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Archives for August 2024

Texas Ends Losing Streak vs Red Sox

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ARLINGTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Texas’ sluggers Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning to help the Rangers end a three-game losing streak by beating the Boston Red Sox 7-4 on Saturday in Texas.

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Heim hit a three-run homer against Boston starter Tanner Houck that tied the game at 3. Taveras followed with a solo home run against Houck to put Texas in front, 4-3.

Josh Smith had three hits for Texas, which had 13 hits in the game.

Boston’s Rob Refsnyder had two solo home runs, an RBI double and a single during a four-hit game. Refsnyder hit his sixth home run of the season in the first inning, and then collected home run No. 7 in the fourth. It was the first multi-homer game of his career.

Jose Leclerc (5-4) earned the win for tossing two-third of an inning of scoreless relief. Leclerc struck out Ceddanne Rafaela with the bases loaded to end the fourth.

Texas closer Kirby Yates recorded four outs to earn his 20th save. Yates entered the game with runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth. He struck out Jarren Duran with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Houck (8-8) allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Boston’s Rafael Devers extended his hitting streak to 10 games when he doubled in the fourth. Connor Wong followed with an RBI single that extended Boston’s lead to 3-0.

After scoring four runs in their half of the fourth on the home runs by Heim (No. 10) and Taveras (No. 9), the Rangers took a 7-3 lead by adding three runs in the sixth. Ezequiel Duran, Taveras and Smith each had an RBI single in the inning.

The Red Sox sliced their deficit to 7-4 when Refsnyder’s double in the seventh drove in Rafaela, who opened the inning with a single.

Boston outfielder Tyler O’Neill did not play Saturday. Boston manager Alex Cora said O’Neill is dealing with an illness and may not be available Sunday either.

–Field Level Media

Sox Can Hit Struggling Texas Relievers

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ARLINGTON –  (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers, riding a three-game losing streak, will hope to slow the Boston Red Sox’s offense on Saturday night in Texas. Boston opened the three-game series with an 11-6 victory on Friday. Texas has been outscored 29-8 during its skid.

The Red Sox hit three home runs in the Friday win, which raised their road record to 31-22. Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela each hit a two-run blast, and Rafael Devers added a solo shot in the ninth. Devers enters the Saturday contest on a nine-game hitting streak in which he is batting .528 (19-for-36).

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“They’re a good hitting ballclub,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’re one of the top offensive teams in baseball. It was a tough night for the pitchers all night, really. … You have to keep battling. That’s all you can do.”

The Rangers have lost six of their past seven games, with the pitching staff compiling a 7.98 ERA in that stretch.

Connor Wong had four of Boston’s 16 hits in the series opener. The Red Sox have at least 10 hits in 12 of their past 15 games.

“Offensively it was an outstanding night,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We got the first one out of the way, which is important. I talked to the staff about it, this whole Fridays and not winning games … it put us in a bad spot going into the weekend. You win that one and then you have two chances to win the series, and we are in the business of winning series. Hopefully we can do it (Saturday).”

The Rangers had not announced a starting pitcher for the Saturday contest.

“We’re going to talk about it, where we’re at,” Bochy said following Friday’s loss. “I think we’re fine, but we will huddle up here soon and talk about the game plan (Saturday) and the next couple days. … If we have to bring somebody up, we’ll do that.”

Boston will go with right-hander Tanner Houck (8-7, 2.79 ERA). Houck had a 2.18 ERA through his first 16 starts this season, when he recorded 101 strikeouts and walked 18 in 103 1/3 innings, but he hasn’t been nearly as effective since then. He has a 5.26 ERA in his past five outings, logging 15 strikeouts and 15 walks over 25 2/3 innings.

“I think just timing issues and delivery just feels a little out of whack as of late, over the past month, but ultimately that’s the way that a full 162 games is going to play out,” Houck said. “You’re not always going to feel your best. You’re not always going to have everything clicking, and it’s about getting back to those days that you feel that and just keep showing up. Don’t really (need) to reinvent the wheel.”

Houck is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Texas. He has allowed three runs on four hits in seven innings against the Rangers.

Texas received two solo home runs from Cory Seager in the Friday loss. Marcus Semien added a two-run homer for the Rangers, who also got a solo homer from Leody Taveras. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep pace with Boston’s offense.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Score Early, Add to Lead in Rout of Texas Rangers

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ARLINGTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela each hit a two-run home run to lead the Boston Red Sox to an 11-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday in Texas.

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Red Sox veteran 3B Rafael Devers added a solo home run and catcher Connor Wong collected four singles for the Red Sox. Boston second baseman Nick Sogard added a two-run single in his major league debut.

Corey Seager of Texas hit two solo home runs among his three hits and had three RBIs and three runs for the Rangers. Marcus Semien added a two-run blast and Leody Taveras a solo shot. All four homers came against Boston starter Kutter Crawford, who has allowed 12 in his last three starts.

Crawford (7-8) earned the win despite giving up five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Texas has lost six of its last seven games and also saw its five-game home winning streak come to an end.

Texas starter Jose Urena (3-6) surrendered seven runs on eight hits in four innings. Urena made his first start since June 5, when he held Detroit to one run in 6 2/3 innings.

After Seager’s first home run gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first, Abreu’s two-run homer in the second put Boston in front 2-1. Taveras and Seager went deep in the third inning for a 3-2 lead.

Boston scored four runs in the fourth to go ahead 6-3. Wong and Abreu hit RBI singles for the first two runs, and Sogard added a two-run single.

The Red Sox added a run in the fifth. Duran led off with a triple and scored on Masataka Yoshida’s sacrifice fly.

Rafaela’s home run pushed the lead to 9-3 in the top of the sixth, but Semien answered with his two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning.

Seager drove in Carson Kelly with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it 9-6. Boston padded the lead when Devers homered and Dominic Smith doubled home Wong in the ninth inning.

–Field Level Media

Lakers Honor Kobe and Gianna

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – On the symbolic date of 8/2/24, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled the second of three statues commissioned to honor Kobe Bryant near Crypto.com Arena.

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The new statue depicts Bryant alongside his daughter Gianna. The two were among seven people who died in a Southern California helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020. Kobe Bryant was 41 when he died; Gianna was 13.

 

 

In the statue, the two are seated, with the father’s arm around the daughter as angel wings spread behind them. Kobe Bryant, identified as “Most Valuable Girl Dad,” says in a quote at the base, “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”

The date was chosen because 8 and 24 were the numbers Bryant wore in his Hall of Fame career for the Lakers, and 2 was the number Gianna wore.

The same numbers were in play when the Lakers unveiled the first Bryant statue outside their home venue. The team has yet to announce when the third statue will be ready.

Also on Friday, the locker Bryant used at the arena for his final 13 NBA seasons sold at auction for $2.88 million. ESPN, citing auction house Sotheby’s, reported that the amount was a record for a sports locker.

 

 

The locker had a value estimated at $1 million to $1.5 million, according to Sportico.

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots Sign Two

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots signed tackle Kellen Diesch and former UFL safety A.J. Thomas on Friday.

Diesch, 26, signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has been on the practice squads of the Chicago Bears (2022) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2023). He was released by the Cleveland Browns in May.

Thomas, 24, played for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions during the 2024 spring season and tallied 23 tackles and three interceptions in 12 games. He played in six games for the Bears from 2022-23 and made four tackles.

The Patriots released tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and running back Deshaun Fenwick to make room on the roster.

–Field Level Media

Kerr Juggles USA Starting Five

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LILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – USA Basketball’s men’s Olympic team head coach Steve Kerr openly appreciates the adaptable stars on his roster and might make more plug-and-play decisions in the Group C finale against Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Juggling lineups and mixing starters has been part of the plan for Team USA, which is 7-0 since reporting to training camp in Las Vegas last month and 2-0 since arriving at the 2024 Games.

Kerr did not play Boston’s Jayson Tatum in the opener in Paris, then gave Joel Embiid the DNP earlier this week against South Sudan. He plans to blend starting lineups against Puerto Rico with Embiid back with the first five and point guard Jrue Holiday likely to rest with an ankle injury. Tatum and Holiday started against South Sudan.

“It’s basketball, it really doesn’t matter who starts,” said Kevin Durant, who said he’s ready and willing to come off the bench if Kerr prefers. “It’s about really who finished the game, who put their impact on the game while they’re in the game. So I just try to do my best to impact it any way I can.”

Kerr pointed to guard Devin Booker, a supreme scoring guard who plays with the ball in his hands for the Phoenix Suns alongside Durant, as one of the most adaptable players on his roster.

Booker has deferred ball-handling duties to LeBron James and Steph Curry and focused on defending opponents’ top guards.

“Devin is probably the guy who’s been most adaptable to go from a different role in the NBA to a new one here,” Kerr said. “The offense clicks when he’s out there. The defense is really good. That’s why he’s started every game and seems to be good with any combination.”

Puerto Rico enters the matchup as the lowest team in the Pool C standings. But Kerr said he opened meetings Friday stressing to his team that no opponent can be taken lightly if Team USA is serious about being the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals, which begin Tuesday.

“We talked to them this morning,” Kerr said. “We showed the standings. We showed them the point differential. We want that (No. 1 seed). It gives you the best matchup in the quarterfinals. If we drop down to two or three — which I think is unlikely but we’ve got to take care of our business — we possibly have a much tougher opponent.”

NFL: Can’t Spare a Dime?

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NFL scored a victory worth up to $14.1 billion in court on Thursday when a federal district court judge threw out a jury’s verdict in an antitrust lawsuit that targeted the league’s “Sunday Ticket” online viewing package.

In a 16-page order, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez in New York took issue with how the jury arrived at its figures of $4.6 billion to residential customers and $97 million to commercial establishments, saying they were “not based on the ‘evidence and reasonable inferences’ but instead were more akin to ‘guesswork or speculation.’”

In antitrust cases, the amounts of the verdict would be tripled.

Gutierrez also faulted testimony from expert witnesses Daniel Rascher and John Zona, who were testifying for the plaintiffs in the class-action case that represents some 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 commercial establishments.

“The Court agrees that Dr. Rascher’s and Dr. Zona’s testimonies based on their flawed methodologies should be excluded. And because there was no other support for the class-wide injury and damages elements of Plaintiffs’ … claims, judgment as a matter of law for the Defendants is appropriate,” the filing said.

“No reasonable jury could have found class-wide injury or damages,” Gutierrez wrote.

The plaintiffs have the option of appealing the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The NFL responded to the judge’s move with a statement: “We are grateful for today’s ruling in the Sunday Ticket class action lawsuit. We believe that the NFL’s media distribution model provides our fans with an array of options to follow the game they love, including local broadcasts of every single game on free over-the-air television. We thank Judge Gutierrez for his time and attention to this case and look forward to an exciting 2024 NFL season.”

In a hearing on Wednesday, the NFL argued that the jurors did not understand antitrust law, which led to confusion in reaching their compensation amount.

The “Sunday Ticket” package enables viewers to see NFL games that involve teams out of their home markets.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys maintained that the one price to see all out-of-market broadcasts is unfair to customers who may want to watch just one or a few teams.

“Given the relatively low cost of internet streaming and satellite and cable television carriage, each team acting independently would offer their games at a competitive price to anybody in the country who wanted to watch that particular team,” the plaintiffs argued. “Instead, however, the teams have all forgone this option in favor of creating a more lucrative monopoly.”

The judge faulted the expert testimony for not explaining “how these out-of-market telecasts would have been available for free to cable and satellite customers.”

–Field Level Media