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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2020 |
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NBA |
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8/5/2020 |
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FOUND
6
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+186
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+5 (+102)
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Over 220 (+102)
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-210
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-5 (-112)
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Under 220 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 04, 2020Progress for the Utah Jazz is coming in small steps.The Jazz have been consistently inconsistent since the NBA restart. Heading into Wednesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies near Orlando, Utah is finally showing some signs it can turn a corner and get into playoff form soon.For the first half of a 116-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, the Jazz kept pace with the Western Conference leaders on both ends of the court.Utah (42-25) ran out of steam offensively late in the third quarter when the Lakers used a decisive 19-5 run to pull away for a victory that clinched the top seed in the West. Still, the Jazz showed improved defensive tenacity that had been absent in previous games against New Orleans and Oklahoma City.The Lakers were ineffective from the perimeter for long stretches. It forced Los Angeles to attack the rim. While a 42-point outburst from Anthony Davis allowed that strategy to work, Utah finished with a 42-38 edge on the glass. Their ability to rebound against a taller Los Angeles team offered hope going forward against less daunting opponents."They really put pressure on the rim. I thought we did a better job coming over and helping one another," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I thought we had really good energy and activity on defense." Offense remains a work in progress, especially on the perimeter. Utah shot a dismal 12-of-43 (.279) from 3-point range. Scoring baskets from outside was also a major problem in the team's first two contests in Florida.Donovan Mitchell, who made four 3-pointers en route to scoring a team-high 33 points against L. A., said the Jazz just need to maintain an aggressive mentality on the perimeter in order to turn things around."The biggest thing for us is continue to take them," Mitchell said. "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take. Honestly, we got some good looks we wanted, sometimes they just don't fall in." Memphis finds itself in a similar boat trying to get things going on offense. The Grizzlies have lost three straight contests since the NBA restart.A big culprit for Memphis in all three losses -- including a 109-99 setback to the Pelicans on Monday -- is slow starts. The Grizzlies are stumbling out of the gate and being forced to play catch-up for the bulk of 48 minutes.Memphis (32-36) fell behind early against New Orleans, shooting just 39 percent in the opening quarter. The Grizzlies eventually rallied behind a 13-2 run and claimed a 68-67 lead shortly after halftime. But the Pelicans answered with a 12-3 spurt to enter the fourth quarter with a 79-74 lead."We're a good second-half team, but the second half -- just two quarters -- isn't going to win a basketball game," Memphis guard Ja Morant said. "We know we just got to find a way to play all 48 and we'll be able to come out with wins." Snapping the losing streak will require more consistent outside shooting. The Grizzlies have made just 28 percent of their shot attempts from long distance over the past three games, while attempting an average of 38.3 3-pointers per contest.The math does not add up to a winning formula and Memphis needs to fix it in a hurry to avoid having a playoff spot slip out of reach over the next five games. The Grizzlies are holding on to eighth place, two games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers."Our offense has got to be better," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "We got to give ourselves a chance. I thought we got some great looks (against New Orleans). That's something we'll overcome." --Field Level Media
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 05, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Joe Ingles scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Utah Jazz kept the Memphis Grizzlies winless in the NBA bubble with a 124-115 victory Wednesday.Mike Conley had 23 points and seven assists against his former team for the Jazz (43-25), who improved to 2-2 in the seeding round and nudged ahead of Houston (42-25) for the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings.''We just moved that ball, and when we rotate it from corner to corner, I know it's hard to defend,'' Conley said. ''When we get into that kind of rhythm and mode, it's pretty tough.'' Dillon Brooks scored 23 points, while Grayson Allen had a career-high 20 points and six 3-pointers as the Grizzlies dropped to 0-4 in the seeding round, further endangering their chances of hanging on to the No. 8 seed in the West playoffs.Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Ja Morant added 20 points and nine assists for Memphis (32-37), which has lost five straight overall since March.''Our guys are getting better every single game,'' Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. ''It's all magnified in a four-game stretch where we're 0-4 and it hasn't shaken our way, but we're learning a lot from every game. We've just got to keep gaining confidence from what we're doing.'' Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 16 rebounds for Utah, which took charge of a close game with a 9-0 run in the closing minutes. The Jazz held the Grizzlies scoreless for 2:56 while getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Ingles, who hit six 3s overall and finished two points shy of his career high.''I was taking advantage of some opportunities and picking my spots,'' Ingles said. ''I don't think we're a team that takes bad shots. The more confidence we have in each other, the more we'll keep doing that.'' Memphis has been plagued by slow starts in the bubble, but the Grizzlies jumped to an early double-digit lead. Utah responded with a balanced 22-1 run in the final 4:41 before halftime for a 64-55 lead.TIP-INSGrizzlies: They wore their turquoise Vancouver Grizzlies throwback uniforms. ... Memphis' final five games in the seeding round are against winning teams. ... Memphis hit 11 3-pointers after struggling from distance earlier in the restart. ... Allen is 14 for 21 on 3-pointers in the bubble.Jazz: Donovan Mitchell added 18 points and seven rebounds. ... They wore their Stockton-and-Malone purple mountain throwback uniforms. ... Conley hit four 3-pointers in his second straight impressive offensive game. He is the Grizzlies' franchise leader in scoring and games played, among many categories.CRAZY EIGHTHPortland (31-38) leads a pack of four teams now within three games of Memphis for the eighth seed. What's more, if the eighth-place team doesn't finish four games ahead of the team in ninth, those teams must play each other to determine who makes the playoffs.The Grizzlies had a 3 1/2-game lead over the Blazers for eighth place entering the bubble, but the Grizz claim the stakes don't bother them.''We're still focused on whichever game we've got coming up,'' Morant said. ''The media are going, `Oh, well, they had this lead. Now they have this lead. Somebody is coming to take it.' We can't pay attention to that, because that would lead to us trying to put pressure on ourselves, which we don't have to. We're learning from everything we're going through right now. We've got four games left to play, and we're going to attack those games.'' REPLACEMENT PARTGrizzlies rookie Brandon Clarke had his lowest-scoring performance in the bubble with six points despite starting in place of Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis' second-leading scorer was ruled out for the season Tuesday with a torn meniscus in his left knee.UP NEXTGrizzlies: Face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.Jazz: Face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-557
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-10.5 (-109)
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Over 227.5 (-105)
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+442
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+10.5 (-101)
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Under 227.5 (-107)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 04, 2020The Philadelphia 76ers hope to continue to take advantage of a soft spot in their schedule when they take on the Washington Wizards in the NBA bubble near Orlando on Wednesday afternoon.After suffering a loss to Indiana in their Florida opener that dropped them behind the Pacers in the race for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, the 76ers (40-27) responded with a 132-130 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.That game began a stretch in which the 76ers play five consecutive games against teams currently seeded seventh or lower in their respective conference. The Wizards (24-43) have the worst record among all teams in Orlando.All told, the 76ers were the beneficiary of landing the second-easiest schedule following the coronavirus break, with their eight opponents having a cumulative .506 winning percentage at the time. Only the New Orleans Pelicans (.495) of the Western Conference were given a smoother road to the postseason.That's not to say there was anything easy about Philadelphia's win over the Spurs on Monday. They needed all of Joel Embiid's 27 points and Shake Milton's 3-pointer in the final seconds to pull out the win.Afterward, 76ers coach Brett Brown blasted his team's defensive effort."I think it stinks," he told reporters. "It's not anything that we are, or believe in, or talk about. We were very lucky to win." The 76ers have allowed 127 and 130 points in their two games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. They were scorched to the tune of 50.5-percent shooting (41.2 percent on 3-pointers) in the loss to Indiana, before the Spurs put up similar numbers (49.5 percent overall, 46.2 percent on threes) on Monday.Philadelphia has countered with nearly equal firepower, led by Embiid, who has averaged 34 points and 15 rebounds in the two games. Tobias Harris has chipped in with an average of 27.5 points per contest.In the Wizards, the 76ers will see a team on the verge of playoff elimination, one that seems to be leaking oil offensively in the absence of John Wall, Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans.Washington has gone 0-3 in Florida as their scoring output has dropped from 112 against Phoenix to 110 against Brooklyn to 100 in an 11-point loss to Indiana on Monday.Wizards coach Scott Brooks assured after the Indiana game that his team is not about to give up, even though the schedule gets tougher. Washington still has Milwaukee and Boston looming."I like this group because they care. I like this group because they take losses hard," Brooks told reporters. "We're trying, we're fighting; we're just not getting rewarded yet. But we're going to keep doing it. We've got five more games; we're going to play the same exact way." Big man Thomas Bryant has led the way for the Wizards in Florida, averaging 20 points and 10.3 rebounds. He has recorded double-doubles in his last two games.The clubs split two earlier games this season, with each winning at home.The Wizards overcame a 26-point, 21-rebound effort by Embiid to win 119-113 in December behind Beal's 26 points. He's since been lost to a shoulder injury.The 76ers won the rematch 16 days later, 125-108, with Embiid recording another double-double (21 points, 13 rebounds).--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 05, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Joel Embiid had 30 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers held on to beat the Washington Wizards 107-98 on Wednesday despite losing two-time All-Star Ben Simmons to a knee injury in the third quarter.There was no immediate word from the 76ers on the extent of Simmons' injury, which occurred as he landed awkwardly after grabbing an offensive rebound. At the next break in the action he walked gingerly to the locker room and did not return.He was shown leaving the locker room in street clothes late in the fourth quarter.Tobias Harris added 17 points for the 76ers, who pulled within a game of the Pacers for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.The win was anything but easy for the 76ers.Embiid picked up his fourth and fifth fouls within a span of 20 seconds and left the game with 6:55 remaining and the 76ers leading 89-83. But Harris made a jumper and Shake Milton converted a 3-pointer and a turnaround jumper to help maintain the lead before Embiid returned in the closing minutes.Thomas Bryant had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the fast-fading Wizards, who have gone 0-4 since the restart and would be eliminated from playoff contention if Orlando and Brooklyn win their games later Wednesday.Washington has the worst record (24-44) of the 22 teams in Orlando.Philadelphia is trying to make the most of a favorable schedule. This was the the second game in a five-game stretch in which the 76ers play opponents currently seeded seventh or lower in their respective conference.The 76ers held the offensively challenged Wizards to 42% shooting. That came after coach Brett Brown publicly blasted his team's defensive effort, saying it ''stinks'' after his club allowed 126 and 130 points in their first two games in Orlando.TIP-INS76ers: Josh Richardson had 15 points and Milton added 14.Wizards: Bryant recorded his third straight double-double and had three blocks.UP NEXT76ers: Play Magic on Friday.Wizards: Play Pelicans on Friday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-125
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-2 (-107)
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Over 227.5 (+102)
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+113
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+2 (-103)
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Under 227.5 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 04, 2020It's a five-game sprint to the finish for San Antonio in its hunt for an NBA-record 23rd straight trip to the playoffs.And while all games in the league's seeding tournament are crucial, Wednesday afternoon's dustup against the Denver Nuggets near Orlando marks the Spurs' biggest challenge to date since the reboot.The Spurs (29-37) dropped from ninth to 10th place in the Western Conference after a 132-130 loss to Philadelphia on Monday. The defeat snapped a three-game win streak for San Antonio dating back to March 10 -- the final game before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the season.DeMar DeRozan paced the Spurs with 30 points, while Rudy Gay added a season-high 24, Derrick White had 20 and Keldon Johnson contributed a career-best 15 points in the loss. Dejounte Murray hit for 13 for San Antonio, which trailed by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter and rallied to lead late before running out of steam."We're resilient," DeRozan said. "We're not just going to go out and let teams beat up on us like we're easy pushovers. We're here for a reason and we're going to compete no matter who we have." San Antonio was one of three teams that just played three games in a four-day stretch. The Spurs went 2-1 over that span; the other two teams, Memphis and Washington, went 0-3. The Spurs are tied with the Portland Trail Blazers, two games behind Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot."With three starters out and three games in four nights, I thought we did a hell of a job," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought we responded wonderfully. We are fighting to get into the playoffs, so it stings a lot. But the young guys got to play a lot, so that's good." The Nuggets, despite already clinching a playoff spot, still have plenty for which to play. Denver (44-23) heads into play Wednesday with the third seed in the Western Conference. But the Nuggets can still climb as high as second in the West or fall to as low as sixth.Denver still has six games to play, with the contest with the Spurs on Wednesday the first of a back-to-back.The Nuggets won for the first time in the reboot when they outlasted Oklahoma City 121-113 in overtime on Monday. Michael Porter Jr. scored a career-high 37 points and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double (30 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) in the victory.Thirteen of Jokic's points came in the fourth quarter and overtime."(Jokic's) the best center in the NBA, and when he's aggressive, good things happen," Denver coach Mike Malone said."We needed it," Jokic said. "Just to the guys that are here -- this is I think their 24th day, 27th day that they are here -- and they are working and it has kind of paid off a little bit. But, of course, this is our goal to win the game." Monte Morris and Paul Millsap each scored 17 points for the Nuggets in the win.The win was a huge bounce-back from the Nuggets' opener in the restart, when they were sloppy and lax defensively in a 125-105 loss to Miami.Denver played without three starters -- Jamal Murray (left hamstring tightness), Will Barton (left knee soreness) and Gary Harris (strained right hip). No update was given as to the return dates of the injured trio or their availability for Wednesday's game.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 05, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Michael Porter Jr. had 30 points and 15 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 132-126 on Wednesday.Nikola Jokic added 25 points and 11 assists. Jerami Grant finished with 22 points.Two days after posting a career-high 37 points in Denver's win over Oklahoma City, Porter stayed hot, scoring 10 of the Nuggets' first 16 points against San Antonio. He credited Jokic's style of play for his success.''If you know me, the Nuggets drafted me as a scorer,'' Porter said. ''They knew that was one of my big strengths. Playing with a superstar who would rather pass the ball than shoot the ball obviously is going to work out for both of us.'' Jokic said having Porter being so active is also helping to open up the floor for everyone.''You know he's going to make the shot. He's going to be there. He's going to rebound. He's a big target for me,'' Jokic said. ''Just to know you have a really good player, a talented player, they cannot help with him. It's helping me in that kind of way.'' Denver (45-23) led by as many as 12 in the first half before falling behind by nine in the third quarter. But the Nuggets found their footing in the final period, using a 13-4 run to nudge back in front 110-101 with 5:42 to play.San Antonio, which started the day two games behind Memphis for the final playoff spot in the West, dropped to 2-2 since the restart.Rudy Gay scored 24 points and Derrick White added 23 points and seven assists for the Spurs (29-38).Coach Gregg Popovich said despite the loss, his young players learned a lot having to contend with a passer and rebounder as good as Jokic.''It should be an NBA rule: You can't tap it to yourself,'' Popovich said. ''He taps it two or three times, then he gets it and lays it back in. It's not just luck. He does it all the time.'' Denver played short-handed for the third straight game with Jamal Murray (left hamstring), Will Barton (left knee soreness) and Gary Harris (strained right hip) all out.Still, coach Michael Malone said even with a playoff spot already secure, he wanted to see his team build good habits over its final games before the start of the playoffs.''There's no magic wand that I have, where I can just come into a meeting and say, `OK, playoffs are here. Let's start playing at a high level,''' Malone said. ''That's something that you have to build on every single day, creating those habits. The last two games you've seen that.'' The Nuggets showed some of that urgency at the outset, sprinting out to a 16-4 lead and prompting Popovich to pull his entire starting lineup.Denver continued to lead for most of the first half before San Antonio surged in the second quarter, connecting on four 3-pointers. The Spurs went 7 of 16 from beyond the arc in the opening 24 minutes and took a 65-62 lead into halftime.TIP-INSNuggets: Torrey Craig left the game with a bloodied mouth at the 2:30 mark of the second quarter after being smacked in the face by San Antonio's Drew Eubanks as he spun underneath the basket. Eubanks received a flagrant foul on the play. Craig returned to the game.Spurs: Marco Belinelli was available after missing two straight games with a left foot sprain but did not play.QUOTABLE''The funny thing is, I thought about this today, thinking about Michael Porter. Michael Porter was not selected to play in the Rising Stars Game this year. Are you kidding me?'' - Malone.UP NEXTNuggets: Play Portland on ThursdaySpurs: Play Utah on Friday---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+179
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+5.5 (-115)
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Over 218 (-107)
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-202
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-5.5 (+104)
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Under 218 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 04, 2020Through three games of the NBA's restart, the Los Angeles Lakers have shown much of what makes them a title contender.They have also shown how vulnerable they can be when things are not working correctly.Beginning with Wednesday's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers have some time to look inward and work on being the best they can be for the playoffs.Los Angeles did clinch the top seed in the Western Conference with Monday's win over Utah. And Lakers star LeBron James isn't hiding the fact that he'll be keeping an eye on the race for eighth place, and a first-round playoff opponent, in the coming days."I think it's absolutely unhuman if you wasn't really paying attention to the seedings, especially at this point of the season," James said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "You're looking at Memphis and Pelicans and San Antonio and Portland. I'm not taking out Phoenix as well. You're just seeing the games and seeing what can possibly be our matchups." The Lakers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.None of the Lakers' five remaining games are against teams they might meet in the first round.During their two wins so far in the restart, it's been Anthony Davis, not James, who has been the catalyst to success.Davis averaged 38 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Jazz. He had just 14 points, and seven shots from the field, in the loss to Toronto.Davis said the loss Saturday opened his eyes a bit."I have to play better basketball than I did (against the Raptors) to help the team win," he said. "Even though I was making the right plays, I still have to be aggressive. I didn't like the way I performed and didn't like the way we performed as a team." While the Lakers (51-15) might have time to catch their breath a little bit and focus on what's to come in the playoffs, Oklahoma City has no such luxury.The Thunder (41-25) enter the game sixth in the West, with Dallas lurking in striking distance. But the fourth seed is still in realistic reach as well.The Thunder are 1-1 since the restart, with plenty of strong moments in both a win over the Jazz and a loss to the Nuggets, but also some uncharacteristic struggles."Like everybody else, we're trying to get back to the same rhythm," Oklahoma City's Danilo Gallinari said. "That's something not easy to do right away. It's going to take some time, but I'm sure we'll get to that point." Oklahoma City will be without its backup point guard, Dennis Schroder for the second consecutive game after Schroder left the team - and the NBA bubble - for the birth of his second child Monday morning.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performed well Monday, especially late in the game - mainly when he was one the floor together with Chris Paul - but Oklahoma City will have to continue to adjust without their primary backup point guard.The Thunder are expected to have Terrance Ferguson back Wednesday after the forward sat out of Monday's game with a leg contusion.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 05, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Chris Paul had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Oklahoma City Thunder's 105-86 victory over the poor-shooting Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points and Steven Adams had 18 for the Thunder (42-25), who never trailed in their first win over the Lakers in four meetings this season. Oklahoma City pulled even with Houston for the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture with five games left.The 86 points were the fewest by the Lakers - and by a Thunder opponent - this season.''We just tried to stick to the game plan,'' Paul said. ''We tried to keep those guys off the (free throw) line as much as possible. We tried to build a wall up on LeBron when he's pushing it. Just trying to make it hard for them.'' LeBron James had 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers (51-16), who had another possibly concerning offensive performance while dropping to 2-2 in the bubble. Los Angeles, which has already clinched the top seed in the West and the Pacific Division title, never held a lead for the first time all season.''I think we had some great possessions,'' James said. ''I think sometimes we have some bad shot selection throughout the course of these games, but I think we got some great looks. Our defense is pretty good. We only allowed the Thunder to shoot 43% from the field. We'll get our rhythm and start making some.'' The Lakers went a season-worst 5 for 37 on 3-pointers and made only 35% of their shots overall. Los Angeles dropped two games behind Milwaukee for the NBA's best overall record, which won't provide a real home-court advantage in the NBA Finals this year.''We're building habits, and every time we're out there we have a chance to build and find rhythms,'' Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. ''These games are still really important for us to do that.'' Dion Waiters scored 14 points for the Lakers, whose poor perimeter shooting in the bubble still hasn't been fixed as they dropped to 25% on 3-pointers in their last four games. They went 1 for 12 behind the arc in the first quarter against Oklahoma City, and they missed 19 of their first 22 attempts until late in the third quarter.The Thunder were only 5 for 24 on 3-pointers, but their steady defense and 32-for-36 effort at the free throw line led to a comfortable win.''I felt we had a good team effort in terms of getting back and letting (James) see a crowd,'' Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. ''Neither team shot it too well from behind the line today.'' TIP-INSThunder: They played without Mike Muscala (concussion protocol), Terrance Ferguson (bruised right leg) and Dennis Schroder, who is away from the team for the birth of his second child. ... Adams got his leg caught underneath his body when he fell in a heap with Davis during the third quarter. He left the court briefly, but returned to the game.Lakers: Dwight Howard sat out with a sore right knee. ... Los Angeles got a scare in the third quarter when Paul elbowed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the ribs, forcing Caldwell-Pope to leave the game. The Lakers are already without Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo. Caldwell-Pope returned later.9 ADAnthony Davis scored just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting in 29 minutes. That matches his second-lowest point total in a Lakers uniform and his lowest-scoring performance while playing at least 29 minutes since January 2018.''I think we're fine,'' Davis said. ''I don't think anything is eye-opening, something that we need to be afraid of. The offense is going to come around.'' UP NEXTThunder: Face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.Lakers: Face the Houston Rockets on Thursday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-307
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-7.5 (+100)
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Over 222 (-102)
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+263
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+7.5 (-111)
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Under 222 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 05, 2020The Toronto Raptors will be out to sweep the season series from the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night as they continue to build up for a defense of their NBA championship.The Raptors (48-18) have won both of their games since the restart in the schedule that is being played near Orlando. They're on a six-game winning streak overall.Toronto has won all three meetings against the Magic (32-36) this season, most recently 90-83 at Orlando on Nov. 29.The Raptors have won 23 of the past 29 regular-season games between the teams and 27 of the past 34 matchups with the playoffs included.The Magic had a five-game overall winning streak end Tuesday night when they fell to the Indiana Pacers, 120-109.In their previous game, the Magic lost forward Jonathan Isaac indefinitely to a torn ACL in his left knee early in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Sacramento Kings."For him to go down like that was very difficult to see, especially when you know he just came back" from a hyperextended knee sustained Jan. 1, said center Nikola Vucevic, who led the Magic with 24 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday.The Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 107-92 on Saturday, but they had a tougher time in beating the Miami Heat 107-103 on Monday. The latter win came with a career-best 36 points from Fred VanVleet as Toronto prepares for the playoffs following a four-month layoff because of the COVID-19 pandemic."The time that we've had before, a couple of weeks, just kind of getting ready, it was rough," Raptors forward Pascal Siakam said. "But I think it's still rough. I think we're just figuring it out." One of the pleasant developments has been the improvement of 23-year-old forward OG Anunoby, particularly on defense.Anunoby has at least one steal in each of his past 17 games, the team's longest single-season streak since Kyle Lowry had at least one steal in 21 consecutive games during the 2015-16 season. Anunoby (91) ranks second on the team in total steals, behind VanVleet (93)."There's a lot of stuff there," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "He's got a great athletic body, a pretty good mindset to play it, plays hard, takes challenges. There's a lot to like at this stage at that end of the floor, for sure." The Magic won their first two games after play resumed, beating the Brooklyn Nets 128-118 and Sacramento 132-116, but they are in a difficult four-game stretch that started with the loss to Indiana.The Magic's playoff pursuit likely hangs in the balance as the Toronto matchup is followed by games against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, all playoff teams."In order for us to do what we want to do, which is to have playoff success, we're going to have to be playing better by the eighth (seeding) game than we are right now, and the best way to do that or one of the ways is to play the best teams," Magic coach Steve Clifford said.The Magic fell out of the loss to Indiana early. The Pacers raced to a 19-3 lead to open the game and led by 21 points at halftime."If we're going to be a factor in this, we've got to play smart and hard, and we did neither of those tonight," Clifford said.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 05, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Fred VanVleet had 21 points and 10 assists, and the Toronto Raptors held on to beat the Orlando Magic 109-99 on Wednesday night.Pascal Siakam added 15 points and Kyle Lowry finished with eight points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.Toronto (49-18) has won its last seven dating back to before the hiatus and three straight games since the restart.The Magic (32-37) missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot following Washington's loss to Philadelphia earlier Wednesday. But they maintained their 7 1/2-game lead over the Wizards for the eighth seed with four seeding games to play.They also may be without forward Aaron Gordon for an undetermined amount of time after he left the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury after taking a hard foul from Lowry.Gordon was going up for a dunk and was hit on the arm as Lowry went to strip the ball. Gordon's left leg extended high in the air before he crashed to the floor and immediately reached for his left hamstring. He was able to shoot the ensuing free throws but then struggled to run down the court. He went to the locker room on the next timeout.Lowry received a Flagrant 1 foul after a review by officials. Gordon had nine points and 11 rebounds at the time of his injury.Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross each had 15 points for Orlando.Despite Gordon's exit, the Magic cut into the Raptors' 20-point halftime lead, trimming it to 78-71 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.But that would be as close as they would get to rest of the way.The Raptors spaced the floor well early, building a 24-8 lead in the opening period. They also were active on the defensive end, limiting Orlando to 5-of-20 shooting (0 for 9 from 3-point line). Orlando finished the quarter with 11 points, a season low by a Toronto opponent.Toronto carried its momentum into the second quarter, taking a 51-30 lead late on the second of back-to-back 3-pointers by Lowry. The Raptors held a 55-35 advantage at halftime.TIP-INSRaptors: Patrick McCaw (left knee soreness) and Oshae Brissett (right knee soreness) both missed their third straight game.Magic: The 35 points they scored in the first half were a low for any half this season. . Michael Carter-Williams sat with a sore left foot.UP NEXTRaptors: Play Celtics on Friday.Magic: Play 76ers on Friday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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TOTAL |
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+347
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+8.5 (+104)
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Over 224.5 (-103)
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-419
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-8.5 (-115)
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Under 224.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Aug 05, 2020About a week before the NBA was put on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, Caris LeVert delivered the best game of his career in front of a packed arena, scoring 51 points against the Boston Celtics to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a comeback overtime win.A little more than five months later, LeVert will get another crack at the Celtics on Wednesday, and this time he will be doing so in front of virtual fans when the Nets play their fourth game of the restart at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando.LeVert did not play due to a left thigh contusion Tuesday when the Nets pulled out a 119-116 win over top-seeded Milwaukee. LeVert was joined on the sideline by Jarrett Allen (rest) and Joe Harris (lower back/hamstring), but the three are expected to play Wednesday.LeVert scored 34 points Sunday in Brooklyn's 118-110 win over Washington with the trio combining for 83 points. The Nets opened the resumption of play with a 128-118 loss to Orlando on Friday.Without the trio on Wednesday, the Nets (32-35) got a big game from Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. The 25-year-old forward scored a career-high 26 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with about three minutes left to help Brooklyn move a half-game ahead of Orlando into the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference."I totally do believe in momentum and the momentum of keeping your spirit in check," said Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, who is 4-1 since taking over for Kenny Atkinson on March 7. "We talked about as a group the symbolism of bamboo, being extremely resilient and extremely flexible and adaptable. Tonight was another example; we had to be all of those three things with the different lineup. So overall, that concept has stayed with us, and I hope it continues." The win was also aided by Milwaukee resting Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in the second half as part of a predetermined plan.On Wednesday, the Nets will face another opponent using the concept of rest as Boston will sit point guard Kemba Walker after he scored 15 points in 27 minutes during a 112-106 loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday."These minutes will help him get there," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "When he plays a couple of games in the 30s, he'll feel better about that, and, by then, the playoffs and everything, he'll be fine." Not seeing Walker is probably a good thing for the Nets. In LeVert's 51-point game, Walker scored 21 points -- after he scored 39 points in Boston's 121-110 win over Brooklyn in Boston on Nov. 27.Walker missed five games with left soreness immediately before Boston's last meeting with the Nets and his minutes are being managed as the Celtics try to secure their seeding.The third-place Celtics (44-23) are 4 1/2 games behind second-seeded Toronto and 1 1/2 games ahead of Miami. Boston also is 2 1/2 games ahead of fifth-place Indiana and four games in front of sixth-place Philadelphia.Even without Walker, the Celtics are hoping for a significantly better showing after never getting the lead Tuesday. The Celtics trailed by 16 in the second quarter and by 12 at halftime before inching closer."We weren't solid, and they exposed that," Stevens said. "Our defense has to improve from what it's been in the three games or so." So far, Boston's defense is allowing 118.3 points since the restart with opponents shooting 36.6 percent (49 of 134) from 3-point range.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Aug 06, 2020LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Jaylen Brown scored 21 points, Robert Williams had a career-high 18 points in 19 minutes, and the Boston Celtics rolled past the Brooklyn Nets 149-115 on Wednesday night without All-Star point guard Kemba Walker.Williams was 7 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. He hadn't played in Boston's first three games of the restart, but didn't let himself get discouraged.''It's really just the will to want to play,'' said Williams, the 27th overall pick in the 2018 draft. ''I want to bring the right energy. I think a lot of the young guys brought great energy. That is my job.'' Williams said he gained confidence when teammates encouraged him to keep shooting.Still, Williams said, he needs to work on his conditioning.''I should have been contesting more shots,'' he said.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said it probably wasn't fair to play Williams as much as he did, but was impressed with what he saw.Stevens said he didn't tell Williams he was going to play ''until he was walking on the bus.'' That's when he told the forward he would be checking into the game early on against the Nets.Brown hit five 3-pointers after averaging 23.3 points his previous three games in Orlando. He finished 7 of 13 from the field.Jayson Tatum added 19 points and Gordon Hayward scored 18 for the Celtics, who posted a season high in points and improved to 2-2 at Disney World.Boston shot 20 of 39 from 3-point range.The Celtics bolted to a fast start, scoring 71 points in the first half on 8-of-17 shooting from 3-point range and never let up. They led by as many as 21 before the break while Walker rested his sore knee.Jeremiah Martin scored 20 points and Joe Harris had 14 for the Nets.Caris LeVert was held to 13 points, after scoring a career-high 51 in an overtime victory over the Celtics in March just before the suspension of the season because of the coronavirus pandemic.But the Nets, a day after knocking off NBA-leading Milwaukee, were never competitive in this one.Harris said the Nets didn't play the ''right way.'' He pointed toward too many turnovers, a lack of defense and not enough ball movement.''Against a team that is more talented you are going to end up losing the way we did,'' Harris said. ''... It's the ebbs and flow of the NBA and you have to take the good with the bad.'' The third-place Celtics (45-23) are 4 1/2 games behind second-seeded Toronto and two games ahead of Miami. The Nets (32-36) remain in seventh place in the East and will have to wait for another day to clinch a playoff spot.TIP-INSNets: Shot 8 of 32 from 3-point range.Celtics: All 14 Celtics that played scored.BRING THE DStevens praised the defensive effort of Romeo Langford.''He's a good worker and one of our more solid defenders and that will give him a chance to play, especially with the way we played the first couple of weeks,'' Stevens said.UP NEXTNets: Play Kings on Friday.Celtics: Play Raptors on Friday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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MLB |
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8/5/2020 |
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FOUND
15
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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-101
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+1.5 (-239)
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Over 7.5 (+104)
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-108
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-1.5 (+210)
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Under 7.5 (-117)
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GAME PREVIEW
Phillies, Yankees playing two after multiple delaysWeather and safety concerns are causing the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies to struggle in an attempt to play four games against each other.Facing time constraints in a 60-game season, the Yankees and Phillies will play a unique doubleheader Wednesday in Philadelphia.Neither team confirmed their exact pitching plans, but New York is expected to start J. A. Happ for one of the games while Philadelphia is expected to start Aaron Nola. The next starters in the respective rotations are New York's Jordan Montgomery and Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler.It will be the first seven-inning doubleheader under the new rules designed to finish games more quickly. The Yankees will be the home team in the opener after Tuesday's originally scheduled game at Yankee Stadium was postponed Monday afternoon due to heavy rains pelting New York.When the doubleheader gets underway, it will be after five postponements. The teams were originally slated to play a four-game home-and-home series last week but it was postponed after numerous members of the Miami Marlins tested positive for coronavirus after playing their season-opening series in Philadelphia."Hey, it's 2020 and playing in this environment, so we have to be able to adapt to it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I feel like we will be able to, but it obviously creates some challenges. The seven-inning doubleheader situation makes things a bit more manageable. We have all the people in there to kind of get through it and we will embrace the challenge of it all." The Yankees will be the home team in a road ballpark for the first time since getting a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on April 15, 1998 at Shea Stadium when a beam fell into the seating area at Yankee Stadium.After the postponements, the Yankees were able to quickly resume playing while the Phillies were unable to play until Monday when New York hit three homers in a 6-3 win at Yankee Stadium.The Yankees will take a seven-game winning streak into the doubleheader and their 8-1 start is their best since the 2003 season. DJ LeMahieu, Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela homered, giving the Yankees 20 and matching their highest total through nine games in team history.Because of the postponements, the Phillies started a stretch of playing 57 games in 56 days Monday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last team to play 57 games in 56 days was the 1998 Yankees, and Philadelphia last did it during the 1983 season.Besides having games with the Yankees postponed, the Phillies had a weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays postponed and experienced a 67-minute rain delay Monday before taking a bus back to Philadelphia."I think someone on this call could write a pretty good book with some of the stuff we've had to face this year," Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. "You get a rain delay tonight. It's been a strange year, but I really believe our players have adapted to it pretty well. If they continue to do that, good things are going to happen." Girardi is hoping some good things start to happen to his hitters and relievers. The Phillies are hitting .239 and their relievers are pitching to a 6.75 ERA (11 earned runs, 14 2/3 innings) so far.Happ will be pitching for the first time since allowing four runs on four hits in four innings of Thursday's 8-6 win at Baltimore while Montgomery will be pitching after allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings in a 5-1 win over Boston on Friday.Happ is 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA in five career starts against the Phillies while Montgomery has never faced Philadelphia.Nola is pitching for the first time since July 24 when he allowed four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to Miami.While Nola has never faced the Yankees, Zack Wheeler is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in three career starts against New York and is pitching for the first time since allowing one run in seven innings on July 25 against the Marlins.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Visiting Phils beat Yankees 11-7 at home to open twin billPHILADELPHIA Playing a road game in their home ballpark, the Philadelphia Phillies came out swinging against the powerful New York Yankees.Bryce Harper and J. T. Realmuto homered to back Zack Wheeler and lead the ''visiting'' Phillies to an 11-7 victory over the Yankees, snapping New York's seven-game winning streak in the opener of a seven-inning doubleheader in Philadelphia on Wednesday.Wheeler (2-0) allowed three runs - two earned - and six hits in six innings in his second start since signing a $118 million, five-year deal in free agency.''It's a tough lineup,'' Wheeler said. ''You have to make pitches and execute.'' Aaron Judge hit his seventh homer in just the 10th game of the season for the Yankees, who made the Phillies turn to closer Hector Neris for the final out after taking an eight-run lead into the last inning.New York beat the Phillies 6-3 Monday night in the Bronx but rain postponed Tuesday's game, forcing the teams to play a home-and-home twin bill in Philly.The Yankees wore their road gray uniforms and sat in the visitor's clubhouse. A hype video for the Yankees played on the video screen before the game.When they took the field, the public address announcer said: ''Your New York Yankees.'' Phillies fans standing outside the stadium beyond center field booed that announcement.Yankees hitters also heard their walk-up music when they came to the plate.The Phillies played just their fifth game of the season and second after being forced to wait seven days following a COVID-19 outbreak among the Marlins that started opening weekend in Philadelphia.Yankees lefty J. A. Happ (0-1) gave up four runs on three hits and six walks in three innings in his first career loss vs. the Phillies. Happ entered 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA against his former team.''I tried to be aggressive throughout, maybe try a little too hard,'' Happ said. ''Made some pitches and didn't get the benefit of a doubt. I have to make them put the ball in play. I have to force the issue better than I did.'' Even though fans aren't permitted in the ballpark, they made plenty of noise from the streets. Someone rang a cowbell and another person played the drums on and off for a few innings, including nonstop for several minutes in the fifth.''You hear them,'' Wheeler said. ''It's pretty cool.'' After Brett Gardner lined a two-run homer to right on an 0-2 pitch in the second to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead, Happ lost control in the third.Happ walked Andrew McCutchen and Harper hit a two-run shot on an 0-2 pitch one out later. Happ then walked Realmuto, allowed a bloop single to Jean Segura and walked Scott Kingery. He walked Phil Gosselin to force in a run and Roman Quinn's grounder drove in another run to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.Realmuto connected off Nick Nelson in the fifth to extend the lead to 5-3. The Phillies then scored six runs off Nelson in the sixth to put it away. Rhys Hoskins, Realmuto, Kingery and Didi Gregorius each had RBI singles before Luis Cessa replaced Nelson.Judge launched a three-run shot off lefty Austin Davis in a four-run seventh. Neris entered the game to retire Miguel Andujar with two on for his first save.''Look, it's a different game once it gets to where it was,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ''I'm glad with the competitive at-bats we had.'' TOSSEDYankees third base coach Phil Nevin was ejected by plate umpire Angel Hernandez after arguing a called third strike on Mike Ford with one out in the seventh.SPOTTING BRYCEThe Phillies are placing cardboard cutouts of players in the seats where their home runs land. A cutout of Harper was quickly added in the right-center field stands after he connected.TRAINER'S ROOMYankees: Closer Aroldis Chapman, who tested positive for COVID-19 last month, was scheduled to throw a bullpen on Wednesday. It's uncertain when the lefty will be activated. ... Cessa was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. The righty tested positive for COVID-19 before camp opened. ... RHP Tommy Kahnle had Tommy John surgery Tuesday. The procedure was performed by Dr. Christopher Ahmad at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. ... Andujar made his first appearance at third base in the regular season since shoulder surgery on May 20 last year.Phillies: RHP Seranthony Dominguez finally had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last Thursday. Dominguez had to wait for surgery because of the coronavirus pandemic.UP NEXTPhillies ace RHP Aaron Nola (0-1) was set to pitch the nightcap and RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (1-0) was slated to pitch for the Yankees.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
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TOTAL |
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+106
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+1.5 (-219)
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Over 7 (-118)
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-114
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-1.5 (+193)
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Under 7 (+105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Day after return, Marlins to play 2 vs. O'sAfter the long wait without baseball, the Miami Marlins will be getting a heavy dose of it on Wednesday.Miami's pitching was well rested and brilliant on Tuesday night at Orioles Park at Camden Yards -- the Marlins' first game since July 26 -- and the club gets right back at it with a doubleheader against Baltimore on Wednesday. The first game's first pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. ET.The teams will take a 30-minute break between games before playing again. The Orioles will be the home side for Game 1, and the Marlins will be home in Game 2 in the two seven-inning games.The four-game series was originally scheduled as a two-game set in Miami on July 27-28 and two more in Baltimore on July 29-30. But after an outbreak of COVID-19 swept through the Marlins' clubhouse following their season-opening series in Philadelphia, Miami was forced to take the next week off.The Marlins are currently playing without starting position players Garrett Cooper, Jorge Alfaro, Miguel Rojas and Harold Ramirez. Starting pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Jose Urena and Caleb Smith are also out.On Tuesday night in a return that must have felt like starting all over again, Miami watched starting pitcher Pablo Lopez and four relievers combine on a three-hit shutout in a 4-0 victory over the Orioles.The staff struck out a season-high 11 and allowed just four baserunners.Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter said the organization should learn a lesson from the severity of its COVID-19 outbreak."The entire traveling party is responsible for not following the protocols as is instructed," Jeter said on a Zoom call on Monday. "That includes coaches, staff and players. Everyone has seen the impact. They've seen their teammates get sick. I know they all have a new level of appreciation (for the virus' danger)."Hopefully, this has been a wakeup call for everyone. Not only on our team, but the rest of baseball and sports, in general." Baltimore produced very little offense in losing for the first time in four games.Center fielder Austin Hays snapped an 0-for-15 slump with a slow grounder up the left side in the second inning. He had been 3-for-30 before that hit and added another single and a stolen base in the fifth.Left fielder DJ Stewart went 0-for-2 with a pair of strikeouts and a walk, leaving him hitless on the season and mired in an 0-for-14 skid with eight whiffs."I think he's pressing," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said of Stewart. "I think he's trying a little too hard. It just seems like every swing he's trying to hit the baseball on top of the warehouse." Miami's Elieser Hernandez will make his season debut and first career appearance against the Orioles opposite Alex Cobb (1-0, 2.89) in a duel of right-handers.Cobb earned a win over the Red Sox in Boston on July 25 and will be making his third start. The Florida native is 3-2 with a 2.78 ERA in five career starts against the Marlins, allowing just 10 runs on 21 hits in 32 1/3 innings pitched.While Miami didn't announce a starter for Game 2, Baltimore will send out righty Asher Wojciechowski (0-1, 7.20), who fanned seven in five innings but allowed three homers to the New York Yankees on July 29 in his 2020 debut.Wojciechowski will make his first career start against Miami, sporting no record and a 0.00 ERA in two relief appearances totaling 3 2/3 innings.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Marlins win again, blank Orioles 1-0 in doubleheader openerBALTIMORE Brian Anderson hit a fourth-inning homer off Alex Cobb and the Miami Marlins won their second straight since returning from a coronavirus-prompted layoff, beating the Baltimore Orioles 1-0 Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader.Doubleheaders this season are seven-inning games, one of many rules designed to get the 30 teams and their pitchers through a dense 60-game schedule. As a nod to the first game of its kind at Camden Yards, the public address system blared ''Thank God I'm a Country Boy'' after the top of the fourth instead of its usual slot during the seventh-inning stretch.Miami improved to 4-1 with its second successive shutout win over the Orioles. After yielding three hits in a 4-0 victory on Tuesday night, the Marlins permitted only three hits in this one.And so, a team that was inactive for eight days after 18 players tested positive for COVID-19 finds itself atop the NL East by percentage points in this absolutely unpredictable baseball season. The Marlins had to scramble to fill out the roster after filling their injured list, and the new-look club still hasn't given up a run.The Orioles entered this series coming off a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay, but their bats have been completely silent against a Miami pitching staff that is not considered to be anything close to extraordinary.''It was a tough game for us offensively. Yesterday was a tough game for us offensively. Just having a tough time getting it going,'' Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. ''We just didn't square many balls up. I don't know if we have guys pressing or what it is.'' Elieser Hernandez allowed two hits over 4 1/3 innings and Brandon Kintzler worked the seventh for his second save.After getting 15 starts of 21 appearances last year, Hernandez is looking to be a guy who pitches every fifth day.''I get inspired seeing these guys pitch,'' the right-hander said. ''I want to join the rotation and help the team.'' Hernandez gave up a one-out double to Chance Sisco in the fifth and Pedro Severino followed with a single before Nick Vincent (1-0) got Hanser Alberto to hit into a double play, ending Baltmore's only threat.Anderson produced the game's lone run with an opposite-field drive to right. It was one of the Marlins' two hits, both off Cobb (1-1).Realizing Hernandez and Cobb were locked in a duel, Anderson said he was ''trying to put something up for our pitchers. It was just a matter of getting that ball up in the zone and putting a good swing on it.'' Tuesday night's game was originally scheduled for July 29 and the first game of the doubleheader was a makeup for July 30. The Marlins were to serve as the ''home'' team in the nightcap and on Thursday to make up for two games scheduled in Miami on July 27-28.ROOKIE LIFEThe Marlins' battle with COVID-19 has cleared the way for two rookies to make their major league debut.Outfielder Monte Harrison got his first taste of big league ball Tuesday night, and second baseman Eddy Alvarez - a silver medalist U. S. Olympic speedskater in 2014 - joined the fray Wednesday.Both are still looking for their first hit.TRAINER'S ROOMMarlins: OF Matt Joyce, who missed all of summer camp with the coronavirus, said his antibodies tests have come back negative and he continues to observe protocols. Eighteen of his teammates ended up being infected. Joyce came off the injured list Tuesday.Orioles: LHP John Means was placed on bereavement list. Hyde was uncertain if Means would be back for his next start, tentatively Sunday in Washington. ''He's dealing with a family matter and we're going to give him some space and time,'' Hyde said.UP NEXTAsher Wojciechowski was slated to pitch for Baltimore in the nightcap. Miami manager Don Mattingly planned to make it a bullpen game.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+204
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+1.5 (+105)
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Over 8.5 (-119)
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-226
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-1.5 (-116)
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Under 8.5 (+105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Scherzer, Porcello face off looking for 1st winsMax Scherzer and Rick Porcello spent the first half of the 2010s as teammates with the Detroit Tigers and the rest of the decade continuing to build reputations as two of the most successful and durable pitchers in Major League Baseball.But while Scherzer is off to a familiar start in the 2020s with the Washington Nationals, Porcello will be looking to rediscover his old form with his new team, the New York Mets, when the two right-handers oppose each other Wednesday night in the finale of a two-game series in Washington.The Nationals won the opener Tuesday, when Howie Kendrick went 4-for-4 with a homer in a 5-3 victory.Scherzer (0-1, 2.84 ERA) won his first Cy Young with the Tigers in 2013 before cementing his Hall of Fame candidacy by winning back-to-back Cy Youngs with the Nationals in 2016 and '17 and posting two more top-3 finishes in 2018 and '19. He finished the 2010s as the major league leader in wins (161) and strikeouts (2,452) while ranking second in innings pitched (2,063 2/3) and third in starts (319).Though he's winless in his first two starts, Scherzer's 21 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings are tied for sixth in the majors entering Wednesday. He allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out 10 over 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his most recent start July 29, when he didn't factor into the decision in the Nationals' 4-0, 10-inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.Not too bad for a guy making his first start as a 36-year-old. Scherzer, who celebrated his birthday July 27, opposed 23-year-old Blue Jays phenom Nate Pearson, who tossed five scoreless innings in his big-league debut."Man, I'm just getting old," Scherzer said. "I'm an old guy in the league now, it's official. They try to get rid of 36-year-olds now." Porcello (0-2, 13.50) is a mere pup at 31, but is hoping to prove he's not in the midst of a decline after struggling in his first two starts with the Mets following a 2019 in which he posted a 5.52 ERA, the highest in the majors among qualified starters, for the Boston Red Sox.That ended an otherwise successful decade for Porcello, who won the American League Cy Young Award with the Red Sox in 2016 and ranked among the top 10 for the decade in starts (fifth with 308), wins (seventh with 135) and innings pitched (eighth with 1,866 2/3).Porcello relied on gallows humor after his most recent start last Friday, when he didn't factor into the decision after allowing four runs (three earned) over four innings in the Mets' 11-10 loss to the Atlanta Braves."I made it past the second, so that was a positive," Porcello said, alluding to his two-inning stint in a 14-1 loss to the Braves in his first start this season.Scherzer is 10-5 with a 2.63 ERA in 21 games (20 starts) against the Mets, whom he no-hit on Oct. 3, 2015. Porcello is 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts against the Nationals.This will be the second matchup between Scherzer and Porcello, who were teammates on the Tigers from 2010-14. Porcello earned the win and Scherzer took the loss on July 2, 2018, when Porcello laced a three-run double off Scherzer in the Red Sox's 4-3 victory.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Scherzer exits; Porcello gets 150th win, Mets top Soto, NatsWASHINGTON Max Scherzer is the type who is going to try to play if he possibly can, even on a tweaked right hamstring that prevents him from driving his lower body into his pitches.So the three-time Cy Young Award winner gave it a shot Wednesday night for the Washington Nationals against the New York Mets. It was clear right away -- to him and his catcher, pitching coach, manager -- that the usual power and command were missing.Scherzer exited because of the leg issue after laboring through just one inning, overshadowing Juan Soto's eventful 2020 debut for the World Series champs, and Rick Porcello collected his 150th career win in the New York Mets' 3-1 victory over Washington.''The best decision,'' said Scherzer, who needed 27 pitches to get three outs then gave way to Erick Fedde, ''was just to get out of the game.'' He revealed afterward that he first felt something wrong with the hamstring before his previous start, six days earlier against Toronto. But he pitched anyway in that one and ended up throwing an MLB season-high 112 pitches across 7 1/3 scoreless innings.The leg acted up again when Scherzer was doing his usual sprinting Tuesday ahead of facing the Mets.''He said he was good enough to pitch,'' manager Dave Martinez said. ''He went out there and he couldn't really push off. I mean, that's what we noticed.'' Scherzer's fastball was in the low 90s and he walked the first hitter, then gave up a single to the second.Mets DH Dominic Smith - who drove in two runs, including one off Scherzer in the first with a sacrifice fly - spotted replays of the righty grimacing when he came off the mound.''It goes to show how much of a competitor and no matter how much he was going through, he was going to give it what he did,'' Smith said. ''We were shocked when we saw Fedde warming up in the second.'' The good news for Washington, which already has been without World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg this season because of a nerve issue in his throwing hand: Scherzer thinks this is a minor blip he'll quickly put behind him.''I wasn't going to push past my limit,'' Scherzer said. ''I'm really not concerned about this. I feel like this is going to heal up pretty soon.'' Porcello (1-1) called it ''an incredible feeling'' to get his milestone win, going seven innings, allowing one run and five hits and retiring the last 10 batters he faced.''He's been working on his changeup and I saw some real good ones. Good cutter, slider, and mixed it well,'' New York manager Luis Rojas said. ''What a great performance.'' Luis Guillorme -- starting at second base with Robinson Cano on the injured list -- provided a go-ahead RBI single in the fourth off Fedde (0-1).Soto went on the COVID-19 IL on opening day after failing a test -- he thinks it was a false positive -- and he put on quite a show Wednesday for the 16 cutouts of his family members positioned in the first few rows of the Nationals Park left-field corner.Martinez joked that everyone else on his team is going to want to their own personal rooting sections, too.''He opened up a can of worms,'' Martinez said. ''I'd like to get some of my kids out there.'' In Soto's first official at-bat since October, the 21-year-old outfielder had a run-scoring double. He singled his second time up, although he was soon tagged out when he slid off the bag trying to go first-to-third on a teammate's hit.Soto also came up with a highlight-reel, cap-and-sunglasses-flying, head-first diving catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Andres Gimenez in the second.But Soto struck out in his last at-bat to end the game, whiffing on a 97 mph high fastball from Seth Lugo, who retired all six batters he faced for his second save in four chances.TRAINER'S ROOMMets: RHP Marcus Stroman (torn muscle, left calf) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Thursday. ... Cano (strained left leg muscle) predicted he wouldn't need to miss more than the minimum 10 days.Nationals: Strasburg threw 32 pitches in a simulated game.UP NEXTMets: After playing 13 games in 13 days, they get their first off-day of the season Thursday, then open a seven-game homestand Friday. They'll host Miami for three games, Washington for four.Nationals: After Thursday's fifth day off in a week, they start a three-game series Friday against visiting Baltimore.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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+136
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+1.5 (-141)
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Over 8.5 (-102)
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-147
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-1.5 (+127)
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Under 8.5 (-111)
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GAME PREVIEW
Skid broken, Rays go for sweep of Red SoxWith Austin Meadows back and a five-game losing streak snapped, things are looking up again for the Tampa Bay Rays.And it couldn't come at a better time as the Rays seek to finish off a two-game sweep of the slumping Boston Red Sox on Wednesday at St. Petersburg, Fla. A win would put Tampa Bay back at .500 at the 20 percent mark of the 60-game season before hosting the New York Yankees for a pivotal four-game weekend series beginning Friday.The Rays send left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (0-1, 1.54 ERA) to the mound looking to hand the Red Sox their fifth straight loss. Boston counters with southpaw Martin Perez (1-1, 5.06).Offense had been a bugaboo for the Rays during their skid, with the team batting a collective .210 entering Tuesday's contest. With 2019 All-Star Meadows hitting leadoff in his return from the COVID-19 injury list and a little help from the home ballpark, Tampa Bay pounded out nine hits in besting Boston 5-1."We missed Austin in a lot of ways," said teammate Joey Wendle, who had three hits in the win. "His numbers last year speak for themselves, but I don't think that does what he did last year justice. Just the presence he was in our lineup makes the hitters around him better." Meadows went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple on Tuesday, but the big blow came on a Hunter Renfroe two-run double in the fourth inning that was made possible when a foul ball off his bat that looked catchable bounced off one of the dome's roof rings at Tropicana Field. The Rays grabbed the lead, and the bullpen kept the Red Sox scoreless the rest of the way.That isn't to say Boston didn't have its chances. The visitors wasted a two-on, one-out chance in the eighth inning before loading the bases with one out in the ninth. Nick Anderson came on for Tampa Bay and struck out Jose Peraza and Andrew Benintendi looking to end the game."We had opportunities to get those big hits that we've been looking for," Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. "... I know we haven't scored enough runs like we're going to." Benintendi is particularly struggling at 2-for-29 and could get Wednesday off against the lefty Yarbrough. Fellow outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. snapped an 0-for-20 drought with a ninth-inning single Tuesday.Yarbrough has been the Rays' most effective starter this season, though he took the loss despite holding the Atlanta Braves to two runs on two hits over 6 1/3 innings in his last outing. The 28-year-old is 3-1 with a 4.84 ERA lifetime in nine games (three starts) against the Red Sox.After a shaky debut for Boston, Perez limited the New York Mets to two runs on two hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win in his last start. The 29-year-old has had a rocky past at Tropicana Field, where he is 1-3 with an 8.39 ERA in five games (four starts).The Red Sox and Rays will meet again for a four-game series in Boston beginning Monday.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Verdugo, Chavis homer to back Pérez as Red Sox beat Rays 5-0ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Martin Perez pitched out of trouble all night, and Alex Verdugo and Michael Chavis homered to help the Boston Red Sox stop a four-game skid Wednesday with a 5-0 victory over the slumping Tampa Bay Rays.Perez (2-1) allowed four hits and three walks, wiggling out of jams for five innings. He struck out four.The left-hander held Tampa Bay to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and induced two double-play grounders. The Rays had a man on second with no outs in both the first and fourth.Colten Brewer, Austin Brice, Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman completed a four-hitter.Tampa Bay has dropped six of seven, scoring 18 runs during that stretch. The Rays (5-7) have trailed in 11 of 12 games this season, including their last 10.Verdugo added to his success against left-handed pitching with a two-run homer off Ryan Yarbrough (0-2) that opened the scoring in the fourth. The left-handed hitter is 38 for 115 (.330) when facing a lefty since the start of the 2019 season.Christian Vazquez had an RBI single and scored on Chavis' shot in the sixth that put Boston (4-8) up 5-0.Chavis finished 3 for 4.Yarbrough gave up five runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.Yandy Diaz had two hits for the Rays.TRAINER'S ROOMRed Sox: Third base coach Carlos Febles, who didn't make the trip after an inconclusive coronavirus test, had a negative test.Rays: LHP Brendan McKay (coronavirus) threw a two-inning simulated game at the alternate training site.UP NEXTRed Sox: After a day off Thursday, the Red Sox start a three-game home series against Toronto on Friday night.Rays: LHP Blake Snell takes the mound Friday night in the first of a four-game set against the AL East-leading New York Yankees. ''There's no better feeling than beating the Yankees,'' Snell said. There will be a pair of seven-inning games in a doubleheader Saturday.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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-168
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-1.5 (-109)
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Over 9.5 (+102)
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+154
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+1.5 (-101)
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Under 9.5 (-114)
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GAME PREVIEW
Pirates turn to Williams hoping to cool scorching TwinsThe Pittsburgh Pirates will turn to right-hander Trevor Williams to try and snap a six-game losing streak when they begin a five-game homestand on Wednesday night against Nelson Cruz and the red-hot Minnesota Twins.The Pirates own baseball's worst record at 2-9 and ended a five-game road trip by getting swept in a two-game series at Minnesota, capped by a 7-3 loss on Tuesday afternoon.Williams (0-2, 5.40 ERA), who has never faced the Twins, started the road trip with a 6-3 loss to the Cubs in Wrigley Field on Friday, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings while striking out six.Although over a sixth of the 60-game season is already behind them, Williams said it's imperative for the Pirates not to press."It's easy to fall into a trap in a season like we have where every loss kind of gets amplified where 'Man, that loss counted as five or six,'" Williams told MLB.com. "But we showed up at the yard (Tuesday) expecting to win."It's little things here and there that we're tightening up. We're all pulling for each other in this clubhouse knowing that we have the ability to string some wins together and get hot." Speaking of hot, no one is hotter than the 40-year-old Cruz, who leads the majors in RBIs (15) and is batting an eye-popping .737 (14-for-19) with runners on base. He went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's win, Minnesota's fifth in a row and the capper to a 7-1 homestand."No clue man," Cruz replied when asked by a reporter if he had any reason for his hot start. "I just try to get good at-bats. It seems like when I have runners on base, that is when I'm at my best. I guess my focus goes up and the willingness to get something going for the team." Cruz said he had no idea he was batting over .700 with runners on base."I knew I was doing good, but I didn't know the numbers," he said. "It's part of my job, you know? I'm not the fastest guy on the team so I guess my job when I find runners on base (is) to try and drive them in." Right-hander Randy Dobnak (1-1, 1.00), who grew up in the Pittsburgh area attending Pirates games, will make his first start against his hometown team.Dobnak, who moved into the starting rotation when All-Star Jake Odorizzi went on the injured list with upper back tightness, has allowed just one run in nine innings in two starts. He pitched five shutout innings while picking up the win on Friday in a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out four.Minnesota's 9-2 record ties the franchise record for its best start after 11 games. The Twins also did it in 2001 while the Washington Senators accomplished the feat in 1930."I feel in a good spot based on the way our guys played today," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters. "No doubt about that. All sides of the ball. After a long homestand, guys kept their focus and just continued to go out there and have great at-bats. Pitched well, played well in the field. ... It was a great way to cap off the homestand, and a memorable one at that." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Dobnak shines in homecoming, Twins top reeling Pirates 5-2PITTSBURGH Minnesota's Randy Dobnak dominated in his homecoming, allowing three hits in six innings as the streaking Twins topped the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Wednesday night.Dobnak, who grew up a half-hour south of PNC Park in the Pittsburgh suburb of South Park, didn't walk a batter and struck out just one. The 25-year-old relied on a heavy fastball the Pirates pounded into the ground. Pittsburgh managed just four balls out of the infield against Dobnak, who dropped his ERA to 0.60.Marwin Gonzalez went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Twins. Max Kepler gave Minnesota some breathing room in the ninth with a three-run home run off Pirates' reliever Dovydas Neverauskas.Pittsburgh's Trevor Williams (0-3) became the first Pirate this season to pitch seven innings. Williams allowed just one run, a flare to left field by Gonzalez in the second that scored Jake Cave. The ball was initially ruled foul, but that was overturned by replay, with Cave being awarded home because he was well past third by the time the ball fell in.Williams struck out five against one walk and three hits, but Pittsburgh's overworked bullpen faltered in the ninth. The Pirates have dropped seven consecutive games, and their 2-10 record is the worst in baseball.Minnesota improved to 10-2 following its sixth straight win, matching the best start in franchise history set by the 1930 Washington Senators.A year after blasting their way to 101 wins and the AL Central title behind a staggering 307 home runs, the Twins are relying just as heavily on pitching and defense to get by in 2020. The work of Dobnak and three relievers dropped Minnesota's team ERA to 2.69, second-lowest in the American League behind Cleveland.Facing the worst-hitting team in the National League helped. Seven of Pittsburgh's nine starters Wednesday entered the game hitting under .200 and the team's batting average dipped to a paltry .189.Josh Bell went 3 for 4 and hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot in the ninth, but the rest of the Pirates lineup went a combined 1 for 26.TATTERED BULLPENThe long list of Pittsburgh relievers who are dealing with an injury now includes Nick Burdi. The reliever's season is over after he reported right elbow problems after taking the loss in extra innings on Monday. Burdi - who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017 and missed most of 2019 while dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome - was filling in as closer while Keone Kela recovers from COVID-19. ... Right-hander Michael Feliz (right forearm strain) is also out for the year while Clay Holmes (forearm) and Kyle Crick (right shoulder strain) are out indefinitely.UP NEXTTwins: Kenta Maeda (2-0, 1.64 ERA) will try to remain unbeaten since being acquired by Minnesota in the offseason. Maeda went 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA in three career appearances against the Pirates while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Pirates: Rookie JT Brubaker will make his first major league start. Brubaker has thrown five scoreless innings in relief this season.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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+115
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+1.5 (-163)
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Over 9.5 (+100)
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-124
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-1.5 (+147)
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Under 9.5 (-112)
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GAME PREVIEW
Newcomb gets another turn in Braves' rotation vs. JaysWith their young starting rotation loaded with question marks, the Atlanta Braves will get another look at Sean Newcomb on Wednesday when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the second game of a three-game series.The Braves lost ace Mike Soroka to a season-ending Achilles injury on Monday and earlier designated former All-Star Mike Foltynewicz for assignment because of concern over his loss of velocity. That leaves Max Fried, who started and won on Tuesday, as the only bona fide member of the rotation and places Newcomb among the young contenders with the opportunity to fill the other slots.Newcomb (0-0, 8.22 ERA) proved to be quite effective in middle relief last season, but was pressed into service this year as a starter -- a role he prefers -- when free agent Cole Hamels was sidelined with a sore shoulder and Felix Hernandez opted out because of COVID-19 concerns.Newcomb will get his third start of the season on Tuesday when he's matched against Toronto's Hyun Jin Ryu (0-1, 8.00).Newcomb has pitched a combined 7 2/3 innings in his two starts, with bouts of wildness inflating his pitch count and forcing him out of games early. He threw 4 1/3 innings against the New York Mets on Friday, but left after throwing 79 pitches, only 49 for strikes. Newcomb was tagged for six runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts in a game the Braves came back to win 11-10."It's a total thing. It's not just go out and have two or three good innings," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters of Newcomb. "A good outing is what you're looking for and you have to put an end on it. He wasn't able to do it." Newcomb has two career appearances against the Blue Jays, both in relief a year ago. He threw 2 2/3 innings and allowed one run on one hit and three walks with four strikeouts.Ryu, who signed as a free agent in the offseason, will make his third start in search of his first win with his new team. His last start came Thursday against the Washington Nationals, when he pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits and one walk, striking out five."I could have changed my game plan a little bit and made in-game adjustments," Ryu said. "Maybe they were sitting on breaking balls and off-speed pitches. I could have made some changes, looking back it, but things didn't go the way I'd hoped for." Ryu was 1-1 against the Braves last year when he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which included a complete-game shutout on May 7. He is 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta.The Braves are not having trouble scoring runs. Dansby Swanson is batting .340 and is tied for the National League lead in RBIs with 13. Ronald Acuna Jr., who was off to a slow start and was hitting .152 at the end of July, reached base four times on Tuesday and lifted his average to .250.The Blue Jays got center fielder Randal Grichuk back from a balky back Tuesday and he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Toronto's 10-1 loss to Atlanta.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Ryu, 'pen team on 3-hitter, Blue Jays beat depleted BravesATLANTA Hyun-Jin Ryu combined with four relievers on a three-hitter and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the shorthanded Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Wednesday night.Ryu lasted only five innings but was dominant as he gave up only one hit, an infield single by Adam Duvall in the second.Duvall homered in the seventh off Thomas Hatch.Anthony Bass issued a one-out walk in the ninth to Marcell Ozuna, who moved to second on Travis d'Arnaud's single to left field. Duvall hit into a double play to end the game as Bass earned his second save.Ryu (1-1) struck out eight as he showed the form that produced a majors-leading 2.32 ERA for the Dodgers in 2019. The left-hander from South Korea had an 8.00 ERA in his first two starts for Toronto.''I wish this win would have come a lot earlier,'' Ryu said through a translator. ''I guess the third time is the charm. I hope this sets me up for future success.'' Ryu signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Blue Jays in December. The strong start helped the Blue Jays end a three-game losing streak.''That's the guy we were expecting, changing speeds, keeping hitters off balance,'' Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. ''That's a great sign for us, that he pitched like that, and a boost for us.'' The Braves were forced to recast their lineup after placing Ozzie Albies and Matt Adams on the injured list and giving Freddie Freeman a day off.The new-look lineup, which included Charlie Culberson at second base and Austin Riley at first base, didn't resemble the unit which had 13 hits in a 10-1 win over the Blue Jays on Tuesday night.Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the second when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled just beyond Ender Inciarte's leaping attempt at a catch at the center-field wall. Guerrero scored from third on Danny Jansen's fly ball to right field.Bo Bichette singled, stole second and scored on Cavan Biggio's single in the fifth. The run-scoring hit by Biggio knocked Sean Newcomb (0-1) out of the game after the left-hander allowed five hits and two runs in 4 2/3 innings.Left-hander Ryan Borucki struck out Freeman, who was pinch-hitting for Riley, after Duvall's homer. Right-hander Jordan Romano struck out Ronald Acuna Jr. to cap a perfect eighth.ENCOURAGING STARTBraves manager Brian Snitker saw good signs in Newcomb's start. The Braves need the left-hander to solidify a spot in a rotation which this week lost ace Mike Soroka to a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon.''That was encouraging tonight from Newcomb,'' Snitker said, adding the start was ''a lot better'' than his first two outings.''We kept the game right there,'' he said. ''We just couldn't get a big hit.'' BUFFALO BOUNDFollowing Thursday night's final game of the three-game series in Atlanta and three games in Boston, the Blue Jays will finally play their first game at their temporary 2020 home in Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday against Miami. Modifications are being made to the field and clubhouses.Right-hander Nate Pearson, who made a brief stop at Triple-A Buffalo, already can provide a scouting report: Sahlen Field is a pitcher's park.''It's pretty cool,'' Pearson said. ''I like pitching there. I think it's a pretty fair ballpark.''I really liked the mound. I thought it was nice and tall. I felt like I got on the hitters pretty well. I felt like it's a pitcher's park instead of a hitter's park.'' TRAINER'S ROOMBlue Jays: OF Derek Fisher (left quad strain) was placed on the 10-day IL and OF Billy McKinney was recalled before the game. ... INF Travis Shaw, who was activated on Tuesday after being placed on family medical leave on July 27, was given another day out of the lineup to take batting practice and possibly be available as a pinch-hitter. ... Montoyo said ''there's a good chance'' RHP Chase Anderson (oblique) will pitch in relief, at least initially, when he returns from the IL.Braves: Albies (right wrist bone bruise) and Adams (left hamstring strain) were placed on the 10-day injured list. Albies will be shut down for a week in hopes he won't miss more than 10 days. OF Nick Markakis was reinstated from the restricted list and grounded out to first base as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. C Alex Jackson was recalled from the team's alternate training site.UP NEXTAfter throwing five scoreless innings against Washington in his debut on July 29, Pearson will try again for his first win in his second major league start when he faces Atlanta's Touki Toussaint (0-0) in Thursday night's final game of the three-game series.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+146
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+1.5 (-142)
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Over 8.5 (-105)
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-159
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-1.5 (+128)
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Under 8.5 (-107)
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GAME PREVIEW
Reds rookie Antone draws start vs. IndiansAfter splitting two games in Cincinnati to open the week, the Reds and Indians are set for two more in Cleveland.The Indians will look for a second straight win over the Reds on Wednesday night, and Cleveland will have a big edge in experience when it comes to the pitching matchup. Indians veteran right-hander Mike Clevinger will oppose Reds rookie right-hander Tejay Antone.Down 2-0 on Tuesday, the Indians rallied to tie the game with two runs in the seventh inning. In the eighth, Franmil Reyes clubbed a two-run homer that put the visitors up 4-2, which proved to be the final score.The victory ended a four-game slide for Cleveland, which had totaled six runs while losing five of the previous six contests. Though it was not an offensive breakout and the Indians managed just three hits, Tuesday's effort might be enough for Cleveland to start stringing some wins together."We know those bats are going to come around," starting pitcher Zach Plesac said. "We're in a great spot. We're going to catch fire soon." The Reds saw their three-game winning streak end. Since the beginning of the 2015 season, Cincinnati is 7-19 against the Indians.The Reds announced after Tuesday's game that their starter on Wednesday would be Antone, who will be making his second appearance in the majors and his first start.Luis Castillo was expected to get the start, but he will go Thursday in Cleveland. Trevor Bauer, who has expressed his desire to pitch on three days' rest, instead will stay on four days' rest when he pitches Friday in Milwaukee.Antone made his major league debut on July 27 against the Chicago Cubs. Pitching in relief, he went 4 1/3 innings and gave up just one run and one hit, a home run by Anthony Rizzo.The Texas native the Reds' fifth-round draft choice in 2014, and he made stops in Triple-A Louisville and Double-A Chattanooga last season, going 11-12 with a 4.00 ERA in 27 games, all but one of them as a starter.Despite his debut in relief, when he made 69 pitches, Antone said he's ready to make the start."This is my domain now," he said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. "This is what I'm used to. This is what I've done for the past six years of my pro career.He added that when he found out he would get the start, "I was almost more relieved. I'll do anything for this team, whatever role they need me, but I'm very excited to start." It's been a rather inconsistent opening for Clevinger (0-1, 4.91 ERA). The eccentric right-hander yielded two runs in seven innings against Kansas City in his first 2020 start, then was tagged for four while allowing six hits and walking five over four innings of a 4-1 loss at Minnesota on Friday. Clevinger has served up four home runs already in 2020."I think the biggest difficulty with me is I like to get after it," Clevinger said. "I like to go. I want to see change." He has not been all that good against the Reds, going 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA in three starts. Cincinnati's Joey Votto is 3-for-8 with a homer and two double versus Clevinger while Tucker Barnhart is 3-for-6 for a double and home run against him.Cincinnati's Nick Castellanos is 3-for-19 opposing Clevinger, but he is batting .368 while clubbing all six of his homers this season over the past seven contests. It's uncertain if Castellanos' teammate Mike Moustakas will be available after he left the Tuesday game with a bruised quad.The Indians are likely to again be without manager Terry Francona, who is dealing with a gastrointestinal issue that the club believes is not related to COVID-19.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Mercado's daring, Clevinger's start leads Indians past RedsCLEVELAND Oscar Mercado's gamble paid off for the pitching-rich, hitting-poor Indians.''It probably wasn't the smartest of plays, but it worked out,'' Mercado said.Mercado scored from second base on a ball that didn't leave the infield and Mike Clevinger delivered another strong start by Cleveland's staff as the Indians blanked the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Wednesday night in their fourth game without manager Terry Francona.Clevinger (1-1) worked around five walks, including three in the sixth. The right-hander's solid outing - he gave up just two hits - continued a pattern for the Indians, who have had great pitching while their offense remains in a team-wide funk.The Indians got just four hits after winning with only three Tuesday in Cincinnati. Cleveland came in hitting just .183 as a team and scoring has been a struggle for weeks.Cesar Hernandez hit an RBI single off Reds rookie Tejay Antone (0-1) and Mercado scored with some daring on the base paths to give the Indians a 2-0 lead in the fifth.Making his first major league start, Antone blanked Cleveland on just two hits, when his third straight walk to open an inning finally bit him.Antone walked Jordan Luplow to start the fifth and was lifted with one out by Reds manager David Bell, who didn't want to push his right-hander any further. Reliever Michael Lorenzen came on and walked Mercado before Hernandez delivered a run-scoring single.Jose Ramirez followed with a slow grounder that shortstop Freddy Galvis fielded and threw to second for a force, but Mercado never slowed at third, running past new coach third-base coach Tony Mansolino and beating second baseman Josh VanMeter's relay to the plate with a headfirst slide.''Once I made my mind up, I was going for it,'' Mercado said. ''In the game of baseball, sometimes you gotta take some chances. The way things are going for us right now, sometimes you gotta manufacture runs any way possible. I kind of blacked out and went for it.'' Cleveland played its fourth straight game without Francona, who remains away from the team to rest while dealing with a gastrointestinal problem he's had for months. Team president Chris Antonetti expects Francona to be absent for a least ''a few more days,'' so it's likely he'll skip the team's upcoming trip to Chicago.After Clevinger left, the Indians' bullpen did their part with 3 1/3 scoreless innings to close the combined three-hit shutout. Brad Hand struck out two in the ninth for his fourth save.Cleveland's relievers have not given up a run in 14 consecutive innings.Clevinger, who had to tune out former teammate Trevor Bauer's playful taunting, got himself into trouble with the three walks in the sixth. But after he left, Dominic Leone came in and struck out Nick Senzel with two on.Antone was pleased with his performance, but regretted the walks.''They were leadoff walks which are the worst of the worst,'' he said. ''I was setting myself up for failure and trying to be a little too cute. Mixture of me trying to do too much and not making the adjustments.'' STAFF SHIFTFrancona's absence led to a re-alignment across Cleveland's coaching ranks. First-base coach Sandy Alomar is filling in for Francona and assistant Kyle Hudson has taken Alomar's spot. For Wednesday's game, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh moved into the dugout to help Alomar and Mansolino was brought over from the Indians' alternate site.NEW PITCHClevinger wouldn't divulge it, but it appears he has added a cutter to his nasty repertoire.''It kind of has a mind of its own,'' he said. ''But it's definitely a fun one to throw.'' Bell noticed that Clevinger was throwing something different.''Clevinger's stuff was good,'' he said. ''Looked like he had a new cutter. We knew he was good coming in but we also know we have to score runs, especially when we get walks.'' TRAINER'S ROOMReds: 2B Mike Moustakas sat out with a deep left quadriceps bruise sustained in Tuesday's game. Bell said the injury ''could be a lot worse'' and that Moustakas may return to the lineup as early as Thursday or Friday.Indians: C Roberto Perez (shoulder) continues to make progress. He has been doing some light throwing and hitting at the club's alternate training site. ... OF Tyler Naquin (hairline toe fracture) is also nearing a return as is Delino DeShields, slowed since testing positive for coronavirus before reporting to camp. He could be activated this week.UP NEXTCarlos Carrasco starts for Cleveland and Luis Castillo for Cincinnati as the teams complete their four-game, home-and-home series dubbed the Ohio Cup since interleague play began in 1997.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-112
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-1.5 (+169)
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Over 7 (-111)
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+104
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+1.5 (-190)
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Under 7 (-101)
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GAME PREVIEW
Phillies, Yankees playing two after multiple delaysWeather and safety concerns are causing the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies to struggle in an attempt to play four games against each other.Facing time constraints in a 60-game season, the Yankees and Phillies will play a unique doubleheader Wednesday in Philadelphia.Neither team confirmed their exact pitching plans, but New York is expected to start J. A. Happ for one of the games while Philadelphia is expected to start Aaron Nola. The next starters in the respective rotations are New York's Jordan Montgomery and Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler.It will be the first seven-inning doubleheader under the new rules designed to finish games more quickly. The Yankees will be the home team in the opener after Tuesday's originally scheduled game at Yankee Stadium was postponed Monday afternoon due to heavy rains pelting New York.When the doubleheader gets underway, it will be after five postponements. The teams were originally slated to play a four-game home-and-home series last week but it was postponed after numerous members of the Miami Marlins tested positive for coronavirus after playing their season-opening series in Philadelphia."Hey, it's 2020 and playing in this environment, so we have to be able to adapt to it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "I feel like we will be able to, but it obviously creates some challenges. The seven-inning doubleheader situation makes things a bit more manageable. We have all the people in there to kind of get through it and we will embrace the challenge of it all." The Yankees will be the home team in a road ballpark for the first time since getting a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on April 15, 1998 at Shea Stadium when a beam fell into the seating area at Yankee Stadium.After the postponements, the Yankees were able to quickly resume playing while the Phillies were unable to play until Monday when New York hit three homers in a 6-3 win at Yankee Stadium.The Yankees will take a seven-game winning streak into the doubleheader and their 8-1 start is their best since the 2003 season. DJ LeMahieu, Brett Gardner and Gio Urshela homered, giving the Yankees 20 and matching their highest total through nine games in team history.Because of the postponements, the Phillies started a stretch of playing 57 games in 56 days Monday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last team to play 57 games in 56 days was the 1998 Yankees, and Philadelphia last did it during the 1983 season.Besides having games with the Yankees postponed, the Phillies had a weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays postponed and experienced a 67-minute rain delay Monday before taking a bus back to Philadelphia."I think someone on this call could write a pretty good book with some of the stuff we've had to face this year," Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. "You get a rain delay tonight. It's been a strange year, but I really believe our players have adapted to it pretty well. If they continue to do that, good things are going to happen." Girardi is hoping some good things start to happen to his hitters and relievers. The Phillies are hitting .239 and their relievers are pitching to a 6.75 ERA (11 earned runs, 14 2/3 innings) so far.Happ will be pitching for the first time since allowing four runs on four hits in four innings of Thursday's 8-6 win at Baltimore while Montgomery will be pitching after allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings in a 5-1 win over Boston on Friday.Happ is 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA in five career starts against the Phillies while Montgomery has never faced Philadelphia.Nola is pitching for the first time since July 24 when he allowed four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to Miami.While Nola has never faced the Yankees, Zack Wheeler is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in three career starts against New York and is pitching for the first time since allowing one run in seven innings on July 25 against the Marlins.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Tauchman’s RBI double helps Yanks earn DH split vs PhilsPHILADELPHIA Once Aaron Nola left the game, the New York Yankees took advantage.Mike Tauchman's tiebreaking double in the seventh inning sent the Yankees to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and a split of their seven-inning doubleheader Wednesday.Bryce Harper and J. T. Realmuto homered to back Zack Wheeler and lead the ''visiting'' Phillies to an 11-7 victory over the Yankees in the opener, snapping New York's seven-game winning streak.Due to a late schedule change, the Yankees were the ''home'' team for the first game - even in Philadelphia.Nola tied a career high with 12 strikeouts in the nightcap, allowing one run on Luke Voit's homer and three hits in six innings. He gave way to Tommy Hunter after throwing 88 pitches.Giancarlo Stanton and Voit greeted Hunter (0-1) with consecutive singles. Tauchman lined a double to right-center for a 2-1 lead. Gio Urshela's single made it 3-1, chasing Hunter.''It's not always going to be easy,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ''Wheeler and Nola are two really good ones. You have to be able to win these games.'' Adam Morgan replaced Hunter with the bases loaded and got a strikeout and double-play grounder. But the Phillies couldn't rally against Zack Britton, who got three outs for his fifth save in five tries.Adam Ottavino (2-0) retired the only batter he faced to earn the win.''You want to do your job because we know the offense is going to score for us,'' Britton said.Yankees starter Jonathan Loaisiga allowed one run and three hits in 2 1/3 innings. Four relievers held Philadelphia scoreless for the final 4 2/3 innings.Nola hadn't pitched since the season opener on July 24 because the Phillies had a week off following a COVID-19 outbreak among the Miami Marlins, who started opening weekend in Philadelphia.''They're stressful innings and hopefully his next start we can get him to 100 (pitches). Couldn't jeopardize his health,'' said Phillies manager Joe Girardi, who led New York to three AL East titles, six postseason appearances and its 27th World Series title in 10 seasons managing the Yankees.In the first game, Wheeler (2-0) yielded three runs - two earned - and six hits over six innings in his second start since signing a $118 million, five-year deal in free agency.''It's a tough lineup,'' Wheeler said. ''You have to make pitches and execute.'' Aaron Judge hit his seventh homer in just the 10th game of the season for the Yankees, who made the Phillies turn to closer Hector Neris for the final out after they took an eight-run lead into the last inning.New York beat the Phillies 6-3 Monday night in the Bronx but rain postponed Tuesday's game, forcing the teams to play a home-and-home twin bill in Philly.The Yankees wore their road gray uniforms and sat in the visitors' clubhouse in the first game. A hype video for the Yankees played on the video screen before the game.When they took the field, the public address announcer said: ''Your New York Yankees.'' Phillies fans standing outside the stadium beyond center field booed that announcement.Yankees hitters also heard their walk-up music when they came to the plate.New York lefty J. A. Happ (0-1) gave up four runs on three hits and six walks over three innings in his first career loss versus the Phillies. Happ entered 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA against his former team.Even though fans aren't permitted in the ballpark, they made plenty of noise from the streets. Someone rang a cowbell and another person played the drums on and off for a few innings, including nonstop for several minutes in the fifth.''You hear them,'' Wheeler said. ''It's pretty cool.'' TOSSEDYankees third base coach Phil Nevin was ejected by plate umpire Angel Hernandez after arguing a called third strike on Mike Ford with one out in the seventh during the opener.TRAINER'S ROOMYankees: All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who tested positive for COVID-19 last month, was scheduled to throw a bullpen. It's uncertain when the lefty will be activated. ... RHP Luis Cessa was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. He tested positive for COVID-19 before camp opened. ... RHP Tommy Kahnle had Tommy John surgery Tuesday. ... Miguel Andujar made his first appearance at third base in the regular season since shoulder surgery on May 20 last year.Phillies: RHP Seranthony Dominguez had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last Thursday after a long delay because of the coronavirus pandemic.UP NEXTLHP Jordan Montgomery (1-0, 1.59 ERA) starts for the Yankees and RHP Zach Eflin makes his season debut for the Phillies in the series finale Thursday.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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-195
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-1.5 (-130)
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Over 9 (-102)
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+178
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+1.5 (+117)
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Under 9 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Cubs-Royals PreviewThe Chicago Cubs will go for their sixth win in a row when they visit the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.Chicago has put together five straight wins to improve to 9-2, matching its best start after 11 games since 2016, when the club went on to capture its first World Series title in more than a century. The Cubs are the only team with a winning record in the National League Central entering Wednesday.Meanwhile, Kansas City has lost five consecutive games and seven of its last eight.The teams wrapped up two games in Chicago before flying to Kansas City for two more. The Cubs won 2-0 on Monday and held on to win 5-4 on Tuesday despite a Royals rally that featured two runs in the ninth.Kansas City now will turn to left-hander Kris Bubic (0-1, 4.50 ERA), who is scheduled to make his second career start. The Stanford product was the No. 40 overall draft pick in 2018 and quickly rose through the Royals' farm system.In his big-league debut Friday against the Chicago White Sox, Bubic gave up three runs (two earned) in four innings. He walked one and struck out three, and he threw 45 of 76 pitches for strikes."I'm trying to soak it all in as much as I can," Bubic said to reporters. "The circumstances may be a little bit different this year, but at the end of the day, I'm just trying to soak in and absorb as much information from the veterans in the clubhouse and trying to gain some knowledge that they've experienced throughout their careers." A familiar face could greet Bubic from the Cubs' lineup. The southpaw was college teammates with Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner, and the two have known each other since high school."That's gonna be pretty cool," Bubic said. "We were actually facing each other over the quarantine a little bit. We had a couple live at-bats against each other about a month-and-a-half ago. He actually drilled a line drive right back at me -- in the thigh. Left me a nice bruise." The Cubs will put their winning streak in the hands of right-hander Yu Darvish (1-1, 2.70), who will make his third start of 2020. He is coming off a sterling performance in which he held the Pittsburgh Pirates to two hits in six scoreless innings.Darvish is 2-1 with a 2.34 ERA in five career starts against Kansas City. He last faced the Royals in 2017.Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said first-year manager David Ross deserves much of the credit for the team's fast start. Epstein tabbed Ross as Joe Maddon's successor during the offseason."He has stepped in and helped address some things that have been lingering for years," Epstein said. "And to do that his first month on the job, essentially, the first two weeks as a regular-season manager, is just really impressive. It just shows he's fearless. He's alert, observant and has great emotional intelligence." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Darvish pitches Cubs past Royals 6-1 for 6th straight winKANSAS CITY, Mo. Yu Darvish pitched seven sharp innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory.Javier Baez drove in two runs for the Cubs (10-2), who handed Kansas City its sixth consecutive defeat. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo each had two hits and scored twice.Darvish (2-1) was in midseason form for the second straight outing. He gave up five hits, struck out four and walked one.With the score 2-1, the Royals' best chance to tie the game came in the sixth when Whit Merrifield was on third with one out. Darvish struck out Ryan O'Hearn and retired Salvador Perez on a grounder, ending the threat.The Cubs capitalized on one bad stretch for Royals starter Kris Bubic, who set down his first nine batters, including four strikeouts, before Bryant singled in the fourth.Rizzo followed with a walk, and then a bloop hit by Baez tied it 1-all. Willson Contreras grounded into a double play, but Rizzo scored to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead.Kansas City (3-10) started the scoring in the third when a double off the left-field wall by Maikel Franco was followed by Nicky Lopez's single, but a potential big inning was thwarted when Merrifield grounded into a double play.The Cubs took advantage of two fielding mistakes in the eighth and ninth, tacking on four runs to make it 6-1.Bubic (0-2), making his second career start, went six innings and gave up two runs. He struck out six.TRAINER'S ROOMRoyals: Before the game, OF Bubba Starling and RHP Glenn Sparkman were placed on the injured list. Starling was batting .211 with three RBIs. Sparkman had a 5.40 ERA and allowed nine hits in four appearances. Kansas City recalled catcher Meibrys Viloria and RHP Scott Blewett.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Brad Keller makes his season debut Thursday night after returning from the IL due to COVID-19. RHP Tyler Chatwood (2-0, 0.74 ERA) will start for the Cubs. ''I feel pretty good,'' Keller said Saturday. ''Whenever they tell me, I'll be ready.'' ---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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+120
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+1.5 (-169)
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Over 8.5 (-107)
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-130
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-1.5 (+151)
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Under 8.5 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Brewers-White Sox PreviewChicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu has consistently beamed about the team's potential in recent seasons, always promising a resurgence was on the way.With the White Sox toting a six-game winning streak into Wednesday's interleague home game against the Milwaukee Brewers -- fueled by Abreu's leadership and a young, jelling core -- that optimism has remained close at hand."It's always good to be around this team we have right now, this group," Abreu told reporters through an interpreter. "A lot of energy and passion that motivates you more every day." Still, the seventh-year veteran cautions the White Sox to remain diligent as they push for the team's first postseason berth in more than a decade.While early August typically signifies the beginning of the stretch run during most baseball seasons, it merely falls at the start of a 60-game sprint in this one."We can't get too comfortable," Abreu said. "We need to do our job and keep working because we need to get more results. This is no time, by any means, to get comfortable and think we are a finished product. We need to keep working." Chicago earned a sweep of the first leg of this week's encounter with the Brewers, defeating Milwaukee 3-2 at Miller Park on Tuesday after Monday's 6-4 win.The pair of games -- the Brewers' first contests at home this season -- marked the first action for Milwaukee since July 29, as the team's scheduled series against the St. Louis Cardinals over the previous weekend was postponed because the Cardinals were grappling with a coronavirus outbreak amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic."It's nice to have a routine," Brewers pitcher Brett Anderson said. "But the way 2020 is going, you kind of have to be comfortable being uncomfortable." Losers of three of their last four, the Brewers will look to right-hander Adrian Houser to help slow the streaking White Sox.Houser (0-0, 1.80 ERA) is aiming to build on a solid start against the White Sox on July 22 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, when he scattered one run and two hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 77-pitch exhibition tune-up two days before Opening Day.Houser has not faced the White Sox during the regular season and is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in seven career interleague appearances, including four starts.Seeking to continue his hot start, White Sox lefty Dallas Keuchel (2-0, 3.38 ERA) is set to get the call for Chicago.Keuchel has allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings in each of his first two outings this season, but traditionally has struggled against the Brewers, pitching to an 0-4 record and 8.75 ERA in five career starts.Brewers right fielder Christian Yelich went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk Tuesday and is batting .088 for the season. Center fielder Avisail Garcia, who played for the White Sox, has four hits and three RBIs in his past three games.Meanwhile, Chicago is clicking behind the top of its order. With usual leadoff man Tim Anderson on the injured list with a right groin strain, the White Sox Nos. 1-4 hitters -- Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada, Abreu and Yasmani Grandal -- are batting a combined .403 (29-for-72) with three home runs and 14 RBIs in the past four games.Chicago second baseman Nick Madrigal and designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who both left Tuesday's game with left shoulder soreness, are set to be evaluated Wednesday.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Houser strong, Brewers stop White Sox 6-game win streak, 1-0CHICAGO Dallas Keuchel saw the potential in Adrian Houser when the two were coming up with the Houston Astros. Outings like this were just what he envisioned.Houser dominated over seven innings and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the White Sox 1-0 Wednesday night to snap Chicago's six-game win streak.''What a long way he's come,'' said Keuchel, who was drafted by Houston in 2009 - two years before Houser. ''I was very, very happy to see the transition the last two years. But obviously, I wasn't very happy to see it tonight. He had all the talent in the world when he was drafted.'' Houser (1-0) simply dazzled in a game where Keuchel (2-1) was about as good for Chicago. The 27-year-old right-hander gave up five hits and struck out five for the win.Houser started to break through last season when he split time between the rotation and the bullpen. In two starts this year, he has allowed just one run through 12 innings.''I'm just going out there trying to help out the guys,'' he said. ''When I get off the field, I want to be in a position where the guys can win. Right now we're kind of struggling on the offensive side, but I have no doubt they're going to pick it up and help us out. We've just got to keep rolling.'' Mark Mathias singled in his first major league at-bat in the third inning before Eric Sogard drove him in with a base hit, and that was all Milwaukee needed.Milwaukee held struggling star Christian Yelich out of the lineup, with the 2018 NL MVP and two-time defending NL batting champion mired in a season-opening 3-for-34 slump.The Brewers stopped Chicago's best streak since a six-game run in April 2017. The White Sox won the previous two nights at Miller Park.Keuchel struck out eight over seven innings while allowing one run and five hits. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award walked one, but fell to 0-5 in six starts against the Brewers.Danny Mendick had a career-high three of Chicago's six hits. But with prized rookie Nick Madrigal and slugger Edwin Encarnacion sidelined after both players suffered shoulder injuries Tuesday, the White Sox came up short.''We've been hot,'' Keuchel said. ''Eventually, it's gonna come to an end. But, man, we were right in the ballgame. That's all we can ask for. Game-in, game-out, we know that we're gonna be in those contests. If we can win series, that's a playoff recipe.'' MISSED CHANCEChicago had two on in the sixth after Mendick doubled and Yoan Moncada reached on an infield single. But after hitting a tiebreaking single the previous night, Jose Abreu struck out to end the threat.CLOSING OUTDavid Phelps worked the eighth for Milwaukee. Josh Hader retired all three batters in the ninth for his second save in as many chances.TRAINER'S ROOMWhite Sox: Madrigal is headed to the 10-day injured list and might need offseason surgery, GM Rick Hahn said. Hahn was optimistic Madrigal (separated left shoulder) will return by the end of the month, after the rookie was hurt sliding into third on Tuesday. ... Encarnacion is day to day after leaving Tuesday's game because of inflammation near his left shoulder, in the joint between his collarbone and sternum. ... Hahn said SS Tim Anderson (strained right groin) will begin workouts at the team's auxiliary site on Thursday. ... Hahn is also optimistic LHP Carlos Rodon and RHP Reynaldo Lopez will return from in the next few weeks after being sidelined because of soreness in their pitching shoulders.UP NEXTRHP Josh Lindblom (0-0 4.91 ERA) starts for Milwaukee with LHP Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 7.36 ERA) getting the ball for Chicago. After two seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization, Lindblom had his first major league start since 2017 cut short because of back spasms when he lasted 3 2/3 innings against Pittsburgh last week. Gonzalez pitched scoreless ball into the fourth against Kansas City in his first start for the White Sox, 16 years after they drafted him.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
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TOTAL |
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+155
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+1.5 (-112)
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Over 11.5 (-113)
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-169
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-1.5 (+101)
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Under 11.5 (+101)
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GAME PREVIEW
Giants-Rockies PreviewThe Colorado Rockies are off to an 8-2 start this season, and while it's rarely a surprise when the offense leads the way, the Rockies did it mostly without much help from their biggest weapon, Nolan Arenado.Now he's getting into the act, too.Arenado homered for the second straight game as Colorado beat the visiting San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Tuesday night. It was the Rockies' fourth straight win and their eighth game in a row of scoring at least five runs.The Rockies are averaging 6.1 runs a game despite being shut out 1-0 by the Texas Rangers in their opener on July 24.Arenado hit a two-run homer on Monday night, his first of the season, and added a solo shot on Tuesday. He has raised his average to .243, and he has four RBIs."We can click even better," Arenado said after the Rockies' 7-6 win over the Giants on Monday. "If we keep playing like this, we're going to be right there." The Rockies have right-hander Jon Gray slated to pitch Wednesday. It will be his third start, but he has yet to earn a decision despite a 2.61 ERA. Colorado is 1-1 in his starts, including an 8-7 loss last Friday when closer Wade Davis blew the save with two outs in the ninth inning.If history is an indication, San Francisco will be a tough matchup for Gray. In 10 career starts against the Giants, he is 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA. He faced them four times last season and was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He has fared even worse against them at Coors Field, having gone 0-1 with a 9.95 ERA in three career starts, all Rockies losses.Pablo Sandoval is 5-for-13 with a pair of doubles against Gray, Brandon Belt is 8-for-21 with three doubles and a home run, and Brandon Crawford is 5-for-15.While Giants manager Gabe Kapler doesn't like to name his next-game starters much in advance, reports emerged Tuesday that right-hander Logan Webb (0-0, 2.35 ERA) would be on the mound Wednesday.In his two previous starts this season, Webb has pitched a combined 7 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts and five walks. Though still a rookie, the Giants' fourth-round draft choice in 2014 made eight starts in 2019, going 2-3 with a 5.22 ERA.Webb has never faced the Rockies.Intent on being ready for any role the Giants might have for him, Webb spent his offseason in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the organization's training facility, going over his pitching mechanics and watching video.One of the things he found was that a slight change in posture made a noticeable different in his results."I was kind of bent over more than I wanted to be. I really started working on that and having better posture, and ever since that, it feels back to normal again," he said last month, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Belt's 3-run homer lifts Giants over Rockies 4-3DENVER Brandon Belt extended his success against Colorado starter Jon Gray with a three-run homer and a double to lead the San Francisco Giants past the Rockies 4-3 on Wednesday night.Belt's two hits raised his career average against Gray to .417 (10 for 24) and helped Logan Webb (1-0) get his first win in his fourth start of the season.''He's had some success against him and he's done some good work over the years in Colorado against the Rockies,'' San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. ''What I'd lean on is Brandon's consistent routine and his continued plate discipline and his ability to get on base. Today he squared the ball up in the air. In this ballpark, that the best thing you can possibly do.'' Nolan Arenado homered for the third straight game for the Rockies, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.Colorado had scored five or more runs in eight straight games before being held down by Webb and the San Francisco bullpen. The three runs are the fewest since a 3-2 win at the Texas Rangers on July 25.Webb, making his first career start against the Rockies, kept Colorado in check in five-plus innings of work. He allowed two runs - one earned - and didn't walk a batter before leaving after a leadoff single in the sixth.''I knew going into that inning, it had to be a clean inning,'' Webb said. ''I gave up the first-pitch base hit and I know you guys saw me kind of yelling at myself. Hopefully I can do that every time and get on a roll here.'' Caleb Baragar retired the top of the order to get out of the jam. Trevor Gott pitched the ninth for his third save in as many chances.The Rockies scratched across an unearned run in the first inning and added another in the third against Webb to take a 2-0 lead before the Giants rallied.Colorado shortstop Trevor Story misplayed Mike Yastrzemski's grounder in the fourth, Donovan Solano singled and Belt followed with his first homer of the season.''I always felt like when I've worked up in the zone against him I've been successful,'' Gray said. ''If I miss down he usually makes us pay. It was a pitch too much in his wheelhouse.'' Belt doubled and scored on Wilmer Flores' single in the sixth.Gray (0-1) allowed four runs - three earned - in six innings.Arenado led off the seventh with a homer to cut the lead to a run. It was his 31st career home run against the Giants.TRAINER'S ROOMRockies: RHP Wade Davis (right shoulder strain) has not started throwing yet, manager Bud Black said Wednesday. ''No update on when he's going to test the arm with a game of catch,'' Black said. ''He's receiving treatment daily for the strain.'' Davis was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday, a day after he blew his first save of the season.GAME CHANGERColorado outfielder Charlie Blackmon has adjusted to a new spot in the batting order and a new position, and then tested positive for the virus at the end of June. He rejoined the team less than a week before the season opener on July 24 and started the year 1 for 12.He's been on a tear since, batting .484 and hitting safely in nine straight games while settling in comfortably batting third instead of leadoff and playing right field as opposed to center.''I'm not surprised by the slow start I had initially but it has seemed I caught on pretty quick and feel comfortable in the box,'' Blackmon said Wednesday. ''A big part of that is I was able to get my body caught up quicker than I thought I would. That's the surprise. That's been my main focus, making sure my body feels good.'' UP NEXTGiants LHP Tyler Anderson (0-1, 3.68) will face his former team for the first time. The Rockies counter with LHP Kyle Freeland (2-0, 1.50) to wrap up the four-game series.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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TOTAL |
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-137
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-1.5 (+111)
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Over 9.5 (+105)
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+127
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+1.5 (-123)
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Under 9.5 (-119)
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GAME PREVIEW
Astros-Diamondbacks PreviewLess than two weeks into the season, it has become clear that teams in need of a win to rebuild some momentum have found the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chase Field a welcome place to do so.Last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers came to Phoenix and took three of four games against Arizona, improving from 4-2 to 7-3. Then Tuesday, the Houston Astros, with injuries to their rotation and a young and inexperienced bullpen, got big hits from struggling batters and started their series in Arizona with an 8-2 win.After going extra innings in three of four games, the Astros got a day off Monday, then took the field in Phoenix and struck early against Diamondbacks ace Madison Bumgarner.While four Houston rookie pitchers were holding down the Diamondbacks, the Astros hammered Bumgarner for eight runs (seven earned) in 4 1/3 innings.The pitching issues continue, with Houston closer Roberto Osuna possibly headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery. But the Astros may have found a keeper in their rotation in 23-year-old Cristian Javier, who allowed a run on four hits in six innings against Arizona in winning his second career big league start.Javier held the Dodgers to a run on two hits with eight strikeouts last week, working 5 2/3 innings."I think Javier is going to be in our rotation for a long time. The kid has it all," shortstop Carlos Correa said, according to the Houston Chronicle.The Astros hope to keep things rolling in the desert with right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. getting the start Wednesday night. McCullers (1-0, 5.40 ERA) has walked seven batters in 10 innings.McCullers has started two games in his career against the Diamondbacks, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA.The Diamondbacks have mustered only a combined four runs in losing three straight games, and they aren't getting much help from the top end of their rotation. Bumgarner is winless in three starts, and Wednesday's starter, Robbie Ray, is 0-2 with an 8.64 ERA.Ray is 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in his career against the Astros. He has 30 strikeouts in five starts against Houston."We're doing everything we can do to turn this thing around," Bumgarner said.Arizona has lost five of its past six games, and things reached the point on Tuesday where manager Torey Lovullo pulled five position players from the field and replaced them after five innings.Lovullo was asked it that was designed to send a message to his slumping team."No, I don't send messages like that. I'll send messages directly face to face with guys," he said. "I just wanted to get some of our guys who have been going every day a little bit more rest and get them off their feet. Definitely wasn't intended to send any type of message. I just wanted to maybe live to fight another day, let them watch a little baseball and let the understudies get some at-bats." Lovullo said he was encouraged by some things he saw in Tuesday's game, and he hopes the Diamondbacks can turn a corner quickly."Dig hard, dig together, accept coaching," Lovullo said. "These guys are going to grind through these rugged times." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Calhoun's inside-the-park HR sparks D-backs past Astros 14-7PHOENIX Kole Calhoun hit his first career inside-the-park homer with the help of a crazy bounce, David Peralta had four RBIs and the Arizona Diamondbacks used a nine-run burst in the fourth inning to beat the Houston Astros 14-7 on Wednesday night.The Diamondbacks broke out of their extended early-season slump by sending 14 batters to the plate in the fourth, turning a 4-0 deficit into a 9-4 lead. The offensive avalanche included four singles, three doubles, one triple, one walk, a hit by pitch and a strange inside-the-park homer that started the scoring.''You don't see that very often. That got our offense going,'' Peralta said. ''That's what we needed. We needed this kind of game to get everyone going. This is just the beginning of the good stuff that's going to happen with us.'' Calhoun hit a pitch from Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1) down the right-field line and the ball hit the metal base of the fence in the corner, which sent it ricocheting past George Springer and down the warning track into right-center.By the time Myles Straw could grab the ball and fling it towards the infield, Calhoun was rounding third and chugging for home. He scored standing up with a big grin across his face. At 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Calhoun is not a speedster and he was obviously out of breath as his teammates celebrated and laughed.''It lit a fire in the dugout. We were able to smile in the dugout for the first time in a long time,'' Calhoun said. ''That's kind of what we needed. Needed to relax. It feels like everyone's putting a lot of pressure on themselves to go out and be the hero.'' ''I think he was tired for two innings,'' Peralta said, laughing.Added manager Torey Lovullo with a grin: ''It was a sight for all of us.'' The Diamondbacks came into the game as one of the worst-hitting teams in the big leagues with a .194 average and just two homers through 11 games. But they broke out with 16 hits on Wednesday, including 10 for extra bases.Peralta hit a triple with the bases loaded and added a solo homer, Stephen Vogt had two doubles, Ketel Marte had three hits and Nick Ahmed and Eduardo Escobar each hit a two-run homer.The Astros built their 4-0 lead with the help of Kyle Tucker's two-run homer and Abraham Toro's solo shot. McCullers retired his first nine batters.But the right-hander fell apart in the fourth and was finally pulled after facing 10 batters in the inning. He gave up eight earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. Springer hit a two-run homer in the fifth to pull the Astros to 9-6, but they couldn't get any closer.Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray (1-2) gave up six runs over five innings, including three homers.SUN'S OUT, BALLS FLYThe Diamondbacks decided to open Chase Field's retractable roof after the third inning, which is fairly rare in August. Once it opened, the homers started flying in the desert: The Astros hit three and Arizona hit four over the final six innings.McCullers wasn't happy with the decision to open the roof. He said the ball started to carry better and it got very dry.''They told us before the game they were going to open the roof and when they open the roof, this place plays like Colorado,'' Astros manager Dusty Baker said. ''I knew before the game, this place, you never really feel safe here because of big gaps and the ball jumps and they start hitting the ball out of the ballpark. It seemed like when they opened the roof, the ball started carrying even better. They jumped us pretty good.'' TRAINER'S ROOMAstros: OF Michael Brantley (quad) was out of the lineup for a second straight game.Diamondbacks: Lovullo said RHP Corbin Martin recently threw two innings and 26 pitches during an intrasquad game. Martin made five starts for the Astros last season in his first major league action before he needed Tommy John surgery. He was traded to the Diamondbacks after the injury and is continuing his rehab.UP NEXTAstros: Houston has shuffled its rotation and RHP Brandon Bielak (2-0, 1.69 ERA) will make his first career start Thursday in the finale of the three-game set.Diamondbacks: RHP Zac Gallen (0-0, 2.70) took a no-decision in his first two starts.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
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TOTAL |
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+148
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+1.5 (-137)
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Over 8 (+101)
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-162
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-1.5 (+124)
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Under 8 (-114)
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GAME PREVIEW
Rangers-Athletics PreviewTwo pitchers done in by shaky defense in their latest start will look for better luck when the visiting Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics meet again on Wednesday night.Starting pitching was the story in the series opener Tuesday, with Rangers right-hander Lance Lynn and A's lefty Jesus Luzardo dominating the action until Oakland's Stephen Piscotty smacked a walk-off grand slam against Texas reliever Jesse Chavez with one out in the ninth.The dramatics gave Oakland a four-game winning streak, while at the same time handing Texas a third loss in four games in their weeklong San Francisco Bay Area stay.The Rangers will send right-hander Kyle Gibson (0-1, 0.00 ERA) to face another Oakland lefty, Sean Manaea (0-2, 7.00).In his first game for Texas after leaving Minnesota as a free agent, Gibson got a rude welcome to his new club when third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa threw away Christian Walker's two-out grounder in the top of the first inning, allowing two Arizona Diamondbacks to score.When David Peralta followed with a single, the Diamondbacks had three unearned runs and Gibson was on his way to a loss despite not allowing an earned run in five innings.Arizona wound up with a 4-1 victory.Gibson made six starts for the Twins against the A's in his career, going 3-2 with a 3.82 ERA. The 32-year-old has gone 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts in Oakland.Gibson has to hope his new teammates give him more offensive support than in his debut last week, and more than they offered Lynn in Tuesday's game.Texas manager Chris Woodward went with a heavy right-handed-hitting lineup against the left-handed Luzardo in his first major league start. The results were not what he had hoped."A lot of these (right-handed hitters) have had a lot of quality at-bats in camp and into the season," Woodward said before the game. "We're looking to put guys in there to give us a chance to maybe get that guy (Luzardo) out of the game and flip the lineup at that point and go with our lefties."Honestly, we're just looking for the best quality (at-bats) to win games." The new look was a flop against Luzardo. Nick Solak (0-for-4), Scott Heineman (0-for-3), Rob Refsnyder (0-for-1) and Adolis Garcia (0-for-3), all righty swingers, combined to go 0-for-11 with one walk and five strikeouts.Woodward noted that the lineup wasn't "a trial run," meaning it's possible he'll trot some or all of the quartet out there to face Manaea, especially with regulars Rougned Odor and Danny Santana hurting.Manaea was charged with five runs (three earned) in his last start, but all five could be tied to errors.The A's made one miscue apiece in the fourth and fifth innings at Seattle on Friday, and the Mariners cashed in with three- and two-run innings.Manaea has pitched well against the Rangers in his career, going 6-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 11 starts. The six wins equal the 28-year-old's most against any opponent.Even with his team having hit a franchise-record two walk-off grand slams within the first seven home dates of the season, Piscotty somehow kept an level head afterward that's typical of Oakland's business-like approach."Honestly, when I hit it, I was just glad I got it out (to the outfield)," he calmly noted in an on-field interview shortly after touching home plate. "I was thinking sac fly ... and it kept going." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
A's top Rangers 6-4, win 5th straight behind Olson's 2 HRsOAKLAND, Calif. Matt Olson homered twice, Ramon Laureano also went deep and the surging Oakland Athletics rallied to beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Wednesday night.Austin Allen hit his first career homer, a go-ahead, two-run drive in the seventh inning, as the A's stunned the Rangers late for a second consecutive night and won their fifth straight. On Tuesday, Stephen Piscotty hit a walk-off grand slam in Oakland's 5-1 win.All six Oakland runs Wednesday came on homers.''We've been known to hit some homers before and score all the runs with homers so it's not a surprise,'' manager Bob Melvin said.Shin-Soo Choo homered on the game's first pitch for the second time in six days for the Rangers. Todd Frazier had a pair of singles and Nick Solak added an RBI double. Joey Gallo struck out four times.Texas (3-7) is off to its worst start since 2006.Olson hit a two-run homer off starter Kyle Gibson in the first, then added a solo shot off Luke Farrell in the eighth.''Typically you don't lose a game because of four bad pitches, but that is what happened today,'' Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. ''Every ball we made a mistake on, they hit a home run.'' Allen, who played sparingly for the Padres last year, had the big hit with his two-run homer off Ian Gibaut (0-1) in the seventh. That put the A's ahead 5-4 and snapped a 1-for-13 funk for Oakland's young catcher.''I didn't even feel it hit the bat. I just heard it,'' Allen said. ''When I was running around first base and I saw it go over, I can't even put it into words.'' T. J. McFarland (1-0) retired two batters to win. Joakim Soria pitched 1 2/3 innings for his second save.Choo hit an opposite-field homer on Sean Manaea's first pitch. The Rangers' leadoff batter did the same thing to San Francisco's Logan Webb on Friday.It's also nothing new for Choo. He has 36th career leadoff home runs, including nine on the game's first pitch. Choo's four leadoff homers at the Oakland Coliseum are the most by an opposing hitter.Gibson had nine strikeouts in six innings for the Rangers. He gave up four hits and three runs while pitching on seven days of rest.Manaea allowed four runs and six hits. The left-hander also walked a batter for the first time in his three starts.RANGERS MOVESTexas traded RHP Ariel Jurado to the Mets for cash and a player to be named. Jurado, who had been in the Rangers organization for eight years, was designated for assignment last week. Additionally, LHP Joely Rodriguez was activated from the IL. To make room, the Rangers placed 1B Greg Bird on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain.MAKING HISTORYWith Tuesday's game ending on Piscotty's slam and Wednesday's beginning with Choo's first-pitch homer, it marked the third time since 1988 that back-to-back pitches in a single series have been hit for a walk-off home run and a leadoff homer, according to .MORE HISTORYRangers shortstop Elvis Andrus hit the 300th double of his career, making him the fifth player in franchise history to reach the milestone. Andrus is also the only player in Rangers history to have at least 300 doubles and 300 stolen bases, according to Baseball Reference.TRAINER'S ROOMRangers: 2B Rougned Odor (right oblique tightness) is not healing as quickly as hoped and Woodward has not ruled out placing him on the IL. Odor was scheduled to do light hitting in the cage before the game and the team plans to make a decision one way or the other soon. . RHP Rafael Montero (right elbow tendinitis) could rejoin the Rangers when they return to Texas for Friday's series against the Angels.Athletics: LHP A. J. Puk (strained shoulder) has progressed in his throwing program out to 75 feet. The prized prospect received both cortisone and platelet-rich plasma injections.UP NEXTRangers LHP Mike Minor (0-2, 5.91 ERA) starts Thursday and needs five strikeouts to reach 1,000 for his career. Minor went winless in three starts against Oakland in 2019. The A's counter with RHP Mike Fiers (0-0, 5.40), who had no-decisions in each of his first two starts.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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-123
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-1.5 (+127)
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Over 8 (-105)
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+114
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+1.5 (-141)
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Under 8 (-107)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dodgers-Padres PreviewIt's still early in the shortened baseball season, but the San Diego Padres might feel some urgency on Wednesday heading into the rubber game of a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.A win would not only give the Padres a morale-boosting series victory over the perennial National League West champions, but it also would give San Diego the same record as the Dodgers with the clubs set to play four times in Los Angeles next week.The Padres were 4-6 at Dodger Stadium last season.Wednesday's game is a showdown of right-handers with Garrett Richards (0-0, 3.38 ERA) starting for the Padres against the Dodgers' Ross Stripling (2-0, 2.92). It will be an interesting matchup. Richards and Stripling are both known for their stuff and command. The first two games of series featured velocity on both sides.The Padres have to be smarting from the events of Tuesday -- losing after Dinelson Lamet pitched 5 2/3 no-hit innings and the game turning against the hosts on a pair of costly errors."You can't give the Dodgers extra outs and extra bases," said Padres manager Jayce Tingler, who backed off a comment after he said his team "threw it away." Richards will be making his third start of the season Wednesday. Coming off 2018 Tommy John surgery, Richards has allowed four runs on nine hits and four walks with 12 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings this season in starts against Arizona and Colorado.Richards will be making his seventh career appearance and fifth start against the Dodgers, although this will be his first start against the Dodgers since Sept. 9, 2015, when he faced them in an interleague game while with the Angels.Richards has a 1-0 career mark against the Dodgers with a 1.78 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and .221 opponents' batting average. He has worked 30 1/3 innings against Los Angeles, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 23 hits and 12 walks with 30 strikeouts.While Richards, 32, is a slider/cutter pitcher, the 30-year-old Stripling features a killer curve. And he's been at his best in the Padres' home ballpark.Stripling has a 3-1 career record at Petco Park with a 1.96 ERA a 1.04 WHIP and a .206 opponents' batting average over 18 1/3 innings in eight appearances (two starts). He has struck out 24 Padres at Petco Park. Overall against the Padres, Stripling is 4-5 with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 15 appearances (seven starts). The Padres have hit .260 against him.Stripling made 15 starts for the Dodgers in 2019 with 17 appearances out of the bullpen. He was 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA (matching his career ERA) and a 1.15 WHIP. Now solidly in the rotation, Stripling has allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings in two 2020 starts. His WHIP is an excellent 0.81.Stripling's strength is his command. He has allowed 2.1 walks per nine innings over his career.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Pederson homers twice to lead Dodgers over Padres, 7-6SAN DIEGO Joc Pederson's second home run of the game sailed an estimated 435 feet through two palm trees just beyond the center field fence at Petco Park, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the San Diego Padres 7-6 Wednesday night to take two of three in an early series between NL West rivals.Pederson drove in five runs on the two homers for the seven-time defending division champion Dodgers, who won seven of nine on a three-city trip.Kenley Jansen made it interesting in the ninth by allowing one run before the game ended on a double play. With runners on the corners, Manny Machado lined out to left fielder Chris Taylor, who threw out Trent Grisham trying to score the tying run. The Padres challenged but the play stood after review. Jansen earned his fourth save in as many chances.Pederson hit a two-run homer off Garrett Richards (0-1) with one out in the second inning and then welcomed rookie Luis Patino to the big leagues with his monster three-run shot with one out in the sixth for a 7-2 lead. Pederson has three homers. His first was a leadoff shot in a 5-4 loss in the series opener Monday night.The hard-throwing Patino, San Diego's No. 2 prospect, made his big league debut in the sixth. He retired NL MVP Cody Bellinger on a fly to center before getting into trouble. Corey Seager and Chris Taylor singled before Pederson connected on a 97 mph fastball on a 1-2 count.The Padres have lost four of five. They feel they're built to compete in the pandemic-shortened season, even if they have to settle for a wild-card berth. They haven't been to the playoffs since winning consecutive NL West titles in 2005-06, and haven't had a winning season since 2010.Pederson's homer off Richards in the second landed in the Padres' bullpen beyond the center field wall and bounced into the Dodgers' bullpen. Taylor reached on a triple ahead of Pederson when Grisham mistimed his jump near the center field wall.The Dodgers added on in the fifth on Will Smith's RBI single and Enrique Hernandez's RBI double.Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a two-run homer off Ross Stripling (3-0) with two outs in the fifth, his fourth. Wil Myers hit a solo shot off Caleb Ferguson in the eighth, his fourth.San Diego chased Stripling on Greg Garcia's two-run double in the sixth. Garcia ended up on third when Hernandez short-armed the relay throw and hit first baseman Max Muncy.Stripling allowed four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, struck out seven and walked two. Richards went five innings, allowing four runs and five hits while striking out four and walking one.TOSSEDPadres rookie manager Jayce Tingler was ejected for the first time while arguing with plate umpire Mark Ripperger during Machado's at-bat in the seventh.TRAINER'S ROOMDodgers: OF Mookie Betts missed his third straight start with an injured finger but played right field in the ninth. With the team off Thursday, manager Dave Roberts hopes Betts can play Friday night at home. Betts came into Tuesday night's game as a defensive replacement.UP NEXTDodgers: After an off day, the Dodgers open a three-game home series against San Francisco on Friday night. LHP Julio Urias (1-0, 2.45) is scheduled to start.Padres: After an off day, the Padres continue their homestand with a three-game series against Arizona beginning Friday night. RHP Zach Davies (1-1, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Padres.---More baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-108
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-1.5 (+138)
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Over 9 (-108)
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+100
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+1.5 (-153)
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Under 9 (-104)
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GAME PREVIEW
Angels-Mariners PreviewBeing a father seems to suit Mike Trout.Trout returned to the Los Angeles lineup Tuesday night and homered in his first at-bat since the birth of his first child, Beckham Aaron Trout, to help the Angels to a 5-3 victory in the opener of a three-game series against the host Seattle Mariners.It was Trout's 25th career homer in Seattle, the most he's hit at any opposing ballpark and the most by a road player at Safeco Field/T-Mobile Park since it opened in 1999.Trout said he hasn't gotten much sleep since the birth last Thursday afternoon but that his wife, Jessica, and baby are doing fine."Pretty incredible," said Trout, who turns 29 on Friday. "A lot of emotions going into it. I didn't really know what to expect but, once I got to see him and hold him with Jess and seeing how she was feeling, what we went through to have a child. It's pretty amazing." Trout said it was difficult leaving home. He estimated he had he called his wife on FaceTime 30 times between the time he left for Seattle and the time he reached the ballpark."She's a champ," Trout said of his wife. "I don't know If I could have went through that. How brave she was and how strong she was, it's pretty incredible." The Angels also got a taste of young and old Tuesday.Outfielder Jo Adell, the Angels' highest-rated prospect since Trout, made his major-league debut and went 1 for 4, beating out an infield single in his first at-bat."More than likely he was nervous, but he handled it well, I thought," Angels manager Joe Maddon said of the 21-year-old. "You can see his speed. Getting that first hit out of the way is always good to have. That was a nice debut for him." Veteran first baseman Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer, the 659th of his career. That puts him one homer shy of Willie Mays for fifth place in major-league history.It was the second consecutive game in which Pujols homered after hitting a grand slam Sunday against Houston. He's off to a slow start at the plate, batting just .156 with five hits -- three of them home runs."It looks like he's on time better right now," Maddon said. "Albert has been getting more comfortable in the box. The home runs have been hit really, really well. I'm not looking at his average. I'm looking at the quality of his at-bats and for me they are getting incrementally better." Los Angeles will face a tough task when trying to add to its offensive totals Wednesday against Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (1-1, 2.53 ERA). Gonzales is 6-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 13 career starts against the Angels.The Mariners have used a six-man rotation this season, with Gonzales getting the Opening Day start."I do like the six-man rotation," said Mariners manager Scott Servais, whose team has lost four games in a row. "I think it's been beneficial for those guys. Certainly with Marco, Yusei (Kikuchi) and Taijuan (Walker), allowing them to go a little bit deeper and also giving our young guys that extra day before they go out there again." Right-hander Julio Teheran is scheduled to make his debut for the Angels after missing the start of the season because of a positive test for COVID-19. Teheran, who pitched his first nine seasons with the Atlanta Braves, is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in one career start against Seattle.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Seager hits 200th HR, Mariners outlast Trout, Angels 7-6SEATTLE Scorching slugger Kyle Seager hit a three-run homer, rookie Kyle Lewis stayed hot with an RBI single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame two home runs by Mike Trout to beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-6 on Wednesday night.Albert Pujols remained on 659 career home runs, one behind Willie Mays on the career list. There were plenty of long balls otherwise. The Angels got all their runs - and hits - off Seattle starter Marco Gonzales via a trio of solo shots.Trout connected for one of those off Gonzales and added a three-run drive in the eighth against reliever Taylor Williams to pull the Angels within 7-6. Trout has three home runs in the two games since the birth of his first child and has 44 in his career against Seattle.''That last ball was absolutely mangled,'' Angels manager Joe Maddon said. ''He's on top of everything right now, the at-bats are good, the pitches he had been fouling off prior to the birth are not being fouled off right now so bully for him.'' Carl Edwards Jr. pitched the ninth for his first save, and Seattle snapped its four-game losing streak.''We've seen him do that a lot. We're up in games against them, four or five runs and you're saying, `We're still up if he hits a home run,' and sure enough, he hits a homer,'' Seattle manager Scott Servais said of Trout.Seager's three-run shot in the third was a jolt Seattle's struggling offense needed. Seager's 200th career home run landed in the second deck of the right field seats and gave Seattle a 3-1 lead. Seager joined Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner as the only four players to hit 200 home runs with the Mariners.''I appreciate the company but I think I still got a little while to go to catch those guys,'' Seager said. ''But 200 is definitely something I'm very proud of. It's not something that I necessarily thought was going to be part of my game growing up or anything like that, or even when you break in.'' Lewis finished with two more hits, giving him a major league-best 20 through the first two weeks of the season. His RBI single in the fifth gave Seattle a 4-1 lead. In the seventh, Austin Nola added a two-run double and rookie Evan White snapped an 0-for-17 skid with an RBI double.Gonzales (2-1) gave up solo home runs to Trout, Max Stassi and David Fletcher but was otherwise strong. The lefty didn't walk a batter and struck out seven.''I felt like again this week had a good game plan and executed it,'' Gonzales said. ''Really three mistakes and they capitalized. I can live with solo homers.'' Angels starter Julio Teheran made his first start with the Angels after signing a one-year deal in the offseason.Teheran (0-1) was on a limited pitch count after being slowed by the coronavirus in his ramp up for the season. Teheran threw just 52 pitches and was pulled with two outs in the third inning.''I wasn't expecting to go as long like a normal start, but I didn't know it was going to be 55 pitches,'' Teheran said. ''It's obviously something they've got under control. They've been controlling my pitches and I think they know how to handle that.'' TRAINER'S ROOMAngels: Maddon said he doesn't see SS Andrelton Simmons returning anytime in the immediate future from his sprained left ankle. Simmons went on the 10-day injured list on July 28. Maddon said while Simmons is progressing in his recovery from the injury, it's not going as quickly as hoped.Mariners: RHP Kendall Graveman will miss more than one start due to his neck strain, Servais said. Servais didn't have a timeframe on Graveman's recovery, but it's clear it will be more than just 10 days. Nick Margevicius will take Graveman's turn in the rotation on Saturday.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Dylan Bundy (1-1, 2.84) makes his second straight start against Seattle. Bundy threw six innings and allowed three earn runs but lost to the Mariners in his last start.Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (1-1, 4.35) makes his third start of the season. Walker was brilliant his last time out, throwing seven innings of one-hit ball in a victory over Oakland.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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8/5/2020 |
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FOUND
6
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-118
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-1.5 (+214)
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Over 5 (-133)
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+107
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+1.5 (-244)
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Under 5 (+118)
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GAME PREVIEW
anthers0-2ML: -125O/U 5ML: +105 CBS Sports Home Fantasy NFL PGA Championship Golf MLB NBA NCAA FB NHL Champions League NCAA BB MMA WWE Boxing Soccer NASCAR NWSL WNBA Big3 Horse Racing Tennis High School WSOP Olympics Women's WC Shop PBR Rugby Stubhub Play Golf PREVIEWPREVIEWIslanders set sights on finishing off PanthersThe New York Islanders will go for a sweep of their best-of-five Eastern Conference play-in series against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday afternoon, and they've enjoyed the ride so far.The fun started in the NHL bubble in Toronto even before the Islanders' 2-1 and 4-2 victories, according to team captain Anders Lee. He organized a team-wide table tennis tournament to fill some spare time at the team hotel."It's been a fun thing," Lee said. "Everyone is involved. It's a good hang. We're enjoying our time with each other." That's certainly the case on the ice.Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov has allowed just three goals in two games. Winger Jordan Eberle has scored two goals all by himself, both on Tuesday.The first of those two tallies put New York ahead with 3:33 left in the second period.The goal was masterful as Eberle waited for young Florida defenseman Brady Keeper to go down in an attempt to block his shot. Eberle then took a step toward the middle -- away from Keeper -- and caught Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky leaning before firing the puck into the open left side of the net."(Bobrovsky) moves over really quick," Eberle said. "You have to either fire the puck fast or you've got to be really patient. I was lucky enough to bide my time, get around the d-man and throw the puck in." The Panthers led twice on Tuesday -- 1-0 on a Mike Hoffman goal and 2-1 on captain Aleksander Barkov's tally.The defeat left the Panthers on the verge of losing their first-round matchup for the fifth straight time."We've got to find composure in pivotal moments," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said.Including the regular season, the Islanders have beaten the Panthers six straight times. The Panthers haven't defeated the Islanders since a 4-2 win on Nov. 10, 2018, but the guys from Florida are still hopeful despite a quick turnaround."(Wednesday) is a new chance," Barkov said. "We've got to play smarter than these first two games. We've got to play our best game of the series (on Wednesday)." The Islanders, considered one of the best defensive teams in the NHL, were fortunate to escape Tuesday's game without a major injury, especially after leading scorer Mathew Barzal crashed into the end boards with less than 12 minutes left in the third period.On the play, Barzal got off a shot and then was pushed hard by Panthers winger Frank Vatrano. Barzal got up slowly but returned to play the next shift.The Islanders already are without defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who was hit in the head by the shoulder of Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson in Game 1.Matheson also was fined $2,500 after Tuesday's game for high-sticking Brock Nelson in the first period.The Panthers enter Wednesday looking for more offense from Barkov, Hoffman, Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgenii Dadonov. Barkov, Hoffman and Huberdeau have one goal each, but Dadonov has no goals or assists in the series.The Panthers tried to shake things up toward the bottom of their roster on Tuesday, inserting Keeper on defense and center Aleksi Saarela. Their playing time came at the expense of defenseman Riley Stillman and center Dominic Toninato.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
anthers0-2ML: -123O/U 5.5ML: +105 CBS Sports Home Fantasy NFL PGA Championship Golf MLB NBA NCAA FB NHL Champions League NCAA BB MMA WWE Boxing Soccer NASCAR NWSL WNBA Big3 Horse Racing Tennis High School WSOP Olympics Women's WC Shop PBR Rugby Stubhub Play Golf RECGAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSPanthers avoid elimination, beat Islanders 3-2 in Game 3TORONTO Mike Hoffman and Brian Boyle scored 2:07 apart in the opening minutes of the third period, and the Florida Panthers avoided elimination with a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders in Game 3 of their preliminary round playoff series on Wednesday.Erik Haula also scored and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 20 shots. The 10th-seeded Panthers trail the best-of-five series 2-1 with Game 4 at the NHL's Eastern Conference hub city of Toronto on Friday.Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Brock Nelson, with 1:27 remaining, scored for the Islanders, the East's seventh seed. Semyon Varlamov stopped 19 shots and made a costly error leading to Hoffman's go-ahead goal 41 seconds into the third period.With Varlamov penalized for playing the puck inside the trapezoid 7 seconds into the frame, Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle faked a shot in the high slot, before feeding Hoffman, who blasted the puck in from the right circle.Boyle made it 3-1 when he corralled a loose puck inside the Islanders zone and snapped a 40-footer inside the left post.The Panthers turned the tables on the Islanders by being the more disciplined team a day following a 4-2 loss, in which New York converted two of seven power-play opportunities.Florida converted two of five power-play opportunities, and its penalty-killers finished 3 for 3, and snapped an 0-4-2 skid - including regular season - against the Islanders, which dated to a 4-2 win on Nov. 10, 2018.The Panthers are seeking to become just the second team to overcome a 2-0 series deficit in a best-of-five, and first since the Islanders did so over Washington in 1985. Otherwise, teams are 56-1 when winning the first two games of the NHL's best-of-five series overall.Florida is also seeking to avoid going one-and-done for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance, and being eliminated by the Islanders for the second straight postseason after losing a first-round series in six games to New York in 2016.Florida has not won a playoff series since its first postseason appearance in 1996, when the team reached the Stanley Cup Final, where it was swept by Colorado.The Panthers scored first for the second straight game, with Haula's power-play goal 4:02 into the second period. Varlamov gave up a big rebound after stopping Hoffman's shot from the right circle, and Evgenii Dadonov shoveled the puck through the crease to an open Haula, who fired it into the open left side.It was Haula's first goal with Florida since being acquired in a trade with Carolina in February.The Islanders responded with Pageau scoring with 3:34 left in the second period.Anthony Beauvillier out-raced Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman to a dump-in at the left boards and fed Pageau, who snapped a shot in from the right circle.NOTES: The game was Panthers first as the ''home'' team since 4-1 win against Montreal at Florida on March 7. ... The Islanders made no lineup changes from Game 2, while Panthers D Mike Matheson was scratched after picking up four of the Panthers 10 minor penalties this series. ... Panthers signed undrafted free agent Harvard forward Henry Bowlby to a two-year entry level contract earlier in the day. From Edina, Minnesota, Bowlby, had 21 goals and 45 points in 84 games in three seasons, and received the ECAC Hockey Commissioner's award in having the team's highest GPA last year.UP NEXTGame 4 on Friday, time to be determined.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-130
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-1.5 (+190)
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Over 5.5 (+116)
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+118
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+1.5 (-215)
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Under 5.5 (-131)
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GAME PREVIEW
Coaches for the Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators are facing difficult decisions on their starting goalies for Game 3 of their Western Conference qualifying series on Wednesday afternoon in Edmonton.The best-of-five series is tied 1-1 after Nashville goalie Juuse Saros shut out the Coyotes until the final minute of a 4-2 win in Game 2 on Tuesday.Saros made his first career playoff start in Game 1, a 4-3 win by the Coyotes on Sunday. He gave up three goals in the first period before allowing one over the next four periods.Saros told reporters after Game 2 that he'd be ready to start on Wednesday."It's fine," he said. "Especially since we're playing this early (Tuesday). You got the whole day and time to recover. I've got no issues with that." Nashville coach John Hynes could turn to veteran goalie Pekka Rinne for Game 3. Rinne's streak of 89 consecutive playoff starts, the fourth-longest run in NHL history for one team, came to an end at the start of this series."I would say this about both goalies," Hynes said, "you're talking about two fantastic people." Darcy Kuemper started the first two games in goal for the Coyotes and might be due for a rest, but Arizona could be short-handed after backup goalie Antti Raanta left the bench during the second period on Tuesday because he was deemed unfit to play.Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said after the game that "something happened in warmup" to Raanta. Video showed Raanta take a puck off his helmet while facing shots in warmups. A decision on the starting goalie for Game 3 would be made Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, Tocchet said.Tocchet seemed to be leaning toward Kuemper, however."He's our rock," Tocchet said.Adin Hill served as the backup after Raanta departed. Hill has never appeared in an NHL postseason game.The Coyotes have already been short-handed on the offensive end, playing without center Nick Schmaltz the first two games of the series.Schmaltz, who led the Coyotes with 45 points (11 goals, 34 assists) during the regular season, was hit in the head with an elbow in Thursday's exhibition game against the Vegas Golden Knights.Clayton Keller has provided two goals for the Coyotes so far in the series, denying Saros a shutout when he scored with 57 seconds left in Game 2.Lawson Crouse also scored in the final minute of Game 2, possibly giving the Coyotes some momentum heading into Game 3, but Tocchet would rather put the loss behind him."This game is over for me," he said. "Things change so much. It's the teams that know how to be even keel that are successful." Arizona was 11th in the Western Conference standings when regular-season play was halted on March 12 because of the coronavirus outbreak. The win in Game 1 against the sixth-seeded Predators caught many by surprise, but Tocchet knows anything can happen in the postseason."You win a game, everybody thinks you're great," Tocchet said. "You lose a game, everybody thinks you stink. That's just how the playoffs are." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSGarland, Hall each score in 3rd as Coyotes beat Preds 4-1EDMONTON, Alberta The Arizona Coyotes knew they had a big opportunity once their challenge erased Nashville's go-ahead goal early in the third period.The Coyotes took advantage by scoring the next three goals.Conor Garland and Taylor Hall each scored in the third period and the Coyotes beat the Predators 4-1 Wednesday.Now the Coyotes, seeded 11th in the West in the NHL's restart, can eliminate the sixth-seeded Predators in Game 4 on Friday in this best-of-five qualifying series.''We all understood the importance of it,'' Hall said of the overturned goal. ''To go up 2-1 in the series is the same as going up 3-2 in a best-of-seven. We wanted the last game just as much as today. Obviously, the next game is going to be huge.'' Christian Dvorak scored on Arizona's first shot of the game, and Coyotes scored three in the third for the victory capped by Carl Soderberg's empty-netter inside the final two minutes.The Predators thought they had a 2-1 lead 1:13 into the third period on a goal by Kyle Turris, but the Coyotes won their challenge of offside with Nashville center Matt Duchene found over the blue line on review. Turris later hit the post with 6:19 left.''We didn't know about the offside until the last second,'' Garland said. ''We were just focused on getting the next one. Obviously, that was a big bounce for us. We just kept with it, and obviously got the next one.'' Garland put the Coyotes ahead to stay with his wrister from the slot at 7:08 of the third for the first playoff goal of his career. Hall padded the lead with 4:22 left with his first goal of the series on a snap shot from the left circle. The Coyotes had been 1-of-9 on the man advantage through the first two games.Nashville coach John Hynes called the Duchene offside the kind of detail the Predators can't have. Now they're a game away from the season being over.''We're also 60 minutes from getting it to Game 5,'' Hynes said.Goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 39 saves for the victory in his third start in four games and second in as many days. Arizona coach Rick Tocchet called it a terrific performance.''Kuemps has been like that for two years,'' Tocchet said. ''Nothing fazes him. throughout the years I played, you always have those goalies everyone wants to play for because he's such a great guy, never blames his teammates. Those are the guys you want to block shots for and play for. Kuemps is that type of guy.'' Viktor Arvidsson scored Nashville's lone goal.The Coyotes stuck with Kuemper in net with Antti Raanta out. Raanta apparently was hurt during warmups Tuesday and left the Coyotes bench during the second period.The Predators dominated the first five minutes putting shot after shot on Kuemper. Then Niklas Hjalmarsson took a shot on net that Dvorak redirected past Juuse Saros at 5:09 of the first, giving Arizona a 1-0 lead. Kuemper made 19 saves in the first period, setting a franchise record for most saves in a period of a playoff game.''The first goal is definitely huge, and then we got to make sure it's coming our way in the next game,'' Predators captain Roman Josi said.Barely a minute later, Nashville finally scored for the first tie at any point of this series. The Coyotes turned it over in the neutral zone with Predators forward Filip Forsberg feeding the puck to Arvidsson, and he put a slap shot under Kuemper's blocker at 7:31 of the second tying it up at 1-1.Nashville went on the power play less than a minute after Turris' goal was overturned. Kuemper came out of the net to stop a shot from Arvidsson in the slot. Then Derek Stepan clanked the puck off the crossbar on a short-handed try.Notes: Kuemper topped the previous mark of 18 saves in a playoff period held by Sean Burke, Ilya Bryzgalov and Mike Smith. ... This was the ninth time Kuemper has started games on back-to-back games. He had been 5-3 with a .939 save percentage and 1.85 goals-against average in the second game. ... This was the first back-to-back playoff games for Nashville since Games 2 and 3 of the first-round against Detroit in 2004 with Arizona's last such time in the 1999 playoffs against St. Louis.UP NEXTGame 4 is Friday at 2:30 p.m. EDT.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+103
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+1.5 (-255)
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Over 5.5 (+105)
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-114
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-1.5 (+222)
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Under 5.5 (-118)
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GAME PREVIEW
The Boston Bruins need a spark following their lackluster opener in Eastern Conference round-robin play, and they might find it right there in the team's crease.Goaltender Tuukka Rask missed Saturday's practice and a disappointing 4-1 loss Sunday to the Philadelphia Flyers due to COVID-19 concerns, but the Finnish netminder is back after quarantining for two days in his hotel room."I had a cough, so I just clicked yes on the app, and then all kinds of red lights started blinking, and I was quarantined for two days," Rask explained Monday. "They wanted to do two negative tests after that, and that's it." The NHL announced Monday that it had conducted 7,013 COVID-19 tests in its Phase 4 Return to Play -- all coming back negative.Backup Jaroslav Halak allowed four goals on 29 shots as Boston slipped to the bottom of the round-robin standings through one set of games.Rask, one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie, is expected to be in goal Wednesday when the Bruins (0-1-0, 0 points) play their second round-robin game, facing their Atlantic Division rival Tampa Bay Lightning (1-0-0, two points).Puck drop at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena is at 4 p.m. ET.Tampa Bay won three of the four contests during the regular season, and all but one -- a 5-3 Lightning win in Boston less than a week before the NHL paused the season -- ended with one-goal margins of victory.A major reason for the tight results is the defensive play from both sides and the dominant presence in net. The game should pit the fifth matchup between Rask and Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy, also a Vezina finalist.The Lightning earned a 3-2 shootout win Monday afternoon over the Washington Capitals. Nikita Kucherov scored in regulation and clanged home the game-deciding goal off the right post behind Washington's Braden Holtby in the shootout's third round.Tampa Bay squandered a 2-0 lead as Washington scored a pair late in the second period, but the 65 game minutes were a slugfest of hard shots, late hits, roughing, charging and overall brutally physical play.The Lightning won the game by one goal, and they won the physical category by one body-to-body blow -- edging Washington 45-44 in hits."We've brought in some players who have helped us in that regard immensely," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the physical play. "It's a man's game when you get in the playoffs."The confidence of our group and the no-back-down attitude is definitely something we've noticed and was something that was there tonight against one of the best teams in this league." As a 17-year-old, Lightning forward Pat Maroon played for coach Cooper's Texarkana Bandits of the North American Hockey League in 2004-05. Last offseason Cooper pursued his big teenage standout, and the Lightning signed the St. Louis native to a one-year deal last August.Maroon, now 32 and a forceful 6-foot-2, 236-pound left wing, had three hits and an assist against Washington."We were in their face. That's the kind of team we need to be and have that mentality to push back. Don't let them run around," he said. "I thought we did a good job not getting frustrated when they threw big hits." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSLightning beat Bruins 3-2, improve to 2-0 in seeding roundTORONTO Tyler Johnson scored the tiebreaking goal with 87 seconds left to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-2 victory over Boston on Wednesday and send the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins to their second straight loss in the NHL's playoff seeding round.Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots for the Lightning, who improved to 2-0 in the three-game round-robin. Tampa Bay, which was second in the East with 92 regular-season points, would earn the top seed with a victory over Philadelphia on Saturday.''At this point, I don't think anyone's really thinking about what happened in the pandemic-shortened regular season,'' Johnson said. ''This is a whole new thing for us and we're trying to play the best hockey we can.'' Tuukka Rask made 32 saves for the Bruins, who led the NHL with 100 points before the coronavirus shutdown but can now finish no higher than the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.''That part sucks, I'm not going to lie to you,'' Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. ''But that's the situation this year with the stoppage of play. We knew the rules going into it.''We're just trying to win a hockey game right now,'' Cassidy said. ''Would I rather be the No. 1 seed? Absolutely. But that's not going to happen.'' Charlie McAvoy and Chris Wagner scored to help Boston rally from a 2-0 deficit. But in the final minutes Yanni Gourde received a long pass at the blue line and shot it off Rask's left skate.The puck was sitting there for Johnson to flick it in.''We're treating it as if it's do or die right now,'' Lightning forward Blake Coleman said. ''Seeding still matters, and obviously the teams that are competing in the qualifiers are going to be ready. It's really on us to treat it the right way, and if you don't you're going to be behind the eight ball.'' The first period was all Tampa Bay.Brayden Point backhanded a loose puck in front through Rask's legs about 7 1/2 minutes into the game to make it 1-0. Then just 13 seconds into a Boston penalty for too many men on a defensive pairing change, Victor Hedman's shot from the blue line went off Sean Kuraly's stick and then Alex Killorn redirected it with his skate into the net to make it 2-0.But the Bruins cut the deficit to one goal with three minutes left in the second when Bergeron won a faceoff, tapping it back to Torey Krug at the point. He slid it over to McAvoy, who slapped it past Vasilevskiy.Wagner tied it early in the third when Zdeno Chara's shot from the blue line got through Vasilevskiy but hit the post and sat there in the crease before Wagner reached in to tap it in.UP NEXTLightning: Finish the seeding round against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.Bruins: Wrap up the round-robin against the Washington Capitals on Sunday.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-125
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-1.5 (+202)
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Over 5.5 (+119)
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+113
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+1.5 (-230)
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Under 5.5 (-134)
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GAME PREVIEW
Both teams are securely in the playoffs and not fighting for survival, but Wednesday's round-robin seeding game in Edmonton means plenty for the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars.The situation is more desperate for Dallas, which blew a two-goal lead against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday in a 5-3 loss in its first game of the format. Now the Stars face a Colorado team coming off a last-second -- literally -- win over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.If the Stars lose Wednesday, they can earn no better than the third seed in the West.One key for Dallas heading into the game against the Avalanche is to forget about the loss to Vegas. The Stars led 3-1 after a dominant second period but saw the Golden Knights score four unanswered goals in the third."We just got away from our game," Dallas coach Rick Bowness told reporters Monday. "There's only one way to play this game, and that's the right way. We stopped playing the right way. We just got very soft on the puck. The plays at the blue lines were both very soft, and all that does is give them momentum." Before the season was suspended March 12, the Stars dominated Colorado. Dallas won all four matchups, including one in overtime and another in a shootout, but the last time the teams played was Jan. 14.The Avalanche were playing well before the pandemic shut down the sports world, and they picked up right where they left off with a 2-1 win over the Blues on Sunday. Nazem Kadri, who played only 51 games and was out injured when the season paused, scored with 0.1 seconds left in the third period to win it.Colorado won despite not getting a lot of offensive production from stars Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog -- they each had an assist in the win -- but a stellar defensive effort and good goaltending carried the day."This is just one game, and we're not going to get too high on it but it's certainly nice to start off with a win," Kadri said after the win over the Blues.MacKinnon and Rantanen played together for most of Sunday's win, but Landeskog spent much of the game on a line with Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin, as coach Jared Bednar routinely mixed things up.Philipp Grubauer had 31 saves against the Blues, but might not be in net against Dallas. Pavel Francouz was playing well after Grubauer was injured during Colorado's outdoor game against the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 15. Bednar normally waits to announce his starting goaltender, but it appears likely Francouz will get the call.Bednar gave his team a day off Monday."Today we just think it's best to keep everyone away from the practice rink," the coach said on a video conference call Monday. "I think some guys will probably head out and watch some of the games today and take some time for themselves." Ben Bishop will likely be in net for Dallas on Wednesday. He played in three of the four wins against the Avalanche during the regular season, stopping 118 of 123 shots.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSRookie Makar, Avs cruise to 4-0 round-robin win over StarsEDMONTON, Alberta High-scoring rookie defenseman Cale Makar connected on an early power-play goal, 30-year-old Pavel Francouz recorded a shutout in his postseason debut and the Colorado Avalanche cruised to a 4-0 round-robin win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.Joonas Donskoi, Vladislav Namestnikov and Andre Burakovsky also scored as the Avalanche improved to 2-0 in the three-game round that will determine playoff seeding for the top four teams in the Western Conference.''We're certainly trying to give ourselves every advantage we possibly can going into the playoffs and home ice is one of them even though we're playing in Edmonton,'' coach Jared Bednar said. ''I like to see our team get rewarded through all their hard work through the regular season and get the top seed and then we reset and start over for a seven-game series.'' Francouz stopped 27 shots, including a couple of point-blank whacks from Tyler Seguin on rebounds in the second period.It was the second career shutout for Francouz. The first was Feb. 21 before the shutdown, the same day he signed a two-year contract extension.''Actually, I wasn't nervous today and that kind of scared me because usually I'm pretty nervous,'' said Francouz, who signed as a free agent in the offseason in 2018. ''I was a little bit afraid of that. It didn't affect my performance. I don't even know why but I felt pretty comfortable today.'' The Stars have lost both of their games and are likely to finish where they started as the fourth seed.''I don't think we are where we need to be as of right now,'' Andrew Cogliano said. ''I think that game showed that mentally we just have to really realize that this is playoffs and this is tough and it's tough to win.'' Colorado was 1 of 18 on the power play while losing all four regular-season games to Dallas before the pandemic-forced shutdown, but three of the four goals in the restart involved the man advantage.Donskoi scored 3 seconds after a power play ended in the first period, and Burakovsky connected early in the third period after Mattias Janmark was called for tripping late in the second.Burakovsky's shot hit the crossbar before deflecting into the net off the back of Stars goalie Anton Khudobin, who had 36 saves. Donskoi and Burakovsky had assists on the other's goal.Makar opened the scoring 33 seconds into Esa Lindell's interference penalty with a shot from near the blue line early in the first period.It was the first goal in the NHL bubble for the 21-year-old Makar, who led all rookie defensemen with 12 goals and was second among all rookies with 50 points before the hiatus.The Stars have been shut out for 115 of the 120 minutes in the restart. All three goals in a 5-3 loss to Vegas came in a span of less than five minutes.''We know how we have to play. We can't afford to fall behind,'' coach Rick Bowness said. ''The chances are there. The finish wasn't tonight. We know how we've got to play to be successful going into the playoffs, and we'll get back there.'' NOTES: D John Klingberg didn't play for Dallas. G Ben Bishop was also declared unfit to play but probably wouldn't have made the start anyway. ... Nazem Kadri, whose goal with 0.1 seconds left beat St. Louis in the round-robin opener, had an assist. ... Stars D Thomas Harley made his NHL debut at 18. Harley was the 18th overall pick last year.UP NEXTThe round-robin finales for both teams. Colorado plays Vegas on Saturday. Dallas faces St. Louis on Sunday.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
|
-168
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-1.5 (+157)
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Over 5.5 (+120)
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+151
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+1.5 (-176)
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Under 5.5 (-135)
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GAME PREVIEW
There could be tweaks, of course, but don't look for Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan to make much in the way of changes going into Game 3 of his team's qualifying-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday in Toronto.After all, he stuck with the same goalie, Matt Murray, and the same lineup for Game 2 following a 3-2 overtime loss in the opener, and it paid off with a 3-1 win Monday that evened the best-of-five series."We believe in the group that we have," Sullivan told reporters."There's no panic. They're a confident group. They believe in one another, and they control what they can. They do a real good job of just staying in the moment. They're not going to dwell on the past, and they're certainly not going to get ahead of ourselves." The players appreciate Sullivan's steady hand."It shows a lot of faith," defenseman John Marino said.The Penguins also have for years had faith in their captain, Sidney Crosby. He has not only scored in each of the two games in the series but also has continued practicing his leadership skills."Everybody is watching Sid on our team," defenseman Kris Letang said. "Even the older guys are always kind of going to follow him. When Sid is leading your team, you know you're in good hands." In a series that was expected to key heavily on the goaltenders -- a possible competition between Murray and Tristan Jarry for Pittsburgh, and stellar play from Montreal's Carey Price that might be able to shut down the Penguins' firepower -- Sullivan's biggest move seemed to be sticking with Murray. The two-time Stanley Cup winner carried a shutout into the third period Monday and made a few big saves, including one on Tomas Tatar in the third."That's what Matt does at this time of year," Sullivan said of Murray. "He makes big saves at key times that help us win games." Calls for Jarry can be expected to die down, if not disappear, and it would be a shock if Sullivan didn't start Murray in Game 3."He's come up big for us before," Marino said. "Obviously, we have a lot of confidence that he'll keep doing that for us." Price has allowed two goals in each of the first two games (there was an empty-netter in Game 2), and it could be said that he stole Game 1."All I can say is he's given us a chance to win both games," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. "He's by far our best player after two games. He's been outstanding."I would have liked for us to respond a little bit better (in Game 2). But that's what Carey is and that's what Carey is known for, and he's living up to his reputation right now." That reputation, and even more strong play by Price, probably won't be enough to carve out two more wins for Montreal. Feisty forward Max Domi was succinct about that."Everyone knows it's nice to have the best goaltender in the world -- he's really kept us in it -- but we have to find a way to be a little better top to bottom in front of him," Domi said.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSPetry's goal in 3rd lifts Canadiens past Penguins againTORONTO Jeff Petry scored 5:33 into the third period as the Montreal Canadiens rallied from two goals down and beat Pittsburgh 4-3 in Game 3 on Wednesday night, pushing the Penguins to the brink of elimination in the best-of-five series.Shea Weber had a goal and two assists for Montreal, Paul Byron added a goal and an assist, and Jonathan Drouin also scored. Ben Chariot also had had assists.Carey Price stopped 30 shots for the Canadiens - the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference as part of the NHL's 24-team restart to its pandemic-delayed season. Montreal can advance to the normal first round with 16 teams with win in Game 4 on Friday.Patric Hornqvist, Jason Zucker and Teddy Blueger scored for fifth-seeded Pittsburgh, which led 3-1 after Blueger's goal 5:34 into the second. Matt Murray finished with 27 saves.Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher suited up after briefly leaving the Penguins' 3-1 victory in Game 2, but was clearly laboring at times with an undisclosed lower-body injury.Drouin pulled the Canadiens to 3-2 at 10:13 of the middle period when he redirected Chiarot's point shot past Murray.Byron tied it with 4:10 left in the period, just seconds after a penalty on Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin expired. Byron deftly moved Nick Suzuki's rebound from his skate to his stick and sneaked a second-effort wraparound just over the goal line.Joel Armia nearly gave Montreal the lead early in the third but his one-timer pinballed around the crease during a power play. However the Canadiens kept up the pressure, and Petry, who provided the overtime winner in Game 1, roofed a shot past Murray's ear from a sharp angle for their second lead of the game.The Penguins, who had the seventh-best record in the NHL when the season was suspended in mid-March, pushed as the period wore on, with Price denying Kris Letang down low.Pittsburgh went on the power play with 3:32 left in regulation, but Price handled Sidney Crosby's one-timer comfortably without giving up a rebound on the only shot against.The Penguins pulled Murray and continued to press, but weren't able to get the equalizer.Montreal jumped on the scoreboard first in front 4:57 into the game as Weber fired his third shot of a chaotic sequence by a down-and-out Murray.With the Canadiens already down a man, Weber buried Hornqvist in the corner and was going to be assessed a penalty. Montreal's captain seemed to be waiting for Malkin to give the puck away for a 5-on-3, but he instead whipped a cross-ice pass to Hornqvist, who made no mistake at 8:40.Pittsburgh stayed on the power play with Weber now in the box, and Zucker made it 2-1 just 59 seconds later when Bryan Rust delivered a sneaky feed in the slot for the winger to rip a shot upstairs.NOTES: Pittsburgh C Jared McCann sat out in favor of Sam Lafferty. ... The Canadiens made one lineup change with Jake Evans swapping in for Jordan Weal on the fourth line. Evans was drilled into the boards by Tanev in the second period and did not return. ... The Canadiens finished 0 for 5 on the power play to fall to 0 for 10 in the series. ... The Penguins went 2 for 3 on the man-advantage to improve to 3 for 15.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
|
-125
|
-1.5 (+185)
|
Over 6.5 (+102)
|
|
|
+113
|
+1.5 (-209)
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Under 6.5 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
The template for the Edmonton Oilers, at least most of it, was on full display in their 6-3 win on Monday over the Chicago Blackhawks.What remains to be seen with the series now tied at 1-1 is whether the Oilers can use the same blueprint the rest of the way when they meet the Blackhawks for Wednesday's Game 3 in their Western Conference qualifying-round series at Rogers Place, the Oilers' home arena which is serving as the host site for the West playoffs."We didn't play the way we wanted to in the first game so you kind of hit the reset button," Oilers forward James Neal said. "We threw the last game out, re-focused and came out with a whole different mindset. That just wasn't us in the first game. We were ready (in Game 2) from the drop of the puck. There was no doubt in the dressing room what we were going to get from all our guys. We played a playoff-style game and we had good results. That's how we're going to have to be the rest of the way." In need of a quick start to even up the best-of-five series, Edmonton star captain Connor McDavid opened the scoring just 19 seconds into the clash and then added another at the 4:05 mark. The 23-year-old completed a hat trick with a power-play goal late in the second period."All year, there were games where we talked about setting new standards for our team," coach Dave Tippett said. "Considering it was a must-win situation in a short series, I liked the standard we set. Now, there are still things to clean up, but it's certainly a step ... that your team builds confidence from." The 12th-seeded Blackhawks -- the lowest-seeded Western Conference team in the qualifying round -- pulled off an impressive upset in the opener but will be hard pressed to advance past the fifth-seeded and favored Oilers, even with Chicago's blend of veteran savvy and youthful skill. Still, the Blackhawks showed moxie in regrouping after an early deficit to make it a 3-3 clash, before Edmonton eventually pulled away."We gave them too many chances," Chicago forward Patrick Kane said. "They have a lot of offensive players who will capitalize. We'll try to be better defensively. This is what's fun about the playoffs, these highs and lows." "We knew they were going to come out with a lot of desperation and something to prove," added Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton. "We just didn't (have) enough guys going to match it. I thought we did some good things in the first couple periods to stay in the game, (to) give ourselves a chance, but ultimately, we didn't play to the level we need to to beat this team." One area the Blackhawks will focus on is puck management. Edmonton's first three goals came after turnovers."We weren't able to protect the puck in the offensive zone, so we're not able to sustain zone time and it's tough to win (that way)," Colliton said. "I also thought our reaction when we did turn it over to defend was too slow, especially early on, and they were able to take advantage." Chicago forward Drake Caggiula is eligible to return after serving his one-game suspension issued after the series opener for a hit on Tyler Ennis.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY BY PLAYTWEETSToews' 2nd goal breaks late tie, Blackhawks beat OilersEDMONTON, Alberta Matthew Highmore tied the score with 5:47 left in the third period, and Jonathan Toews got his second of the game 4 1/2 minutes later to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their qualifying round series Wednesday night.On the winner, Oilers defenseman Ethan Bear errantly tipped a Chicago point shot off Toews and past goalie Mikko Koskinen. It was Toews' fourth goal of the series.Olli Maatta also scored for the Blackhawks, and Corey Crawford finished with 25 saves.Leon Draisaitl scored twice for Edmonton, and Connor McDavid got his fifth of the series to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead with 8 seconds left in the second period. Koskinen had 21 saves as Edmonton was pushed to the brink of elimination in the best-of-five series.The Oilers had to play without Adam Larsson, their first-pairing shutdown defenceman. Larsson was declared unfit to play prior to puck drop. Teams are not permitted to divulge details on injuries or whether individual players have tested positive for COVID-19.The score was tied three times and neither team led by more than one goal.Maatta got the Blackhawks on the board first at 9:14 of the opening period with a slap shot from the blue line through traffic past a screened Koskinen.Draisaitl responded 28 seconds later., converting one-timer off a pass from Tyler Ennis through the crease.Edmonton got into penalty trouble late in the first and Chicago made the Oilers pay. On a 5-on-3 advantage, Kirby Dach centred the puck into a scrum of bodies in the crease. The puck bounced off Toews' skate and in with 5 seconds left in the period.The Oilers tied it at 4:07 of the second. Catching the Blackhawks running around in their own end, Oilers defenseman Matt Benning stepped into a blue-line slap shot that bounced off Crawford's pad to Draisaitl, who knocked in the the rebound.McDavid gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead on the power play late int he period. Draisaitl shot the puck from the right half boards. Crawford stopped it with his pad, but McDavid scooped up the rebound.Highore tied it as he tipped Slater Koekkoek's slap shot over Koskinen's shoulder.NOTES: In Larsson's absence, Darnell Nurse and Bear, normally the second paring skated as the top duo. Larsson's parter, Oscar Klefbom paired Kris Russell, and Caleb Jones entered the lineup alongside Benning. ... The Oilers also lost Ennis late int he second after he was checked into the boards by Dach. Ennis was writhing on the ice before being helped off. ... The Blackhawks wore their red jerseys as the ''home team'' and, in another weird twist in the Year of COVID, they dressed under the big orange Oilers logo set into the ceiling in the usual home dressing room.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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SOCCER |
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8/5/2020 |
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FOUND
30
MATCHES |
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FINAL |
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|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
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-213
|
OFF
|
Over 3 (-107)
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+559
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OFF
|
Under 3 (-105)
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| League: Veikkausliiga (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+192
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-104)
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+150
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OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-109)
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| League: Veikkausliiga (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+784
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-115)
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-261
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OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-114)
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| League: Veikkausliiga (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-108
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OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-103)
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+316
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-110)
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| League: Veikkausliiga (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+774
|
+1.5 (-118)
|
Over 3 (+100)
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-298
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-1.5 (+103)
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Under 3 (-115)
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| League: Ykkonen (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+813
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+1.5 (-105)
|
Over 3 (-122)
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-319
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-1.5 (-107)
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Under 3 (+104)
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| League: Ykkonen (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+276
|
OFF
|
Over 3 (+101)
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-116
|
OFF
|
Under 3 (-117)
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| League: Ykkonen (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-102
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OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-115)
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+279
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-119)
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| League: Ykkonen (Finland) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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+242
|
OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-124)
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+103
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-101)
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| League: Coupe de France Feminine (France) |
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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+167
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OFF
|
Over 2.5 (-103)
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+158
|
OFF
|
Under 2.5 (-126)
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| League: Coupe de France Feminine (France) |
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