Sports

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A year removed from a labor lockout that postponed opening day, major league players are enjoying their biggest salary spike in more than two decades. The average Major League Baseball salary was up 11.1% to a record $4.9 million to start this season, the largest

By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith hit a two-run homer, Julio Urías tossed six scoreless innings to outpitch Germán Márquez, and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-2. Jason Heyward homered for the second consecutive game and Max Muncy added a solo shot for the Dodgers. They’ve

By BEN ROSS Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tony Kemp hit a game-ending single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Oakland Athletics a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. With the score tied 3-all, Ryan Noda led off the ninth with a walk against James Karinchak. Noda advanced to second

By SHANE LANTZ Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Teoscar Hernández and AJ Pollock each hit two homers and combined to drive in nine runs and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 11-2. Luis Castillo turned in a second straight strong outing. He allowed two hits and struck out six in 5 2/3 shutout

By WARREN MAYES Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou scored his 37th goal of the season to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Tuesday night. Kyrou has six goals in his last six games. Tyler Pitlick, Justin Faulk and Alexey Toropchenko also scored for the Blues. Jordan Binnington,

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 34 points and gave Golden State the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 6:18 to play, Jordan Poole dazzled down the stretch to score 30, and the Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 136-125 on Tuesday night in their final regular-season

By JACK THOMPSON Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns never trailed, beating the depleted San Antonio Spurs 115-94 to clinch a playoff spot. The Suns (44-35) won their sixth in a row, the longest current winning streak in the NBA. With one more victory in the final

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Desmond Bane scored 30 points and keyed a fourth-quarter rally, Ja Morant added 23 points and nine assists and the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers 119-109. Luke Kennard added 20 for Memphis, converting 6 of 10 3-pointers. Skylar Mays, who signed a 10-day

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points, rookie Keegan Murray added 21 points, and the Sacramento Kings beat the New Orleans Pelicans 121-103 to clinch the Pacific Division title. Domantas Sabonis had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Kings, who took the lead for

By JOE HARRIS Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) — Austin Riley hit a two-run homer and Dylan Dodd pitched five strong innings in his major league debut, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1. Dodd allowed one run and six hits. The left-hander struck out three and walked none, throwing 52 of

By PAT PICKENS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 23 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the Brooklyn Nets 107-102. Rudy Gobert had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Mike Conley scored 18 points,

HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green scored 32 points, six others scored in double figures and the last-place Houston Rockets prevented the Denver Nuggets from clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 124-103 victory in their home finale. Denver entered Tuesday three games ahead of Memphis for the top spot in the

By HARVEY VALENTINE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Luke Raley, Josh Lowe and Yandy Díaz homered in the ninth inning as the undefeated Tampa Bay Rays rallied for a 10-6 win over the Washington Nationals. Raley hit his third homer in two nights, a liner to left field leading off the ninth against Washington closer

TORONTO (AP) — Zach Aston-Reese scored twice, Joseph Woll made 24 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Tuesday night. Woll was recalled from the American Hockey League on an emergency basis after Matt Murray left with a head injury Sunday in a 5-2 loss to Detroit. Woll improved

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid strengthened his MVP bid with 52 points, 13 rebounds, and the NBA scoring leader carried the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-101 win over the Boston Celtics.  James Harden had 20 points and 10 assists. Derrick White scored 26 points for the Celtics and Jayson

By MARK GONZALES Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 26 points, as the Atlanta Hawks overcame the loss of leading scorer Trae Young to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-105. Young didn’t make the trip to Chicago due to a non-COVID illness, and starting forward De’Andre Hunter missed his third consecutive game because of

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol questioned outfielder Tyler O’Neill’s effort after he was thrown out at home during a 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves. With St. Louis trailing 4-1 with two out in the seventh inning, O’Neill attempted to score on Brendan Donovan’s pinch-hit liner to right. But O’Neill was cut

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins has rejoined the Warriors after more than a month away from the team and is working his way back to being able to play again for the defending NBA champions. Wiggins says his family needed him an he appreciated the

MONTREAL (AP) — David Perron had two goals and an assist, Ville Husso returned from a lower-body injury to make 24 saves and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 on Tuesday night. Husso was back after sitting out seven games. Lucas Raymond, Matt Luff and Joe Veleno also scored and Jordan Oesterle

By TOM CANAVAN AP Sports Writer NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Dawson Mercer scored his first career hat trick and the New Jersey Devils beat the fading Penguins 5-1, putting Pittsburgh’s bid for a 17th straight Stanley Cup playoff berth in serious jeopardy. Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier also scored for the  Devils and Vitek Vanecek