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Auston Matthews scored his 50th goal of the season Wednesday night in the Toronto Maple Leafs star’s hometown return, becoming the fastest NHL player to reach that mark in 28 years.

Playing his 54th game of the season, Matthews scored 5:01 into the game on a power play to give Toronto a 2-0 lead over the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena. He added his 51st — giving him 350 career goals in 535 games — late in the second period for a 4-2 lead.

The Maple Leafs went on to win 6-3.

“It’s great. It’s a small step in the long season, but obviously coming to play at home and playing a team that has had our number for the last couple of seasons … it was a good win, a good effort, everybody contributed,” Matthews said. “I’ll take the two points and get back at it tomorrow.”

From nearby Scottsdale, the 26-year-old center first scored Wednesday night on a shot from the circle to the left of goaltender Karel Vejmelka. Mitchell Marner and Timothy Liljegren assisted on the goal that came with Arizona’s Michael Carcone in the penalty box for slashing. Matthews then scored off a rebound in the second period.

“We had a couple of power plays and were kind of able to snap it around. I just tried to get open, and [Marner has] the puck and he’s got a great sense of where I am on the ice and vice versa,” Matthews said. “We just try to push ourselves to be the best that we can be individually and the best teammates we can be.”

Mario Lemieux achieved the milestone in 50 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. The fastest was Wayne Gretzky, who got his 50th in his 39th game for Edmonton in 1981-82 on his way to a record 92 goals.

Matthews broke a tie as the fastest to 50 goals among U.S.-born players; he shared the previous mark with Kevin Stevens at 62 games, Stevens having set it in the 1992-93 season and Matthews having matched it in 2021-22.

Matthews has nine goals in his past four games, having two consecutive hat tricks before a single goal against St. Louis on Monday night. He has 15 multigoal games through 55 team games, tied for the fifth most through 55 team games in NHL history and the most since Alexander Mogilny had 17 through 55 team games in 1992-93.

Florida‘s Sam Reinhart is second in the NHL this season with 39 goals.

Matthews had 60 goals two seasons ago to lead the NHL, making him the first to reach that mark since Steven Stamkos had 60 in 2011-12. The last players to score 70 or more in a season were Teemu Selanne and Mogilny, who each had 76 in 1992-93.

Matthews’ goal pace continues to accelerate, as he is now on pace for 76 this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He could become the third player in NHL history to record a 75-goal season with a Canadian team, joining Gretzky (Oilers) and Selanne (Winnipeg Jets).

Matthews is the fourth active player with multiple 50-goal seasons (Alex Ovechkin 9, Leon Draisaitl 3, Stamkos 2), and second in Maple Leafs history to do so after Vaive (3).

ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Judge: First ejection of career ‘very surprising’

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Judge: First ejection of career 'very surprising'

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge has accomplished plenty during his nine-year major league career. The five-time All-Star set the American League record for home runs in a season in 2022. He won the AL MVP award. He was named the 16th captain in New York Yankees history.

And not once in his first 869 career games was the 32-year-old slugger ever ejected.

That streak, though, ended Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Judge was tossed for the first time leading off the seventh inning after arguing a called third strike in the Yankees’ eventual 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Judge was displeased when plate umpire Ryan Blakney punched him out on a pitch he thought was outside for ball four. The outfielder had some words for Blakney as he walked away before turning around to go to the Yankees’ dugout. Blakney then threw him out of the game.

“Very surprising, especially in a 5-3 game, late in the game,” Judge said. “Battling a 3-2 count and kind of walking away saying my piece. I’ve said a lot worse. … I usually try not to make a scene in situations like that. So a little surprised [that] walking away that happened.”

Judge said there wasn’t any tension between him and Blakney leading up to that point. He ended his day 2-for-3 with a double. It was just his second multihit game since April 14, raising his batting average on the season to .209. Trent Grisham replaced him in center field.

“I got a lot of respect for Ryan and what he does,” Judge said. “I know their job is tough and I’ve always had their back because it’s tough back there. So, for it to happen that way, that’s what I’m most upset about. Especially late in a game like that, close game.”

Umpire crew chief Alan Porter told a pool reporter that Blakney hadn’t yet told him what Judge said to warrant the ejection.

“Apparently, Aaron did not agree with the pitch and said something that you shouldn’t have said, and he was ejected,” Porter said. “We do what we can to keep guys in the game, but he said something he shouldn’t have said.”

Judge said he had never been ejected at any level in his baseball life — from little league through high school, college and the pros. It was the first time a Yankees captain was ejected from a game since Don Mattingly in May 1994.

“I didn’t even see myself get tossed,” Judge said. “It was a crowd reaction I heard, so I kind of assumed at that point.”

Though surprising to the Yankees, Judge’s ejection isn’t the team’s most controversial this season. Manager Aaron Boone was tossed five pitches into a game on April 23 for words that appeared to have come from a fan behind the dugout.

On Saturday, Boone, whose 35 ejections since 2018 are the most among managers, defended his star.

“I was surprised,” Boone said. “Judgy says very little usually. Very respectfully, walking away. Come on, man.”

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Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

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Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

PHOENIX — Luis Arraez had four hits and an RBI in his first game after being traded from the Miami Marlins, Ha-Seong Kim hit a three-run homer in San Diego’s eight-run seventh inning and the Padres routed the listless Arizona Diamondbacks 13-1 on Saturday.

The Padres made a massive deal Friday, acquiring Arraez from the Marlins along with nearly $7.9 million in a trade for four players. The two-time batting champion didn’t join his new team until about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, but he wasted no time in producing, going 4-for-6 while scoring two runs.

“Clearly an amazing approach, and I can see why he is the rightful moniker of ‘The Sprinkler,'” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “You’re talking about he’s an artist being able to put the ball in the whole field. That was that was a sight to behold. What a talent.”

Arraez wasn’t the only San Diego player seeing the ball well at Chase Field.

Jurickson Profar had a two-run homer in the seventh inning among his four hits, and Kim followed with a three-run shot. Manny Machado had three RBIs. And Michael King (3-3) allowed six singles in six innings for San Diego’s season-high fourth straight victory. The Padres had 18 hits.

“I absolutely love him,” King said about Arraez. “He’s a spark plug who’s a really tough out and just finds the bases. It’s going to be really fun to see him with the guys we have behind him.”

The Diamondbacks would love to put this week behind them.

Arizona had two runners picked off at first in the first inning and didn’t get a runner past second base until Gabriel Moreno‘s two-out, run-scoring single in the ninth. The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks have been outscored 28-2 since a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday and have lost seven of nine.

“It’s obvious right now we’re grinding, things are not going well and we just aren’t getting the job done,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “You go to work and you have a bad week at work — it happens. But we’ve got to find a way to shorten up that gap when we’re not playing good baseball to find a way to win a game.”

Arraez led off his first game with the Padres by hitting the second pitch by Brandon Pfaadt (1-2) into the corner in right for a double. He scored on Machado’s single for San Diego’s 32nd run in the first inning this season, second most in the majors to the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 37.

“He got us going and kept us going,” Shildt said.

The Diamondbacks got off to a much shakier start.

Arizona had two singles in the first inning, but Jake McCarthy got picked off by King, and Ketel Marte was thrown out by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. after rounding first too far.

Fielding caused the Diamondbacks problems in the fourth inning.

Shortstop Blaze Alexander had an error on a potential double-play ball then threw late to the plate when Profar took off from third on Luis Campusano‘s grounder. Arraez’s single to left put San Diego up 3-0.

The Padres chased Pfaadt in the seventh inning and blew the game open against Arizona’s bullpen, sending 14 batters to plate. Pfaadt allowed five runs on 10 hits in six innings.

“We’re a team trying to get back on its high horse, and certainly it didn’t work out today,” Pfaadt said. “Certainly, we’ll try to look forward to tomorrow and try to get back on the horse.”

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Phils SS Turner (hamstring) set to miss 6 weeks

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Phils SS Turner (hamstring) set to miss 6 weeks

PHILADELPHIA — Trea Turner will miss at least six weeks with a left hamstring strain after being injured in the fourth inning of Philadelphia‘s 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

The Phillies placed the two-time All-Star shortstop on the 10-day injured list Saturday, but Turner said he’ll need more time.

“I hate being hurt,” he said.

Turner has started all 30 games this season, helping the Phillies (22-11) enter Saturday with the most wins in baseball. He is hitting .343 with two homers, 10 doubles, nine RBI and 10 stolen bases.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson, before knowing the extent of the absence, said losing Turner for any amount of time would be a blow.

“It’s a huge loss,” he said. “It’s Trea Turner, one of the best players in baseball.”

Turner had two hits in Friday’s game, when he helped the Phillies to their 14th win in the last 17 games.

He was injured on a stellar hustle play. He singled, stole second and scored from there on a passed ball on a walk to Bryce Harper. Philadelphia’s speedy shortstop just beat the tag by right-hander Jordan Hicks, and plate umpire Brian Walsh’s safe call was confirmed by video review.

“It was a great play,” Thomson said. “Won us a ballgame.”

Turner injured his left hamstring running the bases between third and home.

The Phillies recalled Kody Clemens from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Turner’s roster spot.

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