Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) — White Sox manager Tony La Russa wound up a winner in his first game against the team that ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Chicago beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 behind Lance Lynn's arm and Andrew Vaughn's bat. The victory ended a three-game skid for the AL Central leaders, who were swept by the New York Yankees after winning 10 of 13. The NL Central-leading Cardinals dropped their second straight. Lynn held the Cardinals hitless for 5 1/3 innings. Vaughn hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth. After winning a World Series in Oakland, La Russa guided the Cardinals to two World Series championships, three pennants and nine postseason appearances from 1996-2011.
CHICAGO (AP) — The birds-on-the-bat uniforms, the players in the other dugout, the opposing manager, it all looked familiar to Tony La Russa. Too familiar, in fact. The 76-year-old Hall of Fame manager of the Chicago White Sox found himself in a strange spot Monday night: Leading his club against the team he guided to a pair of World Series titles during a long, prosperous portion of his career, the St. Louis Cardinals. La Russa said the three-game series in Chicago would definitely be different, adding it would be a bit "distracting." La Russa and the White Sox wound up with a 5-1 win in the opener.
UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Blues go into an offseason of soul-searching after a second consecutive first-round exit following their Stanley Cup run in 2019. The Blues were swept by the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche and outscored 20-7. St. Louis didn't have a handful of its best players, but coach Craig Berube doesn't want to use injury or illness as an excuse. Winger Vladimir Tarasenko was almost at a loss for words and called the Blues' performance in the series embarrassing. More changes are coming to a team that already looks different than Game 7 of the 2019 Cup Final.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa basketball player Jordan Bohannon is recovering after sustaining a serious head injury while being assaulted. The university athletic department says the assault occurred early Sunday. Iowa City police did not immediately respond to a request for details. Coach Fran McCaffery says Bohannon is recovering well after being attacked by an individual he did not see coming at him. McCaffery says friends who were with Bohannon at the time kept the incident from escalating. Bohannon announced in April he would return to the Hawkeyes for his sixth season in 2021-22.
UNDATED (AP) — Automatic bids for the NCAA Tournament are on the line as conference baseball tournaments begin in earnest this week. The 16 NCAA regional hosts will be announced Sunday and the rest of the 64-team field next Monday. There are 30 automatic qualifiers instead of 31 this year because the Ivy League canceled its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Top seeds in Power Five conferences are Notre Dame in the ACC, Texas in the Big 12, and Arkansas in the SEC. The Big Ten's Nebraska and Pac-12's Arizona locked up bids by winning regular-season titles.
HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is loaded at the top, with No. 1 Arkansas followed closely by teams like Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Mississippi State. But Bulldogs coach Chris Lemonis's message is beware of those teams in the middle of the pack. The SEC Tournament runs Tuesday through Sunday at the Hoover Met in suburban Birmingham, with the top seeds opening play on Day 2 after a round of single-elimination games. Mississippi State is led by SEC player of the year Tanner Allen. Arkansas reliever Kevin Kopps is pitcher of the year.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Shannan Lum has been hired as recruiting coordinator for the Nebraska men's basketball program. Lum will be the second woman to hold the title at a Power Five school. The other is Bailey Bachamp. She's been Kansas State's recruiting coordinator and assistant to the head coach for four years. Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg created the recruiting coordinator job after last season. Lum will monitor the NCAA transfer portal, implement and manage the team's recruiting database and assist with recruiting research. She also will help the staff with scouting and game preparation.
NBA PLAYOFFS
Bucks capitalize on hot start to roll past Heat 132-98
UNDATED (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH'-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON'-poh) scored 31 points and Bryn Forbes led Milwaukee's scorching start from 3-point range as the Bucks trounced the Miami Heat 132-98 to extend their lead in this first-round playoff series.
Milwaukee shot 22 of 53 from 3-point range – including 15 of 29 in the first half – and never trailed while leading by as many as 36 points. The Bucks' 22 3-pointers were their highest total ever in a playoff game.
The Bucks own a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series as they attempt to oust the team that beat them 4-1 in the second round last year. Game 3 takes place Thursday in Miami.
In the second NBA playoff game:
— Nikola Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Denver Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 in a chippy Game 2. Jokic also had eight rebounds and five assists. The Nuggets had few answers for Lillard early on as the dynamic playmaker scored 32 of his 42 points in the first half. His eight 3-pointers before intermission tied an NBA playoff record for most in a half. Lillard finished 9 of 16 from 3-point range. Game 3 will be in Portland.
NBA-NEWS
GM Myers confident Warriors will re-sign Stephen Curry
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Warriors general manager Bob Myers is confident Golden State will sign newly crowned scoring champion Stephen Curry to a contract extension this offseason.
Curry said in December that discussions were underway and that he is fully committed. The two-time NBA MVP signed a $201 million, five-year contract in July 2017 that initially was the richest ever, until James Harden topped it with a $228 million extension from the Rockets. Curry also has yet to make a formal decision on whether to play in the Tokyo Olympics.
NHL-PLAYOFFS
Rielly lifts Maple Leafs to 2-1 win over Canadiens in Game 3
UNDATED (AP) — Morgan Rielly scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, Jack Campbell made 27 saves, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
William Nylander scored his third goal in as many games for Toronto, which hasn't won a playoff series since 2004. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Montreal. Nick Suzuki had the lone goal for Montreal, and Carey Price stopped 27 shots. The Maple Leafs remained without captain John Tavares, who's expected to miss at least two weeks with a concussion and knee injury suffered during a scary collision in Game 1.
In other playoff action:
— Nikolaj Ehlers scored his second goal of the game at 9:13 in overtime, completing a massive rally for the Winnipeg Jets who erased a three-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 and take a 3-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series. Mathieu Perreault, Blake Wheeler and Josh Morrissey each scored for Winnipeg in a stretch of 3:03 of the third to tie it and send it to overtime. The Jets can sweep the series Monday night with Game 4 in Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist for Edmonton, Zack Kassian and Jujhar Khaira also scored and Connor McDavid had three assists.
— The Florida Panthers entrusted their season to a rookie goalie making his playoff debut. Spencer Knight delivered. The 20-year-old Knight stopped 36 shots, Mackenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist, and the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in Game 5 of their Central Division playoff series. The Lightning still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and host Game 6 on Wednesday night.
— Josh Bailey scored 51 seconds into the second overtime to lift the New York Islanders to a 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh in Game 5 of their first-round series. Bailey took advantage of a giveaway by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to fire the puck into the empty net as New York grabbed a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Anthony Beauvillier and Jordan Eberle also scored for New York. Rookie goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 48 shots for the Islanders. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored for Pittsburgh but the Penguins are in danger of a third straight early playoff exit.
MLB
Rays win 11th in a row, score 7 in 11th to beat Toronto 14-8
UNDATED (AP) —Francisco Mejía (meh-HEE'-yah) hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories.
In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays erupted. Joey Wendle hit an early grand slam for Tampa Bay. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto's five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row.
In other major league action:
— Kyle Lewis homered and made a diving catch in center field, Yusei Kikuchi (YOO'-say kih-KOO'-chee) pitched six smooth innings before leaving with a possible back injury, and the Seattle Mariners ended a six-game losing streak by beating the Oakland Athletics 4-2. Jarred Kelenic also went deep for Seattle, playing its sixth of 12 straight road games in California covering separate trips.
— Brewers closer Josh Hader stopped San Diego's rally in the ninth inning and the Padres' nine-game winning streak ended with a 5-3 loss to Milwaukee. The Padres were fresh off sweeping a nine-game homestand. Hade notched his 11th save of the season.
— White Sox manager Tony La Russa wound up a winner in his first game against the team that ensured his Hall of Fame induction as Chicago beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 behind Lance Lynn's arm and Andrew Vaughn's bat. The victory ended a three-game skid for the AL Central leaders, who were swept by the New York Yankees after winning 10 of 13. The NL Central-leading Cardinals dropped their second straight.
— Mitch Garver hit a two-run double and the short-handed Minnesota Twins used a six-run eighth inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-3. Baltimore's DJ Stewart hit a two-run homer for a 3-2 lead as the first batter following a 45-minute rain delay in the eighth. But Minnesota rallied with six straight two-out hits in the bottom half.
— Jordan Luplow made a diving catch on Eric Haase's sinking liner to right field with the bases loaded, preserving a 6-5 victory for the Cleveland Indians over the Detroit Tigers. Luplow, who entered as a defensive replacement an inning earlier, made the catch look rather easy, but the ninth inning was anything but for closer Emmanuel Clase, who held on for his eighth save in nine chances. Spencer Turnbull allowed three runs in six innings for Detroit in his first game since pitching a no-hitter last week.
— Adam Duvall hit a three-run homer and Jesús Aguilar drove in two runs with a double and a single to help the Miami Marlins beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-6. Corey Dickerson hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the sixth, and Garrett Cooper had two hits and an RBI off the bench for the Marlins. They've won five of their past six and closed within one game of the NL East-leading New York Mets.
— Austin Gomber pitched two-hit ball through eight innings, Ryan McMahon and Elias Díaz hit second-inning home runs off David Peterson and the Colorado Rockies beat the banged-up New York Mets 3-2 for a rare road win.
Mets' Conforto, McNeil likely out until late June
UNDATED (AP) — New York Mets right fielder Michael Conforto and second baseman Jeff McNeil have hamstring injuries that are likely to keep them out of action for another month. Conforto and McNeil both got hurt on April 30.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco, sidelined by a strained right hamstring, won't be ready to pitch for the Mets until late June or early July. New York has a major league-high 16 players on the injured list. Right-hander Yordan Yamamoto, bothered by shoulder soreness, is likely to go on the IL on Tuesday.
NFL
In interview, Jones says he's ready to leave Falcons
ATLANTA (AP) — Wide receiver Julio Jones says he's ready to leave the Atlanta Falcons. The 32-year-old star told FS1 "Undisputed" host Shannon Sharpe via telephone that "I'm outta there" in a brief interview.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has been reportedly entertaining trade offers for Jones since last month. When asked where he wants to play, Jones replied, "Right now, I wanna win."
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn't present for the first day of organized team activities. These OTA sessions are voluntary, but Rodgers generally has participated in them in the past. ESPN first reported Rodgers wasn't with the team on Monday. Rodgers' decision not to participate this time comes amid reports that the reigning MVP doesn't want to return to the Packers. The Packers have said they have no plans to trade Rodgers.
— Matthew Stafford says his offseason thumb surgery isn't an impediment to anything he wants to do during his first offseason workouts with the Los Angeles Rams. Learning a new offense and getting to know every player in the Rams' locker room present more than enough challenges for the veteran passer, but he's confident he has enough time to get everything done. And after the NFL missed out on most offseason team work last spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stafford is grateful he picked this year to switch teams.
— The Denver Broncos' latest quarterback competition kicked off Monday when Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater shared snaps at the team's start of Phase III on-field workouts. Lock is the incumbent and he says he's been so busy fixing flaws in his game this offseason that he hasn't paid any attention to one report after another that his job was in jeopardy.
SUN-MILLER APOLOGY
Sun coach suspended, fined for comment about player's weight
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut Sun coach Curt Miller has been fined $10,000 and suspended for one game for a remark he made to a referee about the weight of Las Vegas Aces' post Liz Cambage.
In a social media post following the Aces' 72-65 loss to the Sun on Sunday, Cambage said Miller had disrespected her during the game, saying she weighed 300 pounds while arguing whether a call should have gone the Sun's way. Cambage said she will never let a man disrespect her. Miller issued a statement Monday apologizing to Cambage and the Aces organization.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
US warns against all travel to Japan as Olympics loom
UNDATED (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department are warning Americans against all travel to Japan because of a surge in coronavirus cases in the country as it prepares to host the Olympics in just two months.
The twin alerts issued Monday don't ban U.S. citizens from visiting the country, but they could have an impact on insurance rates for travelers and may factor into decisions by Olympic athletes and spectators on whether to compete in or attend the games, which are due to start in July. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee said it still anticipates that American athletes will be able to safely compete.
In other virus outbreak sports items:
— The governor of New Jersey has cleared the way for the Giants and Jets to play games at MetLife Stadium at full capacity for the 2021 NFL season.
Meanwhile, Carolina Panthers president Tom Glick says Bank of America Stadium will open at full capacity for all events this year, including NFL and college games. The Panthers had extremely limited seating last year due to COVID-19.
And the University of Maryland will allow full seating capacity for the 2021-22 season at home games for its sports teams now that coronavirus restrictions have been lifted locally.
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