MLB
The New York Yankees have stretched their lead in the American League East by turning a 5-0 deficit into their 16th victory in 20 games.
Giancarlo Stanton capped the rally by belting a two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Yankees a 7-5 win over the Mariners. Aaron Judge sparked the comeback with a two-run single in the fifth. Gary Sanchez tied it with a two-run blast in the eighth before Stanton hit his 18th home run of the season.
Seattle wasted a good performance by Felix Hernandez, who allowed one earned run and six hits over five innings. The series continues Thursday at 1:05 p.m.
The outcome gives the Yankees a two-game lead over Boston and drops the Mariners three games behind first-place Houston in the AL West.
The Red Sox managed just four hits in a 4-1 setback at Minnesota. Lance Lynn worked around five walks by allowing an unearned run and just three hits over five innings. Max Kepler and Robbie Grossman homered off David Price. The series continues Thursday at 1:10 p.m.
The Astros won for the 13th time in 14 games as Charlie Morton gave up an earned run and two hits over six innings of a 5-1 win against the Rays. Jose Altuve hit a pair of solo homers to help Morton improve to 9-1.
George Springer and Alex Bregman also went deep for the defending World Series champs, who bounced back from Tuesday's one-run loss to Tampa Bay.
Checking out Wednesday's other major league finals:
The Indians rolled to a 12-0 rout of the White Sox behind Corey Kluber, who became the majors' first 11-game winner this season. Kluber improved to 11-3 and lowered his ERA to 2.10 by limiting Chicago to one hit and a walk, retiring his last 14 batters before leaving after seven innings. Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis slammed three-run homers to help the AL Central leaders complete a three-game sweep and move five games ahead of second-place Detroit.
The Tigers carried a 2-0 lead into the sixth before the Reds homered on consecutive pitches to propel Cincinnati to a 5-3 verdict over Detroit. Scooter Gennett tied it with a two-run blast and Eugenio Suarez went deep to put the Reds ahead for good. Tyler Mahle worked six innings and shook off solo shots by Jeimer Candelerio and Niko Goodrum to improve to 3-0 in four starts this month.
Kendrys Morales belted a two-run homer and J.A. Happ pitched into the ninth inning of the Blue Jays' seventh victory in their last eight home games, 5-4 over Atlanta. Happ allowed four runs and six hits over 8 1/3 innings to improve to 9-3. Randal Grichuk put Toronto ahead to stay with an RBI double in a two-run fourth.
The Phillies are within 3 ½ games of the NL East-leading Braves after Odubel Herrera launched a tiebreaking, solo homer in the seventh inning to lead a 4-3 win against the Cardinals. Cesar Hernandez hit a two-run shot to help Philadelphia win its third consecutive series. Yadier Molina homered twice for St. Louis, including a game-tying, two-run blast in the sixth before the Redbirds lost for the sixth time in eight games.
Andrew Cashner combined with three relievers on a three-hitter as the Orioles downed the Nationals, 3-0 to keep Washington 3 ½ games behind Atlanta. Brad Brach loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth before fanning Mark Reynolds to end the game. Mark Trumbo hit a two-run homer off Gio Gonzalez, who was pinned with the Nats' seventh loss in 10 games.
The Cubs are tied for first with Milwaukee in the NL Central after Jon Lester scattered five hits over seven innings of a 4-0 shutout of the Dodgers. Javier Baez had two doubles, a triple and a steal while scoring twice to back Lester, who is 9-2 with a 2.10 ERA after winning his fifth consecutive start. Baez also made some solid plays at shortstop and second base to help the Cubs take the rubber match of the three-game series and drop the Dodgers two games behind the NL West-leading Diamondbacks.
Ryan McMahon provided a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning before the Rockies completed their second consecutive 10-8 win over the Mets. Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon also homered and Gerardo Parra had two RBIs for Colorado. The Mets have dropped two of three in the four-game series despite scoring 28 runs. The series continues Thursday at 3:10 p.m.
Light-hitting Franklin Barreto connected for a 424-foot, three-run home run as part of the Athletics' 12-4 assault on the Padres. Josh Phegley, Mark Canha, Matt Olson and Jed Lowrie also went deep for the A's, who homered seven times in sweeping the two-game set.
Gorkys Hernandez singled home a pair while the Giants erupted for five runs in the sixth inning to beat the Marlins, 6-5. Brandon Belt went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Hunter Pence had a pair of RBI singles to snap a 1-for-18 slump.
The Rangers were 3-2 winners over the Royals behind Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who was reached for just one run and five hits over 6 2/3s. Rougned Odor's solo shot in the sixth made it a 3-1 game and helped Texas send Kansas City to its ninth consecutive loss.
The Pirates and Brewers were rained out in Pittsburgh. No makeup date was immediately announced.
In other MLB news:
Former New York Yankees pitching coach Billy Connors, a native of Schenectady, has died at age 76. Connors, who played basketball and baseball at Syracuse University, later served as Yankees pitching coach for three separate stints. He was the club’s vice president of player personnel from 1996 until 2012. Connors pitched for the Mets and Cubs in the late 1960s.
The Cubs have placed closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list because of lower back tightness.
Right-hander Justin Hancock will remain with the club after being called up from Triple-A Iowa as the 26th man for Tuesday's day-night doubleheader.
The Cubs are also missing relievers Carl Edwards Jr. and Brian Duensing, who is on the bereavement list after his grandfather died on Saturday. Edwards has right shoulder inflammation.
Cardinals’ right-hander Michael Wacha left Wednesday's start against the Philadelphia Phillies with a left oblique strain. Wacha surrendered a two-run homer to Cesar Hernandez in the fourth inning and pitched to one more batter before he was replaced by Mike Mayers.
Longtime pitching coach Billy Connors has died at 76. Connors spent most of his coaching career with the Yankees and worked in the same capacity for the Cubs, Royals and Mariners.
NHL
The NHL has doled out its individual awards in Las Vegas.
Devils forward Taylor Hall came away with the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, beating out Kings’ Captain Anze Kopitar and Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon in a contest between three first-time finalists for the award. Kopitar took the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward.
Connor McDavid won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL players union's choice as the league's most outstanding player. The Edmonton Oilers superstar beat out Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and New Jersey's Taylor Hall for the first award of the night.
Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman received the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman.
Predators’ goalie Pekka Rinne won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie.
Islanders forward Mathew Barzal beat out Vancouver's Brock Boeser and Arizona's Clayton Keller for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie.
Golden Knights forward William Karlsson grabbed the Lady Byng Trophy as the player best combining sportsmanship and ability.
Gerard Gallant is the Jack Adams Award winner for coach of the year and George McPhee is the GM of the year after they led the expansion Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup final.
New Jersey's Brian Boyle has won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey. The 33-year-old Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia during training camp.
Vancouver twin forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin were awarded the King Clancy Trophy for humanitarian contribution to hockey.
In Other NHL News:
Police in Tennessee say Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson was arrested last Saturday evening on a charge of domestic assault involving his girlfriend. Franklin police say Watson was released from jail on $4,500 bond and is due in court June 28. According to a Williamson County court affidavit, Watson told police he and his girlfriend were having an argument and he admitted to pushing her. Officers said they found red marks on the woman's chest, and she said Watson had caused them.
The NHL has announced home openers for all 31 teams. The Washington Capitals will raise their first Stanley Cup banner and open their title defense on Oct. 3 against the Boston Bruins. The Western Conference-champion Vegas Golden Knights open their second season on Oct. 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The full NHL schedule will be announced on Thursday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Connor Carrick to a one-year contract worth $1.3 million. The 24-year-old had four goals and eight assists in 47 games with the Maple Leafs this past season.
NBA
The 2018 NBA draft begins Thursday at 7 p.m.
A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets for center Timofey Mozgov and two future second-round draft picks.
Howard played only one season for Charlotte, averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. He is due to make $23.8 million this season, the final year of his contract.
Mozgov has two years left on his contract at $16 million per season.
In other NBA news:
The NBA will return to London next year with a regular-season game between the Wizards and the Knicks. The Jan. 17 game at the O2 Arena will be the NBA's ninth regular-season game in London, all sellouts.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kentucky is adding Stanford graduate transfer Reid Travis to its lineup while he pursues his master's degree. Travis was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection twice with the Cardinal and is one of three players in school history with at least 1,400 points and 700 rebounds in fewer than 100 career games.
Since Travis has already graduated, he will be eligible to play for the Wildcats in the final.
SOCCER
Luis Suarez put both Uruguay and host Russia into the second round of the World Cup while eliminating Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the same time.
Suarez scored the winning goal in his 100th international appearance for Uruguay, knocking in a corner kick from Carlos Sanchez in the 23rd minute to give the two-time champions a 1-0 victory over the Saudis. It was the Barcelona striker's 52nd goal for his country.
Morocco became the first North African team to be eliminated from the World Cup, losing to Portugal 1-0 on Cristiano Ronaldo's fourth goal of the tournament.
In Wednesday's other match, Diego Costa scored on a deflection to lead Spain to a 1-0 win over Iran.
Thursday Denmark goes against Australia at 8 a.m. EST, France takes on Peru at 11 a.m. and Argentina faces Croatia at 2 p.m.
PGA
Hall of Fame golfer and two-time major champion Hubert Green has died at age 71. The PGA Tour announced that Green died Tuesday after battling throat cancer.
Green won the 1977 U.S. Open despite playing portions of the final round despite a threat against his life. He also captured the 1985 PGA Championship, one of his 19 Tour victories.
Green was a member of three U.S. Ryder Cup teams and never lost a singles match. He was the PGA Tour rookie of the Year in 1971.
© 2018 Assoicated Press. All Rights Reserved.
