Burgum spokesman Mike Nowatzki said Saturday the GOP governor has reimbursed Xcel Energy for all costs related the weekend trip, with the sum now totaling almost $40,000.

Burgum and first lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum watched the Super Bowl in Minneapolis on Feb. 4 from a suite provided at no cost by Xcel Energy, which serves more than 90,000 customers in North Dakota.
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The governor has been heavily criticized, including from within his Republican Party, for accepting the utility’s gift, which he said gave him ”quality time to engage in constructive conversations with top Xcel executives.”

Burgum later said in a statement that he repaid $37 [url=http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-da_ron-payne-jersey]http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-da_ron-payne-jersey[/url] ,000 to the utility to ”eliminate even the perception of any conflict.”

A subsequent AP open records request found that the utility invited the first-term governor and his wife to other events during the Super Bowl weekend.

The correspondence showed that the utility was ”thrilled” that Burgum would attend and pledged to make it a ”memorable” experience. The governor’s staff also was asked if Burgum had any ”dietary restrictions.”

Nowatzki said Burgum and his wife attended a Minnesota Wild hockey game, a private brunch and a tailgating party with Xcel officials. Burgum also attended a charity event but his wife didn’t, and neither attended the rock concert, Nowatzki said.

Those events were not disclosed by Burgum but Nowatzki said the governor repaid the utility $2,500 to cover their costs at the same time he repaid the company for the Super Bowl tickets.

”He reimbursed it all, all at the same time,” Nowatzki said.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton paid more than $6,000 out his own pocket for a ticket to his state’s Super Bowl game.

During his campaign for governor, Burgum, a wealthy former software executive [url=http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-derrius-guice-jersey]http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-derrius-guice-jersey[/url] , often talked about ”reinventing government,” shaking up the ”good old boy” party establishment and reining in ”runaway spending” as the state’s oil boom was fading.
The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to get that one big hit they have needed recently, particularly during a three-game weekend sweep by Atlanta.

Yadier Molina came through early in a key situation, sparking the Cardinals to a play-from-ahead victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Molina hit a two-run single in the first inning and homered, helping the Cardinals end a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks on Monday night.

”Yadie comes through and he’s got a knack for that and has for a long time,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ”Then the other guys just kept coming.”

The Cardinals played from behind most of their series against the Braves, but jumped on the Diamondbacks early.

Molina hit a two-run single in the Cardinals’ four-run first inning against Robbie Ray (3-1) and hit his 12th homer off the Arizona left-hander in the sixth.

Jedd Gyorko also homered and had two RBIs to end Ray’s nine-game winning streak, dating to last season.

Martinez (5-4) allowed two runs on six hits and lined a double. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances.

”We really wanted to come here and win the first one,” Molina said. ”We had a good plan against their pitcher and we executed it.”

Paul Goldschmidt had four hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who were not able to overcome the early deficit for their fourth straight loss.

”We got too far behind too early to play catch up [url=http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-bethel-jersey]http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-bethel-jersey[/url] ,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

Martinez snapped a three-game losing streak his last start, holding Cleveland to two runs on six hits in six innings. The right-hander was staked to a four-run lead before taking the mound and gave up Jake Lamb’s run-scoring single in the bottom half.

Goldschmidt lined a run-scoring single in the fifth inning off Martinez, who struck out seven.

”We talk about being sharp in the first inning and I thought he was,” Matheny said. ”He still had a couple things happen in a hurry, but he did a great job of limiting the damage.”

Ray returned from the DL (strained right oblique) to throw six scoreless innings in a 2-1 win over Miami on Wednesday.

The Arizona left-hander had a shaky start to his second post-DL outing, allowing four runs on five hits in the first inning.

Ray struck out six while retiring 12 of the next 13 hitters before Molina and Gyorko connected on consecutive solo homers to put the Cardinals up 6-2 in the sixth inning.

Ray allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings in his 100th career appearance.

””I felt like I was making my pitches,” Ray said. ”They were just putting good swings on them.”

LOVULLO AND MOLINA

Lovullo and Molina nearly came to blows the last time their teams met in April after the Diamondbacks manager uttered a profanity Molina thought was directed at him while arguing with an umpire. Molina charged Lovullo during the argument and both were suspended a game for their actions.

Lovullo said the profanity was not directed at Molina after the April game and met with the Cardinals catcher during batting practice on Monday to patch things up.

”Everything is in the past,” Molina said. ”I have a bunch of respect for him and the organization, so everything is good.”

POLLOCK RETURNS

The Diamondbacks got a huge boost before the game, when center fielder A.J. Pollock was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list. The former All-Star had been out since May 14 with a broken left thumb and wasn’t expected to be back so soon [url=http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-paulsen-jersey]http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-paulsen-jersey[/url] , but was in the lineup batting fourth.

Pollock finished 0 for 4 and scored a run.

CARDINALS MOVES

The Cardinals place OF Dexter Fowler on paternity leave so he could be with his wife, Aliya, for the birth of their second child. St. Louis recalled rookie OF Tyler O’Neill from Triple-A Memphis to fill his roster spot. O’Neill started in right field and batted third, going 1 for 4.

TRAINER’S TABLE

Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte returned as a replacement in the seventh inning after missing Sunday’s game to a right hamstring cramp suffered Saturday against San Francisco.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke is 12-5 with a 3.42 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 19 career games against the Cardinals headed into Tuesday’s game. He’ll face RHP Jack Flaherty, who will be making his first career start against Arizona.

—

Didi Gregorius homered off ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, and Gary Sanchez broke out of a long slump with a three-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton had a sacrifice fly for New York, which improved the best record in the majors to 45-20.

Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Adam Warren each worked an inning to finish the four-hitter.

Loaisiga (1-0) was called up from Double-A Trenton to fill in for injured starter Masahiro Tanaka. The 23-year-old righty, who walked only four batters in 45 minor league innings this year, struggled a little with his command, issuing four walks while striking out six.

Pitching against his former team, Eovaldi (1-2) allowed only two runs over the first seven innings until the Yankees chased him in the eighth. He was charged with five runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings during his first career outing against New York. He struck out five and walked one.

TWINS 6, INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND (AP) – Corey Kluber had a rare rocky performance, lasting just five innings and losing for the first time in seven starts as Kyle Gibson outpitched the Cy Young winner and Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer to lead Minnesota past Cleveland.

Kluber (10-3) allowed a homer on his fourth pitch of the game to Eddie Rosario and was pulled after throwing just 65 pitches by manager Terry Francona. It was the shortest outing this season for the All-Star [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-alex-cappa-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-alex-cappa-jersey[/url] , who came in 5-0 with a 0.76 ERA against AL Central teams and was riding several other impressive streaks.

Gibson (2-4) limited the Indians to one run and three hits in seven innings and got his first win since his season debut on March 31.

Yan Gomes homered in the ninth and the Indians closed to 6-3 before closer Fernando Rodney struck out Francisco Lindor with one on for his 15th save.

CUBS 13, CARDINALS 5

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Kris Bryant ended a 24-game homerless drought, the longest of his career, and Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber also went deep as Chicago routed St. Louis.

Bryant drilled a two-run shot off an ineffective Michael Wacha for his first home run since May 14. The 2016 NL MVP capped a six-run fifth inning with an RBI single and added a sacrifice fly in the seventh. His four RBIs were a season high.

Jon Lester ran his scoreless streak to 17 innings before giving up a solo home run to Marcell Ozuna in the fourth as the Cubs won for the first time in four tries at Busch Stadium this season. Lester (8-2) allowed two runs in six innings to earn his fourth straight win.

Anthony Rizzo had three hits and Schwarber launched a three-run homer that traveled a projected 465 feet to straightaway center.

Wacha (8-2) gave up a career-high nine runs, eight earned, in a season-low four-plus innings.

Matt Carpenter homered and drove in two runs, but the Cardinals lost their third consecutive game.

DODGERS 3, GIANTS 2

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Ross Stripling pitched four-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings, Enrique Hernandez and Matt Kemp went deep to give the Dodgers a major league-leading 32 homers this month, and Los Angeles beat rival San Francisco in their series opener.

The Dodgers improved to 10-2 in June while sending the Giants to a 17th loss in their last 23 road games.

Stripling (6-1) extended his career-best winning streak to six games and is 4-0 at home this season. The right-hander gave up a two-run homer to Pablo Sandoval and had six strikeouts with no walks.

Kenley Jansen earned his 16th save.

Derek Holland (4-7) gave up three runs – two earned – in five innings. He struck out seven.

Earlier in the day, Kemp was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his involvement in a scuffle with Texas catcher Robinson Chirinos on Wednesday. Kemp appealed the punishment [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey[/url] , so he’s allowed to play until the process is completed.

MARINERS 7, RED SOX 6

SEATTLE (AP) – Denard Span’s pinch-hit double in the eighth inning drove in two runs, leading Seattle over Boston.

Span, hitting for Guillermo Heredia with one out, hit a liner into the right-field corner after Ryon Healy walked and Ben Gamel singled.

Rob Whalen pitched four shutout innings of relief for the Mariners. Ryan Cook (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save.

Matt Barnes (0-2) took the loss.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run third that gave Boston a 6-3 lead, but a spectacular defensive play by Seattle second baseman Dee Gordon on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Bogaerts that ended the sixth kept Boston from adding another run.

ANGELS 8, ATHLETICS 4

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Ian Kinsler homered and drew a bases-loaded walk, Mike Trout had three hits and a sacrifice fly, and injury-plagued Los Angeles beat Oakland to snap a four-game skid.

Tyler Skaggs (6-4) struck out eight over seven strong innings, allowing no earned runs and seven hits with one walk. He improved to 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in June.

The Angels placed four more players on the disabled list [url=http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-evans-jersey]http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-evans-jersey[/url] , bringing their total to a franchise-record 15 at one time and leaving just 12 members of the opening day roster active.

Jose Briceno and Jose Miguel Fernandez had RBI singles in the third as Los Angeles bounced back with a big offensive night after having lost four straight following a six-game winning streak. The Angels avoided matching their longest skid of the season.

Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (0-2) was done after four innings after he allowed six runs – only two earned on a s The Minnesota Twins have reinstated shortstop Jorge Polanco after he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Polanco was reinstated Monday before the Twins’ game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Speaking through the team’s interpreter, Polanco said that the time away from the game ”was very difficult.”

The Twins are hoping that the 24-year-old shortstop builds off his breakout 2017 season. Polanco batted .316 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs over his last 55 games in 2017.

”I’m really glad that I’m back,” he said. ”Looking forward to going out there and playing hard.”

Polanco flied out to left in his first at bat of the 2018 season.

Twins manager Paul Molitor welcomed Polanco back.

”It’s good to see him,” Molitor said. ”He had to pay a price for something that happened. He took it head on, took accountability and did his time, so to speak.”

Molitor had a bit of advice for Polanco.

”Be yourself,” Molitor said. ”Don’t worry about trying to make an extreme impression or whatever it might be that you might try to make up for lost time. Just be the player that we know that you can be. That’ll be plenty good enough.”

To make room for Polanco on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated outfielder Ryan LaMarre for release or assignment.

—

Jonathan Loaisiga pitched three-hit ball over five impressive innings to win his major league debut [url=http://www.officialducks.com/authentic-adidas-lukas-dostal-jersey]Authentic Lukas Dostal Jersey[/url] , and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 on Friday night.

Didi Gregorius homered off ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, and Gary Sanchez broke out of a long slump with a three-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton had a sacrifice fly for New York, which improved the best record in the majors to 45-20.

Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Adam Warren each worked an inning to finish the four-hitter.

Loaisiga (1-0) was called up from Double-A Trenton to fill in for injured starter Masahiro Tanaka. The 23-year-old righty, who walked only four batters in 45 minor league innings this year, struggled a little with his command, issuing four walks while striking out six.

Pitching against his former team, Eovaldi (1-2) allowed only two runs over the first seven innings until the Yankees chased him in the eighth. He was charged with five runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings during his first career outing against New York. He struck out five and walked one.

TWINS 6, INDIANS 3

CLEVELAND (AP) – Corey Kluber had a rare rocky performance, lasting just five innings and losing for the first time in seven starts as Kyle Gibson outpitched the Cy Young winner and Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer to lead Minnesota past Cleveland.

Kluber (10-3) allowed a homer on his fourth pitch of the game to Eddie Rosario and was pulled after throwing just 65 pitches by manager Terry Francona. It was the shortest outing this season for the All-Star [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-alex-cappa-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-alex-cappa-jersey[/url] , who came in 5-0 with a 0.76 ERA against AL Central teams and was riding several other impressive streaks.

Gibson (2-4) limited the Indians to one run and three hits in seven innings and got his first win since his season debut on March 31.

Yan Gomes homered in the ninth and the Indians closed to 6-3 before closer Fernando Rodney struck out Francisco Lindor with one on for his 15th save.

CUBS 13, CARDINALS 5

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Kris Bryant ended a 24-game homerless drought, the longest of his career, and Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber also went deep as Chicago routed St. Louis.

Bryant drilled a two-run shot off an ineffective Michael Wacha for his first home run since May 14. The 2016 NL MVP capped a six-run fifth inning with an RBI single and added a sacrifice fly in the seventh. His four RBIs were a season high.

Jon Lester ran his scoreless streak to 17 innings before giving up a solo home run to Marcell Ozuna in the fourth as the Cubs won for the first time in four tries at Busch Stadium this season. Lester (8-2) allowed two runs in six innings to earn his fourth straight win.

Anthony Rizzo had three hits and Schwarber launched a three-run homer that traveled a projected 465 feet to straightaway center.

Wacha (8-2) gave up a career-high nine runs, eight earned, in a season-low four-plus innings.

Matt Carpenter homered and drove in two runs, but the Cardinals lost their third consecutive game.

DODGERS 3, GIANTS 2

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Ross Stripling pitched four-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings, Enrique Hernandez and Matt Kemp went deep to give the Dodgers a major league-leading 32 homers this month, and Los Angeles beat rival San Francisco in their series opener.

The Dodgers improved to 10-2 in June while sending the Giants to a 17th loss in their last 23 road games.

Stripling (6-1) extended his career-best winning streak to six games and is 4-0 at home this season. The right-hander gave up a two-run homer to Pablo Sandoval and had six strikeouts with no walks.

Kenley Jansen earned his 16th save.

Derek Holland (4-7) gave up three runs – two earned – in five innings. He struck out seven.

Earlier in the day, Kemp was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his involvement in a scuffle with Texas catcher Robinson Chirinos on Wednesday. Kemp appealed the punishment [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey[/url] , so he’s allowed to play until the process is completed.

MARINERS 7, RED SOX 6

SEATTLE (AP) – Denard Span’s pinch-hit double in the eighth inning drove in two runs, leading Seattle over Boston.

Span, hitting for Guillermo Heredia with one out, hit a liner into the right-field corner after Ryon Healy walked and Ben Gamel singled.

Rob Whalen pitched four shutout innings of relief for the Mariners. Ryan Cook (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth and Edwin Diaz earned his major league-leading 26th save.

Matt Barnes (0-2) took the loss.

Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run third that gave Boston a 6-3 lead, but a spectacular defensive play by Seattle second baseman Dee Gordon on a hard-hit ball up the middle by Bogaerts that ended the sixth kept Boston from adding another run.

ANGELS 8, ATHLETICS 4

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Ian Kinsler homered and drew a bases-loaded walk, Mike Trout had three hits and a sacrifice fly, and injury-plagued Los Angeles beat Oakland to snap a four-game skid.

Tyler Skaggs (6-4) struck out eight over seven strong innings, allowing no earned runs and seven hits with one walk. He improved to 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in June.

The Angels placed four more players on the disabled list [url=http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-evans-jersey]http://www.titansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-rashaan-evans-jersey[/url] , bringing their total to a franchise-record 15 at one time and leaving just 12 members of the opening day roster active.

Jose Briceno and Jose Miguel Fernandez had RBI singles in the third as Los Angeles bounced back with a big offensive night after having lost four straight following a six-game winning streak. The Angels avoided matching their longest skid of the season.

Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (0-2) was done after four innings after he allowed six runs – only two earned on a s The Minnesota Twins have reinstated shortstop Jorge Polanco after he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Polanco was reinstated Monday before the Twins’ game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Speaking through the team’s interpreter, Polanco said that the time away from the game ”was very difficult.”

The Twins are hoping that the 24-year-old shortstop builds off his breakout 2017 season. Polanco batted .316 with 10 homers and 42 RBIs over his last 55 games in 2017.

”I’m really glad that I’m back,” he said. ”Looking forward to going out there and playing hard.”

Polanco flied out to left in his first at bat of the 2018 season.

Twins manager Paul Molitor welcomed Polanco back.

”It’s good to see him,” Molitor said. ”He had to pay a price for something that happened. He took it head on, took accountability and did his time, so to speak.”

Molitor had a bit of advice for Polanco.

”Be yourself,” Molitor said. ”Don’t worry about trying to make an extreme impression or whatever it might be that you might try to make up for lost time. Just be the player that we know that you can be. That’ll be plenty good enough.”

To make room for Polanco on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated outfielder Ryan LaMarre for release or assignment.

—

Instead of introducing Josh McDaniels as the team’s new head coach [url=http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dante-pettis-jersey]http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dante-pettis-jersey[/url] , Ballard stood in front of reporters trying to explain why New England’s longtime offensive coordinator reneged on a deal he initially accepted.

But if Ballard’s disgust about losing his top choice wasn’t clear from the occasional glare or the strong pitch in his voice, he left no doubt with one parting shot.

”The rivalry is back on,” he said before leaving.

Conducting a coaching search in February isn’t what Ballard or Indy envisioned when Chuck Pagano was fired just hours after Indy completed a 4-12 season on Dec. 31.

Exactly 24 hours after announcing McDaniels’ hiring on the team’s Twitter account and roughly 16 hours after he called back to tell Ballard he was out, the search begins anew for the jilted Colts.

Their other finalist, Mike Vrabel, has already taken the Tennessee job. Another top-tier candidate, Mike Nagy, has already been hired in Chicago. Baylor coach Matt Rhule, who also interviewed for the job, is back on campus getting ready for spring football. And it’s unclear where the Colts may turn next.

”We have a list of candidates, I’ve had them from the get-go,” Ballard said. ”There are other guys we wanted to interview, but because of the playoffs, we weren’t able to.

”We’ll move forward with them and we will get the right leader for the Indianapolis Colts – one that believes what we believe and wants to go where we want to go. I’m very confident in this.”

Ballard didn’t name names, of course, nor did he provide a timetable.

Oddly, the timing could present Indy with a unique opportunity to pick off a candidate who might emerge as a top candidate on next year’s coaching carousel.

Several possibilities exist including Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who was part of a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots with a backup quarterback.

The good news for Indy is that the only coaching vacancy still looks pretty attractive – if Andrew Luck is healthy.

Indy still has Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton, Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle, a revamped defense that showed major improvement as last season went along, the No. 3 pick in the draft and about $80 million to spend in free agency.

Luck, meanwhile, continues to be the big question as he rehabs from last January’s surgery for a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

Some believe McDaniels’ sudden change of heart was related to doubts about Luck’s health.

Ballard didn’t bother asking McDaniels why he made the decision.

On Wednesday, though [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-vita-vea-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-vita-vea-jersey[/url] , he attempted to alleviate lingering concerns about Luck while acknowledging the franchise quarterback still hasn’t thrown a football since returning from Europe late last year.

”At this point, we feel very strongly that Andrew is in a good place. He doesn’t need surgery,” Ballard said. ”I have not gotten that from the two doctors that he’s seen here after the season. His strength is good. He’s working on his throwing motion and he’s working on his arm speed right now. He has not picked up a football, but he is throwing balls, working on arm speed.

”He’s going to do everything right to get himself ready to play and I’m very confident, he’s very confident, that he’s going to come back and prove a lot of people wrong,” Ballard added.

McDaniels decision didn’t just leave the Colts in the lurch.

Three assistant coaches – Matt Eberflus, Mike Phair and Dave DeGuglielmo – had already been hired in Indy.

While Ballard said he likes all three and will honor their contracts by keeping them on the next coach’s staff, others strongly criticized McDaniels from walking away from them.

”Haven’t read the article but I can tell you there is NO excuse big enough to justify this,” Dungy wrote on Twitter in response to a story that indicated McDaniels stayed with the Pats because he was more comfortable with the team.

”It’s one thing to go back on your word to an organization. But having assistant coaches leave jobs to go with you then leave them out to dry is indefensible.”

But as the news conference continued, Ballard said people say no to job offers every day, he wished McDaniels well at the end of Tuesday night’s brief call and that his primary concern now is finding someone who wants the job.

”To me, it’s about being right,” Ballard said. ”You’ve got to be right. It doesn’t matter if you’re the first out of the box and everybody praises you or you are the last one to make the hire. We want to be right.”

—

OAKLAND, Calif. — Having dipped into the minor leagues for four new players Friday, the Los Angeles Angels plan to do so again Saturday for their starting pitcher when they go for a second straight win against the Oakland Athletics.

The Angels are planning to promote left-hander John Lamb for his first major-league start since 2016, matching him against A’s lefty Sean Manaea (5-6, 3.49 ERA).

Los Angeles placed four players — third baseman Zack Cozart and right-handers Garrett Richards, Nick Tropeano and Jim Johnson — on the disabled list Friday, replacing them with bullpen reinforcements in right-handers Felix Pena, Eduardo Paredes, Jake Jewell and Akeel Morris.

None saw action in Friday’s 8-4 win over Oakland, with left-hander Tyler Skaggs throwing seven strong innings before Cam Bedrosian and Justin Anderson mopped up.

Catcher Jose Briceno [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ronald-jones-ii-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ronald-jones-ii-jersey[/url] , himself a May call-up from the minors, contributed to the Los Angeles offensive attack in the series opener with a double, two singles and an RBI.

“Nobody is going to feel sorry for you,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of a roster that now features 15 players on the DL. “We feel we have the guys who can contribute and keep us going. If we can pitch and have our bullpen hold leads, then we’re going to be fine.”

Lamb has battled back issues in the minors since he last threw a big-league pitch for the Cincinnati Reds on July 16, 2016. He went 2-12 with a 6.17 ERA in 24 starts for the Reds in two seasons.

One of those starts was in Cincinnati against the A’s in 2016, a game in which he gave up two home runs, including one by Marcus Semien, in a 6-1 loss. He is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in his career against Oakland based solely on that one appearance.

The A’s had to make an 11th-hour pitching change of their own, starting Manaea in place of Daniel Gossett, who strained his right forearm in his last start.

Manaea hasn’t won since May 14 but pitched well in both of his previous June starts, allowing a total of four runs in 12 2/3 innings.

He matched up with Skaggs, Friday’s winner for the Angels, in the second game of the season back in March, allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings in a 2-1 Oakland loss.

Mike Trout accounted for the only run the Angels scored off Manaea that night with a home run.

Manaea is 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Angels.

Trout’s homer in March was the third of his career against Manaea in just 14 at-bats. He has three other hits, including a triple, among those head-to-heads.

Trout had three hits, all singles, in Friday’s win.

The A’s likely will counter the Angels’ roster move Saturday with one of their own, with third baseman Matt Chapman expected to be placed on the DL with a bruised hand.

Chapman had a 149-game streak of consecutive games played snapped with his absence Friday.

He was replaced at third base in the series opener by Chad Pinder, whose second-inning throwing error led to two unearned runs — two of four the A’s generously gifted the short-handed Angels in the game.

Everything worked out just fine with Tim Federowicz behind the plate with the former AL Cy Young Award winner throwing some of his best breaking pitches all season.

Keuchel struck out seven and allowed only two runs over seven scoreless innings [url=http://www.officialstarsproonline.com/authentic-adidas-alexander-radulov-jersey]Authentic Alexander Radulov Jersey[/url] , winning for only the second time in his last nine starts, as the Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-3.

”Some of the shape it was taking early was really good. (Shin-Soo) Choo leading off the game, anytime you get him to swing and miss at a breaking pitch, it’s acting pretty good, and then (Nomar) Mazara struck out looking with a slider away,” Keuchel said. ”Both of those balls had good action and I knew from the then on if I could establish the fastball in to the lefties, it would be a good day.”

Josh Reddick and Tony Kemp homered for the Astros, who are 11-4 this season against their instate division rival, with seven consecutive road wins in the series. Houston is a majors-best 31-14 on the road this season.

Keuchel (5-8) struck out the first four batters he faced, and six of the first seven.

After catcher Brian McCann went on the disabled list and had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee earlier Tuesday, manager A.J. Hinch said Max Stassi would do the bulk of the catching. But Stassi got hit by a pitch batting in the first, and left the game with a bruised right (throwing) wrist before even taking the field on defense.

”I think we avoided a fracture, very good for us [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkjets.com/cheap-trenton-cannon-jersey]Trenton Cannon Color Rush Jersey[/url] ,” manager A.J. Hinch said. ”Got him pretty good in the wrist. Got a welt there, couldn’t flex his hand, hand so mobility.”

X-rays were negative and Stassi is considered day to day.

Keuchel had only thrown a few bullpens with Federowicz in spring training, and a live BP session, before the catcher was called back from Triple-A Fresno earlier Tuesday.

”The way he handled the game not expecting to play, that was really impressive,” Keuchel said.

Choo later walked twice and had two singles to extend his career-best on-base streak to 43 games, the longest in the majors since Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman’s 46-gamer two years ago. Choo is three games shy of Julio Franco’s team record of 46 in a row set 25 years ago.

The Astros used three relievers to get through the eighth. Texas already had a run in before Hector Rondon took over against pinch-hitter Joey Gallo, who worked a 12-pitch at-bat into a two-out walk to load the bases before Robinson Chirinos struck out. Rondon then worked the ninth for his sixth save in eight chances.

Houston went ahead to stay in the first when Yuli Gurriel and Reddick had RBI doubles off Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-2), who still managed to get through six innings. He struck out four, walked two and hit two batters.

”To get through six in that situation was huge for us,” manager Jeff Banister said. ”Early on it didn’t look that it was going to be the case, a situation where really didn’t have a whole lot of sink on the fastball. … For us to still have an opportunity there through those innings [url=http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-leighton-vander-esch-jersey]http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-leighton-vander-esch-jersey[/url] , it was big-time by him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: SS Carlos Correa, out since June 26 with lower back soreness, has been working out daily in Houston. Hinch said it was uncertain if Correa will be ready to play Friday when eligible to come off the DL. He hadn’t gone through any baseball activities yet.

Rangers: RHP Tony Barnette left the game after a 2-1 pitch to Marwin Gonzalez in the eighth. The Rangers said he had a right shoulder strain and would be evaluated further Wednesday. … 1B Ronald Guzman had two hits and scored twice after being activated from the seven-day concussion DL.

SHORT HOPS

The Astros have homered in 23 consecutive road games, a club record and four from matching the MLB record set by Oakland earlier this season. … Before Bibens-Dirkx plunked Stassi in the first inning, Rangers pitchers had gone 22 games without hitting a batter – the longest span for the team since 1998.

DOUBLE DOUBLED UP

Astros leadoff hitter George Springer was in a 3-for-46 slide before a single in the sixth. But he was also doubled off twice on hard lineouts.

UP NEXT

Gerrit Cole (9-2) will pitch on regular rest for the Astros after they made a slight tweak in their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr., who was scheduled to start, was instead pushed back to Friday. Rangers lefty Mike Minor (6-4) took a perfect game into the seventh inning of his last start, a win last Wednesday over the San Diego Padres.

—

Vince Velasquez took a no-hitter two outs into the seventh inning, Rhys Hoskins and Nick Williams hit solo homers and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Thursday.

Trevor Story lined Velasquez’s 105th pitch to left for an RBI double, ending Velasquez’s bid for the fourth no-hitter in the majors this season. Velasquez (5-7) retired 20 of the first 21 batters and got a standing ovation as he walked off the mound after the hit.

The Phillies won a series for the first time since taking two of three from Atlanta on May 21-23. They’re 7-12 since.

GIANTS 6, MARLINS 3, 16 INNINGS

MIAMI (AP) – San Francisco third baseman Evan Longoria broke his left hand when he was hit by a pitch in the Giants‘ victory over Miami.

Longoria was struck by Dan Straily. There is no timetable for Longoria’s return and he will decide in the next few days if he will need surgery. He is hitting .246 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs.

Pablo Sandoval hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the 16th inning. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer to continue his torrid month and Mac Williamson also homered for the Giants [url=http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-akins-jersey]http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-akins-jersey[/url] , who salvaged the final game of a four-game series and beat the Marlins for only the second time in the last 10 meetings.

Giants starter Dereck Rodriguez pitched 6 2-3 innings, allowing two runs. Ty Blach (4-5) also pitched 6 2-3 innings for the Giants without allowing a run. Elieser Hernandez (0-4) took the loss.

It was the longest game of the season for the Giants and the second-longest for the Marlins, who went 17 innings in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on March 30. Colorado has lost 10 of 13.

YANKEES 4, RAYS 3

NEW YORK (AP) – Gleyber Torres hit another three-run homer and Domingo German struck out a career-high 10 for his first major league win and New York edged Tampa Bay in the opener of a four-game series.

Aaron Hicks also homered off Blake Snell (8-4) as New York beat the blossoming left-hander for the second time this season and ended his four-game winning streak.

German (1-4) gave up a home run to Matt Duffy on the first pitch of the game but quickly recovered to strike out the next three batters. Making his seventh start in place of injured Jordan Montgomery, the rookie right-hander allowed three runs, five hits and two walks in his 19th career appearance.

Chad Green and Dellin Betances set up Aroldis Chapman for his 19th save in 20 attempts.

RED SOX 2, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE (AP) – Xander Bogaerts hit a tiebreaking home run in the sixth inning and Boston won its fourth straight.

David Price (8-4) pitched seven innings of four-hit ball to earn his sixth victory over his past seven appearances. He gave up a run and struck out seven. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth to lock down his 22nd save, pitching around two walks to open the inning by striking out Kyle Seager and getting Ryon Healy to ground into a double play..

The Red Sox got their major-league leading 48th win of the season and snapped Seattle’s four-game winning streak.

Bogaerts hit Felix Hernandez’s 2-2 fastball just over the fence in left-center field for a two-out solo shot to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

TIGERS 3, TWINS 1

DETROIT (AP) – JaCoby Jones‘ two-run homer capped a three-run seventh inning as Detroit rallied past Minnesota.

Jones was hitting .135 in his last 10 games, and had struck out in his first two at-bats before hitting Lance Lynn’s 3-1 fastball for his fifth home run..

Michael Fulmer (3-5) improved to 5-0 in five career starts against the Twins. He pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in ending a three-start winless streak. Joe Jimenez pitched the eighth and Shane Greene threw the ninth for his 17th save.

Lynn (4-5) took a shutout into the seventh but ended up allowing three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings.

INDIANS 5, WHITE SOX 2

CHICAGO (AP) – Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered, Mike Clevinger struck out 11 in seven innings and Cleveland topped Chicago.

Lindor led off the game against Carlos Rodon with his 15th home run. He also singled and scored in the seventh when Ramirez broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run drive to right-center against Chris Volstad (1-4) for his 20th homer.

Clevinger (5-2) gave up two runs and five hits.

Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances as the AL Central leaders salvaged a four-game split.

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Justin Verlander pitched five-hit ball over seven innings and Houston beat Oakland for its eighth straight win.

The winning streak is the Astros‘ longest since they won 11 straight May 25-June 5 last season on the way to their first World Series championship.

Khris Davis and Matt Olson homered for the A’s. Both home runs came off Verlander (9-2), who struck out seven, allowed three runs and didn’t walk a batter while earning his fifth consecutive win.

Frankie Montas (3-1) gave up five earned runs and 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings.

BRAVES 4, PADRES 2

ATLANTA (AP) – Anibal Sanchez allowed only four hits in seven scoreless innings, Ender Inciarte homered and scored two runs and Atlanta beat San Diego.

Ozzie Albies added a run-scoring double for the NL East-leading Braves.

Sanchez (3-0) did not walk a batter as he earned his first win in six career starts against San Diego. Sanchez outpitched Tyson Ross (5-4), who allowed only three hits and three runs in six-plus innings.

Arodys Vizcaino pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, METS 3

PHOE

CLUTCH CITY

Alex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/jake-ryan-jersey-cheap]Jake Ryan Jersey[/url] , and he’s been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston’s rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year’s World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.

TAKE TWO

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander is set to follow Kershaw again against Chicago. Kershaw acknowledged feeling some rust at Citi Field, when he was limited to 55 pitches. He’s hoping to go deeper and pitch more effectively this time at Dodger Stadium.

BOSIO FIRED

The Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio on Wednesday, saying he made insensitive comments to another employee of the team. General manager Al Avila said Bosio made the comments recently and they were brought to Avila’s attention Tuesday. Avila decided Wednesday to terminate Bosio’s contract after the team investigated the situation and spoke to all of the people involved. Detroit promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week. The Tigers are set to wrap a four-game series against Oakland.

ANOTHER SHOT AT NOLA

The Nationals try to solve the Phillies’ Aaron Nola five days after the right-hander won a 5-3 decision in Washington. Nola (9-2 [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-seth-jones-jersey]Seth Jones Jersey[/url] , 2.58) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks over six innings while striking out five in that game. Nola is fifth in the NL in ERA, and only Mets ace Jacob deGrom has allowed fewer home runs per nine innings than Nola (0.53) among qualified NL starters.

—

Former Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi has divulged that he lost most of his left hand in an all-terrain vehicle crash last April.

Massaquoi, who starred at Georgia before he was drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 2009, revealed his prosthetic and details of his misfortune in a video posted Monday on The Players Tribune.

Massaquoi was riding ATVs with friends when he said he took a turn too sharply and crashed. The 31-year-old said it felt as if an explosion had gone off in his hand, and he was initially unaware of the severity of his injury.

”What I’m seeing and what my friends are seeing are completely different [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-sonny-milano-jersey]Sonny Milano Jersey[/url] ,” he said, giving the first public description of his life-changing ordeal. ”They’re seeing what actually happened. I’m seeing what I think happened. I’m thinking that I just broke my hand. My friend, on the other hand, thinks my hand just went through a meat grinder or something like that. Meanwhile you can see the panic and the fear in everybody.”

Massaquoi said he was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where doctors initially tried to save his hand. However, after it didn’t heal as hoped [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-zach-werenski-jersey]Zach Werenski Jersey[/url] , four fingers were amputated. His thumb was spared.

He has battled denial and fear during his recovery.

”It gives you a perspective of how precious life is,” he said. ”How fast things can change. You go from joy-riding to getting in a helicopter to find out that your hand’s going to be amputated.”

Massaquoi, who spent four years with the Browns and has been out of football since, credited his family and friends for helping him come to terms with the injury.

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

CLUTCH CITY

Alex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/jake-ryan-jersey-cheap]Jake Ryan Jersey[/url] , and he’s been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston’s rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year’s World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.

TAKE TWO

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander is set to follow Kershaw again against Chicago. Kershaw acknowledged feeling some rust at Citi Field, when he was limited to 55 pitches. He’s hoping to go deeper and pitch more effectively this time at Dodger Stadium.

BOSIO FIRED

The Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio on Wednesday, saying he made insensitive comments to another employee of the team. General manager Al Avila said Bosio made the comments recently and they were brought to Avila’s attention Tuesday. Avila decided Wednesday to terminate Bosio’s contract after the team investigated the situation and spoke to all of the people involved. Detroit promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week. The Tigers are set to wrap a four-game series against Oakland.

ANOTHER SHOT AT NOLA

The Nationals try to solve the Phillies’ Aaron Nola five days after the right-hander won a 5-3 decision in Washington. Nola (9-2 [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-seth-jones-jersey]Seth Jones Jersey[/url] , 2.58) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks over six innings while striking out five in that game. Nola is fifth in the NL in ERA, and only Mets ace Jacob deGrom has allowed fewer home runs per nine innings than Nola (0.53) among qualified NL starters.

—

Former Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi has divulged that he lost most of his left hand in an all-terrain vehicle crash last April.

Massaquoi, who starred at Georgia before he was drafted by Cleveland in the second round in 2009, revealed his prosthetic and details of his misfortune in a video posted Monday on The Players Tribune.

Massaquoi was riding ATVs with friends when he said he took a turn too sharply and crashed. The 31-year-old said it felt as if an explosion had gone off in his hand, and he was initially unaware of the severity of his injury.

”What I’m seeing and what my friends are seeing are completely different [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-sonny-milano-jersey]Sonny Milano Jersey[/url] ,” he said, giving the first public description of his life-changing ordeal. ”They’re seeing what actually happened. I’m seeing what I think happened. I’m thinking that I just broke my hand. My friend, on the other hand, thinks my hand just went through a meat grinder or something like that. Meanwhile you can see the panic and the fear in everybody.”

Massaquoi said he was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where doctors initially tried to save his hand. However, after it didn’t heal as hoped [url=http://www.officialbluejackets.com/authentic-adidas-zach-werenski-jersey]Zach Werenski Jersey[/url] , four fingers were amputated. His thumb was spared.

He has battled denial and fear during his recovery.

”It gives you a perspective of how precious life is,” he said. ”How fast things can change. You go from joy-riding to getting in a helicopter to find out that your hand’s going to be amputated.”

Massaquoi, who spent four years with the Browns and has been out of football since, credited his family and friends for helping him come to terms with the injury.

The Latest on the NFL conference championships. (all times local):

4:28 p.m.

Jacksonville has taken a 14-10 lead at halftime of the AFC championship.

The Jaguars were up 14-3 after an early touchdown pass from Blake Bortles to Marcedes Lewis and a run by Leonard Fournette.

Just before the half [url=http://www.authenticsminnesotavikings.com/cheap-jalyn-holmes-jersey]Jalyn Holmes Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Tom Brady led the Patriots on a six-play, 85-yard drive that included two Jacksonville penalties. The drive ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by James White .

Bortles completed 13 of 15 passes for 155 yards in the half. Brady was 12 of 17 for 124 yards.

The last three times the Patriots have trailed by double digits in a playoff game, they came back to win.

– Kyle Hightower, reporting from Foxborough, Massachusetts

—

4:25 p.m.

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is being looked at after a hard hit from Barry Church left him wobbly.

Gronkowski was running downfield on a passing route, looking back for the ball, when Church put a shoulder into him late in the second quarter. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound All-Pro tight end seemed shaken, and he left the field. He did not return for the remainder of the drive, which was New England’s last in the first half.

There was no immediate announcement from the team about his condition.

Church was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty that gave the Patriots the ball at their own 40. A pass interference penalty on the next play put New England on the 13. Two plays later, James White ran it in to make it 14-10.

Jacksonville was also called for a delay of game that negated a first-down completion on their previous possession. In all [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/cheap-nate-solder-jersey]Nate Solder Color Rush Jersey[/url] , the Jaguars the Jaguars had five penalties for 62 yards in the first half; the Patriots had one for 10 yards.

– Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough, Massachusetts.

—

4 p.m.

Leonard Fournette has given the Jacksonville Jaguars a 14-3 lead over the heavily favored New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.

Fournette bulled his way into the end zone from 4 yards out midway through the second quarter . He carried the ball five times for 23 yards on the 10-play, 77-yard drive.

Fournette ran for 103 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s divisional round playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the first NFL rookie to surpass 100 yards rushing with three scores in a postseason game.

Fournette was limited in practice all week with a sore ankle. He was also involved in a fender-bender back in Jacksonville, but was not injured.

– Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough, Massachusetts.

—

3:45 p.m.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have taken the lead early in the second quarter of the AFC title game.

Blake Bortles found Marcedes Lewis wide open in the end zone from 4 yards out to give the Jags a 7-3 lead. Bortles was 5 for 5 for 66 yards on the drive.

Running back Corey Grant caught two passes for 44 yards on the 76-yard drive. He had only 41 total receiving yards during the season.

Tom Brady’s only comeback wins in an AFC championship were from a four-point deficit against Baltimore after the 2011 season and a three-point deficit against San Diego after the ’07 season. The Patriots also rallied from a four-point hole against Miami en route to the 1986 Super Bowl.

– Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough, Massachusetts.

—

3:20 p.m.

Tom Brady’s injured right hand looked fine on the Patriots’ opening drive in the AFC title game.

Brady was 6-for-6 for 57 yards on New England’s first possession against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He completed a 20-yarder to Danny Amendola on a fourth-and-1 to keep the drive going. But the Patriots settled for Stephen Gostkowski’s 31-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

Brady reportedly injured his right hand and needed stitches when it was hit by a teammate’s helmet in practice. The five-time Super Bowl champion took the field on Sunday with a piece of black tape on the back of his hand.

The Patriots are in the conference championship game for the seventh straight year. They are hoping to go to their eighth Super Bowl of the Brady era.

– Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough, Massachusetts.

—

2:45 p.m.

New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft says the team needs to guard against ”jealousy and envy” from people who are trying to tear apart one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history.

Speaking on the pregame show before the Patriots played the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship game, Kraft said it’s only natural there would be some tension between him and coach Bill Belichick after 18 years together. Kraft says, ”But when you’ve got something good going, everyone’s got to get their egos checked in and try to hold it together.”

ESPN reported this month that Kraft essentially vetoed Belichick’s plan to set backup Jimmy Garoppolo up as the successor to five-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Instead, the Patriots traded Garoppolo to San Francisco for a second-round draft pick.

– Jimmy Golen reporting from Foxborough [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/cheap-kareem-martin-jersey]Kareem Martin Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Massachusetts.

—

2:35 p.m.

The Super Bowl matchup will be set after conference title games featuring three teams that have never won the big game.

The other participant is a five-time Super Bowl winner, the New England Patriots.

The Patriots and Tom Brady, nursing an injured right hand, start conference championship Sunday playing host to the Jacksonville Jaguars and quarterback Blake Bortles.

The night game with

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

HOT AS THE WEATHER

Evan Gattis and the World Series champion Astros have the longest active winning streak in the majors. They go for their 10th straight victory when they play at Kansas City, where temperatures are expected to approach triple digits. Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (3-8) pitches against Danny Duffy (3-6). Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, has allowed 13 runs over 11 innings in two June starts – raising his ERA from 3.65 to 4.45. The Royals have lost four in a row and 10 of 11.

OUCH!

With a franchise-record 15 players on the disabled list, the Angels try for a second consecutive victory in Oakland. Los Angeles added four more players to the DL on Friday: infielder Zack Cozart (partially dislocated right shoulder), right-hander Jim Johnson (lower back strain), right-hander Garrett Richards (strained left hamstring) and right-hander Nick Tropeano (right shoulder inflammation). Only 12 players from the opening day roster were active Friday.

GOLDEN GOLDY

Paul Goldschmidt tries to keep up his torrid pace at the plate when the Diamondbacks host the slumping Mets. Goldschmidt entered this month batting a paltry .209 after slogging his way through May, when he had only 14 hits in 97 at-bats (.144). The All-Star slugger has returned to form in June with seven homers [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/cheap-cody-latimer-jersey]Cody Latimer Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 15 RBIs and 17 runs. In 14 games, he’s raised his batting average 56 points to .265. He homered for the second consecutive night Friday, finishing with three hits and two RBIs in a 7-3 victory. He has nine homers and 21 RBIs in his past 20 games. Meanwhile, the NL West leaders have won seven of eight and 11 of 14. The freefalling Mets have dropped four straight, 12 of 13 and 19 of 23.

MAD MAX

Washington ace Max Scherzer has won the last two NL Cy Young Awards. The right-hander appears well on his way to a third straight – and fourth Cy Young overall – going into his start at Toronto. Scherzer (10-2, 2.00 ERA) leads the majors with 142 strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings, and he’s allowed more than five hits in a game only twice in 13 starts this season.

MAD BUM

Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner takes the mound in Los Angeles against the rival Dodgers. Bumgarner is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA in two starts this season following a two-month stay on the disabled list. He allowed six hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings last time out vs. Miami. The 2014 World Series MVP is 15-9 with a 2.53 ERA in 29 career outings vs. the Dodgers.

MR. ZERO

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-0, 1.21 ERA) brings the longest current shutout streak in the majors into his start at Seattle. Wright has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including back-to-back starts when he went seven innings in a win against Detroit and 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Baltimore. Wade Leblanc (7-3, 4.26) goes for the surprising Mariners, who are 45-25.

BOTTOM DOLLAR

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has essentially been benched in the wake of a season-long slump. Davis is batting .150 with four home runs [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkgiants.com/cheap-patrick-omameh-jersey]Patrick Omameh Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 15 RBIs and 86 strikeouts in 52 games. Making matters worse, he’s in the third year of a $161 million, seven-year contract. Davis hasn’t played since Monday, and there’s no telling when he will be back in the lineup. ”Chris is continuing with some things that he’s working on,” manager Buck Showalter said. ”When they come to me and say they think he’s ready to get back in the lineup, we’ll put him back in there. But it’s nothing imminent.” Baltimore has lost eight straight, its longest skid since July 2011. The Orioles have dropped 15 of 17 overall and 10 straight at home, scoring only 14 runs.

—

Eduardo Escobar left in the fourth inning of Minnesota’s 9-2 loss to the Red Sox Thursday after he took a Rick Porcello fastball to the right elbow.

The AL leader with 32 doubles this season [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-nyheim-hines-jersey]Nyheim Hines Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Escobar has been red-hot this month, batting .386 with an .800 slugging percentage in 70 June at-bats.

Manager Paul Molitor said Escobar would be re-evaluated Friday.

“He’s sore and swollen,” Molitor said. “I think it got the bottom of the triceps more than on the elbow. We tried to see if he was able to continue, and he gave it a go, but you could tell he was having trouble swinging in that second at-bat.”

Eddie Rosario was scratched prior to the game Thursday with soreness in his right shoulder. He leads the team with 16 homers this season and has been having a good month as well, batting .357 with a .757 slugging percentage.

Rosario said he’d be back in the lineup against Texas and Molitor admitted resting the 26-year-old was a precautionary move.

“I just think we’re trying to keep the big picture in mind,” Molitor said. “So, we’re gonna back him off. It’s just one of those things where you think what you’re doing is best for the player for the long term.”

The Twins are already without second baseman Miguel Sano, who was optioned to Class A Fort Meyers to work on hitting the slider, and center fielder Byron Buxton, whose fractured toe has shown improvement but not enough to return from a minor league rehab assignment.

Missing all that firepower will leave right-hander Fernando Romero a much smaller margin for error as he takes the mound for his 10th career start.

Romero has cooled off since going 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA through his first four big league outings, going 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA over his last five. That number is somewhat skewed by an eight-run disaster at Kansas City back on May 30, but Romero’s strikeout rate has plummeted from 9.11 per nine innings to 5.95 over his last four starts.

“Gosh, there’s still a lot to like,” Molitor said. “The way that he’s been able to get the ball on the ground pretty consistently [url=http://authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-derwin-james-jersey]Derwin James Color Rush Jersey[/url] , especially the way he can get in on righties.”

In his first start against Texas, Romero will face a Rangers’ lineup that is feeling good after sweeping the Royals earlier in the week and has won five in a row overall.

Rougned Odor has been a catalyst for the Rangers’ recent success. He was hitting .169 exactly one month ago but has batted .267 with a .761 OPS in the 26 games since to raise his average to .226.

“I believe he’s progressively gotten better,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “He’s showed progress where we need him to show progress. Odor has been a significant player on this team and will continue to be a significant player.”

Left-hander Mike Minor gets the start for Texas.

He held the Rockies to two runs over seven innings in his last outing, giving him a second consecutive quality start for the first time since earning six in a row for the Braves back during the 2014 season.

Friday will mark Minor’s first career start against the Twins.

Luke Weaver’s best start of the season came last month against the Philadelphia Phillies. Weaver will try to emulate that success Tuesday night as the Phillies face the St. Louis Cardinals in the middle of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.

The 24-year-old Weaver (4-6, 4.52 ERA) allowed just one run and four hits and notched six strikeouts in seven innings against the Phillies on May 17. Weaver has gone seven innings in just one of his 13 other starts this season.

Weaver, who has a 3.00 ERA and 1.167 WHIP in two career starts against Philadelphia, struggled in both of his last two appearances. He allowed eight runs, 16 hits and six walks in the two outings (10 1/3 innings), including four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of his last game against the San Diego Padres.

“He used everything. Thought he had a real nice changeup, he was smart with the breaking ball,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Weaver after his last start. “But that last inning, there were a lot of hard hit balls.”

Weaver has lost four straight decisions, a streak that dates to his previous start against the Phillies.

Vince Velasquez, who will oppose Weaver again on Tuesday, picked up the win in that game last month.

Velasquez (5-7 [url=http://authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-uchenna-nwosu-jersey]Uchenna Nwosu Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 4.74) held the Cardinals scoreless for 6 1/3 innings and struck out five in a 6-2 Phillies win. He had a 6.30 ERA in four starts after that game, but the hard-throwing right-hander was dominant the last time he was on the mound.

Facing the Colorado Rockies last Thursday, Velasquez carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He gave up just one hit and two runs before exiting after 6 2/3 innings and 105 pitches.

“I thought that was as confident as I’ve ever seen him,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told MLB.com about Velasquez. “But most notably for me was how comfortable he looked in his own skin today. It was a breath of fresh air, and I think when things aren’t going that smoothly for him, if he can maintain that composure, maintain that easiness and maintain that confidence, that’s when he’s going to reach his true potential.”

Velasquez is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in two career starts against St. Louis.

The Phillies are going for their fourth straight win after getting an unlikely walk-off victory in the 10th inning Monday night. Aaron Altherr hit a game-winning, two-run double that bounced past a diving Marcell Ozuna in left field.

Philadelphia’s 6-5 win came after its bullpen gave up two runs with two outs in the ninth inning and the go-ahead run on a Tommy Pham homer in the 10th.

“They came back in the ninth against us, but we still thought we could win this game,” Altherr told NBC Sports Philadelphia after his heroics. “It shows how resilient this team is. We never give up and always fight.”

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have dropped six of their last eight games.

Cushing [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-quenton-nelson-jersey]Quenton Nelson Color Rush Jersey[/url] , who was a first-round pick in 2009, is the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles with 664, but his career has been marked by two suspensions for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers.

Cushing was suspended for the first four games of 2010 after testing positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the league’s banned substance list. Cushing had won 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year, an honor which was jeopardized by the suspension. He kept the award after a revote by The Associated Press’ awards panel.

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His second suspension came in September and cost him 10 games. He appeared in five games last season and finished with 16 tackles and 1 sacks.

Cushing has had several major injuries in his career and played 12 games combined in 2012 and 2013 because of knee injuries and a broken leg. He missed three games in 2016 because of a sprained knee ligament and sustained a concussion in Houston’s season opener against the Jaguars last season.

He had more than 100 tackles in three seasons, led by 133 in his rookie year, and is fifth in franchise history with 42 tackles for losses. He also had 13 sacks, eight interceptions [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-darius-leonard-jersey]Darius Leonard Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 30 passes defended, 57 quarterback hits, nine forced fumbles and one safety in his nine seasons in Houston.

—

MILWAUKEE — Lorenzo Cain is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday but won’t quite be ready to go when the Milwaukee Brewers wrap up their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins with a matinee at Miller Park.

Cain has been sidelined since June 24 with a strained left groin and had been making progress in his rehab but isn’t 100 percent yet and will need a little more time, manager Craig Cousnell said.

“He had a good day on the field, but there’s enough caution there that we have to get over the last hurdle,” Counsell said. “We’re not to 100 percent yet. We’re definitely going in a good direction.”

Christian Yelich has been out since the first inning of Sunday’s game thanks to a stiff back but he took batting practice for a third straight day Tuesday and came into the game as a ninth-inning defensive sub, leaving him on the verge of returning to the lineup — perhaps as early as Wednesday.

“He’s feeling pretty good,” Counsell said. “I’m very optimistic.”

With both Cain and Yelich out [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-braden-smith-jersey]Braden Smith Color Rush Jersey[/url] , and Jesus Aguilar punishing opposing pitchers while playing first base, Eric Thames has become a regular in Milwaukee’s outfield. Since returning from a 40-day stint on the disabled list June 12, Thames has made five starts at first and 10 in the outfield. He’s appeared in 18 games overall since returning, batting .226 with four home runs and 11 RBIs during that stretch but has been red-hot over the last week with three home runs over his last six games.

“I’m just trying to have quality at-bats and trying not to hit 30 home runs in the first week to try and catch back up with everybody else,” said Thames, who’s third on the team with 12 home runs this season. “I’m just trying to have good at-bats, get on base, take my walks [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-kemoko-turay-jersey]Kemoko Turay Color Rush Jersey[/url] , trying not to swing at everything that comes over the plate like I did in Cincinnati. I’m just trying to take a quality at-bat and help the team win.”

Thames’ two-run homer was the difference in Milwaukee’s victory Tuesday and gave the Brewers at least one home run in each of their last nine games.

Jose Berrios will try to stop that streak Wednesday as he leads the Twins in their efforts to avoid a sweep. The right-hander served up two home runs his last time out as he was dinged for six runs on six hits and four walks over just 4 1/3 innings by the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

“I don’t know if it’s the hottest game I’ve thrown, but coming from 80 degrees to almost 100, I felt it out there,” Berrios said through an interpreter. “I wanted to keep competing for my team. … I kind of felt like I lost stamina out there because it was so hot. It just was what it was.

“I tried to execute my pitches. I struck out (two). I kept trying to battle. It wasn’t my day today.”

It was Berrios’ worst outing of the season and snapped what had been an impressive stretch for the young right-hander. He’d gone 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his eight previous starts, striking out 69 with just 11 walks in 57 innings of work.

“Jose was just a little off,” manager Paul Molitor said. “Command of fastball, a couple breaking balls that he got hurt on. … Glanced up there now and then. (His velocity) was maybe down a mile or two from what you would expect.”

Wednesday will mark his first career appearance against the Brewers, who counter with right-hander Chase Anderson.

Anderson allowed just a run over six innings in his last outing [url=http://www.authenticsindianapoliscolts.com/cheap-tyquan-lewis-jersey]Tyquan Lewis Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Friday at Cincinnati, and is 3-3 with a 4.40 ERA in eight starts since returning from the disabled list on May 20.

He’s faced Minnesota just once in his career and took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits over five innings back on April 18, 2016.

OAKLAND [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/kevin-king-jersey-cheap]Kevin King Jersey[/url] , Calif. — Two pitchers looking to create a first positive memory of Sunday’s opponent go head-to-head when the Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics complete a three-game series.

The A’s have won the first two games of the series, getting outstanding performances from starters Paul Blackburn and Edwin Jackson in 3-1 and 7-2 victories.

Oakland, which has won six in a row, allowed five total runs in its last four games.

Right-hander Frankie Montas (4-1, 3.68 ERA) will attempt to continue that run, but will do so in the wake of three consecutive shaky efforts, during which he has allowed 12 earned runs and 24 hits in 15 innings.

The 25-year-old has never started a game against the Indians, but faced them three times in relief, going 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 4 2/3 innings.

One of those bullpen outings against Cleveland came last May, when he gave up two runs in an 8-4 loss.

Montas will have big shoes to fill after the outings by Blackburn and Jackson, who held the Indians to a total of two runs in 13 innings.

With the recent emergence of Blackburn and Jackson and news that Trevor Cahill appears on schedule to return to the starting rotation after the All-Star break [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/montravius-adams-jersey-cheap]Montravius Adams Jersey[/url] , Montas might only have a few opportunities to turn things around before losing his job.

A’s manager Bob Melvin gushed over the performance of Jackson on Saturday in his second straight sharp outing after having been signed off the scrap heap.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” Melvin said. “That he was available to us was a surprise.”

Having seen the veteran firsthand, the Indians might be wondering why they weren’t the ones who gave the 99-game winner a shot.

Especially with news Saturday that Danny Salazar, a 14- and 11-game winner for the Indians in recent years, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Monday, putting his season in question.

Right-hander Mike Clevenger (6-3, 3.03), who got a greater opportunity last year while Salazar had health issues and responded with a 12-win season, will attempt to salvage one win in Oakland for the Indians on Sunday.

He has pitched well in his last four starts, allowing six earned runs, but he has never beaten the A’s in his career [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/josh-jones-jersey-cheap]Josh Jones Jersey[/url] , going 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in two games (one start).

The A’s last saw the 27-year-old in a relief role in August 2016 and cuffed him around for four hits and three runs in one inning of a 9-1 victory.

Clevenger will have to hope for more offensive support than the Indians provided Trevor Bauer and Adam Plutko in the first two games of the series. Both pitched well enough to win, allowing five runs and 11 hits in 12 1/3 innings.

The A’s have used the long ball to get the upper hand against the Indians in the first two games. Jed Lowrie, Josh Phegley, Dustin Fowler and Matt Olson all hit homers, accounting for six of Oakland’s 10 runs.

Bills center Eric Wood’s plans to announce his retirement on Monday were sidetracked due to issues arising over what he is owed over the final two years of his contract, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

Instead of announcing his retirement in front of a large gathering of family, friends and teammates, the nine-year veteran instead spent less than two minutes reading from a prepared statement in which Wood stressed he is still on the team’s roster.

”Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout my career. And because of that, I am here today,” Wood said. ”I’m sure there are a lot of unanswered questions. I hope to address those at a later date. Thanks, and go Bills.”

With that [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/oren-burks-jersey-cheap]Oren Burks Jersey[/url] , Wood stepped down from the stage, picked up and kissed his daughter, Grace, and walked away behind a curtain.

Wood will never play again after tests revealed he has two discs he said are ”dangerously close to my spinal cord.”

According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams can ask for a portion of bonus money to be returned if a player retires before his contract expires. There is, however, a gray area if a player retires as a result of a career-ending injury.

The person said the question over bonus money was the reason Wood held off on announcing his retirement as had been initially planned shortly after the player learned of his diagnosis following Buffalo’s 10-3 loss to Jacksonville in the AFC wild card playoff on Jan. 7.

The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because neither Wood nor the team commented on the matter that delayed the start of the news conference by nearly an hour.

Wood has been informed by doctors that the injury is so severe he would no longer be cleared to play – even with surgery or further treatment.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane declined to get into specifics when speaking with reporters. He said the lengthy delay in starting the news conference was the result of Wood’s late arrival and also due to a phone call the player had with his agent.

Beane acknowledged a complication by saying the team has no room under the current salary cap to release Wood until the NFL’s 2018 business year opens in mid-March.

”It’s tough. There’s all sorts of things when you’re doing roster management and all that,” he said. ”He’ll be on our roster for a while until we figure things out.”

Wood was entering the final year of his contract before signing a two-year extension in August. He has shied away from using the word retirement since news of his neck injury first surfaced Friday.

In a separate development, the Bills announced defensive line coach Mike Waufle has retired after completing his 20th NFL season and first in Buffalo.

The Bills filled Waufle’s spot by promoting defensive line assistant Bill Teerlinck. They also hired Aaron Whitecotton to take over as Teerlinck’s assistant.

Rather than focus on Wood’s uncertain status, Beane was more interested in discussing the impact the 31-year-old had as a team leader and helping the Bills reach the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.

”This is Eric’s day. It’s about him and a heck of a career he had,” Beane said. ”It’s bittersweet [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/marquez-valdes-scantling-jersey-cheap]Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey[/url] , but we’re just trying to celebrate his career.”

The news conference was held in the Bills’ practice facility rather than the team’s smaller media room to handle a crowd of about 100 people – not including members of the media – attending the event. Guests included Wood’s former teammates such as quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and current Bills, including defensive tackle Kyle Williams and running back LeSean McCoy.

Also on hand were members of his charitable foundation, The Eric Wood Fund, as well family members of people his foundation has supported.

Wood opened the news conference by apologizing for the delay. He said was ”floored” when informed of the severity of his neck injury.

Wood said he sustained ”a stinger” for the first time in his career during a 20-16 loss at Cincinnati on Oct. 8, and then a second one the following game. He said tests showed no significant damage.

Wood is from Cincinnati and spent four seasons playing at Louisville before being selected by the Bills with their second of two first-round picks in the 2009 draft. Wood earned a starting job entering his rookie season and appeared in 121 career games, including one in the playoff.

Wood was also popular in the community for his charitable work, and was the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2015 and `16.

Bills fans rallied to Wood’s support by donating more than $30,000 to Wood’s foundation, with the money going toward Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital.

—

AP NFL website:

Aqib Talib is reuniting with Wade Phillips in Los Angeles after the Denver Broncos agreed to trade the star cornerback to the Rams [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-anders-lee-jersey]Anders Lee Jersey[/url] , a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

The Rams will send Denver a mid-round pick, believed to be a fifth-rounder, in next month’s draft for the perennial Pro Bowl cornerback, said the person, who spoke off the record because the trade isn’t official until the start of the new league year Wednesday.

”Man, I’m so excited,” Talib told The Associated Press from Dallas on Thursday night. ”I can’t wait to play for Coach Sean McVay, go back with working with Wade, and playing with my young man, Marcus Peters. He’s going to bring that young energy back to me.

”I’m super excited to play with those guys. Aaron Donald is a good friend of mine, too, so I get to go from playing behind Von Miller to playing behind Aaron Donald. That’s not too shabby. I got another MVP in front of me.”

The NFL Network first reported the agreement. The Broncos had been in talks with the Patriots, 49ers and Rams about Talib, who signed a six-year [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-andrew-ladd-jersey]Andrew Ladd Jersey[/url] , $57 million deal in Denver in 2014, part of a defensive makeover that carried the team to the Super Bowl title two years ago.

In Los Angeles, Talib will reunite with Phillips, who was his defensive coordinator in Denver until last year, and will play alongside a fellow star defensive back in Peters, whom the Rams are acquiring from Kansas City .

Talib had an eventful four seasons in Denver, both on and off the field. He missed the Broncos’ visit with former President Barack Obama to celebrate their Super Bowl 50 triumph after accidentally shooting himself in the leg during a night of partying only to come back to have an All-Pro season in 2016. He was suspended for one game for fighting Michael Crabtree last season.

None of that is why the Broncos are moving on from Talib.

They needed to clear both salary cap space and room for rising cornerback Bradley Roby, who’s getting a big pay raise from about $1 million in 2017 to $8.526 million this year in the final season of his rookie contract.

On Thursday, the Broncos also picked up cornerback Chris Harris Jr.’s $1 million option, guaranteeing his 2018 salary of about $7.5 million. He’ll cost them $10.26 million against the cap in 2018.

By trading Talib, who’s due $11 million this season and $8 million next year, the Broncos will have about $35 million in salary cap space to pursue free agents, including quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Talib said Donald was the first Ram to reach out to him after word of the deal got out Thursday night. They share an agent in Todd France.

Talib said he’ll miss playing with Harris, his college teammate at Kansas [url=http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-anthony-beauvillier-jersey]Anthony Beauvillier Jersey[/url] , and the rest of the Broncos, however.

”It’s a business, man, so them guys understand,” Talib said. ”Chris hit me up. We’re all talented corners and they couldn’t pay all of us. They got that quarterback situation they’ve got to fix.”

Talib’s departure further breaks up the ”No Fly Zone ” secondary that saw its first departure last fall when the Broncos cut safety T.J. Ward so they could play second-year safety Justin Simmons more.

Talib, who was one of the Broncos’ defensive captains last season, called his stay in Denver special.

”I’m going to miss it. It’s a one-of-a-kind group in that locker room,” Talib said. ”Von’s going to be out here in Dallas this weekend for the grand opening of my workout facility. So, I’ll get to hang out with him again. But I’m definitely going to miss it. A lot of good memories in that locker room.”

—

Shortly after winning her 40th career World Cup race on Sunday, overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin drew praise from one of her main rivals for ”taking the sport to another level.”

Beaten by 1.64 seconds in a slalom on the Podkoren course, Frida Hansdotter had mixed feelings about the American’s dominance.

”It’s frustrating, but it is also good for the sport,” said the Swede, the only skier other than Shiffrin to win the season-long World Cup slalom title in the past five years.

Shiffrin has won 20 of the last 25 slaloms she competed in [url=http://www.kansascitychiefsteamonline.com/patrick-mahomes-ii-jersey]Authentic Patrick Mahomes Jersey[/url] , and finished on the podium in four of the other five races. Her 29 slalom wins in total leaves her six short of the record set by Austria’s Marlies Schild.

”She is super fast,” Hansdotter said. ”All of us want to ski faster than her but she is on another level. We need to train harder and ski faster.”

The Olympic slalom champion certainly was fast while taking a 1.47-second lead in Sunday’s opening leg, which Shiffrin called ”maybe the best run of slalom I have ever done in a race.”

It was the fourth straight slalom race where Shiffrin held a first-run lead of more than a second, a huge margin in a sport often decided by hundredths of a second.

”I let it go down the hill and I am really, really happy with my skiing that run,” said Shiffrin, who also triumphed in Saturday’s giant slalom on the same course. ”I am always looking to do the skiing that I do in training. That feels really good, it’s confident, it’s flowing. The surface is incredible and froze overnight so it’s just so much fun to ski.”

Shiffrin posted the third-fastest time in the final leg and beat Hansdotter once again, while Wendy Holdener was 1.87 behind in third for the Swiss skier’s 13nd career slalom podium without winning – a World Cup record.

”Sometimes it’s frustrating but it is still a good fight,” Holdener said.

Petra Vlhova of Slovakia, the only skier to beat Shiffrin in a slalom this season, was 2.18 behind in fourth.

The result put the American level with Sweden great Ingemar Stenmark for the number of World Cup victories before turning 23.

Only Annemarie Moser-Proell won more races (41) at that age, and Shiffrin can match the Austrian great’s record at a night slalom in Flachau on Tuesday.

”I have so much fun skiing today [url=http://www.officialknightsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-william-karlsson-jersey]William Karlsson Jersey[/url] ,” said Shiffrin, who has won seven of the last eight races, including all four in 2018. ”I feel so like in a good place, it doesn’t feel like I am dreaming, it doesn’t feel like it’s something crazy that’s happening. It just feels like I am skiing really well and I am starting to feel that in the races more and more.”

Her two wins this weekend easily earned Shiffrin the Golden Fox Trophy, which adds the slalom results to those of Saturday’s GS.

It was another confirmation that Shiffrin, initially excelling in slalom, has become a consistent winner in both technical disciplines.

”That’s huge, that has been one of my goals since forever,” Shiffrin said. ”So it’s so cool now that I can be a contender for the win in both slalom and GS.”

Shiffrin’s triumphant run has seen her lead in the overall standings increase to 721 points over second-place Holdener, while she leads Vlhova in the slalom standings by 235 points.

Not that she will take anything for granted because, as Shiffrin said, ”there are quite a few who have the ability to win. It’s still competition.”

The slumping Chicago White Sox are playing a team that didn’t give up on its season despite a terrible start [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-patrick-maroon-jersey]Patrick Maroon Jersey[/url] , so maybe they decided that was a pretty good strategy to adopt.

The White Sox could have easily given up on their Tuesday night game against the surging Cincinnati Reds despite falling behind 4-0 before they’d gotten an out and 7-2 following Adam Duvall’s three-run homer in the fifth inning.

And given up on the series, too, since the Reds beat them 5-3 on Monday for their 15th victory in a span of 20 games, the National League’s best record since June 10. The Reds also were 7-1 in interleague games.

Instead, the White Sox managed to tie it first at 7-all on a Leury Garcia pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth and at 8-all on Avisail Garcia’s second home run of the game and third of the series, in the ninth.

The White Sox finally broke through to win it 12-8 in the 12th on Yoan Moncada’s bases-full triple that right fielder Brandon Dixon brought back over the wall to prevent a homer but couldn’t keep in his glove, and Yolmer Sanchez’s RBI triple — both off reliever Jackson Stephens.

“The pitch was up and in but I was able to put the barrel on it and get a triple,” said Moncada, who had a three-hit night after coming in with a .191 average in his previous 44 games. “Little by little, the work I’ve been putting in day in and day out, I’ve been feeling better (at the plate).”

Well before the 12th, the White Sox began their comeback as Daniel Palka hit a two-run homer in the fourth [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-pavel-zacha-jersey]Youth Pavel Zacha Jersey[/url] , then teamed with Garcia to homer in the sixth. Garcia has a 13-game hitting streak, and is 14-for-30 with four homers and six RBIs in his last six games.

Now, after winning for only the second time in six contests and the sixth time in 19 games, the White Sox are in position to take the series if they can win Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. White Sox right-hander Dylan Covey (3-3, 4.82 ERA) will oppose Reds right-hander Sal Romano (4-8, 5.30) in a matchup of pitchers who haven’t faced the opposing team before.

Covey is in a major slump, going 0-2 with an elevated 12.71 ERA with 12 walks and three strikeouts over his last three starts — this after he was 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his first three starts in June. His last time out, he surrendered four home runs and eight earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of a 11-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday.

“I made a couple of mistakes they capitalized on,” Covey told reporters afterward. “For the most part I was throwing good pitches. They were just taking the borderline ones and were all over everything that was in the zone. I don’t have an explanation.”

Manager Rick Renteria did.

“I think there were probably a lot of pitches left over the center of plate,” he said.

Or exactly the kind of pitches the White Sox jumped on Tuesday while getting 15 hits in only their second extra-inning win of the season, as compared to three losses. By winning, the White Sox avoided falling to a season-worst 27 games below .500.

The Reds have put together a string of improbable victories while starting to turn their season around after being 3-15 and 8-27. But this was a game in which they couldn’t hold a succession of leads — 4-0 [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-taylor-hall-jersey]Authentic Taylor Hall Jersey[/url] , 7-2, 8-7 — as they played more like they did in April.

“It got away from us late, but that’s a good offensive baseball team,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “Garcia’s a bear to deal with right now and he got us. … But we had a big-enough lead that we should have put it away in nine (innings).”

The Reds wasted a pair of two-run homers in the first by NL batting leader Scooter Gennett and NL RBIs leader Eugenio Suarez, plus Duvall’s three-run shot and a timely play by Billy Hamilton in which he scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on a ground ball to shortstop against a drawn-in infield.

“(But) we’ve been playing too good of baseball to get hung up on one game,” Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani said. “I don’t think this game is going to affect us one bit.”

Romano has pitched well in three of his last four starts, with a June 24 outing against the Cubs in which he gave up five runs in five innings being the only exception. He gave up only three runs over 20 innings in the other three starts.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (sore ankle) is expected back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday for precautionary reasons.

A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday:

NATIONAL DECLINE

The Nationals could use a spark before the July 4 fireworks go off in D.C. Washington is at risk of falling below .500 for the first time since May 2 as it continues a series against Boston at 11 a.m. EDT. The Red Sox thumped the Nationals 11-4 on Tuesday, giving Washington its fourth straight loss and 16th in 21 games to fall to 42-42. That slide has the preseason NL East favorites chasing the Braves and Phillies in the division. Erick Fedde (1-3, 6.00) tries to stop Washington’s skid against Boston left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3, 4.11).

THE SHO GOES ON

Shohei Ohtani is back from the disabled list, albeit without full use of his electric right arm. The Japanese two-way sensation has been cleared to hit and was in the Angels’ lineup as a designated hitter Tuesday night, but he won’t be pitching anytime soon due to a Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament suffered more than three weeks ago. Ohtani has received stem cell therapy and a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right elbow [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-will-butcher-jersey]Womens Will Butcher Jersey[/url] , and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to return to the mound this year. For now, Los Angeles welcomes him as a hitter. He entered Tuesday batting .289 with a .907 OPS and six homers in 114 at-bats.

ROTATION RESET

Gerrit Cole (9-2) will pitch on regular rest for the Astros after a slight tweak to their rotation. Lance McCullers Jr. was initially scheduled to start at Texas, but Cole will pitch instead. Justin Verlander (9-4) will follow Thursday at home against the White Sox and McCullers goes Friday. Manager A.J. Hinch said the switch keeps Cole and Verlander pitching every fifth day, and provides extra rest for McCullers (9-3) and Charlie Morton (10-2). The reset rotation means likely All-Star selection Verlander is scheduled for the final game before the break. ”This is always going to be the priority,” said Hinch, the All-Star manager who then won’t have Verlander available to pitch for the AL team on July 17 in Washington D.C.

BAUER POWER

Trevor Bauer tries to carry over an outstanding June when the Indians play at Kansas City. Bauer (7-6, 2.45) was 3-3 with a 2.18 ERA last month, striking out 62 batters in 41 1/3 innings. He gets probably his easiest test of the year against the Royals, who scored a major league-low 58 runs in June – the second-lowest output was Tampa Bay at 87.

—

The slumping Chicago White Sox are playing a team that didn’t give up on its season despite a terrible start [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-patrick-maroon-jersey]Patrick Maroon Jersey[/url] , so maybe they decided that was a pretty good strategy to adopt.

The White Sox could have easily given up on their Tuesday night game against the surging Cincinnati Reds despite falling behind 4-0 before they’d gotten an out and 7-2 following Adam Duvall’s three-run homer in the fifth inning.

And given up on the series, too, since the Reds beat them 5-3 on Monday for their 15th victory in a span of 20 games, the National League’s best record since June 10. The Reds also were 7-1 in interleague games.

Instead, the White Sox managed to tie it first at 7-all on a Leury Garcia pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth and at 8-all on Avisail Garcia’s second home run of the game and third of the series, in the ninth.

The White Sox finally broke through to win it 12-8 in the 12th on Yoan Moncada’s bases-full triple that right fielder Brandon Dixon brought back over the wall to prevent a homer but couldn’t keep in his glove, and Yolmer Sanchez’s RBI triple — both off reliever Jackson Stephens.

“The pitch was up and in but I was able to put the barrel on it and get a triple,” said Moncada, who had a three-hit night after coming in with a .191 average in his previous 44 games. “Little by little, the work I’ve been putting in day in and day out, I’ve been feeling better (at the plate).”

Well before the 12th, the White Sox began their comeback as Daniel Palka hit a two-run homer in the fourth [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-pavel-zacha-jersey]Youth Pavel Zacha Jersey[/url] , then teamed with Garcia to homer in the sixth. Garcia has a 13-game hitting streak, and is 14-for-30 with four homers and six RBIs in his last six games.

Now, after winning for only the second time in six contests and the sixth time in 19 games, the White Sox are in position to take the series if they can win Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park. White Sox right-hander Dylan Covey (3-3, 4.82 ERA) will oppose Reds right-hander Sal Romano (4-8, 5.30) in a matchup of pitchers who haven’t faced the opposing team before.

Covey is in a major slump, going 0-2 with an elevated 12.71 ERA with 12 walks and three strikeouts over his last three starts — this after he was 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his first three starts in June. His last time out, he surrendered four home runs and eight earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of a 11-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday.

“I made a couple of mistakes they capitalized on,” Covey told reporters afterward. “For the most part I was throwing good pitches. They were just taking the borderline ones and were all over everything that was in the zone. I don’t have an explanation.”

Manager Rick Renteria did.

“I think there were probably a lot of pitches left over the center of plate,” he said.

Or exactly the kind of pitches the White Sox jumped on Tuesday while getting 15 hits in only their second extra-inning win of the season, as compared to three losses. By winning, the White Sox avoided falling to a season-worst 27 games below .500.

The Reds have put together a string of improbable victories while starting to turn their season around after being 3-15 and 8-27. But this was a game in which they couldn’t hold a succession of leads — 4-0 [url=http://www.officialdevils.com/authentic-adidas-taylor-hall-jersey]Authentic Taylor Hall Jersey[/url] , 7-2, 8-7 — as they played more like they did in April.

“It got away from us late, but that’s a good offensive baseball team,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “Garcia’s a bear to deal with right now and he got us. … But we had a big-enough lead that we should have put it away in nine (innings).”

Keon Broxton homered twice [url=http://www.atlantafalconsteamonline.com/customized]Customized Atlanta Falcons Jerseys[/url] , dashed home on a rundown and made a diving catch in the ninth inning. With the depleted Brewers needing a little help, the newest addition to the roster did it all.

Broxton drove in four runs Friday night, and Chase Anderson pitched two-hit ball for six innings, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Brewers won their seventh straight against the Reds, their best such streak against Cincinnati in franchise history. Milwaukee is 7-1 overall in the season series.

Broxton was called up three days earlier when Lorenzo Cain suffered a groin strain. He had an RBI single, a solo homer , and a two-run shot as the Brewers pulled away with five runs in the ninth inning.

Broxton also scored from third during a rundown play in the eighth inning, going head-first to beat the throw.

”Probably one of my best games ever, honestly,” Broxton said. ”With the way they’re doing, I just want to come in, fill a spot and keep it moving.”

The NL Central leaders improved to are 48-33 at the midpoint of their season. The Brewers were 42-39 last season, when they finished second to the Cubs.

”Look, we’ve earned this [url=http://www.baltimoreravensteamauthentic.com/customized]Customized Baltimore Ravens Jerseys[/url] ,” manager Craig Counsell said. ”We’ve had a successful first half of the season. We’ve got to keep backing it up.”

They suffered another setback when Ryan Braun came out of the game in the seventh inning with a stiff back, leaving the Brewers missing two regulars. Christian Yelich also was sidelined by a sore back. Braun missed six games last month with a back problem.

Counsell said Braun’s back has bothered him lately. The Brewers are considering whether he’ll need to go on the disabled list.

”He tried to play but it just was getting worse as the game went on,” Counsell said.

Broxton and Anderson pulled them through.

Anderson (6-6) completed his rough month with one of his best performances. The right-hander was 1-3 in five previous June starts. He limited the Reds to Tucker Barnhart’s single through the first five innings. Reliever Michael Lorenzen connected in the sixth inning for his second homer in a week and his fourth career.

Broxton singled home a run in the second inning and led off the fourth with his first homer of the season off Sal Romano (4-8), who has lost all of his five career starts against Milwaukee.

”Sal’s better than that,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. ”He faced 25 batters in five innings. That isn’t good enough. I don’t take much positive out of this game.”

In the eighth inning, Broxton walked, stole a base and made it safely home from third when the Reds initially caught him in a rundown, then turned to Orlando Arcia at second base. Broxton reversed course and scored.

”That was a wild one,” he said. ”High adrenalin, and it was fun.”

He completed his big night with a two-run shot in the ninth off Jackson Stephens for his third career multi-homer game.

BREWERS PARK?

Milwaukee has homered in each of its last 17 games at Great American Ball Park, hitting a total of 38. It’s the longest such streak by an opponent at GABP. Milwaukee has homered in each of its last five games overall, matching its longest streak of the season.

LORENZEN CONNECTION

Lorenzen has four homers in his last 23 plate appearances since 2016. He also homered on June 24 against the Cubs.

STREAK SNAPPED

Milwaukee’s Jesus Aguilar singled twice but ended his streak of three straight games with a homer. He was trying to become the first Brewer to connect in four straight since Eric Thames did it last June. In his last 13 games, Aguilar is batting .432 with three doubles, eight homers and 17 RBIs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Yellich’s back tightened as he ran to first base in the series opener on Thursday. Counsell said after the game that it was improving with treatment.

Reds: Homer Bailey threw 100 pitches in his third minor league rehab appearance on Thursday night without physical problem [url=http://www.officialhockeypanthersshop.com/authentic-adidas-connor-brickley-jersey]Authentic Connor Brickley Jersey[/url] , but had trouble controlling his fastball, Riggleman said. Bailey has been sidelined since June 2 with a sore right knee. He’s 1-7 with a 6.68 ERA.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Jhoulys Chacin (6-3) is 0-2 with a 4.67 ERA in five career appearances at Great American Ball Park.

Reds: Rookie Tyler Mahle (6-6) is undefeated in five June starts, going 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA.

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From efforts to launch a cat into Instagram fame to offers to unravel yarn for an art project, people who aren’t part of the Super Bowl itself are using the game’s spotlight to promote their own ventures.

One online ad offers $40 an hour to someone who will impersonate a shirtless Christian Grey, the protagonist from ”Fifty Shades of Grey,” on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, the city where this year’s Super Bowl is being held. Another offers $13 hourly to someone who will walk back and forth and unravel yarn for an art project, according to Minnesota Public Radio News .

One woman wants to hire someone for $30 an hour to hand out flyers promoting the Instagram account for her 20-pound cat. Elizabeth ”Z” Townsend said she’s gotten 20 to 25 people interested in the job.

”I’ve always wanted to gain recognition in a way and when I got Dumpling, he’s just the most beautiful cat and I knew that other people would like him as well. It brings people joy. It brings me joy to follow other cats and animals on Instagram,” Townsend said.

The Super Bowl crowds offer so many opportunities for side hustles that one man is making a documentary about them. David Leach, of New York City, got the idea at last year’s Super Bowl in Houston. This year’s Super Bowl is Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium between the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.

”I was thinking, man, somebody has got to capture this. I mean [url=http://www.officialhockeypanthersshop.com/authentic-adidas-james-reimer-jersey]http://www.officialhockeypanthersshop.com/authentic-adidas-james-reimer-jersey[/url] , there are so many different personalities that go to the host city just because of the amount of money that’s on the street,” he said. ”I’ve never been to a place in my life where there’s more business transactions happening at every level.”

Leach hired two Minnesota residents to help him navigate the state as he makes his movie, called ”Hustler’s Holiday.”

”It’s really an amazing time just for anybody that’s working in almost any capacity, whether it be a chef or a hotel manager or an Uber driver or a DJ or a person trying to promote their cat,” Leach said.

Jackie Santrelle, 22, is hoping the Super Bowl could be her big break. She replied to a Craigslist ad seeking a Tina Turner impersonator, and was instead cast as Diana Ross for the ”Tribute to Motown” show at the Minnesota Music Cafe.

”It was amazing how the universe moves because I went in to do backgrounds and I came home Diana Ross,” Santrelle said.

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Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News,