NBA PLAYOFFS-EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Pacers extend their season
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β The Indiana Pacers have sent the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals back to Miami after pulling out a victory in Game 5.
Paul George scored 31 of his 37 points in the second half as the Pacers held off the Heat 93-90. George hit five 3-pointers and finished with six steals and six rebounds. He also accounted for 21 of Indiana’s 29 fourth-quarter points.
The Pacers saw an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead trimmed to 91-90 with 16 seconds left. David West went 2-for-4 from the line in the closing seconds and grabbed the rebound of his second miss to ice the victory.
West finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Roy Hibbert added 10 points and a game-high 13 boards.
LeBron James had a miserable game while plagued with foul trouble, shooting 2-for-10 in 24 minutes and scoring just seven points. Chris Bosh finished with team highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat. Rashard Lewis went 6-for-9 from 3-point range in scoring 18 points.
Dwyane (dwayn) Wade also had 18 points for the Heat, who host Game 6 on Friday.
NBA-CLIPPERS
AP source: Shelly Sterling reviewing bids for team
LOS ANGELES (AP) β Shelly Sterling is reviewing bids from five groups interested in buying the Los Angeles Clippers.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press if an agreement to sell is reached before next Tuesday, the league’s owners wouldn’t meet in New York to vote on terminating Donald Sterling’s ownership. The person told the AP the sale price “appears to be increasing to an unbelievable number,” and that it could soar past $1.5 to $2 billion, and possibly more.
NBA-FINE
Splitter fined for flopping
NEW YORK (AP) β San Antonio Spurs center Tiago Splitter was fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating anti-flopping rules during Game 4 of the Western Conference finals last night. Splitter was fined for a play in the second quarter of Spurs’ 105-92 loss at Oklahoma City.
NHL PLAYOFFS-WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Hawks win Chicago marathon
CHICAGO (AP) β The Chicago Blackhawks’ bid for a second straight Stanley Cup is still alive after they outlasted the Los Angeles Kings in double-overtime.
Michal Handzus (HAND’-zoos) scored at 2:04 of the second OT to lift the Hawks past the Kings 5-4. Handzus lifted a backhander for just his second postseason goal, allowing Chicago to force a Game 6 in the Western Conference finals.
The Blackhawks raced out to a 3-1 lead on goals by Brent Seabrook, Johnny Oduya (oh-DOO’-yuh) and Brandon Saad (sahd) 11:06 into the game. But Los Angeles found itself ahead 4-3 after Dustin Brown and Tanner Pearson tallied two minutes apart midway through the second period.
Saad and Oduya set up Ben Smith’s game-tying goal early in the third while the Hawks outshot the Kings 16-8 in the third period.
Saad finished with a goal and two assists, while Patrick Kane set up four goals.
Jonathan Quick stopped 40 shots for the Kings, who host Game 6 on Friday.
NHL-RANGERS SUSPENSION
Moore suspended for hit on Wiese
NEW YORK (AP) β New York Rangers defenseman John Moore has been suspended for two games by the NHL for an illegal check to Montreal Canadiens forward Dale Weise’s (WEES’-ehs) head in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday. Moore received a match penalty for the hit in the third period of Montreal’s 7-4 home victory.
GOLF-WOODS
Woods withdraws from US Open
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) β Tiger Woods will miss a second straight major next month.
The former No. 1 golfer has withdrawn from the U.S. Open as he recovers from back surgery that has kept him out of golf for nearly three months. Woods says on his website Wednesday he is physically unable to play golf at a high level.
The announcement was not a surprise. Woods said a week ago that he still has not taken a full swing with a golf club.
Woods last played a tournament at Doral on March 9.
The U.S. Open will be the sixth major that Woods has missed because of injuries.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Jays stretch win streak
UNDATED (AP) β The Toronto Blue Jays lead the majors in homers, but they can also win by playing small ball.
Pitcher Juan Carlos Oviedo (oh-vee-EH’-doh) threw away a bunt in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Kevin Pillar to score from second and sending the Blue Jays to their ninth straight win, 3-2 against Tampa Bay. That was the only run for Toronto after Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) hit a two-run single in the first inning. The Rays failed to score following Wil Myers’ two-run homer in the second.
The Blue Jays have won a team-record 11 straight games three times in franchise history, most recently last June.
Also in the majors:
β Josh Donaldson launched a walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the A’s past Detroit 3-1 in Oakland. Tigers starter Anibal (AH’-nih-bahl) Sanchez carried a two-hit shutout into the ninth before the Athletics improved to an American League-leading 32-21.
β Felix Hernandez is 7-1 after giving up just four hits while striking out nine over 8 2/3 innings of the Mariners’ 3-1 triumph over the Angels. Mike Zunino provided Seattle’s scoring with a two-run single and a solo homer.
β John Lackey pitched into the seventh inning and Xander Bogaerts (ZAN’-dur BOH’-gahrtz) had three hits as the Red Sox earned their third straight win since a 10-game skid, 4-0 over Atlanta. Lackey struck out nine and blanked the Braves despite allowing eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.
β Chris Carter homered twice and had four RBIs in the Astros’ fifth consecutive win, 9-3 at Kansas City. Rookie George Springer was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, leaving him with a .405 average, six homers and 15 RBIs during his 10-game hitting streak.
β The White Sox completed a three-game sweep by beating Cleveland 3-2 on Moises (MOY’-sehs) Sierra’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Chicago is 5-2 on their 10-game homestand.
β Luis Sardinas poked an RBI single in the seventh inning and Texas allowed just six hits in a 1-0 win over Minnesota. Leonys Martin (lee-OH’-nees mahr-TEEN’) had two hits and scored the game’s lone run.
β Khris Davis broke open a close game with a three-run homer in the eighth and Ryan Braun had two RBIs in Milwaukee’s 8-3 win over Baltimore. Yovani Gallardo (yoh-VAH’-nee gy-AHR’-doh) allowed four hits in 6 2/3 innings to get the win, one night after supplying a walk-off single.
β Jacoby Ellsbury was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored as the New York Yankees beat St. Louis 7-4 in the rubber match of the three-game set. Hiroki Kuroda improved to 4-3 but labored through 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and nine hits.
β Miami blew a 4-0 lead before Casey McGehee’s (mih-GEEZ’) RBI single in the 10th snapped a 4-4 tie in an 8-5 win over the Nationals in Washington. McGehee went 4-for-5 and scored twice as the Marlins dealt the Nationals their sixth loss in seven games.
β Philadelphia beat Colorado 6-3 on Ryan Howard’s three-run homer with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Howard had four RBIs and Chase Utley singled home the tying run with two out in the ninth.
β Bartolo Colon was a winner in his first start since his 41st birthday, allowing five hits and striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings to lead the New York Mets’ 5-0 shutout of Pittsburgh. David Wright and Lucas Duda each homered and had two RBIs to back Colon.
β Tim Lincecum (LIHN’-seh-kuhm) and five relievers combined on a two-hitter as San Francisco blanked the Chicago 5-0 to improve to a major league-best 34-19. Hector Sanchez hit a two-run double in the Giants’ sixth victory in seven games and second consecutive shutout.
β Arizona exploded for eight runs in the first inning of a 12-6 pounding of San Diego. Paul Goldschmidt and Martin Prado (mahr-TEEN’ PRAH’-doh) each hit two-run homers after igniting the first-inning assault with RBI singles.
β Homer Bailey pitched well in Cincinnati’s 3-2 triumph at Los Angeles, holding the Dodgers to two runs and five hits in seven innings. Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer and Todd Frazier was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Reds.
MLB-RANGERS/DARVISH
Darvish on track to pitch Sunday
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) β The Texas Rangers plan to start Yu Darvish on Sunday at Washington, making the announcement after he arrived at the ballpark today with his stiff neck feeling better.
Darvish was scratched from his start last night because of a sore neck, but an MRI showed nothing to be concerned about. Darvish is 4-2 in nine starts with a 2.35 ERA.
FRENCH OPEN-DAY 4
Ferrer, Kuznetsova, Jankovic and Stephens advance
PARIS (AP) β Fifth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain has comfortably advanced to the third round of the French Open by beating Italy’s Simone Bolelli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Ferrer, last year’s runner-up to Rafael Nadal, broke Bolleli’s serve five times and saved all four break points he faced.
Also, former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia advanced to the third round by beating Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Kuznetsova, seeded 27th, broke Giorgi’s serve four times and next faces either fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova or Marina Erakovic, who were playing later Thursday.
Sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and 15th-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States also advanced in straight sets.
Jankovic won 7-5, 6-0 against Japan’s Kurumi Nara and Stephens won 6-1, 6-3 against Slovenia’s Polona Hercog.
On Wednesday, women’s top seed and defending champion Serena Williams lost her second-round match to unseeded Garbine Muguruza (GAR’-been moo-guh-ROO’-zuh) of Spain, 6-2, 6-2. That was her earliest exit from a major tournament since falling in the first round in the French Open two years ago.
FOOTBALL-HERNANDEZ/HEARING
Hernandez pleads not guilty
BOSTON (AP) β Aaron Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to seven charges in the July 2012 shooting that killed two men and wounded another. Those charges include two counts of first-degree murder and come as Hernandez already is preparing for another murder trial.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that Hernandez felt disrespected after a stranger bumped into him and spilled his drink, prompting him to follow the man and his friends then open fire on their car at a red light.
NFL-COWBOYS
Linebacker could be lost for season
IRVING, Texas (AP) β Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee might miss the 2014 season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in the first offseason practice. During a play his left leg slid out from under him, as another player was closing for a block.
The 27-year old Lee hasn’t played a full season in four years because of injuries.
NFL-BILLS
Bills ink first round pick
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) β The Buffalo Bills have signed first-round pick Sammy Watkins to his rookie contract shortly after the team’s first session of organized team activities.
The Bills moved up five spots in the draft in a trade with the Cleveland Browns to select Watkins fourth overall.
COLLEGE SPORTS/ARIZONA
Arizona’s Miller and Rodriguez get extensions
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) β Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller has agreed on a one-year contract extension that will raise his base salary to $1.6 million for the final year of the deal. Miller has helped resurrect Arizona’s program, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament four times, including two trips to the Elite Eight.
Also, Arizona football coach Rich Rodriguez has agreed to a two-year contract extension through 2019 that will raise his base salary to $1.9 million. Rodriguez has led the Wildcats to a pair of 8-5 seasons and two bowl wins since arriving in Tucson.
Both extensions must be approved by the Arizona Board of Regents at its meetings June 5-6.
OBIT-MALCOLM GLAZER
Billionaire Man. U. and Bucs owner dead at 85
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) β Malcolm Glazer, the self-made billionaire who led the takeover of English soccer’s Manchester United and owned the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has died. He was 85. The Bucs say he died on Wednesday.
The reclusive Palm Beach businessman had been in failing health since April 2006 when a pair of strokes left him with impaired speech and limited mobility in his right arm and leg.
