Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

Terry Lyons

NFL Week 3 Previews: 4pm Games

by

Minnesota Vikings (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Vikings -1.5, Total 42.5
Series Rewind: Tampa Bay has won the last two games and eight of the last 10 against Minnesota. However, the Vikings hold a 33-24 edge in the all-time series.

Kyler Murray returns to Minnesota this week with the team in a great spot. Since he exited in the first quarter of the Vikings’ season opener vs. Green Bay, the team has won both of its first two games and is atop the NFC North. All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson has 15 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns in two games despite playing most of that time without Murray. Minnesota will also have starting running back Aaron Jones Sr. available after he missed Wednesday’s practice and his status was initially in doubt. Tampa Bay followed up a 33-27 road loss at Cincinnati in Week 1 with a surprising 23-19 home loss to Cleveland last week. Baker Mayfield, fresh off signing his three-year contract extension, has a pedestrian 86.6 passer rating and has thrown for 398 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Buccaneers will be without a pair of rookies taken in the first two rounds of April’s draft in linebackers Rueben Bain Jr. (groin) and Josiah Trotter (shoulder).

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -8.5, Total 48.5
Series Rewind: The 49ers swept the Cardinals last season to improve head coach Kyle Shanahan’s career record against Arizona to 9-9.

Only Lions QB Jared Goff (25) has a longer active streak of consecutive games with a TD pass than Jacoby Brissett, who is going for 15 straight games with a scoring toss. Fans are clamoring for one of those passes to land in the hands of Marvin Harrison Jr. The 2025 first-round pick has only one catch this season, but Michael Wilson is a familiar villain for the San Francisco defense. Wilson set career highs with 15 receptions for 185 yards in the last meeting. 49ers QB Brock Purdy has 13 touchdowns (one rushing) in five career starts against the Cardinals and Arizona never enjoys seeing Christian McCaffrey coming. He has three touchdowns or more in three of the past four meetings. This is San Francisco’s first close-up with Cardinals first-round rookie RB Jeremiyah Love. The 49ers have allowed only 20 total points this season.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) at New Orleans Saints (1-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Saints -3, Total 43.5
Series Rewind: The Raiders won the most recent meeting, 25-10 in New Orleans, in 2024. Las Vegas has won three of the past four games between the teams.

The Raiders finished in a four-way tie for the worst record in the league last season (3-14), and their reward for such a poor season — No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza — hasn’t even been a factor. He has been an understudy to 15-year veteran Kirk Cousins, who is thriving in first-year head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense, throwing three touchdown passes in each of the first two games. New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore, a former quarterback, noted that he and Cousins entered the NFL the same season (2012) after being teammates in the Senior Bowl. Cousins’ experience is paying off for Las Vegas. The Saints are one of five teams that began the season with consecutive road games. Only they, the Browns and Packers managed to win a game while the Dolphins and the Commanders both started 0-2. But like the Raiders, the Saints are emphasizing that an encouraging start doesn’t mean much this early in the season. QB Tyler Shough leads the NFL in passing yards (662). New Orleans, however, is 28th in rushing (78 yards per game). The Saints are one failed two-point conversion in their opener away from being 2-0 despite facing early double-digit deficits in both games. They fell behind Detroit 21-0 before Shough led a comeback to reach overtime, where his two-point conversion pass went incomplete on the final play of a 31-30 loss. Last week, they fell behind the Ravens 14-3 before Shough led another comeback and sneaked one yard on fourth down for a late touchdown that produced a 24-17 victory.

Baltimore Ravens (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Ravens -3.5, Total 52.5
Series Rewind: The Ravens have won six of seven meetings with the Cowboys.

With a win and a loss under their belts, the Cowboys and Ravens roll into Brazil with questions to answer. Dallas has been torched after a miserable performance got defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus fired in 2025. Christian Parker is still finding the right mix of personnel, and enters a rough week for experimenting. The Cowboys are allowing 173.5 rushing yards per game and their win over the Commanders might have turned out differently had Washington not lost quarterback Jayden Daniels to injury on the final play of the first half. Daniels was carving up the Cowboys with his feet; he had 69 rushing yards in the half. Derrick Henry is second in the league in rushing (212 yards) and QB Lamar Jackson is seventh in the NFL in total passing yards and is averaging a league-leading 10 yards per attempt. Jackson also has 74 yards rushing this season. Baltimore hasn’t been perfect, with injuries limiting what Jackson can do in the passing game. WR Zay Flowers had 150 yards in the first half of Week 1 but hasn’t played since because of a hamstring. Uncertain field conditions might give first-year head coach Jesse Minter pause about playing Flowers this week. The Cowboys can also go right at a Baltimore secondary that didn’t hold up well against the Saints in a home loss last week. Dak Prescott threw four TD passes Week 2.

Filed Under: NFL

“It’s On to Tampa Bay”

by

FENWAY – (Staff Report from Official Team News Statement) – Major League Baseball announced today that the Red Sox series finale against the Chicago Cubs will be relocated to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Originally set for 7:15 p.m. on September 25 at Fenway Park, the new game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. on Sunday, September 26 at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Embed from Getty Images

The change was made in continued consultation with the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs due to the unchanged forecast of a major nor’easter expected to bring heavy rain, high winds, and potential flooding to the region during the weekend. Tickets purchased directly from the Red Sox will be automatically refunded back to the original payment. The ticket will hold no cash value. Refunds will be completed within 7 days. Sunday’s game will be televised on NESN

Bills Open New Stadium Tonight

by

BUFFALO – (Wire Service Report) – The Buffalo Bills, the pride of Western New York State, will pull back the curtain on its brand-new digs in primetime Thursday night and Detroit coach Dan Campbell knows the Lions understand the assignment at Highmark Stadium.

Embed from Getty Images

He put Victory Monday in Detroit on fast-forward to share film of Bills quarterback Josh Allen shredding Houston for four touchdowns — two rushing, two passing — in a Week 1 win. The Lions needed overtime to escape the Saints, 31-30, a win that generated a long list of necessary corrections with minimal prep time to implement fixes before heading to Buffalo.

“That’s the challenge of the short week,” Campbell said, knowing all too well the perils of trying to step in front of Allen and the Bills.

The last time they met, Detroit and Buffalo locked into a shootout. It was the highest-scoring game of the 2024 season — and a 48-42 Buffalo win. Allen had four touchdowns — two rushing, two passing — and generated 430 yards of offense.

“I can’t say enough about this quarterback,” Campbell said. “He’s the catalyst for them.”

Allen led the Bills to a 36-31 road win over the Texans last week, barely blinking in the face of the NFL’s top pass rush.

Detroit can get after quarterbacks. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson plays a monster role in the success rate of the pass defense. But the secondary stepping on the field in Buffalo isn’t the brand-name version the Lions might prefer. Kerby Joseph, the league leader in interceptions (16) since 2023, had knee surgery; Brian Branch is nine months into recovery from surgery to repair a torn Achilles. Neither will be available until at least Week 5.

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough carved up the Lions after New Orleans fell behind 21-0. He threw for a career-high 410 yards — tops in the NFL in Week 1 — and three touchdowns against Detroit, the type of film Campbell might want to fast-forward. Of course, Allen will take in every detail this week. He averaged 11.5 yards per attempt and hit 20 of 29 passes for 334 yards at Houston.

One particular Allen observation might concern Campbell on the short week. A lot of New Orleans’ success came after the Saints went to an up-tempo, no-huddle operation. No-huddle is an Allen favorite.

“Buffalo does some of that anyway. They’ve always done some of those things. That showed up a little bit,” Campbell said. “It’s those things you address, which we have. You understand what you’re getting ready to face and why wouldn’t they test us there. We would do the same thing.”

The Lions’ offense has shown up consistently and won’t back away from a shootout if one develops Thursday.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a career-high 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. He felt at least two other runs could’ve been bigger plays, even touchdowns, while accounting for 186 total yards. The Lions had 369 yards total offense.

“They’re extremely talented. They’re an explosive offense,” Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “They have been for years. (Jared) Goff has been playing at an extremely high level now for a long time. So, it’s not fun to watch them on tape, but you do know what the issues are — and we’re going to need to solve those problems.”

Rest – or the lack thereof – is a potential problem for both teams.

Gibbs had only two 20-plus carry games in 2025. But he’s confident he’ll be full strength Thursday night. The last time he had to follow up a 20-carry game, Gibbs responded with 120 total yards, seven receptions and three touchdowns on 19 touches against the Dallas Cowboys in December.

Bills first-year head coach Joe Brady went shirtless to celebrate with his team in the postgame locker room on Sunday. But like Campbell, he said he’ll punt sleep for a few days to prepare for a juggernaut offense.

“A couple of people have asked me how I celebrated the win, and I went straight (home) and had to watch an overtime game,” Brady said. “That’s part of the Thursday night games. We can sleep on Friday, but let’s do everything we got to do to help put our guys in position to have success.”

 

Filed Under: NFL

14-Carat Gold for Red Sox

by

By TERRY LYONS

FENWAY – The red hot Boston Red Sox defeated the orange hot Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, in a sloppy but exciting game before a sell-out crowd of 37,659 crazy fans (about 5,000 from the Charm City) on an absolutely gorgeous night at Fenway Park.

Boston came into the game, winners of a lucky 13 straight games. Baltimore travelled to Boston from Houston where they swept the Astros and had a season-high seven game winning streak of their own.

Something had to give.

Embed from Getty Images

A partial final line score might tell the story as Baltimore scored five runs on 11 hits but committed four errors and left eight runners on base. Meanwhile, the Red Sox scored six runs on 10 hits, but committed no errors and left only four on base. The game was sloppy and it see-sawed back and forth all night long.

Baltimore went up 1-0 in the top of the first.

The Sox tied it at 1-1 with a Jarren Duran sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Willson Contreras who had a lead-off single.

Boston went up, 3-1, in the third, after Baltimore committed two errors and Ceddanne Rafaela scored on a Wilyer Abreu double to left.

Baltimore cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth with an unlikely Christian Encarnation-Strand home run. For a .200 hitter, (we’ll call him Smith) has recorded two home runs and recorded multiple hits in two of his last five major league games. Tonight, the Orioles third baseman as=went 2-for-3, with a run scored, a homer and two RBI. Not bad for a guy who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk last Thursday.

The Orioles took the baton and scored two runs in the top of the sixth, cracking four hits with Jeremiah Jackson and (Smith) providing the RBI singles which knocked Boston starter Payton Tolle out of the game after 5.2 IP, giving up eight hits and four runs while walking one and striking out nine Orioles. Back and forth it was, and Boston tied it at four-all in the bottom of the sixth. It went to 5-5 at the end of the seventh inning.

Ping pong, see-saw, back-and-forth – call it what you want.

The game changer was in the bottom of the eighth inning with Baltimore reliever Tyler Wells on the mound.

Wells struck out the first two batters he faced, sending hot hitting Willson Contreras and DH Masataka Yoshida packing.

Batter-up for Caleb Durbin, the guy who soaked in some coaching from his Waltham, Mass batting advisor and has hit safely in 30 of 43 games, coming into tonight. Durbin also stroked a .305 batting average since his advisor struck gold back on May 28th. His 19 extra base hits and 14 multi-hit games add to his magical turn-around mid-season, But, when Durbin walked to the plate in the bottom of the eighth, he was O’s-for-3 with two fly-outs to right and a ground-out to short.

Call it hitting safely in 31 of 44 games as Durbin took a 1-0, 90 mph cutter and parked it over the famed Green Monster and across to Landsdowne Street which abuts the left field wall. It was Durbin’s 10th home run of the season and it gave Boston a 6-5 lead with ace closer Aroldis Chapman entering the game from his right field bullpen briar patch. Chapman, the American League’s all-star closer last week in Philadelphia, took the mound with 21 saves under his belt and the title of Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout leader among relievers (1,367).

The drama unfolded, of course, as every game at Fenway Park seems to create a high stress level, even thought the Red Sox have been winning and were coming off a four game sweep of the AL East division leading Tampa Bay Rays.

Here’s the way it went down:

Chapman walked the lead-off hitter, pinch hitter Colton Cowser. With a man on first, Chapman – facing the top of the order – proceeded to strike-out Baltimore’s Taylor Ward and slugger Pete Alonso.

Orioles shortstop, Gunnar Henderson, was next and he doubled to left, but Cowser could only advance as far as third base.

Second and third, two men out, Chapman pitching to right fielder Tyler O’Neill.

Who will be the star of the game?

Durbin?

Chapman?

Or, O’Neill?

Embed from Getty Images

How about the least likely player to earn that game-winning star honor, Boston shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng who moved quickly to his right and grabbed a rocket line-drive off O’Neill’s bat to end the game on what would’ve surely been a two-run single, a 7-6 lead, and a blown save for Chapman.

Instead, Chapman earned his 22nd save of the season, Garrett Whitlock was credited with the win for his one inning of shut-out pitching in the eighth.

Baltimore’s Wells took the tough loss.

The Orioles’ winning streak ended at seven, while Boston’s incredible turn-around and winning streak continue to the tune of 14 wins in a row, dating back to July 3rd. In their last 21 games, Boston is 19-2. They’re a major league best of 22-5 (.815) in their last 27 games, dating back to June 19th.

Boston is now 51-48 (.515) and trail the division-leading Rays by only six games. On July 2, Boston was 37-48, 14.5 games back of Tampa and mired in last place in the division.  They’ve swept the LA Angels, the Chicago White Sox, the lowly New York Mets and four important games from Tampa. While July 20 is far to early to be scoreboard watching, the Red Sox are one game away from tying the franchise record of a 15-game winning streak (April 25-May 10, 1946).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orioles in Town to Test Hot Sox

by

FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox started their 13-game win streak on the road before the MLB All-Star break, but home cooking has helped to fuel it.

After completing a four-game sweep of the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox look to keep the good times rolling when they welcome the Baltimore Orioles — who have won seven in a row themselves — into Boston for the start of a three-game series on Monday night.

Embed from Getty Images

“I feel like we’ve flipped the script,” Boston third baseman Caleb Durbin said.

The current heater has Boston two games above the .500 mark for the first time since a win on Opening Day. Now the team is two games short of the club record of 15 straight set in 1946.

“You’re winning games against clubs that have a chance to be in the playoffs. That’s important,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “It’s important that we’re playing this way out of the All-Star break. It’s important that we’re doing it at home. All those things matter.”

Another thing that matters? The return of Willson Contreras.

Contreras’ two-run homer in the fifth inning on Sunday gave the Red Sox a 6-1 lead, which proved to be the final score, in support of another quality start from Sonny Gray. It was the first baseman’s second round-tripper in three games since returning from a suspension and his fourth in seven games since July 4.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.11 ERA) for his first start since the All-Star break after being limited to 3 2/3 innings last Sunday against the New York Mets in an effort to manage his workload. The 23-year-old was still effective, striking out seven and allowing just one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Another thing that matters? The return of Willson Contreras.

Contreras’ two-run homer in the fifth inning on Sunday gave the Red Sox a 6-1 lead, which proved to be the final score, in support of another quality start from Sonny Gray. It was the first baseman’s second round-tripper in three games since returning from a suspension and his fourth in seven games since July 4.

The Red Sox hand the ball to Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.11 ERA) for his first start since the All-Star break after being limited to 3 2/3 innings last Sunday against the New York Mets in an effort to manage his workload. The 23-year-old was still effective, striking out seven and allowing just one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Tolle has allowed just one run or fewer in three of his last four starts, while one of his three shutout performances this season came in his first career start against Baltimore on June 3, as he limited the Orioles to seven hits over six innings and struck out five.

Though the Orioles remain two games below .500 (49-51) on the season, they continued their winning ways with a 5-2 Sunday triumph and a three-game road sweep over the Houston Astros.

Baltimore managed just six hits, including a pair from Dylan Beavers, but seven walks and four hit batters helped set its offense in motion. Gunnar Henderson’s steal of home on a double steal also highlighted the effort.

“(Our offense just wants to) continue to put pressure on defenses,” Henderson said. “If you do that over the course of nine innings, you’re bound to break through.”

The Orioles did just that in the fifth, thanks to a two-run single by Leody Taveras.

As his team arrives in Boston, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz will be watching the status of catcher Samuel Basallo, who exited Sunday’s game with right shoulder discomfort during an at-bat in the second inning.

“It’s been a lingering thing, and obviously, he just aggravated it,” said Albernaz, who also noted that All-Star Adley Rutschman was experiencing left discomfort before the game.

Baltimore looks to continue its recent momentum with Shane Baz (4-9, 4.19) on the mound, searching for his first win since June 12. The righty has fanned nine batters in two of his five outings since then, including a 4 2/3-inning start last Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.

The rotation initially had Kyle Bradish scheduled to make the Monday start before he was pushed back a day. Bradish signed a five-year contract extension on Saturday, becoming the highest-paid pitcher in Orioles history.

Baz is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox. He was a winner in Boston in that June 2 outing, pitching seven innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

Sox: Craziest Game of the Season

by

Red Sox SP Sonny Gray Lost No-hit Bid in the 8th Inning

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – On July 9, 1969, there was this ten-year old kid from New York who watched reserve outfielder Jimmy Qualls of the Chicago Cubs break-up a Tom Seaver potential perfect game with one out, opposite field blooper fly ball that landed on the Shea Stadium turf in the top of the ninth inning as New York Mets left-fielder Cleon Jones had no play on the ball. It fell in.

A couple years later, the 4th of July in 1972, and it was Seaver on the mound, once again, for the Mets. One out, top of the ninth and San Diego Padres scrub Leron Lee single up the middle to break up the no-hitter.

Can a life-long baseball man, now a reporter, get a break?

Can your guy see a no hitter in person?

Fifty-five years later, Boston Red Sox starter Sonny Gray was cruising along, having just struck-out his ninth batter of the game as the New York Yankees batted in the top of the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Not a single soul of the 34,573 bipartisan crowd had left the building as the tension mounted.

Embed from Getty Images

One out, and it was batter-up for Yankees designated hitter Amed Rosario who nervously stepped to the plate.

Guess what?

Base hit to left field and Gray’s no-hit bid was lost, just as Seaver had lost his. It was an inning earlier for Gray’s effort, as he went 7.1 innings, allowed just the one hit, no runs, one walk in the fifth inning (to spoil the potential perfect game), and nine punch-outs as he tossed 97 pitches with 64 strikes.

Of course, as the spell was broken and the obvious mental let-down set-in for Gray, his teammates and the hometown crowd provided a heartfelt standing ovation which accompanied Gray to the Sox dugout as reliever Tyron Guerrero took the ball from Boston manager Chad Tracy. Guerrero did the job by allowing a ground ball force out of Rosario at second base, then a fly ball – can of corn – to Sox centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela.

Boston went down in order in the bottom of the eighth and then the ridiculousness began.

Fenway’s outfield lights ‘a flashing saw Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman take the mound with a 2-0 lead. It was just a formality, as the Yankees were three outs away from a four game sweep by the last place Red Sox and showing no life whatsoever.

Nope, not so fast.

Yankees’ shortstop Jose Caballero, the No. 9 hitter in the order, singled to left, then stole second base.

Anthony Volpe, who had entered the game in the sixth inning when teammate Jazz Chisholm was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, walked – a sign of Chapman struggling at best – choking at worst.

New York first baseman Ben Rice flew out to right and the bottom fell out when Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu missed everyone and the cut-off man as each runner tagged to advance. The throw went astray and rolled all the way to the home plate backstop, allowing both Caballero and Volpe to score. Tie game, 2-2.

Could the Red Sox pull it off with a bottom of the ninth victory?

Although Willson Contreras singled to start the home ninth, newly activated designated hitter Romy Gonzalez grounded into a double play – 6-4-3 – to quash any hope of that ninth inning celebration.

The game went into extra innings, and the phantom runners came out.

Justin Slaten took the mound for Boston, and the game went from really bad to really worse for Boston. Slaten gave up a base hit to Rosario which eluded the glove of Abreu – a player truly having the worst game of the season for a Sox defender. The phantom runner (reserve Max Scheman) scored to put the Yankees ahead and that fact placed the pressure squarely on the Red Sox. A sacrifice bunt by NY’s Oswaldo Cabrera moved Rosario to third base, then a fielder’s choice grounder scored Rosario from third and the Sox trailed by two runs, 4-2.

Gray’s no hitter was not only squandered but the Yankees suddenly were in position to win the game. There was the home half-inning to be played.

Bottom of the tenth, trailing by two, Caleb Durbin took second base as his place with the phantom, extra innings MLB rule.

Crazy time in reverse was about to play out.

Embed from Getty Images

It went down like this:

o A base hit by Anthony Siegler scored Durbin.

o A double by pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida moved pinch-runner Andruw Monasterio to third, as men on 2nd and 3rd set the scene.

o A sacrifice fly by No. 9 hitter Tsung-Che Cheng scored Monasterio (tie game) and advanced Yoshida to third base.

Outfielder Jarren Duran stepped up to the plate, having entered the game as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning (when he struck out).

The Yankees adjusted their defense to bring five infielders in to cut down any attempt Yoshida might have to score. But, Duran belted a line drive to right field which landed clearly on the outfield turf. Yoshida scored easily and Duran was mobbed by his teammates as he rounded first base with the walk-off RBI.

The Red Sox won, 5-4.

Boston earned its four-game sweep of the Yankees, won their fifth game of the last six they played and the seventh of 10 games since June 19. Only a couple botched games at Colorado on June 22 and 24 are the blemishes on a team that is still in the American league East cellar, but showing signs of life and potential, especially as the Sox starting pitchers continue to throw quality starts. (It was Gray’s sixth straight quality start and Boston’s 11th straight game with a quality game by a starter).

Sonny Gray did not get his no-hitter.

Justin Slaten earned the victory, his first of the season vs. four losses. He grabbed victory in place of the bitter defeat.

Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz took the loss, his third.

Jarren Duran took a postgame Gatorade bath from his celebratory teammates.

Aroldis Chapman blew the save but did get his 1,363rd career strikeout, tying Hoyt Wilhelm for the most K’s in relief in Major League Baseball history. Chapman will need to work on his game, as blowing saves seems to be a trend.

And, a writer who recalled a pair of Tom Seaver lost no hit bids, and saw another big league no-hitter go down the drain.

Nope … no hitters … no triple plays.

Time has been marching by. It’s now time for another 55 years worth.

Maybe not.

 

PGA Tour: Cauley Gets His Win

by

TORONTO – (Wire Service Report) – It was a long climb for Bud Cauley, but he finally made it.

Cauley birdied three consecutive holes on the back nine during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on his way to shooting 5-under-par 65 and winning on the PGA Tour for the first time Sunday in Caledon, Ontario.

Embed from Getty Images

Cauley, 36, had never finished higher than third since turning pro in 2011. The RBC Canadian Open was his 239th PGA Tour event — most of them coming prior a 2018 car accident that broke six of his ribs, fractured his leg and forced a collapsed lung.

“Just how hard that was,” said Cauley, reflecting on his journey. “Just so many people helped me get here and I’m just really thankful for all the help that I’ve gotten.”

Cauley ended up at 17-under 263 for a two-stroke victory over England’s Matt Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick shot 64, finishing his round with a 12-foot eagle putt on No. 18 after a bogey on the previous hole pretty much dashed his hopes of winning the tournament at rainy TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s North course.

Norway’s Viktor Hovland (65) claimed third at 14 under.

Cauley used four birdies, including a chip-in on No. 12, on a five-hole stretch (Nos. 11 to 15) to pull away from the pack for a three-shot lead.

“I’m just very proud of the way I kind of kept going and continued to make birdies there on the back nine and I’m just so happy,” he said.

Fitzpatrick generally liked his performance.

“It’s a good week,” he said. “I would have taken it at the start of the week. I felt like there was a lot of good stuff in there.”

Jimmy Stanger trailed by three going to No. 18, but an approach into the water cost him and he bogeyed the hole and settled for 67. At 13 under, he tied with Jackson Suber (70), Brice Garnett (68) and Sweden’s Jesper Svensson (68) for fourth place. Suber led Cauley by one shot through three rounds.

Still, Suber had a worthwhile experience, gaining entry later this year in the British Open and Travelers based on the result. He qualified for the U.S. Open during a Monday qualifier at the beginning of the week.

“To be able to play in the U.S. Open next week, Travelers, and then the British Open, I mean, that’s a pretty big schedule change, especially coming into the year with conditional status,” Suber said.

Defending champion Ryan Fox of New Zealand posted 68 and tied with two others — Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju (68) and South African Aldrich Potgieter (65) — at 12 under.

“Obviously going into the week, it was like you have that little bit of added pressure being at the Canadian Open and for me being pretty close to home and stuff like that,” Yellamaraju said. “I just kind of tried to keep trying to tell myself to play the best that I could and just fight until the very end, which was pretty much what I did.”

Second-round leader Ben James recovered from a disastrous third round to shoot 69 and tie for 54th place at 3 under in his PGA Tour debut.

Brooks Koepka, who was a co-leader after a first-round 64, withdrew prior to the final round citing a hand injury. After a 72 on Saturday, he stood at 6 under through three rounds.

The start of Sunday’s round was pushed back because of concerns related to the weather forecast. Golfers were sent off the first and 10th tees in threesomes.

–Field Level Media

Knicks, Brunson Eek Out Victory

by

SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson fueled New York’s first victory of the NBA Finals with his fourth-quarter offense and he set up its  Game 2 win with his fifth steal.

And suddenly, the underdog Knicks are two victories away from their first NBA championship since 1973.

YouTube player

Brunson and the Knicks aren’t planning any title-winning parades but they placed the San Antonio Spurs in a huge hole with a 105-104 victory on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“It’s a team effort. We found a way to win these two games,” said Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 21 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2. “It’s a shout-out to everybody coming together for a greater cause.”

After Brunson stole the ball, he converted the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left as New York claimed its 13th straight postseason victory, passing the 1999 Spurs for the second-longest such streak in NBA history.

The sequence began with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama throwing the ball off the back of teammate Stephon Castle, who was in the backcourt heading toward the midcourt line. Brunson retrieved the ball, was fouled and split two free throws to give New York a one-point lead.

“I saw he wasn’t looking so I just tried to go get it,” Brunson said of Castle. “I just didn’t want Wemby to come back and get it.”

San Antonio still had a chance to leave victorious but Wembanyama missed a 20-foot shot before time expired as the Knicks racked up their eighth consecutive road victory.

“Of course, I liked the shot,” Wembanyama said. “I feel like in this moment you need to shoot to score. In moments like this, it’s like results matter more than process, if you know what I mean.

“We just need to score. I just need to score. That’s the whole point.”

Wembanyama totaled 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots but committed four turnovers and has made 10 through two games.

He took responsibility for the ill-advised pass off Castle’s back.

“I threw that one away,” Wembanyama said. “I messed up. We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. This game was ours. But at this point, it’s done.

“Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”

Castle said he was dashing up court to give Wembanyama some room to work with.

“I was looking at him when he first got the rebound,” Castle said. “I just started to take off to try to give him some space to dribble up the court. I didn’t see him throw it to me.”

Game 3 is on Monday in New York, which will also be the site of Game 4 on Wednesday.

Brunson scored 20 points after pouring in 30 in Game 1, including 13 in the fourth quarter of that 105-95 victory.

Mikal Bridges also scored 20 and OG Anunoby added 17 points. Landry Shamet scored 13 off the bench for New York, which squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter before recovering.

De’Aaron Fox scored 20 points for the Spurs. Dylan Harper tallied 15 off the bench while Castle and Devin Vassell had 14 points apiece.

Wembanyama’s three-point play with 57.3 seconds left gave the Spurs a 104-102 edge, their first lead of the second half. Brunson answered with a jumper to tie it with 39.3 seconds remaining.

The Knicks shot 41.6% from the field, including 15 of 38 (39.5%) from 3-point range.

San Antonio made 47.4% of its attempts and was 11 of 29 (37.9%) from behind the arc.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is counting on his team to step up its play as the series turns to Madison Square Garden.

“We don’t feel like we played well or up to our standard at least in the last two games,” Johnson said. “New York has played very well and they’re a part of that. But we’re going to go into Game 3, if we play our brand of basketball up to our standard, we’ll be just fine.”

The Spurs trailed by 14 midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 14-0 run to knot the score at 97.

Fox had five straight points during the burst and Devin Vassell buried a straightaway 3-pointer to bring San Antonio within two. Harper then got the roll on a short jumper to tie the game with 2:59 remaining.

“Obviously, they made their run towards the end,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “And you know, we could have folded a few times. But our guys just kept fighting.”

New York led 84-75 entering the final stanza and the margin was soon 12 after Shamet sank a 3-pointer. The Spurs answered with seven straight points to move within 87-82 before Shamet buried a trey to start a 10-1 run.

Brunson added a driving basket, Miles “Deuce” McBride canned a wide-open 3-pointer and Anunoby slammed home a dunk against Wembanyama’s defense to give the Knicks a 97-83 advantage with 6:04 left.

Towns had 17 points and seven rebounds in the first half as the Knicks led 56-52 at the break. Fox scored 12 in the half for San Antonio.

After the Spurs were on top by as much as 12, the Knicks led for the first time on Shamet’s basket for a 49-48 lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

 

Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke, Dead at 29

by

LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29. Clarke’s death was announced Tuesday by the Grizzlies and his representation, Priority Sports, and confirmed by the authorities in Los Angeles, California.

Embed from Getty Images

Los Angeles’ NBC affiliate reported that his death is being investigated as a possible overdose. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a 911 call of a medical emergency shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday and paramedics declared Clarke dead after they arrived, per the report.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Clarke played in just six games during the 2023-24 season due to a torn Achilles and suited up for just two this campaign. He was out at the start of this season due to a right knee injury. He returned in mid-December and injured his right calf in his second game.

The Grizzlies ruled Clarke out for the rest of the season on March 24.

“We are all beyond devastated by the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Priority Sports said in a statement. “He was so loved by all of us here, and everyone whose life he touched. He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family. Our hearts are so broken as we think about his mom, Whitney, his entire family, and all of his friends and teammates. From high school to San Jose State to Gonzaga to the Grizzlies, Brandon impacted everyone who was part of his life.

“Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friends you could ever imagine. He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed.”

On April 1, Clarke was arrested on four charges, including possession of and trafficking a controlled substance. He also was charged with two driving offenses — improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle or conveyance with speeding.

Clarke had career averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 309 games (50 starts) since he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Grizzlies shortly afterward.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

 

 

Filed Under: NBA

Two Words: “Game Seven”

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will try to avoid a series collapse Saturday night when they face the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Second-seeded Boston held a 3-1 lead in the series, but lost Game 5 at home and then dropped Game 6, 106-93, in Philadelphia on Thursday night. If the seventh-seeded 76ers can find a way to win Game 7 on the road, Boston would become the 14th team in NBA history to lose a series after holding a 3-1 advantage.

YouTube player

“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” said Philadelphia center Joel Embiid. “I’m tired of losing to them. So we have a chance to accomplish something special. They’re a great team. You look at everything they have. That’s a super team. We just gotta go in with the mindset that we’ve had for the last two games. One play at a time. Tough environment, but we’ve been there. We won two games over there.”

Boston was 12 of 41 from 3-point territory in Thursday’s loss, after being held to 11-of-39 shooting from behind the 3-point arc in its 113-97 setback in Game 5.

“Very good game by us,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Thursday’s victory. “I think we played really well. Probably most impressed with our defensive effort, and shot creation was good. I don’t think the shot-making was great, but the shot creation was very good.”

Boston received a scare Thursday when Jayson Tatum exited the court with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. Tatum said he felt tightness in his left leg, but is slated to play Saturday.

“Y’all probably saw when I went to the back,” Tatum said. “So I was on the bike. My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, like the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out.

“Our intentions aren’t good,” Tatum continued. “We want to go out there and play the right way and win. It’s just we just got to be a little bit more together, a little bit tougher, play with more pace, play faster. How they have played majority of the season. Then since I’ve been back (from an Achilles injury), just kind of getting back to who we are.”

Two of Boston’s three wins in the series came by more than 30 points. The Celtics won Game 1 123-91, then prevailed 128-96 in Game 4.

“We definitely made some adjustments,” Mazzulla said after Game 6. “Some of them worked, some of them didn’t. Like I said, I thought tonight the Sixers played well, and we didn’t.”

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 30 points in Game 6. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 18 points.

“Sometimes it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s about the Jims and the Joes,” Maxey said. “Who you have on your team, our Jims and Joes got to be better than theirs. It’s going to be a dogfight. It’s going to be extremely difficult. Every single second will be a roller coaster ride. Us as a group, we have to stay connected. Stay with one goal in mind – that’s you’re trying to win the game.”

–Field Level Media