MLB: Posey HR lifts Giants over Pirates

MLB: Posey HR lifts Giants over Pirates

PITTSBURGH

Buster Posey snapped the longest homerless drought of his career with a three-run shot off Chris Archer and tagged Pittsburgh’s Jung Ho Kang at the plate for the final out as the San Francisco Giants edged the Pirates 3-2 on Sunday.

Posey hit a fastball from Archer (1-1) barely over the fence in center field with one out in the fifth for a three-run homer to give the Giants the lead. The home run was the first for the six-time All-Star catcher since he went deep against the Miami Marlins on June 19, 2018, a span of 237 at-bats.

The 407-foot shot — Posey’s first-ever home run against the Pirates in 49 career games — was just enough for San Francisco to end Pittsburgh’s five-game losing streak. Dereek Rodriguez (3-2) allowed two runs on three hits in 52/3 innings, striking out for against just one walk.

Will Smith earned his fifth save of the season with some help from his defense. Kang was on first with two outs after reaching on a fielder’s choice when rookie Bryan Reynolds laced a double to the right-field corner. Third base coach Joey Cora waved Kang home, but the relay throw from second baseman Joe Panik to Posey beat Kang by a good two steps.

The lone mistake by Rodriguez (3-2) came in the fourth, when he left an 84 mph changeup over the middle of the plate and Josh Bell mashed it over the stands in right field for a two-run homer that put the Pirates in front.

NBA: Celtics complete sweep of Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS

Gordon Hayward scored 20 points and Marcus Morris started a decisive 3-point flurry late in the fourth quarter Sunday to give the Boston Celtics a series-clinching 110-106 victory at Indiana.

It’s the first four-game sweep for the Celtics since 2011 and their second since 1986-87, becoming the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs.

Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 22 points and Tyreke Evans finished with a playoff career-high of 21 to lead the Pacers. It still wasn’t enough to prevent Indiana from enduring its second first-round sweep in three years — the only two best-of-seven sweeps in franchise history.

NBA: Warriors take 3-1 series lead to Bay Area

LOS ANGELES

Kevin Durant scored 33 points, Klay Thompson added 32 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-105 Sunday to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Stephen Curry was in foul trouble for the second straight game and finished with 12 points. Andrew Bogut fouled out with 5:50 remaining in the game with eight points and 10 rebounds.

The Warriors were 17 of 19 from the free-throw line. They controlled the boards, 49-33, led by Curry and Bogut with 10 rebounds apiece.

Game 5 is Wednesday in Oakland.

Rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Clippers with a career-high 25 points. Danilo Gallinari added 16 points but was just 5 of 20 from the floor. Patrick Beverley had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

NHL: Marchand helps Bruins force Game 7

TORONTO

Brad Marchand had two goals and an assist as the Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Sunday, forcing a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.

Torey Krug and Jake DeBrusk also scored, and David Pastrnak had two assists to help Boston avoid elimination. Tuukka Rask stopped 22 shots. The Bruins will host the deciding game on Tuesday night.

Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews scored for Toronto in a series neither team has managed back-to-back victories and each has won twice on the road. Frederik Andersen finished with 37 saves.

The Maple Leafs, who lost to the Bruins in seven games in both 2013 and last spring, have not advanced to the second round of the playoffs since 2004.

The winner of this series will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Associated Press