If the Miami Marlins are the Cinderellas of this baseball postseason, they maybe should have considered how the fairy tale would have turned out had the heroine taken off her glass slippers and hurled them at her stepsisters.

Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud and starting pitcher Max Fried might not have been reading fairy tales on Tuesday, but they both credited yet another incident in which a Marlins pitcher plunked Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. with helping the National League East champions overcome a slow start, as Atlanta came from behind to beat Miami 9-5 in Game 1 of their NL Division Series.

"I think it woke us up," d'Arnaud said. "We obviously know what happened earlier in the year and even years prior with Ronnie. That definitely woke us up, and we took advantage of that momentum and got the win today."

The Braves grabbed an early lead when Acuna homered to lead off the bottom of the first and tossed his bat after walking slowly up the first-base line while watching the ball leave the yard.

However, Miami responded with four runs off Fried, Atlanta's ace and an NL Cy Young Award front-runner. For the upstart Marlins, it was a momentum-building start for a club projected before the season to contend more for the top overall pick in the draft than a playoff spot.

With the Marlins riding high from the early 4-1 lead, Miami starter Sandy Alcantara hit Acuna with a pitch with one out and no one on in the third inning. When stories about bad blood between the Marlins and Braves made the rounds before the series, most of it stemmed from similar incidents. Acuna has now been hit by a pitch from a Marlins hurler five times in his career. No other club has clipped him more than twice.

Acuna walked toward the mound after being hit but then went to first base without saying anything, according Alcantara, who added that he did not take exception to Acuna's post-homer bat toss.

"Something happened," Alcantara said. "I just tried to go inside and I hit him. I don't know why they think every time we hit Acuna, it's [on] purpose. We always try to pitch inside to him."

The umpiring crew issued warnings to both teams after the incident, and Braves manager Brian Snitker raced on to the field in anger. After the game, Snitker said his ire was the product of a combination of factors: the history between the teams, the fact that it was Acuna and the umpire warning, which could have resulted in the ejection of a pitcher on either team if another batter had been hit.

"He hit a long homer and got hit with a 97 [mph pitch]," Snitker said. "My reaction wasn't good. It was unfortunate. I guarantee [Alcantara] wasn't trying to hit him. But if you're going to go in, you make sure you don't hit him. It comes to a point where if you keep dinging that kid, the middle of the plate is taken away. It's happening too much to [Acuna]."

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, "I knew he didn't hit him on purpose, but Acuna, you can't just lay the ball over the plate."

Still, coincidence or not, intentional or not, the Atlanta offense perked up after Acuna was struck.

"You don't think he was doing it on purpose, but you want to stand behind your teammates," Fried said. "You want to be supportive. Obviously, it lit a bit of a fire under us, and we were able to get going. I think it was a little bit of motivation."

One batter after Acuna was hit, the Braves got back-to-back doubles to cut the Miami lead to 4-3, with Marcell Ozuna and d'Arnaud collecting the RBIs. Alcantara settled down, and Miami still led until he was chased when Austin Riley and Acuna singled to start the Braves seventh.

That's when the dam broke loose for the Marlins. With hard-throwing righty Yimi Garcia in from the Miami bullpen, Ozuna singled to tie the game. Then d'Arnaud came up with the game's biggest blow, hammering a three-run homer to center field, putting Atlanta ahead 7-4. Dansby Swanson capped the six-run rally with a two-run homer, and the Braves cruised to the Game 1 win.

"As long as we have a strike left, we're pretty dangerous," Snitker said. "We got down, but with a lot of the game to work with, these guys can score a lot of runs in a hurry, as we saw."

The Acuna-Alcantara incident was the hot topic in postgame interviews, even as the interviewees mostly acknowledged that upon reviewing the pitch, Alcantara's offering was as he described -- an attempt to go inside that got away. Then again, for Acuna, it was a familiar outcome.

"I guess you could say I've gotten used to it at this point," Acuna said via an interpreter. "But I'm not going to give it any more thought. I'm going to keep myself focused on my game and what we have coming up."

With the win, everything turned out well for the Braves, which is probably the best revenge of all, if there was revenge to be had. Whether it was the hit by pitch or simply that the Atlanta offense was one that finished one run behind the Dodgers for the big-league lead in regular-season scoring, one thing was clear: Acuna is not about to be daunted by the Marlins.

After the game, Acuna tweeted, "They have to hit me, because they don't get me out."

They have to hit me , because they don't get me out ???

— Ronald Acuna Jr (@ronaldacunajr24) October 6, 2020

He also took to his Instagram account to post a picture of him tossing the bat after the first-inning home run and captioning it, "I'd like to take this time to apologize to absolutely NOBODY."

View this post on Instagram

''I'd like to take this time to apologize to absolutely NOBODY

A post shared by EL ABUSADOR?? (@ronaldacunajr13) on Oct 6, 2020 at 2:34pm PDT

When asked to clarify the Instagram caption, Acuna simply reiterated, "I really don't have much to say. I just really don't think I have anything to apologize for."

VINTON, Iowa – Tom Berry promised to run hard in 2020 following a breakout season last year.

He delivered on that promise, winning 21 features and earning his first IMCA Modified national championship.

The Oregon native had raced out of North Dakota en route to his first Side Biter Chassis North Central Region crown in 2019. After relocating to Des Moines this spring, he repeated as regional champion, earning Marshalltown Speedway and Stuart Speedway titles as well as KMJ Performance Iowa State honors.

“Last year we had 12 wins and thought ‘Holy cow, that’s unbelievable.’ To get 20-plus wins this year is unreal,” said Berry. “With the level of competition and the tracks I race at, it’s not that often you can do that, especially in a shortened season.”

“We were very fortunate. Once we got that first win (on June 5 at Marshalltown) things started to change for us and we had like eight wins in our next 13 or 14 starts,” continued the Brodehl Trucking-backed driver. “That’s when we decided to run for the national championship.”

Other first-time national champions are Garrett Bard of Wells Tannery, Pa., in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars; Cory Probst of Brewster, Minn., in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks; and Doug Smith of Lake City in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods.

Kaden Reynolds of Cedar Rapids was the inaugural Junior National Champion crowned by IMCA.

Mike Nichols of Harlan won his record ninth IMCA Sunoco Stock Car crown. Dean Abbey of Boyd, Texas, and Ramsey Meyer of Pierce, Neb., earned career third championships in the Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact divisions, respectively, and Cory Dumpert of York, Neb., raced to a second straight IMCA Sunoco Late Model title.

Kaytee DeVries of Spencer topped Lady Eagle standings for the third time.

A 13-time feature winner, Bard also paced Pennsylvania Sprint Series and KMJ Pennsylvania State standings. He’s the 14th different driver to win the IMCA Sprint crown since 2006.

Probst totaled 24 checkers, topping Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region and Arlington Raceway and Murray County Speedway standings.

Smith joined brothers David, Devin, Donavon and Dustin as IMCA national champions and became the first in the family to do so in a Northern SportMod. He won 19 features, the KMJ Iowa State and Buena Vista Raceway and Crawford County Speedway crowns.

Nichols, now the winningest driver in IMCA history, counted 32 checkers this season, upping his career total to 561. He was the top driver in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and track champion at Crawford County Speedway, Dawson County Raceway, Shelby County Speedway and U.S. 30 Speedway.

Abbey compiled 23 wins along with track championships at Boyd Raceway and Southern Oklahoma Speedway and the KMJ Oklahoma State title.

A 16-time winner, Meyer was track champion at The New Raceway Park.

And Dumpert collected 21 Late Model wins on the way to Boone County Raceway, Junction Motor Speedway and U.S. 30 Speedway track and KMJ Nebraska State titles.

Reynolds won 19 Hobby Stock features on the way to winning Junior National Champion honors. More than 380 drivers between the ages of 13 and 18 in the eight IMCA divisions contended for that title.

DeVries was a 19-time Sport Compact winner. Two hundred female drivers, also representing each IMCA division, vied for the Lady Eagle award.

Joining Berry as Modified regional champions were Chaz Baca of Mesa, Ariz., in the Shaw Race Cars Western; Jordan Grabouski of Beatrice, Neb., in the Jet Racing Central; Matt Guillaume of Haslet, Texas, in the Razor Chassis South Central; and Mitchell Hunt of Kent, City, Mich., in the Dirt Works Eastern.

Baca and Hunt both won career first regional titles, Guillaume his second and Grabouski his fifth.

Sixteen-time winner Baca was champion at Cocopah Speedway and Battle Mountain Raceway, and took KMJ Arizona State honors as well. Hunt made seven trips to victory lane, scoring Thunderbird Raceway and Winston Speedway prizes.

Four feature wins and consistent runs throughout the season gave Guillaume the edge in the South Central. He was track champion at Southern Oklahoma and at Boyd. Grabouski collected 11 feature wins and the Beatrice Speedway, Eagle Raceway and U.S. 30 Speedway crowns.

Bloomfield, N.M.’s Steffan Carey was the national runner-up and first-time champion in the EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Stock Car Region. He won 11 features, plus Desert Thunder Raceway and Fairgrounds Speedway championships.

And Jason Duggins of Farmington, N.M., repeated atop Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region standings for the Hobby Stocks. He won 11 features and the Fairgrounds Speedway crown.

National rookies of the year were Dakota Sproul of Hays, Kan., Modified; Mitch Manternach of Dyersville, Late Model; Mitchell Dvorak of Stuart, Neb., Sprint Car; Cameron Wilkinson of Neligh, Neb., Stock Car; Kyler Duggins of Farmington, N.M., Hobby Stock; Clay Erickson of Glendale, Ariz., Northern SportMod; Matthew Day of Farmersville, Texas, Southern SportMod; and Jack Bransom of Burleson, Texas, Sport Compact.

Sproul collected 16 feature wins in finishing seventh nationally. Also the top Central Region rookie, he was the Dodge City Raceway Park track and KMJ Kansas State champion.

Manternach had six top five finishes to his credit while Dvorak won once.

Twelfth nationally and the top Northern region rookie, Wilkinson had four feature wins and was champion at Off Road Speedway. Duggins drove his father Jason’s spare car to four checkers and the Desert Thunder Raceway crown.

The first Arizona driver to win national rookie honors in any division, Erickson won once and topped Arizona State standings as well. Day, 17 years old, collected five feature wins and was third in the national Southern SportMod point race.

Just the second 14-year-old and the fourth Texas driver in as many years to do so, Bransom earned Sport Compact rookie honors and finished sixth nationally with six wins, all in his last 10 starts of the season.

Other regional Modified rookies of the year were Dino Gronning of Casper, Wy., in the Western; Jon White Jr. of Red Oak, Texas, in the South Central; Jake McBirnie of Boone in the North Central; and Chad Bennett of Caro, Mich., in the Eastern.

Gronning became just the second Wyoming driver to win rookie honors in the West. White and McBirnie both won two features while Bennett totaled five wins

Dustin Mooney of Forney, Texas, was rookie of the year in the Southern Stock Car region and just a point off the pace nationally. He won two features.

Brodee Eckerdt topped rookie points in the Northern region for Hobby Stocks, the youngest driver to do so. The Grand Forks, N.D., driver turned 15 just two weeks before the end of the season and was a four-time feature winner.

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens got a jump on the trading action before the start of the NHL draft Tuesday with an intriguing swap of forwards.

The Blue Jackets acquired center Max Domi and a third-round pick from the Canadiens for winger Josh Anderson, who hasn't played since December and had his 2019-20 season ended by surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Each player is a restricted free agent who needs a new contract for next season.

Domi joins Columbus after putting up 44 points during the shortened regular season and just three during 10 games of a disappointing playoff performance. It will be the 25-year-old Domi's third NHL organization after being drafted by and debuting with the Arizona Coyotes before two seasons with Montreal.

"Strengthening our center ice position has been a priority for our club, and we are extremely excited to add a player of Max Domi's talent and character," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He is a skilled playmaker that also brings grit and competitiveness, and we think he will be a great addition to our team."

Kekalainen called Anderson "a terrific hockey player and really good person." Columbus gambled on keeping Anderson in the 2017 Vegas expansion draft and lost William Karlsson, who went on to become a top-line center for the Vegas Golden Knights.

This move recoups some of his value. The third-round pick the Blue Jackets are getting is the 78th overall in this year's draft, which continues Wednesday with Rounds 2-7.

Kekalainen last week forecast a flurry of trades leading up to and especially after the draft before free agency opens Friday. The salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million is one reason for that.

"The cap's flat and teams might have to make some tough decisions with their roster, and the free agency might look a little different after those decisions," Kekalainen said. "We'll see."

This was more a deal of two players getting fresh starts.

The San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild made two deals Monday, and more player-for-player hockey trades and moves to clear cap space are expected.

Follow the entire 2020 NHL draft through all seven rounds. We have all 217 picks as they happen, starting with Tuesday night's first overall selection by the New York Rangers and ending with Wednesday afternoon's final pick.

Additionally, Chris Peters, Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan provide detailed breakdowns of each first-rounder's skill set, as well as how he will fit with his new NHL team. And be sure to check out all of our draft-prep content to learn more about this talented class.

Round 1 begins at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday night.

See more:
Rankings | Mock | Big questions

ROUND 1

1. New York Rangers

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Centers

2. Los Angeles Kings

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Scoring wings, goaltending

3. Ottawa Senators

Pick acquired from the San Jose Sharks.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, high-skill forwards, defensemen

4. Detroit Red Wings

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, high-skill forwards

5. Ottawa Senators

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, high-skill forwards, defensemen

6. Anaheim Ducks

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Offensive defensemen

7. New Jersey Devils

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Scoring wings, goaltending

8. Buffalo Sabres

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Top-six wings

9. Minnesota Wild

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, defensemen

10. Winnipeg Jets

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Defensemen, centers

11. Nashville Predators

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Natural scorers

12. Florida Panthers

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Centers, defensemen

13. Carolina Hurricanes

Pick acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: High-skill wings

14. Edmonton Oilers

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Wings

15. Toronto Maple Leafs

Pick acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Overall depth

16. Montreal Canadiens

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Top-four defensemen

17. Chicago Blackhawks

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, top-six wingers

18. New Jersey Devils

Pick acquired from the Arizona Coyotes.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Scoring wings, goaltending

19. Calgary Flames

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Help in all pipeline areas

20. New Jersey Devils

Pick acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning, via the Vancouver Canucks.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Scoring wings, goaltending

21. Columbus Blue Jackets

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Defensemen

22. New York Rangers

Pick acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Centers

23. Philadelphia Flyers

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Depth forwards

24. Colorado Avalanche

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Depth forwards

25. Washington Capitals

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Top-six forwards

26. St. Louis Blues

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Long-term depth

27. Anaheim Ducks

Pick acquired from the Boston Bruins.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Offensive defensemen

28. Ottawa Senators

Pick acquired from the New York Islanders.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending, high-skill forwards, defensemen

29. Vegas Golden Knights

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Goaltending

30. Dallas Stars

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: Centers

31. San Jose Sharks

Pick acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Peters' biggest areas of need in the farm system: High-skill forwards

ROUNDS 2-7

Rounds 2-7 will be Wednesday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET. Check out the full draft order for Rounds 2-7 here, be sure to prep with all of our NHL draft analysis content and check back at ESPN.com shortly after the final pick for complete draft grades for all 31 teams.

The PGA Tour announced Tuesday that Tony Finau tested positive for COVID-19 during a pre-tournament screening for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Finau, who hadn’t played since the U.S. Open three weeks ago, has withdrawn from the event and will begin the mandatory quarantine period. He's the first Tour player to test positive since the U.S. Open.

In a tweet, Finau said that he is “feeling well, and am otherwise in good spirits.”

Last year Finau finished ninth at the Shriners while leading the field in strokes gained: tee to green.

Finau had finished inside the top 15 in four of his past five starts, including a tie for eighth at the U.S. Open.

Cristiano Ronaldo's legal fight against a woman who accuses the international soccer star of raping her in his suite at a Las Vegas resort more than 10 years ago is heading toward a trial before a federal judge in Nevada.

No date was immediately set, but U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey said she will hear arguments and decide herself whether Kathryn Mayorga was mentally fit to enter a 2010 hush-money agreement with Ronaldo's representatives that paid Mayorga $375,000.

Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, declined to comment on Tuesday.

Mayorga's lawyers, led by Leslie Mark Stovall, did not immediately respond to email and telephone messages about the judge's ruling, issued Sept. 30.

Dorsey wrote that a court should decide whether Mayorga "lacked the mental capacity" to sign a confidentiality arrangement with Ronaldo's representatives and "whether any agreement ... was ever formed between the parties."

It was not immediately clear whether Ronaldo or Mayorga will have to be in court in person when a trial is held.

The Associated Press generally doesn't name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. But after filing her lawsuit against Ronaldo in October 2018, Mayorga gave consent through her attorneys to be identified.

Dorsey gave both sides until the end of November to agree upon a plan for a bench trial.

The reign of the youth-oriented Philadelphia Union atop the MLS Power Rankings lasted just one week, with a veteran-laden Toronto FC taking the reins at the top of the league -- a position they've seemingly held for the past five seasons. Who else moved up and down our order in the past seven days?

1. Toronto FC

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Wednesday at New England, 7:30 p.m. ET

Toronto emerged victorious from the meeting of the two best teams in MLS, topping Philadelphia 2-1 on Saturday. MVP candidate Alejandro Pozuelo scored the winner with less than 15 minutes remaining, giving him four goals in his past four games.

2. Orlando City

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Atlanta, 7 p.m. ET

Orlando extended its club-record unbeaten streak to nine games after a 3-1 win over the Red Bulls, leapfrogging Philadelphia in the table and finding itself just two points off the lead of the race for the Supporters' Shield.

- Stream FC Daily on ESPN+
- Stream out-of-market MLS matches live on ESPN+

3. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET

Columbus responded to defeat at the hands of Toronto with a 2-2 draw in Dallas, that point being enough to keep the Crew on top of the league table, but only on goal differential after dropping seven points in the past three weeks.

4. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Union fell three places since last week's edition of Power Rankings following their defeat in Toronto, just their second since play resumed following MLS is Back. The other team to beat Philadelphia in that span? Columbus.

5. Portland Timbers

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Wednesday at LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. ET

With Colorado sidelined by a COVID-19 outbreak, the Timbers got the weekend off. Jeremy Ebobisse, Felipe Mora and Jarosław Niezgoda have all contributed up top. Who will be Gio Savarese's go-to striker when the playoffs start?

6. Seattle Sounders

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Salt Lake, 10 p.m. ET

Joao Paulo probably won't get many Newcomer of the Year votes given his position, but he's become a mainstay in the Sounders midfield, scoring in the 3-1 win over Vancouver. The win also featured the always pleasing assist-via-the-back-deflection by Jordan Morris.

7. New York City FC

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. D.C. United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Alexandru Mitrita has scored all four of his goals in 2020 in the two games since Heber was lost to an ACL injury, with NYCFC netting seven times in those contests, having scored just four goals in its previous five games.

8. New England Revolution

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Revs were shut out for the sixth time in 16 games in 2020 in their scoreless draw in Nashville. Of playoff contenders, only the two New York clubs have been kept off the score sheet as many times.

9. FC Dallas

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Houston, 8 p.m. ET

Blowing a lead twice at home, even against a quality team like Columbus, will stick in Luchi Gonzalez's craw.

10. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Tuesday at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

It may have only been Cincinnati, but the Loons still needed this 2-0 victory, and Kei Kamara was able to net his first for his new club from the penalty spot. While Jose Aja and Bakaye Dibassy have filled in admirably for Ike Opara, the continued absence of the 2019 Defender of the Year remains a concern.

11. Colorado Rapids

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. LAFC, 9 p.m. ET

The Rapids are in a bad way, and it has nothing to do with what's happening on the field. In fact, they would probably prefer it be performance-related. But a total of 16 positive COVID-19 tests -- including four players -- has raised concerns that extend well beyond the field.

12. LAFC

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Colorado, 9 p.m. ET

It's tempting to say LAFC got back on track with a 3-1 road win over Real Salt Lake, but they've shown such signs of resurgence before, only to take steps back. At the least, Brian Rodriguez showed the kind of finishing ability Bob Bradley has been craving, and Bradley Wright-Phillips continues to repay his manager's faith.

13. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Miami, 7 p.m. ET

The Red Bulls' pair of 4-1 wins to close out September appear to have been an aberration after the 3-1 defeat to Orlando has seen them lose four of their past seven.

14. Nashville SC

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Tuesday vs. Minnesota, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Nashville are level on points with Atlanta and Montreal for the final playoff place out of the East, but they're six goals behind Atlanta in the goals-for tiebreaker. The 0-0 draw at New England won't help with the latter, with the expansion side scoring more than a single goal just once all season.

15. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Seattle, 10 p.m. ET

Aaron Herrera continues to look the part at right-back, but other than that, there wasn't a whole to be cheery about in RSL Land, as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at home to LAFC. RSL continue to miss that ability to finish off plays in the attacking third.

16. Sporting Kansas City

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Chicago, 8:30 p.m. ET

Welcome back, Alan Pulido and beyond the two goals, the cascade effect of his return was clear to the rest of the Sporting Kansas City side. Peter Vermes will no doubt be pleased to even the head-to-head score with longtime friend and Houston manager Tab Ramos.

17. San Jose Earthquakes

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Vancouver, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Quakes are showing signs of life, winning their second in a row with a 2-1 over the loathed Galaxy. With a very winnable game at home against Vancouver on tap, San Jose could find itself inside the playoff places by this time next week.

18. Atlanta United

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Orlando, 7 p.m. ET

Atlanta scoring four goals in a win would've been no surprise in any of its first three seasons in the league, but that's not the case in 2020. The only thing more shocking than the 4-0 win over D.C. were the goal scorers: Jon Gallagher, Brooks Lennon and Adam Jahn.

19. Chicago Fire

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET

Early last month, we called for Chicago to get more out of DP striker Robert Beric. He's only gone and scored in each of the Fire's past five games, including Saturday's 2-2 draw at Montreal.

20. Montreal Impact

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Columbus, 7:30 p.m. ET

The draw with Chicago snapped Montreal's four-game losing streak. For a team averaging 1.38 goals per game this season, trading for a raw-but-gifted striker in Mason Toye to be molded by Thierry Henry is an exciting (and necessary) gamble.

21. Houston Dynamo

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Dallas, 8 p.m. ET

There's no sugarcoating it: The Dynamo are struggling mightily, having gone six games without a win. Houston is struggling to break teams down and looked especially vulnerable in transition against SKC.

22. Vancouver Whitecaps

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Wednesday at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Think things can't get any worse for the 'Caps after the 3-1 defeat to Seattle? The fact that Lucas Cavallini will be suspended for Wednesday's tilt against San Jose qualifies. It would be a stretch to call that match a must-win, but taking any points off the Quakes would help Vancouver's slim playoff hopes.

23. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Red Bulls, 7 p.m. ET

Only Montreal have conceded more goals than Miami in the Eastern Conference, and that's not likely to improve following Luis Robles fracturing his arm in stoppage time during the 3-2 loss to NYCFC.

24. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET

The Galaxy are now in last place in Western Conference, level on points with Vancouver. And for all of the criticism directed Chicharito's way, it's LA's defense -- with nine goals conceded in the past four matches -- that is letting the team down.

25. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 25

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. ET

Cincinnati has scored two goals in its past 10 matches following the 2-0 defeat in Minnesota, collecting three points in that stretch. As Mad Men's Pete Campbell once said, "Not great, Bob!"

26. D.C. United

Previous ranking: 26

Next MLS match: Wednesday at NYCFC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Only Nashville and Cincinnati have scored fewer goals than D.C.; only Miami, Montreal, Houston, LAFC, Vancouver and San Jose have conceded more; only Cincinnati, Vancouver and San Jose have a worse goal differential. No matter how you look at it, D.C. is right at the bottom of the league.

North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, a projected first-round pick in next year's NFL draft, will forego his final two-plus seasons and enter the draft.

The Bison will play a spring season in 2021, but Lance will instead prepare for the draft at that time. He ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more in a 39-28 victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday, the Bison's only scheduled game this fall.

Lance, who couldn't immediately be reached for comment by ESPN, posted his decision on social media.

Thankful. pic.twitter.com/ijk4kXZgLi

— Trey Lance (@treylance09) October 6, 2020

In his first season as a starter at North Dakota State in 2019, Lance didn't throw an interception in 287 attempts, setting the NCAA all-division record for most passing attempts in a season without one. He completed 66.9% of his passes for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns, while running 169 times for 1,100 yards and 14 more scores. He led the FCS in passing efficiency (180.6) and established single-season school records for passing efficiency and total offense (3,886 yards).

He was named the most outstanding player in North Dakota State's 28-20 victory against James Madison in the FCS national championship, which helped the Bison achieve the first 16-0 season in college football since 1894. He won the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS and the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman, becoming the first player to win both honors.

Lance, a draft-eligible sophomore, is projected as the third-best quarterback available for the 2021 draft, behind Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State's Justin Fields, according to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. Both analysts project Lance among the top 10 picks overall.

Lance went 17-0 in parts of three seasons at North Dakota State.

Lance recently told ESPN that he wasn't sure how his limited starting experience in college would affect his draft status.

"It's all about what other people think," Lance said. "It's not really about what I think. I've done everything I can to play as many games as possible. If that was my decision at the end of the fall, I've played as many games as I possibly can. I'm loving it here at North Dakota State, so we'll see what happens."

On his way out of the NBA bubble, Houston Rockets star Russell Westbrook wanted to show his appreciation for the housekeepers of the Grand Floridian hotel, and he did it with an $8,000 tip, according to the Dallas Morning News.

"They took great care of us," Westbrook told Bleacher Report, confirming the tip. "Took the time and energy to do their job at a high level. That was the right thing. I like to do the right thing."

Westbrook was unwilling to confirm the exact amount, but according to the Morning News, as is standard with Westbrook who is a known neat-freak, he left the room "virtually spotless."

Generosity is a common thread with Westbrook, who won the 2014-15 NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his work in the community. He consistently gives back, whether through his Why Not? Foundation or his Honor the Gift clothing line.

Westbrook and the Rockets spent almost two months at the hotel, eventually being the last team staying there after eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round.

Cristiano Ronaldo's legal fight against a woman who accuses the international soccer star of raping her in his suite at a Las Vegas resort more than 10 years ago is heading toward a trial before a federal judge in Nevada.

No date was immediately set, but U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey said she will hear arguments and decide herself whether Kathryn Mayorga was mentally fit to enter a 2010 hush-money agreement with Ronaldo's representatives that paid Mayorga $375,000.

Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, declined to comment on Tuesday.

Mayorga's lawyers, led by Leslie Mark Stovall, did not immediately respond to email and telephone messages about the judge's ruling, issued Sept. 30.

Dorsey wrote that a court should decide whether Mayorga "lacked the mental capacity" to sign a confidentiality arrangement with Ronaldo's representatives and "whether any agreement ... was ever formed between the parties."

It was not immediately clear whether Ronaldo or Mayorga will have to be in court in person when a trial is held.

The Associated Press generally doesn't name people who say they are victims of sexual assault. But after filing her lawsuit against Ronaldo in October 2018, Mayorga gave consent through her attorneys to be identified.

Dorsey gave both sides until the end of November to agree upon a plan for a bench trial.