MLB
The Boston Red Sox are back in a virtual tie with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East after outlasting the Orioles in the opener of a series in Baltimore.
Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. lifted sacrifice flies in the 12th inning to give the Bosox a 2-0 win over the Birds. Rafael Devers doubled in the 12th to put runners on second and third before Mychal Givens hit Eduardo Nunez to load the bases with nobody out.
Boston's bullpen allowed just one hit while striking out nine over 5 1/3 innings after Steven Wright scattered four hits.
Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts was 1-for-5 just hours after coming off the disabled list. Betts was leading the majors with a .359 batting average, a .437 on-base percentage and a .750 slugging average before missing 14 straight games with an abdominal strain. The series continues tonight at 7:05 p.m.
In Monday's other major league action:
Nelson Cruz homered twice and the Mariners regained sole possession of the AL West lead by downing the Angels, 5-3. Ryon Healy's two-run blast put the Mariners ahead 5-2 in the fourth inning. Angels outfielder Mike Trout sandwiched a pair of solo shots around Albert Pujols' 624th career home run.
Cleveland's 4-0 shutout of the White Sox puts the AL Central leaders 5 ½ games ahead of the Tigers. Carlos Carrasco struck out 11 and limited Chicago to two hits over seven innings. Yan Gomes provided a two-run double and Michael Brantley belted a solo homer in the Indians' fifth victory in six games.
Jake Bauer's first big league home run put the Rays ahead to stay in the fourth inning of an 8-4 thumping of the Blue Jays. The two-run blast off Sam Gaviglia after Matt Duffy's single erased a 4-3 Toronto lead. Winning pitcher Ryan Yarbrough gave up four runs over six frames after entering the game leading the majors with 44 relief innings.
The Cubs took over first place in the NL Central by scoring five times in the 11th to beat the Brewers, 7-2. Anthony Rizzo untied the game with a solo blast and Jason Heyward capped Chicago's 11th-inning rally with a two-run double after his RBI single knotted the score in the eighth. The Brewers are a half-game behind Chicago after wasting homers by Eric Kratz and Jonathan Villar.
The Cardinals were 5-2 winners over the Padres behind home runs by Jose Martinez, Marcell Ozuna and Jedd Gyorko. Martinez and Ozuna hit two-run shots to put the Redbirds ahead 4-1 in the fifth. Jack Flaherty was sharp over 6 1/3 innings, allowing a run and four hits as St. Louis stayed 2 ½ games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs.
The Diamondbacks scored nine times over their final two at-bats to turn a 5-0 deficit into a 9-5 win against the Pirates. Jake Lamb tied it with a three-run blast in the seventh before Arizona scored twice on wild pitches in a four-run eighth. Daniel Descalso laced a two-run triple for the DBacks, who now pace the NL West by three games over the Dodgers following their fourth straight win.
J.T. Realmuto slammed a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning to send the Marlins past the Giants, 7-5. The Giants led 5-4 until Brian Anderson delivered an RBI double and scored on Realmuto's seventh home run of the season. Giants ace Madison Bumgarner was lifted in the sixth inning and ejected for arguing with plate umpire Jeremie Rehak while heading to the dugout.
The Yankees had the night off, and will host the Nationals Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.
The Mets took the evening off and traveled to Georgia to kick off a two game series against the Braves Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Elsewhere in the majors:
The Brewers have reinstated first baseman Eric Thames, who had been on the 10-day disabled list after tearing a ligament in his left thumb on April 25. Jesus Aguilar has played well at first in Thames' absence, hitting .290 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs. The Brewers made roster space by optioning right-hander Brandon Woodruff to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Orioles left-hander Zach Britton has been activated from the disabled list, six months after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. Britton made the AL All-Star team in 2016, when he converted all 47 of his save opportunities and compiled a 0.54 ERA in 69 appearances. He is scheduled to become a free agent this fall and could be among several players dealt by the Orioles before the summer trade deadlines.
The Rays have recalled 22-year-old shortstop prospect Willy Adames (ah-DAH'-mehs) from Triple-A Durham after placing infielder Daniel Robertson on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Adames played three games last month with Tampa Bay and hit his first major league homer off Boston ace Chris Sale in his debut on May 22. The ballclub also announced that Chris Archer will not pitch in a simulated game on Tuesday, as planned as he continues to recover from an abdominal strain.
The Cardinals have purchased the contract of 26-year-old right-hander Daniel Poncedeleon from Triple-A Memphis. Poncedeleon was 5-2 with a Pacific Coast League-leading 2.41 ERA in 12 games, winning each of his last four decisions and striking out 71 over 59 2/3 innings. The promotion comes 13 months since a line drive struck Poncedeleon in the right temple during a game, fracturing his skull and creating bleeding from his brain.
The Supreme Court is leaving in place a court decision dismissing a lawsuit filed against the Cubs by the owners of rooftop clubs adjacent to Wrigley Field. Skybox on Sheffield and Lakeview Baseball Club sued the Cubs in 2015, arguing in part that a right-field video board the team was adding would block their views of the ballpark and violate terms of a 2004 revenue-sharing agreement. Judge Virginia Kendall said the board was allowed because the agreement allowed "any expansion of Wrigley Field approved by governmental authorities."
NBA
The Detroit Pistons have found their next head coach.
Dwane Casey has accepted a five-year contract with the Pistons, one month after he was let go by the Toronto Raptors. Casey was 320-238 in seven seasons with the Raptors, winning four Atlantic Division titles and advancing to the playoffs each of the last five years. But the team was eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers the last three seasons, including a four-game sweep by the Cavs last month.
Casey accepted a five-year contract to replace Stan Van Gundy, who was fired after the Pistons missed the playoffs for the eighth time in nine seasons.
Checking out other NBA news:
Warriors general manager Bob Myers expects no trouble re-signing Kevin Durant, saying he's prepared to give the All-Star forward "whatever he wants." Durant could sign for as long as four years and about $160 million, although Myers says he'd love to have him 10 years. Myers also anticipates swift negotiations with head coach Steve Kerr, who has led to the team to three NBA championships during his four seasons at the helm.
NFL
Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says the team has been informed that receiver Julio Jones will not be present when the three-day minicamp opens on Tuesday.
The Falcons issued a statement in which Dimitroff described the contract situation with one of their top playmakers as "not ideal."
Jones still has three seasons remaining on his five-year, $71.3 million deal with $47 million in guaranteed money. However, his average salary now ranks behind several wideouts.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Former Clemson quarterback and highly touted recruit Hunter Johnson is transferring to Northwestern and will have three years of eligibility remaining once he sits out the upcoming season.
Johnson played in seven games last season and completed 77.8 percent of his passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Stuck between returning starter Kelly Bryant and heralded 2018 recruit Trevor Lawrence, Johnson decided to transfer after spring practice.
SPORTS BETTING
New Jersey has become the second state to allow sports betting since a Supreme Court decision cleared the way for such gambling.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill four days after the Democrat-led Legislature sent him the legislation. The operator of Monmouth Park Racetrack says Murphy will place the first bet on Thursday.
Three weeks ago, New Jersey prevailed in a Supreme Court case that struck down a federal law limiting sports betting to just four states.
Delaware was the first state to allow sports betting since the Supreme Court decision.
NHL
The Boston Bruins say former NHL forward Johnny "Pie" McKenzie died Saturday at age 80.
McKenzie won two Stanley Cups while playing with the Bruins from 1965-72, providing 169 goals and 396 points with 710 penalty minutes in 454 games. His time in Boston followed stops with the Blackhawks, Red Wings and Rangers.
McKenzie was among the first players to jump from the NHL to the rival WHA in the summer of '72, signing as player/head coach with the Philadelphia Blazers. He scored 369 goals and 887 points in 1,169 NHL and WHA games, including 206 goals and 474 points in 692 NHL games.
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