Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Cubs pound Brewers
UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Cubs scored just 34 runs while losing eight of their first 13 games this season. They’ve scored at least 13 runs in three games since last Saturday, including this afternoon’s 15-2 clobbering of the Brewers.
Jake Marisnick homered and matched a career high with five RBIs in the Cubs’ fourth straight victory. Anthony Rizzo, Javier Báez and Willson Contreras also connected for Chicago, which is averaging 9.2 runs over its last six games.
Nico Hoerner had three hits in his first start of the season, and Kyle Hendricks pitched six innings of two-run ball in his first win of the campaign.
Milwaukee had won three in a row.
MLB-NEWS
Twins add Sanó to injured list
UNDATED (AP) — The sputtering Minnesota Twins have shelved another regular. They placed first baseman Miguel Sanó (sah-NOH’) on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring.
Sanó is batting .111 with two home runs and 20 strikeouts in 45 at-bats.
Shortstop Andrelton (AN’-druhl-tuhn) Simmons, right fielder Max Kepler and left fielder Kyle Garlick are among five players currently on Minnesota’s COVID-19 injured list.
In other MLB news:
— Angels star Mike Trout was scratched from the lineup on Friday night after being hit by a pitch on the left elbow a night before. Manager Joe Maddon said he expects Trout to return for Saturday’s game at Houston.
— Brewers left-hander Brett Anderson left Friday’s game against the Cubs after just 11 pitches because of a tight hamstring. After Willson Contreras grounded out, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo doubled and Javier Báez singled before Anderson was replaced by Josh Lindblom. Anderson was 2-0 with a sparkling 0.75 ERA in his previous two starts.
— Three players and five staff members were positive for COVID-19 in the past week among 12,458 monitoring tests announced by Major League Baseball and the players’ association. There have been 39 positive tests among 123,770 tests this year. Nineteen of the 30 teams have had a positive test. Six games have been postponed this season due to COVID-19.
NFL-NEWS
Browns exercise 5-year option for Mayfield and Ward
UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Browns have exercised the fifth-year option on quarterback Baker Mayfield’s rookie contract. The move was expected after his strong 2020 season.
Mayfield had 30 touchdown passes last season and led the Browns to their first playoff appearance in nearly 20 years. Cleveland won its first postseason game since 1994, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round before losing to Kansas City.
The team also picked up the fifth-year option on top cornerback Denzel Ward’s contract.
In other NFL news:
— The Chiefs have acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown from the Ravens for a package of draft picks that includes one in each of the first three rounds next week. Baltimore will get the No. 31 overall pick on Thursday night, along with third- and fourth-round picks this year and a fifth-round pick next year. The Chiefs will get the Ravens’ second-round pick next week and a sixth-round selection in 2022.
— The NFL is modifying COVID-19 protocols for all personnel who have been fully vaccinated. Effective immediately, fully vaccinated individuals in the NFL are no longer required to be tested each day for the novel coronavirus. Instead, they must be tested weekly on a monitoring basis.
— Steelers cornerback Justin Layne has been arrested in Ohio after police say they found a loaded gun in his car during an early morning traffic stop. Police say they stopped Layne for speeding and conducted a search after smelling marijuana and seeing loose particles scattered throughout the vehicle. According to the police report, Layne acknowledged the gun was his and said he forgot it was there.
— Newly released search warrants show that police identified a former NFL player as the primary suspect in a mass shooting at a South Carolina home earlier this month after finding his iPhone at the house. Authorities say that Phillip Adams fatally shot six people including a prominent physician in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on April 7 before killing himself.
— Former Bears star defensive tackle Steve McMichael says he has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He told the Chicago Tribune in an article published Friday that he is battling the condition. McMichael was an All-Pro in 1985 and 1987, helping the Bears win Super Bowl 20. He played in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981 to 1993 and ranks second to Richard Dent on the Bears’ all-time sacks list with 92 1/2.
NHL-NEWS
Flames have positive test, plan to play on
UNDATED (AP) — The Calgary Flames have had a player test positive for COVID-19 and called off their morning skate due Friday to the test. The club says the player is in isolation and other players and staff members have tested negative.
The Flames are hosting the Montreal Canadiens tonight.
COVID-19 has forced the rescheduling of 52 NHL games so far this season.
In other NHL news:
— Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg (SIHL’-vur-burg) will be sidelined for four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. Silfverberg had career lows of eight goals and eight assists in 47 games for the Ducks this season, along with a career-worst minus-17 rating.
— Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will be out for the rest of the season with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old center had nine goals and 14 assists in 44 games. He 53 points in 71 games last year in another lackluster season.
COLLGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS-EXPANSION
CFP management committee discusses future format expansion
IRVING, Texas (AP) — College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock says the CFP management committee has discussed dozens of possible changes to the format during meetings this week while also voicing support for the current four-team format.
In a news release, Hancock says the full committee of conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director heard from four of its members who have been analyzing expansions options. More than 60 possible formats were reviewed, including those with six, eight, 10, 12 and 16 teams, according to the CFP. The working group expects to make a full report on future formats at an upcoming meeting.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Kentucky guard Terrence Clarke dies in crash
UNDATED (AP) — Kentucky freshman guard Terrence Clarke has died following a car accident in Los Angeles.
The university announced 19-year-old’s death in a release Thursday night, but did not include any more details.
Los Angeles Police Sgt. John Matassa told ESPN that Clarke was a solo occupant in a vehicle that ran a red light going “at a very high rate of speed.” He said surveillance video showed that Clarke collided with another vehicle preparing to turn left, hit a street light pole and then a block wall.
Clarke started Kentucky’s first six games and was one of its top scorers, highlighted by a career-best 22 points in a loss to Georgia Tech on Dec. 6.
Despite his limited action, Clarke announced his decision to enter the NBA draft on March 19.
In other college basketball news:
— Loyola Chicago’s Lucas Williamson is returning for one more season under relaxed NCAA rules prompted by the pandemic. The decision is a boost for the Ramblers after coach Porter Moser left for Oklahoma and star Cameron Krutwig announced he is turning pro.
PGA-ZURICH CLASSIC
Co-leaders at Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Tony Finau and Cameron Champ shot a 4-under 68 in alternate-shot play for a share of the Zurich Classic lead with the Norwegian duo of Viktor Hovland and Kris Ventura.
Hovland and Ventura had a 69 to match Finau and Champ at 13-under 131 through 36 holes.
Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose birdied seven holes, including the par-3 17th with a 12-foot putt by Rose. But they also bogeyed three holes in a four-under 68 that put them at 11 under and tied for third with Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler.
The teams will play best ball Saturday, and close with an alternate-shot round Sunday.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES-ALAMABA
Ivey signs transgender athletics ban
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey has signed legislation restricting transgender students from participating in K-12 sports. That makes Alabama the latest conservative state to ban transgender girls from playing on female sports teams.
Ivey’s office announced in an email that she had signed the bill that says a public K-12 school “may never allow a biological male to participate on a female team.”
