NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Athletes who've arrived early for the Asian Games were unharmed by extensive flooding that hit the central Japanese city of Nagoya, Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said Wednesday.
“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned,” Hirosawa told reporters.
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People sit in front of a shuttered entrance to a subway station after all train services were suspended due to a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Shigeyuki Inakuma/Kyodo News via AP)
A street is flooded following a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Kazushi Kurihara/Kyodo News via AP)
People cross the flooded streets following a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Natsumi Yasumoto/Kyodo News via AP)
A car drives along a flooded road following heavy rain with a banner for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in the background in Nagoya, central Japan, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Natsumi Yasumoto/Kyodo News via AP)
The Asian Games, an event with more athletes than the Summer Olympics, open Sept. 19 in Nagoya and surrounding areas and run through Oct. 4.
More than 11,000 athletes are signed up from 45 countries and regions in Asia. By comparison, about 10,700 athletes participated in the Summer Olympics in 2024 in Paris.
The previous edition of the Asian Games was held three years ago in Hangzhou, China.
Hirosawa said about 400 athletes and staff who are staying in converted shipping containers — remodeled to serve as temporary housing units for the Asian Games — were briefly evacuated to higher ground during the heavy rain.
He said there were a number of leaking roofs but nothing more serious around the dozens of Games venues.
Record rain fell in parts of the city on Tuesday, flooding dozens of roads and homes, and stranding pedestrians and vehicles. City bus and subway operations were temporarily suspended, the mayor said.
Reports said about 3,500 people took shelter at emergency evacuation centers.
See full AP coverage of Asian sports here
People sit in front of a shuttered entrance to a subway station after all train services were suspended due to a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Shigeyuki Inakuma/Kyodo News via AP)
A street is flooded following a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Kazushi Kurihara/Kyodo News via AP)
People cross the flooded streets following a heavy rain in Nagoya, central Japan Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Natsumi Yasumoto/Kyodo News via AP)
A car drives along a flooded road following heavy rain with a banner for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in the background in Nagoya, central Japan, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Natsumi Yasumoto/Kyodo News via AP)
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox faded from the postseason with hardly any offense.
After winning the first two games of their best-of-five AL Division Series against Cleveland, Chicago struck out 21 times and managed just three hits in a 2-0 defeat Saturday night that advanced the Guardians to an AL Championship Series matchup against Tampa Bay.
“We wanted it so bad, it hurts,” Chicago catcher Kyle Teel said, shaking his head.
José Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke in the fourth inning, and the White Sox became the fourth team in major league history to lose a Division Series after winning the first two games on the road.
Chicago's 21 strikeouts were the most in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since 1900.
Munetaka Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.
“My intent was to win this game, win this series and fly to Tampa,” White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “It's obviously disappointing. Losing this one, there is a lot to learn from it."
Chicago become the first team to each the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons. The White Sox swept Houston in the wild card round for their first postseason series win since their 2005 World Series championship.
Ramírez homered on a a knuckle-curve from Burke that was 0.74 feet above the ground.
“He made the right pitch in the right spot," Teel said. "It was a ball in the dirt and he just hit it out.”
The pitch Ramírez homered on was the the lowest hit for a home run in a postseason game since MLB Statcast started tracking in 2008.
“Obviously, it came down to one pitch and one mistake I made today,” Baker said. “He's a really good player. He's probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day. But it's frustrating.”
Chicago outscored Cleveland 7-3 in the first two games and out-hit the Guardians 12-7. Over the final three games, Cleveland had a 20-8 advantage in runs and out-hit the White Sox 27-17.
"We’re all bummed and sad, knowing we probably should have got the job done,” Chicago shortstop Colton Montgomery said. “They dug deep and did what they did. That’s a good baseball team and they scrapped it out.”
Chicago batters struck out a Division Series record 75 times and hit .194 with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 18 in the last two games. The White Sox loaded the bases in the sixth inning before Erik Sabrowski relieved Williams and struck out Murakami.
“The last few games, there were some opportunities,” Meidroth said. “It stings because this is a family, a brotherhood we have here. We wanted to win for each other and for our fans. Man, there is no better place to play than Chicago and we wanted to keep going.”
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke reacts after a home run by Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez during the fourth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami walks back to the dugout after striking out in the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Chicago White Sox center fielder Brenton Doyle reacts after striking out in the third inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth dives for a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter during the sixth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) and catcher Kyle Teel (8) watch from the dugout during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
