Alcides Escobar #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by teammates after scoring a run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the game on April 20, 2010 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Ya, it's a rout
When you play 162 games a season, it's a given that you're going to have to play division rivals on a fairly regular basis. Still, when a team has owned you in the way the Milwaukee Brewers dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates last week - outscoring the Bucs 36-1 in a three-game series sweep - you could do with more three days off before being forced to run the gauntlet again. To make things worse, the series, which begins tonight, is in Milwaukee, where the fans will be expecting another massacre, led by chief executioner Ryan Braun, who torched the Pirates last time around, with a five-RBI exclamation point in the finale.
Thunderstruck
Though the NBA title chase may lack the drama and suspense of its NHL counterpart so far his year, Kevin Durant and Co. are threatening to upset the apple cart in the most spectacular of ways. Despite falling behind 2-0 to Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Lakers, the Oklahoma City Thunder - in its virgin playoff voyage since transplanting from Seattle - has passed muster since the series headed east from La La Land, running their more experienced foes off the court and setting up a pivotal Game 5 back in Los Angeles tomorrow night.
Beating Barca
Despite rumours pegging him as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor in the Old Trafford hot seat, Internazionale boss Jose Mourinho has bigger fish to fry on Wednesday as he attempts to eliminate defending champion Barcelona and lead his troops to the Champions League final. Up 3-1 from the first leg, Inter are certainly in a favourable position to advance to a place they haven't been since 1972. However, when you're up against one Lionel Andres Messi - who singled-handedly destroyed Arsenal with four goals in the last round - no lead is safe.
Rock are rolling
What's that you say? A playoff team in Toronto? Well I never. Naysayers be damned, Canada's biggest city can stay relevant when it comes to the second season, and in our national summer sport to boot. In fact, all three of Canada's National Lacrosse League teams made the playoffs - granted, only three of 11 teams missed out - and the Toronto Rock, Calgary Roughnecks and Edmonton Rush will all embark on their postseason campaigns on Saturday, with the latter two facing off in box lacrosse's version of the Battle of Alberta.
Paul Attfield