NASCAR-NEW HAMPSHIRE
Kyle Busch races to 3rd win of year, moves closer to Chase
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) — Kyle Busch continues to find victory lane and is moving closer to landing a spot in the Chase.
Busch’s dominant comeback rolled on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when he won for the second straight weekend and for the third time in the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
He broke his right leg and left foot in a crash the day before the season-opening Daytona 500. He missed the first 11 races of the season, then returned in late May determined to earn a berth in NASCAR’s championship playoffs.
Busch needs only to finish in the top 30 in the regular-season standings to earn a spot in the 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup field. He continued to gain ground on the 30th spot and should be able to crack the field at this rate.
Brad Keselowski was second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
CUBS-BRAVES
Arrieta keeps dominant streak going, Cubs top Braves 4-1
ATLANTA (AP) — Jake Arrieta pitched seven dominant innings and Jorge Soler homered to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Sunday.
Arrieta (11-5) gave up three hits, three walks and struck out 10, throwing 73 of his 112 pitches for strikes. Over his last six starts, the right-hander is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA.
It was the second straight impressive start for the Cubs, whose starting pitchers have a 1.29 ERA over their last 16 games. Jon Lester gave up just two hits and one walk in 7 1/3 innings of a 4-0 win Saturday.
Shelby Miller (5-6) struck out eight and allowed four hits, four walks and three runs — one earned — in six innings for the Braves. Atlanta has lost seven of eight.
BRAVES-FREEMAN
Freeman reports progress, still not sure of return date
ATLANTA (AP) — Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman feels better but still isn’t sure when he will return from a right wrist injury.
Freeman, who missed his 26th straight game on Sunday, said he took 30 swings without trying to hit a ball in the batting cage. He also played catch.
The two-time All-Star recently had two cortisone shots to remove fluid from the top of his hand and reduce pain between the index and middle fingers.
If he feels better on Monday, Freeman hopes to be able to swing at 100 percent.
“I’ve got to take it slow,” he said. “I can’t rush back and have it prolong going into 2016, 2017. I’ve just to make sure I’m healthy.”
The Braves are 11-14 while averaged 2.7 runs in his absence. Atlanta averaged 4.0 runs with Freeman in the lineup.
Freeman leads the team with 12 homers and is second with 41 RBIs.
GLF-WEBCOM TOUR
Si Woo Kim wins Web.com Tour’s Stonebrae Classic in playoff
HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — South Korea’s Si Woo Kim won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web.com Tour title, birdieing the first hole of a playoff with Jamie Lovemark and Wes Roach.
The 20-year-old Kim shot a 2-under 68 to match Lovemark and Roach at 12-under 268 at TPC Stonebrae. The three players began the round tied for the lead.
Lovemark, playing a group ahead of Kim and Roach, bogeyed the par-5 18th in regulation to fall into a tie. Kim and Roach followed with pars, sending the trio back to the 18th tee for the playoff.
Kim earned $108,000 to jump from 67th to 16th on the money list with $162,350.
