Angels score early, bullpen holds lead to secure victory for Griffin Canning

• April 26, 2023

ANAHEIM —Griffin Canning achieved a milestone on Tuesday night, picking up his first victory since June 2021, before he spent a season and a half recovering from a back injury.

But the Angels right-hander wasn’t celebrating his personal success after the Angels’ 5-3 victory over the Oakland A’s.

“I’m just happy the team won,” Canning said. “Doesn’t matter if I get it or somebody else. I want to go out there and give the team the best chance to win.”

Canning added that this was “a really good team win. Some timely hitting, some good defense and the bullpen came in and did a great job.”

The Angels needed all of that after a discouraging 10-inning loss to the hapless A’s on Monday night. After also losing to the last-place Kansas City Royals on Saturday, the Angels were struggling to rack up victories against those two rebuilding teams at the clip they had hoped. They are now 3-2 on the homestand, and 12-12 on the season, with two more games to go against Oakland.

The list of positive developments on Tuesday began with Canning, but most notably included an effective night for the bullpen. The Angels’ two best relievers, Matt Moore and Carlos Estévez, had both been unavailable on Monday, but they split the final nine outs on Tuesday.

“Knowing the way these past few games have been, knowing the team needed me, my guys in the bullpen needed me, it feels great to go out there and show everyone that ‘Hey, I got your back,’” said Estévez, who recorded the final five outs. “I’m here. I can do it.”

They secured a victory for Canning, who was charged with three runs in five-plus innings. One of the runs scored after he was out of the game.

“A lot of things are feel for him, with the breaking stuff and the changeup,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “You take almost two years off, it’s hard to get that back. It takes some time. But he’s been really good for us.”

Canning has worked at least five innings in all three games, but he hasn’t yet finished the sixth inning. He allowed two runs in each of his first two starts.

“I feel great,” Canning said. “I feel like I’m finding my breaking pitches a little bit earlier in each game. A lot of positives.”

Canning gave up a run in the first and then cruised through three innings. In the fifth, he began to show some signs of trouble, allowing a homer to Shea Langeliers and a single to No. 9 hitter Kevin Smith, both on misplaced off-speed pitches.

Canning also threw three of his slowest five fastballs of the game, which is a sign Nevin often cites when explaining why he pulls pitchers. Nevin left Canning out to face right-hander Brent Rooker leading off the sixth, and he gave up a double.

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With two lefties due in the next three hitters, left-hander Aaron Loup entered. He got two outs before giving up a run-scoring double to right-handed pinch-hitter Jordan Diaz.

That run cut the Angels’ lead to 4-3, which is tighter than it seemed the game would be after the Angels began the game with four runs in the first inning.

Facing flame-throwing right-hander Mason Miller in his second major league start, the Angels saw a steady stream of 100 mph fastballs.

Mike Trout doubled down the right field line. An out later, Anthony Rendon walked. Both scored when Brandon Drury’s hit dropped in front of center fielder Esteury Ruiz and rolled to the warning track. Luis Rengifo then knocked in Drury and stole second, and Gio Urshela drove in Rengifo.

Taylor Ward knocked in an insurance run with a two-out single in the sixth. Ward, who also singled in the second, had been in a 5-for-43 slump.

​ Orange County Register 

Balanced Oilers pounce on Kings’ miscues for 3-2 series lead

• April 26, 2023

EDMONTON, Alberta — What not to do when you are trying to regain lost momentum …

• Take an early penalty.

• Continue to take penalties against the league’s best power play.

That hardly covered the Kings’ error-riddled performance in Game 5 on Tuesday night – a 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place – but that is a decent start at getting the general idea across.

The early messaging?

“Move on,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “That’s obviously not good enough, wasn’t close to good enough. Probably doesn’t get you a win in Game 2 of the regular season. So move on.”

Said Kings captain Anze Kopitar: “I just think we’ve got to play more assertive right from the start. It’s the start that we didn’t want tonight and didn’t need.

“More desperate and a lot more assertive.”

The Oilers now lead the best-of-seven, first-round playoff series 3-2. A year ago, the Kings were the team that held a 3-2 series lead before the Oilers went on to win in seven games in the opening round.

This time, there is a sizable gap in the schedule as Game 6 is on Saturday at Cyrpto.com Arena, which conceivably could help the Kings regroup, reset … or whatever word you want to use.

One Kings player who will need the rest and plenty of ice is Drew Doughty, who blocked a Connor McDavid shot in the second period and looked to be in discomfort. Doughty stayed in the game but didn’t quite look like his usual self.

Another looming issue: Which Kings goaltender should get the start for the elimination game?

That will be one of the many questions facing the Kings leading up to Game 6. Starting goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was pulled at 11:49 of the second period for Pheonix Copley after allowing four goals on 19 shots. Copley faced eight shots and allowed two goals in what was his first NHL playoff game.

“They do a good job every night,” Kings forward Adrian Kempe said. “(Korpisalo) has been playing great for us all series. We can’t ask too much from them. Obviously, it’s hard to come in, in this building, for (Copley), who hadn’t played in a little while. We’ve got to be better in front of them, for sure.”

The other Kings player making his NHL playoff debut was defenseman Sean Walker, who drew in for veteran Alexander Edler. Walker got the word on Monday that he would be in the lineup for Game 5. Walker missed almost all of the 2021-22 season with torn knee ligaments which required surgery.

“It’s great,” Walker said of making his playoff debut. “Obviously would have been nice to be with the guys last year. With the injury and all, I couldn’t. But I was happy to get in there. Hopefully, next game can contribute a little more to helping the team get a win.”

The winning recipe for Edmonton went well beyond the McDavid/Leon Draisaitl Show. Thirteen different Oilers landed on the scoresheet, including McDavid, who had two assists, and Draisaitl, who scored his sixth goal of the series. Nick Bjugstad scored twice, his first goals of the series.

The Oilers scored three times in the first period, twice in the second and once in the third. They went 2 for 3 on the power play, and the Kings, who didn’t get their first power play until the third period, went 0 for 1 with the man advantage.

The Kings got goals from Alex Iafallo and Kempe, both in the first period, and Quinton Byfield, in the third. It was Byfield’s first career playoff goal. Kempe had the primary assist on Iafallo’s goal, which pulled the Kings to 2-1 at 13:12.

Byfield started the game on the first line and dropped to the third line by the end of the first period and then the fourth line, by virtue of a dreadful defensive effort in the first period. He was minus-two after the first 20 minutes, on the ice for the Oilers’ second and third goals.

That the Kings were only trailing 3-2 after the first period had a lot to do with the collective effort leading to Iafallo’s goal and the stellar individual showing by Kempe, who cut their deficit to one goal. It also had plenty to do with a mistake-filled showing by Edmonton in the opening period.

“It was overwhelming early in the game but when we made it 3-2 – we had an opportunity to get back in,” McLellan said. “The fourth one really hurt us obviously. From there, there was no catching up.”

It didn’t take a long, winding summation to break down what went wrong.

“There was some defensive zone stuff,” McLellan said. “The first two low goals, we were beat in certain situations. Two on the power play again. And that’s the night.”

That the Oilers rallied from a similar deficit a year ago is not applicable.

“We have to write our own stories,” McLellan said. “We can’t rely on what they did to us last year. … I’m sure their coach was saying the same thing last year. We have to bring our best to Game 6 to even have an opportunity at the series.

“And I’m confident our group can do that.”

​ Orange County Register 

UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson awaits NFL draft, future

• April 26, 2023

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson spent the past five years at UCLA proving he belongs on the biggest of stages, including the NFL.

The Bruins’ former quarterback will be in Las Vegas this week as he waits to hear his name called during the NFL draft and have one of his dreams come true.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now,” Thompson-Robinson said. “Now that it’s finally here, it’s super special to be able to spend time back home with my family. It’s going to be a big week and we are excited about it.”

UCLA coach Chip Kelly has been one of the biggest believers in Thompson-Robinson, a player he didn’t originally recruit, by giving him the opportunity to play as a true freshman and earn the starting role.

“He’s given everything for the last five years,” Kelly said. “He’s a special player and will go down in UCLA history as one of the tough and competitive guys that had the opportunity to put the uniform on.”

Thompson-Robinson is one of the most experienced quarterbacks eligible for the draft, having set UCLA career records for completions (860), passing yards (10,710), and touchdowns (88). He’s also the Bruins’ all-time leader in total offense with 12,536 yards and is the only player in program history to reach 12,000.

“Nothing fazed him and he stayed true to himself the whole time and never questioned himself,” said former UCLA offensive lineman Atonio Mafi. “I’ll always respect him for that. It takes a lot of guts to be a quarterback in L.A., especially the (early) years we had there.

“It was really rough but I truly think he left that position room a lot better than he found it.”

While Kelly had encouraged Thompson-Robinson to leave after the 2021 season, the quarterback took advantage of the extra year of eligibility that the NCAA granted all student-athletes because of the COVID-19 pandemic and led the Bruins to a 9-4 overall record and an appearance in the Sun Bowl.

He spent his final season building a professional mindset for himself, moving off campus and taking strides to learn some of the off-the-field aspects that come with being a future professional athlete.

Thompson-Robinson, who projects as an early Day 3 selection (fifth round) in the seven-round draft, also worked closely with former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer and his stable of NFL prospects in Orange County, following the conclusion of his college career.

“Dorian is a guy, he’s intelligent and played a lot of football,” Palmer said on the Rich Eisen Show in February. “I think he’s one of the top 10 playmakers in this draft in terms of a dude with the ball in his hands and making something happen but he’s a pocket passer.”

Palmer’s stable of quarterbacks includes potential first-round picks Will Levis of Kentucky and Hendon Hooker of Tennessee.

“I am enough,” Thompson-Robinson said about what he’s learned about himself through the draft process. “Sometimes as athletes, we like to compare ourselves. … I got to compare myself firsthand to a lot of guys and know that I have enough skills and talent to make it and do what it takes at the next level.”

The “I am enough” mantra that the quarterback has reiterated throughout the process also applied when Thompson-Robinson was willing to go above and beyond to show teams what all he has to offer.

Thompson-Robinson has displayed his ability as a dual-threat quarterback during the 50 college games he played by running with the football and occasionally hurdling a defender to extend plays. He finished his college career rushing for 1,826 yards and 28 touchdowns on 471 carries.

He also spent time as a receiver in high school and was willing to display that ability in front of scouts but was declined the opportunity.

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“A lot went into the decision,” Thompson-Robinson said about wanting to showcase his abilities outside of what is expected of a quarterback. “Obviously, I wanted to create the most value for myself going into the league and give myself the best chance to get on to the field.

“That was kind of the thought process but it really speaks volumes to what I’ve put on tape and the things I’ve been able to accomplish at UCLA that teams don’t want to see me at any other position besides quarterback.”

Thompson-Robinson said he has met with the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chargers among other teams in recent weeks.

“I think they are getting a guy that’s chasing consistency,” Thompson-Robinson said. “That’s the thing that will keep you around the longest. … They’re getting a hard worker and someone who will represent them well.”

​ Orange County Register 

12 beers in less than 3 hours: A binge or a ruse in Temescal Valley triple-murder case?

• April 26, 2023

The prosecution in the murder trial of a Temescal Valley man who is accused of causing the traffic collision that killed three teenagers in 2020 after they played ding dong ditch on him sought on Tuesday, April 25, to cast doubt on Anurag Chandra’s testimony — including his claim that he drank 12 beers in the hours before the crash.

Chandra, 45, took the witness stand for a second day. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts each of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Chandra previously testified that he saw a person in front of his home on Jan. 19, 2020, who wore a sweatshirt hood over his head. That person knocked on the door, rang the doorbell and exposed his buttocks. Chandra said he was afraid for his family’s safety, so he climbed in his car in an effort to chase down that person’s car and verbally express his anger.

He said the teens’ 2002 Toyota Prius sideswiped his 2019 Infiniti during the chase. Chandra said he continued to pursue the Prius and rear-ended the car when the Prius suddenly braked.

The Prius skidded into a tree on Temescal Canyon Road, killing three boys and badly injuring three others. Chandra then slowly drove past the crash site before heading home. He said he didn’t stop because he didn’t realize anyone was injured and didn’t believe he was responsible for the collision.

A prosecution crash-reconstruction expert testified Monday that Chandra had intentionally rammed the Prius, at one point driving 99 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Chandra, in a video played Tuesday of his interrogation in a California Highway Patrol office following his arrest, told Investigator Steve Cuevas that he “very, very rarely” drank alcohol.

Chandra testified Tuesday that after drinking 12 bottles of Corona Premiere between 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. the night of the crash, he planned to rise by about 5 a.m. the next day to meet a distributor at work in Buena Park to discuss a business deal.

Chandra also testified that despite the alcohol consumption, he was driving under control, even using his turn signals, as he pursued the Prius.

“Did you say 12 beers to give yourself a defense against premeditated murder?” Beecham asked.

“No,” Chandra said, before adding: “I’m not an attorney.”

Drake Ruiz, Daniel Hawkins and Jacob Ivascu were killed in January 2020 when, prosecutors say, Anurag Chandra rammed their car off the road in Temescal Valley. Chandra faces three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in 2023. (Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chandra testified that he arrived home as his wife was taking out the garbage can. She asked about the damage to their car, he said, and he responded that he didn’t want to talk about it and would “take care of things later.”

Officers who found the Infiniti’s front license plate at the crash scene arrived at his home a short time later, around 11 p.m., and knocked on the door and shined their flashlights. But Chandra testified he was asleep, having passed out from the “overwhelming stress.”

He finally awoke at about 2 a.m. and called 911 to report suspicious people outside his home. He didn’t mention the collision to the dispatcher, who explained in the 911 tape played for jurors that those people were law enforcement officers.

“Why are the officers at my door?” Chandra asked the dispatcher.

Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday.

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​ Orange County Register 

Tesoro baseball defeats Capistrano Valley in 9 innings, takes control in South Coast League

• April 26, 2023

Tesoro’s baseball team grabbed sole possession of first place in the South Coast League in a dramatic way Tuesday.

The Titans scored in the bottom of the ninth inning for a walk-off 2-1 win over Capistrano Valley at Tesoro High School.

Tesoro is 8-2 in the South Coast League. Capistrano Valley is 7-3. They play each other twice more this week, the final week of the regular season. Wednesday’s game is at Capistrano Valley and Friday’s game is at Tesoro.

With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, senior Jacob Lambdin led off with a bad-hop single through the infield. Senior Jackson Kemmerer followed with a bunt that Capistrano Valley pitcher Owen Geiss fielded cleanly but his throw was high and sailed into right field, allowing Lambdin to score.

Geiss had another outstanding day of pitching. The senior, who signed with Long Beach State, entered the game with a 1.36 ERA, and he held Tesoro to four hits and one earned run.

Lamdin, a senior, pitched the final three innings, holding the Cougars to one hit and no runs with five strikeouts. His base hit in the sixth inning drove in the run that made it 1-1.

Tesoro (18-8 overall), No. 11 in the Orange County Top 25, has won 11 of its past 13 games. No. 15 Capistrano Valley is 13-12 overall.

The Titans were the CIF Southern Section Division 4 and CIF Southern California Regional Division IV champions last season.

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“This team is putting it together at the end of the season like we did last year when we got hot and kept it going,” said Tesoro coach Tony Nieto. “That’s a tribute to our players, and especially our seniors. We have 11 seniors who don’t want the season to end.”

Nieto said big defensive plays were plentiful Tuesday, with Kemmerer making a diving catch in left field in the first inning and Tanner Tobias expertly handling bunts.

​ Orange County Register 

Suspect wanted in stalking case shot and injured by Placentia police in Fullerton

• April 26, 2023

A suspect wanted in connection to a stalking case was shot by a Placentia police detective in Fullerton on Tuesday, officials said.

The incident happened around 5:52 p.m. on the 3200 block of Yorba Linda Boulevard. Placentia Police Sgt. Joe Connell said detectives attempted to make contact and detain the suspect when the officer-involved shooting occurred. No detectives were injured.

The 39-year-old suspect was hospitalized and is expected to survive, said Connell. Details on whether the suspect was armed or what prompted the shooting were not immediately made available. Police said the incident was still under investigation.

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​ Orange County Register 

Pacifica baseball tops Cypress to clinch at least a share of Empire League title

• April 26, 2023

GARDEN GROVE – It’s one of the better high school baseball rivalries and Chad Gurnea was feeling it.

The Pacifica right-hander, who has been the Mariners’ top starting pitcher this season, struck out five in three innings of relief Tuesday to help secure a 4-2 win over Cypress.

The win clinched a share of the Empire League championship for Pacifica. It is the school’s seventh Empire League championship. The last one came in 2021 when the Mariners were co-champions with, of course, Cypress, which won last year’s league championship by one game over second-place Pacifica.

Pacifica racked up several Garden Grove League baseball titles before moving to the Empire League in 2006.

Gurnea, a senior, is 8-2 with four complete games, three shutouts and a 0.35 ERA. He was beyond ready for the moment when he entered the game with a two-run lead in the fifth inning.

“Coming in late I had a little more adrenaline there,” said Gurnea, who signed with Cal State Fullerton. “Getting those last three outs was huge.”

Cypress still can get a share of the league championship. The Centurions are home against Pacifica on Thursday, the final regular-season game for both teams.

If Cypress wins and the teams are tied for first place a coin flip would decide which team goes into the CIF Southern Section playoffs as the Empire League’s No. 1 playoff representative, an important distinction that almost certainly guarantees a first-round game at home.

Tuesday’s win extended Pacifica’s Orange County-leading winning streak to 16 games. The Mariners are 21-2 overall and 9-0 in league. They are No. 7 in the Orange County Top 25 and No. 9 in the CIF-SS Division 1 Top 10.

Cypress, No. 6 in the county rankings and No. 7 in CIF-SS Division 1, is 20-7 overall and 8-1 in league.

Pacifica junior third baseman Aiden Marquez was 3 for 4 with an RBI double and a run scored. Senior center fielder Ryan Anema sent home a run on a squeeze bunt and junior right fielder Jacob Zanaboni pushed across a run with a bases-loaded walk.

Senior right-hander Logan Brady, right there with Gurnea as an effective starting pitcher, started Tuesday and got the win. He is 8-0.

Cypress had a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the first inning junior left fielder Gabe Cobian, who committed to Long Beach State, pulled a one-out double to the right-field corner and scored on Nick Montgomery’s ground out.

Centurions junior designated hitter Justin Tillar opened the second inning with a single and scored on junior third baseman Jackson Pohl’s single to make it 2-0.

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Pacifica tied it in the bottom of the second when senior DH Ryland Chastain scored on a wild pitch and Zanaboni’s bases-loaded walk plated the second run.

Marquez’s double in the fourth inning drove in senior second baseman Tristin Brinkman to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead and Marquez scored on Anema’s bunt.

The CIF-SS baseball playoff brackets will be released Monday at 11 a.m.

​ Orange County Register 

VOTE: Southern California Boys Athlete of the Week, April 28

• April 26, 2023

Each week, publications from the Southern California News Group’s 11 properties (Orange County Register, L.A. Daily News, Press-Enterprise, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Press-Telegram, The Daily Breeze, San Bernardino Sun, Daily Bulletin, Redlands Daily Facts, Whittier Daily News and Pasadena-Star News) select the Athletes of the Week for their respective region.

Each athlete is then entered into the overall Southern California Athlete of the Week vote.

Click on the newspaper links below the athlete’s name to read about their performance from last week, and then vote for who you think deserves the top honor.

Readers are allowed to vote multiple times. Voting ends at Friday at noon, but final totals aren’t always immediately reflected due to processing.

GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK VOTING

The overall winner will be announced on Friday, April 28.

Voting poll at bottom of the page.

Ernesto Duenas, Gladstone: He kept the Gladiators’ Montview League title hopes alive by throwing a no-hitter with 18 strikeouts in a 9-0 win over Sierra Vista. Gladstone (7-1 in league) has two games against Nogales this week that will decide the league title. The Gladiators have only 10 players on their roster.

Aaron Gonzalez, Castaic: Gonzalez was instrumental in the Coyotes’ three wins last week, including two victories over Foothill League foe Saugus. The senior went a combined 7 for 11 batting with 12 RBIs as Castaic secured its first baseball playoff berth.

Eric Vasquez, Narbonne: Vasquez helped lead Narbonne to a sweep of San Pedro with his six-inning outing last week. Vasquez allowed two runs, one earned, four hits, walked two and struck out four. Vasquez and the Gauchos face Rancho Dominguez this week in a Marine League series.

Aiden Aguayo, La Mirada: Aguayo went 3 for 4 and nearly hit for the cycle in La Mirada’s 14-1 win at Warren on Thursday, April 20. The UCLA baseball commit missed the cycle by a double as he hit a two-run home run, triple and single. He also scored three runs and garnered a walk in his team’s key Gateway League victory.

Jayden Alden, Murrieta Valley: Alden made a long eagle putt on the final hole for a round of 3-under-par 33 to earn medalist honors as Murrieta Valley edged Great Oak 187-188 at Bear Creek Golf Club. The win clinched at least a share of the Southwestern League championship for the Nighthawks. It is the program’s first league title since 2018. On the last hole, Alden reached the green on the par-5 ninth in two shots and then sank a 60-foot putt to register the eagle.

Colin Barker, Aliso Niguel: He scored five goals and had one assist in a 12-11 win over San Juan Hills as the Wolverines clinched the Sea View League championship. Barker totaled nine goals and 14 points over Aliso Niguel’s three wins during the week. Aliso Niguel went into this week 13-5 overall and 5-0 in league. The CIF-SS boys and girls lacrosse brackets will be released Saturday.

​ Orange County Register