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MLB SCHEDULE
Reigning champs open with series win...Nats dominate Mets again...Cards top Reds...Giants rally
UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have opened their latest World Series title defense by winning their first series of the season.
David Ortiz had three of Boston's 12 hits off Wei-Yin Chen in a 4-3 win over the Orioles in Baltimore. Xander Bogaerts (ZAN'-dur BOH'-gahrts) also had three hits for the Red Sox, and Felix Doubrant (doo-BRAHNT') held the Birds to two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Boston's bullpen still hasn't allowed a run after blanking the O's on three hits over 3 1/3.
Checking out the rest of the big league finals:
— Emergency starter Tanner Roark (ROH'-ark) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings as the Nats clobbered the New York Mets 8-2 to complete a three-game sweep. Roark started in place of Jordan Zimmermann, who developed a fever overnight and was throwing up this morning. Ryan Zimmerman homered and tied a career high with four hits for the Nationals, who outscored the Mets 22-10 in the series.
— Jhonny (JAH'-nee) Peralta hit a two-run homer and Matt Adams went 3-for-5 with two runs scored as St. Louis outscored the Reds 7-6 in Cincinnati. Lance Lynn gave up three runs in five innings but settled down after allowing back-to-back homers to Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier in the Reds' three-run first. Frazier homered twice and had four RBIs for Cincinnati, which dropped the rubber match of the series.
— Angel Pagan hit a three-run home run while San Francisco was scoring five times in the eighth inning of an 8-5 triumph at Arizona. Brandon Belt hit his third home run of the series and Brandon Hicks had a pinch-hit solo shot for the Giants. Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo each hit two-run home runs to help the Diamondbacks build a 5-3 lead.
— Jason Hammel was sharp in the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 win over the Pirates in Pittsburgh, allowing one run and two hits over 6 2/3 innings. Mike Olt hit his first career homer and Emilio Bonifacio went 2 for 4 with two runs scored as the Cubs avoided a three-game sweep. Bonifacio was 11 for 16 in the series.
— Casey McGehee (mih-GEE') had three RBIs and Giancarlo Stanton singled home the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning to lead Miami's 8-5 win over Colorado. The Marlins scored 27 runs in taking three of four in the series. McGehee has eight RBIs and Stanton seven through four games.
— Evan Longoria broke open a close game by smacking a three-run homer in the seventh inning of Tampa Bay's 7-2 win over Toronto. David Archer allowed two runs and four hits while striking out seven in six innings, one day after inking a multi-year pact with the Devil Rays.
— Chris Colabello helped the Minnesota Twins avoid a season-opening sweep by the Chicago White Sox. Colabello doubled twice and had six RBIs, but the Twins blew a 5-1 lead and needed to score twice in the ninth to beat the White Sox 10-9. Oswaldo Arcia tripled home the go-ahead run.
— Kansas City's game with Detroit was postponed by rain and will be made up June 19.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Jackets pick up big win
UNDATED (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets are a little closer to clinching a Stanley Cup playoff berth for only the second time in their 14-year history.
Sergei Bobrovsky (bah-BRAHF'-skee) stopped 37 shots as the Jackets blanked the Flyers 2-0 in Philadelphia. James Wisniewski (wihz-NOO'-skee) scored the game-winner and had an assist for the Blue Jackets, who remain one point ahead of Toronto for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.
Brandon Dubinsky also tallied to support Bobrovsky's fourth shutout of the season and eighth of his career.
The Maple Leafs kept pace with Columbus as Nazem Kadri (NAH'-zehm KAH'-dree) scored at 2:51 of overtime to complete a 4-3 win over Boston. Cody Franzen and Phil Kessel each had two assists for the Maple Leafs, who blew a 3-1 lead in the third period before winning their second straight since an eight-game skid.
Elsewhere on ice:
— Brenden Morrow and Maxim Lapierre (lah-pee-EHR') did the scoring for the St. Louis Blues in a 2-1 triumph over Buffalo. Brian Elliott made 24 saves and blanked the Sabres until Cody Hogdson tallied with 56 seconds left.
— Sidney Crosby set up goals by Beau Bennett and Paul Martin as Pittsburgh doubled up Winnipeg 4-2. Marc-Andre Fleury faced just 15 shots, three in the final period.
— John-Michael Liles had a goal and two assists as Carolina topped Dallas 4-1, keeping Dallas in a virtual tie with Phoenix for the final Western Conference playoff berth. Anton Khudobin (kuh-DOH'-bihn) made 33 saves and allowed only Tyler Seguin's (SAY'-gihnz) 34th goal of the season.
— Mike Cammalleri and Kevin Westgarth scored 15 seconds apart in the third period before Curtis Glencross added a pair of goals in Calgary's 4-1 verdict over Tampa Bay. The Lightning remain in a virtual tie with Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division.
NBA-NEWS
Timberwolves F Dante Cunningham arrested
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves forward Dante Cunningham has been arrested on allegations of domestic assault. Police say Cunningham was booked into Hennepin County Jail this morning. Charges have not been filed, but Cunningham is being held without bail. Police say the woman making the allegations did not require medical treatment.
MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-HONORS
Shockers' Marshall and Creighton's McDermott take AP awards
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Creighton's Doug McDermott is a near-unanimous selection as The Associated Press' player of the year. He got 64 out of 65 votes after finishing his career as college basketball's fifth-leading scorer.
McDermott is the 11th three-time All-American and first in almost 30 years. He led the nation in scoring with a 26.7 average while shooting 52.6 percent from the field including 44.9 percent from 3-point range.
Louisville guard Russ Smith got the only other vote.
Gregg Marshall is The Associated Press men's basketball coach of the year after leading Wichita State to a 35-1 record. The Shockers were the first team in 33 years to reach the NCAA tournament unbeaten, but their season ended with a loss to eventual semifinalist Kentucky in the third round. Wichita State was also the first team in NCAA men's history to win its first 35 games.
Virginia's Tony Bennett was a distant second in the voting, with Florida's Billy Donovan third.
MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-HOUSTON
Sampson says it's different this time
HOUSTON (AP) — Kelvin Sampson is taking over as Houston's new basketball coach, vowing that NCAA compliance will be his staff's highest priority.
Sampson committed numerous NCAA violations regarding impermissible calls to recruits at both Oklahoma and Indiana. The infractions resulted in a five-year show cause order from the NCAA in 2008, which effectively barred him from coaching in college.
NFL-NEWS
Washington signs McCoy
UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Redskins have signed quarterback Colt McCoy, who could replace Rex Grossman as Washington's No. 3 QB or compete for the backup job if the team trades Kirk Cousins.
McCoy started 21 games for the Cleveland Browns after being drafted in the third-round in 2010. He appeared in four games with San Francisco last season.
In other NFL news:
— Veteran fullback and local folk hero John Kuhn has signed a one-year deal that keeps him in Green Bay.
— Receiver Kevin Cone has inked a one-year pact with the Miami Dolphins after spending the past three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where he contributed mostly on special teams.
— The New England Patriots have brought back safety Patrick Chung, who played for Philadelphia last year after four seasons with the Pats.
— The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Eric Olsen.
— The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with Eben Britton.
— The Bengals have signed strong safety Danieal Manning, three days after his release by the Houston Texans.
PGA-HOUSTON OPEN
Lefty in the mix
HUMBLE, Texas — Phil Mickelson has shot a bogey-free 4-under par 68 in his opening round of the Houston Open, showing no effects of the muscle pull that forced him to withdraw from last week's Texas Open.
The five-time major winner is three shots in back of Bill Haas and Charley Hoffman, who own a one-stroke advantage over Keegan Bradley, J.B. Holmes, Erik Compton, Bill Haas and Matt Kuchar. Mickelson practiced at Augusta National for two days this week in advance of the Masters.
LPGA-KRAFT NABISCO
Feng in early lead
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) — Shanshan Feng has the lead through 18 holes of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major tournament of the LPGA season.
Feng opened with a 6-under-par 66 for a one-shot edge over Se Ri Pak (say ree pahk) and Michelle Wie (wee). The 24-year-old Chinese player had seven birdies and a bogey in her morning round in perfect conditions at Mission Hills.
OBIT-SANDY GROSSMAN
Veteran NFL TV director dead at 78
NEW YORK (AP) — Longtime television sports director Sandy Grossman has died of cancer at 78, according to his son, Dean. Grossman directed a record 10 Super Bowl broadcasts and spent more than two decades in the TV truck working with announcers Pat Summerall and John Madden.
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