AP Sports Report for June 4th, 2024:
MLB player Tucupita Marcano faces possible lifetime ban for alleged baseball bets, AP source says
NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on baseball and could be subject to a lifetime ban, according to a person familiar with the probe. MLB is looking into allegations Marcano bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while on the team's injured list last season, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Marcano, 24, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24. He was claimed by the Padres off waivers on Nov. 2 and placed on the 10-day injured list March 19.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, expected to enter guilty plea
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The ex-interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case. Ippei Mizuhara is expected to admit to stealing nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player. Tuesday's change-of-plea hearing in federal court in Santa Ana, California, occurs as the Dodgers begin a three-game series in Pittsburgh. The gambling scandal shocked baseball fans from Japan to the U.S. and ratcheted up a media frenzy that's ever-present around Ohtani. Authorities say there was no evidence Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara's gambling, and the player cooperated with investigators.
Celtics favored to win Game 1 and NBA Finals series, but money is rolling in on the Mavericks
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Celtics are prohibitive favorites to win Thursday's Game 1 of the NBA Finals and odds are on Boston to hoist what would be its record 18th championship banner. But the money is pouring in on the Dallas Mavericks at BetMGM Sportsbook. Senior trader Havlor Egeland said Monday that 80% of the bets were coming on the Mavs to win their second NBA title. Boston is a -225 favorite to win it all. The Celtics are 6 1/2-point favorites in the series opener.
Jason Kidd passes on vindication as he leads Mavs to NBA Finals a year after chaotic finish
DALLAS (AP) — Jason Kidd has the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals as a coach 13 years after helping the franchise win its only title as a point guard. The 51-year-old Naismith Hall of Fame player doesn't feel the need for vindication a year after many questions swirled around Kidd and a team that missed the playoffs. He has said Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving needed time to develop after the blockbuster trade for Irving. This season's postseason run has proved him right. The Mavs didn't win a playoff series in the 10 seasons from their title to Kidd's arrival as coach. He has Dallas to five series victories in three seasons.
Coming up Aces: Evansville wins regional and advances with N. Carolina, UConn, Florida, Oregon St.
Those pesky Purple Aces of Evansville earned their first NCAA regional title, and their reward is a weekend trip to No. 1 national seed Tennessee for the next round. They weren't concerned about what's next. They were too busy celebrating the biggest win in the program's 100-year history. Evansville became only the ninth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to reach a super regional when it bounced back from a 13-run loss to East Carolina on Sunday to beat the Pirates 6-5 in Greenville, North Carolina. North Carolina, UConn, Florida and Oregon State also locked up regionals.
Novak Djokovic wins his record 370th Slam match but isn't sure he can continue at the French Open
PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic played through a painful right knee with the help of medicine and come back to beat No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open's fourth round for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match. Djokovic said after Monday's victory that he is not sure if he can play in the quarterfinals because of his knee. He is the defending champion at Roland Garros. He broke a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments — and also for the most Slam quarterfinals for a man by reaching the 59th of his career.
Kylian Mbappé finally joins Real Madrid in a union of soccer's top player and club
MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé is finally a Real Madrid player. Real Madrid says it reached a deal with the France star for the next five seasons to bring together one of soccer's top talents and its most successful club. The announcement comes after years of flirtation by Madrid with the player who inherited the status of the best in the game from Lionel Messi. The 25-year-old forward joins a Madrid team that is already loaded with talent and still celebrating its record-extending 15th European Cup title.
Penn State found 'friction' between coach James Franklin, team doctor; could not determine violation
An internal review by Penn State in 2019 found evidence of "friction" between football coach James Franklin and a now-former team doctor. However, it could not determine whether Franklin violated NCAA rules or Big Ten standards by interfering with medical decisions. The 15-page document from Penn State's office of ethics and compliance was obtained by The Associated Press. Last week, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $5.25 million to Dr. Scott Lynch after he won a lawsuit against the hospital that employs him. The report left undetermined if actions by Franklin or anyone else at Penn State broke rules. It recommended further inquiry.
Celtics have followed 'craziness' of Joe Mazzulla's coaching style straight to the NBA Finals
BOSTON (AP) — Joe Mazzulla was thrust into a job he didn't expect to have following former Celtics coach Ime Udoka's suspension just days before the start of training camp last season. Mazzulla stepped up and guided Boston through that franchise-shaking crisis and to the cusp of an NBA Finals berth. Now armed with a coaching staff of his choosing and a style built around 3-pointers and defense, he's followed that up by leading Boston to its first 60-win regular season since it won it all in 2007-08. Not bad for a 35-year-old who is the youngest head coach to reach the Finals since Bill Russell in 1969.
Austin Cindric gives Team Penske its first NASCAR win and some much-needed momentum
Austin Cindric gave Team Penske its first NASCAR win of the season along with some much-needed momentum after a whole lot of struggles. But even the victory on Sunday just outside St. Louis came with a bit of heartbreak. Ryan Blaney was leading with a lap to go when he ran out of fuel, allowing Cindric to win for the first time since the Daytona 500 in 2022. Still, the win along with Joey Logano's top-five run should give Team Penske some positive momentum. It also should be a boost to Ford, which had not won all year until Brad Keselowski last week at Darlington, and now has reached victory lane again.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Houston 7 St. Louis 4
Final L.A. Angels 2 San Diego 1
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Baltimore 7 Toronto 2
Final Detroit 2 Texas 1
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 3 Milwaukee 1
Final N.Y. Mets 8 Washington 7
Final Cincinnati 13 Colorado 3
Final Arizona 4 San Francisco 2
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Tampa Bay at Miami 6:40 p.m.
Atlanta at Boston 7:10 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Chi Cubs 8:05 p.m.
St. Louis at Houston 8:10 p.m.
San Diego at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City at Cleveland 6:40 p.m.
Minnesota at N-Y Yankees 7:05 p.m.
Baltimore at Toronto 7:07 p.m.
Detroit at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Seattle at Oakland 9:40 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
L-A Dodgers at Pittsburgh 6:40 p.m.
Milwaukee at Philadelphia 6:40 p.m.
N-Y Mets at Washington 6:45 p.m.
Cincinnati at Colorado 8:40 p.m.
San Francisco at Arizona 9:40 p.m.
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WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Washington at Connecticut 7 p.m.
New York at Chicago 8 p.m.
Phoenix at Seattle 10 p.m.
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