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SPORTS Monday 8 July 2019

Los Angeles Angels’ Jonathan Lucroy, center, is helped by
medical personnel after colliding with Houston Astros’ Jake
Marisnick during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday,
July 7, 2019, in Houston.
Associated Press
Angels’ Lucroy carted

off, hospitalized

after collision

Amanda Nunes of Brazil lands a kick on Holly Holms that knocked her to the mat in the first round
of their bantamweight title mixed martial arts bout during UFC 239 in Las Vegas on Saturday, July By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports frankly.” Marisnick said he
6, 2019. Nunes won in the first round. Writer was trying to slide headfirst
Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Los on the inside corner.
Amanda Nunes Angeles Angels catcher “I watched the play again

Jonathan Lucroy was and it looks — he just drops
Continued from Page 18 “This woman is tough, man,” White said carted off the field Sunday right in front of me and
of Nunes. “She’s unbelievable. Pound for after a violent collision at once I kind of made a
“I told my coaches I wanted to knock her pound, one of the greatest of all time. But the plate with Houston’s decision, it was too late,”
out the same way she knocks people out,” there will be somebody next.” Jake Marisnick, and he said. “It was a bad play
Nunes said of her opponent, an accom- Jones was a significant favorite against manager Brad Ausmus and I hope he’s OK.”
plished kickboxer. “I did it tonight. She was Santos, a longtime middleweight who thinks the league should Manager AJ Hinch said
the only former champion I didn’t beat moved up in weight last year. But San- consider suspending the Marisnick certainly didn’t
yet. Now I beat her, and I’m very happy.” tos’ power and energy caused problems Astros outfielder. intend to injure Lucroy.
Jones (25-1) had much more trouble with for Jones from the opening minutes, forc- The team said Lucroy was “I don’t fault Jake because
Santos (21-7), who nearly scrapped his ing the champion to be cautious and to taken to a hospital for he wasn’t hunting him, he
way to victory despite injuring his left knee use his superior length.”We all knew Thia- a CT scan and is being wasn’t going after him,”
early in the fight. Jones fought cautiously go’s best chance was to knock me out,” evaluated for a possible Hinch said.
and earned a 48-47 decision on two of the Jones said. “I played it smart and brought concussion and nose “He tried to take a step on
three judges’ scorecards. home this gold for my family and team. fracture. where Lucroy was going to
“He implemented a game plan I think a He was technically a lot more sound than The bases were loaded go, and it’s difficult in that
lot of people have wanted to for a very I thought. Thiago Santos is a black belt in with the game tied at 10 little 1-3 foot circle where
long time,” Jones said. “He did a good Muay Thai. I’m proud of myself, because when Marisnick attempted you’re trying to figure out
job. He exploited a hole in my game that I stood with a guy who’s been kickboxing to score on a sacrifice fly by going at full speed what’s
won’t be there next time.” way longer than me.” George Springer in a game going to happen. It just
Until Jones’ tactical victory, UFC 239 was Santos landed several significant strikes in Houston won 11-10 in the turned out to be an ugly
all about violence. the first round, but Jones briefly floored the 10th inning. play.”
Jorge Masvidal knocked out previously challenger with a big kick in the second. Marisnick crashed into Marisnick added that he
unbeaten Ben Askren with a sensational “I thought I hit him more and out-pointed Lucroy as he attempted planned to reach out to
flying knee just 5 seconds into their bout him, but with my knee like that, it was all to field the throw, and Lucroy to check on him.
on a card peppered with jaw-dropping I could do,” Santos said. “I knew it was a the catcher immediately Angels players rushed
finishes until Jones’ decision. very close fight. In the condition I was in, I fell on his back. He didn’t to the plate as trainers
Jan Blachowicz also knocked out Luke thought I fought a good fight.” move for a few seconds checked on him.
Rockhold with a devastating left hand Jones found his rhythm midway through before struggling to sit up. He was lifted to a sitting
in the second round of ex-champ Rock- the fight, using his size to keep Santos Marisnick tagged home position after a couple of
hold’s light heavyweight debut. away. Santos also hurt his knee along the and then leaned over minutes and held a towel
Nunes took a few minutes to find her groove way, although he kept striking even while Lucroy to see if he was OK. to his nose. He was then
against Holm, who famously knocked out he struggled for balance. He lifted his head off the helped to a cart and taken
Ronda Rousey with a head kick nearly four “I felt like I was winning, so there was no ground a few seconds later off the field while clutching
years ago. When Nunes felt comfortable, need to take him down,” Jones said. “We as blood dripped from his a bloodstained towel.
she unleashed a sophisticated array of were playing a very high level game of nose. Mike Trout didn’t have a
strikes and eventually caught Holm with a chess in there.” “It certainly didn’t look like great view, but he sprinted
kick that sent her straight to the canvas. Masvidal (34-13) played a less complicat- a clean play,” Ausmus said. in from center field to see if
Nunes completed the knockout with ed game to get his star-making finish. “I don’t know what actually Lucroy was OK.
punches, sending Holm to her fifth loss in Masvidal authored one of the most dra- happened, but it looked “I just saw that it was a
seven fights. matic knockouts in UFC history when he like Marisnick took a step pretty big collision,” he said.
After her fourth successful bantamweight destroyed Askren (19-1), a high-level wres- to the left and bowled into “Just a scary situation.”
defense, Nunes said she wants to defend tler in his second UFC fight after a prosper- him with his arm up. The Ausmus said he hadn’t
the 145-pound belt next. UFC President ous career in other promotions. Masvidal call was right. Really, I think spoken to Lucroy since the
Dana White is trying to book a rematch and Askren had an intense personal rivalry Major League Baseball game ended, but that he
with long-reigning featherweight cham- heading into the fight, exchanging volu- should probably take a tried talking to him on the
pion Cris “Cyborg” Justino, who lasted just minous trash talk rooted in years of mutual look at it. Consider some field and “he was pretty
51 seconds against Nunes in December. dislike.q type of suspension, quite confused at the time.”q