Update on the latest sports

NBA-SCHEDULE

Heat hold off Celtics

UNDATED (AP) — The Miami Heat are demonstrating that they want no part of the NBA’s play-in tournament.

The Heat took a major step toward avoiding the tournament by holding off the Celtics, 130-124. Jimmy Butler provided 26 points and 11 assists as Miami took a two-game lead over Boston for the sixth seed in the East.

The top six seeds in each conference automatically go to the first round, while the 7-10 seeds have to battle for the final two spots.

The Heat led by as many as 26 in the first half before the Celtics stormed back, opening the third quarter on a 22-8 run to get within 12 points. The Celts never got closer than six points the rest of the way.

Duncan Robinson added 22 points and Bam Adebayo (ad-eh-BY’-oh) finished with 20 for Miami.

Evan Fournier (FOHRN’-yay) scored 30 points to lead the Celtics, who have lost three out of four.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

— The Knicks had dropped eight straight at Staples Center before Derrick Rose scored 25 points off the bench in New York’s 106-100 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles. Reggie Bullock chipped in 24 points, including five 3-pointers against his former team as the Knicks stayed in sole possession of fourth place in the East. Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard provided a team-high 29 points for the Clippers, who are third in the West and a game ahead of the Nuggets.

NBA-PELICANS-GRIFFIN FINED

NBA fines Pelicans’ Griffin $50,000 for detrimental comments

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has fined New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin $50,000 for publicly criticizing officiating and making comments the league considered detrimental.

The Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations spoke out strongly about his concerns over the amount of contact NBA referees allow New Orleans forward Zion Williamson to endure.

Williamson is out indefinitely with a broken left index finger. Griffin said Friday that the Pelicans have told league officials many times that they feared Williamson was being exposed to injury because of the way defenders are allowed to play against him.

NHL-NEWS

Blue Jackets and Coyotes part with their coaches

UNDATED (AP) — Arizona Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets will have new head coaches next season. The Coyotes parted ways with Rick Tocchet (TAH’-keht) and the Blue Jackets did the same with John Tortorella.

The Coyotes were fourth in the West Division on April 5 before losing 12 of their next 15 games to miss the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.

The Jackets reached the playoffs in each of their first four full seasons under Tortorella, but they finished last in the Central Division this year at 18-26-12.

MLB-SCHEDULE

DeGrom’s injury scare continues, Mets win 5th straight

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Mets completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 4-2 victory, but they finished the game without their ace.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom took himself out before the sixth inning due to tightness in his right side. He was pitching for the first time since skipping a start due to discomfort in his right lat.

DeGrom allowed just one hit over five innings, retiring the first 12 Diamondbacks. He was scheduled for an MRI on Sunday.

Michael Conforto had two hits, an RBI and a super catch against the right field wall, helping the Mets win their fifth straight and improve to 16-13.

The Diamondbacks have dropped six in a row.

Elsewhere in the majors:

— The Dodgers managed just three hits in losing for the 14th time in 19 games, 2-1 to the Angels. Jared Walsh hit a two-run double in the bottom of the third, a half-inning after Chris Taylor’s two-out single put the Dodgers ahead.

— Jake Cronenworth hit a splash shot and Fernando Tatis Jr. also connected off Giants starter Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) before the Padres finished off an 11-1 pounding of San Francisco. Tatis, Cronenworth and Trent Grisham each had two RBIs, while Eric Hosmer produced three of San Diego’s 16 hits.

— The Yankees pulled out a 3-2 win over the Nationals on Giancarlo Stanton’s walk-off single in the ninth inning. New York built a 2-0 lead on Aaron Hicks’ RBI single in the third and Gleyber Torres’ solo homer in the sixth, but the Bombers needed Stanton’s game-ending hit to finish 7-2 on their homestand.

— The Red Sox knocked off the Orioles, 4-3 as Rafael Devers (DEH’-vurz) and Hunter Renfroe homered to help Nick Pivetta win his third consecutive start. Devers, who homered off Baltimore starter Dean Kremer in the second inning, hit a two-run double off reliever Adam Plutko in the sixth to give Boston a 3-2 lead in its fifth win in six games.

— The Cubs’ five-game winning streak is over after Tyler Anderson allowed two runs over eight solid innings of the Pirates’ 6-5 victory at Wrigley Field. Wilmer Difo had three hits and drove in three runs as the Pirates won for just the third time in their last 20 games at Wrigley Field.

— The Astros earned a 7-4 win over the Blue Jays as Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer and tied a career high with four RBIs while Houston built a 7-0 lead. Jose Altuve (al-TOO’-vay) added a solo homer for the Astros to help them win the series, 2-1.

— Tyrone Taylor hit a two-out, tiebreaking single in the 10th inning to push the Brewers past the Marlins, 2-1. Seven Milwaukee hurlers combined on a six-hitter, with Drew Rasmussen pitched the 10th for his first career save.

— Nolan Arenado (ar-eh-NAH’-doh) homered against his former team and Adam Wainwright pitched three-hit ball into the ninth inning of the Cardinals’ 2-0 shutout of the Rockies. Yadier Molina hit an RBI double and Ryan Helsley got Josh Fuentes to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded to complete the Redbirds’ three-game sweep.

— Adolis García belted hits team-leading nine home run and had a career-high five RBIs as the Rangers clobbered the Mariners, 10-2. Dane Dunning struck out 10 in five innings before Texas erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Nick Solak supplying a tiebreaking, two-run double.

— Yermin Mercedes and Jose Abreu had three RBI’s each to help the White Sox thrash the Royals, 9-3 and finish off a three-game sweep. Lucas Giolito (jee-oh-LEE’-toh) gave up one run and four hits over five innings as Chicago dealt Kansas City its eighth loss in a row.

— Willy Adames (ah-DAH’-mehs) crushed a three-run homer in the fifth and Mike Brosseau added a tiebreaking drive the following inning before the Rays held off the Athletics, 4-3. The A’s squandered a chance in the eighth when Matt Olson hesitated on Andrew Kittredge’s passed ball and was thrown out at third by catcher Mike Zunino.

— The Reds-Indians game in Cleveland was postponed by rain and rescheduled for August 9.

— The Twins and Tigers were rained out in Detroit, creating a July 16 twinbill.

MLB-NEWS

Braves bring back Greene

UNDATED (AP) — Relief pitcher Shane Greene has signed a one-year contract to rejoin the Braves.

Greene was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett and will need some time to get ready before he returns to the majors. The right-hander went 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings last season.

Also in the majors:

— The Pirates put infielder Colin Moran on the 10-day injured list with a strained left groin and claimed outfielder Ben Gamel (GAM’-ul) off waivers from the Indians. Bucs infielder Ke’Bryan Hayes was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day list.

HORSE RACING-MEDINA SPIRIT-BAFFERT

Churchill Downs suspends Baffert after Derby winner tests positive

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby is in serious jeopardy because of a failed postrace drug test.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert called a news conference to announce that Medina Spirit tested positive for an excessive amount of the steroid betamethasone that is sometimes used to treat pain and inflammation in horses.

Churchill Downs immediately suspended Baffert and said Medina Spirit would be disqualified if the drug findings were upheld. Baffert denied all wrongdoing and promised to be fully transparent with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission during its investigation.

Medina Spirit is Baffert’s fifth horse known to have failed a drug test in just over a year.

If he is disqualified from the Derby, second-place finisher Mandaloun will be declared the winner.

NASCAR-DARLINGTON

Truex gets third win of year

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. powered his way around Darlington Raceway, sweeping both stages and leading the final 105 laps in Sunday’s victory.

Kyle Larson cut into Truex’s often large lead over the final 30 laps and came as close as two car-lengths down the stretch. But the Joe Gibbs Racing driver held him off for his third victory of the season.

Truex is the only multi-race winner on the Cup circuit this season.

Larson settled for second, followed by Kyle Busch, William Byron and Denny Hamlin.

F1-SPANISH GP

Hamilton wins Spanish GP ahead of Verstappen

MONTMELÓ, Spain (AP) — Lewis Hamilton beat Max Verstappen in a thrilling duel to win the Spanish Grand Prix and increase his championship lead over his top rival.

Hamilton’s 98th career win came a day after taking his 100th career pole. Hamilton increased his lead to 14 points over Verstappen, who grabbed a bonus point for the fastest lap. Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas steered his Mercedes to a third-place finish.

PGA-WELLS FARGO

McIlroy ends 18-month drought by winning at Quail Hollow

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rory McIlroy is a winner again after 18 long months. McIlroy closed with a 68 for a one-shot victory in the Wells Fargo Championship, his third win at Quail Hollow.

He had a two-shot lead going to the 18th hole when he put his tee shot in the hazard. After choosing to take a penalty drop, he hit an 8-iron to the green and two-putted for his first victory in 18 months.

Runner-up Abraham Ancer (AN’-sur) closed with a 66.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-TRADITION

Cejka wins major

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alex Cejka (CHAY’-kah) has won the Regions Tradition in only his third PGA Tour Champions start, beating defending champion Steve Stricker with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

The 50-year-old Cejka made a 14-foot birdie putt on 18 and Stricker missed a 9-footer with a chance to extend the playoff at Greystone Golf & Country Club.

Cejka had turned a three-stroke deficit into a two-shot lead over the final nine holes for a 5-under 67.

LPGA THAILAND

Jutanugarn wins LPGA Thailand

PATTAYA, Thailand (AP) — Ariya Jutanugarn (ahr-EE’-uh juh-TAN’-uh-garn) shot a 9-under-par 63 in the final round to win the LPGA Thailand by one stroke and become the first home winner of the tournament in 14 years.

Jutanugarn’s overall total of 22-under 266 just edged out her fellow Thai Atthaya Thitikul, who missed a four-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff.