Sports45 FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015

Puig has big night, Kendrick lifts Dodgers over D-backs 7-6 LOS ANGELES: Yasiel Puig homered among his four hits, Howie Kendrick singled home the winning run in the bot- tom of the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Arizona 7-6 Wednesday night for their seventh consecutive victory over the Diamondbacks. Daniel Hudson (1-2) issued consecutive one-out walks to Puig and Adrian Gonzalez before Kendrick’s bloop single to right field gave the Dodgers a three-game sweep. Puig hit a three-run homer in the second, and his four hits tied a career high. He finished a triple short of the cycle. Yasmani Grandal had a solo homer for the Dodgers, who have defeated the Diamondbacks nine straight times at home. The latest win gave Los Angeles three consecutive home series sweeps over Arizona dating to last year. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen (1-0) blew a save chance for the first time this season, giving up A.J. Pollock’s career high-tying eighth homer leading off the ninth. Los Angeles’ four-run lead got cut to 5-4 on consecutive homers by Paul Goldschmidt, whose two-run shot was his 100th career homer, and Yasmany Tomas in the fifth off starter Brett Anderson. Kike Hernandez’s sacrifice fly extended the Dodgers’ lead to 6-4 in the sixth. Chris Owings hit a sacrifice fly for Arizona in the seventh. Puig homered in the second on the first pitch from starter Jeremy Hellickson, giving the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. Grandal hit a high-arcing homer in the third that a fan in the front row of the right-field pavilion caught one-handed, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-1. CHICAGO: Anton Stralman #6 and Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the watch a shot by Jonathan The Dodgers backed Anderson with some solid defen- Toews #19 of the cross the line in the second period for a during Game Four of the sive plays. Rookie center fielder Joc Pederson got his glove 2015 NHL Final at the United Center on June 10, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. —AFP over the wall to rob Tomas of a homer with two runners on in the third. Third baseman Alberto Callaspo backhanded a liner for the final out of the fourth. Blackhawks edge Tampa Bay The Diamondbacks had the potential tying and go- ahead runs at second and third in the sixth after Nick Ahmed singled, stole second and went to third on a passed ball by Juan Nicasio, who walked pinch-hitter 2-1, even Stanley Cup Final David Peralta before leaving with a cracked nail on his mid- dle finger. CHICAGO: Brandon Saad drove the net and ice advantage, but a fraction of the with Vasilevskiy pulled for an extra attacker, Andre Ethier caught Ender Inciarte’s fly to left field for had the puck poked away by Andrei Blackhawks’ big-game credentials. but the veteran stopped them all. He got the inning’s second out, but after making a poor throw to home plate he was promptly removed for Hernandez. Yimi Vasilevskiy. When he somehow found it again, help from Brent Seabrook, who deflected a Garcia escaped the inning when Pollock struck out swing- Saad gave it a desperate backhand whack that First final -blank shot by Stamkos, keeping him ing. just happened to send it right between Despite their differences in experience, without a goal in the series. Anderson allowed four runs and eight hits in five Vasilevskiy’s moving pads. these teams are incredibly close: This is the “We’re disappointed about the squan- innings, struck out three and walked one. Hellickson gave Saad refused much credit for his tiebreak- first Final since 1968 in which each of the first dered chance tonight,” Stamkos said. “I up five runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings, struck out four and ing goal in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. four games was decided by one goal. Faced thought we deserved better. We’ve just got walked two. He knows that a few fortunate bounces have with the prospect of a 3-1 series deficit, the to find a way to score more than one goal.” been the only differences in four games Blackhawks responded with championship Vasilevskiy became the fourth-youngest Trainer’s room between the Chicago Blackhawks and the grit. goalie to start a Stanley Cup Final game in Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner didn’t play for the second Tampa Bay Lightning, who seem determined Saad scored his eighth goal of the postsea- NHL history and the youngest since 20-year- straight game after fouling a pitch off his to take this championship series down to a son - and his second in two games - with the old Patrick Roy in 1986. Bishop got hurt dur- left kneecap in the series opener Monday. He was doing fantastic finish. same determination that has characterized ing Game 2 and left it twice in the waning better Wednesday, and he will get more rest on the off day Saad scored with 13:38 to play, and cap- the forward’s short, prolific career. minutes, but he played in Game 3 and par- Thursday. ... The goal for LF Scott Van Slyke, who hasn’t tain Jonathan Toews got his first goal of the “No matter what the situation is, whether ticipated in Wednesday’s morning skate played since May 30 because of a back injury, is to become pain-free in order to begin a minor league rehab assign- series as the Blackhawks beat the Lightning we’re down in a series or a hockey game, we before the Lightning ruled him out. ment. —AP and their rookie goalie 2-1 Wednesday night, tend to play our best when our backs are “If you tell me we’re going to come in knotting the Final at two games apiece. against the wall,” Chicago’s said. and he’s going to give up two goals, that’s a The 22-year-old Saad’s latest clutch goal “Not saying we had our best effort tonight, hell of a job in my book,” Tampa Bay coach was the offensive highlight of a gritty, but we still found a way to win.” Jon Cooper said. “That kid gave us every defense-dominated night at the United Alex Killorn scored in the second period for chance to win the hockey game. We only Center. Corey Crawford and the 20-year-old the Lightning, whose four-game road winning scored one.... He showed at the pinnacle of Vasilevskiy, the Lightning’s surprise starter, streak ended. the sport that he can play. That’s a pretty both had stellar moments before Saad beat They got solid work and 17 saves from big achievement for a 20-year-old.” his fellow youngster for the winner. Vasilevskiy in place of Ben Bishop, the 53- Chicago didn’t manage a shot on “I was really pretty lucky,” Saad said. “I just game winner scratched with an undisclosed Vasilevskiy’s net until 8:17 into the first saw space going to the net. Tried to drive and lower-body injury after hobbling through period, finishing with just two shots in a create some chaos. Just try to get some wood Game 3. tentative first period. After putting two on it and get to the net, and it found a way in.” Vasilevskiy played well, but couldn’t quite shots off Vasilevskiy’s posts early in the Chaos reigned again in the final minute for match Crawford, the 2013 Stanley Cup winner second, Chicago finally scored when Crawford, who capped his 24 saves with a who regularly follows up poor stretches with Vasilevskiy gave up a rebound of Marian frantic last stand. Lightning captain Steven big games for the Blackhawks. Hossa’s shot and Toews eventually Stamkos had two golden chances to force “I can play under pressure,” Vasilevskiy slapped a loose puck under the goalie, LOS ANGELES: Howie Kendrick No. 47 of the Los overtime, but the Blackhawks survived. said. “For me, it’s not something new. I was who deflected it in for his 10th goal. The Angeles Dodgers hits a walk off single in the Game 5 is Saturday night in Tampa. ready for pressure from fans and players.” Lightning answered five minutes later ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks The series is now a best-of-three, with when Valtteri Filppula threaded a back- at Dodger Stadium on June 10, 2015 in Los Chicago needing at least one more win at Youngest goalie ward pass through two defenders and in Angeles, California. The Dodgers won 7-6. —AFP Amalie Arena to secure its third Stanley Cup Tampa Bay pummeled Crawford with front to Killorn for his ninth goal of the banner in six seasons. Tampa Bay has home- multiple scoring chances in the final minute postseason. —AP