Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
White Sox and Indians start their aces
CHICAGO (AP) — Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber pitches for Cleveland against White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito in a matchup of aces as the division rivals continue their four-game series in Chicago. Bieber is 2-and-2 with a 2.94 ERA in eight starts against the White Sox, while Giolito is 2-and-2 with a 2.62 ERA in seven outings versus the Indians.
Among the other games on the schedule:
— Wet weather took a game away from Marcus Stroman and gave it right back. Stroman will start for the New York Mets against Philadelphia in the finale of a single-admission doubleheader scheduled to make up Monday night’s rainout at Citi Field. Stroman’s outing Sunday versus Miami was suspended after nine pitches because of rain.
— Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen returns to the mound against Oakland after missing the first 12 days of the season with a hairline fracture in his right forearm. The 25-year-old Gallen was the Diamondbacks’ best pitcher last year, going 3-and-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 12 starts. He had 82 strikeouts in 72 innings.
— Jake Odorizzi is set to make his Astros debut at home against the Detroit Tigers, led by former Houston manager A.J. Hinch. Odorizzi was a free agent and signed a $23.5 million, three-year contract with the Astros on March 8. He had a 15.75 ERA in two spring training appearances, and Houston optioned him to its alternate training site when the season began. Matthew Boyd starts for the Tigers.
MLB-MARINERS-PAXTON
Mariners pitcher James Paxton done for the year
BALTIMORE (AP) — Seattle Mariners left-hander James Paxton will undergo season-ending surgery. That word comes from manager Scott Servais.
Paxton left his April 6 start — his first since returning to Seattle on a 1-year, $8.5 million deal — with left elbow discomfort. Paxton received a second opinion Monday, when the need for surgery was confirmed.
MLB-INDIANS-CHANG-RACIST TWEETS
Indians 1B Chang receives racist tweets after making error
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Indians first baseman Yu Chang has shared some racist tweets he received after making a costly error in Monday night’s game in Chicago.
The Taiwanese player posted some of the anti-Asian tweets on his Twitter account Tuesday while asking for tolerance. One of the messages referred to the shape of his eyes and another referred to the coronavirus. Chang included the hashtag StopAsianHate in his tweet.
His throwing error in the ninth inning allowed the White Sox to score the game-winning run in a 4-3 victory. The 23-year-old Chang came up as a middle infielder in Cleveland’s organization but is playing first this season.
NBA-NUGGETS-MURRAY OUT
Nuggets’ Murray tears ACL in left knee, out indefinitely
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray indefinitely after the dynamic point guard suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. It’s a big blow to a team coming off a season in which it advanced to the Western Conference finals and currently sits in fourth place in the West.
Murray was hurt late in a loss at Golden State on Monday night. He drove the lane, tried to elevate off his left foot and fell to the ground, instantly grabbing at his knee in pain.
The 24-year-old Murray previously missed four games with a sore right knee.
NBA-OBIT-SLICK LEONARD
Bobby ‘Slick’ Leonard, 88, Pacers Hall of Fame coach, dies
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NBA player and Hall of Fame coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard has died. The Indiana Pacers announced his death Tuesday.
Leonard went 573-534 and won three ABA championships in 14 seasons as a coach, the last 12 with the Pacers. He also made the winning free throws in the 1953 NCAA Tournament to give the Indiana Hoosiers the second of five national titles.
In 1985, he became the Pacers color commentator on television broadcasts and later moved into the radio booth where he coined his trademark phrase “Boom, Baby!” when Pacers players made 3-pointers. Bobby “Slick” Leonard was 88.
WNBA SCHEDULE
WNBA to play 32-game schedule, has month break for Olympics
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA will play a 32-game schedule that includes mini two-game series in the same location to reduce travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The season opens on Friday, May 14, with New York hosting Indiana. Seattle will receive its rings for winning the WNBA title last season when the Storm host the Las Vegas Aces in a finals rematch the next day. The regular season will conclude on Sept. 19 and be followed by the traditional playoffs format.
The league will take a break for the Tokyo Olympics from July 15 through Aug. 11.
The WNBA played a 22-game schedule last season while in a bubble at IMG Academy.
NFL-CARDINALS-CONNER
Cardinals sign Conner
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have signed running back James Conner to a one-year contract.
The 25-year-old Conner played his first four seasons in Pittsburgh and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2018. He ran for a career-high 973 yards and 12 touchdowns that year. He played in 13 games in 2020 and started 11, finishing with 721 yards and six touchdowns. He’s also been active in the passing game throughout his career, catching 124 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-TENNESSEE STATE-GEORGE
TSU hires 1st-time coach Eddie George hoping for revival
NASHVILLE, Tenn, (AP) — Tennessee State has hired former NFL running back Eddie George as football coach. It is banking on his name and football connections to revive the program.
TSU introduced George at a news conference with the band on hand to commemorate what the university hopes is a big step forward in football.
A four-time Pro Bowl running back with the Tennessee Titans and the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner with Ohio State, George hasn’t coached before. He played nine seasons in the NFL.
TENNIS-MONTE CARLO MASTERS
Fognini, Sinner advance in straight sets at Monte Carlo
MONACO (AP) — Fabio Fognini opened the defense of his Monte Carlo Masters title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Miomir Kecmanovic.
Italian teenager Jannik Sinner, who was runner-up at the Miami Open earlier this year, also advanced to set up a mouth-watering contest with top-ranked Novak Djokovic.
No. 2-ranked Daniil Medvedev withdrew from the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19.
