SPORTS DIGEST

BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: Chicago Cubs 14 Miami Marlins 2, Cincinnati Reds 6 New York Mets 7, Oakland Athletics 2 Houston Astros 16, Philadelphia Phillies 11 San Francisco Giants 0, San Diego Padres 5 Washington Nationals 8, St Louis Cardinals 0 Minnesota Twins 6, Texas Rangers 7 Detroit Tigers 6.

BASKETBALL

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: Boston Celtics 92 Philadelphia 76ers 103 (Boston Celtics lead series 3-1), Cleveland Cavaliers 128 Toronto Raptors 93 (Cleveland Cavaliers win series 4-0).

CYCLING

Belgian Tim Wellens claimed victory on stage four of the Giro d’italia in Sicily as British rider Simon Yates closed up on race leader Rohan Dennis – but Tour de France champion Chris Froome lost more ground. Following Monday’s travel day after the initial opening stages in Israel, the Grand Tour competition resumed in Catania over 202 kilometres to finish on a testing uphill sprint at Caltagirone. Wellens was able to fend off the challenge of Canadian Michael Woods over the final 1km climb as the peloton had clawed back the breakaway with just under 500m left. Yates placed fourth behind Italian Enrico Battaglin, with the British rider crossing some four seconds ahead of Dennis to move to third in the overall standings. Australian Dennis retains the leader’s maglia rosa jersey, with an overall time of 14 hours 23 minutes and eight seconds, which keeps him one second ahead of Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, with Yates now 17 seconds off the pace. Wellen climbs to fourth in the overall classifications, at 19 seconds off the front. Froome, though, continued his tough start to the Giro d’italia, the Team Sky rider crossing the line 23 seconds behind stage winner Wellens, which leaves him almost a minute behind overall race leader Dennis. Today sees another hilly stage over 153km from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa.

ICE HOCKEY

NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: Pittsburgh Penguins 1 Washington Capitals 2 (Washington Capitals win series 4-2) NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS: Winnipeg Jets 0 Nashville Predators 4 (Series tied 3-3).

TENNIS

ATP & WTA MUTUA MADRID OPEN (Madrid, Spain) Men’s 1st rd: Robin Haase (Ned) bt Hyeon Chung (Kor) 6-2 6-0, Leonardo Mayer (Arg) bt (16) Fabio Fognini (Ita) 6-3 6-4, Philipp Kohlschreiber (Ger) bt Yuichi Sugita (Jpn) 6-4 6-3, (11) Roberto Bautista Agut (Spa) bt Jared Donaldson (USA) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-4, Evgeny Donskoy (Rus) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (Gre) 5-7 6-4 7-6 (7-3), Jan-lennard Struff (Ger) bt Marius Copil (Rom) 6-4 6-4, Borna Coric (Cro) bt (9) Pablo Carrenobusta (Spa) 6-4 6-2, Pablo Cuevas (Uru) bt (12) Jack Sock (USA) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-0, Fernando Verdasco (Spa) bt Paolo Lorenzi (Ita) 7-5 6-4, Albert Ramos-vinolas (Spa) bt Peter Gojowczyk (Ger) 5-7 6-2 7-5. Men’s 2nd rd: Denis Shapovalov (Can) bt Benoit Paire (Fra) 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4, Dusan Lajovic (Ser) bt Richard Gasquet (Fra) 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-1). Women’s 2nd rd: (10) Petra Kvitova (Cze) bt Monica Puig (Pur) 6-3 7-6 (10-8), Kristyna Pliskova (Cze) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo (Spa) 7-5 6-2, (1) Simona Halep (Rom) bt Elise Mertens (Bel) 6-0 6-3, (14) Daria Kasatkina (Rus) bt Sorana Cirstea (Rom) 6-3 6-1, Carla Suarez Navarro (Spa) bt (4) Elina Svitolina (Ukr) 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4.