August 25, 2019 7:56 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Andrew Luck watched one last game from the sideline Saturday. Then he said goodbye to the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts quarterback heard boos as he walked away from the field, then walked to the podium and made the surprise decision official. The oft-injured star is retiring at age 29. “I am going to retire,” he said. “This is not an easy decision. It’s the hardest decision of my life. But it is the right decision for me.” Luck said the repeated injuries, the lingering pain and continual rehab took away his love for the game. Word first leaked about Luck’s plans during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 27-17 loss to the Chicago Bears when ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported Luck felt mentally worn down and had met with team owner Jim Irsay to inform him of his decision. Luck has most recently struggled to recover from a lower left leg injury. Luck’s former coach Chuck Pagano made his first return to Lucas Oil Stadium since he was fired as the Colts’ head coach following the 2017 season. Luck did not play that season because he was recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder. He returned last season and led the Colts back to the playoffs for the first time in four years, winning the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award. But in March, he suffered a strained left calf, was held out of all of the team’s offseason workouts and returned on a limited basis for three practices at training camp in July. Lingering pain forced him back to the sideline and the Colts later determined that he had an injury near the back of his left ankle. Coach Frank Reich had said he hoped to have an answer about Luck’s availability for the Sept. 8 season opener after the third preseason game. This might not have been the one he wanted – and certainly didn’t expect. Jacoby Brissett now inherits the starting job.
August 24, 2019 4:12 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Brooks Koepka owns a one-shot lead over Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy through two rounds of the Tour Championship. Koepka two-putted for birdie on the final hole for a 3-under 67. He reached 13 under in the new format where the score to par is what decides who wins the $15 million FedEx Cup bonus. McIlroy moved up the leaderboard by closing with consecutive birdies for a 67. Thomas didn’t make a birdie on the back nine and shot 68. Xander Schauffele made eagle on the 18th and was two shots behind.
August 22, 2019 3:46 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Patrick Corbin pitched eight scoreless innings to remain unbeaten in more than two months, and Asdrubal Cabrera’s three-run home run capped a six-run third as the Washington Nationals rolled to an 11-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Corbin (10-5) struck out four and walked two while throwing 93 pitches to help the Nationals maintain their lead atop the National League wild-card standings. Signed to a six-year, $140-million contract in free agency in December, Corbin has not lost since June 11. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 12 starts since then. Joe Musgrove (8-12) gave up six runs and seven hits in five innings as Pittsburgh lost for the 29th time in 37 games since the All-Star break. Adam Eaton opened the scoring in the third with an RBI double and Anthony Rendon followed with a two-run single, giving him 100 RBIs. Following a walk to Juan Soto, Cabrera hit a drive to straightaway center field to make it 6-0. It was Cabrera’s second home run since being claimed Aug. 6 off waivers from the Texas Rangers and 14th overall. He was filling in at second base for Brian Dozier, who is on paternity leave. Corbin retired 11 batters in a row until Jacob Stallings and Erik Gonzalez hit consecutive singles with one out in the fifth inning. However, Corbin escaped the jam by getting pinch-hitter Melky Cabrera to fly out and Kevin Newman to ground out. Washington added three runs in the eighth when Yan Gomes hit a two-run double and scored on a double by Corbin. In the ninth, pinch-hitter Adrian Sanchez and Trea Turner hit back-to-back RBI singles. Josh Bell’s run-scoring double in the ninth prevented the Pirates from being shut out.
August 22, 2019 3:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Chris Archer has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, one day after being removed following the first inning of his start against the Washington Nationals. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Archer will not throw for at least a week then be re-evaluated.
August 21, 2019 3:48 am
UNDATED (AP) – Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence headlines The Associated Press preseason All-America team presented by Regions Bank. Lawrence just became the first freshman to quarterback to lead a team to a national championship in more than 30 years. He’s joined on the first-team by Clemson running back Travis Etienne and Tigers linebacker Isaiah Simmons. Clemson and No. 2 Alabama tied for the most first-team selections with three. Crimson Tide wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, was selected to the preseason first team, along with defensive lineman Raekwon Davis and linebacker Dylan Moses of Alabama.
August 20, 2019 3:52 am
DENVER (AP) – Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders had a better return to action than 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco’s 24-15 preseason win at Denver on Monday night.
Broncos rookie QB Drew Lock injured his right thumb when he was sacked on the first series of the second half, cutting short his most significant action of the preseason in his quest to win the backup job behind starter Joe Flacco. Sanders caught a 5-yard pass from Flacco on the Broncos’ first offensive play and added a 19-yard run on a reverse in his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in practice last December. (He also hauled in a 45-yard reception that was erased by left tackle Garett Bolles’ holding penalty.) Garoppolo went just 1 for 6 for zero yards and an interception in his first game since suffering a season-ending knee injury last September.
August 19, 2019 3:57 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Longtime television sports broadcaster Jack Whitaker has died at 95. Whitaker spent 22 years with CBS Sports, which announced that he died of natural causes in his sleep.
His Hall of Fame broadcasting career ranged from the first Super Bowl to Secretariat’s Triple Crown to short essays from major sporting events. Whitaker had been the only living play-by-play announcer from the first 21 Super Bowls.
August 17, 2019 5:22 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pinch-hitter Cole Tucker drew a bases-loaded walk and Kevin Newman hit an RBI single, all with two out in the ninth inning, as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Friday night. Tucker, pinch-hitting, worked a bases-loaded walk off Brandon Kintzler (2-2), and Newman followed with a single to center field on a full-count for his third game-ending hit of the season. Kintzler walked three batters in 1/3 of an inning, including an intentional walk to Josh Bell with two outs and the Cubs leading 2-1. Erik Gonzalez entered as a pinch runner for Bell and scored on Newman’s single. The Cubs fell to 23-39 on the road. They have also lost 17 of their last 25 games away from Wrigley Field. The loss left Chicago a game behind the NL Central-leading St. Louis. The Pirates won for the third time in four games. Tony Kemp’s two-run triple in the eighth inning off closer Felipe Vazquez gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead. Joe Musgrove carried a shutout into the eighth inning before giving up consecutive singles to Jonathan Lucroy and pinch-hitter Ian Happ with one out. Musgrove was charged with two runs in 7 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and no walks. He matched his career high with nine strikeouts. Musgrove retired his first 11 batters before Kris Bryant singled with two outs in the fourth inning. He also set down 10 straight hitters before the hits in the eighth inning. Keone Kela (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win. Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks allowed only one run and three hits in seven innings with one strikeout and one walk. The Pirates’ Colin Moran had an RBI single in the fourth.
August 16, 2019 3:43 am
MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) – Justin Thomas and Jason Kokrak tied the course record while grabbing a share of the first-round lead at the PGA’s BMW Championship in Medinah, Illinois. Thomas and Kokrak opened with 7-under 65s for a one-shot advantage over Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Lucas Glover, Patrick Cantlay and Joel Dahmen. Thomas made his first birdie after hitting a tree and recorded his final one with a 60-foot putt. Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau and Adam Scott are among a group at minus-5.
August 15, 2019 3:54 am
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols doesn’t want to talk about his growing list of accomplishments until his career comes to an end. That leaves the task to the rest of baseball, and they are running out of ways to describe Pujols’ illustrious time in the game. Pujols had two hits and three RBIs Wednesday and set the major league record for career hits by a foreign-born player, leading the Angels to a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I mean, what more can we say? He’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game, one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said. “And he’s going to pass some other names I’m sure that are very well known and have plaques hanging in Cooperstown. Pujols had an RBI single in the 4th inning. His 3,167th hit moved him past fellow Dominican Republic native Adrian Beltre (3,166) and into sole possession of 15th place for career hits. “He just keeps doing what he does,” said Dillon Peters (3-1), who allowed two runs in six innings while striking out six after an erratic start. “Everybody here looks up to him, and it’s just awesome to watch him chase his dream and chase all the milestones he’s already overcome. And there’s going to be more to come.” Luis Rengifo also drove in two runs for the Angels, who snapped a three-game home losing streak. Melky Cabrera and Elias Diaz each had an RBI for the Pirates, who failed to complete a three-game sweep of the Angels. Pittsburgh has not won three in a row since July 1-3, against the Chicago Cubs. Chris Archer (3-9) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings, and his streak of starts without a win reached 12 games. It is the longest such span in Archer’s eight-year career. The Angels scored four runs in the fourth inning to erase a two-run deficit. Los Angeles moved in front on Rengifo’s double to left field. The Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds overran the ball when it dropped in, and it bounced all the way to warning track. Rengifo kept running, rounding third and sliding headfirst into home to give the Angels a two-run lead. The 39-year-old Pujols drove in Los Angeles’ first run with his record-setting single, helping spark the struggling Angels to their fifth win in the past 18 games. David Fletcher followed with an RBI double that tied the game at 2-all. “Forget about the record. It’s my job to come here every night and try to help this ball club to win when I can,” Pujols said. “With my defense or with my offense when I get that opportunity, and that’s what I did tonight. It was an effort where everybody contributed.” After Pittsburgh pulled within 4-3 in the seventh inning, with Diaz scoring from third when Erik Gonzalez hit into a double play, Pujols put the Angels ahead 6-3 with a two-run single in the eighth inning. It was another example of Pujols’ knack for delivering in “prime time,” as Pirates manager Clint Hurdle described it. “Later on in the game, clutch situations, I’ve seen him be really, really good,” Hurdle said. “And he’s still driving in runs.” Rengifo drove in Pujols to make it 7-3, before Diaz had an RBI single in the ninth inning for the final margin of victory.
