AP Sports Report for May 15th, 2024:
SEATTLE (AP) — Nelson Velázquez hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to put Kansas City ahead, and Michael Wacha worked six dominant innings as the Royals beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2. Velázquez’s third homer of the season spoiled what had been a strong outing for Seattle starter Logan Gilbert. It all fell apart for Gilbert (3-2) in the seventh as Bobby Witt, Jr. led off with a walk and reached second on a Vinnie Pasquantino groundout to second base. Salvador Perez then reached on an intentional walk, and scored two batters later when Velázquez sent a 398-foot blast to left field. Maikel Garcia added to Kansas City’s lead with an RBI single in the eighth. Luke Raley homered for Seattle.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, Pedro Pagés had a three-run double for his first MLB hit and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-6. Kevin Pillar had three hits and Logan O’Hoppe had a three-run homer in the fourth inning as the Angels fell to 1-5 on their current homestand despite rallying from an early five-run deficit. The Halos are a major-league worst 5-16 at home. Burleson also had three hits as he homered for the fourth time in 16 games after not having one in his first 19.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani really wanted a splash hit into San Francisco’s McCovey Cove, and he came oh so close. Ohtani’s 446-foot drive for the Dodgers during a 10-2 win landed above the brick facade in right-center for the longest home run at Oracle Park in nearly two years. Ohtani says he is sleeping better after he had struggled to get proper rest amid his former interpreter’s gambling scandal this spring.
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic was presented with his third NBA MVP award before the game, then scored 40 points and dished out 13 assists in leading the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-97 Tuesday night. That gives the Nuggets a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Thursday night in Minneapolis. The Nuggets became the first home team to win a game in this Western Conference semifinal series. Anthony Edwards was limited to 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting for Minnesota.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 44 points, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first Eastern Conference finals trip since 2000 by beating the Indiana Pacers 121-91 in Game 5. The Knicks rebounded from a blowout loss on Sunday and guaranteed themselves at least one more game at Madison Square Garden in front of their roaring fans who have been aching to see big games in late spring again. Josh Hart had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Deuce McBride scored 17 points after he was inserted into the starting lineup. The No. 2-seeded Knicks can win the series Friday night at Indiana. Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday afternoon.
UNDATED (AP) — The first full week of the upcoming college football season will feature a Saturday tripleheader on ABC, including Texas A&M hosting Notre Dame in prime time. ESPN announced its major matchups for Week 0 and Week 1 on Tuesday as part of its presentation to advertisers in New York. The Aug. 31 matchup also marks Mike Elko’s first game as Texas A&M’s head coach. College GameDay will also originate from College Station, Texas, that day for the first time since 2018. ABC’s other Saturday Week 1 games include Clemson facing Georgia in Atlanta at 12 p.m. EDT and Florida hosting Miami at 3:30 p.m.
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Kirk Cousins has shrugged off any hard feelings over the Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr., insisting he’s ready to compete and doesn’t think there will be any issues in the quarterback room. Cousins was one of the biggest free-agent signings of the offseason, getting a $180 million, four-year deal with the Falcons that includes $100 million in guaranteed money. Then, in the most shocking decision of the draft, the Falcons selected Penix with the No. 8 overall selection. Cousins didn’t exactly endorse the selection of Penix, dodging a question about whether he would’ve signed with the Falcons if he knew they were planning to draft another quarterback in the first round. But Cousins says he's ready to make a potentially uncomfortable situation work for the Falcons.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — North Carolina State, Baylor and Texas will be among the eight teams in the field for the 2025 Maui Invitational. The tournament field also will include Oregon, Seton Hall, Southern California, UNLV and host Chaminade. The tournament returns to the Lahaina Civic Center this November after being played in Honolulu last year following a series of fires that killed 101 people and decimated the town of Lahaina. The 2025 bracket will be played Nov. 24-26. N.C. State is coming off the program’s fourth trip to the Final Four following an unexpected run through the ACC Tournament. Baylor is one of four teams to win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament the last five years, including a run to the 2021 national championship.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed against Pride month, working women, President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the Catholic private liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas. Butker also addressed the women in the audience, arguing their “most important title” should be that of “homemaker.” Butker has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known. The Chiefs declined to comment on the commencement address.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — There's a lot of uncertainty about Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship. Only some of it involves his golf. Woods says he is still talking with the PGA of America about whether he has the time to serve as Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black. Woods didn't have a lot to offer about his role on the PGA Tour as it tries to negotiate with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf on a potential investment deal. As for his game? He says he needs to figure out how to play four good rounds instead of two.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce in a stunning development as the PGA Championship nears. Court records in Palm Beach County, Florida, showed the petition for dissolution of marriage against Erica Stoll was filed Monday. That's one day after McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship for his 26th career PGA Tour victory. McIlroy's management team confirms the divorce filing and says he won't comment to make sure this time is respectful and amicable. The petition for divorce described the marriage as irretrievably broken and asked that a prenuptial agreement signed about a month before their 2017 wedding be enforced. The prenuptial agreement was sealed.
TUESDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Final Washington 6 Chicago White Sox 3
Final Miami 1 Detroit 0
Final Chicago White Sox 4 Washington 0
Final St. Louis 7 L.A. Angels 6
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto at Baltimore 6:35 p.m. (Postponed)
Final N.Y. Yankees 5 Minnesota 1
Final Boston 5 Tampa Bay 4
Final Cleveland 7 Texas 4
Final Houston 2 Oakland 1
Final Kansas City 4 Seattle 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 4 N.Y. Mets 0
Final Atlanta 7 Chicago Cubs 0
Final Milwaukee 4 Pittsburgh 3
Final Cincinnati 6 Arizona 2
Final Colorado 6 San Diego 3
Final L.A. Dodgers 10 San Francisco 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final New York 121 Indiana 91
Final Denver 112 Minnesota 97
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Boston 2 Florida 1