September 18, 2021 4:00 am
SAO PAULO (AP) – Brazilian soccer great Pele “took a little step back” in his recovery from surgery to remove a tumor from his colon but he is “recovering well” at a Sao Paulo hospital. That’s according to his daughter, Kely Nascimento. The Albert Einstein hospital said the 80-year-old Edson Arantes do Nascimento had returned to intensive care after “a brief breathing instability” Thursday night. Pele was currently stable in “semi-intensive” care, the hospital said, and he “continues recovering.” It did not give further details.
September 17, 2021 1:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Tyler Mahle allowed five hits over six innings and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a sweep by edging Pittsburgh 1-0. Pinch-hitter Asdrubal Cabrera provided the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly against Cody Ponce. Mahle improved to 12-5 for Cincinnati. The victory gave the Reds a little momentum at the end of a nine-game road trip in which they went 3-6. The Pirates are now 0-14 this season when trying to sweep a series from an opponent.
September 17, 2021 2:58 am
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) – Dustin Hopkins made the most of a second chance as the Washington Football Team pulled out a 30-29 win over the Giants. Dustin Hopkins made a 43-yard field goal on an untimed down, the result of a penalty on Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. Hopkins missed his first attempt from 48 yards out before the penalty gave Washington new life. Taylor Heinicke threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He cost Washington dearly with a late interception, but after Graham Gano’s fifth field goal of the game gave the Giants a 29-27 lead with 2:00 remaining, Heinicke guided Washington back into field goal range. Daniel Jones threw for 249 yards and a touchdown for the 0-2 Giants and also ran for 95 yards and a TD.
September 17, 2021 3:00 am
UNDATED (AP) – The “Hard Knocks” franchise will have regular-season episodes for the first time. NFL Films has announced that “Hard Knocks In Season: The Indianapolis Colts” will debut on Nov. 17 on HBO. It will be the Colts’ first appearance on “Hard Knocks,” which debuted in 2001 by following the Baltimore Ravens through training camp as they began defense of their Super Bowl title. The Colts series will have at least nine episodes on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. ET.
September 17, 2021 3:01 am
UNDATED (AP) – The NHL says it expects 98% of its players to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the start of the season. The league says that would mean only 10 to 15 players will not be vaccinated by the time the season begins Oct. 12. The league and the Players’ Association did not impose a vaccine mandate on players, but coaches and staff must be vaccinated as a condition of employment. Columbus recently replaced assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre because he declined to be vaccinated. Teams will be able to suspend unvaccinated players without pay if they cannot participate in hockey activities as part of the protocols, which could include games in Canada. Fully vaccinated players will have any COVID-19 positives treated as hockey injuries and still be paid. Unvaccinated players also will have their movements restricted when on the road. And there will still be regular coronavirus testing for vaccinated players.
September 16, 2021 2:59 am
UNDATED (AP) – Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t ready to play following knee surgery and won’t make his debut Sunday against Houston. Coach Kevin Stefanski says Beckham will practice this week, but will sit out against the Texans. Beckham tore his left anterior cruciate ligament last October. He was expected to play in the season opener at Kansas City. Stefanski says Beckham has not suffered any setbacks and that the decision to make him inactive after he practiced all week wasn’t out of the ordinary.
September 16, 2021 2:58 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has told Congress that the FBI and gymnastics officials turned a “blind eye” to USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse of her and hundreds of other women. Biles told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that “enough is enough” as she and three other U.S. gymnasts spoke in stark emotional terms about the lasting toll Nassar’s crimes have taken on their lives. The hearing is part of a congressional effort to hold the FBI accountable after multiple missteps in investigating the case – including the delays that allowed Nassar to abuse additional young gymnasts.
September 15, 2021 2:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Wade Miley surrendered six runs on 10 hits and the Cincinnati Reds lost for the sixth time in eight games, 6-5 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Miley gave up three runs in the first and three more in the fifth before being pulled with one out. The six runs allowed were Miley’s most since the Rockies scored eight off of him May 14. The Reds entered the day half a game ahead of the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card in the National League.
September 15, 2021 2:53 am
UNDATED (AP) – Ryan Braun has announced his retirement. Braun is the Milwaukee Brewers’ home run leader whose production was slowed by injuries during the second half of his 14-year career. Braun hasn’t played all season and said during spring training that he was leaning toward retirement. The 2011 NL MVP made it official Tuesday in a video the Brewers posted on Twitter. Braun had 352 homers and last played in 2020. He was one of baseball’s best hitters from 2007-12 but was never the same after he was suspended midway through the 2013 season for using performance-enhancing drugs.
September 15, 2021 2:54 am
UNDATED (AP) – Patrick Cantlay is the players’ choice as PGA Tour player of the year. It’s another big step for the 29-year-old from California. Cantlay was the No. 1 amateur in the world who once shot 60 on the PGA Tour while in college. Then he was out for three years with a back injury that nearly ended his career. And now he has the Jack Nicklaus Award after a vote of the players. The PGA Tour does not release vote totals or even say how many players voted. Cantlay presumably won the award in a tight race with Jon Rahm.
