NFL-VIKINGS-PETERSON INDICTED
Peterson booked and released
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) β Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson has been booked and released on $15,000 bond from a Texas jail on a charge alleging that he spanked one of his sons with a wooden switch.
Peterson was processed at the Montgomery County jail, near Houston, according to a sheriff’s office spokesman. It wasn’t immediately clear where he went afterward: There was no activity outside of his home near Houston and a man who answered the door at his home near Minneapolis said Peterson wasn’t there.
The star running back won’t be taking the field Sunday for Minnesota’s home opener against the New England. Shortly after the news of the indictment broke Friday, the Vikings announced that Peterson had been deactivated for the Patriots game.
NFL-REDSKINS-GOODELL
Snyder backs Goodell
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) β Redskins owner Dan Snyder is backing Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) saying embattled NFL Commissioner has the best interest of the game at heart and that the league is fortunate to have him.
The backing for Goodell came in a two-sentence statement on Saturday morning, following a week of criticism of Goodell and his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case. Video of Rice punching his then-fiancee became public and Goodell says he never saw it until it surfaced.
The Associated Press reported a law enforcement official sent the video to the league in April.
Snyder is under pressure to change his team’s nickname, but has vowed he never will. Goodell has supported Snyder’s stance.
T25-SCHEDULE
Ranked SEC rivals meet
UNDATED (AP) β No. 6 Georgia and 24th-ranked South Carolina are early favorites to battle for the SEC Eastern Conference title. They’ll meet for the upper hand today in Columbia. The Bulldogs scored an impressive 24-point win over Clemson in their opener, while the Gamecocks lost by 24 to Texas A-and-M before a win over East Carolina.
The showdown will feature a pair of top running backs, Todd Gurley for Georgia and Mike Davis for South Carolina.
Second-ranked Oregon hosts Wyoming in a battle of 2-0 teams. The Ducks are favored by 43.
Third-ranked Alabama will try to sort out the starting quarterback competition when the Crimson Tide hosts Southern Mississippi. Neither Blake Sims nor Jake Coker has been able to nail down the spot through two wins.
No. 4 Oklahoma hosts Tennessee in the first meeting between the schools in 44 years. Sooners coach Bob Stoops has been outspoken in disputing the widely held opinion that the SEC is superior to other conferences in football talent.
There are 16 games involving 17 top 25 teams.
MLB-SCHEDULE
NL West showdown continues
UNDATED (AP) β The Dodgers and Giants continue their weekend battle for the NL West lead in San Francisco. Zach Greinke (GREHN’-kee) tries to extend his mastery of the Giants this season for San Franciso. He’s 3-0 against them with a 1.80 ERA.
The Giants have won 10 in a row at home and have moved to within a game of the first-place Dodgers for the division lead.
The four-team fight for the NL wild card berths continues with the Giants and Pirates holding the two spots. Milwaukee and Atlanta are giving chase.
The surging Pirates have won 14 of 21 games since Aug. 20 heading into the continuation of their series with the Cubs. Atlanta gets an early shot at gaining some ground on the leaders when they play an afternoon game at Texas. Milwaukee hosts Cincinnati tonight.
The Orioles can continue to close in on the AL East title when they host the Yankees. Baltimore has won a season-high six in a row to lower they magic number to five. Miguel Gonzalez gets the start for Baltimore. He has a 1.82 ERA over his last ten starts.
The Angels’ magic number for clinching the AL West is five heading into tonight’s home game against Houston. The Angels have won nine in a row and turn to Jered Weaver for the starting assignment. He’ll be looking for an American League-leading 17th win.
Detroit tries to protect its slim half-game lead over Kansas City in the American League Central. The Tigers host Cleveland. The Indians will start Danny Salazar who earned his first career shutout when he topped Detroit on Sept. 3.
The Royals try to bounce back against Boston after losing the first two games of the series against the Red Sox.
Kansas City is in a virtual tie with Oakland and Seattle for the two wildcard spots. The Athletics hold a slim percentage-points lead heading into their game at Seattle tonight. Felix Hernandez goes after his 15th win of the year for the home team. He’s 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA against Oakland this season. Slumping Sonny Gray gets the start for the A’s. He 1-4 with a 5.32 ERA in his last seven stats.
GOLF-TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Horschel eyes $10 million
ATLANTA (AP) β The battle for the $10 million dollar prize continues today in the third round of the Tour Championship.
Billy Horschel takes a two-shot lead into the third round of the last of four FedEx Cup playoff events. Horschel went into the tournament ranked second behind Chris Kirk in the running for the standings. The $10 million goes to whoever is No. 1 at the end of the tournament. Kirk, world No. 1 Rory McIlroy and Jason Day are tied for second and all have a shot at the big prize.
LPGA-EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Kim battled into the lead
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) β South Korean teenager Hyo-Joo Kim posted a 1-over 72 to take the lead after the third round of the Evian Championship. Kim is a shot in front of veteran Karrie (KAR’-ee) Webb, who’s looking for her eighth career major championship. Webb shot a 70.
Overnight leader Brittany Lincicome (LIHN’-sih-kohm) of the U.S. dropped four shots off the lead after a 6-over 77, which featured two double bogeys and a triple bogey within the first seven holes.
NASCAR-AMBROSE
Ambrose to leave NASCAR
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) β Marcos Ambrose has informed Richard Petty Motorsports he will leave NASCAR at the end of this season and return to his native Australia.
The announcement comes amid mounting speculation that Ambrose will join Roger Penske as the team enters prepares to enter Australia’s V8 Supercar Series. Penske acknowledged in July he was “looking at the opportunity” to work with Ambrose in Supercars.
RPM wanted Ambrose back in the seat of the No. 9 Ford and said his future with the team was in Ambrose’s hands. Ambrose has been with RPM since 2011, and has two wins and 44 top-10 finishes.
TENNIS-DAVIS CUP-US-SLOVAKIA
US in command
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) β The United States is poised to earn a spot in next year’s Davis Cup World Group play.
U.S. Open champs Bob and Mike Bryan can earn the clinching point today in the doubles against Slovakia. The Americans lead 2-0 after singles wins by John Isner and Sam Querrey yesterday.
If the Bryans can’t win their match the U.S. has to more chances to earn the clinching point in singles matches tomorrow.
Sam Querrey gave the U.S. a commanding 2-0 lead Friday night in its Davis Cup World Group playoff against Slovakia with a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-3 win over Martin Klizan.
In the opening match of the night, American John Isner hit 29 aces in a 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-2 win over Norbert Gombos.
The U.S. can ensure a trip to the 2015 World Group on Saturday by winning the doubles when it sends out U.S. Open champs Mike and Bob Bryan.
Querrey, ranked 51st, faced a set point in the first-set tiebreaker at 5-6, but responded with two straight aces. He captured the opening set when the 57th-ranked Klizan netted a backhand. Querrey finished with 20 aces on the hard court at the Sears Centre.
Gombos, ranked 126th, was a surprise choice as Slovakia’s No. 2, but he showed his skills during a group quarterfinal in April when he made his Davis Cup debut and beat Austria’s Dominic Thiem.
But this time he had to fight off the powerful serves of Isner and managed only two breakpoint opportunities.
