MLB-SCHEDULE
Tigers end skid, Bosox continue theirs
UNDATED (AP) β It was a perfect night for the American League division leaders.
Ian Kinsler, Torii Hunter and Victor Martinez hit solo homers as the Tigers downed Boston 5-2 to end a five-game losing streak. Martinez finished with two RBIs, while Hunter and Nick Castellanos (kas-tee-AH’-nohs) each supplied three of Detroit’s 13 hits. Drew Smily held the Red Sox to one earned run and five hits in six innings to improve to 3-4.
Toronto picked up its sixth consecutive win as Marcus Stroman struck out seven while allowing one run in six innings of a 3-1 triumph against St. Louis. Brett Lawrie snapped a 1-1 tie with a solo homer in the fifth after Jose Bautista smacked his 15th homer of the season.
Pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt (voyt) singled in the tiebreaking run in the 11th inning of Oakland’s 4-3 win over the Orioles in Baltimore. Josh Donaldson and Derek Norris hit solo homers and Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EH’-nehs SEHS’-peh-dehs) doubled home the tying run in the eighth inning of the Athletics’ sixth victory in seven games.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers blew a four-run lead before Michael Choice hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning of a 6-4 triumph over Cleveland. The Indians ended a six-game winning streak despite homers by Lonnie Chisenhall and Asdrubal (as-DROO’-bul) Cabrera.
β The New York Yankees doubled up Kansas City 4-2 as Chase Whitley pitched seven innings for his first career win. Brian McCann snapped a 1-1 deadlock with a three-run double in the third inning.
β Tampa Bay’s 10-game losing streak has ended with a 4-0 shutout of Seattle. Erik Bedard struck out eight and allowed four hits in six innings to help the Rays end the sixth-longest skid in team history.
β Kole Calhoun hit a solo homer and a two-run double in the Angels’ 8-4 rout of the Chicago White Sox. C.J. Cron also poked a two-run double, Albert Pujols (POO’-hohlz) socked a solo homer and Jered Weaver struck out nine while yielding two runs over six innings.
β Homers by Marwin Gonzalez, Matt Dominguez and George Springer powered Houston past Minnesota 5-4. Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) tossed six scoreless innings for his seventh win.
β Buster Posey went 3-for-4 with a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning of San Francisco’s third straight win, 4-2 over the New York Mets. Matt Cain allowed three hits in seven innings after coming off the disabled list, blanking the Mets until Daniel Murphy’s two-run blast in the seventh.
β Justin Heyward was the hitting star in Atlanta’s 5-2 win at Arizona, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, three RBIs and three runs scored. Julio Teheran (teh-RAHN’) whiffed seven and gave up two runs and five hits in seven frames for his sixth win.
β Tanner Roark (ROH’-ahrk) struck out 11 and scattered three hits in eight innings of Washington’s 6-0 shutout of San Diego. Anthony Rendon (rehn-DEHN’) put the Nationals ahead with a two-run homer just two batters into the game.
β Dee Gordon was very productive in the Dodgers’ 7-2 win at Colorado, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base. Hyun-Jin Ryu (hyoon-jihn ryoo) picked up his fourth straight win and improved to 7-2 by holding the Rockies to two runs and eight hits in six innings.
β Philadelphia stopped its six-game slide as Dominic Brown collected three RBIs in an 8-0 rout of the Reds in Cincinnati. Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer to back Cole Hamels, who silenced the Reds on five hits while fanning seven in 7 2/3 innings.
β Anthony Rizzo smacked a walkoff, two-run homer in the bottom of the 13th to give the Chicago Cubs a 5-3 win over the Miami Marlins. Rizzo also hit a two-run double to put the Cubs ahead 3-0 in the eighth, but pinch-hitter Reed Johnson forced extra innings with a two-out, two-run single off Hector Rondon (rahn-DOHN’).
β Russell Martin was 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored in Pittsburgh’s 15-5 laugher over Milwaukee. Andrew McCutchen and Jordy Mercer hit solo homers for the Pirates, who broke it open with an eight-run sixth.
MLB-ORIOLES/SANTANA
Santana shelved by torn Achilles
BALTIMORE (AP) β Johan Santana’s comeback bid is over.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner tore an Achilles tendon while pitching for the Baltimore Orioles in extended spring training on Friday. Santana was struck by a line drive, then stumbled when chasing the ball.
The 35-year-old Santana has not pitched in the majors since 2012 with the New York Mets. He signed a minor league contract with Baltimore in March.
FRENCH OPEN-MEN’S SEMIFINALS
Men’s final is set
PARIS (AP) β Top-seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal (rah-fay-EHL’ nah-DAHL’) will face second-seed Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) in the men’s final at the French Open.
Djokovic advanced with a 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over 18th-seed Ernests Gulbis. The six-time major champion needs a French Open title to become the sixth male to complete a career Grand Slam.
Nadal blew by fourth-seed Andy Murray in the other semifinal, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. Nadal now has the amazing record of 65-1 in his career at Roland Garros.
Djokovic has beaten Nadal the last four times they have played, including a clay court final in Rome last month.
The world No. 1 ranking is also on the line in Sunday’s finale as Nadal will retain his No. 1 ranking if he beats Djokovic. Otherwise, Djokovic will move back to the top.
Nadal leads 22-19 in head-to-head meetings.
The women’s championship match will take place Saturday with seventh-seed Maria Sharapova (shah-rah-POH’-vah) facing No. 4 Simona Halep (HAL’-ehp). This is Sharapova’s third consecutive trip to the French Open final and the first for Halep. Sharapova has won all three previous meetings between the two.
NBA-JAZZ/COACH
Jazz hire Snyder to replace Corbin
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) β The Utah Jazz have hired Atlanta Hawks assistant Quin Snyder to replace head coach Tyrone Corbin, who was let go after three-plus seasons with the team.
Snyder most recently completed his first season as an assistant with Atlanta. He was the head coach at Missouri for seven seasons, from 1999 to 2006, leading the Tigers to four NCAA tournaments and an Elite Eight appearance in 2002.
Corbin was not offered a contract after going 112-146 with the Jazz following the resignation of Jerry Sloan in Feb. 2011.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NORTH CAROLINA/MCCANTS
Tar Heels denying McCants charges
UNDATED (AP) β North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams and members of the 2005 national championship team are denying any involvement with academic wrongdoing alleged by Rashad McCants.
The Tar heels’ second-leading scorer in 2005 said in an interview with ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that tutors wrote papers for him, and he also believed Williams knew “100 percent” about players taking no-show classes.
Williams has issued a statement saying he “strongly” disagreed with McCants’ comments, and 16 players from the 2005 team issued a joint statement defending their coach and saying they attended class and did their own academic work.
NHL-PENGUINS
Pens name new GM, fire coach
PITTSBURGH (AP) β The Pittsburgh Penguins found a new general manager and created a head coaching vacancy.
Former Penguins goaltender Jim Rutherford has returned to run the front office. He stepped down as the Hurricanes GM in April after serving the franchise for 20 years and winning one Stanley Cup.
One of Rutherford’s first moves in his new job was to dismiss coach Dan Bylsma (BYLZ’-muh), who won a franchise-record 252 games behind the bench. Byslma and the Pens failed to produce consistently in the playoffs the last five years, winning just four of nine playoff series.
NFL-TEXANS
No. 1 NFL pick signs
HOUSTON (AP) β The Houston Texans have signed No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon (jah-DAY’-vee-ahn) Clowney to a four-year package.
Clowney was a defensive end at South Carolina and will be converted to linebacker. He had 130 tackles, including 47 for losses, 24 sacks and a team-record nine forced fumbles in three seasons with the Gamecocks.
The Texans hope the 6-foot-5, 266-pound Clowney will pair with 2012 Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt to create one of the most fearsome pass rushes in the NFL.
NHL-STANLEY CUP FINALS
Day off
LOS ANGELES (AP) β Expect some line-up changes for Saturday’s Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, when the Kings host the Rangers.
Los Angeles defenseman Robyn Regehr (reh-GEER’) is likely to return from a 14-game absence with a knee injury.
Rangers defenseman John Moore also is expected to be back in the after sitting out a two-game suspension.
The Kings hold a 1-0 lead in the series.
BELMONT
Triple Crown ends on Saturday
NEW YORK (AP) β The last leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown takes place Saturday at Belmont Park. Kentucky Derby and the Preakness winner California Chrome is favored to become the first Triple crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
The forecast for the Belmont Stakes calls for good weather.
NASCAR-LONG POND
Hamlin grabs pole
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) β Denny Hamlin turned a track-record of 181.415 mph in winning the pole for Sunday’s Winston Cup race at Pocono Raceway. It’s the third career pole at Pocono for Hamlin, who has won four times at the track. Kurt Busch was second in qualifying, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon.
Sprint Cup leader Matt Kenseth takes a two point lead over Gordon into the race. Kenseth qualified 26th.
INDYCAR-TEXAS
Power powers to pole
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) β IndyCar Series points leader Will Power will start on the pole at Texas for the second consecutive year.
Power had a two-lap average of 218.896 mph for his 34th career pole.
Josef Newgarden qualified second for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, just ahead of Chip Ganassi Racing driver Tony Kanaan (kuh-NAHN).
GOLF-ST. JUDE CLASSIC
Crane holds lead
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) β Ben Crane held a six-stroke lead when the second round of the St. Jude Classic was suspended for the day due to heavy rain. Crane followed Thursday’s 63 with a 5-under 65 that leaves him at minus-12. Carl Pettersen was 6-under with one hole to play, and Jason Bohn was at minus-6 with two holes remaining.
LPGA-MANULIFE FINANCIAL LPGA CLASSIC
Tied at the top
WATERLOO, Ontario (AP) β Defending champion Hee Young Park and Shanshan Feng are co-leaders in the second round of the LPGA Tour’s Manulife Financial Classic, a stroke ahead of Michelle Wie. Park had a 5-under 66 to match Feng at 11-under 131 at Grey Silo. Feng shot a 66.
