WJPA Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Oneil Cruz hit the first homer allowed by Mason Miller in over a year with two outs in the ninth, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 1-0 victory over San Diego. Cruz lined his 17th homer into Petco Park’s short porch in right field against Miller, the Padres’ vaunted closer. The Pittsburgh native hadn’t let anybody go deep on him in 73 consecutive appearances. Paul Skenes pitched six innings of three-hit ball in a solid rebound by the Pirates’ reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. Michael King allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings in his latest strong start for the Padres.

The Southeastern Conference has passed a rule banning players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues. With Tuesday’s move, the SEC joins the Big Ten in taking a stand against this month’s unexpected surge of pro players trying to return to college. The Big Ten only included football in its decision. The two conferences issued their new rules in response to court orders that were allowing players who had been on pro rosters, then released, to return back to college. LSU football coach Lane Kiffin has sought to add two such players.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jeshaun Jones was issued a three-game suspension by the NFL for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy. The NFL’s announcement of the punishment did not disclose the nature of the violation. Jones spent each of the past two years on Minnesota’s practice squad. Jones went undrafted out of Maryland after totaling 2,040 receiving yards over a six-year career. The 26-year-old was going to have a tough time making the active roster with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings locked into the starting spots and Tai Felton and Myles Price in line for backup roles.

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are out of the mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open. After winning their debut playing together, Williams and Alcaraz got knocked out in the mixed doubles quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in straight sets. It was Williams’ first match back at the Grand Slam tournament in New York since 2022 as she makes a return to tennis at age 44. Alcaraz had not played since April because of a right wrist injury. Now the question is whether Williams will play women’s doubles alongside her older sister, Venus.