MAJOR LEAGUES
A.J. Pierzynski and Mike Napoli had run-producing hits in the first inning against their former team on Sunday, as the Boston Red Sox took a winning average for the first time since three games into the season with a series-clinching 5-2 victory at Texas in the American League.
Napoli put the Red Sox permanently ahead with an RBI double, two batters before Pierzynski’s two-run single. Both went to Boston as free agents after stints in Texas, where Pierzynski was the Rangers’ primary catcher last season and Napoli played the previous two years.
John Lackey (5-2) struck out nine and allowed two runs over seven innings, as Rangers lefty Robbie Ross (1-4) made it through 6-2/3 innings and a career-high 112 pitches.
Also in the AL, Kansas City slugger Alcides Escobar hit a grand slam and Johnny Giavotella added a three-run shot to give the Royals a dramatic 9-7 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Escobar gave the Royals a 4-0 lead in the second with his first career home run off starter Roenis Elias, but the Mariners rallied on the back of two homers from Dustin Ackley and one from Kyle Seager before Kansas City took the lead in the seventh, scoring four runs off reliever Danny Farquhar (1-1).
In other AL games, the Cleveland Indians edged the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5, the Houston Astros downed the Baltimore Orioles 5-2, the Los Angeles Angels downed the Toronto Blue Jays 9-3 and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3.
In the National League, Pablo Sandoval and Hector Sanchez hit RBI singles in the 10th inning, as the San Francisco Giants recovered to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-4 after closer Sergio Romo gave up a tying homer to Hanley Ramirez.
Brandon Hicks hit a two-run shot off Clayton Kershaw and Buster Posey had an RBI single for the NL West leaders, who beat the defending division champions for the seventh time in 10 this season.
In other NL games, the Cincinnati Reds downed the Colorado Rockies 4-1, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2, the New York Mets edged the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 over 11 innings, the San Diego Padres beat the Miami Marlins 5-4 and the Cardinals triumphed 6-5 over the Pirates.
In interleague play, the Brewers beat the Yankees 6-5, the Athletics crushed the Nationals 9-1 to complete a series sweep and the Arizona Diamondbacks routed the Chicago White Sox 5-1.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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