Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

RB “Peep-iel” Elliott a Factor for Pats

by

DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is concerned longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Will Grier are telling secrets.

Embed from Getty Images

As the New England Patriots prepare to travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Elliott and Grier add tangible value with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Cowboys’ operation.

“Certainly Will knows where a lot of the bones are buried,” Schottenheimer said. “Zeke obviously does as well. Those are thing you talk about, and you think about, ‘OK, let’s adjust this one.’ We certainly have more than one hand signal for most of our core concepts, and sometimes you can use it to your advantage because they think they know what’s coming. And they hear something they think, ‘Oh, hey, it’s this,’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”

Grier was waived in August when the Cowboys made a trade to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.

Elliott played 103 career regular-season games in Dallas and was released in the offseason. He’s a close friend of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and has unique insight, despite the team changing offensive coordinators from Kellen Moore to Schottenheimer. But head coach Mike McCarthy has taken over play-calling this season.

The cat-and-mouse game can work both ways.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore played for the Patriots from 2017-20 and was a prized pupil of head coach Bill Belichick. Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks spent the 2017 season in New England.

“Everybody does it, you get a player that’s been somewhere, you talk to him about different things,” Schottenheimer said. “And then you’re very selective about how much you put into it. Excited to see Will, it’ll be great to see him, but I’m sure he is definitely being interrogated and spending a lot of late nights with their defensive coaching staff.”

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien belly-laughed when asked if he interrogated the new practice squad quarterback.

“Interrogating?” O’Brien asked rhetorically Tuesday. “Schotty is a good guy, I’ve known Schotty for a long time. I think that’s the way it is in this league — and it goes both ways. It’s always going to happen. At the end of the day, you’ve got to study the film.

“I’ve never thought in all of my years in the league that any of that was an overriding factor in a win or a loss. I don’t think we’re trying to hold a light over anybody and (asking), ‘Tell me what you did on July 20, 2023.’ We’re not doing that. We’re not interrogating anybody. We’re trying to put together the best game plan we possible can.”

–Field Level Media

The Human Vacuum Cleaner Passes, 86

by

BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Services) – Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles, the man they called the “Human Vacuum Cleaner” for his ability to gobble up tough ground balls at the “hot” corner of third base, died at the age of 86.

Embed from Getty Images

The Associated Press called out Robinson’s “deft glove work and folksy manner (which) made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore (sports) history.

The Orioles announced his death in a joint statement with Robinson’s family Tuesday evening. The statement did not say how Robinson died.

Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles’ 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.

Robinson participated in 18 All-Star Games, won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves and earned the 1964 AL Most Valuable Player award after batting .318 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBIs.

Patriots Keep Winning Streak Over J.E.T.S. Alive

by

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Matthew Judon recorded a safety with 2:19 to go and the visiting New England Patriots preserved a 15-10 win over the New York Jets on a rainy Sunday in the Meadowlands.

Embed from Getty Images

 

The Patriots (1-2) extended their winning streak against their AFC East rival to 15 games, dating to 2015. That ties the Kansas City Chiefs’ run against the Denver Broncos for the NFL’s longest active streak against a single opponent.

Zach Wilson and the Jets (1-2) attempted to salvage a dismal offensive performance with an 87-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that cut their deficit to 13-10. But after New York got the ball back, Judon beat left tackle Mekhi Becton on third-and-long and took down Wilson in the end zone for his second sack of the day.

The Jets forced two three-and-outs to stay alive. Wilson’s Hail Mary throw with 1 second left reached the end zone but fell incomplete, with Randall Cobb just missing the grab.

Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 157 yards and the Jets managed just 38 rushing yards. New York had six three-and-outs and 171 total yards (2.8 per play).

Mac Jones went 15-of-29 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown, and Ezekiel Elliott led the Patriots in rushing with a season-high 80 yards on 16 totes.

The score was 3-0 after one quarter thanks to Chad Ryland’s 48-yard field goal on New England’s opening drive. Ryland went on to miss from 48 and 57 yards during the second quarter.

In the meantime, the Jets went nowhere on their first five possessions, which netted 1 yard and one first down. Wilson took a 12-yard sack early in the second quarter and received a chorus of boos as the Jets went three-and-out.

The Patriots made it 10-0 when Jones hit uncovered tight end Pharaoh Brown over the top after a play-action fake with 10:38 left in the half. Brown chugged 58 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown since 2020 with the Houston Texans.

Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook combined for 29 rushing yards on the Jets’ sixth possession, which included a fourth-down conversion before Greg Zuerlein’s 52-yard field goal with 1:21 left.

Ryland made it 13-3 Patriots with a booming 51-yard field goal with 10:31 left in the third quarter. The teams combined to punt on their next six possessions before the Jets’ touchdown drive.

Wilson completed seven passes on the march, and after a pass interference call on New England brought the Jets to the 1, fullback Nick Bawden pushed in for his first career touchdown with 5:24 left.

White Sox Take Washed Out Finale

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Starting pitcher Mike Clevinger allowed two runs in six innings to help the visiting Chicago White Sox defeat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Sunday in a game that ended after six innings because of rain.

Embed from Getty Images

Clevinger (9-8) gave up five hits and didn’t walk or strike out a batter.

The White Sox (60-96) won two games in the three-game series. It was their first series victory since they took two out of three against the New York Yankees on Aug. 7-9.

The loss dropped the Red Sox (76-80) to 39-40 at home.

Boston starter Kutter Crawford (6-8) took the loss. He allowed three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Crawford struck out seven and walked three.

Wilyer Abreu (No. 2) and Adam Duvall (No. 21) homered for the Red Sox. Abreu was in the starting lineup for the first time in a week after dealing with hand soreness. He hurt his left hand when he slammed into the outfield wall during last Sunday’s game in Toronto.

Abreu’s home run handed the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Chicago led 2-1 after scoring twice in the fifth. Gavin Sheets and Korey Lee each walked, then scored on an Elvis Andrus two-out double.

The White Sox stretched their advantage to 3-1 in the sixth, when Eloy Jimenez doubled, moved to third on an Andrew Vaughn single and scored on Gavin Sheets’ sacrifice fly.

Duvall’s home run trimmed Chicago’s lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. The game entered a rain delay in the top of the seventh and was then ruled official because the forecast called for continued rain.

 

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | Sept 24

by

While We’re Young (Ideas) on Ryder Cup, Best/Worst of NFL

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Ryder Cup will take place this Thursday at 10:00am ET. The foursomes and four-ball competition starts this Friday, September 29th with first tee time at 1:35 AM (ET) and the Ryder Cup will be presented to the winning team on Sunday, Oct 1, 2023 – a week from today.

Embed from Getty Images

TV coverage of the biennial match play golf tournament will be provided by a combination of USA Network and its parent company, NBC Sports. Streaming is available via NBC’s Peacock Network and the Ryder Cup (www.rydercup.com) and the Ryder Cup app.

The TEAMS:

🇺🇸 The visiting USA Team will feature:

  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Wyndham Clark
  • Patrick Cantlay
  • Brian Harman
  • Max Homa
  • Xander Schaufele
  • Sam Burns
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Brooks Koepka
  • Collin Morakawa
  • Jordan Spieth
  • Justin Thomas
  • Captain: Zach Johnson

🇪🇺 The European host team will feature:

  • Rory McIlroy
  • Jon Rahm
  • Viktor Hovland
  • Tyrrell Hatton
  • Matt Fitzpatrick
  • Robert MacIntyre
  • Justin Rose
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Shane Lowry
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Sepp Straka
  • Nicolai Hojgaard
  • Captain: Luke Donald

FUN FACTS: The USA has NOT won on European soil since 1993 at The Belfry. … In 2021, the USA won the Ryder Cup at Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits, marking a record of a 10-point victory, the largest since the USA and Europe (not the UK) squared off in 1979. … The USA has No. 1 rankedScottie Scheffler but Europe can claim No. 2-5 with N. Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Norway’s Viktor Hovland. … If you place Hovland at the No. 1 slot because of his 2023 FedEx Cup victory and Erling Haaland as the No. 1 footballer in the world, playing for Man City, you’ll note Norway has the top two athloetes in teh world. Add Germany as the FIBA World Cup champion, and Serbia’s Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets as the MVP of the NBA Finals, you get the picture on the marvelous results being registered by European athletes.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After this weekend’s three game set with the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox will have only two more games at Fenway Park before the turf plays host to some Thanksgiving high school football games. The Red Sox face the Tampa Bay Rays (2 games) and the Baltimore Orioles (4-games at Camden Yards) to close out the year against two of the American League’s very best.

Saturday, September 23rd, also known as Week 4 of the College Football season, is really Game 1 for a lot of teams as they face conference competition across the nation. There’s some great non-Conference battles, too, as in Ohio State playing Notre Dame in South Bend.

The “Instant Classic” of the weekend was the Florida State at Clemsongame, won by Florida St., 31-24 in overtime.

There were so many great college football games on TV that my remote threatened to join the United Auto Workers’ picket lines. … The remote was so worn out that it asked for seven days off and an all expenses paid vacation trip to Aruba. … There were so many great games going on at the same time that a friend in New York City walked 8,700 steps as he went from screen-to-screen inside a Sports Bar.

The losers in the deal? How about LIV Golf, being televised by the CW Network facing big-time college football comp on ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 and everything on ESPN+, FOX, the ACC Network, the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Net, and so on.

Wouldn’t LIV Golf be better off basing its September tournaments in Europe where they could play to an early morning audience in the USA, say 7:00am to 11:00am ET?

THE BEST AND WORST OF THE NFL: Frequently, there are despicable acts of violence by NFL fans at stadiums across the country. This week? It was too much as a fan in Buffalo was apprehended as the USA Todayheadline read: An unidentified football fan who was naked and “covered in human excrement” was discovered in a construction site hole near the Buffalo Bills home opener on Sunday. The extent of his injuries was a cut on his forehead.

Believe it or not, it got worse. Much worse.

Dale Mooney, a 53-year-old New England Patriots’ fan and New Hampshire resident, fell unconscious in the fourth quarter of New England’s Sunday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, falling unconscious in the upper deck of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and could not be revived.

He was punched by a Miami Dolphins fan and fell down, witnesses said, but the blow might not have been the cause of Mooney’s death.

“Preliminary autopsy results did not suggest traumatic injury, but did identify a medical issue,” according to a statement Wednesday from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. “Cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.”

The fact of the matter is that a drunken Patriots fan jawed throughout the game and then confronted a rival Miami supporter. There’s been no formal or final determination by the authorities and the incident remains under investigation.

The incidents this week prompt a listing of the worst fans (and best fans) in the NFL:

WORST FANS:

Worst – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

2nd – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

3rd – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

That’s no typo!

4. Eagles 🦅

5. Raiders 🍂

6. Dolphins 🐬

7. Cowboys 🤠

8. Patriots 🇬🇧 —> 🇺🇸

9. Bengals 🐅 (lethargic/front runners)

10. Steelers ⚒️

BEST and MOST LOYAL NFL FANS:

1. Packers

2. Giants

3. Bills

4. Da Bears

5. Broncos

6. Cowboys

7. Seahawks

8. Chiefs

9. DC Commanders

10. Lions

TIDBITS: While We’re Young (Ideas) is NOT a gossip column. It’s not Page 6. It’s not even TMZ. But, the Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce dating “thing” is just too much to let pass by without mention. Rumors began circulating that Kelce and Swift were dating weeks ago, about the time Kelce suffered a bone bruise in practice two days before the Chiefs’ 21-20 season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions.

Kelce missed that game – his first DNP since 2013 – but returned for NFL Week 2 when he scored a touchdown in a 17-9 road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While Kelce and Swift have remained silent, friends of Swift and the brother of Kelce have been feeding the frenzy.

“It’s hilarious how much traction this has gotten,” said Jason Kelce, the KC tight end’s brother. “Right now, it’s like that old game in school called ‘telephone’ where everyone is whispering in everyone’s ear and hearing random stuff. No one actually knows what’s going on, especially when you’ve got Jason Kelce on live television telling people both sides … The guy can’t stay out of the frickin’ headlines.”

“I try to keep his business kind of his business, stay out of that world. But having said that, I think he’s doing great, and I think it’s all 100% true,” J. Kelce added.

Sources with a Swift insider resume also broke silence and commented on her behalf.

“She and Travis have hung out twice, and it’s nothing serious. She thinks he is very charming, and they have been texting this last week,” said the Swifty exclusively to The Messenger. “He is a little embarrassed at how much attention they are getting, but he has told her he would love to continue seeing her.”

“They are seeing where things go.” However, the football star has some stiff competition for the singer’s attention. “Her friends are always playfully suggesting people to set her up with,” the source continues.

Calling Tom Brady?

Nah.

SOCCER HUB: The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced that Boston was awarded expansion rights for the league’s 15th team. Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSC), an all-female core ownership group led by a diverse and dynamic leadership team, will head-up the venture. The new club is set to kick-off in the 2026 season, bringing world-class women’s soccer back to the country’s No. 9 media market to play in a region with a championship legacy for a fan base that has earned a reputation as one of the most passionate in all of sports.

The announcement follows the addition of two other NWSL expansion teams earlier this year, Utah Royals FC and Bay Area FC, which are both slated to begin play in 2024.

RIP DENNIS D’AGOSTINO: A week after writing a memorial tribute to the NBA’s Bruni Gill, it’s another sad day to recognize the sudden passing of New York Mets, New York Knicks and our NBA Finals/All-Star Game media relations cohort Dennis D’Agostino. … Dennis’ upbeat attitude, a hard work ethic to always get the job done right and a unique personality and sense of humor that was loved and appreciated by everyone he came in contact with over his many years in sports. D’Agostino most recently re-located from his native New York (Whitestone) by way of Fordham University in the Bronx to Los Angeles where he and his bride, Helene Elliott of the LA Times, enjoyed their lives together in a grand way. … This columnist has fond memories of D’Agostino at the Mets, Knicks and at LA Dodgers games but also from the many New York Knicks media trips to Saratoga Race Course. Etched in my mind is the day he inserted a VHS tape of “Day at the Races” – the Marx Brothers’ classic – into a player for a long bus ride from The Garden to Saratoga Race Course for a summertime Knicks’ media outing! … We laughed and laughed and -zip – we were in Saratoga! D’Agostino’s memorial service will be held in New Jersey on September 30.

PARTING WORDS AND MUSIC: While considering a post highlighting the recent stadium concerts performed by Taylor Swift, there’s absolutely no chance this week’s column isn’t going to plug the “Garden-to-Garden” pair of concerts by the Tedeschi Trucks Band to be played this week.

We’ll start off at TD Boston Garden on Wednesday, September 27 and conclude Friday, September 29 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Derek Trucks’ cohort as lead guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes, will sit-in at the Boston show, while Phish phenom Trey Anastasioand Norah Jones will each make appearances with TTB at NYC’s Garden.

It’ll be great.

Here’s a sampling of the Tedeschi Trucks Band doing “Anyhow” and Blind Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues,” performed at the most beautiful, striking and astonishing concert venues in the world, at Red Rocks outside of Denver, Colorado.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

Props for NFL Week Three

by

CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bye weeks are on the horizon, but with all 32 teams in action this week, another full smorgasbord of prop picks shuffles in along with NFL Week 3. Newer bettors can be overwhelmed by the almost limitless offerings. Viewing your props as merely a derivative of how you expect the game to unfold is critical.

Embed from Getty Images

With that strategy in mind, here are our top five player props for Week 3.

Ryan Tannehill over 197.5 passing yards (-118 at FanDuel) Per DVOA metrics, the Browns rank second defensively. However, a big part of their ranking involves the three points allowed the Bengals on a wet day in Cleveland.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had all sorts of problems during the game, and it’s not a stretch to say that he’s nowhere near fully healthy this season due to a lingering calf injury.

In Week 2, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett threw for 222 yards.

FanDuel has a projection under 200 passing yards for Tannehill, and that number is short.

It’s worth noting that according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Tannehill ranks seventh in intended air yards per attempt (8.6 per game), whereas Burrow and Pickett rank 23rd and 24th.

Tyler Allgeier over 40.5 rushing yards (-115 at BetMGM) – The Atlanta Falcons are flying high and off to a 2-0 start. A big part of their success has been the running game behind the duo of Allgeier and Bijan Robinson.

Robinson will get the bulk of the headlines as a first-round rookie, but Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith seems committed to getting Allgeier touches, especially near the goal line.

Interestingly, Allgeier (31) has two more carries than Robinson (29) through two games.

And although Atlanta is tied for first (51%) with Dallas in average run rate, their average margin of victory (+7.5) is 22.5 points less than the Cowboys.

Allgeier posted at least 48 rushing yards in his two games against the Panthers (ninth) and Packers (14th), two teams ranked higher in run defense EPA than the Lions.

Look for the Falcons to continue to share the workload with Allgeier rushing for over 40.5 yards.

Jordan Love over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+135 at BetMGM)
Green Bay missed a golden opportunity to stay perfect on the season after blowing a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Falcons.

The 1-1 Packers host New Orleans to take on a Saints team off to a 2-0 start.

New Orleans (+2.0) has the lowest margin of victory of any of the remaining undefeated teams. And according to TeamRankings, the Saints sit third in their luck factor metrics.

We’ve noticed with Green Bay the offense might not always look fluid, but it has been potent inside the red zone — tied for first with an 83.3 percent touchdown conversion rate.

Love ranks fourth (75.2) in the league in Total QBR with six touchdowns on the season and has yet to throw an interception.

Raheem Mostert under 13.5 receiving yards (-110 at BetMGM) – I don’t want to rely on too many overs, which ushers in this play on Mostert receiving yards.

The Dolphins running back had a heavier workload in Week 2, with 18 rushing attempts compared to 10 in the season opener.

Mostert gets the bulk of carries, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will continue to use Mostert sparingly in their passing game.

In Week 1, the Dolphins had 466 receiving yards against a Chargers team that ranks 29th in EPA against the pass, and Mostert still finished with two catches for 13 yards.

Miami already has five players with at least 65 receiving yards, and McDaniel said he’s ready to roll out rookie running back De’Von Achane in a more consistent role starting Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster under 35.5 receiving yards (-115 at PointsBet) – Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal worth $33 million and signs pointed to the former Steelers and Chiefs receiver playing a major role.

Through two games, he’s averaging just 30.5 receiving yards and has yet to score a touchdown.

A closer look at his NFL Next Gen Stats reveals that Smith-Schuster (-2.1) ranks 97th among 99 players in yards after catch above expectation (YAC +/-) with at least eight targets.

Enter the New York Jets, a team with a strong secondary.

New York ranks 13th in defensive DVOA, and Smith-Schuster will likely line up against Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Gardner is tied for 10th in pass coverage with a 79.2 rating.

Despite being tied for second on the team in targets (13), Smith-Schuster is only fifth in total reception yards (61).

Given the matchup with Gardner and this being a divisional game, I like the Patriots wide receiver to stay under 35.5 receiving yards.

Thieves Crack Soldier Field

by

CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Thieves made off with more than $100,000 worth of equipment from the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field earlier this week, ABC 7 Chicago reported Friday.

According to stadium staff, thieves tore down a security fence sometime overnight on Wednesday in order to drive lawn mowers and utility vehicles out of a parking structure.

It’s a distraction the 0-2 Bears definitely don’t need in a week that saw defensive coordinator Alan Williams resign for personal reasons and quarterback Justin Fields suggest that overcoaching has contributed to his poor results.

Things don’t get any easier this weekend as Chicago visits the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Sale, Sox Won’t “Cash It In”

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Teams trending in all the wrong directions will meet tonight when the visiting Chicago White Sox open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox (75-78) have lost six of their last seven games and 12 of their last 15. They’re in last place in the American League East and three games below .500 for the first time since the second week of the season.

Embed from Getty Images

The White Sox (58-95) have lost nine of their last 12 games and are 37 games below the .500 mark for the first time since 2018.

Both teams are coming off lopsided losses Wednesday. Boston allowed a season-high run total in a 15-5 setback against Texas, while Washington beat Chicago 13-3.

Boston’s Brayan Bello allowed eight runs in three innings during Wednesday’s loss. It was the most runs a Red Sox starting pitcher has given up in a game this season.

“Not a good one,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They put some good swings on pitches in the zone, the command was off, and it’s one of those that we have to turn the page and be ready for the next one.

“That’s a team that, similar to Toronto, Houston, the Dodgers, it’s a fast-break offense, and when they get going it’s hard to stop. And we weren’t able to do that (Wednesday).”

Boston committed its 100th error of the season Wednesday when Rafael Devers made a fielding miscue in the fifth inning. Red Sox second baseman Luis Urias left the game with calf tightness after beating out an infield single in the seventh inning.

The White Sox surrendered 14 hits in Wednesday’s loss, which dropped the team’s road record to 28-50. The Nationals scored in six of the eight innings they came to the plate.

“We didn’t pitch very well, and we didn’t hit,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Nine free passes (seven walks and two hit batters), a couple errors. There’s not much to really talk about in this game.”

Left-hander Chris Sale (6-4, 4.66 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for Boston on Friday against his former club. Righthander Touki Toussaint (4-7, 5.40) is Chicago’s probable starter.

Toussaint is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in his career against the Red Sox. His only start against Boston came in 2018 when he was a member of the Atlanta Braves.

Toussaint struck out eight in five innings during Saturday’s 7-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Sale spent six seasons with the White Sox before he was traded to the Red Sox in 2016 for Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz. He’s 2-1 with a 3.96 ERA in four career starts against his former team. He recorded 39 strikeouts in 25 innings during those four starts.

Sale had a no-decision in his last start, that ended in the Red Sox’s 4-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. He allowed a run on two hits and walked two in six-plus innings, with 10 strikeouts. Sale has given up two runs or fewer in seven of his last 11 starts.

“Obviously, we’re in a tough situation,” Sale said. “At least we can go out there and play for pride, and I’m not going to give up. We’re not going to cash it in.”

–Field Level Media

49ers Control Shorthanded Giants, 30-12

by

SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – SF’s Brock Purdy passed for a regular-season career-high 310 yards and two touchdowns to help the San Francisco 49ers post a 30-12 victory over the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Niners’ RB Christian McCaffrey rushed for a touchdown and totaled 119 yards (85 rushing, 34 receiving) for the 49ers (3-0), who won their 13th consecutive regular-season game. Deebo Samuel had six receptions for 129 yards and one score, George Kittle caught seven passes for 90 yards and Ronnie Bell hauled in his first career touchdown catch for San Francisco.

Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa recorded his first sack since signing a five-year, $170 million extension with the 49ers. The contract is the richest for a defender in NFL history.

Former 49ers running back Matt Breida rushed for a touchdown for the Giants (1-2), who played without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle). The running game struggled without Barkley, with New York totaling 29 yards on 11 attempts.

Daniel Jones was 22-of-32 passing for 137 yards and one interception for the Giants.

San Francisco controlled the ball for 39:10 and had a 78-46 edge in plays. Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes as the 49ers outgained the Giants 441-150.

New York moved within 17-12 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter on Breida’s 8-yard scoring run. Jones was sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

San Francisco tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Jake Moody to hold an eight-point lead with 4:08 remaining in the period. Moody added a 36-yarder to increase the margin to 23-12 with 12:47 left in the game.

The 49ers put the game away on Purdy’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Samuel with 5:58 remaining in the contest.

San Francisco scored two second-quarter touchdowns while taking a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Purdy connected with Bell on a 9-yard scoring pass to give San Francisco a 10-3 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Just over six minutes later, McCaffrey scored on a 4-yard run to boost the lead to 14.

New York’s Graham Gano kicked a 57-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

San Francisco opened the game with a 15-play, 64-yard drive before settling for Moody’s 28-yard field goal. The Giants answered with a 44-yard field goal from Gano.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Name Marchand Team Captain

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston Bruins named Brad Marchand the 27th captain of the hockey club.  

Marchand joins the ranks of past Bruins captains, including seven Hall of Famers and seven former Bruins whose numbers have been retired.

Embed from Getty Images

Past Bruins team captains include Patrice Bergeron (2021-23), Zdeno Chara (2006-20), Joe Thornton (2002-05), Jason Allison (2000-01), Ray Bourque (1985-2000), Rick Middleton (1985-88), Terry O’Reilly (1983-85), Wayne Cashman (1977-83), Johnny Bucyk (1966-67 and 1973-77), Leo Boivin (1963-66), Don McKenney (1961-63), Ferny Flaman (1955-61), Ed Sandford (1954-55), Milt Schmidt (1947-54), Bobby Bauer (1946-47), John Crawford (1945-46), Bill Cowley (1944-45), Ralph ‘Cooney’ Weiland (1937-39), Red Beattie (1936-37), Eddie Shore (1935-36), Nels Stewart (1934-35), Marty Barry (1933-34), Aubrey ‘Dit’ Clapper (1932-33 and 1939-44), George Owen (1931-32), Lionel Hitchman (1928-31) and Sprague Cleghorn (1925-28).

“I am extremely proud of Brad and the hockey player he has become,” said Boston Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs. “Brad has been a Bruin for over 15 years and had the opportunity to learn from great leaders in Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. He is ready for this opportunity and our whole team will learn from his competitive nature and tenacity. I am confident he will represent our organization with heart and grit.”  

Entering his 15th NHL season, all with the Bruins, the Halifax, Nova Scotia native ranks eighth in franchise history in games played (947), fourth in game-winning goals (71), sixth in goals (372), ninth in assists (490) and seventh in points (862). The 5-foot-9, 176-pound winger also ranks fifth in playoff games played (146), second in playoff goals (53), fourth in playoff assists (75) and second in playoff points (128). 

“When Patrice [Bergeron] let us know that he’s retiring, shortly thereafter Don [Sweeney], Monty [Jim Montgomery] and I had a number of discussions about who we thought should be the next captain and why,” said Cam Neely, the head of hockey operations for the club.  “Since my time in the organization, I’ve had Ray Bourque as captain, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. So, the things that those guys have in common were, not only were they great players – but they worked hard every day at practice and pushed their teammates to work hard. And Brad [Marchand] does that. He’s learned that, and he’s had some good mentors, for sure. And he’s come a long way in his career, both on the ice off the ice, maturity wise. So we felt he’d be a really good next captain for this organization.”

Among active NHL players, Marchand ranks first in plus-minus (plus-290), seventh in game-winning goals, 10th in goals, 18th in assists and 12th in points. Marchand also ranks 11th among active players in playoff games played and sixth in playoff goals, playoff assists and playoff points. 

Marchand is the club’s ambassador for Hockey is for Everyone, a league-wide initiative to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities through the game of hockey.  

Throughout his time with the Bruins, Marchand has participated in several community initiatives including Cuts for a Cause, Halloween hospital visits, annual Holiday toy shopping and delivery, and Pucks and Paddles. 

Marchand won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks. He played in 25 playoff games in 2011, recording 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points. 

In 2007 and 2008, Marchand won gold with Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships. He represented Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and World Cup of Hockey, winning gold in both tournaments. 

Marchand was originally selected by the Bruins in the third round (71st overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. 

Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak will be alternate team captains.