Francona Back In Boston; Indians Win

Francona Back In Boston; Indians Win

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Francona Back In Boston; Indians WinFrancona Back In Boston; Indians WinTigers Get Rain-Soaked Win Over IndiansTigers Get Rain-Soaked Win Over Indians

BOSTON -- Terry Francona returned to Fenway Park and found some more pleasant memories.

A standing ovation. A video tribute to his time as manager of the Boston Red Sox. And, most importantly, a win for his Cleveland Indians.

Drew Stubbs, Mark Reynolds and Michael Bourn combined for nine hits and eight RBIs and the Indians had 16 hits in their 12-3 win on Thursday night.

"I tried to keep my emotions inside," said Francona, who led the Red Sox to two World Series championships in eight years. "I didn't want to be the main focus. You want to let the players play."

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Rangers Stay Alive, Force Game 5

Rangers Stay Alive, Force Game 5

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Rangers Stay Alive, Force Game 5Rangers Stay Alive, Force Game 5Breaking Down The Rangers' Game 4 WinBreaking Down The Rangers' Game 4 WinCold Hard BlastsCold Hard BlastsB's Win Game 3, Push Rangers To The BrinkB's Win Game 3, Push Rangers To The Brink

NEW YORK -- Chris Kreider proudly wore the Broadway Hat in the victorious New York Rangers dressing room as he tried to describe the feeling of saving his team's season.

Kreider deftly steered in a pass from Rick Nash 7:03 into overtime, and the Rangers stayed alive in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

"It is so surreal," the 22-year-old Kreider said. "It's not something that can really be explained. It is something that just has to be felt, but it was awesome. I'm just excited to give these guys an opportunity to play another game.

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge denied the Brooklyn Nets permission to speak to Doc Rivers about their vacant coaching position, team and league sources confirmed to ESPNBoston.com.

Rivers has three years and $21 million remaining on his contract. The Nets did not retain interim coach P.J. Carlesimo after getting knocked out of the playoffs earlier this month.

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Reached late Thursday, Ainge refused to comment on the Nets' interest in Rivers and reiterated that he expects him back on the Celtics' bench next season.

When Dodgers manager Don Mattingly abruptly criticized the lack of fight and competitiveness on his team's "All-Star" roster Wednesday morning, he wasn't aiming that critique at the front office, despite widespread assumptions to the contrary, sources say.

In fact, the manager and general manager Ned Colletti were in agreement on those sentiments, sources told ESPN. And multiple sources say Mattingly is in no imminent danger of being fired.

Mattingly's harsh words for his players, along with the benching of struggling right fielder Andre Ethier, came just hours after a late-night meeting Tuesday with Colletti and his coaching staff. The meeting, following a 5-2 loss in Milwaukee that was their 12th in 17 games, was held in the clubhouse and lasted until after 1 a.m., even though the team had a noon game the next day.

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That meeting was not an outgrowth of a divide between Mattingly and his front office, sources said. And what came out of it was described as being something that everyone involved viewed as very positive.

Happ Discharged From Hospital

Happ Discharged From Hospital

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ said a package containing a knee brace didn't arrive Thursday as hoped, so Friday will be the earliest he'll try throwing outdoors since he suffered injuries in a graphic May 7 episode.

Happ, 30, has been rehabbing at Toronto's minor league complex outside of Tampa since he suffered sprained right knee ligaments, a fractured skull and ear contusions requiring eight stitches when he was struck on the left ear by a line drive off the bat of the Rays' Desmond Jennings in St. Petersburg, Fla.

In his first one-on-one interview since being hit, Happ told Kelly Naqi of "Outside The Lines" that his walking isn't up to par yet, he hasn't been able to begin running and his only throwing has been with a weighted ball, indoors against a wall. Happ said he was told not to increase his throwing activity without the new knee brace.

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers president Stan Kasten said he was "absolutely" understanding of manager Don Mattingly's critical comments about the team before Wednesday's game in Milwaukee and that he had no problem with them.

"I didn't know the specifics of what he was going to say -- I was out of town on the East Coast in meetings -- and I don't know what he's going to say every day, but I'm very aware of Don's thoughts on the team," Kasten told ESPN LosAngeles. "It was not an issue for me at all. [General manager] Ned [Colletti] hasn't expressed any issue to me."

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Kasten did not want to discuss Mattingly's job status, but has said he would wait until the manager's 2014 option must be picked up this fall to make that decision. Mattingly asked the Dodgers to pick up the option before spring training, but the team declined.

Avalanche Hire Patrick Roy As New Coach

Avalanche Hire Patrick Roy As New Coach

DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche are rounding up the old crew to restore the downtrodden franchise.

First, Joe Sakic was given more responsibility in the front office.

And now Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy is rejoining the Avs as head coach.

Colorado reached an agreement in principle Thursday with Roy to lead the team and also serve as vice president of hockey operations.

Cardinals Sign Tyrann Mathieu

Cardinals Sign Tyrann Mathieu

Rookie defensive back Tyrann Mathieu has signed with the Arizona Cardinals, the team announced Thursday.

Mathieu, drafted by Arizona in the third round of April's draft, signed a four-year deal that includes a fully guaranteed signing bonus worth $662,500, league sources told ESPN's Ed Werder.

While guaranteed, Mathieu will only receive $265,000 upfront and will receive the rest of the money in the way of annual roster bonuses, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.