Update on the latest sports
APMLB-SCHEDULE
Rookie Ober, Twins blank White Sox 1-0; Polanco homers
UNDATED (AP) — Rookie Bailey Ober shut out the White Sox into the sixth inning, Jorge Polanco homered and the last-place Minnesota Twins took another series from a playoff contender, beating Chicago 1-0.
Minnesota took two of three from AL Central-leading Chicago after winning three of four at Houston, which leads the AL West. Caleb
Thielbar, Juan Minaya (mih-NY’-yuh) and Alex Colomé (KAHL’-oh-may) worked 3 2/3 hitless innings in relief of Ober, with Colomé getting the last three outs for his seventh save in 11 chances.
José Ruiz allowed Polanco’s homer in the sixth, his lone inning of relief.
In other MLB action:
— Aledmys Díaz (ah-LEHD’-meez DEE’-ahz) had three hits and drove in three runs to lead the Houston Astros to 5-1 win over the Colorado Rockies. Díaz tied it with an RBI single in the first and gave the Astros the lead with a run-scoring single in the third. Houston was up by 3 in the seventh when he sent home another run with a double that extended the lead to 5-1. Díaz has been playing well in the 13 games since missing about six weeks with a fractured hand and has 19 hits and 14 RBIs in that span.
— Luke Voit had a two-run single in the first inning and the New York Yankees beat Kansas City 5-2 on Wednesday for their 12th straight series victory over the Royals. Chad Green got the victory in relief as New York took two of three from Kansas City. Zach Britton earned his first save of the season. The game-time temperature was 93 degrees with a heat index of 102, the third straight game with a heat index above 100. Brady Singer took the loss. He allowed five runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
MLB-NEWS-WHITE SOX-RODÓN
Sox place Rodón on injured list
UNDATED (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts was placed on the injured list today with a sore right hip. Betts left Friday’s game in the sixth due to right hip discomfort. He played Saturday and then sat out Sunday.
He is batting .277 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs in 87 games for the defending World Series champions.
Betts was scheduled to fly back Wednesday night to Los Angeles.
Elsewhere around the majors:
— The Detroit Tigers put outfielders Akil Baddoo and Derek Hill on the injured list after their frightening collision. Baddoo went on the seven-day concussion IL, and Hill went on the 10-day IL with bruised ribs. Manager A.J. Hinch said Hill also has knee soreness. The two collided in left-center field Tuesday night while chasing Anthony Santander’s fly ball. Hill made the catch, but both players were shaken up and had to leave the game. They were able to walk off the field.
— The Chicago White Sox placed left-hander Carlos Rodón on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue. Rodón is 9-5 with a 2.38 ERA in 19 starts this season and was an All-Star for the first time in his career. Right-handed reliever Matt Foster was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
— The Atlanta Braves have returned catcher Travis d’Arnaud from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the injured list. D’Arnaud was in the lineup batting seventh against Cincinnati. He missed 86 games with a left thumb sprain and was placed on the injured list May 2. Braves catchers have combined to hit .180 with a .537 OPS this season, both of which rank last in the major leagues. Atlanta catchers hit .299 with a .862 OPS last season, thanks largely to d’Arnaud winning a Silver Slugger award with a career-best .321 batting average and leading all catchers in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and RBIs.
— Major League Baseball is preparing for its first game in the state of Iowa. The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees will play in Dyersville on Thursday next to the site used in the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” One of the most famous cornfields in Hollywood history finally has the opportunity to host the real thing. The game was delayed by a year due to the pandemic. The event is part of MLB’s increased efforts to grow the game through areas without in-person access to the highest level of the sport.
BAYLOR-NCAA
Probation, minor sanctions for Baylor
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA says its long investigation of the Baylor sexual assault scandal will result in nothing more than probation and other relatively minor sanctions.
The NCAA ruling came more than five years after the scandal rocked the world’s largest Baptist university
Former Baylor football coach Art Briles has avoided NCAA penalties. But the former coach was far from unscathed in an NCAA infractions report. The committee says he failed to report information or personally look further into allegations of potentially criminal conduct by his players. Briles was fired in May 2016.
Baylor was put on four years probation by the NCAA after the long investigation into the school’s mishandling of sexual assault allegations by students, including some against football players.
Baylor is still embroiled in lawsuits over its mishandling of campus assault cases.
NFL-SEAHAWKS-SMITH
Seahawks release defensive end Aldon Smith
SEATTLE (AP) — Aldon Smith’s time with the Seattle Seahawks was short as the team has decided to release the embattled defensive end.
Smith was reinstated by the NFL in the spring of 2020 after missing four seasons due to off-field issues. He appeared in 16 games for Dallas last season and had five sacks along with 48 tackles. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle in April but he was arrested two days later on a second-degree battery charge in St. Bernard Parish near New Orleans. He is scheduled to be arraigned later this month.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The Carolina Panthers have signed Josh Bynes to provide some depth at linebacker with Denzel Perryman expected to miss some time battling an injury. The 31-year-old Bynes started all 16 games last season for the Cincinnati Bengals and had 99 tackles, one fumble recovery and a sack. He has also played for the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals during his 10-year NFL career. He has played in 117 games during his career with 63 starts, making 477 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks.
— The Indianapolis Colts have signed coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard to contract extensions through the 2026 season. The new deals come just three days after they gave star linebacker Darius Leonard a new five-year deal worth nearly $200 million and two weeks after locking up right tackle Braden Smith with a contract extension.
— Baltimore coach John Harbaugh says rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman is expected to miss “a number of weeks” with a soft tissue leg problem. Bateman was drafted in the first round by the Ravens this year, part of Baltimore’s attempt to boost its passing game. The Ravens play their first preseason game Saturday night against New Orleans.
NBA-CLIPPERS-JACKSON
Bulls finalize sign-trade deal for DeRozan with San Antonio
UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have finalized a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs for high-scoring small forward DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan agreed last week to a three-year, $85 million contract. Chicago sent veteran forwards Thaddeus Young and Al-Farouq Aminu, a protected first-round draft pick, and two second-round draft picks to the Spurs. DeRozan scored 21.6 per game last year and shot just under 50%. San Antonio missed the playoffs for a second straight season. The Bulls are looking to make a jump in the Eastern Conference after missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— Reggie Jackson is returning to the Los Angeles Clippers after helping the team reach the Western Conference finals for the first time. The team says it has re-signed the free-agent point guard who averaged 10.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds last season. Jackson shot a career-high 43% from 3-point range. He elevated his game in the playoffs, averaging 17.8 points while Kawhi Leonard missed the team’s final eight games with a partially torn ACL.
— The Detroit Pistons have re-signed guards Cory Joseph, Frank Jackson and Rodney McGruder adding depth on their young roster that features No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. Joseph has averaged seven points a game over 10 seasons with San Antonio, Indiana, Toronto, the Kings and Detroit. Jackson averaged a career-high 9.8 points over 40 games with the Pistons. McGruder averaged 5.7 points in 16 games last season in Detroit.
TENNIS-CINCINNATI-NADAL OUT
CINCINNATI (AP) — After pulling out of the hard-court tournament in Toronto this week, Rafael Nadal says he’s also withdrawing from the upcoming event in Cincinnati because of an injured left foot that has troubled him for months.
The decision by the 20-time Grand Slam champion means he is unlikely to play before the U.S. Open. Nadal won the U.S. Open in 2019, the last time he entered.
Milos Raonic, who has a heel injury, also pulled out of Cincinnati on Wednesday. Other stars not playing include Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin.
TRACK-OBIT-CAMERON BURRELL
Houston NCAA sprinting champ Cameron Burrell dead at age 26
HOUSTON (AP) — Former NCAA national champion sprinter Cameron Burrell has died. He was 26. The University of Houston, where he starred from 2013-2018, announced his death. The school said he died on Monday but did not provide any details.
Burrell won the national title in the 100 meters in 2018 in Eugene, Oregon and won a second national title with his team that season by running the anchor leg of the team’s 4×100-meter relay.
HORSE RACING-DRUGS
Horse trainer pleads guilty in racehorse-drugging scheme
NEW YORK (AP) — A racehorse trainer has pleaded guilty in New York to charges related to a scheme to give horses performance enhancing drugs so they perform better. Jorge Navarro entered the plea Wednesday in Manhattan federal court.
Navarro was charged last year along with over two dozen others in a crackdown by federal authorities on what they described as a widespread international scheme to speed up horses with drugs.
In a release, U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss called Navarro a “reckless fraudster.” Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 17.
