Update on the latest sports
APNBA PLAYOFFS-SUNS/CLIPPERS
Clippers try to even series in Game 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers will try to pull even in the Western Conference finals when they host the Phoenix Suns Saturday night in Game 4.
The Clippers cut their series deficit to 2-1 Thursday with a 106-92 win that ended the Suns’ franchise-record playoff winning streak at nine games.
Los Angeles will again be without Kawhi (kuh-WY’) Leonard, who hasn’t played since Game 4 of the second round against Utah because of a right knee sprain. Phoenix is hoping backup guard Cameron Payne can play after he went down with an ankle injury in Game 3.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Tigers snap Astro’s 11-game win streak
UNDATED (AP) — Zack Short’s first home run in the majors broke a fifth-inning tie and helped the Detroit Tigers snap the Houston Astros’ 11-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Astros could have broken their franchise-record 12-game winning streak with a sweep of the doubleheader.
Casey Mize improved to 2-0 in his last four starts, giving up one run on six hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five to beat the Astros for the second time this season. Jose Cisnero pitched the seventh for his third save.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his major league-leading 26th home run, Teoscar Hernández and Randal Grichuk also connected and the Toronto Blue Jays breezed past the Baltimore Orioles 12-4. Guerrero edged ahead of San Diego’s Fernando Tatís Jr. for the most homers this year. Guerrero homered during a four-run burst in the third inning that also included Bo Bichette’s (bih-SHEHT’) RBI double and Hernández’s homer. Grichuk, who drove in four runs, and Bichette each had three hits of Toronto’s 15 hits. Pedro Severino and Cedric Mullins each had two RBIs for Baltimore, which lost for the 15th time in 17 games and dropped its 21st of 22 road games.
— Adam Wainwright pitched into the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt and Paul DeJong hit solo home runs and the St. Louis Cardinals ended a five-game losing streak, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1. The 39-year-old Wainwright again stepped up as the Cardinals’ stopper. Wainwright allowed one run and six hits, and was pulled after giving up a leadoff single in the seventh. He struck out eight and walked one.
— The game between the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox has been suspended in the third inning because of heavy rain after being delayed at the start. It will be resumed Sunday prior to the scheduled series finale. The suspended game will be a nine-inning affair, with the originally scheduled one now set for seven innings.
— Saturday’s game between the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins was postponed because of rain in Minneapolis. The game has been rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Sept. 14 when Cleveland returns to Minnesota. The two teams are scheduled to play Sunday afternoon.
MLB-BRAVES-SOROKA INJURY
Braves’ Soroka tears Achilles tendon again, lost for season
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka (suh-ROH’-kah) is facing season-ending surgery after tearing his right Achilles tendon on Thursday while walking to the team’s clubhouse at Truist Park. He now faces his third surgery on the Achilles.
Soroka, who was Atlanta’s opening day starter in 2020, first tore the Achilles in a game against the New York Mets on Aug. 3, 2020. He had season-ending surgery and was working to return this season when he suffered a setback in May which led to a follow-up procedure. Soroka was again working to return this season before tearing the same Achilles. The Braves say an MRI confirmed the new tear.
Soroka emerged as one of the foundations of the Braves’ rotation in 2019, when he went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA. The Canadian earned a spot in the All-Star Game, finished second in NL Rookie of the Year balloting and sixth for the Cy Young Award.
NHL-CANADIENS-DUCHARME
Canadiens coach Ducharme to return for Game 3 of Cup Final
MONTREAL (AP) — Montreal Canadiens interim coach Dominique Ducharme will have to wait until Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning to rejoin his team after testing positive for COVID-19.
Ducharme updated his timetable during a video conference call on Saturday. He says he remains symptom free and had hoped he’d be allowed to complete his two-week mandatory self-quarantine earlier.
The Canadiens open the final series with Games 1 and 2 at Tampa Bay on Monday and Wednesday. Ducharme will return in time for Game 3 on Friday, when the series shifts to Montreal.
Assistant coach Luke Richardson is covering coaching duties.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CWS
NCAA declares NC State out of CWS because of COVID-19 issues
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — North Carolina State baseball players who were one win away from playing for a national championship reacted with anger and confusion to their team’s removal from the College World Series because of COVID-19 protocols.
Right fielder Devonte Brown said something he dreamed of as a little kid was snatched away in the blink of an eye.
Vanderbilt advanced to the CWS finals after the NCAA announced early Saturday that the Wolfpack would not be allowed to continue in the tournament. NC State had only 13 of its 27 players available for Friday’s game. players available during its 3-1 loss to Vanderbilt on Friday.
NASCAR-POCONOS
Bowman zips past Larson after late flat and wins at Pocono
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Alex Bowman made it six straight wins for Hendrick Motorsports when he took the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway. Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson blew a lap on the final lap snapping his three-race winning streak.
Larson had won three straight Cup races and was in prime position to take this one at Pocono when he passed Bowman with three laps left in the race.
Larson was maybe a mile away from becoming the first driver since former Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win four consecutive Cup races. Instead, a blown left front tire knocked Larson out of contention and Bowman stunningly made the most of his second chance.
FEDERER-OLYMPICS
Federer unsure about Olympics; will reassess after Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Roger Federer is still not sure whether he will compete at the Tokyo Olympics. He says he and his team plan to “reassess the situation after Wimbledon.”
Wimbledon ends July 11. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to open on July 23. Federer turns 40 on Aug. 8.
Federer, who shares the men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles with Nadal, has won two Olympic medals for Switzerland: a silver in singles at the 2012 London Games and a gold in doubles with Stan Wawrinka (vah-VRINK’-ah) at the 2008 Beijing Games. Federer sat out the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of a left knee injury.
OLYMPICS-GYMNASTICS
Gymnasts Malone, Moldauer punch tickets to Tokyo Olympic
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brody Malone and Yul Moldauer have locked up spots on the U.S. men’s Olympic gymnastics team. Malone followed up the national title he won earlier this month by breezing to victory in the Olympic Trials. Malone’s two-day total of 171.600 was three points clear of Moldauer.
The other two team spots and the “plus-one” specialist spot will be decided by the selection committee later Saturday.
LPGA
Korda, Salas pull away and share the lead in Women’s PGA
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. (AP) —Lizette Salas and Nelly Korda are tied for the lead going into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. They play nothing alike even as they finished on the same score. Salas relies on precision and putting to make up for the big power gap against Korda.
Salas holed three putts of 25 feet or longer in shooting 30 on the front nine at Atlanta Athletic Club. She also wore out her hybrids and fairway metals in her round of 67. Korda played bogey-free for a 68.
They were five shots clear of everyone else.
TOUR DE FRANCE
Froome’s return to the Tour could be short-lived after crash
LANDERNEAU, France (AP) — After a three-year absence from the Tour de France, Chris Froome’s (froomz) comeback might already be over after the first stage. The four-time champion was in a massive high-speed crash about 10 kilometers from the finish of the opening stage on Saturday.
Froome missed the last two Tours after a bad 2019 crash. He finished Stage 1 lagging more than 14 minutes behind stage winner Julian Alaphilippe (ah-lah-fee-LEEP’) and underwent scans. It was unclear whether he will be able to keep on racing.
Another big crash Saturday was caused by a fan who brandished a cardboard sign and leaned into the path of veteran rider Tony Martin, who fell off his bike and took many others down in his slipstream.
