MLB-SCHEDULE
Bucs get seventh straight win
UNDATED (AP) β The Pittsburgh Pirates saw their shutout streak end on Wednesday, but their winning streak continues.
Jeff Locke combined with three relievers on a four-hitter as the Bucs won their seventh straight, 3-2 over the White Sox in Chicago. The Pirates were working on their fourth straight shutout and a 35-inning scoreless streak until Melky Cabrera hit an RBI single in the sixth off Locke, who gave up three hits in six frames.
Jung Ho Kang smacked a two-run homer for the Pirates, who have posted five shutouts during their winning streak and own the National League’s second-best record at 38-27. Pittsburgh trails the NL Central by five games to St. Louis.
The Cardinals had won five straight before Eduardo Nunez drove in two runs to push Minnesota past the Redbirds, 3-1. Tommy Milone held the Cards to a run and five hits in seven innings to win a pitcher’s duel against Carlos Martinez.
The Twins had dropped seven of their previous eight before staying 3 Β½ games behind the AL Central-leading Royals.
Kansas City thumped Milwaukee 10-2 as Alcides (al-SEE’-dehs) Escobar collected four RBIs in the Royals’ third consecutive win. Joe Blanton gave up a run and five hits in five innings to earn his first major league victory since June 2013.
Checking out the rest of Wednesday’s schedule:
β Felix Hernandez is the American League’s first 10-game winner after holding the Giants to four hits in eight innings of Seattle’s 2-0 shutout of San Francisco. Madison Bumgarner carried a shutout into the sixth before Austin Jackson and Robinson Cano (kuh-NOH’) hit consecutive RBI doubles. Each team finished with just four hits.
β Paul Goldschmidt and Welington Castillo each smacked solo homers to back Chase Anderson in Arizona’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Goldschmidt’s 19th homer of the season put the Diamondbacks ahead to stay. Yasmany Tomas (yahs-MAH’-nee toh-MAHS’) went 3-for-4 with an RBI triple, and Anderson limited the Halos to a pair of runs and seven hits in six innings.
β Ben Zobrist fell a homer shy of the cycle while going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored in Oakland’s 16-2 laugher against San Diego. Billy Butler hit a three-run homer and Jesse Chavez struck out 11 while yielding just a run and three hits in seven innings. The Padres have dropped four straight under three different managers, including an 0-2 mark under interim skipper Pat Murphy.
β Cincinnati pulled out an 8-4, walkoff win over Detroit on Todd Frazier’s 22nd home run, a grand slam in the bottom of the 13th. Frazier also went deep in the fourth inning off David Price, but the Reds needed Brayan Pena’s RBI single in the eighth to force extra innings. Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the Tigers’ second straight loss.
β Kris Bryant belted a grand slam and Chris Denofia hit a three-run homer as the Chicago Cubs crushed the Indians 17-0 in Cleveland. Kyle Schwarber was 4-for-5 with an RBI triple, a run-scoring single and three runs scored in his first major league start. Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo socked two-run shots to back Tsuyoshi Wada (soo-YOH’-shee WAH’-dah), who gave up four hits and two walks in seven shutout innings to even his record at 5-5.
β Carlos Correa hit one of Houston’s three home runs and had three RBIs in an 8-4 win at Colorado. Preston Tucker, Jake Marisnick and Chris Carter also went deep as the Astros won their fourth in a row. However, Houston second baseman Jose Altuve (al-TOO’-vay) left in the third inning because of tightness in his right hamstring after sitting out three of the previous four games with a hamstring issue.
β Texas remains 2 Β½ games behind the AL West-leading Astros following the Rangers’ 5-3 triumph over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Joey Gallo cracked a two-run homer and Prince Fielder went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs while raising his average to .344. The Rangers’ bullpen tossed 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball to make a winner out of Wandy Rodriguez.
β Drew Hutchison combined with four relievers on a six-hitter and Danny Valencia crushed a three-run homer as Toronto hammered the New York Mets 8-0 to end a two-game skid. Hutchison gave up four hits in 5 2/3 innings to help the Blue Jays win for the 12th time in 14 games. Mets reliever Akeel Morris was rocked for five runs while retiring just two hitters in his major league debut.
β Matt Andriese (AN’-drees) worked four innings of a combined two-hitter as Tampa Bay dealt Washington its 13th loss in 19 games, 5-0. Both Curt Casali and former Nationals outfielder Steven Souza (SOO’-zuh) Jr. smacked solo homers and had three hits to help the Rays improve to 11-4 in their last 15 games. The Rays still lead the AL East by one game over the New York Yankees, and the Nationals continue to trail the NL East-leading Mets by 1 Β½ games.
β The Yanks beat Miami 2-1 as Michael Pineda carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before allowing Christian Yelich’s home run. Pineda struck out nine over 6 2/3 innings of the Bombers’ second victory in seven games. Alex Rodriguez is three hits shy of 3,000 after going 2-for-2 with an RBI single and two walks.
β The Phillies losing streak has reached nine games after David Lough hit a two-run double while Baltimore scored four times in the fourth inning to earn a 6-4 triumph at Philadelphia. Chris Parmelee opened the scoring with his third homer in two games and Travis Snider added a solo shot in the Orioles’ ninth victory in 10 games. The Phils have their longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in September 1999.
β Alex Wood fanned seven while yielding one earned run in six innings of Atlanta’s 5-2 verdict over Boston. The game was tied 2-2 in the seventh until Nick Markakis (mahr-KAY’-kihs) hit an RBI single and scored on a bases-loaded walk by A.J. Pierzynski (peer-ZIHN’-skee). Mike Napoli’s solo homer put the Red Sox ahead 2-1 in the sixth before they absorbed their eighth loss in nine games.
MLB-HACKING INVESTIGATION-CARDINALS
Attorney: Cards’ higher ups not involved in hacking
ST. LOUIS (AP) β An attorney representing the St. Louis Cardinals says an internal review shows high-level executives of the team were not involved in the hacking of the Houston Astros’ player personnel database. However, the internal investigation is not finished.
Attorney Jim Martin’s comments were the first to suggest that any wrongdoing could be limited to the lower levels of the Cardinals organization. The Cardinals said they retained the Dowd Bennett firm for a review several months before this week’s disclosure that the FBI is investigating whether the team hacked into the Astros’ computer system that is used to track players and prospects.
The FBI has declined to confirm it is investigating the Redbirds. But a person familiar with the inquiry earlier told the AP that federal authorities are investigating whether members of the team were to blame for what Major League Baseball called a “breach” of the Astros’ database.
There has been no indication of how many employees might be under investigation.
MLB-MOVES
Braves send Foltynewicz to minors
UNDATED (AP) βThe Atlanta Braves have optioned Mike Foltynewicz (fohl-TIHN’-eh-vihch) to Triple-A Gwinnett after the right-hander compiled an 8.04 ERA in his past three starts. He went 3-2 with a 5.19 ERA in his first nine career starts following his recall from Gwinnett on May 1.
The Braves selected the contract of infielder Daniel Castro from Gwinnett to replace Foltynewicz on the 25-man roster.
In other major league moves:
β Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd starts a minor league rehab assignment and could be back in Cincinnati’s starting lineup over the weekend. Byrd’s right wrist broke when it was hit by a pitch on June 2.
β The Cubs have placed left-hander Zac Rosscup on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation. Rosscup is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA in 26 relief appearances.
β The Phillies have placed right-hander Jerome Williams on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. He was injured while trying to cover home in Tuesday’s loss to Baltimore.
MLB-METS-DOUBLEDAY
Former Mets owner dies
NEW YORK (AP) β Former New York Mets owner and publishing mogul Nelson Doubleday Jr. has died at 81.
Doubleday was the grandson of Frank Nelson Doubleday, who founded the publishing company in 1896 and a descendent of Abner Doubleday, the mythical inventor of baseball.
Nelson Doubleday bought the club with John Pickett and minority partner Fred Wilpon in 1980 and watched the last-place franchise win the World Series six years later. Doubleday was bought out by Wilpon in a contentious sale in 2002, and the Mets have been to the playoffs just once ever since.
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Gators oust Hurricanes
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) β Florida is still alive in the College World Series after the Gators clobbered Miami for the second time in five days.
Harrison Bader led off the game with the first of Florida’s four home runs in a 10-2 rout that eliminated the Hurricanes. Alex Faedo and two relievers combined on a four-hitter for the Gators, who outscored Miami 25-5 in their two CWS meetings.
The Gators next play Virginia, which is 2-0. Florida will need to beat the Cavaliers twice to reach the best-of-3 finals.
NFL-NEWS
Jones expects Bryant in camp and at season opener
UNDATED β Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he expects disgruntled receiver Dez Bryant will be at training camp and play in the regular-season opener.
Bryant has not signed his franchise tender that will guarantee him $12.8 million this season, and he’s indicated his willingness to miss the season opener without a long-term deal. Jones anticipates the All-Pro will be at training camp and the regular-season opener.
Also in the NFL:
β Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’) acknowledged on Wednesday that he got caught up trying to live up to the “Johnny Football” persona he helped create. The second-year pro spoke with the media for the first time since spending 10 weeks in a rehab facility, saying he’s hoping to move past a regrettable chapter in his life. The former Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M intends to scrap his trademark money sign, when he rubs his fingers together after a big play.
β San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is questioning whether the Chargers were serious about staying in the city. Faulconer’s characterization comes one day after the team shot down the mayor’s trial balloon for a city election this year on financing a stadium, dealing a blow to San Diego’s efforts to prevent the Chargers from moving to Los Angeles. The Chargers and Oakland Raiders plan to jointly build a $1.7 billion stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, one of two proposals to return an NFL team to the nation’s second-largest city after a two-decade absence.
β The family of Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr says he is participating in a clinical trial using stem cells as a possible treatment for strokes. Starr suffered two strokes and a mild heart attack last September. The family says details will be shared in the future and that Starr has one goal, a return to Green Bay for a Packers game.
NHL-CAPITALS
Caps retain defenseman
WASHINGTON (AP) β Defenseman Nate Schmidt has signed a $1.6 million, two-year contract to stay with the Washington Capitals. Schmidt, who was a pending restricted free agent, had four points in a career-high 39 games with the Capitals last season. In 68 career NHL games, Schmidt has 10 points on three goals and seven assists.
NBA-HORNETS
Henderson coming back
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Charlotte Hornets guard Gerald Henderson has exercised his player option for the 2015-16 season. Henderson is set to make $6 million in the final year of his contract.
Henderson was selected by Charlotte with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He played in a team-high 80 games with 72 starts last season, averaging 12.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.9 minutes per game.
NBA FINALS-RATINGS
Must-watch TV
NEW YORK (AP) β This year’s NBA Finals have drawn their highest TV rating since the series moved to ABC in 2003.
The Golden State Warriors’ six-game win over the Cleveland Cavaliers averaged an 11.6 rating. ESPN says that the more than 19.9 million viewers were up 30 percent from last year’s five-game series between the Spurs and Heat.
FIFA-CORRUPTION
Swiss official cites suspicious bank dealings
BERN, Switzerland (AP) β Banks in Switzerland have reported 53 possible acts of money-laundering in the investigation of FIFA’s (FEE’-fuhz) 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contests, according to the country’s attorney-general. Michael Lauber says the reports on “suspicious bank relations” were filed to comply with Switzerland’s regulations against money laundering.
The federal prosecutor described a “huge and complex” case which targets “criminal mismanagement and money-laundering” in the bidding contests which sent the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar (GUH’-tur).
Lauber says future World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar have not been implicated in the probe.
