MLB-SCHEDULE
Royals overtake Tigers…Brewers, Dodgers pad leads…Costly win for Birds
UNDATED (AP) β There’s a new leader in the American League Central, just over a week after the Detroit Tigers enjoyed a five-game edge over Kansas City.
The Royals moved a half-game ahead of Detroit with a 3-2 win against Oakland and some help from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Alcides (al-SEE’-dehs) Escobar snapped a 2-2 deadlock with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Greg Holland closed out a combined three-hitter for his AL-leading 35th save.
The A’s saw their lead in the AL West trimmed to 3 Β½ games over the Los Angeles Angels.
The Tigers had more to worry about than their 11-6 loss in Pittsburgh. Detroit starter Justin Verlander surrendered five runs in the first inning before leaving with a sore right shoulder. The Tigers say Verlander will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
Travis Snider hit two of the Pirates’ four homers to help them hand the Tigers their fifth loss in six games. Russell Martin and Ike Davis also went deep as the Bucs ended a two-game skid and stayed 2 Β½ games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers were 3-1 winners against the Cubs in Chicago as Yovani Gallardo (yoh-VAH’-nee gy-AHR’-doh) gave up just a run and six hits in seven innings. Mark Reynolds homered in the second inning and Khris Davis doubled home the tiebreaking run in the seventh to help Milwaukee add a half-game to its division lead.
St. Louis is three games behind the Brewers. Giancarlo Stanton belted his National League-leading 30th and 31st homers while driving in three runs in Miami’s 6-5 win over the Redbirds. Christian Yelich was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored as the Marlins handed the Cardinals their third loss in four games.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have padded their lead in the National League West.
Kevin Correia (koh-RAY’-uh) was a winner in his first start with the Dodgers, allowing a run and four hits in six innings of a 6-2 victory in Atlanta. Carl Crawford supported Correia with three hits and two RBIs, including the tiebreaking single in the seventh.
The outcome gives the Dodgers a five-game lead over San Francisco and drops the Braves four games behind the NL East-leading Washington Nationals.
Baltimore crushed the New York Yankees 11-3 but lost Manny Machado in the process as the third baseman sprained his knee while swinging at a pitch in the third inning. Chris Davis took over at third and hit a go-ahead, two-run homer to put the Orioles ahead 4-3 in the fifth. Nelson Cruz also hit a two-run homer and Jonathan Schoop (skohp) added a three-run shot as the AL East-leading Birds dropped the Yankees seven games off the division lead.
Seattle improved its playoff hopes while dropping Toronto six games off the AL East lead. Robinson Cano (kah-NOH’) hit a solo homer before Mike Zunino (zuh-NEE’-noh) and Brad Miller added RBI triples in a seven-run sixth that carried the Mariners past the Blue Jays 11-1. Felix Hernandez lowered his ERA to 1.95 and improved to 13-3 by limiting the Jays to a run and three hits while fanning eight in seven innings.
The Mariners’ second straight win puts them within one game of Detroit for the final AL wild-card berth.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Tampa Bay clobbered Texas 7-0 as Rays newcomer Drew Smyly allowed three hits while striking out nine over 7 2/3 innings. Matt Joyce hit a two-run single and Ben Zobrist doubled home a run to help Smyly earn a win in his second start since being acquired from Detroit.
β Minnesota beat Houston 4-2 on Joe Mauer’s two-run single in the top of the ninth. Mauer was activated before the game after sitting out more than a month with a left oblique strain. Tommy Milone allowed two runs over six innings in his first start since the Twins acquired him from Oakland.
β Anthony Recker was in an 0-for-18 slump before smacking a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning of the Mets’ 5-3 comeback win over the Phillies in Philadelphia. Jonathan Niese (nees) gave up five hits in seven innings to end a four-start losing streak and help the Mets beat the Phillies for the third time in four days.
β Yangervis Solarte (yahn-JUR’-vihs soh-LAHR’-tay) socked a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh to lift San Diego past Colorado 4-3. Yonder Alonso also homered in the Padres’ ninth victory in 12 games.
MLB-PIRATES/McCUTCHEN
Pirates put reigning MVP on DL
UNDATED (AP) β The Pirates have decided to put the reigning National League MVP on the disabled list.
Center fielder Andrew McCutchen has been shelved due to a broken rib. The move was listed as Aug. 4, the day after he left a game at Arizona with pain in his side following a swing. The previous day, he was hit in the same area by a pitch from Diamondbacks reliever Randal Delgado.
The Pirates waited a week to see how it would heal.
The Pirates promoted right-hander Casey Sadler from Triple-A Indianapolis before Monday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
McCutchen is batting .311 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs this season.
Also in the majors:
β The Royals have added power to their lineup by acquiring outfielder Josh Willingham from the Twins for minor league pitcher Jason Adam. Willingham hit 12 homers in 68 games for Minnesota this year but was batting just .210. He belted a career-high 35 home runs in 2012, his first season with the Twins.
β New York Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda (pih-NAY’-dah) will come off the disabled list Wednesday and make his first start since his suspension for using pine tar on the mound. Pineda has been on the DL since May 6 with a right shoulder muscle injury, and hasn’t pitched since he was ejected from a game against Boston on April 23. He received a 10-game suspension from Major League Baseball for “possessing a foreign substance on his person.”
NFL-JETS
Jets lose two CBs
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) β New York Jets cornerback Dee Milliner could miss the season opener because of a sprained left ankle suffered in Sunday’s practice.
The team is waiting for the swelling to subside before giving him an MRI, which should clarify how long he will be out. The injury occurred about a half-hour after fellow cornerback Dexter McDougle tore the ACL in his left knee, ending his rookie season.
NFL-SEAHAWKS
Lynch being investigated
BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) β Police in Bellevue, Washington, are investigating whether Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was involved in an assault and damage of personal property. The Bellevue Police Department released a statement saying that the alleged incident took place around 2:30 a.m. Sunday and that Lynch is alleged to have been involved. Bellevue police stated that they have not been able to verify whether Lynch was involved, but are investigating.
The incident was reported by the female victim about 12 hours after it took place at a downtown Bellevue apartment. Police say there was no domestic violence or sexual assault involved in the allegation.
NBA-ODEN
Former NBA top pick charged
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Prosecutors in Indiana have formally charged former NBA No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden with battery for allegedly punching his ex-girlfriend in the face during a fight. The free-agent center was charged with felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury, misdemeanor domestic battery and misdemeanor battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
The Portland Trail Blazers made Oden the top pick in the 2007 draft. He played for the Miami Heat last season.
GOLF-RYDER CUP
Watson says Woods is still in the equation
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) β U.S. captain Tom Watson says he would be foolish not to consider Tiger Woods as one of his wild-card selections for the Ryder Cup. Woods missed the cut by five shots at the PGA Championship, just five days after he withdrew from an event because of a sore back.
Watson doesn’t make his three captain’s picks for three more weeks, during which time Woods isn’t playing in any tournaments.
Watson says he will continue to talk with Woods and that he says he would base his decision on what Woods tells him.
The Ryder Cup is next month in Scotland.
NASCAR
Investigation continues
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (AP) β Officials continue to investigate the accident Saturday night that claimed the life of a young dirt track driver.
Kevin Ward Jr. made the fatal mistake of getting out of his car during the race and walking on the track after hitting the wall. He was apparently trying to confront the man who he had made contact with before hitting the wall, NASCAR veteran Tony Stewart.
Ward was wearing all black on a dimly lit track. After one car moved to avoid hitting him, Stewart wasn’t able to avoid the 20-year old and Ward was hit. According to video and witness accounts, Ward’s body was sucked underneath the car and hurtled through the air before landing on his back as fans looked on in horror.
Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero said that criminal charges have not been ruled out, but that investigators don’t have any evidence at this point in the investigation to support criminal intent. Povero said Ward died of blunt force trauma when he was hit by the car.
He said Monday that there were no plans “at this time” to talk to Stewart again and that there is no timetable as to when the investigation will conclude.
NCAA
Looking for clarification
UNDATED (AP) β The NCAA wants a clarification on a California judge’s ruling in the landmark Ed O’Bannon case. The governing body of college athletics wrote in a brief to the U.S. District Court that schools want to know which recruits are covered under the ruling. The decision opened the door to athletes receiving a small percentage of the millions of dollars they help generate.
Judge Claudia Wilken wrote it would affect only athletes who enroll after July 1, 2016, at the beginning of the next recruiting cycles.
The NCAA calls the language about the “next recruiting cycle” ambiguous. It wants the court to establish another date, Aug. 1, 2015, when scholarships can first be offered in the 2015-16 recruiting cycle.
