Update on the latest sports
APGOLF-RYDER CUP
US takes 9-3 lead into afternoon matches
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — The United States is turning the Ryder Cup into a runaway, winning three of Saturday morning’s foursomes matches to take a 9-3 lead over Europe into the afternoon.
This is the biggest lead either team has held after three sessions since the rest of Europe joined Britain and Ireland in the Ryder Cup in 1979.
Xander Schauffele (ZAN’-dur SHOW’-flee) and Patrick Cantlay closed out a come-from-behind, 2-and-1 victory over Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick to give the U.S. its ninth point.
Moments earlier, Jordan Spieth (speeth) and Justin Thomas wrapped up a 2-up win over Viktor Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger — a match they trailed 3 down after six holes. With Spieth in the win column, every American contributed at least a point through the first 12 matches.
Dustin Johnson improved to 3-0 on the week, teaming with Collin Morikawa for a 2-and-1 win over Paul Casey and Tyrell Hatton.
Europe’s only win came from Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia, who came from behind for a 3-and-1 win over Brooks Koepka (KEHP’-kuh) and Daniel Berger. It was Garcia’s record 24th career victory at the Ryder Cup, breaking a tie with Nick Faldo.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Cardinals seek franchise-best 15th straight win
UNDATED (AP) — The surging Cardinals will try for a franchise-record 15th consecutive win Saturday at Wrigley Field. St. Louis swept a doubleheader against the Cubs on Friday, equaling a 14-game run in July 1935. The winning streak has rocketed the Cardinals into control of the second NL wild card, leading Philadelphia by five games.
Left-hander Jon Lester is slated to pitch for St. Louis against right-hander Adrian Sampson.
In other highlights of the Saturday schedule:
— The Yankees and Red Sox continue a three-game set at Fenway Park with huge postseason implications. New York beat Boston 8-3 Friday night to pull within a game of the Red Sox for the top AL wild card. Toronto and Seattle are two games behind the Yankees. Left-hander Nestor Cortes has been on a roll this month for New York, striking out 30 and walking six over 22 1/3 innings spanning four starts. He’ll oppose Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta, who is winless in his past five starts and allowed four runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Yankees on Aug. 18.
— The Phillies are putting their NL East hopes on emerging left-hander Ranger Suarez, who is 1-2 with a 1.99 ERA in 10 starts since moving from the bullpen to the rotation in August. The 26-year-old will face the visiting Pirates in a matinee as Philadelphia tries to gain ground on first-place Atlanta. Right-hander Wil Crow is slated to start for Pittsburgh.
— Toronto ace Robbie Ray can bolster his Cy Young Award resume when he takes the mound at Minnesota. Ray, the AL pitcher of the month for August, has allowed seven runs in 16 innings over his last three starts. The Twins will activate John Gant from the injured list to start. He has been out since Sept. 14 with a left abdominal strain. Toronto reliever Ryan Borucki will sit out a second straight night after having a three-game suspension reduced to two. Borucki was punished by Major League Baseball on Thursday for intentionally hitting Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kiermaier (KEER’-my-ur) with a pitch the day before.
— Clayton Kershaw makes his third start since returning from the injured list when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit last-place Arizona. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has allowed two runs and struck out 13 over 9 1/3 innings since missing more than two months with inflammation in his left elbow. The Diamondbacks send Zac Gallen to the mound. The defending Dodgers are a game behind first-place San Francisco in the NL West, though both teams have clinched a playoff berth.
T25 FOOTBALL-SCHEDULE
Badgers-Irish, Razorbacks-Aggies match ranked teams
UNDATED (AP) — Two games at NFL stadiums between ranked teams highlight Saturday’s college football schedule.
No. 18 Wisconsin is facing No. 12 Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago. The teams were supposed to meet at Lambeau Field in Green Bay last year, but the game was canceled because of the pandemic.
This is the first meeting of the two teams since 1964, and the first when both are ranked.
The game has an intriguing backdrop with Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan playing against his old teammates. Coan left the Badgers last year after Graham Mertz was named the starter. Mertz is yet to live up to the lofty expectations that came with him being ranked as the best pocket passer coming out of high school in 2019.
No. 16 Arkansas takes on No. 7 Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Southwest Classic between the longtime rivals has been one-sided, with the Aggies having won nine straight.
The national stage provides an opportunity for the Razorbacks to show they’re the real deal after being picked second to last in the SEC West and that their impressive win over Texas two weeks ago was no fluke. For the Aggies, it’s a chance to calm fans made nervous by a harder-than-it-should-have-been tussle with Colorado two weeks ago and having Zach Calzada take over at quarterback for the injured Haynes King.
F1-RUSSIAN GP
Norris snatches pole position in wet Russian GP qualifying
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Lando Norris has taken the pole position for the first time in a rainy qualifying session for the Russian Grand Prix after timing his final fast lap to perfection on a drying track.
The McLaren driver set the pace with a time of 1 minute, 41.993 seconds in the dying seconds of the session after switching to slick tires as the racing line dried. He pushed Carlos Sainz into second place as George Russell took third for Williams.
Lewis Hamilton placed fourth for Mercedes. Max Verstappen of Red Bull leads the championship standings but will start from the back of the grid in the race Sunday because he changed his engine.
