Update on the latest sports
MLB-SCHEDULE
Giants top Cubs
UNDATED (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have added to their latest winning streak.
The Giants earned their fifth straight win by downing the Cubs, 6-1 in Chicago. Evan Longoria and Brandon Belt each hit two-run homers in the seventh inning on a day when Kris Bryant received a pair of standing ovations in his return to Wrigley Field. Bryant went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts.
Cubs rookie Frank Schwindel homered for the 12th time in his last 11 games.
The Giants improved to a major league-best 91-50 and continue to lead the NL West by 2 1/2 games over the Dodgers.
Los Angeles earned a 3-0 win over the Padres as Julio Urías (oo-REE’-uhs) pitched seven shutout innings for his major league-leading 17th victory. Urías scattered three hits, struck out seven and walked one to remain unbeaten in his last 13 starts, going 8-0 in that stretch.
Max Muncy (MUHN’-see) smacked a two-run homer as the Dodgers pushed San Diego back into a tie with the Reds for the second NL wild card.
Checking out Friday’s other major league action:
— Jorge Soler (soh-LEHR’) delivered a go-ahead, two-run single while the Braves scored five in the fifth inning to beat the Marlins, 6-2. Ian Anderson tied a career high with nine strikeouts and limited Miami to two runs and five hits over five innings. The outcome allowed the Braves to stretch their lead in the NL East to 4 ½ games over the Phillies, with the Mets still five games back.
— Elias (eh-LEE’-uhs) Diaz launched a grand slam and German (hehr-MAHN’) Marquez tossed six shutout innings as the Rockies blasted the Phillies, 11-2. Trevor Story and C.J. Cron (krohn) also homered for the Rockies, who have taken the first two games of the four-game set after entering Philadelphia with an 18-50 record on the road. Did Gregorius (greh-GOHR’-ee-uhs) homered in the Phillies’ fourth straight loss and sixth in eight games.
— The Yankees’ losing streak is at seven games after Tylor Megill (TY’-lohr meh-GIHL’) set career highs with 10 strikeouts and seven innings of the Mets’ 10-3 dismantling of their city rivals. The Mets pulled ahead with a five-run third that included a pair of fielding miscues and just one RBI hit. Francisco Lindor hit a solo homer and Javier Baez went 3-for-4 with two ribbies, helping the Mets move back to .500.
— Lorenzo Cain’s grand slam capped a six-run fifth that propelled the Brewers to a 10-3 thumping of the Indians. Eduardo Escobar homered from both sides of the plate for the Brewers, who are 32 games over .500 for the first time in franchise history. Adrian Houser gave up one hit in six innings to help Milwaukee drop its magic number for winning the NL Central to nine.
— Jose Barrero made the most of an unexpected start by doubling in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning of the Reds’ 4-2 victory at St. Louis. The 23-year-old Barrero had two hits after he was recalled from Triple-A Louisville earlier in the day to fill in for infielder Kyle Farmer. Eugenio (ay-oo-HEH’-nee-oh) Suarez and Joey Votto (VAH’-toh) homered for Cincinnati.
— José Abreu hit a three-run homer and the White Sox shook off a 2-4 road trip by downing the Red Sox, 4-3 in Chicago. Winning pitcher Carlos Rodón allowed one run and three hits over five innings, his first start since Sept. 1. Bobby Dalbec hit his 21st homer for Boston, which still leads the Yankees by one game for the first AL wild card.
— Miguel Cabrera got his eighth and ninth straight hits before the string ended in the Tigers’ 10-4 thrashing of the Rays. Jonathan Schoop (skohp) launched a grand slam to put Detroit ahead. Victor Reyes made it 10-4 with a three-run homer in the eighth as the Tigers prevented Tampa Bay from increasing its nine-game lead over second-place Boston in the AL East.
— The Orioles ended the Blue Jays’ eight-game winning streak by getting homers from Cedric Mullins and Ryan McKenna off Robbie Ray in Baltimore’s 6-3 victory. Anthony Santander (san-tahn-DEHR’) added a three-run shot in the seventh that gave Baltimore the decisive lead. Ray allowed three runs and a season-high eight hits over 4 1/3 innings as Toronto stayed a half-game behind the Yankees for the second AL wild card.
— Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) slammed his major league-leading 44th home run but got tagged early by José Altuve (al-TOO-vay), Alex Bregman and the Astros in a 10-5 over the Angels. Ohtani had been 8-0 in his last 13 starts since May 28 before yielding six runs on a career-high nine hits over 3 1/3 innings. Bregman had four RBIs and Altuve had three hits as Houston stayed 5 1/2 games ahead of Oakland and Seattle atop the AL West.
— The Athletics won their third in a row as Matt Olson had four hits and drove in four runs in their 10-5 thumping of the Rangers. Olson hit a three-run single in Oakland’s six-run second and set a career high for RBIs with 95. Starling Marte added an RBI triple while the A’s were scoring six times in the second inning.
— Tom Murphy hit a two-run home run in the second inning and added a solo shot in the sixth to power the Mariners past the Diamondbacks, 5-4. J.P. Crawford led off the game with a solo homer and Ty France broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the fifth inning. All three homers were off Madison Bumgarner.
— Andrew Benintendi had four hits and two home runs, the last a two-run shot in the 11th to send the Royals past the Twins, 6-4. Benintendi had five RBIs in his second multi-homer game of the season in Minnesota.
— Ke’Bryan Hayes capped off a ninth-inning rally with an RBI single as the Pirates slipped past the Nationals, 4-3. Josh Bell homered for Washington in his return to PNC Park.
MLB-NEWS
Bauer won’t pitch again this season, leave extended by MLB
UNDATED (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will miss the rest of the season after his administrative leave was extended by Major League Baseball and the union through the World Series.
Bauer was first placed on seven days’ paid leave July 2 under the MLB and players’ union’s joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy following allegations by a Southern California woman.
Bauer has not pitched since June 29 and was running out of time to get back in shape to return to the mound while games remained.
Also around the majors:
— Major League Baseball has suspended Washington Nationals starting pitcher Sean Nolin five games and fined him for intentionally hitting Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman on Wednesday. Nolin is appealing the suspension and can continue to play until there is a final resolution. The league also suspended Nationals manager Dave Martinez for Friday’s game against Pittsburgh and fined him an undisclosed amount.
— Red Sox ace Chris Sale has tested positive for COVID-19, preventing the seven-time All-Star from starting Sunday against the White Sox. The 32-year-old Sale missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since returning Aug. 14, he is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA to help the Red Sox take a one-game lead over the Yankees for the first AL wild card.
— Rays rookie Wander Franco extended his on-base streak to 39 games, then exited in the first inning Friday against Detroit because of tightness in his right hamstring. Franco’s on-base streak is the second longest in major league history by a player under 21.
— The White Sox have activated All-Star right-hander Lance Lynn from the 10-day injured list after he missed time with right knee inflammation. The 34-year-old Lynn is slated to start Sunday against the Red Sox.
TENNIS-US OPEN
Medvedev sweeps his way back to US Open final
NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic (JOH’-koh-vihch) is one match victory away from becoming the first male in 52 years to complete a calendar Grand Slam.
Djokovic improved to 27-0 in major championships this year and advanced to Sunday’s U.S. Open final by outlasting Alexander Zverev, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. The world No. 1 player broke Zverev’s serve all three times in the final set after the No. 4 seed had won the fourth to even the match.
It marked the fourth straight match in which Djokovic has come back to win after dropping the opening set. He is 4-0 this year in matches that went five sets.
A win Sunday against Daniil Medvedev will make Djokovic the first male to earn a calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.
Medvedev has advanced for the second time in three years. The second-seeded Medvedev surged out of a tight spot and beat a mistake-prone Felix Auger-Aliassime (aw-ZHAY al-ee-ah-SEEM’), 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Medvedev fought off two set points in the second and reached a Grand Slam final for the third time.
Auger-Aliassime had just 17 winners and 39 unforced errors, including 10 double-faults. Medvedev had a cleaner match with 37 winners and 25 unforced errors.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-COASTAL CAROLINA/KANSAS
Chanticleers whip Kansas
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Coastal Carolina’s football program certainly has grown up in a hurry.
The 17th-ranked Chanticleers are 2-0 this season after Reese White ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-22 rout of Kansas. Grayson McCall threw for two scores and ran for a third in Coastal Carolina’s first home game against a power five school in its five seasons in the FBS.
White had touchdown runs of 2, 19 and 3 yards after reaching the end zone twice in the season opener against The Citadel. McCall began the scoring with a 33-yard TD pass to Jaivon Heiligh, then had a 2-yard scoring run.
Freshman defensive tackle Josiah Stewart set a Chanticleers record with 3 1/2 sacks.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BIG 12 EXPANSION
Big 12 welcomes BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston
UNDATED (AP) — With Oklahoma and Texas on the way out, the Big 12 announced Friday that it has invited BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston to join the Power Five conference and said it has not ruled out further expansion in the future.
The four new schools would join the Big 12 in July 2024 at the latest, though BYU says it will enter the league in the Fall of 2023. The defections also leave the All-American Conference scrambling for new members following the losses of UCF, Cincinnati and Houston.
The eight continuing members of the Big 12 unanimously approved applications from the four schools that sought membership after the league learned the Sooners and Longhorns will leave for the Southeastern Conference no later than July 2025.
Formal approval of the invitations was pending on some campuses, but the expansion is all but done.
NFL-NEWS
Ravens’ Edwards, Peters headed to IR
UNDATED (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens are putting running back Gus Edwards and cornerback Marcus Peters on injured reserve with knee injuries.
Coach John Harbaugh described the injuries as season-ending, non-contact ligament tears from practice.
Baltimore’s backfield has been hit hard by injuries during the preseason. Running back J.K. Dobbins is out for the season with a knee injury, and Justice Hill is on IR as well. The Ravens have signed Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon (LEH’-vee-ahn) Bell this week.
In other NFL news:
—The NFL has suspended Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins for five games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Collins missed all of 2020 because of a hip issue that required surgery. He won’t be eligible until Week 8 against Minnesota, after Dallas’ open week.
— The status of Cleveland wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for Sunday’s opener at Kansas City remains up in the air, but defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney is good to go. Beckham has mounted a quicker-than-projected comeback from knee surgery and was limited in practice Friday.
— Chiefs All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu (TY’-ran MATH’-yoo) remains in the COVID-19 protocol. It’s uncertain whether he will be cleared in time for their season opener against the Browns. Mathieu tested positive Sept. 1, giving the Chiefs plenty of time to work other players into the mix.
— Jets receiver Jamison Crowder will miss the season opener at Carolina on Sunday while he continues to recover from COVID-19. Crowder was placed on the COVID-19 list last Friday after testing positive for the coronavirus.
— Indications are Saquon (SAY’-kwahn) Barkley is going to play for the Giants in the season opener against the Broncos on Sunday, roughly a year after tearing his right ACL. Coach Joe Judge said the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year had a good week of practice, terming the workouts encouraging and promising.
— The Bills have ruled out starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei (loh-too-LAY’-lee) from Sunday’s season opener against the Steelers because of a calf injury. Buffalo receiver Emmanuel Sanders is listed as questionable because of a foot injury.
— Washington is putting Curtis Samuel on short-term injured reserve because of a lingering groin injury. The move means the wide receiver will miss at least the first three games of the season.
NBA-LAKERS/GRIZZLIES TRADE
Lakers send Gasol back to Grizzlies
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded the rights to Marc Gasol back to the Memphis Grizzlies, where the 36-year-old center spent his first 11 NBA seasons.
The Lakers also sent a second-round pick in 2024 and cash to Memphis for the draft rights to Chinese big man Wang Zhelin.
ESPN then reported the Grizzlies intend to waive Gasol, who plans to begin the upcoming NBA season at home in Spain.
NBA-RAPTORS-HOME GAMES
Raptors approved to play games in Toronto
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors say they have gotten approval from the Canadian government to play games at their home arena this season.
Toronto played last season in Tampa, Florida, because of travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s not clear whether the team will be allowed to have full attendance at Scotiabank Arena. Fans who attend games will be required to show proof of vaccination.
NHL-FLAMES MOVES
Flames sign defensemen Gudbranson, Stone to 1-year deals
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The Calgary Flames have signed defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Michael Stone to one-year deals.
Gudbranson has 77 points and 640 penalty minutes in 563 games over 10 NHL seasons. The 31-year-old Stone spent the past five years with the Flames and had four points in 21 appearances last season.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-ASCENSION CHARITY CLASSIC
Three-way tie in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goydos, Doug Barron and Marco Dawson each shot 5-under 66 to share the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ inaugural Ascension Charity Classic.
Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Wes Short Jr., Steve Flesch and Cliff Kresge are a stroke back on Norwood Hills’ West Course.
SOCCER-PELE
Pele still in ICU
SAO PAULO (AP) — Retired Brazilian soccer star Pelé remained in intensive care on Friday as he recovers from surgery to remove a tumor on the right side of his colon.
Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo said in a statement that 80-year-old Edson Arantes do Nascimento was recovering “in a satisfactory manner,” though still in intensive care.
The hospital also said Pelé is “awake, actively talking and keeping his vital signs in normality.”
