Update on the latest sports
MLB-SCHEDULE
Winker’s single in 10th leads Reds over White Sox 1-0
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jesse Winker hit a winning single in the 10th inning after Chicago’s Leury García was caught stealing in the top half, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the White Sox 1-0 for a two-game split.
Cincinnati’s Sonny Gray and Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) both pitched shutout ball, allowing two hits each in seven innings.
Cincinnati stopped its 18-inning scoreless streak as Liam Hendriks lost for the first time since signing a $54 million, four-year contract with the White Sox as a free agent.
MLB-YANKEES-METS-CAPACITY
Yankees and Mets could fill stadium, with vaccinated fans
NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees and Mets can increase capacity from 20% to 100% at their ballparks for home games starting May 19 — as along as fans are vaccinated against COVID-19. And both teams will be giving away free tickets along with vaccinations.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at a news conference with Yankees president Randy Levine and Mets president Sandy Alderson.
While full capacity will be allowed in vaccinated sections, attendance in unvaccinated sections will be capped at 33%. Masks will continue to be required.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom could return to the mound on Sunday against Arizona at Citi Field. DeGrom first felt soreness in a back muscle after his previous outing against Boston on April 28 and was scratched from a scheduled start against St. Louis on Tuesday night. He said he intends to play catch Thursday and hopes to get a go-ahead for a bullpen session Friday. Mets manager Luis Rojas said that a successful bullpen on Friday would put deGrom on track to start Sunday.
— The Toronto Blue Jays are returning to their home away from home, Buffalo, New York, starting in June. And this time, they’ll have a limited number of fans in attendance. Forced from Canada by that government’s coronavirus travel restrictions, the Blue Jays will be back at Sahlen Field, the regular home of the Blue Jays’ Triple-A farm team. Toronto played its first two homestands at its spring training ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, and will play its third there from May 14-24. But the Blue Jays did not want to remain in Florida for the hotter months.
— New York Yankees second baseman Rougned Odor (ROOG’-ned oh-DOHR’) has been put on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left knee. Odor was hurt Tuesday night when his knee slammed into Houston catcher Martín Maldonado’s head as he reached the plate and scored in the sixth inning of New York’s 7-3 win.
NFL-COWBOYS-WOODS
Cowboys release Antwaun Woods after drafting 2 DTs
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys have released defensive tackle Antwaun Woods less than a week after drafting two potential replacements for a starter from each of the past three seasons.
Woods’ release won’t cost anything against the salary cap.
The Cowboys focused heavily on defense in the draft after last year’s unit was one of the worst in franchise history. The club hopes rookies can replace higher-priced veterans. Woods is the first example.
Dallas drafted a pair of defensive tackles in UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna of Kentucky.
TENNIS-MADRID OPEN
Madrid Open: Nadal cruises past Spanish teenage sensation
MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal has cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the second round of the Madrid Open. Nadal was never threatened by the youngster who has been considered the next promising star in Spain.
The 120th-ranked Alcaraz turned 18 on Wednesday. He has been touted by many as the successor to the 34-year-old Nadal. He was coming off his first victory at a Masters 1000 event and had called the match against his idol a “dream come true.”
After the match the 20-time Grand Slam champion said Alcaraz has “enormous potential” and that “all he needs is some time.”
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GOLF
PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Classic to have some fans
DETROIT (AP) — The PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic will have some spectators this summer at Detroit Golf Club.
The announcement was made Wednesday, two months before U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau returns to defend his title in the Motor City. Tournament officials have not determined how many fans will be able to buy tickets to the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which concludes on July 4.
Michigan has become the current national hotspot for COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations at a time when more than half of the U.S. adult population has been vaccinated and other states have seen the virus diminish substantially.
Last year in Detroit, the PGA Tour held its fourth tournament after shutting down due to the pandemic and did not allow fans on the course.
DeChambeau won the 2020 Rocket Mortgage Classic by three strokes for his first victory of the season.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-PRACTICE-CHANGES
NCAA aims for less contact in preseason football practice
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA football oversight committee is preparing to recommend changes to preseason camp with an eye on safety. The panel is calling for fewer fully padded practices and the elimination of some old-school collision drills.
A recent, five-year study of six major college football teams found more head impact exposure and concussions happened in preseason practice than they did during games.
A final recommendation is expected to be considered by the Division I Council later this month. If approved, it would go into effect this fall.
