Update on the latest sports

MLB-SCHEDULE

Rays extend streak

UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays were able to turn just five hits into their ninth consecutive win.

Yandy Díaz drove in two with a double during a six-run second that pushed the Rays past the Red Sox, 8-5. Wander Franco and Austin Meadows had RBI singles for the AL East leaders, who are 36 games over .500 for the first time in club history.

Boston finished the game without Xander Bogaerts (BOH’-gahrts), who had a first-inning RBI single before leaving in the second following a positive test for COVID-19. The positive test result came hours after the Red Sox announced that pitcher Hirokazu Sawamura tested positive.

Also on Tuesday’s major league schedule:

— Javier Báez singled in the ninth and scored the winning run as the Mets earned a 6-5 win over the Marlins in the completion of a suspended game. Báez entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and sparked the Mets’ five-run ninth, hours after he and teammate Francisco Lindor (lihn-DOHR’) apologized for their thumbs-down celebration gestures last weekend. The Mets trailed 5-1 until Brandon Nimmo slammed a two-run homer.

— Michael Conforto hit the eventual winning single in the first game and homered in Game 2 as the Mets posted their fourth straight win, 3-1. Conforto hit a two-run homer and Baez scored on Jeff McNeil’s double. Winning pitcher Aaron Loup (loop) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth to keep the Mets ahead.

— Matt Chapman smacked a two-run homer and a solo shot in the Athletics’ third straight win since a six-game skid, 9-3 at Detroit. Mark Canha homered as Oakland moved within one game of Boston for the second AL wild card. Josh Harrison provided three hits and two ribbies in the win.

— The Orioles picked up a 4-2 win at Toronto behind Keegan Akin, who allowed a run and two hits over five innings to win his second straight start. Ramón Urías (oo-REE’-uhs) hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning to get Akin the win. The Blue Jays wasted home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen in ending a three-game winning streak.

— The Reds-Cardinals game in Cincinnati was rained out and rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Wednesday.

TENNIS-US OPEN

Djokovic, Barty advance

NEW YORK (AP) — The No. 1 seeds are off to a good start at the U.S. Open.

Novak Djokovic (JOH’-kah-vihch) has started his bid to make history with a four-set victory over Danish teenager Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.

The top-seeded Djokovic is trying to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since Rod Laver in 1969 and collect a record-breaking 21st major singles championship.

Women’s top-ranked Ash Barty knocked off Vera Zvonareva, 6-1, 7-6 in her first U.S. Open match in two years. The 25-year-old Barty finished with 31 winners, including 11 aces.

Barty skipped last year’s Open because of the pandemic.

Also on Day 2 of the year’s final Grand Slam:

— The first major upset of the tournament was crafted by Maxime Cressy, who dispatched ninth seed Pablo Carreno Busta, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. Cressy saved four match points in the fifth-set tiebreaker to knock off the two-time U.S. Open semifinalist.

— Alexander Zverev opened his bid for a second straight U.S. Open final appearance by defeating American Sam Querrey, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in 100 minutes. Zverev won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and is one of three players with four titles this season.

— No. 11 Belinda Bencic (BEHN’-chihch) advanced in straight sets, as did fourth seed Karolina Pliskova (PLIHSH’-koh-vah).

— Tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz (HUR’-kahts) was a straight-sets winner on the men’s side, as was No. 22 Reilly Opelka.

— American Mackenzie McDonald pulled off a mild surprise with a straight-sets victory over No. 27 David Goffin.

NFL-PATRIOTS-NEWTON

AP source: Pats cut Newton, clearing way for Jones to start

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have shown Cam Newton the door after just one season with the team.

The Pats have released the 2015 NFL most valuable player, paving the way for rookie Mac Jones to open the season as the starting quarterback.

Veteran players say Jones has impressed them in training camp with his work ethic. Jones won a national title last year at Alabama.

The Patriots are trying to rebound from a disjointed 2020 season. Newton finished 7-8 as the starter and the Patriots went 7-9 overall after Tom Brady’s departure.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

— Quarterback Deshaun Watson remains on the Houston Texans’ active roster as the team made cuts to reduce their roster to 53 players. Watson’s future with the team is in question after 22 women filed lawsuits alleging that he sexually assaulted or harassed them. Watson reported to camp to avoid being fined and participated in individual drills but never practiced with the team, watching as Tyrod Taylor ran the offense.

— Saints head coach Sean Payton says the displaced team is exploring the possibility of remaining in the Dallas area for up to a month and opening their regular season against Green Bay in the Cowboys’ home stadium. There are logistical challenges with staffing an NFL game at the Superdome in the near future because of the widespread damage by Hurricane Ida in the New Orleans area. While the Superdome appears to have been spared significant damage, many New Orleans residents have evacuated and officials have advised them not to return for at least another several days.

— Saints head coach Sean Payton says the displaced team is exploring the possibility of remaining in the Dallas area for up to a month and opening their regular season against Green Bay in the Cowboys’ home stadium. There are logistical challenges with staffing an NFL game at the Superdome in the near future because of the widespread damage by Hurricane Ida in the New Orleans area. While the Superdome appears to have been spared significant damage, many New Orleans residents have evacuated and officials have advised them not to return for at least another several days while infrastructure is repaired or replaced.

— A person with direct knowledge of the deal has told The Associated Press the Jets have traded tight end Chris Herndon to the Vikings. Herndon spent his first three seasons with New York, catching 71 passes for 796 yards and seven touchdowns.

— The Packers won’t have David Bakhtiari for the start of the season. The All-Pro left tackle is recovering from a torn ACL and won’t be available for at least the first six weeks. That leaves reigning MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers without the player who has protected his blind side for the last nine seasons.

NBA-LAKERS-RONDO

Rajon Rondo re-signs with Lakers for another title push

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rajon Rondo has re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers to pursue another championship ring. The Lakers are bringing back Rondo on a one-year contract.

The veteran point guard played an important role as a reserve and a team leader on Los Angeles’ 17th NBA championship team during the 2019-20 season, his second with the Lakers. The 35-year-old Rondo agreed to a buyout with Memphis last Saturday and quickly rejoined a title contender. The Clippers traded Rondo to the Grizzlies two weeks ago along with Patrick Beverley in the deal sending Eric Bledsoe back to LA.

NHL-BLACKHAWKS-MURPHY

Blackhawks D Murphy agrees to 4-year contract extension

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to a four-year contract extension with defenseman Connor Murphy. The deal runs through the 2025-26 season and carries a $4.4 million salary-cap hit.

The 28-year-old Murphy has turned into one of Chicago’s most reliable defensemen. He had three goals and 15 points while averaging a career-high 22:09 of ice time over 50 games last season.