The Sports Report: Dodgers win game, lose Dustin May

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

From Mike DiGiovanna: As ominous as the situation appeared for Dodgers pitcher Dustin May, who was pulled from Wednesday’s 7-3 comeback victory over the Minnesota Twins after one inning because of right elbow pain, it could have been a lot worse.

An MRI revealed a flexor pronator strain that is expected to sideline May for about six weeks, an injury that put a damper on a win that featured James Outman’s tie-breaking grand slam in the seventh inning and reliever Victor Gonzalez’s bases-loaded, no-outs escape act in the sixth.

But the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) that was reconstructed when May had Tommy John surgery in May 2021 remained intact and “looks good,” according to a person familiar with May’s test results but not authorized to speak publicly about them.

May, who returned from surgery last August and was off to a superb start this season, going 4-1 with a 2.68 ERA in his first eight starts, will receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, and he could be out until early July. But he should be able to pitch again this season.

“It’s a big blow, and I know he’s disappointed,” manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers won for the 15th time in 18 games. “My heart goes out to Dustin for what he’s had to go through. He’s been throwing the baseball well and feeling good. He’s a big part of this year, and he still could be, but right now, he’s hit a speed bump again.”

Continue reading here

Elliott: No one-month wonder here. James Outman revives his grand rookie season

Why the Dodgers are removing one group from taking part in its Pride Night

LAKERS

From Dan Woike: When Lakers coach Darvin Ham met with the media Wednesday at the team’s hotel, he used the word “recalibrate” when asked about the size advantage the Denver Nuggets’ starting lineup had the night before in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Ham did not reveal whether there would be a lineup change for Game 2 on Thursday night. He also did not signal any sort of game plan adjustments.

Ham, the first-year coach, never has shown his hand in advance all season and wasn’t about to start now. He knows his team has to play better to avoid falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

“We have to recalibrate. Some of the things that worked against Memphis wouldn’t necessarily work against Golden State,” Ham said, referring to the team’s first two playoff opponents. “Some of the things we used against Golden State may not necessarily work against Denver.

“So, size and all that other stuff aside, we have to know who we’re guarding. We have to know what type of team we’re playing. And, again, we have to do ourselves a favor with the proper energy and urgency.”

Continue reading here

CLIPPERS

From Andrew Greif: As the NBA descended upon Chicago this week for the league’s scouting combine, five teams arrived without a head coach.

The Clippers are not among that group, which includes Milwaukee, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Toronto and Detroit, because what was said on the final day of the Clippers’ first-round exit in April, remains true now. Coach Tyronn Lue said he expects to return for a fourth season. And Lawrence Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations, heaped praise on Lue while saying firmly that Lue would return.

“Of course he’s back,” Frank said on April 27. “Ty is a terrific coach, and we’re excited to have him as our coach.”

Yet the Clippers nonetheless now find themselves in an unsettled situation, as described by people within the league not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Teams with vacancies, including Milwaukee but particularly Phoenix, are said to covet Lue’s acumen and championship credentials. For those very same reasons, of course, so do the Clippers, who have little incentive to allow any suitors — let alone within their division, in the case of Phoenix — permission to even speak with him as a candidate.

Continue reading here

NBA PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Conference finals

Western Conference

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 7 Lakers
Game 1: at Denver 132, Lakers 126
Today at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Wed., May 24 at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Friday, May 26 at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday, May 28 at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Eastern Conference

No. 2 Boston vs. No. 8 Miami
Game 1: Miami 123, at Boston 116
Friday at Boston, 5:30 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Miami, 5:30 p.m., TNT
Tuesday at Miami, 5:30 p.m., TNT
*Thursday, May 25 at Boston, 5:30 p.m., TNT
*Saturday, May 27 at Miami, 5:30 p.m., TNT
*Monday, May 29 at Boston, 5:30 p.m., TNT

*-if necessary

NHL PLAYOFFS

Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Conference finals

Western Conference

Vegas (P1) vs. Dallas Stars (C2)
Friday at Vegas, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Vegas, noon, ABC
Tuesday, May 23 at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, May 25 at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN
*Saturday, May 27 at Vegas, 5 p.m., ABC
*Monday, May 29 at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN
*Wed., May 31 at Vegas, 6 p.m., ESPN

Eastern Conference

Carolina (M1) vs. Florida (WC2)
Today at Carolina, 5 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Carolina, 5 p.m., TNT
Monday at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT
Wed., May 24 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT
*Friday, May 26 at Carolina, 5 p.m., TNT
*Sunday, May 28 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday, May 30 at Carolina, 5 p.m., TNT

*-if necessary

ANGELS

Kyle Bradish pitched impressively into the seventh inning and Austin Hays homered to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-1 victory over the Angels on Wednesday night.

Mike Trout went deep for the Angels, but they fell back to .500 with their eighth loss in 11 games.

Bradish (2-1) gave up a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings against the team that drafted him. He struck out five without a walk.

PREAKNESS

From John Cherwa: It’s a scene that plays out with equal enthusiasm every year. The owner, trainer and jockey of the Kentucky Derby winner are greeted by the governor, hold a trophy aloft, thank a lot people that made it possible and then thank one another, yet again.

But sometimes the sameness of the moment gets interrupted by a small gesture, one that might even border on cliché. After Mage won this year’s Kentucky Derby, jockey Javier Castellano pulled out a yellow, blue and red flag with eight white stars in a semicircle. It was the flag of Venezuela.

This moment, lost on many, might turn out to be a watershed moment for the Latino community. It was the first time in more than 50 years that the Kentucky Derby winning jockey, trainer and owner were all Latino. In 1971, Cañonero II won the Derby and Preakness Stakes for owner Pedro Batista, trainer Juan Arias and jockey Gustavo Avila.

Continue reading here

GALAXY

Lucas Zelarayán and Malte Amundsen scored first-half goals and Patrick Schulte made them stand up as the Columbus Crew blanked the Galaxy 2-0 on Wednesday night.

The Galaxy fall to 0-5-2 in their last seven road matches dating to last season’s playoffs, including the last five by shutouts. It is L.A.’s longest scoring drought on the road since a six-match run spanning the 2004-05 seasons.

LAFC

Dénis Bouanga scored his league-leading 10th goal of the season, but Johnny Russell answered to help Sporting Kansas City earn a 1-1 draw with LAFC.

Bouanga used assists from Kwadwo Opoku and Sergi Palencia to score in the 13th minute and give LAFC (6-1-4) an early lead. Russell answered seven minutes later for Sporting KC (2-7-4) to knot the score. Russell’s second goal of the season came with assists from Rémi Walter and Alan Pulido.

Ryan Hollingshead had a goal waved off in the 85th minute that would have given LAFC the lead.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1920 — Man o’ War, ridden by Clarence Kummer, wins the Preakness Stakes by 1½ lengths over Upset.

1931 — Fifteen-year-old Eddie Arcaro rides his first race, finishing sixth, at Bainbridge Park, Ohio.

1933 — First MLB All-Star Game announced for July 6 at Comiskey Park; to be played as part of the Chicago World’s Fair; fans to pick players.

1956 — Mickey Mantle hits HR from both sides of plate for record 3rd time.

1957 — Bold Ruler, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Preakness Stakes by two lengths over Iron Liege. It’s the sixth and last time Arcaro wins the Preakness.

1960 — European Cup Final, Glasgow: Ferenc Puskás scores 4, Alfredo Di Stéfano 3 as Real Madrid routs Eintracht Frankfurt, 7-3; 5th consecutive title for Los Blancos.

1968 — Forward Pass wins the Preakness Stakes by six lengths to give Calumet Farm a record seven wins in by an owner in the race. Judy Johnson becomes the first female trainer to saddle a horse for the Preakness. Her horse, Sir Beau, finishes seventh in the field of 10.

1971 — The Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in the seventh game to win the Stanley Cup.

1971 — 4th ABA Championship: Utah Stars beat Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.

1985 — Patricia Cooksey becomes the first female jockey to compete in the Preakness Stakes. Tank’s Prospect wins the race and Cooksey’s mount, Tajawa, finishes sixth in the field of 11.

1990 — Edmonton’s Jari Kurri becomes the leading goal scorer in Stanley Cup history when he scores his 90th postseason goal in the first period of Game 2 of the finals against Boston. Kurri adds two more goals as the Oilers beat the Bruins 7-2.

1990 — Cubs Ryne Sandberg record 123-errorless game streak at second base ends.

1994 — 2nd UEFA Champions League Final: Milan beats Barcelona 4-0 at Athens.

1996 — Louis Quatorze carries Pat Day to the jockey’s third straight Preakness Stakes victory. Louis Quatorze, 16th in the Kentucky Derby, runs 1 3-16 miles in 1:53 2-5 to equal the race record set by Tank’s Prospect in 1985.

1997 — Chris Johnson makes an 8-foot par putt on the second playoff hole to win the LPGA championship over Leta Lindley. It’s the third playoff in the championship since the tournament began in 1955, and the first since 1970.

2004 — Randy Johnson becomes the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game, retiring all 27 hitters to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Atlanta Braves 2-0.

2008 — Rafael Nadal beats defending champion Roger Federer 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3 to win the Hamburg Masters, adding the only major clay-court title missing from his impressive collection.

2008 — Boston’s Paul Pierce and Cleveland’s LeBron James combine for 86 points in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. James outscores Pierce 45-41 in the shootout, but Boston advances with a 97-92 win.

2013 — Oxbow, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, leads from start to finish at the Preakness. It’s the sixth Preakness victory for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and 14th Triple Crown victory, the most in horse racing history.

2014 — The Tradition Senior Men’s Golf, Shoal Creek G&CC: Kenny Perry wins his third of 4 Champions Tour majors by 1 stroke from Mark Calcavecchia.

2019 — English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (85,854): Gabriel Jesus & Raheem Sterling each score twice as Manchester City thrash Watford, 6-0, completing an unprecedented domestic treble.

2021— Spencer Turnbull, Detroit Tigers, no-hits the Seattle Mariners, 5-0, at Comerica Park, Detroit.

—Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally...

Randy Johnson pitches a perfect game. Watch and listen here.