NFL-SCHEDULE
Niners batter mistake-prone Cowboys…Dolphins rally past Pats…Panthers win without Newton
UNDATED (AP) β The Denver Broncos have begun their AFC title defense by jumping out to a 24-0 lead before hanging on for dear life.
Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes to Julius Thomas in the second quarter of the Broncos’ 31-24 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts. Manning was 22 of 36 for 269 yards and no interceptions as the Broncos won their first meaningful game since their Super Bowl loss to Seattle last February.
Montee Ball’s three-yard scoring run put Denver ahead 31-10 with about 10 minutes left before Andrew Luck hit Dwayne Allen and Hakeem Nicks for TDs 4:20 apart to make it close. The Colts had a chance to tie the game until Luck threw an incompletion on fourth down in Denver territory with 1:57 left.
Luck had 370 passing yards but was picked off twice.
In other NFL season openers:
β Colin Kaepernick (KAP’-ur-nik) threw a pair of touchdown passes to Vernon Davis while the Niners were building a 28-3 halftime lead in a 28-17 triumph over the mistake-prone Cowboys. One of Davis’ TDs was set up by a Tony Romo interception, one of three by the Dallas quarterback in his first meaningful game since undergoing back surgery in December. The 49ers also got a 35-yard fumble return on the second play of the game when Chris Culliver picked up a loose ball stripped from DeMarco Murray.
β New England suffered its first season-opening loss in 11 years as Miami scored 23 unanswered points in the second half of a 33-20 win over The Patriots. Ryan Tannehill completed 18 of 32 passes for 178 yards and two scores, while Tom Brady was 29 of 56 for 249 yards and one touchdown.
β Derek Anderson threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns while starting in place of Cam Newton as Carolina downed Tampa Bay 20-14. Newton fractured his ribs in a preseason game last month and was declared inactive for the game against Tampa Bay. The Bucs were shut out over the first 3 1/2 quarters in their first game under coach Lovie Smith.
β Matt Bryant kicked a 51-yard field goal on the final play of regulation, then booted a 52-yarder in overtime to give the Atlanta Falcons a 37-34 victory over the visiting New Orleans Saints. Matt Ryan threw for a franchise-record 448 yards, leading the Falcons to just their fourth victory over the Saints in the last 17 meetings.
β The Bills stunned the Bears in Chicago 23-20 on Dan Carpenter’s 27-yard field goal in overtime. Fred Jackson had just 23 rushing yards before his 38-yard burst set up the winning kick.
β Jake Locker was 22 of 33 for 266 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee earned a 26-10 win over Kansas City. Locker picked apart a Kansas City defense that lost Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson and starting defensive tackle Mike DeVito to Achilles injuries.
β Rookie Alfred Blue blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown as Houston beat Washington 17-6 to end a 14-game losing streak. J.J. Watt had a sack, blocked an extra point, recovered a fumble and swatted down a pass just days after signing a six-year, $100 million contract.
β The Minnesota Vikings posted a 34-6 win over the Rams in St. Louis as Matt Cassell (KAS’-ihl) threw for two touchdowns. Wide receiver Cordarelle (kohr-dah-REHL’) Patterson ran for 102 yards on three carries, including a 67-yard TD.
β Pittsburgh blew a 27-3 lead in the second half before Shawn Suisham (SWEE’-sihm) hit a 41-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Steelers past Cleveland 30-27. Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH’-lis-bur-gur) passed for 365 yards and a touchdown for the Steelers, while Le’Veon Bell ran for 109 yards and a TD.
β The Bengals got the better of the Ravens 23-16 as A.J. Green caught a 77-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton with 4:58 left. That score, along with the 2-point conversion, came just 48 seconds after Baltimore newcomer Steve Smith caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco (FLAK’-oh).
β Nick Foles threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin in the fourth quarter and the Philadelphia Eagles rallied from a 17-0 second-half deficit to beat Jacksonville 34-17. Foles was 27 of 45 for 322 yards, two TDs and one interception.
β Oakland absorbed its 14th straight loss in the Eastern time zone as Chris Ivory rumbled 71 yards for a game-clinching touchdown midway through the fourth quarter of the New York Jets’ 19-14 triumph over the Raiders. Ivory finished with 102 rushing yards and Geno Smith was 23 of 28 for 221 yards and a score.
U.S. OPEN
Williams beats Wozniacki/Bryans win men’s doubles
NEW YORK (AP) β Serena Williams has capped her third straight U.S. Open title by downing Caroline Wozniacki (wohz-nee-AK’-ee) 6-2, 6-3.
Williams never dropped more than three games in any of her 14 sets in the tournament. It was quite a turnaround for a player who hadn’t gone past the quarterfinals in this year’s other Grand Slam events.
Williams is the first woman to capture three consecutive Open titles since Chris Evert won four straight in the 70’s. Her sixth Open title gives her 18 Grand Slam singles championships, tying Evert and Martina Navratilova (nah-vrah-tih-LOH’-vuh) for fourth all time. Margaret Court tops the list with 24 majors.
Americans Mike and Bob Bryan defeated Spain’s Marc Lopez and Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-4 in the men’s doubles final. The Bryans have won five U.S. Open doubles titles and 16 Grand Slam titles overall.
The men’s singles championship will take place today.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Royals spoil Jeter’s day
UNDATED (AP) β The New York Yankees spent Sunday honoring Derek Jeter, but the afternoon belonged to the Kansas City Royals.
Yordano Ventura tossed three hit ball over six-plus innings and the Royals scored a pair of unearned runs to beat the Yanks 2-0 in the rubber match of the three-game set. The scoring was provided by pitcher Shane Greene’s wild throw to first base and Carlos Beltran’s dropped fly ball in right field.
The Royals finish 4-3 against the Yankees this year, the first time since 1999 they’ve taken the season series.
The Yankees held a 45-minute pregame ceremony to honor Jeter, who is retiring at the end of the season.
Kansas City continues to lead the AL Central by two games over Detroit after Kyle Lobstein allowed four hits while pitching into the sixth inning of the Tigers’ 6-1 win over San Francisco. Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer and had three RBIs as the Tigers climbed to within a half-game of Seattle for the second AL wild-card berth.
The outcome drops the Giants three games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers were 7-2 winners against Arizona as Adrian Gonzalez belted a pair of three-run homers to reach the 100-RBI plateau. The Dodgers rallied after Trevor Cahill carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Adam Wainwright picked up his 17th victory by tossing a seven-hitter in the Cardinals’ 9-1 rout of Milwaukee. Peter Bourjos (BOHR’-jus) hit a two-run triple for the NL Central-leading Redbirds, who dealt Milwaukee its 11th loss in 12 games and dropped the Brewers five games off the division lead.
β Pittsburgh completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs 10-4 to move a half-game ahead of the Brewers for the final NL wild-card berth. Gerrit Cole belted his first career homer and pitched into the seventh to help the Pirates improve to 12-4 against the Cubs this season.
β Adam LaRoche homered twice as the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to avoid a series sweep. Winner Gio Gonzalez allowed two runs in six-plus innings for the Nationals, who had lost five straight against the Phillies before increasing their lead in the NL East to seven games over Atlanta.
β The Braves were 4-0 losers to Miami as Brad Hand worked six innings and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (sahl-tah-lah-MAH’-kee-ah) drove in two runs. The Braves are a half-game behind Pittsburgh for the last NL wild-card berth following their 13th shutout loss.
β Nelson Cruz capped his seven-RBI afternoon with a two-run homer in the 11th as Baltimore downed Tampa Bay 7-5 to avoid a three-game sweep. Cruz also hit a bases-loaded triple in the ninth for the Orioles, who stretched their lead in the AL East to 9 1/2 games over the Yankees.
β Mike Trout hit his 32nd homer and the Los Angeles Angels completed a sweep of Minnesota by beating the Twins 14-4.The AL West leaders had a season-high 19 hits and posted their fifth four-game sweep this season, extending a franchise record.
β Dexter Fowler worked out a bases-loaded walk to cap Houston’s two-run ninth in a 4-3 comeback win at Oakland. Nate Freiman’s two-run homer put the Athletics ahead 3-2 in the seventh before the A’s fell seven games behind the AL West-leading Angels.
β Seattle’s five-game winning streak is over after Derek Holland scattered six hits in seven innings of the Rangers’ 1-0 win over the Mariners in Texas. Adrian Beltre (BEHL’-tray) lifted a sacrifice fly to help the Rangers end an eight-game skid and hand interim manager Tim Bogar (BOH’-gahr) his first victory.
β Jose Bautista (boh-TEE’-stah) hit a three-run homer and R.A. Dickey pitched seven solid innings as the Blue Jays got by the Red Sox 3-1. Adam Lind added three hits for the Blue Jays, who eliminated the defending-champion Red Sox from postseason contention.
β Carlos Carrasco came within one out of his first complete game as Cleveland beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 to complete a three-game sweep. Carrasco allowed four hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.
β Curtis Granderson and Anthony Recker hit two-run homers following Cincinnati errors as the New York Mets downed the Reds 4-3. Zack Wheeler gave up a run and five hits in six innings to improve to 7-1 with a 2.21 ERA over his last 13 starts.
β Jackson Williams socked his first big league homer and Nolan Arenado (ah-reh-NAH’-doh) also went deep in Colorado’s 6-0 romp over San Diego. Franklin Morales pitched six solid innings for his first win in two months.
T25 FOOTBALL-POLL
FSU remains on top
UNDATED (AP) β Florida State is unbeaten after two games and remains the top team in The Associated Press poll.
The Seminoles got 38 first place votes, while No. 2 Oregon received 16 to move ahead of Alabama. The third-ranked Crimson Tide picked up one first-place vote.
Oklahoma is fourth, followed by Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Baylor, Southern Cal and LSU.
NBA-HAWKS
Another team for sale because of racial comments
ATLANTA (AP) β Less than one month after the Clippers’ sale ended Donald Sterling’s ugly downfall, another NBA team is on the market following a racially-charged disclosure from its owner.
Atlanta Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson has confirmed that he is selling his controlling interest in the team, thanks in part to an inflammatory email he wrote two years ago. Levenson said he wrote the email in an attempt “to bridge Atlanta’s racial sports divide.” Instead, he offered his divisive comments, including his theory that Hawks black fans kept white fans away.
GOLF-BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
Horschel gets the win
CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) β Billy Horschel has won the PGA’s BMW Championship by shooting a final round 1-under-69 to finish 14-under-par. Runnerup Bubba Watson was two shots back.
The top 30 finishers in the event are advancing to the Tour Championship next week for a shot at the $10 million bonus.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Short wins with great finish
QUEBEC CITY (AP) β Wes Short Jr. had a fantastic finish to the Champions Tour Quebec Championship. After shooting birdies on 16 and 17, he eagled the par 5 18th hole to finish 15-under par, one shot in front of Scott Dunlap, who also eagled the 18th.
Esteban Toledo (EHS’-teh-bahn toh-LAY’-doh) and Brad Faxon finished tied for third at 11-under.
FORMULA 1-Hamilton wins in Italy
MONZA, Italy (AP) β Lewis Hamilton of the Mercedes team finished first in the Italian Grand Prix, with teammate Nico (NEE’-koh) Rosberg second. The win was his sixth this season and 28th of his F1 career. The win cut Rosberg’s lead over Hamilton in the driver standings to 22 points. Felipe Massa of the Williams team was third.
