Update on the latest sports
APNHL-SCHEDULE
Craig Smith’s 3 goals carry Bruins past Sabres 6-2
BOSTON (AP) — Craig Smith scored three goals to help the Boston Bruins complete their season-series dominance over the Buffalo Sabres with a 6-2 victory Saturday. With its ninth victory in 11 games, Boston slipped into third place in the NHL’s East division, a point ahead of the Islanders.
Nick Ritchie added a goal and an assist, and Sean Kuraly (kah-RA’-lee) and Patrice Bergeron (pah-TREES’ BEHR’-zhehr-ahn) also had a goal for Boston. Rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman made 17 saves in his eighth start, and David Krejci (KRAY’-chee) had three assists — all on Smith’s goals.
The Bruins went 7-1 against the Sabres this season and improved to 21-4-1 in the teams’ last 26 meetings.
Arttu Ruotsalainen scored and Riley Sheahan added a shorthanded goal for Buffalo, which has lost six of seven.
NHL-CANUCKS-VIRTANEN
Canucks’ Virtanen on leave amid sexual misconduct inquiry
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks have placed right wing Jake Virtanen on leave following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The team said in a statement Saturday it “does not accept sexual misconduct of any kind and the claims as reported are being treated very seriously.” The Canucks add there will be an independent investigation.
The NHL says it is aware of the unspecified allegations and will not comment until the investigation is complete. Neither Virtanen nor his representatives could immediately be reached for comment.
Virtanen is a 24-year-old Canadian who was drafted by Vancouver in 2014. He was put on leave hours before his team plays the Maple Leafs in Toronto.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Corbin ends 10-game skid, pitches Nationals past Marlins 7-2
UNDATED (AP) — Patrick Corbin ended his 10-game losing streak, pitching seven solid innings and leading the Washington Nationals over the Miami Marlins 7-2. Josh Bell hit a bases-loaded double and drove in four runs, Yan Gomes had a two-run homer and Josh Harrison had three hits as Washington won its third in a row.
Corbin, who opened the season on the COVID-19 injured list, began the afternoon with a 10.47 ERA in four starts. He limited the Marlins to two runs and four hits, striking out four and walking four. Corbin posted his first win since last August.
MLB-NEWS
Season of the Slump: Baseball keeps swinging and missing
UNDATED (AP) — Major league batters are hitting just .232 overall through April, down from .252 two years ago and under the record low of .237 set in the infamous 1968 season that resulted in a lower pitcher’s mound.
Strikeouts have averaged 9.06 per team per game, on pace to set a record for the 13th consecutive full season — up from 8.81 two years ago and nearly double the 4.77 in 1979. Strikeouts already are 1,092 ahead of hits, just three years after exceeding hits for the first time over a full season.
Hits are averaging a record-low 7.63 after fluctuating from 8 to 10 from 1937 through last year, excepting 1968′s dip to a then-alarming 7.91.
While it’s a bear market for batters, pitchers are on bull runs. Joe Musgrove of San Diego and Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox became the second pair of pitchers in a half-century to throw April no-hitters, the first since Atlanta’s Kent Mercker and Minnesota’s Scott Erickson in 1994. Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner pitched another, but the shortened seven-inning gem in a doubleheader was not recognized by MLB.
In other baseball news:
— The Los Angeles Dodgers will offer fully vaccinated-only sections for each game during their upcoming nine-game homestand against the Mariners and Diamondbacks starting May 11. Seats will be located on the right field side in the loge and reserve levels, and to encourage area residents to get vaccinated the Dodgers are offering a 20% discount. The special sections will not require social distancing, but masks will be required when not eating or drinking, and fans will be seated directly next to other parties. The Dodgers previously hosted fans in a fully vaccinated-only section on April 24, and it sold out.
NFL-PACKERS-RODGERS
Packers CEO acknowledges meeting Rodgers to discuss concerns
UNDATED (AP) — Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy says he is “very much aware” of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ concerns with the organization and acknowledges team officials have flown out to meet with the reigning MVP on multiple occasions.
Murphy added that the Packers want to keep Rodgers in Green Bay in 2021 and beyond. He discussed the Rodgers situation in a column posted on the Packers’ website on Saturday.
ESPN reported Thursday that Rodgers has indicated he doesn’t want to return to the Packers. The report said Murphy, general manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur had flown out separately to meet Rodgers during the offseason.
Gutekunst said Thursday night he has no plans to trade Rodgers and that he remained confident the three-time MVP would play for the Packers again.
INDYCAR-TEXAS
Palou on pole for IndyCar at Texas after qualifying canceled
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Alex Palou and Will Power will start on the front row for the IndyCar Series’ first oval race this season. The field for Saturday night’s race at Texas was set by owner points after qualifying was canceled.
Overnight rain and morning mist delayed practice because of a damp track. The start of Saturday’s 318-mile race was moved up a half hour because rain chances are forecast to increase later in the evening. A 372-mile race is set for Sunday.
F1-PORTUGUESE GP
Bottas takes pole for Portuguese GP, denies Hamilton 100th
PORTIMAO, Portugal (AP) — Valtteri Bottas has grabbed the pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix, denying Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton a record-extending 100th Formula One pole.
Bottas clinched the 17th of his career and a much-needed one after he crashed in the last race and scored no points. He was .007 seconds ahead of Hamilton and .34 ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
LPGA-SINGAPORE
China’s Lin Xiyu has 1-stroke 54-hole lead at LPGA Singapore
SINGAPORE (AP) — China’s Lin Xiyu has a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore. Lin tapped in on the 18th hole, her fourth birdie of the back nine, for a 5-under 67 and a 54-hole total of 14-under 202.
Hannah Green shot her second consecutive 66 to move into a share of second place with world No. 2-ranked Inbee Park. Park shot 70 with a birdie on the 18th after a double-bogey 7 on the 16th cost her the lead. Park led by one stroke after the first round and was tied for the lead after two.
GOLF-PINE VALLEY-FEMALE MEMBERS
Pine Valley to allow female members by end of the year
PINE VALLEY, N.J. (AP) — More than 100 years after Pine Valley Golf Club opened in southwestern New Jersey, the private club long considered among the best in the world has decided to allow women to join.
The websites of Golf Digest and Golf magazine, which both have employees who are members of Pine Valley, reported on the club’s vote to allow women. According to an email obtained by the websites, club president Jim Davis wrote to members on Friday that trustees and members of the club had voted unanimously “to remove all gender-specific language from our bylaws.”
Pine Valley, designed by Philadelphia hotelier George Crump, is located about 20 miles southeast of Philadelphia and long has been rated, with a few exceptions, the No. 1 course in America.
Women previously could play only as guests on Sunday afternoon. There was a time when women were not even allowed on the property.
