MLB-SCHEDULE
Never-say-die Bucs stun Cards…Harvey homers, stymies DBacks
UNDATED (AP) β The Pittsburgh Pirates are another game closer to first place in the National League Central after erasing deficits in the eighth, 10th and 14th innings before knocking off the first-place St. Louis Cardinals.
The Bucs trailed 3-1, 4-3, and 5-4 before beating the Redbirds 6-5 on Andrew McCutchen’s two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the 14th. Chris Stewart extended the game with an RBI single in the 10th, two innings after the Pirates knotted the score on run-scoring singles by Jung Ho Kang and Pedro Alvarez.
A.J. Burnett also homered for the Pirates but left the game trailing 3-1 in the seventh.
Mark Reynolds homered twice for the Cardinals, whose division lead shrunk to 3 Β½ games over the Bucs.
Checking the rest of the major league finals:
β Matt Harvey struck out nine in seven innings and delivered a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth as the Mets earned their second straight 4-2 win over Arizona. Harvey struck out nine and blanked the Diamondbacks following David Peralta’s (peh-RAHL’-tahz) two-run homer two batters into the game. Lucas Duda (DOO’-dah) and Ruben Tejada (teh-HAH’-dah) also homered for the Mets, who have hit six round trippers in their last 19 innings after going nine straight games without one.
β Washington still leads the National League East by two games over the Mets after the Nationals rallied from a 4-2 deficit to beat the Orioles 7-4 in Baltimore. Bryce Harper belted his 26th home run and Danny Espinosa put the Nationals ahead with a three-run blast later in the sixth. Michael Taylor added a pair of RBIs singles to help the Nats overcome homers by Caleb Joseph and Steve Pearce.
β Carlos Gomez drove in five runs with a pair of doubles as Milwaukee ripped the Dodgers 7-1 in Los Angeles. Rookie Taylor Jungmann (YUHNG’-mihn) fired a three-hitter in his first career complete game, blanking the Dodgers until Enrique Hernandez lifted a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Gerardo Parro drove in the Brewers’ other runs with a homer and a double as the Brewers cut the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to 4 Β½ games over San Francisco.
β The Giants trailed 4-1 before scoring five times in the fifth inning of an 8-5 victory against Philadelphia. Angel Pagan ignited the rally with a two-run double and scored on Matt Duffy’s two-run triple. Duffy, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford each had three hits for the Giants, who’ve scored 23 runs against the Phillies over the last two days.
β Hanley Ramirez smacked a two-run homer and Eduardo Rodriguez held the New York Yankees to two runs over 6 1/3 innings as Boston earned a 5-3 victory. Mookie Betts added an RBI triple in the seventh and scored on Zander Bogaerts’ single to put the Red Sox ahead 5-2. Alex Rodriguez hit a first-inning homer for the second straight night, but the Yankees saw their lead in the AL East stay at three games over Baltimore.
β Mark Buehrle (BUR’-lee) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings as Toronto beat Kansas City 6-2, ending the Royals’ six-game winning streak. Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) smacked a two-run homer and Danny Valencia gave the Blue Jays breathing room with a three-run blast in the ninth inning of Buehrle’s 10th win. The outcome puts the Blue Jays back at .500 at 45-45.
β Minnesota is back within 4 Β½ games of the AL Central-leading Royals after four Twins had two RBIs in a 9-5 triumph over Detroit. Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer, Aaron Hicks smacked a two-run triple, Kurt Suzuki poked a two-run single and Danny Santana drove in a pair with a single and a double. Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario each had three this and scored twice for the Twins, who have 17 runs in their last two games.
β Houston absorbed its fifth straight loss as Rene Rivera hit a two-run single and Tampa Bay allowed just three hits in a 3-0 shutout of the Astros. Jake Odorizzi gave up two hits and had five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings to win his first start since straining his left oblique on June 5. The Astros have scored just four runs during their skid.
β Hisashi Iwakuma pitched eight strong innings in his second game back from the disabled list and Mark Trumbo had two RBI singles to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 5-0 victory over the Angels. Los Angeles remains a half-game behind Houston in the AL West.
β The White Sox beat the Cubs for the second straight day as Chris Sale struck out 10 in a 5-1 victory. Sale scattered six hits in seven-plus innings to improve to 8-4. Tyler Saladino hit an RBI triple and Tyler Flowers added a two-run double in the White Sox’s ninth victory in 11 games.
β J.T. Realmuto went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs as Miami crushed Cincinnati 14-3. Cole Gillespie also had three hits and a homer as part of the Marlins’ season-high, 21-hit attack. But the Marlins also lost All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon to a dislocated left thumb when he slid headfirst into first base for his third infield hit.
β Carlos Gonzalez was the hitting star in Colorado’s 3-2 win over Atlanta, lacing a walk-off, RBI single in the bottom of the ninth after his two-run homer put the Rockies ahead 2-0 in the first inning. The Braves eventually knotted the score on homers by Juan Uribe (yoo-REE’-bay) and Ryan Lavarnway (lah-VAHRN’-way) before suffering their third straight loss. Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-WITS’-kee) walked to load the bases in the ninth but went 0-for-4 to end his major league season-high 21-game hitting streak.
β Yangervis Solarte (yahn-HEHR’-vihs soh-LAHR’-tay) launched a go-ahead, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to lift San Diego past Texas 6-5. The Rangers were two outs from a 5-4 victory until Melvin Upton hit a two-run single. Mitch Moreland hit a pair of solo homers for the Rangers.
β Chris Bassitt gave up two runs over 6 1/3 innings of Oakland’s 5-4 verdict over Cleveland. The game was tied 2-2 until Billy Butler hit a two-run double that brought home a third run on a throwing error by right fielder Brandon Moss.
MLB-ALL STAR GAME
Dozier, Tulo heading to Cincy
UNDATED (AP) β Twins second baseman Brian Dozier is now an American League All-Star. Major League Baseball has announced that he was added to the squad by AL manager Ned Yost, replacing Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista.
The news came a day after Dozier hit his second game-winning homer in a week.
Bautista will skip the game to receive treatment on a sore right shoulder.
Meanwhile, Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-WITS’-kee) is a late addition to the NL team. He replaces Dee Gordon after the Marlins infielder injured his thumb.
Also in the majors:
β The Indians have placed infielder Mike Aviles (ah-VEE’-lihs) on the family medical emergency list for the second time this season while his 4-year-old daughter battles leukemia. Team owner Paul Dolan and several Indians players, coaches and front office employees have shaved their heads in support of the family after Adriana Aviles was diagnosed in May.
β The Tigers have agreed to terms on a contract with right-hander Neftali Feliz (nehf-TAH’-lee feh-LEEZ’), with an eye on improving their shaky bullpen. Feliz was let go by Texas last week and joins a Tigers team that owns the sixth-worst bullpen.
β The Red Sox have placed right-hander Clay Buchholz on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right elbow. The 30-year old walked off after throwing a cutter clocked at 84 mph in the fourth inning of Friday night’s loss to the Yankees. Buchholz was 4-0 with an 0.87 ERA in his last four starts before losing Friday.
WIMBLEDON-WOMEN’S FINAL
Serena gets No. 21
LONDON (AP) β Serena Williams has won her 21st career Grand Slam title. She defeated Spain’s Garbine Muguruza (gahr-BEEN’-yeh moo-guh-ROO-thuh) 6-4, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final.
Williams now has a 28-match Grand Slam winning streak and six wins at Wimbledon. The 33-year-old Williams is the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era. She now tries to join Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court and Steffi Graf as the only players to win all four majors in the same year.
The win at the All England Club gives her a personal “Serena Slam” as she has won the last four majors over the last two years, going back to last year’s U.S. Open.
NHL-HURRICANES
‘Canes ink rookie
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β The Carolina Hurricanes have signed first-round draft pick Noah Hanifin to a three-year, entry-level contract. The defenseman will make $832,500 at the NHL level or $70,000 in the minor leagues through the 2017-18 season.
The Hurricanes selected the 18-year-old with the No. 5 overall pick in last month’s draft after he registered five goals and 18 assists in 37 games as a Boston College freshman last season.
NHL-WILD
Folin re-signs
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) β The Minnesota Wild have re-signed defenseman Christian Folin to a two-year contract. Folin had two goals, eight assists and 13 penalty minutes in 40 games as a rookie for Minnesota last season.
GOLF-U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
Yang in front
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) β Amy Yang will carry a three-shot lead over Stacy Lewis into the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pa.
Yang fired a 1-under 69 that leaves her 8-under through 54 holes, one year after she shared the third-round lead in the Open. Lewis also shot a 69 and will be paired with Yang for the second straight day.
In Gee Chun is four strokes back in her first U.S. Open appearance. Defending champ Michelle Wie (wee) is in a four-way tie for fifth at minus-3.
GOLF-JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
Spieth surges to lead
SILVIS, Ill. (AP) β Jordan Spieth (speeth) is making a nice showing as he tunes up for next week’s British Open.
The reigning Masters and U.S. Open champion had a pair of eagles and six birdies in shooting a career-best 61 to grab a two-stroke lead through three rounds of the PGA’s John Deere Classic in Illinois. He was at 17-under 196 after the best round of the tournament since Steve Stricker shot a 60 five years ago.
Spieth began the tournament with a 71 and was five strokes back when the third round began.
Danny Lee was second at minus-15 following a 9-under 62. Shawn Stefan, Justin Thomas and Johnson Wagner are three shots off the pace.
BRITISH OPEN
Kirk out, Streelman in
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) β Chris Kirk has withdrawn from next week’s British Open at St. Andrews and has been replaced in the field by fellow American Kevin Streelman. No reason was given for Kirk’s withdrawal.
The 80th-ranked Streelman has placed tied for 54th and tied for 79th in the last two British Opens.
CHAMPIONS TOUR-EMCOMPASS CHAMPIONSHIP
Goodes has the lead
GLENVIEW, Ill. (AP) β Jerry Smith has a comfortable three-stroke advantage through two rounds of the 54-hole Emcompass Championship on the Champions Tour.
Smith took control with an 8-under 64 to make up three strokes on Mike Goodes, who sits in second heading into the final round.
Bart Bryant, Fred Funk, David Frost, Lee Janzen and Woody Austin share third at 9-under.
NASCAR-KENTUCKY
Busch outlasts Logano
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) β Kyle Busch outdueled Joey Logano late to win Saturday’s Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway.
Busch dominated the 400-mile race by leading 163 of 267 laps after starting ninth for his second victory here in five starts. But he had to outlast Logano during one late segment in which they traded leads for several laps.
Busch’s No. 18 Toyota finally got the upper hand on Logano’s No. 22 Ford on lap 249 and he went on to his second victory in a month.
Busch’s teammates Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth were next as Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas dominated the top five.
CYCLING-TOUR DE FRANCE
Froome holds lead
FOUGERES, France (AP) β Britain’s Chris Froome remains on top of the Tour de France after eight stages. That said, the winner of the stage was France’s Alexis Vuillermoz with Daniel Martin of Ireland second.
