AMERICAN LEAGUE
The Houston Astros made their leap to the American League in some style on Sunday, upstaging the Texas Rangers 8-2 to open their new era and the Major League season with the franchise’s 4,000th victory.
After spending half a century in the National League, the Astros switched to the American League West this year to give baseball an even 15 teams in both leagues.
“It’s obviously a great feat for the organization, being the 4,000th win in franchise history and our first win as an American League team,” Houston Astros manager Bo Porter told reporters.
“I’m happy for those guys in that clubhouse,” he said.
The change is a fresh start for the Astros, who are coming off consecutive 100-loss seasons, but are hoping to redefine the franchise with first-year manager Porter and new uniforms.
In front of an excited home crowd at Minute Maid Park, the Astros made the most of their moment in the spotlight as they got their season underway a day ahead of the majority of teams.
Starter Bud Norris tossed 5-2/3 solid innings, while the offense came alive behind him.
Justin Maxwell opened the scoring with a two-run triple in the fourth inning and the Astros added two more runs in the fifth, before Texas cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the sixth.
However, in the bottom of the sixth, pinch-hitter Rick Ankiel delivered the game’s biggest blow, a three-run homer against reliever Derek Lowe that made it 7-2.
Lowe had just entered the game in relief of Matt Harrison, who suffered a tough start after his career-best season last year earned him a five-year extension with Texas.
Despite nine strikeouts, the left-hander was charged with six runs and the loss.
“They were a very aggressive team. I knew I was in for a fight,” Harrison said.
The fight will now be a familiar one as the Rangers and Astros embark on a new divisional, Texas rivalry.
The Rangers, too, unveiled a new-look roster without former Most Valuable Player Josh Hamilton, catcher Mike Napoli and infielder Michael Young.
Off-season acquisition Lance Berkman was slotted third in the lineup, the old hitting spot of Hamilton, and he went two-for-four with a run scored on his debut.
Spain are the favorites to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, but star player Aitana Bonmati’s illness ahead of the tournament raises another question mark around a side which, despite their obvious quality, are not unstoppable. Having claimed the last two Ballon d’Or awards, Barcelona midfielder Bonmati is the game’s biggest star at present, so her absence in the final days before the start of Euro 2025 is a major setback. The 27-year-old came down with a fever in training last week, and was subsequently hospitalized and diagnosed with viral meningitis. Bonmati was discharged on Sunday and joined up with
HSIEH ADVANCES: In the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei was to play in the second round last night, but Taiwan’s Ray Ho exited in the men’s doubles It is more than 10 years since Grigor Dimitrov reached his sole Wimbledon semi-final and back then it still seemed a reasonable bet that the Bulgarian once dubbed “Baby Federer” would win a Grand Slam title. There were semi-final runs at the US Open and Australian Open after that, but it has never quite happened and despite him still being ranked No. 21, it most likely never will. Dimitrov, 34, remains one of the most stylish players on the circuit though, with his elegant single-handed backhand and smooth all-court game a rare reminder of how tennis was before the power merchants turned
TAIWANESE WIN: Chan Hao-ching and Wu Fang-hsien and their partners won their first-round matches in the women’s doubles at the All England Lawn Tennis Club Late-night finishes and five-set matches are becoming a habit for Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon this year. On Wednesday, he wrapped up his win over Gabriel Diallo before the match was suspended — making sure the fifth-seeded American would not have to come back on court for a fourth straight day. Fritz overcame a bloodied elbow to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/0), 4-6, 6-3 on No. 1 Court a day after he finished off another five-set win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a match that was halted on Monday at about 10:15pm after Fritz forced a fifth set with Wimbledon’s 11pm curfew looming. He
Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund had taken three crazy turns during nine minutes of second-half stoppage time when Marcel Sabitzer chested the ball and sent a right-footed volley toward Thibaut Courtois’ post. Courtois leapt to his right, extended the long arm on his 2m frame and just managed to get his gloved fingertips on the ball, knocking it down. Courtois hit the ground as the ball bounded up. He looked skyward, planted his right hand to regain his balance, grabbed the ball with both hands on the second bounce and fell onto it with his chest. Sabitzer turned
RSS