July 28, 2021 3:51 am
TOKYO (AP) – Simone Biles will not defend her Olympic title. The American gymnastics superstar withdrew from Thursday’s all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being. USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Wednesday that the 24-year-old is opting to not compete. The decision comes a day after Biles removed herself from the team final following one rotation because she felt she wasn’t mentally ready. Jade Carey will take Biles’ place in the all-around. Carey initially did not qualify because she was the third-ranking American behind Biles and Sunisa Lee. International Gymnastics Federation rules limit countries to two athletes per event in the finals. The organization said Biles will be evaluated before deciding if she will participate in next week’s individual events.
July 28, 2021 2:45 am
(AP) – The Vegas Golden Knights have traded reigning Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks. The reported return of a minor leaguer indicates it was a salary dump. Fleury counts $7 million against the salary cap next season. Chicago was not on the 36-year-old’s 10-team no-trade list. Agent Allan Walsh says Fleury will be taking time to talk to his family and seriously evaluate his hockey future. Among other goalie moves around the NHL, Vancouver’s Braden Holtby and San Jose’s Martin Jones will become free agents after going on buyout waivers.
July 27, 2021 3:47 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Reliever Clay Holmes was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielders Diego Castillo and Hoy Park. Holmes is 3-2 in 44 relief appearances with 44 strikeouts and 35 walks in 42 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander has held right-handed batters to a .173 average. Holmes is 5-7 with a 5.57 ERA in four major league seasons. The 25-year-old Park appeared in one major league game on July 16 against Boston. He is batting .307 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and 32 RBIs for Somerset and Triple-A Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
July 27, 2021 3:50 am
TOKYO (AP) – Lydia Jacoby is an Olympic gold medalist after becoming the first Alaskan to make the US swim team, winning the women’s 100 meter breaststroke at the Tokyo Games. The 17-year-old high schooler knocked off teammate and defending Olympic champion Lilly King, who finished third. Jacoby rallied to win in 1 minute, 4.95 seconds.
– For the first time since 1992, the American men have lost a backstroke race at the Olympic pool. Russia swept the top two spots in the 100-meter back, with Evgeny Rylov claiming the gold medal in 51.98 seconds and teammate Kliment Kolesnikov taking the silver in 52.00. Defending Olympic champion Ryan Murphy settled for the bronze in 52.19.
– Aussie swimmer Kaylee McKeown set an Olympic record in the women’s 100-meter backstroke, swimming 57:47 for gold. Her winning time was just off the world mark she set this year of 57.45. Former world record-holder Regan Smith of the United States settled for the bronze at 58.05.
– Japan’s Naomi Osaka lost to former French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-4 in the third round of the Olympic women’s tennis tournament. The 42nd-ranked Vondrousova produced a series of drop-shot winners and other crafty shots that drew Osaka out of her comfort zone.
July 26, 2021 3:53 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Padres just bolstered their middle infield while trying to stay in the NL West race. San Diego has acquired All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier from the Pirates for three prospects. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the deal who also says Pittsburgh is sending approximately $1.4 million to the Padres in the deal. The trade is pending a physical.
Frazier was the National League starter in the All-Star Game. He leads the majors with 125 hits and is batting .324. Pittsburgh is receiving infielder Tucupita Marcano, outfielder Jack Suwinski and right-hander Michell Miliano in the trade.
July 26, 2021 3:53 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – LaMonte Wade Jr. homered twice and the San Francisco Giants avoided a three-game sweep, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1. Wilmer Flores and Thairo Estrada also went deep for San Francisco. The Giants improved to a majors-best 62-37 and maintained their slim lead over the Dodgers in the NL West heading into a series between the two division rivals this week at Oracle Park. Alex Wood struck out eight and pitched into the sixth to help San Francisco bounce back a day after the Giants had their most-lopsided loss this season.
July 26, 2021 3:58 am
TOKYO (AP) – Caleb Dressel began his quest for six gold medals by leading off an American victory in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He gave the U.S. a lead it never relinquished as the quartet finished in 3:08.97, the third-fastest time in history. Zach Apple turned in an anchor leg of 46.69 to leave no doubt at the end.
– Australia’s Ariarne Titmus defeated American Katie Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle at the Olympic pool in Tokyo. Titmus trailed by nearly a full body-length at the halfway mark of the eight-lap race. She turned on the speed to touch in 3 minutes, 56.69 seconds, the second-fastest time in history.
– American teenager Torri Huske had to settle for fourth in the women’s 100-meter butterfly at the Tokyo Games after being at or near the lead most of the race. She faded on her final strokes and just missed a spot on the podium, finishing one-hundredth of a second from a bronze medal. Like Huske, American Michael Andrew was a fourth-place finisher in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke.
July 26, 2021 3:56 am
UNDATED (AP) – Texas and Oklahoma could move closer to membership in the Southeastern Conference within 24 hours. According to multiple reports, the first and very significant formal step of the process could come as soon as Monday. That’s when the two schools are expected to inform the Big 12 they will not renew the contractual agreement that binds conference members until 2025.
The schools would likely negotiate an early exit that could cost the schools more than $100 million. But with the rich SEC on the horizon, the schools could leave the Big 12 early and change conferences in time for the 2022 college football season.
July 25, 2021 7:37 am
SAN FRANCISCO — Gregory Polanco homered, drove in three runs and scored twice, and Kevin Newman matched his career high with four hits for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who beat the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants 10-2 Saturday night. Polanco lofted a sacrifice fly in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the third and then connected for his 11th homer in the fifth, all against Giants starter Kevin Gausman (9-4). Newman added a two-run single in the fifth off John Brebbia, who relieved Gausman, to give the Pirates a 6-1 lead. The Pirates added three runs in the eighth. The highlight was when Michael Perez hit an RBI triple and scored on Wilmer Difo’s sacrifice fly. The Pirates accumulated a season-high 16 hits. Their run total was one shy of their best for 2021. Giants manager Gabe Kapler had outfielder Mike Tauchman pitch the ninth to spare the bullpen. Tauchman allowed one run and three hits. Pirates starter Wil Crowe (2-5) held San Francisco to two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings while striking out a career-high nine and issuing one walk. Pittsburgh is 16-6 at Oracle Park dating to 2014. The Giants still own the majors’ best record but have lost two games in a row to the Pirates, the NL Central’s last-place club.
July 25, 2021 7:38 am
PITTSBURGH — General manager Ron Hextall and the Penguins’ scouting staff drafted five players on Day Two of the 2021 NHL Draft held virtually on Saturday. Following selecting Tristan Broz with the Penguins’ top pick of the draft at 58th overall, Pittsburgh drafted Isaac Belliveau (5th round, 154th overall), Ryan McCleary (7th round, 194th overall), Daniel Laatsch (7thround, 215th overall) and Kirill Tankov (7th round, 218th overall).
