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Archives for April 2021

Wet Socks for Red Sox and White Sox!

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BOSTON – (Source: Official Team News Release) – The Red Sox-White Sox game scheduled for tonight, Friday, April 16, at Fenway Park has been postponed due to winter-like conditions and a forecast for continued period of snow and rain throughout the afternoon and evening in the Fenway area.

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Tonight’s game has been rescheduled as the second game of a split doubleheader on Sunday, April 18, beginning at 5:10 p.m. Tickets for tonight’s game will be good for admission to the rescheduled contest. Fenway Park gates are expected to open 45 minutes before the 5:10 p.m. game (4:25 p.m.). Sunday’s regularly scheduled game remains at 1:10 p.m.

Both games on Sunday will be televised on NESN and broadcast on WEEI 93.7 FM

Sunday Schedule:

Game 1: 1:10pm EDT – Chicago White Sox at Boston Sox

Game 2: 5:10pm EDT – Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox

Sox Party’s Over After Nine Straight

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MINNEAPOLIS — Max Kepler delivered the game-winning hit for the Minnesota Twins on the last game of a difficult homestead for the Twins to end a nine-game winning stint for the visiting Boston Red Sox. Kepler’s bloop RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Minnesota a 4-3 victory Thursday over Boston. The hit ended a five-game losing streak for the Twins and a nine-game win streak for the Red Sox.

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The Twins avoided matching their longest losing streak in three years under Baldelli, a six-game slide from July 31-Aug. 5, 2020. The Red Sox, who tied it in the eighth on Alex Verdugo’s three-run double, were on their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2018, the season they won the World Series.

Alex Colomé (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory, despite a one-out double by Christian Arroyo. Verdugo capped a 10-pitch at-bat against reliever Taylor Rogers with his two-out double in the eighth that tied the game at 3-3. Five times during their winning streak, the Red Sox rallied from a deficit in the fifth inning or later.

The Red Sox return to Boston to host the Chicago White Sox in a four-game series starting tonighty. Right-hander Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.27 ERA) will take the mound for the series opener.

Rask Back for Bruins’ Win vs Islanders

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BOSTON – Taylor Hall scored his first goal for Boston and goaltender Tuukka Rask stopped 22 shots to earn his 300th career victory — and his first since February — as the Bruins dominated the New York Islanders and won 4-1 on Thursday night.

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Rask had played just once since March 7 because of a back injury. His teammates gave him an easy one, outshooting the Islanders 45-23 — including a 23-7 first period — and getting two goals from Brad Marchand and one from Craig Smith to win their second straight game.

Travis Zajac scored his first goal for New York, and Islanders goalkeeper Semyon Varlamov made 41 saves. The Islanders had won five of their previous six games. They trail the first-place Washington Capitals by two points in the East Division.

Boston, which won the NHL Presidents Trophy as the league’s No. 1 team during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, solidified its hold on the fourth and final playoff berth in the East, but are only four points ahead of the fifth-place New York Rangers.

The Islanders and Bruins meet again in Boston tonight.

Celtics Hold on for Win Over LA Lakers

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LOS ANGELES  – Jaylen Brown scored 40 points and the Boston Celtics held on to a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter before settling for an eight-point victory, 121-113, over the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown made 13 of his first 14 shots and hit three 3-pointers and fell two points shy of his NBA career high, to lead Boston who have won eight of 11 and three of three to conclude this road trip.

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Boston led 113-86 with seven minutes to play, shortly after coach Brad Stevens pulled his starters. But Talen Horton-Tucker and Ben McLemore led a 24-2 run by the Lakers that forced Brown and Boston’s first string back into the game.

Guards Payton Pritchard and Marcus Smart added 15 points each for the Celtics, who never trailed despite committing 21 turnovers. Boston also won with just 14 points from All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, whose streak of scoring 20 points in 11 consecutive games ended.

Boston faced a depleted Lakers line-up. In addition to being without NBA All-Stars and MVP candidates Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers faced Boston without newly acquired center Andre Drummond, who has a bruised right big toe, and power forward Markieff Morris, who has a sprained left ankle.

LA Guard Dennis Schröder nearly sat out with an infection on the ball of his right foot, but contributed eight points and eight assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also played through mid-game back spasms, and center Marc Gasol stayed in after dislocating his pinky finger, which got popped back into place during a timeout.

Boston is a bit banged-up as well. Starting center Robert Williams III missed the game with left knee soreness and swelling. The Celtics were 8-2 since he joined the starting lineup at the trade deadline after center Daniel Theis was dealt to Chicago. … Forward Evan Fournier missed his fifth straight game under the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

PGA Tour: Smith Fires RBC Record, 62

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PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

HILTON HEAD –With a career-low and bogey-free 9-under (62), Cameron Smith tied lowest opening-round score in tournament history. Smith’s round included a holed bunker shot at the par-3 17th among birdies on final two holes.

Through 27 stroke-play events this season, only five first-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win, the most recent was Matt Jones (The Honda Classic).

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Since 2010, the 18-hole leader/co-leader of the RBC Heritage has won only twice; Matt Kuchar/2014, Branden Grace/2016.

At 47 years old, 2000 and 2004 champion Stewart Cink opened his 22nd consecutive RBC Heritage with his lowest score in 75 rounds at Harbour Town Golf Links, shooting an eight-under, (63).

World No. 4 Collin Morikawa sinks a 20’ 11” putt for birdie at his last hole to cap off 111’ 0” of made putts

Two weeks after a solo-third at the Valero Texas Open, England’s Matt Wallace opened with a bogey-free (65) and is only three strokes off the lead.

World No. 1 and South Carolina native Dustin Johnson opened with 1-under (70) in his sixth RBC Heritage.

Leaderboard After Opening Round

1. Cameron Smith 62 (-9)

2. Stewart Cink 63 (-8)

T3. Matt Wallace 65 (-6)

T3. Collin Morikawa 65 (-6)

Sports Biz: Draft Kings Extends NFL Deal

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BOSTON – (Source: Edited Official Company News Release) – DraftKings Inc. and the National Football League recently announced a deal to make DraftKings an Official Sports Betting Partner of the League and extend its current relationship as the exclusive Official Daily Fantasy Partner for the NFL.

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“The way fans consume sports years from now will look drastically different, and it will be due in part to forward-thinking collaborations like our expanded relationship with the NFL today as an Official Sports Betting Partner and the exclusive Daily Fantasy Sports Partner,” said Jason Robins, CEO, chairman and co-founder, DraftKings. “We share the same vision as the NFL on fan engagement and believe this agreement will lead to new innovations that will ultimately enhance both the product on the field and on the screen.”

As an Official Sports Betting Partner of the NFL, DraftKings will have the right to integrate relevant sports betting content directly into NFL Media properties including NFL.com and the NFL App. As part of the agreement, DraftKings will utilize the NFL’s official League data feed.

DraftKings will also be able to enhance their fan experience with NFL highlights, footage and Next Gen States content.

“We’re thrilled to renew our relationship with DraftKings as the NFL’s exclusive Daily Fantasy Sports Partner and expand it by adding them as an Official Sports Betting Partner,” said Renie Anderson, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of NFL Partnerships. “For several years DraftKings has helped find new and different ways to engage NFL fans and we expect that to increase with the evolution of legalized sports betting.”

In addition to becoming an Official Sports Betting Partner of the NFL, DraftKings will renew its exclusive relationship as the Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the NFL, which provides DraftKings with exclusive rights to NFL marks to promote daily fantasy sports contests. DraftKings will continue to collaborate with the League on a variety of content and product offerings that fans can engage with on the DraftKings Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports apps. The deal also includes integrations across NFL Media properties including a continued prominent presence within the NFL RedZone channel.

 

Red Sox – “Let’s Take Two”

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MINNEAPOLIS  – Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo cracked three hits, including a two-run single in a six-run fifth inning, and Boston extended its win streak to nine games, defeating the Minnesota Twins, 7-1. The win completed a sweep of Wednesday’s doubleheader.

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Verdugo was acquired as part of the trade that sent superstar Mookie Betts to the LA Dodgers.

Boston’s ace Eduardo Rodríguez (2-0) returned to the form of his 2018-19 seasons, pitching five innings and allowing one run on five hits.

Boston has come from behind in six of its nine wins this season. The Red Sox have their longest winning streak since a 10-game stint in 2018.

Verdugo had five hits in the doubleheader and capped the day with his second homer of the season in the seventh inning.

In the first game of the twin-bill, Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi pitched five innings and the Sox extended their win streak to eight games with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Boston’s 2B Christian Arroyo, OF Alex Verdugo and SS Xander Bogaerts had two hits apiece, now enjoying its longest win streak since the World Series Championship season of 2018.

The Red Sox are the first team since the 1991 Seattle Mariners to lose at least three games to start the season and follow by winning at least seven straight, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Eovaldi (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits. He has allowed four runs over 17 1/3 innings in three starts this season. Matt Barnes recorded his second save of the season and is now re-established as the Red Sox closer..

Kenta Maeda (1-1) pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs — one earned — on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five. The Twins have lost four straight.

PGA Tour Brunch Previews RBC Heritage

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HILTON HEAD – The RBCHeritage returns today to its traditional date after its mid-summer (June) scheduling last year. The RBC was the second tournament played following the PGA Tour’s COVID-19 shutdown from March to June 2020.

Webb Simpson is defending his title after setting the RBC Heritage 72-hole tournament record last June. In that tournament, Simpson outperformed the field by +1.65 strokes per round on the greens en route to victory, marking the seventh player to gain over 1.5 strokes per round in Strokes Gained: Putting to win at Harbour Town since 2004.

There are 42 players in the field who played last week at the Masters Tournament, including 13 with top-25s at Augusta National (led by Will Zalatoris/2nd, Corey Conners/T-8, Cameron Smith/T-10).

Tournament Tee Times begin today at 7:00am (EDT) through 1:51pm (EDT).

Weather: Forecast calls for a cold front in the area today, bringing a chance for showers before the front moves to the southeast and stalls across Florida later in the weekend. There’s a 40% chance of rain today with 10-15 mph winds and gusts up to 20 mph. Drier and cooler conditions return Friday with highs around 70 degrees. Unsettled weather may return this weekend as a weak low-pressure system may develop along the stalled front pushing showers northward into region.

PGATourBrunch will be posting before 7am (EDT) early tee times from Friday through Sunday.

Next Week: The Zurich Classic at New Orleans

Field Updates:

Glen Day (OUT)

Charl Schwartzel (OUT)

Steve Stricker (OUT)

Bryson DeChambeau (OUT)

Tyler McCumber (OUT)

Note: Alternates are not added until the field falls below 132 players

The Field (link)

Power Rankings (PGATourCom)

THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: RBC Heritage

COURSE: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, SC

ARCHITECT: Pete Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,121 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,100,000/$1,278,000

DEFENDING Champion (June 2020) – Webb Simpson – (Leaderboard link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points Available/Winner Share: 2,989/500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @RBC_Heritage

OFFICIAL SITE: (RBC Heritage)

TV COVERAGE: Today, April 15 and Friday, April 16: 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf channel. Free Twitter Live coverage (and Golf Channel) on Thursday from 11:00am to 3:00pm (EDT). Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18- Golf Channel’s TV coverage 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT), then CBS takes over coverage from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups on Today and Friday from 7:00am to 6:00pm (EDT). On Saturday and Sunday, PGA Tour Live offers Featured Groups streaming from 8:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Streaming Radio coverage on Today – Friday – 12:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT); then Saturday and Sunday, 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.

How to Watch: (PGATourCom)

Odds & Predictions:

A L👀K at the O👀S and A PREDICTION OR TWO:

(Odds via William Hill)

Dustin Johnson 10-1

Webb Simpson 12-1

Patrick Cantlay 16-1

Collin Morikawa 20-1

Daniel Berger 22-1

Cameron Smith 25-1

Will Zalatoris 25-1

Tyrrell Hatton 25-1

Paul Casey 28-1

Corey Conners 28-1

Sungjae Im 30-1

Sergio Garcia 30-1

Abraham Ancer 30-1

Matthew Fitzpatrick 30-1

Tommy Fleetwood 30-1

Brian Harman 33-1

Si-Woo Kim 40-1

Kevin Na 40-1

Lee Westwood 40-1

Shane Lowry 40-1

Matt Kuchar 50-1

Christiaan Bezuidenhout 50-1

Harris English 50-1

Billy Horschel 50-1

Robert MacIntyre 50-1

Charley Hoffman 50-1

Kevin Kisner 66-1

Russell Henley 66-1

Matt Wallace 66-1

Branden Grace 66-1

Chris Kirk 66-1

Ian Poulter 66-1

Cameron Davis 75-1

Emiliano Grillo 75-1

Dylan Frittelli 80-1

Sebastian Munoz 80-1

Carlos Ortiz 80-1

Sam Burns 80-1

J.T. Poston 90-1

Kevin Streelman 90-1

Alex Noren 100-1

Adam Hadwin 100-1

Brendon Todd 100-1

Lucas Glover 100-1

C.T. Pan 100-1

Zach Johnson 100-1

Harold Varner 125-1

Michael Thompson 125-1

Charles Howell 125-1

Stewart Cink 125-1

Andrew Putnam 125-1

Doug Ghim 125-1

Aaron Wise 125-1

Adam Long 150-1

Sepp Straka 150-1

Matthew NeSmith 150-1

Harry Higgs 150-1

Luke List 150-1

Richy Werenski 150-1

Ryan Moore 150-1

Patton Kizzire 150-1

Russell Knox 150-1

Danny Willett 150-1

Byeong Hun An 150-1

Denny McCarthy 150-1

Chase Seiffert 150-1

Brandt Snedeker 150-1

Mackenzie Hughes 150-1

Doc Redman 150-1

Jim Furyk 150-1

Wyndham Clark 150-1

Rory Sabbatini 150-1

Brandon Hagy 175-1

Graeme McDowell 175-1

Nick Taylor 200-1

Patrick Rodgers 200-1

Hudson Swafford 200-1

Tom Hoge 200-1

Chez Reavie 200-1

Ben Martin 200-1

Maverick McNealy 200-1

Brice Garnett 200-1

Kyoung-Hoon Lee 200-1

Will Gordon 250-1

Scott Piercy 250-1

Kyle Stanley 250-1

Scott Stallings 250-1

Camilo Villegas 250-1

Henrik Norlander 250-1

Chesson Hadley 250-1

Tom Lewis 250-1

Anirban Lahiri 300-1

Mark Hubbard 300-1

Satoshi Kodaira 300-1

Adam Schenk 300-1

Pat Perez 300-1

Brian Gay 300-1

Jason Dufner 300-1

Scott Brown 300-1

Robert Streb 300-1

Bo Hoag 300-1

Rafael Campos 300-1

Robby Shelton 300-1

Peter Malnati 300-1

Andrew Landry 300-1

Brian Stuard 300-1

Vaughn Taylor 400-1

Tyler Duncan 400-1

Wesley Bryan 400-1

Troy Merritt 400-1

Danny Lee 400-1

Bill Haas 400-1

Davis Love 500-1

Scott Harrington 500-1

Ryan Armour 500-1

Luke Donald 500-1

Sung-Hoon Kang 500-1

Austin Cook 500-1

Ted Potter 500-1

Xinjun Zhang 500-1

Bryson Nimmer 500-1

Jim Herman 500-1

William McGirt 500-1

John Augenstein 500-1

Nick Watney 500-1

Beau Hossler 500-1

Michael Gligic 500-1

Kevin Tway 500-1

Michael Kim 750-1

Bo Van Pelt 750-1

K.J. Choi 750-1

Hunter Mahan 1000-1

Martin Trainer 1000-1

PGA Tour: First Look at RBC Heritage

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Welcome to PGA Tour Brunch Coverage of the RBC Heritage

The RBC Heritage returns to its traditional date after being the second tournament played following the PGA Tour’s COVID-19 shutdown in 2020. Webb Simpson is returning for title defense after setting RBC Heritage 72-hole tournament record in 2020.

The RBC Heritage is the 29th of 50 events in the 2020-21 PGA Tour season.

This is the 53rd RBC Heritage, regarded as one of the TOUR’s most popular stops. One of Pete Dye’s signature designs is annually ranked among the country’s top courses and has produced a winner’s roster including inaugural winner Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Davis Love III, Greg Norman and Nick Price.

A strong field will consist of 15 of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, led by No. 4 Patrick Cantlay and No. 8 Dustin Johnson and 28 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including five of the top 10 (No. 1 Dustin Johnson, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, No. 8 Tyrrell Hatton, No. 9 Webb Simpson, No. 10 Patrick Cantlay.

Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 7:00am (EDT) through 1:51pm (EDT).

Weather: Forecast calls for a cold front to move through the area during the early afternoon Wednesday to Thursday, bringing a chance for showers before the front moves to the southeast and stalls across Florida for late in the week. Thursday has a 40% chance of rain and 10-15 mph winds with gusts up to 20 mph. Drier and cooler conditions return Friday with highs around 70 degrees. Unsettled weather may return this weekend as a weak low-pressure system may develop along the stalled front pushing showers northward into region.

PGATourBrunch will be posting before 7am (EDT) early tee times from Thursday through Sunday.

Next Week: The Zurich Classic at New Orleans

Field Updates:

Glen Day (OUT)

Charl Schwartzel (OUT)

Steve Stricker (OUT)

Bryson DeChambeau (OUT)

Note: Alternates are not added until the field falls below 132 players

Celtics Edge Trail Blazers, 116-115

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PORTLAND – Boston All-Star forward Jayson Tatum scored 32 points, and added nine rebounds and five assists to lead the Boston Celtics to a 116-115 victory at Portland on Tuesday. The Celtics’ other All-Star, Jaylen Brown, scored 24 points and guard Kemba Walker had one of his better all-around games with 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Boston won for the fourth straight game and sixth time in the past seven.

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Portland’s All-Star phenom Damian Lillard had 28 points and 10 assists, and veteran forward Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting for the Trail Blazers. Norman Powell added 20 points and CJ McCollum had 16 points as Portland lost for the fifth time in the past seven games.

Robert Williams added 16 points and seven rebounds and Marcus Smart had 13 points and seven assists for Boston.