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Bellinger, Swanson, Happ power Cubs past MLB-leading Braves 6-4 for 6th straight series win

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger had his third straight multi-hit game, scored twice and drove in a run as the Chicago Cubs beat the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Sunday for their sixth straight series win.Dansby Swanson added a double and two RBIs against his former team, and Ian Happ drove in a pair of runs, helping the Cubs win for the 15th time in 19 games.All-Star Justin Steele scuffled at times through 5 1/3 innings, and won his fourth straight start on a misty day at Wrigley Field. Mike Tauchman had two hits, scored two runs and threw out Ronald Acuña Jr. at the plate from right field in the fifth to limit an Atlanta rally.Atlanta’s Matt Olson hit his NL-leading 39th home run, a monster 453-foot blast to the top of Wrigley’s right-center bleachers, and finished with three RBIs. Ozzie Albies had three hits, including a double. Olson and Acuña and each had two hits.Olson launched his third homer in four games and sixth in seven. He’s second in the majors in homers, trail...

Filly euthanized, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. unseated in racing incident at Saratoga

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — A 4-year-old filly broke down in the fourth race at Saratoga and was euthanized on Sunday, the second consecutive day a racing death occurred at the track in upstate New York.Ever Summer sustained a catastrophic injury to her left front leg in the final turn of the turf race and was euthanized, according to the New York Racing Association. Irad Ortiz Jr., the leading rider at the summer meet, was unseated. He was later cleared to ride the rest of the card.Frivole, a 4-year-old filly, was pulled up early in the same race. Trainer Graham Motion told the Daily Racing Form that Franco made the move “out of an abundance of caution” after she took an odd step. Motion said Frivole returned to her stall.Ever Summer passed the required pre-race veterinary inspection, according to NYRA.NYRA officials moved the final three turf races on Sunday’s card to the main dirt track after consulting with the jockeys, who expressed concern with the overall condition of the c...

Nationals beat Reds 6-3, complete first 3-game sweep since 2019

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — Washington’s CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas hit Lyon Richardson’s first two major league pitches for home runs and the last-place Nationals finished a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a 6-3 win on Sunday.Over the last 50 seasons, Richardson, 23, is the only pitcher to allow a home run on each of the first two pitches of his major league career, according to Optastats.Abrams and Thomas teamed up to hit two fastballs a combined 808 feet. Abrams reached the first section of seats down the right field line with a 402-foot shot for his first career leadoff homer. Thomas followed with a 408-foot drive to center field for his third homer of the series.“As the leadoff hitter, I’m looking fastball,” Abrams said. “I got one middle up and put a good swing on it.”“It was cool to put another good swing behind him,” Thomas added.“We got off to a great start,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “Two pitches, two runs. Those two are catalysts for us. They’ve...

Rangers rookie 3B Josh Jung suffers fractured left thumb

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers rookie third baseman Josh Jung suffered a fractured left thumb in Sunday’s 6-0 win over the Miami Marlins.Manager Bruce Bochy had no details on how long Jung, an AL starter in this year’s All-Star Game, will be out of the lineup.“We’ll see a specialist and see where we’re at, what needs to be done, whatever,” Bochy said. “We just don’t know yet.”Jung fractured the thumb on a bizarre play in the top of the sixth inning with runners on first and second and nobody out. Jorge Soler hit a scorching, 110-mph liner directly at Jung near the base. The ball bounded out of Jung’s glove, but he grabbed it and started a double play. He tagged the bag and threw to Marcus Semien at second. Jung then left the game.Jung went into play leading major league rookies in home runs (22), RBIs (67) and hits (117) and leading AL rookies in runs (70) and extra-base hits (47).The 25-year-old had started all 107 of Texas’ games this season.The Rangers, who haven’t h...

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora puts OF Alex Verdugo back in lineup day after benching

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo returned to the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against Toronto, a day after he was benched by manager Alex Cora.“Hopefully we learned as a group from what happened yesterday and that’s the reason that we did it,” Cora said before the Red Sox lost the series finale to the Blue Jays, 13-1. “It was my decision not to play him and I have my reasons and we’ll leave it at that.”On Sunday, Verdugo went 3 for 4 with three singles and made a nice running catch on Matt Chapman’s fly ball near the Pesky Pole in the fourth inning. On Saturday, the Red Sox scratched Verdugo about two hours before their 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays. No reason was given during the game. He was replaced in the lineup by Adam Duvall.Following the game, Cora said: “We took a step back as a team. We have to make sure everybody’s available every single day here for us to get to wherever we’re going to go. And that wasn’t the case. … I’ve got to take charge of th...

Nneka Ogwumike has 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, Sparks beat Mystics 91-83

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Azurá Stevens made 7 of 11 from the field and finished with 17 points and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Washington Mystics 91-83 Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak. Jordin Canada, who made 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, had 15 points for Los Angeles (10-18). Los Angeles coach Curt Miller became the fifth-fastest in WNBA history to reach 150 career wins and became one of three coaches (Van Chancellor and Lin Dunn) with at least 275 collegiate and 150 professional wins. Brittney Sykes hit a jumper to give Washington an eight-point lead with 6 minutes to play and she made 1-of-2 free throws to make it 78-75 with 3 minutes remaining. Samuelson answered with two foul shots and Ogwumike followed with a short jumper that gave the Sparks the lead for good with 2:14 left and Samuelson added a 3-pointer about a minute later to make it 83-78.L.A.’s Layshia Clarendon was fouled by Sykes on a drive to the ba...

Linebacker Justin Houston agrees to 1-year contract with the Carolina Panthers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

The Carolina Panthers agreed to terms with four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Justin Houston on a one-year contract on Sunday.Houston, a 12-year NFL veteran, gives the Panthers the veteran edge rusher they sought to play opposite Brian Burns. Houston has 111 1/2 sacks during his career, including 9 1/2 last season for the Baltimore Ravens.Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer had previously said the Panthers were seeking to add an edge rusher for Carolina’s new 3-4 defensive scheme to help take some of the pressure off Burns, a Pro Bowl player last season.Houston’s best season came in 2014 when he was selected as an All-Pro, finishing with 22 sacks while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.The 34-year-old Houston was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2011 and spent eight seasons in Kansas City. He played two years in Indianapolis before spending the past two with the Ravens.The Panthers finished 7-10 last season and have not been to the playoffs in the past five seasons.___ AP...

Yandy Díaz and Wander Franco lead Rays to 10-6 win over Tigers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Yandy Díaz homered and scored three runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 10-6 on Sunday, taking two of three in the weekend series.Díaz and Wander Franco each had three hits and drove in two runs.“It looks like the offense is waking up a little bit,” Díaz said. “We had a stretch there where we weren’t getting a lot of what we needed, but now things are starting to get better.”Colin Poche (9-3) got the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.Tigers starter Matt Manning (3-4) allowed eight runs in 5 2/3 innings, giving him 19 runs in his last three starts. The Rays scored three times in the first and twice in the second to take early control.Díaz led off the game with a double and took third on Franco’s single. After Brandon Lowe grounded into a force at second, Díaz scored on second baseman Andy Ibanez’s error. Manning hit Isaac Paredes to load the bases and Josh Lowe hit a two-run single.Díaz made it 5-0 in the second with a two-run ...

2 Orlando Police officers injured in shooting expected to make full recovery

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

Two Orlando Police officers are expected to make a full recovery after they were shot in the line of duty.Late Friday night, the officers, whose names have not been released, were trying to stop a car connected to a homicide in Northwest Miami-Dade.That’s when, investigators said, the suspect, identified as 28-year-old Daton Viel, opened fire, critically injuring the officers.Investigators later found Viel at the Holiday Inn near Universal Orlando Resort.Police said the suspect was killed in a shootout.Viel has an extensive criminal record and was arrested at least four times since 2016. His charges ranged from sexual assault to burglary.

Volunteer divers find 32 submerged cars in Doral lake, possibly linked to missing persons cold cases

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:08:49 GMT

A diving team that took to the water in Doral has uncovered not just one underwater mystery, but nearly three dozen.Underwater video captured a diver finding a vehicle in the murky waters of a lake located near Miami International Airport.Divers Ken Fleming and Doug Bishop spoke with 7News about their finds on Sunday.“We’re here trying to solve missing persons cold cases,” said Fleming.The mission led these divers to Doral in an effort to detect ditched vehicles.“That’s when we realized that we had 32 cars underwater,” said Fleming.Fleming said the vehicles were dumped in this body of water during various criminal activities.“When we discover a spot like this with multiple vehicles, it pretty much indicates that a crime where they’re disposing the vehicles and hiding them from law enforcement,” he said.The divers work solely as volunteers. They travel across the state, using sonar technology to search bodies of water.“We ha...