CENTRAL INDIANA HS BASEBALL
TRI 17 PURDUE POLY NORTH 2
RUSHVILLE 10 N. DECATUR 4
UNION COUNTY 21 SETON CATHOLIC 2
MADISON GRANT 17 TIPTON 6
CASCADE 13 BEECH GROVE 0
SPEEDWAY 9 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 2
MCCUTCHEON 8 KOKOMO 1
SHERIDAN 8 TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN 4
ANDERSON 14 MARY 1
RONCALLI 5 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 0
FRANKTON 11 DALEVILLE 6
YORKTOWN 14 NEW CASTLE 4
LAPEL 12 ELWOOD 1
EMINENCE 21 TINDLEY 1
HAMILTON HEIGHTS 2 NORTHWESTERN 1
OWEN VALLEY 12 GREENCASTLE 2
LAWRENCE NORTH 3 WARREN CENTRAL 2
WES DEL 12 UNION CITY 11
MOORESVILLE 7 FRANKLIN 5
THRIVAL ACADEMY 15 INDY METRO 0
TRI-WEST 3 LEBANON 0
DECATUR CENTRAL 5 PLAINFIELD 4
SHELBYVILLE 7 DELTA 1
ZIONSVILLE 6 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 2
MOUNT VERNON 11 PENDLETON HEIGHTS 5
NEW PALESTINE 2 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 1
WHITELAND 13 MARTINSVILLE 3
AVON 9 BROWNSBURG 2
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/BASEBALL/SCORES/?DATE=4/26/2023
CENTRAL INDIANA SOFTBALL SCORES
CENTERVILLE 5 HAGERSTOWN 3
TAYLOR 16 KOKOMO 2
SOUTH DEARBORN 29 S. RIPLEY 2
UNION COUNTY 15 RICHMOND 13
SOUTHERN WELLS 6 DALEVILLE 5
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 8 TRITON CENTRAL 2
ELWOOD 15 PARK TUDOR 0
CASCADE 7 BEECH GROVE 3
NEW PALESTINE 10 CENTER GROVE 0
CARMEL 5 ZIONSVILLE 2
LAWRENCE CENTRAL 21 HERRON 7
PLAINFIELD 5 DECATUR CENTRAL 0
COVENANT CHRISTIAN 17 SHERIDAN 4
SHELBYVILLE 11 COLUMBUS EAST 0
NOBLESVILLE 13 CATHEDRAL 2
TRI-WEST 15 LEBANON 4
NEW CASTLE 7 LAPEL 4
OAK HILL 10 ALEXANDRIA MONROE 3
LIVING WATER HOMESCHOOL 17 BREBEUF 3
EASTERN HANCOCK 8 NORTHEASTERN 0
YORKTOWN 2 GREENFIELD CENTRAL 1
RONCALLI 10 FRANKLIN CENTRAL 0
MOORESVILLE 18 FRANKLIN 1
NORTH CENTRAL 18 SOUTHPORT 6
WHITELAND 9 MARTINSVILLE 8
DELTA 26 MONROE CENTRAL 18
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/IN/SOFTBALL/SCORES/?DATE=4/26/2023
NFL DRAFT ROUNDS 1-3
ROUND 1
1) CAROLINA PANTHERS (FROM CHICAGO)
2) HOUSTON TEXANS
3) ARIZONA CARDINALS
4) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
5) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (FROM DENVER)
6) DETROIT LIONS (FROM L.A. RAMS)
7) LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
8) ATLANTA FALCONS
9) CHICAGO BEARS (FROM CAROLINA)
10) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (FROM NEW ORLEANS)
11) TENNESSEE TITANS
12) HOUSTON TEXANS (FROM CLEVELAND)
13) GREEN BAY PACKERS (FROM N.Y. JETS)
14) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
15) NEW YORK JETS (FROM GREEN BAY)
16) WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
17) PITTSBURGH STEELERS
18) DETROIT LIONS
19) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
20) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
21) LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
22) BALTIMORE RAVENS
23) MINNESOTA VIKINGS
24) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
25) NEW YORK GIANTS
26) DALLAS COWBOYS
27) BUFFALO BILLS
28) CINCINNATI BENGALS
29) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (FROM SAN FRANCISCO THROUGH MIAMI AND DENVER)
30) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
31) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
ROUND 2
32) PITTSBURGH STEELERS (FROM CHICAGO)
33) HOUSTON TEXANS
34) ARIZONA CARDINALS
35) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
36) LOS ANGELES RAMS
37) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (FROM DENVER)
38) LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
39) CAROLINA PANTHERS
40) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
41) TENNESSEE TITANS
42) GREEN BAY PACKERS (FROM CLEVELAND THROUGH N.Y. JETS)
43) NEW YORK JETS
44) ATLANTA FALCONS
45) GREEN BAY PACKERS
46) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
47) WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
48) DETROIT LIONS
49) PITTSBURGH STEELERS
50) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
51) MIAMI DOLPHINS
52) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
53) CHICAGO BEARS (FROM BALTIMORE)
54) LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
55) DETROIT LIONS (FROM MINNESOTA)
56) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
57) NEW YORK GIANTS
58) DALLAS COWBOYS
59) BUFFALO BILLS
60) CINCINNATI BENGALS
61) CHICAGO BEARS (FROM SAN FRANCISCO THROUGH CAROLINA)
62) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
63) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
ROUND 3
64) CHICAGO BEARS
65) HOUSTON TEXANS
66) ARIZONA CARDINALS
67) DENVER BRONCOS (FROM INDIANAPOLIS)
68) DENVER BRONCOS
69) LOS ANGELES RAMS
70) LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
71) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
72) TENNESSEE TITANS
73) HOUSTON TEXANS (FROM CLEVELAND)
74) CLEVELAND BROWNS (FROM N.Y. JETS)
75) ATLANTA FALCONS
76) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (FROM CAROLINA)
77) LOS ANGELES RAMS (FROM NEW ENGLAND THROUGH MIAMI)
78) GREEN BAY PACKERS
79) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (FROM WASHINGTON)
80) PITTSBURGH STEELERS
81) DETROIT LIONS
82) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
83) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
84) MIAMI DOLPHINS
85) LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
86) BALTIMORE RAVENS
87) MINNESOTA VIKINGS
88) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
89) NEW YORK GIANTS
90) DALLAS COWBOYS
91) BUFFALO BILLS
92) CINCINNATI BENGALS
93) CAROLINA PANTHERS (FROM SAN FRANCISCO)
94) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
95) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
96) ARIZONA CARDINALS (COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
97) WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
98) CLEVELAND BROWNS (SPECIAL COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
99) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (SPECIAL COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
100) LAS VEGAS RAIDERS FROM KANSAS CITY CHIEFS THROUGH NEW YORK GIANTS (SPECIAL COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
101) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (SPECIAL COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
102) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (SPECIAL COMPENSATORY SELECTION)
NFL DRAFT, TOP NEEDS FOR ALL 32 TEAMS: https://www.nfl.com/news/2023-nfl-draft-order-for-round-1-top-needs-for-all-32-teams-entering-offseason
NBA PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD
NEW YORK 106 CLEVELAND 95
MEMPHIS 116 LA LAKERS 99
MIAMI 128 MILWAUKEE 126 OT
GOLDEN STATE 123 SACRAMENTO 116
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NBA/SCOREBOARD.ASP
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
MILWAUKEE BUCKS (1) VS. MIAMI HEAT (8)
• GAME 1: HEAT 130, BUCKS 117
• GAME 2: BUCKS 138, HEAT 122
• GAME 3: HEAT 121, BUCKS 99
• GAME 4: HEAT 119, BUCKS 114
• GAME 5: HEAT 128, BUCKS 126 (OT)
HEAT WIN SERIES 4-1
BOSTON CELTICS (2) VS. ATLANTA HAWKS (7)
• GAME 1: CELTICS 112, HAWKS 99
• GAME 2: CELTICS 119, HAWKS 106
• GAME 3: HAWKS 130, CELTICS 122
• GAME 4: CELTICS 129, HAWKS 121
• GAME 5: HAWKS 119, CELTICS 117
• GAME 6: CELTICS VS. HAWKS | THURS., APRIL 27 | 8:30 ET (TNT)
• *GAME 7: HAWKS VS. CELTICS | SAT., APRIL 29 | 7:30 ET (TNT)
CELTICS LEAD SERIES 3-2
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (3) VS. BROOKLYN NETS (6)
• GAME 1: 76ERS 121, NETS 101
• GAME 2: 76ERS 96, NETS 84
• GAME 3: 76ERS 102, NETS 97
• GAME 4: 76ERS 96, NETS 88
76ERS WIN SERIES 4-0
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4) VS. NEW YORK KNICKS (5)
• GAME 1: KNICKS 101, CAVALIERS 97
• GAME 2: CAVALIERS 107, KNICKS 90
• GAME 3: KNICKS 99, CAVALIERS 79
• GAME 4: KNICKS 102, CAVALIERS 93
• GAME 5: KNICKS 106, CAVALIERS 95
KNICKS WIN SERIES 4-1
WESTERN CONFERENCE
DENVER NUGGETS (1) VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (8)
• GAME 1: NUGGETS 109, TIMBERWOLVES 80
• GAME 2: NUGGETS 122, TIMBERWOLVES 113
• GAME 3: NUGGETS 120, TIMBERWOLVES 111
• GAME 4: TIMBERWOLVES 114, NUGGETS 108 (OT)
• GAME 5: NUGGETS 112, TIMBERWOLVES 109
NUGGETS WIN SERIES 4-1
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (2) VS. L.A. LAKERS (7)
• GAME 1: LAKERS 128, GRIZZLIES 112
• GAME 2: GRIZZLIES 103, LAKERS 93
• GAME 3: LAKERS 111, GRIZZLIES 101
• GAME 4: LAKERS 117, GRIZZLIES 111
• GAME 5: GRIZZLIES 116, LAKERS 99
• GAME 6: GRIZZLIES VS. LAKERS | FRI., APRIL 28 | 10:30 ET, ESPN
• *GAME 7: LAKERS VS. GRIZZLIES | SUN., APRIL 30 | TBD
LAKERS LEAD SERIES 3-2
SACRAMENTO KINGS (3) VS. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (6)
• GAME 1: KINGS 126, WARRIORS 123
• GAME 2: KINGS 114, WARRIORS 106
• GAME 3: WARRIORS 114, KINGS 97
• GAME 4: WARRIORS 126, KINGS 125
• GAME 5: WARRIORS 123, KINGS 116
• GAME 6: KINGS VS. WARRIORS | FRI., APRIL 28 | 8 ET, ESPN
• *GAME 7: WARRIORS VS. KINGS | SUN., APRIL 30 | TBD
WARRIORS LEAD SERIES 3-2
PHOENIX SUNS (4) VS. LA CLIPPERS (5)
• GAME 1: CLIPPERS 115, SUNS 110
• GAME 2: SUNS 123, CLIPPERS 109
• GAME 3: SUNS 129, CLIPPERS 124
• GAME 4: SUNS 112, CLIPPERS 100
• GAME 5: SUNS 136, CLIPPERS 130
SUNS WIN SERIES 4-1
* IF NECESSARY
NHL SCOREBOARD
FLORIDA 4 BOSTON 3
SEATTLE 3 COLORADO 2
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NHL/SCOREBOARD.ASP
NHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
BOSTON BRUINS (A1) VS. FLORIDA PANTHERS (WC2)
BRUINS LEAD SERIES, 3-2
GAME 1: BRUINS 3, PANTHERS 1
GAME 2: PANTHERS 6, BRUINS 3
GAME 3: BRUINS 4, PANTHERS 2
GAME 4: BRUINS 6, PANTHERS 2
GAME 5: PANTHERS 4, BRUINS 3 (OT)
FRI., APRIL 28: BRUINS AT PANTHERS, 7:30 P.M.; TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS, BSFL, NESN
*SUN., APRIL 30: PANTHERS AT BRUINS, TBD
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (A2) VS. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (A3)
MAPLE LEAFS LEAD SERIES, 3-1
GAME 1: LIGHTNING 7, MAPLE LEAFS 3
GAME 2: MAPLE LEAFS, 7, LIGHTNING 2
GAME 3: MAPLE LEAFS 4, LIGHTNING 3 (OT)
GAME 4: MAPLE LEAFS 5, LIGHTNING 4 (OT)
THU., APRIL 27: LIGHTNING AT MAPLE LEAFS, 7 P.M.; TBS, SN, CBC, TVAS, BSSUN
*SAT., APRIL 29: MAPLE LEAFS AT LIGHTNING, TBD
*MON., MAY 1: LIGHTNING AT MAPLE LEAFS, TBD
CAROLINA HURRICANES (M1) VS. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (WC1)
HURRICANES LEAD SERIES, 3-2
GAME 1: HURRICANES 2, ISLANDERS 1
GAME 2: HURRICANES 4, ISLANDERS 3 (OT)
GAME 3: ISLANDERS 5, HURRICANES 1
GAME 4: HURRICANES 5, ISLANDERS 2
GAME 5: ISLANDERS 3, HURRICANES 2
FRI., APRIL 28: HURRICANES AT ISLANDERS, 7 P.M.; TBS, SN360, TVAS2, MSGSN, BSSO
*SUN., APRIL 30: ISLANDERS AT HURRICANES, TBD
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (M2) VS. NEW YORK RANGERS (M3)
SERIES TIED 2-2
GAME 1: RANGERS 5, DEVILS 1
GAME 2: RANGERS 5, DEVILS 1
GAME 3: DEVILS 2, RANGERS 1 (OT)
GAME 4: DEVILS 3, RANGERS 1
THU., APRIL 27: RANGERS AT DEVILS, 7:30 P.M.; ESPN2, SN360, TVAS2, MSGSN, MSG
SAT., APRIL 29: DEVILS AT RANGERS, 8 P.M.; ABC, ESPN+
*MON., MAY 1: RANGERS AT DEVILS, TBD
WESTERN CONFERENCE
COLORADO AVALANCHE (C1) VS. SEATTLE KRAKEN (WC1)
KRAKEN LEAD SERIES, 3-2
GAME 1: KRAKEN 3, AVALANCHE 1
GAME 2: AVALANCHE 3, KRAKEN 2
GAME 3: AVALANCHE 6, KRAKEN 4
GAME 4: KRAKEN 3, AVALANCHE 2 (OT)
GAME 5: KRAKEN 3, AVALANCHE 2
FRI., APRIL 28: AVALANCHE AT KRAKEN, 10 P.M., TNT, SN, TVAS, ROOT-NW, ALT
*SUN., APRIL 30: KRAKEN AT AVALANCHE, TBD
DALLAS STARS (C2) VS. MINNESOTA WILD (C3)
STARS LEAD SERIES, 3-2
GAME 1: WILD 3, STARS 2 (2OT)
GAME 2: STARS 7, WILD 3
GAME 3: WILD 5, STARS 1
GAME 4: STARS 3, WILD 2
GAME 5: STARS 4, WILD 0
FRI., APRIL 28: STARS AT WILD, 9:30 P.M.; TBS, SN360, TVAS2, BSN, BSWI, BSSW
*SUN., APRIL 30: WILD AT STARS, TBD
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (P1) VS. WINNIPEG JETS (WC2)
GOLDEN KNIGHTS LEAD SERIES, 3-1
GAME 1: JETS 5, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 1
GAME 2: GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, JETS 2
GAME 3: GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, JETS 4 (2OT)
GAME 4: GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, JETS 2
THU., APRIL 27: JETS AT GOLDEN KNIGHTS, 10 P.M.; ESPN2, SN, CBC, TVAS, ATTSN-RM
*SAT., APRIL 29: GOLDEN KNIGHTS AT JETS, TBD
*MON., MAY 1: JETS AT GOLDEN KNIGHTS, TBD
EDMONTON OILERS (P2) VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS (P3)
OILERS LEAD SERIES, 3-2
GAME 1: KINGS 4, OILERS 3 (OT)
GAME 2: OILERS 4, KINGS 2
GAME 3: KINGS 3, OILERS 2 (OT)
GAME 4: OILERS 5, KINGS 4 (OT)
GAME 5: OILERS 6, KINGS 3
SAT., APRIL 29: OILERS AT KINGS, TBD
*MON., MAY 1: KINGS AT OILERS, TBD
* IF NECESSARY
TBD — TO BE DETERMINED
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
CINCINNATI 5 TEXAS 3
CLEVELAND 4 COLORADO 1
MILWAUKEE 6 DETROIT 2
ARIZONA 2 KANSAS CITY 0
PHILADELPHIA 6 SEATTLE 5
BALTIMORE 6 BOSTON 2
TORONTO 8 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 0
NY YANKEES 12 MINNESOTA 6
HOUSTON 1 TAMPA BAY 0
LA ANGELS 11 OAKLAND 3
PITTSBURGH 8 LA DODGERS 1
WASHINGTON 4 NY METS 1
ATLANTA 6 MIAMI 4
SAN DIEGO 5 CHICAGO CUBS 3
SAN FRANCISCO 7 ST. LOUIS 3
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/MLB/SCOREBOARD.ASP
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES
COLUMBUS 10 INDIANAPOLIS 7
PEORIA 3 SOUTH BEND 2
GREAT LAKES 5 FORT WAYNE 2
COLLEGE BASEBALL SCORES
MIAMI OHIO 8 PURDUE 4
DAYTON 11 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 10
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
NBA PLAYOFFS
HEAT RALLY AGAIN TO WIN IN OT, ELIMINATE TOP-SEEDED BUCKS
MILWAUKEE (AP) Jimmy Butler scored 42 points and the Miami Heat staged a second straight stunning fourth-quarter rally before winning 128-126 in overtime on Wednesday night in Game 5 to complete an upset of the top-seeded Bucks in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Two nights after outscoring the Bucks 30-13 in the final six minutes of a 119-115 victory in Miami, the Heat produced another huge comeback and tied the game on Butler’s layup with half a second left in regulation.
Miami went on to become the sixth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed. The last time it happened was in 2012, when a Philadelphia 76ers team featuring current Bucks guard Jrue Holiday capitalized on Derrick Rose’s knee injury to beat the top-seeded Chicago Bulls.
The Heat advanced to a second-round series with the fifth-seeded New York Knicks, who completed their 4-1 series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier Wednesday. Game 1 is Sunday in New York.
“Because we’ve been in so many of these close games in the fourth quarter, our guys take pride – a lot of pride – in our mental toughness and physical toughness going down the stretch, particularly in close games,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We had to show that. We had to show that in all four of the wins.”
Bam Adebayo put the Heat ahead for good by dunking in a putback of Butler’s missed driving layup attempt with 4:44 left in overtime. The Bucks trailed 128-126 and had the ball in the closing seconds, but the clock ran out before Grayson Allen could take a shot as he drove to the basket.
Adebayo had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Gabe Vincent added 22 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points and 20 rebounds for the Bucks, though he shot just 10 of 23 on free-throw attempts. Khris Middleton added 33 points.
Milwaukee led 102-86 after three quarters but shot just 5 of 25 from the floor in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Heat tied the game on two occasions late in the fourth quarter before Middleton made two free throws to put Milwaukee back ahead with 27.8 seconds left.
Then things really got interesting.
After calling a timeout, the Heat got the ball to Butler, whose 3-point attempt missed with 18 seconds left. Holiday made two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to make it a four-point game, but Vincent’s 3-pointer cut the lead to one with 8.4 seconds left.
The Bucks had the ball in the backcourt when Holiday threw an errant pass that eluded Middleton. Miami’s Kyle Lowry initially was called for a foul as he chased the loose ball, but the Heat successfully challenged the call and it was ruled a jump ball.
Brook Lopez tipped the ball to Antetokounmpo, whose pass nearly went out of bounds before Middleton saved it to Holiday. After getting fouled with 2.1 seconds left, Holiday missed his first free throw before sinking the second to make it 118-116.
After the Heat called timeout, Vincent stood in front of the Bucks bench and threw an inbounds pass to Butler, who was waiting under the basket to make the tying score.
“Just get the ball to Jimmy,” Vincent said. “The game plan was simple: Get the ball to Buckets and let him do what he do,” Vincent said. “Max set a great screen, Jimmy created some space and went up and got it.”
TIP-INS
Heat: Udonis Haslem picked up a technical foul from the Heat bench after exchanging words with Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis during a second-quarter timeout. … Erik Spoelstra earned his 100th career playoff coaching victory. The 100th win enabled him to tie Larry Brown for fifth place on the all-time list Spoelstra’s 99 wins put him in a tie for sixth with Red Auerbach. … The Heat improved to 3-1 in postseason series against the Bucks. The Heat won first-round series in 2013 and 2020 and lost a first-round series in 2021.
Bucks: Wesley Matthews returned to action for the first time since straining his right calf in Game 1. “Tough is probably a gross understatement,” Matthews said after a Wednesday morning shootaround as he discussed the pain of missing three playoff games. … The Bucks went out in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2018, when they lost in seven games to Boston as a No. 7 seed.
KNICKS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND, DOWN CAVS 106-95 IN GAME 5
CLEVELAND (AP) Once he and his teammates were done finishing off the Cavs, Jalen Brunson slipped on a T-shirt with a photo of former Knicks All-Star John Starks on the front screaming while hanging from the rim.
Before looking ahead, New York remembered its past – the good and the bad.
For only second time in 23 years, the Knicks are moving on in the NBA playoffs.
Brunson scored 23 points, RJ Barrett added 21 and New York showed its toughness and depth while downing the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to advance to the second round for the first time since 2013.
The Knicks easily controlled a series that was more one-sided than expected, even after Julius Randle aggravated his left ankle injury and missed the second half.
The series victory had extra meaning for Brunson, whose father, Rick, played point guard for the Knicks from 1999-2001.
“I thought about that today. It’s a really cool experience, knowing that my Dad played here,” Brunson said. “He didn’t lead that team, but he was on that team that got to the Finals. It’s special and the connection with my Dad and everything, it’s all full circle. It’s really special.”
New York won the opener at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, overpowered the Cavs twice at noisy Madison Square Garden and then returned to Cleveland to finish the job. The fifth-seeded Knicks will now meet the Miami Heat, who stunned the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
The Knicks and Heat have plenty of postseason history, but haven’t met since 2012. They’ll open on Sunday in New York.
Brunson was the consistent ingredient throughout the series for the Knicks, who signed the stocky guard as a free agent last summer before their attempt to acquire Donovan Mitchell in a trade from Utah fell apart and he landed in Cleveland.
Brunson averaged 24 points in the series and led New York in scoring all four wins while outplaying Mitchell for the second straight postseason. Last year, Brunson was with Dallas when he got the best of Mitchell.
Only a month ago, it appeared the Knicks’ season was in serious trouble. Brunson missed 10 games down the stretch with hand and foot injuries and Randle sat out with a sprained ankle.
But New York got healthy and is suddenly a major threat in the wide-open East.
The Garden will rock deeper into the spring, and that’s all coach Tom Thibodeau and his gritty team could ask for.
“The tradition of the Knicks, not only what it means to the city and the league,” he said. “We have the best fans, best city, best arena. They respond to the way this team plays. It plays hard. It plays smart and it plays together.”
Mitchell scored 28 and Darius Garland 21 for the Cavs, who won 51 games during the regular season but whose inexperience showed throughout their first playoff series in five years. The Cavs weren’t ready.
A bigger issue, though, seemed to be Cleveland’s toughness. The Cavs got pushed around and outrebounded in all four losses, including 48-30 in the clincher.
“For it to end this way, it doesn’t feel right,” Mitchell said. “They outplayed us. It’s as simple as that. They did their job and we didn’t. For me, personally, I don’t feel like I was the player I needed to be for this group. I just didn’t deliver.”
New York center Mitchell Robinson finished with`18 rebounds – 11 offensive – in Game 5 and the 7-footer didn’t shy away from calling out the Cavs for being soft after Game 3, saying they appeared to be shaken.
“We weren’t physical enough,” Garland said. “We didn’t punch first. We were always getting punched.”
Cleveland hoped to recapture some of its 2016 magic and overcome a 3-1 deficit like LeBron James and the Cavs did in the NBA Finals to shock Golden State. But Brunson, Barrett and the rest of the Knicks had other plans.
They closed out the Cavs in the second half without Randle.
The All-Star forward left late in the second quarter after aggravating a sprained left ankle and didn’t return. Obi Toppin started in his place and scored 12 points in the third quarter as the Knicks opened an 18-point lead.
New York never let Cleveland get closer than six in the fourth, much to the delight of several hundred Knicks fans who celebrated behind their bench.
Randle was moving as well as he had in the series before going down.
After trying to block Caris LeVert’s jumper, he landed awkwardly and stayed on the floor for a few minutes while being checked. Randle was helped to his feet but defiantly walked off the floor and to the locker room for treatment.
Turns out, the Knicks didn’t need him and he’ll now have extra time recover.
Thibodeau said Randle will undergo further tests on Thursday.
TIP-INS
Knicks: G Quentin Grimes missed his second straight game with a bruised right shoulder. He’s been out since absorbing a hit in the first half of Game 3. … New York improved to 13-2 in the postseason against Cleveland, winning all four series (1978, 1995, 1996 and 2023).
Cavaliers: Mitchell made just 13 of 45 3-pointers (28.9%) and averaged 23.2 points – 5.1 below his regular-season average. … With 23 points and 10 assists in Game 4 , Garland became the second Cleveland player to 23 or younger to post those totals in a playoff game. James did it eight times with the Cavs. … Cleveland is 46-15 at home in the playoffs since 2008, losing elimination games in the arena in 2015, 2018 and 2023.
CURRY LEADS WARRIORS PAST KINGS 123-116 FOR 3-2 SERIES LEAD
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Draymond Green had his highest-scoring game in more than five years and the Golden State Warriors won the first road game of their series against Sacramento, beating the Kings 123-116 Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead.
Green had 21 points and seven assists in his first game back in Sacramento since getting ejected and later suspended for stepping on Domantas Sabonis’ chest in a Game 2 loss.
Golden State now can try to wrap up the series with a fourth straight win at home on Friday night.
The defending champion Warriors withstood another raucous crowd in Sacramento and showed off their road mettle that had been missing so often this season.
Golden State won only 11 games away from home in the regular season and lost the first two games in Sacramento before making the key plays in the second half to beat the Kings and extend their record to 28 straight playoff series with at least one road win.
The Kings trailed by 12 early in the fourth quarter after a layup by Curry but wouldn’t go away. They chipped away at the deficit behind 11 points in the next five minutes from Monk – who went down briefly with what looked like a left knee injury – to make it a one-point game with just over four minutes left.
But the Warriors pulled away late after Monk missed a potential game-tying 3 with 1:04 to play.
Andrew Wiggins made a turnaround jumper to make it a five-point game and Curry put it away with a three-point play with 22.1 seconds left that made it 122-114.
Klay Thompson added 25 points, Wiggins had 20 and Kevon Looney matched his career-high with 22 rebounds.
De’Aaron Fox scored 24 despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, and Monk and Sabonis added 21 points apiece for Sacramento.
Fox got the start despite breaking the tip of the index finger on his shooting hand late in Game 4. He played with a splint on the finger and showed no ill effects from the injury, making all three of his attempts from long range in the first quarter to help Sacramento build a 10-point lead.
The Warriors got going in the second quarter with Thompson making three 3-pointers during a 12-0 run that helped Golden State take a 60-56 lead at the half.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Curry moved past Magic Johnson (3,701) into fifth-place all-time in playoff scoring with 3,727 points. … Looney became the first Warriors player with two games with at least 20 rebounds in the same playoff series since Nate Thurmond did it against Milwaukee in 1972. … Golden State got called for two transition take fouls in the fourth quarter.
Kings: Sacramento went from shooting 8 for 12 from 3-point range in the first quarter to 0 for 9 in the second quarter – the Kings’ most misses without a make in any quarter this season.
UP NEXT
With a win on Friday night, the Warriors would improve to 19-0 in playoff series against Western Conference teams since coach Steve Kerr took over in 2014-15.
MORANT, GRIZZLIES STAVE OFF ELIMINATION, BEAT LAKERS 116-99
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The Grizzlies’ stars finally played well together in the same game, and Desmond Bane already is planning to be back for another tipoff Sunday in Memphis.
Even with Game 6 looming Friday night in Los Angeles, where the Grizzlies have yet to win this season or in this series.
Bane had 33 points and 10 rebounds, two-time All-Star Ja Morant added 31 points and 10 boards, and the Grizzlies staved off elimination Wednesday night, beating the Lakers 116-99 to force their first-round Western Conference series back to Los Angeles.
“I said it out there, and I’ll say it again,” Bane said. “We are going to be back for a Game 7 in front of the best fans in the NBA.”
Morant missed Memphis’ last Game 6 a year ago in the Western semifinals, a series-ending loss in Golden State. Asked what it will take for the Grizzlies to return for another game, Morant had a short answer.
“Me being a leader and, you know, being ready for this pedestal everybody got me on,” said Morant, who signed a five-year, supermax contract last summer.
Jaren Jackson Jr., the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who improved to 5-0 in Game 5s played in Memphis and cut the seventh-seeded Lakers’ series lead to 3-2. Memphis earned a second straight No. 2 seed by posting the NBA’s best home record at 35-
“Obviously it was a win or go home situation,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said.
LeBron James started 1 of 7 from the field but finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. It was a modest follow-up after the 38-year-old played 45 minutes in Monday night’s overtime win in Los Angeles and became the oldest player in NBA history to post at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in his 270th playoff game.
This time, James played 37 minutes and was the first starter coach Darvin Ham pulled with the Grizzlies in control.
“He and I made eye contact,” Ham said. “We had a nonverbal discussion. It was time. We’re going to need him big on Friday.”
James said he doesn’t know how he’ll feel Friday night now that this series has a game every other night with travel on the off day.
“I’ll take care of the body,” James said. “Try to get as much sleep as I can. Seeing how fast the body can recover and get ready for Friday.”
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 rebounds. Austin Reaves had 17 points and D’Angelo Russell scored 11.
The Lakers tried to rally with a 20-7 run in the fourth. They couldn’t get closer than 12, the last on a putback by Davis with 2:52 left. Memphis answered with eight straight that got fans chanting “Whoop That Trick” with about 90 seconds left.
“That run at the end of the third, kind of got away from us,” said Davis, who promised he’ll be ready to play 48 minutes if needed in Game 6.
Memphis led only 23-20 when Jenkins took out Dillon Brooks, known more for calling James old and missing shots than his defense in this series. The Grizzlies seized control, finishing on a 15-4 run capped by Bane’s 3 just before the quarter expired for a 38-24 lead.
The Grizzlies led by as much as 17 in the second with Morant scoring 10, including drawing a foul on James for a three-point play. Memphis led 61-52 at halftime.
Russell scored the first eight of the third for the Lakers to quickly turn it into a one-point game. James, who had nine in the quarter, hit a pair of free throws that pulled Los Angeles within 75-74 with 4:36 left.
Memphis responded with a 26-2 run that lasted through the start of the fourth. Morant had 11 in the third and finished the quarter with back-to-back buckets. His final drive put the Grizzlies up 94-76 going into the fourth.
Bane capped the spurt with a three-point play for a 101-76 lead the Lakers couldn’t overcome.
TIP-INS
Lakers: They lost for just the fourth time in their past 17 games. … They came in having outscored Memphis’ bench 119-79 thanks to 72 points from Rui Hachimura. But the forward picked up two quick fouls early and played only five minutes of the first half. He finished with nine points, and the benches matched each other with 18 apiece.
Grizzlies: They will have to prove they can win in Los Angeles to force the third Game 7 in franchise history and first since 2014. They lost their lone game in the regular season at Los Angeles before dropping both Games 3 and 4, though the Grizzlies lost by six in overtime Monday night.
BOARD BATTLE
Making the double-doubles by Bane and Morant so necessary is that Memphis doesn’t have veteran center Steven Adams and reserve Brandon Clarke because of injuries. The Lakers won the rebounding battle 54-52, but Jenkins got what he wanted after challenging his guards to get after the ball more.
“These guys owning that and coming out with double-doubles is really impressive,” Jenkins said of Bane and Morant. “We need more. We need better.”
KENNARD’S SHOULDER
Luke Kennard, the NBA’s best 3-point shooter the past two seasons, finished with six points. He hurt his shoulder on a screen and went to the locker room after playing just more than 17 minutes. Jenkins said Kennard had a stinger that would be evaluated.
The Memphis coach used Kennard as part of a small lineup featuring him, Morant, Tyus Jones and Bane, and getting his two best 3-point shooters on the court together more. That helped key the early run where Memphis took a lead it would not relinquish.
EDWARDS CITED FOR ALLEGEDLY STRIKING ARENA STAFF WITH CHAIR
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was cited for third degree assault by Denver police following the team’s season-ending loss to the Nuggets, after he allegedly swung a folding chair and struck two women who were working at the time at Ball Arena.
Denver beat Minnesota 112-109 on Tuesday night to win the first-round NBA playoff series in five games. Edwards missed the tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer, a 27-footer that hit the back iron.
According to the report received by Denver police, Edwards was walking off the court to the locker room when he swung the chair and injured the employees. Their injuries were not serious, Denver police spokesman Jay Casillas said.
According to police, Edwards was cited for misdemeanor third degree assault, defined as “knowingly or recklessly” causing bodily injury. Edwards was scheduled for a court appearance on June 9.
The Timberwolves, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said they were “aware of the alleged incident” and “in the process of gathering more information.” The club had no further comment. Timberwolves players and team officials were scheduled to hold season-ending news conferences this week.
Edwards was fined $40,000 by the NBA for homophobic comments he made in a video posted to his Instagram account shortly before the season began. He recorded a group of men on a sidewalk from a vehicle he was inside and could be heard in making a disparaging, profane comment about what he assumed to be their sexual orientation. The Timberwolves reprimanded him, and Edwards apologized.
“Man, I respect everybody. I know what I posted was immature, and I’m sorry for that if I hurt anyone,” Edwards said at media day on Sept. 26. “I’m working to be better.”
The 21-year-old Edwards, who was the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, was an injury replacement selection for the All-Star Game earlier this season. He’s eligible this summer for a five-year rookie-scale contract extension that would be in the $200 million range.
Edwards had 158 points in the five games against Denver, the fifth-most in a playoff series in NBA history for a player under age 22. The other four who scored more – LeBron James (214 in six games in the first round and 186 in seven games in the second round in 2006), Luka Doncic (186 in six games in the first round in 2019) and Donovan Mitchell (171 in six games in the first round in 2017) – all played in more games.
NHL PLAYOFFS
PANTHERS BEAT BRUINS 4-3 IN GAME 5 OT TO AVOID ELIMINATION
BOSTON (AP) The Florida Panthers watched Bruins forward Brad Marchand skate in alone on goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, with the seconds ticking away in the third period of a 3-3 game.
If Marchand scores, Florida’s season is over.
“I knew it wasn’t going in,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, before admitting that he was lying. “You can’t know that it wasn’t going in, so I’m full of (it) when I just said that to you.
“But I don’t feel like we’ve had a whole lot of advantage in this series, in the karma of the game,” Maurice said after Bobrovsky’s save with 1 second left sent the game into overtime, where Matthew Tkachuk won it. “I just felt that we had stored enough karma that that shot wouldn’t go in.”
Tkachuk scored six minutes into overtime, and Bobrovsky stopped 44 shots to help the Panthers beat the Bruins 4-3 on Wednesday night and force their first-round playoff series back to Florida for a sixth game.
One game after Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark tried to fight Tkachuk, the Panthers forward took advantage of Ullmark’s sloppy puck play behind the net to cut Boston’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.
“A little bit of pinball and it somehow got right on my stick. I made sure to put it home,” Tkachuk said. “Bob made a hell of a save, otherwise our season’s over. … Things happen fast in playoffs.”
Anthony Duclair, Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart also scored – each one giving the Panthers a lead. Tkachuk also drew a penalty and then assisted on the power-play goal that gave Florida a 3-2 lead five minutes into the third period.
After Boston tied it – and Bobrovsky preserved the lead – Marchand’s pass to Pavel Zacha at the point in the Florida zone skidded all the way down the ice and behind the Boston net. Ullmark carelessly played it right to Carter Verhaeghe in the corner; he shot it off Ullmark’s leg, and it bounced to Tkachuk in the slot.
He flipped it over to his backhand and beat the badly out of position goalie.
“That guy is a – and then you put a long string of profanity – gamer,” Maurice said. “He’s just a gamer. Use your own words.”
Game 6 is Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, where Boston won twice already this series to push the Panthers to the brink of elimination. The Presidents’ Trophy winners had not lost back-to-back home games all season.
“We’re supposed to get swept in the series, right? Everyone’s saying? So I don’t think anybody really gave us a chance after losing two games in a row and at home and coming here,” Tkachuk said. “It just seemed like the series was over before that game even started. … It comes down to: We don’t want our season to end.”
Patrice Bergeron scored in his return from an injury, and Ullmark stopped 21 shots for the Bruins. Marchand and Taylor Hall had the other goals for Boston, which rallied from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to force overtime.
The Bruins’ loss came one night after the Celtics lost a Game 5 in the same building, blowing a chance to advance to the second round of the NBA playoffs.
“It’s always hard to close it out,” Ullmark said. “A team’s going to play for their lives and their season. We’ve got to be better for the next one. Including me. I’m guilty of that as well.”
It was 2-1 Florida when Bergeron tied it five seconds into a Boston power play, tipping Marchand’s shot into the net. Seconds later, Tkachuk drew a hooking penalty on Jakub Lauko, and Reinhart quickly put the Panthers back in front.
With about 10 minutes left in regulation, though, Hall fought for a puck in the slot, turned and wristed it into the net to tie the game 3-3. The Panthers earned a faceoff in the Boston zone with 8 seconds left. Marchand poked the puck free and chased it down, breaking free down the ice.
Bobrovsky, who did not play in the series until Alex Lyon fell behind 3-0 in Game 3, turned Marchand aside with 1 second left on the clock.
“I felt that the pressure needed to be on Sergei to play this game,” Maurice said. “The leaders carry the weight of your team. He needed to carry that weight, and he was brilliant.”
KARTYE SCORES IN NHL DEBUT, KRAKEN LEAD SERIES 3-2 OVER AVS
DENVER (AP) The new father got things rolling. The new forward chipped in, too.
And just like that, playoff newcomer Seattle is a win away from clinching its first series.
Tye Kartye scored in his NHL debut to help the Kraken beat the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
The Kraken take a 3-2 lead in the first-round series back home to Seattle, where they can advance Friday night in front of their raucous home fans.
“It’s the spot you want to be, but at the end of the day, the fourth one’s the toughest to get,” said Kraken forward Yanni Gourde, who scored a pivotal goal early in the third to make it 3-1. “We know that.”
Morgan Geekie added a goal for the Kraken, who’ve scored first in all five games. It’s been quite a whirlwind of emotions for Geekie, who missed Game 3 to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter.
Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots against his former team.
Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and assisted on Evan Rodrigues’ goal that made it 3-2 with 3:37 remaining. The Avalanche couldn’t tie it up with goaltender Alexandar Georgiev pulled for an extra skater. Georgiev also was on the bench for Rodrigues’ goal.
“It was stressful,” Geekie said of Colorado’s late flurry. ” I wasn’t even out there. It’s harder to watch, honestly.”
The Kraken were without forward Jared McCann, who was injured on a hit from Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar in Game 4. Makar could only watch as he drew a one-game suspension from the league. Makar was last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoff MVP.
Georgiev had 26 stops for Colorado.
“Nothing to lose now,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of his team’s mindset. “You don’t win, you go home.”
Kartye became the eighth player since 1927 to notch a goal while making his NHL debut in the playoffs, according to NHL Stats. Before Kartye, the last to accomplish the feat was Makar in Game 3 of a first-round series in 2019.
The goal by Kartye gave the Kraken a 2-1 lead in the second period and came moments after MacKinnon clipped skates with Will Borgen. MacKinnon was livid, too, and banged his stick on the glass as the Kraken headed down the ice. Jordan Eberle delivered a pinpoint pass to Kartye, who made it a memorable night.
His parents arrived at the arena from Ontario just in time, too.
“This was my wildest dream,” said Kartye, who turns 22 on Sunday. “So this day has been pretty special.”
Kartye had 28 goals and 29 assists this season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL. His old team beat the Colorado Eagles – the Avalanche’s affiliate – in Game 1 of a playoff series in nearly Loveland, Colorado, on Wednesday.
“Super happy for the boys down there,” Kartye said with a smile.
MacKinnon’s goal in the second period tied the game at 1. He added an assist for his 99th career playoff points. He is now one away from joining Joe Sakic (188) and Peter Forsberg (159) as the only players in franchise history to register 100 postseason points.
“There are plays to be made out there and we’re just not making them for whatever reason right now,” MacKinnon said. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but we still have a chance to turn it around here.”
Geekie opened the scoring by knocking in a loose puck early in the second period.
“They’re a good team. They’re not going to back away easily,” Geekie said of closing out the Avalanche. “Just try to play the game that we’ve been growing into and be solid on both ends of the rink.”
MISSING MCCANN
McCann didn’t make the trip with the team. Missing with him was leadership and a scoring threat (he had 40 goals in the regular season).
“It sucks that he’s out,” Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn said. “But we don’t want that to be a distraction in our locker room.”
MISSING VAL
Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin missed his third straight game for a personal reason. Bednar had no updates but said the team has been in contact with Nichushkin. Bednar said there wasn’t a legal issue surrounding the absence of Nichushkin.
THIS & THAT
The Avalanche continue to struggle on the power play. They went 0 for 2 and drop to 1 for 12 in the series. … D Josh Manson didn’t take a shift in the third period.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: ZAC GALLEN EXTENDS SCORELESS RUN IN D-BACKS’ WIN
Zac Gallen recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to fuel the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in Phoenix.
Gallen (4-1), who struck out the side in the fourth and fifth innings, scattered four hits en route to extending his scoreless innings streak to 28.
The 27-year-old owns the franchise-record streak of 44 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, set last season during a stretch that spanned six straight starts and the first three innings of a game versus the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 11.
Arizona’s Emmanuel Rivera had an RBI single among his two hits and scored a run. Evan Longoria also had an RBI single for the Diamondbacks, who won two of the three games in the series after losing four of their previous five contests. Ryan Yarbrough dropped to 0-3 for the Royals.
Yankees 12, Twins 6
Aaron Judge hit a bases-clearing double to cap a five-run second inning and appeared to dodge an injury scare as visiting New York blasted Minnesota at Minneapolis.
Judge celebrated his 31st birthday by helping the Yankees stop a season-high, three-game losing streak and avoid getting swept in a three-game series against the Twins for the first time since Sept. 6-8, 1991, in the Twin Cities. Gleyber Torres added a two-run homer for New York.
Jose Miranda hit his first two home runs of the season for Minnesota with a solo drive in the second and a two-run blast in the fourth. Former Yankee Joey Gallo added a two-run homer in the sixth for the Twins, his seventh homer this season and fourth in eight games since returning from the injured list.
Padres 5, Cubs 3
Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a two-run single in the seventh inning to give San Diego the lead for good in its win in Chicago.
Down 3-2 in the seventh, San Diego got a leadoff single from Ha-Seong Kim and Trent Grisham drew a walk. After a sacrifice, Tatis grounded the ball under diving Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom and into left field off Brandon Hughes (0-1) to score both runners as the Padres evened the three-game set at a win apiece. Tatis added an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth.
Padres starter Michael Wacha allowed three runs and four hits while striking out five and walking one in five innings. Nick Martinez (2-1) followed with three scoreless innings, and Josh Hader picked up his ninth save in as many chances.
Reds 5, Rangers 3
Nick Senzel belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Cincinnati to a win and complete a three-game sweep of visiting Texas.
Senzel’s blast to left field off Texas right-hander Jonathan Hernandez (0-1) was Cincinnati’s first home run of any kind in nine games. It snapped the franchise’s longest homerless drought in 31 years and marked the first walk-off shot since Nick Castellanos delivered in September 2021.
Cincinnati starter Graham Ashcraft allowed just two runs and three hits over six strong innings just two days after the death of his 82-year-old grandmother Ann Ashcraft. She was a Rangers fan until her grandson was drafted by Cincinnati in 2019.
Blue Jays 8, White Sox 0
Bo Bichette belted a solo homer among his three hits and drove in three runs as host Toronto breezed past Chicago.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Whit Merrifield each added two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who swept the three-game series. Santiago Espinal had three hits and one RBI to send Toronto to its fourth straight victory and the reeling White Sox to their seventh consecutive loss.
Toronto left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (4-0) scattered four hits to go along with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Chicago right-hander Michael Kopech (0-3) allowed four runs, six hits and two walks while striking out four in five innings.
Orioles 6, Red Sox 2
Tyler Wells gave Baltimore a strong pitching performance in a victory against visiting Boston in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Ramon Urias went 4-for-4, scored three runs and had one RBI and Anthony Santander had a pair of sacrifice flies as the Orioles won for the eighth time in their last nine games and 10th in their past 12 outings. They completed a 5-1 homestand. Wells (1-1) worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Masataka Yoshida homered for the Red Sox. Starting pitcher Tanner Houck (3-1) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings.
Guardians 4, Rockies 1
Tanner Bibee pitched into the sixth inning, Josh Naylor hit a two-run homer and Cleveland salvaged the finale of a three-game series against visiting Colorado.
Bibee (1-0) allowed one run on six hits with no walks and eight strikeouts — including five straight during one stretch — over 5 2/3 innings in his MLB debut. Jose Ramirez, Andres Gimenez, Oscar Gonzalez and Naylor had two hits apiece for Cleveland, which concluded its six-game homestand with a 2-4 mark.
Rockies starter German Marquez (2-2) exited the game in the fourth inning with an apparent arm injury. Before departing, he allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander was pitching for the first time since April 10 after landing on the injured list with a right forearm strain.
Phillies 6, Mariners 5
Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning to lift host Philadelphia past Seattle, despite starting pitcher Taijuan Walker’s start getting cut short.
Walker was pulled after four innings, allowing five hits and five runs with six strikeouts and two walks. Soon after Walker left the game, the Phillies announced he had right forearm tightness. Craig Kimbrel (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth inning.
J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam, doubled and singled for Seattle, while Julio Rodriguez also homered. Mariners starter Logan Gilbert gave up seven hits and four runs with six strikeouts and one walk in five innings. Justin Topa (0-2) took the loss in relief.
Brewers 6, Tigers 2
Brian Anderson and Victor Caratini each drove in two runs and Freddy Peralta tossed six strong innings as Milwaukee posted a win over visiting Detroit.
The Brewers spoiled Detroit’s bid for a three-game sweep right from the start. Caratini smacked a two-run shot for his first homer of the season and Joey Wiemer added a solo homer. Peralta (3-2) would allow for the Brewers. He allowed two unearned runs on four hits and struck out eight batters without a walk
Michael Lorenzen (0-1) made his first start of the season for the Tigers, permitting five runs on seven hits in five innings. Javier Baez was hit by a pitch and exited in the top of the first inning with a left hand contusion. The Tigers announced during the game that X-rays were negative.
Astros 1, Rays 0
Rookie Hunter Brown was dominant over seven shutout innings, Alex Bregman drove in the only run and Houston clinched its third straight series win by beating Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Brown (3-0) allowed just two hits and two walks while fanning eight as the Astros shut out the Rays for the second consecutive night. Houston’s offense managed just five hits and got two singles from Jeremy Pena, who scored the only run as the visitors improved to 11-4 against Tampa Bay in their past 15 meetings. Leadoff hitter Mauricio Dubon extended his current hitting streak to a best-in-the-majors 20 games.
Tampa Bay’s Josh Fleming pitched the bulk of the game behind opener Calvin Faucher (0-1) and was very effective. The left-hander went six scoreless innings and struck out two with a walk. Manuel Margot went 2-for-3 — his team’s only hits — but was caught trying to steal second as the Rays failed to have a runner reach second in the series finale. Bregman reached on an error to drive in Pena for the game’s lone run.
Pirates 8, Dodgers 1
Jason Delay drove in three runs and Roansy Contreras pitched six scoreless innings as host Pittsburgh trampled Los Angeles for its eighth win in nine games.
Rodolfo Castro added a two-run single, and Bryan Reynolds, Andrew McCutchen and Ji Hwan Bae each had an RBI single for the Pirates. Contreras (3-1) pitched five no-hit innings and allowed two hits, with five strikeouts and two walks overall.
Freddie Freeman homered for the Dodgers, who had won three straight. Los Angeles starter Tony Gonsolin, who came off the injured list and made his season debut, pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, with one strikeout and three walks. Phil Bickford (0-1) gave up two runs in his one inning.
Nationals 4, Mets 1
MacKenzie Gore struck out 10 in six solid innings and Jeimer Candelario homered for visiting Washington, which beat New York.
Lane Thomas, CJ Abrams and Alex Call all had RBI singles for the Nationals, who have won four of five. Starling Marte laced a run-scoring single for the Mets, who have dropped four consecutive games.
Gore (3-1) allowed one run on four hits and two walks. Kodai Senga allowed two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out seven in five innings for the Mets.
Braves 6, Marlins 4
Vaughn Grissom slapped a go-ahead RBI single to right field to highlight a four-run rally in the eighth inning and spark Atlanta to a win over visiting Miami.
With the Braves trailing 4-2, Matt Olson opened the eighth inning with a solo home run against Dylan Floro. Atlanta tied it when Sean Murphy singled and pinch runner Nick Solak scored when Eddie Rosario lined a ball under the glove of first baseman Garrett Cooper for a triple. A.J. Minter pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his fifth save. Michael Tonkin (2-1) pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win.
The Marlins took a 3-0 lead on solo homers by Jesus Sanchez, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Avisail Garcia. It was the first time Miami has hit three homers in a game this season. The Marlins upped the lead to 4-0 when Jon Berti coaxed a bases-loaded walk in the sixth. Neither starter earned a decision. Dylan Floro (1-1) took the loss.
Angels 11, Athletics 3
Brandon Drury and Shohei Ohtani each homered and drove in three runs to propel Los Angeles to a victory over Oakland in Anaheim, Calif.
Hunter Renfroe also went deep for Los Angeles, his team-leading seventh of the season, in support of Patrick Sandoval (2-1), who gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits in seven innings.
Drury was hitting just .179 before Oakland came to town on Monday, but in the first three games of the four-game series, he is 7-for-13 with three home runs and nine RBIs. A’s starter Luis Medina (0-1), making his major league debut, went five innings and allowed eight runs (seven earned).
Giants 7, Cardinals 3
LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores hit home runs, Anthony DeSclafani lost his battle with Paul Goldschmidt but won the war, and San Francisco made it three straight over visiting St. Louis.
Thairo Estrada chipped in with three hits and scored a run for the Giants, who earned their fifth straight win. DeSclafani (2-1) got the victory, limiting the Cardinals to a pair of Goldschmidt solo homers in six innings.
Goldschmidt finished 4-for-5 but grounded into a game-ending double play while representing the tying run in the ninth against Camilo Doval (third save).
NFL NEWS
REPORT: JAGUARS SIGN DT DAVON HAMILTON TO $34.5M EXTENSION
The Jacksonville Jaguars rewarded defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton after his career year last season, with NFL Network reporting Wednesday that the sides agreed to terms on a three-year, $34.5 million extension.
Per the report, Hamilton will make $23 million in guaranteed salary on the new deal with potential incentives that could push the contract to $36 million. He is set to make $18.7 million in the initial year of the extension.
Hamilton, 26, started a career-best 14 of his 17 games in the 2022 season as he posted career highs in tackles (56), tackles for loss (five) and sacks (2.5).
In his first three seasons with the Jaguars, who drafted him in the third round of the 2020 draft out of Ohio State, Hamilton has produced 132 tackles (nine for loss) and 4.5 sacks in 44 games (28 starts).
COMMANDERS DECLINING YOUNG’S 5TH-YEAR OPTION, AP SOURCE SAYS
(AP) — Chase Young could become a free agent following next season after the Washington Commanders opted not to pick up the edge rusher’s fifth-year option.
The team decided not to exercise the $17.5 million option for 2024, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the team had not announced the decision.
Word of the decision came on the eve of the NFL draft, three years after Washington took Young with the second pick behind Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow. The Bengals announced Tuesday they were picking up Burrow’s $29.5 million fifth-year option while working to sign their franchise quarterback to a long-term contract.
It’s entirely possible the Commanders eventually do the same with Young, but they’re challenging the 24-year-old to produce in a contract year after already committing significant money elsewhere on the defensive line.
Young, who grew up in Maryland not far from the team’s home stadium, became the face of the franchise as soon as he was drafted. He had 7 1/2 sacks in his first NFL season and was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
After skipping voluntary offseason workouts in 2021, Young started slow in his second pro season and had just two sacks before tearing the ACL in his right knee that November. Following surgery that involved grafting part of his left patellar tendon to repair the damage, he missed the majority of the 2022 season before returning on Dec. 24.
The Ohio State product has played in just three games since the injury. Asked last week about a decision on Young, coach Ron Rivera said the Commanders would wait until the May 2 deadline to declare their intentions.
Making the call before the draft opens up some potential options – including a potential trade of Young if anything materializes – for Washington, which has the 16th pick on Thursday and seven others. It also could make defensive end a position of need, given that Young and fellow rusher Montez Sweat could be gone before the 2024 season and Shaka Toney was suspended for at least a year for betting on NFL games.
Investing more in Young was not an easy decision, given the Commanders already had Jonathan Allen under contract and recently signed fellow defensive tackle Daron Payne to a four-year deal worth $90 million after putting the franchise tag on him. They opted a year ago to pick up Sweat’s $11.5 million fifth-year option for this season, but the 2019 first-round pick with 29 sacks in 59 games also could depart in free agency afterward.
QBS, UNCERTAINTY AT THE TOP BRING DRAMA TO 2023 NFL DRAFT
Quarterbacks are the storyline entering the 2023 NFL Draft and atypical uncertainty at the top adds a layer of drama for the festivities in Kansas City on Thursday.
Carolina has been on the clock unofficially since executing a trade for the No. 1 pick with the Chicago Bears in March. The Panthers flooded pro day workouts of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the draft class and dined with each of the four passers thought to be worthy of consideration in the top 10.
“There is consensus,” Panthers head coach Frank Reich said of Carolina’s front office, coaching staff and ownership agreeing on which QB will be No. 1.
Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer are reportedly leaning toward Alabama’s Bryce Young over Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson.
Media reports have purported each of those four to be in the mix in the top two picks since the scouting combine wrapped up in March.
As per annual tradition, teams are clamoring for the franchise centerpiece at the position with the Houston Texans (picks No. 2, 12), Indianapolis Colts (No. 4), Seattle Seahawks (No. 5), Detroit Lions (No. 6), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 7) and Atlanta Falcons (No. 8) in line to potentially draft a player at the position as their long-term solution.
Arizona owns the No. 3 pick and last year committed to Kyler Murray with a five-year extension that sets up the Cardinals with the option to wheel and deal to move down, or select one of the top defensive players: Alabama defensive end Will Anderson, Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson or Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
“If a trade makes sense and it’s the right decision for our team at the time, then we’ll do it,” said Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort, who took over the post from Steve Keim in January.
Recent history shows a warning label for teams certain this draft is the first step in a QB turnaround. Quarterbacks were drafted with the top three picks in 2021, when Trevor Lawrence went first to the Jaguars followed by Zach Wilson (Jets) and Trey Lance (49ers). Lawrence led Jacksonville to the playoffs last season, but Wilson and Lance are viewed as backups on their current team depth chart after failing to nail down the No. 1 job.
In 2021, 2018 and 2011, quarterbacks flavored the first round with at least four picks used on quarterbacks in the top 15.
Young would be the third first-round pick drafted out of Alabama since the Miami Dolphins started the run by selecting Tua Tagovailoa (fifth overall) in 2020.
If the Panthers pull a surprise, the Texans would likely consider Young with the second pick. New head coach DeMeco Ryans played at Alabama and general manager Nick Caserio was an undersized college quarterback before breaking into scouting with the New England Patriots.
Young’s size — 5 foot 10, and he weighed 204 at the combine — isn’t near the prototype or accepted standard in the NFL. Fitterer insists he doesn’t care about height, weight or hand size as much as media types might imply. Fitterer was a member of the Seahawks’ scouting staff when Seattle used a third-round pick on a 5-foot-11 quarterback from Wisconsin who turned out alright by franchise standards.
“When Russell Wilson came out, he had three balls batted down his senior year; Bryce had two,” Fitterer said. “It doesn’t seem to be an issue. When you grow up a shorter quarterback, you learn how to evolve your game and adapt and see the field, and he’s done that.”
Carter deals with no questions about his size. The enormous defensive tackle has light feet, quickness and rare power on the move, a package that helped elevate his status during his junior season with the Bulldogs. But off-the-field questions about maturity and accountability were amplified in February when an arrest warrant for drag racing caused him to leave the scouting combine.
Carter entered a “no contest” plea to charges related to the incident that involved the fatal crash of a teammate and Georgia staffer on Jan. 15. He also showed up to his pro day nine pounds heavier than his combine weight and opted out of multiple drills.
Seattle and Detroit, who both have multiple first-round picks Thursday, are rumored to be the two teams most likely to roll the dice on Carter’s upside.
“Yeah, he came in and he did a nice job,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said. “Yeah, again, it’s always case-by-case. (He) came in, enjoyed our time with him, he did a nice job. I’ll say, even after we had our visit, I felt better on him.”
Just 31 picks will be made Thursday during the first round, a result of the Miami Dolphins losing their pick as punishment for owner Stephen Ross tampering with coach and quarterback candidates who were under contract.
As a result of past trades, four other teams don’t have a first-round pick in the draft: the San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams.
2023 NFL DRAFT: TOP 5 PROSPECTS BY POSITION
Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, Field Level Media draft analysts ranked the top five prospects at every position.
Quarterback
1. Bryce Young, Alabama
2. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
3. Anthony Richardson, Florida
4. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
5. Will Levis, Kentucky
Running back
1. Bijan Robinson, Texas
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
3. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
4. Tyjae Spears, Tulane
5. Devon Achane, Texas A&M
Wide receiver
1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
2. Quentin Johnston, TCU
3. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
4. Jordan Addison, USC
5. Zay Flowers, Boston College
Tight end
1. Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
2. Dalton Kincaid, Utah
3. Darnell Washington, Georgia
4. Sam LaPorta, Iowa
5. Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Offensive line
1. OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State
2. OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
3. OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
3. OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
5. OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
Defensive line
1. DE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
2. DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
3. DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
4. DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
5. DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
5. DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
Linebacker
1. Nolan Smith, Georgia
2. Jack Campbell, Iowa
3. Drew Sanders, Arkansas
4. Trenton Simpson, Clemson
5. Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama
Cornerback
1. Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
2. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
3. Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
4. Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
5. Kelee Ringo, Georgia
Safety
1. Brian Branch, Alabama
2. Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
3. Sydney Brown, Illinois
4. JL Skinner, Boise State
5. Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
COLTS FOOTBALL
Finally, after months of sifting through mock drafts, it’s time for the actual draft.
No more predictions, no more educated guess, no more “what if this happens” scenarios. It’s always hard to nail a mock draft, but in 2023, it seems even more of an inexact science with so much uncertainty as to what’ll happen Thursday night.
“Just look at the mock drafts and tell me how accurate they are after the draft,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said. “Nobody knows. Nobody is giving out information.”
So a disclaimer before we dive into this: Nobody knows what the Colts will do. Nobody knows what the Texans or Cardinals do, either, and we won’t be sure of the Panthers’ decision on the No. 1 overall pick until a little after 8 p.m. Thursday.
And: Ballard and the Colts’ front office do not let information leave the walls of the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Anyone who claims to know the Colts’ thinking almost certainly does not actually know the Colts’ thinking.
“There’s always a new rumor that comes up every day,” Ballard said. “I have a great deal of trust of our internally of our people. They know — we’re very open with information for a reason, that’s how you grow. And I think that everybody can grow with more information, you’re able to see how decisions are being made. That’s how you grow.
“But that comes with great responsibility and with that responsibility is nothing gets out. I’m pretty confident that our information is staying in house. Especially with some of the stuff I hear, I know it’s staying in house.”
Here at Colts.com, though, we aggregated 136 mock drafts over the last few weeks, so we have CVS-length receipts detailing what various experts believe will happen when the Colts go on the clock in this year’s NFL Draft. Our cutoff here is anything that happened after the Panthers traded up to No. 1 in early March.
Some of those mock drafts included projections on the Colts’ second- and third-round picks (Nos. 35 and 79 overall, respectively), so we’ll include those too.
Let’s start with the first round. The Colts have the No. 4 overall pick, and 114 of those 136 mock drafts have the Colts staying at four. Twenty mocks had the Colts trading up to No. 3 with the Arizona Cardinals; one (from NFL Network’s Peter Schrager) had the Colts trading up to No. 2 with the Houston Texans, and one other had the Colts trading down to No. 7 with the Las Vegas Raiders (from Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger).
Seven players were mocked to the Colts at least once in the first round. Those seven, listed in alphabetical order:
Alabama DE Will Anderson Jr.
Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
Kentucky QB Will Levis
Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
Texas Tech DE Tyree Wilson
Alabama QB Bryce Young
The second and third round projections are more all over the board, as you’d expect with 34 and 78 picks occurring before the Colts go on the clock on Day 2. Last year, the most-mocked player to the Colts in the second round was tackle Bernhard Raimann…who the Colts took in the third round. The second-most mocked player was quarterback Carson Strong, who went undrafted. And only two experts got the Colts’ second-round pick right in projecting it’d be wide receiver Alec Pierce.
So consider this more of a way to get acquainted with some of the names you’ll hear Friday night more than an actual prediction of what’ll happen. Anyways, here’s who was projected multiple times to Colts in the second and third rounds:
Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Alabama S Jordan Battle
Kansas State CB Julius Brents
Army DE Andre Carter II
Houston WR Nathaniel Dell
North Carolina WR Josh Downs
Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey
Ohio State DE Zach Harrison
Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Ohio State OT Dawand Jones
Texas A&M S Antonio Johnson
Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV
Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims
South Carolina DT Zacch Pickens
Alabama CB Eli Ricks
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
South Carolina CB Darius Rush
Arkansas LB Drew Sanders
Minnesota iOL John Michael Schmitz
Alabama LB Henry To’o To’o
Florida iOL O’Cyrus Torrence
2023 MOCK DRAFTS: https://www.colts.com/news/mock-draft-cj-stroud-will-levis-anthony-richardson-second-third-round
INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – A Brenden Dixon grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning helped the Indianapolis Indians overcome an early five-run deficit, but they could not hang on as the Columbus Clippers put up four runs in the ninth inning for a 10-7 win on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.
With the Indians (9-14) leading 7-6 after a bases-loaded walk to Miguel Andújar in the bottom of the eighth inning, Columbus scored four runs in the ninth. A two-run single off the bat of Tyler Freeman brought across the winning run against Yerry De Los Santos (L, 1-3).
After Indianapolis took an early lead on a run-scoring groundout by Josh Palacios in the bottom of the first inning, the Clippers (10-13) responded in a big way. Three walks, two singles and a three-run homer by Zack Collins – his third dinger of the series – gave Columbus a 6-1 lead early.
Dixon’s first Triple-A home run came with one out and the bases loaded via a Grant Koch single and consecutive walks to Josh Bissonette and Chavez Young. It was the second baseman’s first career grand slam and led to a career-high four RBI.
J.C. Flowers and Daniel Zamora combined for 5.0 scoreless frames in relief of Indians starter Caleb Smith to quiet the Clippers offense after the six-run second. All 10 of Columbus’ runs were scored in two innings.
Caleb Simpson (W, 1-0) earned the win as he held the Indians without a hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Indianapolis and Columbus will face off again tomorrow in a 11:05 AM first pitch at Victory Field. RHP Quinn Priester (1-2, 7.80) will toe the rubber for the Indians while the Clippers have yet to name a starter.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected the contract of right-handed relief pitcher Cody Bolton, who is currently rated as the organization’s No. 23 prospect by Baseball America. He will become the first member of the 2023 Indianapolis Indians squad to make his major league debut.
Bolton, 24, has embraced his first full-time bullpen role with Indianapolis this season, going 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA (3er/11.1ip), 14 strikeouts, 0.88 WHIP and .200 batting average against in eight appearances. After he surrendered two earned runs in his season debut on March 31, only six of 35 total batters faced have reached base safely. During that stretch, he’s registered a 0.90 ERA (1er/10.0ip), 0.50 WHIP and .125 batting average against.
Following a season-ending knee injury in 2021, Bolton rebounded in a hybrid role for the Indians in 2022. He made the first relief appearance of his career on April 9, 2022 vs. Omaha and went 4-0 with a 2.65 ERA (10er/34.0ip) and 40 strikeouts in 16 appearances out of the bullpen. His versatility in 30 total games (14 starts) earned him the Indy’s Pitcher of the Year Award. In 38 games (14 starts) spanning each of the last two seasons with Indianapolis, he is 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA (29er/87.0ip), 96 strikeouts and .206 batting average against.
Bolton was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Tracy (Calif.) High School.
INDY ELEVEN SOCCER
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Wednesday, April 26, 2023) – A late goal from Columbus proved to be the deciding factor as Indy Eleven fell 1-0 to the Crew in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Wednesday night at Lower.com Field in Columbus.
The Crew broke the scoreless tie in the 83rd minute as Mohamed Farsi found himself behind the Indy backline after a ball in from Steven Moreira. Farsi took a touch and beat Eleven goalkeeper Yannik Oettl to his right to give Columbus the late lead and what would eventually become the match winner.
The goal was one of only two major threats from the Crew in the second half after a busy first frame for Oettl, the first coming in the 60th minute off an Indy clearance miscue. Yaw Yeboah found himself one-on-one with Oettl, but the Indy ‘keeper came out to cut off the angle and make the save.
Indy had a final chance in stoppage time from Sebastian Guenzatti, who entered in the 80th minute, but the shot caught an outstretched Evan Bush and was deflected out for a corner.
A scoreless first 45 kept Oettl busy, with the Crew putting five shots on frame to test the Eleven goalkeeper early. In the 34th minute, Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe fired a shot from the outside of the 18, forcing Oettl to make a diving stop to deflect it from continuing into the bottom right corner. Nagbe again found himself with an open look in stoppage, but Oettl recovered from a first shot attempt and thwarted the point-blank chance.
Indy successfully defended 11 corners in the first half, while garnering a pair. Douglas Martinez had the lone shot on frame in the first half in the 26th minute to force one of the two after a ball in from Mechack Jerome left the forward one-on-one in the right corner. Martinez navigated the lone defender and made his way inside the six but was denied by Bush.
The Eleven also produced a promising chance in the 14th minute, taking advantage of a clearance error from Bush that Aodhan Quinn intercepted and played to Harrison Robledo, who struck from outside the 18 but missed over the top right corner of the frame.
Columbus had a 21-7 advantage in shots in the match, with eight on frame to the Eleven’s three, and earned 17 corners to Indy’s four. Oettl racked up seven saves, while Jack Blake had a pair of shots for Indy.
The Eleven, which was seeking its first away win in six tries in U.S. Open Cup play (0-5-1), is now 4-7-1 all-time in U.S. Soccer’s national club championship tournament, including 0-2-1 against MLS sides.
Next up, the Boys in Blue return to league play this Saturday, April 29, closing out a busy month at “The Mike” by hosting Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff on “Kick Cancer Night” at Carroll Stadium (live on MyINDY-TV 23, ESPN+ and Exitos Radio 94.3 FM).
Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with prorated Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Third Round
Indy Eleven at Columbus Crew SC (MLS)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 – 7:30 p.m. ET
Lower.com Field – Columbus, Ohio
Scoring Summary:
CLB – Mohamed Farsi (Steven Moreira) 83’
Discipline Summary:
IND – Jesus Vazquez (caution) 88’
CLB – Milos Degenek (caution) 90+’
Indy Eleven line-up (4-3-3): Yannik Oettl, Robby Dambrot (Bryam Rebellon 80’), Jesus Vazquez, Mechack Jerome, Gustavo Rissi, Aodhan Quinn, Cam Lindley (captain), Jack Blake, Harrison Robledo (Solomon Asante 80’), Juan Tejada, (Sebastian Guenzatti 66’), Douglas Martinez (Younes Boudadi 80’)
Indy subs: Tim Trilk (GK), Adrian Diz Pe
Columbus Crew line-up (3-1-4-2): Evan Bush; Mike Degenek, Philip Quinton, Steven Moreira; Sean Zawadzki; Yaw Yeboah (Mohamed Farsi 64’), Darlington Nagbe (captain) (Aiden Morris 64’), Isaiah Parente, Max Arfsten (Jake Morris 77’); Jacen Russell-Rove, Cucho Hernandez (Alex Matan 46’)
Columbus subs: Patrick Schulte (GK), Keegan Hughes, Christian Ramirez
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University senior point guard Xavier Johnson has been granted an extra year of eligibility after the NCAA approved a medical hardship waiver for the 2022-23 season.
He suffered a broken foot against Kansas on Dec. 17 and later had surgery. He started 11 games and averaged 9.9 points and 4.9 assists. He had a season-high 23 points in a win at Xavier, including seven rebounds, had 20 points and eight rebounds against North Carolina, and added 11 points and 11 assists against Arizona.
“We are very happy for Xavier and his family and can’t wait to have him be a key member of our program next season,” said IU Coach Mike Woodson. “I know this year was challenging for him, but he brought a positive attitude every day and I believe he will bring a great deal to our team next season because of the adversity he has faced.”
In 2021-22, he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after averaging 12.1 points and finishing third in the Big Ten in assists at 5.1 per game.
PURDUE BASEBALL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Mike Bolton Jr. stole his 71st career base to eclipse Purdue baseball’s all-time record but the Boilermakers were kept off the scoreboard until the sixth inning on a night in which they were limited to five hits in an 8-4 loss at the hands of Miami (Ohio) on Wednesday at Alexander Field.
Bolton drew three free passes and got his opportunity to steal second base in the fifth inning, sliding in safely without a throw to officially become the most accomplished base stealer in team history. The senior eclipsed Dave Scheitlin’s record that had stood since 1991. With 25 steals this year, including 10 in the last eight games, Bolton has taken over as the league leader in the Big Ten. He’s also the conference’s active career leader with 71.
The Boilermakers (19-21) trailed 8-0 in the bottom of the sixth when they finally came up with a timely hit, a two-run single from CJ Valdez. Purdue had stranded five base runners over the previous three innings. Couper Cornblum doubled in a run as the Boilers scored twice more in the seventh inning, but they were unable to bring the tying run to the plate.
Cal Lambert enjoyed his finest outing of the season, striking out four while retiring eight in a row and nine of 10 over three innings of hitless relief.
The Redhawks (14-29) built their lead via a pair of inning-opening home runs and a two-out, two-run double. Cooper Weiss and Tommy Harrison hit the home runs in their second looks at Carter Doorn. Evan Appelwick’s two-run double made it 3-0 after Doorn had induced a 4-6-3 double play in the top of the third but was unable to finish off the frame.
Miami extended its lead by capitalizing on a pair of two-on, no-out opportunities – scoring twice in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Starter Martin Sosna and reliever Connor Preisel teamed up for eight innings of two-hit ball for the visitors. Preisel squashed Purdue’s thoughts of a comeback, retiring eight of the 10 batters he faced while closing out the game. Seven of the nine Boilermakers to face Miami reliever Tyler Galyean reached base safely but the lefthander did induce an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play in the bottom of the sixth. The only hit Sosna allowed was a leadoff single to Valdez in the third inning.
STREAKS EXTENDED WEDNESDAY
• Connor Caskenette (Single, HBP) – 18-game on-base streak; 11-game hit streak; 10-game hit streak at Alexander
• Jake Parr (Walk, HBP) – 14-game on-base streak; 8-game on-base streak at Alexander
• Paul Toetz (2 Walks) – 12-game on-base streak; 8-game on-base streak at Alexander
• Couper Cornblum (2-for-5, RBI) – 7-game hit streak; 6-game RBI streak
The Boilermakers’ season-long, eight-game homestand continues Friday vs. Rutgers. The series opener of weekend No. 6 of Big Ten play is slated for a 6 p.m. ET first pitch.
BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANAPOLIS – A familiar face will join the Butler women’s basketball program this fall as 5-11 guard/forward Rachel Kent heads to Hinkle Fieldhouse after a stellar senior season at IUPUI. Kent will reunite with Head Coach Austin Parkinson who recruited her to IUPUI after a two-year stint at Saint Louis. Kent was a First Team All-Horizon League selection in 2022-23 and heads to Butler with over 1,000 career points.
“We are pumped we get the opportunity to coach Rachel one more time,” Parkinson explained. “Rachel is one of the best shooters I’ve ever been around and has a unique ability to guard multiple positions on the defensive end. Her familiarity with our system and consistency over the years in scoring the ball will have an immediate impact for our team.”
Kent averaged 12.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a senior at IUPUI. A starter in all 30 games, Kent shot 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range. Some of her best individual performances included a 30-point game against Oakland and a 16-point, 12 rebounds game vs. Wright State. Overall in 22-23, Kent recorded 373 points, 186 rebounds and 99 assists. She reached double figures 22 times and had four double-doubles.
“I chose Butler because of the great campus life that is close to downtown Indy, but still feels like its own community,” Kent stated. “I also like the family culture built by the coaches and players.”
Kent has started in 110 games during her collegiate career. Before attending Saint Louis, Kent was a four-time Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State selection at Maine West High School making the first team as a senior and a junior. Kent scored 1,672 points during her prep career to rank second all-time at Maine West. She also ranked fifth all-time in steals in the Maine West record book.
As a senior, Kent averaged 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game to help lead her team to a 35-0 record and win the Illinois Class 4A State Championship. She graduated in the top five percent of her class and went on to make the Horizon League All-Academic Team.
BALL STATE SOFTBALL
MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State softball team closed its three-game series versus Miami with a 10-0 (5) victory Wednesday afternoon at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
In the win, the Cardinals (25-23, 15-11 MAC) were led by redshirt sophomore catcher McKayla Timmons and senior third baseman Haley Wynn who tallied three RBI apiece to help the squad rebound from a 4-3 loss to the RedHawks (29-17, 16-7 MAC) earlier in the day.
Timmons got jump started the BSU offense in its final home game of the season, launching a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. Junior first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata and junior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews followed with back-to-back RBI doubles extending the lead to four.
Wynn then broke the game wide open, driving in three more runs with a bases-loaded double to center. The Cardinals would add three more in the bottom of the fourth inning, starting with back-to-back squeeze bunts by Timmons and redshirt senior second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz.
Redshirt freshman shortstop McKenna Mulholland capped the scoring moments later with a sacrifice fly.
Not to be lost in the fireworks was the stellar pitching of freshman Bridie Murphy in game two, as she scattered three hits over her three innings of work to earn the victory. The outing puts her record at 7-2 and lowers her ERA to 3.86.
In the opener, the Cardinals trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, before exploding for three runs to even the score. With runners at second and third, an RBI grounder to third from Armendariz brought in the first run. Mulholland followed with an RBI single to center field, while a sac fly to left from Mata capped BSU’s three-run inning.
Unfortunately, an RBI double from Miami in the top of the fifth gave the guests what proved to be the game-winning run.
HIGHLIGHTS
Ross picked up her 22nd stolen base of the season in the nightcap, and remained perfect on the season at 22-for-22 … The stolen base raised her career total to 44, the 10th-most in program history, and upped her program-leading career stolen base percentage to .978 (44-for-45)
Timmons blasted her team-leading 11th home run of the season to open the scoring in the nightcap,
hit her team leading eleventh home run of the season with her two-run shot in game two, raising her career total to 15 … It was her ninth two-run home run of the season.
Ball State’s trio of Murphy, sophomore Angelina Russo, and junior Francys King combined for BSU’s third shutout of the season in the nightcap … All three of BSU’s shutouts this season have been combined shutouts, with Russo factoring in all three.
Ball State’s 10 runs in the second game were the most scored against the RedHawks in MAC play this season, with the previous high being seven by NIU on two occasions.
SCORING SUMMARY: GAME 1 Ball State 3 – Miami 4
T1 | A diving catch by Ross took an extra base hit away from Karli Spaid, but the fly ball was deep enough to score Allie Cummins from third. (1-0)
T3 | Jenna Golembiewski wrapped a two-run home run around the left field pole to extend the Miami lead. (3-0)
B4 | Following a leadoff double by Ross, and a single by Timmons, Armendariz hit a fielder’s choice to shortstop and Ross beat the throw home to put the Cardinals on the board. (3-1)
B4 | Mulholland lined a single to center scoring Timmons from third. (3-2)
B4 | Mata added a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in freshman pinch runner Grace Spencer. (3-3)
T5 | Spaid hits a two out double to bring home Maddi Banks for what proved to be the game-winning run. (4-3)
SCORING SUMMARY: GAME 2 Ball State 10 – Miami 0 (5)
B1 | Following a single by Ross, Timmons launched a two-run blast to right center field to give BSU its first lead of the series. (2-0)
B1 | Mata smashed a two-out double to right center field to bring home Armendariz from second. (3-0)
B1 | Mathews blasted another double to right center, scoring Mata, to extend the Ball State lead. (4-0)
B1 | Wynn broke the game open with a bases clearing, three-run double to left center scoring junior right fielder Hannah Dukeman, sophomore designated player Kaitlyn Gibson, and Mathews. (7-0)
B4 | The Cardinals put another across the board on a squeeze bunt by Timmons to score Dukeman from third. (8-0)
B4 | Another squeeze bunt, this time from Armendariz, brings home Wynn from third. (9-0)
B4 | Ball State adds another run courtesy of a sacrifice fly to left center by Mulholland scoring Timmons from third. (10-0)
UP NEXT
The Cardinals return to action Saturday with a doubleheader at Akron. First pitch in the key Mid-American Conference series is set for 1 p.m. at Lee R. Jackson Field.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State women’s basketball signed one of the Mid-American Conference’s best defenders with the commitment of Nyla Hampton (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) who will transfer to the Cardinals family for the 2023-24 season from Bowling Green.
“We went into this Spring with the understanding that the only way we would bring a transfer into our group was if they truly checked all the boxes,” Ball State head women’s basketball coach Brady Sallee said. “They had to fit our culture, they had to be impactful, they had to have proven success at the level we compete at, and they had to be about winning. In Nyla Hampton, we have found someone that checks all those boxes and more!”
Hampton made her mark into the Bowling Green record book over her three-year stint, ranking first in steals per game (2.64), second in total steals (243), 10th in assists per game (3.02) and 14th in total assists (478). She also ended the 2022-23 campaign ranked seventh in the nation in steals per game (1.6).
“Clearly when you can add the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year into the fold it is exciting, but she will also bring an ability on offense that will allow us to play faster and be more versatile than ever before,” Sallee added. “On paper, this was a no-brainer, but after meeting Nyla and her family, it went to another level. Everyone in our program has a ton of respect for the way Nyla plays the game and I am grateful that Nyla saw something in our program that she wanted to be a part of as well! Cardinals Nation is going to love watching Nyla Hampton in a Ball State jersey!”
A three-time MAC All-Defensive Team recipient, Hampton is nearing the 1,000-point plateau with 865 career points. She has also pulled down 131 rebounds, dished out 278 assists, and stolen the ball 243 times.
This season, Hampton averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.8 steals while scoring a career-best 24 points in the Falcons’ home opener versus Wright State (11/14/22). Not only is Hampton strong on the court but she also excels in the classroom, earning back-to-back Academic All-MAC honors.
According to HD Intelligence, which rates and provides analytics on every player at the NCAA Division I and II levels, Nyla is the highest rated transfer for a school outside of the power 5 conferences.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team advanced to the ACC Tournament semifinals with a 15-13 victory over fourth-seed Virginia, Wednesday afternoon.
Five individuals scored in the win, including Kasey Choma and Jackie Wolak with four goals each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, with the team’s leading scorer opening the scoring just 40 seconds in. The senior then assisted on Notre Dame’s second of the day, feeding a pass from behind the net to Hannah Dorney for the two-goal lead.
Virginia would get one back on the free position at 7:33 of the first quarter before Madison Ahern fired her 53rd goal of the season into the net to make it 3-1.
The Cavaliers scored to draw within one halfway through the first but Wolak’s two unanswered goals gave the senior the opening quarter hat trick and the Irish a 5-2 lead.
Another free position goal for the Cavaliers gave the Irish the 5-3 lead through 15 minutes of play.
The Irish went on a 4-0 run to start the second quarter, courtesy of Ahern, Kasey Choma and Kristen Shanahan to take a 9-3 lead with 8:05 to go in the second.
Ahern’s two goals to start the second gave her the first half hat trick and her 11th three-plus goal performance of the season.
Virginia cut into the Irish lead halfway through the second, scoring twice in 12 seconds to make it 9-5.
The two teams would trade possession multiple times through the remainder of the quarter before both sides added one more tally for the 10-6 halftime score.
Wolak’s fourth goal of the day opened the second half from the impossible angle before Choma extended the lead to six with her third point and second goal of the afternoon.
UVA scored four unanswered to close out the third quarter with the Irish clinging to their 12-10 lead.
The Cavaliers drew within one early to start the fourth quarter but Choma’s hat trick goal with 11:30 to play snapped the UVA streak and put the Irish back up by two.
Virginia scored twice more to knot things up late in the fourth, 13-13.
Choma broke the stalemate 46 seconds later with her fourth goal of the game. Her team-leading 56th goal of the season was the eventual game winner and marked her fifth game of the season with four-plus goals.
On the ensuing possession, the Cavaliers won the draw and held the ball in the Irish zone, attempting to tie it back up with under three minutes to play but Callahan made the save and the Irish rushed up the field.
Following a successful clear, Wolak found Shanahan outside the arch who fired the final tally into the back of the net with 2:03 left in regulation.
Virginia had one more try at the Irish end with under 60 seconds to play but Callahan and the Irish defense buckled down to hold the two-goal lead through the final horn.
Including three saves in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, Callahan closed out the day with eight saves, improving to 13-4 in the crease this season.
STAT OF THE GAME
All five goal-scorers Wednesday afternoon recorded multiple tallies in the victory, including Choma and Wolak with four goals each. Ahern’s three goals was her 11th hat trick of the season while Dorney’s two goals tied a season best along with Shanahan’s two.
ND NOTES
The Irish improved to 13-4 on the season with Callahan owning every decision of 2023.
The junior goalkeeper now boasts 125 saves on the season and 146 in her career.
Jackie Wolak’s seven points off four goals and three assists led the Irish as the senior now averages 5.18 points per game.
Kelly Denes and MK Doherty combined for 10 draw controls against Virginia, each winning five battles in the circle.
The Irish were perfect from the eight-meter mark as Ahern and Shanahan each scored once off the free position, while the team held the Cavaliers to a 50 percent success rate on the free position.
UP NEXT
The Irish will face top-seed Boston College with a spot in the ACC Championship on the line Friday at 1 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne’s Justin Miller became the Mastodon strikeout king on Wednesday (April 26) in an 11-10 loss to Dayton at Mastodon Field.
Miller started the day tied with Jason Horvath (2001-04) for most strikeouts in program history with 210. The Homestead High School graduate entered the game in the fifth with two outs and wasted no time getting the record. He fanned the first batter he faced to end the inning and set the record. Miller would only add to his total, finishing with five total strikeouts and no hits allowed in 2.1 innings of work. He now has 215 strikeouts and counting.
The Mastodons fell behind 6-0 but got five back in the bottom of the third. The big hit was by Braedon Blackford. He hit a bases clearing double with the bases loaded. Blackford came around to score on a wild pitch.
Dayton grew their lead to 11-6 before the ‘Dons scored three in the eighth. Ben Higgins, Caileb Johnson and Isaiah Hart each drove in a run in the frame.
The ‘Dons entered the ninth down two at 11-9. Jacob Walker singled in Tyler Nelson to make the score 11-10 with two outs. Nelson moved into scoring position on the play thanks to a throwing error. However he was stranded there to end the game.
Purdue Fort Wayne out-hit Dayton 12-11. Walker and Nelson each had three. The top five of the Mastodon lineup worked eight walks and one hit by pitch in addition to six total hits.
Kevin Fee tossed a perfect ninth with two strikeouts.
David Pedanou had a home run for Dayton. Seth Clayborne earned the win and is 2-0 with a decision in relief. Brendan Reid received the loss for the ‘Dons.
Dayton improves to 15-27. The ‘Dons fall to 10-32. Purdue Fort Wayne is back in action this weekend at Northern Kentucky.
U OF I SOFTBALL
INDIANAPOLIS—The UIndy softball team earned the No. 1 spot in the latest NCAA Division II Midwest Regional rankings, released Wednesday. GLIAC contenders Grand Valley State and Saginaw Valley came in second and third, respectively, while GLVC-rival Illinois Springfield is at No. 4.
When the full NCAA field is announced May 8, the region’s top eight teams will be paired off into two double-elimination tournaments, held on campus sites May 11-13. The winners of two sub-brackets will advance to face off in a best-of-three Super Regional May 18-19 to determine the Midwest’s representative at the 2023 NCAA DII Softball Championships, held in Chattanooga, Tenn., on May 25-29.
Having qualified for each of the last 14 NCAA regionals, the Greyhounds boast the longest active postseason streak in the Midwest. They captured two regional crowns in that span, winning the Midwest title in both 2009 and 2015, while adding Super Regional appearances in 2013 and 2019 as well as a regional final appearance in the unique bracket in 2021.
MIDWEST REGIONAL RANKINGS
| RK | TEAM | OVERALL | IN-REGION |
| 1. | UIndy | 45-4 | 38-2 |
| 2. | Grand Valley State | 35-3 | 31-3 |
| 3. | Saginaw Valley | 29-12 | 24-12 |
| 4. | Ill. Springfield | 31-18 | 28-14 |
| 5. | Ohio Dominican | 31-16 | 30-16 |
| 6. | McKendree | 24-13 | 24-12 |
| 7. | Maryville | 27-17 | 27-16 |
| 8. | Trevecca Nazarene | 31-13 | 27-13 |
| 9. | Lewis | 30-15 | 24-12 |
| 10 | Northwood | 29-20 | 26-17 |
MARIAN MEN’S SOCCER
INDIANAPOLIS – Mark Castro has resigned as the head coach of the Marian men’s soccer program to seek other opportunities. Castro’s resignation was turned in on Tuesday, April 25. Castro spent three seasons as the head coach of the men’s soccer team at Marian, posting a record of 19-30-8 overall and 9-15-3 in Crossroads League play.
“I would like to thank Coach Castro for his commitment to our student-athletes during his three seasons,” said athletic director Steve Downing. “We wish him and his family the best moving forward and thank him for his contributions to the Marian community.”
A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
MLB STANDINGS
| AMERICAN LEAGUE | |||||||||||
| EAST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| TAMPA BAY | 20 | 5 | .800 | – | 14 – 2 | 6 – 3 | 5 – 2 | 6 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 7 – 3 | L 2 |
| BALTIMORE | 16 | 8 | .667 | 3.5 | 9 – 4 | 7 – 4 | 4 – 5 | 5 – 1 | 5 – 2 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| TORONTO | 16 | 9 | .640 | 4 | 7 – 2 | 9 – 7 | 4 – 2 | 8 – 2 | 3 – 3 | 6 – 4 | W 4 |
| NY YANKEES | 14 | 11 | .560 | 6 | 9 – 7 | 5 – 4 | 3 – 3 | 5 – 5 | 2 – 1 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| BOSTON | 13 | 13 | .500 | 7.5 | 7 – 6 | 6 – 7 | 3 – 7 | 5 – 1 | 3 – 1 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| CENTRAL | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| MINNESOTA | 14 | 11 | .560 | – | 7 – 5 | 7 – 6 | 5 – 5 | 5 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| CLEVELAND | 12 | 13 | .480 | 2 | 4 – 8 | 8 – 5 | 1 – 2 | 1 – 2 | 6 – 4 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| DETROIT | 9 | 14 | .391 | 4 | 4 – 4 | 5 – 10 | 1 – 11 | 2 – 1 | 2 – 1 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| CHI WHITE SOX | 7 | 18 | .280 | 7 | 3 – 6 | 4 – 12 | 1 – 8 | 1 – 2 | 2 – 2 | 1 – 9 | L 7 |
| KANSAS CITY | 6 | 19 | .240 | 8 | 1 – 12 | 5 – 7 | 1 – 3 | 0 – 3 | 2 – 7 | 2 – 8 | L 1 |
| WEST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| TEXAS | 14 | 10 | .583 | – | 8 – 4 | 6 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 5 – 1 | 4 – 2 | 6 – 4 | L 3 |
| HOUSTON | 14 | 11 | .560 | 0.5 | 6 – 7 | 8 – 4 | 4 – 2 | 4 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| LA ANGELS | 13 | 12 | .520 | 1.5 | 7 – 5 | 6 – 7 | 3 – 7 | 2 – 1 | 6 – 3 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| SEATTLE | 11 | 13 | .458 | 3 | 7 – 9 | 4 – 4 | 0 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 1 – 2 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| OAKLAND | 5 | 20 | .200 | 9.5 | 2 – 10 | 3 – 10 | 1 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 3 – 6 | 2 – 8 | L 2 |
| NATIONAL LEAGUE | |||||||||||
| EAST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| ATLANTA | 17 | 8 | .680 | – | 7 – 6 | 10 – 2 | 5 – 1 | 6 – 0 | 3 – 4 | 6 – 4 | W 3 |
| NY METS | 14 | 11 | .560 | 3 | 4 – 4 | 10 – 7 | 5 – 4 | 0 – 3 | 6 – 4 | 5 – 5 | L 4 |
| MIAMI | 12 | 13 | .480 | 5 | 7 – 6 | 5 – 7 | 4 – 9 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| PHILADELPHIA | 12 | 13 | .480 | 5 | 7 – 5 | 5 – 8 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 3 – 1 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| WASHINGTON | 9 | 14 | .391 | 7 | 2 – 9 | 7 – 5 | 3 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 2 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| CENTRAL | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| PITTSBURGH | 17 | 8 | .680 | – | 8 – 4 | 9 – 4 | 0 – 0 | 7 – 4 | 4 – 1 | 8 – 2 | W 1 |
| MILWAUKEE | 16 | 9 | .640 | 1 | 7 – 5 | 9 – 4 | 3 – 0 | 4 – 2 | 4 – 3 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| CHI CUBS | 13 | 10 | .565 | 3 | 7 – 8 | 6 – 2 | 0 – 0 | 2 – 3 | 4 – 5 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| CINCINNATI | 10 | 15 | .400 | 7 | 9 – 6 | 1 – 9 | 3 – 7 | 3 – 6 | 0 – 0 | 4 – 6 | W 3 |
| ST. LOUIS | 9 | 16 | .360 | 8 | 5 – 8 | 4 – 8 | 0 – 3 | 3 – 4 | 3 – 6 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| WEST | |||||||||||
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | EAST | CENTRAL | WEST | LAST 10 | STREAK |
| ARIZONA | 14 | 12 | .538 | – | 8 – 6 | 6 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 4 – 2 | 7 – 7 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| LA DODGERS | 13 | 12 | .520 | 0.5 | 6 – 6 | 7 – 6 | 1 – 2 | 5 – 4 | 7 – 6 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| SAN DIEGO | 13 | 13 | .500 | 1 | 5 – 8 | 8 – 5 | 5 – 5 | 2 – 4 | 6 – 4 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 11 | 13 | .458 | 2 | 7 – 6 | 4 – 7 | 3 – 4 | 3 – 0 | 1 – 2 | 6 – 4 | W 5 |
| COLORADO | 8 | 18 | .308 | 6 | 3 – 7 | 5 – 11 | 3 – 5 | 1 – 5 | 2 – 4 | 3 – 7 | L 1 |
SPORTS EXTRA
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1901 IN THE SECOND GAME OF THE FRANCHISE’S HISTORY, SENATOR INFIELDER BILLY CLINGMAN HITS THE TEAM’S FIRST HOME RUN. THE 33-YEAR-OLD SWITCH-HITTING SHORTSTOP BLASTS A TWO-RUN HOMER OFF A’S SOUTHPAW WILEY PIATT IN THE TOP OF THE FIFTH INNING OF WASHINGTON’S 11-5 VICTORY OVER PHILADELPHIA AT COLUMBIA PARK.
1909 THE WHITE SOX, SCORING JUST THREE RUNS DURING THE THREE-GAME SERIES, SWEEPS ST. LOUIS. CHICAGO BLANKS THE BROWNS BY IDENTICAL 1-0 SCORES IN ALL THREE AT SOUTH SIDE PARK CONTESTS.
1918 BROOKLYN WINS THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON WHEN THEY DEFEAT THE GIANTS AT EBBETS FIELD, 5-3. THE ROBINS’ 0-9 LOSING STREAK ESTABLISHES A MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD FOR THE LONGEST START AT THE BEGINNING OF A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT WINNING A CONTEST.
1929 AT THE BAKER BOWL, CLISE DUDLEY BECOMES THE FIRST PLAYER TO HIT A HOME RUN ON THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE PITCH THROWN TO HIM. THE BROOKLYN RELIEF PITCHER WILL HIT A TOTAL OF THREE HOME RUNS IN HIS FOUR-YEAR CAREER.
1930 BUD CLANCY, PLAYING FIRST BASE DURING THE ENTIRE NINE-INNING GAME, NEVER TOUCHES THE BALL WHILE IT IS IN PLAY. THE FIRST SACKER’S LACK OF WORK DOESN’T HURT THE WHITE SOX WHEN THEY BEAT THE BROWNS AT SPORTSMAN’S PARK, 2-1.
1932 THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FINES CARDINAL MANAGER GABBY STREET FOR VIOLATING THE CIRCUIT’S POLICY PROHIBITING TALKING TO SPECTATORS. THE REDBIRD SKIPPER’S NICKNAME SUGGESTS HE MIGHT BE A CHATTERBOX, BUT HE INSISTS THE MONIKER STEMS FROM HIS OVERUSE OF THE WORD GABBY, A TERM USED IN THE SOUTH WHEN ADDRESSING A BLACK MALE WHOSE NAME IS UNKNOWN.
1944 JIM TOBIN, USING HIS NEWLY DISCOVERED KNUCKLEBALL, TOSSES THE FIRST OF HIS TWO NO-HITTERS OF THE SEASON, DEFEATING BROOKLYN, 2-0. THE BOSTON RIGHT-HANDER, WHO WILL ALSO THROW A SHORTENED FIVE-FRAME UNOFFICIAL NO-NO IN JUNE, HELPS HIS CAUSE WITH A SOLO HOME RUN IN THE EIGHTH INNING OF THE BRAVES FIELD CONTEST.
1947 A CROWD OF 58,000, ATTENDING BABE RUTH DAY AT YANKEE STADIUM TO HONOR THE AILING LEGEND, HEARS THE ‘BAMBINO’ PROMOTE BASEBALL AS “THE BEST GAME IN THE WORLD.” AFTER THE MOVING CEREMONY, THE FANS WITNESS A PITCHING DUEL WHEN THE 6’4″ SENATOR RIGHT-HANDER SID HUDSON, WHO SCORES THE ONLY RUN IN THE GAME, EDGES SPUD CHANDLER, 1-0.
1947 THE LARGEST CROWD IN THE HISTORY OF CROSLEY FIELD ENJOYS WATCHING THE REDS SWEEP A DOUBLEHEADER FROM PITTSBURGH, 6-1 AND 2-1. THE 36,691 FANS IN ATTENDANCE WILL NOT CALL THEIR FRIENDS FROM THE BALLPARK WITH THE GOOD NEWS BECAUSE OF REMOVING PAYPHONES TO THWART BETTING ON THE CONTESTS.
1961 THE EXPANSION ANGELS PLAY THEIR FIRST HOME GAME, BOWING TO THE TWINS AT WRIGLEY FIELD IN LOS ANGELES, 4-2. THE 74-YEAR-OLD BASEBALL LEGEND TY COBB, IN HIS LAST-EVER VISIT TO A BALLPARK, THROWS OUT THE CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH.
1963 RED SOX RIGHT-HANDER GENE CONLEY AND WHITE SOX HURLER DAVE DEBUSSCHERE, WHO BOTH PLAYED IN THE NBA IN THE OFFSEASON, MAKE A RELIEF APPEARANCE DURING THE FOURTH INNING OF THE RED SOX’S 9-5 VICTORY OVER THE WHITE SOX AT FENWAY PARK. CONLEY, NOW WITH THE KNICKS AS A POWER GUARD, IS THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE PLAYED ON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS IN BASEBALL (1957 BRAVES) AND BASKETBALL (1959–61, CELTICS), AND DEBUSSCHERE, CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE PISTONS, WILL BE INDUCTED AS A PLAYER INTO THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME IN 1983.
1968 AFTER ALMOST BEING SCRATCHED DUE TO A SORE THROAT, TOM PHOEBUS NO-HITS THE VISITING RED SOX, 6-0, AFTER THE 1:23 RAIN DELAY AT THE START OF THE GAME. THE ORIOLES’ STARTER ALSO LEADS THE OFFENSE, GOING 2-FOR-4 AT THE PLATE AS WELL AS SCORING AND DRIVING IN A RUN IN THE MEMORIAL STADIUM CONTEST.
1971 BRAVES OUTFIELDER HANK AARON JOINS BABE RUTH AND WILLIE MAYS AS THE ONLY MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER TO HIT 600 CAREER HOME RUNS. HAMMERIN’ HANK’S HISTORIC HOMER, A 350-FOOT DRIVE OVER THE LEFT-FIELD WALL, COMES OFF GAYLORD PERRY IN THE THIRD INNING OF A 6-5 TEN-INNING LOSS TO THE GIANTS AT ATLANTA’S FULTON COUNTY STADIUM.
1972 AFTER 11 GAMES INTO THE NEW SEASON, THE PADRES FIRE THE ONLY MANAGER THE TEAM HAS EVER KNOWN WHEN THEY REPLACE PRESTON GOMEZ WITH THIRD BASE COACH DON ZIMMER. THE FORMER SKIPPER COMPILED A 180-316 (.363) RECORD IN HIS THREE-PLUS YEARS IN SAN DIEGO, AND THE EXPANSION TEAM NEVER FINISHED HIGHER THAN LAST PLACE IN THE NL WEST.
1973 KANSAS CITY’S STARTER STEVE BUSBY BECOMES THE 13TH ROOKIE TO THROW A NO-HITTER, BEATING DETROIT, 3-0, AT TIGER STADIUM. THE 22-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDER’S GEM IS THE FIRST-EVER NO-HIT GAME THROWN BY A ROYALS PITCHER, AND THE FORMER UCLA HURLER WILL PITCH THE SECOND NO-HITTER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY NEXT SEASON.
1973 BRAVES HURLER PAT DOBSON THREE-HITS THE METS TO BEAT TOM SEAVER, WHO ALSO GIVES UP ONLY THREE HITS, 2-0. THE ATLANTA FULTON COUNTY STADIUM CONTEST TAKES ONE HOUR AND 37 MINUTES TO COMPLETE, MAKING IT THE QUICKEST GAME EVER PLAYED IN METS HISTORY.
1977 THE CARDINALS SNAP A THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK, ROUTING THE CUBS AT WRIGLEY FIELD, 20-3. REDBIRDS’ SHORTSTOP GARRY TEMPLETON CROSSES HOME PLATE FIVE TIMES, A TEAM RECORD.
1981 FERNANDOMANIA CONTINUES TO EXPLODE AT CHAVEZ RAVINE WHEN DODGER ROOKIE SENSATION FERNANDO VALENZUELA PITCHES HIS FOURTH SHUTOUT IN FIVE STARTS. THE 20-YEAR-OLD MEXICAN SOUTHPAW, BATTING OVER .400, BEATS THE GIANTS, 5-0, AND LOWERS HIS ERA TO A MICROSCOPIC 0.20.
1982 REGGIE JACKSON, WHO LEFT THE BRONX WHEN THE TEAM DECIDED NOT TO RENEW HIS CONTRACT, RETURNS TO YANKEE STADIUM AS AN ANGEL AND DELIGHTS THE NEW YORK CROWD WHEN HE HITS A LONG HOME RUN, CONTRIBUTING TO CALIFORNIA’S 3-1 RAIN-SHORTENED VICTORY OVER THE HOME TEAM. THE FANS SHOW THEIR DISPLEASURE ABOUT LOSING MR. OCTOBER TO FREE AGENCY BY CHANTING “STEINBRENNER SUCKS” AS JACKSON ROUNDED THE BASES WHILE THE YANKEE OWNER STANDS DEFIANTLY IN HIS BOX.
1983 NOLAN RYAN BECOMES THE FIRST OF THREE MAJOR LEAGUERS THIS SEASON TO BREAK WALTER JOHNSON’S 56-YEAR-OLD RECORD WHEN HE NOTCHES HIS 3,509TH CAREER STRIKEOUT, WHIFFING PINCH-HITTER BRAD MILLS IN THE EIGHTH INNING OF THE ASTROS’ 4-2 VICTORY AT OLYMPIC STADIUM. THE 36-YEAR-OLD FIREBALLER’S FEAT WILL ALSO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY STEVE CARLTON AND GAYLORD PERRY, RESPECTIVELY, IN MAY AND AUGUST. (ED. SOME WEBSITES, INCLUDING THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME, ESPN, AND BASEBALL-REFERENCE.COM, DIFFER FROM THE OFFICIAL MLB STATS, CREDITING THE WASHINGTON SENATOR LEGEND WITH 3,509 CAREER STRIKEOUTS, AN EXTRA STRIKEOUT RECORDED IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON ACCOUNTING FOR THE DIFFERENCE. – LP)
1983 TEAMMATES FRED LYNN AND DARYL SCONIERS HIT GRAND SLAMS, HELPING CALIFORNIA ROUT THE TIGERS, 13-3. THE PAIR OF ANAHEIM STADIUM ROUND-TRIPPERS MARK THE FIRST TIME TWO ANGELS HAVE HIT BASES-LOADED HOMERS IN THE SAME GAME.
1988 PHILLIES THIRD BASEMAN MIKE SCHMIDT’S SINGLE BREAKS UP NOLAN RYAN’S NO-HITTER WITH ONE OUT IN THE NINTH AT THE ASTRODOME. PHILADELPHIA WILL KNOT THE SCORE AT 2-2 IN THE FRAME, BUT HOUSTON WILL PREVAIL, SCORING A RUN IN THE TENTH TO HOLD ON TO THE VICTORY.
1990 AT JACK MURPHY STADIUM, PIRATES INFIELDER WALLY BACKMAN BECOMES THE FIRST NATIONAL LEAGUER TO GET SIX HITS IN ONE GAME SINCE RENNIE STENNETT, ALSO PLAYING FOR THE BUCS, ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT WITH SEVEN IN 1975. THE THIRD BASEMAN WILL SEE HIS BATTING AVERAGE RISE 114 POINTS, FROM .281 TO .395, WHEN HE COLLECTS FIVE SINGLES AND A DOUBLE TO HELP PITTSBURGH SINK SAN DIEGO, 9-4.
1993 TIM WAKEFIELD THROWS 172 PITCHES IN TEN INNINGS OF WORK IN THE PIRATES’ 6-2 VICTORY OVER THE BRAVES. THE PITTSBURGH KNUCKLEBALLER COMPILES THE HIGHEST SINGLE-GAME PITCH COUNT SINCE THE OFFICIAL TABULATION OF THE STATISTIC, BEGINNING IN 1988.
1994 SCOTT ERICKSON, WHO ALLOWED THE MOST HITS IN THE MAJORS LAST SEASON, PITCHES THE TWINS’ FIRST NO-HITTER IN 27 YEARS, BEATING THE BREWERS AT THE METRODOME, 6-0. IN 1967, DEAN CHANCE NO-HIT THE INDIANS, BUT THE RIGHT-HANDER ALLOWED A RUN IN MINNESOTA’S 2-1 VICTORY IN THE NIGHTCAP OF THE TWIN BILL AT CLEVELAND STADIUM.
1996 BARRY BONDS JOINS HIS FATHER AND GODFATHER, BECOMING ONLY THE FOURTH MAJOR LEAGUER TO HIT 300 HOMERS AND SWIPE 300 BASES AS HE HOMERS FOR THE GIANTS IN A 6-3 VICTORY OVER THE MARLINS. BOBBY BONDS, WILLIE MAYS, AND ANDRE DAWSON ARE THE ONLY OTHER 300-300 PLAYERS.
2000 AFTER PARTICIPATING IN TWO BRAWLS AT COMISKEY PARK FIVE DAYS AGO, MLB SUSPENDS SIXTEEN TIGERS AND WHITE SOX PLAYERS FOR 82 GAMES, MAKING IT THE MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR A BENCH-CLEARING INCIDENT. BOTH MANAGERS, PHIL GARNER AND JERRY MANUEL, ALSO RECEIVE EIGHT-GAME SUSPENSION EACH.
2000 FORMER BREWER JOSE VALENTIN HITS FOR THE CYCLE, HELPING HIS NEW TEAM, THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX, DEFEAT THE ORIOLES, 13-4. IN MILWAUKEE, VALENTIN’S HOME FOR THE PAST EIGHT SEASONS, A PLAYER IS AWARDED A HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE FOR HITTING FOR THE CYCLE.
(ED. NOTE: IN PRECISELY ONE MONTH, HE’LL MISS BEING THE FIRST AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYER TO COMPLETE THE CYCLE TWICE IN ONE SEASON BY NOT GETTING A SINGLE. -LP)
2002 DEREK LOWE BECOMES THE FIRST PITCHER TO THROW A NO-HIT GAME AT BOSTON’S FENWAY PARK SINCE DAVE MOREHEAD ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT AGAINST THE INDIANS IN 1965. FACING 28 BATTERS, THE FORMER CLOSER OF THE TEAM THROWS ONLY 97 PITCHES IN THE 10-0 ROUT OF THE DEVIL RAYS.
2003 NEEDING ONLY 108 PITCHES, KEVIN MILLWOOD BECOMES THE NINTH PITCHER IN PHILLIES’ HISTORY TO THROW A NO-HITTER WHEN HE KEEPS THE NL-WEST LEADING GIANTS HITLESS. IN 1991, TOMMY GREENE THREW THE FRANCHISE’S LAST NO-NO BEFORE MILLWOOD’S 1-0 MASTERPIECE.
2003 OZZY, THE MALE OSPREY OF A BREEDING PAIR THAT LIVED FOR YEARS ON JACKIE ROBINSON BALLPARK’S LEFT-FIELD LIGHT POLE, DIES AT THE AUDUBON BIRDS OF PREY CENTER AFTER BEING HIT WITH A THROWN BASEBALL THAT WAS TRYING TO KNOCK HIM OFF A PERCH HE SHARED WITH HIS MATE HARRIET AND THEIR BROOD OF CHICKS. CLASS A DAYTONA CUBS HURLER JAE KUK RYU WAS CHARGED WITH A SECOND-DEGREE MISDEMEANOR BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION FOR HARMING A PROTECTED BIRD.
2003 THE MARLINS, ON THE STRENGTH OF THREE HOMERS IN THE FRAME, SCORE FIVE TIMES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH TO TIE THE GAME AGAINST THE CARDINALS AT SIX RUNS APIECE. THE FISH WILL LOSE THE PRO PLAYER STADIUM CONTEST, 7-6, IN 20 INNINGS, MAKING IT THE LONGEST GAME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY.
2004 AT DODGER STADIUM, MIKE PIAZZA TIES CARLTON FISK FOR THE MOST CAREER HOMERS BY A CATCHER AS HE HITS HIDEO NOMO’S SIXTH-INNING PITCH INTO THE STANDS FOR HIS 351ST ROUND-TRIPPER AS A BACKSTOP. THE HOMER, HIS 362ND OVERALL, MOVES THE METS’ STAR PAST YANKEES’ HALL OF FAMER JOE DIMAGGIO ON THE ALL-TIME LIST.
2004 AT MILWAUKEE’S MILLER PARK, CHAD MOELLER BECOMES THE FIFTH BREWER AND THE FIRST TO HIT FOR THE CYCLE AT HOME. IN THE 9-8 VICTORY OVER THE REDS, THE BACKUP CATCHER FACING CORY LIDLE HOMERS IN THE SECOND INNING, DOUBLES IN THE FOURTH, TRIPLES IN THE FIFTH, AND THEN SINGLES IN THE SEVENTH OFF RELIEVER RYAN WAGNER TO COMPLETE THE FEAT IN FRONT OF 8,918 ENTHUSIASTIC FANS.
2005 AT BUSCH STADIUM, ST. LOUIS’ SECOND BASEMAN MARK GRUDZIELANEK BECOMES THE 16TH CARDINAL TO HIT FOR THE CYCLE AND THE THIRD TO ACCOMPLISH THE RARE HITTING EVENT AT HOME. THE LAST REDBIRD TO ACHIEVE THE FEAT WAS IN 1996 BY JOHN MABRY.
2005 PIRATES CLOSER JOSE MESA BECOMES THE 19TH PITCHER IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY TO COLLECT HIS 300TH SAVE WHEN THE TEAM BEATS THE ASTROS AT PITTSBURG’S PNC PARK, 2-0. THE 39-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVER REACHES THE MILESTONE EN ROUTE TO COMPILING 322 CAREER SAVES, RETIRING THE SIDE IN ORDER IN THE TOP OF THE NINTH INNING.
2007 ON THE NIGHT WHEN HIS THREE SONS THROW THE CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH, TREVOR HOFFMAN CANNOT HOLD ON TO A TWO-RUN LEAD WHEN THE DODGERS SCORE THREE IN THE NINTH AND EVENTUALLY BEAT THE PADRES, 6-5. IT’S ‘TREVOR TIME DESK CLOCK’ NIGHT, AND THE USUALLY RELIABLE PADRES CLOSER BLOWS THE SAVE, THANKS TO SOME SHADY DEFENSE, FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAME.
2008 AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD, THE LONGEST CURRENT CONSECUTIVE-GAME STREAK IN THE BIG LEAGUES ENDS AT 382 WHEN GRADY SIZEMORE DOES NOT APPEAR IN CLEVELAND’S 1-0 LOSS TO THE YANKEES DUE TO A SPRAINED RIGHT ANKLE HE SUSTAINED YESTERDAY. THE CENTER FIELDER’S STREAK IS THE MOST BY AN INDIAN PLAYER SINCE TOBY HARRAH PLAYED IN 473 STRAIGHT CONTESTS FROM 1979 TO 1983.
2008 IN A MOVE THAT COST THE TEAM OVER $11 MILLION, THE PIRATES RELEASE MATT MORRIS AFTER THE PITCHER LASTS ONLY 1.2 INNINGS AGAINST THE PHILLIES IN HIS PREVIOUS START. THE 33-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDER HAD COMPILED AN 0-4 RECORD WITH A 9.67 ERA IN HIS FIVE OUTINGS WITH PITTSBURGH THIS SEASON.
2008 BEATING THE PADRES, 2-1, THE DIAMONDBACKS BREAK THE FRANCHISE MARK FOR WINS IN APRIL, HAVING ALREADY WON 17 GAMES THIS MONTH. BRANDON WEBB, WHO OUTDUELS JAKE PEAVY, BECOMES JUST THE THIRD HURLER IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY, JOINING TEAMMATE RANDY JOHNSON (2000, 2002) AND DAVE STEWART (A’S – 1988) TO POST SIX VICTORIES BEFORE THE START OF MAY.
2008 GIVING UP EIGHT RUNS IN THREE INNINGS IN THE 10-1 LOSS TO THE REDS, BARRY ZITO JOINS MIKE MAROTH (TIGERS – 2003) AND DAVE STEWART (RANGERS – 1984) AS ONLY THE THIRD PITCHER IN BASEBALL HISTORY TO LOSE SIX GAMES IN APRIL. THE BATTERED $126 MILLION GIANTS HURLER, WHO HASN’T MISSED A START IN HIS EIGHT-YEAR CAREER, WILL BE DEMOTED TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BULLPEN.
2009 DEXTER FOWLER TIES THE MODERN-DAY ROOKIE MARK WITH FIVE STOLEN BASES IN THE ROCKIES’ 12-7 WIN OVER THE PADRES AT COORS FIELD. ON JUNE 28, 1999, SAN DIEGO FRESHMAN SHORTSTOP DAMIAN JACKSON SWIPED FIVE BAGS AT QUALCOMM STADIUM CONTEST TO ESTABLISH THE MARK IN A GAME THAT ALSO INVOLVED COLORADO.
2009 WEST VIRGINIA STATE’S BO DARBY HOMERS IN HIS FIRST FOUR PLATE APPEARANCES AGAINST SALEM INTERNATIONAL, GIVING HIM ROUND-TRIPPERS IN 5 CONSECUTIVE AT-BATS OVER TWO GAMES, INCLUDING THE HOME RUN IN HIS FINAL AT-BAT TWO DAYS AGO AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON. THE YELLOW JACKETS’ SOPHOMORE OUTFIELDER WILL GO DEEP TWICE MORE IN THE SECOND GAME OF THE TWIN BILL TO FINISH THE DAY WITH SIX FOUR-BAGGERS ALONG WITH 14 RBIS.
2010 WITH THE HELP OF A FIVE-RUN NINTH INNING FUELED BY RYAN DOUMIT’S GRAND SLAM AND RONNY CEDENO’S SOLO SHOT OFF TREVOR HOFFMAN, THE PIRATES SNAP A 22-GAME LOSING STREAK IN MILWAUKEE WITH A 7-3 COMEBACK VICTORY OVER THE BREWERS AT MILLER PARK. THE BREW CREW’S HOMETOWN HEX OVER THE BUCS WAS THE LONGEST-HELD BY ONE TEAM OVER ANOTHER SINCE THE BROWNS/ORIOLES LOST 27 CONSECUTIVE CONTESTS TO THE INDIANS IN CLEVELAND FROM 1952 TO 1954.
2010 DAVID WRIGHT, WITH AN RBI SINGLE TO RIGHT FIELD OFF RAMON TRONCOSO IN THE FIFTH INNING OF NEW YORK’S 10-5 VICTORY OVER L.A. AT CITI FIELD, BECOMES THE EIGHTH AND QUICKEST PLAYER TO ACCUMULATE 1,000 HITS IN A METS UNIFORM. THE 27-YEAR-OLD THIRD BASEMAN, WHO SURPASSED MIKE PIAZZA’S MARK OF 935 GAMES TO REACH THE MILESTONE, ACCOMPLISHES THE FEAT IN HIS 868TH CAREER CONTEST WITH THE CLUB.
2010 THE SUDDENLY STREAKING METS WIN THEIR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE GAME WITH A DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF THE DODGERS AT CITI FIELD, 4-0 AND 10-5. THE VICTORIES MARK THE FIRST TIME SINCE AUGUST 28, 1971, THAT THE CLUB HAS TAKEN BOTH ENDS OF A TWIN BILL FROM THE CHAVEZ RAVINE CLUB.
2012 YANKEE RIGHT-HANDER IVAN NOVA FAILS TO TIE THE FRANCHISE MARK OF 16 CONSECUTIVE WINS ESTABLISHED LAST SEASON BY ROGER CLEMENS WHEN HE DOESN’T GET A DECISION IN THE TEAM’S 7-6 VICTORY OVER DETROIT. THE 26-YEAR-OLD HURLER, WHO MOVED AHEAD OF WHITEY FORD (1961) AND STEVE SUNDRA (1938-39) IN HIS LAST START, GIVES UP SIX EARNED RUNS ON 11 HITS IN HIS 5.1 INNINGS OF WORK IN NEW YORK’S WALK-OFF WIN IN THE BRONX BALLPARK.
2012 METS LEFT FIELDER SCOTT HAIRSTON BECOMES THE TENTH PLAYER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY TO HIT FOR THE CYCLE WITH HIS SIXTH-INNING DOUBLE, PLATING RUEBEN TEJADA AND DAVID WRIGHT. THE OUTFIELDER’S FOUR HITS, WHICH DRIVE IN FOUR RUNS, AREN’T ENOUGH WHEN COLORADO ROUTS NEW YORK, SCORING 11 TIMES IN THE FIFTH, IN THE COORS FIELD’S CONTEST, 18-9.
2013 MATT MOORE (5-0) BECOMES THE FIRST PITCHER IN FRANCHISE HISTORY TO WIN FIVE GAMES IN APRIL WHEN THE RAYS BEAT CHICAGO AT U.S. CELLULAR FIELD, 10-4. THE 23-YEAR-OLD SOUTHPAW STARTER HURLS SIX STRONG INNINGS, ALLOWING JUST A RUN AND THREE HITS WHILE STRIKING OUT NINE PALE HOSE BATTERS.
2014 JOSE ABREU EXTENDS THE ROOKIE RECORD, A MARK HE PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH ALBERT PUJOLS, FOR THE MOST RUNS BATTED IN DURING APRIL. THE 27-YEAR-OLD WHITE SOX DH ENDS THE DAY WITH 31 RBIS AFTER HITTING A TWO-RUN HOMER AND A TWO-RUN SINGLE IN THE TEAM’S 9-2 VICTORY OVER TAMPA BAY AT U.S. CELLULAR FIELD.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
April 27, 1961 – NFL officially recognizes the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Our Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the day comes from Dover, Ohio’s Daily Reporter who posted the eye catcher of “ Canton Selected Site for Pro Football’s Hall of Fame by NFL.” the day after on April 28. The Canton area celebrated their place in NFL history as the birthplace of the League on September 17, 1920 in an automobile showroom when the NFL granted the Ohio city the right to host the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A group from Canton placed their bid with the League months earlier and had set aside a 14 acre tract of land should they receive the approval. The then already existing high school venue Fawcett Stadium would be a part of the HOF campus for many decades to come. To learn more on the history of the Pro Football Hall of Fame check out our interview with George Bozeka a football historian who grew up within walking distance of the HOF. https://pigskindispatch.com/home/Inspiration-Sensations/PFRA Also here is a link where you can get up close and personal with the museum at the Pro Football Researchers Association Convention taking place at the Hall of Fame in June 2021!
April 27, 1982 – The League’s annual disbursement of college players kicked off in New York for the 1982 NFL Draft. University of Texas defensive end Kenneth Sims was the first pick by the New England Patriots. There were some good players in this draft class as according to the Pro Football Reference website four standouts so far have been enshrined in Canton. The Houston Oilers selected Mike Munchak the former Penn State guard as the eighth player taken and two spots later the Raiders placed the name of USC running back Marcus Allen on their card given to the Commissioner to read. The Patriots chose at number 41 of linebacker Andre Tippett Iowa as well as fellow future bronze bust poser Michigan State product, kicker Morten Anderson going to the New Orleans Saints with the 86th overall pick in the fourth round.
April 27, 2017 – At the opening rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft, Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett was the first pick by the Cleveland Browns. Chicago surprised many when they took North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubiski as the second player taken per Pro Football Reference. The 49ers grabbed Solomon Thomas the defensive end from nearby Stanford followed by the selection of LSU running back Leonard Fournette by the Jaguars. The sixth selection was that of the Tennessee Titans who locked up the rights to wideout Corey Davis then came the pick of Safety Jamal Adams of LSU by the Jets and Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams going to the Chargers. Carolina held the eighth pick in the Draft and they took Christian McCaffrey the running back from Stanford, while the Bengals swooped right behind them and signed John Ross the receiver from the University of Washington. Then things got interesting… as the Chiefs traded up to acquire Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Chiefs traded the 27th overall pick, a third-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to the Bills in exchange for the 10th pick in the draft. The Bills used the 27th pick they acquired to take Tre’davious White a corner from LSU and in the 2018 pick they got to get the rights of inside linebacker Tremaine Edmunds from the University of Virginia.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR APRIL 27
April 27, 1887 – Macon, Georgia – Frank Juhan who played for Sewanee as a center was born. Frank according to the National Football Foundation’s website bio he was a center on offense and first player in the South to play the then new position of roving linebacker on defense. The great all around athlete also competed at track, boxing and baseball. In his football years 1908-10 Sewanee went 18-4-3 with victories over Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Alabama, Vanderbilt and Louisiana State. Frank Juhan was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966 after the National Football Foundation tallied their votes.
April 27, 1941 – Excel, Alabama – The Alabama Crimson Tide’s center from 1960 to 1962, Lee Roy Jordan arrived into this life. The National Football Foundation shares that Lee Roy arrived at the school a year after legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant started his head coaching duties for the Tide. The two helped take “Bama into football prominence as in 1960, Jordan’s sophomore year, Alabama went 8-1-2 with a 3-3 tie against Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl and Jordan was voted the Most Valuable Player in that game. During Lee Roy’s senior season of 1962, he became a unanimous All-America. Alabama sported a 10-1 record with a 17-0 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl as Jordan made 30 tackles in the contest. Lee Roy Jordan’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1983.
SPORTS IN NUMBERS
3 – 4 – 5 – 32 – 12 – 11 – 30
April 27, 1926 – Mel Ott, who during his career wore Numbers 3, 4 and 5 (but not until 1932), made his first appearance a game in the New York Giants’ 9-8 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
April 27, 1930 – This sounds crazy! Chicago White Sox 1st baseman Bud Clancy didn’t handle ball at all in a 9 inning game vs St Louis Browns. The Sox won the game 2-1 with not one defensive touch by their first baseman. Pitchers Alphonse Thomas and McKain recorded 8 strikeouts while the rest of the defense of the Sox created the rest of the outs.
April 27, 1961 – The NFL officially recognized the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
TV THURSDAY
| COLLEGE BASEBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| MIAMI VS LOUISVILLE | 7:00PM | ACCN |
| MISS. STATE VS TENNESSEE | 7:00PM | SECN |
| TEXAS A&M VS ARKANSAS | 8:00PM | ESPNU |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA: MEXICO OPEN AT VIDANTA | 3:30PM | GOLF |
| LPGA: JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP | 6:30PM | GOLF |
| MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| MIAMI AT ATLANTA | 12:20PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS |
| LA DODGERS AT PITTSBURGH | 12:35PM | MLBN SPECTRUM ATTSN-PIT |
| SEATTLE AT PHILADELPHIA | 1:05PM | ROOT SPORTS NBCS-PHI |
| SAN DIEGO AT CHI. CUBS | 2:20PM | MLBN YES BALLY SPORTS |
| ST. LOUIS AT SAN FRANCISCO | 3:45PM | MLBN NBCS-BAY BALLY SPORTS |
| OAKLAND AT LA ANGELS | 4:07PM | NBCS-CA BALLY SPORTS |
| BALTIMORE AT DETROIT | 6:40PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS MASN/2 |
| TAMPA BAY AT CHI. WHITE SOX | 7:10PM | MLBN BALLY SPORTS NBCS-CHI |
| WASHINGTON AT NY METS | 7:10PM | MASN/2 SNY |
| KANSAS CITY AT MINNESOTA | 7:40PM | BALLY SPORTS |
| NY YANKEES AT TEXAS | 8:05PM | MLBN YES BALLY SPORTS |
| NBA PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| EAST QUARTERFINALS GAME 6: BOSTON AT ATLANTA | 8:30PM | TNT |
| NHL PLAYOFFS | TIME ET | TV |
| GAME 5: TAMPA BAY AT TORONTO | 7:00PM | TBS |
| GAME 5: NY RANGERS AT NEW JERSEY | 7:30PM | ESPN2 |
| GAME 5: WINNIPEG AT VEGAS | 10:00PM | ESPN2 |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| LA LIGA: VALENCIA VS REAL VALLADOLID | 1:30PM | ESPN+ |
| LA LIGA: VILLARREAL VS ESPANYOL | 1:30PM | ESPN+ |
| ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: EVERTON VS NEWCASTLE UNITED | 2:45PM | USA |
| ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: SOUTHAMPTON VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH | 2:45PM | PEACOCK |
| COPPA ITALIA: FIORENTINA VS CREMONESE | 3:00PM | CBSSN |
| ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS MANCHESTER UNITED | 3:15PM | PEACOCK |
| LA LIGA: ATHLETIC CLUB VS SEVILLA | 4:00PM | ESPN+ |
| ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: SARMIENTO VS GODOY CRUZ | 7:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |
| ARGENTINA PRIMERA DIVISIÓN: PLATENSE VS ESTUDIANTES | 7:00PM | PARAMOUNT+ |