Go to Source Author: AP News EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Miro Heiskanen set the tone early for the Stars when on the ice with their top line. Corey Perry and Jamie Oleksiak made sure Dallas got a series-evening win without needing overtime.Oleksiak scored with 40 seconds left in regulation on a nifty pass from Perry as the Stars caught the Calgary Flames on a line change, and won 5-4 Thursday night after blowing a two-goal lead in the third period.''Saw a little opening on the weak side, Perry coming down the wing. He made a great pass,'' Oleksiak said. ''Somehow get it in, it was close. ... It was a great feeling, a great play by Perry.''Calgary interim head coach Geoff Ward

Go to Source Author: AP News After the Pittsburgh Pirates roughed up one of the Cincinnati Reds' top starting pitchers Thursday, they'll take aim at another.The visiting Pirates try again to win back-to-back games for the first time this season when they continue their four-game set against Sonny Gray and the Reds on Friday night.After their early-week series with St. Louis was postponed due to the Cardinals' continued issues with COVID-19, Pittsburgh didn't show much rust while doing all its scoring over the first two innings of Thursday's 9-6 win at Cincinnati. Adam Frazier, Colin Moran and Gregory Polanco each homered among the first six batters of the game for the Pirates, who snapped a three-game skid by winning for just the

Go to Source Author: AP News The struggling Philadelphia Phillies will look to snap a three-game losing streak when they host the New York Mets on Friday.The Phillies, who were swept at home in a three-game series by the Baltimore Orioles, have also dropped five of six.J.T. Realmuto was a bright spot in Thursday's 11-4 loss as he homered twice and drove in four runs."You've got to fight," Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. "It's not gonna get any easier."The Phillies are expected to turn to rookie right-hander Spencer Howard to reverse their fortune against the Mets. Howard (0-1, 7.71 ERA) will be making just his second career start.Last Sunday in the second game of a doubleheader, Howard allowed four runs, including two

Go to Source Author: AP News LOS ANGELES (AP) Mookie Betts hit three home runs Thursday night - for the sixth time in his career.Now nobody's done it more often.Betts launched half of the season-high six long balls socked by the Los Angeles Dodgers during an 11-2 rout of the San Diego Padres. His sixth three-homer game matched the major league mark shared by Sammy Sosa and Hall of Famer Johnny Mize.Betts accomplished the feat in 813 career games. Sosa needed 2,364, and Mize did it in 1,884.''I just think it's pretty cool, but it's not as important as the rings,'' Betts said.The four-time All-Star went 4 for 4 with five RBIs and was hit by a pitch in the leadoff

Go to Source Author: AP News The Tampa Bay Rays have grown accustomed to lighting up the scoreboard, and they look to do so again on Friday when they begin a three-game series versus the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, N.Y.The Rays extended their winning streak to six games on Thursday with a 17-8 rout of the Red Sox in Boston. All told, Tampa Bay set franchise records in runs (42), hits (59) and extra-base hits (24) during a four-game series against the Red Sox.Gaudy numbers to be certain, but let's try this on for size: Sahlen Field, which normally houses the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate, has yielded 11 home runs in its first pair of games as a Major League Baseball

Go to Source Author: Matt Larkin, The Hockey News The numbers tell us the Vegas Golden Knights have been hockey’s most dominant team since mid-January, and they have yet to lose a game in the bubble.The world was so different five and a half months ago. The COVID-19 pandemic hadn’t yet sent North America into lockdown. Sports leagues were operating normally. “Wear a mask” was something you might say at Halloween.Also: the Vegas Golden Knights still lost the occasional hockey game in those days. The Winnipeg Jets shut them out 4-0 on March 6.Everything has changed worldwide since then. We’ve grown accustomed to social distancing, home schooling and sports played in bubbles with no fans. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have also ascended

Go to Source Author: Will Laws The 49ers and George Kittle are reportedly "very close" to agreeing to a contract extension that will make him the league's highest-paid tight end.George Kittle is widely regarded as the best all-around tight end in the NFL, and now it seems he's going to be paid like it.The 49ers and Kittle are "very close" to agreeing to a contract extension that will make him the league's highest-paid tight end "by far," according to a late Wednesday night report from NFL Network's Ian Rapaport and Michael Silver. Though there are reportedly still a few minor aspects to be sorted out, the reigning NFC champions appear to have locked up the most versatile piece of their offense.Kittle, who's entering

Go to Source Author: AP News Anthony Rizzo launched a pair of solo homers to power the Chicago Cubs to a season-opening series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers last month.Rizzo and company would love to flex their muscles once again on Thursday as the surging Cubs begin a 10-game homestand with the opener of a four-game series versus the Brewers.Rizzo joined Kris Bryant in each belting a solo homer on Wednesday, helping Chicago to its eighth win in nine outings with a 7-2 romp over Cleveland. Jason Heyward finished the abbreviated two-game series versus the Indians by going 4-for-6 with a home run and six RBIs."It seems like there's not really a letdown in our lineup," Bryant said. "I can't really remember

Go to Source Author: AP News The Pittsburgh Pirates return from an unintended break to face one of the better pitchers in the majors at the moment.Looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat, the visiting Pirates open a four-game series against Anthony DeSclafani and the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.A winner of just three games this season and only one over the last 11 contests, Pittsburgh returns to the diamond for the first time since being swept in a three-game home set by Detroit following a 2-1 loss on Sunday.That's because Pittsburgh's three-game series at St. Louis this week was postponed due to the Cardinals' continued issues with COVID-19."It's just one of those things, man," Pirates relief pitcher Chris Stratton told the club's

Go to Source Author: AP News Red Sox's Hart set for debut against red-hot RaysWhen Boston Red Sox left-hander Kyle Hart learned he would be called on to make his major league debut against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon, the message came in a highly peculiar manner.The 27-year-old pitcher was summoned into the manager's office in Pawtucket, R.I., on Tuesday, and Red Sox vice president of player development Ben Crockett was one of four people in the room.Hart thought the meeting would result in his promotion to the majors, but the tone took a turn for the worse."They told me that I was actually getting fined by Major League Baseball for not wearing my mask," Hart said during a