Doctor practicing in Riverside arrested again on allegations of sexual assault of patients

• July 9, 2023

RIVERSIDE — A doctor with a practice in Riverside was arrested a second time on suspicion of alleged sexual assault of patients, authorities said Saturday.

Dr. Sam Sannoufi was arrested Friday after additional alleged victims came forward and told Riverside police he sexually assaulted them during examinations, said Riverside police Officer Ryan J. Railsback. Sannoufi was held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

The 52-year-old Newport Beach resident was first arrested June 27, Railsback said. The arrest came after a “customer” made an allegation. “The adult female victim reported the assault occurred during a consultation exam at Timeless Skincare Laser Clinic, located in the 6900 block of Brockton Avenue in Riverside,” police said.

Sannoufi was released on $1 million bail after that arrest, he said.

“Investigators still believe there are other victims who have not yet come forward,” Railsback said.

Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Detective Stanley Hua at 951-353-7950 or SHuaRiversideCA.gov. Those wishing to remain anonymous can email RPDTipsRiversideCA.gov

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Dodgers hammer Angels for 10th consecutive win in Freeway Series

• July 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — If the Angels head into the All-Star break with any confusion over how they should approach the looming trade deadline, the Dodgers did their best to convince them of a direction.

Depleted by injury, the Angels looked nothing like a team capable of making a second-half push as they were swatted aside 10-5 by the Dodgers Saturday afternoon.

Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, J.D. Martinez, Max Muncy and David Peralta each hit a home run. In the two-game series with the Angels, the Dodgers’ four All-Stars (Betts, Freeman, Martinez and Will Smith) hit eight home runs.

Betts’ homer led off the game for the Dodgers Saturday. It was his 10th leadoff home run this season, a franchise record, and 46th of his career, tied with Jimmy Rollins for seventh most all-time.

Shohei Ohtani did his usual solo star turn for the Angels, belting his 32nd home run of the season along with his sixth triple. Both totals lead the majors. Ohtani also had a single, drove in three of the Angels’ runs and finished one hit short of matching his 2019 cycle for the sixth time this season.

The Dodgers never looked back after the latest jump start from Betts. The win completed their second mini-sweep of their neighbors this season. The Dodgers have now beaten the Angels 10 consecutive times dating back to August 2021, winning those 10 matchups by a combined score of 60-17.

Never have the two teams seemed farther apart than this weekend.

The Dodgers reached the break with a four-game winning streak, five in their past six games, and sit a mere half-game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.

The Angels, meanwhile, are spiraling in the wrong direction. They lost their season-high fifth consecutive game and haven’t even held the lead at the end of any single inning during the losing streak. Nine losses in their last 10 games have dropped them below .500 (45-46) for the first time since April 24 (11-12).

Injuries to Mike Trout, Brandon Drury, Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe, Gio Urshela and Anthony Rendon have reduced the Angels to the literal version of what they annually seem unable to evolve above – Ohtani surrounded by players striving to be replacement-level.

The Angels couldn’t get out of their own way in a five-run second inning that essentially decided matters.

After Muncy led off the inning with his homer, the Dodgers put runners at the corners with one out thanks to a hit batter (one of three by Detmers) and a squibbed single by James Outman.

Having seen enough of one Dodgers All-Star, Angels manager Phil Nevin opted to intentionally walk Betts, loading the bases for another Dodgers All-Star. Freeman ruined the strategy with a slicing two-run double to left field where Luis Rengifo had replaced Jo Adell after Adell injured his oblique during his first at-bat of the game.

It was just Rengifo’s 30th game in the outfield during his career and he made that obvious when another Dodgers All-Star, Will Smith, singled to left, driving in two more runs. Rengifo’s throw was majestic as it sailed high over home plate and to the backstop.

Freeman added a solo home run in the fourth inning, his third consecutive game with a home run. But he hit first base awkwardly trying to beat out an infield single in the fifth and left the game early.

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Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks, Sunday, July 9, 2023

• July 9, 2023

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Sunday, July 9, 2023.

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Crabb brothers put on a show in quarterfinals matchup at Hermosa Beach Open

• July 9, 2023

HERMOSA BEACH — Brothers Taylor and Trevor Crabb are as close as can be. They live together, train together and they even hosted their own Instagram show titled “Drinking Whiskey with the Crabbs.”

But after the two were matched up against each other in the AVP Hermosa Beach Pro Open quarterfinals on Saturday, one could barely tell they knew each other.

During warmups there wasn’t a handshake, head nod or any real type of acknowledgment from the two brothers. During the match, they didn’t smile at each other or shake hands in between sets.

Instead, the two were locked in hopes of advancing to the next round of the tournament and avoiding dropping to the contender’s bracket where the losers would have to play an extra early morning game in order to get back to the winner’s bracket.

In the end, it was Trevor Crabb and his partner Theo Brunner who came out on top beating Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

“It’s always a battle playing against Taylor,” Trevor Crabb said. “We know each other so well and I think everyone in the crowd loves it. Me and my brother both love playing against each other and it just makes for good competition.”

Though the Crabb brothers grew up in Hawaii, they have long been volleyball royalty in Southern California. Both Taylor and Trevor played indoor volleyball at Long Beach State and reside in nearby Redondo Beach.

As a junior at Long Beach State, Taylor Crabb was named the National Collegiate Player of the Year in 2013 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Trevor turned pro after graduating from Long Beach State and was named AVP Rookie of the Year in 2014.

Coming into Hermosa Beach, Taylor Crabb was paired with Olympian volleyball player Taylor Sander while Trevor Crabb was paired with Theo Brunner who won the 2018 and 2022 Hermosa Beach Open.

Taylor Crabb and Sander were able to capture the first set 21-17. The duo took advantage of their attacking opportunities, recording a hitting percentage of 45.8%.

Set 2 went to Trevor Crabb and Brunner 21-15. Led by Trevor Crabb’s 11 kills in the second set, Trevor Crabb and Brunner forced a decisive third set.

The final set was tight with both teams only holding leads less than two, but there was a decisive call that shifted the tide of the game.

With Trevor Crabb and Brunner up 13-11, Brunner spiked a ball that landed just in front of Taylor Crabb and Sander’s side of the net. At first, the point was not counted as one official called a net fault.

But after talking it over with the down official, the call was overturned which gave Trevor Crabb and Brunner a 14-11 lead, and the duo eventually closed it out with a 15-11 set win.

Taylor Crabb, who was unavailable for postgame media availability, was visibly upset after the match was over as he argued with the officiating crew who made the call.

“It was their point,” Brunner said. “We would have won anyway, but that was their point.”

Though Trevor Crabb said he was happy to win the match, he didn’t feel much pressure going into the matchup with his brother.

“(Whenever we play each other) I always just look at him as my brother,” Trevor Crabb said.

Trevor is looking to win his first Hermosa Beach championship while his partner Brunner is looking to win his third championship.

“Winning is the goal for every tournament we come into, so it would be awesome if we can come out on top,” Trevor Crabb said.

Brunner and Trevor Crabb were awarded with an automatic bid to the tournament semifinals which will take place at 10:35 a.m. on Sunday.

Taylor Crabb and Sander still have a shot at making it back to the winner’s bracket.

They will face Miles Evans and former NBA player and dunk contest runner-up Chase Budinger in the contender’s bracket at 8:30 a.m.. The winner will jump their way back to the winner’s bracket and have a spot in the semifinals.

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Reincarnate gives Bob Baffert his seventh straight Los Alamitos Derby win

• July 9, 2023

Death, political debates on social media and Bob Baffert winning the Los Alamitos Derby.  The Hall of Fame trainer has practically owned the race since it was transferred from Hollywood Park to Los Alamitos in 2014, and the 10th running was no different Saturday.

Reincarnate, the even-money favorite who was freshened coming off a 13th-place showing in the Kentucky Derby on May 6, gave Baffert his seventh consecutive victory in the race, formerly known as the Swaps Stakes when run at Hollywood Park, and eighth in the past nine editions.

Jockey Juan Hernandez, who swept the three stakes races run during the nine-day L.A. County Fair meet that ends Sunday, was aboard for the victory and has ridden the Good Magic colt in two of his three lifetime victories. He broke sharply, carved out fractions of 23.23, 47.75 and 1:11.99 while going gate to wire and finished the mile and an eighth in 1:48.72.

“I loved his race,” Hernandez said. “He broke really, really sharp. He was comfortable all the way.”

Baffert, who used the Los Alamitos Derby as a prep for West Coast before he won the Travers Stakes in 2017, has similar plans with Reincarnate, who’s been a model of consistency throughout his nine starts. He’s finished off the board only once and improved his bankroll to $420,650 with the winner’s check Saturday for $75,000.

“We’d like to do the same with this colt (run in the Travers),” Baffert said. “I told (Juan) that he was back to how he was when he won the Sham (Jan. 8 at Santa Anita). It was very important to get the win with him, especially when you know how good Skinner is.”

Skinner, who was scratched the day before the Kentucky Derby when he spiked a fever and again before the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 4 when trainer John Shirreffs reportedly didn’t like the way he galloped preparing for the race, went postward as the 6-5 second choice and closed for second under Mike Smith, 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

“These stakes races always come up tough in California,” Baffert said. “We’re like the SEC (Southeastern Conference) out here.”

Hernandez had a ton of horse underneath him the whole way.

“He looked like he was just waiting for company because he put his ears up,” he said. “When the company came around the three-eighths pole, I asked him and he picked it up really well. In the stretch he switched leads and he opened up again. Bob had him ready today.”

Skinner, third in the Santa Anita Derby, held second by 2 1/2 lengths over 23-1 longshot Prince Abu Dhabi. Abeliefinthislivin and Smart Mo completed the order of finish in a field shortened to five with the scratch of Yellow Brick.

Ramon Vazquez has virtually clinched his fourth consecutive Los Alamitos riding title heading into the final day of the meet. He has nine victories and is scheduled to ride in five of Sunday’s 10 races. Only Geovanni Franco, who has five victories and is slated to ride five horses Sunday, has an outside chance to tie or catch Vazquez.

In the trainers’ race, Baffert, who won two races Saturday, leads with five victories, one more than Peter Miller, Hector Palma, Jesus Uranga and Milton Pineda.

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NBA reveals long-awaited plans for in-season tournament that’ll start in November

• July 9, 2023

By TIM REYNOLDS (AP Basketball Writer)

LAS VEGAS — Coming soon: the NBA Cup.

The NBA unveiled the details Saturday of its inaugural in-season tournament, which will have a prize pool of about $18 million and will be capped by a championship game — which won’t count in the standings — in Las Vegas on Dec. 9. It’s an event that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wanted for years, giving teams a trophy to play for during the regular season.

And now, it’s finally reality.

“This is a concept that has been rumbling around the league office for about 15 years,” Silver said. “It’s not a new concept in sports. For those that follow particularly international soccer, it’s a long tradition of having in-season tournaments … so we thought, what a perfect opportunity for a global league like the NBA and it’s a perfect fit for our game.”

The tournament payouts for players on standard contracts will be $500,000 apiece for those on the winning team, $200,000 apiece for those on the runner-up, $100,000 apiece for those on the teams that lose semifinal games and $50,000 for those on the teams that lose in the quarterfinals.

Two-way players on any of those teams are eligible for up to half those amounts, depending on how many games they spend on a roster during the tournament.

“I can see what the aim could be,” said Miami guard Josh Richardson, who follows global soccer closely and understands the parallels Silver makes when comparing it to in-season tournaments that sport has around the world. “It gives you another chance to win something, for real. I think that’s a big part.”

Games will start on Nov. 3, being played mostly on Tuesdays and Fridays in November — except for Nov. 7, when the NBA will play no games to commemorate Election Day. That announcement came Saturday, and will mark the second consecutive year when the NBA has no games on that date with hopes of promoting civic awareness and engagement.

The Final Four will be in Las Vegas.

“This city knows how to host big events,” Silver said.

Teams were assigned to a five-team group. They’ll play one game against each other; the six group winners will make the quarterfinals, as will the best two second-place teams from the groups.

They were chosen as follows:

West Group A — Memphis, Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and Portland.

West Group B — Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans, Dallas and Houston.

West Group C — Sacramento, Golden State, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

East Group A — Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Indiana and Detroit.

East Group B — Milwaukee, New York, Miami, Washington and Charlotte.

East Group C — Boston, Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago and Orlando.

“I’m excited about this midseason tournament,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “I think it’s going to add an element of energy and excitement for the players and coaches and the fans. I think it’s a great idea.”

Joe Dumars, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations and a Hall of Famer as a player, said he thinks players will like the idea — even if it takes some time.

“Everybody’s not going to buy in right away,” Dumars said. “That can’t be the goal, that everybody’s going to buy in from Day 1. These things take time. And I think as time goes on you can build this up and people can really get into it.”

Tournament games, except for the championship game, will all count in the standings — much in the same way that the WNBA runs its Commissioner’s Cup event.

It’s been known for some time that teams will be getting only an 80-game schedule when the 2023-24 slate is released by the NBA in the coming weeks.

Games 81 and 82 will be added in December; this is where things get tricky.

Teams that don’t make the knockout stage will be assigned two games against other non-knockout qualifiers, and those will be the missing two games on their schedules.

For the eight teams that make the knockout stage, the quarterfinal game becomes the 81st game added to their schedule. Quarterfinal losers — two from the East, two from the West — will play each other, and that’ll be the 82nd game on their schedules. Semifinalists — again, two from the East, two from the West — will play, and that game becomes the 82nd game on their schedules.

That means the championship game will be one of 83 games on the schedule for the last two teams standing. And since the season is 82 games, that game won’t count in the standings, nor will the stats count for anything. They’ll be playing for money and the trophy.

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Julio Urias will open Dodgers’ second half, Clayton Kershaw’s return uncertain

• July 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ starting rotation has been unsettled and in flux for most of the first half. Why should the All-Star break change that?

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Julio Urias will start the team’s first game of the second half Friday at Citi Field against the New York Mets. Everything else, Roberts said, is still under discussion.

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw will be eligible to come off the injured list for the series in New York, but Roberts was noncommittal about whether Kershaw will be ready to pitch then.

“I think every day has been better,” Roberts said of Kershaw, who has not pitched since June 27 in Colorado due to a sore shoulder. “From what I saw (in Kershaw’s flat-ground throwing session), it looks good. And he’ll just take his break. And we’ll see what we do from there.”

Roberts said Kershaw has thrown only a handful of pitches off a mound this week. He would likely have to throw at least one bullpen session to test his shoulder and prepare for a return to the rotation. But Roberts said he doesn’t think Kershaw would need to throw to hitters – whether in a live batting practice session or on a rehab assignment – before coming off the IL.

Meanwhile, rookie right-handers Emmet Sheehan and Bobby Miller threw live batting practice to hitters briefly Saturday afternoon.

The Dodgers used an opener, left-hander Alex Vesia, for right-hander Michael Grove on Saturday “to give Shohei (Ohtani) different looks … that’s probably the impetus, the driver,” Roberts said.

TAYLOR TIME

Chris Taylor will be ready to rejoin the Dodgers when they open the second half in New York, Roberts said.

The utility player was assigned to the Dodgers’ team in the Arizona Complex League and began a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment Friday. Taylor played five innings in left field and went 1 for 2 with a single, a strikeout and a walk.

Roberts said Taylor will get additional at-bats in simulated-game settings arranged at Camelback Ranch but won’t need to continue his rehab assignment before rejoining the Dodgers.

“The hope is that he’ll be back with us when we start this road trip,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he needs to play more. I think that he’ll get some at-bats, some simulated things we’ll kind of put together. But as far as games, I don’t think he needs it.”

Taylor has been sidelined since June 16 with a knee injury, though he made pinch-hit appearances on June 20 and 21.

MOOKIE MAGIC

Over the 10 games before Saturday, Mookie Betts had reached base in 28 of 47 plate appearances – 12 walks, two singles, eight doubles and six home runs – while driving in 14 runs and scoring 13.

According to OptaStats, Betts is just the seventh player since 1920 to have a dozen extra-base hits, a dozen walks, a dozen runs scored and a dozen RBI in a 10-game span. The others were Babe Ruth in 1921, Rogers Hornsby in 1928, Mel Ott in 1929, Lou Gehrig in 1935, Vic Wertz in 1950 and Ted Williams in 1950 and 1951.

Betts was the runner-up for the National League MVP in his first season with the Dodgers, the abbreviated 2020 season. But Roberts said Betts “is as comfortable as he’s been in a Dodger uniform” and is playing even better now than he did in 2020.

“I think so. Yeah,” Roberts said. “You know, 2020 was a sprint. Everything was new to him. I think this is the true authentic version of Mookie. And so I think for me, yeah, this is probably the best version I’ve seen.”

UP NEXT

The Dodgers are off for the All-Star break.

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Angels’ Brandon Drury gets good news from MRI on shoulder

• July 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — In a season in which the Angels have gotten so much bad medical news, they were relieved with what they learned after Brandon Drury underwent an MRI exam on his sore left shoulder.

The tests showed only inflammation, with no structural damage, so the Angels infielder received a cortisone injection.

Drury said on Saturday, a day after the MRI, that he already felt better.

“I have more range of motion,” he said. “I’m feeling a little better each day now.”

Asked when he thinks he could play again, Drury said: “If it keeps progressing like I think it’s going to, hopefully right after the break or shortly after the break. I’ll probably start to hit and start taking some ground balls in the next couple days.”

The Angels are already without Mike Trout for at least another month after he fractured a bone in his wrist. Anthony Rendon is currently out — although not on the injured list — with a shin contusion from a foul ball.

A setback for Drury would have been another difficult blow for the Angels. Drury is hitting .277 with 14 homers and an .822 OPS. Drury was also hitting .303 with runners in scoring position.

He hurt his left shoulder on a diving play on June 28. Initially, he didn’t think it was anything serious, so he didn’t think he needed an MRI.

“I was just hoping I jammed it and needed some days to let it rest,” Drury said. “But it wasn’t getting much better so I decided to get the MRI yesterday.”

MORE INJURY NEWS

Left-hander Matt Moore (strained oblique) threw a simulated game on Saturday morning.

Moore threw 20 pitches and said he “felt great.” Manager Phil Nevin said Moore will face hitters again on Tuesday in Arizona.

One of the hitters who stood in the box against Moore on Saturday was shortstop Zach Neto (strained oblique). Neto did not swing the bat against Moore, but he will be ready to swing against live pitching in the coming days. Neto will also be sent to Arizona during the All-Star break.

“He’ll come back on Thursday and we’ll re-evaluate where he’s at,” Nevin said. “If he’s ready, we’ll get him out there.”

Rendon (left shin contusion) remained on the active roster, even though he was too sore to start.

Outfielder Taylor Ward (groin) felt a tweak during Tuesday’s game, but he and the Angels believed he was well enough to play on Friday night. After the game, Nevin decided that Ward needed some more time, so he did not start him on Saturday.

“He said he felt OK but some of the lateral movements were a little off,” Nevin said. “It was worrisome enough for me to say ‘Let’s keep him out today and give him six days off.’”

NOTES

David Fletcher was not in the lineup for the fourth straight game on Saturday, with Andrew Velazquez starting instead. He had started nine of the first 10 games after he was recalled from Triple-A. “I just like the way Squid is playing defense,” Nevin said. “He’s putting the ball in play, doing everything we’re asking as far as bunting. The defense has been the deciding factor.” …

Nevin said Ohtani is scheduled to start the first game after the All-Star break, against the Houston Astros next Friday at Angel Stadium. Reid Detmers and Tyler Anderson will start the following two games of the series. The Angels are then undecided in which order Griffin Canning and Patrick Sandoval will pitch against the New York Yankees, with Jaime Barría working in the series finale.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 7-4, 3.32) vs. Astros (TBD), Friday, 6:38 p.m., Angel Stadium, Bally Sports West,  830 AM.

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