What can I say? If I had the magic words, I would have said them like two months ago,” Baker explained Saturday. “We’ve just got to get it done. There are no words that can describe what we have to do. Simply action.”

Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning Friday night to give the Astros a 5-4 win in a wild Game 5, which included a benches-clearing scuffle in the eighth inning. It began after Bryan Abreu hit Texas slugger Adolis García on the left arm with a 98.9 mph fastball. García, who punctuated a go-ahead homer in the sixth with an empathic bat spike and a slow trot, immediately turned around and got in the face of catcher Martín Maldonado, causing players from both teams to spill onto the field.

García, Abreu and Baker were all ejected. Both managers were asked if they thought emotions from that altercation would spill over into Game 6.

Baker seemed to go back-and-forth on the issue.

“Yeah, probably,” he said.

When pressed as to how he thought it would carry over, Baker continued.

“Man, I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t have no crystal ball. You don’t script that. It just happens.”

Bochy said: “I don’t see really any of this happening again, to be honest.”

While Eovaldi has been great for the Rangers this postseason, Houston starter Framber Valdez has struggled. The left-hander, who threw a no-hitter against Cleveland in August, is 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA in two playoff starts this season.

He allowed five runs and seven hits without getting out of the third inning in Game 2. The Rangers jumped on him for four runs in the first inning and he seemed to get rattled, committing two errors on one play that helped them build the lead.

Baker wasn’t worried about Valdez’s confidence or him getting too emotional on the mound.

“Framber has pitched big games before. I think we’re making a lot of Framber’s emotions. And the last couple of games it wasn’t as much his emotions as his location — he wasn’t sharp… we talk about emotions, but you’ve got to throw strikes and quality strikes and quality location and if he does that emotions never come into play.”

Valdez, 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in last year’s World Series, is thankful to get the chance to redeem himself and try to pitch Houston to another World Series berth after a tough start to this postseason.

“It feels good, and I thank Dusty and I thank my teammates that I’m (starting) despite the two bad outings that I had before this,” he said through a translator. “It can happen to anyone, but it feels good that I do have the opportunity to be able to go out there to show that I can do what I’ve been doing and hopefully with God and hard work (we) should be able to get there.”

The Astros wore their orange jerseys for all three wins in Arlington after losing in their white jerseys in the opener and in navy in Game 2. Valdez is a fan of the navy but was asked if he might ask to wear the orange ones again after their success in the color this week.

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“It doesn’t matter to me what jersey we use, whether it’s the navy, the white, the orange,” he said. “Just go out there and compete. “

Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien said it’s important for Texas not to get down after Friday’s difficult loss if the team hopes to force a Game 7. The Rangers opened the postseason with seven straight wins.

“We have to understand that we had the game under control yesterday until one swing happened,” he said. “So how can we figure out how to continue to control the ball game and figure out how to finish.”

​ Orange County Register 

Lab mix Casper wants to be your very best friend

• October 21, 2023

Breed: Labrador retriever mix

Age: 1 year

Sex: Neutered male

Size: About 45 pounds

Casper’s story: This beautiful boy is the perfect size – not too big, not too small. He’s a love bug who just wants to be around people. He’s deaf, but he already knows several hand signals and is a fast learner. He adores car rides, the water and other dogs.

Adoption fee: $300, includes vaccines, microchip and neutering

Adoption procedure: Fill out Friends of Orange County’s Homeless Pets’ online application or email [email protected]. The website has other pets in need of homes, too.

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​ Orange County Register 

Why are eggs so expensive and which are best? Cracking the code on carton labels

• October 21, 2023

If eggs are a regular staple in your household, you’ve probably noticed that the price of a dozen eggs appears to have doubled in the last year or so. An outbreak of avian influenza – also known as bird flu – killed millions of egg-laying chickens nationwide, leading to a serious egg shortage. While grocery stores are no longer out of eggs, the higher prices remain.

The cost of a dozen grade-A eggs at a typical grocery store in Southern California can range from $3.00 to a whopping $10.00. Considering eggs cost more than ever, are the more expensive eggs worth it? What do the labels on the egg carton even mean? There are common misconceptions about egg labeling, so let’s crack the code to the meaning of common egg carton labels.

Egg Grading

Eggs are graded on a scale of AA, A or B. Eggs are graded on appearance and the firmness of the white with AA being the highest quality. Typically, supermarket eggs are graded A, which is fine for baking and cooking.

Cage-free

While cage-free may sound like an improvement in the treatment of chickens, it simply means that the chickens are not kept in cages. They may still be packed tight in confined hen houses with no access to the outdoors or daylight.

Free-range

Eggs labeled free-range are produced by chickens that must have access to the outdoors at least six hours per day and have two square feet of space per bird. There are no requirements regarding the conditions of the outdoor space.

Pasture-raised

Pasture-raised eggs are produced by chickens that have been raised in a vegetation-covered pasture with 108 square feet per chicken for a minimum of six hours per day. Chickens are fed only grains without animal byproducts and are free to eat the insects and seeds in their natural environment. Pasture-raised eggs are Humane Farm Animal Care certified, a non-profit certification organization.

Due to the superior diet of pasture-raised chickens, the eggs they produce are known to have better flavor and substantially greater nutritional value, including more vitamin D, vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.

Certified organic

Organic certification is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture and means that chickens have access to the outdoors and are fed a feed that does not contain genetically modified organisms, antibiotics or animal byproducts.

Antibiotic-free

As with certified organic eggs, eggs labeled antibiotic-free came from hens that haven’t received antibiotics in their feed or water according to the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. However, these eggs may not qualify for an organic certification due to other factors.

Natural or Farm-fresh

Terms like “natural” and “farm fresh” are unregulated. These terms may be added to food labels, including the packaging of eggs, but do not impart any important meaning or value.

Overall, eggs are a nutrient-dense food; however, omega-3-enriched and lutein-enhanced eggs are likely the best eggs for their extra nutritional value. Nutrient enrichment and enhancement of eggs is a separate label from those related to the treatment of hens.

There are important factors to consider when choosing the best eggs for you and your family. More nutritious eggs from humanely treated hens may have the best taste, but also the highest price. These are all important factors to consider when purchasing eggs. Keep in mind that savings may be achieved when purchasing cartons of 18 eggs instead of a dozen. Shop around and compare prices at different markets and use coupons to get the best price. If any of your neighbors have chickens, you may be able to score a good deal or a barter for fresh, local eggs.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at [email protected].

​ Orange County Register 

Bonded German shepherd brothers are looking for a home together.

• October 21, 2023

Breed: German shepherds

Age: 2 years

Sex: Neutered males

Dillinger and Hoover’s story: These bonded brothers are extremely friendly. They can be protective of their people and property, but they turn into teddy bears when volunteers get them out of their kennels. They like dogs and lived with children. They’re crate-trained. Dillinger and Hoover are dependent on one another so need to go to a home together.

Adoption fee: Dedicated Animal Welfare Group, the volunteer arm of Mission Viejo Animal Services, is sponsoring these sweet boys’ adoption, so an approved adopter would pay just $200 to adopt them both.

Adoption procedure: Application and screening of potential adopters is required to ensure they are the right fit for Dillinger and Hoover. Visit the boys at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center, 28095 Hillcrest, Mission Viejo; call 949-470-3045; or email [email protected]. More information on Dillinger and Hoover and other dogs in need of homes can be found online.

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​ Orange County Register 

Rams’ running back plans fluid ahead of Steelers game

• October 21, 2023

THOUSAND OAKS — Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald got a call from his dad last week. Next game is against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he said, hometown team. He asked if his son if he was excited.

For Donald, who still spends his offseasons in Pittsburgh and bases his foundation in the city, the excitement or playing his childhood team has worn off some over his 10-year career. The first time playing the Steelers, especially in then-Heinz Field, that was a big deal.

“Now it’s just like, it’s cool to play against the team that I grew up watching and all that, but it’s just another week. Want to find a way to be successful, try to find a way to win this game,” Donald said. “I still consider myself a Steelers fan, obviously, until we got to play them.”

The matchup Sunday between the Rams (3-3) and the Steelers (3-2) will be notable as much for the back and forth between Donald and Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt as it will be for a pair of running games with a lot of questions, for very different reasons.

The Steelers’ are fairly more straightforward. The Pittsburgh offense was expected to be predicated on its run entering the season, but Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are averaging a total of 74.2 rushing yards per game.

Harris told reporters this week that he spent the bye week spending extra time looking at film to identify changes that had to be made and presenting it to the coaching staff.

“It’s going to be in this game plan,” Harris said. “It’s a lot more better looks in this stuff.”

The Rams, meanwhile, thought they had found something with an explosive run performance in the second half of last weekend’s win over Arizona. But Kyren Williams (ankle) and Ronnie Rivers (knee) both suffered injuries that will keep them out for several weeks.

Rivers was added to the injured reserve Wednesday, and Williams followed suit Saturday. Both will be eligible to return at the earliest for a Week 12 road trip to Arizona.

Myles Gaskin was added to the active roster and Darrell Henderson returned to L.A. to join the practice squad, all in an effort to reinforce rookie Zach Evans and promoted practice squad member Royce Freeman.

As of Friday, head coach Sean McVay said the Rams were still considering which running backs will be active against the Steelers. Henderson will be called up from the practice squad due to his familiarity as a former member of the offense. But whether the Rams activate all four running backs or just three – and which three – was still to be determined.

“I liked what I saw from all four of those guys,” McVay said. “Darrell came back in. He’s a guy that’s going to be up and active this week. He’s done a great job of being able to quickly re-acclimate himself back to a lot of the things that we’ve done.”

McVay did not disclose a starting running back, but Henderson’s familiarity with the Rams’ system could lend itself to an immediate role against the Steelers.

Gaskin played in similar offenses in Miami and Minnesota, but said he’s treating the Rams’ playbook like he’s starting from scratch. Freeman has yet to make a carry this year, and Evans is still learning the system, as evidenced by his first snap against Arizona following Williams’ injury.

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“Zach’s first play is this really intricate kind of motion that he’s got,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “And it’s like, ‘All right, you got to get out there,’ a little bit. So I’d spend a little extra time talking about that. He didn’t get that rep in practice and those kinds of things, but other times we just go play ball.”

But the Rams’ plans at RB could change on the fly depending on how Sunday goes.

“Sometimes with the back it is the hot hand, and you got to get in the rhythm,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “So you have your plan. Plans do change. The players do know that, but all four will be ready to go if their number is called.”

​ Orange County Register 

Football roundup: Villa Park tops Yorba Linda in OT; Foothill, La Habra, San Clemente also win in Week 9

• October 21, 2023

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Dominic Ancich scored on a 2-yard touchdown run and Emiliano Salazar booted the extra point to lift Villa Park’s football team past Yorba Linda 34-33 in a dramatic Crestview League game Friday at El Modena High.

Villa Park (8-1, 1-1), ranked 16th in Orange County, scored on its first possession of overtime after No. 15 Yorba Linda (6-3, 1-1) opened the extra period with a touchdown run and missed extra point.

The Mustangs missed their extra-point attempt after a penalty negated a successful kick following a 1-yard touchdown run by Chase Jones.

Yorba Linda also missed an extra point in the first half that loomed significant as the teams finished regulation tied 27-27.

Villa Park junior quarterback Nate Lewis set up the winning score by scrambling and then completing a 9-yard pass to Carter Christie to move the ball to the 2.

Earlier in the drive, Ancich converted a fourth-and-1 at the Yorba Linda 16 with a 3-yard run.

The Spartans bounced back from a 22-21 loss against Foothill last week. They close out the Crestview League by playing at Brea Olinda (5-4, 0-2) on Friday, Oct. 27.

Yorba Linda finishes league on Thursday, Oct. 26, by taking on Foothill (6-3, 2-0), which has clinched at least a share of the league crown. The game will be played at Tustin High.

Foothill 55, Brea Olinda 0: Running back Aaron Mitchell rushed for three touchdowns in the first half to help the Knights (6-3, 2-0) clinch at least a share of the league title at Tustin.

Esperanza 34, Canyon 27: Aaron Forsgren rushed for 103 yards and a score as the Aztecs (4-5, 1-1) kept their playoff chances alive.

Canyon wide receiver Kyle Bayle hauled in a school-record 19 catches for 213 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Corin Rynders passed for 292 passing yards and three scores for the Comanches (1-8, 0-2).

La Habra 45, Fullerton 7: The visiting Highlanders (5-4, 3-1) posted their second consecutive impressive victory in league to move into a tie for second place with Troy (5-4, 3-1). La Habra takes on Sonora (8-1, 4-0) next week for a chance to earn a share of the league crown.

Edison 56, Fountain Valley 7: Julius Gillick rushed for 158 yards and freshman Sam Thomson passed for 220 yards and three TDs as the Chargers (6-3, 4-0) continued to dominate its Bell Game rivalry and set up a showdown next week against Los Alamitos (7-2, 4-0) for the Sunset League title.

Edison has won 19 consecutive games in its rivalry with Fountain Valley (3-5, 0-3).

The Griffins defeated Huntington Beach 63-13 in a Sunset League game Friday.

— Dan Albano

San Clemente 35, Capistrano Valley 18: San Clemente clinched a share of the South Coast League championship by beating Capistrano Valley.

The Tritons most recently won the league championship in the pandemic-shortened spring season in 2021.

Aiden Rubin ran for two touchdowns for San Clemente (8-1, 2-0) and Dylan Mills threw two touchdown passes. Rubin is one rushing touchdown shy of the school-record.

Cole Herlean had two touchdown receptions for the Tritons and Max Gonzales returned an interception for a touchdown for the second consecutive game.

Tommy Acosta and Cash Moormann had rushing touchdowns for Capo Valley (7-2, 0-2).

Laguna Hills 31, Northwood 28, OT: Laguna Hills blocked a potential game-tying field goal attempt in overtime to edge Northwood in a Pacific Coast League game.

The Hawks trailed 21-7 in the second half. Dylan Sciacca returned a fumble for a touchdown for Laguna Hills (8-1, 1-1) to tie the game.

Ryan McKevitt ran for over 120 yards with a touchdown. Ben Trocchio had a rushing touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Mason Fromm. Tyler Guzman had an interception for the Hawks and Luke Whitfield made the go-ahead field goal in overtime.

Edward Ma threw for over 250 yards with four touchdowns for Northwood (4-5, 1-1). Joseph Harper had two touchdown receptions and multiple sacks on defense.

Dana Hills 52, Portola 13: Owen Walz had four rushing touchdowns for Dana Hills in a rout of Portola to clinch a share of the Pacific Coast League championship.

The four rushing touchdowns are the most for a Dana Hills (7-2, 2-0) rusher since Trent Mason in 2010. Walz also had a 90-yard kick return for a touchdown, his second in two games.

Jace Lowe threw three touchdown passes, two to Noah Kucera and one to James Leicester.

Rocky Palacio threw for 150 yards with a touchdown for Portola (4-5, 0-2).

Tustin 49, Pacifica 0: Tustin ran for 331 yards with five touchdowns in a win over Pacifica in an Empire League game.

Eimesse Essis led the Tillers with 112 yards on six carries with two touchdowns. Mackenzie Elleyne had a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown.

Jack Stupin threw for 133 yards with two touchdowns for Tustin (9-0, 4-0). Khalil Terry and Drew Glymph each had interceptions for the Tillers. Tustin is the last remaining undefeated team in the county.

Aliso Niguel 35, El Toro 14: Aliso Niguel ran for 225 yards in a Sea View League win over El Toro to snap its two-game losing streak.

Quarterback Hunter Najm ran for 82 yards with three touchdowns and threw for 175 yards with a touchdown. Jarett Sabol ran for 89 yards with a touchdown for Aliso Niguel (6-3, 1-1).

Ayden Sanchez caught five passes for 84 yards with a touchdown. Ryu Davis had an 85-yard kickoff return and Cameron Levine had eight tackles with a sack.

Laguna Beach 50, Godinez 7: Jackson Kollock threw for 325 yards with seven touchdowns for Laguna Beach in a Pac 4 League win over Godinez.

Six different receivers had touchdown receptions for Laguna Beach (8-1, 2-0). Nick Rogers had 89 yards receiving with two touchdowns. Brock Donaldson had 93 yards receiving with a touchdown.

Nico Vidaurri Tucker had an interception for the Breakers and freshman Garrett Byerly recovered a fumble.

Orange 51, Costa Mesa 6: Ardwon Morris ran for 287 yards with four touchdowns for Orange in an Orange Coast League win over Costa Mesa.

Wesley Lundell threw for 120 yards on just three completions with two touchdowns for the Panthers. Isaiah Williams had all 120 yards receiving with two touchdowns.

Isaac Daniels had an interception for Orange (5-4, 4-1).

Estancia 29, Calvary Chapel 28: Rylie Witte threw for 278 yards with two passing and two rushing touchdowns for Estancia in an Orange Coast League win over Calvary Chapel.

Evan Urquiza led the defense with eight solo tackles and a forced fumble. He also had a touchdown reception and a successful two-point conversion attempt which clinched the game for Estancia (5-4, 2-3).

Joseth Zarate and Brandon Bettinghausen had touchdown receptions.

— Michael Huntley

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​ Orange County Register 

Rams RB Kyren Williams placed on injured reserve

• October 21, 2023

Rams running back Kyren Williams was placed on injured reserve Saturday, sidelining the second-year back for at least the next four games with his sprained left ankle.

The earliest Williams will be able to return to game action is Week 12 at Arizona.

Williams took over as the Rams’ lead back in Week 2 as he won the job from Week 1 starter Cam Akers. He scored two touchdowns in each of the Rams’ first two games, then broke out with his first 100-yard performance in Week 4 against the Colts.

He helped lead the Rams to victory in Week 6 with 153 yards in the second half of a 26-9 win over the Cardinals, but left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle sprain. The Rams initially were not concerned he would miss time, but by Monday realized the injury was more extensive than expected. Williams was in a cast and getting around with a scooter during practices this week.

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The Rams promoted newly signed Darrell Henderson from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He joins new signee Myles Gaskin, rookie Zach Evans and veteran Royce Freeman on the Rams’ active roster, but the team may opt to leave one of the backs inactive for the game.

​ Orange County Register 

Man arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting girl in Garden Grove

• October 21, 2023

A 32-year-old man was arrested in Garden Grove this week on suspicion of sexually assaulting a girl, and police are asking any additional victims to come forward.

Eric Andrew Carino of Garden Grove was taken into custody Friday morning, Garden Grove police Sgt. Mark Lord said. A search warrant for Carino’s home led investigators to find evidence related to the case. Police did not specify what they found.

Eric Andrew Carino, 32, of Garden Grove. (Courtesy of Garden Grove Police Department)

Police accused Carino of reaching out to the girl, whose age was not released by authorities, on  social media and asking to meet with her, knowing she was underage, Lord said. The social media platform was not named.

The girl agreed to meet, but asked to go home shortly after the meeting time, Lord said.

Carino is accused of taking her to his home, where he sexually assaulted her. He then drove her home and blocked her on the app.

The girl identified Carino as the suspect and DNA evidence was being processed by the Orange County Crime Lab, Lord said.

During the investigation, police found Carino was linked to another sexual assault case from 2021. They did not provide details.

Carino is being held in jail on $150,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, inmate records show.

Anyone with information about the case, or any others involving Carino, was asked to call Detective Adam Nikolic at 714-741-5877, or by email at [email protected].

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​ Orange County Register