Indianapolis —Caitlin Clark made an impressive entrance into the NBA playoff event on Friday night, earning a standing ovation from the spectators in her new home—twice.

She intends to replicate the experience in the same location in September.

Before Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks, the WNBA’s top draft pick and the all-time leading scorer in Division I basketball energized the enthusiastic Indiana Pacers fans by operating a replica IndyCar at high speed.

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Caitlin Clark Revs Up Pacers Fans With Pregame Playoff Appearance In IndyCar Replica

Clark made her inaugural public appearance on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse court following her recent selection by the Indiana Fever in the draft. Unsurprisingly, the almost 17,000 spectators erupted into a boisterous ovation for the latest sensation in the city.

While Clark remained silent, Erica Wheeler, an experienced guard, had the opportunity to speak when she joined her new Fever colleagues during the second quarter to distribute T-shirts to the audience.

“Playoffs!” When questioned about the goal for this season, Wheeler informed the team’s emcee. “We are eager to engage in this activity and we possess all the necessary components.” We desire for it to appear in this manner on a nightly basis.

Indiana could create that impression only if it achieves its first playoff participation since 2016.

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Caitlin Clark Revs Up Pacers Fans With Pregame Playoff Appearance In IndyCar Replica

However, Clark’s presence has already prompted a transformation. The Fever has quickly become one of the most popular teams in the WNBA, much like during her time at Iowa when they consistently sold out games and achieved record-breaking television ratings.

Indiana has experienced a significant increase in ticket sales, prompting other clubs, including the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas, to relocate their home games to larger arenas even before the player has made her professional debut.

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Caitlin Clark Revs Up Pacers Fans With Pregame Playoff Appearance In IndyCar Replica

Clark traveled to Indianapolis last Wednesday to attend an introductory news conference and returned to her Iowa residence with her family. On Friday night, she returned to town for the Pacers’ first home playoff game since April 21, 2019, and will remain there for the beginning of training camp on Sunday.

SOURCE – (AP)

MEXICO CITY — The upcoming matchup between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies will mark the seventh regular-season series held in Mexico. However, Major League Baseball’s influence in the country extends well beyond that.

In 2016, Mexico established an MLB office, making it one of just six countries worldwide to have such an office. For Rodrigo Fernandez, the leader of the organization located in the southern region of the country, the regular-season series may be the most significant occasion, but there are other events held in the country.

One of these programs is First Pitch, which is run by the MLB office to encourage children to play baseball. Another tournament is the MLB Cup, a nationwide competition for 11—and 12-year-olds that recently concluded its sixth championship.

“The series is the culmination of our many activities throughout the year,” Fernandez told The Associated Press. ESPN televises the MLB Cup, the largest competition of its kind in Mexico. Those children represent the future of Mexico.”

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MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

The MLB office in Mexico organized the tournament in collaboration with the Mexican Baseball Association, featuring 28 teams. The championship matches took place in Mexico City.

Our intention is to convey to them that we have a genuine interest in their participation in baseball. According to Fernandez, many will likely be recruited by the Mexican Baseball League. Additionally, they will represent the national team in their respective age categories.

Since its establishment in 2016, Fernandez has served as the only director of the office. Prior to assuming his current role, he was the general manager of operations for World Wrestling Entertainment in Mexico and Latin America.

In addition to Mexico, Major League Baseball has offices located in London, Tokyo, Beijing, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The office is located within a high-end tower directly connected to the posh Artz Pedregal shopping mall in the city’s southern region.

While Fernandez’s stance remains unchanged, certain MLB objectives in Mexico have changed. 2016 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed his interest in expanding the league into Mexico. However, one year ago, Manfred explicitly stated that he had never considered Mexico a potential area for expansion.

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MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

“Commissioner Manfred is strongly dedicated to Mexico and has a keen interest in its development. However, various factors have prompted us to alter our strategies, and our current focus is on strengthening the local leagues,” Fernandez stated.

The MLB office in Mexico currently collaborates closely with the Mexican Baseball Federation and is actively seeking to establish a stronger alliance with the Mexican Baseball League under the leadership of league president Horacio de la Vega.

Under de la Vega’s leadership since 2021, stadium attendance in the league has risen, and the games are now televised nationally and available on streaming platforms. This has contributed to the proliferation of the sport among a new cohort of enthusiasts.

“I believe that fan attendance has risen. Previously, there used to be a significant number of elderly individuals in the park,” stated Carlos Hernandez, a 63-year-old supporter, before a match between the Diablos Rojos and Tigres in MeThereently, there is a larger fanbase, particularly among the younger demographic.”

As per Othon Diaz, the president of Diablos Rojos, 53% of the team’s fanbase consisted of individuals aged 55 years or older nine years ago. Presently, the majority of the team’s fans, accounting for 74%, are under 45. Furthermore, spectators at every game increased from an average of 3,000 to 11,000.

For a subset of dedicated enthusiasts, the presence of an MLB regular-season series is enjoyable but limited to those with the financial means to attend.

Fernandez said that tickets for the Astros-Rockies series were completely sold out within one hour, resulting in a significant surge in the resale market prices, ranging from $70 to as high as $580.

“The show is of high quality, but the ticket prices are somewhat expensive.” “By opting for the most affordable option, one could attend (to witness the Diablos Rojos) for a duration equivalent to half of a season,” stated Hernandez, who accompanied his wife and two boys to watch the Diablos.

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MLB Presence In Mexico Goes Beyond Just Hosting Another Regular-Season Series

In August 1996, Mexico hosted its first MLB games in Monterrey, where the San Diego Padres played against the New York Mets. In 2018, the Padres competed against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 2019 the Cincinnati Reds competed against the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Houston Astros confronted the Los Angeles Angels.

The 2020 series between the Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks, which was scheduled to take place in Mexico City, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the previous year, the Padres competed against the San Francisco Giants.

Fernandez has stated that regular-season games in Mexico will be held until 2026, although not necessarily at the same location. Meanwhile, efforts persist to promote baseball’s proliferation in the nation.

SOURCE – (AP)

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  – Casey DeSmith, the substitute goalkeeper, has achieved his inaugural triumph in the playoffs, so aiding the Vancouver Canucks in reclaiming their advantageous position of playing on their ice.

DeSmith recorded 29 saves as the Canucks successfully defended against the Nashville Predators, winning the game 2-1 on Friday night. This victory gives the Canucks a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series, marking the beginning of the NHL playoffs.

“His first playoff victory couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune moment,” DeSmith remarked. I was profoundly dissatisfied with my performance the other night.” The team performed exceptionally well the previous night but did not achieve the outcome that they rightfully earned. Tonight, we performed quite well. We have achieved that one. Therefore, it holds significant value.

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Casey DeSmith Makes 29 Saves As The Canucks Take 2-1 Series Lead Over The Preds

DeSmith made his second consecutive start and his third overall in the playoffs since Thatcher Demko has been sidelined with an injury since the first game of the series. DeSmith conceded three goals on 15 shots, resulting in Vancouver’s loss in Game 2.

“DeSmith’s demeanor is perfectly suited for that role,” stated Canucks coach Rick Tocchet.

J.T. Miller scored a goal while his team had a numerical advantage and provided an assist. Brock Boeser’s goal, also scored during a power-play situation, ultimately determined the game’s outcome. Quinn Hughes provided two assists.

The fourth game of the series will take place on Sunday in Nashville.

Luke Evangelista prevented Nashville from being held scoreless by executing a precise wrist shot into the top corner of the net with 3 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game. Coach Andrew Brunette subsequently called for a timeout when there were 2 minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the game, and he also decided to remove goaltender Juuse Saros from the ice. Nashville was unable to score against DeSmith once more.

Brunette said that the game was enjoyable and acknowledged the Canucks for their strong defensive performance.

“As I previously mentioned, the entire series will have a muddy appearance,” Brunette stated. “It will be challenging.” Furthermore, we must improve our ability to penetrate the interior.

The Canucks achieved the distinction of being the first team to secure a victory in a playoff game by taking only 12 shots on goal since Pittsburgh defeated Nashville in Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

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Casey DeSmith Makes 29 Saves As The Canucks Take 2-1 Series Lead Over The Preds

Vancouver converted two out of three power play opportunities and prevented Nashville from scoring on all five of their power play chances. The Predators have only converted 1 out of 14 power play opportunities in this series. Brunette emphasized the need to increase the speed of puck movement and intensify efforts to approach the net more effectively, particularly against the Canucks’ physically imposing defensemen.Roman Josi, the captain of the Predators, emphasized the need to enhance their offensive tactics during power play situations by increasing their mobility.

“The opposing team’s defense is not very mobile, so I believe we need to create more movement and thenattempt shots on goal, possibly aiming for a scrappy goal, a deflection, or a rebound,” Josi stated. “Improving in that area is certainly a priority for us.”

The Predators’ record in Game 3s on home ice dropped to 11-4, marking their second consecutive defeat. In 2022, they defeated in Game 3 as Colorado completely dominated them.

After Jankowski’s unsuccessful attempt to remove the puck during the penalty kill, Miller, who had accumulated 103 points during the regular season, managed to score his first goal of the postseason with 6 minutes and 37 seconds remaining, giving his team a 1-0 advantage with their first shot on goal.

Boeser increased the Canucks’ lead to 2-0 with his power-play goal at 4:33. He skillfully redirected the puck past Saros from a close range after receiving a pass from Miller.

The Canucks goaltender also executed an amazing save at the right post in the third period against Cole Smith, thereby maintaining the shutout. He received assistance as the Canucks successfully prevented 30 shots after Nashville’s achievement of stopping 30 shots in regulation to secure victory in Game 2.

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Casey DeSmith Makes 29 Saves As The Canucks Take 2-1 Series Lead Over The Preds

“Tonight, we experienced a significant number of successful blocks,” Boeser stated.

In the early stages of the game, Nashville’s defenseman Spencer Stastny was subjected to a boarding incident by Canucks’ defenseman Dakota Johnson. The penalty was initially declared a significant offense but later downgraded to a less severe infraction. Stastny made a comeback and subsequently proceeded to the locker room during the second quarter. He played for 6 minutes and 36 seconds.

The Predators did not provide a postgame update. Brunette stated that he did not receive a justification for altering the penalty to a child.

SOURCE – (AP)