Angels’ Griffin Canning spoils night that includes Shohei Ohtani’s longest HR

• July 1, 2023

ANAHEIM — One bad inning from Griffin Canning was far too much for the Angels to overcome with one memorable swing from Shohei Ohtani.

Canning gave up a grand slam in the second inning and then retired the last 13 batters he faced, leaving the mound just before Ohtani crushed the longest home run of his career.

Ohtani’s 493-foot shot in the sixth inning wasn’t enough in the Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

“I don’t think there’s a ball gonna be hit farther than that one,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “Awesome.”

Although it goes as a footnote in the Angels’ third straight loss, it’s an impressive footnote nonetheless.

Ohtani yanked the pitch to straightaway right field, nearly reaching the seats above the electronic message board that sits just inside the foul pole.

Shohei Ohtani! HR (30)

6/30/23 @ LAA, 6th
vs LHP Tommy Henry

115.1 MPH / 29° / 493 ft to RF
Off a 83.9 MPH slider

It’s a home run in 30/30 parks.

See this play in Gameday: https://t.co/sKZ6kvOsl4 pic.twitter.com/fg6z8EQiOn

— Home Run Report (@homerunreport) July 1, 2023

The homer was the longest homer hit by any Angels player since StatCast began tracking them in 2015. It was the longest homer by anyone in the majors this season.

It also gave Ohtani 30 homers for the season and 15 in June, extending the franchise record for homers in any month.

Unfortunately for the Angels, it came after Canning had a one-inning meltdown that ended his string of quality work.

Canning had a 2.25 ERA over his previous six starts, including a scoreless outing last weekend at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

His rough outing on Friday night came on the heels of a pair of games in which starters Jaime Barría and Patrick Sandoval combined to allow 12 earned runs in the previous two games, both losses.

Canning gave up a run in the first. He quickly retired the first two hitters of the game before allowing the next three hitters to reach, producing a run.

In the second inning, he got two outs on six pitches before losing the strike zone. Canning walked three straight hitters.

“Just being a little tentative, not being in attack mode, just shying away from contact too much instead of just letting my stuff playing the zone,” Canning said.

Once the bases were loaded and he got to a full count on DH Lourdes Gurriel Jr., he did put one in the zone. But it was a hanging slider and Gurriel pumped it over the left field fence to break the game open.

“Just uncharacteristic,” Nevin said. “He lost the command of his fastball there for a minute and the three walks there in the second ahead of the home run obviously hurts. It was like two sides to him today.”

After the homer, Canning struck out Christian Walker to end the inning. He then returned to the mound in the third inning and struck out the side. He struck out the same three hitters in the sixth, finishing his 112-pitch outing with four perfect innings. He struck out nine of the last 13 he faced.

“My college coach used to call it a bloody nose pitcher,” Canning said. “You get punched in the face and then you’re kind of ready to go compete. A little bit of that tonight.”

Canning’s work after the homer not only gave him something positive to take into his next start, but it preserved the Angels’ bullpen. Left-hander Aaron Loup worked the seventh and then right-hander Victor Mederos made his major league debut by working the final two innings. Mederos gave up one run.

Although it’s easy to say the Angels simply lost because of Canning’s one bad inning, Nevin wasn’t pleased with the way his hitters produced.

“I think we’re better than that,” Nevin said. “We didn’t swing the bats well. Just put it that way. Uncharacteristic of our offense.”

Mike Trout had two more hits, giving him five in the past two games, and Ohtani added two walks to his memorable homer.

Ohtani finished June with a .394 batting average and an OPS of 1.444, with 29 RBIs. On the mound, he had a 3.26 ERA in five starts.

“It’s fun to be a part of,” Nevin said. “It’s fun to watch. You can see there’s an extra little bit to him right now. He wants to win and we’re in a good place right now. I know we’ve had a rough three days, but still, everything is right in front of us. And I think he realizes that and it’s bleeding into the room. You can tell how happy he is to be here and how things are going. It’s becoming infectious within the room.”

His previous longest HR was 470 feet.

This one is 493, the longest HR in the majors this season (for now) pic.twitter.com/8j91VJVvxq

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) July 1, 2023

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Harpo, Aquarium of the Pacific sea lion, described as gentle and friendly, dies

• July 1, 2023

The Aquarium of the Pacific is down one of its residents after a 17-year-old California sea lion died recently.

The Long Beach aquarium announced on Friday night, June 30, that Harpo, a male sea lion that spent most of its life at the facility, had died the previous evening.

The cause of death is unknown. Since Harpo didn’t live in the wild, it seems unlikely that the deadly coastal algae blooms that have stricken sea lions up and down the California coast was the reason.

Toxic algae blooms occur periodically off the coast, usually in the spring, and sicken marine mammals, including sea lions and dolphins. The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach have been overwhelmed with sick sea lions in recent weeks. The animals arrive malnourished and disoriented — the toxins affect the animals’ brains — and many experience seizures. The animals can die with irreversible brain damage.

Female sea lions can live to be 18 to 25 years old, while males typically live slightly less than that, the aquarium said in a Friday press release. But it wasn’t immediately clear if that lifespan is for those in the wild, in captivity or both.

In May, the press release said, Harpo’s appetite lessened. He became lethargic and had trouble moving around. Since then, the aquarium said, Harpo had been receiving treatments and undergoing tests, but to no avail.

“This included medicine, fluids, one-on-one sessions to offer him restaurant-quality seafood, and ongoing veterinary exams, including radiographs, ultrasounds, and a whole body CT scan,” the press release said. “Despite extensive tests to try to figure out what was causing Harpo symptoms, test results had been within normal ranges and had not revealed further information about the cause of his symptoms.”

The aquarium’s veterinary team and outside specialists will examine Harpo’s body to determine a cause of death, the press release said.

California sea lions live as far north as Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, and as far south as Baja California, Mexico, the aquarium said.

Harpo, though, was born in captivity and came to Long Beach in 2007 as a 1-year-old.

His death came just days before the Aquarium of the Pacific debuted its renovated Southern California Gallery to help celebrate the facility’s 25th anniversary. That gallery, with 10 exhibits, is intended to give aquarium visitors an opportunity to learn about dozens of local species, including the California two-spot octopus, and leopard and horn sharks.

The gallery is slated to open to the public on Saturday, July 1.

Aquarium staff, meanwhile, were left reeling by Harpo’s death.

“Harpo was loved for what our team calls his sweet and goofy personality that put people and even other animals at ease,” Brett Long, the aquarium’s senior director of mammals and birds, said in a statement. “Harpo would make people smile as he would interact with staff or with guests.

“Due to his gentle nature, he was often the first one new sea lions and seals would meet when they would join the habitat, including a baby seal who was born here,” Long added. “We will miss him so much.”

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Potential James Harden deal has Clippers in holding pattern as free agency begins

• July 1, 2023

The Clippers’ anticipated trade for James Harden might still happen. It just didn’t happen on the first day of the NBA’s free agency negotiating window.

In the days leading up to Friday’s annual summer swap meet, it seemed like Harden-to-the-Clippers was going to be a quick deal. The 10-time All-Star guard had picked up his $35.6 million contract option for next season with the Philadelphia 76ers, enabling the team to explore trades and the Clippers had been mentioned as a likely landing spot. The interest was reportedly mutual.

The Clippers have long desired to find a top lead guard to pair with All-Star wings Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and Harden, a former league MVP, fits the bill. But according to reports citing unnamed sources, the 76ers wanted to see what other offers might transpire and that has delayed any potential deal.

Harden, who attended Lakewood’s Artesia High, is seen as a veteran point guard who can help the Clippers become a title contender. The former league scoring champion averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 37 minutes per game this past season while helping the Sixers reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.

But the Sixers are believed to be seeking value for Harden and that could cost the Clippers a host of role players. The Clippers are not expected to give up either Leonard or George, players who Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has said they want to build around.

Among the names that have been mentioned in any potential trade are Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington and Norman Powell – all three of whom are on expiring contracts. Terance Mann’s name also has been included, but the Clippers seem reluctant to let go of any of their young players.

The Clippers did make two minor moves Friday, sending cash to the Detroit Pistons for the draft rights to center Balsa Koprivica, the 57th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Clippers reportedly also guaranteed Brandon Boston Jr.’s contract and extended Jason Preston’s guarantee date from July 7 to July 18.

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Sparks fall to Courtney Williams, Chicago again as road woes continue

• July 1, 2023

CHICAGO — The Sparks have enjoyed a home-heavy schedule to open the season, but they’re having their troubles on the road and that could prove to be a significant hurdle for a team focused on ending its playoff drought.

Alanna Smith scored 18 points, Courtney Williams had her first career triple-double and the Chicago Sky beat the Sparks for the second straight game, 86-78, on Friday night.

Williams finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 13 assists to become the third player in franchise history with a triple-double. Williams was coming off a season-high 21 points on Wednesday in an 80-63 victory over the Sparks to help snap the Sky’s six-game losing streak.

Kahleah Copper added 17 points and Marina Mabrey scored 13 points of her 15 points in the first half for Chicago (7-9). Elizabeth Williams also scored 12 points for the Sky.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 14 points and Dearica Hamby had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks (7-9), who dropped to 2-5 away from home and conclude their three-game trip on Sunday in Atlanta. Azura Stevens added 13 points, Karlie Samuelson had 11 and rookie Zia Cooke scored 10.

Chicago made 65% of its shots in the first half and scored the first 11 points after halftime to extend its lead to 54-38.

The Sparks trimmed the margin to 62-58 before the Sky scored the next seven points to take control. Smith made a 3-pointer with 3:32 left in the fourth for an 82-65 lead.

The Sparks shot 41.8% from the field (28 for 67) compared to the Sky’s 56.9% (37 for 65), but they made up some of that with a 13-point advantage at the free-throw line.

Sparks starter Jordin Canada played 16 minutes before sustaining a shoulder injury in the first half and did not return.

Chiney Ogwumike sat out with a foot injury and Lexie Brown missed another game with a non-COVID illness.

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1776: How North America looked then and what was happening in the West

• July 1, 2023

The West in 1776

As we get ready to celebrate our nation’s birthday with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776, let’s look at what was happening on the other side of North America.

On a mission

In 1774, Spain had established several military and religious outposts in Alta California. The priests and soldiers were very isolated, and sailing around Point Conception was particularly dangerous.

Spanish officer Juan Bautista de Anza wanted to pursue his father’s dream of finding an overland route from mainland Mexico to coastal California.

Sebastián Tarabal, a Native guide, helped Anza identify a desert crossing on an exploratory expedition in 1774. Once a route was established, Spain tasked Anza to lead settlers, livestock and supplies to Alta California and create a colony at a place they called el río de San Francisco.

In Massachusetts in April 1775, the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired at Lexington and Concord, while across the continent Anza was busy persuading nearly 300 people to take the overland route with him. They were a culturally diverse mix including 30 families of American Indian, European and Afro-Latino ancestry. The settlers, their military escorts and the 1,000 head of livestock included in the expedition traveled about 1,200 miles to forts and missions and across rugged wilderness for about 5½ months. It was what some call a wandering town.

On June 27, 1776, the expedition families arrived at what is now San Francisco. The expedition suffered one fatality as one of eight pregnant women on the journey died during childbirth.

The settlers built the beginnings of the Presidio of San Francisco and the Mission San Francisco de Asis. The site of the Presidio of San Francisco is now part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The trail was used for about 40 years before the Quechan Indians closed it in 1781.

It was made a national historic trail in 1990. In 2005, Caltrans began posting signs on roads that overlap the trail route so California drivers could follow it.

The Russians are coming

Spain had laid claim to territory in what would become California, Arizona and New Mexico in the 1520s. The Sebastian Vizcaino expedition in 1602 was ordered to find safe harbors in Alta California for Spanish ships returning from the Philippines. The Vizcaino expedition along the California coast gave many places the names they have today, including San Diego, Monterey and Santa Barbara. The Spanish did not pay much attention to Alta California until they heard the Russians were making settlements in the Pacific Northwest starting in the 1730s.

Several Spanish exploration missions encountered Russians in Alaska during the mid-1700s. King Charles II of Spain ordered that Spanish settlements be established near the harbors mapped by Vizcaino in San Diego and Monterey. Spanish soldier Gaspar de Portola volunteered to lead the mission.

By 1812, the Russians established Fort Ross, in what is now Sonoma County, as their southernmost settlement in North America. The fortress flew the Russian flag until 1842.

Fort Ross is a national historic landmark and 6,000-acre state historic park. It’s the only place the Russian and Spanish empires were adjacent.

Sources: National Park Service, Californiamissionguide.com, anzatrail.org

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, SCNG and The Associated Press

​ Orange County Register 

Mookie Betts homers twice as Dodgers handle Royals

• July 1, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mookie Betts is getting his prep work in before the Home Run Derby.

One day after being voted into the National League’s starting lineup for the All-Star Game and confirming that he would accept an invitation to compete in the Derby, Betts led off the game with a home run and added a second longball in his next at-bat. He drove in two more runs with a single and a double, finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle as the Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals, 9-3, Friday night.

The game marked the halfway point of this year’s schedule. The Dodgers’ 46-35 record is their fewest wins at the midpoint (in a full season) since 2018. They are in second place in the NL West at the halfway mark for the fifth time in the past nine full seasons.

At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Betts insists he doesn’t really belong in the Home Run Derby. But he had 824 feet worth of homers in his first two at-bats Friday. He welcomed Royals right-hander Alex Marsh to the big leagues by sending the fifth pitch of Marsh’s career over the Dodgers’ bullpen in left field.

It was Betts’ ninth leadoff home run of the season and the 45th of his career. That ties him with Joc Pederson (2019) for the most leadoff home runs in a season by a Dodger.

Two innings later, Betts turned on an 0-and-1 changeup and bounced it high off the left-field foul pole for his 22nd home run of the season and the 26th multi-homer game of his career.

Betts made it three RBIs in three at-bats when his two-out single drove in Jason Heyward in the fourth inning. Heyward had doubled in David Peralta, one of four times Heyward reached base Friday (two singles, a walk and the RBI double).

Dodgers starter Bobby Miller was the grizzled veteran in Friday’s pitching matchup with Marsh (who made his MLB debut). Miller’s seventh big-league start fell somewhere between the extremes of his first four (two runs allowed in 23 innings) and his previous two (13 runs in 9⅔).

Miller filled up the box score with five hits allowed, a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Three stolen bases didn’t help either. Each led to a run for the Royals against Miller.

But the Dodgers kept scoring with and without Betts’ help.

In the fifth inning, Will Smith’s drive down the right-field foul line landed on chalk. Initially ruled a foul ball, the play was overturned on replay and Smith was awarded a triple. J.D. Martinez drove him in with a sacrifice fly. In the sixth, an error led to an unearned run.

And in the eighth, the Dodgers put it away with three more runs on a triple-double – consecutive doubles by Miguel Rojas, Betts and Freddie Freeman – and a sacrifice fly. Betts had a shot to fill out a cycle but drew a walk in the ninth (capping his 4-for-4 night by reaching base for a sixth time).

The Dodgers’ bullpen closed things out with 3⅓ scoreless innings, including one from Daniel Hudson who was activated from the injured list before the game and made his return after tearing the ACL in his left knee just over a year ago.

More to come on this story.

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Swanson: Trade for James Harden? Clippers have to try

• July 1, 2023

Beard or no beard?

Heard from a bunch of Clippers fans on Twitter, and 70% of them indicated – in my absolutely unscientific poll – that they thought their team’s roster would look better with a beard. Or the Beard.

Clippers fans might be contrarians, but they’re not dumb.

James Harden, the one-time Lakewood Artesia High standout who grew up to become a 10-time NBA All-Star, three-time scoring champ, 2017-18 league MVP and – this is key – twice the league’s leading facilitator, could be traded to the Clippers if they can come to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers.

To recap the most breathlessly reported possible transaction this free agency week: Harden, reportedly displeased with the Sixers over how they’ve handled contract negotiations, exercised his $35.6 million player option Thursday and asked for a trade. He reportedly wants to come here, home to the Clippers.

Should they do it? Yes. They should try to find a way.

How much should they relinquish to get him? Only as much as they have to.

Obviously. Obviously. Aye aye, Captain.

Protect the young assets, be stingy with those players who have fewer miles on their legs and who will make less of a dent in the more onerous salary structure that’s being ushered in with the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement.

Pitch hardballs, because that’s what Philadelphia’s president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will be throwing back. We know because we lived through his six-month standoff with Ben Simmons that led to the Sixers’ acquisition of Harden back in February 2022.

So we’re gonna be here awhile, then https://t.co/E5xrEP9HwX

— Lucas (@LucasJHann) June 30, 2023

And then, if the Clippers get it done, they’ll have to cross their fingers and say a little prayer to the basketball gods, plead nicely for good health and happiness.

Because, let’s be honest: There’d be potential pitfalls, opportunities aplenty for the deal to go sideways.

Harden’s employee record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Not sure that NBA teams check references, or would want to, but this is the third time he’s asked out of a situation in three years, potentially the third ugly breakup in a row.

I remember listening when the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, addressed fans after a midseason roster overhaul in 2018, hinting at how the team planned to entice potential free agents (ahem, Kawhi). A key selling point then – and now, and always, regardless of how much a salary cap squeezes them: “We got the best city in the NBA, right?” Frank said then. “The thing we offer, in this city, is you get all the benefits without the drama.”

To his point, Russell Westbrook’s stint last season as a Clipper was decidedly drama-free. But who knows with Harden?

In Houston in 2020-21, he got disgruntled, skipped individual workouts, seemed to be partying in Las Vegas instead of reporting to training camp and hurled a basketball at teammates. Finally, he shoved his way out to Brooklyn after lamenting openly: “(We’re) just not good enough. … I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can. I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.”

And then a year into his Nets tenure, after playing himself into shape, Harden got fed up with that situation, which was plagued by injuries and fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated so he could be available regularly.

And now, after an uneven playoff performance last season, including Harden’s nine-point effort in their season-ending loss to Boston in Game 7 of their second-round series, the Sixers have managed to offend him too – understandable, perhaps, considering he accepted a discount last season. (He declined his $47.4 million player option and instead inked a two-year, $68.6 million deal that included the player option, which allowed Philly to make some additional moves, including signing P.J. Tucker.)

James Harden’s brilliant playmaking has made a huge difference to the Sixers’ offense.

Some of his best assists with Philly so far: pic.twitter.com/NrUVvOKaXS

— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) August 3, 2022

Despite all that, it could be a good deal for the Clippers. Those star-crossed, snakebitten Clippers, who aren’t actually so many whiskers away from championship contention – or wouldn’t be, if they had any kind of luck besides the bad kind.

Confidence in them has waned as well. All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were tasked with securing the franchise’s first championship, but in four seasons since joining forces in 2019-20, they’ve gotten only as far as the Western Conference finals.

But the oft-injured pair is an impressive 96-46 in their all-too-rare appearances together. That’s really good!

So cool it on the George trade chatter, and fire up that trade machine for Harden.

Because if – big, big, all-caps IF – the Clippers could get Nos. 2 and 13 together with the elite facilitator they’ve been hunting obsessively for on a regular basis? They’d make believers out of even the most disheartened Clippers fan. Of the most ardent hater.

And without better options than Kawhi and PG in what is, for now, their final guaranteed year together, and with a new arena that’ll need some juice to start the 2024 season, Harden would help a team that’s due to break through someday. That has to, right?

Maybe, if the Clippers go wishing on a third star.

​ Orange County Register 

Guinea pigs Rocky and Sylvester need a foster home

• July 1, 2023

Breed: American guinea pigs

Age: 2 years, Rocky; 3 months, Sylvester

Gender: Both are male

Rocky and Sylvester’s story: After being rescued, Rocky was paired with Baby Sylvester, and both pigs are thriving!  Rocky is enjoying teaching Sylvester all about guinea pig life. They love to hang out together and share a delicious treat of cilantro and bell peppers. To continue to thrive, Rocky and Sylvester need a foster home where they can receive attention and human interaction. Fosters provide fresh vegetables and lots of love; the Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue provides everything else. Fostering is a great introduction to guinea pig ownership.

How to foster:  Visit Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue’s website, and click on “Get Involved” for additional information and an application. Also on the website are many other guinea pigs that are looking for foster homes. You can also reach Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue at [email protected].

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