December 14, 2022 3:57 am
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) – Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. He could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia. It set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match. It will be the 35-year-old Messi’s second World Cup final in what might be his last ever appearance at the tournament. Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final.
December 14, 2022 3:56 am
Star shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $350 million, 13-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations has told The Associated Press. The 28-year-old Correa also was a free agent one year ago after leaving the Houston Astros, and he reached a $105.3 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. That agreement gave him the right to opt out after one year and $35.1 million to hit the market again. Correa batted .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in his one season with Minnesota.
December 14, 2022 3:55 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has become the third NHL player to score 800 career goals. He scored three times at Chicago on Tuesday night. Ovechkin scored on his first two shots, beating Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek 24 seconds into the game before stuffing one home on a power play with 11:46 left in the first period. The 37-year-old winger then completed his 29th career hat trick when he knocked Anthony Mantha’s pass over a sprawled Mrazek 6:34 into the third. The rest of the Capitals jumped off the bench to celebrate after the milestone goal, and hats rained down on the ice from the crowd of 16,181 at the United Center. Fans then chanted “Ovi! Ovi!” – drawing a wave from Ovechkin. Washington beat Chicago 7-3.
December 14, 2022 2:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett’s status for Pittsburgh’s visit to Carolina is uncertain after entering the concussion protocol for the second time in two months. Pickett was injured late in the first quarter of a loss to Baltimore. Coach Mike Tomlin says Pickett’s availability will depend on whether he will be cleared to practice during the week. Tomlin added he has no issue with the NFL’s concussion protocol after Pickett was initially cleared to return after getting hit by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. Tomlin says he has faith in the medical personnel designated with evaluating concussions and leans on their expertise.
December 14, 2022 2:08 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez to a one-year, $3.15 million contract. The 30-year-old Velasquez spent last season working primarily as a reliever with the Chicago White Sox but will be a starter in Pittsburgh. Velasquez went 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA in 27 appearances for Chicago, with nine starts. He pitched well down the stretch for the White Sox, posting a 2.92 ERA with 24 strikeouts in his final 11 games with Chicago.
December 13, 2022 3:57 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Evgeni Malkin pounced on a loose puck and fired it into the net with 34 seconds remaining to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Dallas Stars 2-1. Malkin’s ninth goal of the year came after Bryan Rust’s shot attempt from in close was poke-checked away. While Rust’s momentum carried him into Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, Malkin fired the puck into the open net to push Pittsburgh’s winning streak to six. Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored his first goal of the season for Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots to improve to 9-0-2 in his last 11 starts. Roope Hintz collected his 12th goal of the season for Dallas. Oettinger made 23 saves but had no chance on Malkin’s game-winner.
December 13, 2022 3:54 am
Mississippi State says football coach Mike Leach has died following complications from a heart condition at the age of 61. The pioneering coach helped revolutionize the college football passing game with the Air Raid offense. A third-year coach at Mississippi State, Leach had been hospitalized over the weekend and had a bout of pneumonia late this season. In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107. Six of the 20 best passing seasons in major college football history were by quarterbacks who played for Leach, including four of the top six.
December 13, 2022 3:53 am
DOHA, Qatar (AP) – Tears are flowing from soccer’s biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup. First it was Neymar, then it was Cristiano Ronaldo and it could be Lionel Messi next. Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his one-of-a-kind career by winning the World Cup for the first time. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals almost in the same way Diego Maradona led the South American nation to the title in 1986. Now in Argentina’s way is Croatia. The 2018 runner-up is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents and boasts one of soccer’s most graceful players in Luka Modric.
December 13, 2022 3:52 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Mac Jones threw for 235 yards, Raekwon McMillan had a crucial fumble return for a touchdown and the New England Patriots earned a 27-13 win on Monday night over the Arizona Cardinals, who lost starting quarterback Kyler Murray in the first quarter to a potentially serious knee injury. New England trailed 13-10 at the break but tied the game at 13-all early in the third quarter after a short field goal. The Patriots got their game-changing play and a 20-13 lead later in the third when McMillan scooped up a fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. Murray was hurt on the third play of the game, immediately changing the complexion of the evening.
December 12, 2022 3:55 am
Paul Silas, a member of three NBA championship teams and LeBron James’ first coach in the league, has died at the age of 79. Silas’ family announced his death on Sunday. The family revealed the death through the Houston Rockets, for whom Silas’ son, Stephen, is a second-generation head coach. Silas’ daughter, Paula Silas-Guy, told The New York Times that her father died Saturday night of cardiac arrest. Paul Silas won exactly 400 games as a coach, including playoffs. He played for two championship teams in Boston and another in Seattle. He was a head coach in San Diego, Charlotte, New Orleans and Cleveland.
