Rice And Smith Lead Latest Class Into Hall Of Fame

David Ross participated in seven postseasons as a player with four different teams, and one season on “Dancing With the Stars.” But the pressure Ross faced before is nothing like what he’s going through now managing the Chicago Cubs in this crazy National League wild-card chase. The challenge of getting this Cubs team into the postseason has been one of the biggest of his life, and is why Ross sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night. “Way different as a manager than as a player,” Ross said Tuesday before the Cubs’ 7-6 loss to Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.

Kyle Bradish isn’t viewed as an American League Cy Young candidate, but he pitched like one Tuesday. Gunnar Henderson, meanwhile, is the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner, and he hit like it Tuesday. Bradish twirled eight shutout innings, Henderson hit a leadoff home run and the Orioles held on to beat the Washington Nationals, 1-0, and lower their magic number to win the AL East to two. The shutout victory at Camden Yards over the local foe was the third in as many games this season, as the Orioles claimed the first two contests of the Beltway Series at Nationals Park in April with 1-0 and 4-0 wins.

He was known, simply, as Brooks — a name that stirs images of a ballplayer sprawled in the dirt, glove arm raised in triumph to show an impossible catch. Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson died Tuesday. The Owings Mills resident was 86. “An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, [Robinson] will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball,” read a joint statement released by his family and the Orioles.

Legendary Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson died Tuesday at the age of 86. Robinson spent all of his 23 major league seasons with Baltimore, making 18 All-Star teams and winning 16 straight Gold Glove Awards from 1960 to 1975. He was a member of the Orioles’ World Series teams in 1966, when he was also Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game, and 1970, earning MVP honors for that series.

BOULDER — Deion Sanders dunked on Cormani McClain so hard, Samari Rolle flinched. In Florida. “I know what’s going on. And having been around Cormani, I think he’s got all types of God-given ability.” Rolle, the former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback and McClain mentor told me Tuesday, cutting straight to the chase.

Dansby Swanson perched on the top step of the visitors dugout Tuesday night at Truist Park, a familiar yet inherently different perspective. Swanson, in his Cubbie blue jersey, took in the Atlanta Braves’ almost two-minute tribute video before the Cubs’ series opener in his homecoming. He tipped his hat to the crowd in acknowledgment of their ovation and to where he won a World Series title with his childhood team. “I just want to be able to soak it all in when it does happen,” Swanson said beforehand.