July 8, 2021 3:57 am
BUENOS AIRES (AP) – Former Masters and U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera has been sentenced in Argentina to two years in prison on assault charges against his former partner. The 51-year-old Cabrera was convicted of assaulting, threatening and harassing Cecilia Torres Mana, his partner between 2016 and 2018. Cabrera denied in the trial any wrongdoing and will serve his sentence immediately.
July 7, 2021 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Bryan Reynolds drew a four-pitch walk from a Tyler Matzek, forcing in the winning run in the ninth inning and giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves and a three-game winning streak. Rookie Rodolfo Castro, recalled from Double-A Altoona before the game, worked an eight-pitch walk from Matzek leading off. Adam Frazier slapped a single though a big hole at shortstop that was vacated because of an infield shift, and Ke’Bryan Hayes on a full count and Reynolds got the second game-ending RBI of his career. Matzek threw just eight of 20 pitches for strikes.
July 7, 2021 3:47 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – No team has won the Stanley Cup on home ice since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015. The Tampa Bay Lightning have that chance in Game 5 of the final against the Montreal Canadiens. Coach Jon Cooper and the Lightning were the runners up when Chicago ended the franchise’s 77-year home-ice Cup-winning drought. Watching the Blackhawks celebrate is still a vivid memory for Cooper, even after winning it all last year. That was in the bubble and Edmonton. Winning at home this time would afford the Lightning the chance to celebrate that moment with friends and family.
July 7, 2021 3:48 am
PHOENIX (AP) – Chris Paul had 32 points and nine assists, Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the returning Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks 118-105 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Paul scored 16 points during a sensational third quarter that had Phoenix fans who waited 28 years to see the NBA Finals again screaming in delight. Finally playing for the title in his 16th season, the star point guard has the Suns in the NBA Finals for only the third time, and it sure looked as if they could make this one different than the other two. Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and four assists.
July 6, 2021 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Ben Gamel homered twice and drove in six runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the Atlanta Braves 11-1 on Monday night. Gamel took Max Fried (5-5) over the fence in center field for a two-run home run in the fourth. He doubled home Bryan Reynolds in the sixth and added a three-run shot in the seventh. The Pirates have won two straight following a six-game losing streak. Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr. had two hits each for Atlanta, but the Braves missed a chance to get back to .500 for the first time in a month.
July 6, 2021 3:49 am
MONTREAL (AP) – Josh Anderson scored his second goal 3:57 into overtime, and the Montreal Canadiens avoided elimination by defeating the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. Pat Maroon and Barclay Goodrow scored for the Lightning who are attempting to become the NHL’s second team to win consecutive titles in the NHL’s salary-cap era. The series shifts to Tampa Bay for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
July 6, 2021 3:55 am
UNDATED (AP) – Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died following a nearby errant fireworks blast. A medical examiner in Michigan says an autopsy has determined that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died of chest trauma. Police in Novi, Michigan, said the mortar-style firework tilted slightly and started to fire toward people nearby Sunday night. A police spokesman says the 24-year-old Kivleniek was in a hot tub and tried to get clear with several other people. Prior to the autopsy, police said Kivlenieks was believed to have slipped and hit his head on concrete while running from a malfunctioning firework. Kivlenieks appeared in two games for the Blue Jackets this season, recording a 3.40 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
July 5, 2021 3:51 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Tyler Anderson pitched seven sparkling innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended Milwaukee’s 11-game winning streak with a 2-0 victory over the Brewers. Kevin Newman homered and Wilmer Difo had an RBI double as the Pirates stopped a six-game slide. Milwaukee managed just three hits off Anderson, who broke a personal five-game skid. The left-hander struck out six and walked two while throwing 93 pitches. Milwaukee’s winning streak was the second-longest in franchise history. The Brewers won their first 13 games in 1987. David Bednar and Richard Rodriguez finished the four-hitter with one inning apiece. Rodriguez earned his 11th save in 13 opportunities by completing the Pirates’ third shutout of the season.
July 5, 2021 3:45 am
The Tampa Bay Lightning insist they are not thinking about winning the Stanley Cup back home in Game 5 despite families not being allowed in Montreal for a potential second consecutive celebration in isolation in Canada. The Lightning are looking to sweep the Canadiens in the final in Game 4 Monday night at Bell Centre. Coach Jon Cooper and captain Steven Stamkos say the team is focused only on the start of the next game and not looking ahead. That’s the product of the Lightning’s recent playoff past falling short in potential close-out games. Stamkos says a lot can happen in a playoff series that makes he and his teammates want to end this one now.
July 5, 2021 3:53 am
DETROIT (AP) – Cam Davis earned his first PGA Tour title when Troy Merritt missed a 6-foot par putt on the fifth hole of a playoff at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Davis closed with a 5-under 67 to match Merritt and Joaquin Niemann at 18-under 270 at Detroit Golf Club. Niemann dropped out of the playoff with a bogey on the first extra hole, his first bogey of the week. Niemann had a chance to win it on the 72nd hole, but left a 17-foot putt high. Davis holed a 50-foot sand shot for eagle on the par-5 17th and birdied the par-4 18th.
