Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. returned to the lineup for the first time after he tore his ACL last season in the team’s 2-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Friday night at Truist Park.

Acuna, 27, looked like he hadn’t skipped a beat. On the first pitch he saw from San Diego Padres starter Nick Pivetta, the 2023 NL MVP demolished it 467 feet for a towering solo home run. 

Acuna said he "had a feeling" he might do something special in his return. 

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"To me, that's just the culmination of all the work I put in," he said.

Unfortunately for the Braves, Acuna’s solo home run was the lone run they scored, as Pivetta shut the Braves' offense down afterward.

Pivetta ended up pitching six innings while he scattered four hits and struck out seven Braves’ hitters. 

PIRATES GM SHUTS DOWN PAUL SKENES TRADE RUMORS DESPITE DISAPPOINTING START

Padres third baseman Manny Machado broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth inning with a solo home run off Raisel Iglesias to give the Padres a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. 

The loss drops the Braves to 24-26, who are still looking to rebound after an 0-7 start. The team hopes the return of Acuna can help spur them back into postseason contention. 

"He’s one of those players that you better not go get a beer or whatever, because you might miss something really cool, you know?" Braves manager Brian Snitker said. 

"I mean, he’s that type of force, I think, in the game. I think he’s going to energize everybody. Gonna energize the fans. Gonna energize his teammates."

"It's huge," third baseman Austin Riley said of Acuna’s return. "The talent is there. The energy he brings, having Ronald up there at the top of the lineup. ... he can change a game at any point."

The Braves and the Padres will play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. 

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Former NFL player Ryan Clark issued an apology to Robert Griffin III for bringing his wife into a debate about Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark earlier this week.

Griffin said in a social media post that Reese "hates" Clark. Following the post, Clark suggested that RG3 is "not having conversations at home about what Black women have to endure in this country," considering his wife is White.

"All of it started over an Angel Reese take that he felt was a sports take that I didn't feel that way about. I felt it was away from the court, I felt it was away from basketball . . ." Clark said in a recent YouTube post. "I took a take that was personal to another person and made it personal to myself, and I shouldn't have done that."

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Clark admitted his personal feelings and seemingly prior beef with Griffin "played a part in how I felt."

"I wanted to defend a young Black woman, which ended up being an attack on him, he felt, or at least he said, an attack on his family. And that was never the case, or never the intent, of mine," Clark said.

"She should not have been brought up in me trying to make a point about how having Black women close to you, and the things that you learn from them, can help you in the way that you approach and speak to and about them. She didn’t need to be the illustration of that. I can speak positively about what they are without making the insinuation that it’s something that non-Black women don’t do well…

CELEBRITY BOXING FOUNDER INVITES BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER AND CURRENT PARTNERS TO 'SETTLE BEEF' IN THE RING

"To Grete, I was out of line. I was out of bounds. I apologize. To all the people who don’t like RG’s take or takes or the way that he moves, or even if you just, in this conversation, take my side and want to support me, leave his family alone… Families should be off limits. I started that by bringing her into it. I see that. No matter what my intent was, the impact was different. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it a different way."

Clark made the comment while calling out Griffin for boarding "the hate train" after Reese's scuffle with Clark over the weekend, while making Clark "heroic." 

Sage Steele, who, like Griffin, is a former ESPN colleague, called Clark's words toward Griffin "classless, divisive, gross, (and) unnecessary." Steele and Clark have had issues in the past, even getting to a point where Clark asked producers to have someone other than Steele host a segment following previous comments she had made about former president Barack Obama.

Griffin later said that Clark's comments showed "how low of a person he is."

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There has been rampant speculation that the spiraling Pirates might be better off trading the best young pitcher in MLB for a haul of prospects to boost their offense.

Harry Brook pulled off a stunning slip catch as England triumphed by an innings and 45 runs at Trent Bridge.

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Bill Belichick went viral in November 2023 after appearing shirtless on doorbell camera footage outside a home.

The video resurfaced shortly after rumors of Belichick's later confirmed relationship with Jordon Hudson began. Reports originally stated that the home belonged to Hudson.

But according to Pablo Torre, it was actually an AirBnB in Winthrop, Mass., and he had the couple who owned the home on his show to speak about the shock when they realized that the eight-time Super Bowl champion was on their doorstep.

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"We saw the Ring video in the morning, not knowing who this was," the woman, who opted to stay anonymous, said, "but it was an older gentleman with a very young woman who checked in the night before."

The woman's husband then butted in, bringing up his wife's concerns about this mysterious man.

"She’s said, ‘She’s with this creepy old guy.' She thought her relative or a drug dealer was the first thing because of the age discrepancy. Remember you went, ‘Must be a freaking coke dealer.’ I was like, ‘What? Come on.

"So that was her first reaction. And then I start looking [and] I’m like, ‘That does look like Belichick!’"

CELEBRITY BOXING FOUNDER INVITES BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER AND CURRENT PARTNERS TO 'SETTLE BEEF' IN THE RING

The owners of the home said Hudson had booked the stay. They added they had invited her to play golf, and that she had replied that she preferred a "men's senior shaft."

"I didn't think anything of it at the time," the woman said.

Belichick and Hudson's relationship was confirmed, but reports have said they began dating in early 2022. It's been rumored that they met on an airplane the year before.

Hudson recently ripped Torre for "factually incorrect, slanderous, defamatory and targeted" reporting.

Torre previously reported that Hudson had been banned from the University of North Carolina football complex earlier in May. However, the university released a statement denying that report shortly after Torre's report came out. 

The 73-year-old and 24-year-old made their relationship public last year. And Hudson gained more notoriety last month when she interrupted a CBS interview with Belichick.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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The flip side is that beyond Fried, the Soto-less Yankees invested in many walk-year players with a lot to perform for this year beyond just helping the team — notably Bellinger and Goldschmidt, but also Devin Williams, Grisham and Stroman, and also Luke Weaver.

Put Dwight Gooden in the camp of those not worried about Juan Soto’s long-term Mets future.

Lapping the streets of Monaco, one is left with a common feeling within F1: This place is holding cars back.

Michael Wacha will lead the visiting Royals past Zebby Matthews and the Twins on Saturday afternoon, Stitches predicts.

Fanatics Sportsbook is offering new users a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet sign-up bonus or a bet $30 and receive $300 in bonus bets promotion.

The Oklahoma City are massive favorites to win the NBA Championship.

Barcelona are targeting a hat-trick of Women’s Champions League titles

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The Spurs boss was serenaded by thousands of fans at Friday’s open-top bus parade but his future remains unresolved.

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The British number two had a back spasm while playing in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

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The announcement was made ahead of Saturday's Investec Champions Cup final between Northampton and Bordeaux in Cardiff

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Manchester United captain Fernandes has been linked with a move to the Middle East, while Garnacho cast doubt on his own future at the club.

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Audio has been released of when Gregg Popovich reportedly suffered a medical emergency at a San Antonio restaurant last month.

The now-former San Antonio Spurs head coach was dining at a steakhouse when he reportedly fainted. Popovich then left in an ambulance.

The caller said Popovich was "not responding" at first. He updated dispatch that Popovich was "barely responding" and had "passed out for a little bit," according to TMZ.

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Popovich reportedly did not suffer any life-threatening injuries or illnesses, and he was alert by the time he entered the ambulance.

The 76-year-old had already been recovering from a stroke that led to him missing all but the first six games of the 2024-25 season.

Shortly after the reported medical scare, Popovich stepped down as head coach.

"While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach," Popovich said in a statement earlier this month. "I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me."

PACERS' GAME 1 HERO'S GIRLFRIEND TAKES SHOT AT KNICKS AFTER PLAYOFF COLLAPSE

Popovich will transition full-time to president of basketball operations.

Popovich’s tenure comes to an end after a nearly three-decade run that saw him coach the Spurs to five NBA Championships. He remains the league’s all-time wins leader and has the most playoff wins with one team by any coach in NBA history. His career, which also included being named NBA Coach of the Year three times and an Olympic gold medal, earned him a place in the Hall of Fame in 2023. 

The team missed the playoffs this year after Victor Wembanyama missed a healthy chunk of the season with blood clots.

The Spurs have the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, two years after selecting Wembanyama first.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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A scary moment occurred on an Alabama baseball diamond Friday during the SEC tournament, as two outfielders collided while going for a ball.

Arkansas, down 5-1 in the second inning, was desperate for some runs, with Cam Kozeal at the dish.

The left-handed batter drilled a ball into the right-center gap that both center fielder Isaac Humphreys and right fielder Ryan Moerman went after.

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They both made valiant efforts to make the grab, but instead, they crashed right into one another, causing the ball to roll all the way to the outfield. As the fielders collided, accessories flew everywhere.

It was good news for the Razorbacks, as Kozeal scored quite easily for an inside-the-park homer. Humphreys attempted to get the ball and throw it in, but he could hardly throw the ball in. Moerman, meanwhile, lay on the field for quite some time.

Humphreys somehow stayed in the game, but Moerman was taken out. Their injury diagnoses were not immediately known.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF REVAMPS FORMAT AFTER FIRST 12-TEAM TOURNAMENT EXPOSED FLAWS: REPORT

"Obviously a scary moment for everybody, especially when you get two guys go down," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said, via On3. "You never know. Bumped heads, concussion, and all kinds of injuries. But at first, we weren’t sure if it was some type of head injury, just because Ryan complained of his right knee, and then as he got up and started to move around it was his left knee. I think it’s one of those, it’s pretty traumatic, guys running full speed in the moment, and he actually came out of the game because they just wanted to really check him out because they weren’t really sure what was going on."

The Razorbacks were blanked for the rest of the day, and the Rebels took a 5-2 win into Saturday's semifinal against LSU.

The winner of that will take on the winner of Vanderbilt and Tennessee in Sunday's championship for an automatic bid into the College World Series.

It is unclear whether either player will be available on Saturday.

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After a reported dispute between Bill Belichick's current girlfriend and his ex, the two have an offer to duke it out in the boxing ring.

Linda Holliday and Jordon Hudson both reportedly attended the Dreamland Stroll Party on December 6. Holliday's daughters, Ashley and Kat Hess, were DJing the party.

Holliday, according to People, got "aggressive" with Hudson, and the two reportedly shared an intense moment.

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Now, they have a chance to hash it out once and for all, thanks to Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman.

"I heard about the situation with Bill Belichick's ex, Linda Holliday, as she ran into his current girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. They got into it at a party a couple months back," Feldman said, via TMZ Sports. "So I wanted to reach out, and I want to give them the opportunity and the platform here at Celebrity Boxing to settle that beef in the ring. Let's get it girls."

A staffer wrote in an incident report obtained by TMZ that "Ms. Hudson was a paying guest. No concerns had been raised regarding her behavior nor had any issues been reported up until that point in the evening (the event began at 7pm)."

JORDON HUDSON SLAMS JOURNALIST FOR 'SLANDEROUS, DEFAMATORY' REPORTS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH BILL BELICHICK

"Ms. Holliday felt her presence was inappropriate, since the event was widely advertised as a party headlined by her daughters. She asked that I remove Ms. Hudson from the premises, to which I responded that I would speak with Ms. Hudson after contacting Dreamland executive director Alicia Carney to discuss the matter."

Security footage then showed Holliday confronting Hudson in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by roughly 200 people.

Holliday was apparently irked because it "involve[d] my girls," and her "momma bear" emerged.

Neither Holliday, Hudson nor the Nantucket Dreamland organization immediately responded to requests for comment.

Hudson and Sapini were eventually escorted out by that staffer shortly before the lights came on at the party, TMZ reported.

Holliday dated Belichick from 2007 to 2022. Hudson and Belichick, who have a 49-year age gap, made their relationship public last year.

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The New York Knicks were not safe from getting trolled by the Indiana Pacers' superstar, or his girlfriend, after their epic Game 1 collapse.

The Knicks blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday. They had also led by 14 with 2:50 to go, and nine with under 60 seconds.

All they've done since then is now lose at home again to trail 2-0 in the series. Nobody has ever won a conference final after losing the first two games at home.

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But back to Game 1. After storming all the way back, Tyrese Haliburton chucked up a long shot that hit the back iron and dropped in. With former Pacers hero Reggie Miller just feet away, calling the game for TNT, Haliburton mimicked Miller's signature choking signal he directed at Spike Lee back in the 1990s.

Haluburton's shot wound up being a two, putting the game into overtime, but the Pacers came away with the victory.

After the game, Haliburton's girlfriend, Jade Jones, joined her boyfriend to take her own shot at the Knicks.

"finally got to see the ball drop in NYC," she posted on Instagram with a smirking emoji.

KNICKS FALL BEHIND 0-2 IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS SERIES VS. PACERS

Teams leading a playoff game by nine-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff game had been 1,414-0 since 1998 entering Wednesday. Also, since 1997, teams are now 4-1,640 when trailing by seven-plus points in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime of a playoff game – the Pacers have won three of those games this season alone.

New York came back for revenge on Friday, but the Pacers pulled away late to take a commanding series lead. This time, it was Pascal Siakam leading the way with 39 points.

It was tied at 81 after three, before the Pacers opened the fourth with a 13-4 run to move ahead 94-85 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining. They would quickly push the margin back to around there every time the Knicks got any momentum, and it was 110-100 after another basket by Siakam with 2:45 to play.

The Knicks scored nine straight to make it 110-109 on Josh Hart’s basket with 14 seconds to go. Aaron Nesmith made two free throws for the Pacers, Brunson was well off on a 3-point attempt and Turner finished it out with two free throws.

Jalen Brunson had 36 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who need a quick turnaround or their first appearance in the conference finals in 25 years will be a brief one. 

Game 3 is in Indiana on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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