SAN FRANCISCO — The one-two tandem at the top of the lineups Bob Melvin schemed up in spring training likely didn’t include either Heliot Ramos or Brett Wisely, and the Giants’ manager also likely didn’t envision Wisely and Casey Schmitt making up his double-play duo up the middle. That, however, is what Melvin had to work with Sunday as he filled out his lineup card for the Giants’ series finale against the Yankees, who after taking the first two games this weekend improved to 41-19, trailing only the last team to visit Oracle Park, the Philadelphia Phillies, for the best record in the majors ..read more

Pacific Collegiate School senior volleyball talent Finn Pommerenke was named the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Mission Division Offensive Player of the Year. Pommerenke, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, averaged six kills per set for the Pumas (9-7, 7-5), who finished fourth in the division. “To me, the award is personal because I represent such a small school and we especially haven’t had much success in boys volleyball in the last five years or so, so I feel like I made the team and the school proud,” Pommerenke said. Pommerenke was the Pumas’ primary outlet for scoring, and he he made sure he d ..read more

SANTA CLARA — When the airhorn blares on the 49ers’ practice field, reporters are ushered inside the gates to watch practice. The first sight is the synthetic turf field used by players rehabilitating from injuries. Players like Talanoa Hufanga, who is five months removed from surgery on his right knee. Hufanga, a 2022 All-Pro safety, looks on track to become the 49ers’ latest to conquer a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Nick Bosa did so in 2021, and Jimmy Garoppolo in 2019; both sustained their ACL tears in Week 3 of the previous season, and both were back by the next season opener. Hufanga ..read more

When he returned home for an offseason break, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski sat courtside for a Bucks-Pacers first-round game. “I think it’s more physical, it’s more defensive-oriented in the playoffs,” Podziemski said after being named All-Rookie. “Just to see that environment, what the refs were letting go, what they were calling. How you see the All-Stars rise to the top when it matters. It gave me the chills, like, ‘This is fun. This is something I want to be a part of.’” The best lesson is actually playing in the postseason, but watching and observing can be informative, too. And the ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO — On Wu-Tang Night, it was the Yankees — and their fans — who brought the ruckus. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton both hit two-run homers for New York as the Giants fell to the Yankees 7-3 on Saturday at Oracle Park, dropping their third straight and dipping back below the .500 mark. A night after hitting two home runs in his first game at Oracle Park, Judge opened up the scoring with a 464-foot, two-run shot that nearly cleared the left-field bleachers, giving the Yankees an early 2-0. New York (41-19) added two more runs in the third, extending the lead to 4-0. Juan Soto ..read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — Brody Malone has become an expert on many things over the last 15 months while recovering from a knee injury that threatened to derail his chances of returning to the Olympics. Patience. Faith. Diligence. Pain tolerance. The efficacy of certain types of knee braces. The 23-year-old gymnast and former Stanford star is well-versed in all of them following an arduous rehab that tested him in ways he never imagined. So yes, Malone’s surgically repaired right knee was bothering him at the end of the U.S. Championships on Saturday night. His ankles and lots of other things, too ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Following a rookie season in which he heavily struggled, Brett Wisely understood change was necessary —  with his body and with his mind. So, he evolved. Thanks in part to mechanical and mental tweaks — as well as help from former major leaguer Daniel Murphy — Wisely is 10-for-28 (.357 batting average) with a home run and six RBIs in his first 12 games. The sample size is very small, but the Giants have been happy to have Wisely’s early production on both sides of the ball. “They’ve been fantastic,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin said of Wisely’s plate appearances. “For hi ..read more

Scotts Valley High junior midfielder Sofia Niklaus was named Offensive Player of the Year in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division after leading the rebuilding Falcons girls lacrosse team to a surprising second-place finish behind champion Stevenson. Monte Vista Christian junior goalie Jana Bacero-Duncan was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Stevenson junior midfielder Macey Torres was named Player of the Year. Niklaus, a member of Switzerland’s Senior National Team, stepped out of the shadows after the Falcons saw star Taylor Santos transfer to IMG Academy in Bradenton, F ..read more

SAN JOSE — Glenallen Hill Jr., a 5-foot-9, 170-pound outfielder, continues to post video game numbers during his hot streak for the Fresno Grizzlies, the Colorado Rockies’ Single-A affiliate. Playing in front of friends and family scattered among the announced crowd of 3,008, the Santa Cruz native was 4-for-5 batting with a double, home run, three RBI, and four runs scored in the Grizzlies’ 11-4 win over the San Jose Giants at Excite Ballpark on Friday night. He also had a stolen base. Over the last nine games, the switch hitter is batting .437 (14 for 32) with four doubles, four home runs, an ..read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Every team in baseball needs to figure out a way to pitch at least 1,400 innings a season. Starters, openers, relievers, closers, bulk and mop-up guys must all add up to that big number. And as we enter June, it’s hard to see how the Giants will get to that number without lighting their bullpen on fire. The Giants are operating with four starting pitchers at the moment. They can only trust one to provide a quality outing whenever he takes the mound. The result of short numbers and short leashes? So far this season, Giants starters have only thrown 280.1 innings. That’s fewer th ..read more