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Reds aim to stop 4-game skid, take on the Pirates

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (7-13, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (14-7, second in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Saturday, 6:35 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luis Cessa (0-2, 13.50 ERA, 2.75 WHIP, three strikeouts); Pirates: Rich Hill (1-2, 5.57 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 15 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Pirates -151, Reds +129; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds are looking to break a four-game losing streak with a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh has a 14-7 record overall and a 5-3 record at home. Pirates hitters are batting a collective .251, which ranks seventh in the NL.Cincinnati has a 7-13 record overall and a 1-7 record in road games. The Reds are 6-2 in games when they scored at least five runs.The matchup Saturday is the sixth time these teams meet this season. The Pirates hold a 3-2 advantage in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Bryan Reynolds has three doubles, a triple and five home runs for the Pirates. Connor Joe is 13-for-37 with ...

Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Diego Padres Saturday

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

San Diego Padres (10-12, third in the NL West) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (12-9, first in the NL West)Phoenix; Saturday, 8:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Joe Musgrove (0-0); Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly (1-2, 3.38 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 18 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -147, Diamondbacks +126; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks play the San Diego Padres on Saturday.Arizona has gone 6-3 at home and 12-9 overall. The Diamondbacks have a 10-3 record in games when they record at least eight hits.San Diego has gone 5-4 in road games and 10-12 overall. The Padres are 4-8 in games when they have allowed at least one home run.The teams meet Saturday for the fifth time this season. The season series is tied 2-2.TOP PERFORMERS: Corbin Carroll leads Arizona with four home runs while slugging .493. Pavin Smith is 8-for-24 with two home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games.Xander Bogaerts has four doubles and five home runs while hitting .349 for the P...

Philadelphia Phillies host the Colorado Rockies Saturday

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

Colorado Rockies (6-15, fifth in the NL West) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (9-12, fourth in the NL East)Philadelphia; Saturday, 3:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Kyle Freeland (2-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 12 strikeouts); Phillies: Cristopher Sanchez (0-0)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -187, Rockies +158; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Phillies host the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.Philadelphia has a 4-4 record in home games and a 9-12 record overall. Phillies hitters are batting a collective .279, the third-best team batting average in MLB play.Colorado has gone 3-8 in road games and 6-15 overall. The Rockies are 6-1 in games when they did not give up a home run.Saturday’s game is the third time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Alec Bohm has three doubles and three home runs for the Phillies. Trea Turner is 13-for-43 with three doubles and a home run over the past 10 games.Kris Bryant has four doubles and three home runs for the...

A Maryland man won the lottery three times with the same numbers

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

A Maryland man has found his lucky numbers — and used them to win the lottery not just once but three times.The anonymous winner won his third $50,000 lottery prize in 11 months on April 13, according to a news release from the Maryland Lottery.Previously, the 52-year-old won two separate $50,000 prizes in the same May 2022 drawing for a total of $100,000.For all three of his wins in the lottery’s “Pick 5” game, the Charles County resident has played the same numbers: 48548.“It hit last year and it hit again,” he said, according to the release. “My wife said, ‘Let’s play this number’ and we keep winning with it.”He told lottery officials he plans to keep playing lottery games even after his wins.“I play the Lottery all the time,” he said in the release. “You never know. You can’t win if you are not in it.”The man plans to use his winnings to go on a “much-needed vacation” with...

Spain ships 10 Leopard tanks to Ukraine

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

Six Leopard tanks have left Spain and are on their way to Ukraine to ramp up its military capacity, Reuters reports.The tanks have been loaded onto cargo vessel on Friday and will be shipped by sea to Poland, according to the news agency.At the end of February, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that he would send a total of 10 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. He faced opposition from far-left Podemos, the junior partner in his ruling coalition, which has warned this will only escalate the war and has instead pressed for peace talks.Western allies have been ramping up the supply of military hardware to Ukraine as it prepares to face a potential renewed Russian offensive this spring. Germany hesitated for months on whether to send its tanks to Ukraine, eventually giving in to international pressure. Now, leaked U.S. cables revealed that alongside Spain, also Germany, Norway, Portugal, Greece and Finland are planning to send tanks to the invaded country. The...

Taiwan, Hong Kong workers believed dead in Australia crash

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — A road accident in Australia killed five people, including four foreign farm workers, after a driver allegedly failed to give way before entering onto a busy highway.Taiwanese and Hong Kong workers were believed to be among those killed in the crash, which occurred Thursday on the border of Victoria and New South Wales states, the Australian newspaper Herald Sun reported.Police have not yet identified the foreign victims.A 29-year-old driver, who was issued a speeding ticket minutes before the crash, has been charged with five counts of dangerous driving causing death. He had been cited for driving 18 kilometers (11 miles) per hour over the speed limit, court documents showed.He was given a preliminary oral drug test, which allegedly returned a positive result for cannabis. However, a second test was not positive and police have sent that sample off for forensic testing. Victoria police said the driver told officers he had smoked cannabis one day or more beforehand.Pol...

Miss Manners: Are festive gifts an appropriate response to a death?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the appropriate response to a death anymore?We are part of a group of 12 couples who regularly enjoy potlucks and other outings together. We are also getting to an age where the death of a parent is not rare.Several years ago, one group member started collecting money every time there was a death among the immediate family of someone in our group. She used the funds towards gifts for those in mourning such as restaurant gift cards, tennis-related items, a new golf club and certificates for massages.I feel awkward, as I try to ensure I am appropriately sharing my condolences with the bereaved. I do send cards and drop off food.Is it a cultural obligation to provide more festive tokens to the grieving?GENTLE READER: Absolutely not.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Is it rude to turn off the light while the cat is eating? Advice | Miss Manners: People say unpleasant things when we bring our kids to adult parties Advice | ...

Dear Abby: This immature drama queen is hijacking my fiance

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I am marrying the most amazing man next year. We have been together for six years. I have always gotten along with his family and know they will be great in-laws.However, as time has gone by, I’ve noticed that they cater more and more to my fiance’s older sister. She’s nearly 30, but she acts like she’s 13.When she has an argument with her spouse, she calls my fiance and makes it sound so dramatic that he drops everything and runs to her rescue. Invariably, it turns out to not be as bad as she was saying. She also talks so badly about her spouse to her parents that I feel embarrassed for him. If she’s sick or home alone (her husband travels for work), she sleeps at her parents’ house with her infant son instead of staying in her own home, which is a town away.Her family does everything for her — things that a capable adult should do for herself. Many times, my fiance and I have been on a date or spending time with each other, and ...

Mets bring road win streak into matchup with the Giants

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

New York Mets (13-7, second in the NL East) vs. San Francisco Giants (6-12, fourth in the NL West)San Francisco; Saturday, 4:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Mets: David Peterson (1-2, 6.10 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 22 strikeouts); Giants: Logan Webb (0-4, 6.08 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 28 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Giants -124, Mets +104; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The New York Mets hit the road against the San Francisco Giants aiming to continue a three-game road winning streak.San Francisco has a 6-12 record overall and a 2-6 record at home. The Giants are 0-3 in games decided by one run.New York has a 10-5 record in road games and a 13-7 record overall. Mets pitchers have a collective 4.14 ERA, which ranks fifth in the NL.Saturday’s game is the third time these teams meet this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Mike Yastrzemski has four doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI while hitting .257 for the Giants. Wilmer Flores is 12-for-41 with a double and a home run over the last 10 games....

How a former MLB pitcher helped Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez learn his ‘disgusting’ changeup

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 02:36:13 GMT

As pitchers, Josh Tomlin and Grayson Rodriguez have almost nothing in common.Tomlin was drafted in the 19th round and spent his 12-year major league career outsmarting hitters while throwing 88 mph. Rodriguez, meanwhile, was selected in the first round and rose to become one of the sport’s top pitching prospects by overpowering hitters with a high-90s mph fastball.But when Rodriguez was told by the Orioles to learn a changeup after the 2018 season — his first in the organization — he had Tomlin to turn to. The two right-handers from East Texas both spend their offseasons training at the same facility, and that winter became the genesis for a changeup that, when it’s working, might be Rodriguez’s best pitch.“No doubt,” Tomlin said about whether Rodriguez’s changeup, with more consistency, could be his best pitch. “I’ve told Grayson this all the time: I can show you a heap of guys who throw 100 mph who get their brains beat a...