Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
YANKEES-RAYS
Hill sharp, Kluber roughed up as Rays beat Yankees 10-5
UNDATED (AP) — Rich Hill pitched six strong innings, Austin Meadows led a hit parade against Corey Kluber and New York’s bullpen, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 10-5 to snap a four-game skid.
Hill, a 41-year-old lefty who’s played 17 seasons with 10 teams, allowed four runs and four hits — all with two outs in the third inning — before retiring his final 10 batters. Hill struck out seven without issuing a walk, and Tampa Bay scored five early runs off Kluber in his second start for the Yankees. Meadows had three of the Rays’ 13 hits, one of five Tampa Bay players with a multi-hit game.
PGA-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. Rose is at 7-under.
Two players, Will Zalatoris and Brian Harman, were a shot back. Zalatoris, who was playing on the Korn Ferry Tour at this time last year, birdied the last three holes Friday to post 68 and a 138 total. Harman, a left-hander who didn’t think he’d need to make his Masters plans until a month ago, booked his spot near the top of the leaderboard with a 69, thanks to birdies at the last two holes.
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 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.
—An usher who spent more than 80 years guiding Pittsburgh Pirates fans to their seats through varying stages of success and failure by the team has died. Phil Coyne was 102. The team said Coyne died Friday. Coyne began working for the Pirates in 1936. For the next eight decades he served as a fixture in the stands as the franchise moved from Forbes Field to Three Rivers Stadium to PNC Park.
NHL-VIRUS OUTBREAK
Virus-battered Canucks aim to complete condensed season
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks are recovering from the NHL’s worst COVID-19 outbreak but believe they can complete the pandemic-condensed season.
The team has not played since March 24. An outbreak has ripped through the team over the past week and a half. Twenty-five 25 people — 21 players and four coaches — have tested positive, and one additional player being deemed a close contact. The team physician says there has been a “whole range” of symptoms but no one has needed to be hospitalized. General manager Jim Benning says many of the players are feeling better. Benning adds: “We still have family members that are getting sick and I think the players worry about that.”
In other NHL developments:
— Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is scheduled to undergo sports hernia surgery next week and will miss the rest of the season. It’s the latest injury blow to the team after forward Boone Jenner’s season-ending broken finger.
The Blue Jackets made defenseman David Savard a healthy scratch Thursday night in anticipation of trading the pending free agent before the deadline Monday. Columbus could also trade captain Nick Foligno, who is set to be a free agent this summer. On Friday, they dealt injured center Riley Nash to Toronto for a conditional 2022 seventh-round pick.
—The Nashville Predators placed forward Filip Forsberg on injured reserve Friday on an injury list that keeps growing longer. The Predators also said rookie forward Eeli Tolvanen and defenseman Dante Fabbro now are week to week. Right wing Mathieu Olivier will miss four to six weeks with a lower body injury after being hurt in the second period of Thursday night’s 7-1 win over Detroit.
NFL-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.
NBA-BUCKS-INJURIES
Bucks could be missing all 5 starters against Hornets
MILWAUKEE (AP) —The Milwaukee Bucks could be playing without all five of their usual starters Friday as they host the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas. Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh) has a sore left knee that will cause him to miss a third straight game.
This will be the sixth game Antetokounmpo has missed in the Bucks’ last 11 contests. Jrue Holiday, Donte DiVincenzo and reserve forward P.J. Tucker also won’t play due to injuries. Friday afternoon’s injury report lists Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez as doubtful.
GONZAGA-AYAYI
Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi declares for NBA draft
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi (ah-JY’-ee) has declared for the NBA draft and will skip his senior season. The school says Ayayi will hire an agent and pursue a professional career. Ayayi was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award this season. He averaged 12 points per game while shooting 57.5% from the field. The French native’s 6.8 rebounds per game were second on the team as Gonzaga advanced to the NCAA title game, where the Bulldogs lost to Baylor. Ayayi recorded the first triple-double in program history in a win at Portland on Jan. 9.
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.
