Ben Brown stars as the Cubs blank the Reds 2-0 for a 1-hit shutout
CHICAGO (AP) — Drew Pomeranz, Ben Brown, Brad Keller and Daniel Palencia combined on a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 on Saturday.
Chicago used Pomeranz as an opener in front of Brown, and the strategy worked on a cool, blustery afternoon at Wrigley Field. Pomeranz pitched a 1-2-3 first before Brown struck out nine in six dominant innings for the NL Central leaders.
The Cubs scored their two runs in the eighth. Seiya Suzuki's flyball to right off Graham Ashcraft (3-4) was misplayed by Will Benson, and it landed in fair territory for an RBI double. Dansby Swanson drove in Kyle Tucker when he beat out a grounder to shortstop Elly De La Cruz for a two-out infield single.
Keller (2-0) worked the eighth and Palencia handled the ninth for his fifth save. It was Chicago's sixth shutout of the season.
Cincinnati wasted a sharp performance by Nick Lodolo, who pitched six innings of five-hit ball.
The 6-foot-6 Brown retired 14 of his first 15 batters before TJ Friedl singled with two out in the sixth for Cincinnati's only hit of the game.
Brown had a 9.90 ERA in the first inning over his first 10 starts of the season. He was tagged for eight runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings in his previous start Sunday at Cincinnati.
Key stat
It was Pomeranz's first start since Aug. 7, 2019, for Milwaukee at Pittsburgh. The left-hander has pitched 13 2/3 scoreless innings in 15 appearances since he was acquired in an April trade with Seattle.
Up next
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Crusaders beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 to clinch a home semifinal in Super Rugby
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — The Crusaders produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 Friday and claim home advantage in next week's Super Rugby semifinals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders' forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Advertisement Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. 'Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet and dark and we love it,' Hotham said. The result means the Crusaders are now 30-0 in home playoff matches while Australian teams are 0-20 in playoff matches in New Zealand. 'Obviously we're really disappointed with the result but I'm really proud of this group and the season that we had,' Reds captain Tate McDermott said. 'They were all over us at the breakdown and collision area and we just couldn't get into our cycle.' Advertisement The Reds fought hard and created early chances which often were undone by handling errors close to the goalline. They finally had success in the 70th minute when Josh Nasser scored from a lineout drive. Then, in the 76th minute, Fraser McReight scored from a kick by fellow backrower Harry Wilson. Replacement scrumhalf Kyle Preston finished with an intercept try for the Crusaders in the last minute. The Crusaders had scrum superiority which produced four penalties in the first half alone and dominated the collisions and the breakdown. The Reds suffered a major setback when they lost Wallabies flyhalf Tom Lynagh to a head injury midway through the first half. Advertisement 'We had to grind it out near the end there but I think the way our forwards set it up was huge and our set piece was huge so we're really happy with that,' Crusaders captain David Havili said. In the 15th minute the Crusaders won a breakdown turnover and Havili put the ball out five meters from the Reds line. Josh Canham won the ball cleanly for the Reds but in transferring it to Fraser McReight, Barrett got a hand in the way. He regained the ball and drove over for the first try of the match. In the 20th minute, the Crusaders won a penalty close to the Reds 22 when McDermott was ruled to be not supporting his weight at a ruck. The Crusaders kicked to the corner, Barrett won the lineout and after several thrusts, Williams forced his way over. He limped from the field a few minutes later with a knee injury. Rivez Reihana landed one of two conversions and the Crusaders led 12-0 at halftime. Advertisement Reihana left the field temporarily for a head injury assessment before halftime which allowed veteran flyhalf James O'Connor to make an earlier than expected appearance against his former Reds teammates. Hotham pursued his own kick to score a brilliant try in the 57th minute and Reihana scored after the Crusaders had sorely pressed the Reds' defense from lineouts. In other matches in the first playoff round, the Chiefs will play the Auckland-based Blues in Hamilton and the ACT Brumbies will play the Wellington-based Hurricanes on Saturday. ___ AP rugby:
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Albania and Serbia face off in a politically charged World Cup qualifier
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The roar of the crowd or the thrill of the game are hallmarks of international soccer. But when Albania and Serbia meet Saturday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, the energy will be different. The match in Tirana isn't just about three points as echoes of past confrontations are impossible to ignore. It's a clash deeply rooted in national identities that organizers are fighting hard to put aside. It is one of the most politically charged and emotionally intense rivalries in European football, rooted in deep historical and ethnic tensions, especially relating to the Kosovo conflict and broader Balkan history. Serbia and Albania are in the same European qualifying group — alongside England, Latvia and Andorra. The last time they met on Albanian soil was in 2015, when Serbia won 2-0 even though Serbian fans were banned from the match. The 2014 Belgrade brawl fresh in memories A 2014 game between the teams in Belgrade was abandoned when a drone carrying an Albanian flag sparked a full-scale brawl. Albania was awarded a 3-0 victory after a ruling said the match couldn't be continued due to the hostile environment at the stadium. That clinched Albania's qualification to the 2016 European Championship — a first for the team. That match had already been considered high risk. Kosovo, which has a majority Albanian population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008 — a move Serbia does not recognize. Football, often a mirror of nationalism and politics, reflected this deep divide. As Tirana braces for the latest showdown, memories of that night — and the nationalistic fervor it unleashed — hover just beneath the surface. Serbia's tense ties with Kosovo Serbia and Albania remain at odds over the status of now-independent Kosovo, and fan rivalry is still intense. Almost half of the Albanian squad is of Albanian origin from Kosovo, North Macedonia or southern Serbia. For players, this is a contest overshadowed by history, politics, and national pride — a reminder that sometimes sport is anything but just a game. Albania defender Elseid Hysaj, who was part of the 2014 match, said the chaos 'should not be repeated.' 'We should be calm and be conscious that we are football players,' he said. 'We are here to please the fans and give our best for the victory.' Organizers remind fans it's a game Armand Duka, president of the Albanian Football Federation, called on Albanians to see the match as a sports event 'where the team gets support and positive energy from the fans to achieve the goal.' 'We want to give the message: let's live it as a sport festivity,' Duka told The Associated Press. There will be a heavy police presence, road closures, and searches of fans entering the stadium. Serbian fans are barred, which 'will contribute to a quieter environment,' Duka said. The sides have taken steps to forge a better relationship. Albania and Serbia will co-host the men's Under-21 European Championship in 2027 in a project that aims to overcome political tensions. 'Players do not bear the burden of history or of the political tensions,' Duka said. 'They compete on the pitch to win, to give the best for the jersey they represent and, above all, to build the bridge of respect through the game.' Nationalists and soccer fans at odds Although political tensions have somewhat subsided in recent years, nationalists and soccer fans on both sides are deeply at odds. Both Albania and Serbia have faced sanctions from European soccer's governing body because of politically-charged incidents involving fans. Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic, however, recently added fuel by telling Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic at a big rally of his supporters that Serbia must win. 'Go there and beat them,' he said, addressing Stojkovic who was in the crowd. Stojkovic and some players have tried to ease tensions, saying it is just another match. 'Everyone says that the first game is very important,' Stojkovic said of Serbia's opener in Group K. 'We are very focused on starting the way we want to and we will prepare to play the best we can in that sense, with all due respect to Albania.' ___ Associated Press writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia. ___ AP soccer:
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Commanders receiver recovered and ready to make impact in 2025
Commanders receiver recovered and ready to make impact in 2025 One Commander was making an impact when injury ended his 2024 season. Noah Brown was a very welcome addition to the wide receiver room before his sudden injury, a kidney laceration against the Titans in Week 13, which brought an immediate conclusion to his season. At Washington's OTA, Wednesday, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn was asked about Brown's health and present condition. 'Yeah, he's a really, really tough competitor and we really missed Noah in some spaces." Following the Titans game, there had been speculation that Brown's injury was a rib problem. However, further investigation revealed that a kidney had been lacerated. Brown was placed on the injured reserve list a week after the injury. Quinn pointed out Wednesday how Brown in his physical and aggressive play, also drew pass interference penalties last season. "I'm not, you don't quote me exactly, but there was a lot of PIs against Noah. He's got such a unique ability to go up and contest plays and catches, and so there were two plays back-to-back of yesterday's practice of Noah and [CB] Noah [Igbinoghene] competing against you saw the length. And I loved seeing those small matchups on one catch of guys working their skills together." Despite Brown's potentially serious injury, Quinn and GM Adam Peters both wanted Brown to return to the Commanders in 2025. Brown was signed to another one-year deal and proclaimed he was "ready to go." With his size and experience in the NFL, the Commanders can again plan to utilize his body, particularly in the Red Zone. Brown also displayed the ability and, perhaps more importantly, the willingness to stick his head in there in the Commanders' running game last season. "But the fact that we can put Noah in a lot of spots and he's really, really dependable. So probably the thing that most everybody doesn't know is like this is an elite competitor and so he is got a, you would think it's a quiet demeanor but it's a focused one.' In 2024, Brown was fourth in passing targets (56), passing receptions (35), receiving yards (453), and receiving first downs (21). Averaging 12.9 yards per reception, Brown was the second-highest on the team, and his 52-yard reception was also the second-highest for the Commanders. Of course, Brown will be best remembered for catching the Hail Mary against the Bears.
