MLB-SCHEDULE
Pitching gems highlight Sunday games
UNDATED (AP) β Madison Bumgarner became the majors’ newest 13-game winner while helping the San Francisco Giants pull within 2 Β½ games of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bumgarner is 13-8 after tossing a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the Giants’ 9-0 pounding of the New York Mets. He also went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored to help the Giants win for the third time in four games since a six-game skid.
Hunter Pence homered twice, including a two-run blast that opened the scoring in the third inning. Brandon Belt and Buster Posey also went deep in the rout.
The Cubs helped out the Giants as Chris Coghlan hit a two-run homer and Luis Valbuena added a solo shot in Chicago’s 7-3 win over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Coghlan’s fifth-inning blast put the Cubs ahead to stay and helped them win the rubber match of the three-game series.
The Giants weren’t the only club to earn a shutout win on Sunday.
Chris Tillman combined with two relievers on a four-hitter and Nick Markakis (mahr-KAY’-kihs) hit a first-inning homer to lead Baltimore’s 1-0 triumph against Seattle. Tillman allowed the Mariners’ four hits while striking out six in seven innings to help the Orioles win a 1-0 game for the first time this season.
Stephen Strasburg had a fine start in Washington’s 4-0 win over Philadelphia, striking out 10 and holding the Phillies to three hits in seven innings. Denard Span, Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN’) and Jayson Werth each scored a run and drove in another from the top three spots in the lineup, helping the Nationals gain a split of the four-game series.
Anibal (AH’-nih-bahl) Sanchez struck out 12 while giving up just two hits in seven innings of Detroit’s 4-0 win against Colorado. Miguel Cabrera put the Tigers ahead to stay in the third with an RBI single before scoring on a three-run homer by Victor Martinez later in the inning.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β John Lackey was a winner in his St. Louis debut, improving to 12-7 by allowing two runs and seven hits in seven innings of the Cardinals’ 3-2 win over Milwaukee. The Brewers led 2-0 until Matt Holliday sparked the Redbirds’ three-run seven with a solo homer. Oscar Tavares singled home the tiebreaking run as the Cards pulled within one game of the NL Central-leading Brewers.
β Nick Ahmed put his arms up as he slid into second base and deflected a potential double play relay in the 10th inning Sunday, giving the Diamondbacks a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The loss keeps the Pirates 1 Β½ games off the NL Central lead.
β The Nationals now enjoy a 3 Β½-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East following the Braves’ sixth consecutive loss, 4-3 at San Diego. Everth Cabrera had two hits and two RBIs, including the walk-off, run-scoring single in the bottom of the 10th.
β Mike Trout had three hits and Jered Weaver picked up his 12th win as the Los Angeles Angels beat Tampa Bay 7-5 in the rubber match of the three-game set. Trout hit an RBI double in the Angels’ five-run first before Weaver held the Rays to two runs and six hits in six innings.
β Oakland’s lead in the AL West is down to one game over the Angels after James Shields gave up two runs and four hits in eight innings of Kansas City’s 4-2 win over the Athletics. Billy Butler and Omar Infante had three hits apiece to support Shields, who had a perfect game until Josh Reddick led off the sixth with the first of his two homers.
β Chris Carter hit a two-run single and Matt Dominguez had two RBIs in Houston’s 6-1 win over Toronto, which drops the Blue Jays 3 Β½ games behind the AL East-leading Orioles. Scott Feldman went the distance on an eight-hitter for the Astros, who took the last three games of the four-game set.
β Stephen Drew had two hits and four RBIs as the New York Yankees beat Boston 8-7 to pull within 1 Β½ games of the Jays for the final AL wild-card berth. Brett Gardner added three hits and three RBIs to the victory including a homer that snapped a 7-7 tie in the sixth inning.
β Cleveland beat Texas 4-3 on Michael Brantley’s walkoff homer leading off the bottom of the 12th. David Murphy hit a two-run blast and had three RBIs as the Indians completed a three-game sweep.
β Devin Mesoraco had three hits and two RBIs in Cincinnati’s 7-3 win at Miami. Todd Frazier added four hits and an RBI to back Mike Leake, who allowed a run and three hits in six innings.
β The Twins crushed the White Sox 16-3 in Chicago behind rookie Danny Santana’s five hits and four RBIs. Santana had two hits and two RBIs in Minnesota’s nine-run eighth inning before Chris Parmelee, Oswaldo Arcia and Eric Fryer hit consecutive homers off White Sox reliever Andre Rienzo.
MLB-ANGELS/THATCHER
Halos shelve Thatcher, reshape bullpen
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) β The Los Angeles Angels have placed reliever Joe Thatcher on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle. Thatcher was hurt fielding a bunt in Saturday’s 10-3 loss at Tampa Bay.
The Angels also optioned left-hander Michael Roth to Double-A Arkansas, recalled right-hander Cam Bedrosian from the Texas League club and recalled right-hander Fernando Salas from Triple-A Salt Lake.
GOLF-BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL
McIlroy wins, Woods withdraws
AKRON, Ohio (AP) β Rory McIlroy picked up another victory and Tiger Woods made another early exit.
McIlroy began the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational trailing Sergio Garcia by three shots before rallying for a two-stroke win over the Spaniard. The Irishman opened the final round with three straight birdies en route to a 4-under 66 and a 15-under total. McIlroy earned over $1.5 million dollars and reclaimed the No. 1 ranking from Adam Scott.
McIlroy was playing for the first time since his wire-to-wire victory at the British Open.
Marc Leishman (LEESH’-man) finished third, three shots back and three ahead of Keegan Bradley, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Charl Schwartzel.
Phil Mickelson had the day’s best round, an 8-under 62 that allowed him to finish tied for 15.
Woods had to withdraw following his tee shot on the ninth hole. He injured his back playing a shot from edge of a bunker on the par-5 second hole and took himself out of the tournament after eight holes.
It was the second time he failed to play 72 holes in three tournaments since undergoing back surgery in March. He missed the cut in his first event following surgery and finished tied for 69th at the British Open. He’s finished all four rounds only twice in six events this year.
Woods did not say whether he would be able to play the PGA Championship at Valhalla next week
GOLF-3M CHAMPIONSHIP
Perry outlasts Langer
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) β Kenny Perry scrambled for a birdie on the 18th hole to beat hard-charging Bernhard Langer by a stroke in the Champions Tour’s 3M Championship in Minnesota.
Perry closed with a 7-under 65 for his second victory of the year and seventh overall on the 50-and-over tour. He finished at 23-under 193 at TPC Twin Cities.
Langer fired a 63 on the final day and overcame a four-shot deficit on the back nine before Perry’s birdie on the par-5 18th.
GOLF-BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
Ogilvy wins
RENO, Nev. (AP) β Geoff Ogilvy has won the Barracuda Championship for his eighth PGA Tour title and first since 2010. Ogilvy scored five points with an eagle on the par-5 13th and pulled away for a five-point victory in the modified Stableford event.
Justin Hicks was second at 44 points after an 18-point day. John Huh and Jonathan Byrd tied for third at 37.
NASCAR-GOBOWLING.COM 400
Earnhardt completes Pocono sweep
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) β Dale Earnhardt Jr. has become the first driver to sweep Pocono Raceway since Denny Hamlin in 2006. Earnhardt started ninth and led for just 14 of 160 laps in winning the GoBowling.com 400. He took the lead on a restart with three laps remaining and held off Kevin Harvick to earn his third win of the season.
Harvick finished second to lock up a spot in the Chase for the Championship.
Joey Logano was third, followed by Clint Bowyer (BOY’-ur), Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon.
INDYCAR-MID-OHIO
Dixon ends Ganassi drought and continues success in Ohio
LEXINGTON, Ohio (AP) β Scott Dixon went from last in qualifying to capture his fifth win at Mid-Ohio in the last eight years. He coasted in on low fuel to end Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s victory drought in 2014.
Dixon led a total of 45 laps, strategically winning the pit-stop battle against the top contenders while capturing his 34th series win and first since Houston last October.
Pole-sitter Sebastien Bourdais (bohr-DAY’) was a distant second, with James Hinchcliffe third, rookie Carlos Munoz (MOON’-yohz) fourth and favorite son Graham Rahal (RAY’-hawl) fifth.
NFL-BILLS/BON JOVI
Singer says he wants Bills to stay put
CANTON, Ohio (AP) β Jon Bon Jovi has gone directly to the media to let Bills fans know he would keep the NFL team in Buffalo should he win the bidding for the club.
His letter in The Buffalo News on Sunday marks the first time the rocker has publicly discussed his plans regarding the Bills. He says his group is committed to working with state and local officials to identify a new stadium site in the region.
Bon Jovi added that it’s his intention to carry on the legacy created by Ralph Wilson, the team’s original owner.
The Bills are for sale following Wilson’s death in March.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS/AIR FORCE
Air Force starts self-inquiry
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) β The Air Force Academy has launched an investigation of its athletic department and is demanding more accountability from coaches after the Colorado Springs Gazette reported allegations of lax oversight and athlete misconduct. Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson has released a statement acknowledging “troubling” behavior by some athletes and other cadets. Johnson told The Gazette that the academy inspector general’s office will look into the athletic department to determine whether sports programs promote the school’s ideals.
