Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 457

Kurtenbach: Rookies impress, but the 49ers have a quarterback problem — minicamp Studs and Duds

SANTA CLARA — Football was back, and now it’s gone again.

Contrary to popular belief, the NFL has an offseason—it’s just a short period of time between May and June’s minicamps and July’s training camp.

So, let’s make a mountain out of a molehill with that minicamp. After all, it’s all we’ll have for the next few weeks.

Here were the studs and duds of spring football.

STUDS

Ricky Pearsall

» There’s no confirmation bias or grading on the curve here — Pearsall looks the part. It wouldn’t shock me at all if the rookie had more than 50 catches this season.

And that’s even if Brandon Aiyuk shows up to work.

You cannot teach the kind of suddenness or ability to separate that Pearsall displayed in OTAs and minicamp. And while it was non-padded practice, it’s difficult to envision it not translating to the field once hard plastic becomes involved.

The 49ers receiver corps, even without Aiyuk, is deeper than ever. Deebo Samuel is incentivized to have the best year of his career, Jauan Jennings has a new contract and, lest we forget, was going to be the Super Bowl a few months ago and the rookies, Pearsall and even the speedy Jacob Cowing, are keen to make an immediate impact. And say what you will about Trent Taylor, but he still has NFL value. That’s five. Aiyuk makes it six. That’s a loaded room. And it does not have room for Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray, or Chris Conley (though I’d expect Conley to be on the practice squad).

Aiyuk is sitting at home, making more money by the day. Good for him. And I have no problem with the 49ers using their one point of leverage in negotiation — the ability to walk away — to its full advantage.

No one will take Aiyuk’s job as the team’s No. 1 receiver — the X in Kyle Shanahan’s offense — but Pearsall will play the role until Aiyuk arrives in Santa Clara.

And don’t be shocked if the Niners are just fine with that for a while.

Renardo Green

» It’s almost unfair. Green has been outstanding in the Niners’ spring practices — sticky, physical, and cerebral; the second-round cornerback has a chance to be really special with immediate effect.

But because of Pearsall’s excellence, Green’s play has been overshadowed.

I’ll bet my bottom dollar (that won’t require me to dig too long), that the Niners nailed their top two picks in 2024.

The further you are away from the ball, the less I need to see of you in pads to know if you can play or not. Pearsall can play. Green is right there with him.

But he won’t be starting in Week 1.

Isaac Yiadom

» This guy will, though.

The free-agent cornerback didn’t make waves when he put pen to paper in Santa Clara, but Niners defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen thinks Yiadom did sign his 1-year deal ($3 million) and then go work out.

It seems to have worked out for him. With Charvarius Ward sidelined this spring, Yiadom has repped as the team’s No. 1 cornerback and looked like a No. 1 cornerback.

“He’s very technical. He’s very strong,” Sorensen told me. “I think he’s a guy that’s also—like we talk about Mooney [Ward] being strong and a tackler—he’s got that in his history as well. He’s a tough guy. He’s physical. He plays with his hands. He’s violent. He communicates. He sees things before they happen, and that stuff has shown up.”

The Niners have four cornerbacks worthy of starting. Ward, Green, Yiadom, and Deommodore Lenoir.

This might be the best CB unit in the league.

My, how far we’ve come.

DUDS

Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs

» Here’s a proclamation: If Brock Purdy goes down, the Niners are cooked this season.

The backup quarterback position might feature two veteran names, but watching them both over the last few practices, I see there’s little to nothing to like between them.

Allen has arm strength, but his accuracy was comically woeful in practice.

Dobbs can run a bit, but his windup is Tebow-like. Not good.

The Niners made a big mistake in not drafting a quarterback. I haven’t seen anything from Tanner Mordecai suggesting he can be something this season. But at this point, he might be the best option.

You would have thought the 49ers, more than any other team, would have known the value of the backup quarterback. They have smart guys for the room, but I seriously doubt Allen or Dobbs can win the 49ers a game, much less a few, should No. 13 miss time.

Ambry Thomas

» The non-veteran cornerback didn’t do anything to disqualify himself from this team — he was the No. 2 corner in minicamp — but there is a distinct possibility that he does not make this team at the end of training camp. There’s too much depth.

Thomas is the player I’ll be watching most intently in July.

Someone in the running back room

» Along those same lines, the running back room is stacked, meaning someone who is good to quite good will be cut at the end of training camp.

Elijah Mitchell is going to make the team, barring injury. He looked fresh this spring, and he’s an excellent back.

And draft pick Isaac Guerendo — the second-coming of Raheem Mostert, only this time with pass-catching ability — is on the roster, too.

There’s someone else I’m certain will make it… oh yeah, that McCaffrey guy.

But that leaves two spots (max) for three solid players: Jordan Mason, Cody Schrader, and Patrick Taylor.

The latter hasn’t been talked up much (if at all), but I really liked how he looked in less-than-informative circumstances. We’ll see in July and August if there’s anything there.

But we know who Mason is and Schrader has looked fantastic in 7-on-7s. I don’t need to tell you the SEC’s top running back last year deserves a fair NFL shot.

They can’t all make it. This is a champagne problem, to be sure, but a problem nevertheless.

‘So much death’: Lawmakers weigh stricter speed limits, safer roads for pedestrians

By Vanessa G. Sánchez, KFF Health News

LOS ANGELES — The party was winding down. Its young hosts, María Rivas Cruz and her fiancé, Raymond Olivares, had accompanied friends to their car to bid them farewell. As the couple crossed a four-lane main road back to the home they had just bought, Rivas Cruz and Olivares were struck by a car fleeing an illegal street race. The driver was going 70 in a 40-mph zone.

Despite years of pleading for a two-lane road, lower speed limits, safety islands, and more marked crosswalks, residents say the county had done little to address speeding in this unincorporated pocket of southeastern Los Angeles. Since 2012, this half-mile stretch of Avalon Boulevard had logged 396 crashes, injuring 170 and killing three.

Olivares, 27, a civil engineer for the city of Los Angeles, became the fourth fatality when he was hurled across the street, hit by a second car, and instantly killed. Rivas Cruz was transported to a hospital, where she remained in a coma for two weeks. Once awake, the elementary school teacher underwent a series of reconstructive surgeries to repair her arm, jaw, and legs.

In the aftermath of the February 2023 crash, the county installed protective steel posts midway across the street. But residents, who had sought a platformed center divider and speed cameras, said that wasn’t enough.

“It’s just a band-aid on a cut. This is supposed to solve it, but it doesn’t, and that is what hurts,” said Rivas Cruz, who now at age 28 walks with a cane and lives with chronic pain. “I go to sleep, and I’m like, ‘It’s just a dream, it’s just a dream.’ And it’s not.”

The nation’s road system covers 4 million miles and is governed by a patchwork of federal, state, and local jurisdictions that often operate in silos, making systemic change difficult and expensive. But amid the highest number of pedestrians killed in decades, localities are pushing to control how speed limits are set and for more accountability on road design. This spring, New York and Michigan passed laws allowing local jurisdictions to lower speed limits. In Los Angeles, voters approved a measure that forces the city to act on its own safety improvement plan, mandating that the car-loving metropolis redesign streets, add bike lanes, and protect cyclists, transit riders, and pedestrians.

Still, there’s plenty of political resistance to speed enforcement. In California’s Statehouse, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) proposed requiring GPS-equipped smart devices in new cars and trucks to prevent excessive speeding. But after pushback, the state lawmaker watered down his bill to require all vehicles sold in the state starting in 2032 to have only warning systems that alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 mph.

Although the Biden administration is championing Vision Zero — its commitment to zero traffic deaths — and injecting more than $20 billion in funding for transportation safety programs through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, road safety advocates and some lawmakers argue that the country is still far from making streets and vehicles safe, or slowing drivers down.

“We are not showing the political will to use the proven safety tools that exist,” said Leah Shahum, founder of Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit organization advancing Vision Zero in communities across the country.

Still a crisis

The need for safer roads took on urgency during the covid pandemic. Fatalities rose even as lockdown mandates emptied streets. In 2022, more than 42,500 people died on American roads, and at least 7,522 pedestrians were fatally struck — the highest tally of pedestrian deaths in more than four decades.

Experts cite several reasons for the decline in road safety. During the lockdowns, reckless driving increased while traffic enforcement declined. SUVs and trucks have become larger and heavier, thus deadlier when they hit a pedestrian. Other factors persist as streets remain wide to accommodate vehicles, and in some states speed limits have gradually increased.

Early estimates of motor vehicle fatalities show a slight decrease from 2022 to 2023, but pedestrian fatalities are still notably above pre-pandemic numbers. “It’s an encouraging start, but the numbers still constitute a crisis,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote in February of roadway deaths.

The Biden administration has directed $15.6 billion to road safety until 2026 and $5 billion in local grants to prevent roadway deaths and injuries. Under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new “vulnerable road user” rule, states with 15% or more deaths involving pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists compared with all road deaths must match federal dollars in their safety improvement spending.

Road safety advocates argue the federal government missed an opportunity to eliminate outdated standards for setting speed limits when it revised traffic guidelines last year. The agency could have eliminated guidance recommending setting speed limits at or below how fast 85% of drivers travel on uncongested roads. Critics contend that what’s known as the 85th percentile rule encourages traffic engineers to set speed limits at levels unsafe for pedestrians.

But the Federal Highway Administration wrote in a statement that while the 85th percentile is the typical method, engineers rarely rely solely on this rule. It also noted that states and some local agencies have their own criteria for setting speed limits.

In response, grassroots efforts to curtail speeding have sprouted across communities. In April, Michigan  granting local governments authority to round down when setting speed limits.

And after four years of lobbying, New York state passed Sammy’s Law, named after 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, who was killed by a driver in Brooklyn in 2013. The law, which will take effect in June, allows New York City to lower its speed limits to 20 mph in designated areas.

“With this legislation, I hope we can learn more children’s names because of their accomplishments, their personalities, and their spirit — not their final moments,” said Sammy’s mother, Amy Cohen.

Push for pedestrian safety

Advocates would also like the federal government to factor in pedestrian safety on the five-star vehicle safety rating scale. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed a separate pass/fail test that would be posted only on the agency’s website, not on labels consumers would see at the dealership.

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Automakers like BMW questioned the effectiveness of a program testing pedestrian protections in vehicles arguing that in European countries that adopted such a regulation, it’s not been clear whether it led to fewer deaths and injuries. According to the campaign finance site Open Secrets, automakers spent about $49 million lobbying in 2023 compared with $2.2 million spent by advocates for highway and auto safety.

“The federal government has the biggest punch when it comes to requiring improved vehicle safety design,” said Wiener, the California state lawmaker.

Although Wiener modified his proposal to restrict excessive speeding, he has advanced companion legislation that would require Caltrans, the state transportation agency, to make improvements such as adding crosswalks and curb extensions on state-owned surface streets to better serve pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.

When that bill was heard in a committee, opponents, including engineering firms and contractors, cautioned it would remove flexibility and hamper the state’s ability to deliver a safe and efficient transportation system. Lawmakers have until Aug. 31 to act on his bills.

In Los Angeles, hope for change arrived in March when voters passed Measure HLA, which requires the city to invest $3.1 billion in road safety over the next decade. Rivas Cruz’s house, however, sits eight blocks outside the jurisdiction of the city initiative.

It’s been more than a year since the crash, but Rivas Cruz finds reminders everywhere: in the mirror, when she looks at the scars left on her face after several surgeries. When she walks on the street that still lacks the infrastructure that would have protected her and Raymond.

Stories of pedestrians killed in this Latino working-class neighborhood are too common, said Rivas Cruz. In September, she attended a memorial of a 14-year-old who was killed by a reckless driver.

“There’s so much death going on,” the Los Angeles Unified School District teacher said from her mother’s living room on a spring afternoon. “The representatives have failed us. Raymond and I were giving back to the community. He was a civil engineer working for the city, and I’m a LAUSD teacher. Where is our help?”

This article was produced by  KFF Health News , which publishes  California Healthline , an editorially independent service of the  California Health Care Foundation .

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Ringo Starr talks candidly: ‘I’m giving away all the secrets here!’

By George Varga, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Ringo Starr is on the phone from Las Vegas and he’s got lots of fab things to talk about, including some that have been largely kept under wraps.

“I’m giving away all the secrets here!” said Starr, who has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist and as a member of The Beatles.

Simultaneously thoughtful and animated, the illustrious drummer, vocalist and bandleader happily discussed a number of topics. They included his upcoming country album with “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” music mastermind T Bone Burnett; a possible new Beatles’ project with Oscar-winning film director Peter Jackson; and the yet-to-be-determined future of “The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil,” which on July 6 will conclude its 18-year run at The Mirage in Las Vegas.

And there’s more.

On May 31, Starr released his fifth EP since 2021. Entitled “Crooked Boy,” the four-song release is a collaboration with former San Diego singer-songwriter Linda Perry, the former leader of the band 4 Non Blondes. His eighth book, “Beats & Threads: Fashion of a Beatle,” was published in November. Proceeds from the limited-edition book go to the Lotus Foundation, the charity that Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, founded to aid economically challenged families, children and the elderly.

Before his interviewer could pose a single question, however, Starr had something he was eager to trumpet. He and his All Starr Band today are announcing two new Southern California performances as part of their 2024 tour.

The first is Sept. 7 at San Diego’s Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. The second is Sept. 8 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Tickets for the Humphreys show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at humphreysconcerts.com.

‘A special venue for me’

“Great news! We’re coming back to Humphreys, brother!” said Starr, who has regularly performed there since 1995. “It is a special venue for me.”

A longtime Beverly Hills resident, Starr will turn 84 on July 7. His recording and performing schedule indicate he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

The All Starr Band’s 2024 spring tour opened May 22 at The Venetian in Las Vegas and includes concerts Wednesday and Thursday at Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional. Their fall tour will open with the Sept. 7 San Diego show at Humphreys. It will conclude with a Sept. 25 date at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

The band’s lineup features Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Men At Work leader Colin Hay, Average White Band mainstay Hamish Stuart, saxophonist, flutist and keyboardist Warren Ham, and former Maynard Ferguson/David Lee Roth drummer Gregg Bissonette.

Edgar Winter, a longtime All Star member, has been sitting out the spring tour due to illness. He is expected to rejoin the band in time for its Sept. 7 San Diego gig at Humphreys. Winter’s spot is temporarily being filled by Aerosmith touring keyboardist and guitarist Buck Johnson.

Starr spoke with the San Diego Union-Tribune on May 31. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: In our interview last year, you told me the Greek Theatre is your favorite place to play. Is Humphreys a close second?

A: Yeah. I do love the Greek — because I get to go home after the show! I love the sound and the people who are there to (provide) support. But Humphreys is a special venue for me. I’ve always loved it. At times they’ve tried to put me in other venues down there in San Diego, and I’ve said: “No. I play at Humphreys.”

Q: Do you have a special message for the “boat people” who watch your shows at Humphreys for free from the adjacent marina?

A: Oh, yes: “You tight bastards — buy a ticket!” Ha ha ha ha!

Q: Your recent collaborator, Linda Perry, used to live in San Diego. What do you like most about working with her?

A: Oh, she’s great … She’s a great writer, she’s fun to be with. You know, we just get on. I mean, doing the EPs, I’ve been calling people that I’ve never worked with, just to (have a) change … I thought: “Well, I’m gonna work with people I don’t know.”

I didn’t know Linda. I mean, I knew about her, but I didn’t know her. I gave her a call and she gave me a song, and it was really great. Then she said: “When are you gonna let me do an EP (with) you?” And I said, “Great,” and that’s what she did. She called it “Crooked Boy,” and they used a very nice photo of me on the cover.

Q: The great bassist Nathan East is from San Diego. He told me that — beyond admiring you as a musician and a person — he is impressed that you phone him personally when you want him to do a recording session.

A: Yeah, well, that’s what I do, you know? I call and say: “Hi. I’m doing this (record). If you’d like to join in, it would be great!” I mean, with Nathan, we’ve come to a place now where I only call him when I want bass on (at least) three tunes, because he does them all in half an hour! So, I don’t call him right away. I wait ‘till we’ve got a couple of songs for him to record on, not just one, because he is such a fine bass player.

Q: He certainly is. There are a few points during each All Star Band concert where you go offstage while one of your band mates is doing a song. I’m curious: What are you doing offstage during that time when you’re not up there with the band?

A: I’m having a cup of tea.

Q: Really?

A: No, not really! I’m just saying that now. When I’m off stage, I’m just having a break and letting the band run with it. I mean, it depends. When I started the All Starr Band (in 1989), I would invite (the members) to sing one of their songs, just by themselves if they wanted … When I take a break during a show, the band’s still there (on stage), it’s still rocking, (and) somebody gets a chance to do a song of theirs where it’s just the band, because it’s so good, instead of the spotlight just being on me.

Q: In 1970 you released your first country-music album, “Beaucoups of Blues,” which you recorded in Nashville with Pete Drake and a bunch of other great players. Now, you’re coming full circle and doing a new country album with T Bone Burnett. How did that come about and how is it shaping up?

A: Well, it came about (as a result of) the pandemic. I was working out, doing some painting or whatever, and that kept me going. But after I started doing EPs (in 2021), we went out to the Sunset Marquis (hotel, in November 2022) because Olivia Harrison was reading from her book, “Came the Lightening: Twenty Poems for George.”

There were about a hundred of us there, listening to her, and it was great. T Bone was there. We’d never had dinner or anything, but I had bumped into him over the years, many times. And he said: “What are you doing?”

And I said “Oh, I’m making EPs, and if you’ve got a song — if you feel like it — send it to me and I’ll put it with the other three song I’ve got on my (next) EP.” All of the other three songs for the EP were like pop songs. T Bone sent me a very moving country song, and I thought: “Well now I’m gonna do a country thing!”

But that’s how I work. It’s just like, the moves are made and I continue the moves. It’s not like I sat there thinking: “Well now I’m gonna do a country one.” It just came about because T Bone sent me this track; I never thought: “Oh, it will be a country track.”

Q: There are quite a few people, as you may well know, who believe no other band will ever be as great and as meaningful — or have the same impact — as The Beatles. What do you think?

A: Well, yes, I do think (that will happen) one day. I mean, no one was going to be bigger than Elvis. No one was going to be bigger than Sinatra … But then, always, someone comes up.

Q: Is there anyone now you would point to?

A: No.

Q: After 18 years, on July 7 “The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil” will close its run in Las Vegas at The Mirage, which is being re-branded as Hard Rock Las Vegas. Might “LOVE” take on a new life somewhere else, in or out of Vegas?

A: Well, there’s no plan for that. We were there last night; we went to see “LOVE,” And it was great … We were talking about how the first (2006 iteration of “LOVE”) was so great. We have to thank (the late Beatles’ producer) George Martin and (his son) Giles Martin for how great it sounded. Because they spent months on it, putting different stuff on tracks and taking stuff off, and giving them the (beefed up) harmonies. It was really great and every seat had stereo speakers.

Then, (Cirque founder) Guy (Laliberté) sold Cirque (in 2020) to this company. And they put all these speakers everywhere (throughout the venue), big speakers in the ceiling, so that changed it. But it’s an amazing show. I mean, the changeovers (between songs and segments) — how do they do that? Because you can’t tell things are changing and it’s so beautiful. When we saw it last night, it seemed to be that teenagers were running the show! It was so great and fast, with really crazy stuff. And they have, like, 9-year-olds as John, Paul, George, and Ringo!

Q: How did the 9-year-olds do?

A: It’s interesting for me to, you know, to see “George” speaking and “John” (in “LOVE”). So, we had a great time and right now, (it appears to be) the last time. Because on the seventh of July, the show ends. What happens after that? Of course, people are talking about maybe (this), maybe (that). And one part of me thought, you know, it’d be good to do a late-night “LOVE” show. Because we (The Beatles) have some very, not dark but not-too-bright songs.

Q: That sounds like it could be great.

A: Yeah. But anyway, they’ll do what they do and let me know.

Q: Peter Jackson did a terrific job with “Get Back,” the 2021 Beatles’ film documentary. Might there be another Beatles/Jackson collaboration of any kind in the offing?

A: Not that we know of, yet, but we’re hoping. And so, I’m not going to talk about it, because he (Jackson) said “Yes.” And we’ve had a discussion about that “Yes,” and we need him to say “Yes” again. I’m giving all the secrets away here!

Q: I appreciate that! I’m also wondering if you could talk briefly about the restored version of (director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 Beatles’ film documentary) “Let It Be” that was released in early May. Have you reassessed your negative view of the original film? Or do you you suddenly see “Let It Be” in a new light, now that it’s been restored?

A: No, no, I always thought it was pointed in the wrong direction — only down. And that’s why I was so glad we found 56 hours of unused “Let It Be” footage, which had been hibernating, for Peter Jackson to use (for “Get Back”) … I was disappointed with “Let It Be,” because I was there (when it was filmed) and we had lots of laughs, as you saw in the Peter Jackson edit.

We had a lot of fun. We did have a few rows (arguments) — that’s what a band does. But everyone thinks The Beatles are like angels and we shouldn’t fight. And we’d have little rows and then we’d get over it. Music is the most important part of what we did, you know, besides the friendships, of course.

Q: You recently said in an interview that Paul McCartney having been such a workaholic spurred The Beatles on to be more productive as recording artists. It may be hard to quantify, but how much less productive and how many fewer albums do you think would have resulted if Paul wasn’t such a go-getter?

A: Well, how many (studio albums) do you think we made?

Q: I’m bad at math on a good day, but 10 or 11?

A: We would have done half (as many), I think.

Q: Really?

A: Yeah, because we were like, it was such a change for us (after The Beatles stopped touring in 1966). We enjoyed sitting in the garden, looking at the trees! Paul got us in (the studio) and we went in and we all did our best stuff. It was a great thing. From the count-in (of the first song), nobody was playing around. Anybody who counted in (a song), the four of us, gave our all.

Q: In the Peter Jackson footage in “Get Back,” one of my favorite scenes is the one where The Beatles are in the studio, listening to a playback of a song, and you are sitting next to Yoko (Ono). You’re kind of bopping in your seat to the music, and you pass a stick of chewing gum to Yoko, who breaks it in half and gives half of it to John. You’re all chewing gum and grooving to the music, andit’s a really warm and joyous moment. I don’t know if you even remembered that scene until you saw it when Peter finished the film.

A: Yeah, I only remember it because I’ve just seen it again.

Q: Is there a favorite scene or two in “Get Back” that you hadn’t thought of for decades?

A: No.

Q: No?

A: No. I often think of John. And because of that, I often think of John and Yoko, and — of course — George. You know, it could be just walking down the street and something will catch your attention, and I’ll sort of associate it with one of the boys.

Q: One of the most memorable Beatles’ misadventures took place when your were in the Philippines in 1966 to perform two concerts in Manila. You had to high-tail it out of the country after Imelda Marcos denounced The Beatles on national TV for not showing up for a breakfast at the Royal Palace.

A: Yep.

Q: In the ensuing uproar, I recall that — before you flew out — you and John were at the Manila airport, ducking down behind a group of nuns so that you wouldn’t be spotted by police or soldiers.

A: Yeah, that’s absolutely true. It looked like they were really going to come and get us. And you know they wouldn’t let us get on the plane because Mrs. Marcos was upset with us. When we arrived at the airport, before our concerts in Manila, there were, like, 20 cops on motorbikes to (escort us in a motorcade). And when we went back to the airport, it was with (just) one (motorcycle cop), and people were shouting at us. It was really rough.

John and I shared a (hotel) room; The Beatles, we always shared rooms when we were on tour. We ordered (room service) breakfast (in Manila) and thought: “We’ll turn the TV on while we wait.” And we saw this incredible footage of a cameraman going around a table and kids crying because we didn’t turn up (at the palace). We had said (in advance) we weren’t turning up, but she still went along with it. And so that’s what caused it all.

So, at the airport — when we were leaving — we thought: “Yeah, we’ll be safer with the nuns!” Ha ha ha ha!

Q: Did Imelda Marcos ever reach out after that to apologize?

A: No. She was too busy counting her money.

Q: Your upcoming country-music album sounds very exciting. But when we talked last year, you told me you were done with albums, that you only wanted to make EPs. What made you change your mind?

A: Well, that’s what I’m saying: I am changeable; I’m not stuck in my ways. I mean, I did say I’d (only) make EPs, and I made five of them. And then T Bone sent me that country song and I got other country artists to help me make an EP, which didn’t come out now because the (pop-music) EP with Linda Perry came out.

Then, I said to T Bone: “Would you like to do a (full) record?” He said: “Okay, I’m coming to L.A. and I’ll come over and I’ve got some songs,” and he had nine songs! And so, I thought: “Let’s make an album, let’s change it up.” And that’s what I’ve done. I’ve recorded nine of his songs, uh, 10. And we’re gonna put the one he sent for the EP on (the album) as well. We’ve got 10 tracks already. And I’ve got three others, and maybe this will be sort of a 13- or 14-track record, one way or the other.

Q: What is it about country music that resonates so strongly with people in England, and with you as a young man growing up? I know that Celtic music migrated to America and helped lay the foundation for bluegrass music. And you told me in our 1992 interview that you really like Frankie Laine, who wasn’t a country singer, but …

A: Yeah, I do love Frankie Laine — he was so dramatic! — and Johnnie Ray. I’m a softie, really, you see! (He begins to croon in a Ray-like voice.)

Q: But what exactly was it about country music that attracted you so much when you were young?

A: I felt it. I loved it. In those days — the ‘50s — for me, it was Hank Williams and everybody else. Kitty Wells was my heroine! And, you know, I’ve just loved it ever since. As you said, I did a record with Pete Drake, and now I’m doing one with T Bone. So, you never know what’s going on in the future!

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Recipe: Chilled green garlic bisque

Healdsburg’s Jordan Vineyard & Winery is known for its wines, its excellent culinary programs and its merry focus on the joy of picnicking. Here, the winery’s chef Jesse Mallgren — who used to helm the Michelin-starred Madrona Manor (now The Madrona) in Healdsburg — shares a recipe for a chilled bisque using that most springtime of ingredients, green garlic.

If green garlic is not in season at your grocery, Mallgren suggests substituting a 50/50 mix of scallions and leeks. Similarly, if caviar isn’t something you normally have in your cupboard, you might try using raw, sliced scallops or roasted green garlic — chopped and used to garnish the bisque. Or, just skip it entirely: “It’s good even without the caviar or anything else,” says Mallgren.

Chilled Green Garlic Bisque

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Jordan Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup green garlic bottoms, washed and thinly sliced

3 cups cream

1/4 cup green garlic tops, blanched then shocked in ice, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon crème fraîche

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 ounce Jordan Chef’s Reserve Caviar

DIRECTIONS

On low heat, cook onions and green garlic bottoms in saucepan with salt until soft. Add the cream to the pan and gently warm, then add the green garlic tops. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Strain through a chinois sieve into a bowl. Adjust seasoning as preferred. Then, chill the soup until cold.

Chill four serving bowls. In the bottom of each bowl, add crème fraîche in a small pile. Top the crème fraîche with caviar, then sprinkle the almonds around the caviar. Pour the chilled soup around the caviar. Serve immediately and enjoy with a glass of Jordan Chardonnay.

— Courtesy of Chef Jesse Mallgren of Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Recipe: Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato, Feta and Mint Salad

This salad recipe comes from the new cookbook from the Oakville Grocery, a California wine country institution. The combination of watermelon, tomatoes and feta tastes like summer in a bowl, according to the authors of “Oakville Grocery, The Cookbook” (Weldon Owen, $35). It’s crisp, cool and sweet-salty. Pair it as a side with anything barbecued or tote it on a picnic with sandwiches.

Among the cookbook tips: Be sure to start with cold watermelon, use the best tomatoes you can find and seek out a good-quality cheese, like a briny Greek sheep’s milk feta or a mild and creamy French feta.

Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato, Feta, and Mint Salad

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 mini seedless watermelon, about 4 pounds, chilled

1¾ pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, halved, seeded and sliced or cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1⁄2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS

Quarter the watermelon lengthwise and cut the flesh away from the rind. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. Related Articles Recipe: Chilled green garlic bisque Recipe: French green bean salad Cheesy chicken enchilada casserole spices up dinner Column: This herbal chicken soup has been nourishing Hmong moms for centuries 3 spice blends you should be making at home

In a large, shallow serving bowl, gently toss together the watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers. Drizzle the oil and vinegar evenly over the mixture, then toss again to coat evenly. Sprinkle with the cheese and mint and serve.

— Courtesy “Oakville Grocery, The Cookbook” (Weldon Owen, $35)

Recipe: French green bean salad

California’s Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a Sonoma wine country institution known for its excellent vintages as well as excellent culinary programs, including a robust focus on the joy of picnicking. Here, the winery’s kitchen shares a recipe that’s perfect for sunny days out on the grass — a French green bean salad, zesty with aged sherry vinegar and sweet with peaches picked at the peak of the season.

“This simple salad is loaded with crisp vegetables and fresh, seasonal ingredients like peaches and arugula,” writes the winery. “It’s also an especially good white-wine pairing with a chilled glass of Jordan Chardonnay.”

French Green Bean Salad

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup aged sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 shallot, finely minced

1 cup Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or good olive oil of your choice), divided use

4 ears corn, shucked and silks removed

2 tablespoons Aleppo crushed peppers

1 cup haricots verts, green beans or romano beans, stringed

1/2 cup hazelnuts, roasted, skinned and crushed

8 cups baby arugula, stemmed and rinsed

1 cup frisée, trimmed of most green

4 to 6 peaches, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

To make the dressing, combine sherry vinegar, mustard, thyme, shallot, salt and pepper in a blender at medium speed. While blending, slowly drizzle 3/4 cup Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil until emulsified. Refrigerate and keep for up to one week.

In a nonreactive bowl, toss ears of corn with remaining olive oil, Aleppo pepper and salt. Grill corn on medium high heat until it begins to brown. Let the corn cool to touch, then slice kernels off the cob and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Blanch beans in boiling water until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Shock beans in ice water and drain.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add salad dressing to taste and gently toss. Serve immediately.

— Courtesy Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Move over, Barbie: Universal developing ‘Monster High’ film based on Mattel dolls

By Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Fresh off the resounding success of “Barbie,” Mattel is partnering with Universal Pictures to develop another live-action film based on its top-selling dolls.

The El Segundo-based toy company and the studio giant announced Wednesday that they are joining forces for “Monster High,” a big-screen feature inspired by the fashionable, plastic descendants of classic creatures.

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Universal and Mattel have tapped Akiva Goldsman — an Oscar winning screenwriter known for “A Beautiful Mind” and “Cinderella Man” — to produce the picture under his banner, Weed Road. Goldsman said in a statement that he has been “fascinated” by the Monster High dolls since his daughters were “obsessed” with them as kids.

“Monster High” is one of many film projects in the Mattel pipeline derived from popular playthings, including American Girl dolls, Hot Wheels, the Magic 8 Ball, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Polly Pocket. (MGM is developing the latter with “Girls” creator Lena Dunham and “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins attached.)

The toy factory is hoping to repeat the commercial and critical triumph that was Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” which grossed $1.4 billion at the global box office last year and landed eight Oscar nominations.

And Mattel isn’t the only one looking to score its next toy blockbuster.

Margot Robbie, who produced and starred in “Barbie,” is working on film adaptations of the Sims video game and the Monopoly board game through her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment.

May the best “Barbie” alum win.

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

10 underrated national parks to visit this summer

By Lacey Pfalz, TravelPulse

National parks are incredible places for discovery, yet oftentimes we think about visiting only the most popular: Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, and a few others. Yet the National Park Service maintains and protects hundreds of parks, national lakeshores and seashores, recreation areas, walking trails and more, all for you to take in and enjoy.

So before you book your reservation for a busy park this summer, check out this list of 10 underrated national parks to visit this summer instead. While this list certainly isn’t exhaustive, it might just spark your imagination.

Assateague Island National Seashore

Assateague Island National Seashore is located in Assateague Island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It’s a beautiful spot for nature lovers to hike, bike, camp, stargaze, fish and even go crabbing, but it’s most known for its special four-legged animals: wild horses!

Horse lovers will enjoy visiting the national seashore to view and photograph the majestic creatures, who, according to local legend, are descendants of shipwreck survivors in the late 17th century (but were more likely intentionally brought to the island for tax evasion purposes).

There are two herds — the Chincoteague ponies of Virginia and the Maryland herd — so travelers can rest assured knowing that no matter which state they visit, they’ll be able to see the horses roaming free across the scenic landscape and beaches.

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area

Ever wonder what the Milky Way looks like? Travelers heading to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area overnight might find out on a clear summer night.

The area spans Kentucky and Tennessee to offer 125,000 scenic acres within the Cumberland Plateau, and it also protects the Cumberland River. While there, campers can gaze at the Milky Way with Ranger-led dark sky programs, take photos of the region’s beautiful rock formations and natural beauty, go whitewater paddling down the river, climb the region’s signature sandstone cliffs and go horseback riding along scenic trails.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a scenic gem located in the far northern reaches of Wisconsin, along the coast of Lake Superior and the nation’s northernmost border. There, travelers can catch a glimpse of the northern lights at certain times of the year (especially during the winter) and much more.

Outer Island docks inside Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin. (NPS/TNS)

There are 21 different Apostle Islands, accessible by boat or sea kayak. Travelers can easily purchase a ride on a water taxi or take a NPS-authorized Apostle Islands Cruise to get the most out of a trip to the islands.

Adventurers heading to the islands can take a guided kayak tour, bring their own boats to jet around, camp on one or a few of the islands or simply explore the 12 miles of lakeshore on the mainland. Sea caves, historic lighthouses and beautiful scenery await, as does a chance to learn about the culture of the region’s first inhabitants, the Ojibwe.

Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is another paradise of unspoiled nature. Located off the Michigan shoreline on Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, it’s accessible by seaplane and a variety of ferries and boat options. Travelers can also visit the national park via the RANGER III, too.

Daytrippers are more than welcome, but travelers wanting to immerse themselves for longer (or take advantage of the dark northern skies and catch a glimpse of the Milky Way and even the northern lights) with a stay in the Rock Harbor Lodge or a campsite.

With over 400 islands across the park, travelers with boats or sea kayaks will adore sailing or paddling to these uninhabited gems, where great opportunities for photography await. Hikers will especially love climbing the park’s highest peak, Mount Dresor, which rises 1,394 feet in the air.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is often considered one of the most underrated of the American national parks, and it’s not hard to see why. The North Dakota national park, named after the president who advocated for the establishment of more national parks, offers great opportunities for hiking, photography and encountering some of the nation’s coolest animals — including bison!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park. (Gary Anderson/NPS/TNS)

Travelers to the park can also fish, canoe, bike, horseback ride, camp and much more. Additionally, the park hosts the Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival each year and is a great destination from which to view the Milky Way in all its celestial glory.

Great Basin National Park

Great Basin National Park might just challenge your conception of the state of Nevada: It’s not all desert! The park offers ancient bristlecone pine forests, incredible night skies, scenic foothills covered in sagebrush, the stunning 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak and the mysterious Lehman Caves.

Here, travelers can partake in some unique adventure activities, from wild caving to pine nut gathering. The park offers a range of seasonal activities like wildflower viewing, but it also boasts year-round activities with its many hiking trails, nighttime beauty and bird watching opportunities.

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to walk on another planet? You won’t even have to use much of your imagination during a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve.

Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. (NPS/TNS)

Located in southern Idaho, the preserve is home to the remnants of ancient lava flows. The park is a great one to visit for a few hours, a half day or a full night, with many of the biggest attractions, like caves and trails, available along a 7-mile stretch of Loop Road.

It’s also an International Dark Sky area, making it a great destination for travelers looking not only to experience an otherworldly environment on land, but also the glories of the cosmos, without light pollution.

Capitol Reef National Park

Geologists will tell you that Utah’s scenic Capitol Reef National Park is special because of a wrinkle in the earth called the Waterpocket Fold, but the unique formation is only one of the park’s many attractions.

The fold extends nearly 100 miles, creating a unique landscape with natural cliffs, domes, bridges and canyons that hikers, horseback riders, canyoneers and bikers love to explore. Travelers with accessibility considerations or those simply driving through the region to head somewhere else can take an hour and a half scenic drive, which offers over 10 stops featuring some of the park’s most incredible geological wonders, such as the Moenkopi Formation, which looks out of this world.

Big Thicket National Preserve

You might just forget that you’re in southern Texas during a visit to Big Thicket National Preserve. The preserve boasts nine unique ecosystems across its 113,000 acres, from pine forests to cypress-lined bayous, offering guests a truly wondrous experience.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Big Thicket offers nearly 40 miles of hiking trails and six waterway corridors, as well as opportunities for back country camping, paddling, fishing, bird watching and much more.

The park offers a selection of developed regions, offering amenities like restrooms, and more primitive units, ensuring that new campers and seasoned park professionals will be able to get the most out of their visit.

Oh, and watch out for the carnivorous plants!

San Juan Island National Historical Park

Located off the coast of Washington State is San Juan Island National Historical Park. It’s home to incredible natural beauty, with a gorgeous rocky coastline, nearby pods of orcas, quiet forests and one of the last native prairies in the region, but it’s a nationally designated historic park for one particularly strange reason: it’s the site of a near beginning of war between the U.S. and Great Britain, started over the death of a single pig.

An elephant seal on the beach at San Juan Island National Historical Park. (NPS/TNS)

Travelers will love hiking, photographing the beautiful island, foraging mussels and seaweed, and exploring all its natural riches, but they’ll also learn about the so-called Pig War, and how peaceful arbitration finally put an end to the incident and led to the creation of the current border between the U.S. and Canada.

Guests can visit the park via the Washington State Ferry system, by plane or by private boat. One important note is that no one is allowed to camp on the island, and the only food that is available is the food you bring yourself, so prepare accordingly.

©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Horoscopes June 6, 2024: Paul Giamatti, make a difference

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, 17; Natalie Morales, 52; Paul Giamatti, 57; Robert Englund, 77.

Happy Birthday: Let your inquisitive mind lead the way this year, and you’ll be privy to information that will help you navigate your way to personal growth and mental and physical improvements that result in a healthier lifestyle and better relationships. A change of pace and direction will bring about less drama and better reactions from the people you cherish. Speak up, make a difference and make romance a priority. Your numbers are 6, 14, 24, 28, 32, 37, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Position yourself for success. Don’t let anyone infiltrate your space or exploit your kindness or generosity. Apply energy to what matters most and refuse to let anyone make you feel guilty for your decisions. Focus on love, happiness and your freedom to do as you please. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Consider your next move and how and who you want to help. Instead of trying to control what others do, change how you respond, and the outcome will satisfy your soul and give you the push you need to do what’s best for you. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take an aggressive approach to getting and doing what you want. Set standards and boundaries that allow you to dictate how your life unfolds. Trust yourself to come up with ideas that have merit derived from common sense and experience. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Revisit your goals and aspirations and consider what makes you happy. Consider incorporating the skills you enjoy using most into your moneymaking plans and prospects. Financial gain is possible if you update your skills, knowledge and resume. Think big and invest in your future. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Connect with people with as much to offer as you. Use your bartering skills to reach agreements that ensure everyone’s a winner. Use your negotiating skills, and you will become the go-to person in your group. Live, love, laugh and enjoy what life has to offer. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Consider your routine and how it affects you mentally, emotionally and physically. Weigh the pros and cons and the daily wear and tear it has on you. Attend a seminar or conference that offers alternatives that, with a bit of guidance and upgrading, can lead to self-improvement. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Go on an adventure. Whether you dream about what you want to do or follow your heart and make things happen, it will become a learning experience that changes how you think and what’s possible. Invest in yourself and your future. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Try something new and exciting that takes you on a memorable journey. Explore the possibilities and consider how you can expand your mind and find a niche that is ideally suited to you and the life you want to live. Invest in yourself. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Do something that gets your juices flowing, your heart beating and your mind racing. Let the excitement build and your ideas flourish. Refuse to give in to the dull lifestyle that keeps you from exploring your potential. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Get down to business and deal with money, prospects and career issues. Be observant and learn something about yourself and what you can do to get ahead. Don’t let negativity set in when you need to change what’s no longer working for you. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take precautions and refuse to let emotional situations stand between you and what you want. Use your insight, intelligence and originality to find your niche, and you’ll discover how to improve your profile. Take pride in what you do, and share your accomplishments with someone you love. 5 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Let what others say and do sink in before you make a move or agree to something that isn’t in your best interest. Design a strategy you can live and work with to reach your goal. Work alone and protect against theft and interference. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are masterful, heartfelt and demonstrative. You are engaging and uplifting.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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After Melvin’s message, SF Giants ambush Diamondbacks to snap skid, avoid sweep

PHOENIX — Messaged received.

After manager Bob Melvin dressed down his players following a season-worst sixth loss in a row Tuesday night, they responded the next afternoon with an onslaught against the Diamondbacks’ starter, Jordan Montgomery, and stopped the bleeding at six games with a 9-3 win to avoid being swept for a second straight series.

“Yeah,” smiled Jorge Soler, who singled and scored on one of two Giants home runs in a six-run third inning, then contributed his own solo shot in the seventh. “He kind of squeezed a little bit (more out of us) and let us know how he was feeling. So today, yeah, we were motivated to win for him.”

“Oh,” Melvin blushed, “it had nothing to do with me. We just had good at-bats today. We’ve been really aggressive this entire series on their starting pitchers — they do like to throw strike one — but we got a good pitcher out of the game and made him work.”

Melvin and the Giants know a thing or two about disappointing starts from free-agent pitchers who signed late, and Montgomery trudged back to the third-base dugout to a chorus of boos from the 24,178 on hand with six runs in and no outs recorded in the third inning.

Bringing a dozen men to bat, all six of the Giants’ runs in the inning came on a pair of powerful swings from Heliot Ramos and Wilmer Flores.

Ramos launched a towering two-run shot on to the concourse in center field, an estimated 424 feet away, to open the scoring, and four batters later Flores turned the ambush into a full-blown assault, depositing a hanging curveball into the left-field seats for the Giants’ third grand slam of the year.

All but one member of the Giants’ lineup reached base in the six-run third inning, but Ramos was the only player to do so twice.

Drawing a career-high four walks to pair with his home run and a single, Ramos became the first Giants player besides LaMonte Wade Jr. (who has done it twice) to come to the plate at least six times and not make an out since Pablo Sandoval in 2013.

“I’ve never walked that many times, not even in the minor leagues,” Ramos said. “It’s been tough (to be patient) because I like swinging the bat. … I don’t want to be up there and just automatically take. I want to stay aggressive with my pitch, and when I stay aggressive with my pitch, I know they don’t want to leave something right down the middle.”

Since being moved to the top portion of the lineup four games ago, Ramos has come to bat 20 times and reached safely in 12 of them with three home runs, raising his batting average to .304 and OPS to .918, both of which would lead the team if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.

“He’s just so balanced, every take, every swing,” Melvin said. “He’s just completely locked in. Who walks four times? Especially when you’re hitting like he is, you want to swing. But they’re deep counts, it’s 3-2, he ends up taking a ball off the plate. It’s really cool to watch because he’s such a good kid and it’s been kind of hard road for him to get here.”

It was as much of a breakout game for Ramos, a rookie, as it was for a pair of struggling veterans in Soler and Flores, who combined to reach base five times, drove in six runs and scored three. Soler’s hard contact translated to results, and the mere presence of triple-digit exit velocity from Flores provided a positive sign.

The .211 average and .573 OPS that Flores took into Wednesday’s contest would have each been the worst marks of his career since he was a 21-year-old rookie, and the underlying data hasn’t been any better, with an average exit velocity in the bottom 1% of big-leaguers.

But with a line-drive single to go with his grand slam, Flores has reached base five times in the past two games, and his five RBIs were a season-high. He laced the single at 107 mph and launched the home run at 100 mph.

“Both those guys are going to be key for us,” Melvin said. “In Wilmer’s case, it hasn’t looked great to this point. But if you’re looking at exit velocity, he had really good exit velocity on (two) different hits today, so a lot of times for a guy like him it only takes a game or two to get going.”

Soler tacked on another run with a 427-foot solo shot off lefty Brandon Hughes in the eighth, and the Giants added two more against him in their half of the ninth. The nine runs amounted to their best offensive output since a 9-5 win in Pittsburgh two weeks ago and only the sixth time they have reached that total in 63 games.

After all that, the first stat Melvin said he looked at in the box score was runners left on base.

Even while scoring nine runs, the Giants stranded 16 more runners, matching the most by one team in any game this season. The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, stranded 12.

“It was a little frustrating,” Melvin said. “The entire game felt like it was frustrating for both sides, as many pitches that were thrown. It was kind of a white-knuckle thing for a while. But opened it up enough, did some good things offensively, made some good defensive plays, and the bullpen did a great job.”

Waiting until to sign until March 29, 10 days after Blake Snell, Montgomery’s ERA in nine starts rose to 6.80, a far cry from the pitcher who helped lead the Rangers to the World Series last fall but still nearly two runs lower than Snell’s 9.51 mark in the six starts he has been able to make.

Both starting pitchers had left the game by the time the Giants came to bat for a fifth time, as Arizona ran up Jordan Hicks’ pitch count and backed him into a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning, prompting Melvin to call on Sean Hjelle, who coaxed a soft ground ball from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to escape the inning.

Hicks required 92 pitches to record 11 outs, his shortest outing of the season, but limited the Diamondbacks to two runs while striking out seven. His velocity also ticked up, registering regular 98 mph readings on his fastball and averaging an extra mph across his arsenal.

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Since making the move from the bullpen, Hicks had gone at least five innings in all but one of his previous 12 starts but hasn’t completed six since April 27.

Returning to the lineup after missing 22 games with a concussion, Austin Slater started the third inning by lining a single the opposite way.

Slater took over duties in center field, shifting Mike Yastrzemski back to his natural right field and Ramos into left, where he made another running grab to track down a line drive from Corbin Carroll that was slicing away from him, reminiscent of the pair of catches he made in right field in the first game of the series.

Entering the game, Ramos had been worth plus-6 Defensive Runs Saved and plus-2 Outs Above Average, providing elite defense in the outfield corners, and Melvin said the Giants could explore playing him in center after Luis Matos was demoted to clear space for Slater.

“When you’re playing inspired and you feel good and you’re playing loose and confident,” Melvin said, “that’s what happens.”

Notable

The Giants won a game at Chase Field for the first time in eight meetings. They had been 4-13 over their previous 17 games in this ballpark, dating back to July 4, 2022.

Up next

The Giants travel to Arlington, Texas, where they will enjoy a day off before beginning the second leg of their road trip with a three-game series against Bruce Bochy’s Texas Rangers. RHP Logan Webb (4-5, 2.95) will get the ball in the first game of the series, and RHP Keaton Winn (3-6, 6.17) is expected to return to the rotation over the weekend.