No-hitter for 2nd straight day: Kluber pitches Yankees gem

ARLINGTON, Texas — Corey Kluber threw the the major leagues’ sixth no-hitter this season and second in two nights, leading the New York Yankees over the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday night.

The 35-year-old right-hander, a two-time American League Cy Young winner, came within a four-pitch walk to Charlie Culberson in the third inning of throwing a perfect game.

Kluber pitched his gem a night after Detroit Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull threw one against the Seattle Mariners, marking the first no-hitters on consecutive days since 1969.

Kluber (4-2) struck out 10 and and threw 71 of 101 pitches for strikes in his ninth start for the Yankees.

ANAHEIM — Josh Naylor drove in the tiebreaking run in the sixth, Aaron Civale pitched seven strong innings

and the Cleveland Indians overcame Shohei Ohtani’s latest do-everything performance for a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Jake Bauers homered and Franmil Reyes had an RBI double as Cleveland took the final two games of the series in Anaheim after a four-game skid.

Ohtani pitched five-hit ball into the fifth with five strikeouts for the Angels, and he subsequently moved from the mound to right field for 1 1/3 more innings, allowing him to get a third at-bat. The majors’ home run leader went 1 for 3 at the plate with a bunt single.

NHL

BOSTON — Craig Smith scored 5:48 into the second overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals and a 2-1 lead in the East Division first-round playoff series.

Smith outraced defenseman Justin Schultz to a puck behind the Capitals net and swept it around into the goal to end the third straight overtime game in the series. It was the 11th straight one-goal playoff game between them since 1998.

Smith also had an assist, and Brad Marchand and Taylor Hall also scored for Boston. Tuukka Rask stopped 35 shots.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th combined regular-season and postseason goal, and Nic Dowd returned from a slap shot off the knee to add a goal for Washington. Ilya Samsonov returned from the COVID-19 list to make his playoff debut, stopping 40 shots for Washington, which lost the home-ice advantage after splitting the first two games at home.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sebastian Aho scored twice and Alex Nedeljkovic was sharp in net

to lead a perfect showing for Carolina’s penalty kill, helping the Hurricanes beat

Nashville 3-0 for a 2-0 series lead.

Nedeljkovic finished with 32 saves for the shutout in his second playoff start. And he was under plenty of pressure considering the Hurricanes were called for nine penalties.

Warren Foegele also scored for Carolina.

NBA

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dillon Brooks scored eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help put Memphis ahead to stay and the Grizzlies eliminated the San Antonio Spurs 10096 in the first Western Conference play-in game.

The Grizzlies will play the Golden State Warriors or the Los Angeles Lakers, who played later Wednesday night for the No. 7 seed, for the No. 8 seed Friday night and a first-round series starting Sunday against the top-seeded Utah Jazz. Memphis is trying to snap a skid of three straight seasons without a postseason berth.

Jonas Valanciunas had a season-high 23 rebounds and 23 points for Memphis. Ja Morant added 20 points and six assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 10 points.

DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay each scored 20 points as the Spurs lost their fifth straight. Dejounte Murray had his fifth triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Keldon Johnson added 11 and Jacob Poeltl 10.