CLEVELAND — Baseball players’ union head Tony Clark says a poor job has been done of marketing Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts, the reigning AL MVP. “Mookie should be a household name,” Clark told the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Tuesday. “Mookie should be a one-name guy. You say Ronaldo. You say Messi. […]

CLEVELAND — For one night, the pitchers took back the power. Hours after an awesome Home Run Derby got everyone buzzing even louder about monster shots and juiced balls, only a couple flew out of Progressive Field in the All-Star Game. Instead, Justin Verlander blazed 97 mph heat from the start, Shane Bieber and Aroldis […]

SANFORD — The last time Sanford Mainers starting pitcher Trevor LaBonte took the mound, he couldn’t get out of the first inning in a July 1 matchup with Winnipesaukee. On Tuesday night at Goodall Park in Sanford, the York native took a perfect game into the sixth against the Upper Valley Nighthawks. Labonte struck out […]

YORK — The York Little League baseball team is moving on to the championship courtesy of some timely offense and strong starting pitching. Jack Joyce hit a two-run homer in an eight-run third, and Alex Taylor struck out five in three scoreless innings as York beat Sanford, 8-1, in an elimination game in the 2019 […]

LAURENS, NEW YORK — A nearly 1,000-mile road trip that spanned two countries, five states and almost two weeks away from home ended in a pair of championships for a local travel baseball team. The Southern Maine River Rats, a group of select 15 and 16-year-old players from the Greater Portland area, won the Rockies […]

CLEVELAND — Mets rookie Pete Alonso has a million-dollar swing. New York’s newest slugger outlasted a worn-down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the final round of the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night to win $1 million — nearly double his 2019 salary. Alonso somehow had enough to edge Guerrero, who hit 91 homers but […]

BATH — The Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance will welcome four new members to its Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Aug. 17 at the Hyde School in Bath.  The Class of 2019 features longtime coaches Rick DeRosier and Luis Ayala as well as former Marshwood standout wrestler and current coach Pat Howard and University […]

WIMBLEDON, England — Out of escapes, out of surprises, Coco Gauff knew her captivating Wimbledon ride at age 15 was nearing its conclusion. The thousands of spectators at Court No. 1 on Monday realized it, too, so they made sure to show their appreciation for the youngest qualifier at the All England Club in the […]

CLEVELAND — Justin Verlander will start the All-Star Game for the American League for the second time, and Hyun-Jin Ryu will make his first start for the National League. Verlander, a 36-year-old right-hander, is 10-4 with a 2.98 ERA this year for the Houston Astros, striking out 153 in 126 2/3 innings. He allowed five […]

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — Former New England Patriots linebacker and ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi says he’s doing “much better” after suffering a second stroke. In an Instagram post on Monday, Bruschi says he knew what was happening immediately last Thursday when he lost use of his left arm, began slurring his speech and his wife noticed his face […]