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Forest Lake’s Matt Wallner starting to get back on track for Saints

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

At 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds, Saints outfielder Matt Wallner is a big man who possesses a big arm and big-time power, a combination that has him on the cusp of greatness.But 36 games into the season, a player viewed to be on the fast track to the majors is stuck in neutral. Along with relatively pedestrian numbers, his body language suggests that the 25-year-old native of Forest Lake is a frustrated athlete looking to bust loose.The low-key Wallner had no problem with that assessment following the Saints’ 3-1 loss to the Indianapolis Indians on Saturday at CHS Field.“Maybe just trying to force it a little too much in certain instances,” Wallner said. “Just kind of at the in-between point.”In other words, not bad, but not up to his standards. It’s enough to make some players want to hit something — and not just a baseball. But Wallner said that’s not his style. Instead, he just keeps his head down and works, while occasionally calling on a friendly ear.“Teammates, old coaches, the coac...

Trevor Larnach returns as Max Kepler lands on injured list once more

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

Trevor Larnach was in the lineup last Friday in Cleveland, preparing for a game against the Guardians when he was given some surprising news: He was headed back to Triple-A.“It is what it is,” he said. “Can’t really complain, can’t really do too much about it. Just roll with the punches.”Well, there was something he could do — Larnach headed to the Triple-A Saints and hit nearly everything in sight, going 7 for 14 in four games, with a pair of home runs. Saturday, just over a week after his demotion, he was back with the Twins after they placed Max Kepler on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.Kepler left Thursday’s game early with what the Twins had described as a cramp. He pinch hit in Friday night’s game, and while manager Rocco Baldelli said his magnetic resonance imaging “seems OK,” the Twins did not expect him to be back in the lineup imminently, forcing them to make the move.“He’s still pretty tight and we don’t think he’s going to be able to play for a handful of d...

Nine-year-old among 3 shot in Albany, with 1 killed

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Albany police are investigating a gun homicide that took place at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue at around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday. Although one person died, two more were shot, including a child. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! When police arrived, they found three victims. One, a 47-year-old man, was shot in the torso and shoulder. He was treated at the scene and sent to Albany Medical Center Hospital, but died from his wounds. Police are withholding his name for now.The two other victims—a 19-year-old man shot in the foot and a 9-year-old boy whose torso was grazed—were also treated at Albany Med for their injuries, which police said are not life-threatening. Police department public information officer Steve Smith said that a preliminary investigation suggest that an unknown shooter fired several rounds into the building from outside. Pennsylvania fugitive nabbed in Catskill One vict...

Family rescued from I-64 floods grateful for swift help from St. Louis fire crews

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A busy stretch of Interstate 64 flooded in St. Louis during rush hour Friday afternoon due to a water main break. Fire crews rescued one family after their minivan ended up stuck in water. Laura Kramer says she’s grateful for the help from the St. Louis Fire Department. She was on her way to the Saint Louis Zoo, traveling with her father and her son Liam. Suddenly, a 30-inch water main broke by the Tamm Avenue overpass. Water gushed down on the highway around 4:15 p.m. Some drivers were able to cross the highway almost immediately before it shut down in both directions for several hours. Trending: St. Louis BBQ joint named ‘best road trip food stop’ in Missouri “The cars were crossing. So my father says if the small cars are crossing, you can cross, just go fast,” said Kramer.As other cars crossed, she said the waves of water were getting pushed towards her car. The engine then stopped. SkyFOX, powered by Bommarito Automotive Group, captured the moment on camera when ...

Cardinals rally in the ninth inning again, top Red Sox 4-3 for series win

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Kenley Jansen blew a ninth-inning lead for the second straight day when shortstop Kiké Hernández’s throwing error on a potential game-ending double play allowed Nolan Gorman to score the go-ahead run in a three-run ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.The Red Sox wasted a stellar start by Chris Sale, who pitched eight innings of one-run ball in his longest outing since 2019.Nolan Arenado had a solo homer for St. Louis a day after collecting four hits with a two-run homer. The Cardinals won Friday’s game with a three-run ninth that was capped by Gorman’s pinch-hit, two-run homer off Jansen.Rob Refsnyder had a two-run double and three hits, and Rafael Devers added an RBI single for the Red Sox.“We got a ground ball in the situation when we needed it,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We didn't turn the double play. It's one of those when (Jansen) was wild early-on, they got traffic and put pressure on us.”Janse...

Kiszla: Nuggets can’t lose to Lakers, unless they let the refs or ghosts beat them

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

In this tussle between a Joker and the King, the Nuggets can’t lose, unless they get distracted by crying foul or spooked by ghosts of past failure.Concentrate on pushing LeBron James and his 38-year-old legs to the limit rather than playing the victim after every unfriendly whistle from the refs, and you can mark it down: The Nuggets will advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.Nothing against the Lakers. We love L.A. too. Those 17 championship banners in the rafters are more stunning than all the beautiful people who sit with their famous feet on the arena floor in the City of Angels, where a storied franchise hasn’t lost since March.But who’s afraid of LeBron and the Lakers? The best player and best team in this playoff series can be found in Denver.“Our goal was not to get to the Western Conference finals,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Our goal is to win a championship.”OK, let’s get the usual basketball grievances from a fly-over city out ...

Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela has record-breaking 6 stolen bases for his Double-A team

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Red Sox Double-A prospect Ceddanne Rafaela broke a Portland Sea Dogs franchise record by stealing six bases — among the team’s franchise-record nine steals — in a 6-2 loss to the Somerset Patriots on Saturday.The previous Portland record of four stolen bases in a game was set by Jeremy Hazelbacker on July 22, 2012 against New Hampshire. The Sea Dogs’ previous team record was six steals in the same game.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Source

Prince George’s Co. man arrested for kidnapping woman in U-Haul truck

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

A Prince George’s County man was arrested Friday night for imprisoning and assaulting a woman in a U-Haul truck during a day-long drive through the D.C. and Maryland area, according to Maryland State Police.Officials said 62-year-old Dennis Bell, of Lanham, Maryland, pushed the victim into a U-Haul truck at a convenience store on Minnesota Avenue in Southeast D.C. Friday morning. The victim told police that Bell threatened her life if she didn’t comply with his demands.Bell drove around all day with the victim sitting on the floorboards in the front seat, police said. The victim told officials that Bell removed all her clothing and used a pocket knife to stab her fingers. She said she did not know where she was while Bell was driving the truck.Police received multiple calls around 9:45 p.m. from motorists reporting a U-Haul truck driving erratically and hitting multiple parked vehicles around Princess Garden Parkway in Lanham.Maryland State Police located the U-Haul truc...

Vandersloot hesitated to join WNBA super team in New York due to mom’s cancer diagnosis

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Courtney Vandersloot wasn’t sure whether she wanted to sign with New York as a free agent, knowing if she didn’t she would be passing up a chance to be part of a Liberty team that was shaping up to be a championship contender.However, the move would mean the WNBA All-Star guard would be on one coast and her mom, Jan, who lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, and was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma last July, would be on the other.On the eve of Mother’s Day, Vandersloot reflected on the tough decision.The point guard has been on an emotional and very private rollercoaster since she first got the call from her mom about the cancer diagnosis right after the Chicago lost to Las Vegas in the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup final last summer.“I found out at the end of July, that’s when the diagnosis came through and you know it was obviously completely out of the blue,” Vandersloot said. “I was shocked. There was every emotion you can imagine and just...

Sky beat Lynx in preseason game in WNBA’s first trip to Canada

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:05:26 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Kahleah Copper had 18 points and nine rebounds, and the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx 82-74 in a preseason game on Saturday in the WNBA’s first visit to Canada.Kayana Traylor scored 13 points, and Robyn Parks and Morgan Bertsch had 12 apiece for Chicago.Tiffany Mitchell had 19 points and six assists for Minnesota. Rachel Banham and Kayla McBride scored 13 points apiece.Bridget Carleton, an Ontario native, had three points and two rebounds in 12 minutes for the Lynx. She received standing ovations when starting lineups were announced and in speaking to the sold-out Scotiabank Arena crowd before the game.It was the final preseason game for both teams. They will meet again in their regular-season opener on May 19 at Minnesota.___AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource