Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC Thunder recalibrated and have Pacers in trouble
Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed Allen Iverson for most points by a player through his first two Finals games.
He tied Michael Jordan and LeBron James with 11 games in one playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists.
The Thunder has still only lost two straight games twice all year, not once in the playoffs.
Indiana's the first team without a 20-point scorer through two games since Miami in 2013.
OKC's 33 free-throw attempts were the third-most by a team in a Finals game since 2016.
And one for Caruso, the elite defensive guard who isn't known for his scoring. Caruso's 20 points tied his playoff high (also done against Denver) and most amazingly, he only has scored at least 20 five times in 417 career regular-season games.
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Winnipeg Free Press
44 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Andrew Abbott throws 3-hitter and Spencer Steer drives in only run as Reds beat Guardians
CLEVELAND (AP) — Andrew Abbott pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game and Spencer Steer had an RBI single in the fifth inning, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a 1-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night. Abbott (6-1) struck out five and walked one in a 110-pitch gem, bouncing back from his first loss on June 4 against Milwaukee. It was the first shutout by a Cincinnati pitcher since Wade Miley no-hit Cleveland on May 7, 2021, also at Progressive Field. Steer's sharp single to right in the fifth off Slade Cecconi (1-3) plated Will Benson, but the Reds' potential big inning was thwarted by back-to-back lunging catches by Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana in foul territory. The Reds have won five straight, along with the first five games of the 'Ohio Cup' season series, in manager Terry Francona's homecoming to Cleveland. MARLINS 3, PIRATES 2 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sandy Alcantara struck out six in six shutout innings, and Miami edged Pittsburgh. Alcantara (3-7) allowed three hits and walked one in his first win since April 12. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner went 0-7 with a 9.07 ERA in his previous nine starts. Calvin Faucher worked around a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his fifth save as the Marlins won for just the second time in nine games. Nick Fortes hit his second homer of the season for Miami, a two-run shot off Mitch Keller (1-9) in the third. Eric Wagaman added two hits for the Marlins, including an RBI single in the fourth. TIGERS 5, ORIOLES 3 BALTIMORE (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered and Sawyer Gipson-Long pitched effectively out of the bullpen to help Detroit beat Baltimore. Zach McKinstry hit two triples for the Tigers, who have won 11 of 15 and own the best record in the majors at 44-24. Detroit is 4-0 against the Orioles this season, outscoring them 22-9. Making his second start of the season as an opener for the Tigers, Brant Hurter allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings. Chase Lee (3-0) got the last out in the third, and Gipson-Long entered in the fourth after Javier Báez hit an RBI single in the top half for a 2-1 lead. Making his second appearance of the year after missing the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John and hip surgeries, Gipson-Long gave up one run and three hits with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. CUBS 8, PHILLIES 4 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ian Happ homered twice, including a two-run shot in the sixth inning that rallied Chicago to a win over Philadelphia. Dansby Swanson, Happ and Michael Busch each hit a solo shot off rookie Phillies starter Mick Abel. The 23-year-old Abel dazzled in his first two major league starts, with a 0.79 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings. He wasn't dominant in this one but kept the Phillies in the game. He had the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth but got Kyle Tucker to check-swing on his 89th pitch for strike three to end the threat. Abel has been a boost to a rotation that learned Aaron Nola wouldn't be able to throw the ball for at least two more weeks because of an injured rib. Nola had already been out since early May with a sprained right ankle. Max Kepler hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia in the second. RED SOX 3, RAYS 1 BOSTON (AP) — Roman Anthony, the top prospect in baseball, hit a two-run double for his first major league hit and added a sliding catch in right field to help Boston beat the Tampa Bay. One night after his MLB debut, when he went hitless and committed an error in an 11-inning loss, Anthony went 1 for 4 with his family in the stands and gave Boston a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a sharp double to left. Trevor Story added two hits for the Red Sox, including a solo homer over the Green Monster and onto Lansdowne Street. Lucas Giolito, who gave up seven runs to the Angels in his last start — four of them before recording his first out — picked up his first win in five starts. Giolito (2-1) limited Tampa Bay to one unearned run — thanks to his own errant pickoff throw — on three hits and three walks while striking out four over six innings. Greg Weissert pitched the ninth for his first save. Ryan Pepio (3-6) gave up three runs on five hits and two walks, striking out nine in 5 2/3 innings for Tampa Bay. METS 5, NATIONALS 4, 10 INNINGS NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff McNeil doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning and New York rallied past Washington in the opener of a three-game series between NL East foes. Juan Soto hit a solo homer and an RBI double for the Mets against his original team. He also threw out a runner at home plate from right field. Pete Alonso delivered a tying single in the eighth after Soto's two-out double trimmed it to 4-3. New York (43-24), which has the best record in the National League, has won four straight and 13 of 16 to move 19 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 101-61 in 2022. CJ Abrams homered, doubled twice and drove in two runs for the Nationals. Nathaniel Lowe launched a two-run homer off Griffin Canning in the first, and MacKenzie Gore pitched six steady innings in his latest terrific performance. BREWERS 4, BRAVES 1 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers hit home runs, Quinn Priester struck out seven in six strong innings and Milwaukee defeated Atlanta. Chourio put the Brewers on the board with a 409-foot, two-run homer in the third off Grant Holmes (3-5). The Braves got a run in the fifth on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s single, his third consecutive hit of the game. Milwaukee extended its lead to 3-1 in the sixth on Bauers' leadoff home run, a 410-foot shot to straightaway center. The Brewers added another in the seventh when William Contreras drew a bases-loaded walk. Priester (4-2) gave up seven hits and one run. His seven strikeouts were one off a season high, and he didn't walk a batter in a 96-pitch outing. Trevor Megill pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 tries. RANGERS 16, TWINS 4 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Higashioka had a season-high five RBIs, Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford hit home runs and Texas beat Minnesota. Carter finished with three hits, three RBIs and scored four times for the Rangers, who had 17 hits. Jake Burger reached safely and advanced to second on a fielding error to lead off the fourth inning and scored on a double by Adolis García. Higashioka followed with a two-run single that gave Texas a 3-0 lead. The Rangers scored five runs with two outs in the fifth and Carter's two-run shot made it 10-3 in the sixth. Tyler Mahle (6-3) gave up four runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Ty France and Royce Lewis hit back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth. Trevor Larnach hit a two-out double and Ryan Jeffers followed with an RBI single in the fifth and Matt Wallner hit a leadoff homer in the sixth. Langford's leadoff homer sparked a six-run eighth that made it 16-4. BLUE JAYS 10, CARDINALS 9 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrés Giménez and Alejandro Kirk each homered, and Toronto beat St. Louis. Chris Bassitt (7-3) gave up four runs on six hits in seven innings for the Blue Jays. Jeff Hoffman got the final out of the game to earn his 17th save in 20 tries despite giving up a three-run homer to Willson Contreras. The Blue Jays have won 11 of their last 13 and are a league-best 21-10 over their last 31 games. Miles Mikolas (4-3) allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings, and the Cardinals lost their third straight. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. YANKEES 10, ROYALS 2 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Austin Wells hit a three-run homer and finished with five RBIs, Aaron Judge hit the third-longest homer in the majors this season, and New York routed Kansas City. Max Fried (9-1) bounced back from his first loss of the season, pitching seven innings of two-run ball for New York. Wells homered on a full-count pitch from Noah Cameron (2-2) with two outs in the fourth inning, then added a two-run double in the sixth after a 10-pitch duel with Taylor Clarke. He matched his career high for RBIs in a game. Judge's two-run homer in the first had an exit velocity of 117.9 mph and traveled 469 feet, landing on the roof of the Royals Hall of Fame in left field. Only the Angels' Mike Trout and Logan O'Hoppe have hit longer home runs this season.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Deadlocked NBA finals move to Indianapolis for Game 3
The Oklahoma City Thunder showed their bounce-back capability in Game 2. The Indiana Pacers know they better do the same in Game 3. The NBA finals resume Wednesday night with the series tied at a game apiece, the matchup shifting to Indianapolis for Game 3 and what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years. And the Pacers know it's on them to respond after Game 2 wasn't much of a contest. It's obviously possible: The Pacers haven't lost back-to-back games in three months, going 9-0 after losses in that span. This would be a good time for them to extend that run. 'Biggest game of the year,' Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. That's technically accurate when said before any finals game, but it does ring especially true in this case. Indiana did what it had to do in Oklahoma City; it got a win and stole home-court advantage. Win three games at home over the next week or so, and the Pacers will be NBA champions. Lose any game at home, and the Thunder get the edge right back. But the Pacers have shown a penchant for resiliency. It's much like how Oklahoma City is 17-2 after losses this season (or 18-2, if counting the NBA Cup final); the latest bounce-back effort for the Thunder came in Game 2 after Indiana won Game 1 of the finals. 'I think that we try not to dwell on things,' Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. 'As NBA players, just as basketball players in general, it's easy to make a mistake and dwell on it, give up a bucket or whatever. I feel like we do a great job of getting to the next play.' When the finals are tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner eventually wins the title 80.5 per cent of the time. It's a big, big game and everybody knows the stakes. 'I think we just have to keep finding ways to get better as a group,' Thunder guard and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'If we continue to do that, we'll be just fine. If we've struggled in an area, that's an area we can get better at. We have to attack that opportunity. I think Game 3 is a perfect example of that.' Haliburton's status Haliburton was limping after Game 2 and acknowledged there's an issue with his lower leg. He didn't offer much in the way of details, and it doesn't matter. He's playing. 'He practised. He went through everything,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'I know he has some discomfort. He feels it. But each day it's getting better. I don't think you're going to hear him making a big deal out of it. This is the time of year where it just doesn't get any better than this.' Pacers at home The Thunder have a big home-court edge thanks to their crowd at Paycom Center. The Pacers are hoping for just as much energy – if not more – from their crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Games 3 and 4. And the Thunder know what's coming. 'That's one thing we have to be ready for coming in here, is understand they're going to be playing with a lot of energy,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'They play very well here. They play very comfortable here. We've got to level up to that if we want to give ourselves a chance to compete.' Long time coming Indiana's Myles Turner has played in 346 games at home with the Pacers, including playoffs – by far more than anyone else on the team. No. 347 will be his first there in the NBA Finals. 'I think the city's been waiting for an opportunity like this. I expect a hell of an environment [Wednesday],' Turner said. 'I know it's going to be. It's exciting times for everybody, just to experience the finals in Indianapolis.' Thunder in the first half The Thunder won the first and second quarters in Games 1 and 2, taking a 12-point halftime lead in Game 1 and an 18-point halftime lead in Game 2. Indiana knows that can't keep happening. Oklahoma City is 63-9 with halftime leads this season. 'Obviously it's going to be a different challenge coming on the road,' Thunder guard Alex Caruso said. 'This place will be rowdy. They'll be excited to cheer on their team. For us, I think just sticking with the details of the stuff that we've talked about as a team that are important to win the game.' Winning on the road Road teams are still winning at about a 44-per-cent clip in these playoffs, which is on pace to be the best record in 30 years. Entering Wednesday, road teams are 35-44 in this postseason. Teams won road games at a 45 per cent clip in 1995. That doesn't count the 2020 COVID-19 'bubble' playoffs, where everybody was in one spot at Lake Buena Vista, Florida and the 'road' winning percentage was .518 – 43-40. Oklahoma City is 4-3 on the road in these playoffs. Indiana is 7-3. The best league-wide road record for a playoff season was in 1966 – 14-13, a .519 winning percentage.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alcantara pitches 6 shutout innings as the Marlins edge the Pirates 3-2
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sandy Alcantara struck out six in six shutout innings, and the Miami Marlins edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Tuesday night. Alcantara (3-7) allowed three hits and walked one in his first win since April 12. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner went 0-7 with a 9.07 ERA in his previous nine starts. Calvin Faucher worked around a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his fifth save as the Marlins won for just the second time in nine games. Nick Fortes hit his second homer of the season for Miami, a two-run shot off Mitch Keller (1-9) in the third. Eric Wagaman added two hits for the Marlins, including an RBI single in the fourth. Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz homered against Miami reliever Ronny Henriquez to get the Pirates within one but it wasn't enough as Pittsburgh's season-high four-game win streak came to an end. Keller allowed eight hits in six innings. The veteran right-hander is winless since beating the Marlins in his first start of the season on March 28. The Pirates fell to 15-15 since Don Kelly replaced Derek Shelton as manager in early May. Key moment Faucher appeared wobbly after hitting Spencer Horwitz and giving up a single to Nick Gonzales to start the ninth. The Marlins caught a break, however, when pinch-runner Jared Triolo stumbled on Gonzales' hit to right field, preventing him from attempting to head to third. Triolo ended the game on third base as the tying run. Key stat Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 2.28 — the run support Keller has received this season, one of the main reasons he is 1-9 despite a respectable 4.15 ERA. Up next The series wraps up with a matinee on Wednesday. Cal Quantrill (3-6, 5.63 ERA) starts for Miami against Pittsburgh's Bailey Falter (4-3, 3.49 ERA). __ AP MLB:
