Update on the latest sports
APNBA PLAYOFFS-SUNS/CLIPPERS
Clippers’ cool-hand Lue is NBA’s best in elimination games
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers have been unflappable amid high stakes throughout these NBA playoffs. Down 0-2 to the Phoenix Suns, they’ve rallied within a victory of tying the Western Conference finals and forcing Game 7.
Much of their resilience can be credited to Tyronn Lue. He’s the NBA’s best coach in elimination games, with a 10-2 record.
The Clippers will be in that situation again Wednesday for Game 6 at Staples Center. They need a win to keep their hopes alive of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time.
STANLEY CUP FINAL-LIGHTNING/CANADIENS
Canadiens need bounce-back from best players in Cup Final
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens will need more from their best offensive line in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning if they are going to return home with a split.
The trio of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Tyler Toffoli were on the ice for three goals against in Montreal’s Game 1 loss.
Tampa Bay gets the last line change again in Game 2 on Wednesday night. That gives coach Jon Cooper the chance to put his dominant line of Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov on the ice against Caufield, Suzuki and Toffoli as much as possible.
The Canadiens have shown an ability to bounce back this postseason. They looked outclassed in the semifinal opener against Vegas before roaring back and winning in six games. They also erased a 3-1 series deficit to beat Toronto in the first round.
MLB SCHEDULE
Angels slugger to take the mound in the Bronx
UNDATED (AP) — Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani (HOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) is expected to become the second player and first since Babe Ruth to start on the mound and hit in the top half of the batting order in the Bronx.
Ohtani has looked plenty comfortable at the plate in New York this week, hitting a home run Monday night and then connecting for two more homers in last night’s 11-5 loss, giving him a major league-leading 28.
This will be Ohtani’s first pitching appearance at Yankee Stadium and his career-high 12th pitching start this season. He’ll oppose Yankees righty Domingo Germán.
Ruth batted third in his final game on the mound on Oct. 1, 1933, to end that season. The Bambino homered and threw a 12-hit complete game with three walks and no strikeouts, leading the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 6-5.
Ohtani will become the fifth player to homer twice and start the next game as a pitcher after John Montgomery Ward in 1883, Bob Caruthers in 1886, John Clarkson in 1887 and Ruth in 1930, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Kyle Schwarber tries to extend his amazing string of long balls after launching another leadoff shot in Washington. Schwarber hit his 12th home run in 10 games last night, connecting on the first pitch of the game from Tampa Bay’s Rich Hill. Schwarber hit his major league-leading seventh leadoff home run, all in June. He has 16 home runs in 18 games since being moved into the leadoff spot in the Nationals’ batting order on June 8. That’s the second most homers in any June behind Sammy Sosa’s 20 in 1998. Schwarber has 25 home runs overall in his first season with the Nationals.
Highly touted Brewers prospect Aaron Ashby is being called up from Triple-A Nashville to make his major league debut with a start against the Cubs at Miller Park this afternoon. The 23-year-old left-hander is a nephew of former major league pitcher Andy Ashby and was 4-1 with a 4.50 ERA at Nashville in 12 games, including six starts. Ashby was recently moved to the bullpen at Triple-A but says he’s “comfortable doing whatever they needed” him to do. Milwaukee has won a season-high seven in a row and leads Chicago by five games in the NL Central. The Cubs have lost five straight.
Elsewhere in the National League today, the Diamondbacks and Cardinals get the action started with a matinee in St. Louis. The Pirates and Rockies also play a day game in Denver. Tonight, it’s the Phillies hosting the Marlins, San Diego at Cincinnati and the Mets in Atlanta to play the Braves.
Orioles right-hander Matt Harvey is 0-8 with a 10.46 ERA in his last 10 starts. Harvey (3-9, 7.54) is pitching for his fifth team in four seasons. The 32-year-old former Mets star next starts at Houston, with Luis García (6-4, 2.83) pitching for the Astros.
The American League schedule has one afternoon start, with the Tigers in Cleveland for the first game of a double-header. Tonight, it’s Seattle at Toronto, Kansas City at Boston, Minnesota and the White Sox in Chicago and Texas at Oakland.
TENNIS-WIMBLEDON
More slipping and sliding at Wimbledon as Djokovic wins
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic slid, slipped, skidded and stumbled into the third round on Wimbledon’s slick grass Wednesday by beating Kevin Anderson in straight sets.
Djokovic didn’t face a break point and committed just six unforced errors, including one with his forehand. But footing continued to be an issue on the third day of the tournament, and Djokovic went sprawling several times, as did players in other matches and at least one ball kid.
Seven-time champion Serena Williams retired Tuesday with a leg injury after she slipped. Roger Federer’s opponent had to call it quits after he fell and twisted his knee.
John Isner played another five-setter on Wimbledon’s Court 18 but couldn’t quite create another epic this time. Isner was broken in the final game to lose 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4 to Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan in the first round. They were playing on the same court where Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the fifth set in 2010, the longest match in the history of tennis.
