AP Sports

 

 

 

Update on the latest in sports:

 

NBA FINALS

 

Warriors a win away

 

CLEVELAND (AP) – Kevin Durant scored a playoff career-high 43 points, including a long 3-pointer in the final minute and the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

 

The win moved the Warriors within a game of their second straight NBA title and third in four years.

 

Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, but no team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs.

 

LeBron James scored 33 points, with 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Cavs and Kevin Love added 20 points.

 

Game 4 is Friday night, again in Cleveland.

 

NHL-STANLEY CUP

 

Capitals one win away

 

LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Stanley Cup Final shifts back to Las Vegas for Game 5 Thursday night.

 

The Washington Capitals are a win away from the first title in the franchise’s 43-year history, holding a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with the Vegas Golden Knights.

 

Washington has scored 16 goals in four games against the reeling Golden Knights.

 

STANLEY CUP-SMITH-PELLY-TRUMP

 

Pelly won’t visit White House

 

LAS VEGAS (AP) – If the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup title, Devante Smith-Pelly won’t be going to the White House to celebrate with President Donald Trump.

 

Canada’s Postmedia quoted Smith-Pelly as saying “Some of the things he’s said are pretty gross. I’m not too into politics, so I don’t know all his other views, but his rhetoric I definitely don’t agree with.

 

It hasn’t come up here, but I think I already have my mind made up.”

 

The 25-year-old Smith-Pelly, one of two black Capitals players, is from the Toronto area.

 

MLB

 

Judge and Stanton carry the Yankees

 

TORONTO (AP) – Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer to snap a scoreless tie in the top of the 13th inning, and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a homer lifting the New York Yankees to a 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yanks have won seven of their last eight games.

 

Elsewhere in the majors:

 

– Andrew Benintendi and Christian Vazquez each hit solo homers and had RBI doubles as the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 7-1 on Wednesday night. Xander Bogaerts added a two-run double for the Red Sox, who won their fourth straight game and improved their major league-best record to 43-19.

 

– Anthony Rendon had four hits and drove in three runs leading the Washington Nationals to an 11-2 pounding of the Tampa Bay Rays. Michael A. Taylor added three RBIs and the Nationals made it 11 wins in their last 15 games.

 

-Josh Harrison went 2 for 3 with a bases-clearing double and David Freese and Gregory Polanco each drove in two runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates outscored the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9. Corey Dickerson had 3 hits and scored 4 runs for the Pirates.

 

-Tim Anderson had two hits and drove in two runs as the Chicago White Sox topped the Minnesota Twins 5-2.

 

-Jason Heyward delivered a game-ending grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning sending the Chicago Cubs to a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs have won eight of their last 10 games.

 

-Derek Dietrich had four hits including a homer and he drove in three runs as the Miami Marlins sailed by the St. Louis Cardinals 11-3. Miami has now won two straight games after snapping a six-game losing streak.

 

-Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer and Gerardo Parra and Tony Wolters each drove in a pair of runs as the Colorado Rockies topped the Cincinnati Reds 6-3.

 

-Evan Gattis hit a two-run homer and Yuli Gurriel added a two-RBI single in a four-run seventh inning that sent the Houston Astros to a 7-5 win over the Seattle Mariners. The outcome snapped a three-game skid for Houston and a five-game winning streak for the Mariners.

 

-Bartolo Colon registered his 243rd career victory, working five innings, as the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 8-2. The 45-year-old Colon has now matched Juan Marichal for the most wins by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic.

 

-Justin Upton’s third homer in four games helped the Los Angeles Angels defeat the Kansas City Royals 4-3. Angels’ starter Shohei Ohtani as removed from the game before the start of the fifth inning because of a blister on his pitching hand.

 

-Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 and allowed just one run in seven innings, as the Cleveland Indians beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1. Carrasco worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and Jose Ramirez had a go-head double and scored in the Indian’s three-run fifth.

 

-Manny Machado used his glove and bat to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 1-0 win over the New York Mets. Baltimore’s two-time Gold Glove winner made a one-handed grab of Adam Jones’ bat as it bounced off the protective screen near home plate in the first inning and he hit a sacrifice fly in the eight to plate the only run of the game.

 

– Alen Hanson had a tying, two-run homer off Brad Boxberger with two outs in the ninth inning and Brandon Crawford singled home Andrew McCutchen in the 10th as the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Wednesday for their sixth win in seven games. Arizona led 4-2 in the ninth. The Diamondbacks had been 29-0 when leading after eight innings.

 

– Matt Strahm and four other relievers combined on a four-hitter as the San Diego Padres beat Atlanta 3-1 in San Diego, to take two of three from the Braves.

 

CARDINALS-REYES

 

Surgery for Reyes

 

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals have lost right-hander Alex Reyes for the rest of the season. Reyes had Tommy John surgery Wednesday in Philadelphia.

 

Cardinals general manager Michael Girsch said recovery time is expected to be six months and the team expects Reyes to be ready for spring training.

 

Girsch said, “The good news is that when they went in, the tendon was partially frayed.”

 

ANGELS-SIMMONS DL

 

Simmons on the DL

 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons was placed on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday because of a sprained right ankle.

 

Simmons was injured Tuesday when he slipped coming down the dugout stairs before the 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals. He left the game after the second inning.

 

DIAMONDBACKS-ROYALS TRADE

 

Diamondbacks acquire Jay

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired outfielder Jon Jay in a trade with the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two minor league pitchers.

 

With two outfielders on the DL, the 33-year-old Jay gives Arizona an experienced outfielder they desperately need.

 

A.J. Pollack is out with a fractured thumb, and Steven Souza Jr., with a right pectoral strain. Jay is a career .290 hitter and is in his ninth year in the majors.

 

Arizona sent Elvis Luciano and Gabe Speier to Kansas City.

 

Luciano, 18, is a right-hander from Boca Chica in the Dominican Republic.

 

Speier is a 23-year-old left-hander who’s in his sixth year in pro ball.

 

OBIT-RED SCHOENDIENST

 

Former Cardinals skipper dies

 

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Red Schoendienst (SHAYN’-deenst), the Hall of Fame second baseman who managed the St. Louis Cardinals to two pennants and a World Series championship died Wednesday.

 

He was 95.

 

Alfred Fred Schoendienst wore the Cardinals uniform for 45 seasons as a player, coach and manager and he remained involved as a special assistant to the general manager.

 

A 10-time All-Star with the Cardinals, Giants and Braves, Schoendienst was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989 by the Veterans Committee.

 

He ranks second in Cardinals history with 1,041 managerial victories. His No. 2 jersey was retired in 1996.

 

MICHIGAN ST-ASSAULT

 

No jail time

 

LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Three former Michigan State University football players accused in the sexual assault of a woman won’t be going to jail after pleading guilty.

 

Josh King, Donnie Corley Jr. and Demetric Vance were sentenced Wednesday to three years’ probation, as well as sex offender treatment and therapy.

 

They pleaded guilty in April to seducing an unmarried woman, a reduced charge.

 

They could have been imprisoned for up to five years.

 

MICHIGAN-BEILEIN

 

Beilein stays in Ann Arbor

 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – John Beilein has decided he’s staying on as head basketball coach at Michigan after exploring the possibility of coaching the Detroit Pistons.

 

Beilein tweeted Wednesday, “I love the University of Michigan and I am excited about coaching our Men’s Basketball Team next season and in the years to come!”

 

The 65-year old Beilein has coached at Michigan for 11 seasons with a 248-143 record. He has led the Wolverines to two Final Fours, losing in the national title game this year and in 2013.

 

BRONCOS-RAY-SURGERY

 

Surgery for a Bronco

 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Ray will be undergoing surgery on his left wrist.

 

Ray could be out of action for three months after undergoing the procedure.

 

The person spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity Wednesday because the team hasn’t announced the news.

 

Ray has already had three surgeries on the wrist which he dislocated last July.

 

US-STEWART

 

Stewart takes charge of USA Soccer

 

NEW YORK (AP) – Former midfielder Earnie Stewart is the new general manager of the U.S. men’s national soccer team. Stewart had been sporting director at Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union since 2015.

 

When he starts on the job in August, Stewart will have to find a new head coach for USA soccer.

 

Bruce Arena resigned after the loss to Trinidad and Tobago last October that knocked the U.S. out of this year’s World Cup.

 

“Making the right choice is the most important thing,” Stewart said during a telephone news conference. “It’s process over speed.”

 

Stewart played on the U.S. national team and participated in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

 

SPORTS BETTING-NH

 

Sports betting bill in New Jersey

 

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – New Jersey lawmakers are expected to give final approval to a sports betting bill on Thursday.

 

The bill up for final votes in the state Senate and Assembly would allow New Jersey casinos and racetracks to accept sports bets.

 

New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case last month, overturning a federal law that limited sports betting to only four states.

 

All states are now free to pass laws legalizing gambling.

 

TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN

 

Nadal takes 2nd set as French Open QF resumes

 

PARIS (AP) – Play has resumed in the rain-interrupted men’s quarterfinals at Roland Garros, and 10-time champion Rafael Nadal quickly grabbed the second set of his match against Diego Schwartzman.

 

Nadal needed only two points to even his match at a set apiece.

 

He was serving for the second set at 5-3, 30-15 after having dropped the first by a 6-4 score when play was halted by a storm on Wednesday evening.

 

Also back in action after a suspension was the quarterfinal between past U.S. Open champions Marin Cilic and Juan Martin del Potro.

 

They were at 5-all in a first-set tiebreaker when their match was stopped. But del Potro grabbed the first two points played on Thursday to take that set 7-6 (5).

 

ST JUDE CLASSIC

 

Final tuneup for U.S. Open

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The PGA Tour is in Memphis, Tennessee for the St. Jude Classic that starts Thursday at TPC Southwind.

 

A week ahead of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, New York, defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka will tee it up in Memphis.

 

No. 2 ranked Dustin Johnson, a winner in Memphis is 2012 and Phil Mickelson are also in the field that includes six of the world’s top 28 ranked players.

 

BELMONT-JUSTIFY ARRIVES

 

Justify arrives in New York

 

NEW YORK (AP) – Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Justify arrived in New York on Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s Belmont Stakes.

 

Justify will face nine rivals on Saturday as he attempts to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.