MLB-SCHEDULE
Fiers fires no-hitter
UNDATED (AP) β Mike Fiers (FY’-urz) has tossed the fifth no-hitter of the season, and the first complete-game no-hitter by a Houston Astro since Darryl Kile in 1993.
Fiers threw 134 pitches in leading the Astros to a 3-0 win over the Dodgers in Houston. He opened the ninth by getting Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley to fly out to right field before striking out Justin Turner.
Fiers struck out 10 and walked three, retiring the final 21 batters in his first no-hitter. It was his third start since being acquired by the Astros from Milwaukee.
The Astros went ahead on Jake Marisnick’s two-run homer in the second, four innings before Evan Gattis added a solo shot.
The AL West-leading Astros are 3 Β½ games in front of the Angels and four ahead of Texas. The Dodgers’ lead in the NL West is down to 1 1/2 games over San Francisco.
Madison Bumgarner homered once again and claimed another victory as the Giants won a battle of playoff hopefuls.
Bumgarner belted his career-high fifth homer of the season, a two-run blast that put the Giants ahead 5-1 in the second inning of a 6-4 triumph against Pittsburgh. The San Francisco ace also improved to 15-6 by giving up three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Marlon Byrd was a major contributor in his first game since being acquired by the Giants from Cincinnati on Thursday. He smacked a two-run homer in his first at-bat and provided three of San Francisco’s 15 hits.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Toronto is within a half-game of the AL East-leading New York Yankees after David Price fanned nine while allowing two runs in eight innings of the Blue Jays’ 9-2 romp over the Angels. Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer and Josh Donaldson doubled twice and had three RBIs to help Price get to 12-4. Hector Santiago was pulled in the fourth and charged with four runs – two earned – as the Angels saw their lead for the second AL wild-card berth sliced to a half-game over Texas and Baltimore.
β Cleveland is 4-1 versus the Yankees this year after Carlos Carrasco struck out 11 while yielding just a run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings to pitch the Indians to a 7-3 victory in the Bronx. Carlos Santana hit a solo homer and had two RBIs to back Carrasco’s 12th win.
β Kansas City absorbed a 7-2 beating in Boston as Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) had his worst outing since joining the Royals. Blake Swihart was 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored for the Red Sox, who reached Cueto for six earned runs and 13 hits in six innings. The Royals’ lead in the AL Central is 12 Β½ games over Minnesota.
β The Twins won in Baltimore for the second straight night as Kurt Suzuki delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning of Minnesota’s 4-3 triumph against the Orioles. Gerardo Parra’s three-run homer put the Birds ahead 3-1 in the sixth.
β The Cubs reached Shelby Miller for five runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings of a 5-3 triumph over the Braves. Two of Chicago’s runs were unearned as Miller’s winless skid stretched to 17 games since May 17. Miller had a 3-2 lead until Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero hit RBI doubles in the sixth.
β The Cardinals’ lead in the NL Central remains 4 Β½ games over Pittsburgh after Matt Kemp and Brett Wallace hit two-run homers in the eighth inning to clinch San Diego’s 9-3 pounding of St. Louis. Yangevis Solarte (yahn-HEHR’-vihs soh-LAHR’-tay) also clubbed a two-run blast while the Padres scored five times in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Andrew Cashner gave up just an unearned run and four hits in six innings after entering the game 4-12.
β The New York Mets blew an 8-4 lead before Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EH’-nehs SEHS’-peh-dehs) crushed his third homer of the game to put the Mets ahead to stay in the sixth inning of a 14-9 win at Colorado. Cespedes was 5-for-6 with seven RBIs and five runs scored as New York expanded its lead in the NL East to five games over Washington. Travis d’Arnaud (dahr-NOH’) and Michael Conforto also went deep as the Mets improved to 5-0 versus the Rockies this season.
β Washington has dropped below .500 again after a 10-3 loss to Milwaukee. Domingo Santana smacked a two-run homer to help the Brewers overcome solo shots by Bryce Harper and Michael Taylor. The Brewers tagged Gio Gonzalez for four earned runs and eight hits in five innings.
β Texas downed Detroit 2-0 behind Colby Lewis, who scattered six hits in seven innings to improve to 14-5. Will Venable doubled home the first run in the second inning before Prince Fielder added a sacrifice fly in the third.
β A.J. Pollock and Yasmany Tomas (yahs-MAH’-nee toh-MAHS’) hit solo homers before Welington Castillo’s two-run single put Arizona ahead 5-0 by the fourth inning of a 6-3 win at Cincinnati. Rubby De La Rosa is 11-5 after holding the Reds to two runs and seven hits in seven innings.
β Desmond Jennings slammed a solo homer in the ninth and had Tampa Bay’s two RBIs in a 2-1 verdict over Oakland. Drew Smyly worked 5 2/3 shutout innings despite allowing seven hits.
β Jerad Eickhoff pitched six scoreless innings and drove in two runs in his major league debut to lead the Phillies’ 7-1 win over Miami. Eickhoff’s two-run single capped a four-run fourth off Kendry Flores, who was also making his first career start.
β Carlos Sanchez provided two hits and four RBIs in the Chicago White Sox’s 11-4 drubbing of Seattle. Chris Sale won a battle of aces, striking out 14 while giving up three runs in seven innings. The White Sox tagged Felix Hernandez for four runs and nine hits in six frames.
MLB-GIANTS-MOVES
Giants send Heston to minors
UNDATED (AP) β The San Francisco Giants have sent rookie pitcher Chris Heston to Triple-A Sacramento in an effort to give him a small break before the playoff push in September.
The 27-year-old Heston is 11-7 with a 3.34 ERA and one no-hitter this season, but he has had trouble going deep into games recently. He will return to the Giants when rosters expand on Sept. 1.
In other major league news:
β Mets hurler Matt Harvey is going to skip his next scheduled start Sunday in Colorado. The decision is a planned move by New York in order to help limit the right-hander’s innings in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Mets manager Terry Collins said right-handed reliever Logan Verrett instead will get the ball.
β The Washington Nationals have promoted 22-year-old shortstop Trea (tray) Turner from Triple-A Syracuse. Turner was hitting .322 with eight homers, 54 RBIs and 29 stolen bases in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He replaces Tyler Moore, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle.
β The Seattle Mariners placed Joe Beimel on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder and recalled Rob Rasmussen from Triple-A Tacoma
β Major League Baseball has unveiled its first comprehensive domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. MLB can suspend players with pay when legal charges are pending in “exceptional cases” under the policy agreed to by the commissioner’s office and the union. The commissioner also may defer a discipline decision until the resolution of criminal charges.
GOLF-WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Woods ties for lead
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) β Tiger Woods owns a share of the lead through two rounds of the Wyndham Championship as he tries to qualify for the FedEx playoffs that begin next week.
Woods followed Thursday’s 64 with a 5-under 65 to join Tom Hoge (HOH’-gee) at 11-under. Woods made his move up the leaderboard on the back nine, with birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 before an eagle on the par-5 15th for a share of the lead.
Woods entered the tournament in 187th place in the FedEx Cup standings and needs to win order to guarantee a spot in The Barclays playoff opener.
Davis Love III and Chad Campbell are one shot back and one ahead of six others.
LPGA-CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN’S OPEN
Kung leads after a 64
COQUITLAM, British Columbia (AP) β Candie Kung leads after two rounds of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open after matching the course record with an 8-under 64.
Kung birdied four of her final six holes for an 11-under total, two strokes ahead of two-time champion Lydia Ko and first-round leader Karine Icher (EE’-chur).
Michelle Wie (wee) missed the cut with a 75 that left her plus-5.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Mize tops leaderboard
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) β Larry Mize birdied the par-5 18th hole for a 5-under 67 and a two-stroke lead over Fred Couples and four others through 18 holes of the Champions Tour’s Boeing Classic.
The 56-year-old Mize had a bogey-free round as he seeks his first top-10 finish in more than two years. His last victory came in the Montreal Championship, his lone victory on the 50-and-over tour.
NFL-INJURIES
Injury updates from the NFL
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) β Steelers rookie cornerback Senquez Golson has undergone shoulder surgery and is out indefinitely. The second-round pick out of Mississippi has been on the physically unable to perform list since training camp began nearly four weeks ago.
Golson was a full participant in organized training activities and minicamp during the spring but showed up to camp with the shoulder issue.
CLEVELAND (AP) β Browns quarterback Josh McCown will not miss any practice time after injuring his right ring finger in Thursday night’s exhibition loss to Buffalo. McCown started against the Bills and threw two interceptions on his first two drives. He rebounded by leading the Browns to a field goal late in the first half.
Cleveland backup QB Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’) came in and tossed a touchdown pass in the fourth.
NASCAR-BRISTOL
Hamlin takes Bristol pole
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) β Denny Hamlin will start from the pole for tomorrow’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Hamlin had a final qualifying lap of 131.407 mph to edge Kyle Busch and break the mark of 131.362 mph set last August by Kevin Harvick. Carl Edwards and David Ragan will make up the second row for the start of the race, just ahead of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski (kehs-LOW’-skee).
NHL-EXPANSION
Las Vegas, Quebec bids moves forward
UNDATED (AP) β NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says Las Vegas and Quebec City have advanced to the third and potentially final stage to land expansion franchises.
The third stage is scheduled to end next month, and a person familiar with the process says that barring setbacks, it would then be up to the league to award expansion franchises.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-UCLA
Klemm suspended 2 games
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) β UCLA has suspended offensive line coach Adrian Klemm for its first two games and imposed additional recruiting restrictions on its football coaching staff. The punishment comes after a five-month investigation into Klemm’s recruiting practices.
UCLA says it will continue to cooperate with the NCAA’s ongoing review.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BAYLOR-PROBE
Baylor to investigate Ukwuachu allegations
UNDATED (AP) β Baylor University says it will investigate the handling of sexual assault allegations by the school against a football player who was allowed to transfer from Boise State despite a history of disciplinary problems. The review will be led by law professor Jeremy Counseller, who is a faculty athletic representative to the Big 12 and NCAA and former assistant criminal district attorney.
Defensive end Sam Ukwuachu was sentenced to 180 days in jail and put on 10 years of probation Friday in Texas district court. He has not played for the Bears.
LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES
Day 1 at LLWS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) β The Little League World Series began on Friday following a one-day postponement due to rain.
Winners in the U.S. group were Pearland, Texas, Bonita, Calif., Lewisbury, Pa., and Taylors, South Carolina.
Uganda, Venezuela, Mexico and Tokyo opened their International Group schedules with victories.
