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Drew Smith gives up costly home run that leads to Rangers’ win over Mets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

Drew Smith has only given up six home runs this season, but at least half of them have been costly. He served up his sixth of the season Tuesday night at Citi Field in the Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.The Rangers took the series with the victory, handing the Mets their second straight series loss and their fourth loss in the last five games. Smith replaced left-hander Jose Quintana in the seventh inning. His second pitch to leadoff hitter Mitch Garver went over the left-center fence to break a scoreless tie and effectively hand the Rangers (75-57) the win.Smith has always been adept at elevating his fastball, but this one didn’t get enough rise and the 94.8 MPH pitch was about belt-high.The right-hander (4-5) now has two losses and a blown save as a result of home runs and it was the second time this season he allowed long balls in back-to-back outings. Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels, Smith gave up one up to briefly put the Halos ahead, but the Mets came ba...

‘There’s no more question marks’: Nick Madrigal continues to impress Chicago Cubs with his defense at third base

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

Sometimes Chicago Cubs third baseman Nick Madrigal will watch replays of his defensive plays to try to take in all the different angles.Madrigal’s first season at third base has given the Cubs a reliable defender whose advanced metrics rate him as one of the best at the position in the majors.“I’ve been really impressed with the multitude of different scenarios he’s been put in and being able to make a lot of plays,” manager David Ross said Tuesday. “… I’m at the point, there’s no more question marks for me for him at third base. He’s proven that this year, put in a lot of work to get that way. But he’s very valuable at third and done a really nice job. He’s been great.“He’s been really good and I think we’re getting the best version of him at the plate as far as like he’s healthy and I hadn’t seen that seen him swing the bat with this kind of authority and power and gap-to-gap and ...

Yankees get 3 solo homers, scoreless start from Michael King in win over Detroit Tigers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

The Yankees won their second consecutive game after getting brilliant pitching performances and some solo homers from a few Pinstripers at Comerica Park on Tuesday evening.The contributions led to a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers to even the four-game set.Gleyber Torres supplied the offense early in the first inning by hitting a 454-foot shot to left field, the longest home run of his career. The lead provided a cushion for Michael King, who got the start for the Yankees. The righty cruised in his second start of the season. He pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits, no walks and striking out five batters over 61 pitches. The outing lowered his ERA to 2.96.Jhony Brito took over in the fifth and kept the game scoreless. The 25-year-old allowed two hits, two walks and struck out three batters in 3.1 innings of work. The effort secured the righty his fifth win of the season.Kyle Higashioka provided an insurance run in the fifth with a home run to left field, which ext...

Half of USD football team facing discipline amid alleged hazing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Roughly half of University of San Diego's football team is facing disciplinary action amid an investigation into hazing allegations.The decision was made after the university's athletics and public safety departments conducted a preliminary investigation into alleged hazing between team members during preseason activities, USD says.The football coaching staff learned of the allegations on Aug. 18, the university said in a statement to FOX 5, adding that no one was believed to have been physically hurt. Pete Davidson to perform in El Cajon USD "immediately" suspended football activities, but allowed the remaining players to resume practicing Wednesday "under the close guidance of USD's coaching staff," the university said.Both active and passive participants are facing disciplinary action, and some have received indefinite game suspensions, USD says.The university adds that the initial disciplinary actions only pertain to the players' athletic participation, and that "...

Bridge to Oceanside Pier will be demolished, replaced

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- The bridge to Oceanside's pier will soon be demolished and rebuilt. The bridge is painted white and officially named the Pier View Way Bridge. This access bridge to the pier was designed in 1926 and completed in 1927, making it 96 years old.The city said the bridge is in need of major repairs, but replacing the nearly century-old bridge was more of a cost-effective option. "It's iconic, this is a hub to downtown tourism," the City of Oceanside's Senior Civil Engineer Darra Woods said. "The facility is almost 100 years old, we’ve been maintaining it for decades, but it's really approached its end of its surface life, to get almost 100 years is fantastic, a new facility will get another 75-100 years."The plan is to tear down the old bridge and build a new one, but with its original appearance from its original design in the 1920s. That bridge was made of gray concrete.Woods said the white-textured surface the bridge currently boasts was added on later and was not ...

Drones targeted 5 regions in biggest attack on Russian soil in 18 months, defense ministry says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of targeting five Russian regions with drones in the early hours of Wednesday in what appears to be the biggest drone attack on Russian soil in the 18 months of fighting in Ukraine. Drones hit an airport in the western Pskov region and were shot down over the regions of Oryol, Bryansk, Ryazan and Kaluga.The strike in Pskov started a massive fire and four Il-78 transport aircraft were damaged, Russia’s state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.Pskov regional Gov. Mikhail Vedernikov ordered all flights to and from the Pskov airport canceled Wednesday, citing the need to assess the damage during daylight.Footage and images posted on social media overnight showed smoke billowing over the city of Pskov, and a large blaze. Vedernikov said there were no casualties, and the fire has been contained.The Associated Press

Australians to vote in a referendum on Indigenous Voice to Parliament on Oct. 14

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australians will vote on Oct. 14 on a proposed law to create a so-called Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the nation’s first referendum in a generation.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday announced the referendum date, triggering just over six weeks of intensifying campaigning by both sides of the argument.The referendum would enshrine in the constitution an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, a collection of advocates aimed at giving the nation’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority more say on government policy.Australia has not held a referendum since 1999 and a referendum has not passed since 1977.No referendum has ever passed without bipartisan support and the major parties remain divided over the Voice.Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press

2 found dead in eastern Washington wildfires identified, more than 350 homes confirmed destroyed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The men found dead in two wildfires that ignited in eastern Washington earlier this month have been identified, and the number of homes destroyed has been confirmed at more than 350.Carl Grub, 86, died on Aug. 18 near an intersection in Medical Lake west of Spokane in the area of the Gray fire, which started that day, according to a Friday news release from the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. Grub’s cause and manner of death is still pending. Grub, with his brother, founded The Jensen Memorial Youth Ranch, where he taught kids interested in agriculture how to care for and raise livestock, KREM-TV reported. Earlier this year, the Junior Livestock Show of Spokane had been dedicated to Grub.“The world needs more people like Carl,” the Junior Livestock Show of Spokane wrote on its Facebook page. “He will be greatly missed.” On Aug. 20, Alex Brown died in Elk, Washington, north of Spokane in an area burned by the Oregon fire. Brown, 49 died from ther...

Johnny & Associates founder Kitagawa sexually assaulted hundreds of teens, investigation finds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — A team investigating sexual assault allegations by the late founder of a powerful talent agency for boy bands has found the charges credible, calling Tuesday for compensation for the victims and the resignation of the current chief executive. The three-month probe, which included speaking with 23 victims, concluded that Johnny Kitagawa sexually assaulted and abused boys as far back as the 1950s and targeted at least several hundred people. The investigative panel said Johnny & Associates must apologize, strengthen compliance measures and educate its ranks about human rights. Julie Keiko Fujishima, the chief executive, must resign for not taking action over the years, according to the special team. Kitagawa died in 2019 and was never charged. “The company’s coverup led to the sexual abuse continuing unchecked for so long,” investigative team leader Makoto Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “There were many opportunities to take action.” Critics say what happened at Joh...

Fighting in eastern Syria between US-backed fighters and Arab tribesmen kills 10

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:57 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Arab tribesmen clashed with U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in several areas of eastern Syria on Tuesday, leaving at least 10 people dead and others wounded, opposition activists and pro-government media said.The clashes are among the worst in recent years in the region along the border with Iraq where hundreds of U.S. troops have been based since 2015 to help in the fight against the Islamic State group.The clashes first broke out Monday, a day after the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces detained the commander of a formerly allied group and several other members of his faction after they were invited to a meeting in the northeastern city of Hassakeh.Some Arab tribesmen in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour were angered by the detention of Ahmad Khbeil, better known as Abu Khawla. He heads the Deir el-Zour Military Council, which was allied with the SDF in its yearslong battle against the Islamic State group in Syria.The clashes raise concerns of more...