MLB
Rays make it nine straight…Dodgers glide into first behind Kershaw two-hitter
UNDATED (AP) β The Tampa Bay Rays continue to be the hottest team in baseball. The Rays ran their winning streak to nine by blanking Boston 3-0. The winning streak is the second-longest in Rays’ history, three short of a 12-game winning streak in June 2004.
Ben Zobrist homered. Matt Joyce and Kevin Kiermaier each had an RBI single.
John Lackey fell to 11-7 with the loss. Lackey came up short in his first attempt to earn his 150th win, giving up three runs and eight hits over seven innings.
In other MLB action:
β The Los Angeles Dodgers are in first place in the NL West by a half-game after blanking San Francisco 5-0. Ace Clayton Kershaw improved to 12-2 on a two-hitter. Kershaw fanned six in tossing his ninth career shutout, and fourth against the Giants. Adrian Gonzalez had three hits and drove in a run.
β AL West leader Oakland whacked Texas 5-1 as Sonny Gray won his sixth straight decision to run his mark to 12-3. Yoenis Cespedes (yoh-EHN’-ehs SEHS’-peh-dehs) hit his 17th home run, one of four Oakland home runs.
β The L.A. Angels blanked AL Central leader Detroit 4-0. Michael Shoemaker and two relievers combined on a four-hitter. Efren Navarro hit his first major league homer.
β The Chicago White Sox blanked Minnesota 7-0 behind another stellar pitching effort from Chris Sale. He fanned 12 in eight innings while improving to 10-1. Alexei Ramirez hit his 10th home run.
β Kansas City trimmed Cleveland 7-5. Billy Butler homered for the second straight night as the Royals won their fifth in a row.
β Mark Reynolds homered in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 5-2 victory over the New York Mets. Wily Peralta (WIH’-lee peh-RAHL’-tah) improved to 12-6 for the NL Central-leading Brewers.
β The Cincinnati Reds snapped their seven-game slide by blanking NL East-leading Washington 1-0. Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) and two relievers combined on the four-hit shutout. Left-hander Aroldis Chapman wiggled out of a two-on, two-out threat in the eighth and finished for his 22nd save in 24 chances.
β Atlanta moved within a game and a-half of the Nationals by beating San Diego 5-3. Freddie Freeman had three hits and an RBI. Julio Teheran (TEH’-rahn) won his 10th game. He allowed three runs on nine hits in his six innings. Four Braves relievers pitched shutout ball over the final three innings.
β Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run double, and Jordany Valdespin (VAHL’-deh-speen) added a two-run home run to power the Miami Marlins to a 7-3 victory over Houston.
β Colorado rocked Pittsburgh 8-1. Nolan Arenado bounced back from a benching with three hits, including a home run.
β Arizona rallied from a 6-1 deficit after two innings to beat Philadelphia 10-6 in 10 innings. Martin (mahr-TEEN’) Prado doubled, homered and drove in five runs, including a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning.
β Dan Johnson drove in four runs with a go-ahead infield hit and a three-run home to lead Toronto to a 6-4 win over the Yankees. The victory stopped the Blue Jays’ 17-game losing streak at Yankee Stadium. Toronto had not won at Yankee Stadium since Aug. 29, 2012. New York lost for just the second time in eight games since the All-Star break.
β Chris Young allowed two hits in seven shutout innings and the Seattle Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak by holding off the Baltimore Orioles 4-3. The 35-year-old Young, picked up on waivers in late March after being cut by Washington, is 9-6.
β St. Louis doubled up the Chicago Cubs 6-3 to end their four-game slide. Matt Adams drove in four runs. Just-acquired veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski (pur’-ZIHN’-skee) went 3-for-4 with an RBI. The Cards have been looking for a steady presence behind the plate because All-Star Yadier Molina (YAH’-dee-eer moh-LEE’-nah) went down with a torn ligament in his right thumb on July 9.
MLB-NEWS
Giants get Peavy…HoF tweaks rules
UNDATED (AP) β San Francisco has boosted its rotation for the stretch run by acquiring right-hander Jake Peavy (PEE’-vee) from Boston for a pair of minor league pitchers and cash. The 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner will start Sunday night’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 33-year-old Peavy pitched one of his best games last Aug. 25 at Dodger Stadium. He tossed a three-hitter with five strikeouts and one walk in an 8-1 Red Sox victory.
Peavy is 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA but has been hurt by poor run support. He’s only received two runs or fewer of support in each of his past eight starts.
Peavy is earning $14.5 million this season, with Boston paying more than $3 million of his remaining salary for the year.
In other baseball news:
β The Baseball Hall of Fame’s board has cut the time a player will be eligible for election from 15 years to 10. That will make it harder for prominent former players who have been tainted by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use to get elected. Among those expected to be affected are Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Roger Clemens.
On Sunday, class of 2014 members Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, and managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa will be inducted into the Hall.
NBA-LOVE
Love pulls out of Team USA
UNDATED (AP) β Kevin Love has withdrawn from this summer’s Team USA basketball roster.
Love is in limbo while the Minnesota Timberwolves field offers for their three-time All-Star. He is the latest All-Star to pull out of Team USA, which begins its training camp in Las Vegas next week to prepare for the FIBA World Cup in Spain. In recent weeks the Americans have lost Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge and NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. They have 18 players remaining and will choose 12 for the World Cup of Basketball roster.
Love was part of gold medal-winning teams for the Americans at the 2012 Olympics and 2010 world championship.
NFL-PACKERS-NELSON
Packers extend Nelson
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) β The Packers have signed receiver Jordy Nelson to a contract extension, securing their top player at the position.
Green Bay announced the deal but did not provide the terms. NFL.com reported it was a four-year, $39 million deal with an $11.5 million signing bonus.
Nelson posted career-highs of 85 catches and 1,314 yards last season.
NFL-INJURIES
Ballard, Gaffney, Hunter done for season
UNDATED (AP) β For the second straight year, Colts running back Vick Ballard has suffered a season-ending injury.
Ballard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in practice Friday and will require surgery. He fell down while trying to catch a pass without being hit. Last season, Ballard tore the ACL in his right knee in practice and missed the final 15 games of the season.
Elsewhere around the NFL training camps:
β Carolina Panthers rookie running back Tyler Gaffney will have season-ending surgery after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee. Gaffney was Carolina’s sixth-round draft pick out of Stanford and was expected to provide some depth in the backfield.
β San Francisco running back Kendall Hunter’s season is over after he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during practice Friday. Hunter’s knee buckled awkwardly as he tried to make a move during a non-contact drill. Hunter began training camp as the No. 2 running back behind Frank Gore.
β New York Jets first-round pick Calvin Pryor is being evaluated for a concussion after injuring his head during practice. Coach Rex Ryan says the rookie safety was hurt when he collided with a teammate while serving as a punt protector.
NASCAR-BRICKYARD
Harvick tops qualifying
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Kevin Harvick swept all three rounds of qualifying to secure the pole for Sunday’s Brickyard 400. Four-time winner Jeff Gordon qualified second. He enters the race with a 12-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the standings. Brad Keselowski is third in points and qualified third followed by defending race winner Ryan Newman. Brian Vickers qualified fifth.
Earnhardt qualified 23rd.
NASCAR-NATIONWIDE
Dillon wins first
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Ty Dillon pulled away from Kyle Busch down the stretch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to win for the first time in the Nationwide Series.
Dillon passed Busch off the final restart with 25 laps and held on for his first victory in 31 career starts in NASCAR’s second-tier series.
FORMULA ONE-HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
Rosberg takes pole, Hamilton at the back
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) β Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has claimed pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix while Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton will start at the back of the race grid as an engine fire prevented him from setting a qualifying time.
Hamilton, who was fastest in all three practice sessions, will start at the back for the second straight grand prix.
GOLF-CANADIAN OPEN
Furyk in control
MONTREAL (AP) β Jim Furyk (FYOOR’-ihlk) has taken aim at a third Canadian Open title with a 5-under 65 in the third round. That gives the 2006 and 2007 winner a three-shot lead over South Africa’s Tim Clark who has a day’s-best 64.
Furyk hasn’t won a tournament since 2010.
Graeme DeLaet’s (deh-LEHTZ) quest to become the first Canadian in 60 years to win the tournament appears to have fallen by the wayside. His 2-over 72 dropped him seven shots off the lead.
GOLF-SENIOR BRITISH OPEN
Langer has large lead
BRIDGEND, WALES (AP) β Bernhard Langer (LAHN’-gur) is well on his way to a second Senior British Open title. The 2010 champ fired a 3-under 68 in the third round to open up an eight-shot lead. Rick Gibson is alone in second, while Bob Tway holds down third, nine shots off the pace.
CYCLING-TOUR DE FRANCE
Nibali heads to victory
BERGERAC, France (AP) β Vincenzo Nibali has locked up his first Tour De France win after maintaining his more than seven-minute lead following Saturday’s time trail. The Italian will take a largely ceremonial victory ride into Paris Sunday to make the outcome official.
SPORTS-OOPS
A bad spelling day for Rockies
DENVER (AP) β Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-WIT’-skee) has a tough name to spell, even at his own ballpark.
The Colorado Rockies handed out 15,000 jerseys with the All-Star shortstop’s name misspelled in a giveaway gaffe Saturday night at Coors Field. The second “t” was missing, so the backs read “Tulowizki.” The team apologized.
The Rockies said fans can exchange them for corrected jerseys at a September date to be announced.
Tulowitzki leads the majors in hitting at .340. He is currently on the disabled list.
