SPORTS
A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015
Blazers clinch playoff spot
PORTLAND (AP) — A
playoff spot secured, next up for
the Portland Trail Blazers is the
Northwest Division title.
The Trail Blazers haven’t won
the division since 2008-09, when
they shared it with the Denver
Nuggets. Portland’s last outright
title came in the 1991-92 season.
“I’m not even sure the last
time we even won a division
AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi
title,” All-Star guard Damian
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker pitches Lillard said. “I’m sure it’s been
against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a tough having OKC around. If
spring training baseball game Monday in Peoria, Ariz.
any year there was a great op-
portunity, it’s this year. We just
need to keep playing, focus on
ourselves, and everything will
work out like it’s supposed to.”
The Blazers clinched a play-
off berth Monday night with a
109-86 victory over the Phoe-
nix Suns. The victory cut the
Blazers’ magic number for win-
ning the division to two.
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) —
Lillard scored 19 points and
Mike Zunino homered and dou-
LaMarcus Aldridge added 17
bled, Taijuan Walker pitched
points and seven rebounds. The
seven impressive innings and
Blazers rested all of their starters
the Seattle Mariners beat the Los
in the fourth quarter after build-
Angeles Angels 5-3 Monday.
ing a 92-65 lead. Portland led by
Robinson Cano added his
as many as 31 points.
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The Suns have lost four
ners and is hitting .364 in exhi-
straight, and while they are
bition play.
mathematically still in the
The Angels and Mariners
playoff picture, the chances are
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dwindling. Phoenix plays six of
ly of the players who are likely
its last eight games on the road.
to start on opening day next
Gerald Green and T.J. War-
Monday when Los Angeles vis-
ren came off the bench to score
its Seattle.
13 points. Eric Bledsoe added
AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi
Zunino’s seven home runs
12 in the Suns’ seventh loss by
and 13 RBIs lead Seattle this Seattle Mariners’ Mike Zu- 20 or more points this season.
spring. The catcher is batting nino rips a two-run double “We played hard but they’re a
against the Los Angeles good team,” Bledsoe said. “At
.354.
Zunino got a playful, palms- Angels in the fourth inning. the end of the day, that’s why
down “easy does it” sign from
they’re in the position they’re in,
ace Felix Hernandez in the club- quarters on Monday. Sanchez’s WU\LQJWR¿JKWIRUDKLJKVHHG´
house after driving in three runs. jersey was hung, adorned with
The Blazers also clinched
“I feel like the approach is candles, a ball and glove and a the season series against the
much different,” Zunino said. photo of him pitching. A bat was 6XQVIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHVLQFHWKH
“Last year I was just up there placed against the wall on one 2010-11 season, winning 3-1.
swinging and hoping to get side and another photo of San-
Phoenix was without guard
something to hit. This year there’s chez on the other.
Brandon Knight, who tweaked
more of a mental approach to it.
his sprained left ankle in a 109-97
Transaction
It’s been a good learning experi-
loss at home to Oklahoma City
The Mariners released vet- on Sunday night. Knight had
ence I’ve had this spring.”
Walker’s scoreless streak eran pitcher Kevin Correia and just returned after missing eight
ended at 19 innings when Matt have reassigned him to minor games because of the injury.
Joyce homered in the second. league camp. That leaves 28
The Suns were further hurt
That was the only run off Walk- players on the roster, and with in the second half when center
HUZKRUHWLUHGKLV¿QDOEDW- the starting rotation all but set, Alex Len left the game after a
the only decisions to be made collision with Portland center
ters.
Walker gave up three hits, are who makes the major league Chris Kaman. The Suns said af-
ZDONHGQRQHDQGVWUXFNRXW¿YH club out of the bullpen and what terward that X-rays showed Len
“I didn’t try to do too much,” WRGRZLWKLQMXUHGLQ¿HOGHU&KULV had a broken nose.
Walker said. “I feel really good Taylor, who will be out another
Portland was coming off a
month or so with a broken wrist. 120-114 victory at home over
with all my pitches.”’
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Denver on Saturday.
Starting time
Smith and the opening-day
The Suns jumped in front
pitchers were the lone missing
Angels: Monday’s starter 15-8 early in the game, but
players from who’s expected to Nick Tropeano isn’t likely to Nicolas Batum’s long jumper
open the season in the majors, and 3-pointer pulled Portland
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“At some point you’ve got but he could be an option at ahead 21-17 and the Blazers led
to get these guys out there and some point during the season. DIWHUWKH¿UVWTXDUWHU
they’ve got to play deep into He allowed four runs on seven
Robin Lopez’s tip put the Blaz-
games,” Angels manager Mike hits, striking out three and walk- ers ahead 53-37, but Green punc-
Scioscia said. “We want to get ing one in six innings.
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our guys together for sure and
“Nick took a huge step for- the Suns to close within 55-49.
see how this lineup will work.”
ward. That’s the command in the
Batum hit a 3-pointer that
The Angels scored twice counts we were talking about,” capped a 17-4 run to open the
in the ninth off Mariners lefty Scioscia said. “Really just a cou-
Charlie Furbush, who will be in ple of pitches he didn’t get.”
the Seattle bullpen this season.
Mariners: Walker won’t be
PREP SCHEDULE
one of the Mariners’ starters who
Tribute to fallen
will pitch in the season-opening
TODAY
Baseball — Astoria at Rainier, 4:30
teammate
series in Seattle, but he’s on the
p.m.; Estacada at Seaside (2), 4 p.m.;
The death of 20-year-old Angels’ radar.
Mariners pitching prospect Vic-
“I’m glad we got to see him. Delphian at Knappa, 4:30 p.m.
Softball — Seaside at Estacada, 5
tor Sanchez is still heavy on the He’s good, no doubt,” Scioscia p.m.; Delphian at Knappa, 4:30 p.m.
minds of players and staff within said. “They’ve got a really good
Girls Golf — Seaside at Catlin Ga-
the organization. Sanchez died starting rotation and he’s one bel, 1 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Saturday in Venezuela from in- piece of it.”
Baseball — North Marion at Astoria,
juries suffered in a boating acci-
:DONHU JDLQHG VRPH FRQ¿-
4:30 p.m.; Tillamook at Warrenton, 3:30
dent last month.
dence facing Angels regulars.
p.m.
A makeshift memorial set
“Hopefully I get to face them
Softball — North Marion at Astoria,
up by minor league staff ap- during the season. It was good 4:30 p.m.
peared outside the front door to to see what they have,” Walker
Track — Astoria at Valley Catholic,
3:30 p.m.; Scappoose/Tillamook at
the team’s spring training head- said.
Zunino’s bat,
Walker’s arm lead
Mariners over Angels
AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer
Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard, right, passes away from Phoenix Suns
guard Reggie Bullock, left, during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in Port-
land Monday. The Trail Blazers beat the Suns 109-86.
second half and pushed Port-
land’s lead to 72-53. The Blaz-
ers outscored the Suns 37-16 in
the third quarter.
“We came out lackadaisical,”
Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said.
“No intensity, no real emotion.
That’s your chance. You come
out in that third quarter and
make it a little tough on them,
then maybe the tide turns.”
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points, including four 3-pointers.
Following the game, the re-
action in Portland’s locker room
was muted. Lillard said Al-
dridge commented, “I’m happy
I’m going to the playoffs with
y’all,” but that was about it.
“I mean, it wasn’t like it was
earth-shattering,” coach Terry
Stotts said. “Honestly, our goal
is beyond just to make the play-
offs. ... It’s nice to clinch a spot,
but we’ve still got a few games
to go that are important to us.”
It is Portland’s 31st playoff ap-
pearance in franchise history. The
Blazers (48-25) moved within a
AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer
half-game of the Clippers (49-25)
for the fourth-best record in the Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge scores
Western Conference and home- against the Phoenix Suns during the first quarter of an
FRXUWDGYDQWDJHLQWKH¿UVWURXQG NBA basketball game in Portland.
SCOREBOARD
Seaside, 3:30 p.m.; Warrenton at Port-
land Christian, 3:30 p.m.
Boys Golf — Astoria at Scappoose,
2 p.m.; Valley Catholic at Seaside, 1
p.m.
THURSDAY
Baseball — Seaside at Corbett, 4:30
p.m.
Softball — Corbett at Seaside, 5 p.m.
Track — Northwest League Relays,
TBA
FRIDAY
Baseball — Knappa at Delphian (2),
3 p.m.
Softball — Astoria at R.A. Long, 4
p.m.; Knappa at Delphian (2), 3 p.m.
Girls Golf — Tillamook Scramble, 9
a.m.; Seaside at Ridgeview, 1:30 p.m.
Early Childhood
Health & Education Clinic For
Clatsop County Kids
SIGN UP TODAY!
FREE For all 3-5 year olds, regardless of income
April 14, 2015
The Astoria Armory
1636 Exchange St., Astoria
April 22, 2015
Seaside Convention Center
415 First Avenue, Seaside
Early screening is an important step to successful learning.
Your child will receive the following exams and screenings:
Cards rally for 9-4
softball win
CORBETT — Astoria
led 2-1 going into the bot-
tom of the fourth inning,
but the Corbett Cardinals
scored eight runs in their
next three at-bats, on their
way to a 9-4 win over the
Lady Fishermen in a non-
league softball game Mon-
day.
The Lady Fish had nine
hits on the day, which in-
cluded a pair of doubles
for both Abi Danen and
Miranda Dietrichs. Libby
DiBartolomeo also had
a single and a double for
Astoria, which hosts North
Marion Wednesday, then
plays at R.A. Long Friday.
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN
A Tribute to the Carter Family
Featuring John McEuen & John Carter Cash
Saturday, April 18, 7:30 pm Tickets: $30 - $35
John
Carter
Cash
John
McEuen
BREW IT ON, LAUGH IT OFF!
Final 3 rd Fridays adds stand up to the Micro Brew
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~ Physical ~ Hearing ~ School Readiness ~Speech
~ Nutrition ~Vision ~Dental ~Immunization
Call your local elementary school or Head Start center for an appointment by April 7 for the
Astoria clinic or April 15 for the Seaside clinic.
Susan
Jones
Travis
Nelson
Limited transportation help is available upon request. se habla espanol.
Sponsors are NW Early Learning Council, NW Educational Service District
and Clatsop Kinder Ready. Major health & education groups of
Clatsop County are partnering to make this clinic possible.
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