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Nate Spears seeing it all as Saints hitting coach

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

Feast or famine is a phenomenon most professional baseball players are familiar with. But when it comes to dealing with both at the same time … well, welcome to Saints hitting coach Nate Spears’ world.Spears, in his first season in the Twins organization after coaching for seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, is all smiles when talking about the recent exploits of the hot-hitting Michael Helman. As for Trevor Larnach and Jose Miranda, struggling Twins hitters sent down to the Saints in recent days, it’s time to dig in and work.Helman, who has consistently hit for average and power since being called up to the Saints from Double-A Wichita last season, had a hit on Wednesday in the Saints’ 4-2 loss to Indianapolis at CHS Field. He is batting .360 in his past eight games, with four home runs and 16 RBIs despite missing the first 22 games of the season due to injury.“He just seems like he’s ready to hit every pitch,” Spears said. “When you get locked in and continue to put ...

Alex Kirilloff sends Twins to walk-off win over Padres

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

When the Twins reversed their decision to option Alex Kirilloff to Triple-A just days after sending him down, manager Rocco Baldelli expressed hope that the lefty hitter could bring a jolt to their lineup.The Twins’ slumping offense has desperately needed a jolt, and Kirilloff delivered it on Wednesday night, coming through with the clutch hit the Twins needed in the 11th inning and sending them to a 4-3 win over the Padres at Target Field.“He doesn’t have much fear. He goes up there in big spots and just looks for a pitch that he thinks he can handle and simplifies it,” Baldelli said. “That was big for us. We needed someone to just come up and make it happen and he did that today.”A night earlier, Baldelli had talked about mixing up the lineup. One move was sliding Kirilloff, who finished the day with a pair of hits, into the cleanup spot. Another was moving Max Kepler, who, as the automatic runner, scored the game-winning run, into the No. 2 spot in the batting order. Kepler, like...

Warriors stave off elimination, defeat Lakers in Game 5 of Western Conference Semis

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

The defending champion Golden State Warriors have kept their title repeat dreams alive, staving off elimination at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the NBA's Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors defended their home court, defeating their cross-state rivals 121-106.Stephen Curry lead the Warriors with 27 points and 8 assists. Andrew Wiggins added 27 points and 5 assists. Draymond Green notched a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.The Lakers were led by LeBron James who notched 29 points, 3 assists and 9 rebounds. His costar Anthony Davis added 23 points and 9 rebounds, but exited halfway through the fourth quarter with an apparent injury after taking an errant elbow to head by Warriors center Kevon Looney. That injury led to Davis being taken out of the arena in a wheelchair, according to TNT sideline reporter Chris Haynes. In his post-game availability, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said he had spoken to Davis and he appeared to be in...

Construction of multi-million dollar park under L.A.'s Sixth Street Bridge to begin this summer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

Construction of a brand new park under the Sixth Street Viaduct was unanimously approved on Tuesday.Two million dollars were approved for a budget gap on the nearly $30 million Sixth Street Park, Arts, and River Connectivity (PARC) project which brings 12 acres of open space for the public to enjoy.Funds from the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018 (Prop 68) will be funding a major portion of the build. The act was authored by Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León.The new space will bring two dog parks, a skate park, a performing arts plaza, soccer fields, and a large playground area for children.An Arts Plaza will provide local artists with display areas along with community gathering grounds.Arts plaza stage at Sixth Street Park, Arts, and River Connectivity. (Hargreaves Jones)The soccer fields at Sixth Street Park, Arts, and River Connectivity. (Hargreaves Jones)West park seating at Sixth Street Park, Arts, and River Connectivity. (Hargreaves Jones)The Sixth Street Park, Art...

Lakers' LeBron James makes 19th consecutive All-NBA team

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James shows no signs of slowing down in his 20th season in the league.On Wednesday, the NBA announced that James had been selected as a member of the All-NBA third team. The accolade was another milestone for the league's all-time leading scorer. It marked the 19th consecutive time that James was named to one of the league's All-NBA teams — the most selections by a player in league history.James has made five All-NBA teams as a member of the Lakers, four as a member of the Miami Heat and ten as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the 2022-23 season, James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assisters per game. He appeared in 55 games, including one game off the bench, and was named Western Conference Player of the Week on two occasions. At the age of 38, he also led the league in fast break points per game, according to the Lakers.The All-NBA teams are comprised of the league's best players as voted by members of the media. Broadcasters ...

Lakers’ Anthony Davis exits in fourth quarter of Warriors’ Game 5 win

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

Anthony Davis has arguably been the best player in the Warriors-Lakers playoff series.That’s why his exit from Wednesday’s Game 5 could be such a massive moment for the rest of this week.Davis exited midway through the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 121-106 win over the Lakers after getting hit in the head by Kevon Looney, with the Lakers big man getting ruled out for the rest of the game with a head injury shortly thereafter.Davis scored 23 points and added nine rebounds in 32 minutes of action on Wednesday.TNT sideline reporter Chris Haynes reported that Davis was taken out of the arena on a wheelchair with a towel covering his head. Davis appeared visibly woozy on the bench after being substituted out and walked gingerly from the bench toward the locker room at the next media timeout.After the game, Lakers coach Darvin Ham told media that Davis “seems to be doing really good already” after the coach checked on him in the locker room. Lakers guard Austin Reaves added,...

Warriors stave off elimination, beat Lakers in Game 5 to send series back to LA

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — After Stephen Curry gave a heartfelt speech before Game 7 of the last series, Steve Kerr was mum on who said what heading into a do-or-die Game 5 Wednesday night. “That’s internal stuff,” Kerr said pregame. “But yeah, our guys are ready.” The Warriors leaned in on their experience of being down 3-1 in a series before and having experienced both outcomes. “We know how to respond,” Kerr said. “That’s the plan.” And they carried through with said agenda, beating the Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 to live to play another game.The Warriors were aggressors, with Draymond Green setting the tone early. He scored eight of the team’s first 14 points, opening the game with a 3. He also got in the ear of several Lakers players, including Jarred Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis. Still, the Lakers stuck with them, hitting tough shots over defenders. LeBron James drilled a 3 early in the second to give the Lakers their f...

NBA playoffs: Warriors, Knicks stave off elimination to force Game 6s

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry had 27 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assist, and the defending champion Golden State Warriors staved off elimination by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.LeBron James had 25 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Anthony Davis added 23 points and nine rebounds but went to the locker room late after appearing to take a hit in the head from Kevon Looney.Austin Reaves made a 3-pointer with 5:25 to play that cut the Warriors’ lead to single digits at 104-95 only for Curry to answer with five straight points, then he hit another big shot after D’Angelo Russell connected from deep.Draymond Green contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State played tough defense that led to better chances on the offensive end — just as coach Steve Kerr has challenged his team to to.Now, it’s back to LA for Game 6 on Friday night with the Laker...

Anthony Davis injured late in Game 5 loss against Warriors

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lakers center Anthony Davis injured his head in what appeared to be an inadvertent elbow by Golden State’s Kevon Looney in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 121-106 Game 5 victory in the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.Davis grabbed at his head grimacing before going to the locker room late in the game. His status for Friday’s Game 6 back in Los Angeles wasn’t immediately clear. Davis finished with 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists but didn’t block a shot.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Stephen Curry, Warriors stave off elimination, force Game 6 by beating Lakers 121-106

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:22:17 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry had 27 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assist, and the defending champion Golden State Warriors staved off elimination by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.LeBron James had 25 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Anthony Davis added 23 points and nine rebounds but went to the locker room late after appearing to take a hit in the head from Kevon Looney.Austin Reaves made a 3-pointer with 5:25 to play that cut the Warriors’ lead to single digits at 104-95 only for Curry to answer with five straight points, then he hit another big shot after D’Angelo Russell connected from deep.Draymond Green contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State played tough defense that led to better chances on the offensive end — just as coach Steve Kerr has challenged his team to to.Now, it’s back to LA for Game 6 on Friday ni...