Update on the latest sports
MLB-SCHEDULE
Braves top Nationals 5-1
UNDATED (AP) — Dansby Swanson continued his power surge by hitting a two-run homer in Atlanta’s four-run sixth inning and the Braves beat Patrick Corbin and the Washington Nationals 5-1.
Braves left-hander Tucker Davidson, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett for his second start of the season, allowed only one hit in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He walked five batters with five strikeouts.
Swanson extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games. He has five homers in the streak, including in back-to-back games against Washington. The homer landed about halfway up the left-field seats. Ozzie Albies drove in two runs with three hits.
In other MLB afternoon action:
—Ryan Yarbrough ended a 24-start winless skid with Tampa Bay’s first complete game in more than five years, Austin Meadows homered off shaky Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and drove in five and the Rays beat New York 9-2. The AL East-leading Rays salvaged a four-game split, improving to 10-3 at Yankee Stadium since the start of last season. New York fell 4 1/2 games back of Tampa Bay and has dropped seven of 10 .
(backslash)MLB-WHITE SOX-VAUGHN
White Sox place prized rookie Vaughn on COVID-19 list
UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago White Sox have placed outfielder Andrew Vaughn on the COVID-19 injured list.
General manager Rick Hahn says the prized rookie is asymptomatic. Hahn says no other players on the roster were impacted. The 23-year-old Vaughn is batting .226 with four homers and 12 RBIs. The White Sox took him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 amateur draft. Chicago also recalled infielder and outfielder Gavin Sheets from Triple-A Charlotte.
FRENCH OPEN-DAY 5
Ash Barty retires with injury; Swiatek, Federer, Djokovic advance
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal’s record against Richard Gasquet improved to 17-0 as he reaches the third round of the French Open with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 win.
The defending champion improved to 102-2 at Roland Garros as he bids to win a record 21st Grand Slam title. The 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to reach the third round here since 1992, and youngest to make the third round at any major since Nadal at the Australian Open in 2004. Alcaraz, a qualifier, beat No. 28-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic reached the third round for the 16th straight year with a straight-set win over Pablo Cuevas. Defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek advanced by beating Rebecca Peterson 6-1, 6-1.
Former champions Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic (CHIHL’-ihch) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 against Pablo Cuevas.
In women’s action:
—Defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek (shvee-AHN’-tehk) advanced to the third round by beating Rebecca Peterson 6-1, 6-1. Swiatek.
—Last year’s French Open runner-up Sofia Kenin advanced to the third round with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Hailey Baptiste in a battle of Americans.
—Top-ranked Ash Barty has retired from her second-round match at the French Open because of an injury.The 2019 champion trailed 6-1, 2-2 when she returned to her chair and signaled she was not able to continue against Polish rival Magda Linette.
—Fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina (svih-toh-LEE’-nah) defeated French Open debutant Ann Li of the United States 6-0, 6-4.
—Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens beat a top-10 player for the first time in 2 1/2 years to reach the third round. The 59th-ranked American beat 10th-ranked Karolina Pliskova’s (PLIHSH’-koh-vahz) power for a 7-5, 6-1 victory.
—Coco Gauff advanced to the third round by beating Wang Qiang, 6-3, 7-6.
NFL-CONCUSSION-SETTLEMENT
NFL judge: Lawyers for Black players can join mediation
UNDATED (AP) — The federal judge presiding over the NFL’s $1 billion settlement of brain injury claims has invited lawyers for Black players who call the settlement racially biased to join mediation over the issue.
The lawyers have challenged the settlement’s use of “race-norming” in dementia testing since 2018. The practice assumes Black players start with lower cognitive skills and makes it harder for them to show injury and get an award. The judge’s order comes a day after the NFL pledged to end the practice and review the scores of retired players who believe the race-based scoring adjustments deprived them of settlements that average $500,000 or more.
In other NFL news:
—The Minnesota Vikings have signed former Tennessee Titans cornerback Tye Smith. The move adds a little depth and experience to a group that was lacking both last season. Smith spent the last four years with the Titans.
—The Vikings signed eight-time Pro Bowl pick Patrick Peterson and their former nickel back Mackensie Alexander earlier this spring to help prop up a position that was ravaged last year by injuries and free agent departures.
— Detroit Lions defensive tackle Jashon Cornell has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s policy and program on substances of abuse. The NFL said Thursday that Cornell can play in preseason games and participate in practices before the season begins. Cornell apologized on Twitter to the Lions and their fans for making a mistake last year after a friend died.
—The Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign their top draft pick, edge-rusher Greg Rousseau, to a four-year contract. Buffalo selected Rousseau with the 30th pick in the draft in April as part of a bid to upgrade its pass rush.
—The Jaguars have unveiled plans to develop downtown Jacksonville. Team owner Shad Khan committed $60 million to a city-owned performance center that was key in luring new coach Urban Meyer to the NFL. The first of two phases will take four years to complete and is estimated to cost $441 million.
USFL RELAUNCH
USFL relaunching next year, four decades after its birth
UNDATED (AP) — The USFL is relaunching in 2022, four decades after the spring football league’s short-lived run that featured such stars as Reggie White, Herschel Walker, Steve Young, Jim Kelly and future president Donald Trump.
The new USFL announced Thursday it will play next spring with a minimum of eight teams “and deliver high-quality, innovative professional football to fans.” Although those teams, along with the cities, head coaches and schedules won’t be announced until later, the league said it retains the rights to “key original team names.”
