Faf du Plessis, South Africa's captain, says that his team will have to cobble together a new strategy to stay alive in the World Cup, after a disastrous defeat to Bangladesh at The Oval was compounded by a hamstring strain for Lungi Ngidi that will keep one of their premier strike bowlers out of action for up to ten days.

With Dale Steyn, their iconic attack leader, still inching his way back to fitness following a shoulder problem, du Plessis admitted that "Plan A is gone", having come into the World Cup with hopes of deploying those two men alongside Kagiso Rabada to form one of the most formidable pace attacks in world cricket.

And now, with just three days to dust themselves off before taking on India in their opening World Cup fixture in Southampton on Wednesday, du Plessis said that he was still searching for answers as to why South Africa's campaign has got off to such a poor start.

"I have to believe that we can still win the World Cup," du Plessis said. "I won't be South African if I said no.

"I'll go back and try and see how we can lift the spirits in the team. We're playing a strong team in India in their first game, and our third game, so as a team, we know. We know we're not good enough at the moment and we have to turn it around.

"It's not like international cricket [is] 'there you go, there's a win for you'. The World Cup is set up with strong teams, and we have to win. We have no other choice. We won't be going back and just falling over, I can promise you that."

South Africa's performance was fatally undermined when Ngidi left the field after bowling just four expensive overs in Bangladesh's record ODI total of 330 for 6. He did not reappear, even to bat, and Dr Mohammad Moosajee, the team doctor, confirmed he would be sent for scans after experiencing "sharp discomfort in his left hamstring".

"Look, it didn't go according to plan," said du Plessis. "We spoke a lot before the game about trying to be aggressive, but obviously then Lungi got injured and that changed completely.

"Now all of a sudden, as captain, I have to bowl 15 to 20 overs of medium to slow or spin or bowling, so then you need to bowl the team out in order to make sure that you don't have to chase a big score.

"But the nature of subcontinent teams is that they do get a big score on the board, they can squeeze you when they have runs on the board, and that's exactly what happened."

Options for South Africa are thin on the ground going into the India fixture. Dwaine Pretorius is waiting in the wings as a seam-bowling allrounder, and Tabraiz Shamsi could conceivably link up with Imran Tahir in a twin-spin attack. But their ideal scenario, of fast and hostile bowling to cow their opponents into submission, is now to all intents and purposes over.

Plan A is gone," said du Plessis. "It's gone because Plan A was those bowlers playing together. They haven't played a game together on this tour.

"Initially Plan B was Anrich Nortje, an extra pace bowler that we had lined up for if we had an injury, to have another X-factor bowler that can bowl 145 plus. He got injured, as well.

"So now you're moving into your all-rounder territory. You have two medium pace all-rounders and then you have Chris Morris that like sits in between your fast bowlers and your medium pace bowlers.

"So, now, we have to really look at what we can do to try to be effective; is it playing all-rounders together, do we play two spinners. Now it's reshuffling all our cards and see how best we can deal with it."

Steyn is at least making progress towards his long-awaited return. He practised in the middle after the match, and should be close to consideration for the India game. However, having not played competitively since the IPL in April, and with a possible six must-win matches still to come in the group stages, his realistic return may be deferred until the West Indies match on June 9.

"Any captain would say that it's not easy [managing injuries], but I mean, I can't complain about it," said du Plessis. "That's not going to change anything. I have to find a way. The coaching staff, the team, has to find a way. It's not going for us from an injuries point of view."

For now, du Plessis' task is to motivate a dispirited dressing room, and he warned that - whereas there was comfort to be taken in the manner of their opening defeat against India - the Bangladesh loss was a different matter altogether.

"From my style of captaincy, has always been there's a line, and if you don't perform to that line, then there's a lot of harsh words," he said. "I'm certainly not Mr. Nice Guy. There's times for strictness and there's times that you see a dressing room needs you to be strong and to motivate them, and that was the previous game when we lost to England the way that we did.

"But now, today was not good enough. There's absolutely no excuses from me. So if the guys think they can make excuses for a performance like today, then they will be challenged. That's a fact.

"At the moment, it's a skill thing. Our skill is not where it needs to be. It's got absolutely nothing to do with injuries. You can make excuses, as many as you want. But every single player in our dressing room is not playing to their full potential, and that's why we're not putting the performance on. It's just about making sure you look at yourself in the mirror and see how you can find that answer."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said Sunday morning that he is happy in retirement, while playfully deflecting a question on whether he wanted to end rumors that he would ever consider a comeback.

"Oh man! Whatever I say, it doesn't matter. It will always be crazy out there, but you can put them to rest," Gronkowski said with a smile while taking part in the One Mission Buzz Off for Kids at Gillette Stadium. "I'm feeling good. [In a] good place. It's great to be back here."

While Gronkowski, 30, didn't decisively spike the possibility of a comeback -- which is something his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in March wouldn't surprise him -- he clearly seems to be content in retirement.

Gronkowski said returning to Gillette Stadium for Sunday's event, which marked the ninth year in which he's served as an ambassador by shaving his head in support of kids with cancer, reminded him that "there will always be family here, and it will always be home here."

Gronkowski didn't detail specific plans for his retirement, other than saying he plans to be part of more charitable and community events.

"I love the New England community. It's something special, all the support through many, many years of playing. The support of just not on the field, but off the field as well. New England will always be special, always have a big part in my heart, and always have much love," he said. "It's great to continue giving back. Just because I'm not playing any more doesn't mean you can't give back. You can do more, actually."

Gronkowski arrived for Sunday's event in the "Gronk Bus," allowing fans the chance to step inside and take photos

Welcome to the Gronk Bus, which arrived early at Gillette Stadium for this morning's One Mission Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer. This is the 10th year for @buzzforkids, a great event, and the 9th year @RobGronkowski has been an ambassador. pic.twitter.com/FVGJFB3oUu

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) June 2, 2019

Andy Ruiz Jr. did what many believed was the impossible by stopping Anthony Joshua in Round 7 on Saturday to capture the WBA, WBO and IBF world titles in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

So what happened, and what did we learn?

1. Ruiz won -- did boxing lose?

It wasn't just Joshua who suffered a defeat. Deontay Wilder was a big loser too. While Wilder might eventually face Joshua in the future, that fight will never have quite the same importance or buzz as it did for the past year, when both were undefeated heavyweight titleholders.

Before this fateful weekend, if you had asked most boxing fans, both hard-core and casual, which fight they would most like to see in 2019, the answer probably would have been Joshua vs. Wilder. And now, after all the public posturing and promotional machinations that took place between the two sides, the two fighters and fans alike are now left with the possibility of nothing.

This was somewhat reminiscent of another monumental heavyweight upset -- when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson in February 1990. Sitting ringside that night in Tokyo was Evander Holyfield, who was waiting in the wings for Tyson to take care of business so that Holyfield could face "Iron Mike" for an eight-figure payday in what would have been a matchup of two well-known and undefeated heavyweights in their physical primes.

A pairing between Joshua and Wilder as undefeated heavyweight champions would have been one of the rare events in which boxing would've taken center stage on an international level.

Perhaps Wilder is finding a sense of satisfaction out of all this, given the acrimony of what has been an all-too-public negotiation with Joshua. But there has to be a part of him that is frustrated that the opportunity to be the first man to make the London Bridge fall down has evaporated, along with a career-high payday.

Once again, the business of boxing got in the way of the sport.

2. Is Joshua's chin a problem?

At this point, it seems like a rhetorical question.

What looked to be an early night for Joshua after flooring Ruiz in Round 3, instead became the beginning of a Gotham City nightmare in Joshua's United States debut. As he came into close the show on Ruiz, Joshua was caught by a series of crisp counterpunches from Ruiz, who proved he too could punch.

Joshua was stunned by a left hook to the temple during an exchange in the same round and went down in an stunning turn of events. And then once again. And while he survived the round and had some moments thereafter, from that point on, he looked unsteady on his legs and more than that, unsure of his own durability.

Never had a man so strong looked so fragile.

It was an easy call for referee Michael Griffin. While Joshua was on his feet standing on a neutral corner after being knocked down twice more by Ruiz in Round 7, he had symbolically waved the white flag.

And while the result is surprising, the fact is that Joshua was buzzed numerous times, and he hit the canvas four times. We have seen that before. He was stunned in victories over Dillian Whyte and most recently against Alexander Povetkin. Two years ago, Joshua was knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko before stopping Klitschko in a great fight.

For all of his talent, it's clear that Joshua's chin is a flaw. Perhaps it was just a matter of when it was going to be totally exposed.

3. So, who's the best heavyweight in boxing right now?

While Ruiz has three belts around his waist, does this make him the best big man in the world?

It's not Ruiz, no. But he'll certainly get the opportunity to state his case in the coming months.

WBC belt-holder Deontay Wilder and lineal champion Tyson Fury -- who fought to a contentious draw in December at Los Angeles' Staples Center -- are considered the two best after tonight.

It was announced Friday that Wilder and Fury had agreed to a rematch in the first part of 2020. The winner of that bout will be considered the best fighter in the division. But based on the events we just saw, let's not assume anything just yet. While Wilder will be facing Luis Ortiz in September, Fury still has to fight Tom Schwarz on June 15 and might have another fight in the fall.

Let's not just pencil in this rematch just yet.

4. Is an immediate rematch a good idea for Joshua?

The reality is that Joshua has never been the same aggressive attacker post-Klitschko. Now, in the aftermath of his New York meltdown, you wonder if he'll ever be the same. Losses of this nature can affect a fighter more psychologically than physically.

This just seems like a soul-crushing loss for Joshua, and the shiny veneer that accompanied him into this event might never be recaptured. The cloak of invincibility on Joshua had been fading, and now it's completely ripped to shreds.

If they do it again in six months, Ruiz, you would think, would come into the rematch with more confidence -- and at least the same power -- while Joshua will have the same doubts that he left the ring with on Saturday.

In the United Kingdom, Joshua is still a very bankable commodity, but another loss to Ruiz most likely would reduce his status to being the modern-day Frank Bruno.

5. Do we need to give Ruiz credit?

Yes, absolutely. While there is a natural inclination in these circumstances to always talk about the shortcomings of the favorite who loses a fight in this manner, credit does have to be given to the victors for what they achieved.

Ruiz was a late replacement for Jarrell Miller and a more seasoned fighter with a better track record coming into the bout. While neither had faced "great "opposition, Ruiz's only loss in 33 previous fights was a razor-thin majority decision to Joseph Parker in Auckland, New Zealand, for the WBO heavyweight title in December 2016.

Talent has never been an issue for the 29-year-old Ruiz, who despite his less-than-chiseled physique is a boxer who possesses fast hands and fluidity. He will never have rippling abs or the shredded musculature of his colleagues, but he does have natural fighting ability.

He also showed a fighter's mentality by dusting himself off the canvas in the third; instead of getting caved in by Joshua, Ruiz turned things around in dramatic fashion, then proceeded to patiently walk down the defending champion.

Bottom line: Ruiz fights better than he looks.

Dwyane Wade, reflecting on the challenges faced by the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a mass shooting took place last year, told the school's 2019 graduating class that "I've never experienced anything to the magnitude that you guys just experienced."

Wade was a surprise speaker for the high school's graduation ceremonies Sunday. In his speech, he shared his perspective on his first visit to the Parkland, Florida, school in March 2018, three weeks after the shooting that killed 14 students and three staff members.

"I remember walking to the school, and I remember hearing absolutely nothing," Wade said. "I remember thinking to myself, 'I've never heard this kind of silence before in my life.'"

Wade then related his surprise at the reaction he got from people at the school, saying they made him a part of the "MSD family."

"As I was walking in, students started seeing me, I remember seeing smiles, people running, pulling out their phones," Wade said. "... I remember thinking, 'Wow.' It was packed. I didn't expect that."

Wade told graduates that it was understandable if they felt unsure about their futures. He said that in some ways, after 16 years in the NBA, he also was unsure exactly what his future entails.

The now-retired Wade has been a regular supporter of the school ever since the shooting. He said he was honored that Joaquin Oliver, who was killed in the attack, was a huge fan of the former Miami Heat star and was buried wearing a Wade jersey.

Wade closed his remarks by asking those in attendance to join him in a cheer that he used to spur on the Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals.

The cheer was punctuated by the words "to the last man, to the last minute, to the last second, we fight, we fight, we fight!" Once he led the graduates and their guests in the cheer, he wrapped up his speech by again saying, "MSD Strong" -- the school's mantra since the tragedy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

TORONTO -- Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant will not play in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, but coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that it is "feasible" that Durant could participate in just one practice before being cleared to play in a game.

"It's feasible," Kerr said. "But again, it's really a day-to-day thing. If we had a crystal ball, we would have known a long time ago what we were dealing with. It's just an injury; there's been a lot of gray area. So literally it's just day to day and how the progress is coming. And at this point he's still not ready."

Durant has not played or practiced since suffering a right calf injury on May 8 in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets. Kerr and the Warriors remain optimistic that Durant will return at some point in the Finals, but they just don't know when he will be able to do more work with his teammates.

"Kevin is fine," Kerr said. "He didn't go through our shootaround. He's with our trainer, so he's out obviously. Another day, another step forward in his rehab progress."

Durant spent time with the group on the floor during the beginning of Saturday's practice but went back to the locker room area to receive more treatment. The Warriors are not scheduled to practice Monday as they head back to Oakland for Wednesday's Game 3.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers slugger Joey Gallo hopes to be sidelined no more than two weeks because of a left oblique strain.

Gallo was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday. He consulted with New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who has been out with a similar injury since April 20.

The strain is on the back side of the left-handed-hitting Gallo's swing, while Judge's injury is to his front side.

"I talked to Judge yesterday because I was concerned," Gallo said before Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals. "I was trying to figure out what he felt, 'cause at the time I didn't have the MRI. He said, yeah, it's better to be on the back side. His was more significant."

Gallo has 17 homers and was tied for second in the American League entering Sunday. His .653 slugging percentage topped the AL.

Rangers manager Chris Woodward said he thought Gallo would miss about two weeks.

"He worries me just because he creates so much torque with his body and he's so strong that we don't want him to come back too early," Woodward said. "We don't want that to turn into a six- or eight-week deal."

Woodward said Gallo, who is 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, probably will be able to bat before he can return to the outfield.

Gallo left Saturday's game in the fifth inning after hitting his second homer in two days in the fourth. He was pulled with a full count after speaking with Woodward and head athletic trainer Matt Lucero.

He felt the injury in the top of the fifth when he prepared to throw from center field to third base.

"It's not like an excruciating pain," he said. "Just an annoying kind of, little nagging thing."

Center fielder Delino DeShields was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.

PITTSBURGH -- The Milwaukee Brewers have placed struggling starter Jhoulys Chacin on the injured list with a strained lower back, paving the way for Jimmy Nelson's return to the majors.

The Brewers made the move Sunday, two days after Chacin fell to 3-7 with a 5.74 ERA after giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Pittsburgh.

Milwaukee recalled right-handed relievers Jacob Barnes and Taylor Williams from Triple-A San Antonio to give the team some help in the bullpen for Sunday's series finale against the Pirates. The Brewers optioned catcher Jacob Nottingham to Triple-A.

The team said it expects to recall Nelson on Wednesday and start him against the Miami Marlins. The appearance will be Nelson's first in the majors since Sept. 8, 2017, when he partially tore his labrum and strained the rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder diving head-first into first base to beat out a single against the Chicago Cubs.

The injury put an end to Nelson's breakout season. He went 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA for Milwaukee in 2017. He underwent shoulder surgery shortly after the injury and missed all of 2018.

Nelson went 3-0 with a 3.75 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance for San Antonio this spring. He will make his return to the majors on his 30th birthday.

SEATTLE -- Former All-Star outfielder Jay Bruce says he has been traded to Philadelphia by the Seattle Mariners.

Bruce is owed $8,317,204 this year from his $13 million salary and has a $13 million salary in 2020 -- the remainder of a three-year contract he signed with the New York Mets in January 2018. The Mets remain responsible for the second $1.5 million installment of his $3 million signing bonus, a payment due Jan. 31, 2020.

The 32-year-old Bruce is hitting .212 with 14 homers and 28 RBIs. He has struck out 53 times in 165 at-bats.

"I figured this would be the situation," Bruce told reporters. "It's bittersweet. I really like the group of guys here. I got to know some of them and had great relationships. It's part of the business, though. I get to go somewhere I have a chance to win, and at this point in my career, that's pretty paramount for me."

A three-time All-Star for Cincinnati in 2011, '12 and '16, Bruce was acquired by the Mets from the Reds on Aug. 1, 2016, traded to Cleveland on Aug. 9, 2017, then became a free agent and returned to the Mets in 2018.

He hit just .223 with nine homers and 37 RBIs in 94 games last year, and New York traded him to Seattle in December as part of the deal in which the salary-shedding Mariners sent second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz to the Mets.

Philadelphia outfielder Odubel Herrera was placed on administrative leave by the commissioner's office Tuesday under the sport's domestic violence policy after his arrest in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Bruce is expected to help in filling that void.

Bruce's last hit with Seattle was memorable: his 300th career home run on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Just one more out, and Joey Cora's little brother would be a champion. One more out, for a moment of elation and celebration, for reflection, for what they had lost and won together.

Alex Rodriguez was seated right next to Joey Cora, watching the game but also watching Joey watch his brother, Alex Cora. Rodriguez bore an understanding of the depth in the brothers' relationship, and as much as he was locked in on what was happening on the field, Rodriguez wanted to see Joey's reaction to Alex Cora's happiness.

Joey's grin lifted his cheekbones, his face emitting pride. One more out, and there would be one more reason for the Cora brothers to laugh at that fatherly lecture that the big brother had given the little brother a couple of years before.

One more out.

A swing. A long drive down the right-field line. A ball falling into a forest of outstretched hands on the other side of the fence.

Warren Morris of Louisiana State hit a two-run homer to win the 1996 College World Series, and as Morris joyfully rounded third base, a director in the CBS production truck switched to a close-up shot of Miami's shortstop, Alex Cora. Joey Cora's little brother was lying face down, body flattened across the lip of the outfield grass, arms over his head, defeated, sobbing.

About 200 miles away from that scene in Omaha, Nebraska, big league players had gathered around a television in the visitors' clubhouse in Kansas City -- for that weekend, the temporary home of the Seattle Mariners -- and they watched this unforgettable end to the College World Series. Including Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez, and second baseman Joey Cora.

Rodriguez turned and glanced at Alex Cora's big brother.

Joey Cora was weeping.

When Alex Cora was born in 1975, Joey Cora was 10½ years old, and that kind of age gap meant that Joey would hold his little brother as a baby, help care for him, catch him when he'd start to fall in his first steps, play catch with him. That kind of age gap assures an older brother will carry vivid memories at each stage of his sibling's life, from the first beaming smiles of recognition from an infant lying in the crib to the first tantrums to the first days running across the living room.

That kind of age gap meant that while Joey was a big brother to Alex, in the Cora pecking order of two brothers and two sisters, he represented something more than a mere brother to Alex. Joey was an ideal.

"I still look up to him," Alex Cora said. "He's amazing. He's a guy that sometimes I wish I was as structured as he is. Very smart guy, very smart individual who has a passion not only for baseball but his family."

They wouldn't scrap like siblings of similar ages. Rather, the age gap embedded a mutual respect. Joey thrived and Alex followed, watching as his older brother evolved from a youth baseball star to a high-end college prospect. At the direction of Jose Manuel Cora, their father, Joey enrolled at Vanderbilt University, despite the fact that he spoke little English.

A Cora family refrain is that Alex is more like their mother, Iris, at ease in expressing feelings and more engaging in a crowded room, and Joey is more like their father, more serious and sometimes blunt as a sledgehammer, when necessary.

"My father was strong," Alex Cora recalled. "I mean, he had a presence. Tall, dark guy, dark skin, gray hair. Everybody knew where he was, deep voice, and when he talked, people listened, especially us four kids." At the park where Alex played as a kid, there was a bench and tree where his father had always stood, and friends tell Alex of their memories of his father and mention that place.

Like their father, Joey was very serious about any task, regimented and tough. If Joey felt anxiety about living in a place or going to a college with which he was unfamiliar, with all those around him speaking a language he didn't speak fluently, he never dwelled on that. Joey just worked, like their father, strong and serious about each purpose, learning English, attacking academics, setting university records in baseball and improving -- always improving. The San Diego Padres drafted him in the first round in 1985, not long after his 20th birthday.

When he was home in Puerto Rico, he watched his little brother. Alex was incredibly bright, Joey thought, incredibly stubborn, and school was a bore for him. Alex loved being outside, through a childhood spent on ballfields with their dad and Joey, and he knew baseball -- and was precocious. He was resolute in his belief that he knew more about baseball than just about anybody else, including his coaches.

"He wasn't afraid," Joey recalled. "Kids that age, when they're told to do something, they'll do it. But he told the manager, 'This is the way you should do it.' He was 5 or 6 and he told his coach, 'I want to hit leadoff.'

"He was always playing against kids that were older, and you know, he thought was better than anybody else. And he was. He never lacked confidence. He'd tell the coach, 'I want to play second base,' and later on, he said, 'I want to play shortstop.'"

Two years after Joey Cora was drafted, he reached the big leagues, playing 77 games for the Padres in 1987. But through Joey's first months in the big leagues, he bore a larger burden. Their father, Jose Manuel Cora, was sick. With cancer.

In his last months, he pushed Joey emotionally, pushed him to accept more responsibility.

"He was preparing me the whole time to take his role [in the family]," Joey Cora said. "I didn't know it at the time. I had no idea. Actually, I was kind of like, 'What the hell. You know you've been too tough on me.' He wasn't fair.

"He was always strict, but he was even more strict at that time. Then I realized what he was trying to do. He was trying to get me ready for my role, and when he left, I was ready."

Alex Cora had been shielded from the stark reality of their father's illness. After his father passed away, his sister reminded him of family trips that she joined, because he was sick. "I had no idea," Alex recalled.

Not long before his 13th birthday, Alex played a volleyball match, and right after it was over, he was picked up and taken to the hospital. His father wasn't feeling right, he was told. After the visit, Alex went to bed that night, and at 4 a.m., a neighbor knocked on the Coras' door. They had to go to the hospital again.

His father was gone.

"A father who took care of you, who was interested in the things that you were interested in. And all of a sudden that is not there," Iris Cora said. "It was tough for him. I know it was tough."

Alex Cora committed to play at the University of Miami and left home for the first time for his freshman year. Six weeks after departing his home in Caguas, however, he was deeply homesick. The plan had been for Alex to visit Puerto on weekends, buying round-trip tickets with money saved from the dollars that Joey had sent home. Instead, Alex packed his three suitcases and bought a one-way ticket to San Juan.

"I decided, 'Nah, you know what? I had enough of this.' I didn't feel comfortable in the environment," Alex recalled.

Regimented as always, Joey called every Sunday when he was in college, and after starting in pro ball, he switched his day to phone home to Monday. Always Monday. For some reason, in those hours after Alex returned to Caguas, the usually consistent and predictable Joey called home on a Thursday. Alex assumes his college coach, Jim Morris, had called Joey to give him a heads-up.

Jose Manuel Cora had prepared his son for a moment like this, a patriarch's moment.

"What the f--- are you doing there?" Joey said to his little brother.

Alex explained how homesick he was, and how he wasn't going to be able to play shortstop right away at Miami, and that he could play baseball elsewhere.

Joey warned Alex that if he didn't get on the next plane to Miami, Joey would fly back to Puerto Rico and physically place him on a plane to go back to college.

Joey Cora recalled, "He had no choice. He had to go back. He thought he was a man at that time, but he wasn't even close; he was learning to be a man.

"He went back and took ownership of his life. And that's why he was successful."

"That phone call," Alex Cora said, "changed the path of my life."

Alex Cora would go on to star at Miami and was drafted by the Dodgers in the third round in 1996. Two years later, he would make his major league debut -- coincidentally, against the Mariners, with Joey standing at second base for Alex's first at-bat in the big leagues.

Years later, in the fall of 2017, Alex was told he would become the new manager of the Boston Red Sox. His first call was to Joey. "We got it," he said.

The Cora brothers talked briefly about the idea of Joey joining the coaching staff in Boston, but Joey told his brother that he was happy in his role as the third-base coach for the Pirates, his family settled in Pittsburgh. "In many ways because of the respect that Alex has for his brother, that was a big relief for Alex," said Rodriguez.

In late October, Joey was in the stands in Los Angeles to see Chris Sale on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series. One out to go, and Joey Cora's little brother would be a champion, again, after having already been a part of Boston's 2007 championship, and having served as bench coach for the Houston Astros' title team in 2017.

One out to go. Sale threw a slider near the feet of Manny Machado. A swing and miss, and moments later, Alex Cora hoisted the trophy over his head, and watching, Alex's joy became Joey's joy. Joey Cora thought about going to the parade in Boston, about celebrating the Red Sox win, but there was too much of Jose Manuel Cora's discipline in him for that to happen. As a member of the Pirates organization, he felt that would have been the wrong thing to do, when Pittsburgh is chasing its first title since 1979 is looking to hold its own parade.

No matter the distance in space or time, however, the bond between the Cora brothers persists. This spring, Joey Cora was in Bradenton, Florida, at the Pirates' spring training site, answering questions about that last day of the 1996 College World Series.

He recalled how he had gotten to the visitors clubhouse in Kansas City early to get breakfast, seize the best seat and watch Alex. He remembered how his little brother hit a double to give Miami the lead, and how Mariners teammates good-naturedly gave Joey a hard time while watching the game. "He might have been the MVP," Joey said. "He had a hell of a series, and they were going to win."

One more out. One last swing. Warren Morris changed everything, and Alex collapsed on the infield.

Twenty-three years later, Joey Cora recalled that moment, and his eyes started to fill with tears again. For the little brother he loves.

Highlights from the South, Midlands and North of England Championships

South of England Championships, Bedford

Olympians Margaret Adeoye and Martyn Rooney were in action at the South of England Senior and Under-20 Championships in Bedford this weekend, where good weather led to plenty of PBs, Paul Halford reports.

Adeoye fought off the faster-finishing Phillipa Lowe to win the 400m in 53.47 – exactly a year to the day since her last competition.

The Enfield & Haringey athlete, who ended her 2018 season early to try to sort out ongoing Achilles problems, enjoyed a good start but was almost caught by Lowe, who clocked 53.50.

Three-time 400m Olympian Rooney put in some early-season under-distance work in the 200m, clocking a legal 21.88 to win his heat and then a windy 21.77 to win his semi-final. He didn’t take his place in the final, won by Edmond Amaning in 20.97.

Had a great time running some 200m’s at the South of England’s today, nothing quick unfortunately but two wins (yay). Disappointed I won’t be contesting the final, ?? hips have seized up! It’s a shame they can’t bump someone up to take my place. On to the next one!

— Martyn Rooney (@MartynRooney) June 2, 2019

European U18 champion Dominic Ogbechie took a tightly-fought under-20 high jump with a best of 2.10m. The multi-talented athlete, who has run 21.52 for 200m, also has the standard for the European U20s in Boras in the long jump and will do both events at the trials back here in Bedford later this month.

European under-23 110m hurdles silver medallist Khai Riley-La Borde narrowly won his event in 13.99 from Enfield & Haringey club-mate James Weaver, who clocked 14.05.

A top-quality under-20 women’s triple jump saw the championship record broken twice. Eloise Harvey, who had won the long jump the day before with a PB of 6.10m, recorded 12.87m for another lifetime best. That fell just 0.13m short of the qualifying mark for the European U20 Championships, although her record was surpassed in round four by Italy’s Mame Snow’s 12.92m.

Kiah Dubarry-Gay’s 23.96 to win the under-20 200m was just 0.16 outside the Boras target.

Max Law’s 68.57m to win the under-20 hammer was a PB and UK age-group lead.

Frankie Johnson, who already has the standard for Boras under his belt, found 5.00m enough for the under-20 pole vault win.

Winner Lucy-Jane Matthews and Marcia Sey both went under the Boras standard in the 100m hurdles, although the 13.60 time they shared was wind-assisted.

Other senior winners included: Amy Holder in the discus (53.47m), Korede Awe in the 100m (10.44 PB), Katie Head in the hammer (60.63m PB), Lia Stephenson in the triple jump (13.13m PB) and M40 Neil McLellan in the javelin (69.40m).

Among the other under-20 champions were: Josh Douglas and Heather Cubbage in the discus (49.19m PB/46.48), Serena Vincent (14.70m in the shot) and Tobi Ogunkanmi in the 100m (10.56 PB).

Midland Championships, Nuneaton

Craig Murch notched up his fourth successive Midland hammer championship with a first-round effort of 67.92m but, in damp conditions, subsequent throws were of the same order but nothing close to his 71.16m from Loughborough earlier in the year, Martin Duff reports.

After that early Sunday effort, the rains came to hamper subsequent events, but it was warm and windy on the opening Saturday.

Former European U23 discus champion Eden Francis was lucky that there were not many entries in her senior championship. The 30-year-old had three no-throws before getting into her stride en-route to a 51.91m final fling.

Also in the throws, UK second-ranked Emma Hamplett took the women’s javelin with 50.68m.

The sprints saw a men’s double from Kyle de Escofet in 10.40 and 21.13 but both were windy, while Cassie-Ann Pemberton scored a useful under-20 sprint double in 11.81 and 24.25.

North of England Championships, Sportcity Manchester

Danielle McGifford fell a tenth of a second shy of completing a unique sprint triple at the North of England Championships, Jacob Phillips reports.

The Wigan and District athlete successfully took the 100m (11.78) and 100m hurdles (13.66) titles on Saturday before winning her 200m heat in a photo finish alongside Katy Wyper, as they both finished in 24.60.

However, after winning four races across Saturday and Sunday morning, McGifford fell just short in the 200m final, finishing in 24.50 to Wyper’s 24.36.

Heptathlete McGifford’s success, which includes previous titles in both the English Schools heptathlon and long jump, reflects the current depth in British heptathlon.

Sale Harriers’ Andrew Robertson also came close to completing a sprint double. Robertson took gold in the men’s 100m (10.41) before taking silver in the 200m (21.12) behind club-mate Connor Wood, who clocked 20.97 to win.

T38 sprinter Ben Foulston was the first to cross the line in the men’s ambulant 100m, clocking 12.49, while T44 athlete Victoria Baskett was first to finish in the women’s 100m in a time of 14.45.

Elsewhere, the men’s 1500m seemed to resemble a Preston Harriers training session. The club’s Matthew Wigelsworth (3:52.87), Tiarnan Crorken (3:54.00) and Daniel Bebbington (3:54.44) managed to take all three coloured medals home with them.

Leeds City came close to replicating Preston’s success in the women’s 1500m. Claire Duck took the women’s title in 4:19.66 from Manx Harrier Rachael Franklin, 4:20.50, while team-mate Jennifer Walsh clocked 4:25.59.

In the field events, Vizamuje Ujaha took gold in the high jump, being the only man to jump 2 metres, while Abby Ward won the women’s event in 1.75, edging out Emily Borthwick who jumped the same distance.

Osian Jones threw the hammer 68.64m, 18 metres ahead of second-placed Daniel Nixon with 54.50m, completing dominating the field.

Other field events were much more competitive. Amy Hodgson and Micaela Brindle were separated by just 2 cm in the women’s long jump. Hodgson’s 5.85m was just enough to outdo Brindle’s 5.83

Notable results in the under-20 championships included Dan Preston’s 1500m in 3:55.28, while Rory Keen ran 54.52 in the 400m hurdles to run nearly two seconds clear of the rest of the field.

The women’s junior 100m final was won by Leonie Ashmeade in a photo finish with Hannah Kelly as both ran 11.79.