Eugene voters said no to funding a baseball park in May 2024
Medford could be a relocation site.
For people in Oregon who enjoy going to Eugene Emeralds minor league baseball games, this could be the last year that they could go out to the ballpark and have a nice day or night out. The Emeralds’ ownership is done talking to local politicians who cannot come up with money for a new ballpark to be built in town. The Emeralds’ ownership group put out a statement. “After four years of extensive efforts to secure a long-term home in Eugene, the Eugene Emeralds have reached a difficult conclusion: the future of professional baseball in the Emerald Valley is coming to a certain end. The organization has explored multiple options, including a proposed stadium at the Lane County Fairgrounds and potential renovations to PK Park.”
The Eugene Emeralds baseball team is a High-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants organization. The partnership began in 2021. That year, 2021, Major League Baseball reorganized the minor leagues. MLB created an entity called the Professional Development League and cut the number of minor league teams affiliated with MLB to 120. MLB also created a new set of rules for working conditions and team facilities and gave local owners and municipalities four years to either renovate or build new stadiums in that time frame or have a deal in place for a new or renovated facility. The Emeralds ownership and local politicians came up with a plan for a new facility and sent the proposal out for a vote. Eugene residents in May 2024 said no to allocating $15 million in public funding to help pay for the stadium. Emeralds’ ownership is looking at the nearby Medford market as a possible relocation site. There may be other communities in the mix. For the time being, the Emeralds ownership is staying in Eugene until someone decides to fund a new stadium somewhere.
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship begins its sprint portion of the 2025 season today on the streets of Long Beach. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach serves as Round 3 for both the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) classes.
Here’s the Friday setup ahead of on-track activity and additional items to follow going into the weekend:
ON-TRACK SCHEDULE
A condensed two-day weekend sees most on-track time today around the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit.
Practice 1: 9-10 a.m. PT (local time)
Practice 2: 1-2:30 p.m. PT
GTD Qualifying: 5:10-5:25 p.m. PT
GTP Qualifying: 5:35-5:50 p.m. PT
The Saturday race is at 2:05 p.m. PT (5:05 p.m. ET) on USA Network and Peacock and streaming internationally via the IMSA official YouTube channel.
LONG BEACH FIRST-TIMERS
Drivers getting their first taste of the Long Beach street circuit this morning include:
GTP: Three of the four BMW M Team RLL drivers: Dries Vanthoor, Marco Wittmann and Sheldon van der Linde
GTD: Tom Gamble, Casper Stevenson at Heart of Racing Team, Korthoff Competition Motors’ Seth Lucas and Kenton Koch, Gradient Racing’s Jenson Altzman, AO Racing’s Jonny Edgar
DXDT Racing’s Robert Wickens is also making his first IMSA start at Long Beach, but has past experience at the track in both IndyCar and Formula Atlantic competition. As an 18-year-old in 2007, Wickens qualified seventh and finished third in Atlantic in a field that also included future WeatherTech Championship race winners Jonathan Bomarito, John Edwards, Franck Perera and Richard Heistand.
Koch, who shares the No. 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas, also couldn’t hide his excitement of making his track debut here. After numerous exclamation points, Glendora, Calif. native Koch wrote on his Instagram story, “Finally get the opportunity to race in my home race after years of watching from the sidelines since I was a toddler. What a treat this will be.”
Both Heart of Racing drivers are keen to debut at-track as well.
“It looks like an awesome challenge. It has been a track on my bucket list for years,” Stevenson said.
Gamble added, “I’m looking forward to heading to Long Beach, it’s my first time at the circuit and it’s one I’ve always wanted to drive.”
FULL-CIRCLE FORD MOMENT FOR JENSON ALTZMAN
Gradient Racing debuts its new sprint lineup of Jenson Altzman and Robert Megennis in the No. 66 Ford Mustang GT3. Altzman has a unique “full-circle” moment this weekend.
He is both the first driver to ascend into Mustang GT3 by the ladder system (as a Ford Performance Junior Team driver), and his parents used to pace the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and IndyCar fields at Long Beach. At four years old, he used to ride-along – now he is returning to the race, driving the Gradient Racing Mustang GT3.
Altzman will continue in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) races as well with McCumbee McAleer Racing with Aerosport, so will pull double duty on weekends where both IMSA series compete.
Also of note, Gradient’s 2024 lineup of Stevan McAleer and Sheena Monk celebrate the one-year anniversary of their first race together at Long Beach. McAleer shared the team’s then-No. 66 Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 last year and with Monk, drove to a fourth-place finish.
The pair now share the JG Wentworth-adorned No. 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3, as Triarsi heads into its first Long Beach start.
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, celebrates after making a putt on the fifth hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The greatest start in the 91-year history of the Masters wasn’t enough for Rory McIlroy. He delivered what looked to be a haymaker late Saturday afternoon, a 6-iron so majestic and pure that he walked 10 yards before he saw it land 6 feet away for eagle on the 15th hole.
Bryson DeChambeau wasn’t the least fazed. He hit his tee shot to 4 feet for birdie on the par-3 16th, posing briefly to stare at the leaderboard, working up a gallery already delirious from a roaring, raucous at Augusta National.
“When I made that, I looked up and I said — kind of as a statement — like, ‘You know what? I’m still here. I’m going to keep going. I’m not going to back down.’”
McIlroy finished off another 6-under 66 for his first 54-hole lead in a major since he last captured one in 2014 at the PGA Championship. At stake Sunday at the Masters is a chance to end 11 years chasing the career Grand Slam, the most elite club in golf.
“It was an awesome day and it puts me in a great position going into tomorrow,” he said.
Joining him in the final group is a recent nemesis — DeChambeau — who ripped his heart out at Pinehurst No. 2 last June when he seized on McIlroy’s late mistakes to win the U.S. Open.
McIlroy is the sentimental favorite for dealing with a decade of major championship heartache. DeChambeau is wildly popular as golf’s greatest entertainer.
The arena is Augusta National, the greatest theater in golf that can thrill and torture the soul at every turn.
“It will be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau said. “We both want to win really, really badly — shoot, there’s a lot of great players behind us, too; got to be mindful of that. It’s about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best.
“It’s going to be an electric atmosphere.”
It already was on a Saturday that started with McIlroy putting six straight 3s on his scorecard, which featured a chip-in for eagle on the par-5 second. It ended with DeChambeau making birdie with a putt just under 50 feet on the edge of the 18th green for a 69.
McIlroy was at 12-under 204, a two-shot lead and one round away from that coveted Masters green jacket and the grand prize that comes along with it.
Along with a memory of DeChambeau at the U.S. Open, McIlroy is also familiar with his position at Augusta National.
It was 14 years ago when McIlroy, a 21-year-old with long, curly locks and unlimited potential, took a four-shot lead into the final round of the Masters. What followed was a meltdown that left him in tears when he shot 80.
He hasn’t had a better chance at that green jacket until this week, when he recovered from two double bogeys in the opening round and responded with rounds of 66-66.
Corey Conners, who went from a five-shot deficit to one shot behind McIlroy in a span of three holes on this wild Saturday, closed with eight straight pars for a 70. He was in third place, four shots behind.
No one else was closer than six shots of McIlroy. Justin Rose, who had a one-shot lead at the start of the day, shot 75 and was seven shots back.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion and world’s No. 1 player, was stuck in neutral on a thrilling afternoon with so much movement. He was having to stay in the game with tough pars and managed only two birdies in his round of 72. He also was seven shots behind.
“You can only shoot so low if you’re going to have to wedge it from 100 yards to make par,” Scheffler said.
The rest of this Saturday didn’t lack for excitement, roars coming from all corners from the time McIlroy blasted his opening drive over the bunkers to set up birdie all the way to the end when DeChambeau went from a fairway bunker to the edge of the green to an unlikely birdie.
McIlroy shied away from the notion this is a rematch with DeChambeau, a chance to atone from last June when he missed two short putts down the stretch.
“The big thing is not to make it a rematch,” McIlroy said. “Stay in my own little world. There’s a few people who can make a run. I have to do what I’ve been doing, surround myself in my own little cocoon.”
DeChambeau was fist-pumping his way around Augusta National with key short-game shots. For all his power, this was a masterclass in chipping and putting. And he relishes a shot at green jacket, especially with McIlroy at his side.
“Two behind, I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
So much of what McIlroy did was a reminder of how much it all can change. Even so, his start was nothing short of astonishing.
A wedge to 10 feet for birdie on the first hole. And after the cheers died for DeChambeau’s long birdie putt at the first, McIlroy cranked up the volume by chipping in for eagle on the par-5 second. He holed a 7-foot birdie on the third, had a two-putt on the par-3 fourth and then hammered another drive — 70 yards by Conners — leaving him a 9-iron to 18 feet for yet another birdie 3.
And it could have been better. He made a soft bogey on the par-5 eighth with a weak chip from behind the green. He missed a 5-foot birdie putt from above the hole on No. 9. He three-putted from long range for bogey on the 10th.
McIlroy missed another birdie chance on the 17th, missing an 8-foot putt and he was visibly angry with himself walking off the green. Every shot matters. McIlroy knows that from experience in 2011.
Patrick Reed, who won the Masters in 2018, birdied two of the last three holes for a 69 and was at 6-under 210 along with Ludvig Aberg, the runner-up a year ago who finally got in gear with three straight birdies on the back nine for a 69.
Shane Lowry also was in the mix, getting within two shots of the lead at one point until he missed a good birdie chance at the 15th and bogeys on the final two holes for a 72. He was seven behind.
Atlanta Braves’ Michael Harris II celebrates after his two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa, FL – Sean Murphy hit two homers and Michael Harris II connected on a 2-run homer in the ninth inning as the Atlanta Braves came back to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field.
Dylan Lee (1-1, 4.05 ERA) earns the win and Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth to pick up his second save as the Braves improve to 4-10 on the season.
Cole Sulser (0-1, 18.00 ERA) takes the loss for the Rays who fall to 6-8. Sulser allowed one of the four homers by Rays relievers. Manuel Rodriguez allowed one and Hunter Bigge allowed a pair. The loss marks the first game the Rays have lost when leading by multiple runs entering the eighth inning since June 22, 2023 against the Kansas City Royals.
Junior Caminero gave the Ray a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first by swatting his second home run of the season. The lead was extended to 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning when Jonathan Aranda walked with the bases loaded.
The Ray had a chance to open the game up in the bottom of the third inning loading the bases with 1-out. After the Aranda walked scored the second run, Christopher Morel struck out looking and Kameron Misner struck out swinging.
Drew Rasmussen delivered five scoreless innings allowing just four hits while striking out seven and walking one. The five innings matched a season high and the seven strikeouts set a season high as did his 80 pitches. In a game featuring four home runs served up by Rays pitching, Rasmussen did not allow one. With today’s start he extends his homerless streak to 60.1-IP, the eighth longest in franchise history.
The Rays loaded the bases with nobody out in the home half of the sixth inning but were unable to score. Jose Caballero struck out, Taylor Walls tried to surprise the defense with a bunt but pitcher Rafael Montero came off the mound and threw home for the force out, and Ben Rortvedt followed with groundout to second.
The sting of the missed opportunity was felt when Sean Murphy led off the seventh inning with a homer off Manuel Rodriguez that cut the Rays lead to 2-1. It was Murphy’s second homer on the year. Rodriguez had worked a scoreless sixth inning and struck out Bryan De La Cruz before turning the ball over to Garrett Cleavinger.
Cleavinger struck out pinch-hitter Stuart Fairchild but allowed a single to nine hole hitter Nick Allen and walked the left-handed hitting Michael Harris after being up in the count 0-2. Kevin Cash called to the bullpen for Edwin Uceta to face the dangerous Austin Riley with runners on 1st and 2nd and 2-out. Uceta struck out Riley on three pitches to end the Atlanta threat and maintain the 2-1 Rays lead.
It looked as if the Rays frustration with stranding runner was going to continue in the home half of the seventh. Yandy Diaz opened the frame with a double but Brandon Lowe flew out to left and Junior Caminero struck out. Jonathan Aranda cashed the run in delivering a 2-out RBI single to extend the lead to 3-1.
Hunter Bigge was summoned from the bullpen to protect the lead in the eighth inning. Ozzie Albies delivered a solo homer with 2-out in the top of the eighth to narrow the margin at 3-2. Sean Murphy followed with his second homer of the afternoon to tie the game at 3-3.
Jose Caballero singled and stole second with one out in the eighth. With Taylor Walls batting Caballero was picked off second trying to steal third. It was the third out on the bases on the afternoon for the Rays and to make matters worse, Walls singled to left. Walls himself appeared to have been picked off but a balk was called on Dylan Lee. Danny Jansen, pinch hitting for Ben Rortvedt drew a walk to bring Yandy Diaz to the plate. Unfortunately, Diaz wasn’t able to erase the baserunning gaffe by Caballero and grounded into a fielders choice to end the inning.
Cole Sulser, just recalled from Durham to replace Kevin Kelly, came in to work the top of the ninth. Nick Allen led off with a double that just popped out of a diving Kameron Misner’s glove on the track in right center field. Michael Harris followed with a 2-run homer to put the Braves ahead 5-3. It was Atlanta’s fourth home run of the game, all coming against the Rays bullpen after the sixth inning.
Jonathan Aranda cut the lead to 5-4 with a homer in the ninth. It was Aranda’s second homer of the year. For all the negatives on the bases and in the batters box, Jonathan Aranda was a bright spot. He finished the game 3-for-3 with a pair of walks and three runs driven in. He had an RBI single, a RBI bases loaded walk, and a solo homer in the ninth.
After the game, Kevin Cash spoke about the lack of driving in runs coming away with just a run when loading the bases in the 3rd and 6th innings. “The frustration starts to mount, there’s a big difference between 5-1 and 3-1 and we couldn’t get it there.” Drew Rasmussen continues to believe that the offense will come around suggesting that the Rays are “putting together good at-bats we’re hitting the ball hard.”
Next Up For Rays:
The Rays and Braves finish their three game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:40 p.m. Shane Baz (1-0, 1.38 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays. The Braves counter with left-hander Chris Sale (0-1, 6.75 ERA).
