sports briefs
Jackson not at Ravens OTAs
Practice this week for the Baltimore Ravens looked a bit like it did at the end of last season.
Several significant absences – including quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Wednesday was the first day reporters were invited to observe one of the Ravens’ organized team activities. Jackson wasn’t there, and although OTAs are voluntary, when the franchise quarterback isn’t around, it’s at the very least noteworthy.
“It’s not for me to speak for somebody else on that,” coach John Harbaugh said. “It’s up to him to speak for himself.”
In other words, there would be no public reaction from the head coach about Jackson’s absence. On Tuesday, Jackson retweeted a Ravens tweet about the first day of OTAs, saying he couldn’t wait to get back.
“I think as long as guys are working, no matter where they are, I think that’s the biggest key,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I spoke with Lamar early in the offseason. He said he’ll be coming in, so we’ll look real excited to get him out here.”
Cal player honored
California University of Pennsylvania freshman Caleigh Rister was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second-Team All-American at utility/pitcher on Wednesday afternoon.
Rister joins third baseman Lith Webb (1995) and first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (2013) as the only freshmen in school history to receive NFCA All-America honors. Additionally, she is one of only four freshmen chosen to the three NFCA All-America Teams (54 total players) this spring and becomes the 12th NFCA All-American at Cal U since the 2011 season.
A native of Ohio, Rister led the team in nearly every offensive and pitching category while a two-way standout as a freshman. She registered a staggering 1.389 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) from the leadoff spot while starting 29 games. Rister became the program’s first freshman to hit at a .400 clip since Reicoff accomplished the feat in 2013. Despite missing six games late in the year due to injury, she led the team with five homers and 36 runs scored and finished second on the team with 23 RBI. Rister posted a .500 average and a 1.584 OPS in 10 games during divisional play this spring.
Pignatano dies at 92
As a big leaguer, Joe Pignatano had a career that was more noteworthy than notable: He played in the last game at Ebbets Field, he homered off three future Hall of Famers and he hit into a triple play with his final swing in the majors.
It was out in the bullpen at Shea Stadium, where he tended relief pitchers and tomatoes for the 1969 Miracle Mets, where Pignatano’s legacy really grew.
“He was fairly committed to taking care of his tomatoes,” former Mets pitcher Jim McAndrew told The Associated Press.
“It was Joe’s thing,” he said. “A lot of love and effort and TLC.”
In the majors
Evan Longoria homered twice and Joc Pederson hit his fourth in two games as the San Francisco Giants went deep four times in the first two innings off rookie Thomas Szapucki and routed the New York Mets 9-3 Wednesday.
Mike Yastrzemski also homered off Szapucki (0-1), a 25-year-old left-hander making his first major league start and second appearance after the Mets summoned him from the minors after Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tylor Megill got hurt.
New York lost two of three in San Francisco, the Mets’ second series loss in their first 14 series this season.
- Kolten Wong may have saved the game with his flashy glovework. Luis Urías may have saved it with a deft slide into third base past Manny Machado’s tag.
Devin Williams definitely did save it, closing out a solid performance by the bullpen in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2-1 victory against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.
It was the first time Williams, the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year, pitched on three consecutive days. He threw a perfect ninth for his second save in two games and his fourth this season. Williams also pitched the ninth in a tie game Monday that the Brewers lost 3-2 in the 10th.
- Erick Fedde and three relievers combined on a six-hitter, César Hernández had an RBI single and the Washington Nationals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 Wednesday to avoid a series sweep.
Washington snapped a nine-game skid against Los Angeles. The Nationals had not defeated the Dodgers since Game 5 of the NL Division Series in 2019.
Tanner Rainey stranded two in the ninth inning for his fourth save in six tries, getting fly balls from Cody Bellinger and Will Smith to end it. It was Rainey’s first save since April 19.