Update on the latest sports
APPGA-MASTERS
Rose salvages 72 to stay in front at Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Justin Rose has rallied with three birdies on the back nine to put himself out front again at the Masters.
Rose had to settle for an even-par 72 on what was shaping up as a slightly easier day for scoring at Augusta National. He had birdies on the par 5s on the back nine and made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th.
When he finished, he had a two-shot lead over Marc Leishman.
It’s been a tale of two nines for Rose so far this week. He was 2 over through seven holes on Thursday and then went on to post a 65. On Friday, he was 3 over through seven holes and salvaged his round on the back nine with a 33.
Tony Finau already has six birdies and an eagle through 15 holes. He was two shots behind with three to play.
MLB-NEWS
Free agent pitcher Carpenter banned 1 year for drug violation
UNDATED (AP) — Free agent pitcher David Carpenter has been suspended for one year for violating the minor league joint drug prevention and treatment program. The commissioner’s office announced the ban. Carpenter has pitched in six big league seasons and last appeared in the majors in 2019 for the Texas Rangers. The right-handed reliever has a 3.69 career ERA but hasn’t held down a full-time bullpen job since 2015, when he made 30 appearances with the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees. The 35-year-old’s suspension is effective immediately.
In other baseball news:
—The Los Angeles Dodgers have received their World Series rings in front of the loyal hometown fans who didn’t get to witness their 2020 championship run in person. Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts and the Dodgers collected their jewelry before Los Angeles’ home opener. The team also raised a championship banner to the roars of a Chavez Ravine crowd that made up for its pandemic-limited numbers with outsized noise.
— The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed former NL MVP Cody Bellinger on injured reserve with a bruised left calf. The World Series champions made the move today before Bellinger and his teammates received their championship rings ahead of the Dodgers’ home opener against Washington. Bellinger was accidentally spiked by Athletics reliever Reymin Guduan on Monday while beating out an infield single in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 10-3 win in Oakland.
— Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was held out of New York’s lineup for the second straight game with soreness in his left side. Judge had a homer, three hits and four RBIs in a 7-2 win over Baltimore on Tuesday night but didn’t play in the Yankees’ 4-3, 11-inning loss a day later. New York had a day off Thursday, but the right fielder still isn’t ready to return. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Judge hit in the cage before Friday’s game against AL champion Tampa Bay and might be ready to start on Saturday.
— Major League Baseball had two players and two staff members test positive for the coronavirus over the past week, according to results released by the league and players’ association. One of the players was on a big league roster and the other was participating at an alternate site. The four positives were found from more than 12,000 total tests conducted. Since the end of intake testing to begin spring training, 25 positive tests have occurred out of nearly 100,000 tests. That’s about a 0.03% positive rate. The positive tests this season include at least four among the Nationals, an outbreak that prompted MLB to postpone Washington’s season-opening series against the New York Mets.
— The possibility of the Toronto Blue Jays playing games this season in Buffalo, New York, has prompted the Triple-A affiliate to temporarily relocate to Trenton, New Jersey. The Buffalo Bisons say they will open their season in New Jersey next month while their home field is renovated in anticipation of the Blue Jays’ arrival. The Blue Jays have opened this season at their spring training home in Dunedin (duhn-EE’-dihn), Florida. The team plans to shift to Buffalo as early as late May unless it receives approval to resume playing in Toronto. The Blue Jays played a majority of home games in Buffalo last year because of cross-border travel restrictions stemming from the pandemic.
TEXANS-WATSON-LAWSUITS
Names of 13 accusers to be made public
HOUSTON (AP) — The names of 13 of the 22 women who have filed lawsuits accusing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and harassment will be made public following court hearings. The 13 women have sued under the name Jane Doe.
During two court hearings Friday, Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, asked that their names be publicly identified so his client can “have a chance at properly defending himself.”
The women’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, argued against releasing their names. He said doing so could put their lives in danger. He said one woman who spoke publicly at a Tuesday news conference has already received death threats.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES-NCAA
Advocates call on NCAA to act in response to anti-trans laws
UNDATED (AP) — Athletes, coaches and advocates are calling on the NCAA to act in response to state laws banning transgender athletes from competing in organized sports.
The NCAA, which has had a transgender inclusion policy since 2011, requires states that host championships to provide an environment that is “safe, healthy and free of discrimination.” The organization has said it is monitoring the wave of proposed bills and laws enacted that impact transgender student-athletes.
Conservative lawmakers in at least 28 states have introduced legislation to ban or limit transgender athletes from competing on teams or sports that align with their gender identity.
