July 27, 2019 9:12 am
STORRS, Conn. (AP) – The University of Connecticut has agreed to pay a $17 million exit fee to the American Athletic Conference, so the school can rejoin the Big East next year.
AAC bylaws stipulate any school seeking to leave the conference must give 27 months’ notice and pay a $12 million fee, but the sides negotiated the higher fee for UConn to leave sooner.
The Huskies will join the Big East in all sports except football, men’s and women’s ice hockey and rowing. UConn also announced Friday its football program will become an independent in the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2020.
July 26, 2019 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – Veteran shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-IHTS’-kee) has been forced to retire following a series of leg injuries over the last two years. The five-time All-Star announced his decision more than three months after he played his last game for the New York Yankees. He spent most of 2017 on the disabled list with ankle injuries, and then missed all of last season following an April 2018 surgery on both heels. Tulowitzki finished with a .290 average, 225 homers and 780 RBIs in 13 seasons with Colorado, Toronto and the Yankees. He appeared in only five games with the Yanks this season before straining his left calf on April 3.
July 24, 2019 3:47 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) – The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Deryk Engelland on Tuesday to a one-year deal for the upcoming season. The contract includes a $700,000 base salary and incentives that could bring the total value of the deal to $1.5 million. Engelland played in 74 games last season and finished with 12 points and 18 penalty minutes.
July 22, 2019 3:54 am
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) – The silver claret jug is staying on the Emerald Isle after Shane Lowry captured the first British Open to be held in Northern Ireland since 1951. Lowry endured the worst weather of the tournament, along with the Sunday pressure of a sellout crowd cheering him along to win the final major of the year by six shots at Royal Portrush. The 32-year-old closed with a 1-over 72, the first time since 1996 the Open champion was over par. Amid rain and strong wind, Lowry began making bogeys in the middle of the round without losing ground as no one from the last 12 groups broke par. Lowry was no worse than three shots ahead all day as he wrapped up his first major championship. Lowry’s 15-under total was far better than runner-up Tommy Fleetwood, whose double-bogey on 14 left Lowry without a serious challenger. Brooks Koepka just missed becoming the first player to finish in the top three in all four majors during a calendar year. Tony Finau (FEE’-now) finished third at 7 under, one ahead of Koepka and Lee Westwood. Koepka opened with four straight bogeys in a 74.
July 20, 2019 6:58 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Right-handed Pitcher Trevor Williams had his scheduled start on Saturday scratched due to severe flu-like symptoms. Joe Musgrove will make the start against the Phillies Saturday night. Meanwhile, relief pitcher Keone Kela, who has been dealing with right shoulder inflammation for weeks, is expected to wrap up his rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis this weekend.
July 18, 2019 3:52 am
BOSTON (AP) – Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first black player on the Boston Red Sox, has died. He was 85. Green played parts of four seasons with the Red Sox and one with the New York Mets from 1959-63, batting .246 with 13 homers and 74 RBIs. But his place in history was made when he stepped on the field as a pinch-runner against the Chicago White Sox on July 21, 1959. The Red Sox were the last team in the major leagues to field a black player.
July 18, 2019 3:45 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Michael Feliz in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 6-5 on Wednesday, dealing the Pirates their fifth loss in six games. St. Louis trailed 4-3 when Tommy Edman singled off Francisco Liriano (4-2) with one out in the seventh and Jose Martinez walked. Feliz relieved, and Goldschmidt followed with his 18th homer. John Brebbia (3-3) struck out four in two perfect innings. Carlos Martinez gave up an RBI single to Bryan Reynolds in the ninth before Starling Marte hit into a forceout, giving Martinez his sixth save in eight chances. Tyler O’Neill also homered for the Cardinals, who won two of three from the Pirates. O’Neill singled in a run in the first and hit a solo homer in the fifth. He is 10 for his last 20 with four home runs. Daniel Ponce de Leon made his first start since the Cardinals announced he was joining the rotation and gave up four runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. Pirates starter Chris Archer allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Archer had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in a three-run fourth, after starting the season 1 for 25 at the plate. Reynolds chased de Leon with a two-run single. Marte homered in the first, his fourth home run on a six-game trip.
July 17, 2019 3:50 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Michael Feliz in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 6-5 on Wednesday, dealing the Pirates their fifth loss in six games. St. Louis trailed 4-3 when Tommy Edman singled off Francisco Liriano (4-2) with one out in the seventh and Jose Martinez walked. Feliz relieved, and Goldschmidt followed with his 18th homer. John Brebbia (3-3) struck out four in two perfect innings. Carlos Martinez gave up an RBI single to Bryan Reynolds in the ninth before Starling Marte hit into a forceout, giving Martinez his sixth save in eight chances. Tyler O’Neill also homered for the Cardinals, who won two of three from the Pirates. O’Neill singled in a run in the first and hit a solo homer in the fifth. He is 10 for his last 20 with four home runs. Daniel Ponce de Leon made his first start since the Cardinals announced he was joining the rotation and gave up four runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. Pirates starter Chris Archer allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Archer had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in a three-run fourth, after starting the season 1 for 25 at the plate. Reynolds chased de Leon with a two-run single. Marte homered in the first, his fourth home run on a six-game trip.
July 16, 2019 3:50 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Simona Halep’s Wimbledon championship has lifted her from No. 7 to No. 4 in the WTA rankings, and runner-up Serena Williams moved up to No. 9, her best placing since returning to the tour last season after having a baby. Coco Gauff’s magical run from a wild-card entry in qualifying all the way to the fourth round at the All England Club allowed her to move into the WTA’s top 150 on Monday. The 15-year-old American rises to No. 141 from No. 313. French Open champion Ash Barty remains at No. 1 in singles. Wimbledon men’s champ Novak Djokovic stayed atop the ATP rankings. Rafael Nadal is No. 2 and runner-up Roger Federer is No. 3.
July 14, 2019 7:50 am
SILVIS, Illinois (AP) – Cameron Tringale and Andrew Landry share the third-round lead at the PGA’s John Deere Classic. Tringale shot a 6-under 65 and dropped to 16 under as he seeks his first PGA victory. Landry owns a piece of the lead following a 67 that puts him one ahead of Bill Haas and Adam Schenk. Haas tied the best round of the day with a 64.
