CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto capped a two-run ninth inning with a solo homer, and the Chicago Cubs rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.

Seiya Suzuki hit a 455-foot home run for the NL Central leaders, who improved to 23-12 with their 16th win in 19 games. Chicago has won 12 in a row at home, the team’s best streak at Wrigley Field since a 14-game run in 2008.

The Reds took a 4-3 lead in the eighth when Spencer Steer lined an RBI single against Ben Brown, only to drop their fourth straight.

Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled leading off the ninth against Emilio Pagán (2-1) on a ball that popped out of center fielder Dane Myers’ glove as he tried to make a leaping catch against the wall. Crow-Armstrong scored one out later on Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly.

Conforto, batting for Matt Shaw, then drove a 3-2 pitch to center and was mobbed by happy teammates as he crossed home plate.

The teams waited out a delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes at the start because of a thunderstorm after the game was initially moved up a half hour.

The Cubs trailed 3-0 in the fourth before Suzuki tied it with a three-run drive off Chase Petty, Chicago’s longest homer of the season.

Edward Cabrera went six innings, allowing three runs and nine hits. He gave up a homer to JJ Bleday leading off the third and a two-run drive to Ke’Bryan Hayes in the fourth.

Ryan Rolison (2-0) worked the ninth.

In his first major league start this season, Petty gave up three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Reds recalled the right-hander from Triple-A Louisville prior to the game.

Up next

Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 4.41 ERA) looks to win his second straight start, while LHP Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.97) gets the ball for the Reds. Taillon tossed seven solid innings at San Diego last week.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

The robot umpire is coming to college baseball, at least on an experimental basis.

The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee on Monday approved the Southeastern Conference's request to implement a challenge system for balls and strikes for each game of the 2026 SEC Tournament. It will be similar to the system used in Major League Baseball.

Teams can challenge an umpire’s strike or ball call via an automated ball tracking system that monitors the exact location of each pitch, relative to the specific batter’s zone.

“The introduction of this challenge system at the SEC Tournament reflects our continued commitment to innovation,” Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This addition represents a continued step forward for our game, aligns more closely with the professional level and supports the development of our student-athletes as they prepare for success at the next level.”

Each team will have three challenges to start the game. If a challenge is successful, the team will retain the challenge. If the original call is confirmed, the team will lose the challenge.

Upon a challenge, the pitch location will be compared against the electronic strike zone. The result will then be displayed on the stadium videoboard and broadcast.

The SEC baseball tournament will be played May 19-24 in Hoover, Alabama.

The Automatic Ball-Strike system would be allowed for other conference tournaments if a conference wanted to use it and followed the same protocols as the SEC.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Jamahl Mosley was fired as coach of the Orlando Magic on Monday, paying the widely expected price after the team blew a 3-1 series lead and got eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity pending the team announcement.

It was Orlando’s third consecutive first-round playoff exit, and easily the most disappointing. Not only did the eighth-seeded Magic lose all three chances to upset the top-seeded Pistons, but one of those games saw Orlando have a 24-point second-half lead at home and still lose. Orlando missed 23 consecutive shots in that Game 6 loss on Friday, getting booed by fans when it was over.

That loss probably was the one that sealed Mosley’s fate, even though the loss in Game 7 at Detroit on Sunday was the one that ended the season.

Mosley is the third-winningest coach in Magic history, his 189 wins behind only Brian Hill (267) and Stan Van Gundy (259). He inherited a team that was in the early stages of a rebuild, with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs entering the league as rookies in his first season and then the Magic winning the lottery to draft Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall before Mosley’s second season.

Orlando won 22 games in Mosley’s first season, improved to 34-48 in Year 2 and has been .500 or better in all three seasons since — 47-35 in 2023-24, 41-41 last season and 45-37 this season.

That makes the Magic one of 10 teams — Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Houston, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma City are the others — to have not finished below .500 in any of the last three seasons.

It wasn’t enough. And with much of the team’s core — Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, Desmond Bane and more — under contract for the foreseeable future, the Magic clearly felt the best way to shake things up was to bring in a new coach.

“It’s been absolutely amazing journey with these guys,” Mosley said. “Their ability to grow, communicate ... we’re going to fight until the final horn goes off. And that’s what you’ve seen for a majority of the five years.”

It is a roster in need of upgrading in some ways, shooting perhaps foremost among them after Orlando was only 27th in the 30-team league in 3-point percentage this season. Injuries have also been a major issue for the Magic, including in the playoffs — with Wagner unable to play in the final three games, all losses, against Detroit.

Mosley’s job security was a talking point for much of the season, especially amid reports that he and Banchero were not on the same page. In March, Banchero acknowledged that were some moments of conflict — but thought Orlando was better for going through that.

“We’re both competitors,” Banchero said when asked then about his relationship with Mosley. “There were times where I was frustrated and I wasn’t playing as well as I think I should be. But it never became me pointing the finger at him or being disrespectful. It was all constructive; he’s talking to me, I’m talking to him. And winning, it cures everything.”

Evidently, there wasn’t enough winning.

Mosley had two seasons left on an extension that he and the Magic agreed on in March 2024. The team lauded his “preparation, work ethic, ability to connect with the players and passion he brings to the job every day brings positive results, both on the court and off” when announcing that deal.

Barely two years later, he and the Magic were parting ways.

Only seven coaches have been in their current jobs longer than Mosley was with Orlando — Miami’s Erik Spoelstra (hired in 2008), Golden State’s Steve Kerr (2014), the Clippers’ Tyronn Lue (2020), Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault (2020), Minnesota’s Chris Finch (2021), Indiana’s Rick Carlisle (2021) and Dallas’ Jason Kidd (2021).

Mosley spent 15 years as an assistant in Denver, Cleveland and Dallas — and was often mentioned as a candidate for head-coaching jobs around the league over that span — before Orlando hired him. He had a long relationship with Magic basketball operations president Jeff Weltman, who first took note of Mosley when they worked together with the Nuggets.

Mosley was the 14th coach in Magic history, the 15th if counting Billy Donovan — who accepted the job in 2007, then had second thoughts and returned to the University of Florida. Donovan just left the Chicago Bulls after six seasons as their coach, which sparked speculation that he could be the frontrunner in Orlando if the Magic indeed would be moving on from Mosley.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

BOSTON (AP) — Jury selection is expected to begin Monday in the assault trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs in connection with a heated dispute he had with his private chef.

The four-time Pro Bowl wideout pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged dispute with his former private chef.

According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs had argued about money he owed her for work. During the Dec. 2 encounter at his home in Dedham, Massachusetts, she said, he “smacked her across the face” and then “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck,” leaving her feeling short of breath. She told officers she had trouble breathing and felt she could have blacked out.

Diggs’ attorney has said he “categorically denies these allegations,” calling them unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. Diggs did not speak to reporters outside court in February.

Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with New England last year and was a key target for quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots’ AFC East title run. Before joining the Patriots, Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and played for the Buffalo Bills before a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs’ 1,000-yard season with the Patriots marked the seventh of his career. It helped complete a successful career revival after a season-ending knee injury derailed what turned out to be a one-year stay with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs, who led the team with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the Patriots, was released by the team in March. Diggs posted a goodbye on social media, thanking the Patriots for the season and saying: “We family forever.”

Diggs has yet to sign with another team.

SEATTLE (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino scored the go-ahead run in a three-run fourth inning and the Kansas City Royals held the Seattle Mariners to just four hits for a 4-1 win on Sunday.

Kris Bubic (3-1) pitched seven innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and striking out seven to finish off a three-game sweep.

Seattle’s only run came in the third when Leo Rivas scored on a fielder’s choice groundball from Josh Naylor.

Mariners starter Luis Castillo (0-3) walked Carter Jensen with the bases loaded to tie the game. Jac Caglianone followed with a grounder to Naylor, who got the force out at second but Pasquantino scored to make it a 2-1 game.

Isaac Collins then hit a fly ball to center field to score Salvador Perez from third, as Perez barely beat the throw home by Julio Rodríguez. Home plate umpire Clint Vondrak initially called Perez out, but the call was overturned and the Royals pushed their lead to two runs.

Collins drove in Caglianone with an RBI double in the sixth to make it 4-1.

In six innings, Castillo gave up four earned runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Nick Davila pitched the ninth in his MLB debut.

Daniel Lynch IV struck out three in 1 1/3 innings for his first save of the season.

Up next

Seattle: RHP Logan Gilbert (1-3, 4.03 ERA) will pitch Monday at home against Atlanta.

Kansas City: Michael Wacha (2-2, 3.13 ERA) will get the start at home against Cleveland.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit a go-ahead single in the eighth, Miguel Andujar and Manny Machado homered and the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Sunday to snap a four-game skid.

Ramón Laureano walked to lead off the eighth, stole second base and moved to third on Jackson Merrill's single. After Merrill stole second, Bogaerts singled to give San Diego a 4-3 lead.

Chicago’s Derek Hill hit a two-run shot that tied it at 3 in the seventh.

Jason Adam (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save, ending Chicago's five-game winning streak. Griffin Canning started in his debut for the Padres and allowed one run and struck out seven in five innings.

White Sox starter Anthony Kay allowed three runs — two earned — and seven hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Tyler Davis (0-1) allowed one earned run in one-plus innings.

Drew Romo hit a leadoff homer in the third that gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead.

Andujar and Machado each hit a solo shot and Bogaerts scored from third base on a passed ball — one of two by Romo — in the fourth.

Up next

White Sox: RHP Davis Martin (4-1, 1.95) starts Monday opposite RHP José Soriano (5-1, 0.84) to open a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Padres: RHP Randy Vásquez (3-0, 2.94 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Monday in the first of three games at San Francisco, which hadn't announced a starter.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

BOSTON (AP) — Cam Smith hit a two-out, two-run single off the Green Monster in the 10th inning, and the Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Sunday to take the series.

Jarren Duran hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, his second homer in three games after belting a three-run shot in Friday’s victory.

Boston went 0 for 11 and stranded 13 runners.

Boston starter Ranger Suárez left the game after four scoreless innings due to right hamstring tightness. Coming off eight scoreless innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts in his last start, he gave up three hits, struck out three and walked one.

Astros first baseman Christian Walker was back in the lineup and went 2 for 3 after leaving Saturday’s win because he was hit in the helmet by a fastball. He went 6 for 10 in the series.

Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez was just 1 for 14 in the series with a single.

After Jose Altuve bounced into a rare 6-2-5 double play, Zack Kelly (0-2) reloaded the bases with a walk before Smith’s hit. Brice Matthews was cut down at the plate after Smith was in a rundown.

Bryan Abreu (1-2) worked two innings for the victory, getting Ceddanne Rafaela to bounce into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Making his first start since going on the injured list with mid-back inflammation April 13, Houston’s Cody Bolton went 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Duran homered into the right-field seats in the fifth and Houston tied it on Matthews’ sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Up next

Astros haven’t named a starter for their Monday home game against the Dodgers. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-2, 2.87 ERA) is set to start for Los Angeles.

Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle (0-1, 3.38) is slated to start the opener of a three-game series Monday in Detroit against Tigers’ ace LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.70).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Aaron Hardie’s brilliant all-round performance led Peshawar Zalmi to its first Pakistan Super League cricket title since 2017 with a five-wicket win over newcomer Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final on Sunday.

Hardie grabbed 4-27 to bowl out Hyderabad for a below-par 129 all out in 18 overs with Saim Ayub (54) scoring a fighting half century. Hardie then hit a fluent 56 not out off 39 balls and anchored Peshawar to 130-5 in 15.2 overs in front of a packed crowd at Gaddafi Stadium.

Peshawar, which won the toss and chose to chase, had slumped to 40-4 inside the first five overs after losing its captain and tournament top run-scorer Babar Azam for a golden duck while Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis and Michael Bracewell also fell for single-digit scores.

But Hardie, who smashed nine fours, then combined in a match-winning stand of 85 runs with Abdul Samad (48), who missed out on his half century before holing out in the deep when Peshawar needed only five runs for victory.

Peshawar was favorite for the title after it lost only one game in the tournament with Babar equaling Fakhar Zaman's PSL record of 588 runs in one edition of the tournament.

Hyderabad, led by Australian Marnus Labuschagne, had a fairytale run in the tournament when it came back strongly after losing its first four league games and also knocked out both former champions Multan Sultans and Islamabad United in the playoffs.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

BERLIN (AP) — St. Pauli lost 2-1 at home to Mainz to edge closer to Bundesliga relegation, with Wolfsburg hoping to take advantage later Sunday.

Phillip Tietz and Phillipp Mwene scored in the first half for Mainz to secure its place in the division next season with no concerns about relegation. Mainz had been bottom of the table with nine defeats from 13 games when it appointed Urs Fischer as coach in December.

Wolfsburg was playing at Freiburg later and could move above St. Pauli into the relegation playoff place by avoiding defeat.

The bottom two are relegated automatically, while the team that finishes third from bottom has a two-leg playoff against the third-place finisher from the second division to determine which plays in the Bundesliga next season.

Also Sunday, Haris Tabaković scored late for Borussia Mönchengladbach to clinch its survival with a 1-0 win over second-place Borussia Dortmund.

Two rounds remain after this weekend.

Bayern Munich has already won the title with four rounds to spare. Schalke clinched promotion back to the division on Saturday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer