Sports

Bell wins pole for Cup Series race at Kansas

Published

2 years ago

September 15, 2023

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Associated Press

Sep 9, 2023, 02:48 PM ET

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Christopher Bell won the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, putting himself in good position to wiggle off the playoff bubble and make next week’s cut-off a little less stressful.

Bell was the only driver among the 10 in the final round of qualifying to go over 180 mph, turning a lap of 180.276 for a comfortable margin over Kyle Larson, who locked up his place in the next round of the playoffs with a win last week at Darlington.

“That was a lot of fun,” said Bell, who rode the preferred high line along the wall at Kansas to his second straight pole and fourth of the season. “Qualifying here is very intense. That’s certainly all we had.”

Bell followed his pole run at Darlington with a mistake during the race and finished 23rd. That left him just one point ahead of Bubba Wallace for 12th place in points with next week’s race at Bristol the cut-off for the top 12 drivers to advance.

“There’s a handful of people on the team that just have to control what they can control and I’m a big part of that equation,” Bell said. “Last week I made a mistake early in the race that ruined our finish, and that was me not doing my job.

“I’m glad I get another opportunity this week to control what I can control and get the best finish out of it.”

Larson, who finished second to Denny Hamlin in the spring race at Kansas, will start alongside the No. 20 Toyota on the front row. Fellow playoff contender Martin Truex Jr. qualified third with Chase Elliott, who did not make the playoffs, fourth and Tyler Reddick fifth.

“You want to build on good finishes and we haven’t had two in a row for a long time,” Larson said. “So that’s kind of my goal going into really the whole playoffs, is just to be consistently up front and finishing right.”

William Byron, who is second in points, qualified ninth to earn a good pit selection, but he thought he would have to start at the back after breaking a suspension part during a 20-minute practice session. NASCAR ruled later that it was a part problem rather than a team issue and gave Byron his qualifying spot on the grid.

There is still another playoff contender starting at the rear after Kyle Busch had a tire blow in practice, sending him slapping along the outside wall. The Chevrolet sustained heavy enough damage that Busch wasn’t able to make a qualifying run.

“Just like every other weekend — always put in a hole, always put behind, always have to dig ourselves out,” Busch said. “Hate it for the guys. The car was really good here. We were just going to fine tune some things to get ready for qualifying and here we are, starting last again. It just never changes.”

Sports

MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

Published

23 mins ago

July 10, 2025

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

Associated Press

Jul 10, 2025, 04:27 PM ET

NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.

He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.

Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.

Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.

Sports

A’s Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

Published

23 mins ago

July 10, 2025

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A's Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

Associated Press

Jul 10, 2025, 01:16 PM ET

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.

Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.

“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”

Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.

His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.

The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.

Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.

Sports

Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

Published

23 mins ago

July 10, 2025

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Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

Associated Press

Jul 10, 2025, 01:54 PM ET

BALTIMORE — The New York Mets recalled 23-year-old utility man Luisangel Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.

The brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., Luisangel Acuña went 13-for-45 (.286) for Syracuse after the Mets optioned him in late June.

Capable of playing second base, shortstop or the outfield, Acuna had batted .241 in 65 games before going to the minors.

“He was a big part of this team the first couple of months,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “We got to a point where we felt like, ‘Hey, let’s get him some everyday playing time. ‘And now it’s time for him to be back up here, continuing to help us win baseball games.”

In a corresponding move, the Mets designated outfielder Travis Jankowski for assignment.

Acuna was on the bench for New York’s first game of the doubleheader.