April 8, 2022 3:50 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin scored in the second period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. Dryden Hunt added an empty-net goal in the final minute and Mika Zibanejad had two assists for New York, which is 6-1-1 in its last eight games – including three victories against Pittsburgh. Tristan Jarry had 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five and is 2-5-1 in its last eight.
April 8, 2022 3:48 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Adam Wainwright pitched six scoreless innings, Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five, and the St. Louis Cardinals celebrated Albert Pujols’ return with a 9-0 season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yadier Molina threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first game of his final big league season, and Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman also homered for the Cardinals, who won the managerial debut of 35-year-old Oliver Marmol. Paul Goldschmidt drew four straight walks, the first player to do that on opening day since Manny Ramírez in 2002. The Pirates had just six hits and lost budding star Ke’Bryan Hayes to left forearm spasms in the first inning.
April 8, 2022 3:53 am
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Tiger Woods played pretty well at the Masters on Thursday. Sungjae Im was a little better. Im opened with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke lead over Cameron Smith at Augusta National. He recovered from a pair of bogeys with a 12-foot eagle putt on the 13th and added a late birdie. Smith opened and closed with double bogeys, but he also had eight birdies.
Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson are two shots back, as are Danny Willett and Joaquin Niemann. Woods had three birdies and two bogeys in a 1-under 71 that leaves him tied for 10th. It was his first competitive round since shattering a leg in a car accident 14 months ago.
April 8, 2022 3:54 am
UNDATED (AP) – Two Black coaches have joined Brian Flores in his lawsuit alleging racist hiring practices by the NFL toward coaches and general managers. The updated lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court adds coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton. Wilks alleges he was discriminated against by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Horton claims he was subjected to discriminatory treatment when he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coach position in January 2016.
April 7, 2022 3:56 am
Albert Pujols will be in the starting lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals against the Pirates when he begins his final big league season Thursday in what should be an emotional return to Busch Stadium. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol announced Monday that Pujols, who signed a $2.5 million contract to return to the club where he became a star, will be the designated hitter for his 22nd straight opening day start. That matches Hank Aaron and Carl Yastrzemski for second-most behind only Pete Rose, who made 23 straight during his career . “I don’t want to set expectations because I like to be surprised, so I’m just going to enjoy it,” Pujols said as he headed into the last few days of spring training in Jupiter, Florida. “I’m sure it will be emotional for me, and the fans, too. But my focus is on trying to get in the reps I need to get myself ready for this season.”
April 7, 2022 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – A person familiar with the deal tells AP that All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez and the Cleveland Guardians have reached agreement on a five-year, $124 million contract extension. Ramirez’s deal runs through the 2028 season, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because numerous details need to be finalized. The Guardians open the 2022 season in Kansas City on Thursday. Ramirez is one of the AL’s best all-around players. He’s finished in the top three in MVP voting three times in the past five seasons.
April 7, 2022 3:58 am
A judge in Texas says Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson must say whether he had sex with 18 massage therapists who supported him last year following criminal complaints. USA Today reported that Watson has 30 days to comply. He previously would not answer the question. Watson also has to provide other information about his massage history since 2019, including any language in his Texans contract about massages. Watson was traded last month from Houston to Cleveland. He has been accused by 22 women of sexual misconduct during therapy sessions.
April 6, 2022 3:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and the Colorado Avalanche clinched a playoff spot with a 6-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguin. The Avalanche became the first NHL team to 50 wins this season. J.T. Compher, Darren Helm, Josh Manson and Artturi Lehkonen also scored for Colorado. Darcy Kuemper stopped 41 shots. Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues, Jake Guentzel and Mike Matheson all scored for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry made 26 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost five of its last seven games.
April 6, 2022 2:47 am
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Tiger Woods says, for now anyway, he’s planning to play this week in the Masters, a little more than a year after he nearly lost a leg in a car crash. The five-time champion at Augusta National made the announcement Tuesday morning. He will play nine more practice holes on Wednesday before making a final decision, but will be doing so with the intention of playing Thursday. Woods was asked if he believes he can win the tournament. He said he does.
April 5, 2022 3:45 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Kansas has claimed its fourth NCAA men’s basketball comeback by engineering the greatest second-half comeback in finals history. The Jayhawks turned a 16-point, second-half deficit into a 72-69 victory over North Carolina. David McCormack scored the go-ahead bucket from close range with 1:21 left, then another at the 22-second mark to put the Jayhawks ahead by three. McCormack and Jalen Wilson led KU with 15 points each. Christian Braun scored 10 of his 12 in the second half and transfer Remy Martin had 11 of his 15 over the final 20 minutes. Carolina had scored 16 straight points late in the first half to open a 40-25 advantage at the break, but top-seeded KU went on a 31-10 run over the opening 10 minutes of the second to take a six-point lead. The Tar Heels went scoreless over the final 1:41 and missed their last four shots, including Caleb Love’s desperation 3 at the buzzer. Armando Bacot provided 15 points and 15 rebounds for North Carolina to become the first player to record double-doubles in all six tournament games. The Tar Heels were seeking their seventh national championship and could have joined the 1985 Villanova Wildcats as the only No. 8 seeds to win the title.
