GOLF-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Streaking McIlroy takes on Valhalla
LOUISIVLLE (AP) β Fresh off his ascent to the No. 1 ranking in the world, Rory McIlroy is looked on as the one to beat at the PGA Championship that is underway.
McIlroy takes a two-tournament winning streak into the start of the final major of the year. Victories in the British Open last month and Bridgestone Invitational last week vaulted him to the top of the world rankings. McIlroy is set to tee off this afternoon in a group with Masters champ Bubba Watson and U.S. Open winner Martin Kaymer (KY’-mur).
Tiger Woods is going to give it a shot four days after pulling out of the Bridgestone Invitational with painful back spasms. The four-time champ played a nine-hole warm up yesterday and says he and the back are ready to go.
Woods is in a group with Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington and that is already on the course.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Nats pad lead…Braves skid hits 8…Combined 1-hitter in Toronto
UNDATED (AP) β Doug Fister won his 11th game by tossing seven and a-third strong innings and the Washington Nationals increased their National League East lead to four games by downing the New York Mets 7-1. Adam LaRoche homered twice and Danny Espinosa added a three-run shot for the Nationals.
Fister is 11-3. The lanky right-hander allowed one unearned run and six hits in seven and a-third innings. He struck out seven and reduced his ERA to 2.49.
In other baseball:
β The Atlanta Braves’ losing streak has reached a season-high eight games. Dustin Ackley and Logan Morrison hit home runs in the third inning in the Seattle Mariners’ 7-3 win over the Braves, who finished an 0-8 road trip. The Braves were swept at Dodger Stadium and San Diego before losing two straight at Safeco Field. Braves ace Julio Teheran (TEH’-ran) fell to 10-8 with the loss. Chris Young won his 10th game for the Mariners.
β Drew Hutchison came within one out of a complete-game one-hitter, Jose Bautista homered and drove in three runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 to end a four-game losing streak. Hutchison and Casey Janssen combined on the one-hitter as the Blue Jays closed within four games of the AL East-leading Orioles.
β The New York Yankees downed AL Central-leading Detroit 5-1. Brian McCann hit his 13th home run. Chase Headley also went deep for the Yanks. Derek Jeter singled for his 3,429th hit. He needs one more hit to tie Honus Wagner for sixth place on the career list.
β Mat Latos (LAY’-tohs) pitched seven shutout innings and chipped in with a hit as the Cincinnati Reds posted an 8-3 win over the Cleveland Indians in the Battle of Ohio. Zack Cozart hit a three-run homer.
β Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer to help Jeremy Hellickson end a six-start winless stretch for his first victory in 11 months, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Oakland Athletics 7-3.
β The L.A. Dodgers maintained their two-and-a-half-game lead atop the NL West by edging the crosstown Angels 2-1. Mike Kemp homered in a two-run second inning. Dan Haren evened his record at 9-9 with his best outing of the year. He held the Angels to two hits in seven and a-third innings. He had a 10.03 ERA during his previous five starts.
β San Francisco downed NL Central leader Milwaukee 7-4. Michael Morse and Pablo Sandoval each drove in three runs to help Ryan Vogelsong improve to 7-8.
β The Brewers maintained their one-game lead over St. Louis because the Cardinals lost 2-1 to Boston. Xander Bogaerts drove in both runs, including a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the ninth.
β Kansas City downed Arizona 4-3. Mike Moustakas hit his 14th homer, a two-run shot, and drove in all four runs.
β In a typical Coors Field slugfest, Colorado battered the Chicago Cubs 13-3 behind a 16-hit attack. Carlos Gonzalez homered, doubled and singled as the Rockies ended their five-game losing streak.
β Philadelphia routed the Houston Astros 10-3. Chase Utley hit his 10th homer for the Phils. Ben Revere had four hits, including a triple.
β Pittsburgh beat Miami 7-3. Josh Harrison had three hits to extend his hot streak. He’s 20 for his last 44 during a 10-game hitting streak.
β Adam Rosales touched White Sox ace Chris Sale for a two-run homer and added another later in the game to lead Texas to a 3-1 win over Chicago. It was the first two-homer game for Rosales. Sale was pretty much untouchable after giving up the homer, but it was enough to drop his record to 10-2. He gave up the two runs on just three hits and struck out nine in six innings.
β Seth Smith’s home run in the top of the 10th inning gave San Diego a 5-4 win over the Twins. Trevor Pflouffe had a home run and 3 RBIs for Minnesota.
MLB-SELIG
MLB could have new commish next week
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) β Commissioner Bud Selig (SEE’-lihg) says he expects baseball owners to vote next week from a list of three candidates for his successor.
Owners meet in Baltimore next week. Selig is retiring in January.
Selig confirmed several reports that the three finalists are Rob Manfred, MLB’s chief operating officer; Tim Brosnan, MLB’s executive vice president for business and Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. Selig says the list is accurate.
A candidate has to be approved by 23 of the 30 teams to be elected.
MLB-NEWS
Padres hire Rangers exec as GM
SAN DIEGO (AP) β The San Diego Padres hired A.J. Preller as general manager. Preller has been assistant GM of the Texas Rangers. He has extensive international scouting experience, particularly in Latin America.
Preller replaces Josh Byrnes, who was fired June 22.
He beat out a field of finalists that included assistant GMs Mike Hazen of the Boston Red Sox and Billy Eppler of the New York Yankees, and Kim Ng, senior vice president for baseball operations for Major League Baseball. Ng is one of the highest-ranking women in baseball.
NFL-TRAINING CAMPS
Hoyer listed at No. 1…Dolphins activate Moreno
UNDATED (AP) β Cleveland Browns coach Mike Pettine (PET’-ihn) has announced that Brian Hoyer, not rookie Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’), will start the exhibition opener in Detroit. The first-year coach says Hoyer has “done nothing” to have his starting job taken away during training camp. Pettine also said Manziel could get some playing time with Cleveland’s starters against the Lions on Saturday night.
In other training camp news:
β Miami Dolphins running back Knowshon (NOH’-shahn) Moreno has been activated after recovering from a left knee injury that forced him to miss the first 12 days of training camp. Moreno signed a $3.275 million, one-year contract in March after five seasons with the Denver Broncos. He helped them reach the Super Bowl last year when he had a breakout season, rushing for 1,038 yards, catching 60 passes and scoring 13 touchdowns.
β Arizona Cardinals tight end Jake Ballard has announced his retirement from the NFL. He said in a statement that his body never has felt the same since he sustained a severe knee injury while playing for the New York Giants in the 2012 Super Bowl. Ballard was signed by the Giants as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Ohio State in 2010. He signed with the Cardinals in November of last year, appearing in eight games, three as a starter.
NFL-HALL OF FAME
New “contributor” category added
CANTON, Ohio (AP) β The Pro Football Hall of Fame is adding a contributor category for nomination next year, which could expand the number of annual inductees to eight. Candidates for induction in the category will be defined as someone who has made “outstanding contributions to professional football in capacities other than playing or coaching.”
All nominees would still require 80 percent approval for induction.
NBA-KNICKS-KINGS TRADE
Knicks-Kings made four-player deal
NEW YORK (AP) β The New York Knicks have acquired forwards Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw from Sacramento for guard Wayne Ellington and forward Jeremy Tyler.
The 6-foot-9 Outlaw has career averages of 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 622 games in 11 seasons with Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey and Sacramento. Last season for the Kings, he averaged 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 63 games.
NHL-KINGS-SHARKS OUTDOOR GAME
Kings, Sharks to play at new 49ers stadium
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β The San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings are going to take their rivalry outdoors next season.
The NHL announced Wednesday that the Pacific Division foes will meet at the 49ers’ new home in Santa Clara on Feb. 21. The $1.2 billion Levi’s Stadium beat out the San Francisco Giants’ cozier confines at AT&T Park for the game, which is part of the NHL’s growing Stadium Series.
SWIMMING
Phelps next-to-last in 100 freestyle
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) β Nathan Adrian led all the way to win the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships, with Michael Phelps finishing next-to-last in a star-studded field.
Phelps is facing his toughest competition yet since launching a comeback in April. The most decorated Olympian in history has three other events in which to qualify for Pan Pacific tournament later this month.
