Home

Latest crop of SF Giants call-ups give them two attributes they have sorely lacked

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The San Francisco Giants aren’t fast. They don’t hit the ball hard. They’re slow, and more often than not, so is the contact they make.It doesn’t strain the imagination to believe this hasn’t been a fruitful combination. Teams that don’t hit homers can create runs on the base paths. Those that go station-to-station can quickly clear the bases with one swing of the bat. The Giants don’t do either, and in all likelihood they will be sitting at home this October.If there is one upside to their spectacular collapse, the final week of the season can serve as a showcase for many of the 12 prospects who graduated from the minors and made their major-league debuts this season. And some of these guys possess the exact attributes the Giants have lacked for much of this year.In two games since being called up, Marco Luciano has collected three hits, and each one has left the bat at 105 mph or more. Of the Giants’ four hardest-hit ba...

Rookie starting pitcher shines as Oakland A’s avoid historic loss

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

OAKLAND — Joe Boyle had five strikeouts in six innings for his first career win, Esteury Ruiz hit a two-run home run, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1 on Saturday.A fifth-round draft pick by Cincinnati in 2020 who was acquired from the Reds at the trade deadline, Boyle (1-0) was mostly crisp in his second start in the majors. The rookie allowed five hits, pitched around traffic in each of the first six innings, and gave up an unearned run in the third, the only runner Boyle allowed past second base.“Joe was outstanding, just pounding the zone,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “That was the concern when he came here, his strike-throwing ability, but (in) both outings we haven’t seen that show its head. He kept his poise. He continued to throw strikes, continued to pound the zone.”After the game, teammates celebrated the moment and showered Boyle with a combination of beer, baby powder, and shaving cream.“That was probably the most memorable part of that, getting co...

How NASA Ames plans to bring asteroid samples to Earth, safe and sound

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

As a primordial space rock hurtles toward Earth on Sunday morning, it will be protected by a heat shield invented in Silicon Valley.The priceless rock, grabbed by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from the distant asteroid Bennu, will face searing heat as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere at 27,650 mph. It is expected to fly over the Bay Area around 7:42 a.m. and land in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Desert around 7:55 a.m., where it will be greeted by teams of scientists.Without protection, “it would all burn up, and we’d lose everything of scientific value,” said aerospace engineer Todd White of NASA’s Ames Research Center, a Sunnyvale resident who helped design the thermal protection system for the capsule.The metallic material — lighter than water, with yellow and brown streaks — was designed in specialized wind tunnels, where air gets heat-blasted by a lightning-like arc of electricity, at NASA’s Mountain View facility.The OSIRIS-REx project, managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center...

Female victim killed after multiple people stabbed in Berkeley Hills

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

(KRON) -- A person died after a series of stabbings Saturday afternoon in Berkeley Hills, the Berkeley Police Department said. Around 12:33 p.m., officers received multiple calls about a female stabbing victim on the 1000 block of Overlook Road.Another call to police reported a subject being chased down the street with a knife, according to BPD. Before police arrived at the scene, the suspect drove away in a stolen vehicle. Toddler killed in Vallejo shooting Officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle and initiated a car chase. Other BPD officers remained at the scene on Overlook Road. They found two more stabbing victims.BPD learned one of the victims was a male who was being chased down the street. He sustained injuries to his hands and was medically cleared on scene, according to BPD.The third victim who was stabbed was described to be female. She was taken to the hospital with stab wounds; her condition is unknown at this time. The police chase ended after a collision on ...

Huskers ramp up their ground game with Haarberg and Grant in a 28-14 win over Louisiana Tech

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Heinrich Haarberg ran for 157 yards and a touchdown and Anthony Grant for 135 yards and a score to lead Nebraska past Louisiana Tech 28-14 on Saturday.Haarberg, who started his second straight game at quarterback in place of Jeff Sims, worked in tandem with Grant as the primary ball-carriers in the absence of injured running backs Gabe Ervin Jr. and Rahmir Johnson. The Cornhuskers (2-2) had four runs of at least 30 yards and finished with 312 yards on the ground and 419 total yards.“It wasn’t our best game,” coach Matt Rhule said, “but any time we have (312) yards rushing we’re going to be excited about that. Some of the option plays were really good plays for us. The speed options allowed us to get on the perimeter. There’s still a lot of things to improve and clean up.”Louisiana Tech (2-3) lost its 16th straight road game over four seasons.For Nebraska, it’s apparent the quarterback run will have to be a big part of the offe...

Josh Lowe’s 4 RBIs lead Blue Jays over Rays 7-6 as 20-year Junior Caminero makes debut

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Josh Lowe hit a three-run homer and a walk-off single that capped a two-run ninth inning, lifting Tampa Bay over the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 on Saturday after the Rays wasted a five-run lead.Rays prospect Junior Caminero made his big league debut at 20 years, 80 days and went 1 for 4 with a walk. He beat out what would have been an inning-ending, double-play grounder in the ninth — the initial out call by first base umpire Alex Tosi was reversed in a video review. Lowe then sliced an opposite-field single down the left-field line off Jordan Romano (5-6), who blew a save for the fourth time in 40 chances.“Right when I made contact with the ball, I knew I had to hustle,” Caminero said through a translator. Yandy Díaz had four hits, and Díaz, Lowe and Christian Bethancourt homered for the Rays (95-61), who assured themselves no worse than the top AL wild card. The Rays are 1 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Baltimore.“Everyone knows when somethng like that hap...

Krajewski’s 4 TDs leads Wagner, Seahawks hold off Merrimack late, 30-27

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Krajewski ran for two second-half touchdowns and fired a 21-yard scoring pass to Jaylen Bonelli on fourth down with under five minutes left to lift Wagner past Merrimack in a Northeastern Conference game on Saturday. Merrimack came back and had a first down inside the Wagner 5 but was stopped on three straight runs. Needing a field goal to send the game into overtime, the Warriors had a bad snap and holder Cole Peterson was unable to get the ball down for a Lliam Davis chip shot. Krajewski hit Trevor Shorter from 16 yards out early in the second quarter and Ryan Liszner connected on a 43-yard field goal to send the Seahawks into halftime with a 10-7 lead. Krajewski scored from a yard out to cap a 41-yard, nine-play drive to make it 17-7 midway through the third quarter, but the Merrimack special teams took over and put the Warriors in the lead. Donovan Wadley took the kickoff straight up the middle and found a lane to the end zone for a 94-yard return for a to...

Becht guides Iowa State over Oklahoma State 34-27 in Big 12 opener

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Rocco Becht passed for 348 yards and three touchdowns as Iowa State held on to beat Oklahoma State 34-27 Saturday in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.The Cyclones (2-2) were averaging just 16.7 points per game, the lowest total among Power 5 schools, but Becht spearheaded an offensive revival, completing 27 of 38 attempts.“I just thought Rocco played an incredible game,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said, “his efficiency, the way he threw the football.”Oklahoma State (2-2) tried to rally from a 14-point deficit in the final three minutes, but the Cowboys’ last drive ended when Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa intercepted a fourth-and-10 pass near midfield.Becht became a starter this offseason when returning quarterback Hunter Dekkers left the program amidst a gambling investigation.The season got off to a choppy start, with the Cyclones scoring a total of 20 points in their previous two games, following a 30-9 win over Northern Iowa.“It’s just the b...

Milton leads No. 23 Tennessee in 45-14 win over UTSA

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Milton III threw for 156 yards and ran for 89 in the first half, leading No. 23 Tennessee to a 45-14 victory over UTSA on Saturday.Milton played a key role in three early touchdowns for the Volunteers (3-1) — an 81-yard scoring run on the first play of the game and TD passes to Ramel Keyton and Kaleb Webb — as they took a 31-0 lead into halftime.“We played well early and finished strong,” Vols coach Josh Heupel said.The Roadrunners (1-3) struggled without quarterback Frank Harris, who missed his second game with turf toe. In his absence, Owen McCown was 18 for 20 passing for 170 yards and two touchdowns and one interception.Milton’s 81-yard scoring burst on the first play of the game was the longest scoring run by a quarterback in Tennessee history“You can’t give up a quarterback run on the very first play of the game,” UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said. “That’s just inexcusable. Total misfit. It’s disappointing.” Milton finished 18 for 31 fo...

Jalen Milroe, No. 13 Alabama’s defense key 24-10 win over No. 15 Ole Miss

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:14:34 GMT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jalen Milroe was planted on his back just after he delivered his biggest pass of the season.When the Alabama quarterback finally got to his feet, it only took a moment to realize the result: a 33-yard touchdown strike to freshman Jalen Hale that helped the 13th-ranked Crimson Tide beat No. 15 Mississippi 24-10 on Saturday.Milroe didn’t get up quickly, but he was celebrating when he did.“I heard the crowd,” Milroe said, “I looked at the ref a little bit. He put his hands up and OK, it’s a touchdown.”The play helped ignite an offense that has badly needed a spark.The Tide (3-1) scored 18 points in a 14-minute span — one more than the team managed against South Florida last weekend — to pull away from the Rebels (3-1) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.“We told the players that we believe in our team and it was important for them to believe in each other,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “But there’s a responsibility that comes with ...