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SAO PAULO -- The 2016 title race will go down to the final round in Abu Dhabi after Lewis Hamilton won a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who scored the necessary points to continue his steady march towards his first world championship.The wet race was stopped twice by red flags and featured five safety car periods as rain fell throughout the afternoon, testing the nerves of the drivers and, at times, the patience of the fans. But the tedious stops were outweighed by the thrilling restarts, with Max Verstappen providing the majority of the entertainment with a remarkable drive up and down the field to finally finish on the podium in third.Even with all the interruptions, Hamilton never looked under threat and finished with a healthy 11.4s margin over Rosberg. Verstappen got ahead of Rosberg when the race started under the safety car for the second time, but gambles on intermediate tyres failed to pay off and he dropped down to 16th under the final safety car period, prompting a stunning recovery drive. In the final 12 laps he carved his was past Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat, Esteban Ocon, Felipe Nasr, Nico Hulkenberg, Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez to take a very well deserved third at the flag. Of that group Nasr was one of the other heroes of the race, driving home to an invaluable ninth position on home tarmac which moves Sauber above Manor for tenth in the championship.The one-two finish for Mercedes leaves Rosberg 12 points ahead of Hamilton going to the final round, meaning another podium would secure the title for Rosberg in Abu Dhabi, regardless of where Hamilton finishes. Hamilton, meanwhile, has to aim for victory in the hope Rosberg finishes fourth or lower.Persistent rain in the build up to the race delayed the start by ten minutes and meant the race got underway behind the safety car. Hamilton made a strong start once the safety car peeled into the pits on lap seven and he immediately started building a lead over Rosberg. Verstappen nipped past Kimi Raikkonen at Turn 1 to take third and started to mount his challenge on the Mercedes ahead. The rain continued throughout the first racing laps, but did not stop several drivers changing to intermediates in the hope of finding more performance. Marcus Ericsson in the Sauber was among them, but his race ended on lap 13 when he aquaplaned coming out of the final corner and smashed into the wall by the pit lane exit.Red Bull reacted immediately by pitting for intermediates, with Verstappen making it into the pit lane just before it was closed to remove Ericssons smashed up Sauber. Ricciardo wasnt quite so lucky and peeled into the pits just after the entrance had been closed, incurring a five-second penalty as a result. The safety car was deployed for six laps to clear up the mess, but the rain continued to fall and made conditions treacherous when the race restarted. Kimi Raikkonen proved just how dangerous the conditions were as he aquaplaned into the pit wall moments after the restart. He was lucky not to collect another driver, but the debris and carnage that followed convinced race control to red flag the race.The race restarted under the safety car once the rain had eased again and full racing resumed on lap 32 with all cars on the wet tyres. Verstappen seized his chance to pass Rosberg at Turn 1 on the restart by finding a remarkable amount of grip around the outside of Turn 3, slingshotting his Red Bull past the Mercedes. He then started to take time out of race leader Hamilton, but as he got within a second of the lead Mercedes, Hamilton upped his pace and pulled away.Verstappen continued to push regardless and on lap 38 lost the rear of his car on the painted line at the inside of the final corner. The Red Bull slewed sideways up the hill, with the 19-year-old somehow managing to regain control as he approached the wall where Ericsson destroyed his Sauber. Remarkably he retained some forward momentum and even managed to hold off Rosberg into Turn 1 at the start of the next lap.Unperturbed by the loss of control, Verstappen pitted for intermediates five laps later as Red Bull again gambled on the faster of the two wet-weather tyres. He dropped to fifth behind Perez and Sainz as a result of the pit stop but was quicker than the cars in front and was preparing to line up the Toro Rosso for a passing move when Felipe Massa slammed his Williams into the wall on lap 48. It was an emotional moment for the Brazilian at his final home race and he was afforded a guard of honour by Mercedes and Ferrari as he walked down the pit lane in tears. He finally arrived to a very warm welcome at the Williams garage where he hugged every mechanic on the team.With conditions worsening once more, both Red Bulls pitted under the resulting safety car to return to full wet tyres for the final laps of the race. The decision dropped Ricciardo to 12th and Verstappen to 16th, but the fresher tyres gave both drivers an advantage when racing resumed on lap 55. Ricciardos pace was not bad, but Verstappens pace was remarkable and the Dutch teenager passed his teammate for tenth position on lap 59 as his comeback drive kicked into its highest gear.Perhaps the most satisfying of the following seven overtakes to third was the one on Vettel, who he edged wide and off the track into the final corner to take fifth. Vettel complained over team radio, but his message fell on deaf ears as almost everyone at Interlagos willed Verstappen back towards a podium finish.The top two finishers had good reasons to be satisfied with their results -- Hamilton because he finally won at his hero Ayrton Sennas home race and Rosberg because he continued on course to his first title -- but it was Verstappens drive to third that will be the defining memory of the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix. . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jonathan Schoop hit a late homer to help Mychal Givens get a special victory.Schoop had a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning and the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles came back from an early deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Friday night.Givens (7-1) worked a scoreless seventh for the win one day after his daughter was born. The last Baltimore pitcher to have as many relief wins though 88 games of a season was Arthur Rhodes (eight) in 1996.Everything worked out as planned during the All-Star break, to have the baby and to be playing in Tampa, Givens said. Because Im from Tampa, Florida, and we wanted the baby to be born in Tampa.Pedro Alvarez homered and had two RBI for the Orioles.Schoop got his 15th homer leading off the eighth on an 0-1 hanging slider from Chris Archer (4-13), who leads the majors in losses. Schoop is 5 for 13 with two homers in his career against the Rays opening day starter.I felt like I threw the ball well, but not well enough, Archer said. I did get deep. At the end of the day, if I could have one pitch back it would be the second pitch that I threw to Schoop. I left a cookie out there.Schoop has 10 game-winning RBI, one behind team leader Chris Davis.Its just fun watching a young player with the game starting to slow down for him, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.Archer gave up four runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings as Tampa Bay lost for the 23rd time in 26 games.Brad Miller had a one-out double in the ninth off Zach Britton and went to third on a wild pitch. After Evan Longoria was intentionally walked, Britton struck out Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. to earn his 28th save in as many chances.After Souzas bases-loaded RBI grounder in the first, Tampa Bay went up 2-0 on Logan Forsythes run-scoring single in the second. Eleven of the Rays 19 batters through three innings against Yovani Gaallardo reached base.dddddddddddduke Maile, recalled from Triple-A Durham, made it 3-1 with a third-inning RBI single.Alvarez hit his 10th homer in the third and added an RBI double two innings later that got Baltimore within a run at 3-2. Baltimore tied it at 3 in the sixth on Matt Wieters RBI grounder.Gallardo allowed three runs, eight hits and walked four over five innings.MOVING DAYOrioles: LHP Donnie Hart had his contract purchased from Double-A Bowie.Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier (broken left hand) was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after missing almost two months. Its like another opening day for me, said Kiermaier, who went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. ... RHP Kevin Jepsen, released by Minnesota after going 2-5 with a 6.16 ERA in 33 games, was signed to a one-year contract. Jepsen thinks he has corrected a mechanical flaw that had him getting hit at an incredible pace. He had a 1-2-3 ninth. ... RHPs Ryan Garton and Tyler Sturdevant were optioned to Durham.COBBS CONDITIONRays RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) will have a bullpen session Sunday instead of making his third rehab start for Class A Charlotte. Manager Kevin Cash said Cobb, who lasted just a combined 1 2/3 through two starts, is working on mechanics that have been a little bit out of whack.TRAINERS ROOMOrioles: Showalter said Wieters and Britton are both OK after getting food poisoning during their All-Star Game trip. ... OF Hyun Soo Kim (right hamstring) may not start this weekend. ... RHP Darren ODay (right hamstring) could be ready for a rehab or simulated game next week.Rays: INF Steve Pearce (right hamstring) has joined Charlotte for a rehab assignment.UP NEXTOrioles RHP Chris Tillman (12-2) will face Rays LHP Matt Moore (5-6) Saturday night. ' ' '
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