Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles will forgo the WNBA draft and enter the transfer portal, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday.

Miles, the projected No. 2 pick, had said she was undecided about entering the draft. Many players have returned to school for their final year of eligibility, but it's not common for a player to come back to college and enter the portal.

"It just changes every day. I love college. I think I've outgrown it a little bit, though, so that makes my decision tougher to stay. It's comfortable, a place where you have security," Miles said after Notre Dame's Sweet 16 loss Saturday.

"The W ... the volatility is up and down. So I don't know. I'm deciding between a bunch of factors."

Miles is eligible for the draft because she has been in college for four seasons and is 22. She has a year of eligibility remaining because she sat out 2023-24 after injuring her knee at the end of the 2022-23 regular season.

The junior guard returned to start all 34 games this season and averaged a career-high 15.4 points on 48.3% shooting. Her 3-point shooting went from 22.8% last season to 40.6% this season.

After her final home game in South Bend, Indiana, in the round of 32, Miles thanked the fans for their support -- a signal that her time at Notre Dame could be over.

Miles and teammates Hannah Hidalgo and Sonia Citron were widely considered one of the best backcourts in college this season. They led the Irish to the No. 1 spot in the AP poll for the first time since 2019 after handing UCLA its first loss of the season.

But toward the end of the season, Notre Dame struggled, dropping two of its last three regular-season games. The Irish were the No. 2 seed in the ACC tournament but were ousted in the second round. Notre Dame earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Irish hoped for a deep run but lost in the Sweet 16 to TCU, which had never reached the Elite Eight.

After Notre Dame's 71-62 loss to TCU, Miles said the thought of joining the WNBA in a few months was daunting and that having an offseason would be nice after suffering an ankle injury during the Sweet 16 game. But she added that passing up the opportunity to be a lottery pick was "a lot to give up."

But now, she will look for a new start elsewhere.

SPOKANE, Wash. - It wasn't until there were two seconds left in the UConn Huskies' Elite Eight game that star Paige Bueckers relaxed off her USC Trojans defender, walked toward her teammates and clapped her hands in celebration.

It's far from mission accomplished yet for the Huskies and Bueckers, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in next month's WNBA draft. But thanks to Monday's 78-64 victory over No. 1 seed USC in the Spokane 4 Regional final - in which the superstar guard finished with 31 points and six assists - the Huskies added the latest chapter to their extensive Final Four lore and positioned themselves two wins away from their ultimate goal: the program's 12th national championship.

"We're just so grateful, but we know like the journey isn't done," Bueckers said. "We want our story to continue as long as possible, and we have business to finish."

Leading the Huskies to a Final Four each season she's been healthy, Bueckers is the only player in NCAA tournament history to post four 25-point games in the Elite Eight. But the main force that drives her now is winning a title -- which would be her first and only after three previous heartbreaks in the season's final weekend.

"Where things go next week, I don't know, but I'm glad she's getting an opportunity," coach Geno Auriemma said. "That's all you want. It would have really, really disappointing to not be able to get to this week."

The Huskies will face No. 1 overall seed UCLA in a national semifinal Friday evening in Tampa, Florida. In what's become a nearly annual appearance, it marks UConn's 16th Final Four in 17 years and 24th overall - numbers that even Auriemma, who earlier this season became the sport's all-time wins leader, can't fully wrap his head around.

"There's Disneyland, there's Disney World and then there's UConn World," Auriemma said. "These are fantasy numbers that make no sense. You couldn't predict this and you couldn't script this at all."

In her final games in a UConn jersey, Bueckers has saved her best for last. Her performance Monday marked her third-straight 30-point game, tying own previous mark for the longest such streak in UConn history. Her 105 points across those contests are the most by a UConn player in any three-game span in program history. And she kept up her trademark efficiency on Monday night, hitting 9 for 11 shots and 4 for 8 from 3, altogether making her the first player with 30 points and 50% shooting in three-straight NCAA tournament games since Missouri State's Jackie Stiles in 2001.

"For her to get all the attention she gets, have all the demands on her life, all the expectations in her life, and still be able to deliver... when I say unique, I think she's closer to one or two or three of most unique players I've ever coached," Auriemma said. "And I'm really going to miss her."

The Trojans -- playing without national player of the year front-runner JuJu Watkins, who tore her ACL in their second-round NCAA tournament game last Monday -- put up a valiant effort without their superstar but fell just short of their first Final Four appearance since 1986. They were led by a 23-point, 15-board performance from senior Rayah Marshall.

"We lost a National Player of the Year, probably, one week ago today and we've won two NCAA tournament games, because they really became a team," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "I was just very proud of the way that we competed tonight. I think you saw the heart and character of our team on display."

The Trojans didn't just have to deal with Bueckers' big night, but also one from freshman Sarah Strong. The latter's 22 points and 17 rebounds made her the second freshman in NCAA tournament history with a 20-point, 15-rebound game in the Elite Eight or later.

"Sarah impacts the game in so many ways, that you just have so much confidence in her, so much belief in her," Auriemma said. "I don't know. Can't explain it."

UConn's defense made the Trojans uncomfortable for large swaths of the game, forcing 10 turnovers in the first half and holding them without a 3-pointer until the 6:44 mark of the third quarter.

Star Kiki Iriafen shot 3 for 15 and did not make a basket from the field after the 4:14 mark of the first quarter. After combining for 45 of USC's 67 points in previous round, the Trojans' top three freshmen of Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell and Kayleigh Heckel managed just 21 on Monday. The team finished with its worst field goal percentage in a game this season at 32.8%.

Meanwhile, the Huskies' 10-for-22 effort from beyond the arc marked the first time this season USC allowed an opponent to reach double digits on 3-pointers.

Auriemma knew he would have to go to Strong early given the defensive attention he expected the Trojans to throw toward Bueckers. The freshman delivered, keeping the Huskies afloat with 10 of their 14 first-quarter point before the rest of the team picked up steam to close second frame. At the break - with UConn up 14, USC's largest halftime deficit of the season -- Strong and Bueckers had combined for more first-half points (28) than USC (25).

The Trojans edged the Huskies in the third, 21-12, making things interesting heading into the fourth. Senior Talia von Oelhoffen spurred the comeback bid with 10 third-quarter points that included a timely basket before the end-of-period buzzer, helping USC cut a 19-point deficit to just five. But UConn refused to panic. After dealing with a swath of injuries over the last three years - including advancing to the Final Four last season with just eight available players - UConn said it leaned on its past experience overcoming adversity to get each other through this test.

"We were built for this," Bueckers said. "Everything that we went through as a team, as individuals, we've weathered every storm that life has thrown our way. So why not weather another."

Added Auriemma: "It has toughened us up a little bit and it has made us a little stronger individually and collectively, believe in each other a little bit more."

Graduate student Azzi Fudd, who started the game shooting 0 for 9, helped UConn pull away down the stretch with eight points in the fourth. Her first basket came on UConn's initial offensive possession that frame, an elevator play that Auriemma had drawn up for his struggling star. She then hit another trey to put UConn up by 14 at the 6:54 mark.

"No matter what the first 30 minutes looked like, we told her the fourth quarter was hers, and she showed up like she always does," Bueckers said.

Fudd and Bueckers scored UConn's first 15 points of the fourth, which along with two late layups from senior Kaitlyn Chen, put the game just enough out of reach. USC never got closer than nine points from then on out.

After the final buzzer sounded, the Huskies gathered at center court, with lots of smiles, high-fives and excited pats. No dogpiles or jumping. As per UConn tradition, the nets at both baskets remained untouched. That's a ritual reserved for championships. But there were still moments of levity and celebration. Bueckers bear-hugged Strong, her heir apparent to Husky stardom. Bueckers' teammates dumped a cooler of confetti during her postgame interview on ESPN, and Bueckers returned the favor by dousing Auriemma during his own TV spot.

The two later shared a moment in the locker room after the game -- grateful for what they accomplished together, and hopeful of what's to come in, regardless of the final outcome, her final week as a Husky.

"At this time, you know it's coming to an end, and it's going to end whether you want it to or not," Auriemma said. "You just want to make it the best weekend of her career at UConn, and it's my job to help her do that."

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The best road trip in Boston history has given the Celtics a chance at grabbing a piece of NBA history.

The Celtics finished off the franchise's first 6-0 road trip on Monday night with a 117-103 win at Memphis. That win -- Boston's eighth straight on the road overall -- pushed the Celtics' away record to 32-7, two wins shy of tying Golden State for the NBA single-season road mark.

The Warriors were 34-7 away from home in the 2015-16 season. Boston's two remaining road games are April 8 at New York and April 9 at Orlando.

It led to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla being asked a simple question after the Memphis win: "Why are you guys so good on the road?"

Mazzulla did not hesitate before answering. "I would venture to say that our guys are good everywhere," he said.

The Celtics now have 23 double-digit wins on the road, one away from tying the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers for the most in NBA history. They've outscored opponents by 404 points on the road, 26 away from the mark set by those same Lakers in 1971-72.

"It's more about just playing consistent basketball," Mazzulla said. "But I think each year you develop different kind of strengths, especially with the same team. And this year it just happened to be kind of our road mentality."

Oklahoma City also still has a chance of tying Golden State's record for fewest road losses in a season. The Thunder are 29-7 with four games left away from home; technically, Oklahoma City will finish the season with 41 home games, 40 road games and one neutral-site game in Las Vegas -- an NBA Cup semifinal win in Las Vegas over Houston.

The Thunder are 11-0 on the road since the All-Star break, on their way to the NBA's best record.

The Celtics' 32nd road win of the season Monday also tied the 1972-73 team (32-8 on the road) and the 1974-75 team (32-9) for the most away victories in Boston history.

"We've been very focused and I feel like even last year, we were good --- but especially in the playoffs I felt like we did a really good job on the road controlling the tempo and being able to play a certain way," Celtics forward Al Horford said. "It's pretty special, the way that we're playing and some of the things we're doing here."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Left-hander Garrett Crochet and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a six-year, $170 million contract extension, sources told ESPN on Monday, keeping the 25-year-old ace with the organization that traded for him this winter to lead its rotation.

The deal starts in 2026 and includes an opt-out after the 2030 season, when Crochet would be 31. It guarantees him the most money ever for a player with four-plus years of service, trumping the five-year, $137.5 million contract Jacob deGrom signed with the New York Mets in 2019.

Though the sides had been discussing an extension for months, they hit roadblocks because of the difficulty in valuing Crochet. He has thrown only 224 innings in his career, spending 2020 and 2021 as a reliever, sitting out 2022 after Tommy John surgery, returning to the bullpen in 2023 and transitioning to the rotation with the Chicago White Sox last year. Because of his lack of bulk numbers, Crochet will make only $3.8 million this year after a breakout season in which he struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.

Boston rewarded him like a frontline starter nevertheless, enticing him with ace-level money that does not include any deferrals and keeping him from reaching free agency after the 2026 season.

The Red Sox saw enough from Crochet this spring to put to rest that possibility. Should he opt out after 2030, Crochet still could receive another nine-figure deal. Left-hander Max Fried, who was 31 on Opening Day this year, received an eight-year, $218 million free agent contract from the New York Yankees. And at 32, left-hander Blake Snell signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for five years and $182 million.

With a fastball that reaches 100 mph and a dastardly cutter he added to his repertoire last season, Crochet is among the best left-handed pitchers in baseball -- a factor in Boston paying heavily for him in dollars and players.

Giving up catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez in a trade for Crochet during the winter meetings illustrated the Red Sox were ready to transition from years of mediocrity to contention. With a solid major league core and the emergence of prospects Kristian Campbell -- who is now starting at second base for Boston -- outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Marcelo Mayer, the Red Sox spent the winter aggressively pursuing upgrades.

The signing of third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract and right-hander Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million deal added veteran big leaguers, though Crochet was the prize of the winter.

No pitcher who received a nine-figure contract had done so with fewer than 800 innings. That Crochet did with not even one-third of that speaks to the impression the 6-foot-6, 245-pound fireballer made on the Red Sox during his short time with the team.

Chosen No. 11 by the White Sox out of Tennessee in the 2020 draft, Crochet skipped straight to the major leagues, throwing six scoreless innings down the stretch of the COVID-shortened season. He remained in the big leagues the next year, serving as a high-leverage reliever for a White Sox team that won the American League Central Division.

Elbow reconstruction slowed Crochet's ascent and kept him out for all of 2022 and all but 12 innings in 2023. Chicago's decision to move him into the rotation proved prophetic, as Crochet made the AL All-Star team and was perhaps the most sought-after player at the trade deadline.

With a planned shutdown to limit his innings, Crochet let teams know that he would pitch only for a contender if given a contract extension. No team obliged the request, and Crochet spent the final three months of the season throwing no more than four innings per start.

Chicago put him back on the trade block over the winter and struck a blockbuster with Boston, which expressed interest in extending Crochet and eventually came to terms on a deal that can max out at $180 million with escalators.

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Major League Baseball arrived in this city along the Sacramento River on Monday night, and it came bearing quirks.

The clubhouses in Sutter Health Park -- the home of the Athletics for at least the next three seasons -- are located beyond the wall in left-center field, the stadium holds about 14,000 people, and the designated interview room is a corrugated metal shed down the left-field line.

Those oddities meant little to the fans who filled the place for the A's home opener and first home game away from Oakland since 1967. The enthusiasm in Sacramento was considerable. Fans piled up outside the gates of this heretofore minor league stadium long before they opened, and there was a general feeling of disbelief that this was actually happening. The excitement, however, was no match for the game, which the Chicago Cubs won 18-3 behind 10 extra-base hits, 10 walks and a cycle by catcher Carson Kelly.

"Not a good showing on our first night here," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "I though the energy was great. ... We just played bad."

A's owner John Fisher, who did not attend a game in Oakland last season, was at the ballpark to hear occasional chants of "Let's go Oakland" and see a handful of fans wearing SELL T-shirts. Several others wore T shirts or sweatshirts that read, "I'd rather be at the Oakland Coliseum." A spirited but brief "Sell the team" chant arose after the bottom of the sixth, with the Cubs leading 16-3. The protests were mild and muted, overwhelmed by a general delight at seeing the first of many big league games in this minor league park.

The A's honored Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who died in December, by having everyone in uniform wear No. 24. ("Super special," A's shortstop Jacob Wilson said.) Their home whites this season will include a depiction of Sacramento's Tower Bridge and "Sacramento" on the right sleeve and the Las Vegas logo -- a paid sponsorship -- on the left. No home city will be on their jerseys, and they will be known only as "Athletics" during their stay in Sacramento, which they expect to take them to a proposed 2028 Opening Day in a stadium that awaits construction in Las Vegas.

"I think we recognize the situation," said A's designated hitter Brent Rooker. "I think we recognize the need for a temporary home until we get to where we're going, and I think we're fully prepared to embrace this as our home for the next three years, both the stadium and the city, and make the very best of it."

The A's will share Sutter Health Park with the Sacramento River Cats, the Giants' Triple-A affiliate, which means the field will play host to more than 150 games over the next six months.

"The grounds crew is going to deserve a raise by the end of this," Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said.

Most of the concerns regarding the nonstop use of the field center on the playing surface and the impending heat, which routinely exceeds 100 degrees in the summer, a far cry from Monday's cold and wind. Despite the weather, the park played small in its first big league game, at least for the Cubs, who batted around twice and had four players (Kelly, Michael Busch, Kyle Tucker and Swanson) drive in at least three runs.

The location of the clubhouses and batting cages beyond the outfield presents the unique opportunity for players to get a in a quarter-mile jog between innings to prepare for a pinch-hitting appearance. Before the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Seiya Suzuki, Monday night's designated hitter, might make a jaunt or two from the first-base dugout, around home plate, down the left-field line and halfway across the warning track to get some swings between at bats. Perhaps because the game was such a blowout, nobody made the trek.

"The only thing that isn't great is how far away the clubhouse is," said A's pitcher Luis Severino, who signed a three-year, $67 million free agent contract in the offseason. "If you have a bad game, that's a long walk."

The two-story home clubhouse facility has been built from the ground up, and the A's were impressed that it came together so quickly. There's a big league caliber clubhouse on the ground floor, with a food room, sauna and cryochamber above.

"This is very major-league-like," Counsell said.

The Cubs arrived in Sacramento on Sunday night after opening the season in Tokyo against the Dodgers and then playing a three-game series in Arizona. The Tokyo-Phoenix-West Sacramento circuit is a first, something Counsell said "will never be done again. I can say that for sure."

The A's residency in Sacramento puts a halt to multiple years of controversy and uncertainty as the team's 57-season stay in Oakland came to its conclusion. The team hopes Sacramento provides at least a temporary respite from all of that. Asked whether he envisioned that coming true, Rooker said, "Well, it hasn't stopped yet, so we'll see."

The paid crowd of 12,192 was roughly 2,000 short of the listed capacity of 14,014, but fans crowded the concourses and braved the bracing wind to sit on the grass berm beyond the right-field fence.

Asked what kind of atmosphere he expected in his new home park, A's outfielder Lawrence Butler said, "I'm expecting it to be like a sold-out crowd at Sutter Health Park -- whatever that is."

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Carson Kelly had come close to hitting for the cycle, yet that elusive triple kept holding him back. He had just two triples over a 10-year big league career before Monday night.

That's when Kelly became the first Chicago Cubs player in 32 years to hit for the cycle. He tripled in the eighth inning of an 18-3 rout of the Athletics -- ending the longest drought without a cycle by any team in the National League.

Kelly even walked twice in the first major league game at Sutter Health Park, the minor league ballpark serving as the new home for the A's this season.

"I've been in this same position before where I needed a triple for the cycle. If anybody's ever looked up my numbers, I have two triples, so odds are not in my favor, right?" the 30-year-old Kelly said. "I didn't get it done the first time. This time I'm like, oh, I'm just going to put a good at-bat together. Hit it, like, 'Oh yeah, pretty good.' Then I hit first and saw it ricochet and I was like, 'Oh boy, this is it right here, I got to go.' That's probably the fastest you'll ever see me run."

Kelly homered in the fourth inning, had a two-run single in the fifth, doubled and walked in the sixth, and tripled in the eighth. The previous Cubs player to hit for the cycle was Mark Grace on May 9, 1993, against San Diego -- before Kelly was even born in 1994. The team had 342 near-cycles since Grace's feat, meaning the particular player was one required hit short.

According to ESPN Research, Kelly is the first player with a cycle in March, and just the 17th catcher with a cycle in MLB history. The last catcher to do so was when J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies accomplished the feat on June 12, 2023.

And from a franchise perspective, no Cubs catcher had registered a cycle since Randy Hundley did so Aug. 11, 1966, against the Houston Astros.

Kelly also became just the third major leaguer to hit for the cycle and walk twice in the same game. Joe Gordon did it for the Yankees in 1940, and Mickey Cochrane in 1937 for the Philadelphia A's.

The Royals hold the longest stretch without a cycle in the majors. George Brett was the last player to do it for Kansas City on July 25, 1990, against Toronto.

Kelly's run-scoring triple made it 17-3. And he was thrilled to make that his third career triple.

"The two times I had triples both guys fell down, like ran into the wall and fell down," he said. "The odds are not in your favor on that."

But this time, the ball went off the wall in right-center and Kelly ran like mad.

"I didn't realize he had a chance at a cycle, but when that ball kicked off the wall the dugout started going crazy, so I figured something was going on," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. "They're fun days, they're rare days and they're once-in-a-lifetime-type days for players."

Before Monday's game, Kelly even pulled out a new bat -- "one and done," he joked afterward.

He couldn't believe it had been since Grace that the Cubs had someone hit for the cycle.

"I know Mark Grace, too, in Arizona. I'll have to hit him up," Kelly said. "Pretty special. Great accomplishment. Something I never thought I would get. I'm just very fortunate and blessed. A lot of hard work, a lot of great teammates pumping me up. So all in all just a very special night."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CINCINNATI -- Using the trendy torpedo bat for the first time, Elly De La Cruz had a single, double and two home runs for a career-high seven RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds routed the Texas Rangers 14-3 on Monday night.

The torpedo model -- a striking design in which wood is moved lower down the barrel after the label and shapes the end a little like a bowling pin -- became the talk of Major League Baseball over the weekend, especially after some of the New York Yankees used the model in a resounding sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Aaron Leanhardt, a former physics professor at the University of Michigan who is being credited with the design, says "it's about the batter, not the bat," though, and Reds first-year manager Terry Francona agrees.

"I think it's more the player than the bat," Francona said of De La Cruz, Cincinnati's No. 3 hitter. "I said that before the game, and I still do."

De La Cruz spoke with reporters after the win and was asked about his bat choice, and whether the 3-0 Yankees influenced his decision.

"No," he said. "It was because of, 'How's it feel like?'" And then when asked if he'd use it again, he looked down at the podium and laughed.

It was that kind of night for the Reds, a much-needed effort for a club that dropped two of three games to the San Francisco Giants in the opening series of the season. Brady Singer pitched seven scoreless innings in his Cincinnati debut, and the Reds batted around in the sixth to double their lead to 12-0. And it all started with Matt McLain, who missed the 2024 season because of a shoulder injury. He hit his third home run of the season to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead in the first.

The 14 runs were Cincinnati's most since a 19-2 victory over St. Louis on Sept. 29, 2023.

"It's impressive," Francona said of McLain. "Because it's cold out there. But I thought it was good for our whole ballclub. Let them get loose a little bit and have some fun."

McLain and De La Cruz are viewed as an infusion of youth for a club that believes it can compete in the National League Central. The kind of talent that brought Francona out of retirement.

"Yes," Francona said when asked if Monday was the type of De La Cruz performance he could marvel at. "And I know I'm on the late show on that."

And though it's quite early, De La Cruz is hitting .438 with 6 runs, 8 RBIs and 1 stolen base.

"I'm more in control, like more mature," De La Cruz said of the start to his season. "I feel like I'm more in control, on defense and offense."

Texas rookie Kumar Rocker struggled against the Reds, allowing six earned runs in three innings for Rangers, who opened with three wins in a four-game series versus the Boston Red Sox. Jake Burger hit his first home run for the Rangers in the ninth.

Cincinnati first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch on the wrist in the sixth. He stayed in the dugout for the seventh, and after the win, Francona said he was day-to-day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The New Orleans Pelicans are shutting down Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum for the rest of the season, the team announced Monday.

McCollum has been out since he sustained a bone bruise in his right foot on March 23, and Williamson has been sidelined since March 19 because of a bone bruise in his lower back. Both players will continue recovery plans that include rest and treatment.

New Orleans is second-to-last in the Western Conference and eliminated from contention for a play-in spot with seven regular-season games remaining.

Injuries helped derail the Pelicans' season from the start when newly acquired star guard Dejounte Murray fractured his hand in the season opener. He tore his right Achilles tendon later in the season. Williamson missed a chunk of time in the middle of the season due to a hamstring strain and costar Brandon Ingram missed time with a left ankle sprain before he was traded at the deadline.

Williamson, 24, had been on a tear since his return from that hamstring injury, averaging 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 59.7% shooting from the field since Jan. 7.

CHICAGO -- Martin Perez figured he had enough left to remain in the game a little longer. He also knew he couldn't go the distance.

The veteran left-hander threw six no-hit innings and tied a career high with nine strikeouts in a sparkling Chicago debut, helping the White Sox roll past the Minnesota Twins 9-0 on Monday.

"They asked me how I feel," Perez said. "I told them I feel great. But I was honest, too. I mean, there's no way I could go three more innings. It's too early. It's a long season."

Perez began his afternoon by getting Byron Buxton to ground out on the game's first pitch. He ended it by catching Ty France looking at a 2-2 cutter.

Perez threw 93 pitches and walked three. He retired the first 11 batters before walking Ryan Jeffers and hitting France on the next pitch, but got out of that jam when he caught Jose Miranda looking at a 3-2 cutter.

Perez kept the Twins off balance with cutters, sinkers, changeups and curves. He consistently hit the corners, but never hit 90 mph.

"I don't have the velocity anymore, but I know how to pitch, I know how to move the ball," he said.

The Twins' only hits were singles by Willi Castro and Jeffers in the seventh and eighth against Mike Vasil in his major league debut.

Perez, who turns 34 on Friday, was an All-Star with Texas in 2022 and helped the Rangers win the World Series the following year. He pitched for Pittsburgh and San Diego last season before signing a $5 million, one-year contract with Chicago in January.

The White Sox sure will take more performances like this.

Perez joined Boston's Hideo Nomo in 2001 as the only major leaguers since 1901 to toss six or more hitless innings while striking out at least nine while debuting with a new team.

"That's Martin. He knows how to pitch," said White Sox manager Will Venable, Boston's bench coach in 2021 when Pérez was with the Red Sox. "I've seen it a lot. To have him continue this nice run of starting pitching was great."

Through four games, the White Sox have a 0.75 ERA. Their starters have combined for 23 innings without an earned run, the longest stretch to start a season in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The previous mark was 21 in 1947. Chicago also matched Toronto in 2019, San Francisco in 2013 and Milwaukee in 1976 for the longest season-opening streak in the major leagues since 1913, according to Elias.

The terrific outing by Perez comes on the heels of a stellar showing by the starters in the season-opening series against the Los Angeles Angels. Rookie Sean Burke went six scoreless innings in an opening day win, and though the White Sox dropped the next two games, the starters did their job. Jonathan Cannon tossed five shutout innings in Saturday's 1-0 loss, and Davis Martin allowed two unearned runs in six innings on Sunday.

"I think it's really awesome when you're out there in the bullpen and all the starters are doing what they're doing," Vasil said. "It's very, very impressive. Obviously, as a pitcher on this staff, you want to be known as a team with a great pitching staff. So far, I think that's exactly what we have. So that's definitely a positive, positive thing."

BALTIMORE -- Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora wasn't surprised when Tyler O'Neill hit yet another opening day home run last week.

"Obviously we cannot bet on baseball, but that was the easiest bet," Cora said before Monday's game at Baltimore. "Opening day in Canada."

Turns out O'Neill is more than just a Game 1 wonder.

O'Neill had four hits in his home debut, helping the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-5 victory over Cora and the Red Sox. The outfielder has already turned heads with his record streak of homering on opening day, which the British Columbia native extended to six years Thursday when he went deep for Baltimore at Toronto.

Monday's game wasn't opening day for the Orioles' season, but it was their home opener -- and O'Neill showed out against his former team.

"I was just really trying to feel the energy of the crowd, experience the city of Baltimore," said O'Neill, who went from the Red Sox to the Orioles this past offseason as a free agent. "It was awesome out there today."

O'Neill singled home a run to open the scoring in the first inning, then came around himself to score in that four-run rally. He added another single in the third, a double in the fifth, then started another four-run inning with a leadoff single in the eighth.

O'Neill is the most significant addition to a Baltimore lineup that lost Anthony Santander via free agency.

"Anytime we're putting up 15 hits on the board, it's going to be a fun time for the offense," O'Neill said. "A lot of multihit games all up and down the lineup. Creating a lot of traffic today."

O'Neill is 8 for 14 this season.

"When you have a day game on opening day at home, there's a big-time rush," Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. "You have a million boxes in your locker, you're trying to go out for BP, you're trying to get a sense of the ballpark.

"I love his intensity. I love how he loves to compete."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.