The Sports Report: Another Tony Gonsolin gem as Dodgers beat Angels

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jack Harris: The first time Tony Gonsolin walked off the mound mid-inning Tuesday night, it was by accident, the Dodgers starter heading for the dugout prematurely when he mistakenly thought the second out in the third inning was the third.

In the top of the seventh, Gonsolin vacated the rubber in the middle of an inning again. This time, however, there was no mix up. When manager Dave Roberts came to pull him after 6 ⅓ scoreless inning, he didn’t have a choice.

The Dodgers went on to beat the Angels in the first of a two-game Freeway Series at Dodger Stadium, winning 2-0 behind a bases-loaded walk from Angels starter Noah Syndergaard in the fourth, a solo home run by Mookie Betts in the eighth, and a save from closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth after he escaped a bases-loaded jam.

Gonsolin was the biggest factor, though, continuing his stellar start to the season by improving to 8-0 and lowering his ERA to 1.42 -- both major-league bests.

Yet, it was Roberts’ decision to remove Gonsolin with one out in the seventh, and the pitcher’s ensuing reaction that best illustrated the current state of the Dodgers season.

With Walker Buehler out until at least late August or early September because of a flexor strain in his elbow, the Dodgers are in need of others on their staff to pitch like an ace.

So far, Gonsolin has looked most like the part, using his wicked fastball-splitter-slider arsenal to effect once again against the Angels in a one-hit, two-walk, six-strikeout start.

However, Gonsolin hasn’t pitched a full season since 2019. And for as sharp as he’s looked, the Dodgers are trying to safeguard his health for the long-haul.

The Dodgers will likely have more nights such as Tuesday’s, trying to compensate for Buehler’s absence while at the same time not pushing the rest of their staff too far.

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Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler hopeful of returning this season

Angels interim manager Phil Nevin switches around coaches, sees moves as ‘promotions’

CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: When it comes to teaming up with Khalil Mack in 2022, Joey Bosa sounds as much like a Chargers fan as he does a Chargers player.

“I’m really excited,” said Bosa, speaking publicly for the first time this offseason, “just get out there and see what it’s like together.”

The newly paired star edge rushers shared the practice field Tuesday as the Chargers opened their two-day mandatory minicamp in Costa Mesa.

Bosa, 26, a four-time Pro Bowler, is entering his seventh season with the team that drafted him No. 3 overall in 2016.

Mack, 31, a three-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection, is going into his ninth season and first with the Chargers, who traded for him in mid-March.

WNBA

WNBA star Brittney Griner will remain in Russian custody through at least July 2, Russia’s state-run news agency Tass reported Tuesday.

The 31-year-old American basketball player has been held in Russia on drug-smuggling accusations since February. The U.S. Department of State last month reclassified her as wrongfully detained.

The Khimki district court of the Moscow region extended Griner’s detention for a third time, according to the Tass report, which also cited a top Russian diplomat as saying that Moscow will not consider including Griner in a detainee swap “until a court investigation into her case is completed.”

TENNIS

The U.S. Open will allow tennis players from Russia and Belarus to compete this year despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, which prompted Wimbledon to ban those athletes.

U.S. Tennis Assn. CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr, whose group runs the U.S. Open, said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday that the USTA Board decided to let Russians and Belarusians enter the tournament because of “concern about holding the individual athletes accountable for the actions and decisions of their governments.”

Sherr said athletes from Russia and Belarus will play at Flushing Meadows under a neutral flag — an arrangement that’s been used at various tennis tournaments around the world, including the French Open, which ended June 5.

The U.S. Open starts on Aug. 29 in New York.

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Seven-time champion Serena Williams will play at Wimbledon as a wild-card entry

SOCCER

Jordan Morris scored in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, offsetting Alexander Larin’s 35th-minute goal past poorly positioned Ethan Horvath and giving the United States a 1-1 draw at El Salvador in a soggy World Cup warmup Tuesday night.

El Salvador was close to ending a 30-year, 19-game winless streak against the U.S. when Morris entered in the 80th minute of the CONCACAF Nations League match. Among the players on the bubble for Cup roster spot, Morris leapt over Larin to head Luca de la Torre’s cross past goalkeeper Mario Gonzalez seconds into six minutes of stoppage time.

Morris scored his 11th international goal, his first since November 2019 and first since tearing his left ACL in February 2021.

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NHL PLAYOFFS

The Stanley Cup Final is finally here, and the matchup is as good as it gets.

It’s the Tampa Bay Lightning, in search of a third consecutive title, against the Colorado Avalanche, who have been considered a title contender for several seasons. It’s Steven Stamkos, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov hunting another ring against Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog going for their first.

Colorado is 12-2 in the postseason, with sweeps in the first and third rounds and a 7-0 record on the road. Tampa Bay, after winning a Game 7 in Toronto in the first round and sweeping the Florida Panthers (winners of the President’s Trophy), overcame a 2-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers to win in six.

In a roundtable discussion led by Los Angeles Times hockey editor Hans Tesselaar, Times columnist Helene Elliott (a Hockey Hall of Fame honoree) and Times staffers Curtis Zupke, Jim Barrero and Nick Leyva give their thoughts on the best-of-seven series that begins Wednesday in Denver.

Click here to read the discussion.

STANLEY CUP FINALS
All times Pacific
All games on ABC

Colorado vs. Tampa Bay
Today at Colorado, 5 p.m.
Saturday at Colorado, 5 p.m.
Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.
Wed., June 22 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.
*Friday, June 24 at Colorado, 5 p.m.
*Sunday, June 26 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m.
*Tuesday, June 28 at Colorado, 5 p.m.

*-if necessary

NBA PLAYOFFS

The wear and tear from back-to-back seven-game series seems to be taking its toll on the Boston Celtics at the worst possible time.

Tired legs have led to shots falling short down the stretch in back-to-back losses that have left the Celtics on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Boston.

The Celtics missed 11 of 15 shots in the fourth quarter of a 104-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Monday night.

“I had a couple shots that were short,” star Jayson Tatum said. “I just got to not fade as much. Use my legs. You’re going to be a little more tired in the fourth than you are in the first quarter. You got to get your legs a little more under you on a couple of those shots. Give yourself a chance.”

The Celtics are the 12th team in NBA history to win Game 7s in back-to-back series before the Finals, with nine of the previous 11 losing their next series.

Schedule and results
NBA FINALS
All times Pacific
All games on ABC

Boston vs. Golden State

Boston 120, Golden State 108
Golden State 107, Boston 88
Boston 116, Golden State 100
Golden State 107, Boston 97
Golden State 104, Boston 94
Thursday at Boston, 6 p.m.
*Sunday at Golden State, 5 p.m.

*-if necessary

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1901 — Willie Anderson edges Alex Smith by one stroke in a playoff to take the U.S. Open.

1938 — Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitches his second straight no-hit game, defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers 6-0 in the first night game played at Ebbets Field.

1947 — Lew Worsham beats Sam Snead by one stroke on the final hole of a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1957 — Dick Mayer beats defending champion Cary Middlecoff by seven strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1969 — Orville Moody shoots a 281 to beat Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg by one stroke and capture the U.S. Open.

1970 — Shirley Englehorn wins the LPGA championship with a four-stroke victory over Kathy Whitworth in the playoff round.

1980 — Jack Nicklaus wins his fourth U.S. Open with a record 272 for 72 holes.

1985 — Pinklon Thomas knocks out Mike Weaver in the eighth round to defend his World Boxing Council heavyweight title at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

1986 — Ray Floyd, 43, beats Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins by two strokes to become the oldest golfer to win the U.S. Open. It is Floyd’s fourth and final major victory.

1991 — Carl Lewis, one jump away from losing his 64-meet winning streak in the long jump, comes through with a dramatic victory when he soars 28 feet, 4¼ inches to pass leader Mike Powell by a half-inch in the U.S. Championships in New York.

1996 — Roy Jones Jr. completes a unique doubleheader, successfully defending his IBF super middleweight title after playing in a pro basketball game. Jones stops Eric Lucas in the 11th round after scoring five points in a United States Basketball League game in the afternoon, helping the Jacksonville Barracudas beat Treasure Coast 107-94.

1997 — Ernie Els wins his second U.S. Open championship in four years, finishing one stroke ahead of Colin Montgomerie. Els has the shot of the day on the 480-yard 17th hole when he hits a 5-iron from 212 yards to just 12 feet on the peninsula green.

2001 — The Lakers beat Philadelphia 108-96 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to complete the best playoff run in NBA history. The Lakers, who finish the playoffs with a record of 15-1, are the first to go through the playoffs undefeated on the road.

2003 — Jim Furyk wins his first major championship and put his name in the record books, matching the lowest 72-hole score in the 103 years of the U.S. Open. Furyk closes with a 2-over 72 to win by three shots over Stephen Leaney of Australia.

2004 — Detroit beats the Lakers 100-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals for the Pistons’ first championship in 14 years.

2008 — Down to his last stroke at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods sinks a 12-foot birdie putt to force an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate for the U.S. Open. They finish at 1-under 283, the first time since 2004 that someone breaks par in a U.S. Open.

2011 — The Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972, beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Game 7 of the finals.

2014 — Martin Kaymer of Germany wins the U.S. Open after four days of dominance at Pinehurst No. 2. Kaymer finishes with an eight-shot victory over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton and becomes the seventh player in the 114 years of the U.S. Open to go wire-to-wire.

2014 — The San Antonio Spurs win their fifth NBA championship, beating the Miami Heat 104-87 to win the series in five games.

2015 — Chicago’s Duncan Keith scores in the second period and directs a dominant defense that shuts down Tampa Bay’s high-scoring attack, and the Blackhawks beat the Lightning 2-0 in Game 6 for their third NHL title in the last six seasons.

2018— Christiano Renaldo, Portugal, scores a hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 tie with Spain in the World Cup. Renaldo becomes the fourth player to score in four different Worlc Cups and the first to score in eight consecutive major tournaments.

Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally

The Lakers win the 2001 NBA title. Watch and listen here.