August 1, 2020 3:36 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Yu Darvish pitched six shutout innings and Jason Heyward drove in two runs, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Darvish allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked one, bouncing back nicely after he struggled in his first start last weekend against Milwaukee. The Cubs are counting on the Japanese right-hander to help anchor their rotation after he finished strong last year. Chicago also got a solo home run from Jason Kipnis in its fourth win in five games. Jarrod Dyson had an RBI single for Pittsburgh.
August 1, 2020 3:38 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The coronavirus continues to alter the Major League Baseball schedule. Friday’s game between Milwaukee and visiting St. Louis had to be postponed after two Cardinals players tested positive for COVID-19. The teams are now expected to play a doubleheader on Sunday. The Cardinals are quarantined in their Milwaukee hotel. The team says it learned of the positive tests on Thursday night. Eight teams have been affected in the first nine days of the season. The Phillies and Marlins haven’t played since Sunday and are on hiatus until at least Sunday after 17 Marlins tested positive while staying in Philadelphia. Four other teams had their schedules altered due to the virus. Meanwhile, Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to union leader Tony Clark about the importance of players following the sport’s coronavirus protocols. A person familiar with the conversation told The Associated Press that the two discussed what is needed to be done to complete the season. ESPN was first to report the conversation. Concerns have been expressed about lax behavior by players on the field – such as spitting or high-fives – and off. The scrambled schedule has also heightened doubts about whether the owners’ desire to play is realistic.
August 1, 2020 3:36 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The NFL has suspended wide receiver Antonio Brown for the first eight regular-season games of the 2020 season. Brown does not have a contract with any team. He was suspended Friday under the league’s personal conduct policy. Brown played one game last season for the Patriots before being released. He can be signed by any team and would be eligible to participate in all of his club’s preseason activities. The suspension would take effect when teams make their final cuts on Sept. 5. Brown’s agent wrote on Twitter that the receiver won’t appeal the suspension.
August 1, 2020 3:39 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Brendon Todd will carry a two-shot advantage into the third round of the PGA’s FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Todd followed Thursday’s 64 with a 5-under 65 that leaves him two ahead of Rickie Fowler. First-round leader Brooks Koepka shot a 1-over 71 that drops him into a third-place tie with Chez Reavie and Byeong Hun An at minus-7. Fowler closed with birdies on his final two holes for a 67.
July 31, 2020 3:50 am
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – The Los Angeles Lakers came back from an 11-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Clippers, 103-101. Anthony Davis scored 34 points and Lebron James had the go-ahead basket with 12.8 seconds left. James had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to help the Lakers move 6 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers in the NBA’s Western Conference with seven games remaining. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz were 106-104 winners over the New Orleans Pelicans behind Rudy Gobert, who sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance. Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points for the Jazz, who trailed by 16 in the second half. The Pelicans had a chance to win until Brandon Ingram’s 3-point attempt rimmed out as time expired, a bitter end to his 23-point night.
July 31, 2020 3:48 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Major League Baseball has postponed this weekend’s scheduled series between Toronto and Philadelphia because of concerns about the coronavirus after two Phillies staffers tested positive. Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo revealed news of the postponed series Thursday, saying his club was “not going to Philadelphia,” where the series was scheduled to take place. It’s the latest in a series of scheduling changes as baseball attempts to play a 60-game season amid a pandemic that is surging in parts of the United States. Earlier Thursday, word emerged that another player with the Miami Marlins tested positive for COVID-19, bringing their total outbreak to 17 players, according to a person familiar with the situation.
July 31, 2020 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Buffalo Bills are the first team in the NFL to send their rookies home and hold training camp remotely after two more players tested positive for COVID-19.
Defensive backs Siran Neal and Dane Jackson both tested positive, upping the team’s total to five since rookies reported on July 21. The Bills did not provide a timeline as to how long rookies would continue working remotely.
July 31, 2020 3:53 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Defending champion Brooks Koepka has matched his career best with an 8-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Rickie Fowler and Brendan Todd in the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Koepka had nine birdies and a bogey on a windy day at TPC Southwind in the World Golf Championship event. The round comes a week after he missed the cut in Minnesota in the 3M Open. Sung Kang shot 65. Justin Thomas fired a 66 and was tied with Matt Kuchar, Chez Reavie and Max Homa. Thomas can reclaim the No. 1 ranking with a victory this weekend.
July 30, 2020 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff allowed one hit and struck out 10 while working into the seventh inning as the Brewers beat the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0. Woodruff retired 19 of 21 batters, including 17 straight at one point. Ben Gamel hit a two-run home run for the Brewers and Keston Hiura added a solo shot. Phil Evans’ infield single in the first served as Pittsburgh’s lone hit. The Pirates are hitting a major-league worst .171 as a team. Relievers David Phelps, Devin Williams and Josh Hader finished the one-hitter for the Brewers.
July 30, 2020 3:50 am
UNDATED (AP) – Philadelphia Phillies general manager Matt Klentak says one team employee who works in the visiting clubhouse has tested positive for the coronavirus. But he says all Phillies players and on-field staff tested negative for a second straight day. The Phillies’ four-game, home-and-home series against the New York Yankees was postponed this week following a coronavirus outbreak among the Miami Marlins, who played in Philadelphia last weekend. The Phillies are scheduled to host Toronto this weekend in a series that was supposed to be on the road but switched because the Blue Jays’ temporary ballpark in Buffalo isn’t ready.
