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Cooper Flagg, No. 2 Duke take aim at North Carolina

NCAA Basketball: Duke at Wake ForestJan 25, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) drives to the basket against Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Tre’Von Spillers (25) during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Duke’s Cooper Flagg will get his first taste of the Tobacco Road rivalry Saturday evening when the No. 2 Blue Devils welcome North Carolina to Durham, N.C.

Duke (18-2, 10-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has pulled out seven- and 10-point wins, respectively, over Wake Forest and North Carolina State in its past two games. The run against in-state opponents will conclude when the Tar Heels (13-9, 6-4), who swept last year’s series, make the short trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Both teams are playing it cool in the lead-up to game day. Duke players and coach Jon Scheyer didn’t comment on their next opponent after beating the Wolfpack 74-64 on Monday. As for North Carolina coach Hubert Davis, an alum of the school, he stayed even-keeled.

“We’ll prepare, we’ll practice, and we’ll play with the same type of competitive enthusiasm that we played with (Tuesday against Pitt),” Davis said. “I think every game is the Super Bowl. Whether it’s a preseason game or just any time you get a chance to step out there on the floor, you should be ready to go.”

Davis was speaking after the Tar Heels dropped a 73-65 decision on the road to Pitt. They committed 14 turnovers and were outscored 16-6 on free throws, neutering North Carolina’s plus-10 advantage on the boards.

North Carolina needs more quality wins to bolster its NCAA Tournament case, and beating Duke easily would qualify as the Tar Heels’ second Quadrant 1 victory.

It’s a different story in Durham, where Duke has an argument as the best team in the nation. The Blue Devils beat the only team ahead of them in the AP Top 25 poll, Auburn, by six points at home on Dec. 4.

Duke has won 14 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation, and Flagg is just one reason why. The star freshman and presumptive No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA draft is averaging 19.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game — including 27.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists over his past five.

Flagg is hardly perfect. He revealed after the North Carolina State game that Scheyer told him he was being “very soft” in the first half.

“I felt like that led to most of our first-half troubles, just me being soft,” Flagg said. “It’s hard to initiate the offense if I’m not being strong with the ball. It’s not really a choice anymore. I have to be aggressive. What Coach has told me is that that’s going to create for everyone else.”

Flagg scored 23 of his 28 points vs. North Carolina State in the second half. He got to the foul line more after intermission and shot 10 of 11 there.

Kon Knueppel added 19 points and Sion James had 13 on Monday as Duke’s defense kicked in and held the Wolfpack to 27 points after halftime.

Duke ranks fifth in Division I in scoring defense (59.6 points per game), fifth in field-goal percentage defense (37.2) and, per KenPom.com, first in 2-point percentage allowed (41.0).

That could spell trouble for a North Carolina team that gets the majority of its offense inside the arc. Guards RJ Davis (17.6 ppg), Ian Jackson (14.7), Seth Trimble (12.3) and Elliot Cadeau (10.7) average double figures in scoring, but of the quartet, only Jackson (38.1 percent) shoots better than 30.3 percent from deep.

North Carolina won 93-84 at home and 84-79 at Duke last season. Duke swept the series the year before that, meaning Scheyer and Hubert Davis are 2-2 against one another.

The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 145-117.

–Field Level Media

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Jose Ramirez hits 3 doubles to guide Guardians over Yankees

May 31, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after scoring during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesMay 31, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after scoring during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking double with one out in the fifth inning and the visiting Cleveland Guardians earned a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

Ramirez had three doubles for the fifth time in his storied career, and the first since Aug. 26, 2024 against Kansas City.

He doubled in three straight at-bats in the fourth, fifth and seventh, producing his third three-hit game this season.

Ramirez’s second double snapped a 4-4 tie. After the Guardians loaded the bases when Brayan Rocchio was plunked by New York’s Cam Schlittler (7-3), rookie Travis Bazzana lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

Ramirez followed by ripping a 2-2 curveball over first baseman Ben Rice and to the right field corner as Patrick Bailey easily scored. Ramirez added an insurance run with a double to left field in the seventh off Tim Hill to put Cleveland ahead 6-4.

Bazzana padded the lead with a bases-clearing double in the eighth off Camilo Doval as the Guardians collected 12 hits, marking the fourth time in five games they totaled double-digit hits.

Paul Goldschmidt drove in all four runs for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in eight games. Goldschmidt gave New York a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer off Joey Cantillo in the third and added a two-run single in the fourth for a 4-3 advantage.

Schlittler endured his shortest outing this season and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked none.

Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer off Schlittler’s first-pitch cutter that landed in the right-center field seats to give Cleveland a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

Cantillo allowed four runs on six hits in four innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked three.

Five relievers followed Cantillo and allowed two hits the rest of the way. Colin Holderman (4-1) stranded a runner in the fifth and Matt Festa finished with a 1-2-3 ninth.

–Field Level Media

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Reds rally late, walk off with 10-inning win over Royals

inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Reds won 4-3 on a walkoff hit by Blake Dunn, scoring Spencer Steer from second base in the 10th inning.inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Reds won 4-3 on a walkoff hit by Blake Dunn, scoring Spencer Steer from second base in the 10th inning.

Blake Dunn’s RBI single in the 10th inning completed a comeback and gave the host Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 walk-off win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Spencer Steer hit two home runs and scored the winning run as the automatic runner for the Reds, who won for the second time in the last six games.

Will Benson’s pinch-hit home run to right field off Royals closer Lucas Erceg leading off the bottom of the ninth tied the game at 3-all.

Dunn’s game-winning hit, off John Schreiber (0-3), was the only Reds’ hit that was not a home run.

Brock Burke (2-2) earned the win with a scoreless 10th.

The loss spoiled a gem by Royals starter Noah Cameron, who retired 20 of the 21 batters he faced. Kansas City has lost seven of its last eight.

Cameron only allowed Steer’s first homer, did not walk a batter and struck out eight.

Steer’s second home run of the game, a drive to right-center leading off the eighth, pulled Cincinnati to within 3-2. His ninth homer was an opposite field drive into the stands in right-center.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott gave up three runs on five hits in six innings with four walks and five strikeouts.

Steer’s first home run of the game, a shot to left-center, came with one out in the fifth after Cameron had retired the first 13 Cincinnati batters.

The Royals took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on a fielder’s choice groundout with the bases loaded by Jac Caglianone and a bases-loaded, two-run, two-out single by Michael Massey.

Cameron made an outstanding defensive play for the first out of the third on Dunn’s attempt for a bunt single. Dunn bunted the ball between the mound and first, and Cameron, in one motion, picked up the ball with a backhand swipe and flipped it out of his glove first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.

Reds center fielder Dane Myers made a leaping catch at the wall on Starling Marte’s long drive for the second out of the fifth.

–Field Level Media

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Twins prevail over White Sox; halt Davis Martin's 6-game win streak

Jun 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee (22) hits a single during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn ImagesJun 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee (22) hits a single during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

Tristan Gray went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

Luke Keaschall added a pair of hits and drove in two runs for Minnesota, which secured a series victory. Alex Jackson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Chicago at the plate. The White Sox have dropped back-to-back games after winning their previous five in a row.

Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-3) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (8-2) endured his shortest outing of the season. Martin gave up six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak and he suffered his first setback since April 10.

Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez got the final four outs to record his fourth save.

The White Sox opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third.

Luisangel Acuna started the action when he drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on a throwing error by Jackson. The White Sox had runners on second and third with one out later in the inning, and Vargas delivered with a two-run single to left to make it 3-0.

The hit gave Vargas six RBIs in the first two games of the series.

The Twins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Brooks Lee hit a sacrifice fly to left, plating Gray.

Minnesota added four runs in the fourth to seize a 5-3 lead.

Keaschall started the scoring with an RBI single to left. Gray followed with a two-run single to left, and Jackson capped the outburst with an RBI single to right.

Gray, who hit a grand slam and drove in five runs in the series opener, has 11 RBIs in his past five games.

The Twins increased their lead to 6-3 on another RBI single by Keaschall in the fifth.

Chase Meidroth notched an RBI infield single in the seventh to cut Chicago’s deficit to 6-4. But he fanned to end the eighth with two runners on base.

–Field Level Media

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