NW Sports from the

Date: 04/07/2014 04:59 AM

AP-NW–SportsMinute/273
Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Mariners jumped to an early three-run lead yesterday before losing 6-3 to the Oakland Athletics to wrap up a winning road trip. Now, the club heads to Seattle with a 4-2 record to play its home opener tomorrow against the Angels. Robinson Cano’s third-inning double gave him a 14-game hitting streak against the AL West.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers clinched their first playoff appearance in three seasons with a 100-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans last night. Wesley Matthews added 21 points, Damian Lillard 20 and Nicolas Batum had 16 points for Portland. The Blazers are in fifth place in the Western Conference with four games remaining.

PHOENIX (AP) – Kevin Durant scored 38 points, his 41st consecutive game of 25 or more, but it wasn’t enough as the Phoenix Suns beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 yesterday. P.J. Tucker scored a career-high 22 points, including a career-best four 3-pointers, for the Suns, who pulled a game ahead of Memphis for the No. 8 playoff spot in the West.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Connecticut Huskies will be going for an unprecedented ninth national championship after Breanna Stewart scored 18 points and the Huskies advanced to another title game with a 75-56 win against Stanford yesterday. They will square off against Notre Dame tomorrow. Connecticut settled down and put the Cardinal away in the second half, outscoring them 47-32. All-American Chiney Ogwumike (ah-GWOO’-mih-kay) had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

 

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