AP Sports Summary for April 11th, 2024.
Masters a reunion of the world's best players. But the numbers are shrinking
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The Masters is more than just the first major of the year. It's the first time the whole gang is back together. The question is for how much longer. The 13 players from LIV Golf join the rest of the players in an 89-man field at Augusta National. Masters Chairman Fred Ridley is leaning on invitations in his belief they can get the right players. He believes the Official World Golf Ranking is legitimate. The Masters always reviews the criteria. Ridley did not announce any changes in his news conference. For now, the focus is on winning a green jacket.
Caitlin Clark tells fans 'this place will always be home to me' as she bids farewell to Iowa
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Caitlin Clark got a final chance to say goodbye to Iowa fans on Wednesday, and of course there was a big crowd waiting. Clark, who became major college basketball's all-time leading scorer this season on the way to being the consensus national player of the year, was honored along with her teammates in a celebration at Iowa's home arena commemorating the Hawkeyes' second consecutive national runner-up finish in the NCAA tournament. "I would say you've all inspired me as much as I inspired you," Clark said to the approximately 8,000 fans at Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Adam Silver says gambling probe of Toronto's Jontay Porter could lead to banishment from league
NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto's Jontay Porter could face expulsion from the league if the gambling-related accusations against him are found to be true, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday. Silver, speaking after a two-day meeting of the league's Board of Governors, did not reveal any specifics about the investigation surrounding Porter, other than saying the probe is ongoing. Porter has not played since the league said it was looking into betting patterns surrounding his on-court performance.
Jokic scores 41 points and leads Nuggets past Timberwolves 116-107 to take lead in West
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 41 points and powered the Denver Nuggets past Minnesota and into sole possession of first place in the tight Western Conference playoff race with a 116-107 win over the Timberwolves. Jokic made 16 of 20 shots against the NBA's best defense while being guarded most of the night by the league's top defender, Rudy Gobert. Jamal Murray added 20 points in 27 minutes and Michael Porter Jr. scored 18. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 25 points but was a non-factor in the fourth quarter as Denver pulled away.
Jackson Holliday, baseball's top-rated prospect, makes MLB debut for Orioles at Fenway Park
BOSTON (AP) — After his rapid rise to the majors, Jackson Holliday was given a particularly meaningful number with the Baltimore Orioles. Baseball's top-ranked prospect made his big league debut Wednesday night at Fenway Park, starting at second base and batting ninth against the Boston Red Sox. He struck out his first time up. The 20-year-old infielder, selected first in the 2022 amateur draft out of high school in Oklahoma, is a son of Matt Holliday, a seven-time All-Star and the 2007 NL batting champion. Holliday will wear No. 7 for Baltimore. His father wore that number during seven seasons with St. Louis and one with Colorado. But it hadn't been worn by a member of the Orioles since former manager Cal Ripken Sr. was still coaching in 1992.
Former NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs faces charges from Starbucks drive-thru incident
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Former NFL linebacker Terrell Suggs has been arrested after allegedly threatening another man and showing a handgun during a dispute in a Starbucks drive-thru line. Scottsdale Police arrested Suggs and charged the former Baltimore Ravens player with threatening and intimidating and disorderly conduct with a weapon. The incident on March 10 began after a black Range Rover driven by Suggs passed the ordering speaker at Starbucks and had to back up to place his order, backing into the other vehicle.
Hawaii-born sumo champion Akebono Taro dies of heart failure at the age of 54 in Japan
TOKYO (AP) — Hawaii-born Akebono Taro, one of the greats of sumo wrestling and a former grand champion, has died. He was 54. He was the first foreign-born wrestler to reach the level of "yokozuna" — or grand champion — in Japan. At the prime of his career he was a real giant, reported at the time to weigh 500 pounds and standing 6-feet-8. He was born Chad Rowan and moved to Tokyo in the late 1980s and won his first grand championship in 1993. Akebono was an 11-time grand tournament winner and he retired in 2001.
Jets' Aaron Rodgers briefly thought playing career could be over after tearing his Achilles tendon
Aaron Rodgers acknowledged during a podcast appearance this week he briefly thought his playing career could be over after he tore his left Achilles tendon in the New York Jets' season opener. The 40-year-old quarterback said during a wide-ranging 2 1/2-hour interview on the "I Can Fly" podcast that he feared for his playing career immediately after he was hurt just four snaps into his Jets debut on Sept. 11. Rodgers was traded to the Jets last offseason after 18 years with the Green Bay Packers. He said his life has changed for the better since the injury and is excited about playing again.
Monterrey beats Messi and Inter Miami to advance to the CONCACAF semifinals
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — Brandon Vazquez, German Berterame and Jesus Gallardo scored goals and Monterrey beat Inter Miami 3-1 to secure a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Vazquez opened the scoring in the 31st minute, Berterame added a goal in 58th and Gallardo sealed the win in the 64th for Monterrey, which progressed to the next round with a 5-2 aggregate score. Monterrey, the team with the highest payroll in the Mexican league, will take on the Columbus Crew in one of the semifinals. America, the reining champion in Mexico, will play against Pachuca in the other.
Fixture pileup a concern as Premier League title contenders look to juggle European commitments
Any dropped points from this stage could be fatal for the three contenders in the Premier League title race. The danger could be greater than ever for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City this weekend. The games don't appear too difficult on the face of it. Arsenal, the leader on goal difference, is at home to an Aston Villa team in fifth place but going through a difficult spell. Second-place Liverpool hosts a Crystal Palace team with just one win since January. Third-place Manchester City is a point further back and is also at home to third-to-last Luton. The peril is present because this weekend's schedule comes in between two-legged quarterfinals in the Champions League and Europa League.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Minnesota 3 L.A. Dodgers 2
Final Miami 5 N.Y. Yankees 2
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Seattle 6 Toronto 1
Final Tampa Bay 4 L.A. Angels 2
Final Cleveland 7 Chicago White Sox 6
Final Baltimore 7 Boston 5
Final Kansas City 11 Houston 2
Final Texas 6 Oakland 2
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
N-Y Mets at Atlanta 7:20 p.m. (Postponed)
Final Philadelphia 4 St. Louis 3
Final San Francisco 7 Washington 1
Final Arizona 5 Colorado 3
Final Milwaukee 7 Cincinnati 2
Final San Diego 10 Chicago Cubs 2
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Cleveland 110 Memphis 98
Final Charlotte 115 Atlanta 114
Final Dallas 111 Miami 92
Final Brooklyn 106 Toronto 102
Final Oklahoma City 127 San Antonio 89
Final Milwaukee 117 Orlando 99
Final Denver 116 Minnesota 107
Final Phoenix 124 L.A. Clippers 108
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final St. Louis 5 Chicago 2
Final Edmonton 5 Vegas 1
Final OT Arizona 4 Vancouver 3
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota at Detroit 1:10 p.m.
Houston at Kansas City 2:10 p.m.
Oakland at Texas 2:35 p.m.
Baltimore at Boston 7:10 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
N-Y Mets at Atlanta 12:20 p.m.
Milwaukee at Cincinnati 1:10 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 6:40 p.m.
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago at Detroit 7 p.m.
New York at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Utah 9 p.m.
Golden State at Portland 10 p.m.
New Orleans at Sacramento 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Columbus at Florida 7 p.m.
Detroit at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Toronto 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
Philadelphia at N-Y Rangers 7 p.m.
Washington at Buffalo 7 p.m.
Montreal at N-Y Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Winnipeg at Dallas 8 p.m.
San Jose at Seattle 10 p.m.
Calgary at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
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