Braves, Orioles still streaking
UNDATED (AP) — The Atlanta Braves were third in the National League East and four games out of first at the All-Star break. They are threatening to turn the division runaway by winning nine straight and 16 of their last 18, including Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Orioles in Baltimore.
Jorge Soler snapped a scoreless tie with a homer in the fifth before Adam Duvall added a two-run double later in the inning. Touki Toussaint allowed a run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings before five relievers closed out Atlanta’s team-record 13th consecutive road win.
The Orioles have lost 18 in a row, the longest skid in the majors since the Royals dropped 19 straight in 2005. The Birds are three off the Baltimore team record set at the start of the 1988 season.
Checking out Sunday’s other major league action:
— The Phillies still trail the NL East-leading Braves by five games after Rhys Hoskins homered twice in his return from the injured list, leading a 7-4 win at San Diego. Kyle Gibson gave up one run and six hits over eight innings to help the Phils hand San Diego its’ ninth loss in 11 games. Odubel (oh-DOO’-bul) Herrera went 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs as Philadelphia won for just the fourth time in 12 games since an eight-game winning streak.
— Tyler Naquin (NAY’-kwihn) hit two of the Reds’ three solo homers in a 3-1 downing of the Marlins. Mike Moustakas (moos-TAH’-kahs) broke a 1-1 tie with a leadoff homer in the fifth inning. Vladimir Gutierrez limited Miami to a run and three hits over seven innings as Cincinnati won for the sixth time in eight games to take a one-game lead over the Padres for the second NL wild card.
— The Brewers whipped the Nationals, 7-3 to maintain a 7 1/2-game lead over Cincinnati in the NL Central. Kolten Wong delivered a solo homer and a two-run triple in Milwaukee’s 10th win in 13 games. Lorenzo Cain also connected and the Brew Crew took the rubber game of the weekend series.
— Adam Wainwright allowed two hits in eight masterful innings of the Cardinals’ first win in three games, 3-0 over the Pirates. Wainwright threw 106 pitches and retired his final 11 hitters. Paul Goldschmidt homered as St. Louis prevented Pittsburgh from completing its first series sweep of the season.
— Javier Báez returned from an 11-game injury absence and laced an RBI double in the first inning as the Mets avoided a four-game sweep by the Dodgers, 7-2. J.D. Davis homered and drove in four runs for New York, which is 2-8 in a stretch of 13 consecutive games against Los Angeles and San Francisco. Marcus Stroman pitched six innings of four-hit ball as the Mets ended the Dodgers’ nine-game winning streak.
— The Giants were able to extend their lead in the NL West to 2 1/2 games over the Dodgers by getting a two-run homer from pinch-hitter Donovan Solano in the eighth inning of a 2-1 verdict over the Athletics. Oakland starter Frankie Montas struck out nine over seven scoreless innings in a brilliant duel with Logan Webb, who was reached for one run over six frames. Starling Marte had three hits for the A’s, who remain 3 1/2 games behind the AL West-leading Astros.
— The Mariners beat the Astros, 6-3 behind Ty France, who tied the game with a solo home run in the ninth inning and put Seattle on top with an RBI single in the 11th. Kyle Seager made it 6-2 in the 11th with a three-run homer as Seattle avoided a weekend sweep. Houston outscored the Mariners by a combined 27-4 in winning the first two games of the series.
— The Rays took the rubber match of their three-game matchup of division leaders as backup catcher Francisco Mejía (meh-HEE’-ah) had a three-run double in a 9-0 thrashing of the White Sox. Austin Meadows had three RBIs for Tampa Bay, which outscored Chicago 17-4 in the last two games to take a 4 1/2-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a seven-hitter against the AL Central leaders.
— The Tigers knocked off the Blue Jays, 5-3 in 11 innings as Miguel Cabrera became the 28th major league player to hit 500 home runs. The 38-year-old Cabrera connected on a 1-1 pitch from left-hander Steven Matz in the sixth. Daz Cameron and Willi Castro each hit an RBI double in the 11th to help Detroit take the rubber match of the three-game series.
— The Indians were 3-0 winners over the Angels in the Little League Classic at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Cal Quantrill was brilliant over seven innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out nine. Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep.
— Andrew Benintendi drove in three runs and the Royals completed a three-game sweep by clobbering the Cubs, 9-1. Benintendi and Carlos Santana each had three hits in Kansas City’s sixth win in seven games. It was Chicago’s franchise-record 13th consecutive loss at Wrigley Field.
— Daulton Varsho smacked a three-run homer and finished a single short of hitting for the cycle in the Diamondbacks’ 8-4 victory at Colorado. Taylor Widener tossed five innings of one-hit ball to help Arizona end a seven-game losing streak in Denver. The Rockies had won five straight overall and nine in a row at home before Arizona reached Jon Gray for five runs over 5 1/3 innings.
— The Yankees and Twins were postponed in the Bronx before Tropical Storm Henri hit the tri-state area. The two teams will make up the game on Monday afternoon, September 13.
— The Red Sox-Rangers game was postponed in Boston as Tropical Storm Henri approached. The game has been rescheduled for Monday afternoon.
MLB-NEWS
Rays place Cruz on COVID-19 injured list
UNDATED (AP) — The Rays have placed slugger Nelson Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list.
The 41-year-old Cruz was acquired from Minnesota last month.
He is hitting .198 with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 24 games with Tampa Bay. He has a .270 batting average, with 26 homers and 68 RBIs this season.
In other MLB news:
— White Sox star shortstop Tim Anderson was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive game Sunday against Tampa Bay due to leg soreness and fatigue. Manager Tony La Russa says Anderson is just sore and not hurt. He could return for Monday night’s game at Toronto. Anderson is hitting .303 with 14 homers and 51 RBIs.
NHL-GILBERT OBIT
Rangers great Gilbert dies at 80
UNDATED (AP) — Hockey Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert (zhihl-BEHR’) has died at 80.
Gilbert spent his entire career with the New York Rangers from 1962-77, putting up big numbers despite a spinal fusion. He was the team’s all-time scoring leader when he was released by the team, finishing with 406 goals and 1,021 points.
The eight-time All-Star also played for Team Canada in the Summit Series against the USSR in 1972. Gilbert was a First Team All-Star in 1972, the year he helped the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup Final as one-third of the famous GAG Line with Jean Ratelle (zhahn rah-TEHL’) and Vic Hadfield.
The team didn’t provide details of Gilbert’s death.
PGA-NORTHERN TRUST
Tuesday golf possible at Northern Trust
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — There’s a chance the rain-delayed Northern Trust could spill into Tuesday.
In a memo sent to players Sunday night, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said he is amending the bad weather guidelines to allow for a Tuesday finish regardless of how much golf is played Monday.
Monahan cited the importance and the sequential nature of the FedEx Cup playoffs in making an exception to the guidelines.
The tour said spectators would not be allowed for the final round because of some 6 inches of rain that had left walking routes impassable by Sunday night.
LPGA-WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
Nordqvist wins Women’s British Open for 3rd major title
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) — Anna Nordqvist has won her third major title with a one-shot victory at the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie.
Nordqvist tapped in for par on the last hole for a 3-under 69 to finish at 12-under.
Lizette Salas, Georgia Hall and Madelene Sagstrom tied for second at 11 under.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen was tied for the lead with Nordqvist heading down No. 18 before closing with a double-bogey.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-BOEING CLASSIC
Pampling wins after 2 others falter
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) — Rod Pampling won the Boeing Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour Champions victory.
The victory was made possible when Jim Furyk (FYOOR’-ihk) and Woody Austin failed to get up-and-down for birdie from greenside bunkers on the par-5 18th.
Pampling shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 12-under 204. The 51-year-old Australian won three times on the PGA Tour, the last in 2017 in Las Vegas.
NASCAR-MICHIGAN
Blaney wins in Michigan
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Ryan Blaney was the winner of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
Blaney took the lead from William Byron on a late restart and bobbed and weaved his way across the final seven laps. Blaney edged Byron by 0.077 seconds, the closest finish on the two-mile track since electronic scoring began.
Blaney has two wins this season and six overall.
Kyle Larson finished third, Kyle Busch fourth, and Denny Hamlin fifth.
Blaney gave Team Penske a weekend sweep of NASCAR and IndyCar races and ended Kevin Harvick’s reign as the Michigan champ.
Harvick won the last three races and four of five at the track.
NFL-VRABEL
Titans coach tests positive for COVID-19
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel (VRAY’-bul) is vaccinated but now says he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will quarantine pending further testing.
Under NFL protocols, Vrabel must have two negative test results within 48 hours to go back to work inside the Titans’ headquarters or remain in quarantine for 10 days. That could keep him away until Sept. 1, 11 days before the Titans’ season opener against Arizona.