Orioles fire manager Hyde after slow start

BALTIMORE >> The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde on Saturday after a dismal start to the season by a team coming off two consecutive playoff appearances.

The Orioles are 15-28 and in last place in the AL East following a loss to Washington on Friday night. Hyde guided the team through an extensive rebuild and won manager of the year honors in 2023, but Baltimore’s performance slipped noticeably during the second half of last year, and the Orioles have put themselves in a significant hole so far in 2025.

Third base coach Tony Mansolino will serve as interim manager. The Orioles also fired major league field coordinator/catching instructor Tim Cossins.

Hyde, who was in his seventh season as Baltimore’s manager, is the third major league manager fired in the last 10 days, joining Pittsburgh’s Derek Shelton and Colorado’s Bud Black.

LONDON >> Crystal Palace pulled off one of the biggest FA Cup final upsets in history to beat Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and lift the famous trophy for the first time.

Eberechi Eze’s strike secured Palace’s first major trophy and ensured the once dominant City ends a campaign empty-handed for the first time in eight years.

As cup final upsets go, this was up there with Wigan’s victory over City in 2013 and Wimbledon’s iconic win against Liverpool in 1988.

Palace players were handed their medals and the trophy by Prince William, sparking more delirious celebrations from their fans.

The historic triumph came at the third time of asking for Palace, which lost its previous finals in 1990 and 2016, both to Manchester United.

ROME >> Jasmine Paolini got the party started at the Foro Italico. And now the stage is set for Jannik Sinner to cap it off.

Paolini took advantage of the crowd’s support and beat Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 to become the first home player to win the Italian Open in 40 years on Saturday.

With the top-ranked Sinner to play Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s final on Sunday, Italy could earn its first sweep of the Rome singles titles.

The last Italian woman to win the open was Raffaella Reggi in 1985 in Taranto. The last local man was Adriano Panatta in 1976.

ARLINGTON, Va. >> Alex Ovechkin said Saturday he intends to return to the Washington Capitals for his 21st NHL season after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career goal-scoring record earlier this spring.

Ovechkin joked about joining the minor league Hershey Bears for their playoff run and indicated the question wasn’t whether he’d be back but rather if he had what it takes to earn a spot.

“First of all, (I have) to make a roster at 40 years old,” Ovechkin quipped on locker cleanout day, less than 48 hours after he and the Capitals were eliminated in the second round by Carolina.

Ovechkin, who turns 40 in September, has one season left on his five-year, $47.5 million contract he signed in 2021.

NEW YORK >> The first championship banner in New York Liberty history slowly rose from the ground to its permanent home in the rafters of Barclays Center.

The final piece of last year’s title run was celebrated Saturday before the team tipped off its 2025 season against the Las Vegas Aces. The green banner found its place high above the court with the players looking on in amazement.

New York was the last of the original franchises still playing to win a championship.

The Liberty did it in dramatic fashion, beating the Minnesota Lynx in overtime of a decisive Game 5 last year.

MIAMI >> Antonio Brown was briefly detained by police early Saturday following an altercation in which gunshots were fired outside a celebrity boxing event in Miami, according to the former NFL star and video posted to social media.

Miami police confirmed in a written statement that officers responded to the area at about 3 a.m. after receiving an alert from the gunshot-detection system ShotSpotter. Officer Kiara Delva, a department spokeswoman, said police questioned several people but made no arrests. No injuries were reported at the scene. The investigation continues, Delva said.

Video posted to social media showed Brown involved in a fight with several people at the boxing event, which was hosted by popular streamer Adin Ross. He was seen apparently holding a black pistol as he pursued someone. Shots could be heard off camera shortly thereafter.