Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Giants’ Gausman looks to extend his streak
UNDATED (AP) — Kevin Gausman tries to build on his impressive season when he starts for the playoff-bound San Francisco Giants Thursday against San Diego.
Gausman is 5-0 in his last eight starts for the NL West leaders. Part of his success during that streak has come from keeping the ball in the park — he’s given up home runs in just two of those games. The 30-year-old righty was a first-time All-Star this season.
The Padres are in a five-team race for the second NL wild-card spot. They send right-hander Pierce Johnson to the mound for the series finale.
Elsewhere on the Thursday schedule:
— The Colorado Rockies continue their series at Atlanta with a matinee matchup, a day after a 3-2, 10th-inning victory over the Braves that trimmed Atlanta’s NL East lead to 3½ games over Philadelphia. The Rockies are 23-51 on the road but have won six of their last seven and nine of 14 away from Coors Field. They are 14-17 since the All-Star break on the road. Colorado began the season 6-31 away from Denver. The Rockies send Germán Márquez to the mound against fellow right-hander Ian Anderson.
— In another midday matchup, the Cincinnati Reds conclude a three-game series against Pirates in Pittsburgh, a day after Pittsburgh handed the Reds their seventh loss in nine games. Tyler Mahle starts for Cincinnati. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in six innings his last time out Sept. 10, and has surrendered fewer than three runs in three of his past four starts. Pittsburgh right-hander Connor Overton will make his first major league start.
— The Tigers won’t be playing into October, but they’ve been giving postseason hopefuls a handful recently. Detroit took two of three from AL East-leading Tampa Bay over the weekend and swept a two-game series against the likely NL Central champion Brewers this week. The Tigers start a four-game set at the Rays a day after improving to 70-76. It’s the first time the franchise has reached 70 wins since going 86-75 in 2016. Detroit left-hander Tyler Alexander will face lefty Dietrich Enns in the opener.
NFL-GIANTS/WASHINGTON
Giants try to extend win streak vs Washington
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — The New York Giants visit Washington Thursday night looking to win a sixth meeting in a row between the NFC East rivals.
Quarterback Daniel Jones is 4-0 against Washington and 4-19 against the rest of the NFL. The Giants swept the series in Joe Judge’s first season as coach in 2020 even though Washington went on to win the division. Washington coach Ron Rivera last beat New York in 2018 while with Carolina.
Taylor Heinicke (HY’-nih-kee) is expected to start at quarterback for Washington after Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his right hip in the season opener.
NHL-HERITAGE CLASSIC
Sabres-Leafs take their rivalry outdoors in Heritage Classic
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres’ cross-border rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs is heading outdoors.
The Sabres are listed as the home team against the Maple Leafs in the NHL’s Heritage Classic, to be played at Tim Hortons Field, home of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, on March 13.
Buffalo becomes the first U.S.-based team to compete in what will be the sixth Heritage Classic, which is part of the NHL’s outdoor series of games and traditionally set in Canada featuring matchups of Canadian teams. In choosing Hamilton, Ontario, as a host, the NHL selected a site that is essentially the mid-point of the 100-mile drive separating the Atlantic Division rivals.
The NHL had previously scheduled two outdoor games for the upcoming season. St. Louis will play at Minnesota in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, and Tampa Bay will play at Nashville on Feb. 26.
The Sabres hosted the league’s first Winter Classic in 2008 and will be competing in their third regular-season outdoor game. The Maple Leafs have appeared in three previous outdoor games during the regular season.
TRACK-SALAZAR BAN UPHELD
Track coach Salazar’s 4-year doping ban upheld by CAS
UNDATED (AP) — Track coach Alberto Salazar has received no relief from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Swiss-based tribunal has upheld his four-year ban for a series of doping-related violations that had long been pursued by American regulators.
CAS announced the decision Thursday, confirming its three-judge panel has rejected two appeals — one from Salazar and endocrinologist Jeffrey Brown, who challenged their four-year bans, and a request by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for longer sanctions.
Salazar is a former marathon champion who trained a long list of championship distance runners including Mo Farah, Galen Rupp and, for a time, Kara Goucher. None of his former runners have been charged with doping violations.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency investigated Salazar and the running team for about six years before handing down sanctions.
