CHICAGO -- The Cubs are seeing their season slip away in heartbreaking and dramatic fashion as they lost their fourth consecutive one-run game at Wrigley Field on Saturday, after closer Craig Kimbrel gave up ninth-inning home runs on back-to-back pitches.

Kimbrel, 31, entered the game against the St. Louis Cardinals holding onto an 8-7 lead before Yadier Molina hit his first pitch, a 97 mph fastball, out to left field. Paul DeJong did the same moments later, sending another fastball over the wall.

"I feel like I made two competitive pitches that I wanted to and they went out," Kimbrel said after the game. "It's frustrating. It's the only thing I can say."

The ending is becoming all too familiar for the Cubs and Kimbrel. He also gave up a winning home run to Matt Carpenter in Game 1 of this series on Thursday, breaking a 4-4, 10th-inning tie. In just 23 appearances since signing with the Cubs in June, Kimbrel has given up nine home runs, a career high for one season.

"We had the right guy there at the end," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. "You talk about two shots to the jaw, and they got the win."

The Cubs will have to wonder if Kimbrel was ready for the moment, considering he was on the injured list until Thursday with right elbow soreness. The team deemed him ready after a 16-pitch simulated game a couple of days earlier, but three home runs given up in less than two innings of work might suggest something different.

"I feel great right now," Kimbrel said. "I just didn't get the results I wanted -- the results I need to have to do my job. Moving forward, I have a good feeling I will."

As Maddon added, "He was already in one game. He's had ample time to get it back together. It was kind of surprising. ... That was the right time for him. There was nothing wrong with his arm strength."

Kimbrel is signed for two more seasons after this one, so concern might grow about his performance, if indeed he is healthy. But the here and now is the only thing that matters for the Cubs. It was a crushing defeat in a week of them, even though they fought back several times in Saturday's four-hour, 24-minute marathon. But whatever can go wrong has, as the Cubs dropped their fifth consecutive game, and they are reeling from injuries and blown saves.

"Craig's a Hall of Fame closer," Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "He's got a track record for a reason. He puts in the work. We all see it. He's an amazing guy in the clubhouse. We have his back. It's tough. I know he feels bad, but he's a competitor and he's a champion and he'll bounce back."

It has been 47 years since the Cubs have lost four consecutive one-run games, but they'll have to put that all behind them if they have any chance at a fifth consecutive postseason appearance. Saturday's game will be a tough one to get over. Chicago's chances to make the playoffs dropped from 77% at the end of play on Monday to 9.1% on Saturday night, according to FanGraphs data.

"I'm feeling for Craig right now more than anything," Maddon said.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price will have surgery Thursday to remove a cyst in his left wrist that ended his season early. The 2012 Cy Young winner is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

Price, who went 7-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 22 starts this season, last pitched on Sept. 1 and made just two appearances since the end of July.

Boston manager Alex Cora said before Sunday's game at Tampa Bay that Price should have a normal offseason once his recovery from surgery is completed.

"As of now everything seems like, take care of the cyst and he should be fine," Cora said.

The defending World Series champion Red Sox were mathematically eliminated from postseason play on Friday night.

NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia wiped tears away with his hands and the top of his jersey. Honored at Yankee Stadium ahead of his retirement at season's end, his emotions came out as his wife, mother and children read tributes on a video broadcast on the center-field scoreboard.

"It's been a great 11 years," Sabathia said before the New York Yankees' regular-season home finale Sunday against Toronto.

True to his nature, the 39-year-old left-hander thanked the training and clubhouse staff by name.

He was given a lap around the field in a golf cart, passing the bullpen that will be his home during the postseason.

Sabathia was presented with art portraying his accomplishments and a 10-day vacation to Japan, then spoke briefly and posed for photos with his family and the entire team. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his mom -- Margie was his first catcher.

He envisions a future role with the Yankees, perhaps as an adviser or instructor.

"I just feel like I'm going to be here," he said earlier in the clubhouse, where gifts commemorating Sabathia's career were placed on the chair of every teammate. "I'm not going anywhere. I live here. I'll be at the Stadium."

Sabathia was drafted 20th overall by Cleveland in 1998 from Vallejo High School near San Francisco. Sabathia made his big league debut in 2001 and was 17-5 in his first season

"When I showed up, I didn't plan on playing this long," he said. "I'm from Vallejo. I'm from the inner city. I'm from the hood, so just making it was a big deal. So I never really thought past that first year."

Sabathia is 5-8 with a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts, a season interrupted by four trips to the injured list because of a chronically bad right knee that one day will require replacement surgery.

His is 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,091 strikeouts in a big league career that began in Cleveland from 2001-08 and included a brief stay in Milwaukee before he signed with the Yankees in December 2008. A six-time All-Star, he won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and was MVP of the Yankees' win over the Angels in the 2009 AL Championship Series. He made a pair of starts for New York in the World Series win over Philadelphia.

"Nineteen years of kind of pitching the way that I have, like emotionally, I'm kind of exhausted," he said. "It will be good next year to just kind of give that a break and my body a break, but I'll definitely miss the guys, the relationships I have in here."

New York appears headed toward a postseason rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, Luis Severino and J.A. Happ. Sabathia is getting switched to a relief role he filled just once, when he allowed a run at Detroit as the Yankees lost Game 5 of the AL Division Series.

"I'm nervous. I'm excited," he said. "I don't know what to expect."

Sabathia has heard the debate over whether he is worthy of the Hall of Fame. He's watched Mariano Rivera celebrated for his induction this year and anticipates Derek Jeter getting enshrined next summer.

"I've seen all the parties and stuff," he said. "I love parties, so it would be fun to get in."

As part of our series with reigning world champions, the sprinter shares his memories of London 2017, where he gained 4x100m gold for GB alongside CJ Ujah, Adam Gemili and Danny Talbot

What are your memories of London 2017?

First the 200m heats – I was buzzing so much. The crowd was cheering like it was a final. Then qualifying for the final was another great feeling. Coming fourth was a gut-wrenching feeling.

Then we had the relay heat and I remember I was so sore physically after running the three rounds of the 200m that I actually asked the head of sprints and relays if I could miss the first round and run the final, given the opportunity, but they wanted me to run the heat.

So I ran the heat and I remember I felt good.

We then all took a nap and we came out into the hallway. It was like a boy band, almost like a movie. Have you seen (the film) The Hangover before? Not saying that we were hungover! But you know when they walk into the hallway from their hotel rooms to go to the casino, they all come out at the same time from different entrances. We had a time that we were going to meet in the hallway but we all literally opened and closed doors at the same time. Everybody had the game face on.

That was a great feeling – that instinct with each other mentally. I remember Danny saying, ‘you got this’ and we later went on to become world champions.

How has it changed things for you, becoming a world champion?

The fact that I can call myself a world champion, that changes a lot. But it never changed my goals, it just allowed me to get an experience that we all aspire to have in the sport, of becoming a world champion.

Having team success definitely motivated me to later getting individual success. Albeit being Europeans – getting an individual medal (European 200m silver) was very important to me because I didn’t just want to be known as a relay guy. I want to achieve much more individual success and with that I believe will come collective success for the group.

Click here for more interviews in the series.

LOUDON, N.H. – Kevin Lacroix may have dominated the first 92 laps of Saturday’s Visit New Hampshire 100, but it was Andrew Ranger who stole the lead and drove into victory lane.

Ranger won the NASCAR Pinty’s Series event that kicked off a tripleheader of Saturday racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the second annual Full Throttle Fall Weekend.

“My car was just fantastic,” said Ranger, who started the race from third position. “The crew pushed really hard when I came into the pits and sent me back out with a little adjustment, and little by little we gained and I could see the race leader. It was a great race, and I hope we can finish and maybe win a third title.”

Capping off a sweet victory, Ranger took a swig from a gallon jug of pure New Hampshire maple syrup, creating a new victory lane tradition for the NASCAR Pinty’s Series at “The Magic Mile.”

Lacroix, who won the inaugural Visit New Hampshire 100 in 2018, repeated a dominant 90-lap performance in Saturday’s race, however, he was unable to win the battle to the checkered flag.

On the final lap, Alex Labbe, driver of the No. 36 Ford, spun Lacroix at the exit of turn four, propelling him into pit wall and ending Lacroix’s day only 20 feet from the finish line.

LOUDON, N.H. – After knocking on the door of victory lane four times this season, Ty Gibbs finally broke through and drove his way to his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win.

In his first visit to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, Gibbs took the checkered flag first during the Apple Barrel 125, part of the second annual Full Throttle Fall Weekend.

“It was just like going on a Sunday drive the car was so good,” said Gibbs, who started the race from the third position. “We led a lot of laps, and we got a little tight halfway through the race, but the guys fixed it up, and we went back out there and won.”

Gibbs led 112 of 125 laps, with July Loudon winner Chase Cabre, Sam Mayer and Tanner Gray close behind. Gibbs lost his cushion after a late-race caution, but pulled away after bumping Gray, securing the first-place position for the remainder of the race.

Gray, Josh Berry, Spencer Davis and Mayer rounded out the top five at the conclusion after a four-car battle for second place.

Cabre, who was out front for the 13 laps Gibbs didn’t pace, led the second five, ahead of Ruben Garcia Jr., Nick Sanchez, Justin Carroll and Robert Pawlowski.

Racing is in Gibbs’ blood, so it’s no surprise the grandson of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series team owner Joe Gibbs landed in victory lane during his rookie season after only 11 starts.

With his 17th birthday only two weeks away, Saturday’s victory lane celebration served as an early birthday present for the Charlotte, N.C. native.

The finish:

Ty Gibbs, Tanner Gray, Josh Berry, Spencer Davis, Sam Mayer, Chase Cabre, Ruben Garcia Jr., Nick Sanchez, Justin Carroll, Robert Pawlowski, Armani Williams, Josh Fanopoulos, Max McLaughlin, Bill Hoff.

SALINAS, Calif. – Andretti Autosport announced Saturday that the team will join forces with Harding Steinbrenner Racing via a partnership that will see Andretti field a fifth entry for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season.

The No. 88 Honda will join the Andretti stable under the Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport banner, with HSR team principals Mike Harding and George Michael Steinbrenner IV uniting alongside Michael Andretti as leadership partners of the No. 88 team.

“I’m really excited about the announcement to bring our partnerships with Harding Steinbrenner closer together,” said co-team principal Andretti. “This partnership and expansion of Andretti Autosport will bring about a positive direction and new opportunities for all involved.

“I’m also thrilled to be able to keep Colton in the Andretti family,” Andretti added. “We’ve watched him grow and develop and we are excited to see the next chapter as he continues his charge in becoming a strong competitive force in the IndyCar Series.”

The partnership is born from a successful technical alliance between Andretti Technologies and Harding Steinbrenner Racing, which provided engineering support through the season.

Additionally, the relationship provided a development environment for Colton Herta, who will return to Andretti to pilot the No. 88 as part of a multi-year agreement.

“I am very proud of Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season. The No. 88 crew, Colton Herta, and our partnership with Andretti Technologies have worked extremely well, and we have had some great accomplishments this season,” noted Harding. “I am also honored that the No. 88 will combine forces with Andretti Autosport to become Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season with Colton continuing as the driver.”

“We are extremely excited to be continuing and expanding our partnership with Andretti Autosport,” added Steinbrenner IV. “Andretti has become like family to me and the team, as we have shared a connection since the very beginning of Steinbrenner Racing. We see this as an opportunity to build upon a successful 2019 and create an environment of sustained competitiveness. We are thrilled we have been able to retain Colton’s services and look forward to a fruitful tenure together.”

Herta, who climbed the European racing ranks before joining Andretti Autosport for the 2017 and 2018 Indy Lights seasons, currently ranks third in the IndyCar Rookie of the Year standings on the strength of one win and five top-10 finishes.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to drive for Andretti Autosport ever since watching my dad drive for them in the mid 2000s,” said Herta. “I’m very thankful for the Steinbrenners and Mike Harding for their efforts through my career and continued efforts into this year. I’ve grown up around the Andretti team and many of the guys that have been working there since my dad’s days of driving are still with the team. I’m sure I’ll feel right at home.

“I can for sure tell you this is going to be the longest offseason I’ve had in a while and I can’t wait to hop in my brand-new Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Indy car!”

ALTON, Va. – The Trans Am TA2 powered by AEM class delivered a show for the fans on hand at Virginia Int’l Raceway, with an action-packed Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli race on Saturday.

The dramatic TA2 race had battles from the front of the 25-car field all the way through the pack, with Thomas Merrill dodging incidents in the final moments of the 100-mile feature to secure Big Diehl Racing’s third win of the season.

After falling down the order to fifth early in the race, TA2 class championship leader Marc Miller wheeled his No. 40 Prefix/Stevens-Miller Racing Dodge Challenger to a second-place finish.

His Stevens-Miller Racing teammate Dillon Machavern returned to the podium for the first time since finishing third at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“This is my first time racing here at VIR and these Trans Am cars are wicked fun to drive around here,” said Merrill, who fell to fifth before taking the lead. “We had to make the best of the opportunities we were given. It got tight toward the end, but we came away with the win. Big Diehl Racing gave me an awesome car. Trans Am racing is the best racing in the world, and I am just happy to be here.”

After starting the race from pole, Rafa Matos was looking to claim his third flag-to-flag win in a row. But disaster struck for the Brazilian driver on lap nine as a mechanical problem took him out of the lead and out of the race.

“We were really driving hard,” said Matos. “It was a hard fight between me, Thomas (Merrill) and Scott (Lagasse Jr). It was a hard-fought battle, and on the restart I struggled a bit but then my car started to come in, allowing me to pull away from Scott. Then I started experiencing mechanical issues. It was a frustrating moment because we were trying to recover the points we lost in the middle of the season.

“To break like that leading the race is gutting. That’s how it goes sometimes, we can’t control certain things, and we are going to keep fighting until the end.”

Miller’s race was just as eventful as Matos’ as the championship leader played a conservative hand at the start to slot into fifth in the opening segment of the race.

He moved up to third before taking one more spot to claim second at the checkered flag with a healthy haul of championship points.

For Machavern, patience paid off during the grueling 31-lap race. Starting in sixth, Machavern watched as drivers darted off track or pulled into the pits after exhausting their race cars. But Machavern kept his cool under tough circumstances to capture the last step on the podium in third.

Lagasse Jr. was relentless in the pursuit of his second consecutive win at VIR.

Starting from fifth, Lagasse  Jr. fought to the front and was glued to Matos, as he also fended off the pressure from Merrill and Miller.

Merrill slipped in to take first on the restart, but Lagasse was on the hunt. On the white flag lap, Lagasse Jr. got airborne as he raced through the Roller Coaster section of the track.

The incident, which is still under review by race control, saw his white Camaro come to rest upside down. Lagasse emerged from the incident unscathed, but was taken to track medical for precautionary review.

“In my many years of high-speed racing, that was by far the worst crash that I’ve been involved in,” Lagasse said. “I am thankful for the M1 Racecars chassis and Simpson for keeping me safe. I was able to just FaceTime my daughter, which going through the air I never thought I would again. It was a tough one but I’m still here.”

With just minutes left in the session, race 10 finished under full course caution.

After spinning on the first lap, Maurice Hull worked his way back to 10th place to earn the Masters Class award at his home track.

“I wish we could have finished under green, I had some more to give,” Hull said. “It was a good time coming back. I want to thank my guys Jeff, Alan, Chad, Peanut, and most of all my crew chief, and my wife, who worked tirelessly on the car.”

Coming in sixth in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series on Friday in Richmond, Va., Harrison Burton was forced to start last in the TA2 race since he missed qualifying.

Driving from a 25th-place start to finish just inside the top 10 in ninth, the part-time Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series rookie received the Cool Shirt Cool Move of the Race award.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – For the second time, the Bettenhausen 100 presented by BRANDT has been canceled due to weather.

The USAC Silver Crown Series and the DIRTcar modifieds were scheduled to race Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22.

After consulting with USAC, a number of team owners and drivers, weather forecasters, and with the rain the Springfield area received on Saturday, many felt it would be best to cancel a day in advance.

Sunday’s forecast is unfavorable, with a number of models showing a near 100% chance of rain.

The cancellation marks the second time the event has been scratched due to weather. It was originally scheduled to be part of the Illinois State Fair on Saturday, Aug. 17.

The USAC Silver Crown Series season concludes Sept. 28 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, with the running of the prestigious 4-Crown Nationals at the iconic half-mile.