MLB
New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson is taking a leave of absence because his cancer has returned, and he does not expect to return to the job. Alderson and the team's chief operating officer, Jeff Wilpon, made the announcement before the team's Tuesday night game against Pittsburgh. New York reached the 2015 World Series after rebuilding under Alderson and made it back to the playoffs the following year, but injuries and underperformance have decimated the team since.
The Mets ended a seven-game losing streak by beating the Pirates, 4-3 on Wilmer Flores' walk-off single in the 10th inning. Flores also delivered a two-run single to put New York ahead in the first inning, but the Mets needed Michael Conforto's seventh-inning blast to force extra innings. The series continues Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.
Checking out Tuesday's major league schedule:
The New York Yankees have hung onto their half-game lead in the AL East following wins by the Bombers and Boston Red Sox.
Aaron Hicks and Didi Gregorius each hit solo homers and Luis Severino picked up his major league-leading 12th win as the Yankees blanked the Phillies, 6-0 in Philadelphia. Hicks had two RBIs and Gleyber Torres added a two-run single while New York was reaching Jake Arrieta for six runs - three earned - over five innings.
Severino scattered six hits and struck out nine over seven innings to improve to 12-2 with a 2.10 ERA. The series continues Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.
The Red Sox kept pace by slamming four home runs and getting six strong innings from David Price in a 9-1 mauling of the Angels. J.D. Martinez slammed his 24th round-tripper and Mookie Betts reached the 20-homer mark to back Price, who was reached for one run and five hits. Jackie Bradley Jr. added a solo shot and four RBIs in the Bosox's fourth win in five games. The series continues Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.
Elsewhere in the MLB:
Kyle Seager drilled a solo homer and provided the go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning of the Mariners' 3-2 victory at Baltimore. James Paxton improved to 7-2 by shaking off Danny Valencia's solo homer, striking out 10 over seven frames. Edwin Diaz worked the ninth for his AL-leading 29th save.
Seattle remains 3 ½ games off the AL West lead after Charlie Morton struck out 13 over seven innings of the first-place Astros' 7-0 shutout of the Blue Jays. Alex Bregman went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and two runs scored to help Morton improve to 10-1. Houston led just 2-0 until Jake Marisnick launched a three-run blast in the eighth.
Matt Carpenter hit a pair of solo homers and an RBI single in the Cardinals' 11-2 thumping of the Indians. Jose Martinez clubbed a three-run blast and Kolten Wong added a two-run shot in support of Carlos Martinez, who struck out eight and allowed two runs over six innings. Corey Kluber was rocked for six runs in just 1 2/3 innings as the Indians saw their lead in the AL Central stay at 7 ½ games over Minnesota.
The Twins were 8-4 losers to the White Sox as Yolmer Sanchez went 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Avisail Garcia hit a solo homer and Leury Garcia had three hits in helping Chicago win for the third time in four games since an eight-game slide.
Jed Lowrie smacked a solo homer and furnished the tiebreaking, RBI single in the ninth to lift the Athletics past the stumbling Tigers, 9-7. Detroit led 6-0 until Mark Canha and Jonathan Lucroy both doubled to drive in three runs. Chad Pinder homered as Oakland moved four games over .500 and handed the Tigers their seventh consecutive loss.
Javier Baez was the hitting star in the Cubs' 9-4 win over the Dodgers, going 4-for-5 with a grand slam and a solo shot. Baez capped Chicago's six-run sixth with a bases-loaded blast after Los Angeles carried a 2-1 lead into the inning. The outcome keeps the Cubs 2 ½ games behind the NL East-leading Brewers and puts the Dodgers 2 ½ behind Arizona in the NL West race.
The Brewers used homers by Christian Yelich, Jesus Aguilar and Ryan Braun to beat the Royals, 5-1. Yelich and Braun belted two-run shots in support of Freddy Peralta, who tossed one-hit ball while fanning 10 over seven scoreless innings. The Royals have dropped 19 of 23 this month.
John Ryan Murphy doubled home a pair and had three RBIs as the Diamondbacks knocked off the Marlins, 5-3. Jake Lamb and David Peralta poked RBI doubles in the third inning to put Arizona ahead to stay. Zack Godley allowed two runs over five innings of his ninth win.
Atlanta's 5-3 loss to the Reds keeps the Braves atop the NL East by 3 1/2 games over the Phillies. Matt Harvey had his best outing since joining the Reds, yielding just one run and six hits over 6 2/3s to drop his ERA to 5.28. Jesse Winker was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles in Cincinnati's eighth victory in nine games.
The Nationals followed their two-hit performance on Monday by collecting just three hits in a 1-0 loss to the Rays. Nathan Eovaldi no-hit Washington until Bryce Harper doubled with two out in the sixth. Max Scherzer has his first three-game losing streak in nearly three years despite yielding one run and four hits over seven innings.
Gorkys Hernandez belted a solo homer and worked out a tiebreaking, bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to lead the Giants past the Rockies, 3-2. Derek Holland was sharp in gaining a no-decision, limiting the Rockies to a run and six hits while striking out eight over 6 2/3 innings. Ian Desmond provided Colorado's runs with a homer and a double.
The Padres put together a three-run eighth to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win at Texas. Wil Meyers and Hunter Renfroe sandwiched RBI doubles around a sacrifice fly by Christian Villanueva. Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos homered for the Rangers, who lost for only the second time in 10 games.
Elsewhere in the majors:
The Baltimore Orioles' season just got a little rougher. The Birds have placed ace Dylan Bundy on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained ankle. Bundy was injured running the bases in Saturday's win over Atlanta. Manager Buck Showalter expects his top hurler to spend the minimum time on the DL and return for a July 6 game in Minnesota. Bundy is 6-7 with a 3.75 ERA and a team-high 108 strikeouts for a ballclub that owns the worst record in the majors at 23-54.
The Rangers have placed first baseman Ronald Guzman on the seven-day concussion disabled list and recalled utilityman Ryan Rua from Triple-A Round Rock.
The Brewers have placed centerfielder Lorenzo Cain on the 10-day disabled with a left groin strain and recalled outfielder Keon Broxton from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
SOCCER
Argentina has scraped into the knockout stage of the World Cup after a tense 2-1 victory over Nigeria in a must-win game.
Defender Marcos Rojo scored in the 86th minute to secure the win with volley from the right to spark wild celebrations on the Argentina bench.
Argentina will play France in the last 16 in Kazan on Saturday, as Lionel Messi's ambition of a first world title is still alive.
Croatia sent Iceland home with a 2-1 defeat. A win would have seen Iceland advance instead of Argentina. France and Denmark played to a scoreless tie after both teams wrapped up spots in the knockout round.
Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET Mexico faces off against Sweden and South Korea takes on Germany. At 2 p.m. Serbia goes against Brazil and Switzerland plays Costa Rica.
NHL
Martin Brodeur is part of the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2018.
Brodeur was elected on his first year of eligibility after smashing NHL records for victories, shutouts and games played. He won three Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils, where he spent 20 of his 21 NHL seasons.
The four-time Vezina Trophy winner was 688-394-154 with a 2.24 goals-against mark and 124 shutouts.
Joining Brodeur is former Tampa Bay forward Martin St. Louis, who scored 1,033 points in 1,134 games. St. Louis won two scoring titles, captured the Hart Trophy in 2004 and won the Lady Byng Trophy three times in a four-year span.
Also entering the Hall will be Willie O'Ree, who currently serves as the NHL diversity ambassador. O'Ree became the first league's black player when he suited up for the Boston Bruins during the 1957-58 season. He played 45 NHL games and was a standout in the Western Hockey League despite being 95 percent blind in his right eye.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was also elected. Bettman has overseen the sport's growth into the Sun Belt as revenues have reached $5 billion annually.
Russian standout Alexander Yakushev and Canadian women's hockey team star Jayna Hefford will be inducted as well.
In other hockey news:
The Lightning have re-signed forward J.T. Miller to a five-year contract worth $26.25 million. Acquired from the Rangers at the trade deadline, Miller put up 18 points in 19 regular-season games with Tampa Bay and then eight more in 17 playoff games. The 25-year-old Miller has 82 goals and 108 assist in 360 NHL games.
The Penguins have re-signed forward Bryan Rust to a four-year deal that runs through the 2021-22 campaign. The 26-year-old Rust set career highs with 26 assists and 38 points in 69 games for Pittsburgh this past season. He was a pivotal member of the Penguins as they won consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
NBA
Magic Johnson says he will step down as the Lakers' president of basketball operations if he can't persuade an elite free agent to sign with his club within the next two summers.
Johnson took over the Lakers' front office in February 2017 and immediately announced his plans to revive the struggling 16-time NBA champion franchise by enticing the game's best players to join as free agents.
With Paul George and potentially LeBron James headlining the market this summer, Johnson is leading the Lakers' efforts to land both players. If those efforts don't work, Johnson will pursue the large crop of 2019 free agents.
Also in the NBA:
A person familiar with the deal says that the Wizards have agreed to trade center Marcin Gortat to the Clippers for guard Austin Rivers. The 34-year-old Gortat averaged 8.4 points and 7.6 rebounds last season, his lowest numbers since 2009-10. Rivers is eight years younger than Gortat and averaged a career-best 15.1 points and four assists last season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The family of the Washington State University football player who died of suicide in January said the 21-year-old quarterback had extensive brain damage that's been linked to concussions from playing the sport.
Tyler Hilinski was found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound and a suicide note on Jan. 16.
NFL
A body has been found at a New Jersey home where New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins lives.
The Bergen County prosecutor's office says it is investigating a death at the house in Fair Lawn, about 10 miles north of MetLife Stadium. Property records show Jenkins has lived at the house the last two years.
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