MLB-SCHEDULE
Cubs entertaining Braves
UNDATED (AP) β In the lone day game in baseball, Chicago’s Cubs are home to the Atlanta Braves. Shelby Miller of the Braves is trying to end a streak of 16 straight starts without a win as he gets the ball against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He is 0-8 during the drought, yet ranks among the NL leaders with a 2.43 ERA. An All-Star last month, he took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning of his previous start against Arizona.
Two first-place clubs are squaring off tonight in Houston as the American League West-leading Astros entertain the National League West-leading Dodgers. Houston starts the night with a 2 Β½-game lead over the Angels while the Dodgers top the Giants by the same margin.
The second-place Angels are facing another second-place team tonight as they play host to the Blue Jays. Toronto is 1 Β½ back of the Yankees in the American League East. New York is home tonight to the Indians.
Madison Bumgarner of the Giants is out to join Jake Arrieta (ehr-ee-ET’-uh) of the Cubs as a 15-game winner tonight. Bumgarner, the star of the World Series last fall, and the rest of the Giants are in Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. In that game Marlon Byrd makes his debut with the Giants a day after they got him in a trade with the Reds.
The rest of the card tonight has Minnesota playing in Baltimore, the Nationals home to the Brewers, the Rangers in Detroit, the Red Sox home to the Royals, Arizona at Cincinnati, the Marlins entertaining the Phillies, the Mets at Colorado, Oakland home to Tampa Bay, Seattle hosting the White Sox and St. Louis at San Diego.
GOLF-WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Woods looks for another good round
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) β Tiger Woods opened play in the PGA’s Wyndham Championship Thursday with his best round in two years. The former world No. 1 shot a 6-under 64 for his lowest score on the PGA Tour since a 61 in the second round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2013.
William McGirt, Erik Compton and Tom Hoge share the lead as the second round begins. Each played bogey-free in carding 6-under 62s yesterday, while Jim Herman, Derek Ernst and Morgan Hoffman are tied for fourth at minus-7.
LPGA-CANADIAN WOMEN’S OPEN
Second round play for the women
COQUITLAM, British Columbia (AP) β The second round of the LPGA’s Canadian Pacific Open is being played today with Karine Icher (EE’-chur) starting from the front. She had had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch en route to a 7-under 65 and the first-round lead. Two-time champion Lydia Ko was second after a 67 that included birdies on her final two holes.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Opening round play today
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) β First-round play is being contested today in the Champions Tour Boeing Classic outside Seattle, Washington. Scott Dunlap won his first Champions Tour title in this event last year as he beat Mark Brooks with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
NASCAR-BRISTOL
Qualifying today
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) β The qualifying is taking place today for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. This is a 500-lap, 266.5-mile race. The winner a year ago was Joey Logano as he held off Penske teammate Brad Keselowski.
The story of the season continues to be the resurgence of Kyle Busch, who has won four of the last eight races. He is currently 29th in the standings since returning from a broken right leg and left foot. He is a five-time winner in Bristol, Tennessee.
In the standings, defending series champion Kevin Harvick is in front by 48 points over Logano.
LEGAL TROUBLES
Ex-NHL player in trouble
SYLVAN BEACH, N.Y. (AP) β Former New York Rangers player Dale Purinton has been arrested in connection with a central New York burglary. Police say the 38-year-old former defenseman was charged for his role in a burglary in Sylvan Beach, 25 miles east of Syracuse.
Purinton played for the Rangers from 1999 to 2004, racking up 578 penalty minutes in 181 games.
