National League Game Capsules

Los Angeles, CA –  Jose Tabata went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, an RBI double and three runs scored as the Pittsburgh Pirates received a sharp season-debut from Francisco Liriano in a 11-2 win over the New York Mets in the third test of a four-game set at Citi Field. The Pirates recorded 16 hits, their second straight day in double figures, and tagged Mets starter Jonathon Niese (2-4) for five runs in the fifth inning to break the contest open. Jordy Mercer hit a pair of solo homers, Mike McKenry knocked in three runs, Clint Barmes drove in a pair and Andrew McCutchen had an RBI and scored twice in the Pirates' second straight win. It was a successful first outing in a Pittsburgh uniform for Liriano (1-0), who struck out nine over 5 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on six hits. The lefty signed with the Pirates in February, but was in the middle of recovering from a broken right arm suffered in December. Niese's struggles continued, charged with the loss for the fourth time in his last five starts. He gave up eight runs on eight hits and lasted only 4 1/3 innings. New York only had seven hits, with Marlon Byrd driving in a run and Andrew Brown hitting a solo homer in the ninth.

Final Score: St. Louis 3, Colorado 0

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - For the second straight day, a St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher flirted with a no-hitter and came up just short. Adam Wainwright kept the Rockies hitless for 7 1/3 innings en route to the Cardinals' second consecutive shutout, a 3-0 victory over Colorado on Saturday at Busch Stadium. Shelby Miller tossed a one-hitter for St. Louis on Friday by retiring the final 27 batters he faced, and Wainwright (5-2) sliced through the struggling Rockies order until Nolan Arenado lined a base hit up the middle with one away in eighth. It was the longest no-hit bid of Wainwright's career. He would give up one more hit in the ninth and finished with seven strikeouts and a walk. Allen Craig went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, Yadier Molina had two hits -- including an RBI single -- and Matt Adams drove in a run to help the Cardinals collect their ninth win in 10 games. After Eric Young led off Friday's game with a single, the Rockies didn't record a base runner until Wainwright issued a walk to Todd Helton in the fifth. Forty straight batters for Colorado came to the plate without reaching base over the stretch. Jhoulys Chacin (3-2) was erratic over five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out five. The Rockies, losers of a season- high four straight games, will look to salvage the three-game set on Sunday.

Final Score: Chicago 8, Washington 2

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Anthony Rizzo had three hits and two RBI to help the Chicago Cubs take an 8-2 win over the Washington Nationals in the second of a three-game set. David DeJesus drove in two runs while Welington Castillo scored twice for the Cubs, who had lost six of eight coming into the game. Edwin Jackson (1-5) benefited from the run support to get his first win of the year, giving up two runs on four hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He also added a two-run double in the win. Ian Desmond went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI for the Nationals, who had a five-game winning streak stopped. Stephen Strasburg (1-5) dropped his fifth straight decision as he gave up four unearned runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in just five innings.

Final Score: San Francisco 10, Atlanta 1

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Gregor Blanco hit a three-run double and an RBI triple, while Madison Bumgarner tossed seven stellar frames as the San Francisco Giants downed the Atlanta Braves, 10-1, in the third installment of a four-game set at AT&T Park. Pablo Sandoval added a solo homer and Brandon Belt hit a two-run single for the Giants, who pushed across four runs in both the fifth and eighth innings. Bumgarner (4-1) fanned 11 batters and allowed one run on four hits for San Francisco, which has won three of four and nine of its last 12 overall. Atlanta starter Paul Maholm (4-4) drove in the team's only run, but allowed six runs on eight hits. The lefty also issued three walks with three strike outs over 4 1/3 innings of work.

Final Score: Cincinnati 13, Milwaukee 7

Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Jay Bruce ripped two doubles and his third home run of the season as the Cincinnati Reds used a seven-run third inning to get past the Milwaukee Brewers, 13-7, at Great American Ball Park. Todd Frazier, Xavier Paul and Devin Mesoraco all had two hits apiece and combined for seven runs scored for Cincinnati, which won its major league best 15th home game. Mat Latos (4-0) labored through six innings, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on nine hits and three walks but earned the win and helped himself at the dish, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Latos has won eight straight decisions going back to last season. His counterpart Hiram Burgos (1-1) struggled to get through three innings in the fourth start of his major league career. Burgos was smacked around for 12 runs -- 10 earned -- on 11 hits before giving way to the Brewers' bullpen. Jean Segura went 4-for-5 with a homer and three runs scored while Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his seventh double of the year. Norichika Aoki also went deep for the Brewers, losers in eight of nine.

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American League Game Capsules

Published May 09, 2013

Sports Network

Baltimore, MD –  There was no disputing the Cleveland Indians' 9-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday. The two teams were back in action less than 24 hours after Wednesday night's controversial call in the ninth inning. With Oakland trailing by a run with two outs in the ninth, the Athletics' Adam Rosales appeared to tie the game with a home run off closer Chris Perez. The play was ruled a double on the field and upheld after a video review, despite replays that appeared to show the ball clearing the wall and hitting a railing in left-center before caroming back onto the field. Major League Baseball admitted that "an improper call" was made in a statement released Thursday. However, the Indians' 4-3 victory on Wednesday held up. On Thursday, Mark Reynolds, Jason Kipnis and Nick Swisher each homered for the Indians, who completed a four-game sweep of the A's. Scott Kazmir (2-1) allowed one run on five hits while striking out 10 over six innings for Cleveland, which went 8-1 during a nine-game homestand. The left- hander improved to 10-5 lifetime against Oakland. Josh Donaldson hit a solo homer for the Athletics, who saw starter Bartolo Colon (3-2) give up six runs on eight hits over four innings.

Final Score: Washington 5, Detroit 4

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman each recorded multiple hits and drove in a run as the Washington Nationals completed a two-game interleague sweep with a 5-4 victory over Detroit on Thursday. Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond also supplied an RBI apiece for the Nationals, who have won four straight and six of seven. Starter Dan Haren (4-3) allowed four runs on nine hits and struck out three over six innings. Matt Tuiasosopo hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning for Detroit, which saw starter Doug Fister (4-1) pick up his first loss of the season. The right- hander drove in the Tigers' other run with an RBI single, but lasted just three frames and allowed eight hits and five runs -- four earned -- while striking out four in defeat.

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National Basketball Association Playoff Game Capsules

Published May 03, 2013

Sports Network

Chicago, IL –  The Barclays Center will host a Game 7 in its inaugural season after the Brooklyn Nets escaped Chicago with a 95-92 win over the short-handed Bulls on Thursday to force a deciding game in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Deron Williams scored 17 points, handed out 11 assists and won a jump ball against Joakim Noah in the closing seconds of Game 6 to seal the victory. Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson also netted 17 points apiece while Gerald Wallace had 15 for the Nets, who forced the series back to Brooklyn for Saturday's Game 7 despite shooting 28 percent from the field in the second half. The Bulls were playing without starting point guard Kirk Hinrich for the second straight game because of a calf injury, while their leading scorer during the regular season, Luol Deng, was sidelined due to flu-like symptoms. Nate Robinson and Taj Gibson were also slowed with the flu, but played through as the Bulls squandered a second chance at advancing to the conference semis. Robinson put in 18 points, Noah and Carlos Boozer each recorded double-doubles and Marco Belinelli led Chicago with 22 points over 46-plus minutes. Belinelli, though, missed a potential tying 3-pointer on Chicago's final possession.

Final Score: Golden State 92, Denver 88

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - The Golden State Warriors are headed to the Western Conference semifinals, but only after nearly blowing an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in a momentum- changing third quarter and Golden State fended off a furious Denver comeback to win Game 6 in a 92-88 thriller. Andrew Bogut stepped up with 14 points and 21 rebounds after a silent start to the series, and the sixth-seeded Warriors, appearing in the postseason for the first time since 2007, held Denver to 35 percent shooting to advance. Draymond Green chipped in 16 points with 10 boards and netted six critical points after the Nuggets made things interesting with a late 13-0 run. David Lee surprisingly made a brief appearance in the first quarter, and it's unclear whether the All-Star forward will play in the next round against the San Antonio Spurs. Denver, the West's No. 3 seed, lost all three games at Oracle Arena and heads home early following its 57-win regular season. Andre Iguodala led the way Thursday with 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Ty Lawson added 17 points, though the point guard had just five after halftime. Wilson Chandler scored 11 points, but shot just 5-of-17 from the floor and missed a potential tying runner in the final minute.

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National Hockey League Playoff Game Capsules

Pittsburgh, PA –  Jakob Silfverberg and Marc Methot scored in a 1:53 span early in the third period and Craig Anderson stopped a season-high 48 shots as the Ottawa Senators took a 4-2 decision over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference quarterfinal from Bell Centre. Erik Karlsson and Guillaume Latendresse also lit the lamp, while Mika Zibanejad added a pair of assists for the Senators, who face their Canadian rivals in the postseason for the first time since 1927. Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher scored 59 seconds apart in the second period for the Canadiens, who lost the game and forward Lars Eller to a head injury late in the second period on a hard hit from Sens defenseman Eric Gryba. Carey Price surrendered all four goals on 31 shots in the loss, but Montreal has a chance to square the series in Game 2 on home ice Friday.

Final Score: Washington 3, NY Rangers 1

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Braden Holtby made 35 saves to help the Washington Capitals grab a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the teams' Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Alex Ovechkin, Jason Chimera and Marcus Johansson all scored in the second period for the third-seeded Capitals, who won the Southeast Division for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Carl Hagelin had the lone goal of the game for the sixth-seeded Rangers, who are in the playoffs for a third straight year. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 shots in the loss. These two clubs are familiar foes in the postseason of late, as this is the fourth time in the past five years they have met. The Capitals took the first two matchups, but the Rangers won a seven-game series in the conference semifinals last year. Game 2 of this best-of-seven series will be played Saturday afternoon in Washington.

Final Score: St. Louis 2, Los Angeles 1

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Barret Jackman's first career playoff goal came with 50.4 seconds to play as the St. Louis Blues took a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 of this Western Conference quarterfinal series. Patrik Berglund tied the game early in the third period to back a 28-save effort by Brian Elliott for the Blues, who now own a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series after consecutive 2-1 victories. St. Louis is hoping to avenge last year's sweep at the hands of the Kings in the conference semifinals. Dustin Brown scored the lone goal of the game for the Kings, who only lost four games total during last year's run to the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship. Jonathan Quick posted 23 saves in the loss. This series heads back to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday night.

Final Score: Detroit 5, Anaheim 4 (OT)

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Gustav Nyquist's first career playoff goal came 1:21 into overtime to help the Detroit Red Wings take a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of this Western Conference quarterfinal series. Detroit had blown a three-goal lead in the third period, but went into overtime on the power play as Sheldon Souray was whistled for slashing with 38 seconds to play in regulation. With time winding down on the man advantage, Daniel Cleary passed the puck from the right corner over to the right circle for Valtteri Filppula, who skated down low before sending it back to the left wing where Nyquist fired it in for the win. Damien Brunner had a goal and two assists, Johan Franzen tallied twice while Justin Abdelkader also scored for the seventh-seeded Red Wings, who evened this best-of-seven series at 1-1. Jimmy Howard made 28 saves. Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu each posted a goal and an assist, while Bobby Ryan and Ryan Getzlaf scored for the second-seeded Ducks, who got 27 saves from Jonas Hiller -- including a game-saver late in the third period on Pavel Datsyuk. This series heads back to Detroit for the next two games, with Game 3 set for Saturday night.

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American League Game Capsules

Published May 01, 2013

Sports Network

Baltimore, MD –  Justin Morneau and Chris Parmelee both collected two hits to go with two RBI as the Minnesota Twins avoided a three- game sweep to the Detroit Tigers with a 6-2 win on Wednesday. Parmelee had a solo homer among his two hits, while Ryan Doumit and Jamey Carroll added one RBI apiece for the Twins, who will continue a 10-game road trip in Cleveland on Friday. Scott Diamond (2-2), who carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, yielded two runs on four hits while striking out three over six frames. Miguel Cabrera had an RBI double and Torii Hunter also drove in a run for the Tigers, who had won five straight games entering the contest. Anibal Sanchez (3-2) allowed three runs on five hits while fanning nine over six frames. He has now recorded 50 strikeouts over six starts this season.

Final Score: LA Angels of Anaheim 5, Oakland 4

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - C.J. Wilson tossed 6 1/3 solid innings and received support from a trio of home runs that helped the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 5-4 victory over Oakland that prevented the Athletics from a three-game series sweep. The Angels grabbed a 4-2 lead on sixth-inning homers by Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, with Howie Kendrick clubbing a solo shot of his own earlier in the game as part of a 3-for-4 day. Trout added a triple while scoring twice as Anaheim halted a four-game losing streak. Wilson (3-0) survived five walks to limit the A's to a pair of runs on six hits over his stint, while Ernesto Frieri snuffed out a late Oakland comeback effort in registering the final five outs for his fourth save of the year. All three Anaheim homers came against Tommy Milone (3-3), who was dealt the loss despite matching a career high with 10 strikeouts over seven innings of work. The left-hander was reached for four runs on seven hits. Adam Rosales went 3-for-4 with an RBI single to pace Oakland offensively in the setback, the A's first in six meetings with the Halos this year.

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National Basketball Association Game Capsules

New York, NY –  Courtney Lee scored 20 points and the Boston Celtics handled the Orlando Magic with ease, 120-88, on Saturday. Lee was one of seven Boston players to score double-digits. Jeff Green and Jordan Crawford had 17 and 16 points, respectively. Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley scored 14 points apiece, with Garnett also grabbing nine boards. Paul Pierce tallied 12 points for the Celtics, who were coming off a 109-101 loss at Miami on Friday. The Celtics, who beat the Magic for the eighth straight time, clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings with two games left on the schedule. They will face Indiana at home on Tuesday before finishing the regular season in Toronto on Wednesday. Tobias Harris scored 22 points and Nik Vucevic recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who have lost six of their last seven games.

Final Score: Charlotte 95, Milwaukee 85

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Josh McRoberts filled out the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine assists and Bismack Biyombo recorded a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 17 boards as Charlotte downed Milwaukee, 95-85, on Saturday to hand the Bucks a ninth straight road loss. Kemba Walker scored 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists and tied Brevin Knight's (2005-06) franchise record for steals in a season with 157 for the Bobcats, who saw a four-game losing streak come to an end. Mike Dunleavy had 19 points and Monta Ellis added 16 for the Bucks, who already clinched a spot in the playoffs, but have dropped four straight and 11 of 14 overall. John Henson supplied eight points and 11 rebounds in defeat for Milwaukee, which hasn't found victory on the road since a March 10 win over Sacramento. The Bucks are now guaranteed the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and will play top-seeded defending champion Miami in the first round.

Final Score: LA Clippers 91, Memphis 87

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Chris Paul made 1-of-2 shots from the free throw line with 18.3 seconds remaining as the Los Angeles Clippers held off Memphis, 91-87 to snap the Grizzlies' 13-game home winning streak. Paul, who finished with 13 points and five assists, put the visitors ahead 89-87. After Los Angeles forced a turnover on a pass from Memphis' Mike Conley, Blake Griffin went to the charity stripe to extend the lead, but missed both shots. He was fouled on a clear path violation, however, which gave the Clippers the ball back and Jamal Crawford made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to secure the win. DeAndre Jordan scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Griffin added 12 points and nine boards for the Clippers, who have won five straight. Marc Gasol had game-high 18 points and 15 rebounds and Zach Randolph chipped in 16 points and 12 boards for the Grizzlies, who had a three-game winning streak come to an end. They sit in fifth place in the Western Conference, one spot behind the Clippers. Memphis was handed its first setback at home since Feb. 5 against Phoenix.

Final Score: Minnesota 105, Phoenix 93

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Ricky Rubio had 24 points and 10 assists and led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 105-93 win over the Phoenix Suns. J.J. Barea scored 16 points off the bench while Derrick Williams and Andrei Kirilenko had 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Timberwolves, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Though the Timberwolves are out of playoff contention for the ninth straight season, the victory gives them 20 wins at the Target Center for the first time since the 2006-07 season. With a win over Utah on Monday the Timberwolves could finish above .500 at home for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Markieff Morris had a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds while Jared Dudley tallied 16 points for the Suns, who snapped a 10-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 102-91 win at Dallas. Luis Scola had 14 points and nine rebounds, but also recorded eight turnovers while Goran Dragic had a double- double with 10 points and 14 assists in the setback.

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National League Game Capsules

Los Angeles, CA –  Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce each had an RBI single during a three-run sixth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds topped the Washington Nationals, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series. Bruce knocked in three runs and Derrick Robinson started the big sixth frame with a pinch-hit single and scored the go-ahead run. Robinson was hitting for Johnny Cueto (1-0), who gave up seven hits and three runs over six frames. He walked three and had six strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman worked around a one-out double from Kurt Suzuki in the ninth inning to get his second save. Suzuki belted a three-run homer in the second inning, but the Nationals failed to build on their 7-6 win in 11 innings from Saturday. Stephen Strasburg (1-1) surrendered nine hits and six runs over 5 1/3 frames. He walked four and had five strikeouts, just six days after throwing seven shutout frames against the Marlins.

Final Score: New York 4, Miami 3

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Marlon Byrd's two-run single in the ninth inning gave the New York Mets a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Miami Marlins in a rubber match on Sunday. Steve Cishek (0-1) led off the ninth on the mound and got the first out, but then nicked Ruben Tejada with a pitch. Kirk Niuewenhuis then dropped a single into left field that saw Tejada move to third and Nieuwenhuis take second on Juan Pierre's throw to third. With the infield in, Byrd ripped a pitch down the third base line and past a diving Chris Valaika, scoring both runners for the victory.

Final Score: Atlanta 5, Chicago 1

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Ramiro Pena hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning and Tim Hudson fired 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in the Atlanta Braves' 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the finale of a three-game set. Hudson (1-0) fanned seven and surrendered just three hits and two walks for Atlanta, which swept the series and is off to a 5-1 start. Dan Uggla smacked a solo homer and scored twice in the triumph. Jeff Samardzija (1-1) struck out a career-high 13 batters, but allowed four runs on four hits and four free passes over 5 2/3 frames for the Cubs, who have dropped four of their last five games.

Final Score: Arizona 8, Milwaukee 7 (11 innings)

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Eric Hinske clubbed a two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning and Heath Bell was just good enough to lock down the save, as the Arizona Diamondbacks took an 8-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday at Miller Park. Hinske pinch hit after Cliff Pennington led the 11th off with a double. He then crushed a breaking pitch from John Axford (0-1) well past the centerfield wall to put the Diamondbacks on top by two. Bell came on and surrendered three hits, with Jonathan Lucroy's run scoring single putting runners on the corners. However, Bell fanned Rickie Weeks and pinch-hit pitcher Kyle Lohse to end the game. Tony Sipp (1-0) spun a perfect 10th inning to pick up the win. Paul Goldschmidt went 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI, and Aaron Hill had a two-run homer among his three hits for the Diamondbacks, who finished off their first-ever three game sweep of the Brewers. Milwaukee, losers of five straight, rallied with a two-run ninth inning off Arizona closer J.J. Putz to send the game to extras. Norichika Aoki went 4- for-6 with three RBI in the setback.

Final Score: St. Louis 14, San Francisco 3

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Matt Carpenter led a balanced St. Louis offensive attack with three hits, three RBI and three scored runs, as the Cardinals thumped the San Francisco Giants, 14-3, on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game set. On a day that San Francisco was supposed to enjoy and cherish after the organization honored its team prior to the contest with their 2012 World Series championship rings, it was the visiting Cardinals who quickly ended the celebration. Matt Adams had three hits and two RBI, Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran each had two RBI and Jon Jay scored three times and also drove in two runs for the Cardinals, who erupted for a nine-run fourth inning before cruising to the win. Starter Adam Wainwright (1-1) bounced back from a 6-2 opening day loss versus Arizona on Monday to toss seven innings of two-run, seven-hit ball while striking out six in the victory. Angel Pagan had a double and triple to go along with an RBI and Pablo Sandoval had two hits and one RBI for the Giants, who saw starter Matt Cain (0-1) last just 3 2/3 innings and gave up nine runs on seven hits -- all in the brutal fourth inning. The last time the righty faced St. Louis was in Game 7 of the 2012 NLCS, in which he tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 9-0 victory.

Final Score: Colorado 9, San Diego 1

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Jhoulys Chacin pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the San Diego Padres, 9-1, on Sunday. Chacin (1-0) had a near-repeat performance of Monday's season opener, when he also allowed one run over the 6 2/3 innings against the Brewers but earned a no-decision. He allowed six hits against the Padres on 99 pitches and earned his first win of the season. Wilin Rosario hit a three-run home run while Dexter Fowler had a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. Jonathan Herrera went 3-for-4 and had two RBI for the Rockies, who have won five straight since losing their season opener. Chris Denorfia drove in the lone run for the Padres who saw starter Edinson Volquez (0-2) give up four runs on nine hits over six innings.

Final Score: Los Angeles 6, Pittsburgh 2

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Adrian Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with four RBI and the Dodgers finished off a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 6-2 victory on Sunday. Justin Sellers added a solo home run and Matt Kemp contributed a sacrifice fly for Los Angeles, which saw starter Hyun-Jin Ryu (1-0) pick the first win of his career. The South Korean native struck out six and surrendered just two runs on three hits and two walks over 6 1/2 innings of work. The Pirates, who were shutout in the first two games of the set, managed only four hits. In his season debut, Jeff Locke (0-1) was touched for four runs on eight hits over six frames. Andrew McCutchen hit Pittsburgh's first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning.

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American League Game Capsules

Published April 03, 2013

Sports Network

Baltimore, MD –  Alexei Ramirez, Adam Dunn and Tyler Flowers each hit solo homers as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals, 5-2, in the middle installment of a three-game series. Dayan Viciedo added a two-run homer for the White Sox, who saw starter Jake Peavy (1-0) last six innings and strike out six batters while allowing two runs -- one earned -- on four hits. Peavy finished with a 11-12 record with 194 strikeouts over 32 starts last season and was rewarded with his third All-Star campaign of his career. Billy Butler had an RBI and Alex Gordon hit a double and scored a run for the Royals, who have dropped the first two games of this series. Starter Ervin Santana (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing four runs on five hits -- including three homers -- but did strike out eight batters in defeat.

Final Score: Texas 4, Houston 0

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Alexi Ogando followed up Yu Darvish's near perfecto with another solid pitching performance in Texas' 4-0 win over the Houston Astros. Ogando (1-0), back in the rotation after spending last season in the bullpen, recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings while limiting the Astros to four hits in the rubber match of this season-opening series at Minute Maid Park. Texas native Philip Humber (0-1) pitched well in his Astros debut. The right-hander, who tossed a perfect game for the Chicago White Sox in 2012, gave up one run on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Final Score: Minnesota 3, Detroit 2

Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Eduardo Escobar doubled home the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Minnesota Twins rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers from Target Field. The Twins fought back from a 2-0 deficit after six innings to rebound from Monday's 4-2 setback to the defending American League champion Tigers, with Wilkin Ramirez contributing a pinch-hit, RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. Escobar's double off Phil Coke (0-1) made a winner out of Glen Perkins (1-0) after the Minnesota closer tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth. Starter Kevin Correia aided the cause by firing seven solid innings in which the offseason acquisition yielded just two runs while scattering seven hits. Anibal Sanchez threw five shutout frames for Detroit, with 2012 AL Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera knocking in both Tiger runs with a pair of RBI singles.

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National League Game Capsules

Published April 04, 2013

Sports Network

Los Angeles, CA –  Travis Wood pitched six shutout innings and Nate Schierholtz slugged a big two-run homer, as the Chicago Cubs held on for a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh in the rubber match of a three-game series at PNC Park. Wood (1-0) surrendered just one hit, walked two and struck out four. He also singled and scored a run to help the Cubs win a season-opening series for the first time since 2009. Starlin Castro knocked in Wood with a two-out single in the third inning and Schierholtz provided some much-needed insurance with a two-out blast in the ninth.

Final Score: San Diego 2, New York 1

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Eric Stults combined with five San Diego relievers on a five-hitter as the Padres finally cooled off the New York Mets' hot bats with a 2-1 victory at Citi Field. The Mets pasted San Diego pitching for 19 runs in winning the first two tests of this season-opening series, but managed just three hits off Stults (1-0) during a five-inning stint in which the left-hander racked up seven of the Padres' 14 strikeouts. Luke Gregerson fanned three more over 1 1/3 hitless innings later on before giving way to Huston Street, who served up a home run to John Buck to open the bottom of the ninth before recording the final three outs to earn the save.

Final Score: Washington 6, Miami 1

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer and scored twice as the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins, 6-1, to complete a three-game sweep. Ryan Zimmerman went 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Nationals, who had never swept their initial series of a season. Bryce Harper went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Jordan Zimmermann (1-0) gave up one run on eight hits over six innings to pick up the win. The right- hander went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 32 games last season. Justin Ruggiano hit a homer for the Marlins, who were outscored by an 11-1 margin in the series. Wade LeBlanc (0-1) got the start and allowed three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over five innings.

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National Basketball Association Game Capsules

Published March 24, 2013

Sports Network

New York, NY –  Dahntay Jones sank a go-ahead free throw with 22.4 seconds remaining to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 104-99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Jones, who finished 1-for-5 from the charity stripe, hit the first free throw before missing the second, but Anthony Tolliver grabbed the offensive board to keep possession with the Hawks. Al Horford then sank two more from the line, and after Monta Ellis came up empty on a potential game-tying 3-pointer, Jeff Teague knocked down a pair from the stripe to seal the outcome. Horford finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Josh Smith added 23 points and nine boards for the Hawks, who defeated the Bucks 98-90 on Wednesday in Atlanta. Ellis led Milwaukee with 20 points and Ersan Ilyasova registered a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards for the Bucks, who have lost three straight and six of their last eight.

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NCAA Tournament Game Capsules

Published March 24, 2013

Sports Network

Dayton, OH –  Iowa State was the nation's top 3-point shooting team, but its season came to an end on a trey by Ohio State's Aaron Craft. The junior guard drained the game-deciding shot with five-tenths of a second left, sending the Buckeyes to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight year with a 78-75 triumph over the Cyclones. Craft finished with 18 points and six assists for the second-seeded Buckeyes (28-7), who are headed to Los Angeles to face Arizona in the West Regional semifinals. Deshaun Thomas had 22 points and LaQuinton Ross supplied 17 off the bench in Ohio State's 10th consecutive win. Korie Lucious had 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range for 10th- seeded Iowa State (23-12), which erased a 13-point deficit late in the second half and led 73-71 on a Tyrus McGee free throw with three minutes remaining.

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NCAA Tournament Game Capsules

Published March 20, 2013

Sports Network

Dayton, OH –  Andre Nation scored 14 points to go with seven rebounds and five blocks to lead James Madison to a 68-55 win over Long Island in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday.

A.J. Davis added 20 points and Charles Cooke finished with 15 points for the Dukes (21-14), who will face top-seeded Indiana in the second-round of an Eastern region matchup on Friday.

James Madison's leading-scorer Rayshawn Goins was suspended for the first half because of disciplinary reasons. Goins finished with four points and eight rebounds.

Jamal Olasewere had 20 points and 10 rebounds and C.J. Garner added 16 for the Blackbirds (20-14), who were held to their lowest offensive output this season.

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National Basketball Association Game Capsules

New York, NY –  Gerald Henderson registered 27 points and eight assists in leading the Charlotte Bobcats to a 119-114 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. Henderson was one of seven players to score double-digits for the Bobcats, who came into the game off two straight losses. Ben Gordon and Kemba Walker scored 19 and 18 points, respectively, while Josh McRoberts had 17 points and seven rebounds. Byron Mullens scored 12 points off the bench and the Bobcats received 11 apiece from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jannero Pargo. John Wall had a team-high 25 points for the Wizards, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Nene recorded 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Emeka Okafor and Garrett Temple each scored 17.

Final Score: Indiana 111, Cleveland 90

Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Gerald Green led a balanced attack with 20 points and six rebounds as the Indiana Pacers got back on track with a 111-90 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Tyler Hansbrough, starting for injured David West, tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds. Paul George scored 14 and Roy Hibbert manned the paint with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the victory. Cleveland, losers of five of six and just 1-3 since Kyrie Irving went out with a shoulder injury, shot just 38 percent from the field in the drubbing. C.J. Miles was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 21 points off the bench and Tristan Thompson followed with 20 points and 11 boards.

Final Score: Philadelphia 101, Portland 100

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Jrue Holiday had 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Philadelphia 76ers' 101-100 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Spencer Hawes added 18 points and 13 rebounds for Philly, which found out earlier Monday that center Andrew Bynum would undergo season-ending knee surgery on both knees. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 32 points and 14 rebounds but missed a potential go-ahead shot before the buzzer. Damian Lillard chipped in 27 points, seven boards and seven helpers for the Blazers, who have dropped 13 of their last 15 contests on the road.

Final Score: Dallas 127, Atlanta 113

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Darren Collison scored a game-high 24 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 22 as the Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 127-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. O.J. Mayo added 17 points, while Chris Kaman and Vince Carter added 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the Mavericks, winners in six of their last eight games. Brandan Wright added 12 points and eight rebounds in the triumph. Jeff Teague scored 19 points and Al Horford had 16 points and 11 boards for the Hawks, who had won three straight entering the contest.

Final Score: Brooklyn 119, Detroit 82

Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Deron Williams scored 31 points and the Brooklyn Nets kept the Detroit Pistons winless in March with a 119-82 thumping at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Nets opened their eight-game road trip with a relatively easy victory by hitting 54 percent from the field and holding Detroit to 1-of-18 shooting from behind the arc. Brook Lopez scored 18 points, Joe Johnson added 13 and Andray Blatche checked in with 15 in the rout. The Pistons have dropped a season-high nine straight and six in a row at home. Will Bynum scored a team-high 18 points, while Greg Monroe had 17 in defeat.

Final Score: Miami 105, Boston 103

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Miami Heat are 10 straight wins away from matching an unprecedented mark that was once thought never to be threatened. LeBron James' go-ahead jumper with 10.5 seconds remaining gave the Heat their 23rd straight victory, a 105-103 triumph over the Boston Celtics. Miami surpassed the Houston Rockets' 22-game run during the 2007-08 campaign to sit alone in second on the NBA's all-time winning streak list. The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers are the only team that stands in the Heat's way. They won 33 straight contests. James tallied 37 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the Heat, who overcame a 17-point second quarter deficit. The Celtics ended the Rockets' streak on this very day five years ago, but not even a career-high 43-point performance from Jeff Green could help Boston extend its 11-game home winning streak. After James hit his jumper, Shane Battier blocked Green's drive down the lane. Paul Pierce came off a screen on the ensuing out-of-bounds play, but his 3-point try from the right wing with 4.9 seconds left was off the mark.

Final Score: Denver 119, Chicago 118 (OT)

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Andre Iguodala's 3-pointer and Joakim Noah's offensive goaltending in the final 7.1 seconds of overtime kept the Nuggets' winning streak alive, as Denver escaped United Center with a controversial 119-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Wilson Chandler scored 35 points for Denver, which has won 12 in a row, while Nate Robinson paced the Bulls with 34. The goaltending call overshadowed a great game from Noah, who totaled 14 points, 12 rebounds, seven blocks and six assists.

Final Score: Memphis 92, Minnesota 77

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Mike Conley had 20 points with six assists and led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 92-77 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. Zach Randolph registered 14 points and 10 rebounds while Tayshaun Prince scored 12 points and grabbed 14 boards for the Grizzlies, who have won seven of their last nine games. Alexey Shved had a team-high 12 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost 11 of their last 14 games. Mickael Gelabale and J.J. Barea scored 11 points apiece, with Gelabale grabbing seven boards in the setback.

Final Score: Golden State 93, New Orleans 72

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry canned six 3-pointers en route to a game-high 30 points and the Golden State Warriors dominated the fourth quarter to take a 93-72 victory against the New Orleans Hornets. The Warriors, who recently had lost nine of their last 10 road games, have now won two in a row away from home. David Lee chipped in a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Klay Thompson contributed 13 points in the victory. Ryan Anderson had a team-leading 21 points to go with nine rebounds in New Orleans' third defeat to the Warriors this season. Losers in 11 of 14 games overall, Anthony Davis scored 16 and Greivis Vasquez notched 14 points with nine assists.

Final Score: Phoenix 99, LA Lakers 76

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Luis Scola scored all 14 of his points in a one-sided fourth quarter as the Phoenix Suns took care of the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers, 99-76, at US Airways Center. Wesley Johnson added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Goran Dragic had 12 points and 10 assists for Phoenix, which snapped a four-game slide by winning the final stanza by a 28-10 margin. Jared Dudley chipped in 13 points for a Suns bench that outscored Los Angeles' reserves, 52-17. The Lakers were without Bryant (ankle) for both games of a back-to-back and were unable to find much offense, as they made just 33 percent of their shots in their lowest scoring output of the season. Steve Nash scored a team-high 19 points for Los Angeles, while Dwight Howard totaled 16 points and 11 boards in the setback, just the club's fourth in 15 games since the All-Star break.

Final Score: New York 90, Utah 83

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton paced a short-handed Knicks offense and New York salvaged a messy five-game road trip with a 90-83 victory the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. After dropping the first four games of the west coast trek by an average of 20 points, the Knicks were able to hold on late and cling to their one-game lead in the Atlantic division over the Brooklyn Nets, who defeated the Pistons earlier on Monday. Smith scored 20 points, Felton added 19 and Chris Copeland finished with 14 for New York, which has been without All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler for the last three games due to knee injuries. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap were held to 10 and 12 points, respectively, against an undersized New York front line. Gordon Hayward scored a team-high 17 points in defeat, which snapped a three-game home winning streak.

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National Hockey League Game Capsules

Toronto, ON –  Braden Holtby stopped all 33 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season, as Washington took down Carolina, 3-0, at Verizon Center. Nicklas Backstrom, John Erskine and John Carlson lit the lamp once each for the Capitals, who have won five of their last seven thanks to a season high in shots on net. Cam Ward made 37 saves in defeat for the Hurricanes, who have lost four of five. Former Capital forward Alex Semin made his return to America's capital and was a minus-one with four shots on net in more than 21 minutes of ice time.

Final Score: Dallas 5, Columbus 4 (OT)

Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Loui Eriksson scored with 1:57 to play in overtime as the Dallas Stars took a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. In the extra session, Dallas' Brenden Dillon sent a pass from the high slot off the right boards where Derek Roy one-timed it on net. The shot wasstopped, but Eriksson was able to reach the puck and tuck it in past the right pad of Sergei Bobrovsky for the win. Cody Eakin, Antoine Roussel and Roy each had a goal and an assist, while Brenden Morrow also scored for the Stars, who had lost four of six coming into the game. Richard Bachman made 16 stops in the win. Nikita Nikitin, Cam Atkinson, Derek Dorsett and R.J. Umberger all scored for the Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight and six of seven overall. Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots in the loss.

Final Score: Winnipeg 4, NY Rangers 3

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Evander Kane and Olli Jokinen each scored a pair of goals as the Winnipeg Jets continued the New York Rangers' recent struggles with a 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden. Kane added an assist, while both Anthony Peluso and Ron Hainsey came up with a pair of helpers to help the Jets close out a successful five-game road trip with a 4-1-0 record. Winnipeg also used a three-goal second period and a solid 30-save effort from Ondrej Pavelec to prevail and deal the reeling Rangers a fourth consecutive defeat (0-3-1). Anton Stralman registered a goal and an assist for New York, which also received goals from Ryan Callahan and Taylor Pyatt. Henrik Lundqvist came up with 28 saves in the setback.

Final Score: Boston 4, NY Islanders 1

Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Brad Marchand and David Krejci tallied in the second period, as Boston downed the New York Islanders, 4-1, at Nassau Coliseum. Adam McQuaid scored in the first period and Gregory Campbell added a late marker for the Bruins, winners of four straight contests and seven of their last nine. Tuukka Rask made 36 saves, as Boston concluded a five-game road trip at 4-1-0. Casey Cizikas provided the sole offense for the Islanders, who have lost two in a row and four of six. Evgeni Nabokov yielded three goals on 33 shots in the setback.

Final Score: Buffalo 2, Tampa Bay 1

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Tyler Myers scored the game-winner less than a minute into the third period to help Buffalo Sabres interim head coach Ron Rolston earn his first NHL victory with a 2-1 decision over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Rolston, who replaced long-time Buffalo bench boss Lindy Ruff, had led the Sabres to back-to-back losses, but got 30 saves from Ryan Miller on Tuesday, as Buffalo snapped a four-game skid. Cody Hodgson added a goal and an assist, while Thomas Vanek finished with a pair of helpers in the victory. Steven Stamkos extended his goal-streak to six games with his 14th tally of the season, but it wasn't enough, as Mathieu Garon gave up two goals on 21 shots in Tampa Bay's second consecutive setback.

Final Score: Florida 6, Pittsburgh 4

Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Tomas Kopecky notched the first hat trick of his career and the Florida Panthers hung on for a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday. Tomas Fleischmann scored the winner in the third period and added two assists and Brian Campbell also had a goal and two assists for the Panthers, who blew a 4-1 lead but survived to win for just the second time in their past nine games. Chris Kunitz and James Neal each posted a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who had won five of six coming in but faltered without Evgeni Malkin, who was placed on injured reserve Monday with a concussion. Neither starting goaltender survived the game as Jose Theodore was pulled after the second period for giving up four goals on 19 shots for Florida, while Tomas Vokoun was yanked by Pittsburgh halfway through the second period for allowing four goals on 22 shots. Scott Clemmensen stopped all 15 shots he faced in the third for the win, while Marc-Andre Fleury allowed one goal on 13 shots in the loss.

Final Score: Minnesota 2, Calgary 1 (OT)

St. Paul, MN (Sports Network) - Zach Parise scored a power-play goal 27 seconds into overtime to cap a late Minnesota rally that lifted the Wild to a 2-1 triumph over the Calgary Flames at the XCel Energy Center. The Wild trailed 1-0 until Jason Zucker found the back of the net with 4:19 remaining in regulation, while Niklas Backstrom stopped 20-of-21 shots to help Minnesota avenge a 3-1 loss to the Flames in Calgary on Saturday. Alex Tanguay potted the lone goal for the Flames, who were seeking their first three-game win streak of the season, with Joey MacDonald coming up with 28 saves in defeat. MacDonald, who turned back 30 shots in Saturday's victory over the Wild, was up to the task for the majority of this one as well. The Calgary netminder recorded 20 saves over the first two periods, enabling his team to carry a 1-0 edge deep into the final frame.

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