Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — Frank Schwindel launched a long solo homer and doubled among his three hits and the Chicago Cubs topped the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 for their third straight victory. Willson Contreras went deep for the third time in four games and Ian Happ also homered to help Chicago end the Cardinals' three-game winning streak. St. Louis has also won five in a row at Wrigley Field dating to last July. Paul Goldschmidt doubled to extend his hitting streak to 24 games and reached safely for a career-best 38th consecutive game. Keegan Thompson allowed three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings for a win in his fourth straight outing.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The moment the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a package of draft picks, any notion that the AFC West champions would be able to simply build on another deep playoff run went right with him. The deal earlier this offseason set in motion events that have left the Chiefs in an intriguing position as they hit the meat of their voluntary summer workouts: They've rebuilt their pass-catching corps into a more well-rounded and arguably more difficult-to-defend bunch while also updating and perhaps upgrading their playbook to better fit their personnel and in particular those big, rangy wide receivers that are now on the roster.
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby acknowledges the there is "some weirdness" with the conference's annual spring meetings. There are 14 schools taking part this week in North Texas. There are representatives from future members BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. There is also the lingering presence of Texas and Oklahoma. The league's only football national champions are still three years away from their scheduled departures to the SEC. Plus, Bowlsby announced his retirement earlier this year. He plays to stay on until is replacement is found, and figures he's down to having 30-90 days left on the job.
MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Chris Buescher has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the inaugural NASCAR Cup race Sunday in the St. Louis area. RFK Racing said Thursday that Truck Series regular Zane Smith will replace Buescher in the No. 17 Ford at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Buescher is 21st in the points standings and still in contention for a playoff berth. RFK said Buescher expects to be back in the car next weekend at Sonoma Raceway. Smith will be making his Cup Series debut.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The NCAA baseball tournament opens Friday with play in 16 double-elimination regionals. Regional winners advance to best-of-three super regionals next week and the final eight go to the College World Series in Omaha beginning June 19. Tennessee is the No. 1 national seed and leads the country in home runs and ERA. East Carolina is on an 18-game win streak and enters regionals as the hottest team in the nation. Florida State owns the longest active streak of NCAA Tournament appearances at 44 in a row. Coppin State and Hofstra are in the tournament for the first time.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have acquired minor league right-hander Yohanse Morel from the Kansas City Royals. The Rangers traded Albert Abreu, the hard-throwing right-hander they had designated for assignment three days earlier. The Rangers assigned the 21-year-old Morel to High-A Hickory of the South Atlantic League. He was 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 10 relief appearances for High-A Quad Cities. He averaged 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings with no home runs allowed. Abreu had no record and a 3.12 ERA over seven relief appearances for the Rangers after being acquired from the New York Yankees before the season.
Update on the latest sports
NBA FINALS-CELTICS/WARRIORS
Celtics take opener
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Golden State Warriors had one of their patented, strong third quarters in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but the Boston Celtics had the last word.
The Celtics rode the most lopsided fourth quarter in NBA Finals history to a 120-108 victory over the Warriors. Boston outscored Golden State 40-16 in the final 12 minutes after trailing by 15 points late in the third quarter.
Boston won it with long-range shooting, shooting 21 of 41 from beyond the arc. Al Horford was the catalyst with six 3-pointers and 26 points. Boston made its first seven tries from long distance in the fourth and wound up 9 of 12 beyond the arc in the period.
Derrick White was 5-for-8 from downtown in scoring 21 points off the bench. Jaylen Brown finished with 24 points and Marcus Smart added 18 on 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Steph Curry had a team-high 34 points for the Warriors, who host Game 2 on Sunday.
NHL-STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS-AVALANCHE/OILERS
Avs beat Oilers, 4-0 for 2-0 series lead
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche have held serve in the first two games of the NHL's Western Conference finals.
The Avalanche have a two-games-to-none lead after a flurry of goals and a backup netminder led to a 4-0 shutout of the Oilers.
Nazem Kadri (NA'-zehm KA'-dree) set up goals by Artturi Lehkonen (LEH'-koh-nehn), Josh Manson and Mikko Rantanen (MEE'-koh RAN'-tah-nehn) during a 2:04 span early in the second period. Lehkonen and Manson tallied just 15 seconds apart, and Nathan MacKinnon capped the scoring late in the third.
Pavel Francouz (FRAHN'-sohs) had a 24-save shutout two nights after the Oilers scored six times in a Game 1 loss. Francouz replaced Darcy Kuemper (KEHM'-pur), who sustained an upper-body injury in the second period of the opener.
Mike Smith made 35 saves for the Oilers, who host Game 3 on Saturday.
NHL-NEWS
Sutter wins Adams Award
NEW YORK (AP) — Darryl Sutter of the Calgary Flames is this season's recipient of the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's top head coach.
Sutter oversaw the biggest one-year improvement by any team in the league guiding the Flames to the Pacific Division title a year after they missed the playoffs.
Sutter received 54 first-place votes to beat Florida's Andrew Brunette and New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant for the honor.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Yanks batter Ohtani, whip Angels
UNDATED (AP) — Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) couldn't stop the Angels' losing streak, nor could he get out of the fourth inning on Thursday.
Matt Carpenter, Gleyber (GLAY'-bur) Torres and Aaron Judge belted solo homers off the two-way star as the New York Yankees beat the Angels, 6-1 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Carpenter led off the bottom of the first with a home run on Ohtani's 11th pitch.
Angels manager Joe Maddon indicated after the game that Ohtani was tipping his pitches.
Aaron Hicks had three hits and scored twice to support Nestor Cortes, who scattered five hits while striking out seven over seven shutout innings.
The Angels' losing streak reached eight games with a 2-1 setback in the nightcap. Jameson Taillon (TY'-ahn) had a perfect game until Jared Walsh led off the eighth inning with a double and scored on Kurt Suzuki's single.
Taillon was in danger of taking the loss until Anthony Rizzo poked a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth.
Clay Holmes worked in and out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to close out the game.
In other MLB action:
— The Blue Jays own an eight-game winning streak after Santiago Espinal (EHS'-pih-nahl) delivered three hits and three RBIs in an 8-3 thumping of the White Sox. Teoscar (tay-AHS'-kur) Hernandez belted a two-run homer and Alek Manoah allowed three runs over 7 2/3 innings. Manoah is 9-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 13 career home starts.
— The Tigers pulled out a 3-2 win over the Twins on Daz Cameron's two-run blast in the eighth inning. Detroit received four hitless innings from its bullpen as Alex Lange worked around a pair of walks in the eighth to keep the Tigers within a run. The Tigers have won seven of nine and the Twins have lost seven of 10.
— Corey Kluber allowed a run and four hits over six innings as the Rays beat the Rangers, 3-1 to gain a split of their four-game road series. The lone run off Kluber was a two-out, first-pitch home run by Marcus Semien in the sixth. Vidal Brujan (broo-HAHN') hit an RBI double in the second inning and Yandy Diaz singled home a third-inning run for Tampa Bay.
— The Mets' six-game winning streak is over after Tony Gonsolin (GAHN'-soh-lihn) held them to two hits in leading the Dodgers to a 2-0 victory. Gonsolin improved to 6-0, striking out five and walking one while lowering his ERA to 1.59. Mookie Betts had an RBI single in the fifth and Justin Turner added an RBI double in the sixth as the Dodgers ended a three-game skid.
— Abraham Toro hit a tiebreaking triple in the top of the 10th inning and Diego Castillo shut down the Orioles in the bottom half to lift the Mariners to a 7-6 victory. Luis Torrens hit a two-run single that gave Seattle a 6-3 lead in the sixth inning, but Baltimore rallied to tie the game on Cedric Mullins' two-run double in the bottom half.
— Frank Schwindel launched a long solo homer and doubled among his three hits in the Cubs' 7-5 decision over the Cardinals. Willson Contreras went deep for the third time in four games and Ian Happ also homered to help Chicago end the Cardinals' three-game winning streak. St. Louis first baseman Paul Goldschmidt doubled to extend his hitting streak to 24 games.
— The Brewers erupted for four runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun the Padres, 5-4. Jace (jays) Peterson tied the score in the ninth inning with a three-run triple and slumping Andrew McCutchen followed with a game-ending single. Jorge Alfaro's two-run homer in the sixth off Brent Suter gave the Padres a 3-1 lead.
— Travis d'Arnaud (dahr-NOH') drove in a career-high six runs with a pair of homers, including a grand slam that highlighted the Braves' 13-6 assault on the Rockies. The Braves had 18 hits against the Rockies, who have allowed 39 runs over the past three games. Winning pitcher Ian Anderson allowed five runs and 10 hits with nine strikeouts over six innings.
— Sandy Alcantara (al-KAN'-tah-rah) allowed three hits over seven innings of the Marlins' 3-0 shutout of the Giants. Alcantara has completed at least seven innings in his last five starts and allowed only three earned runs, dropping his ERA to 1.81. Jon Berti (BUR'-tee) had two hits while Jacob Stallings, Jesús Aguilar and Miguel Rojas drove in runs for the Marlins.
— Joey Votto (VAH'-toh) and Kyle Farmer hit three-run homers in the Reds' 8-1 pounding of the Nationals. Rookie Graham Ashcraft was reached for just four hits over seven innings, blanking Washington until Josh Bell homered in the seventh. Cincinnati is 15-10 since losing 22 of its first 25 games.
MLB-NEWS
Top O's pitching prospect has strained lat muscle
UNDATED (AP) — The Mets were without Francisco Lindor (lihn-DOHR') on Thursday as they opened a four-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
The red-hot shortstop slammed his right middle finger closing double doors in his hotel room, but he hopes to play Friday.
Lindor has collected at least one RBI in his last 10 games and is hitting .365 in that span.
Also around the majors:
— Robinson Cano (kah-NOH') is a free agent after rejecting a demotion to the Padres' Triple-A team at El Paso. Cano was signed by the Padres last month after hitting .195 for the Mets. He batted just .091 without an extra-base hit in 12 games for San Diego.
— Orioles general manager Mike Elias says top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez has a strained lat muscle. It's not clear how long the right-hander will be out. Elias says Rodriguez came to Baltimore for an MRI, which confirmed the strain.
TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN
Gauff to face Swiatek in final
PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff has reached her first Grand Slam final by beating Martina Trevisan of Italy 6-3, 6-1 at the French Open. The 18-year-old American will 1 face No. 1 Iga Swiatek (EE'-gah shvee-AHN'-tehk) for the championship on Saturday.
Swiatek won her 34th straight match Thursday, dominating Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-1. That tied her with Serena Williams for the second-longest winning streak of this century and put her one win away from matching Venus Williams for the longest streak since 2000.
Swiatek is pursuing her second title at Roland Garros.
The 18th-seeded Gauff has won all 12 sets she's played in the tournament.
NFL-NEWS
Batson signs with Falcons, reuniting with Smith, Mariota
UNDATED (AP) — Chase Young has returned to the Washington Commanders practice facility to continue his rehab from a torn ACL in his right knee. The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year says there's still no timetable on when he expects to be ready to practice again. Young injured the knee and had it surgically repaired in November.
In other NFL news:
— Frank Gore has signed a one-day contract with the 49ers and announced his retirement from the NFL. Gore spent the first 10 years of his 16-year career with the 49ers and returned to end his career as one of the most prolific runners in league history.
— The Jets will induct former cornerback Darrelle Revis, center Nick Mangold and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson into the team's Ring of Honor during separate halftime ceremonies this season. The three played most of their NFL careers together with the Jets and are among the most popular players in franchise history.
PGA-MEMORIAL
Six share lead, Matsuyama DQ'd for illegal club
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Cameron Young is among six players tied for the first-round lead at the Memorial.
Young finished with two birdies over his last three holes for a 5-under 67 on rain-softened Muirfield Village. It was his first start since challenging for the PGA Championship.
Joining Young were Luke List, Cameron Smith and K.H. Lee from the morning wave, and Mackenzie Hughes and Davis Riley in the afternoon.
Bryson DeChambeau shot 76 in his first tournament since the Masters because of surgery on his left hand. Harris English made his first start since the Sony Open in January because of hip surgery. He opened with a 77.
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama has been disqualified in the first round of the Memorial.
Officials determined he had too much paint on the face of his 3-wood that he was using for alignment. Chief referee Steve Rintoul said rules officials were made aware of 10 small lines forming a circle on the face of his 3-wood. Matsuyama had just teed off at Muirfield Village and was approached on the second hole.
It was the first time Matsuyama has ever been disqualified on the PGA Tour. He won the Memorial eight years ago.
NASCAR-BUESCHER
Buescher tests positive for COVID-19
MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Chris Buescher has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the inaugural NASCAR Cup race Sunday in the St. Louis area.
RFK Racing said Thursday that Truck Series regular Zane Smith will make his Cup debut by replacing Buescher in the No. 17 Ford at Gateway.
Buescher is 21st in the points standings and still in contention for a playoff berth.
USA GYMNASTICS-SCHWIKERT MOSER
Olympian, Nassar victim Schwikert Moser on USA Gym board
UNDATED (AP) — Former Olympic gymnast Tasha Schwikert Moser is taking her advocacy for victims of sexual abuse within the sport to the front lines. Schwikert Moser is joining USA Gymnastics' board of directors.
The position was created as part of the legal settlement between the organization and athletes sexually abused by former national team doctor Larry Nassar. Schwikert Moser, who is among those abused by Nassar, says her goal is to make sure USA Gymnastics goes in the right direction as it tries to point a new path forward.
Schwikert Moser was on the 2000 Olympic team and won a pair of NCAA all-around titles. She now works for a Dallas-based law firm,
RUSSIA-BRITTNEY GRINER
Griner receiving, answering WNBA players' emails
UNDATED (AP) — Brittney Griner has been able to receive emails and letters from WNBA players through an account Griner's agent set up to allow them to communicate with her.
The emails are printed out and delivered sporadically in bunches to Griner by her lawyers after being vetted by Russian officials. Griner doesn't have access to email. She'll either write a response on paper and her lawyers will take a photo of it or she'll dictate a response.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist has been detained in Russia for more than 100 days after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.