Boston Red Sox fire manager Alex Cora and 5 coaches
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have fired manager Alex Cora, who led them to the 2018 World Series championship. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Chad Tracy, who had been managing the club's Triple-A Worcester affiliate. The team made the announcement Saturday after a 17-1 victory in Baltimore that snapped a four-game losing streak — including a three-game sweep at Fenway Park by the archrival New York Yankees. The organization said it is also parting ways with five members of the coaching staff: hitting coach Peter Fatse, third base coach Kyle Hudson, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin.
Dosunmu scores 43 points as Timberwolves overcome injuries to beat Nuggets 112-96 for 3-1 lead
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 43 points, stepping up after leg injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo with the highest-scoring playoff performance by a reserve in 50 years, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 112-96 on Saturday night. The Timberwolves took a 3-1 lead in the series in a game that ended with ejections of Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle after Jokic became angry when Jaden McDaniels made a meaningless layup with 2.1 seconds remaining and confronted the Wolves swingman near his bench.
Timberwolves lose Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to leg injuries in Game 4 against Nuggets
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Donte DiVincenzo's season ends with an Achilles tendon injury, while Anthony Edwards' knee injury remains unclear. Minnesota coach Chris Finch shared the news Saturday night after the Timberwolves' playoff win over the Denver Nuggets. DiVincenzo was injured 1:19 into Game 4, suggesting an Achilles issue. Edwards was hurt late in the first half. Despite losing their starting guards, the Timberwolves, led by Ayu Dosunmu's 43 points, beat the Nuggets for a 3-1 lead in their series. Finch expressed devastation for DiVincenzo, and Dosunmu dedicated the win to both injured players.
Banchero and Bane each score 25, Magic waste big lead but rally to top Pistons 113-105 for 2-1 lead
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 25 points, and the Orlando Magic blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead before rallying to beat the Detroit Pistons 113-105 for a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Banchero added 12 rebounds and nine assists for the Magic. Franz Wagner scored 17 points for Orlando, which got 15 from Jalen Suggs and 14-point from Wendell Carter Jr. Cade Cunningham scored 27 for Detroit, which trailed 96-79 with 8:34 left and then outscored the Magic 26-8 over the next six minutes to grab the lead. But the Pistons were outscored 9-0 the rest of the way.
Towns has a triple-double and the Knicks beat the Hawks 114-98 to tie the series at 2-2
ATLANTA (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had his first postseason triple-double, OG Anunoby scored 22 points and the New York Knicks recovered after back-to-back losses to beat the Atlanta Hawks 114-98 on Saturday night, tying the Eastern Conference playoff series at 2-2. Towns had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The 11th-year All-Star became the fourth Knicks player to record a triple-double in a playoff game, joining Walt Frazier, Dick McGuire and Josh Hart. The Knicks host Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, and the series is now guaranteed to return to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday.
Gilgeous-Alexander scores 42, Thunder beat Suns 121-109 to take a 3-0 series lead
PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points in a brilliant shooting performance, Ajay Mitchell added 15 in place of the injured Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 121-109 on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series. Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s reigning MVP — hit 15 of 18 shots on a variety of tough looks, frustrating a Suns’ defense that actually played well for much of the game. Alex Caruso added 13 points off the bench while Chet Holmgren had 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33 points. The Thunder go for the sweep on Monday.
Crosby and Letang strike as the Penguins stave off a sweep with a 4-2 Game 4 win over Flyers
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang each scored goals, helping the Penguins avoid a first-round series sweep with a 4-2 win over the Flyers in Game 4 on Saturday night. Game 5 is Monday in Pittsburgh. Rickard Rakell also scored, and Connor Dewar sealed the win with a late empty-netter. Penguins coach Dan Muse made the right call by benching starting goalie Stuart Skinner for Arturs Silovs. Crosby scored his first goal of the series and set a screen for Letang's goal. The Penguins received a solid effort from Silovs, who makes his 11th career playoff start.
Boldy's deflection late in 1st OT lifts Wild past Stars 3-2 to tie series at 2
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matt Boldy scored on a deflection with 28.9 seconds left in the first overtime and the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Saturday in Game 4 to tie the first-round NHL playoff series. Jared Spurgeon took a shot that Boldy, unmarked in front of the net, tipped with his stick shaft to guide the puck past goalie Jake Oettinger after the Wild lost Game 3 in double overtime. Boldy has three goals in the series. Game 5 is in Dallas on Tuesday night. Marcus Foligno tied it for the Wild on a second-effort tip-in with 5:20 left in the third period, and Jesper Wallstedt made 43 saves.
Stankoven scores again, Hurricanes complete 4-game sweep of Senators
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Logan Stankoven scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated Ottawa 4-2 to sweep the first-round series. Taylor Hall added a goal and an assist before Sebastian Aho buried two pucks into the empty net. Frederik Andersen made 25 saves. Seth Jarvis chipped in two assists. Drake Batherson, with a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens replied for the Senators, who put up just five goals in four games and never led against the Hurricanes. Linus Ullmark stopped 26 shots. Rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk added two assists in his playoff debut.
Caitlin Clark helps Fever beat Liberty in the preseason in her 1st game with the team in 9 months
NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark was excited to get back on the court and play in a WNBA game even if it was just the preseason. The Indiana Fever star played in her first game for the Fever in nine months on Saturday after injuries derailed her second season. Clark said she had some nerves, but they didn’t show early. She scored the first basket of the game and then a couple of possessions later hit her signature step-back 3-pointer from deep. Clark finished with seven points, four assists and three rebounds in just under 17 minutes of play as Indiana won 109-91.
