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US faces Portugal with Women’s World Cup future still up in the air

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The United States heads into its final group match at the Women’s World Cup with questions swirling about the team’s tactics. U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski started the same lineup against Netherlands on Thursday that he rolled out for the opening match against Vietnam. While it was enough for the United States to beat the Vietnamese 3-0, it was less successful against the stronger Dutch, and the Americans settled for a 1-1 draw. That lineup had never played together before the World Cup. The tie meant that the United States will likely need a more decisive outcome on Tuesday against Portugal to finish atop Group E and secure a favorable path in the knockout round. Going into the game, advancing out of the group wasn’t a given for the two-time defending World Cup champions. In addition to the same starters, Andonovski made just one substitution in the game against the Dutch, bringing on midfielder Rose Lavelle to start the second half. Bu...

Angels outfielder Taylor Ward leaves game after being hit in head by Alek Manoah’s pitch

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was hit in the head by a pitch from Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah in the fifth inning Saturday.Batting with the bases loaded in the Angels’ 6-1 loss, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch clocked at 91 mph. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels’ dugout for the trainer as Ward went down with blood running down his face.Manoah put his hands on his head as he stood on the mound. It was the second hit batter of the game for Manoah, who hit Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani on the left foot in the first.Angels trainers rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.Andrew Velazquez ran for Ward, who drove in the first run of the game. Velazquez went to shortstop and Luis Rengifo, who scored on t...

Wisconsin driver Sam Mayer wins on home-state track for 1st Xfinity Series victory

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin driver Sam Mayer won on his home-state track for his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, pulling ahead for good in the next-to-last lap of a wild second overtime session Saturday.Mayer won by 0.368 seconds over Parker Kligerman on the sprawling 14-turn, 4.084-mile road course. They were followed in order by Austin Hill, Sage Karam and Riley Herbst. Justin Allgaier was 18th after leading most of the way.The race included eight caution flags, tying a track record. The final restart occurred during a second overtime session and followed a red flag to clean up oil on the track.Allgaier had taken the lead around the sixth lap of the scheduled 45-lap race and stayed in front through all those restarts. But everything went haywire on the last one.Karam passed Allgaier from his right, the first of multiple lead change in the second-to-last lap. Kligerman also led at one point before Mayer pulled ahead for good.Mayer is from Franklin, Wisconsin, ab...

NASCAR-Xfinity Road America 180 Results

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

SaturdayAt Road AmericaElkhart Lake, Wis.Lap length: 4.05 miles(Start position in parentheses)1. (5) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 49 laps, 42 points.2. (17) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 49, 35.3. (14) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 49, 37.4. (6) Sage Karam, Toyota, 49, 39.5. (4) Riley Herbst, Ford, 49, 37.6. (13) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 49, 31.7. (9) Kaz Grala, Toyota, 49, 34.8. (11) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 49, 29.9. (1) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 49, 0.10. (33) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 49, 27.11. (32) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 49, 26.12. (19) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 49, 25.13. (34) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 49, 24.14. (20) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 49, 23.15. (26) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 49, 22.16. (23) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 49, 21.17. (25) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 49, 20.18. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 49, 39.19. (21) Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 49, 18.20. (38) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 49, 17.21. (18) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 49, 16.22. (29) Patrick Emerling, Chevrolet, 49, 15.23. (35) J...

Kirk hits 2 home runs, Espinal also homers as Blue Jays control Ohtani, beat Angels 6-1

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit two home runs, Santiago Espinal added a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-1 on Saturday.Kirk hit a leadoff homer against former Blue Jays left-hander Aaron Loup in the seventh inning, then hit a two-run shot off right-hander Jaime Barria in the eighth. It was Kirk’s first multihomer game of the season and the fourth of his career.Toronto won for the 14th time in 20 games and moved to a season-best 13 games above .500 at 59-46. The Blue Jays are 25-11 when they hit two or more home runs.The Angels, who began the day four games behind the Blue Jays in the AL wild card race, lost their second straight after winning the previous four. Los Angeles is 54-51.Shohei Ohtani started for the Angels after leaving Friday’s game in the ninth because of cramps in both legs. Ohtani was hit on the left foot by a pitch in the first inning, doubled in the third, and was intentionally walked in both the fifth and sixth innings.Ohtani...

Cejka leads Senior British Open despite his worst round so far

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

BRIDGEND, Wales (AP) — Alex Cejka posted his worst score so far at the Senior British Open in windy conditions to take a one-shot lead into the final round after no player went under-par Saturday at Royal Porthcawl.The German hit a 3-over 74 in the third round to follow a par-71 and an opening 3-under 68.“It was a tough day for everybody,” said Cejka, who is chasing his third senior major championship title.Cejka is at even-par overall and has a one-stroke lead over four players tied for second on 1 over, including overnight leader Steven Alker (76), Padraig Harrington (71), Vijay Singh (73) and Phillip Archer (71). Alker aced the par-3 15th with a 7-iron.“Sometimes hole-in-ones are not good shots and go in but that was a good shot,” Alker said.Bernhard Langer, who won the last time the Senior British Open was held at Royal Porthcawl in 2017, carded a 75 to tie for 11th at 4 over.Defending champion Darren Clarke (73) is tied for 32nd. The tournament is the last of five majors on the...

Douglas County homicide victim's family speaks out 

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) -- Outside the Sonesta Hotel in Park Meadows, a memorial garden to Colin Grice is being constructed. Grice, a 57-year-old hotel manager, was found shot to death in his Highlands Ranch home last week.His wife, 55-year-old Victorine Grice was found dead inside her Douglas County jail cell Friday morning. Grice had been facing murder charges, and the cause of her death remains under investigation. Colin Grice's family says it's been a whirlwind of a week, beginning with a call that he had been killed. Colorado anti-domestic violence group urges victims to reach out for help "I was just dumbfounded, honestly," his sister Aden Beavers said. "Total shock. Total shock."But the family said it was in for another surprise, reading court documents for Victorine Grice.Those documents show Grice told 911 dispatchers, "My husband attacked me. Please help me. I think he's dead." Victorine later told dispatchers, "I think he's dead. I shot him. He's a monst...

Brooke, 376-pound gator, recovering after checkup at UF, ear infection diagnosis

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — An alligator got a medical checkup after he wasn’t feeling well.Brooke, the 376-pound gator, was seen by the University of Florida’s Zoological Medicine service team after he started head-rolling in the lagoon where he lives earlier this week.After making his trip from St. Augustine Alligator Farm to Gainesville, Brooke got a full workup, including a blood draw and CT scan.Doctors determined he had an ear infection. Brooke is now back at his zoo recovering.

National NAACP Convention continues in Boston

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

The 114th annual National NAACP Convention continued Saturday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.This is the first time Boston has hosted the convention since 1982. It was originally slated to hots in 2020 but the event went remote due to the pandemic. Local leaders say it’s an opportunity for Boston to reintroduce itself to Black America. “We know the perception, the reputation we have as being one of America’s most racist cities,” said NAACP Boston’s Tanisha Sullivan. “This moment gives us the opportunity to reframe that. not to shy away from it but to acknowledge that we have some work to do, to share the work that we’ve been doing and the aspiration that we have going forward.”More than 2,200 local branches will submit what they believe should be the priorities for the convention. Organizers say topics will include AI, the Hollywood writers’ strike, racism, white nationalism, education, reproductive rights for wom...

A firefighter has been killed while battling a wildfire in British Columbia, Canada

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:22:16 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — A firefighter has been killed while fighting a massive wildfire in northeastern British Columbia, marking the second such fatality in the Canadian province this month during this year’s record fire season.The British Columbia Wildfire Service confirmed Saturday that a contract firefighter crew member was killed Friday in the Prince George Fire Centre area, which includes the almost 6,000-square-kilometer (2,316 square mile) Donnie Creek blaze.The offices of both British Columbia Premier David Eby and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston say the firefighter, who has not been identified publicly, died while fighting the Donnie Creek wildfire.On July 13, 19-year-old Devyn Gale died while she was fighting a wildfire near Revelstoke, British Columbia after she was struck by a falling tree.Eby said in his statement that the most recent fatality coming so soon after Gale’s death “has shaken people throughout” the province and devastated the firefighting communi...