AP National Sports

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Ryne Nelson allowed only three hits in seven innings, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had a two-run double and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Atlanta 5-3, handing the Braves their fourth consecutive loss. Nelson allowed two runs with five strikeouts in seven innings to continue his trend of strong

CINCINNATI (AP) — Will Benson hit a three-run homer, and the Cincinnati Reds snapped San Francisco’s seven-game win streak with a 3-2 victory over the Giants. Graham Ashcraft pitched into the seventh inning as Cincinnati stopped a six-game slide that dropped the surprising Reds into second in the NL Central, trailing Milwaukee. It was a

By AARON BRACY Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — William Contreras hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 for the fifth win in six games. Contreras had three hits and two RBIs for the NL Central leaders, and Blake Perkins also drove in two runs. Five

By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched eight vintage innings and rookie Brett Baty homered during an impressive all-around game as the New York Mets beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1. Baty contributed an RBI groundout during a four-run fourth and turned in a couple of fine defensive plays

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Longtime college administrator Lew Perkins, who played basketball at Iowa before serving as the athletic director at several universities and taking on an influential role within the NCAA, died Tuesday. He was 78. Perkins’ family announced his death in a statement issued by Kansas, where

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP National Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Soul Cap has gotten the green light from swimming’s top governing body, which figures to be a huge step toward bringing more diversity to a largely white sport. Just don’t expect the revolutionary piece of equipment to have a big impact at the Olympics or

NEW YORK (AP) — Even though they’re in opposing dugouts this week, New York Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco and Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks are members of the same inspiring club. Fellow cancer survivors, they teamed up to host pediatric cancer patients from Cohen Children’s Medical Center at Citi Field as part of Carrasco’s

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in sanctioned competitions as “individual neutral athletes” from the start of 2024. The International Gymnastics Federation announced the move but said any decision on the Paris Games will be left to the International Olympic Committee. Russian and Belarus gymnasts had

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Aaron Judge says it would be exciting if Shohei Ohtani approaches the American League season home record  the New York Yankees star set last year. Ohtani started Wednesday Ohtani with 35 homers in 94 games, on pace to hit 60. Judge hit 62 last year,

By JENNA FRYER AP National Writer AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Security was heightened ahead of Thursday night’s opening Women’s World Cup game after a gunman killed two people at a downtown construction site in Auckland, roughly 12 hours ahead of co-host New Zealand’s match against Norway. The Norway team’s hotel is located within a

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — JJ Bleday, Cody Thomas and Jace Peterson each hit two-run home runs, and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight following an eight-game skid, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-5. Bleday’s homer was his second in as many days while Thomas’ deep drive was the first

By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors typically present former players with their championship rings in an on-court pregame ceremony when they come through town with an opposing organization, but for Nemanja Bjelica and Chris Chiozza they were playing overseas so the first opportunity came during a special

PALERMO, Italy (AP) — Second-seeded Zheng Qinwen has beaten Diane Parry to reach the quarterfinals of the Palermo Open. Zheng found it tougher than her 6-0, 6-0 victory over Sara Errani in the opening round but eventually prevailed 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. She will next face seventh-seeded Emma Navarro after the American player had a 6-2,

MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) — Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan shot a 6-under 64 in alternate-shot play Wednesday to take the first-round lead in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, the LPGA Tour’s lone team event. Castren, from Finland, and Tan, from Malaysia, birdied the final two holes and four of the last six at Midland

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer A group of more than 100 U.S. soccer players is calling on Congress to improve the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which is tasked with protecting athletes. The U.S. Soccer Athletes Council sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday signed by 100 current

NAILSWORTH, England (AP) — Hannah Dingley has been praised for “holding the fort” in her landmark appointment after Forest Green Rovers announced it had hired David Horseman as permanent coach of the fourth-tier English soccer team. Forest Green became the first men’s professional soccer team in England to appoint a female head coach earlier this

CINCINNATI (AP) — San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford was put on the 10-day injured list Wednesday because of left knee inflammation. Crawford, 36, is hitting .207 with five homers and 26 RBIs in 65 games this season and had been in a 3-for-24 slide. The Giants said the move was retroactive to Monday. Giants

By MICHAEL KELLY Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Brandon Bielak pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning, and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 4-1. Chas McCormick homered for Houston, which split the two-game series with Colorado. Bielak struck out four and walked three in 5 2/3 innings. Phil Maton, Rafael Montero, Ryne Stanek

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer Deion Sanders will miss Pac-12 media day due to a procedure to remove a blood clot from his right leg and another to straighten toes on his left foot. The Colorado coach announced his latest medical update in an Instagram post on Wednesday. He’s scheduled to have surgery Thursday.

By NICK PERRY and JENNA FRYER Associated Press AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — A gunman opened fire on terrified workers on a construction site in downtown Auckland early Thursday, killing two people hours before New Zealand hosted the first game of the Women’s World Cup. The man was found dead, and authorities said his motive