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Sports

Chicago Fire lose their 4th straight, falling to FC Cincinnati 2-1

Luciano Acosta scored in the 85th minute to give FC Cincinnati a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire on Saturday at Soldier Field.It was the Fire’s fourth straight loss and ran their winless streak to seven.AdvertisementAcosta’s game-winning goal for Cincinnati (6-5-1) came two minutes after Jhon Durán scored the equalizer for the Fire (2-5-4). Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead on an own goal off Rafael Czichos in the 33rd minute.The Fire outshot Cincinnati 13-7 with a 4-3 edge in shots on goal.AdvertisementRoman Celentano saved three of the four shots he faced for Cincinnati. Gabriel Slonina saved two of the four shots he faced for the Fire.

Sports

Courtney Vandersloot’s big finish helps the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx 82-78

MINNEAPOLIS — Courtney Vandersloot scored five of her 16 points in the final 38 seconds, and the Chicago Sky held off the Minnesota Lynx 82-78 on Saturday night.Vandersloot hit a 3-pointer to give the Sky (2-1) an 80-76 lead with 38 seconds left and added two free throws 15 seconds later. She also had 11 assists.AdvertisementEmma Meesseman finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven steals for the Sky. Azura Stevens added 14 points, and Candace Parker had 11 points.Reserve Nikolina Milic topped the Lynx (0-4) with 18 points. Sylvia Fowles had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Moriah Jefferson finished with 16 points and five assists.

Sports

Chicago Cubs prospect Ed Howard is facing a lengthy absence after suffering a significant hip injury

PHOENIX — Chicago Cubs prospect Ed Howard is facing a lengthy absence.The shortstop sustained a significant hip injury Tuesday at High-A South Bend. The Cubs are still gathering information on the injury and determining the next steps. Howard hit the ground awkwardly after trying to avoid being tagged on an errant throw to first base.AdvertisementIt’s a blow for Howard, 20, who has been limited to only 103 professional games since the Cubs drafted him with the No. 16 pick in the 2020 draft out of Mount Carmel. Baseball America rates Howard their No. 18 prospect while MLB.com put him No. 14 in their preseason rankings.President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer commended Howard’s good attitude about the situation despite being bummed by the injury. He expects Howard to come back strong.Advertisement“It’s never good timing for injury like that,” Hoyer said Saturday. “But it’s a shame. He worked so incredibly hard this winter. I think he got stronger than anyone at our camp this winter. You look at the exit velocities, he brought his strikeout rate down. He’s been playing his typical good defense.“It’s a shame that his season is going to be cut short.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 8Mount Carmel’s Ed Howard connects against St. Rita in the St. Rita Sectional semifinal on May 30, 2019, at Ozinga Field in Crestwood. (Gary Middendorf / Daily Southtown)Cubs prospect Ed Howard runs drills during minor-league spring training on Feb. 28, 2022, in Mesa, Ariz. (Matt York / AP)The pandemic cost Howard his debut year when the 2020 minor-league season was canceled. He struggled at Low-A Myrtle Beach, producing a .225/.277/.315 slash line and 16 extra-base hits, 5.5 BB% and 30.1 K% in 80 games (326 plate appearances). He also lost six weeks to a hamstring injury.Howard responded well to a disappointing season. He spent the winter at the Cubs’ complex in Arizona to get hands-on instruction with minor-league staff, participating in a camp featuring more than two dozen of the organization’s top prospects.The Cubs were encouraged by Howard’s 2022 start after challenging him at South Bend. He was generating more contact (20.4 K%) and getting on base at a better clip (.323 on-base percentage and 9.7 BB%) through 23 games. Now he faces a lengthy recovery.

Sports

Yoán Moncada gives the Chicago White Sox lineup some needed pop in his return from the injured list

Yoán Moncada felt “on time” at the plate while rehabbing with Triple-A Charlotte as he recovered from a right oblique strain.That preparation was on display Thursday when Moncada hit his first home run of the season at an ideal time for the Chicago White Sox.AdvertisementThe Sox trailed the New York Yankees by three runs in the seventh inning at Guaranteed Rate Field but had two runners on and Moncada at the plate. The third baseman hit an 0-1 sinker from reliever Jonathan Loáisiga over the center-field wall for a tying home run in an eventual 15-7 loss.“I went over there (to Charlotte) to take a good approach, the same approach that I have been doing,” Moncada said through an interpreter before Friday’s game. “I went over there to see a good pitch to hit and put a good swing and hit the ball hard somewhere.”AdvertisementMoncada made his season debut with the Sox on Monday. He had four hits in his first 17 at-bats leading into his fifth game of the year Saturday against the Yankees.Moncada, 26, entered Saturday slashing .235/.316/.412 with the home run, three RBIs, two runs and a walk. He had one hit in each of his first four games, including going 1-for-4 in Friday’s 10-4 loss to the Yankees.“I felt really good and I’m still feeling good,” Moncada said. “The most important thing for me is continuing working hard and continuing with my approach at the plate.”White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada swings through a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Yankees on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Yankees on Thursday at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Moncada suffered the injury during the final day of spring training in Glendale, Ariz. The Sox placed him on the injured list April 5.“I thought it was going to be less time (away), but it was more than that,” Moncada told reporters Monday. “But I’m just really happy to be back with the team.”Moncada added that he was “100%. I don’t feel anything. I’m ready to go.”The time in Charlotte helped with the preparation. He slashed .318/.360/.636 with a double, two homers and five RBIs in six games with the Knights from April 30-May 7.“I’ve said it before, I’ve come to really trust and respect what happens in Charlotte with (manager) Wes (Helms) and (hitting coach) Chris (Johnson), they’ve been right on every time last year and this year,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Saturday. “(Friday’s Yankees starter Gerrit) Cole comes out there and punches (Moncada) out, he punched out other guys who have been here. He’s throwing the ball well. (Moncada) got a base hit (against Cole in the fifth). I’m confident that he’s going to help us.”AdvertisementThe Sox regained another bat to lengthen the lineup this weekend with outfielder Andrew Vaughn returning from the injured list. Vaughn suffered a bruised right hand April 29. The Sox reinstated him from the IL on Friday and he started Saturday, batting fifth while serving as the designated hitter.“Depth,” La Russa said of having Vaughn and Moncada back. “And if you watch (left fielder) Eloy (Jiménez) moving around, he’s going to be around soon too.”Jiménez is recovering after suffering an injury on April 23 that required surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee. His estimated recovery at the time of the injury was six to eight weeks.“I try to be careful what I ask because it sounds like I’m pushing, so I just say how’s he running, how are his legs,” La Russa said. “Everybody believes his progress is really impressive. But there is a certain buildup in the muscle that has to happen, and you just can’t fast-forward that.”The Sox are envisioning a roster at full strength. They took a step closer with Moncada in the mix.“We’re glad to get him back,” La Russa said after Thursday’s 15-7 loss. “He’s already taking good swings. That (home run) was clutch.”AdvertisementMoncada finished third in the American League with a .375 on-base percentage in 2021 and led the Sox with 33 doubles. After missing all of April, he’s ready to contribute.“The way I’ve been taking my approach, that’s what I’ve been trying to do and get good pitches to swing,” Moncada said Friday. “Just be ready to hit the fastballs.“My real focus right now is to make sure I’m swinging to hit the ball hard somewhere and swinging at strikes.”

Sports

20 injured in Milwaukee shootings after Bucks playoff game

Twenty people were injured in two shootings in downtown Milwaukee near an entertainment district where thousands had been watching the Bucks play the Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals, authorities said.None of the injuries from either shooting after Friday night’s game were believed to be life-threatening.AdvertisementThe first shooting, involving three victims, occurred adjacent to the Deer District — an entertainment district with numerous bars and restaurants where large crowds often assemble to watch major sporting events.The Milwaukee Fire Department said authorities took two people to a hospital, a 30-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl, and a third person drove to a hospital. Police said a 29-year-old man was in custody.AdvertisementSeventeen more people were injured in a second shooting about two hours later, which happened a few blocks away. Ten people were taken into custody and nine guns were recovered, WTMJ-TV reported.There was no immediate indication whether the two shootings were related or involved fans who were watching the game.Witnesses told WTMJ-TV that they saw a fight outside a bar following the basketball game.Bill Reinemann, a parking attendant at lot adjacent to Deer District, said he heard gunshots but didn’t see anyone get shot or see the shooter during the earlier shooting.“It sounded like six to eight gunshots,” he said “It was close.”After the shots were fired, scores of fans began running toward the Deer District, he said.Reinemann, who has worked the lot for 18 years, remained at his post even as fearful Bucks fans ran past him.“I sat in my chair here the whole while,” he said.Advertisement“The incident took place outside of the Deer District area. We direct all questions to the Milwaukee Police Department,” Bucks spokesman Barry Baum said.Boston defeated Milwaukee in the game to force a Game 7 of the series Sunday night in Boston.