NFL-COLTS/TEXANS
Colts ride first-quarter dominance to victory
HOUSTON (AP) β The Indianapolis Colts couldn’t have played a better first quarter than they did Thursday night, and it was enough for them to escape Houston with a 33-28 win over the Texans.
Andrew Luck threw two of his touchdown passes while the Colts were grabbing a 24-0 lead in the opening period. He hit Ahmad Brashaw and Coby Fleener for short touchdowns after Trent Richardson ran for a five-yard score. T.Y. Hilton had four receptions for 140 yards on the three touchdown drives.
Luck was 25 of 44 for 370 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Hilton finished with a career-high 223 receiving yards, including a 33-yard TD grab that put the Colts ahead 33-21 in the third quarter. Hilton’s touchdown became huge after Texans defensive end J.J. Watt returned a Luck fumble 45 yards for a touchdown.
Watt has scored three touchdowns in six games this season.
The 3-3 Texans had two opportunities to take the lead late, but the Colts recovered fumbles by Andre Johnson and Ryan Fitzpatrick in the last five minutes before improving to 4-2, tops in the AFC South.
NFL-PETERSON
Vikings’ back may be re-arrested
HOUSTON (AP) β Texas prosecutors have filed a motion to revoke Adrian Peterson’s bond and have him re-arrested after the Minnesota Vikings running back allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana while he is awaiting trial on a felony child abuse charge.
Peterson allegedly told a worker conducting his urinalysis exam during a Wednesday court appearance that “he smoked a little weed.” Bond terms typically include not taking any illegal drugs.
NFL-CARDINALS/QUARTERBACKS
Stanton optimistic, Palmer still sidelined
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) β Arizona quarterback Drew Stanton is hopeful he will be cleared to play Sunday against the Washington Redskins.
Stanton says he is symptom-free after sustaining a concussion in last Sunday’s loss at Denver. He was cleared for non-contact activity on Thursday.
The status of quarterback Carson Palmer remains uncertain as he works his way back from an injured nerve in his throwing shoulder.
If Stanton and Palmer can’t play, the start would go to rookie Logan Thomas.
NFL-TITANS-ROOS
Titans mainstay facing surgery
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β Tennessee left tackle Michael Roos will have surgery to repair his right knee and may have played his final game with the Titans.
The 10-year veteran is in the final year of his contract and said Wednesday he faced either a short-term recovery or season-ending surgery.
Roos has played 148 games since being drafted out of Eastern Washington in 2005, more than any other offensive lineman over that period.
NFL-KAEPERNICK-FINE
49ers earphones draw fine
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) β San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick (KAP’-ur-nihk) says he has been fined $10,000 by the NFL for the pink “Beats by Dre” brand name headphones he wore around his neck after Sunday’s game.
That’s more than the $8,286 fine the Broncos’ Julius Thomas faces for a chop block that injured Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell.
Kaepernick has an endorsement deal with Beats, but the league’s contract is with Bose. Wearing the pink version for October breast cancer awareness month, Kaepernick knew he could be subject to a fine.
Kaepernick later took to Twitter to explain his decision and posted a photo of him with the headphones: “I support breast cancer awareness! My grandma is a survivor!”
NFL-LIONS-LASER POINTER
Laser pointer user ID’d
DETROIT (AP) β The Detroit Lions have barred a teenager from all Ford Field events for using a laser pointer at a game against the Bills Sunday. Buffalo quarterback Kyle Orton and holder Colton Schmidt said they had a laser directed at them during a 17-14 win over the Lions.
Detroit city attorney Melvin Hollowell identified the alleged offender as a 17-year-old from West Bloomfield, Michigan. He says the teen will be ticketed for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
T25 FOOTBALL-GEORGIA-GURLEY SUSPENDED
Bulldogs star suspended
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) β The 13th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs will be without their top offensive weapon when they take on No. 23 Missouri on Saturday.
Tailback Todd Gurley has been suspended indefinitely while the school investigates an alleged violation of NCAA rules. The university did not reveal the alleged violation.
Gurley is considered a leading Heisman Trophy contender. He tops Georgia with 773 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. In addition, he has a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD.
T25 FOOTBALL-NOTRE DAME/INVESTIGATION
Kelly says five players investigated for academic dishonesty won’t play Saturday
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) β Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly says the five players held out of practices and the first five games of the season because of an academic dishonesty investigation will not be available Saturday when the sixth-ranked Irish host North Carolina.
Cornerback KeiVarae Russell, receiver DaVaris Daniels, defensive end Ishaq Williams, linebacker Kendall Moore and defensive back Eilar Hardy have been held out since August. The school has been investigating whether the players submitted papers and homework that had been written for them by others.
Kelly says none of the five players practiced this week.
The university issued a statement Sunday from spokesman Paul Browne, saying that hearings had been completed on Oct. 3 and the players would be informed about the decisions as soon as deliberations on each case were done.
MLB-ORIOLES
Birds ink Hardy, keep Davis off playoff roster
BALTIMORE (AP) β The Baltimore Orioles will have shortstop J.J. Hardy for a few more seasons, and they don’t plan to have Chris Davis for the American League Championship Series against Kansas City.
Hardy has signed a three-year contract that includes an option for 2018. Hardy has averaged 21 homers in his four seasons with the Orioles and won Gold Gloves in 2012 and 2013. He batted .268 with nine homers and 52 RBIs in 141 games this season and was 3-for-10 in the American League Division Series versus the Tigers.
Hardy could have become a free agent after this season.
Meanwhile, Orioles manager Buck Showalter says first baseman Chris Davis won’t be added to the team’s 25-man roster for the AL championship series against Kansas City. Davis still has five more games to serve in a 25-game suspension he received from Major League Baseball on Sept. 12 for testing positive for Adderall, a banned amphetamine. He could be put on the roster if the series goes at least six games and the Orioles lose a player due to injury.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Pens blow 3-goal lead, overcome Perry’s trickiness
UNDATED (AP) β Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis (doo-PWEE’) helped the Pittsburgh Penguins overcome Corey Perry’s hat trick and win a see-saw battle with the Anaheim Ducks.
Crosby scored twice and Dupuis added a goal and three assists as the Pens outscored the Ducks 6-4 in the NHL season opener for both teams. The Penguins coughed up a 3-0 lead and were tied 3-3 until Crosby and Blake Comeau (KOH’-moh) scored 54 seconds apart late in the second period.
Dupuis also set up Brandon Sutter’s short-handed goal in the third period, which restored Pittsburgh’s three-goal cushion.
Perry notched two of the Ducks’ three power-play goals, but Pittsburgh native John Gibson stopped just 33 of 39 shots in his return to the Steel City.
Elsewhere in the NHL:
β Rick Nash scored twice and had an assist in the New York Rangers’ 3-2 verdict over the Blues in St. Louis. The game appeared destined for overtime until Nash beat Brian Elliott with 1:50 left.
β Patrick Kane assisted on Patrick Sharp’s game-tying goal in the third period before netting the lone shootout tally in Chicago’s 3-2 triumph at Dallas. Sharp and Duncan Keith each had a goal and an assist to back Corey Crawford, who stopped 32 shots.
β Zach Parise (pah-REE’-say) had a goal and three assists while the Dallas Stars were outshooting Colorado 48-16 in a 5-0 rout. Ryan Sutter and Jason Pominville each had a goal and an assist to support Darcy Kuemper’s (KEM’-purz) third career shutout.
β Michael Cammalleri (kam-ah-LEHR’-ee) scored twice and Dainus Zubrus (DYN’-uhs ZOO’-bruhs) provided the game-winner in the third period of New Jersey’s 6-4 triumph at Philadelphia. The Devils blew a 3-0 lead before winning their season opener and sending the Flyers to their second loss in two nights.
β Detroit won its season opener by scoring twice in the second period of a 2-1 triumph against Boston at Joe Louis Arena. The Bruins led 1-0 until Johan Franzen set up goals by Justin Abdelkader (AB’-dul-kay-dur) and Gustav Nyquist, the last one a power-play goal with 5:14 left in the period.
β The Canadiens are 2-0 after Brendan Gallagher scored in the fifth shootout round to lift Montreal past the Capitals 2-1 in Washington. The Caps led 1-0 until Tomas Plekanec (pleh-KAH’-nehts) netted his third goal of the season to tie it with 9:29 left in regulation.
β Cam Atkinson’s power-play goal with 7:15 left snapped a 1-1 tie and sent Columbus past Buffalo 3-1. Ryan Johansen assisted on the game-winner in his first game since ending his holdout and signing a contract with the Blue Jackets on Monday.
β Tampa Bay beat Florida 3-2 on Victor Hedman’s power-play goal 71 seconds into overtime. Tyler Johnson and Ryan Callahan also had power-play tallies for the Lightning, and Valtteri Filppula (val-TEHR’-ee FIHL’-puh-luh) had two assists.
β Third-period goals by Craig Smith, Shea Weber and Eric Nystrom pushed Nashville past Ottawa 3-2 in Peter Laviolette’s first game as the Predators’ head coach. The game was tied 1-1 until Weber and Nystrom scored 1:27 apart midway through the final stanza.
β Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little each scored twice as Winnipeg hammered the Coyotes 6-2 in Arizona. The game was tied 1-1 until Wheeler scored twice in a 15-second spark of the Jets’ four-goal first period.
β The Calgary Flames rode Mason Raymond’s second career hat trick to a 5-2 triumph at Edmonton. Jiri Hudler added a goal and an assist for the Flames, while Joe Colborne set up three goals.
NASCAR-BANK OF AMERICA 500
Going for the pole
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) β Qualifying for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race is taking place this evening at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The winner of the race a year ago was Brad Keselowski.
This is the fifth race in the 10-race, four-round Chase. The championship field was cut from 16 to 12 after the third race and will be reduced to eight after the sixth race and then to four after the ninth.
NBA-THUNDER/McGARY
McGary out with broken foot
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) β Oklahoma City Thunder rookie forward Mitch McGary is expected to miss about six weeks with a broken bone in his left foot.
The Thunder said an evaluation Thursday confirmed McGary fractured his left second metatarsal Wednesday night in an exhibition game at Denver.
The former Michigan player was drafted 21st overall this year. He had 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 36 minutes against the Nuggets.
PGA-FRYS.COM
Co-leaders at Frys
NAPA, Calif. (AP) β Andres Gonzales and Sang-Moon Bae (bay) share the lead through 19 holes at the PGA’s Frys.com Open in California.
Gonzales and Bae opened with 6-under 66’s for a one-shot edge over Martin Laird. Nine other players are two shots back.
LPGA-MALAYSIA
Lewis takes the lead
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) β Top-ranked Stacy Lewis shot an opening-round 6-under 65 in an LPGA event in Malaysia to grab a one-shot lead. Lewis birdied the par-5 16th hole to break away from the pack and lead a quartet of players from South Korea.
MLB-BERRA MUSEUM-BURGLARY
Berra memorabilia stolen
LITTLE FALLS, N.J. (AP) β Authorities say several of Yogi Berra’s World Series rings and two MVP plaques were stolen from a museum honoring the New York Yankees Hall of Famer.
The break-in occurred Wednesday morning at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center on the Montclair State University campus.
The Essex County Crimestoppers program is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the burglary.
