NBA-SCHEDULE
Grizzlies stuff Steph…Hawks Pierced by Wizards
UNDATED (AP) β The Memphis Grizzlies have a two-games-to-one lead in the NBA’s Western Conference semifinals after managing to shut down Golden State’s lethal outside shooting attack.
Regular season MVP Stephen (STEH’-fehn) Curry and the Warriors continued to misfire in a 99-89 loss at Memphis. Curry scored 23 points but was 8 of 21 from the field, including 2 of 10 outside the arc. The Warriors went just 6 of 26 from 3-point range and 19 of 28 at the free throw line.
Zach Randolph had 22 points for the Grizzlies, who have won two straight since Mike Conley returned to the lineup. Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds, while Conley added 11 points.
Game 4 is Monday in Memphis.
The Warriors weren’t the only No. 1 seed to lose on Saturday.
Paul Pierce drained a 21-footer and the Wizards bounced back from their only postseason loss to beat the Atlanta Hawks 103-101. The Wizards had just blown a 21-point, fourth-quarter lead before Pierce gave them a two-games-to-one edge in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Nene (neh-NAY’), Bradley Beal and Otto Porter each had 17 points for the Wizards, who played their second straight game without All-Star guard John Wall because of broken bones in his left hand and wrist. Pierce finished with 13 points and hit three of Washington’s 10 3-pointers.
Dennis Schroder and Jeff Teague (teeg) led the top-seeded Hawks with 18 points apiece. Paul Millsap was out of Atlanta’s starting lineup because of flu-like symptoms and was ineffective during his 23 minutes on the court, scoring eight points on 2 of 6 shooting.
Game 4 is Monday in Washington.
NBA-CLIPPERS-PAUL
Paul to play in Game 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) β Chris Paul’s hamstring injury is showing improvement, allowing him to start for the Clippers in Game 4 of their NBA playoff series against Houston Sunday.
Coach Doc Rivers says Paul might play a few more minutes than he did in Game 3 because he was feeling better a day after the Clippers win.
LA leads the Western Conference semifinals 2-1.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Habs again avoid elimination
MONTREAL (AP) β The Montreal Canadiens have staved off elimination for the second straight game to force a Game 6 in their second-round series.
P.A. Parenteau (PAR’-ehn-toh) snapped a 1-1 tie with 4:07 remaining and Carey Price stopped 24 shots as the Canadiens topped Tampa Bay 2-1. P.K. Subban (SOO’-ban) slipped the puck to Parenteau for a long shot over goalie Ben Bishop’s glove.
Devante Smith-Pelly opened the scoring midway through the first period, and it remained 1-0 until Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos tallied at 9:27 of the third.
Game 6 is Tuesday in Tampa.
HOCKEY-WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Canada earns quarterfinal berth
PRAGUE (AP) β Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle scored the go-ahead go in the third period to lead Canada to a 4-3 win over France at the ice hockey world championship. The Canadiens kept their perfect record intact and earned the first spot in the quarterfinals.
Sweden advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Switzerland.
Russia crushed Belarus 7-0 to move into a tie with the United States for first place in Group B.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Royals leap over Tigers
UNDATED (AP) β The American League Central lead continues to change hands between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.
One day after the Tigers moved a half-game ahead of the Royals, Kansas City returned the favor by downing Detroit 6-2. Alcides (al-SEE’-dehs) Escobar homered on the game’s first pitch and had two RBIs to back Jeremy Guthrie, who gave up two runs in 7 1/3 innings after entering the game with a 6.52 ERA. Eric Hosmer also drove in two runs for the Royals, while Omar Infante had three hits and an RBI.
In other finals:
β Jordy Mercer hit a two-run double and had three RBIs as Pittsburgh dealt the St. Louis Cardinals just their second loss in 12 games, 7-5. Neil Walker belted a solo homer and the Pirates’ bullpen allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings.
β Juan Lagares (lah-GAHR’-ehs) hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh and Jon Niese (nees) gave up a pair of unearned runs over seven frames as the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 3-2. Jeurys (JEHR’-ees) Familia picked up his National League-leading 12th save after the Mets’ middle infield turned an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the eighth.
β Washington blew a 6-1 lead before Bryce Harper homered for the sixth time in three games, a walkoff, two-run blast in the Nationals’ 8-6 win against Atlanta. Jose Lobaton (LOH’-bah-tohn) and Ryan Zimmerman also went deep as the Nats won for the ninth time in 11 games.
β Baltimore’s four-game skid is over after homers by Chris Davis, Jimmy Paredes (pah-REH’-deez) and Alejandro De Aza (day AH’-zah) carried the Orioles past the Yankees 6-2 in New York. Delmon Young had two RBIs and Wei-Yin Chen held the Yanks to a run and five hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
β The Red Sox absorbed their seventh loss in eight games as Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) smacked a three-run homer and in Toronto’s 7-1 rout of Boston. Josh Donaldson was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored to help the Blue Jays move above .500 at 16-15.
β Marlon Byrd belted a three-run homer while Cincinnati was scoring seven times in the ninth to crush the Chicago White Sox 10-4 in Game 1 of a twinbill. Skip Schumaker chipped in three hits and two RBIs, and Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) carried a four-hitter and a 10-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth before tiring.
β The White Sox gained a split of their twinbill as Gordon Beckham clubbed a solo homer and collected three RBIs in an 8-2 win over the Reds. Alexei Ramirez and Avisail Garcia also homered to back Carlos Rodon, who struck out eight and allowed two runs in six innings.
β Torii Hunter and Brian Dozier homered and combined to score five times in Minnesota’s ninth win in 10 games, 7-4 at Cleveland. Hunter was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, and Eduardo Escobar delivered three hits and two ribbies.
β Jose Altuve (al-TOO’-vay), Chris Carter and Colby Rasmus homered while Houston was building a 6-2 lead by the third inning of a 6-5 triumph over the Angels at Anaheim. Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) improved to 4-0 despite allowing four runs and eight hits while fanning seven in 6 2/3 innings.
β Evan Longoria and Steven Souza hit three-run homers and Asdrubal (as-DROO’-bul) Cabrera added a solo shot in Tampa Bay’s 7-2 win over Texas. The Rays’ bullpen came through with 5 1/3 shutout innings after Matt Andriese surrendered two runs in the fourth.
β Gerado Parra hit a two-run homer and had four RBIs as Milwaukee ripped the Chicago Cubs 12-4. Jean Segura and Jason Rogers also homered against Cubs pitching before backup catcher David Ross used an assortment of knuckballs and changeups to work a perfect eighth inning.
β Justin Upton homered in the 12th inning before Alexi Amarista added an RBI single in San Diego’s 6-4 verdict over Arizona. Upton had two hits and two RBIs, while Wil Myers was 3-for-6 with two runs scored.
β Donovan Solano laced a two-run double and Marcell Ozuna (oh-ZOO’-nuh) hit a solo homer as Miami beat San Francisco 6-2. Winning pitcher David Phelps allowed a run and six hits in six innings.
β J.A. Happ struck out eight while holding Oakland to a run and four hits in five innings of the Mariners’ 7-2 triumph at Seattle. Robinson CAno (kuh-NOH’) was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
β The Dodgers and Rockies were rained out in Denver, the third rainout at Coors Field this week. No makeup date has been announced.
PGA-PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Sharing the lead
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) β Chris Kirk birdied three straight holes on the back nine to take the lead through three rounds of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Kirk carded back-to-back bogeys before getting birdies on the 15th, 16th and 17th holes. He parred the last hole for a 4-under-par 68 and a 10-under total, one stroke ahead of Bill Hass, Ben Martin and Kevin Kisner.
Second-round leader Kevin Na (nah) had a chance to tie Kirk until he three-putted for bogey on 18, leaving him two strokes back.
Sixteen players were separated by three shots going into the final round. Rory McIlroy was among those four shots behind.
Tiger Woods played himself out of contention with a pair of double-bogeys on par 5s. He matched his worst score at Sawgrass, a 75 that puts him 3-over for the tournament.
NASCAR-KANSAS
Johnson takes Kansas race
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) β Jimmie Johnson’s late-race strategy led to a victory in the Spongebob Squarepants 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Johnson stayed on the track as the leaders hit the pits under the final caution with 12 laps left. He led for just 10 laps but held off Kevin Harvick, who went for right-side tires and fuel during the last caution.
It was a good night of racing for Hendrick Motorsports as Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon finished among the top four. Harvick was second, followed by Earnhardt, Gordon and pole-sitter Joey Logano.
INDYCAR-INDIANAPOLIS
Power scores Indy win
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) βWill Power has won the Grand Prix of Indianapolis for his first IndyCar victory of the season. He led 65 of 82 laps on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Team Penske star and defending IndyCar series champion held off a surprisingly strong run from Graham Rahal’s Honda-powered car. The American finished second. Juan Pablo Montoya, Power’s teammate, was third.
F1-SPANISH GP
Rosberg wins pole
GRANOLLERS, Spain (AP) β Nico Rosberg is the pole sitter for the Spainsh Grand Prix. His first pole of the season ends a string of four straight by Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
