MLB-SCHEDULE
Jays rally from 8-0 deficit
UNDATED (AP) β The Toronto Blue Jays fell behind 8-0 on Friday in Cincinnati after just absorbing a three-game sweep by the New York Yankees. But the Jays managed to pull off the second-greatest comeback in team history to keep their 1 Β½-game lead in the American League East.
Edwin Encarnacion (ehn-kahr-nah-see-OHN’) crushed a pair of three-run homers, including the blast in a five-run ninth that pushed the Jays past the Reds 14-9. The Blue Jays had dropped nine of their last 12 before Encarnacion smacked his 22nd and 23rd homers of the season to take over the major league lead.
Brett Lawrie and Juan Francisco also went deep for Toronto, which piled up 16 hits and nine walks to overcome the Reds’ eight-run second inning.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Oakland blew an early 3-0 lead before Coco Crisp hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to push the A’s past Boston 4-3. Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer in the Athletics’ fourth consecutive win.
β C.J. Cron clubbed a solo homer and David Freese (freez) added a pair of RBI singles as the Angels downed Texas 7-3 in Anaheim. Garrett Richards is 7-2 after limiting the Rangers to a run and four hits whiel striking out seven in six innings.
β Rick Porcello tossed six shutout innings and the Tigers hit a pair of homers in a 6-4 triumph at Cleveland. Victor Martinez put the Tigers ahead with a two-run homer in the top of the fourth, four innings before J.D. Martinez added a three-run blast.
β The Mariners blew a 5-0 lead before Brad Miller hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth inning of Seattle’s 7-5 victory at Kansas City. Logan Morrison belted a two-run homer and had three RBIs, Robinson Cano (kuh-NOH’) drove in two runs and Mike Zunino hit a solo homer for the Mariners.
β The New York Yankees picked up their fourth straight win by beating Baltimore 5-3 on Carlos Beltran’s three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. The Orioles were one out from a 3-1 victory until Brian McCann delivered an RBI single and scored on Beltran’s first walk-off homer since 2008.
β Jarred Cosart scattered six hits in eight shutout innings to pitch Houston past Tampa Bay 3-1. George Springer put the Astros ahead with a two-run homer before Jonathan Villar added a solo shot.
β Minnesota beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Brian Dozier’s RBI-single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Kurt Suzuki had three hits and an RBI for the Twins.
β Evan Gattis stretched his hitting streak to 19 games before providing a tiebreaking, RBI single in the 13th inning of Atlanta’s 6-4 win at Washington. The Nationals trailed 4-2 with two out in the ninth until Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN’) launched a two-run homer off Craig Kimbrel.
β Jean Segura homered twice and Ryan Braun had three hits in Milwaukee’s 13-10 slugfest over the Rockies in Colorado. Khris Davis also homered and Carlos Gomez extended his hitting streak to 16 games as the Brewers scored their most runs of the year and tied a season high with 19 hits.
β Aaron Hill drove in two runs and Josh Collmenter labored for five innings before Arizona completed a 4-1 win against San Francisco. The NL West-leading Giants have dropped six straight and nine of 10.
β San Diego rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5. Carlos Quentin and Will Venable hit consecutive RBI doubles before Everth Cabrera lifted a game-ending, sacrifice fly to end the Dodgers’ three-game winning streak.
β The Cubs are a National League-leading 18-13 since May 17 after their fourth win in five games, a 6-3 decision over Pittsburgh. The Cubbies broke it open with a five-run third as Anthony Rizzo opened the scoring with a two-run double before scoring on Starlin Castro’s three-run homer.
β A.J. Burnett poked an RBI double and went the distance on a seven-hitter in Philadelphia’s 5-1 verdict over the Cardinals in St. Louis. Marlon Byrd socked a solo homer and had two RBIs in the Phillies’ fifth straight win.
β Adeiny Echevarria (ah-DAY’-nee eh-cheh-vah-REE’-uh) drove in two runs and left fielder Marcell Ozuna (oh-ZOO’-nuh) cut down the potential tying run at the plate in the eighth and ninth innings to lead Miami’s 3-2 win over the New York Mets. Kirk Nieuwenhuis (NOO’-ehn-hys) led off the ninth with a double but was gunned down by Ozuna to end the game.
MLB-BRAVES-FLOYD
Floyd goes on DL
UNDATED (AP) β Atlanta has placed Gavin Floyd on the 15-day disabled list after the right-hander broke a bone in his elbow. Floyd suffered the injury as he made the first pitch of the seventh inning in Thursday night’s shutout win over Washington.
Alex Wood will take Floyd’s spot in the Braves rotation.
Also in the majors:
β Jason Grilli has lost his job as Pittsburgh’s closer after blowing four save opportunities this season. The latest came when he gave up a game-tying, ninth inning homer in the Pirates’ win over Cincinnati Thursday. Manager Clint Hurdle says Mark Melancon (meh-LAN’-sehn) will close for now.
β Cincinnati has placed left-handed reliever Sean Marshall on the 60-day disabled list ahead of surgery on his left shoulder. The Reds also optioned left-hander Tony Cingrani to Triple-A Louisville and recalled right-handed reliever Jumbo Diaz.
β The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated reliever J.J. Putz (puts) for assignment. Putz lost his closer’s role and was 1-1 with a 6.59 ERA in 18 appearances for the last-place Diamondbacks.
β The Los Angeles Angels have recalled infielder Grant Green from Triple-A Salt Lake. And they sent reliever Dane De La Rosa to the same club. Green batted .359 in 22 games with the Angels earlier this season but was sent down June 7 after manager Mike Scioscia (SOH’-shuh) struggled to find him playing time.
GOLF-WOODS RETURNS
Tiger returns next week
UNDATED (AP) β Tiger Woods says he’ll play his first competitive round of golf in 3 Β½ months next Thursday near Washington, D.C.
The 14-time major winner has announced on his Facebook page that he’s returning to play in the Quicken Loans National, the tournament he hosts at Congressional Country Club. Woods last played competitively March 9 at Doral before his back problems sidelined him. He had surgery March 31.
Woods just started hitting full shots recently and says he’s rusty, but wants to play his way into competitive shape.
Since being sidelined, Woods missed the Masters for the first time in his career and last week’s U.S. Open.
GOLF-US Women’s Open
Wie takes lead
PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) β Michelle Wie (wee) birdied the last two holes for a 2-under 68 to take the second round lead at the U.S. Women’s Open. Wie has put together a two-round total of 4-under 136.
Lexi Thompson is one shot back after matching Wie’s 2-under 68. Minjee Lee, Amy Yang and Stacy Lewis are four shots back.
Eleven-year-old Luci Li failed to make the cut after carding her second straight 8-over 78.
GOLF-TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Langley takes lead
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) β Scott Langley fired a 5-under 65 to take the lead after two rounds of the Travelers Championship. Michael Putnam shot 63 and is joined by K.J. Choi and Harris English in a tie for second, one shot off the pace. First-round leader Brendan Steele shot 69 and is in a group two shots behind.
GOLF-ENCOMPASS CHAMPIONSHIP
Lehman starts fast
GLENVIEW, Ill. (AP) β Tom Lehman birdied four straight holes and finished with a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Encompass Championship. Of his seven birdie putts, the longest were three from about 15 feet.
Doug Garwood and England’s Roger Chapman were a stroke back at 66.
SOCCER-WORLD CUP
Costa Rica upsets Italy
UNDATED (AP) β Costa Rica stunned four-time champion Italy 1-0 at the World Cup to secure a spot in the next round. Captain Bryan Ruiz scored in the 44th minute on a header to help Costa Rica improve to 2-0 and eliminate 0-2 England in the process.
France made sure it avoided the same fate that struck Italy with a 5-2 win over Switzerland. The French took control with two goals a minute apart in the first half. France now has two wins to top Group E.
Ecuador beat Honduras 2-1 to stay in contention for a berth in the knockout round. Enner Valencia scored twice after Honduras took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute, its first goal at the World Cup in 32 years.
NBA-CAVALIERS/COACH
Cavs, Blatt agree
CLEVELAND (AP) β A person familiar with the negotiations says the Cavaliers have reached an agreement to make David Blatt their new coach.
The sides reached contract terms early Friday, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting during its search.
This will be the first NBA job for the 55-year old Blatt, who spent the past 20 years developing into one of Europe’s top coaches.
NBA-DRAFT-EMBIID
Embiid has surgery
UNDATED (AP) β Top prospect Joel Embiid (ehm-BEED’) has had two screws placed in his right foot during surgery to repair a stress fracture that could cause him to fall in next week’s NBA draft.
Dr. Richard Ferkel says in a statement that the surgery went well and he is confident Embiid will be able to return to the court after “appropriate healing.” The recovery is expected to be a long process.
Embiid was widely considered one of the top three prospects in the draft and a serious candidate to be chosen No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
NHL-RANGERS/RICHARDS
Rangers buy out Richards’ pact
NEW YORK (AP) β The New York Rangers have created salary cap space by buying out the contract of veteran forward Brad Richards.
Richards had 20 goals and 31 assists in 82 games this season, the lowest point-per-game average of his career. He added five goals and 12 points in New York’s 25 postseason games, but he had only one assist in the five-game finals loss to the Kings.
The 34-year-old Richards had six years remaining on the nine-year, $60 million deal he signed in 2011.
The buyout will remove his $6.67 million salary-cap charge.
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Longhorns blank Commodores
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) β Nathan Thornhill and John Curtiss pitched Texas’ second straight shutout at the College World Series, a 4-0 win over Vanderbilt. The Longhorns and Commodores will meet again Saturday, with the winner advancing to the best-of-three title round against Virginia or Mississippi.
The Cavaliers and Ole Miss were scoreless in the second inning when their game was suspended following a lightning delay of 93 minutes. Play will resume Saturday afternoon.
TENNIS-TOPSHELF
American Coco Vandeweghe wins Topshelf
‘s-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands (AP) β Coco Vandeweghe (VAN’-duh-way) of the United States has won her first WTA title, beating China’s Jie Zheng 6-2, 6-4 Saturday at the grass-court Topshelf Open.
The 22-year-old American entered the tournament as a qualifier and was playing in just her second final. Zheng, a grass specialist who reached the final four at Wimbledon in 2008, was unable to find an answer to Vandeweghe’s powerful serve.
Vandeweghe served eight aces and won her first service 27 out of 28 times. She broke Zheng in the third and fifth games of the first set, and again in the third game of the second set. The match was over in 70 minutes.
Later Saturday, 2009 champion Benjamin Becker plays third-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut in the men’s final.
F1-AUSTRIAN GP
Williams’ Bottas fastest in final GP practice
SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) β Valtteri Bottas earned Williams the fastest lap time in the final practice before qualifying for the Austrian GP on Saturday, edging Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes by 0.05 seconds.
It’s only the second time this Formula One season Mercedes has not been the fastest in the final practice.
Bottas completed the 4.3-kilometer Red Bull Ring in 1 minute, 9.848 seconds in the closing minute of the session to overtake then leader Hamilton.
Bottas’ teammate Felipe Massa timed 1:09.901 to give Williams a 1-3 finish.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, who leads the Formula One drivers’ championship, posted the fifth time.
