The Nashville Predators will have at least one banner to hang in Bridgestone Arena next fall. Colton Sissons recorded a hat trick and the Preds defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 6-3 final in Game Six to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history. It’s undoubtedly the most monumental victory the team has ever had, and although they’re not done yet, they’re going to enjoy this one for the night. “It’s a dream come true,” goaltender Pekka Rinne said. “But it’s a funny thing, though. With everything that’s happening around us, you still feel hungry, and...

Mike Foltynewicz bested Gerrit Cole through the first five innings and Ender Inciarte recorded a career-best five hits as the Braves received another stellar effort from their bullpen during Monday night’s 5-2 win over the Pirates at SunTrust Park. Brandon Phillips belted his 200th career home run during a two-run third inning, and Matt Adams hit his first home run with the Braves to cap a three-run fifth inning against Cole, who allowed five earned runs for the first time since Opening Day and surrendered a season-high 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings. The Pirates’ ace entered having allowed...

Daniel Gossett dealt and the offense mashed as the Sounds capped off their eight-game road trip with a 9-3 handling of the Sacramento River Cats. Gossett (2-4, 3.89) was spectacular as he mowed through the River Cats (16-27) line up to the tune of eight shutout innings including retiring the final 14 batters he faced. He needed just 91 pitches to get through a career-high eight innings and struck out six River Cats along the way while yielding just four singles. Everyone got in on the action for the Sounds (20-19) offensively. All nine batters recorded a base hit...

This might not have been as wacky as the 19-inning game these same two teams played in 2011. But a long rain delay combined with an exchange of ninth-inning rallies certainly made things interesting as the Braves completed a 6-5 win over the Pirates during the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Nick Markakis gave the Braves life when he delivered a game-tying, two-out double off Tony Watson, and Matt Adams further endeared himself to his new teammates when he laced an opposite-field, walk-off single against the Pirates’ closer at 1:52 a.m. ET. Watson had been granted a lead when...

Facing the best middle school athletes in Tennessee, Macy Tabor and Lexie Hosea competed in Saturday’s Tennessee Middle School Athletic Association(TMSAA) Track & Field State Championships at Fortera Stadium on the campus of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Competing in the large school division, Hosea competed in the discus while Tabor jumped in the high jump. Tabor jumped a new personal best of 4’10” in the high jump to capture a 2nd place finish. Tabor came in at 4’ and cleared each height without a fault through 4’10” to capture a medal. Zhordan Shannon of Stewarts Creek...

In Game Five of the Western Conference Final, the Nashville Predators faced their biggest bout of adversity yet. No problem. Pontus Aberg tallied the winner in the third period and the Predators defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 3-1 count in Game Five to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Nashville is now just one win away from reaching their first Stanley Cup Final as they gutted out one of their most complete victories of the postseason without their two top centerman. After Ryan Johansen suffered a thigh injury in Game Four that ended his season, and with...

Stephen Strasburg delivered his best start of the season and Daniel Murphy homered off an effective Jaime Garcia as the Nationals snapped their longest losing streak of the season (4 games) with Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the Braves at SunTrust Park. Strasburg notched a season-high 11 strikeouts and surrendered two runs over 7 2/3 innings while helping the Nationals avoid being swept by the Braves, who lost for just the third time in their past 10 games. “Well, we needed every bit of it,” Nats manager Dusty Baker said. “He was very sharp. All his pitches were sharp....