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From Jack Harris: Dustin May knew how key his sweeper would be this season.
“It’s going to be huge,” the Dodgers right-hander said earlier this spring. “Being able to land that is probably going to be my biggest thing for the whole year.”
Lately, however, he’s learning there’s a flip side to that coin, as well.
For as good as May’s Frisbee-esque breaking ball looked, when he returned from a nearly two-year absence by giving up just two earned runs in his first three starts, the pitch has been more inconsistent in the three outings since, dragging May’s overall performance down with it.
In a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Truist Park, it was two bad sweepers — both to Braves slugger Austin Riley — that sank May on a night the Dodgers saw their seven-game winning streak stopped.
In the first inning, May had two strikes against Riley before throwing a sweeper up and over the plate. Riley launched it to left for a two-run homer.
In the third, May tried his sweeper again against Riley, throwing it over the outer edge of the plate in a 1-and-1 count. But Riley was on it once more, belting another two-run blast that gave the Braves an early 4-0 lead.
‘Big brother, little brother.’ How Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages bond is helping Dodgers
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CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: Don’t tell the Clippers they overachieved this season based on preseason NBA predictions that had them vying for a play-in spot in the uber-competitive Western Conference because Kawhi Leonard started the season dealing with right knee injury management and Paul George had bolted to the 76ers.
Don’t tell the Clippers they exceeded expectations with a 50-32 record and a fifth seed in the West despite odds against that happening.
They always viewed themselves in a different light and refused to listen to the “outside noise” that pointed to the Clippers finishing in the bottom half of the conference.
By losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers failed to achieve their goals for the season.
“Whether you overachieve or not, when you lose in the playoffs, it’s tough,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after the team’s 120-101 loss in Game 7 on Saturday. “And, so, I feel bad. … Our players feel bad. Like I said, that’s all you think about is this game. You’re not thinking about the season. You’re just thinking about things you could have done better when we got to this point and it’s frustrating to go out like this. So, how I feel, I’m pissed off.”
NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All Times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Minnesota 117, at Lakers 95 (box score)
at Lakers 94, Minnesota 85 (box score)
at Minnesota 116, Lakers 104 (box score)
at Minnesota 116, Lakers 113 (box score)
Minnesota 103, at Lakers 96 (box score)
No. 4 Denver vs. No. 5 Clippers
at Denver 112, Clippers 110 (OT) (box score)
Clippers 105, at Denver 102 (box score)
at Clippers 117, Denver 83 (box score)
Denver 101, at Clippers 99 (box score)
at Denver 131, Clippers 115 (box score)
at Clippers 111, Denver 105 (box score)
at Denver 120, Clippers 101 (box score)
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 8 Memphis
at Oklahoma City 131, Memphis 80 (box score)
at Oklahoma City 118, Memphis 99 (box score)
Oklahoma City 114, at Memphis 108 (box score)
Oklahoma City 117, at Memphis 115 (box score)
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 7 Golden State
Golden State 95, at Houston 85 (box score)
at Houston 109, Golden State 94 (box score)
at Golden State 104, Houston 93 (box score)
at Golden State 109, Houston 106 (box score)
at Houston 131, Golden State 116 (box score)
Houston 115, at Golden State 107 (box score)
Sunday at Houston (box score)
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 8 Miami
at Cleveland 121, Miami 100 (box score)
at Cleveland 121, Miami 112 (box score)
Cleveland 124, at Miami 87 (box score)
Cleveland 138, at Miami 83 (box score)
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Orlando
at Boston 103, Orlando 86 (box score)
at Boston 109, Orlando 100 (box score)
at Orlando 95, Boston 93 (box score)
Boston 107, at Orlando 98 (box score)
at Boston 120, Orlando 89 (box score)
No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Detroit
at New York 123, Detroit 112 (box score)
Detroit 100, at New York 94 (box score)
New York 118, at Detroit 116 (box score)
New York 94, at Detroit 93 (box score)
Detroit 106, at New York 103 (box score)
New York 116, at Detroit 113 (box score)
No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 5 Milwaukee
at Indiana 117, Milwaukee 98 (box score)
at Indiana 123, Milwaukee 115 (box score)
at Milwaukee 117, Indiana 101 (box score)
Indiana 129, at Milwaukee 103 (box score)
at Indiana 119, Milwaukee 118 (OT) (box score)
* if necessary
Conference semifinals
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets
Monday at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Friday at Denver, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Denver, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Tuesday, May 13 at Oklahoma City, TBD, TNT*
Thursday, May 15 at Denver, TBD, ESPN*
Sunday, May 18 at Oklahoma City, TBD*
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State
Tuesday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Golden State, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday, May 12 at Golden State, 7 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, May 14 at Minnesota, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Golden State, TBD*
Tuesday, May 20 at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., ESPN*
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Indiana
Indiana 121, at Cleveland 112 (box score)
Tuesday at Cleveland, 4 p.m., TNT
Friday at Indiana, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Indiana 5 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, May 13 at Cleveland, TBD, TNT*
Thursday, May 15 at Indiana, TBD*
Sunday, May 18 at Cleveland, TBD*
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 New York
Monday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
Saturday at New York, TBD, ABC
Monday, May 12 at New York, TBD, ESPN
Wed., May 14 at Boston, TBD, TNT*
Friday, May 16 at New York, TBD, ESPN*
Monday, May 19 at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT*
*if necessary
ANGELS
Trey Sweeney and Kerry Carpenter each homered and had four hits, and they combined to drive in 11 runs as the Detroit Tigers pounded the Angels 13-1 on Sunday to win three of four in the series.
After Sweeney singled in the first run off Jack Kochanowicz (1-5) in the second inning, Carpenter made it 3-0 with a two-run double to the right-field wall that Jo Adell kept inside the park but couldn’t catch.
Zach Neto had two hits and drove in the lone run for the Angels. Kochanowicz was tagged for five runs in five innings.
The Angels, last in the AL West, are 1-3 to begin a 10-game homestand.
GALAXY
Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida had the only score on Sunday night. Unfortunately, it was an own goal that led to a 1-0 victory for Sporting Kansas City — continuing the worst start by a defending champion in league history.
The Galaxy (0-8-3) are still looking for their first victory 11 matches into the season and even a 3-0-2 record in five previous matchups with Sporting KC (3-7-1) didn’t help.
Yoshida’s own goal came in the 13th minute.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Texas Christian’s Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno came from behind to win the final match on Sunday as the second-seeded Horned Frogs wrapped up their first NCAA women’s beach volleyball championship with a 3-2 victory over No. 4 seed Loyola Marymount.
TCU (32-5) is the first school other than USC and UCLA to win the title. The Trojans won the first two and the previous four, while the Bruins won two straight in 2018-19.
Alvarez and Moreno, who took a year off to play in the Olympics, returned to finish unbeaten in four years as a duo. Alvarez and Moreno dropped the first game 18-21 to LMU’s Michelle Shaffer and Anna Pelloia before rallying to win the final two 21-15 and 15-6.
NFL
From Sam Farmer: Although it felt at times there was only one quarterback in last weekend’s NFL draft — the slip-sliding Shedeur Sanders who tumbled to the fifth round — there were actually 14 selected over the three days. That’s tied for the most taken in a draft since 2016.
Considering the impact of last year’s class, which included Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix and Bo Nix, each of those quarterbacks drafted this year has to be encouraged that the window of opportunity is more than cracked open.
To get a better understanding about some of these players, the Los Angeles Times spoke to quarterback analysts Rick Neuheisel and Greg Cosell, who spend countless hours studying the position and prospects.
RUGBY
From Anthony De Leon: On the Dignity Health Sports Park concourse, a group of men sat with drinks in hand, laughing and soaking in the final day of the Rugby Sevens World Championship. Their trip from Cornwall, in southwest England, to Carson spanned 5,408 miles, all for the sole purpose of cheering on Britain.
Donning custom button-up shirts with matching shorts, they proudly pointed out the emblems pressed onto their kits — symbols of home. Their outfits featured a Union Jack, a classic Cornish mining engine house and scones topped with jam first, then cream — the only proper way, they insisted, while chastising anyone who did it differently, much like their intolerable cousins from the neighboring county of Devon.
The getaway to L.A. wasn’t so much a planned excursion as it was a series of phone calls between seven childhood friends, all contingent on getting approval from their wives. Unfortunately, the group was greeted with back-to-back dreary, overcast afternoons instead of the trademark California sunshine. Still, the weather didn’t dampen the fun.
“That’s what we like about sevens — it goes all day,” said Jason Penprase, referring to the raucous atmosphere and rapid pace. “It’s good that we actually get to see nations that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with rugby. … You get to see other nations come forward and play. … It’s got to be good [for the games]. You’re trying to make it a worldwide sport.”
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
Pacific 3 Edmonton vs. Pacific 2 Kings
at Kings 6, Edmonton 5 (summary)
at Kings 6, Edmonton 2 (summary)
at Edmonton 7, Kings 4 (summary)
at Edmonton 4, Kings 3 (OT) (summary)
Edmonton 3, at Kings 1 (summary)
at Edmonton 6, Kings 4 (summary)
Wild-card 2 St. Louis vs. Central 1 Winnipeg
at Winnipeg 5, St. Louis 3 (summary)
Winnipeg 2, St. Louis 1 (summary)
at St. Louis 7, Winnipeg 2 (summary)
at St. Louis 5, Winnipeg 1 (summary)
at Winnipeg 5, St. Louis 3 (summary)
at St. Louis 5, Winnipeg 2 (summary)
at Winnipeg 4, St. Louis 3 (2 OT) (summary)
Central 3 Colorado vs. Central 2 Dallas
Colorado 5, at Dallas 1 (summary)
at Dallas 4, Colorado 3 (summary)
Dallas 2, at Colorado 1 (OT) (summary)
at Colorado 4, Dallas 0 (summary)
at Dallas 6, Colorado 2 (summary)
Thursday at Colorado (summary)
at Dallas 4, Colorado 2 (summary)
Wild-card 1 Minnesota vs. Pacific 1 Vegas
at Vegas 4, Minnesota 2 (summary)
Minnesota 5, at Vegas 2 (summary)
at Minnesota 5, Vegas 2 (summary)
Vegas 4, at Minnesota 3 (OT) (summary)
at Vegas 3, Minnesota 2 (OT) (summary)
Vegas 3, at Minnesota 2 (summary)
Eastern Conference
Wild-card 2 Ottawa vs. Atlantic 1 Toronto
at Toronto 6, Ottawa 2 (summary)
at Toronto 3, Ottawa 2 (summary)
Toronto 3, at Ottawa 2 (OT) (summary)
at Ottawa 4, Toronto 3 (OT) (summary)
Ottawa 4, at Toronto 0 (summary)
Toronto 4, at Ottawa 2 (summary)
Atlantic 3 Florida vs. Atlantic 2 Tampa Bay
Florida 6, at Tampa Bay 2 (summary)
Florida 2, at Tampa Bay 0 (summary)
Tampa Bay 5, at Florida 1 (summary)
at Florida 4, Tampa Bay 2 (summary)
Florida 6, at Tampa Bay 3 (summary)
Wild-card 2 Montreal vs. Metropolitan 1 Washington
at Washington 3, Montreal 2 (OT) (summary)
at Washington 3, Montreal 1 (summary)
at Montreal 6, Washington 3 (summary)
Washington 5, at Montreal 2 (summary)
at Washington 4, Montreal 1 (summary)
Metropolitan 3 New Jersey vs. Metropolitan 2 Carolina
at Carolina 4, New Jersey 1 (summary)
at Carolina 3, New Jersey 1 (summary)
at New Jersey 3, Carolina 2 (2 OT) (summary)
Carolina 5, at New Jersey 2 (summary)
at Carolina 5, New Jersey 4 (2 OT) (summary)
Conference semifinals
Pacific 1 Vegas vs. Pacific 3 Edmonton
Tuesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Edmonton, 6 p.m., TNT
Monday, May 12 at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Wednesday, May 14 at Vegas, TBD, ESPN*
Friday, May 16 at Edmonton, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Vegas, TBD, TNT*
C1 Winnipeg vs. C2 Dallas
Wednesday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Dallas, 1:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, May 13 at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, May 15 at Winnipeg, TBD, TNT*
Saturday, May 17 at Dallas, TBD*
Monday, May 19 at Winnipeg, TBD, ESPN*
Eastern Conference
Atlantic 1 Toronto vs. Atlantic 3 Florida
Monday at Toronto, 5 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday at Toronto, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Florida, 4 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Florida, 4:0 p.m., TBS
Wednesday, May 14 at Toronto, TBD, ESPN*
Friday, May 16 at Florida, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Toronto, TBD, TNT*
Metro 1 Washington vs. Metro 2 Carolina
Tuesday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Carolina, 3 p.m., TNT
Monday, May 12 at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
Thursday, May 15 at Washington, TBD, TNT*
Saturday, May 17 at Carolina, TBD*
Monday, May 19 at Washington, TBD, ESPN*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1904 — Cy Young of the Red Sox pitches a perfect game against the Philadelphia Athletics, beating Rube Waddell 3-0.
1908 — 34th Kentucky Derby: Arthur Pickens aboard 66-1 chance Stone Street wins in muddy track conditions; 2:15.20 slowest Derby in history.
1934 — Cavalcade wins the Kentucky Derby by more than three lengths over Discovery. It’s his third victory in less than two weeks.
1949 — Detroit Tigers second baseman Charlie Gehringer is elected in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1951 — 77th Kentucky Derby: Conn McCreary aboard Count Turf wins in 2:02.6.
1966 — The Montreal Canadiens beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 to win the Stanley Cup in six games.
1969 — The Boston Celtics beat the Lakers 107-102 in the seventh game to win the NBA championship for the 10th time in 11 years. Player-coach Bill Russell and Sam Jones retire as players.
1969 — Milwaukee Bucks sign #1 NBA Draft pick, star UCLA center Lew Alcindor.
1973 — Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, wins the Kentucky Derby with a record time of 1:59.2. Secretariat beats Sham by 2½ lengths and goes on to win the Triple Crown.
1978 — Pete Rose of the Reds becomes the 14th player with 3,000 hits, singling in the fifth inning against Montreal’s Steve Rogers at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.
1990 — 116th Kentucky Derby: Craig Perret aboard Unbridled wins in 2:02.
1993 — Canisius beats Niagara 11-1 in softball to set an NCAA Division I record with 34 straight wins.
2001 — Monarchos wins the Kentucky Derby carrying Jorge Chavez across the finish line in 1:59 4-5, only two-fifths of a second off the track record set by Secretariat en route to the Triple Crown in 1973. Monarchos finishes a dominating 4¾ lengths over Invisible Ink.
2007 — Street Sense, ridden by Calvin Borel, roars from next-to-last in a 20-horse field to win the Kentucky Derby by 2 1-2 lengths over Hard Spun.
2007 — Floyd Mayweather Jr. beats Oscar De La Hoya in one of the richest fights. Mayweather, with superb defensive skills and superior speed, wins a 12-round split decision and the WBC 154-pound title in his first fight at that weight. The sellout crowd of 16,200 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas sets a record $19 million gate.
2012 — I’ll Have Another catches Bodemeister down the stretch and pulls away in the final furlong to win the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Mario Gutierrez, riding in his first Derby, guides the 3-year-old colt to a 1½-length victory in front of a Derby-record crowd of 165,307.
2012 — English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (89,102): Chelsea beats Liverpool, 2–1; Didier Drogba scores winner for Blues’ 7th title.
2013 — LeBron James is the overwhelming choice as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. The Miami star gets 120 of 121 first-place votes in this year’s balloting, giving him the award for the fourth time.
2017 — Corey Perry scores 6:57 into the second overtime after the Ducks rally from a three-goal deficit in the final minutes of regulation, completing a spectacular 4-3 comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers. Rickard Rakell scores the tying goal with 15 seconds left in regulation to cap a stunning sequence of three goals in just over three minutes, all with goalie John Gibson pulled for an extra attacker.
2018 — Justify splashes through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby by 2½ lengths, becoming the first colt in 136 years to wear the roses after not racing as a 2-year-old. The colt that began his racing career in February improves to 4-0 and gives trainer Bob Baffert his fifth Derby victory. Jockey Mike Smith earns his second Derby victory as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 20.
2021 — John Means of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners, 6-0 at T-Mobile Park, Seattle.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.