For Pacers and Thunder, there’s no looking back now. All eyes are only on Game 7 in the NBA Finals
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 6 of the NBA Finals had been over for only about 10 or 15 minutes, and the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder were turning the page. What happened over the previous couple of hours had already been deemed irrelevant. The only thing on their minds: Game 7. A back-and-forth title matchup will end on Sunday night with an ultimate game, the first winner-take-all contest in the NBA Finals since 2016. It’ll be Pacers at Thunder, one team getting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when it is over, the other left to head into the offseason wondering how they let the chance slip away.
Padres closer Suarez suspended 3 games, fined for hitting Ohtani with pitch; managers banned 1 game
LOS ANGELES (AP) — San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount Friday for intentionally hitting Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a pitch in the ninth inning Thursday night. Suarez appealed the suspension that was scheduled to begin Friday night when the Padres faced Kansas City at home. Padres manager Mike Shildt and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also received one-game suspensions and undisclosed fines. Ohtani took a pitch to the back of his right (pitching) shoulder from Suarez in the Padres’ 5-3 victory Thursday in Los Angeles. With Dodgers players starting to move over the dugout railing, Ohtani waved back his teammates.
Cal Raleigh breaks Johnny Bench’s record for homers by a catcher before All-Star break
CHICAGO (AP) — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar. Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd. The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.
Dodgers announce $1 million donation to aid families of immigrants affected by federal raids
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have donated $1 million to assist families impacted by two weeks of immigration raids in Southern California. The defending World Series champion Dodgers also said Friday that they intend to form partnerships with the California Community Foundation, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and other organization to aid immigrant families. The Dodgers announced the steps in a five-paragraph news release that appeared to be delicately worded. The team said only that the financial aid would be provided “for families of immigrants impacted by recent events in the region.”
Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski loses perfect game, no-hit bid in 7th vs. Twins in 2nd career start
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers lost his bid for a perfect game in the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins. After issuing a walk to Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner lofted a home run to the flower bed just past the right-field wall to end Misiorowski’s run of hitless innings to start his big league career at 11. In his second career start, the hard-throwing 6-foot-7 right-hander struck out six with a fastball regularly reaching triple digits and a slider and changeup in the mid-90s. After the homer, he was pulled for reliever Nick Mears and left to a standing ovation.
Wisconsin, NIL collective sue Miami, allege tampering and NIL inducements to land football player
The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective have sued the University of Miami, saying it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Florida school this fall. The suit could have a a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics. The case describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced plans to leave the Badgers. Miami did not have an immediate comment.
Rafaela hits a tiebreaking homer and Red Sox keep Devers hitless in a 7-5 win over the Giants
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela had three hits and a tiebreaking homer, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 7-5 victory over their former star slugger Rafael Devers and the San Francisco Giants. Rafaela connected with a one-out drive over the wall in center against Sean Hjelle to give Boston a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning. Rafaela also doubled and scored in the third and hit an RBI single in the fourth to help Boston win for the eighth time in nine games. Devers faced his former team five days after the shocking trade that sent him to San Francisco, going 0 for 5.
The Brad Blizzard: Panthers star’s love for desserts reaches a new level
For one day only: The Brad Blizzard, available at Dairy Queen. The snack story of the Stanley Cup playoffs — did Brad Marchand eat a Blizzard between periods of a playoff game or not? — reached its celebratory peak Friday. A Dairy Queen in Sunrise, Florida, where the Panthers play their home games, renamed the treat for the day in honor of the now two-time Stanley Cup winner. The Brad Blizzard was one of his favorites: the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor, though on Friday, the primary ingredient wasn’t called chocolate chips but rather chocolate “chirps” — a nod to the verbal jabs that hockey players give one another on the ice.
Scheffler part of 3-way tie for lead at Travelers with Fleetwood and Thomas
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood are tied for the lead in the Travelers Championship after a blustery day at the TPC River Highlands. Scheffler was motoring along as the defending champion until he got the wrong wind on a couple of shots and was happy to escape with a double bogey. He shot a 69. Fleetwood got the wind right on a 9-wood and made eagle on the 13th hole. He chipped in for another eagle on the 15th hole and shot 65. Thomas ran off five straight birdies on the back nine for a 64.
Jeeno Thitikul extends Women’s PGA lead and semi-retired Lexi Thompson contending for another major
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Jeeno Thitikul has extended her lead to three strokes at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The No. 2-ranked player in the world finished a six-hour round Friday with consecutive birdies for a 2-under 70 to get to 6-under 138 after two rounds. That’s three strokes ahead of Minjee Lee and Rio Takeda. Lexi Thompson is four back after a 70 on another steamy day on the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco. Only seven of the 156 players who started the season’s third major were under par through two rounds. There have been no bogey-free rounds in the season’s third major.