NBA PLAYOFFS
Pacers, Thunder close out series
UNDATED (AP) — The NBA’s conference finals are set. The Indiana Pacers have earned the right to take on the Miami Heat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year. And like the East, the Western Conference finals will have the top two seeds after Oklahoma City advanced to take on San Antonio.
The Pacers advanced by downing the Wizards in Game 6 of the conference semifinals, winning 93-80 in Washington.
David West led the way with a game-high 29 points, six rebounds and four assists. Lance Stephenson added 17 points on 8-of-13 from the field for the Pacers, who shot over 50 percent.
Indiana saw a 16-point, third-quarter lead trimmed to 79-76 with 6:07 to play before the Pacers closed the series on a 14-4 run.
Marcin Gortat (MAHR’-chihn GOHR’-that) had 19 points for the Wizards, but guards Bradley Beal and John Wall shot a combined 12-for-35 in scoring 28 points.
In Los Angeles, Kevin Durant shot 5-for-8 from 3-point range and finished with 39 points in the Thunder’s 104-98 win over the Clippers in Game 6. Durant also had a game-high 16 rebounds for the Thunder, who trailed by 14 with less than two minutes left in the second quarter before dominating the second half. Durant provided 25 points after intermission.
Russell Westbrook shot just 4-for-15 but finished with 19 points and 12 assists to help the Thunder overcome Chris Paul’s 25 points and 11 assists. Blake Griffin added 22 points, eight boards and eight assists for L.A.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Yanks blank Mets again for split of four-game season series
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Yankees have come away with a split of their home-and-home season series with the New York Mets by posting their second straight shutout.
Chase Whitley combined with three relievers on a three-hitter and Alfonso Soriano doubled home the game’s only run in a 1-0 win over the Mets. Whitley allowed two hits over 4 2/3 innings in his major league debut, one night after Masahiro Tanaka (mah-sah-HEE’-roh tah-NAH’-kah) fired a four-hit shutout.
Mets starter Jacob deGrom (deh-GRAHM’) carried a shutout into the seventh inning of his big league debut before Soriano drove in Brian McCann. The run came after David Wright was unable to complete an inning-ending double play.
DeGrom allowed just four hits while striking out sixth over seven innings.
The Mets managed just seven hits in two games against the Yankees at Citi Field after scoring 21 runs in two games in the Bronx earlier this week.
Also in the majors:
— San Francisco fell behind 4-1 before Michael Morse smacked a two-run homer and collected three RBIs in the Giants’ 6-4 comeback against Tampa Bay. Buster Posey hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the fifth inning as the Giants improved to 27-15, tops in the National League.
— Mike Trout launched a walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Los Angeles Angels past Tampa Bay 6-5. The Rays had a 5-2 lead in the ninth until Collin Cowgill poked an RBI single and scored on Trout’s eighth homer of the season.
— Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) tossed a three-hitter and Brandon Phillips belted a three-run homer as Cincinnati blanked San Diego 5-0 in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader. Cueto improved to 4-2 and lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.25 with his second shutout of the season.
— The Padres beat the Reds 6-1 in Game 2 as Tyson Ross allowed three hits in seven innings. Rene Rivera, Everth (EV’-urth) Cabrera and Yonder Alonso homered in San Diego’s fifth victory in six games.
— Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 4-3 on a two-run single by Khris Davis in the bottom of the ninth. Rickie Weeks and Martin (mahr-TEEN’) Maldonado hit solo homers as the Brewers improved to 27-15, tying the Giants for the National League’s best record.
— Michael Wacha (WAH’-kah) pitched seven innings and hit a two-run single to lead the Cardinals’ 5-3 triumph over the Chicago Cubs in St. Louis. Wacha’s hit was part of a four-run second that helped the Redbirds take the rubber match of the series. He also allowed two runs and seven hits to win for the first time in his last six starts.
— Nelson Cruz smacked a two-run homer and Wei-Yin Chen pitched into the sixth inning as Baltimore topped Kansas City 2-1 to end a four-game losing streak. Chen limited the Royals to a run and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings before the Baltimore bullpen tossed perfect ball the rest of the way.
— Aaron Hicks lined an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th to complete Minnesota’s 4-3 win over Boston. The Twins rallied after Will Middlebrooks forced extra innings with a run-scoring single in the ninth. Chris Parmelee hit a two-run homer for the Twins, who earned walkoff victories twice in the three-game series.
— Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) homered twice and had three RBIs as Toronto doubled up Cleveland 4-2. Juan Francisco also hit a solo shot to back J.A. Happ, who limited the Indians to a run and six hits in six innings.
MLB-COMMISSIONER SEARCH
Cards chairman leading committee search for new commissioner
UNDATED (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. will lead the committee to find a successor to baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who is scheduled to retire in January. The committee already has started meeting and is to identify the candidate or candidates for Major League Baseball’s executive council, which is to make a recommendation to owners. Selig sidestepped whether he would remain as commissioner emeritus, saying details would be worked out in the coming months.
In other major league news:
— The Miami Marlins say ace Jose Fernandez will have Tommy John surgery Friday. The 21-year-old Fernandez is 4-2 with a 2.44 ERA after winning last season’s NL Rookie of the Year award.
— Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because a pain-relief injection did not ease the effects of a bone spur in his right elbow. If the elbow doesn’t improve Beltran will likely need surgery, which could sideline him six to eight weeks.
— Giants right-hander Tim Hudson will miss his next start because of a strained left hip. The 38-year-old Hudson apparently injured himself during Sunday’s 7-4 win against the Dodgers.
— The Oakland Athletics have acquired outfielder and first baseman Kyle Blanks from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league outfielder Jake Goebbert and a player to be named. The A’s designated Daric Barton for assignment to make roster room for Blanks, who is expected to join the team tomorrow in Cleveland.
— The Toronto Blue Jays have put outfielder Colby Rasmus on the 15-day disabled list because of a sore right hamstring and recalled outfielder Anthony Gose from Triple-A Buffalo. Rasmus is batting .222 with nine homers and 19 RBIs.
— The Cleveland Indians have placed speedy outfielder Nyjer (NY’-jur) Morgan on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right knee suffered while running down a fly ball last night. The Indians recalled infielder Jesus Aguilar (HAY’-soos AG’-ee-ahr) from Triple-A Columbus.
— The New York Mets have placed catcher Travis d’Arnaud on the 7-day concussion list and called up Juan Centeno from Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets also recalled Josh Edgin from Las Vegas after designating reliever Kyle Farnsworth for assignment.
— The Tampa Bay Rays have put second baseman Ben Zobrist on the 15-day disabled list after he dislocated his left thumb in Wednesday’s win at Seattle. The Rays filled the roster spot by selecting the contract of infielder Cole Figueroa from Triple-A Durham.
NFL-HERNANDEZ/CHARGES
New murder charges for Hernandez
BOSTON (AP) — Prosecutors have announced new murder charges against Aaron Hernandez, saying the former New England Patriots tight end ambushed and shot to death two men following a chance encounter inside a Boston nightclub.
The victims in the July 2012 shooting were killed in a car as they waited at a red light in Boston’s South End neighborhood, a few weeks before Hernandez signed a five-year deal worth about $40 million.
Hernandez is awaiting trial in the separate 2013 shooting death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd.
Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said the investigation of the Boston killings moved forward after the Lloyd case, which will be tried separately in another Massachusetts court. He noted the discovery of the car Hernandez was driving the night the men died and the recovery of the alleged murder weapon from an unnamed person with ties to Hernandez.
Conley declined to say whether authorities suspected any connection between the two shootings.
Hernandez’s attorneys say their client is innocent of these charges and looks forward to his day in court.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-CONNECTICUT/OLLIE
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie says he’s not looking for another job despite being linked to several NBA job openings, including with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ollie just led the Huskies to the national championship in his second season since replacing Jim Calhoun. He says he loves the university and is hoping to work out a new contract with athletic director Warde Manuel. His current deal runs through the end of the 2017-18 season.
NFL-BROWNS/AUSTIN
Austin to serve as Gordon insurance
UNDATED (AP) — The Browns have agreed to contract terms with free agent wide receiver Miles Austin, insurance in case Pro Bowler Josh Gordon is suspended.
The two-time Pro Bowler was released by the Dallas Cowboys two months ago in a salary-cap move. The 29-year-old played in just 11 games last season because of injuries.
Miles had his best season in 2009, when he had 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns.
ESPN reported last week that Gordon is facing a one-year suspension for failing another drug test.
NFL-BEARS
Bears have all 8 picks under contract
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears already have signed their eight selections from last week’s NFL draft. The last to sign was third-round pick Will Sutton, a defensive tackle from Arizona State.
PGA-BYRON NELSON
Hanson is early pace-setter
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Leader Peter Hanson made his only back-nine birdie with a 6-foot putt on 18 to close out a 5-under-par 65 in the first round of the Byron Nelson Championship near Dallas. Hanson made the turn at 5 under after shooting 30 on the front side.
David Duval, Marc Leishman (LEESH’-muhn) and Tim Wilkinson are one stroke behind Hanson, whose six birdie putts were inside 10 feet.
Martin Kaymer (KY’-mur) is among eight players at 67, four days after he won The Players Championship.
LPGA-KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP
Ernst, Munoz share lead
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — Azahara Munoz and Austin Ernst are co-leaders through the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship at 6-under 65. The former NCAA individual champions completed their morning rounds on the front nine at Kingsmill’s River Course. Munoz birdied four of her last seven holes, and Ernst closed with birdies on No. 7 and 9.
South Korea’s Hee Young Park shot 66.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
A major event for the seniors
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Jay Haas, Mark Calcavecchia (kal-kah-lah-VEK’-ee-uh), Olin Browne and Chien Soon Lu share the first-round lead in the Regions Tradition, the first of the Champions Tour’s five majors.
All four shot 3-under 69s under windy, unseasonably cool conditions at Shoal Creek. It was the highest score to lead after the first round at the Tradition since three players were tied at 3 under in 1990 at Desert Mountain in Arizona.
