WORLD SERIES
Royals gain control of series
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β The Kansas City Royals got another solid performance from their bullpen on Friday to take a two-games-to-one lead in the World Series.
Royals relievers tossed four hitless innings to lead a 3-2 win over the Giants in San Francisco. Kelvin (KEHL’-veen) Herrera worked out of a sixth-inning jam before Herrera, Brandon Finnegan, Wade Davis and Greg Holland combined to retire the last nine Giants in order.
The strong relief work came after winning pitcher Jeremy Guthrie allowed two runs and four hits in five-plus innings. Guthrie had a two-hitter and a 3-0 lead until Brandon Crawford led off the sixth with a single and scored on Michael Morse’s RBI double. Buster Posey’s grounder plated the Giants’ second run later in the sixth.
Right fielder Lorenzo Cain made a pair of nice catches and put the Royals ahead to stay with an RBI grounder three batters into the game. Kansas City padded its lead in the sixth as Alex Gordon hit an RBI double and scored on Eric Hosmer’s (HAHS’-murz) single.
Kansas City is now 10-1 in the postseason, with the lone loss coming against the Giants on Tuesday. San Francisco has dropped two straight after winning their previous seven World Series games.
Losing pitcher Tim Hudson allowed three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Game 4 is Saturday in San Francisco. Ryan Vogelsong will try to even the series for the Giants against Jason Vargas.
MLB-RAYS
Maddon leaves
UNDATED (AP) β The Tampa Bay Rays have announced that manager Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out in his contract, which was due to expire after next season.
Maddon has managed the Rays for nine seasons, compiling a 754-705 record. He took Tampa Bay to the playoffs four times and won the AL pennant in 2008.
Also in the majors:
β Retiring White Sox star Paul Konerko and Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins are the first co-winners of Major League Baseball’s Roberto Clemente Award. The annual honor is given for contributions on and off the field that best represent the sport. Konerko founded the “Bring Me Home Campaign,” that assists foster children in Illinois, and Rollins developed JRoll’s Aces in 2007 through The Rollins Family Foundation to provide tickets to children in disadvantaged areas who excel in academics.
β The Detroit Tigers say slugger Miguel Cabrera has undergone successful surgery to remove bone spurs in his right ankle and to repair a stress fracture. Cabrera dealt with ankle problems during the Tigers season, which ended with the team eliminated from the AL Division Series by Baltimore.
β St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright has undergone what the team describes as minor elbow surgery that should not set him back for next season. The Cardinals say it was an arthroscopic procedure to trim a small piece of cartilage from the right elbow.
NFL-RICE
Union says little cooperation coming from NFL, Ravens on Rice
UNDATED (AP) β The attorney leading the NFL players’ union investigation into the Ray Rice domestic violence case tells The Associated Press the league has not provided documents and witnesses requested by the NFLPA’s investigators, while the Baltimore Ravens have refused any cooperation. Attorney Richard Craig Smith is questioning the NFL’s sincerity in calling for transparency, saying all parties should cooperate in both investigations. Commissioner Roger Goodell originally gave Rice a two-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, then made it an indefinite suspension once video of Rice hitting his then-fiancee was released publicly.
NFL-INJURIES
Wayne won’t play for Colts Sunday
UNDATED (AP) β Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne will not play in the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday because of an elbow injury. Wayne was initially listed as day-to-day before being ruled out today by coach Chuck Pagano.
Wayne has caught 38 passes for 434 yards and one touchdown this season.
In other NFL injury news:
β Bengals receiver A.J. Green is expected to miss Sunday’s big AFC North matchup against the Baltimore Ravens because of an injured right big toe. He’s missed the last two games with the injury, suffered during a season-opening win in Baltimore. Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict was listed as probable with a strained neck after sitting out two games because of concussions.
β New England Patriots sacks leader and defensive end Chandler Jones will not play Sunday against the Chicago Bears because of a hip injury that is expected to keep him sidelined about a month. The third-year pro has 4 1/2 sacks this season after recording 11 1/2 last season.
β Buffalo Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin is in jeopardy of missing his second straight game because of a hamstring injury. The speedy second-year player has not practiced since getting hurt during practice last week.
T25 FOOTBALL-OREGON/CAL
Ducks hammer Bears
SANTA CLARA, (AP) β Marcus Mariota (mar-ee-OH’-tah) finally threw his first interception of the season, but it did nothing to prevent sixth-ranked Oregon from staying in the hunt for a FBS playoff berth.
Mariota matched his season high with five touchdown passes and became the Ducks’ all-time leader in passing yards while leading a 59-41 romp over California last night. The Heisman hopeful was 18 of 30 for 326 yards through the air, and he also ran for 36 yards on six carries for the 7-1 Ducks,
Royce Freeman scored two TDs while rolling up 112 rushing yards. Charles Nelson padded the rout by scoring on a 58-yard punt return.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS-NORTH CAROLINA/WILLIAMS
Heels hoops coach says scandal is sad time at school
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) β North Carolina men’s basketball coach Roy Williams says it’s a “very sad time” at the school.
Williams was referring to an investigation that found widespread academic fraud within the athletic department, including his program. Williams says he was “dumbfounded” by the details in the report and says the school “made some mistakes for a long time.” As for his own program, Williams said he “thought we were doing the right thing.”
The report released Wednesday outlined how fraud ran unchecked in a department for nearly two decades. It involved more than 3,100 students β about half were athletes β taking sham classes and earning artificially high grades.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Ducks extend win streak
UNDATED (AP) β The Anaheim Ducks have the NHL’s top record after matching the best eight-game start in team history.
The Ducks are 7-1-0 following their seventh consecutive victory, a 4-1 decision over Columbus. Corey Perry opened the scoring with his league-leading ninth goal before collecting an assist. Sami Vatanen (SAM’-ee VAH’-tah-nehn) and Ryan Getzlaf (GETS’-laf) also had a goal and an assist apicec for the Ducks, who have allowed just two goals in their last four games.
John Gibson needed to make just 16 saves to earn his first win of the season. Gibson was saddled with the Ducks’ only loss, allowing six goals in the season opener at Pittsburgh.
The Ducks also opened 7-1 last season.
Elsewhere on ice:
β Jonathan Drouin (DROO’-an) scored his first NHL goal and Steven Stamkos netted his sixth of the season as Tampa Bay doubled up Winnipeg 4-2. Ben Bishop made 40 saves to help the Lightning improve to 3-1-0 on their five-game road trip.
β Jamie Benn scored a power-play goal in regulation before netting the deciding shootout goal as the Stars downed the Devils 3-2. Benn and Patrick Eaves scored in the second period to put Dallas in front 2-1.
β Jarome Iginla (juh-ROHM’ ih-GIHN’-luh) scored his first two goals of the season and had an assist as Colorado hammered Vancouver 7-3. Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN’) added a goal and two assists to the victory, while Tyson Barrie set up three goals.
β Edmonton made it three straight wins since an 0-4-1 start as Jordan Eberle (EB’-ur-lee) provided two goals and an assist in the Oilers’ 6-3 victory against Carolina. The Hurricanes remain the NHL’s only winless team at 0-5-2.
NHL-BRUINS
Bruins lose Chara for 4-6 weeks with knee injury
UNDATED (AP) β The Boston Bruins and New York Islanders each lost key regulars because of injuries suffered in the Isles’ 3-2 win on Thursday.
Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (zeh-DAY’-noh CHAH’-ruh) tore a ligament in his knee and will miss four to six weeks. General manager Peter Chiarelli said the 2009 Norris Trophy winner will not need surgery on the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Newsday is reporting that Islanders winger Josh Bailey will be out several weeks after suffering a broken hand in Thursday’s game.
NASCAR-QUALIFYING
McMurray on Martinsville pole
RIDGEWAY, Va. (AP) β Jamie McMurray will start from the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway after posting a qualifying time of 99.905 mph.
Joey Logano will join McMurray in the front row, ahead of Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart. Logano and Kenseth are two of the eight drivers still in contention for the Sprint Cup championship.
Kevin Harvick will start 33rd, worst of all drivers still left in the Chase for the championship.
WOMEN’S SOCCER-CONCACAF
Americans wrap up World Cup berth
CHESTER, Pa. (AP) β The United States women’s soccer team has clinched a trip to next year’s World Cup by earning a spot in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship.
Carli Lloyd scored a pair of goals in the Americans’ 3-0 semifinal victory over Mexico. Lloyd tallied in the eighth and 30th minutes for the U.S., which takes on Costa Rica in Sunday’s final.
PGA TOUR
Henley leads through 36
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) β Russell Henley is the leader at the midway mark of the PGA’s McGladrey Classic.
He managed to turn a horrible drive into a birdie on the 18th hole at the turn, the start of six birdies over his last 10 holes.
Henley one-putted 10 greens on the Seaside course at Sea Island and tied his personal best on the PGA Tour with a 7-under 63 for a 9-under total, one stroke better than Brendon de Jonge, Brian Harman and Andrew Svoboda.
Will MacKenzie, Mark Wilson and Fabian Gomez are two shots behind.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Cook, Dawson share lead
SAN ANTONIO (AP) β John Cook and Marco Dawson each shot 7-under 65s for a share of the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s AT&T Championship, the final full-field event of the season.
Scott Dunlap was a stroke back at TPC San Antonio. Nine others are at minus-5.
LPGA TOUR
Korda, Pace share lead in Blue Bay LPGA
HAINAN ISLAND, China (AP) β American Jessica Korda rebounded from an opening double bogey for a share of the second-round lead Saturday in the Blue Bay LPGA in China.
Korda made seven birdies in a 14-hole stretch β the last three on Nos. 14-16 β and shot a 5-under 67 to match South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace at 11-under 133 at Jian Lake Blue Bay.
After rain washed out play Friday and forced tour officials to cut the event from 72 to 54 holes, the start of play Saturday was delayed three hours.
PGA-POULTER FLAP
Bishop out at PGA of America
UNDATED (AP) β Ted Bishop has been removed as president of the PGA of America over a sexist tweet directed at Ian Poulter.
Bishop was unhappy about comments Poulter made in his book about the Ryder Cup captaincy of Nick Faldo in 2008 and Tom Watson last month. Bishop said Faldo’s record stands by itself. Comparing it with Poulter’s achievements, he referred to Poulter as “Lil Girl.”
He had one month left on his two-year term.
TENNIS-WTA
Serena Williams beats Wozniacki to reach WTA final
SINGAPORE (AP) β Serena Williams is in the final of the WTA Finals after beating Caroline Wozniacki in a third-set tiebreaker on Saturday, winning 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) to remain on course for a third-straight title in the season-ending championships.
Wozniacki served for the match at 5-4 in the third set but Williams broke back and prevailed in the tiebreaker on her third match point after trailing 4-2.
Williams’ opponent in Sunday’s final will be Simona Halep, who swept aside Agnieszka Radwanska (ahg-nee-ESH’-kuh rahd-VAHN’-skuh) 6-2, 6-2 to put herself in a position for the biggest title of her career.
Halep beat Williams 6-0, 6-2 in the group stage, inflicting the American’s heaviest loss in 16 years.
TENNIS-PARIS MASTERS
Nadal out
PARIS (AP) β Rafael Nadal (rah-fay-ehl nah-DAHL’) says he will have season-ending appendicitis surgery next month, ruling him out of the upcoming Paris Masters and the ATP finals in London.
Nadal announced the decision after losing to 17-year-old Borna Coric in a sub-par performance in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors in Basel. He said he will undergo surgery on Nov. 3, and that his 2014 season is over.
Paris Masters organizers had earlier said Nadal pulled out of the tournament next week for “personal reasons.”
The Spaniard needed treatment for appendicitis this month in Shanghai.
SPORTS-GAMBLING
Court KO’s New Jersey bookie bid
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) β A federal judge has granted a request from the four major U.S. professional sports leagues and the NCAA to temporarily stop New Jersey from allowing legalized sports betting, two days before Monmouth Park was to begin accepting bets. U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp issued a temporary restraining order after a request by the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA. He said the leagues have shown that they would be irreparably harmed if the state’s casinos and racetracks were permitted to allow sports betting.
Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed the law on Oct. 17.
