ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Dairon Blanco had three hits, including a two-run homer in the third, Michael Wacha picked up his first win in over a month and the Kansas City Royals rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Vinnie Pasquantino also had a two-run homer in the third and drove in three runs for the Royals, who have won three of four. Pasquantino has nine RBIs in his last five games. Maikel Garcia added three hits, including a two-run double in the sixth. The Angels had five hits and are 4-12 at The Big A for the worst home start in franchise history.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout decided that having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee was a better alternative than postponing surgery and being a designated hitter the rest of the season. The Los Angeles Angels slugger said before Thursday's game that being a DH was an alternative option presented, but that he didn't think it was worth it. Trout is sidelined with a major injury for the fourth straight season. He still doesn’t know when the latest one occurred. The knee soreness worsened during an April 29 game against the Philadelphia Phillies and an MRI exam the next day revealed the tear. He underwent surgery last Friday when the Angels began a six-game road trip.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rhys Hoskins, Jake Bauers and Joey Ortiz all homered to cool off Sonny Gray as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the slumping St. Louis Cardinals 7-1. The Cardinals suffered their fifth straight loss as they opened a four-game series with the NL Central-leading Brewers. William Contreras and Christian Yelich each went 3 of 4 for the Brewers. Milwaukee scored six runs off Gray during his five-inning stint. Gray entered the game with an 0.89 ERA through five starts.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA has approved a waiver that will allow men’s and women’s basketball programs to pay for unlimited official recruiting visits to help teams deals with roster depletion caused by transfers, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. The Athletic first reported the approval of a blanket waiver by the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees. Currently, men’s basketball programs are allowed 28 official visits over a rolling two-year period. The number for women’s programs is 24. The waiver is effective immediately and the NCAA Division I Council will consider eliminating the cap on official visits in basketball permanently in June.
BOSTON (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and Evan Mobley had 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the top-seeded Boston Celtics 118-94 and tie their second-round playoff series at one game apiece. Two nights after losing by 25, the Cavaliers seized the lead in the third quarter and answered with a blowout of their own. Mitchell scored 16 in the third. Jayson Tatum scored 25 for Boston, and Jaylen Brown added 19 points. The series moves to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, with a return trip to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Luka Doncic had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-110 to even their Western Conference semifinals series at one win apiece. The Thunder held Doncic to 19 points on 6-for-19 shooting in Game 1. He bounced back and made 11 of 21 field goals in Game 2. P.J. Washington added 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Mavericks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists and Jalen Williams added 20 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City lost for the first time in the postseason.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Artemi Panarin redirected a pass between his legs at the crease to beat Pyotr Kochetkov just 1:43 into overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in the second-round playoff series. Panarin scored after Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov lost control of a puck in the corner in the defensive zone. Vincent Trocheck collected it on the right side and sent it toward the crease to Panarin, who tipped the puck behind him as defenseman Jalen Chatfield tried to push him away from the crease. The puck slipped under the right elbow and past the ribs of Kochetkov. The Rangers can complete the sweep in Game 4 here Saturday night.
DALLAS (AP) — Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen scored two power-play goals, Roope Hintz had a goal and three assists and the Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the second-round Western Conference series. Tyler Seguin got his first goal this postseason on a short-hander at the end of a 3-on-1 breakaway for the Stars that put them up 4-0 late in the second period. Esa Lindell added an empty-netter with 20 seconds left. Jake Oettinger had 28 saves for Dallas. Joel Kiviranta, Brandon Duhaime and Valeri Nichushkin scored in the third period for the Avalanche
NEW YORK (AP) — The Indiana Pacers have, as coach Rick Carlisle said they would, sent 78 plays they believe were officiated incorrectly from the first two games of their series against the New York Knicks to the NBA office for review, a person with knowledge of the action said Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because neither the Pacers nor the league had publicly confirmed the clips were actually sent. Officials acknowledged an incorrectly called kicked ball violation late in Game 1, but the Pacers believed there were plenty other instances of wrong whistles.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have fired coach Frank Vogel after one disappointing season. The team made the announcement on Thursday, less than two weeks after getting swept out of the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns finished the regular season with a 49-33 record. Vogel won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. Vogel was hired last summer to lead the Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, but the group was never quite able to gel.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rory McIlroy hoped that his victory with Shane Lowry two weeks ago in the Zurich Classic team event would serve as a springboard for the remainder of the season. He’s off to a good start. McIlroy positioned himself for a run at a record fourth Wells Fargo Championship title Thursday, opening with a 4-under 67 that left him three shots behind leader Xander Schauffele. Collin Morikawa and Alex Noren also shot 67, and Justin Thomas topped the group at 68. Quail Hollow is one of McIlroy’s favorite courses, and with good reason after victories in 2010, ‘15 and ’21.
UNDATED (AP) — Tiger Woods has company in player negotiations with the Saudi-backers of LIV Golf. Rory McIlroy says he and Adam Scott also are on the transactional subcommittee of the PGA Tour Enterprises board. It was yet another twist in the bizarre governance being played among as the PGA Tour tries to work out a deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The tour disclosed only five people on the subcommittee. Its latest release shows McIlroy and Scott part of the group. McIlroy says he's already been involved in discussions. He says he has no vote, only a voice.
THURSDAY SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Minnesota 11 Seattle 1
Final Houston 4 N.Y. Yankees 3
Final Chicago White Sox 3 Cleveland 2
Final Kansas City 10 L.A. Angels 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Arizona 5 Cincinnati 4
Final Colorado 9 San Francisco 1
Final Milwaukee 7 St. Louis 1
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final Cleveland 118 Boston 94
Final Dallas 119 Oklahoma City 110
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final OT N-Y Rangers 3 Carolina 2