Update on the latest sports
NBA-PLAYOFFS
Nets could wrap up series with Celtics
BROOKLYN (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets take a 3-games-to-1 lead over the Boston Celtics into Game 5 of their NBA playoff series tonight in Brooklyn.
The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers are even at two games apiece, and play Game 5 tonight in Denver.
The Lakers-Suns series is back in Phoenix tonight, also even at two apiece.
NHL-PLAYOFFS
Lightning at Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes meet in Raleigh for Game 2 of their second-round NHL playoff series. Tampa Bay won the opener, 2-1, as the Lightning tries to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Orioles hope to break out of losing streak
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have lost 14 straight games, the worst skid in the majors since Houston dropped 15 in a row in 2013. The Twins, who have beaten Baltimore 16 straight times, try to extend their string when Michael Pineda starts against Bruce Zimmermann at Camden Yards.
Among the other games on the major league schedule:
— Rookie left-hander Ryan Weathers makes his first career appearance at Wrigley Field when he starts for the San Diego Padres against Kyle Hendricks and the Chicago Cubs. Weathers’ father, David, pitched in 28 games for the Cubs in 2001, going 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA. He made 57 appearances at Wrigley during his 19 years in the majors.
— The Toronto Blue Jays return to Sahlen Field in Buffalo, where they played home games last year during the coronavirus-shortened season. Still barred from playing at Rogers Centre in Toronto by the Canadian government because of virus restrictions, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays began this year hosting home games at their spring training site in Dunedin, Florida, going 10-11 there. They’ll be hosting the Marlins tonight in Buffalo.
TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN
Kvitova pulls out
PARIS (AP) — Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova says on Instagram that she has pulled out of the French Open because of an ankle injury.
Kvitova says she fell and hurt her ankle during “post-match press requirements” after her first-round victory. She calls it “incredibly bad luck” and hopes to recover in time for the grass-court season.
Wimbledon begins on June 28. She won that Grand Slam tournament in 2011 and 2014.
The 11th-seeded Kvitova saved a match point before coming back to beat Greet Minnen 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-1 on Sunday at Roland Garros. She was a semifinalist in Paris in 2012 and 2020.
In Tuesday action:
— Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty overcame a strong challenge from Bernarda Pera to win her first match at Roland Garros since she claimed the 2019 French Open title. Barty played with her left thigh bandaged and struggled before getting medical treatment at the start of the deciding set. Barty improved and eventually made the most of Pera’s lack of consistency to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Barty won in Paris two years ago and decided not to defend her title last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
— Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev has lost in the first round of the French Open. The 23-year-old Russian lost to German player Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4. It’s the first time Rublev has lost so early at Roland Garros since his debut at the tournament in 2017.
