Update on the latest sports
APOLYMPICS
Plenty of medals up for grabs
TOKYO (AP) — There should be some good viewing during the Tokyo Games tonight.
Most of the high-profile events are early, including the jumping team event at Tokyo’s Equestrian Park. Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band wife, Patti Scialfa, will attempt to win her first Olympic medal.
Medals will be awarded in the women’s marathon, women’s high jump, women’s 10,000-meters, men’s javelin, men’s 1,500-meters and both 4×400 meter relays.
American track star Allison Felix will attempt to make Olympic history when she competes in the women’s 400-meter final. One more medal would give her 10 enough to tie Carl Lewis’ overall Olympic record and pass Merlene Ottey of Jamaica for most in women’s track and field.
Later on, the US men’s basketball team will be bidding for a fourth consecutive gold medal when it faces France. Kevin Durant can join Carmelo Anthony as the only U.S. men with three basketball golds. No nation has ever defeated the U.S. men twice in the same Olympics, but the French beat the Americans in the opening game for both teams.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Phils sweep away Nats as Mets fall again to Fish
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Mets had a comfortable lead in the National League East just over a week ago. Not anymore.
The Phillies are within a half-game of the division lead after putting together a four-run ninth to complete a four-game sweep of Washington, 7-6. The Nationals led 5-3 until J.T. Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins hit two-run doubles in the ninth to send the Phils to their fifth win in a row.
Bryce Harper homered in the second against his former team, but the Phillies wasted an early 2-0 lead and trailed 5-2 following Juan Soto’s three-run blast in the fifth.
In Miami, the Marlins scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to break a 1-1 tie and beat the Mets, 4-2. Jorge Alfaro ended the deadlock with an RBI single off Jeurys Familia before Lewis Brinson followed with a two-run double.
Miami took three of four from the NL East leaders, who have dropped six of eight overall heading into a big weekend series against the second-place Phillies.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— The Giants erased a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning before Kris Bryant doubled in the winning run in the 10th to give them a 5-4 triumph over the Diamondbacks. After managing three hits and no runs against Arizona starter Merrill Kelly over eight innings, the Giants had five hits in the ninth. LaMonte Wade Jr’s two-run single tied it for San Francisco, which leads the NL West by four games over the Dodgers.
— Trevor Story hit two home runs, including a go-ahead, two-run drive in the fifth inning of the Rockies’ 6-5 downing of the Cubs. Sam Hilliard and Connor Joe also homered and Brendan Rodgers extended his hitting streak to 12 games with two singles for Colorado.
— The Red Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games as Victor Reyes tripled twice and collected three RBIs in the Tigers’ 8-1 rout of Boston. Tarik Skubal (TAR’-ihk SKOO’-bul) was sharp over five shutout innings, allowing five hits and striking out four. Jonathan Schoop contributed two hits and two RBIs for Detroit, which dropped the Bosox 1 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Rays.
— The Angels were 5-0 winners over the Rangers as Dylan Bundy pitched three-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings in his second appearance since returning to the rotation. Bundy had a 6.78 ERA when he was sent to the bullpen in late June. Adam Eaton homered, and José Iglesias added a two-run single as Los Angeles took the four-game series from last-place Texas after losing the opener.
MLB-NEWS
Hamels signs with Dodgers
UNDATED (AP) — Cole Hamels is reviving his major league career.
The four-time All-Star has signed a prorated one-year, $3.05 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers through the end of the season, adding more depth to a pitching staff that has been racked with injuries.
The left-hander will earn about $1 million from the deal, signed with less than two months less in the season. There are $200,000 bonuses for each start and every relief appearance of 3 1/3 innings or more, up to a total of 15 each.
He agreed to accept an optional assignment to the minors, and the team agreed to recall him no later than Sept. 2.
Hamels has thrown just 52 major league pitches and made just one appearance since the end of 2019, allowing three runs over 3 1/3 innings for the Braves in a 5-1 loss in Baltimore last September.
In other MLB news:
— Catcher Gary Sánchez became the latest Yankee to test positive for the coronavirus. Manager Aaron Boone said the positive result for Sánchez came from a rapid test and the Yankees were awaiting the results of a PCR test. Starting pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Gerrit Cole were sidelined by COVID-19 earlier in the week.
— Former major league All-Star and flame thrower J.R. Richard has died at 71. Richard spent 10 years with the Astros before his career was cut short by a stroke in 1980. He twice led the National League in strikeouts, was the league’s ERA champ in 1979 and was 107-71 with a 3.15 earned run average.
— The Indians have agreed to a 15-year lease extension at Progressive Field, pending legislative approval. The deal will keep them at their downtown ballpark through 2036 and theoretically end speculation the franchise would relocate. The Indians are partnering with the city, county and state to spend $435 million in renovations on the ballpark, which opened in 1994.
NBA-NEWS
AP source: All-Star Randle agrees to extension with Knicks
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Knicks have locked Julius Randle into an extension after he was named the NBA’s most improved player.
A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that the All-Star forward has agreed to a four-year, $117 million, four-year extension that takes effect following next season. The added years bring his contract’s total value to five years and $140 million.
Randle earned the new deal by leading the Knicks to the playoffs in his best season. He set a career high by scoring 24.1 points per game and matched his high by averaging 10.2 rebounds in his seventh season. Randle also set career highs with 6.0 assists per game and his 41% shooting on 3-pointers.
In other NBA news:
— The Hawks have signed first-round draft pick Jalen Johnson, the former Duke standout was the No. 20 overall pick in the draft last week. Johnson played only 13 games as a freshman at Duke last season, averaging averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds.
— The Nets have signed former LSU guard Cam Thomas, who was the 27th player taken in last month’s draft. Thomas spent one year with the Tigers, starting 29 games and averaging 23 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 34 minutes.
— The Raptors have announced that front office executive Masai Ujiri is remaining with the team. The team did not elaborate, but ESPN reported his new title is vice chairman and president of the club after serving as president of basketball operations.
NFL-NEWS
NFL kicks off preseason…Cousins activated
UNDATED (AP) — The NFL preseason kicks off tonight with the Dallas Cowboys playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame game. But few, if any, stars will be on the field in Canton, Ohio. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy says the Hall of Fame game carries importance as a trial for guys on the back end of the roster, and for backups at key positions.
In other NFL news:
— Three of the four Dolphins players who had been on the COVID-19 reserve list have been removed from it. Coming off the list are tight ends Cethan Carter and Adam Shaheen and receiver Preston Williams. Tight end Mike Gesicki remains on the list.
— Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been activated from the COVID-19 reserve list. He completed the NFL’s required five-day quarantine for unvaccinated players deemed a high-risk close contact with an infected person. The Vikings also activated Nate Stanley to bring their quarterback cadre close to full strength after a tenuous stretch of training camp practices. Rookie Kellen Mond tested positive and remains on the reserve list away from the team.
TENNIS-FEDERER WITHDRAWALS
Federer out of Toronto, Cincinnati tournaments
UNDATED (AP) — Roger Federer has pulled out of the upcoming hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati because of lingering issues with his surgically repaired knee.
The withdrawals announced Thursday shed doubt on his status for the U.S. Open, which begins on August 30. Federer turns 40 on Sunday and hasn’t competed since losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz (HUR’-kahts) on July 8.
PGA-ST. JUDE INVITATIONAL
English has St. Jude lead
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Harris English matched his lowest score in taking the first-round lead in the PGA’s FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
English fired an 8-under 62 to build a two-shot advantage over Jim Herman, Carlos Ortiz, Ian Poulter and Matthew Wolff.
Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Marc Leishman are another shot back at 65. DeChambeau returned to competition after missing the Tokyo Olympics because of a positive test for COVID-19.
SOCCER-EUROPE
Barcelona says it’s parting with Messi
UNDATED (AP) — Barcelona has announced that Lionel Messi will not stay with the club.
The clubs says the Spanish league’s financial regulations made it impossible to sign the Argentina star to a new contract.
Messi is leaving after 17 successful seasons in which he propelled the Catalan club to glory, helping it win numerous domestic and international titles since debuting as a teenager.
Meanwhile, Manchester City has broken the British transfer fee record to sign midfielder Jack Grealish (GRAY’-lihsh) from Aston Villa. The defending Premier League champs paid a fee of 100 million pounds, or $139 million.
