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Byron Buxton settles into new role as designated hitter

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As Byron Buxton adapted to his new role as a part-time designated hitter last season, it was a conversation between Bryce Harper and former MVP Jimmy Rollins that helped put things in perspective for him.“Bryce was like, ‘It’s hard,’ ” Buxton said at the beginning of spring training. “Mentally, it is very hard, especially if you’re going on a streak or a slump. If you’re not playing defense, you ain’t got nothing to take your mind off of that.”Among Rollins’ message, per The Athletic: “It’s OK if you’re hurt,” and “it’s OK to make outs,” and “find a distraction.”For the time being, Buxton, who had season-ending knee surgery last year, will be serving as the Twins’ designated hitter, and while there’s been an adjustment process, the center fielder seems to have found a rhythm. While he’s not impacting the Twins on defense, Buxton has made his mark felt at the plate in the first three games of the season, where he’s 6 for 13 at the plate.“My routine is a...

Saints wrap up franchise’s first series victory in Toledo

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

For the first time in franchise history, the St. Paul Saints won a series in Toledo, thanks to Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the host Mud Hens.St. Paul failed to win a Triple-A series against the Mud Hens in four trips to Toledo over the past two years. That streak ended in the first series of 2023, with the Saints winnings games on Saturday and Sunday after losing the opener of the three-game set on Friday.The Saints got clutch hits from Matt Wallner and Mark Contreras and a superb two-inning pitching save from reliever Connor Sadzeck at Third-Fifth Field.Contreras got things going for the Saints in the fourth inning with a solo home run to right field, his first of the season, making it 1-0. It was the seventh home run in the three-game series for St. Paul.After Toledo tied the score 1-1, Wallner led off the sixth inning with a triple to right-center. With one out and the infield drawn in, Contreras hit a hot smash toward second for a fielder’s choice that scored Wallner t...

St. Charles mom runs 44 miles for World Autism Awareness Day

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – April is National Autism Awareness Month, and a mother of two children with autism ran 44 miles Sunday in hopes of educating and inspiring others.Liz Gundlach is a boy mom, but not just any boy mom. Her 6-year-old Rowan and 7-year-old Waylon both have autism."My son Waylon is non-verbal, but has some communication skills coming along," Gundlach said. "His temperament is a little bit more mild-mannered and easygoing, whereas my other son, Rowan, is verbal and has energy, like no other—just constant go, go, go—a ball of energy. They're both sweet, but they both come with just different interests and just a lot of fun personalities between the two of them."Just before 7 a.m., Gundlach laced up her running shoes to start an 11-hour journey for World Autism Awareness Day. Trending: Battlehawks tease relocation to LA in viral April Fools’ Day joke "I was encouraging moms to come out, you know, parents, whomever to come out, so if people wanna walk, it may slow me down...

3 people injured in crash on Highway 100 near Washington, Missouri

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. - Three people were injured Sunday afternoon in a crash along Highway 100 in Franklin County.According to a report filed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred shortly after 12:40 p.m. at Highway 100 and St. Johns Road, just east of Washington.Investigators say a 2003 Ford Windstar was traveling eastbound on the highway when the driver of a 2022 Jeep Wrangler, which had previously stopped on St. Johns at the intersection, failed to yield and struck the front of the Windstar.No one in the Wrangler was injured, state police said.The 26-year-old female driver of the Windstar suffered moderate injuries. A 32-year-old male passenger suffered serious injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to a local hospital. However, a 52-year-old male passenger had to be airlifted to a St. Louis hospital with serious injuries.

Rockies get just four hits in loss to Padres, split four-game series

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

SAN DIEGO — The Rockies’ 3-1 loss to the Padres wasn’t painless, but at least it was quick.Sunday afternoon’s game at Petco Park featured just eight combined hits and took only 2 hours, 3 minutes to complete, the Rockies’ quickest nine-inning game since 2008. The teams split the four-game series to open the season.Colorado’s lone run came on a one-out homer by Ryan McMahon in the seventh off of Seth Lugo. Aside from that, the Rockies’ offense was quiet, managing just four total hits and striking out 10 times.Colorado got a workmanlike six innings from starter Austin Gomber, but two pitches cost him the game.The lefty breezed through the first two innings, setting the Padres down in order and striking out three. But the Padres hammered him for three runs in the third on home runs by Trent Grisham and Xander Bogaerts.Related ArticlesColorado Rockies | C.J. Cron hits third homer but Rockies pitchers issue eight walks in loss to Padre...

Wildfire forces evacuations near Colorado Springs

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

A wildfire forced evacuations in El Paso County just east of Colorado Springs Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office.Residents on Preble Drive and Boreal Drive in Cimarron Hills were ordered to evacuate around 4 p.m. Sunday. The evacuation area covers about 70 homes, according to a map shared by the sheriff’s office.All other residents within a two-mile radius of the intersection of Peterson Road and Galley Road in Cimarron Hills should be prepared to evacuate but do not need to leave  unless they are in immediate danger, according to the sheriff’s office.Cimarron Hills Fire Department reported that firefighters were responding to an “outside fire” at Peterson and Galley roads at 3:04 p.m. The fire involved “heavy fuels” and “heavy smoke,” according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department, which was assisting.The area was under a red flag warning — with forecasters warning of dangerous fire conditions — because of ...

California surpasses all-time snowpack record

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

Weeks of off-and-on storms across California may have been a source of frustration for many of the state's residents, but it's been good news for the state's snowpack.Precipitation has been so dramatic and persistent in recent months that this year's historic snowpack totals are now believed to be the largest on record.New data from the California Department of Water Resources website indicates that the state's snowpack total for 2022-23 has likely surpassed the record set 40 years ago in 1982-83.The statewide snowpack numbers are buoyed by historic totals in the Southern Sierra snowpack, which is currently 297% of its yearly average and is currently at the highest level in recorded history.The Northern and Central Sierra snowpacks are also vastly above historical averages on this date. The Northern Sierra is at 190% of its historical average, while the Central Sierra is 233% of average. (California Department of Water Resources)The precipitation has been a welcome sight for a state...

Purple reign: LSU uses high-powered offense to blow out Clark, Iowa

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

DALLAS — Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers used a record offensive performance to beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa 102-85 in the national championship game on Sunday to win the first basketball title in school history.The victory made Mulkey the first women’s coach to win national championships at two different schools. She won three at Baylor before leaving for LSU two years ago.The feisty and flamboyantly dressed Mulkey, who wore a sparkly golden tiger striped outfit, now has the third-most titles of all time behind Geno Auriemma’s 11 and Pat Summitt’s eight.Mulkey has never lost in a championship game.The loss ended one of the greatest individual performances in NCAA Tournament history by Clark, the AP national player of the year. The junior guard finished with 30 points. She scored 40 in the semifinals to knock out unbeaten South Carolina one game after she had the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA history in the Elite Eight.The dazzling guard, who grew up in Iowa, s...

Finland prime minister ousted, conservatives win tight vote

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s main conservative party claimed victory in a parliamentary election Sunday in an extremely tight three-way race in which right-wing populists took second place, leaving Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democratic Party in third, dashing her hopes for reelection.The center-right National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory Sunday evening with all of the votes counted, coming out on top at 20.8%. They were followed by right-wing populist party The Finns with 20.1%, while the Social Democrats garnered 19.9%. With the top three parties each getting around 20% of the vote, no party is in position to form a government alone. Over 2,400 candidates from 22 parties were vying for the 200 seats in the Nordic country’s parliament.“Based on this result, talks over forming a new government to Finland will be initiated under the leadership of the National Coalition Party,” said the party’s elated leader Petteri Orpo, as he claimed victory surrounde...

O’Hoppe hits first HR, Trout, Ohtani connect in Angels win

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 12:20:16 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Rookie Logan O’Hoppe hit his first big league homer with a three-run drive in the fourth to break up a scoreless game, Mike Trout had a two-run shot the next inning and Shohei Ohtani connected one pitch later as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 6-0 on Sunday.With two outs and in his 22nd at-bat, O’Hoppe drove a 1-1 fastball from Ken Waldichuk (0-1) over the wall in left-center, a 391-foot-shot with a 101.5 mph exit velocity. The catcher could be seen smiling and sporting a Golden State Warriors straw hat while celebrating in the dugout afterward with Ohtani. O’Hoppe’s six RBIs so far are the most for an Angels catcher in the first three games of the season and also tied for the most by any catcher in the initial three games of a campaign over the last 20 years.“Holy MOLY,” mother Angela said via text message from back in Sayville, New York, after flying a red-eye home from the Bay Area overnight in order to teach school Monday morn...