Tag Archives: Professional baseball

5 homers assist Braves energy previous Phillies, 15-3

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 Freddie Freeman, Abraham Almonte, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and Joc Peterson homered  to guide Atlanta to a 15-Three rout of the Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — Atlanta used the lengthy ball in a giant method as Freddie Freeman, Abraham Almonte, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and Joc Peterson all homered to guide the Braves previous the Phillies in a 15-Three rout on Saturday night time.

The win allowed the Braves to maneuver again right into a tie for second place within the Nationwide League East with Philadelphia with equivalent 48-49 information. It’s the fourth time this 12 months that the Braves have hit 5 or extra homers in a sport

Almonte had three hits with three RBIs because the Braves chased Phillies starter Vince Velasquez after simply 2 1/Three innings and 6 earned runs. In 4 July begins, Velasquez (3-5) has allowed 19 earned runs in 15 2/Three innings (10.91 ERA).

Within the first, Freeman crushed a Velasquez fastball off the façade of the second deck in proper discipline for a two-run homer. Freeman, the defending Nationwide League MVP, has overcome a sluggish begin to get Atlanta again within the NL East race. Since June 23, Freeman has a .442 batting common with seven homers, 22 runs scored and 18 RBIs.

Almonte golfed a dangling inside slider deep into the bleachers in proper heart for a solo homer within the second for a 3-Zero lead. Within the third, Freeman scored on Dansby Swanson’s double that chased Velasquez after simply 2 1/Three innings and 6 runs allowed.

Two hitters later, Almonte singled off reliever Brandon Kintzler to attain Austin Riley and Swanson for a 6-Zero Braves lead.

Albies hit a three-run homer off Phillies reliever Enyel De Los Santos within the eighth. Two hitters later, Riley crushed a two-run shot off a 68 mph pitch by place participant Ronald Torreyes that landed within the second deck restaurant in left-center. Peterson hit a three-run homer within the ninth off Torreyes.

The Phillies’ finest likelihood to get again within the sport was squandered within the fourth. Atlanta starter Drew Smyly walked the bases loaded with no person out however compelled Didi Gregorius to floor again to the mound right into a 1-2-Three double play and pinch-hitter Travis Jankowski then flied out to left.

Smyly left the sport after the inning with what Atlanta described as left knee ache. Josh Tomlin (4-0) picked up the win in reduction.

Philadelphia has misplaced 4 of its final 5 video games and is hitting simply .102 (5 for 49) with runners in scoring place throughout that stretch after an 0-for-10 efficiency on Saturday.

Andrew McCutchen went Three for Four with a run scored for the Phillies.

TRADE TALK

In a gathering with reporters Saturday to announce the signing of first-round draft choose Andrew Painter, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated that the membership is trying to make a transfer earlier than subsequent Friday’s commerce deadline.

“We’re type of open to something, and I believe it’s incumbent upon us to attempt to get higher,” Dombrowski stated. “I do know we’ll be aggressive in making it occur. We’ve got possession help in attempting to make issues occur. However you by no means know if you may get a deal achieved or not. We’ll discover out. There’s lots of competitors for gamers on the market.”

The Phillies have a number of areas of want, with again of the rotation beginning pitching and nearer receiving probably the most consideration. Philadelphia has not made the playoffs since 2011, the longest streak within the Nationwide League and second solely to Seattle’s 19-season drought.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: OF Ender Inciarte was reinstated from the COVID-related injured record on Saturday after which designated for task. Inciarte was hitting .215 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 52 video games this season. He has an $8.5 million wage within the closing assured 12 months of a 5 12 months, $30.5 million contract.

Phillies: RHP Sam Coonrod had his damage rehab task paused as he skilled soreness in his proper arm. Coonrod has been on the injured record since June 24 with proper forearm tendinitis. It’s anticipated that Coonrod will strive as soon as once more subsequent week to begin the task once more earlier than making every other choice.

UP NEXT

The ultimate sport of the four-game collection is Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Aaron Nola (6-6, 4.64 ERA) will begin for the Phillies whereas the Braves will counter with RHP Touki Toussaint (1-0, 1.35).

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Báez single offers Cubs 4th straight win, 3-2 over Indians

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Javier Báez’s RBI single within the 10th inning lifted the Chicago Cubs to their fourth straight win, 3-2 over the Cleveland Indians

CHICAGO — Javier Báez’s RBI single within the 10th inning lifted the Chicago Cubs to their fourth straight win, 3-2 over the Cleveland Indians, on Wednesday evening in a sport that was briefly delayed when a drone entered Wrigley Subject and briefly landed on the outfield grass.

Computerized runner Ian Happ superior to 3rd when Kris Bryant greeted Phil Maton (2-2) with a groundball single to open the 10th.

After Anthony Rizzo was walked deliberately to load the bases, Maton fanned Willson Contreras and Kyle Schwarber. Then Báez’s liner to left scored Happ and despatched the Indians to their eighth straight loss, their longest slide since June 2013.

The Cubs gained their fourth straight and strengthened their grip on first place within the NL Central.

Oscar Mercado hit a solo shot off Jon Lester within the fifth to tie the sport at 2.

5 Cubs relievers adopted Lester with a scoreless inning every. Jason Adam (2-1) pitched the 10th.

Umpires rapidly cleared the sector when the small drone flew into the ballpark over the left-center bleachers as Contreras got here to bat with with two outs within the backside of the fifth.

After it landed, the blinking drone took off, hovered at about 100 toes, then pulled away and vanished into the evening past the center-field scoreboard.

Following a 7-minute delay, Contreras resumed his at-bat and grounded out.

Aaron Civale allowed two runs on seven hits, leaving with runners at second and third and none out within the seventh. The correct-hander hasn’t gained since Aug. 19 and is 0-Three in his final 5 begins.

Lester yielded two runs on 4 hits in 5 innings in his second efficient begin following two tough ones.

The 36-year-old lefty settled in after struggling along with his management within the first inning. Francisco Lindor, who walked to steer off the sport, scored from third on a wild pitch.

The Cubs tied it within the second on Jason Heyward’s bloop single. Chicago moved forward 2-1 within the fourth when Cameron Maybin’s infield single drove in Báez.

CAGED

OF Ian Happ, the Cubs’ union rep, mentioned he helps isolating gamers in a playoff bubble beginning with the division sequence. However he mentioned guidelines “like asking permission to go for a stroll” shall be taxing. “It feels extra like being a zoo animal than baseball participant or human being,” Happ mentioned.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Andrew Chafin (sprained left index finger) threw 20-plus pitches in a simulated sport Wednesday and “seemed actually sharp,” supervisor David Ross mentioned. Chafin, acquired from Arizona on the commerce deadline, has but to pitch for the Cubs.

Indians: Gold Glove C Roberto Perez didn’t play Wednesday so he might get therapy on an situation that has been affecting his swing. Perez, who beforehand missed three weeks with a proper shoulder pressure, is anticipated again Thursday at Detroit. Austin Hedges, acquired from San Diego on the deadline in a nine-player commerce, was behind the plate in opposition to the Cubs. … 2B Cesar Hernandez (paternity checklist) rejoined the group. He pinch-hit within the eighth and remained within the sport.

UP NEXT

Indians: AL ERA chief Shane Bieber (7-1, 1.53) takes the mound at Detroit on Thursday and tries to rebound from his lone loss, to the Twins final Friday in Minnesota. Rookie RHP Casey Mize (0-1, 5.85) pitches for the Tigers.

Cubs: Following a time without work Thursday, RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-4, 3.29) faces LHP Wealthy Hill (2-1. 3.81) within the opener of a three-game dwelling set in opposition to Minnesota at Wrigley Subject.

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Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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Castillo pitches Reds to 1-Zero win, four-game sweep of Pirates

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Luis Castillo threw seven shutout innings, Shogo Akiyama drove within the Reds solely run and Cincinnati accomplished a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh with a 1-Zero win that retains the Reds within the postseason image

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo pitched a masterful seven innings, Shogo Akiyama drove within the sport’s solely run, and the Reds prolonged their profitable streak to a season-high 5 video games with a 1-Zero win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday evening.

Castillo (3-5), coming off his first profession full sport in a 3-1 win at St. Louis on Friday, retired 9 of the final 10 batters he confronted and gave up solely three hits and a stroll with 10 strikeouts, serving to the Reds keep shut within the Nationwide League playoff race.

Archie Bradley pitched an ideal eighth earlier than Raisel Iglesias pitched a 1-2-Three ninth for his eighth save.

Pittsburgh rookie J.T. Brubaker (1-2) tied his profession excessive with 5 1/Three innings, giving up 5 hits and the lone run with one stroll and 4 strikeouts.

Brubaker, who grew up about 90 miles north of Cincinnati in Springfield, Ohio, allowed successful and a stroll in 4 innings earlier than the Reds pieced collectively a two-out rally within the fifth on consecutive singles by Jose Garcia, Curt Casali and Akiyama, whose liner to left knocked in Garcia.

The third-place Reds went into Wednesday’s collection finale one-half sport behind second-place St. Louis within the Central and ninth within the total NL standings, one-half sport behind the Giants for the ultimate postseason berth. San Francisco was scheduled to play the Mariners late Wednesday in a sport postponed from Tuesday and moved from Seattle to San Francisco due to poor air high quality.

St. Louis beat the Brewers, 4-2, on Wednesday within the first sport of a doubleheader in Milwaukee. The highest two groups in every division and the 2 groups within the league with the next-best information qualify for the playoffs.

The Pirates set a season low for hits and couldn’t get a runner previous first base on the best way to their season-high eighth straight loss.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Nearer Keone Kela possible is not returning to pitch for the Pirates with lower than two weeks left within the season. He is been out with proper forearm irritation since Aug. 21. Pirates director of sports activities medication Todd Tomczyk mentioned Kela is enjoying catch however nonetheless not throwing off a mound.

Reds: LHP Wade Miley “threw properly” throughout a facet session on Tuesday, supervisor David Bell mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s sport. “We’ll see how he recovers,” Bell mentioned. Miley (0-3) has been out since Aug. 28 with a left shoulder pressure..

UP NEXT

Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (0-3) goes in opposition to St. Louis RHP Dakota Hudson (3-2, 2.92 ERA) on Thursday evening. Brault is 0-7 with a 5.97 ERA in 5 begins and 6 aid appearances in opposition to the Cardinals in his profession.

Reds: Cincinnati’s and the White Sox’s beginning pitchers for Friday’s series-opener weren’t introduced.

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Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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LEADING OFF: M’s-Giants shift due to fires, Hamels debut

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The Mariners and Giants play at Oracle Park after their two-game collection in Seattle was postponed due to poor air high quality brought on by the West Coast wildfires

A have a look at what’s occurring across the majors in the present day:

SHIFTED SITE

The Mariners and Giants play at Oracle Park after their two-game collection in Seattle was postponed due to poor air high quality brought on by the West Coast wildfires. The groups will now play twice in San Francisco.

Forecasters are calling for smoke to achieve very unhealthy ranges in Western Washington by a minimum of Thursday. There have been smoky skies within the Bay Space, too, however the air high quality has remained OK.

The Mariners and Oakland break up a doubleheader Monday in Seattle. The smoke stage reached a stage of very unhealthy on the air high quality index, even with the roof closed at T-Cell Park.

“I’m a wholesome 22-year-old. I shouldn’t be gasping for air or lacking oxygen. I’ll go away it at that,” stated Jesús Luzardo, who began the opener for the A’s.

HAMELS TIME

The wait is over for left-hander Cole Hamels, who’s poised to come back off the 45-day injured checklist and pitch for the primary time as a member of the Braves.

After signing a one-year contract with Atlanta in December, Hamels arrived at spring coaching with a sore shoulder. Then, he developed triceps tendinitis throughout summer time camp.

The rehab, in the end, is completed and he’ll begin in opposition to Baltimore at Camden Yards. And at a very good time for a group that is main the NL East regardless of a number of accidents to its pitching employees.

“Now it’s only a matter of being round these guys. That’s the factor you miss probably the most,” Hamels stated. “I used to be capable of watch them play, however you’re not capable of rejoice with them.”

The 36-year-old Hamels has designs of carrying the Braves into the playoffs and deep into the postseason. Pitching is what he does finest, and the four-time All-Star hasn’t carried out it competitively since final September.

“It’s one thing that I do know I like to do,” he stated, “and I’m excited to have the ability to do it in a Braves uniform.”

HELLO AGAIN

NL East foes Jacob deGrom (4-1, 1.67 ERA) and Aaron Nola (5-3, 2.40) are set to face off for the second time in 10 days after hardly ever sharing the mound throughout their careers. In simply their second profession matchup on Sept. 6, the Mets pounded Nola and the Phillies 14-1, though Nola was solely charged with three earned runs.

DeGrom goes into this recreation at Residents Financial institution Park possible get three extra begins this season to cement his case for a 3rd consecutive NL Cy Younger Award. He entered Tuesday with the NL’s finest ERA and tied for second in strikeouts behind the Reds’ Trevor Bauer.

TOO EARLY TO JUDGE

Yankees slugger Aaron Decide may come off the injured checklist and return to the lineup to face the Blue Jays within the Bronx.

Decide missed two weeks in late August with a strained calf, was activated, performed one recreation after which went again on the IL. The All-Star proper fielder was off to a giant begin this season with 9 dwelling runs and 20 RBIs in 18 video games.

Gerrit Cole (5-3) begins for New York and Tanner Roark (2-1) for the Blue Jays within the race for second place within the AL East. At 99-55 lifetime, Cole appears to be like to affix Justin Verlander, Roy Oswalt and Mark Mulder as the one pitchers since 2000 to achieve 100 wins in 203 or fewer appearances.

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Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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Houck wins MLB debut, goes 5 innings, Purple Sox clean Marlins

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Tanner Houck pitched 5 scoreless innings to win his main league debut and the Boston Purple Sox defeated the Miami Marlins 2-0

MIAMI — Tanner Houck gave up simply two singles over 5 innings to win his main league debut, pitching the Boston Purple Sox previous the Miami Marlins 2-Zero Tuesday evening.

Houck, the first-round draft decide of the Purple Sox in 2017, struck out seven and walked three on 86 pitches. The 24-year-old righty turned Boston’s 15th beginning pitcher this season.

Jackie Bradley Jr. broke up a scoreless recreation with an opposite-field double off Miami starter Sandy Alcantara within the sixth. Alcantara (2-2) allowed a leadoff single to Xander Bogaerts and walked Christian Vazquez earlier than Bradley delivered towards the playoff-contending Marlins.

The Purple Sox elevated their lead on Vazquez’s run-scoring single within the eighth. Rafael Devers hit a leadoff double, superior to 3rd on reliever James Hoyt’s errant pickoff throw and scored on the hit by Vazquez.

Dylan Covey pitched two good innings in reduction of Houck. Ryan Brasier adopted with a scoreless eighth.

Matt Barnes allowed Brian Anderson’s two-out double earlier than hanging out Garrett Cooper for his seventh save.

Alcantara scattered 5 hits, walked two and struck out 5 in six innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Purple Sox: RHP Darwinson Hernandez (shoulder) confirmed no ailing results from his bullpen session Tuesday.

Marlins: INF Isan Diaz (groin pressure) was positioned on the 60-day injured checklist. Diaz performed the primary sequence of the season at Philadelphia however opted out after the workforce’s coronavirus outbreak. Diaz efficiently petitioned for reinstatement late final month and rejoined the membership Sept. 10. Sean Rodriguez was reinstated from the injured checklist.

UP NEXT:

Purple Sox: LHP Mike Kickham (1-0, 5.00) will begin the center recreation of the sequence towards Miami on Wednesday.

Marlins: Rookie LHP Trevor Rogers (1-1, 6.50) appears to be like to bounce again from the worst outing of his younger main league profession. Rogers allowed eight earned runs and 9 hits in three innings towards Philadelphia on Sept. 11.

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Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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Manfred says Mets sale from Wilpons to Cohen is off

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Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says talks have ended over a proposed sale of the New York Mets

ORLANDO, Fla. —
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says talks have ended over the proposed sale of a controlling share of the New York Mets from the families of Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz to hedge fund manager Steven Cohen.

The Mets said Dec. 4 the contemplated deal between Sterling Partners and Cohen would have allowed 83-year-old Fred Wilpon to remain as controlling owner and chief executive officer for five years. His son Jeff would remain as chief operating officer.

“There is not going to be a transaction,” Manfred said at the end of an owners’ meeting. “I can tell you, and it’s based on conversations with the buyer and the seller on an ongoing basis, the assertion that the transaction fell apart because of something the Wilpons did is completely and utterly unfair.”

Cohen bought an 8% limited partnership stake in 2012 for $40 million. The deal under discussion would have seen him acquire an 80% controlling share in a transaction that values the team at $2.6 billion.

Wilpon repeatedly declined comment at the MLB meetings this week. After Manfred’s remarks, spokesmen for the Mets and Cohen declined comment.

Manfred would not speculate whether the deal could be resurrected.

“My soothsaying is not great. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “As of right now, it’s my belief that that transaction is not going forward.”

Cohen first bought into the Mets in 2012 when the team sought $20 million minority investment stakes following the collapse of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, which heavily cost the Wilpons and their companies. The limited partnership shares were sold after a proposed $200 million sale of a stake of the Mets to hedge fund manager David Einhorn fell through in 2011.

The 63-year-old Cohen is CEO and president of Point72 Asset Management.

Cohen controlled SAC Capital Advisors, which in 2013 pleaded guilty to criminal fraud charges. SAC agreed to pay a $900 million fine and forfeit another $900 million to the federal government, though $616 million that SAC companies had already agreed to pay to settle parallel actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was to be deducted from the $1.8 billion.

The publisher Doubleday & Co. bought the Mets in 1980 from the family of founding owner Joan Payson for $21.1 million, with the company owning 95% of the team and Wilpon controlling 5%.

When Doubleday & Co. was sold to the media company Bertelsmann AG in 1986, the publisher sold its shares of the team for nearly $81 million to Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who became 50-50 owners.

Wilpon led a buyout of Doubleday’s shares in 002 and became chairman and sole controlling owner. Saul Katz, the owner’s brother-in-law and partner in the real estate firm Sterling Equities Inc., became team president and Jeff Wilpon became COO.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



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High, hard: Indians’ Clevinger takes aim at cheating Astros

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CLEVELAND —
Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger doesn’t know exactly how he’ll react the next time he’s on the mound facing the Houston Astros.

They cheated, and he doesn’t like cheaters. On Friday night, he took aim at them.

“We’ll see,” he said. “It’ll be fun.”

Clevinger has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Astros since their sign-stealing scandal broke earlier this month and rocked baseball, leading to suspensions, managerial firings in Houston, Boston and New York, and blanketing the sport in a net of suspicion as spring training approaches.

Once the season begins, the Astros will be under more scrutiny and they might have to deal with some high, hard pitches.

“I think players will deal with it the way it should be across the league,” Clevinger said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a comfortable few ABs (at-bats) for a lot of those boys, and it shouldn’t be. They shouldn’t be comfortable.”

Asked what bothered him most about the scandal, Clevinger said, “Probably them accepting an award and cracking a joke about it without an apology.”

Clevinger, who went 13-4 last season for Cleveland, has long wondered about Houston’s hitters and their uncanny ability to hit tough pitches. He and former teammate Trevor Bauer raised concerns in the past about the Astros, and the revelation that they were using a camera in center field and banging trash cans to alert teammates of incoming pitches, gave the right-handers some vindication.

“I wouldn’t say it was common knowledge, but it’s been going around the league for a while as far as rumors there’s been a lot more substance involved,” Clevinger said. “It’s just, we didn’t have the smoking gun … and it finally came out and it was a reiteration of how cocky they were and how they treated other guys around the league. And for that to be going on just struck a chord with me.”

Clevinger said he was confident the Astros’ secrets would eventually leak. It was former Houston pitcher Mike Fiers, now with Oakland, who revealed that Houston used a video feed sent to a monitor near its dugout to decode signs and relay them to hitters.

“Me and Trevor Bauer since 2017 have been waiting — there’s no way they can keep this glued together,” Clevinger said. “There’s no way everyone’s going to keep their mouth shut. There’s no way they can keep not picking up contracts, not giving free agents money and no one is going to say anything. We knew something was going to happen and sure enough, it did.”

There’s still a part of Clevinger that wishes he and Bauer weren’t right about their suspicions.

“Obviously, we didn’t want it,” he said. “I’d rather me be the hippie conspiracy theorist and him be the (jerk). I’d totally rather it went that way, man, 100%. It sucks that we were right. But it wasn’t like we were just throwing stuff at a wall. There was a lot of stuff we knew that other people didn’t know we knew.”

And now that the Astros have been exposed, Clevinger said sign-stealing may be more prevalent than anyone realized.

“I’m not debating that it’s not,” he said. “The point is we know who it is. People see the repercussions now. I have no idea where it’s going to go from here, whether it’s detrimental enough, but I think there’s enough punishment involved that it’s going to steer teams away from doing it. Hopefully there will be more checks and balances involved in the video department, be it with MLB through each game.”

The Astros were also fined $5 million, a penalty Clevinger found insulting, and he’s sorry Fiers has been cast as a villain by some for talking about his former team.

“What’s he going to do, while he’s wearing their colors going into the playoffs?” Clevinger said. ”He’s got to speak out now. He’s going to have to do it after. It doesn’t matter when he spoke out. It’s the fact that he did it. It had to come to light.”

Clevinger didn’t start against the Astros last season, but said during an outing against them in 2018 that he began to wonder if something was amiss.

The 29-year-old said he threw a 95 mph inside fastball to Houston outfielder Tony Kemp, who pulled it down the line for a hit.

“Not that he’s not a good ballplayer, but Tony Kemp’s not the best fastball, high-ball, two-strike hitter,” Clevinger said. “Let alone, pulling it down the line at 95 mph. I knew something was up that game. I had my stuff, but I was fighting for every out I had to get. I knew something was different.”

The Indians were swept by Houston in the 2018 AL Division Series, but manager Terry Francona isn’t making any excuses about what happened. The Astros beat Cleveland fair and square, he said.

“You can beat as many trash cans as you want,” Francona said. “I think we had two hits off of (Gerrit) Cole and three off of (Justin) Verlander. That wasn’t because of trash cans.”

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports



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Larsen, who threw solely good World Collection recreation, dies at 90

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NEW YORK —
Don Larsen, the journeyman pitcher who reached the heights of baseball glory when he threw an ideal recreation in 1956 with the New York Yankees for the one no-hitter in World Collection historical past, died Wednesday evening. He was 90.

Larsen’s agent, Andrew Levy, stated the previous pitcher died of esophageal most cancers in hospice care in Hayden, Idaho. Levy stated Larsen’s son, Scott, confirmed the loss of life.

Larsen was the unlikeliest of characters to realize what so many Corridor of Famers couldn’t pull off within the Fall Basic. He was 81-91 lifetime, by no means gained greater than 11 video games in a season and completed an unpleasant 3-21 with Baltimore in 1954, the yr earlier than he was dealt to the Yankees as a part of an 18-player commerce.

Within the 1956 World Collection, gained in seven video games by the Yankees, he was knocked out within the second inning of Sport 2 by the Brooklyn Dodgers and didn’t suppose he would have one other alternative to pitch. However when he reached Yankee Stadium on the morning of Oct. 8, he discovered a baseball in his shoe, the sign from supervisor Casey Stengel that he would begin Sport 5.

“I need to admit I used to be shocked,” Larsen wrote in his autobiography. “I knew I needed to do higher than the final time, preserve the sport shut and someway give our workforce an opportunity to win. Casey was betting on me, and I used to be decided to not let him down this time.”

The Dodgers and Yankees cut up the primary 4 video games and Stengel preferred the deception of Larsen’s no-windup supply. The supervisor’s instincts proved traditionally right. The lanky right-hander struck out seven, wanted simply 97 pitches to tame the Dodgers and solely as soon as went to 3 balls on a batter — in opposition to Pee Wee Reese within the first inning.

In successful 2-0, the Yankees themselves solely managed 5 hits in opposition to the Dodgers’ Sal Maglie, however scored on Mickey Mantle’s house run and an RBI single by Hank Bauer.

Larsen, chosen MVP of the 1956 Collection, had two shut calls. Within the second inning, Jackie Robinson hit a tough grounder that was deflected by third baseman Andy Carey to shortstop Gil McDougald, who threw out Robinson. Within the fifth, Mantle ran down an extended drive to left-center subject by Gil Hodges. With two outs within the ninth, pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell took a 3rd strike, finishing the right recreation and sending catcher Yogi Berra dashing out from behind the plate to leap into Larsen’s arms.

“When Yogi Berra jumped on me and grabbed with the bear hug, my thoughts went utterly clean,” Larsen wrote in his autobiography. “I used to be beneath pleasant assault … I used to be swept into the dugout.”

Their celebration stays one in all baseball’s most joyous photographs.

“Don’s good recreation is a defining second for our franchise, encapsulating a storied period of Yankees success and rating among the many biggest single-game performances in Main League Baseball historical past,” the Yankees stated in a press release. “The unmitigated pleasure mirrored in his embrace with Yogi Berra after the sport’s last out will without end maintain a safe place in Yankees lore. It was the head of baseball success and a reminder of the unimaginable, unforgettable issues that may happen on a baseball subject.”

Born Aug. 7, 1929, in Michigan Metropolis, Indiana, Larsen moved together with his household to San Diego, the place he went to Level Loma Excessive College, the alma mater of one other Yankees good recreation pitcher, David Wells. Larsen performed basketball and baseball and was signed by the St. Louis Browns for a $500 bonus and $150 a month.

After two minor league seasons, Larsen harm his arm after which spent two years within the Military. He was promoted to the Browns in 1953 and moved with the workforce to Baltimore the next yr. He struggled via his 3-21 season however two of the wins have been in opposition to the Yankees, who insisted he be included within the commerce that additionally introduced pitching star Bob Turley to New York.

Larsen began 1955 with the Yankees’ farm workforce in Denver, the place he went 9-1 and developed the no-windup supply. Promoted to the majors halfway via the season, he completed 9-2 for New York. Larsen went 11-5 the subsequent season and loved the get together environment that got here with taking part in for the Yankees, typically working with Mantle, Billy Martin and Whitey Ford of their late-night rounds of town. On the evening earlier than his good recreation, he had been out in town, believing he was not in Stengel’s plans for the subsequent day.

Larsen pitched in three different World Collection. He gained Sport 2 of the 1957 sequence in opposition to Hank Aaron and the Milwaukee Braves, however misplaced the decisive Sport 7. He shut out the Braves 4-Zero on six hits in Sport Three of the 1958 Collection, when New York beat Milwaukee in seven video games, and was again within the Bronx with the San Francisco Giants for the 1962 Fall Basic.

Pitching in opposition to the Yankees on Oct. 8, the sixth anniversary of his good recreation, he gained in aid at Yankee Stadium. After the 1959 season, he was traded to Kansas Metropolis in a deal that introduced Roger Maris to New York. With the A’s, he went 1-10 in 1960, a reminder of his dreadful season with the Orioles. He was despatched again to the minors the place he turned a aid pitcher after which moved on to the Giants, Chicago White Sox, Houston, Baltimore and the Chicago Cubs.

Larsen retired in 1967 with an 81-91 document over 14 main league seasons. He later labored as a liquor salesman and paper firm govt. When David Cone tossed an ideal recreation for the Yankees through the 1999 season, Larsen was in attendance after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

No different pitcher has thrown an ideal recreation within the postseason, however in 2010 the Phillies’ Roy Halladay pitched a no-hitter in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds through the Nationwide League Division Collection.

“They’ll by no means break my document,” Larsen would say of his recreation. “The most effective they will do is tie it. October 8, 1956, was a mystical journey via fantasyland. Generally I nonetheless ponder whether it actually all occurred.”

Late on Wednesday evening, Cone tweeted “RIP my pal” with a photograph of himself, Wells and Larsen collectively on the sector at Yankee Stadium.

“We’re deeply saddened to be taught of the passing of Don Larsen, who remained a welcome and acquainted face at our annual Previous-Timers’ Day celebrations within the a long time following his taking part in profession,” the Yankees stated. “He might be missed.”

In a message posted Christmas Day on social media, Scott Larsen stated his father was recognized with esophageal most cancers quickly after coming back from his annual journey to St. Louis in August to attend the St. Louis Browns Historic Society gathering. The elder Larsen “instantly started a rigorous program of radiation remedy” that he had not too long ago accomplished, Scott Larsen stated.

Along with his son, Larsen is survived by his spouse of 62 years, Corrine, daughter-in-law Nancy, and grandsons Justin and Cody.

Funeral preparations have been pending.

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Karma Had a Hand in Prime 5 ‘Really feel-Good’ Sports activities Moments of 2019

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Karma had a profession 12 months in 2019.

She draped a inexperienced jacket on Tiger Woods, handed soccer’s World Cup to a tough-as-nails U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Group, shipped the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy to a cool-as-they-come rookie coach and gamers from the Nice White North, righted a fallacious that occurred a quarter-mile from the end line on the Kentucky Derby, and turned a baseball tribute to a fallen teammate into one thing really unforgettable.

So if sports activities didn’t make you smile not less than as soon as within the final 12 months, effectively, that’s in all probability on you. Listed below are the highest 5 feel-good tales of 2019 (and one honorable point out):

— Fourteen years after his final Masters win and 11 years after his final main, after combating by means of power again issues, a number of surgical procedures, a bout with painkillers and lengthy after nearly all people had written him off, Woods claimed his fifth inexperienced jacket in April.

“It’s overwhelming, simply due to what’s transpired,” he mentioned afterward. “It’s unreal for me to expertise this.”

His win was known as the “best comeback in sports activities,” “the feel-good story of the century” and a few pundits predicted that folks would without end keep in mind the place they have been when Woods walked off the 18th at Augusta Nationwide.

However it may not even have been probably the most karmic second in golf in 2019.

(Honorable point out) On the Phoenix Open in late January, PGA Tour professional Gary Woodland helped Amy Bockerstette, a group faculty golfer with Down Syndrome, end off one of the crucial heart-warming pars golf has ever seen. On the U.S. Open in June, he borrowed her mantra — “I’ve received this” — en path to the largest win of his profession.

Taking part in with Woodland in entrance of an enormous practice-day crowd on the famed 16th gap, Bockerstette sensed he was extra nervous than she was. So earlier than every shot, she put Woodland relaxed with the phrases she repeats when tackling life’s different challenges: “I’ve received this.”

5 months later, with Woodland main the U.S. Open after three rounds, Bockerstette did it once more. He’d held the 54-hole lead at a PGA Tour occasion seven occasions earlier than and did not seal the deal. Woodland mentioned Bockerstette’s tweet the evening earlier than the ultimate spherical helped make a distinction this time.

“Amy informed me one million occasions after we have been on that gap … ‘I’ve received this, I’ve received this,’” Woodland recalled after his win at Pebble Seaside. “And I informed myself that one million occasions immediately, ‘I’ve received this.’”

— The U.S. Nationwide Girls’s Group hardly wanted reassuring. If something, captain Megan Rapinoe and her teammates have been deemed too brash as they gallivanted throughout France in pursuit of their third World Cup — and second in a row. Alongside the best way, they sparred with President Trump over politics and highlighted a gender-discrimination lawsuit in opposition to their very own federation in a struggle for recognition and equal pay.

They scored 13 targets in opposition to lowly Thailand in a group-stage match and caught flak for celebrating an excessive amount of. They responded by celebrating subsequent tallies with snarky golf claps and tea-time toasts, remaining ruthless till the ultimate whistle in a 2-Zero championship-game win over the Netherlands. That’s what occurs if you ship girls to do a job that the better-paid males’s nationwide crew has by no means come near finishing.

“We’ve accomplished precisely what we got down to do, accomplished precisely what we wished to do, mentioned what we really feel,” mentioned Rapinoe. “I do know typically my voice is louder, however all people is on this collectively.”

— The Toronto Raptors, then again, weren’t marked for greatness till that second in Recreation 7 of a playoff collection in opposition to Philadelphia, when Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beating, fadeaway jumper bounced 4 occasions on the rim earlier than capping a 92-90 win.

“It regarded prefer it was entering into the entire time to me,” quipped Raptors rookie coach Nick Nurse afterward.

Fortunate or not, the Raptors turned that break right into a title. They outlasted Milwaukee within the Japanese Convention last and driving Leonard’s masterful performances on each ends of the ground, ended the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic goals in six video games.

Not lengthy after the championship parade wound its means by means of Toronto, Leonard introduced he was leaving city to hitch the Los Angeles Clippers. Undaunted, Nurse went again to work and has the Raptors again in rivalry. Over greater than three a long time, he’d coached in Nice Britain, at G-League stops in Des Moines, Iowa, and Edinburg, Texas, and beginning over was nothing new.

“He seems younger,” Raptors guard Kyle Lowery mentioned, “however he’s fairly outdated.”

— A drenching early Might rainstorm turned the Churchill Downs monitor sloppy even earlier than the beginning of the 145th Kentucky Derby. However the true mess materialized on the finish, when Most Safety, the primary horse throughout the end line, additionally turned the primary winner disqualified for an in-race foul.

Monitor stewards pored over replays for 22 agonizing minutes earlier than awarding the win to Nation Home, ruling that Most Safety had drifted into the trail of Conflict of Will, setting off a dustup that affected not less than two different horses. That call turned the tote board upside-down and handed Invoice Mott, a coaching legend who’d received every part else racing has to supply, his first Kentucky Derby.

“I am glad I wasn’t of their sneakers,” Mott mentioned. “I am glad I did not need to make the choice in entrance of over 100,000 individuals and the thousands and thousands of individuals which can be watching this on TV and around the globe.”

— The sudden dying of widespread Los Angeles Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs in early July rocked the baseball world. His dying was later attributed to an overdose of opioids, sparking a uncommon settlement between Main League Baseball and the gamers union so as to add a treatment-based method and analysis protocol concerning opioid use to the present drug-testing program.

However the Angels weren’t considering long-term after they deliberate to honor Skaggs of their first house recreation — in opposition to the Seattle Mariners — after greater than per week away. They wished his teammates and followers to recollect a promising younger pitcher whose persona lit up the clubhouse.

The Angels gamers donned jerseys with Skaggs’ identify and his No. 45 on the again. His mom, Debbie, threw out the primary pitch. Then the magic began.

Mike Trout hit a 454-foot house run to open the scoring. Pitchers Taylor Cole and Felix Pena mixed to throw a no-hitter — the 11th in franchise historical past, which was the quantity Skaggs wore in highschool. After scoring seven occasions within the first inning, the ultimate rating was 13-0, which aligned with Skaggs’ 7/13 birthday.

After the ultimate out, the Angels ventured out to the mound and laid their jerseys on the bump.

“Each time you’d go as much as him, he’d have that smirk on his face. Both sarcastically, jokingly, or he was attempting to place a smile in your face,” Trout recalled. “We’re at all times going to be excited about him.”

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Rays chase Verlander early, beat Astros 4-1 to even ALDS

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The Tampa Bay Rays by no means doubted themselves, even with Justin Verlander trying to finish their season.

Willy Adames homered and made a sensational relay throw from shortstop, and the Rays chased Verlander early in beating the Houston Astros 4-1 Tuesday evening to even their AL Division Sequence at two video games apiece.

Tommy Pham additionally went deep and Ryan Yarbrough mixed with 5 different pitchers on a six-hitter for Tampa Bay. Cy Younger Award winner Blake Snell got here out of the bullpen for his first profession reduction look, holding off Houston within the ninth inning to earn the save.

Verlander, beginning on brief relaxation after dominating the wild-card Rays in Sport 1, regarded uncomfortable on the mound at Tropicana Discipline and was pulled within the fourth after giving up 4 runs.

The collection shifts again to Houston for a deciding Sport 5 on Thursday evening. Astros star Gerrit Cole is scheduled to pitch for the closely favored AL West champs, who led the majors with 107 wins this season and have yet another probability to shut out the feisty Rays.

“We have got some momentum going for us and we plan on taking it again to Houston,” Tampa Bay middle fielder Kevin Kiermaier mentioned.

The winner performs the New York Yankees within the AL Championship Sequence.

Verlander, whose eight profession ALDS victories are a significant league report, yielded three runs within the first. Adames homered main off the fourth to make it 4-0, and the Houston ace did not make it by way of the inning.

“A great strategy for these guys within the first, after which truthfully, I want these infield singles to be caught. When you do not have it, you want the balls which might be put in play to go your manner, they usually did not,” mentioned Verlander, who solely began on brief relaxation three different occasions throughout his profession, together with the 2011 ALDS, when he began Video games 1 and three after Sport 1 was suspended within the second inning.

“Clearly, not the best way you’d script it,” he added. “, it sucks.”

The Rays helped themselves by enjoying stellar protection, particularly with the Astros threatening to chop into their three-run deficit within the fourth.

With speedy Jose Altuve on first base, Yordan Alvarez hit an extended double that short-hopped the middle subject wall. Two-time Gold Glove winner Kiermaier rapidly grabbed the ball and fired to his cutoff man, Adames. He turned and executed an ideal relay house simply in time to nail Altuve attempting to attain.

“That was in all probability essentially the most unimaginable relay throw from an infielder I’ve ever seen,” Kiermaier mentioned. “That was such an enormous second for us, large momentum shift, and it simply would not get any higher than.”

Rays opener Diego Castillo struck out the primary three batters and went 1 2/Three innings. He was adopted by Yarbrough, who labored two scoreless innings to get the win. Nick Anderson handed off to Colin Poche, who gave up an eighth-inning homer to Robinson Chirinos.

Emilio Pagan and Snell completed up for the Rays, who’ve rebounded from shedding the primary two video games of the collection on the street to Verlander and Houston’s different foremost headliner, Cole.

“A number of credit score to them for his or her preparation and placing themselves on this place,” Cole mentioned. “I definitely assume they’ve earned it. … They’ve performed calm, cool and picked up.”

Altuve drew a one-out stroll and Alex Bregman singled to allow the Astros to carry the potential tying run to the plate within the ninth.

Snell, the reigning AL Cy Younger Award winner who began Sport 2, entered and struck out Alvarez earlier than retiring Yuli Gurriel on a pointy grounder up the center — precisely the place the Rays had been enjoying him — to finish the sport.

Charlie Morton, who helped Houston win the World Sequence two years in the past, started the Rays’ comeback by beating his former crew 10-Three on Monday.

Needing one victory to advance to the AL Championship Sequence for the third straight yr, the Astros opted to start out Verlander on simply three days of relaxation in hopes of closing out the Rays, who’ve received three elimination video games in per week to remain within the working for his or her first journey to the ALCS since 2008.

Supervisor AJ Hinch mentioned it was a simple choice to go along with Verlander, who was 8-Zero in 12 ALDS appearances, together with 11 begins, earlier than Tuesday evening.

Verlander restricted the Rays to 1 hit over seven scoreless innings in Sport 1, and it regarded as if Tampa Bay may be in for an additional lengthy evening when he fanned Austin Meadows to start the underside of the primary.

What transpired over the subsequent six batters — starting with Pham’s 408-foot shot to left-center that received a yellow flag-waving, boisterous crowd of 32,178 into it — might gas some second-guessing of Hinch if Houston would not win Sport 5 at house.

4 of the subsequent 5 Rays additionally reached base, constructing the result in 3-0. Travis d’Arnaud hit a pointy grounder by way of the outlet between third base and shortstop for an RBI single, and Joey Wendle lined a double into the right-field nook to drive in one other run.

PACKED HOUSE

Seating capability at Tropicana Discipline was diminished to 25,025 this yr, however the Rays eliminated the tarps protecting a portion of the higher deck to permit extra followers a possibility to purchase tickets for Video games Three and 4. After drawing 32,251 — greater than twice the membership’s AL-worst season common of 14,734 per sport — on Monday, attendance was introduced as 32,178 on Tuesday evening.

Tampa Bay supervisor Kevin Money mentioned the crew, which routinely ranks close to or on the backside of the majors in attendance, appreciated the assist.

“Actually, gamers wish to play in entrance of numerous followers. All people acknowledges that,” Money mentioned. “However when it mattered, when it counted … they confirmed up.”

CROWDED AISLE

Astros SS Carlos Correa returned to the lineup for the ALDS after lacking the ultimate seven video games of the common season as a consequence of again tightness that flared up throughout a flight to Seattle. He mentioned Tuesday that he is 100 % wholesome and he is not putting any limitations on himself within the playoffs. He additionally revealed what he is doing to attempt to keep away from his again tightening up once more throughout a aircraft experience.

“I am laying on the aisle,” Correa mentioned, including he “felt superior” when he arrived in Florida earlier than Sport 3.

“Acquired my sleep, received my relaxation,” he added. “Simply completely satisfied to be again with the crew and on the sphere as soon as once more.”

Hinch would not have any objection to the brand new routine.

“I am a ‘sure’ on any of that that makes him really feel higher,” Hinch mentioned. “I’ve not gone to the a part of the aircraft the place he is sprawled out, however he can do no matter he desires, so long as he is wholesome.”

UP NEXT

Sport 5 in Houston on Thursday.

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Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities



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