Fikayo Tomori says being among the celebrations when Italy beat England in the Euro 2020 final is motivating him to play his part as the Three Lions looks to go one better at the World Cup.
Tomori has been called up to England's upcoming Nations League matches, which will include a home clash with Italy – the country in which the defender has impressed since joining Milan last year.
Having starred on loan with the Rossoneri during the second half of the 2020-21 season, Tomori completed a permanent move to San Siro last June, before making 31 Serie A appearances as Milan won their first Scudetto since in 11 years.
Tomori was left out of England's squad for Euro 2020, meaning he was in Milan when Gareth Southgate's team suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Roberto Mancini's Italy last July.
And the former Chelsea defender says he will use that memory as motivation if afforded the opportunity to feature for England in Qatar later this year.
Recalling England's Wembley defeat, Tomori said: "When [Italy] equalised, I had a face on and didn't want to look too down.
"But as the penalties were going on, it was difficult to watch. I was near the Duomo [the cathedral in Milan, where fans celebrated the victory] and, in a way, it was nice to see them celebrating. I was right in the middle of it.
"But really I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I'd felt how it was in England as we advanced, it was madness. Then I saw Italy celebrate after the final and it's definitely a motivation for me.
"I have gone to Italy and seen them celebrate after the final, so I have seen both sides and I have seen how it can really be such a celebration.
"Imagine how big it would be if we were to win the Euros or the World Cup. Yes, it is definitely a motivation. Every footballer likes to win, but to see how a country reacts to it is something that motivates you."
Tomori also admitted to having taken some pleasure from Italy's failure to qualify for a second successive World Cup, as he recalled a joke played on Milan's Italian players after their play-off defeat to North Macedonia in March.
"It was a strange one," he said of the Azzurri's defeat. "In Italy, Macedonia is a fruit salad kind of thing. That's what it's called.
"I remember [Sandro] Tonali and [Alessandro] Florenzi were there, so people brought the Macedonia to the training ground. The newspapers were like 'whoa', but the people were saying 'well, we lost to a fruit salad'. It was taken as a joke, but it was a weird one. They just didn't expect to lose."
Tomori has only won two senior England caps to date, but starred as Milan conceded just eight league goals between the start of 2022 and the end of the Serie A season, keeping 11 clean sheets during that time.
But the defender is not worried by having been overlooked for past squads, saying he has simply focused on his club form and is using the successes of other foreign-based England stars as inspiration.
"I've seen [Jadon] Sancho, Tammy [Abraham], Jude [Bellingham], players who play abroad, still getting called up, so I wasn't panicking or thinking, 'what’s going to happen if I don’t get called up?' I was just focusing on my own performance and helping Milan as much as possible," he added.
"From there, if I do get called up, once I'm here it's about making sure I take the steps to stay here. That's been my mentality all the way through.
"I'm not putting too much pressure on myself, getting wound up about not being selected. It was just, 'stay calm, keep doing what I’m doing', and from there hopefully I can get in the squad."
Meanwhile, Tomori is hardly short of defensive role models in his adopted country, and says being around several "streetwise" Italian defenders has helped him develop his own game.
"I saw [Franco] Baresi after the last game, which was cool. You see different legends just flying about," he added.
"The way they are as defenders [in Italy], I wouldn't say it's personal but it's, 'I need to make sure what I'm doing is on the money and no one's getting past me'. They have that pride. There are little things the manager will tell me – make sure that you are blocking a run or that you are not allowing this to happen or making contact in the box.
"Watching [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Giorgio] Chiellini, they are very streetwise, you pick up stuff."
Iga Swiatek says she hopes to form a "special rivalry" with Coco Gauff as the pair prepare to meet in the French Open final.
World number one Swiatek extended her sensational winning run to 34 with a straight-sets semi-final victory over Daria Kasatkina on Thursday at Roland Garros.
The Pole is the first player to reach six or more finals on the WTA Tour in the first six months of the year since Serena Williams in 2013 (seven), but next faces the in-form Gauff.
Teenage star Gauff breezed past Martina Trevisan in the last four, winning in straight sets, as she became just the sixth American player in the Open era to reach the showpiece in Paris without dropping a set.
That made the 18-year-old the third-youngest grand slam finalist this century, the youngest American female French Open finalist since Monica Seles in 1991 and the youngest overall since Kim Clijsters in 2001.
The pair have long been familiar with each other, though, having featured on the junior circuit. Swiatek won the girl's event at Wimbledon just four years ago, shortly after Gauff's junior Roland Garros success.
And Swiatek cannot wait to develop a rivalry in senior tennis with the world number 23.
"I like watching Coco Gauff – my opponent in the Roland Garros final on Saturday – and maybe this will become a special rivalry for years to come," she wrote on BBC Sport.
"I feel like she's been on tour longer than me and she's only 18. Coco has great potential and I hope she will keep improving. I think this tournament has shown she is on the right path.
"I remember Coco winning the French Open juniors in 2018 when I really wanted to win. I didn't play against her, though, because I lost to Caty McNally in the semi-finals.
"But when Coco won – she was only 14 – I was like 'great, I worked so hard and a girl three years younger than me is winning junior Grand Slams'!
"It was tough for teenage me to take but I've progressed well since.
"When I got to meet her more on the WTA Tour, I could see she was staying on a really good level and she deserves her success.
"We don't talk to each other loads when we're at tournaments, just because we're both kind of shy! It is pretty hard for introverted people to bond but I really like her.
"I feel she is really humble and focused on the job. It seems like she is having fun and has good people around her."
Victory for Gauff would make her the seventh player to win the girls' and women's singles titles in Paris, but Swiatek knows it is not just the American she will have to contend with in the future.
US Open winner Emma Raducanu was another challenger cited by Swiatek, who also expects 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez to prove stern competition in the coming years.
"Rivalries are one of the most fun things about sport and there have been some great ones in the history of tennis," Swiatek continued.
"On Tuesday night we all saw Rafael Nadal play Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros and that is one of the greatest ever rivalries.
"It is amazing how many matches Rafa and Novak have played against each other and how many they have played in the deep stages of the tournaments.
"Many of their meetings have been in semi-finals or finals, it shows that the competition between them drives them to higher levels.
"It would be nice to have a rivalry, one that would push me to excel, to be more intense and that will challenge me to play my best tennis. I could imagine that.
"I wouldn't want to have a record like Maria Sharapova did against Serena Williams, she won two of their 20 matches. Of course it sometimes happens and numbers aren't always the most important.
"The goal is to enjoy tennis matches but, of course, also to win.
"I've never thought about who exactly I would like to develop a special rivalry with. It is hard to predict who will stay at the top of the WTA Tour and be consistent.
"As well as Coco and maybe Emma Raducanu, I think Leylah Fernandez has the ability to potentially challenge for the Grand Slam trophies.
"Leylah has already made two great runs – the quarter-finals here this year and the 2021 US Open final – and if she continues to play that well at more tournaments I think she will be near the top of the rankings."
Real Madrid have called for "answers and explanations" regarding the security breakdown at last week's Champions League final in Paris, demanding organisers be held accountable for the unsavoury scenes that ensured.
The start of the match – played at the Stade de France in Paris' Saint-Denis suburb – was delayed by over half an hour as supporters struggled to enter the stadium.
Widely circulated social media footage has since shown Liverpool fans being tear gassed by local police and placed at risk of a crush ahead of kick-off, with reports also suggesting Spanish supporters were pickpocketed and assaulted outside the venue.
While UEFA has commissioned an independent report on the events, the French government has been heavily criticised for blaming supporters in possession of counterfeit tickets for causing the scenes.
On Thursday, Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan hit out at "disgraceful" comments from French interior minister Gerald Darmanin, who suggested Liverpool fans "pose public order problems" on European excursions.
European champions Madrid have now joined their final opponents in calling for match organisers to be held accountable for the breakdown of security in Paris, saying fans displayed "exemplary" behaviour amid the chaos.
Los Blancos also corroborated reports their own supporters had been subjected to violence in Paris, as well as questioning the decision to hold the match at the Stade de France after UEFA had stripped Saint Petersburg of hosting rights after Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
A statement on the club's website began: "In light of the unfortunate events which took place on the 28th of May in the surroundings of and at access points to the Stade de France, and even inside the stadium itself, Real Madrid C. F. wishes to express the following in defence of our fans, who were victim to said events.
"We would like to know the reasons which led to this venue being chosen to host the final and the criteria used, taking into account the experiences of the day.
"Furthermore, we call for answers and explanations in order to determine those responsible for leaving the fans abandoned and defenceless. Fans who, in general terms, showed exemplary conduct at all times.
"We believe something which should have been a wonderful festival of football for all fans who attended the game, quickly turned into a series of unfortunate events which have caused a sense of outrage around the world.
"As was evident in the revealing images published by the media, several fans were attacked, harassed, assaulted and robbed in violent fashion.
"These occurrences continued as they moved in their cars or buses, causing concern for their physical wellbeing. Certain fans even had to spend the night in hospital as a result of injuries.
"Football has transmitted an image to the world which is far away from the values and goals which it should pursue.
"Our fans and supporters deserve a response and those responsible to be held accountable in order for events like these to be eradicated from football and sport in general."
Daniel Sturridge has been released by A-League outfit Perth Glory after spending one goalless season with the side.
Sturridge, who scored 50 Premier League goals for Liverpool between 2013 and 2019, averaging a strike every 135.9 minutes under the management of Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp, joined the Australian team in October 2021.
But despite Glory chairman Tony Sage describing the acquisition of Sturridge as one of the biggest signings in A-League history when his arrival was confirmed, the striker struggled for form and fitness, failing to score a single goal in eight months with the team.
The club released a statement on their website on Friday to confirm the departure of Sturridge, who has earned 26 senior caps for England, scoring eight goals.
The 32-year-old only made one league start as the team finished bottom of the A-League in the 2021-22 season, with Sturridge's six appearances amounting to just 139 minutes of action.
Sturridge has endured a frustrating few seasons, being relegated from the Premier League during a loan spell at West Brom in 2018, before being released by Turkish club Trabzonspor in 2020 after receiving a four-month playing ban for breaching the Football Association's betting regulations.
Marc Marquez has undergone successful surgery on his arm, after the Honda driver underwent a "complex" procedure.
The six-time MotoGP world champion announced a leave of absence at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend to confirm a fourth operation on his right humerus.
The Spaniard broke his arm during his home Grand Prix in 2020, ultimately curtailing the rest of his campaign, while a struggle for fitness has been an issue since his return in April 2021.
That has prompted the decision to go under the knife once more for a complicated operation in Minnesota, which has now been cleared as a success by the medical team.
"Today we had the opportunity to operate on the right humerus of Mr. Marc Marquez," Dr. Sanchez Sotelo said in a statement. "The procedure was completed in approximately three hours.
"Despite the complexity of the procedure, the final outcome was satisfactory. We would like to wish Mr. Marquez a swift recovery and a successful return to his professional career."
Marquez made his MotoGP debut in 2013 with Honda and promptly went on to win the first of his half-dozen world titles in his maiden campaign.
He will remain in Minnesota over the coming days for post-operative recovery before he returns home to Spain.
MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo says Monster Energy Yamaha's pledge to improve on their bike's shortcomings convinced him to commit to a new two-year deal with the team.
Quartararo, who finished ahead of Francesco Bagnaia to become the first Frenchman to be crowned MotoGP world champion in 2021, extended his contract through the 2024 season on Thursday.
The 23-year-old again tops the driver's standings after eight races of the 2022 campaign, having posted three podium finishes in his last four outings, but had previously hinted at a move elsewhere after becoming irritated by the M1's lack of power.
After claiming his first win of the season at the Portuguese Grand Prix in April, Quartararo revealed his frustration that the team had "not made a massive improvement on the bike."
While Quartararo admits he talked to various teams before signing his new deal, he has now revealed Yamaha's promise of substantial investment to improve the bike convinced him to commit his future to the side.
"It was not an easy decision, and we took a little bit more time to evaluate all the project," he said.
"As you can imagine, we were not talking only to Yamaha. At one stage, my head was going to one side, then one week later I wanted to go [somewhere else] and it was a little bit difficult.
"Basically, my first goal is to have the best bike and best project. And they convinced me because they will bring new people, engineers, and they know exactly where they need to improve.
"In the past, maybe they were working on a few areas, but they didn't really accept that the bike was more slow than the others. And now they know, and they will clearly work on this weak point.
"To be fair, I feel super good on the bike. Of course, every rider always wants more. But the only thing that we're missing compared to the others is the speed.
"So that's what made me really take the decision to stay in Yamaha. I know that they're pushing to bring more power, and I feel good on the bike.
"I'm super happy because they really understand, and they are doing their best to find what we are missing. Many people, engineers, will go into the engine side and work on that part of the bike."
Quartararo will hope to celebrate his new deal by continuing his strong recent form at Sunday's Catalan Grand Prix, where he posted a disappointing sixth-placed finish from pole last year.
Uruguay head coach Diego Alonso feels his Qatar 2022 World Cup plans will come into focus with games like Thursday's 3-0 win over Mexico in Arizona.
Matias Vecino was on target before Edinson Cavani struck twice to help La Celeste cruise to victory against El Tri at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Five months out from the start of the World Cup, Uruguay will hope to find success in the first major test of the post-Oscar Tabarez era.
For Alonso, matches against sides of a similar quality who will also be there are crucial for him to gauge where his team stands ahead of a Group H tussle with Portugal, Ghana and South Korea.
"We found ourselves [against] a very good team," he told reporters after the game. "We are also a good team, and we simply played a good game. It is preparation both for us and for Mexico
"The most important thing is six months from now. Surely this game will help me to draw conclusions for the most important event [we] have, which is the World Cup."
With an impressive performance setting the benchmark for a successful international break, Alonso shot down suggestions Mexico were a weaker opponent due to a lack of Europe-based stars.
"I know the competitiveness, the quality of the soccer players," he added. "I don't think [having few players in Europe] is an obstacle, on the contrary."
Roberto Baggio has labelled Italy not qualifying automatically for the World Cup for their Euro 2020 triumph as "madness".
Italy were penalty shoot-out victors against England in the Euro 2020 last July, but followed that up with World Cup play-off qualifying defeat against North Macedonia in March.
That meant the Azzurri have failed to qualify for two straight World Cups, having missed out on both Russia in 2018 and Qatar four years later.
Roberto Mancini's side met the Copa America winners Argentina on Wednesday in a match between the champions of European and South American football, but were thoroughly outclassed in a 3-0 defeat.
Argentina displayed the gulf in class between the two sides, with some suggesting Lionel Scaloni's side could be favourites for the World Cup in November.
Scaloni declared in the build-up to the 'Finalissima' that Italy deserved a World Cup spot, and Baggio echoed those sentiments by suggesting the Azzurri should have been offered automatic qualification.
"The biggest shame is that Italy didn't go straight to Qatar having won the European Championship," Italy legend Baggio said on Thursday, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"It is scandalous, it seems crazy to me. Will these guys have earned a reward or not? If I had been in their place I don't really know how I would have reacted...
"It's the worst thing to accept, because in a 90-minute match anything can happen, one action goes wrong and you stay at home?"
Baggio was also quick to point towards the difference in quality between Argentina and Italy at Wembley Stadium.
"Scaloni's team has great talents, but the Azzurri have suffered greatly from being eliminated from the World Cup, the psychological backlash it was enormous," he added.
"The level of calmness of the two teams on the pitch was not comparable."
Italy will hope to somewhat make amends for the Argentina loss and World Cup failure when they host Germany in their Nations League opener on Saturday.
Boston Celtics big-man Al Horford called Jayson Tatum a "special player" after they came back from a 12-point deficit at three-quarter time to defeat the Golden State Warriors 120-108 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Celtics were on the ropes after the Warriors unleashed a 38-24 third-quarter to seemingly take control of the contest, threatening to run away with things as Stephen Curry had 30 points up to three-quarter time.
But the Warriors had no answer for the barrage from long range that came in the final period, with the Celtics hitting nine-of-12 from deep in the quarter and 21-of-41 for the game as the two sides combined to hit a Finals record 40 three-pointers.
The Celtics ended up shooting 15-of-22 from the field in the fourth, winning the quarter 40-16, despite Tatum not scoring in the final 16 minutes of play.
Instead, Tatum finished with a career-high 13 assists, and Al Horford – who himself had a career-high six three-pointers with his 26 points – told NBA TV that the league is seeing the evolution of the Celtics star.
"He's letting people know man, Jayson is a special player," he said."Even this year, the growth is unbelievable with him.
"He's the kind of guy where – tonight he was passing, getting assists, getting other people involved while he struggled a little bit shooting – but he's always going to find a way. He's always going to continue to get better.
"That's who we follow – offensively he gets us going, he defends, and then he has the responsibility to find and make plays for others. His maturation is unbelievable, it's something I'm really proud of, because I've seen him grow."
He added: "When the Celtics trade happened, it was something I was grateful for, and straight away I told Jayson.
"I said 'hey, I can't wait for us to be in those positions, in Conference Finals, and the NBA Finals' – because I believed that much in the group, and I believed that much in him."
When asked about his new career-high in his post-game media appearance, Tatum said it was something first-year head coach Ime Udoka addressed at the start of their relationship.
"That was kind of his message from day-one, just to challenge me to be the best player I can be, and improve other areas of my game," he said.
"We watched a lot of film throughout the course of the season… obviously playmaking was one [area of focus], drawing a lot of attention, and just to help my team out as much as possible.
"He's done a great job of challenging myself, and the group in that aspect."
Tatum was key in keeping the Celtics offense clicking, but his shot was not falling, finishing three-of-17 from the field.
When asked how he felt about his inability to put the ball in the basket, Tatum emphasised his team-first mentality.
"Ecstatic – 40 points in the fourth quarter," he said. "[Jaylen Brown], Al, Payton [Pritchard], [Derrick] White, those guys made big shots, and timely shots, as well.
"And we won, right. I had a bad shooting night, but I just tried to impact the game in other ways.
"We're in the Finals, all I was worried about was trying to get a win, and we did. That's all that matters at this point.
"I don't expect to shoot that bad again, but if it means we keep winning, I'll take it."
The Warriors were aggressive in trying to make sure Tatum had no clean looks, and he said sometimes basketball is a simple game.
"Just reading the play – they do a great job of helping, and things like that," he said.
"It's as simple as – if you draw two, find somebody that's open. That's what I was trying to do."
He added: "This time of the season, you feel great after a win, and you feel terrible when you lose, but you've got to just be able to stay mellow, and stay balanced.
"Especially this early – it's far from over, it's just one game, and we have to be ready to respond.
"They're going to make adjustments... we've got to be prepared."
Game 2 will remain in Golden State, before the series heads to Boston for Game 3 and Game 4.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged his team were second-best on Thursday, losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home to the Boston Celtics 120-108.
The Celtics were automatic in the fourth quarter and comfortably overturned a 92-80 deficit at the final interval, shooting nine-of 12 from beyond the arc to outscore the Warriors 40-16.
Al Horford hit a career-high six-of-eight from the perimeter on the way to 26 points, while Derrick White hit five-from eight as he put up a critical 21 points off the bench.
After the loss, Kerr conceded there was not much the Warriors could do to defeat the Celtics amid that kind of shooting performance, despite going 42 per cent from the perimeter themselves.
"To beat Boston if they're making 21 threes, getting a combined 11 from Horford and White, give them credit," Kerr said post-game. "They knocked down every big shot in the fourth quarter. Boston just played a brilliant quarter, they came in and earned the win.
"I thought we had a couple of turnovers, a couple of bad possessions offensively and they just pounced. They took advantage of every opportunity, and moved the ball well. You make five-six threes in a row in the fourth quarter, that's tough to overcome.
"We'll watch the tape and learn from it and see what we can do better. My gut reaction to what I just witnessed, they just came in and played a hell of a fourth quarter, and you've got to give them credit."
After a finely poised first-half, the Warriors were led by Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, who combined for 28 points off 10-of-15 shooting from the floor.
Kerr insists that despite the fourth-quarter turnaround, his side will be able to adjust to cause and effect of that late Celtics barrage.
"We feel confident with our ability to score against them but, like I said, you give up 40 in the fourth and the other team makes 21 threes, it's going to be tough to win.
"It felt to me like we didn't close out very well in the first half and that allowed them to get going a little bit. Again, have to watch the tape and see where the breakdowns occurred."
Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft rued a critical three-goal second period after his side went 4-0 down to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday.
Nazem Kadri had three assists within the space of 2:04 as the Avalanche broke the game open and took a commanding 2-0 series lead, in a departure from Game 1's 14 goals and 84 shots.
The free-scoring Oilers were reduced to 24 shots for the night, with the two points leaders for this year's Stanley Cup playoffs in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl kept quiet by the Avalanche.
Despite the second period, Woodcroft believes there is still cause for encouragement as the series heads to Canada.
"I thought it was a really competitive first period," he said post-game. "I thought we laid it on the line, especially finding ourselves down short-handed six minutes or so into the first period.
"We pushed back, we generated some offence, and that little span in the second period really hurt us. It took the wind out of our sails and we weren't able to generate what we wanted to as the game wore on.
"I think we've had some chances – not as much as we'd like – but we're in the final four and the other team does some good stuff too. There's more to be had there. We can do a better job of shooting the puck and shooting through structure."
Kadri tied GM Joe Sakic's franchise record from 1996 for most assists in a period, setting up Artturi Lehkonen and Josh Manson in the space of 15 seconds, before providing the pass for Mikko Rantanen.
Nathan McKinnon scored his sixth goal of the playoffs late in the third period, moving to a team-high 16 points over the Avalanche's three series.
The Boston Celtics won Game 1 of the NBA Finals 120-105 on the road against the Golden State Warriors, with the teams combining for the most made three-pointers ever in a Finals game.
Early on it looked like it was going to be the Stephen Curry show, as he finished the first quarter with 21 points – hitting an NBA Finals record six threes in a quarter, from eight attempts – as the Warriors led 32-28 at the first break.
Boston's adjustments at quarter-time had an immediate effect, holding Curry scoreless in the second period while winning the quarter 28-22, heading into half-time leading 56-54.
Jayson Tatum struggled with his shooting, but made up for it with his playmaking, with seven assists in the first half, while Jaylen Brown had 12 points and Marcus Smart had 10 to pick up the slack.
A consistent theme with the great Warriors teams of recent years, their ability to explode in the third quarter in front of their home fans was on full display, hitting six-of-11 threes coming out of half-time.
Andrew Wiggins had 12 points in the quarter, Curry had nine, and Jordan Poole had seven, as that trio combined for 28 to carry the Warriors to a 38-24 period, earning a 92-80 lead heading into the last.
As impressive as the third quarter was for the Warriors, the fourth was even more so for the Celtics, as their red-hot shooting coincided with their best defensive stretch of the game.
The Celtics shot nine-of-12 from long range in the fourth, and 15-of-22 from the field, while holding the Warriors to just seven made field goals, turning the last period into a 40-16 rout.
It was a historic game from beyond the arc as the two sides combined to hit an NBA Finals record of 40 threes, with the Celtics shooting a blistering 51 per cent (21-of-41) while the Warriors were also terrific at 42 per cent (19-of-45).
Boston's Al Horford hit a career-high from long range, going six-of-eight on his way to 26 points, while Derrick White set a new season-high from deep, hitting five-of-eight for his crucial 21 points off the bench.
Tatum finished three-of-17 from the field, scoring 12 points, but he was the architect of the Celtics' hot shooting night as he dished a career-high 13 assists, punishing Warriors defensive collapses after his initial dribble penetration.
Jaylen Brown finished with 24 points (10-of-23 shooting) with seven rebounds and five assists, while Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart had 18 points (seven-of-11 shooting, four-of-seven from deep) to go with five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
For the Warriors, Curry finished with 34 points (12-of-25 shooting), five rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Andrew Wiggins had 20 points (eight-of-15 shooting) with three steals and one block.
Game 2 will remain in San Francisco, before they head to Boston for Game 3 and Game 4.
Shohei Ohtani had a bad time in the Bronx on Thursday, as the New York Yankees took the first of two games in a double-header against the Los Angeles Angels.
Matt Carpenter continued his solid form since signing as a free agent, seeing his way through an 11-pitch at-bat to score a lead-off home run off Ohtani in the 6-1 win.
Carpenter now has three home runs from 16 at-bats for the Yankees, while the reigning American League MVP gave up eight hits and four runs on the way to being pulled after three innings.
Jameson Taillon took a perfect game into the eighth inning as the Pinstripes won Thursday's second game 2-1, moving their record for the season to 36-15.
Further misfortune was dealt to Ohtani in the second game, with Wandy Peralta striking him out to confirm the save.
Rookie Ashcraft leads Reds in Nationals win
Rookie starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft continued his impressive start in the major leagues, as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Washington Nationals 8-1.
The 24-year-old secured his first win last Friday, throwing six scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants, and did not have to wait long for his second in another dominant performance.
The right-hander struck out five and gave up four hits over 92 pitches in seven innings, setting up what was only the Reds' 18th win of the season.
Alcantara assumes control against Giants
Sandy Alcantara allowed only three hits in an assured display, leading the Miami Marlins to a 3-0 win over the San Francisco Giants.
The 26-year-old walked two and struck out eight, while extending his run of at least seven innings pitched to five starts, and lowering his ERA to 1.81.
The Marlins scored early via a Jacob Stallings single, and that was all the run-support Alcantara needed, moving them to 21-28 for the season.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed the league was exploring alterations to the rules on All-NBA team selections.
The NBA's tactical transformation since the implementation of the defensive three-second rule has created a recruiting need for skill over true size, translating into a more fluid style of basketball.
Meanwhile, with Joel Embiid finishing second in MVP voting but missing out on All-NBA First Team selection, due to both being centers.
In his annual news conference before the start of the NBA Finals, Silver said the league was looking at adapting to transforming circumstances.
"I think we're a league that has moved increasingly towards positionless basketball," Silver said Thursday in San Francisco, in his annual press conference at the start of the NBA Finals. "The current system may result in some inequities just based on the happenstance of what your position is.
"It's something that we will discuss with the players' association because it has an impact on incentives in players’ contracts."
The NBA allowed 100 media members to vote for Jokic or Embiid as forwards, but it failed to remedy given neither could be considered as such in the traditional sense.
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