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.
August 14, 2019 3:51 am
Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has returned to training camp after missing time to see a specialist for his frostbitten feet and losing a grievance with the NFL over the use of a helmet. Brown was surrounded by cameras as he walked onto the field late in practice and greeted his teammates for the first time since leaving camp about a week ago. Coach Jon Gruden says he expects him to be ready to play the season opener Sept. 9 against Denver.
August 12, 2019 3:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Darryl Drake has died. He was 62. The team said Drake, who joined the coaching staff in 2018, died early Sunday morning. Drake joined the Steelers in 2018, his third NFL stop after stints with the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. Steelers president Art Rooney II called Drake a “passionate coach” with a “tremendous spirit toward life, his family, his faith and the game of football.” Drake is survived by his wife and three daughters.
August 10, 2019 3:46 am
(AP)- Paul Goldschmidt’s single snapped a tie, Marcell Ozuna’s home run provided some insurance runs, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 on Friday night. Goldschmidt’s single in the eighth broke a 2-2 tie. Ozuna followed with a two-run homer, his second in as many games.
August 10, 2019 3:45 am
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) – Dustin Johnson is hitting the ball so well he doesn’t have to make every putt. He made enough birdies Friday for a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead in The Northern Trust.Johnson holed an 8-foot putt on the 18th at Liberty National to take the lead going into the weekend of the FedEx Cup playoffs opener, a tournament he has won twice at other courses.
Jordan Spieth (speeth) began the PGA Tour postseason not assured of advancing beyond the first event. He had a 64 and is one round away from having a chance to end a two-year victory drought.
Johnson was at 12-under 130.Rory McIlroy had a 68 and was three shots behind, which was better than five. He originally was assessed a two-shot penalty in the bunker until it was rescinded based on intent.Tiger Woods withdrew before his round started with a mild oblique strain.
August 9, 2019 3:38 am
UNDATED (AP) – An attorney suing the NFL over the failure to call a crucial penalty in a January playoff game disputes claims that allowing the lawsuit to proceed would lead to a burdensome flood of further such suits over game outcomes. Anthony LeMon filed his response Thursday to the league’s attempt to block the lawsuit at Louisiana’s Supreme Court. It notes that no other such suits are pending in state court in New Orleans, where his suit was filed. And it says the circumstances in the playoff game are unique. At issue is officials’ failure to flag a Los Angeles Rams player for an illegal hit on a New Orleans Saints receiver at a key point in the playoff game. The Rams won the game and advanced to the Super Bowl. Lawyers for the Saints have joined NFL lawyers in opposing the lawsuit.
August 8, 2019 3:47 am
The Chicago Cubs have signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The 33-year-old Lucroy was designated for assignment by the Angels last Friday. The two-time All-Star is expected to join the NL Central-leading Cubs in Cincinnati on Thursday. Lucroy will help plug a gap created when All-Star Willson Contreras strained his hamstring.
August 6, 2019 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Christian Yelich hit two home runs and took over the major league lead with 39, powering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 9-7 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
Yelich homered in the first inning for the second straight game. The first of his four hits came on a sinker by Dario Agrazal (2-3), and he sent it 408 feet into the bleachers in left. He also hit a solo homer in the first inning against the Cubs on Sunday. In the ninth inning, Yelich crushed a slider from Geoff Hartlieb 425 feet onto the river walk beyond right field to make the score 9-6. It was Yelich’s sixth career multi-homer game, and his fourth this season. Brewers starter Jordan Lyles (7-7) limited his former team to three runs (one earned) on two hits in five innings in his first start against the Pirates since being traded on July 29. Lyles walked two and didn’t allow a hit through the first three innings. Bryan Reynolds led off the fourth with the 10th homer of his rookie season, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 5-1. Pablo Reyes hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer to left off Lyles in the fifth to make it 5-3. In his last outing for the Pirates, Lyles allowed eight runs (five earned) on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings of a 14-8 loss to St. Louis on July 24. He was 5-7 with a 5.36 ERA for Pittsburgh this season. The Brewers snapped a four-game losing streak and entered as losers of six of the last seven games. The Pirates are last in the NL Central after falling to 4-19 since the All-Star break. Brewers closer Josh Hader got the final four outs for his 25th save. He struck out two before giving up a two-out double to Reynolds and a triple to Starling Marte as the Pirates closed to 9-7 in the ninth. Agrazal lost a third straight start for Pittsburgh, lasting five innings while allowing five runs on eight hits. Four runs came in the fourth, including one on a homer from Mike Moustakas, his 27th, that put the Brewers ahead 2-0.
August 5, 2019 7:22 am
The field is set for this year’s DICK’S Sporting Goods PONY League World Series. The final four berths were claimed Sunday. Hagerstown, MD, Brownsville, TX and Simi Valley, CA won US Zone tournaments and Youngstown, OH claimed the Host Area title, each qualifying for the 68th PONY championship tournament. Hagerstown returns after a one-year absence. Brownsville and Youngstown are each making their third-straight appearances. Simi Valley won the West for the first time since 2006. The four teams join London, UK, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Guasave, Mexico, Chinese Taipei, Bay County, MI and Washington County in the two-division double-elimination field. Play begins Friday. Follow the action on WJPA-AM (1450) and on our PONY World Series webpage: CLICK HERE!
