Curt Cignetti had a welcome-to-Indiana message for transfer Nick Marsh: Leave the gold shoes behind

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) —Curt Cignettiis not about to let the Indiana Hoosiers put flash in front of fundamentals after their first national championship.

Associated Press FILE - Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, third from right, stands with players and the trophy after Indiana defeated Miami in a College Football Playoff national championship game, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, file) FILE - Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during the champions news conference after theiir win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, on Jan. 20, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

Indiana-Cignetti Contract Football

Newcomer Nick Marsh apparently found that out in humbling fashion before his first practice with the team.

During Cignetti's news conference to preview the start of spring ball, the no-nonsense coach revealed during a discussion about the transfer wide receiver from Michigan State that he chewed out Marsh prior to practice for an equipment faux pas for the old-school program.

Gold shoes.

After praising the production Marsh gave the Spartans over his first two seasons in the Big Ten, with 100 receptions for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns in 23 games, Cignetti made a point to mention he put Marsh in his place for his choice of cleat color.

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"I don't know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State," Cignetti said. "That was a wakeup call."

Perhaps Cignetti was simply trying to use Marsh to send a message to the entire team with a reminder that glamour — or complacency — will get the Hoosiers nowhere in 2026 after winning all 16 of their games in the 2025 season. Whatever his motivation, the 64-year-old Cignetti — who is 27-2 in two seasons at Indiana — quickly softened his tone to seemingly steer the spotlight away from Marsh's first-day mistake.

"He's worked really hard, done a great job for us," Cignetti said.

AP college football:https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Curt Cignetti had a welcome-to-Indiana message for transfer Nick Marsh: Leave the gold shoes behind

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) —Curt Cignettiis not about to let the Indiana Hoosiers put flash in front of fundamentals after th...
Is NBA's MVP race down to two? Ranking the contenders

The race for NBA Most Valuable Player is down to the final 10 or so games of the season.

USA TODAY Sports

And it's all but certain that the winner of the award will once again be an internationally-born player, which would mark eight consecutive seasons. The league's65-game eligibility rulefor postseason awards came into focus once more afterDetroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham'scollapsed lung injury forced him to miss extended time.

The National Basketball Players Association came out in defense of Cunningham and blasted the rule as a mechanism that was keeping elite players from consideration of these individual honors, which can have real impacts on future earnings; supermax deals are often tied to performance triggers.

Either way, here's the latest iteration of the USA TODAY Sports NBA MVP rankings:

5.Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Even though Jayson Tatum made his return, his production is nowhere near previous levels as the Celtics continue to ease him back. That has maintained the pressure on Brown to carry Boston, and he has done just that. His 31 points in a 10-point victory March 25 over the defending-champion Thunder are a perfect indicator of the impact Brown has on his team. Over his last five, he's averaging 32.6 points per game.

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4.Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Still averaging a triple-double (27.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.8 assists per game), Jokić is having a monster year, though he can miss no more than one game the rest of the way to preserve his eligibility for individual awards. More importantly, the Nuggets have won seven of their last nine games and are hitting a stride as they push for seeding considerations in the Western Conference. Jokić is the catalyst that is sparking Denver's recent stretch of success.

3.Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

His scoring prowess is unmatched in the NBA right now. His 60-point explosion March 19 against the Heat will draw the most attention, but he has been averaging 40.6 points per game over his last eight. More importantly, the Lakers have been stellar as of late and have toppled some top teams in the process. Defense continues to be the big knock on Dončić, but he has settled completely in Los Angeles as his takeover of the franchise continues.

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center. Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards' Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena. <p style=Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets' Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns' Grayson Allen at Ball Arena. Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum. Oct. 24: The Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum. Oct. 22: The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

2.Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Since the start of February, no team has been hotter than the Spurs. Not surprisingly, it's Wembanyama who has been carrying San Antonio. He may be the most impactful player in recent history — on both ends of the floor — and, the scary thing for the rest of the league, is that he's only improving. This has been the most efficient and effective stretch of Wembanyama's career, and he's also playing with more confidence and swagger. Look no further thanhis poster dunkMarch 25 over Grizzlies forward GG Jackson. Wembanyama has been tremendous, but the gap to make up may simply be too large.

1.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

It appeared, a few weeks ago, that Gilgeous-Alexander had this award all but won. Though the margin may not be as robust, that still seems likely. Some fans may not favor the way Gilgeous-Alexander plays, but his consistency is tough to overcome. Even as Jalen Williams has returned for the Thunder, it's clear this is Gilgeous-Alexander's operation and his 31.5 points per game rank second only to Dončić's total. Gilgeous-Alexander would join Nikola Jokić (2021-22) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) as the only players to repeat as MVP in the last decade.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 NBA MVP race narrows as Cade Cunningham slips out

Is NBA's MVP race down to two? Ranking the contenders

The race for NBA Most Valuable Player is down to the final 10 or so games of the season. And it's all but c...
Mike Trout homers to kick off what he hopes will be a healthy 2026 as Angels blank Astros 3-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Trout homered to launch what he hopes will be a bounce-back year, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a season-opening 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday.

Associated Press Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout hits a home run against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, left, celebrates with first base coach Adam Eaton (92) after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout (27) and Yoán Moncada (10) celebrate after an opening-day baseball game against the Houston Astros Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Houston Astros' Nick Allen walks back to the dugout after striking out against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Los Angeles Angels' Nolan Schanuel celebrates after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Angels Astros Baseball

Trout also walked three times and played center field for the first time since April 2024. The three-time MVP played 130 games last season, his most since 2019 because of various injuries.

Making his franchise-record 14th opening day start, the 34-year-old Troutbroke a scoreless tiein the seventh inning when he sent a 96 mph fastball from reliever AJ Blubaugh (0-1) 403 feet onto the train tracks in left-center. It was his fifth opening day homer, also a club record.

The Angels snapped an eight-game road losing streak in season openers, starting 1-0 on the road for the first time since 2013.

Oswald Peraza hit an RBI single in the eighth and Nolan Schanuel homered in the ninth.

José Soriano (1-0) allowed two hits and four walks in six innings while striking out seven. Four relievers completed the three-hitter, with Jordan Romano working the ninth to earn the save in his Angels debut.

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Hunter Brown started for Houston and allowed four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out nine.

The Astros went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine runners.

Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez may have been robbed of a home run in the first inning because the retractable roof at Daikin Park was closed. Alvarez hit a towering shot toward the right field foul pole, but it ricocheted off a horizontal rafter and landed in foul territory.

It was ruled a foul ball. The Astros challenged, and the call was upheld after a review. Alvarez later struck out swinging.

Up next

The teams resume the four-game series on Friday, with lefty Yusei Kikuchi starting for Los Angeles opposite right-hander Mike Burrows.

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Mike Trout homers to kick off what he hopes will be a healthy 2026 as Angels blank Astros 3-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Trout homered to launch what he hopes will be a bounce-back year, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a...
Andy Pages' 3-run shot sparks Dodgers' 8-2 comeback win over the Diamondbacks in season opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning, and theLos Angeles Dodgersrallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 on Thursday, opening the season with a victory in pursuit of their third consecutive World Series championship.

Associated Press Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages (44) hits a three-run home run off of Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen, foreground, during the fifth inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Arizona Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo, right, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run that also scored Corbin Carroll (7) during the fourth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen works against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after fouling a pitch off of himself during the fifth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Diamondbacks Dodgers Baseball

Three of the Dodgers' first four hits in the fifth off Zac Gallen came with two strikes. Max Muncy singled, Teoscar Hernández reached on an infield single to Gallen, Pages' homer traveled 400 feet and Miguel Rojas singled. Shohei Ohtani drew a walk to chase Gallen, who began the game with four shutout innings and a 2-0 lead.

Juan Morillo came on and got two quick outs. But he walked Freddie Freeman and gave up an infield single to Will Smith. First baseman Carlos Santana dived toward the foul line and stopped the ball before bobbling it, allowing Rojas to score from third and extend the Dodgers' lead to 4-2.

Pages made a sparkling defensive play in center leading off the seventh. He chased a fly ball from Geraldo Perdomo, diving and landing on his belly to make the catch.

The Dodgers tacked on four more runs in the seventh off reliever Taylor Clarke. Kyle Tucker got his first hit and first RBI in his debut. The $240 million right fielder doubled in Ohtani, who was hit by Clarke, and then scored on Mookie Betts' single. Smith had a two-run homer, making it 8-2.

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Arizona led 2-0 on Perdomo's two-run homer off World Series MVPYoshinobu Yamamoto(1-0) in the fourth. Corbin Carroll singled leading off and Perdomo followed with a two-strike shot.

Yamamoto allowed two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out six.

Gallen (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Ohtani in the first and a one-out walk to Muncy in the second. The Dodgers didn't have another runner until the fifth. Gallen allowed four runs and four hits in four innings, struck out two and walked two.

Up next

D-backs RHP Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.39 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Friday against Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.82).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Andy Pages’ 3-run shot sparks Dodgers’ 8-2 comeback win over the Diamondbacks in season opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning, and theLos Angeles Dodgersrallied past...
Andy Pages hits go-ahead 3-run homer as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks 8-2 in opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning, and theLos Angeles Dodgersrallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 on Thursday, opening the season with a victory in pursuit of their third consecutive World Series championship.

Associated Press

Three of the Dodgers' first four hits in the fifth off Zac Gallen came with two strikes. Max Muncy singled, Teoscar Hernández reached on an infield single to Gallen, Pages' homer traveled 400 feet and Miguel Rojas singled. Shohei Ohtani drew a walk to chase Gallen, who began the game with four shutout innings and a 2-0 lead.

Juan Morillo came on and got two quick outs. But he walked Freddie Freeman and gave up an infield single to Will Smith. First baseman Carlos Santana dived toward the foul line and stopped the ball before bobbling it, allowing Rojas to score from third and extend the Dodgers' lead to 4-2.

Pages made a sparkling defensive play in center leading off the seventh. He chased a fly ball from Geraldo Perdomo, diving and landing on his belly to make the catch.

The Dodgers tacked on four more runs in the seventh off reliever Taylor Clarke. Kyle Tucker got his first hit and first RBI in his debut. The $240 million right fielder doubled in Ohtani, who was hit by Clarke, and then scored on Mookie Betts' single. Smith had a two-run homer, making it 8-2.

Arizona led 2-0 on Perdomo's two-run homer off World Series MVPYoshinobu Yamamoto(1-0) in the fourth. Corbin Carroll singled leading off and Perdomo followed with a two-strike shot.

Yamamoto allowed two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out six.

NATIONALS 10, CUBS 4

CHICAGO (AP) — Brady House, Joey Wiemer and Jacob Young homered for Washington on opening day, and the Nationals beat Alex Bregman and the Chicago Cubs for manager Blake Butera's first win with the team.

CJ Abrams hit a tiebreaking two-run single during Washington's six-run fourth inning on a blustery, overcast afternoon at Wrigley Field. Andrés Chaparro had two hits and scored a run.

Butera is part of a new leadership group for the rebuilding Nationals after they went 66-96 last year in their sixth straight losing season. Paul Toboni took over as the team's president of baseball operations onOct. 1, and he hiredthe 33-year-old Buteraout of Tampa Bay's front office.

Michael Busch had three hits for Chicago, which begins the season with World Series aspirations after losing to Milwaukee in the playoffs last year. Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits and two RBIs just days after agreeing toa $115 million, six-year contractwith the Cubs.

Bregman and Crow-Armstrong each got a loud ovation from the crowd of 39,712 when they were announced with the starting lineup. Bregman went 1 for 4 with a single and a walk in his first regular-season game since signinga $175 million, five-year contractwith the Cubs in free agency.

BREWERS 14, WHITE SOX 2

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jacob Misiorowski struck out 11 while allowing one run over five innings, and Milwaukee trounced the Chicago White Sox.

Jake Bauers hit a three-run homer,Sal Frelickproduced a two-run blast andWilliam Contrerasdelivered a three-run double as the Brewers began their pursuit of a fourth straightNL Central title.

Chase Meidroth and Munetaka Murakami hit solo shots for the White Sox.

Misiorowski, who turns 24 on April 3, got the opening day assignment following aneventful rookie seasonin which hemade the NL All-Star teamjust five starts into his career and threw as hard as104.3 mphin the playoffs. His 11 strikeouts were the most by a Brewers pitcher in a season opener.

He began Thursday's game by allowing ahomer to Meidrothbefore striking out the next three batters. Misiorowski (1-0) reached a top speed of 101.1 while combining with four relievers on a four-hitter.

METS 11, PIRATES 7

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Baty laced a bases-loaded triple and New Yorkchased Paul Skenes in the first inningof his worst major league start, beating Pittsburgh in itsseason opener at Citi Field.

Carson Bengehomered in his first career game, going back-to-back with Francisco Alvarez at the bottom of a new-look lineup, andFreddy Peralta(1-0) won his Mets debut as New York improved to 42-23 on opening day before a sellout crowd of 41,449.

That's the best record of any big league team — even though the Mets lost their first eight openers from 1962-69.

Brandon Lowehomered twice and fellowPirates newcomer Ryan O'Hearnalso went deep, but Pittsburgh's pitching and defense were dreadful in a disappointing start.

Center fielder Oneil Cruz botched consecutive plays in the first inning, helping the Mets score five runs off a surprisingly ineffective Skenes (0-1), matching his career high. Last year'sNL Cy Young Award winnerwas removed after getting only two outs on 37 pitches in the shortest of his 56 big league starts.

With five new hitters in the order, the Mets ran deep counts early and drew eight walks while batting around twice in the first five innings.

ORIOLES 2, TWINS 1

BALTIMORE (AP) — Trevor Rogers pitched seven shutout innings and Colton Cowser and Blaze Alexander had seventh-inning RBIs to give Baltimore a win over Minnesota.

Following a stellar 2025 season in which he went 9-3 with a 1.81 ERA, Rogers picked up where he left off in front of a sellout crowd at Camden Yards for the earliest opener in franchise history. The lefty allowed three hits, walked four and was especially effective when stuck in a jam.

Rogers (1-0) induced three double plays and limited Minnesota to 1-for-11 batting with runners in scoring position.

Twins righty Joe Ryan was every bit as good. In his second career opening day start, Ryan allowed one hit and two walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Baltimore broke up the scoreless duel in the seventh against the Minnesota bullpen. Kody Funderburk (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Samuel Basallo and Tyler O'Neill followed with a single off Justin Topa before Cowser delivered a sacrifice fly and Alexander ripped a two-out RBI single up the middle.

The Twins closed to 2-1 in the eighth when Byron Buxton tripled and scored on a fly ball by Luke Keaschall.

Closer Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth, getting pinch hitter Trevor Larnach with a runner on second to end it.

RED SOX 3, REDS 0

CINCINNATI (AP) — Garrett Crochet allowed only three hits in six innings, Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single in the seventh inning and Boston got its first opening day shutout since 2015, defeating Cincinnati.

Roman Anthony had three hits for the Red Sox, who had their 11th opening day shutout — with all but one on the road.

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It's the ninth time the Reds have been blanked in an opener and the first since 2018. Rookie first baseman Sal Stewart had three of Cincinnati's four hits, including a pair of doubles.

Crochet (1-0) became the first pitcher to start on opening day in each of his first three seasons as a starter, according to MLB. The right-hander struck out six and walked two en route to his first victory in an opener.

Crochet allowed only one hit the first five innings before running into some trouble in the sixth. Matt McLain drew a walk with one out and singles by Elly de la Cruz and Stewart loaded the bases.

The right-hander struck out Eugenio Suárez and Spencer Steer to get out of the inning.

Former Reds closer Aroldis Chapman retired the side in the ninth for the save.

TIGERS 8, PADRES 2

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kevin McGonigle got four hits and drove in two runs in his auspicious major league debut during Detroit's victory overSan Diego.

The 21-year-old McGonigle hit a two-run double with the bases loaded on the first big league pitch he saw in the first inning. He had a second double and an infield single while scoring two runs in his next two at-bats, and added a single in the ninth.

McGonigle finished 4 for 5 while batting sixth and playing third base. After just 46 games last season in Double-A, the multi-position infielder made Detroit's major league roster with an undeniably strong spring, skipping Triple-A entirely.

Two-time AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal (1-0) pitched six innings of three-hit ball with six strikeouts in his third straight opening day start for Detroit, allowing only an unearned run.

Dillon Dingler homered and drove in three runs while Detroit jumped to an 8-0 lead in the fifth inning and cruised to its 12th win on opening day in the last 15 seasons.

Xander Bogaerts hit an RBI double off Skubal in the sixth inning of a rough opener for rookie manager Craig Stammen and the Padres, who are coming off only the second back-to-back playoff appearances in franchise history. Stammen, the former Padres reliever, replaced Mike Shildt.

Nick Pivetta (0-1) lasted just three innings in his first career opening day start, struggling through a 33-pitch first inning and getting the hook after yielding six runs on seven hits and three walks.

PHILLIES 5, RANGERS 3

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristopher Sánchez struck out 10 and tossed three-hit ball over six shutout innings in his first start since he signed a$104 millioncontract extension, and Kyle Schwarber and Alec Bohm each homered to leadPhiladelphiato a win over Texas.

Sánchez did not issue a walk over 87 pitches in his first career opening-day start and showed why the Phillies tore up his old deal before it expired and gave him a much more lucrative contract through the 2032 season. The 29-year-old left-hander won 13 games last season and finished runner-up behind Pittsburgh'sPaul Skenesin NL Cy Young Award voting.

Skenes was chased in the first inning earlier in the day by the Mets — as 76ers starJoel Embiid mocked the Pirates′ ace on social media — while Sánchez never pitched into a serious jam against Texas and spoiled managerSkip Schumaker's Texas debut.

Sánchez pumped his fist into his mitt in excitement after he struck out Corey Seager to end the sixth inning. Sánchez walked off the mound to a standing ovation and waved to 44,610 fans.

Jake Burger hit a two-run homer for Texas in the ninth that forced the Phillies to use closer Jhoan Duran for the save.

ANGELS 3, ASTROS 0

HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Trout homered to launch what he hopes will be a bounce-back year, leading Los Angeles to a season-opening win over Houston.

Trout also walked three times and played center field for the first time since April 2024. The three-time MVP played 130 games last season, his most since 2019 because of various injuries.

Making his franchise-record 14th opening day start, the 34-year-old Troutbroke a scoreless tiein the seventh inning when he sent a 96 mph fastball from reliever AJ Blubaugh (0-1) 403 feet onto the train tracks in left-center. It was his fifth opening day homer, also a club record.

The Angels snapped an eight-game road losing streak in season openers, starting 1-0 on the road for the first time since 2013.

Oswald Peraza hit an RBI single in the eighth and Nolan Schanuel homered in the ninth.

José Soriano (1-0) allowed two hits and four walks in six innings while striking out seven. Four relievers completed the three-hitter, with Jordan Romano working the ninth to earn the save in his Angels debut.

Hunter Brown started for Houston and allowed four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out nine.

The Astros went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position while stranding nine runners.

CARDINALS 9, RAYS 7

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer to cap off an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning as St. Louis rallied for a win over Tampa Bay.

Rookie JJ Wetherholt also homered for St. Louis.

Jonathan Aranda homered for Tampa Bay, which took a 7-1 lead with six runs in the top of the sixth.

St. Louis answered back with eight runs in its half including run-scoring sacrifice flies by Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera, which tied the game 7-all.

Burleson followed with a blast to right field.

Both teams sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning.

Jonny DeLuca had a two-run single to highlight the sixth inning for Tampa Bay, which had won four of its previous five games on opening day.

Riley O'Brien picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ryne Stanek earned the save. He struck out Richie Palacios with the bases loaded to end the game.

Andy Pages hits go-ahead 3-run homer as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks 8-2 in opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning, and theLos Angeles Dodgersrallied past...
Singer Duffy to open up about alleged kidnapping, sexual abuse in Disney+ documentary

Duffy is opening up about her allegedkidnappingand sexual abuse in a new documentary.

Good Morning America

The Welsh singer, whose real name is Aimée Anne Duffy and who is known for her 2008 Grammy-nominated song "Mercy," will open up for the first time in a feature-length documentary film for Disney+ about allegedly being kidnapped, trafficked and sexually abused.

Singer Duffy says she was 'raped and drugged and held captive'

In 2020, after disappearing from the spotlight for 10 years, Duffy reemerged and shared in an Instagram post that she had allegedly been kidnapped, trafficked, "raped and drugged and held captive over some days."

She also wrote about the alleged kidnapping and abuse in anessayonline, saying it happened on her birthday and that she was initially "drugged at a restaurant."

She alleged that she was taken to a foreign country at one point, but "can't remember getting on the plane," only waking "in the back of a travelling vehicle."

She said she did not remember how she got home.

David Corio/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images - PHOTO: Welsh singer/songwriter Duffy poses for a portrait on May 28, 2008 at Albert Circus, Shoreditch, London.

The singer did not share details of where or when the alleged incidents took place, but said in her 2020 Instagram post that she was "ok and safe now."

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In her essay, she said that the experience took a toll on her in the years that followed.

She added, "I am sharing this because we are living in a hurting world and I am no longer ashamed that something deeply hurt me, anymore. I believe that if you speak from the heart within you, the heart within others will answer. As dark as my story is, I do speak from my heart, for my life, and for the life of others, whom have suffered the same."

A pressreleaseabout the new documentary from Disney+ and Hulu states that it will be a "retrospective film traversing Duffy's life, from her upbringing in Wales, through to her meteoric rise to fame and her withdrawal from public life following her unfathomable experience."

The documentary will also include archival footage and interviews with Duffy's family, friends and industry peers.

Woman accused of firing shots at Rihanna's home pleads not guilty

Disney+ executive Sean Doyle said in a statement, "This film will give Duffy the chance to tell her story in her own words," adding that the project was handled "with sensitivity and care."

"I'm especially in awe of Duffy -- for her honesty and courage to share her story," he said.

Documentary director Gill Callan added in a statement, "Duffy's life has been shaped by success and fame, but equally by pain, defiance, and an irrepressible sense of self. I'm drawn to the tension between vulnerability and confidence in her story and how a person can be deeply affected by their experiences, yet still find a powerful, expressive voice that is unmistakably hers."

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.

Singer Duffy to open up about alleged kidnapping, sexual abuse in Disney+ documentary

Duffy is opening up about her allegedkidnappingand sexual abuse in a new documentary. The Welsh singer, whose ...
Woman whose son died from drugs bought on social media celebrates verdicts against Meta, YouTube

THORNTON, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman whose son died from a fentanyl-laced pill he bought through social media celebrated apair of verdictsthis week against Meta and YouTube that she said opened the door for companies to be held responsible for harms to children using their platforms.

Associated Press Kim Osterman shows photos of her son Max, who she says died after taking fentanyl he bought from a dealer on Snapchat, in her living room in Thornton, Colo., on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) A tribute to Max Osterman, whose mother says he died after taking fentanyl he bought from a dealer on Snapchat, is displayed in his mother's living room in Thornton, Colo., Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) Kim Osterman, who says her son Max died after taking fentanyl he bought from a dealer on Snapchat, poses for a portrait in her living room in Thornton, Colo., Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) A childhood photo of Max Osterman, whose mother says he died after taking fentanyl he bought from a dealer on Snapchat, is displayed in his mother's living room in Thornton, Colo., on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert) A photo of Max Osterman, whose mother says he died after taking fentanyl he bought from a dealer on Snapchat, is worn on his mother's blouse at her home in Thornton, Colo., on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

Social Media Verdicts Colorado Mother

"The truth is out, and it's time that they are held accountable for the design of the platforms," said Kimberly Osterman, whose son Max died in 2021 at age 18. "They put profits over safety."

Flipping through photo albums Thursday at her home in Colorado, Osterman reflected on "the days before social media. The days before the infinite scrolling lured him in." Photos of him in frames with hearts and angels wings dotted the shelves.

Osterman said Max arranged to meet a drug dealer he connected with on Snapchat and purchased what he thought was Percocet. The pill was laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl, and he was dead the next morning. Osterman is pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit that is separate from cases decided this week.

In Los Angeles on Wednesday,a jury foundboth YouTube and Meta, which owns and operates platforms including Instagram and Facebook, liable for harms to children for designing their platforms to hook young users. The companies said they disagreed with the verdicts and may appeal.

And inNew Mexico,a jury determined that Meta knowinglyharmed children's mental healthand concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. Meta said it would appeal.

Snapchat's parent company, Snap Inc.,settled for an undisclosed sumin January just before the Los Angeles trial began. TikTok also agreed to settle, and details were not disclosed.

Osterman is part of Parents for Safe Online Spaces, or ParentsSOS, a group that includes parents who have lost children to online harm and advocate for more regulation. It has campaigned for theKids Online Safety Act, pending federal legislation that would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on platforms minors are likely to use.

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She hopes to see social media companies enact strict guardrails, such as age verification technology, to prevent anyone under 18 from accessing the platforms.

"You think your kids are safe in their home, in their bedroom, but that's not the way it is with the current status of social media," she said.

Osterman knew Max used Snapchat to communicate with friends but did not realize the danger he was in. She said he loved lacrosse and wrestling and was academically brilliant.

The man who sold the pill to him, Sergio Guerra-Carrillo, was sentenced to six years in prison on two distribution charges in 2023.

Snapchat did not immediately comment Thursday when asked about Osterman's case. The company has said previously that it uses cutting-edge technology to proactively find and shut down drug dealers' accounts and blocks search results for drug-related terms.

It is not yet clear whether the recent verdicts against the social platforms willlead to major changes. But the verdicts demonstrate a growing willingness to hold major social media companies responsible and demand meaningful change. Tech watchdogs expect they will open the door for more lawsuits and regulations.

Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.

Woman whose son died from drugs bought on social media celebrates verdicts against Meta, YouTube

THORNTON, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman whose son died from a fentanyl-laced pill he bought through social media celebrat...

 

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