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Astros’ Framber Valdez pitching no-hitter through 6 innings against Guardians

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Framber Valdez has not allowed a hit through six innings against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night. Valdez retired the first 12 batters with six strikeouts before Oscar Gonzalez walked to open the fifth. But Valdez still faced the minimum in that inning thanks to a double play. Gabriel Arias grounded out to start the sixth before a lineout by Myles Straw. Cam Gallagher then grounded out to end the sixth. The left-hander has thrown 66 pitches with 44 strikes. The Astros lead 2-0 after a two-run single by Kyle Tucker in the third. The strong start comes after he allowed eight hits and six runs — both season highs — in 3 2/3 innings of a 13-5 loss to Texas in his last outing.Valdez became the ace of Houston’s staff this season after Justin Verlander signed with the Mets. But Verlander was sent back to the Astros in a blockbuster trade-deadline deal Tuesday, giving Houston a powerful 1-2 punch.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBSource

Dodgers acquire Ryan Yarbrough from Royals after missing out on Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired pitcher Ryan Yarbrough from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday after being rebuffed in their pursuit of Detroit Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez.Rodriguez used his no-trade clause to block a trade, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.“To have a chance to come to a team with guys that he’s familiar with, on a team that’s playing for a championship, it’s surprising,” Roberts said.The Dodgers traded for pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly last week, but mdidn’t land any of the biggest names available at the deadline.“The top end of the market, we were aggressive in pursuing,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “The group below that, kind of the versatile arm, floor-raiser, someone that fits in well with our existing group and helps augment our depth, we were more price-sensitive on.”The Dodgers are waiting on three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to return from a shoulder injury, as well as lefty Ju...

Taurasi moves within 18 points of 10,000 in loss to Fever

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Emma Cannon had a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds, Kelsey Mitchell added 21 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 72-71 on Tuesday night to spoil Diana Taurasi’s 29-point performance.Taurasi, the league’s career scoring leader, is now 18 points away from 10,000 points. Taurasi, who was coming off a season-high 24 points on Sunday, scored 23 of Phoenix’s 43 first-half points after making 8 of 10 shots, including 4 of 6 from distance. Taurasi finished 10 of 16, with five 3-pointers.Mitchell extended the lead to 70-61 with 5:06 left in the fourth quarter, but the Fever would not score again until Cannon’s shot in the lane with 59.5 seconds left to regain the lead.Indiana guard Erica Wheeler was off on a 3-pointer and Phoenix took possession with 13.9 seconds left. Taurasi was short on a baseline jumper but Phoenix kept the possession with 6.8 seconds left. Moriah Jefferson got into the paint but her layup didn’t fall and Aliyah Boston secure...

Alyssa Thomas secures 5th triple-double of the season, Sun beat the Lynx 79-69

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 21 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists for her fifth triple-double of the season and the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Minnesota Lynx 79-69 on Tuesday night.It was Thomas’ ninth career triple-double. Thomas, who also had a triple-double in an 87-83 loss to the Lynx on Sunday, became the first player in WNBA history to record a triple-double in back-to-back games multiple times in a season. She also has more triple-doubles this season than any other WNBA player has in her career.Tyasha Harris added 17 points off the bench for Connecticut (19-7). Tiffany Hayes had 16 points and DeWanna Bonner scored 15 on 7-of-19 shooting. The Sun outscored the Lynx 23-13 in the second quarter to take a 37-30 lead at the break. Harris scored 11 points in that period. Thomas had five points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals in the first half and secured the triple-double in the third quarter. Lindsay Allen scored 16 points and Kayla Mc...

Trump lawyer calls indictment an “attack on free speech and political advocacy.” Follow live updates

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Follow along for live updates on the Justice Department’s indictment of former President Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The charges focus on schemes by Trump and his allies to subvert the transfer of power and keep him in office despite his loss to Joe Biden. ___WHAT TO KNOW— Trump has now been indicted for the third time. Here’s where all the investigations stand— Trump also was indicted in June on charges that he illegally hoarded classified documents— Mar-a-Lago’s property manager is the latest Trump staffer ensnared in his legal turmoil— Special counsel Jack Smith has a long career of confronting corruption___Trump lawyer calls indictment an “attack on free speech and political advocacy”Donald Trump’s attorney John Lauro called the latest indictment of the former president “an attack on free speech and political advocacy.”Lauro said in an interview on CNN Tuesday night that it is “an effort t...

Fever edge Mercury 72-71, Taurasi moves within 18 points of 10,000

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Emma Cannon had a career-high 23 points with nine rebounds, Kelsey Mitchell added 21 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 72-71 on Tuesday night to spoil Diana Taurasi’s 29-point performance.Taurasi, the league’s career scoring leader, is now 18 points away from 10,000 points. Taurasi, who was coming off a season-high 24 points on Sunday, scored 23 of Phoenix’s 43 first-half points after making 8 of 10 shots, including 4 of 6 from distance. Taurasi finished 10 of 16, with five 3-pointers.Mitchell extended the lead to 70-61 with 5:06 left in the fourth quarter, but the Fever would not score again until Cannon’s shot in the lane with 59.5 seconds left to regain the lead.Indiana guard Erica Wheeler was off on a 3-pointer and Phoenix took possession with 13.9 seconds left. Taurasi was short on a baseline jumper but Phoenix kept the possession with 6.8 seconds left. Moriah Jefferson got into the paint but her layup didn’t fall and Aliyah B...

Takeaways from the Trump indictment that alleges a campaign of ‘fraud and deceit’

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The indictment of Donald Trump on Tuesday marks the first time that the former president has been formally held accountable for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat. And it adds new details to what was already known about his actions, and those of his key allies, in the weeks leading up to the violent Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. The newest charges — Trump’s third criminal indictment this year — include conspiracy to defraud the United States government and conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, the congressional certification of President Joe Biden’s victory. It describes how Trump repeatedly told supporters and others that he had won the election, despite knowing that was false, and how he tried to persuade state officials, his own vice president and finally Congress to overturn the legitimate results. Due to the “dishonesty, fraud and deceit” by Trump and some of his closest allies, the indictment says, his supporters “violen...

Orioles acquire pitcher Jack Flaherty from the Cardinals and hold onto their top prospects

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)(AP/Matt York) St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)(AP/Matt York) The Baltimore Orioles face a daunting task down the stretch as they try to hold off the rest of a loaded AL East.Their rotation has been adequate so far, but there are a lot of innings still to come. So they added right-hander Jack Flaherty in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.“We need help with the inn...

Castellanos slugs 2-run homer in 9th inning as Phillies rally to beat the Marlins 3-1

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Nick Castellanos slugged a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning to rally the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night.Castellanos, who has been mired in an 8-for-68 skid in the second half of the season, drilled a slider from Marlins closer David Robertson over the wall in left-center to punctuate the three-run outburst in the inning.Robertson (4-3) relieved starter Sandy Alcantara and allowed a leadoff walk to Kyle Schwarber. After a strikeout, Bryce Harper hit an opposite field double that scored pinch-runner Jake Cave from first. Alcantara followed up his second complete game in his last start by limiting the Phillies to four hits over eight scoreless innings. He allowed a walk and had five strikeouts.Garrett Cooper and Jean Segura were in Miami’s original starting lineup before being traded shortly before gametime. Cooper was dealt to San Diego, and Segura went to Cleveland.Philadelphia acquired All-Star right-hander Michae...

Dose of ‘Double Swaby’ has Jamaica on cusp of Women’s World Cup history against Brazil

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:50:57 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Lennox Swaby couldn’t see who put the ball in the net to give Jamaica its first Women’s World Cup win, 1-0 over Panama. After the video board showed the replay, the fans surrounding him in the Perth stadium stands began to cheer and congratulate him.One of his daughters – and yes, he had two on the field – had scored the goal.“There’s hardly words to explain,” said Swaby, reached by phone Wednesday morning. “It’s just so real.”On Wednesday night, Allyson and Chantelle Swaby and the rest of the Reggae Girlz were playing No. 8 Brazil in Melbourne for a chance to make more Jamaican soccer history. A win would advance 43rd-ranked Jamaica past the group stage for the first time. Jamaica’s defense against Brazil was likely to rely once more on the Swaby sisters, a pair of defenders coach Lorne Donaldson likes to call “Double Swaby.”Jamaica played No. 5 France to a 0-0 draw in its opener and both teams had four points heading ito the last of the Group F games. Wedged between ...