August 31, 2022 3:55 am
BEREA, Ohio (AP) – Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Deshaun Watson has begun serving his NFL suspension for alleged sexual misconduct, a punishment that will keep Watson away from the team until Oct. 10. Watson was placed on the reserve/suspended by commissioner list before practice as the Browns finalized their initial 53-man roster. The 26-year-old was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment by two dozen women during massage therapy sessions in Texas. Watson will miss 11 games, pay a $5 million fine and must undergo mandatory treatment and counseling before he can be reinstated. Watson is not permitted to have contact with team personnel during his suspension.
August 31, 2022 3:54 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Past U.S. Open champions Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu all have lost in straight sets in the first round of the U.S. Open. Williams, who won two of her seven major titles in New York, was beaten by Alison Van Uytvanck in straight sets Tuesday. Their match came a day after Serena Williams won her first-round match in a much fuller and louder Arthur Ashe Stadium. Venus, who turned 42 in June, has not made any pronouncements about her future in tennis, unlike her younger sibling. Osaka is also a two-time title winner at the U.S. Open and was beaten by Danielle Collins. Raducanu became the third defending champion at Flushing Meadows to bow out in the first round, eliminated by Alizé Cornet.
August 30, 2022 3:42 am
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Garrett Mitchell hit a tying home run in the eighth inning and Keston Hiura connected for a game-ending shot in the ninth as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5. Hiura, who replaced injured first baseman Rowdy Tellez in the fourth, launched a two-run homer off reliever Wil Crowe that bounced off the top of the left-field wall. Willy Adames singled leading off the ninth for the Brewers. Mitchell, starting his second game in the majors after being called up from Triple-A Nashville late last week, belted his first career homer, a two-run drive off Crowe with two outs in the eighth. That earned Mitchell a curtain call from the crowd, which included several family members. Pittsburgh lost for 14th time in 17 games.
August 30, 2022 3:46 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Jimmy Garoppolo is staying in San Francisco after agreeing to a reduced contract to be the backup to Trey Lance on the 49ers. A person familiar with the deal says on condition of anonymity that the sides are finalizing a deal to reduce Garoppolo’s $24.2 million base salary for 2022. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. ESPN reported that Garoppolo will receive a $6.5 million fully guaranteed base salary, $500,000 in roster bonuses and the chance to make nearly $9 million more in playing time bonuses.
August 30, 2022 3:44 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Serena Williams has won her match in the first round of the U.S. Open. Williams beat Danka Kovinic 6-3, 6-3 under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam champion who turns 41 next month and has said she is ready to move on from her playing days. After her victory Monday night, Williams said she has been intentionally vague about whether the U.S. Open will be her last tournament – and wants to keep it that way. She will play again Wednesday in the second round of singles against No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit.
August 29, 2022 3:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Mitch Trubisky staked his claim to be the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback, throwing for 160 yards and a touchdown in a 19-9 win over Detroit in the NFL’s preseason finale. Trubisky was at his best late in the first half, leading the Steelers on a 92-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Steven Sims. Rookie Kenny Pickett played well in the second half for Pittsburgh but it appears Trubisky has the inside track to be the starter when the Steelers begin the regular season in Cincinnati on Sept. 11.
August 29, 2022 3:56 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Oneil Cruz, Tucupita Marcano and Bryan Reynolds all tripled and scored, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 to end a seven-game losing streak. The Pirates won for only the third time in 16 games. They also snapped the Phillies’ six-game winning streak. The Pirates became the second team this season to hit three triples in a game. Noah Syndergaard took the loss for the Phillies. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto caught two runners stealing.
August 29, 2022 3:58 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Rory McIlroy is the FedEx Cup champion for the third time. He stormed from a record-tying six shots behind to win the Tour Championship and capture the $18 million prize. Scottie Scheffler never trailed all week until the 70th hole. He built the six-shot lead Sunday morning with four birdies in six holes to complete the third round. But he was never on his game and made only one birdie in a round of 73. McIlroy shot a 66. He says winning felt even more significant because of the tumultuous year caused by Saudi-funded LIV Golf.
August 28, 2022 8:16 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Kyle Gibson pitched seven innings of six-hit ball, and the streaking Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 for their sixth straight victory. Nick Castellanos homered as Philadelphia moved a season-best 17 games over .500. The 72-55 Phillies are second in the NL wild-card standings with the franchise’s best record since 2011 when it won the last of its five straight NL East titles. Gibson struck out nine and walked one. Sam Coonrod worked the eighth and Nick Nelson finished the six-hitter with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.
August 28, 2022 8:18 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to a field goal on his first and only series of the preseason, but the Indianapolis Colts’ backups rallied to beat the Buccaneers 27-10. Brady was 6 of 8 for 44 yards and converted one fourth down before leaving. He had missed 11 days of training camp for personal reasons before returning Monday. Matt Ryan and the Colts starters played about one quarter and Ryan led them to a touchdown on his final series. Phillip Lindsay’s 2-yard TD run late in the first half gave Indy a 14-10 lead and Sam Ehlinger’s nifty 45-yard TD run to open the second half helped the Colts pull away.
