Chicago Sports

Bears general manager Ryan Poles has been dissatisfied with the offensive line since the day he took the job and continued tinkering with it by signing veteran tackle Julien Davenport on Monday.

Davenport, 27, was one of three offensive tackles who got a tryout last week and beat out Caleb Benecoch and Trenton Scott. The Bears are expected to start second-year players Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom at tackle this season, but are looking to round out the unit with three or four backups.

The Texans drafted Davenport in the fourth round out of Bucknell in 2017 and traded him to the Dolphins two years later as part of the deal to bring in standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Davenport was with the Colts last season and played nine games, starting four.

In five seasons, he has played 60 games and started 32 of those. He started 15 games at left tackle for the Texans in 2018 and eight for the Dolphins in ’19.

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This year’s senior class will be off to their college destinations in a couple of months.

It’s been a whirlwind for the Class of 2022, a class that dealt with a global pandemic, remote learning and regular postponements throughout their high school careers.

When it comes to the top spot in the class — the best college prospect in the class –it’s been a three-player race since the start of the season. An argument could be made for Glenbard West’s Braden Huff, Yorkville Christian’s Jaden Schutt and Thornton’s Ty Rodgers.

All three are accomplished stars who put up significant numbers and didn’t disappoint. But the prospect list comes down to the trifecta of production, measurables and long-term potential. While Huff just might be the least ready to make an immediate impact — time will tell — he boasts the highest ceiling with his combination of size and skill set.

Here is a final look back at the Class of 2022 and where they rank as college prospects.

1. Braden Huff, 6-11, Glenbard West

A big man with true guard-like skills is headed to Gonzaga following a senior year in which he helped the Hilltoppers to a state title. Will need to get significantly stronger for the next level, but he boasts the off-the-charts skill level coveted in today’s game. The vision and shooting touch for a player his size translates.

2. Jaden Schutt, 6-5, Yorkville Christian

Regarded as an elite shooter and one of the best in state history. The Duke recruit buried a whopping 334 threes in his career. But he’s shown to be much more than just a fluid shooter while leading the Mustangs to a Class 1A state championship. He’s evolved as more of a complete scorer while showcasing underrated athleticism.

3. Ty Rodgers, 6-5, Thornton

The non-stop motor and winning mentality stand out. Throw in athleticism, a rugged style and being about all the right things and Rodgers is a coach’s dream. A player perfectly set for the positionless game teams now play at the highest levels. And the player in the class who may be more college-ready than any other. That’s all a good thing for coach Brad Underwood and Illinois.

4. Xavier Amos, 6-8, Young

A recruiting steal for Northern Illinois, Amos continues to get better and better. He’s become a versatile big and put together a highly-productive season in helping the Dolphins to a state runner-up finish. The frame, along with the improvement and potential in his jumper, provides even more reason for optimism going forward.

5. AJ Casey, 6-8, Young

A name that’s been on the radar since the day he entered high school as the No. 1 ranked prospect in the class. There is still upside in this athletic forward with length and versatility who is headed to Miami. While the consistency is still coming, Casey has shown he can be effective at all three levels as an offensive player. .

6. Jalen Quinn, 6-3, Tuscola

The Loyola recruit put together an ultra-productive career. He scored over 2,300 career points. There will be an adjustment early on going from Class 1A basketball in Illinois to the Atlantic 10 Conference. But Quinn has the size, body type and makeup that will suit him well at the point guard position. The development of his jumper will key to his success.

7. Nick Martinelli, 6-7, Glenbrook South

Following a coaching change at Elon, Martinelli is now committed to Northwestern following a standout career for the Titans. Crafty and unique with his game, Martinelli has always found a way to impact any game he plays in, both in high school and on the AAU circuit.

8. Trey Pettigrew, 6-4, Kenwood

A bucket-getting combo guard with ideal size in the backcourt, Pettigrew has a wide array of shot-making ability. He’s a shot creator who can be streaky at times but will become more consistent with time. Pettigrew has signed with Nevada.

9. Caden Pierce, 6-5, Glenbard West

The quintessential Swiss Army knife who is an absolute defensive menace. Instrumental in all aspects of the game and can fill a range of roles. The tremendous length, sneaky athleticism and gutsy competitiveness bodes well for the Princeton-bound recruit.

10. Ben VanderWal, 6-6, Timothy Christian

The breakout player in the class last summer, VandeWal is a space-the-floor 4-man who is efficient from the three-point line. He also brings a toughness and tenacity on the glass and to the floor each time out. Furman nabbed a good one who could flourish in the Southern Conference.

11. Zach Cleveland, 6-6, Normal

Liberty landed a steal in Cleveland, an active and athletic forward who plays above the rim and with energy. Has a knack for making big, game-changing plays. As his perimeter jumper improves, so will his chance to impact that much more at the college level.

12. NJ Benson, 6-7, Mt. Vernon

A late-blooming big who shined last summer and became a coveted mid-major recruit. With a body to work with and pop off the floor, Missouri State will welcome a still raw but full of upside big man.

13. Tavari Johnson, 5-11, Lyons

Another senior who broke out last summer on the AAU circuit, showcasing his playmaking ability as a smooth-and-easy point guard. Akron landed a true facilitator with a feel for the position and some scoring punch.

14. Robbie Avila, 6-9, Oak Forest

There were few players in the state who produced more over the course of their career. Avila, who signed with Indiana State, finished his career with over 2,000 points and nearly 1,000 rebounds. An extremely skilled big man who can dribble, pass and shoot and is blessed with a high basketball I.Q..

15. Jackson Munro, 6-8, New Trier

A breakout yearincluded a monster finish to his senior season. The Dartmouth recruit became a double-double machine and proved to be a versatile big man. Munro can play with his back to the basket, and he can face up from the three-point line and space the floor.

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Brendan Summerhill remembers when he figured out he could be pretty good at baseball.

The Young senior started with the sport as a 4-year-old at Hamlin Park and also played hockey until high school.

The breakthrough moment came when Summerhill was 13.

”That was the first season where I got bigger, taller, stronger,” he said, ”the one when I started to hit the ball over the fence. That, to me, was really fun. Hitting the ball over the fence was like nothing I’d done before.”

That feeling carried over to his high school years.

”I was like, ‘Dang, I’ve got a chance to be real, real good,’ and kept working,” he said.

Now Summerhill is one of the best players in the state, a tall, speedy center fielder committed to Arizona and in the mix to be selected in the MLB draft this year.

Genetics probably have something to do with it. Summerhill has grown into a 6-3, 200-pounder, and his dad, Mike, played baseball at Ohio State.

”He’s a complete package,” said Young coach Chris Cassidy, who is in his 28th season. ”He runs, he throws hard, he goes 110%. He’s the hardest-hitting outfielder I’ve ever had.

”I’ve had guys who run a little bit faster, had some pitchers who threw a little bit harder, had some guys that I’ve seen hit the ball farther. But I’ve never seen one kid do all of that.”

Summerhill isn’t elite simply because he’s bigger and stronger than most high school players.

”He is driven,” Cassidy said. ”He outworked everybody in the weight room, on the field, in his off time. It’s all baseball. My goal with him is to make sure he knows that there are other things out there.”

That said, Summerhill’s passion has helped him navigate a few challenges through the years.

For most of his career, he was a catcher. But a thumb injury before high school had travel-ball coaches moving him around the field.

”He came back after COVID so much faster that we couldn’t put him back behind the plate,” Cassidy said. ”He’s still the best catcher in our program, but we just can’t use him back there. He’s too essential to us in the outfield.”

”At first, it was weird,” Summerhill said of moving to center. ”When you watch big-league outfielders, it always looks like they get to the ball so easy. But, you know, they’ve been doing it for a long time.

”I would coast to the ball, [and] it would drop. It was a tough transition for a little bit, but then I got the hang of it.”

Lindblom coach Matt Fidati saw that firsthand.

”He is the real deal,” Fidati said. ”He made a play against us in right-center that I thought for sure was a double or triple off the bat. But he tracked it down and made it look like a routine play.”

Then there’s Summerhill’s hitting. Through Tuesday, he was batting .615 (24-for-39) with 14 extra-base hits, 28 runs scored, 24 RBI and an unheard-of 1.915 OPS. He had struck out once in 58 plate appearances.

Little wonder he’s heading to one of the elite programs in college baseball. But, like a lot of prep athletes navigating recruiting during the pandemic, there was a detour or two along the way.

He originally committed to Kentucky and still has only good things to say about the Wildcats.

”Just with COVID and everything, I didn’t really get the real feel for it until after everything opened up,” Summerhill said.”Then I decided I probably should have waited and taken more time.”

This time, Arizona won out. The Wildcats’ tradition — four national championships, 18 trips to the College World Series, 40 NCAA playoff berths — was one draw. And, for a Midwest kid weary of cold, dreary springs, the weather in Tucson was another.

”It’s warm every single day,” Summerhill said. ”They’re the sunniest city in America. Three hundred sixty days of the year, there’s sun.”

”He’s going to have a choice,” Cassidy said. ”I think he’s going to get drafted. It just depends on where he’s going to go. And then it’s kind of, ‘What is it that you want to do?’ ”

The answer to that, for Summerhill, is simple: play baseball. Whether it’s in college or the pros is the only question.

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Six people were killed, a man was critically wounded in a police-involved shooting and 37 others were shot across Chicago this weekend, marking the city’s most devastating toll so far this year as temperatures rose ahead of the typically violent summer months.

Just last week, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown touted encouraging drops in homicides and shootings as the department pushes to tamp down the surging violent crime that has become a serious political liability for Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

In January, just days after Chicago closed the books on its deadliest year in a quarter-century, Lightfoot declared 2022 a “make-or-break year” for doing just that. This weekend, however, proved to be the year’s first major stumbling block.

Shootings stretched across the city — between 5 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday — and spiked Saturday into early Sunday as temperatures rose.

The weekend’s worst shooting happened Saturday evening in Englewood, leaving two men dead and two others wounded.

About 7:30 p.m., a group of people were standing in the 1900 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone opened fire from a vehicle, police said. Two men, 42 and 48, were each struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center and Mount Sinai Hospital, respectively.

A 24-year-old man was shot in the back and arm and taken in serious condition to University of Chicago, police said. A 65-year-old man was hit in the back and legs and treated at Mount Sinai.

Hours later, a man was shot and critically wounded following an altercation Saturday night in River North.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, confronted the gunman around 10 p.m. in the 100 block of West Hubbard Street when he was shot multiple times, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Over a day earlier, Chicago police shot an armed man in Pullman, according to a department spokesman.

Officers initially responded about 5:40 p.m. Friday to a call of a man with a gun in the 11200 block of South Langley Avenue, police said. When he allegedly aimed at them, at least one officer shot him.

It’s unclear whether more than one officer fired shots. Details of the man’s injuries weren’t made available, but he was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Also among the wounded was a 16-year-old boy who was shot in the 2400 block of West 25th Street in Pilsen around 7:25 p.m. Saturday, police said. He was taken to a hospital in good condition.

A 17-year-old girl was also found wounded by gunfire at the 3600 block of West Douglas Boulevard around 1:10 a.m early Sunday morning, police said. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was in good condition.

While the weekend was this year’s most violent so far, other weekends have also resulted in six homicides, according to data from the Sun-Times. There hasn’t been a weekend without a deadly shooting in Chicago since January.

A rise in temperatures typically coincides with a rise in violence in Chicago. For example, one of last year’s most violent weekends took place over the Fourth of July holiday, leaving 19 dead and 85 more hurt.

Through April 17, the most recent city data, there had been 622 shootings and 157 murders across Chicago. That marked a 15% decrease in shooting incidents and a 10% drop in homicides from last year, although those numbers were both up compared to the three previous years.

During a news conference last week, Supt. Brown detailed a new deployment strategy that focuses on 55 police beats that he said account for half the city’s violence. The new emphasis on “beat integrity” and community-based policing marked a major departure for Brown, who initially built up citywide teams when he was tapped by Lightfoot as top cop.

He said the new strategy relies on coordination with other city agencies and efforts to bolster social services and build up neighborhood block clubs.

“We really are, in my opinion, collaborating as we move into the warmer months to really continue our momentum in reducing crime,” he said.

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The Chicago White Sox were swept by the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. Following a sweep to the Cleveland Guardians, the team has now lost seven games in a row. Falling to 6-9 on the season is bad enough, after all the White Sox expected to run away with the American League Central Division. However, being swept by a divisional rival for the second series in a row is all the more crushing, even in April.

Moreover, the White Sox lost more than just the games, which inevitably force them to make up ground in the division. The White Sox continued to display issues within the roster and experience tough breaks. The notable tough break over the weekend can set the team back as they try to find their footing in the upcoming games.

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Make sure to check out our WHITE SOX forum for the latest on the team.

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Six people were killed, a man was critically wounded in a police-involved shooting and 31 others were shot across Chicago this weekend, marking the city’s most devastating toll so far this year as temperatures rose ahead of the typically violent summer months.

Just last week, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown touted encouraging drops in homicides and shootings as the department pushes to tamp down the surging violent crime that has become a serious political liability for Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

In January, just days after Chicago closed the books on its deadliest year in a quarter-century, Lightfoot declared 2022 a “make-or-break year” for doing just that. This weekend, however, proved to be the year’s first major stumbling block.

Shootings stretched across the city and spiked Saturday into early Sunday as temperatures rose.

The weekend’s worst shooting happened that evening in Englewood, leaving two men dead and two others wounded.

About 7:30 p.m., a group of people were standing in the 1900 block of West Garfield Boulevard when someone opened fire from a vehicle, police said. Two men, 42 and 48, were each struck multiple times and pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center and Mount Sinai Hospital, respectively.

A 24-year-old man was shot in the back and arm and taken in serious condition to University of Chicago, police said. A 65-year-old man was hit in the back and legs and treated at Mount Sinai.

Hours later, a man was shot and critically wounded following an altercation Saturday night in River North.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, confronted the gunman around 10 p.m. in the 100 block of West Hubbard Street when he was shot multiple times, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Over a day earlier, Chicago police shot an armed man in Pullman, according to a department spokesman.

Officers initially responded about 5:40 p.m. Friday to a call of a man with a gun in the 11200 block of South Langley Avenue, police said. When he allegedly aimed at them, at least one officer shot him.

It’s unclear whether more than one officer fired shots. Details of the man’s injuries weren’t made available, but he was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Also among the wounded was a 16-year-old boy who was shot in the 2400 block of West 25th Street in Pilsen around 7:25 p.m. Saturday, police said. He was taken to a hospital in good condition.

A 17-year-old girl was also found wounded by gunfire at the 3600 block of West Douglas Boulevard around 1:10 a.m early Sunday morning, police said. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was in good condition.

While the weekend was this year’s most violent so far, other weekends have also resulted in six homicides, according to data from the Sun-Times. There hasn’t been a weekend without a deadly shooting in Chicago since January.

A rise in temperatures typically coincides with a rise in violence in Chicago. For example, one of last year’s most violent weekends took place over the Fourth of July holiday, leaving 19 dead and 85 more hurt.

Through April 17, the most recent city data, there had been 622 shootings and 157 murders across Chicago. That marked a 15% decrease in shooting incidents and a 10% drop in homicides from last year, although those numbers were both up compared to the three previous years.

During a news conference last week, Supt. Brown detailed a new deployment strategy that focuses on 55 police beats he said account for half the city’s violence. The new emphasis on “beat integrity” and community-based policing marked a major departure for Brown, who initially built-up citywide teams when he was tapped by Lightfoot as top cop.

He said the new strategy relies on coordination with other city agencies and efforts to bolster social services and build up neighborhood block clubs.

“We really are, in my opinion, collaborating as we move into the warmer months to really continue our momentum in reducing crime,” he said.

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Seth Jones didn’t need many words to explain what was immediately evident in his expression and demeanor Saturday night.

“There’s really nothing to be happy about,” he said.

The Blackhawks have endured a remarkably difficult and unsuccessful season since its very first night, but this last month has been particularly tough to get through.

Consecutive 4-1 losses in California dropped the Hawks to 2-10-2 in their last 14 games, having been outscored 60-35 over that span. Even the small silver linings that most teams can cling to during slumps have disappeared. So has any sense of meaning attached to the results, win or lose.

The Hawks are defeated, deflated and aimless, slogging their way to the finish line because they have no other choice. It has been even more grinding mentally than physically.

“Yeah, it doesn’t make the game fun,” Jones said, yet again with no need for elaboration.

At last, at least, the final week has now arrived. The Hawks will host the equally awful Flyers on Monday, then host the fighting-for-their-lives Golden Knights on Wednesday, then visit the late-season surging Sabres on Friday.

And then they’ll be done, finally, having played 88 games (including preseason games) over 218 days and accomplished virtually nothing.

“These are the grinds that it’s not easy to grind out,” interim coach Derek King said. “These are the ones that you’ve really got to dig deep to find a way to motivate yourself or just figure a way to win that puck battle, shorten that shift [or] do all the little things right.”

Added Tyler Johnson: “When you’re playing these games, it’s tough to say you’re trying to build something right now. But at the same time…you want to be playing the best you can. In order to do that, you play as a team.”

King refused to even consider the question Saturday whether some of his players had already checked out –“Even if I thought it, I would never say it, [because] they can’t check out,” he said honestly –but it sure seems like some might be. It’s hard to fault them for it, though.

Depending on the results of the final three games –they enter Monday with 63 points — the Hawks’ 2021-22 season will be their worst full season since either 2005-06 (65 points) or 2003-04 (59 points). If they lose out, it’ll be their second-worst full season since 1976-77 (also 63 points) and their third-worst full season since 1957-58 (55 points in a 70-game schedule).

That weight of history might be taking its toll, too. The Avalanche, Blues, Wild, Canucks, Sharks and basically every other team the Blackhawks regularly squashed during their Stanley Cup dynasty era have derived great schadenfreude from watching the franchise’s recent disintegration, as have many general hockey fans outraged over the Kyle Beach sexual assault scandal.

Knowing everyone else savors your misery must be a lonely feeling for the current players, most of which hold no connection to either the scandal or the Cups.

“Mentally, they’re fried,” King said. “This is just draining right now. They’ve got to find a way as a team — not individually [but] as a team –to just overcome all these speed bumps and just fight through it.”

But with the current team almost certainly destined for sweeping changes this offseason, as general manager Kyle Davidson dives deeper into his rebuilding plans, they have little motivation to search for that chemistry now. Indeed, the end of the season simply can’t come soon enough.

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CHICAGO — In the days leading up to the team’s first road playoff games in Chicago, the Milwaukee Bucks used every opportunity they could to shower Grayson Allen with boos.

They booed Allen when he walked onto the team bus. They booed him when he arrived in the lobby of their team hotel. They even booed him during film sessions and when Allen touched the ball in practice.

So when Allen set back-to-back playoff career highs in Games 3 and 4 this weekend to help Milwaukee take a commanding 3-1 series lead over Chicago, the Bucks bench enjoyed booing him all the way.

“They have so much fun doing it,” Allen said with a laugh after scoring 27 points off the bench in the Bucks’ 119-95 victory Sunday afternoon. “I think it’s honestly hilarious. They’ve kind of turned it into a fun thing. It makes hearing it out there during the game a lot easier too because they think it’s so funny.”

Game 5 will be Wednesday night in Milwaukee.

The Bucks began jeering their own teammate earlier this season once they heard the reaction Allen received every time he touched the ball during the team’s first game in Chicago back in March. Allen became public enemy No.1 to Chicago basketball fans after his flagrant foul on Bulls guard Alex Caruso during a game on Jan. 21 resulted in a fractured wrist for Caruso, forcing him to miss two months.

Allen said Sunday that he had attempted to reach out to Caruso to apologize after the incident, but the two never connected. The Bulls downplayed any lingering animosity toward Allen leading up to the series, but fans at the United Center have not let it go as easily, responding with loud boos each time Allen approached the scorer’s table or touched the ball on offense each game this season.

Even if he has gained a reputation as a villain in Chicago, Allen insisted after the game Sunday that he does not feed off such a negative reaction.

“It’s not naturally comfortable for me,” Allen said. “I am to the point now, anytime I go out and play basketball, I just remind myself to go out and have fun with this. … My personality is naturally uncomfortable with the attention, the booing, the heckling. It’s not something I feed off of. I’m not going out searching for it.”

That hasn’t stopped Allen’s teammates from having fun with it.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suggested Allen frame a photo from Game 3 in which the Bucks bench is in the background booing Allen as he heads to the free throw line following a converted and-1.

“He’s played amazing, maybe we got to boo him even more,” Antetokounmpo said with a smile after the game. “Maybe Milwaukee fans, we got to boo him … nah, we’re not going to do that.”

Added guard Jrue Holiday: “When we booed him during the game, and he really started hooping, I think we just stuck with it.”

After leading all scorers in Game 3 on Friday with 22 points, Allen was even better on Sunday afternoon.

Allen went 10-of-12 from the field on Sunday, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range, to outscore Chicago’s bench all by himself 27-17. He became the first Bucks player to score 25 points and knock down six 3s in a playoff game in team history and first Bucks player with at least 25 points off the bench since Tim Thomas in 2003, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information. Allen even made plays on defense, collecting three steals and holding Chicago to 3-of-8 shooting when he was the primary defender.

Allen rebounded after going 0-for-4 from 3 to start the series in the first two games. His performance this weekend helped the Bucks withstand the loss of forward Khris Middleton, who will miss the rest of this first-round series with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

“He’s kind of quiet, but confident,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said about Allen. “I think this is a confident group, a group that sees a player that can help them and appreciates his competitiveness. He’s just quiet, no bulls—, and comes to play. I think our guys gravitate towards that type of mentality. It’s certainly been a good fit.”

By the time Allen checked into the game in between free throw attempts with 5:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, the boos from the crowd at the United Center had gone from full-throated to halfhearted.

Chicago had waited five years for a home playoff game here, and the fans’ reward was a weekend of uncompetitive basketball. The Bulls were outscored by a combined score of 230-176 in the two games on their home floor and must win on Wednesday in Milwaukee to extend their season.

“You got to give [Allen] credit,” Bulls guard Zach LaVine said. “He’s hitting shots. … Obviously, we know what happened [with the Caruso injury]. At the end of the day, it’s basketball too. We understand it. But it’s not like we’re going out there saying, ‘That guy can’t beat us.’ The Milwaukee Bucks can’t beat us and he’s part of their team. Them as a whole is beating us right now.

“You can’t just account for him. It’s everybody.”

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MINNEAPOLIS — Finding different ways to lose becomes the thing on seven-game losing streaks.

Sunday’s awful flavor of the day for the White Sox in a crushing 6-4 loss was a walkoff home run in the 10th inning by the Twins’ Byron Buxton, a three-run blast to left against closer Liam Hendriks. It was Buxton’s second long ball of the game and it erased a one-run lead the Sox had taken in the top of the inning.

This latest gut-punching loss capped a six-game road trip in Cleveland and Minneapolis that featured awful defensive play, poor hitting and another big injury to a star player, Eloy Jimenez.

Having an off day Monday to recover seemed to be the only positive gleaned from all of it.

“I think it’s a good time for everyone to get away and clear their heads a little bit,” Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito said.

The Sox thought they’d enjoy it with a victory after Tim Anderson started the day with a homer on the first pitch against Chris Archer and Danny Mendick homered leading off the seventh for a 3-1 lead.

But left-hander Aaron Bummer failed to protect it, walking No. 9 hitter Jose Godoy to open the seventh before allowing an opposite field tying homer to Buxton, who had five RBI, in the eighth.

When Buxton came to bat again in the 10th with runners on second and third, first base was open. But manager Tony La Russa wasn’t keen on facing left-handed hitting Luis Arraez, a .354 hitter. So Hendriks pitched to Buxton.

“Any time you load the bases you better have a significant advantage with the guy on deck,” La Russa said. “Because you’re playing right into his hands and the guy on deck is a tough out. We had a better chance to do what Gio did to Buxton.”

What Giolito did in a four-inning, nine strikeout, one-run allowed performance coming off the injured list was strike out Buxton three times.

“I thought I threw the ball well,” Giolito said.

The Sox thought they might finally win when they took the lead in the 10th when Mendick, the designated runner, scored with two outs on Yasmani Grandal’s single off the wall against Joe Smith.

But Hendriks walked Godoy, the second walk issued to the catcher with no major league hits, before Buxton’s 469-foot homer.

“It’s not enough to say you played your hearts out,” La Russa said. “In this league there are certain executions. We did some things but not enough of them and we got beat. It’s a tough loss. But we all shared in it. Final score with the whole road trip, we’ll all wear it.”

Hendriks, who was getting treatment after the game because “his back stiffened on him a bit,” per La Russa, saw his ERA climb to 6.14 as he suffered his second loss.

“We checked him and he said he was good. He’ll get treated and get the rest tomorrow. He felt a little something but said he was good to go.”

“Just got to keep grinding it out,” Anderson said. “Nobody is going to really give us anything. It’s still early. We’ve got a whole season. We’ll take our punches now. Just keep chipping away. That’s all we can do, honestly.”

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Bears wide receiver Byron Pringle was arrested and charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and driving with a suspended license in Pasco County, Fla. on Saturday night after a Florida Highway Patrol officer observed him squealing tires, burning rubber and “performing a donut” in his 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.

Pringle, who lives in Wesley Chapel, Fla. — less than a mile from the incident — was with another adult male and a juvenile child in the car at the time of the incident, around 6 p.m. EDT. A check on his driver’s license revealed it had been suspended on Feb. 10 for “financial responsibility” and also for failure to pay a traffic fine as of March 7, 2022.

According to the arrest report filed by the FHP officer, after Pringle was informed he was under arrest, he “ignored my verbal commands initially and then became verbally confrontational.” He was placed under arrest and transferred to the Pasco County Jail “without further incident.”

A Bears spokesman confirmed the team is aware of the arrest but had no comment on the Pringle arrest.

Pringle, 28, signed a one-year, $4 million contract (with an additional $2 million in incentives) with the Bears on March 20 after spending this first four seasons in the NFL with the Chiefs. An undrafted free agent from Kansas State in 2018, he missed his rookie season after suffering a hamstring injury in the preseason finale.

After being a bit player in the Chiefs’ high-powered offense in 2019 and 2020, he played a bigger role last season, with 42 receptions for 568 yards (13.5 avg.) and five touchdowns.

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