Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Pirates top Tigers 3-2 in doubleheader opener
UNDATED (AP) — Tyler Anderson pitched five solid innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates took the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday, 3-2 over the Detroit Tigers.
Pittsburgh scored all runs in the fourth inning after Michael Fulmer retired the Pirates in order through the first three. Pittsburgh has won five of its last seven to pull within a game of .500.
The Pirates and Tigers were playing a doubleheader because Tuesday night’s game was postponed on a snowy day in the Detroit area. There was still a white dusting on top of the bushes beyond the wall in center field Wednesday, plus some flurries late in the game.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Rookie Trevor Rogers didn’t allow a runner past second base while pitching a career-high seven innings, and the Miami Marlins earned a split of their two-game series against Baltimore by winning 3-0. Jesús Aguilar broke a 0-0 tie with a two-out, two-run double in the fifth. Rogers allowed four hits and one walk while striking out eight, lowering his ERA to 1.64 as he earned his third career win. The other two came against two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. Yimi García completed the four-hitter by pitching a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances.
MLB-NEWS
White Sox-Indians postponed due to snow and cold
UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Indians have postponed Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox because of snow and cold weather.
Up for four inches of snow fell in the Cleveland area overnight, and there were more than two inches on the infield tarp at Progressive Field when then game was called about five hours before the first scheduled pitch.
The AL Central teams will make up the postponement on Chicago’s next visit to Cleveland by playing a traditional doubleheader on May 31. The White Sox won Tuesday night’s game 8-5 in frigid conditions.
In other MLB news:
— Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander has gone on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be sidelined two to four weeks. Santander was hurt running the bases in the first inning of last night’s game at Miami. X-rays were negative. The Orioles recalled outfielder Ryan McKenna from the alternate training site at Double-A Bowie.
— Catcher Martín Maldonado and the Houston Astros have agreed to a $5.5 million, one-year contract for 2022. The deal includes a $5 million salary for 2022 and a $4 million team option for 2023 with a $500,000 buyout. His contract includes a hotel suite on road trips plus award bonuses. Maldonado is making $3.5 million in 2021 in the second season of a $7 million, two-year contract. A Gold Glove winner in 2017, Maldonado is 3 for 34 with no RBIs in 37 plate appearances this season. He has a .216 career average with 69 homers and 244 RBIs.
— Infielder JT Riddle has been placed on the COVID-19 injured list by the Minnesota Twins. Riddle appeared in four games for the Twins this season, going 2 for 6 with a run scored. To replace Riddle on the 26-man roster, the Twins selected the contract of catcher Tomás Telis from the taxi squad. Telis, who spent the 2020 season at the alternate training site in St. Paul, Minnesota, has appeared in 122 career major league games, hitting .230 with eight doubles, three triples, one home run and 24 RBIs over parts of five seasons with Texas and Miami.
— Former All-Star Dee Strange-Gordon has signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and been assigned to the alternate training site in Appleton, Wisconsin. Strange-Gordon had gone to spring training camp with the Cincinnati Reds as a non-roster invitee but was released on March 26. Strange-Gordon turns 33 on Thursday. He had been working out at shortstop with the Reds but has played a variety of positions. Strange-Gordon has primarily played second base and also has experience in the outfield.
— Former major league player and coach Tom Robson has died. He was 75. New York Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz says Robson died of natural causes yesterday at a memory care facility in Chandler, Arizona. Taken by the Mets on the 50th round of the 1967 amateur draft, Robson played two seasons in the major leagues, with the Texas Rangers. He batted .208 with four RBIs over 23 games and 54 plate appearances in 1974 and ’75, playing first base and designated hitter. Robson coached for the Rangers, Mets and Chiba Lotte Marines under Bobby Valentine, and also with Cincinnati.
NBA-NEWS
Lakers’ Anthony Davis ready to return
CLEVELAND (AP) — Lakers big man Anthony Davis intends to play Thursday night when Los Angeles opens a four-game road trip at Dallas. He hasn’t suited up since Feb. 14, missing Los Angeles’ last 30 games in the longest injury absence of his career.
The Lakers have managed to stay in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings despite playing without Davis for nine weeks and without LeBron James since March 20. The Lakers went 14-16 without Davis, and they’re 7-9 since both Davis and James went down.
In other NBA news:
— The NBA has suspended Indiana Pacers forward JaKarr Sampson for one game for headbutting San Antonio guard Patty Mills during Monday’s loss to the Spurs. The fourth-quarter incident began with a shoving match as Sampson and Mills fought for a rebound. Sampson then confronted Mills, drawing a flagrant two foul and automatic ejection. Mills and Spurs forward Rudy Gay also drew technical fouls. The league fined Mills $25,000 while Gay was fined $20,000. Sampson is sitting out Wednesday night’s game against Oklahoma City, leaving the already short-handed Pacers with one fewer player.
— Cavaliers swingman Dylan Windler underwent surgery on his left knee and will be sidelined indefinitely — another blow for the rookie. A first-round draft pick in 2019, Windler has been slowed by injuries in his young career. His first NBA season was wiped out by a stress fracture in his left leg suffered just before training camp. He made his pro debut this season but broke his left wrist in the Cavaliers’ opener and was sidelined for a month.
— Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff is missing Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls due to personal reasons. The team said in a statement that Bickerstaff will be replaced on the sideline by assistant coach Greg Buckner. The Cavaliers expect Bickerstaff to return for Friday night’s game at Charlotte. The 42-year-old Bickerstaff took over last season when John Beilein stepped down at the All-Star break. Cleveland went 5-6 under Bickerstaff before the season was stopped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NFL-NEWS
NFL eliminates preseason OTs, defeats onside kick proposal
UNDATED (AP) — NFL owners have approved eliminating overtime in preseason games and expanded selection of jersey numbers for receivers, running backs and defensive backs.
The league also will allow on-field officials to get certain “objective information” from the replay official and designated members of the officiating department “when clear and obvious video evidence is present.”
During a virtual meeting Wednesday, the 32 owners defeated a proposal by the Philadelphia Eagles that a team be given two chances per game to retain possession after a score by converting a fourth-and-15 play from its 25-yard line. But the owners did approve establishing a maximum number of players in the setup zone (between 10 and 25 yards from the kickoff) in hopes of enhancing onside kick opportunities. Defending teams will be limited to nine players in that zone.
Also approved were ensuring enforcement of all accepted penalties committed by either team during successive extra-point attempts, and adding a loss of down for a second forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, and for a pass thrown after the ball returns behind the line.
The league announced that its 2021 schedule, the first with a 17-game regular season, will be released May 12.
In other NFL news:
— Aldon Smith has turned himself in to authorities in Louisiana after an arrest warrant was issued for the Seattle Seahawks defensive end. The St. Bernard Parish sheriff’s department said Smith was booked on a second-degree battery charge Tuesday night. Officials said Smith was released on $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on July 14. The warrant was issued following an incident last weekend when a man told deputies he had been assaulted by an acquaintance outside a business in Chalmette.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
Indy 500 to host 135,000 in largest sports event in pandemic
UNDATED (AP) — The Indianapolis 500 plans to host 135,000 spectators next month, which would make it the largest sporting event in the world since the pandemic.
The attendance figure is roughly 40% of what the grandstands hold at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The number was determined after Indianapolis held the NCAA men’s tournament without a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. Most of the seating will be socially distanced in the grandstands. The viewing mounds in the infield will not be offered.
The race ran without fans last year for the first time in history.
In other pandemic-related developments:
— The Cincinnati Reds are increasing their fan allowance at Great American Ballpark to nearly 17,000. The increased capacity will take effect for games beginning April 30 when the Chicago Cubs visit for a weekend series. Following new state health orders, the Reds are allowed to boost capacity from 30% to 40% of the park, which seats 42,319. The guidelines also allow for “mixed pods” consisting of multiple groups from separate parties, capped at 10 people. Crowds at Great American Ball Park have averaged around 12,000, in keeping with the 30% guidelines.
— The Canadian Football League is pushing back the start of its season and reducing the number of games played due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league says the plan is for the season to begin in early August, nearly two months later than normal. Because Canada is dealing with a third wave of the virus, the CFL board of governors also has decided to reduce the schedule to 14 games from the normal 18. The league is stressing that the schedule revision is merely a target date because of the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last season was canceled.
— The women’s world hockey championship tournament in Canada has been postponed indefinitely. Health officials in Nova Scotia have informed the International Ice Hockey Federation the province’s borders are being closed due to COVID-19 concerns. IIHF chief Rene Fasel confirmed the development. The 10-team tournament was set to run in Halifax and Truro from May 6-16. Fasel says the IIHF p(ans to reschedule the tournament later this year in Nova Scotia or another country.
— Japanese residents with tickets to the Tokyo Olympics may not know until weeks before the games begin if they’ll be allowed to attend. Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto says a decision on how many spectators, if any, will be allowed in the venues may not be made until June. She had previously promised a decision this month. Fans from abroad have already been barred.
