Trainer Roach ‘hurt’ by Pacquiao snub after split

LOS ANGELES, April 14, (AFP): Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao has split with long-time trainer Freddie Roach, the veteran ring guru confirmed on Friday.

In a brief statement, Roach said his 15-year association with former world champion Pacquiao had been terminated ahead of the 39-year-old fighter’s upcoming world title fight with Lucas Matthyse.

Roach said he wished Pacquiao well for the future but admitted he had been “hurt” after learning of the Filipino’s decision to axe him indirectly.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Daigo Higa, aiming to break the national record for consecutive knockouts, was stripped Saturday of his World Boxing Council flyweight belt for being overweight on the eve of his title defence, local media said. The 22-year-old boxer was scheduled to fight Cristofer Rosales of Nicaragua on Sunday in Yokohama about two months after equalling the national record of 15 straight wins by knockout.

Middleton pitched the ninth for his third save.

Diamondbacks 8, Dodgers 7 In Los Angeles, Daniel Descalso homered and drove in four runs, and Arizona held off Los Angeles for its 10th straight regular-season victory over its NL West rival.

At 10-3, the Diamondbacks are off to the best start in franchise history and own the National League’s second-best record. Their 10-game winning streak against the Dodgers equals their secondlongest versus any opponent in team history.

During last year’s playoffs, however, Los Angeles rolled to a three-game sweep of Arizona.

Zack Greinke (1-1) overcame a messy first inning against his former team, settling down and retiring 12 consecutive batters. The right-hander allowed four runs in 6 1/3 innings. Brad Boxberger worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Chris Taylor hit a leadoff homer and Cody Bellinger also went deep for the Dodgers, but Kenta Maeda (1-1) struggled in his second start of the season.

Rockies 2, Nationals 1 In Washington, Carlos Gonzalez homered and had a sacrifice fly to drive in both of Colorado’s runs, leading the Rockies to their third straight victory.

Scott Oberg (1-0) pitched 1-1/3 innings in relief for the win, and Wade Davis worked the ninth for his sixth save as five Rockies relievers combined for 4-1/3 hitless innings.

Bryce Harper hit a sacrifice fly for Washington, which has scored five runs while losing its last three games. Tanner Roark (1-1) allowed two runs one earned and three hits over six innings.

Cardinals 5, Reds 3 In Cincinnati, Yadier Molina homered and drove in three runs, leading St Louis to a victory that deepened Cincinnati’s worst season-opening slump since 1955.

St. Louis came into the series with a stagnant offense but broke out during two games against the worst pitching staff in the majors, piling up 18 runs and 25 hits. Molina booed loudly in each plate appearance at Great American Ball Park has homered in each game.

The Reds lost their sixth in a row and have the worst record in the majors at 2-11. They also lost 11 of their first 13 games in 1955.

Luke Weaver (2-0) allowed Devin Mesoraco’s two-run homer while pitching into the seventh and beating the Reds for the third time in a row. Bud Norris worked the ninth for his second save.

Cincinnati’s Tyler Mahle (1-2) gave up nine hits and five runs in 5-1/3 innings.

Braves 4, Cubs 0 In Chicago, Anibal Sanchez pitched three-hit ball over six innings, Preston Tucker backed him with a three-run homer and Atlanta spoiled Yu Darvish’s

first home start for Chicago.

Sanchez struck out six and walked one. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 1.29 through two starts and three appearances after signing a minor league deal in mid-March.

Tucker delivered the big blow in the fifth when he drove a long homer to right, and the Braves did all of the scoring in the inning while chasing Darvish.

The four-time All-Star got tagged for four runs and nine hits in 4-2/3 innings. Darvish walked four and struck out four while throwing 105 pitches, and Chicago lost again after dropping two of three to the surging Pittsburgh Pirates.

Blue Jays 8, Indians 4 In Cleveland, Teoscar Hernandez made the most of his season debut, driving in the go-ahead run with a single off All-Star Andrew Miller in the seventh inning as Toronto rallied past Cleveland.

Hernandez, who was recalled earlier in the day when the Blue Jays placed third baseman Josh Donaldson on the 10-day disabled list, added an RBI double in a three-run ninth.

Steve Pearce also doubled in a pair of runs in the ninth for Toronto, which trailed 4-0 after two innings but came back against Zach McAllister (0-2) and the normally unhittable Miller.

Aledmys Diaz’s three-run homer helped the Blue Jays tie it 4-4 in the fourth against starter Mike Clevinger.

Danny Barnes (1-0) pitched one inning, and three other relievers finished up for Toronto. Cleveland’s five-game winning streak was snapped.

Phillies 2, Rays 1 In St Petersburg, Fla, Jorge Alfaro hit a go-ahead single with two outs in the ninth inning and Philadelphia won its fourth straight game by beating Tampa Bay.

Alfaro’s ground single to left field off

Tyson Ross #38 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants at PETCO Park on April 13, in San Diego, California. (AFP)

closer Alex Colome (0-2) scored Scott Kingery, who doubled, for a 2-1 lead.

Edubray Ramos (1-0) got the final out in the eighth with a runner on third before Hector Neris worked the ninth for his second save. Philadelphia tied it at 1 on Carlos Santana’s RBI single in the sixth off reliever Jose Alvarado.

Tampa Bay dropped to 0-6 when allowing three or fewer runs.

Marlins 7, Pirates 2 In Miami, Justin Bour homered and drove in two runs to help Miami defeat Pittsburgh.

JB Shuck had a career-high four hits in his first major league game since 2016, and Miguel Rojas added three hits for the Marlins, who snapped a threegame losing streak. Miami posted season highs in runs and in hits with 14.

Dillon Peters (2-1) allowed two runs on four hits in six innings. Chad Kuhl (1-1) worked five innings and allowed 11 hits and five runs, four earned.

The Pirates, who entered leading the NL in batting average and runs, were held to five hits.

Padres 5, Giants 1 In San Diego, Tyson Ross hit an RBI single with the bases loaded to snap a scoreless tie in the fifth and pitched sixplus strong innings to lead San Diego past San Francisco.

The Padres had gone 10 hitless innings since pinch-hitting pitcher Clayton Richard had their only hit Thursday night in the third inning of a desultory 7-0 loss to the Giants.

Ross (2-1) allowed an unearned run on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. Brad Hand got two outs for his fifth save.

Franchy Cordero homered for the Padres leading off the seventh.

Ty Blach (1-2) gave up four runs, three earned, and seven hits in five-plus innings.

Mariners 7, Athletics 4 In Seattle, Mitch Haniger hit a threerun homer and Daniel Vogelbach added a two-run shot both with two outs in the seventh inning to rally Seattle past Oakland.

The Mariners took advantage of a breakdown by Oakland’s bullpen for five runs in the seventh. Yusmeiro Petit retired the first two batters before Jean Segura singled. Danny Coulombe (01) walked Robinson Cano, and Chris Hatcher was summoned to face Haniger, who clubbed his third homer of the season. Kyle Seager followed with a single and Vogelbach turned on the next pitch from Hatcher for his first career homer.

Dan Altavilla (1-1) pitched the seventh and picked up the win.

Khris Davis hit two home runs for the Athletics.