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First call: Steelers take CB in this mock draft; Marc-Andre Fleury to Game 7; wild MLB plays | TribLIVE.com
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First call: Steelers take CB in this mock draft; Marc-Andre Fleury to Game 7; wild MLB plays

Tim Benz
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AP
Washington defensive back Byron Murphy, left, intercepts a pass against Utah during the second half of the Pac-12 Conference championship NCAA college football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Friday, Nov. 30, 2018.

In “First Call” Monday, the NFL Network has the Steelers thinking cornerback in Round 1. Three head-scratching plays over the wall across baseball on the same afternoon. And Marc-Andre Fleury falters in double overtime.


Maybe Murphy

The NFL Network had a big mock draft party over the weekend.

Network host — and unabashed Steelers fan — Dave Dameshek was in charge of the Steelers pick. And he selected Washington cornerback Byron Murphy.

Before you ask, the answer is “no.” Trades weren’t allowed and both of the coveted inside linebackers — Devin White and Devin Bush — were gone by the time his pick came up at No. 20.

On the show, Dameshek bemoaned that he would like to have selected Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown. But he went to Tennessee at No. 19.

Draft analyst Charles Davis liked the pick and actually thought Damashek should’ve been happier with it.

“He’s got the best instincts of any corner in this draft,” Davis said. “At the combine, he added 14 pounds and competed. A lot of guys pumped up their weights, weighed in and went home because they weren’t ready to carry it. He went through the drills, ran well and looked fluid.”

Murphy is 5 feet, 11 inches and 190 pounds. He ran a 4.55 at the combine. In 13 starts last season, Murphy had 13 pass-breakups and four interceptions.


Try to watch it just once

I dare you.

This is the most insane double play I’ve ever seen.

Even before the rest of the play happened, that catch from Ramon Laureano was a play-of-the-year candidate.

But then to have the catcher — Nick Hundley — nail Justin Smoak after the overthrow, that was the cherry on the sundae.

Just your conventional 8-2-4 double play


That’s a pretty good day

Speaking of catches over the wall, how about what Los Angeles’ Cody Bellinger did to Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich on Sunday?

Finally! A way to keep Yelich in the yard. That would’ve been Yelich’s 14th home run of the season.

Then Bellinger hit a homer of his own off of All Star closer Josh Hader.

That was good enough to give the Dodgers a 6-5 win. MLB Stats researched that lefties were hitting .103 (16 for 156) against Hader. Only one left-hander had hit a homer off him before that bomb from Bellinger.

Los Angeles hosts the Pirates later this week. Bellinger is hitting .424 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs.


On the other hand

OK. Did you get a good look at those two amazing catches over the wall?

Here is the opposite of that.

Does Dexter Fowler get an assist on that for Noah Syndergaard? The Cardinals ended up winning 6-4.


Fleury fans

Former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is going to have to come up big in another Game 7.

He’s done that in the past here. Now he’ll have to do it in Las Vegas — well, in San Jose.

That’s because Fleury wasn’t able to stop this short-handed shot from Tomas Hertl with 8:43 left in double overtime of Game 6 against the Sharks on Sunday night..

Fleury made 27 saves before that. Sharks goalie Martin Jones made 58.

The Golden Knights never faced a Game 7 during the last year’s Stanley Cup Final run.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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Categories: MLB | NHL | Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz
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