AP Sports Digest
The highlights of Saturday's AP Sports report. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, https://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, https://newsroom.ap.org. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports
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ADVISORIES
AP coverage plans for the upcoming Paris Olympics can be found here: https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/pronto/57d3a768edff36e3e1b369fa8fa2ce4d
Find Olympics stories, photos, videos and interactives on the Olympics hub in APNewsroom.
AUDIO HEADLINES
Doncic scores 29, Mavericks roll past the Celtics 122-84 to avoid a sweep in the NBA Finals
Phillies wait out an extra-inning rain delay, then outlast the Orioles 5-3 in 11
Alex Verdugo slugs 2-run HR, drives in 4 runs in return to Fenway as Yankees beat Red Sox 8-1
Aberg takes 1-shot lead into weekend at Pinehurst in US Open debut
All times EDT
TOP STORIES
HKN--STANLEY CUP
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Florida Panthers can win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history with a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4. The league has not had a 4-0 Stanley Cup Final since Detroit swept Washington in 1998 to go back to back. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Game starts at 8:20 p.m.
With:
— HKN--STANLEY CUP-PANTHERS-TARASENKO — Vladimir Tarasenko is playing a key role for Florida after winning the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019. By Stephen Whyno. SENT: 580 words, photos.
BKN--NBA FINALS-RESILIENT CELTICS
BOSTON — The Celtics picked the most inopportune time to play their worst game of the season. Boston’s 122-84 Game 4 loss to Dallas had all of the superlatives, and none of them was good. It was the first time the Celtics have allowed the Mavericks to eclipse 100 points in the series and it ended the Celtics’ 10-game playoff winning streak. Game 5 is Monday in Boston. By Kyle Hightower. UPCOMING: 660 words, photos by 4 p.m.
BKN--NBA FINALS-MAVS STILL STANDING
DALLAS — Kyrie Irving’s personal 13-game losing streak against the Celtics is over. Now it’s back to the parquet floor in Boston to face his former team again. The Dallas Mavericks are still alive in the NBA Finals after avoiding a sweep with a 122-84 blowout in Game 4. By Schuyler Dixon. SENT: 650 words, photos.
GLF--US OPEN
PINEHURST, N.C. — Ludvig Aberg has a one-shot lead in the U.S. Open that is ripe with possibilities at Pinehurst No. 2. Among those on his heels are Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 9 p.m. With GLF--US Open-Notebook, sidebars on merits, US Open-Glance and US Open-Leader Cards (all upcoming).
With:
— GLF--US OPEN-OLYMPICS — Patrick Cantlay is in contention for the U.S. Open and possibly a trip to Paris. Ditto for Corey Conners. The U.S. Open is the final week before the Official World Golf Ranking is used to determine which 60 players qualify for the Olympics. By Doug Ferguson. SENT: 890 words, photos.
OLY--SWM-US TRIALS
INDIANAPOLIS — Katie Ledecky tries to stamp her ticket for a fourth Olympics when she leads the field in the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. trials, which are being held inside the domed home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. By National Writer Paul Newberry. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Finals start at 8 p.m. With OLY--SWM-US Trials-Prelims (sent).
NOTABLE
OLY--IOC-RUSSIANS
The IOC has approved 14 athletes from Russia and 11 Belarusians with neutral status to compete at the Paris Olympics in a first list from five sports published Saturday. Tennis, swimming or judo were not on the list of sports assessed by an International Olympic Committee vetting panel. Russia and Belarus are banned from team sports at the Paris Olympics because of the military invasion of Ukraine. By Graham Dunbar SENT: 400 words, photos.
SOC--EURO 2024-FRANCE-MBAPPE
PARIS — The last time Kylian Mbappé kicked a ball at the European Championship it sent France out of the competition. He was the only player to miss in a penalty shootout against Switzerland. Les Bleus was eliminated from Euro 2020 in the round of 16. Mbappé captains France at Euro 2024 and is desperate to make amends, saying “I’m in a vengeful mood.” By Jerome Pugmire. SENT: 580 words, photos.
BBO--ROYALS-DODGERS
LOS ANGELES — Kansas City's Seth Lugo goes up against Los Angeles' Yoshinobu Yamamoto in one of the day's best pitching matchups. The Royals' Lugo is trying to become the second pitcher in the majors to reach 10 wins while the Dodgers' Yamamoto is tied for sixth in the NL with a 3.00 ERA. By Joe Reedy. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Game starts at 9:10 p.m.
BBC--CWS-NC STATE-KENTUCKY
OMAHA, Neb. — North Carolina State, removed from the 2021 College World Series a win short of the finals because of COVID-19 protocols, is back in Omaha for the first time and will play first-time entry Kentucky. By Eric Olson. UPCOMING: 600 words. Game starts at 2 p.m.
BBC--CWS-FLORIDA-TEXAS A&M
OMAHA, Neb. — Florida, which struggled through the regular season before and barely met the threshold for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, is playing its best at the right time and will face Texas A&M in a College World Series opener. By Eric Olson. 600 words. UPCOMING: Game starts 7 p.m.
BOX--DAVIS-MARTIN
LAS VEGAS — Undefeated fighters Gervonta Davis faces Frank Martin for the WBA lightweight championship. By Mark Anderson. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Main card starts at 8 p.m.
BOX--BENAVIDEZ-GVOZDYK
LAS VEGAS — David Benavidez faces Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the WBC light heavyweight championship. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos. Main card starts at 8 p.m.
CAR--NASCAR-IOWA
NEWTON, Iowa — Christopher Bell likes that the NASCAR Cup Series is at Iowa Speedway for the first time. But the .875-mile track isn’t quite the one he remembers. There’s been a partial repaving in the turns, and the top-to-bottom racing that was a characteristic of the track in the past may not be there for Sunday’s 350-lap race. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 7 p.m. With CAR--NASCAR-Iowa-Xfinity (race starts at 3:30 p.m.).
SOC--NWSL ROUNDUP
The Orlando Pride look to remain undefeated this season when they visit the North Carolina Courage, one of four matches in the National Women's Soccer League. UPCOMING: 500 words. Last match starts at 9:30 p.m.
___
Saturday’s EDT Time Schedule
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Game 4
Florida at Edmonton, 8:20 p.m.
MLB
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Cleveland at Toronto, 3:07 p.m.
LA Angels at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
Miami at Washington, 4:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 4:10 p.m.
Detroit at Houston, 4:10 p.m.
San Diego at N.Y. Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 4:10 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees at Boston, 7:15 p.m.
Texas at Seattle, 7:15 p.m.
Kansas City at LA Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Colorado, 9:10 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Arizona, 10:10 p.m.
Oakland at Minnesota, ppd
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hungary vs. Switzerland at Köln, Germany, 9 a.m.
Spain vs. Croatia at Berlin, noon
Italy vs. Albania at Dortmund, Germany, 3 p.m.
MLS
Chicago at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
D.C. at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Houston at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles at Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
Miami at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Nashville at New York, 7:30 p.m.
Salt Lake at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver at New England, 7:30 p.m.
St. Louis at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Austin at Colorado, 9:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.
Kansas City at L.A., 10:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Seattle, 10:30 p.m.
NWSL
NJ/NY at Louisville, noon
Orlando at North Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
San Diego at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Angel City at Houston, 9:30 p.m.
WNBA
Connecticut at Dallas, 1 p.m.
New York at Las Vegas, 3 p.m.
NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Kentucky (45-14) vs. N.C. State (38-21), 2 p.m.
Texas A&M (49-13) vs. Florida (34-28), 7 p.m.
