KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers limited Kansas City to one run on four hits and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Royals. Matt Chapman was 3-for-4 with a double for Toronto, and Whit Merrifield doubled and scored the go-ahead run in his first appearance at Kauffman Stadium since he was traded to the Blue Jays last August. Kikuchi allowed one run on three hits and retired the side in order three times over his five innings. Jordan Romano pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Kris Bubic took the loss.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Austin Riley hit a two-run homer and Dylan Dodd pitched five strong innings in his major league debut, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1. Dodd allowed one run and six hits. The left-hander struck out three and walked none, throwing 52 of his 73 pitches for strikes. Jesse Chavez, Joe Jiménez, Dylan Lee and Kirby Yates combined for three scoreless innings before A.J. Minter worked a perfect ninth for his first save of the season. St. Louis got its only run on Willson Contreras’ RBI single in the fourth.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith hit a two-run homer, Julio UrĂas tossed six scoreless innings to outpitch Germán Márquez, and Los Angeles defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Tuesday night. A night earlier, the Dodgers pounded out 13 hits and 13 runs to beat the Rockies. Smith has homered in three straight games. Jason Heyward connected for the second consecutive game and Max Muncy added a solo shot for the Dodgers, who have gone deep in six in a row. They lead the majors with 13 home runs.
NEW YORK (AP) — The average Major League Baseball salary was up 11.1% to a record $4.9 million to start this season, the biggest jump for the sport since 2001, according to a study by The Associated Press. The surge follows a spending spree in the first offseason since players and owners agreed to a five-year collective bargaining agreement last March. Texas Rangers second baseman and union executive subcommittee member Marcus Semien calls it “a step in the right direction.” The New York Mets led the way with a $355 million payroll, $70 million more than the previous high for a season’s start. Seven teams topped $200 million.
NEW YORK (AP) — Iowa standout Caitlin Clark says there’s no reason for LSU’s Angel Reese to be criticized on social media for waving her hand while staring down Clark during the women’s NCAA championship game. Clark made a similar face-waving gesture to no one in particular during Iowa’s Elite Eight victory. Clark said on ESPN's “Outside the Lines” that "everybody knew there was going to be a little bit of trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angel.” Social media was divided over the gesture, with some saying it was just part of the game and others saying Reese lacked grace in victory.
UGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods is at the Masters for the 25th time. Not even he knows how much longer he will keep playing. Woods says he doesn't know how many more he has in him because of injuries to his legs and back. He describes his right leg as being full of hardware. Woods brings a degree a normalcy to this Masters that is filled with chatter and speculation about LIV Golf. Woods still draws the biggest crowd. Now he sees if he can match the Masters record held by Fred Couples and Gary Player of making 23 cuts in a row.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Phil Mickelson returned to Augusta National on Tuesday for a practice round ahead of the Masters. He missed the event last year for the first time since 1994, after some controversial comments about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf breakaway circuit were published. Mickelson is now one of LIV Golf's star attractions. He is among 18 players from the circuit playing this week, including six former Masters champions. Mickelson called it his “favorite week” and lamented missing it a year ago. He also said he has no problems with players that have been critical of his decision to leave the PGA Tour, including 1992 champion Fred Couples, who recently referred to Mickelson as a “nutbag.”
UNDATED (AP) — The attorneys who beat the NCAA in the Supreme Court have filed a new class-action antitrust lawsuit against the association and the five wealthiest college sports conferences. The new suit seeks millions of dollars in damages for thousands of athletes. The case was filed in the Northern District of California the day after the NCAA Tournament concluded. The plaintiffs are listed as former Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, who is currently with the Carolina Panthers, and former Auburn track athlete Keira McCarrell, but the lawsuit seeks triple damages for all current and former Division I athletes as far back as 2018.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has scrapped the idea of inviting to the White House the NCAA champion Louisiana State women’s basketball team along with Iowa’s players, who lost the title to LSU. First lady Jill Biden had suggested such a nontraditional scenario on Monday. But the social media pushback to her suggestion was swift and unexpected by her staff. Her spokesperson said Tuesday that the first lady looks forward to welcoming LSU. Iowa's star player, Caitlin Clark, says Louisiana State shouldn’t have to share the spotlight. The president tweets that both LSU and the winner of the NCAA men’s basketball title, the University of Connecticut, showed "the best of what this country can be.”
TUESDAY SCORES
INTERLEAGUE
Final Miami 1 Minnesota 0
Final Pittsburgh 4 Boston 1
Final Philadelphia 4 N.Y. Yankees 1
Final Tampa Bay 10 Washington 6
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Toronto 4 Kansas City 1
Final Baltimore 7 Texas 2
Final Detroit 6 Houston 3
Final Seattle 11 L.A. Angels 2
Final Oakland 4 Cleveland 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Arizona 8 San Diego 6
Final Chicago Cubs 12 Cincinnati 5
Final Milwaukee 9 N.Y. Mets 0
Final Atlanta 4 St. Louis 1
Final L.A. Dodgers 5 Colorado 2
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Toronto 120 Charlotte 100
Final Milwaukee 140 Washington 128
Final Cleveland 117 Orlando 113
Final Miami 118 Detroit 105
Final Minnesota 107 Brooklyn 102
Final Memphis 119 Portland 109
Final Houston 124 Denver 103
Final Sacramento 121 New Orleans 103
Final Atlanta 123 Chicago 105
Final Philadelphia 103 Boston 101
Final OT L.A. Lakers 135 Utah 133
Final Phoenix 115 San Antonio 94
Final Golden State 136 Oklahoma City 125
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Detroit 5 Montreal 0
Final Toronto 4 Columbus 2
Final New Jersey 5 Pittsburgh 1
Final Florida 2 Buffalo 1
Final OT Carolina 3 Ottawa 2
Final St. Louis 4 Philadelphia 2
Final OT Nashville 3 Vegas 2
Final Chicago 4 Calgary 3
Final Seattle 5 Vancouver 2
Final OT Colorado 4 San Jose 3
Final Edmonton 3 Los Angeles 1