Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Diamondbacks complete sweep with extra-inning eruption
UNDATED (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks still haven’t lost since dropping eight of their first 12 games.
David Peralta (peh-RAHL’-tah) had five hits and a career-best seven RBIs, including a three-run triple in the 10th inning of the Diamondbacks’ 14-11 win over the Reds.
Arizona erupted for six runs in the 10th to complete a three-game sweep and earn their fourth straight win. Carson Kelly followed Peralta with a two-run homer as the Diamondbacks opened a 14-8 lead.
The Reds lost their fourth in a row despite Jesse Winker and Nick Castellanos (kas-tee-AH’-nohs), who was back in the lineup after serving a two-game suspension. Winker had his third career two-homer game and Castellanos belted his sixth round tripper of the year.
In other major league games:
— Phillip Evans made a great defensive play before Colin Moran and Erik González hit RBI singles with two out in the eighth inning of the Pirates’ 4-2 victory over the Tigers. Evans reached his glove above the fence in to keep Akil Baddoo’s drive to left field in the park in the seventh before Pittsburgh stranded Baddoo at second.
MLB-NEWS
Springer nearing return
UNDATED (AP) — Blue Jays outfielder George Springer will play in an intrasquad game Friday, the next step on his return from two strained muscles that have delayed his Toronto debut.
Springer signed a team-record $150 million, six-year deal with the Blue Jays this offseason but missed time in spring training, first because of a strained oblique and later because of a right quadriceps strain.
General manager Ross Atkins says the 2017 World Series MVP could return in this weekend’s road series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Elsewhere around the majors:
— Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger is still uncertain when he will return from a hairline fracture in his left leg, saying he can’t do much until the bone heals. Bellinger is hitting in the batting cage and playing catch, but running is still not perfectly comfortable. He was injured April 5 when Athletics reliever Reymin Guduan (ray-MEEN’ goo-DWAHN’) inadvertently spiked him at first base.
NCAA-RULES CHANGES
NCAA tweaks college football OT format to shorten games
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — College football teams will have to go for 2 after touchdowns starting with the second overtime possession, and beginning in the third round each team will get one play to score from the 3-yard line.
The NCAA playing rules oversight panel approved a proposal made last month by the playing rules committee to tweak the overtime format. The new rule will have teams run alternating 2-point plays in the third overtime instead of starting another drive at the opponent’s 25-yard line. The 2-point shootout currently starts in the fifth overtime.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-WEST VIRGINIA-BROWN COUNTRACT
West Virginia coach Neal Brown gets 2-year extension
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (AP) — West Virginia coach Neal Brown has received a two-year contract extension through the 2026 season despite a mediocre 11-11 record in his two years at the helm.
WVU went 6-4 last season after a 5-7 mark in 2019.
Athletic director Shane Lyons says he’s pleased with the upward trajectory of the program and its culture under Brown.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Loyola Chicago star Krutwig is turning pro
UNDATED (AP) — Loyola Chicago star Cameron Krutwig says he has decided to enter the NBA draft and forgo his final year of eligibility.
Krutwig helped the Ramblers reach the Final Four as a freshman and return to the Sweet 16 as a senior this year.
The 6-foot-9 Krutwig was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year last season, averaging a team-leading 15 points along with seven rounds and three assists.
NBA-HAWKS-YOUNG-INJURY
Hawks’ Young sidelined by injury
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta point guard Trae Young will miss the Hawks’ next two games because of a sprained left ankle suffered in Wednesday’s 137-127 overtime loss at the New York Knicks. X-rays in New York were negative, but an MRI revealed the sprain.
Young leads Atlanta with 25.3 points per game and ranks third in the NBA at 9.6 assists.
NFL-SEAHAWKS-SMITH
Smith staying with Seahawks
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks have brought back quarterback Geno Smith to serve as the backup to Russell Wilson.
Smith has signed a one-year deal to stay in the role he’s held for the past two seasons with the Seahawks.
Smith has appeared in just one game with Seattle, completing four of five passes for 33 yards in last year’s blowout win over the New York Jets.
PGA-ZURICH CLASSIC
Co-leading teams at Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Two teams share the lead through one round of the Zurich Classic.
Brice Garnett and Scott Stallings birdied eight of their last 11 holes for a 10-under 62 that leaves them tied with Viktor Hovland and Kris Ventura. Hovland and Ventura had nine birdies on their last 12 holes.
Ventura made a 36-foot birdie putt from the fringe on 15 and a 19-footer on 16 for his seventh and final birdie of the day in the best-ball format played on the first and third rounds. Players will alternate shots in the second and final rounds.
Seven teams shot 63, including two-time Zurich champion Billy Horschel and teammate Sam Burns.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES
Kansas governor vetoes ban; North Dakota House overrides veto
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed a measure that would have banned transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s school sports.
The Democratic governor’s action Thursday thwarted an effort by conservative Republican lawmakers to make Kansas the latest state with a GOP-controlled legislature to enact such a ban, with more than 20 considering it.
Meanwhile, North Dakota’s House has voted to override Gov. Doug Burgum’s veto of a bill restricting transgender girls from participating in public elementary and secondary school sports.
OLYMPICS-NEWS
Olympic athletes promised legal support if they protest
UNDATED (AP) — Athletes who make political or social justice protests at the Tokyo Olympics have been promised legal support by a global union and an activist group in Germany.
The pledges by the World Players Association and Athleten Deutschland came one day after the International Olympic Committee confirmed its long-standing ban on “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” on the field of play, medal podiums or official ceremonies.
Raising a fist or kneeling for a national anthem could lead to punishment from the IOC. The Olympic body’s legal commission is expected to clarify what kind of punishment before this year’s games, which open on July 23.
In other news related to the Olympics:
— Tokyo Olympics organizers say a policeman tested positive for COVID-19 a day after his assignment last week at the Olympic torch relay. It is the first positive test connected to the relay since it began March 25 from northeastern Fukushima prefecture.
