Sears carries no-hitter into seventh in A's win
JP Sears carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Seth Brown homered to supply the game's only run and the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 1-0 on Thursday.
Sears (1-1) allowed leadoff walks in the first, second and fifth innings before Adolis García ended the no-hit bid by lining a one-out single to left field in the seventh on an 0-2 sweeper. The 28-year-old left-hander was was then pulled after throwing 88 pitches. He struck out five, including 2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager three times.
After García's single, Austin Adams hit Jonah Heim with a pitch. Pinch-hitter Jared Walsh then hit a blooper between the mound and second base. Second baseman Zack Gelof slid while attempting to make the catch, but dropped the ball. Adams picked up the ball and threw to third base to force García for the second out. Third baseman Abraham Toro then threw to second, forcing Heim and completing a bizarre inning-ending double play.
OHTANI'S EX-INTERPRETER CHARGED WITH
STEALING $16M >> Federal authorities charged the former longtime interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani with federal bank fraud, alleging that he stole more than $16 million from the Japanese sensation to cover gambling bets and debts.
Interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, a constant presence beside Ohtani in baseball stadiums across the country since 2018, abused the two-way player's trust in him and exploited the language barrier to plunder a bank account that only he could access, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Mizuhara was so intertwined in Ohtani's life and career that he became the star's “de facto manager.” The role enabled him to withdraw money from the account — at times lying and impersonating Ohtani to bank employees — to finance his “insatiable appetite for illegal sports betting.” ROYALS 13, ASTROS 3 >> Bobby Witt Jr. had four hits, including two home runs, and five RBIs and Kansas City used a nine-run first inning to defeat Houston to complete a three-game sweep and extend their winning streak to seven games.