Mickey Moniak homers twice as Rockies top Phillies 4-1

DENVER (AP) — Mickey Moniak homered twice and the Colorado Rockies defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Sunday to salvage the finale of a three-game series.

Phillies Rockies Baseball

Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0) struck out five and gave up one run in six innings for the Rockies.

T.J. Rumfield also homered for Colorado, hitting a two-run shot in a three-run first inning. Rumfield is hitting .345 with two home runs and five RBIs in his first nine games.

Victor Vodnik struck out Rafael Marchán with runners on first and second in the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

It was Moniak's third career multi-home run game. The 27-year-old outfielder, who is in his second season in Colorado, was selected by the Phillies with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft and played for the franchise from 2020-22.

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Adolis García homered in the second inning for Philadelphia. The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Phillies, who left seven runners on base.

Taijuan Walker (0-2) took the loss for Philadelphia after giving up seven hits, four earned runs and three home runs in five innings.

Up next

Phillies: RHP Andrew Painter (1-0, 1.69 ERA) will take the mound against RHP Adrian Houser (0-1, 1.69) and the host San Francisco Giants on Monday.

Rockies: RHP Ryan Feltner (0-0) will face off against the visiting Houston Astros on Monday.

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

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April 05, 2026

Mickey Moniak homers twice as Rockies top Phillies 4-1

DENVER (AP) — Mickey Moniak homered twice and the Colorado Rockies defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Sunday to sa...

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Story of the birth of ESPN will be showcased in a documentary on Monday night

ESPN is literally going back to the beginning on Monday night when it debuts a 90-minute documentary about its creation.

"Sports Heaven: The Birth of ESPN" will premieres at 8:30 p.m. EDT. It will air the same night as the championship game of the NCAA Tournament, an event that helped put the network on the map by showing early-round games.

The documentary showcases Bill Rasmussen and his son, Scott Rasmussen, as they bring to life the idea of a network that would carry sports around the clock.

"Many people claim to be the founders of ESPN. The founders are most definitely Bill and Scott Rasmussen," said Rosa Gatti, who was ESPN's publicist from 1980 through 2013.

Bill Rasmussen's original idea was a cable channel covering only Connecticut sports. Many cable operators in the state were skeptical, but someone suggested buying satellite time to reach a national audience.

The documentary also covers how the Rasmussens secured financial backing from Getty Oil, a rights deal with the NCAA, and built a studio in Bristol, Connecticut, still under construction when ESPN went on the air on Sept. 7, 1979.

The Getty investment and the deal with the NCAA occurred on the same day.

"When someone tells you you can't do something, you want to prove them wrong," Bill Rasmussen said. "Many, many people told us there wasn't enough sports to do a 24-hour channel. I didn't argue with anybody. I just thought they were wrong and I was right."

The first minutes of ESPN going on the air are shown, along with the frantic four hours before the debut. George Grande welcomed viewers to the first "SportsCenter" broadcast before the network's first live event, a slow-pitch softball game between the Kentucky Bourbons and the Milwaukee Schlitz.

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"In those days, we didn't know if we'd last four weeks, four years, let alone 40-some, but we knew it was special," Grande said. "Bottom line was Bill Rasmussen was the true pervader of the original American dream, and he gave us all something very special that we still have today."

In an ESPN blog post previewing the documentary, Scott Rasmussen said his estimate of how many households the network would reach by the end of the 1980's was a little off.

"I estimated that ESPN would be in 30 million cable households by the end of the '80s. That certainly seemed aggressive at a time when only 12 million households in the country had cable television," he wrote. "When all was said and done, my numbers were way off. Rather than my optimistic projection of 30 million households, ESPN ended up in nearly 60 million households by the end of the '80s!

"That success says more about the tens of thousands of people who worked at ESPN after I left than it does about my projections. My work showed what was possible; their work made it happen."

The Rasmussens were forced out of ESPN in 1980. At the time, Getty owned 85% of the network.

Bill Rasmussen and the network were estranged until 1999, when company executives invited him to the 20th anniversary celebration. Since then, he has been embraced and recognized for his vision of creating an all-sports network. He toured the country in 2019 for the 40th anniversary and gave speeches at Walt Disney Company and ESPN events.

The documentary marks the first time Scott Rasmussen has spoken at length about the network's birth and its early days.

"There was a whole lot of chutzpah and a whole lot of vision, and they're maxed out on their credit cards. It's the American dream," said Bob Ley, one of the network's original anchors.

AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Story of the birth of ESPN will be showcased in a documentary on Monday night

ESPN is literally going back to the beginning on Monday night when it debuts a 90-minute documentary about its creation. ...

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Yankees-Marlins game takes 3 hours, 49 minutes for 9 innings, longest in pitch clock era

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball's pitch clock was no match for the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.

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New York's 9-7 win Saturday nightlasted 3 hours, 49 minutes, the longest nine-inning game since thepitch clock was instituted for the 2023 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

MLB had not had a nine-inning game that long sinceBoston's 13-9 with over Baltimore went 3:57 on Sept. 27, 2022, according to Elias.

The previous high for a nine-inning game since the pitch clock started in 2023 was 3:45 for theOakland Athletics' 7-6 win at the New York Metson Aug. 15, 2024.

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New York and Miami combined for 379 pitches by 13 pitchers, and Marlins pitchers walked 10, increasing their total to 21 in the first two games of the series. There were 21 runners left on base, including 12 by Miami.

MLB's average time of a nine-inning game dropped from 3:04 in 2022 to2:40 the following year when the clock was institutedand decreased to2:36 in 2024, its lowest since 1984's 2:35. Itrose to 2:38 last year.

The average game time passed 3 hours for the first time in 2016. It reached arecord 3:10 in 2021before the introduction of thePitchCom electronic pitch-calling devicehelped bring itdown to 3:04 in 2022.

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

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Yankees-Marlins game takes 3 hours, 49 minutes for 9 innings, longest in pitch clock era

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball's pitch clock was no match for the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. ...

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‘Harry Potter’ Actress Bonnie Wright Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 With Husband Andrew Lococo

Harry PotterstarBonnie Wrightis preparing towelcome a new little wizardinto her family.

"Two babies on my lap🐣," Wright, 35, wrote viaInstagramon Sunday, April 5, sharing a new photo of Elio, 2, resting his head on her bare belly to announce her pregnancy. "Our second little earthling [is] joining us this autumn!!"

Wright, who played Ginny Weasley inthe OGHarry Potterfilms, received a flurry of supportive messages from her former costars.

"Ahhh congratulations Bonnie!!!🥰💞,"Evanna Lynchwrote via Instagram comment.

'Harry Potter' Babies: See Which Stars Have Welcomed Children Over the Years

Wright and her husband,Andrew Lococo,previously welcomed Elioin September 2023.

"Say hello to Elio Ocean Wright Lococo, [he was] born at home on Tuesday 19th September," Wright wrote viaInstagramat the time, announcing her son's birth. "We're all healthy and happy. Andrew and I are so in love with our sun! So grateful for our birth team that have held our hands throughout and made the journey so joyous and expanding."

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She added, "Birth is the wildest experience! … During these healing postpartum days we've been visited by some angels thank you @meaghan_snider_ @motherbees and @themilkywaymamas🕊️and thank you @ccmeyer for your incredibly informative course I took in the early weeks of pregnancy. Birth workers are amazing!"

Wright further thanked Lococo, whom she married in 2022, for his unwavering support, calling him her "rock throughout birth."

"I squeezed onto you so tight and you never wavered," she concluded. "Elio has the most tender loving papa."

As Elio has grown up, Wright has enjoyed teaching him about her and Lococo's passions.

"These days have been spent getting closer to the land, watching Elio and Andrew sift compost and play in the garden," Wright gushed viaInstagramin January. "Getting lost in books at the library, working on new Hello Earthling projects, building trains and puzzles with Elio [and] watching him grow into this determined, chatty, funny and busy little boy who always has time to stop for a kiss and a cuddle."

Bonnie Wright Says a Cameo in HBO's 'Harry Potter' TV Show Would Be 'Confusing'

While Elio has found a knack for the outdoors, Wright also hopes that her son will eventually explore theHarry Potterwizarding world.

"I mean, I can't force it on him, but I'm definitely gonna positively encourage reading it," the actressexclusively toldUs Weeklyin September 2024. "I hope to read it to him … but I definitely will make sure we read the books before we watch the movies. Could be like reading a book, [then] watching a movie. But I'm definitely gonna make sure we go through the books. I also remember growing up with the audiobooks, so maybe the audiobooks would be nice."

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

‘Harry Potter’ Actress Bonnie Wright Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 With Husband Andrew Lococo

Harry PotterstarBonnie Wrightis preparing towelcome a new little wizardinto her family. "Two babies on my...

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U2's surprise Easter EP reminds what the band does best

The start of Lent promptedU2to unleash"Days of Ash"on Ash Wednesday, a five-song EP that pulsated with frustration and anger at the world.

Six weeks later, the band surprised fans again with"Easter Lily,"a sextet of new songs of "faith, hope and love," as Bono says in a companion issue of U2's digital e-zine "Propaganda,"available online.

The EP arrived on Good Friday, an apt bookend to "Days of Ash," with songs drenched in symbolism. The title "Easter Lily" is a nod to Patti Smith's 1978 album,"Easter," Bono confirms in the e-zine.

Bono's embrace of Christianity (his mother was Protestant, his father, Catholic) has been a cornerstone of U2's music from the beginning, but so has questioning religion and reconciling faith in a world plagued by suffering.

The closing song on "Easter Lily" −"COEXIST (I Will Bless the Lord at All Times?)"– shares a name with the opening line of Psalm 34, but the question mark prompts introspection.

These songs were birthed for this moment in time, designed for reflection with themes of friendship, forgiveness of self and finding beauty in the darkness. It's also a reminder of what the band does best – nudging us to think while enveloping us in layers of chiming guitars and the steady heartbeat of a bass drum.

It's been nearly a decade since U2's last full album of new material,2017's "Songs of Experience,"and Bono assures in the media material accompanying "Easter Lily" that the band is still "working towards a noisy, messy, 'unreasonably colourful' album to play LIVE … which is where U2 lives. … We will attempt hoopla and fanfare at a later date to remind the rest of the world we exist, but in the meantime … this is between you and us."

Here's a look at U2's six new songs.

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'Song for Hal'

It's rare that guitarist The Edge steps forward with a lead vocal, but, he says in "Propaganda," that Bono "felt strongly I should sing it." And for good reason. Edge says he started writing the song during the pandemic when he learned of the death of good friend and noted music producerHal Wilner(also sketch music producer for "Saturday Night Live" from 1980 to 2020)from COVID.

"I swear, where music is made you'll be there," Edge sings in what is both a lament and a celebration. His delicate guitar is a suitable complement to the honeyed notes he hits between lyrics such as "You never took a curtain call" and "Can't believe another day and life goes on as before."

'In a Life'

U2 producedlyric videosfor these new songs and the one accompanying this mellifluous study of friendship and fellowship is worth watching for the vintage photos of the band throughout. Edge's guitar inches forward in the background while Larry Mullen Jr. –returned to full force behind his kit– proffers busy percussion as the song builds to a classic U2-styled chorus.

'Scars'

"Can't break what's already been broken,"Bono singsover Adam Clayton's rumble of a bass line that anchors the song. Embracing imperfections and learning from past transgressions is the thematic backbone of the lyrics, which insist it's necessary to allow your past to shape your future.

"It's your scars that give you beauty," "Bono sings before imploring, "Don't cover your scars."

'Resurrection Song'

The uplift in "Easter Lily" is best embodied here, as Edge's tiptoeing guitar beckons before rising in that Edge-ian way as Mullen emerges with steady thumps. "If love is in the air, let's take a breath," Bono offers. "If I sound ridiculous, I'm not done yet."

'Easter Parade'

It's been a while since U2 produced a song that bursts like a sunrise (that would be"Beautiful Day"in 2000), but this piano-tinged invocation for hope soars with its repeated chorus, "On such a day." Repetition closes the song as well, with Bono singing "Kyrie eleison" as the music builds to a final climax before fading out on lovely piano chords.

'COEXIST (I Will Bless the Lord at All Times?)

Part hymn, part lullaby, this soundscape courtesy of Brian Eno is a spellbinding palette of sound. Bono sing-prays "I will bless the Lord at all times," a chorus that becomes a hypnotic incantation. But the most affecting moment – both in song and on the album – comes at the end, with Bono singing a capella, his voice catching on the final lines as the song ends cold.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:U2's 'Easter Lily' EP soars and envelopes with uplift – Review

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

U2's surprise Easter EP reminds what the band does best

The start of Lent promptedU2to unleash"Days of Ash"on Ash Wednesday, a five-song EP that pulsated with frustrat...

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Prince George, 12, Towers Over Siblings Charlotte and Louis at 2026 Easter Service

Prince WilliamandPrincess Kate Middleton's eldest son, 12-year-oldPrince George, is growing up before the world's very eyes.

William, 43, and Kate, 44, brought George and his two siblings, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, to theannual Easter Mattins serviceat St George's Chapel on Sunday, April 4. Kate and Charlotte twinned in beige coatdresses, while William and his sons opted for navy suits.

As for George, he showed off his impressive stature as his height nearly rivaled mom Kate's on Sunday.

George, as William and Kate's eldest child, iscurrently second in the line of successionbehind his father. William's dad,King Charles III, assumed the throne in 2022 after the death of the lateQueen Elizabeth II.

How Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Preparing Prince George For the Throne

George has recently started taking on more royal duties in preparation for his eventual ascension, beginning with serving as a pageboy during Charles' coronation. He latermade his debut appearanceat the Festival of Remembrance in November 2025, helping to prepare for his future reign.

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"It's an interesting question, and it's a big question, that one," William said of George assuming the throne onan October 2025 episode ofThe Reluctant Traveller. "Because there's lots of things to think about with that, but obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people's lives for the better."

He added, "I hope we don't go back to some of the practices in the past that[Prince] Harry[my brother] and I had to grow up in, and I'll do everything I can to make sure we don't regress in that situation."

William and Harry, 41, are the two sons of Charles, 77, and late ex-wifePrincess Diana.The brothers, however, have been estranged since 2020 after Harry moved to California with wifeMeghan Markleand their two children. (Harry and Meghan, 44, stepped down from their duties as senior working royals prior to moving and amid an onslaught of racist media attention.)

"When it's to do with family and things like that, then that's where I start getting a bit overwhelmed, as I think most people would," William acknowledged to hostEugene Levy. "It's more personal, it's more about feeling, it's more about upsetting the rhythm."

Prince George's Royal Life in Photos: Prince William and Kate Middleton's Son Through the Years

As for George, he is likely aware that he will be the future king of England.

"Barring any accidents or health issues, George will not be king for some years," royal historianMarlene Koenigexclusively toldUs Weeklyin August 2025, speculating that George is already "undoubtedly aware" of his future. "George may be a 12-year-old schoolboy who loves sports, but he is most certainly aware of his future."

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Prince George, 12, Towers Over Siblings Charlotte and Louis at 2026 Easter Service

Prince WilliamandPrincess Kate Middleton's eldest son, 12-year-oldPrince George, is growing up before the world's...

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Hiker airlifted off Arizona mountain after being stung over 100 times by bees

A hiker was airlifted to safety from an Arizona mountain after he was stung over 100 times by bees over the weekend, officials said.

The hiker, described as an adult male, reported "over 100 stings" by bees near the summit of Lookout Mountain Preserve in north Phoenix Saturday morning, thePhoenix Fire Departmentsaid.

The stings left him "unable to continue his descent," fire officials said.

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Rescue teams from the Phoenix and Glendale responded and conducted a hoist operation to airlift the hiker from the mountain.

He was transferred to an ambulance at the trailhead, and on to the hospital, in critical condition, the fire department said.

The fire department warned hikers to avoid disturbing hives, scented products, and to wear light-colored clothing when exploring the outdoors.

"If you encounter a swarm — run away quickly and protect your head and face," the fire department said.

byCosmopolite

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April 05, 2026

Hiker airlifted off Arizona mountain after being stung over 100 times by bees

A hiker was airlifted to safety from an Arizona mountain after he was stung over 100 times by bees over the weekend, offi...

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