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Digital Sports Desk

Seattle Defeats Boston in 10th Inning

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BOSTON – Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the Boston Red Sox in the first game of a four-game series at Fenway Park.

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The Mariners managed only three hits, including doubles by Ty France and Sam Haggerty, but capitalized despite only one hit through the first nine innings. Mariners right-hander Rafael Montero (2-0) earned the victory after retiring the side in order in the ninth.

Red Sox right-hand pitcher Nick Pivetta didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning, when France tied the game with a two-run double with two outs. Pivetta went six innings, allowing the two runs on one hit with three walks and four strikeouts. Boston’s Rafael Devers had two hits and a homer.

Boston Takes Key Game vs Phoenix Suns

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BOSTON – Celtics All-Star guard Kemba Walker tied his season-high with 32 points to lead Boston to a key victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns, 99-86, Thursday night at TD Garden. Walker shot 11 of 17 from the field for the Celtics (32-27), who won for the ninth time in their last 11 games. All-Star forward Jayson Tatum had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Boston as he returned from a left ankle injury.

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Boston played without its All-Star forward Jaylen Brown (shoulder), newly acquired forward Evan Fournier (health and safety) and center Robert Williams III (knee).

Veteran Phoenix guard Chris Paul had 22 points with eight rebounds and eight assists to lead the Suns (42-17), who lost for just the third time in their last 16 games. Suns guard Devin Booker had 15 points before fouling out.

The Celtics grabbed their largest lead of the game, 66-45, on a Tatum pull-up jumper with 7:13 left in the third quarter. A 10-2 Suns run prompted a Boston timeout, after which Mikal Bridges and Paul made short buckets to cut Phoenix’s deficit to single digits, 68-59.

Boston ended the period up 77-65. Later in the game, the Suns cut the deficit to nine, 90-81, but could not close the gap any further down the stretch.

Both Brown and Walker will be out tonight when the Celtics face Brooklyn.

 

PGA Tour: R-1 Coverage of Zurich Classic

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PGA Tour Brunch 1st Round Coverage of Zurich Classic of New Orleans

The Zurich Classic field consists of five of Top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking: Jon Rahm (3), Collin Morikawa (4), Xander Schauffele (5), Tyrrell Hatton (8), Patrick Cantlay (10).

There are 11 major championsplaying and two teams include two major champions: Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen/Charl Schwartzel

The strong field includes 11 winners from the current 2020-21 season: CollinMorikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Max Homa, Joel Dahmen, Branden Grace, Viktor Hovland, Matt Jones, Jason Kokrak, Martin Laird, and Robert Streb

Reminder: This is a two-player “team” event, with each team comprised of two professionals, competing at Four-ball (best ball) during the first and third rounds and Foursomes (alternate shot) during the second and fourth rounds.

The starting field will consist of 80 teams (160 players) with the 36-hole cut to the low 33 teams and ties at the 33rd position.

The Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 7:00am (EDT) through 2:10pm (EDT).

Weather: Today’s Forecast calls mild, sunny skies and a temperature of 64-degrees with 49% humidity and 13 mph winds. Zero chance of rain. Friday (70% chance of rain) could bring PM showers and thunderstorms which will hold over until Saturday (90% chance of rain). Sunday will be mostly sunny and 71-degrees.

PGATourBrunch will be posting before 7am (EDT) for early tee times on Friday.

Next Week: Valspar Championship (Palm Harbor, FLA)

Field:

The Field (team player noted in (parenthesis) (link)

THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: RBC Heritage

COURSE: TPC Louisiana, Avondale, LA

ARCHITECT: Pete Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,425 yards/Par 72

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,400,000/$1,069,300 (for each winning player)

DEFENDING Champion (April 2019) – Jon Rahm/Ryan Palmer – (Leaderboard link)

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points Winner Share: 800 per team/400 per player

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @Zurich_Classic

OFFICIAL SITE: (Zurich Classic of New Orleans)

TV COVERAGE: Today, April 22 and Friday, April 23: 3:30pm to 6:30pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. On Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 – Golf Channel’s TV coverage goes from 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 Today from 8:00am to 6:30pm (EDT) and Friday from 9:15am to 6:30pm (EDT) and Friday from 9:15am to 6:30pm (EDT). On Saturday PGA Live Featured Groups runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) with Featured Holes going from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT). On Sunday, PGA Tour Live offers Featured Groups streaming from 10:30am to 3:00pm (EDT) and Featured Holes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Streaming Radio coverage Today and Friday from 1:00pm to 6:30pm (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.

Boston College Signs with New Balance

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Source: Official Joint News Release) – Boston College athletics signed a 10-year agreement with Boston-based New Balance Athletics to become the Official Footwear and Apparel Provider for the Eagles. The deal will begin on June 1, 2021.

The largest financial footwear and apparel agreement in Boston College athletics history gives New Balance the right to provide uniforms, apparel, and footwear for 30 of BC’s 31 varsity sports. The partnership will also include the opportunity for Boston College student-athletes to be part of an annual internship program at New Balance.

“This partnership will be an absolute game-changer for Boston College athletics and our student-athletes,” said William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Pat Kraft. “This is not just a historic deal in terms of the financial value and amount of apparel for our department. The opportunities for our student-athletes to assist in product design and development of the footwear and apparel they will actually wear and compete in will be transformational.”

As New Balance looks to continue its growth with New Balance Basketball, a key element in this partnership focuses on the innovation and investment in the men’s and women’s basketball programs. New Balance will work closely with both programs to aid in design and product enhancements and is dedicated to their success both on and off the court.

“This progressive collaboration joins two world-class Boston-based teams with strong synergies at our core and enables a broad spectrum of initiatives that will drive innovation, performance and creativity,” says Ray Hilvert, Vice President of Global Team Sports at New Balance. “Boston College athletics is known for its historic commitment to excellence and we look forward to working with Pat Kraft, Father Leahy and the entire Boston College team to build a strong and dynamic relationship that benefits student-athletes and our shared communities.”

The partnership will grant several BC teams access to the new state-of-the-art TRACK@New Balance that is currently under construction. The new sports complex at Boston Landing will feature a 200-meter hydraulically banked track, seating for more than 5,000 spectators, and facilities for training, events, and recovery.

Officially licensed Boston College apparel will be available online this summer on BCEagles.com and New Balance.com in addition to both New Balance Boston retail locations and the Boston College Bookstore.

Boston College cited its longstanding appreciation for New Balance’s history and corporate mission as factors in its decision to seek the agreement. Since 1972, when the company was purchased by Jim Davis, New Balance has grown from six employees manufacturing 30 pairs of shoes per day in a single location to a global brand with more than 7,000 associates worldwide and global annual sales of $3.3 billion in 2020.

Headquartered in Boston, New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in the United Kingdom, and New Balance Foundation– established by Jim and Anne Davis in 1981–has donated more than $110 million in total grants to non-profit organizations to develop high-impact, long-term, sustainable initiatives that enrich the lives of children, their families and their communities.

Bruins Shutout Islanders, 3-0

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BOSTON – Boston’s newly acquired forward Taylor Hall scored for the second time in two nights, while Bruins’ reserve goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots in his first NHL career shutout as Boston defeated the Islanders, 3-0, on Friday night at TD Garden. It was Boston’s second win over the New York Islanders in two nights.

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Boston’s David Pastrnak added his 17th goal of the season and Curtis Lazar scored on an empty-net to clinch the Bruins’ third straight win and secure more room from the idle New York Rangers for the East Division’s final playoff spot.

All three of Boston’s trade deadline pickups — Hall, Lazar and Mike Reilly — contributed to the victory in a big way.  In particular, Hall has brought a spark to Boston’s lineup since the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner was acquired from Buffalo at the NHL trade deadline.

Boston’s Pastrnak scored the game’s first goal with just 2.4 seconds remaining in the first period of play.

The teams meet one final time this season on May 10 in Boston.

 

Edelman Retires from Patriots, NFL

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FOXBORO – Just hours after the New England Patriots announced that Julian Edelman‘s contract was terminated, the All-Pro wide receiver sent out a video message on social media announcing his retirement.

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“Nothing in my career has ever come easy, and no surprise, this isn’t going to be easy either,” said Edelman in the message on his @Edelman11 Twitter feed. “Now, I’ve always said, I’ll go until the wheels come off. And uh, they finally have fallen off. Due to an injury last year, I’ll be making my official announcement of my retirement from football.

“It was a hard decision, but the right decision for me and my family. And I’m honored and so proud to be retiring a Patriot. There are a million people I have to thank. Mr. Kraft, the Kraft family … I’ve learned so much from you guys on and off the field. Coach Belichick, gave me my opportunity. I’ll always love you for that. My teammates, we’ve gone to war. We lost some, we won some. You guys will always be my brothers.

“To all my coaches that I played under, I appreciate all your insight, all your hard work, all your knowledge. To the entire Patriots organization, from the meal ladies, to the people who clean up after us, the people in the hallways, the training staff, the strength staff, we share so many awesome memories that I’ll never forget.

“And of course, my family. You guys have always had my back. It’s been the best 12 years of my life. It’s a hell of a run. I can’t forget you, Patriot Nation. You guys have welcomed me and my family to a region we did not know. We didn’t know. But now, I’m one of you.

“I’m going to leave you guys with two words: Foxboro Forever.”

The 34-year-old All-Pro wide receiver is listed with a “failed physical” designation on the NFL’s transaction wire.

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A three-time Super Bowl winner, Edelman ranks second in Patriots history in receptions (620), fourth in receiving yards (6,822) and ninth in touchdown receptions (36).

A quarterback in college at Kent State, Edelman was drafted in the seventh round (232nd overall) by New England in 2009 and wound up playing in 137 regular season games and 19 postseason games. Edelman posted three 1,000-yard seasons and two 100-catch campaigns. He missed the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL suffered in the preseason.

He was named the MVP of Super Bowl LIII in 2019 after catching 10 passes for 141 yards in the Patriots’ 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Edelman’s release frees up $3.4 million in salary cap space for the Patriots.

Pro Teams Postpone Games in Minnesota

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MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL – Monday’s 2:10pm series opener between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins was postponed as a cautionary move by the Twins and local authorities as the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul reacts to the fatal shooting death of Daunte Wright after a police traffic stop in the Brooklyn Center area.

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“Out of respect for the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Brooklyn Center, and following the additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interests of our fans, staff, players and community to not play today’s game.

The decision was made by the Minnesota Twins after consultation with Major League Baseball, and local and state officials. Information regarding the rescheduling of today’s game, and corresponding ticket details, will be released in the near future.

The Minnesota Twins organization extends its sympathies to the family of Daunte Wright.”

The NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the NHL’s Minnesota Wild also postponed home games because of a 7:00pm (local) city-wide curfew put in place as authorities brace for another display of civic protests. The Minneapolis area was at the heart of intense protests last Memorial Day weekend after the fatal shooting of George Floyd. A dismissed Minneapolis police officer is currently on trial for that incident which was the root of nation-wide protests last May.

The NBA issued the following statement in announcing the cancellation of the Brooklyn Nets at Timberwolves game:

“The National Basketball Association announced that in light of the tragic events in the Minneapolis area yesterday, tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center has been postponed. The decision to postpone was made by the NBA after consultation with the Timberwolves organization and local and state officials.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Daunte Wright during this difficult time.”

Brooklyn Center police held a news conference and stated the officer that shot Wright Sunday afternoon did so accidentally, confusing a fire arm with a police taser.

 

NHL: Boston Bruins Shore-Up Defense with Trade for Ottawa’s Mike Reilly

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BOSTON – (Source: Official team news release) – Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced the acquisition of defenseman Mike Reilly from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

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Reilly, 27, has 19 assists in 40 games this season with Ottawa. The 6-foot-1, 199-pound defenseman has appeared in 244 career NHL games with Ottawa, Montreal and Minnesota, totaling eight goals and 64 assists for 72 points. The Chicago, Illinois native was originally selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Japan’s Matsuyama Wins His First Major and It’s Historic at The Masters

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AUGUSTA – Hideki Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters Tournament to become the first male pro tour major championship winner from Japan. Matsuyama claimed his first major championship title and sixth win overall on the PGA Tour. He became just the eighth champion (nine instances) with an over-par final-round score.

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Special temporary member/PGA Tour rookie Will Zalatoris finished a career-best runner-up and has six Top 10s and 11 Top 25 finishes in 15 starts this season.

Jordan Spieth, the first player in Masters history to birdie No. 10 all four rounds, finished inside the top three for the fifth time in eight appearances at the Masters.

Xander Schauffele’s triple bogey on No. 16 was his first in 1,042 holes in a major championship. Despite the major set-back, he registered his second Top 3 finish at the Masters.

With a bogey-free 6-under (66), (the second bogey-free round of the week), Jon Rahm picked up his fourth consecutive Top 10 finish at the Masters (4/2018, T9/2019, T7/2020, T5/2021). Rahm now has 15 consecutive par-or-better rounds at the Masters.

Final Leaderboard from the 2021 Masters

Hideki Matsuyama 69-71-65-73—278 (-10)

Will Zalatoris 70-68-71-70—279 (-9)

Jordan Spieth 71-68-72-70—281 (-7)

Xander Schauffele 72-69-68-72—281 (-7)

Jon Rahm 72-72-72-66—282 (-6)

Marc Leishman 72-67-70-73—282 (-6)

 

UMass Takes Its First Frozen Four Title

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PITTSBURGH – The University of Massachusetts soundly defeated St. Cloud State of Minnesota, 5-0, in Saturday night’s men’s ice hockey national championship. For the UMass Minutemen, it’s was their first Frozen Four title win in program history.

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The scoring started a little over seven minutes into the first period when Aaron Bohlinger found himself on a 2-on-0 and cashed in to make it 1-0 UMass. With 1:04 left in the first 20 minutes, Reed Lebster tapped one past St. Cloud G David Hrenak to give UMass a 2-0 lead entering the first intermission.

With St. Cloud State on the power play five minutes into the second frame, Phil Lagunov dangled around Nick Perbix to score a shorthanded goal. Matt Kessel added a power play goal in the back half of the second period to make it 4-0.

UMass’ Bobby Trivigno made it 5-0 when he sniped one past David Hrenak early in the third period.

UMass was on a mission to improve one slot heading into the 2021-21 season. The Minutemen finished as 2019 championship runner-ups (2020 playoff was cancelled). They closed out the 2020-21 regular season winning the program’s first-ever Hockey East title and advanced to the championship game after an overtime thriller in the Frozen Four semifinals against Minnesota Duluth,

UMass goaltender Filip Linberg made 25 saves to earn the shut-out.