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Sox: Three in 8th Is Enough

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ST. PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox scored three runs over the eighth and ninth innings en route to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in Florida Jarren Duran and Reese McGuire both homered as Boston took the first two games of the three-game series, giving the Red Sox their first series win at Tropicana Field since 2019.

Boston got to Rays reliever Jason Adam (2-1) for two decisive runs in the eighth inning, which began with Ceddanne Rafaela singling and stealing second before scoring on Wilyer Abreu’s base hit into center.

Abreu was later tagged out overrunning second base on a steal, but Duran soon swiped home as part of a double steal with Rafael Devers, who had been intentionally walked. Devers’ six-game home run streak ended on Tuesday.

McGuire then homered to right-center in the ninth to close the scoring.

Greg Weissert (2-1) earned the win, and Kenley Jansen worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his eighth save.

Isaac Paredes went 3-for-4 with both Tampa Bay RBIs.

The Rays recorded just three hits after the first inning.

After being shut out in Monday’s series opener, the Rays came out swinging and scored two runs during a four-hit first inning to take the lead. Josh Lowe’s leadoff single and a Randy Arozarena double set the table for Paredes to drive home both runners with a single.

The Red Sox got right back in the game on Vaughn Grissom’s run-scoring single in the second.

Boston starter Cooper Criswell settled in after the shaky start, allowing two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six.

After Jose Siri led off the home half of the second with a single, Criswell retired nine straight batters before walking Alex Jackson with one out in the fifth.

Criswell’s fine work allowed the Red Sox to come back and tie the game when Duran launched a solo homer to center in the sixth.

Tampa Bay starter Zack Littell struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits and two runs. He walked one.

–Field Level Media

Pacers vs. Celtics: Whole Lotta Offense

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Based on past performance, it’s unlikely that generating good offense will be a problem for either team when the Indiana Pacers visit the Boston Celtics for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night.

Sixth-seeded Indiana led the NBA in scoring during the regular season, when it averaged 123.3 points per game. Top-seeded Boston averaged 120.6 points per contest in the regular season, which ranked No. 2.

The Pacers shot 67.1 percent from the field — an NBA playoff record — when they beat the host New York Knicks 130-109 in Game 7 of the conference semifinals Sunday. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a 26-point performance.

“I’m just proud of this group,” Indiana’s Myles Turner said. “This is the most special group I’ve been around since I’ve been here. We all play for each other. There’s no ego. When you have guys who can score 15-plus points every single night — seven, eight guys — there can be a lot of ego involved with that, and we were able to nip that in the bud a lot early in the season.

“And obviously having Pascal (Siakam) coming here midway through the season, adding his leadership and everything he’s able to provide for us offensively and defensively has been huge. … We’re not done yet.”

Haliburton averaged a team-high 20.1 points per game during the regular season, but Siakam is the team’s leading scorer in the playoffs (21.2). The Pacers have scored at least 140 points 11 times this season.

“I think it’s just the old-school way of thinking that you can’t play this fast in the playoffs, but I think opportunistically you can do it,” Haliburton said. “I think if we’re able to get stops, of course we can.”

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown do most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end for the Celtics. Through 10 playoff games Tatum is averaging 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. Brown is averaging 23.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in the postseason.

“We understand what we can do individually,” Tatum said. “Each night just kind of presents different challenges and being ready and up for the task to do whatever is needed because both of us are capable on the basketball court to do literally everything.”

Indiana dispatched the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round before it eliminated New York. Boston advanced by defeating the Miami Heat in the first round and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference semifinals. Each series went five games.

The Celtics will likely be without center Kristaps Porzingis, who will reportedly miss at least the first two games of the series with a calf injury. Porzingis was injured during Game 4 of Boston’s series against Miami. The Celtics have a 5-1 record in the playoffs when Porzingis hasn’t played.

“You know that he wants to play,” Boston’s Jrue Holiday said. “You know that he wants to get out there and play with his teammates, but then seeing him out there and seeing him working has been good. And honestly just hope that he recovers fast so that we can get him back out there.”

Boston won three of five meetings against Indiana during the regular season.

“Really excited to get back out there and play,” Holiday said. “Seems like we’ve been off for a while, so excited to get out there Game 1, kind of get it started.”

–Field Level Media

Red Sox and Rays Meet Again

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TAMPA-ST.PETE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Tampa Bay Rays will play an 11th straight game against an American League East foe on Monday evening when they open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox in Florida.

The Rays are a combined 6-4 against the New York Yankees, Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in the 10-game stretch. They took three of four last week from the Red Sox and have had the upper hand over the past five-plus seasons against Boston.

Manager Kevin Cash’s squad sports a 57-31 mark against the Red Sox since 2019, although Boston claimed the most important triumphs when it won three of four games in the 2021 AL Division Series.

Last week in their first matchups between the teams in 2024, Tampa Bay overcame an awful gaffe before posting a series win. With two outs and Jason Adam trying to close a series-clinching win, the reliever yielded a walk to Rob Refsnyder and a single to Rafael Devers, prompting a mound visit from Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder.

However, the Rays were out of visits — a fact noted on the Fenway Park scoreboard — and Adam was removed for swingman Erasmo Ramirez, who prevented further embarrassment by getting a game-ending comebacker.

“Hundred percent on me. I let the mound visits slip in my mind,” Cash said. “I screwed up, and I’m glad that it didn’t cost us a ballgame.”

With left-handed reliever Colin Poche (back) on the injured list, the Rays made a trade Saturday for southpaw Richard Lovelady. He specializes in retiring left-handed hitters, with a .235 career average against him.

Garrett Cleavinger currently is the only bullpen option from that side.

Tampa Bay’s seven-game road trip ended on a sour note as the Blue Jays topped the Rays 5-2 on Sunday.

Isaac Paredes homered with two outs in the ninth to keep the Rays from being blanked for the second time this season as Tampa Bay lost for the first time in the past five games.

“Awesome, we’re rolling,” said catcher Ben Rortvedt, who had one of his team’s four hits. “We didn’t end the road trip the way we should have, but we feel good.”

Boston snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday by way of six excellent innings of one-hit, one-run ball from starter Nick Pivetta and homers from Tyler O’Neill and Devers in an 11-3 win at the St. Louis Cardinals.

O’Neill, a former Cardinals player, rocked a 439-foot shot in the first inning. Devers stepped up in the sixth, tying Bobby Dalbec’s franchise record with a homer in his fifth straight game.

“Pretty special weekend for me and my family,” O’Neill told The Roku Channel. “Circled this one on the calendar for a long time coming.”

Monday’s meeting will be a rematch between Tanner Houck and Taj Bradley, who squared off Wednesday in the Rays’ 4-3 victory.

Houck (3.15, 2.17 ERA) allowed three runs, only one earned, and five hits in 5 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts en route to dropping his fourth straight decision.

Across 58 innings, the right-hander has allowed 14 earned runs and 48 hits. He has surrendered one home run, and his 1.02 WHIP and .219 batting average against are elite.

In six career appearances (four starts) against the Rays, Houck is 0-4 with a 5.91 ERA.

Bradley (1-1, 2.45 ERA) won Wednesday’s game with five innings of two-run ball on four hits with six strikeouts.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 4.20 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

Schauffele, Morikawa in Front at PGA

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LOUISVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – It was moving day at the PGA Championship. And there were plenty of top golfers that made a move up the leaderboard during the third round of the event on a sun-drenched day at Valhalla Golf Club.

Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa are at the top of the leaderboard at 15-under-par, but six players are within two shots of the lead and 15 will begin Sunday’s round at 10 under or better.

Schauffele overcame a double-bogey at No. 15 and finished his round with back-to-back birdies to post a 3-under-par 68. He’s tied with Morikawa, who shot a 67.

“A lot of guys took it low to climb their way up,” Morikawa said. “I assume tomorrow is going to be the same.”

Sahith Theegala shot 67 and is one shot back at 14 under, while Shane Lowry tied the course and PGA record with a 62 and is at 13 under along with Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland. Another shot back at 12 under heading into the final day are Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre.

“There’s blood in the water,” said Schauffele, who led after his opening round 62 and after the second round.

“There’s so many guys on that leaderboard there,” Hovland said.

The third round will begin at 7:45 a.m. local time on Sunday, and the final pairing of Schauffele and Morikawa will tee off at 2:35 p.m.

It marks just the second time since 2005 that six players were within two shots of the lead at the PGA. There were also six players within two shots after 54 holes during the 2020 event at TPC Harding.

And, according to Elias Sports Bureau, it will mark the most players to start the final round of a major that are double digits under par. The previous record was seven, which was done three times, the latest at the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews.

“Look, I’ve played against all these guys; it’s not like any of these guys are new,” Morikawa said. “They all have their accolades within themselves, and really anyone can go low.”

Schauffele, who had nine birdies during his opening-round 62, had it to 15 under with three birdies in his first 14 holes. But he flew it over the green on the par-4, 15th hole and into the deep rough.

It led to a double-bogey 6, but he recovered with a wedge shot to about 2 feet for birdie on No. 17. A third shot chip on the par-5 18th hole led to another birdie.

“I mean, you summed it up for me; it was easy going there the first round,” he said. “Everything felt super easy. Felt like I’ve had to work for a lot of my birdies the last two days. Haven’t been able to make many putts. I feel like I’m still hitting the ball pretty nice. If I can just get the putter going a little bit, it should free me up.”

Morikawa got his one bogey out of the way on the second hole. He then made birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 10, 15, and 18. The two-time major champion had a chance at the Masters last month but finished tied for third.

“I’m going to tap in just kind of that mental state I’ve been in, not only those two, but in other tournaments I’ve played well in,” he said. “I think the goal for me tonight before my tee time is just to be as mentally sharp by that first hole. I think looking back at a month ago at Augusta, I felt sharp in everything, but I feel like I could have had a little bit of self-talk before I went out on that first tee and really just not got ahead of myself. Not that I did, but two holes really cost me back there. Tomorrow is just going to put everything I have out there and see how it plays out.”

Theegala made bogey at Nos. 5 and 6 but recovered. He made six birdies in his final 10 holes to post a 67. His birdie at No. 18 pulled him to within one shot of the lead.

Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, matched the lowest round ever in any of the four majors. Four players had previously posted 62s in the majors, including Schauffele, who did it in the U.S. Open last year and the first round this week.

Lowry was 29th heading into the third round and quickly jumped up the leaderboard. He shot a 29 on the front nine, reeling off four straight birdies at Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5. It was the first time anyone had shot a 29 over nine holes at Valhalla during four PGAs.

But the round could have been better. He had three birdies on the back nine and could have added another at 18. Lowry hit his drive into the right rough at the par-5 hole and then his second shot went to the left rough. He then missed an 11-foot putt for a birdie that would have given him a 61.

“Yeah, it was pretty good; I enjoyed it,” Lowry said. “I enjoyed every minute of it, obviously. … Look, I went out there with a job to do today, and my job was to try to get myself back in the tournament, and I definitely did that.

“Probably the most disappointed anyone can ever be shooting 62. I knew what was at stake (at 18). Just didn’t hit the ball hard enough. Had it on a good read and just broke away from the hole.”

DeChambeau chipped in for eagle at No. 18 to get to 13 under, while Hovland made birdies at Nos. 17 and 18.

The weather is expected to be in the 80s and sunny on Sunday, setting the stage for a frantic finish.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 19

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at World Hockey & NHL

Editorial Note: With a growing number of paid subscriptions to WWYI via Substack, only a very limited version of WWYI will be posted for free to Digital Sports Desk. Please consider a subscription to be sure the weekly column of Sunday Notes are delivered right to your inbox. You’ll also receive access to the full archive of past notes, just hours and hours of fun reading.

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Ice hockey fans have much to anticipate in the month ahead. Even though fans of the Boston Bruins are disappointed in the Bs elimination from the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the hands of the talented Florida Panthers. Let’s face facts. Florida was the better team, outplaying the Bruins and the Rangers outplayed a good Carolina Hurricanes club to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

The Floridians and the New York Rangers are sure to play an entertaining series for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. That series faces-off May 22-24 at Madison Square Garden where the Rangers’ fans will make The Garden rock to ensure the Broadway Blues maintain valuable home-ice advantage.

Out West, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Knights were eliminated in the first round by the Dallas Stars who just defeated a powerful Colorado Avalanche team. In doing so, the hopes of a Denver-based playoff finals party were dashed just as they were for the fans of Boston. The Nuggets and Celtics, respectively, remain active in the NBA while Dallas and New York hold on to hope for the two sport playoff party.

Of course, both Vancouver and Edmonton (Canucks lead 3-2 going into Saturday’s late night Game 6) can spoil the Dallas Stars’ chances. Regardless, it’s exciting times for the best in-person sporting event on the planet – the Stanley Cup Playoffs – especially if overtime is involved.

The Conference Finals will play-out by June 3 when there’s a Game 7 scheduled for Florida vs New York at The Garden, a game that will most likely be necessary considering the overall depth of the two teams and the hot goalkeeping of the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky and the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin. The two Russians are atop the league leaders with Bobrovsky amongst the three finalists for Vezina Trophy honors (along with Thatcher Demko of Vancouver and Connor Hellebuyck of Winnipeg which used to be Lose-a-Peg before Hellebuyck came along). The Stanley Cup Final will be played in the first two weeks of June.

That brings us to the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation’s Men’s World Championship, ongoing in the Czech Republic with the medal round scheduled for the wonderful city of Prague. The tournament is five games into the preliminary round now with the gold medal game scheduled for May 26.

Currently, Switzerland and Canada lead Group A while Sweden and Germany lead Group B. Two additional teams will join from each group to form the quarterfinals which are scheduled for May 23 in Prague and Ostrava.

You’d think the IIHF might take a look at the NHL schedule and shift their dates a bit, but that hasn’t been the case for decades. Some NHLers gradually join their national teams as their respective NHL clubs are eliminated but the scheduling system is flawed.

HERE NOW, “A” NOTE: Just when you think you’ve seen/heard everything in sports, there’s always something so bizarre that comes along that you just can’t believe it. This week’s PGA Championship falls into that category and it so sadly begins with the unthinkable.

A security guard, working the Valhalla Golf course grounds in his retirement, was struck by a shuttle bus and killed in the early morning hours before the second round of the PGA Championship in Louisville. The guard was identified as John Mills and the Mills family released a photo and statement that read, “he was enjoying his time at Valhalla while working security. He liked to stay busy in retirement. We love him and will miss him.”

With the Louisville Police on high alert and traffic backed up as the accident scene was being processed, Scottie Scheffler, the World No. 1 golfer, was driving to the course entrance in order to practice before his morning tee time. As has been widely reported (even the lead story on the Nightly News), Scheffler misunderstood traffic directions of an officer and drove past before being stopped by other officers. Scheffler then proceeded to move his vehicle, apparently catching the police off guard and allegedly coming in contact with another officer who was reportedly knocked to the ground.

An ESPN reporter happened to be on the scene and took video of Scheffler being arrested by officers and walked to an awaiting squad car, with one member of the local police warning the reporter to back-off, saying, “he’s going to jail now and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“This morning we were devastated to learn that a worker with one of our vendors was tragically struck and killed by a shuttle bus outside Valhalla Golf Club. This is heartbreaking to all of us involved with the PGA Championship. We extend our sincere condolences to their family and loved ones,” noted the PGA of America in a statement.

“The police officer then began to scream at Scheffler to get out of the car. When Scheffler exited the vehicle, the officer shoved Scheffler against the car and immediately placed him in handcuffs,” wrote ESPN’s John Darlington with his eye witness account.

Scheffler was booked into Louisville Metro Corrections shortly before 7:30am, but later released. At around 9:50am, PGA officials released a statement from Scheffler, who said he never intended to disregard police instructions and called the situation a “big misunderstanding.” He also expressed condolences to the family of the man killed.

“Of course, all of us involved in the tournament express our deepest sympathies to the family of the man who passed away in the earlier accident this morning. It truly puts everything in perspective,” read the statement.

Scheffler was charged with felony assault, along with criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic – all misdemeanor charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.

After being released on his own recognizance and driven to the course, Scheffler easily made his 10:00am tee-time and carded a second round (66), three shots behind halfway lead Xander Schauffele.

There was some local criticism of the way the case was handled. “A man drags a cop with his vehicle and hospitalizes him. He’s arrested … charged with a felony … and then immediately released so he can make his tee time? Did I get that right?” said Ricky L. Jones, a University of Louisville professor of pan-African studies.

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Mystik Dan Prays for Rain

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Already aided when the morning-line favorite was scratched from the Preakness this week, Mystik Dan’s stable is praying for rain. Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan slid into the favorite slot when Muth, a winner by six lengths over third-place Mystik Dan in the Arkansas Derby, spiked a fever on his second day at Pimlico and bowed out of the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Now trainer Kenny McPeek and former jockey Robby Albarado are running the champion in fair conditions in Baltimore wondering if wet weather in the weekend forecast might also bend the odds further in Mystik Dan’s favor.

“I’m doing a rain dance all this week,” Albarado said. “I’m not saying he has to take a racetrack with him, but we know he gets over it well.”

Albarado, now a jockey agent, compared the running style on a sloppy track of Mystik Dan to 2007 Preakness winner Curlin.

“He feels good on all tracks, but there’s something about this that he just gets over (mud and sloppy courses) easy,” Albarado said. “On a muddy track, Curlin would just maul them. He got over it like glass … like an ice skater. This horse is similar getting over it the same type of way. It’s definitely not a disadvantage for him.”

Brian Hernandez Jr., a friend of Albarado, will be back aboard Mystik Dan on Saturday after winning at Churchill Downs in a photo finish. He spent Thursday at Churchill Downs working out Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna. He also was in attendance across town at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

The Derby weekend sweep wasn’t the first of its kind for McPeek and Hernandez Jr. They pulled the double at Oaklawn with Mystik Dan sprinting far ahead of the field on a rain-soaked track to claim the Southwest Stakes by eight lengths on Feb. 3.

Justify, a Baffert-trained horse, was the last to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2018.

Two other Derby entries are in the Preakness field: fourth-place finisher Catching Freedom and Just Steel, who ran 17th.

–Field Level Media

Panthers Send Bruins to Early Summer

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BOSTON – Florida’s Gustav Forsling’s rebound goal with 1:33 left in regulation lifted the visiting Panthers to a 2-1, series-clinching win over the host Bruins in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday.

Anton Lundell had his initial shot stopped by Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman (26 saves), but from the left side Forsling slipped the loose puck inside the near post for the deciding goal.

Lundell finished with a goal and an assist after scoring the tying tally at 12:44 of the second, helping the Panthers to their sixth straight playoff win at TD Garden.

Pavel Zacha scored Boston’s lone goal.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for Florida, including nine in the third period.

Bruins captain Brad Marchand returned to the lineup following a two-game absence due to an upper-body injury.

After the Bruins were unable to clear a shot blocked by Jake DeBrusk, Lundell picked up a loose puck in the slot and unleashed a dart to beat Swayman and tie the game at 12:44 of the middle frame.

A rollercoaster first period saw the Bruins post the first four shots on goal before a span of 14:11 without one, but Zacha buried the opening goal — the first of his 25-game playoff career — with 52.8 seconds left to make it 1-0.

DeBrusk continued his strong playmaking run with a dish off the neutral zone wall to spring Zacha for the breakaway, which he brought to his backhand and slipped under the crossbar.

Bobrovsky came up with several key saves in the second period that allowed his Panthers to tie the game, including denying Justin Brazeau’s one-timer on the same shift as Lundell’s goal.

Florida looked to take a 2-1 lead in the opening minute of the third. Brandon Montour took a slapper from the right point that Swayman initially thought beat him through the five-hole, but the Boston netminder had the puck behind his pads after it clanked off the post.

Bobrovsky made another important stop eight minutes into the final frame, holding both posts to keep out Charlie McAvoy’s driving attempt to the crease.

Neither team could cash in on a power-play attempt late in the third period, which included 22 overlapping seconds of 4-on-4.

–Field Level Media

Seize the Grey Takes Preakness

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Seize the Grey led gate to wire, holding off a charge from Mystik Dan to capture the 149th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

Over a muddy track, Seize the Grey broke swiftly under jockey Jaime Torres and led the field out to sensible fractions. Seeking to replicate the ride that led Mystik Dan to the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier, jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. had his mount in an early ground-saving position stalking the early pace with Imagination to the outside.

When the field hit the far turn, Seize the Grey moved on the rail, forcing Mystik Dan to his outside. Now having the ground saving position, Seize the Gray opened up a gap, which Mystik Dan failed to close at the head of the stretch. The winning time for the 1 3/16-mile race was 1:56.82.

Mystik Dan finished 2 1/4 lengths back of Seize the Gray. His loss extends the current Triple Crown drought to six years. Catching Freedom finished third.

Seize the Grey’s win made the 88-year-old D. Wayne Lucas the oldest trainer in history to win a Triple Crown race. Conversely, Torres won in his first Triple Crown start.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Face Cards for 3-Game Set

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ST. LOUIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After losing three of their past four games at home, the Boston Red Sox will try to regroup on their six-game road swing. That journey begins when they open a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

The Red Sox are coming off a 7-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night in one their best offensive games of the month. Jarren Duran (3-for-5, homer, two doubles, two runs) and Rafael Devers (2-for-4, homer, two runs) led the attack. Devers has hit a homer in consecutive games while Duran is 5-for-8 with four doubles and three runs in his past two outings.

But since May 2, the Red Sox have scored three or fewer runs nine times. They went 4-9 during that period to fall further off the pace in the American League East.

The Red Sox will open the series with starting pitcher Brayan Bello (4-1, 3.13 ERA), who came off the 15-day injured list to earn a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals in his most recent start. He allowed those two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out one and walking two.

“For his first one coming out of the IL? Good,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Gave us five, two runs. So now he’ll be ready for the next one.”

Right lat tightness had knocked Bello out of the starting rotation for a few turns.

“Feels good to be back, feels good to help the team win and also it feels good that a lot of good things are happening for us right now,” Bello told reporters through the team interpreter. “A lot of guys are coming back, so it feels really nice.”

This will be his first career appearance against the Cardinals, who have lost 10 of their past 14 games.

St. Louis will counter with starting pitcher Kyle Gibson (2-2, 3.67). He received a pair of no-decisions over his past two starts, allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in 11 innings.

Gibson struck out 11 and walked six in those games. He didn’t receive much in terms of run support, which has been a persistent problem for St. Louis this season.

During their 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, the Cardinals were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. They went 11-for-73 while posting a 3-4 record on their trip against the Milwaukee Brewers and Angels.

Still, St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said he believes his team is in a better place ahead of this Boston series after taking two of three from the Angels.

“Road trip started in a bad way,” Marmol said Wednesday in Anaheim Calif. “Look at how those first games, especially that second game in Milwaukee (an 11-2 loss last Friday). They weren’t good at all. The third game (a 5-3 loss last Saturday) I actually felt like we got beat. We didn’t beat ourselves. And that was the turning point for how the rest of the series went in Milwaukee and how the first two games went here. Feel good going back home. Really do.

“We’re in a much better spot. All areas of the game look like they’re supposed to right now. The offense is starting to click. And that’s what we’ve been missing. It feels right.”

Gibson is 4-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 10 career starts against the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

NFL Releases 2024 Schedule

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Kansas City Chiefs will open the season with a difficult one-two punch as they seek their third Super Bowl championship in a row.

The NFL released its full regular-season schedule on Wednesday night, when the Chiefs got a full look at the challenges in store for them in 2024. They will face Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s “Kickoff Game” on Sept. 5, and one week later they will play a Cincinnati Bengals team that has beaten them in six of the past eight regular-season meetings.

Plenty of other tests await the Chiefs, such as a road contest on Oct. 20 against the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last season’s Super Bowl.

In other highlights from the schedule release, Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets learned that they will be in prime time six times this season. The Jets’ national slate includes a Week 1 matchup against the 49ers on “Monday Night Football,” another Monday night matchup in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills, and a Week 9 game against the Houston Texans on Amazon’s Thursday night schedule.

Rodgers and the Jets also will travel to London, where they will kick off against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The league’s international schedule includes four other matchups. The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles will face off on Sept. 6 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in what will be the NFL’s first regular-season game to be played in South America.

Two more London games feature the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. the Chicago Bears on Oct. 13 and the New England Patriots vs. the Jaguars on Oct. 20, and the final international game showcases the New York Giants vs. the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 10 in Munich, Germany.

The NFL again will play three games on Thanksgiving. The action starts with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Bears visiting the Detroit Lions, and it continues with a midafternoon matchup between the Giants and Dallas Cowboys. The nightcap features the Miami Dolphins at Green Bay.

One day later, on “Black Friday,” the Las Vegas Raiders will visit Kansas City. This marks the second year that the NFL has broadcast a game on the day after Thanksgiving.

On Dec. 8, Kirk Cousins will visit a familiar environment when his Atlanta Falcons travel to play the Vikings. Cousins left Minnesota during free agency in the offseason to sign with the Falcons, who guaranteed him $100 million and surprised him weeks later by selecting fellow quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with their first-round draft pick.

The schedule also includes a pair of games on Christmas Day, a Wednesday, that will air on Netflix — a first-time broadcast partnership for the NFL. The streaming service will feature the Chiefs vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens vs. the Texans.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be the first professional sports league to partner with Netflix to bring live games to fans around the world,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL’s executive vice president of media distribution.

–Field Level Media

 

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