Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. stuns Yankees with incredible throw in Atlanta’s win
ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. caught the New York Yankees off-guard with a spectacular throw to end the third inning on Friday night. The Atlanta Braves’ All-Star right fielder threw out Jorbit Vivas at third base when Vivas was trying to tag up on a deep fly to corner in right. Acuña caught the ball just in front of the warning track with his back to the infield. He spun and fired and the throw reached third base in the air just in time for third baseman Nacho Alvarez to tag a slowing Vivas, who ignored third-base coach Luis Rojas’ signal to slide. Alvarez was casual as the throw approached in an attempt to fool Vivas.
Scottie Scheffler with a 64 sets a daunting target at the British Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Scottie Scheffler was on a roll no matter the weather in the British Open. He made birdie on two of his last three holes for a 64. That gives him a one-shot lead over former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler is going for the third leg of the career Grand Slam at Royal Portrush. He won the PGA Championship in May and is a two-time Masters champion. Fitzpatrick shot a 66 and feels all the pressure is on Scheffler. Rory McIlroy lost a lot of ground with his 69. That leaves him seven shots off the lead.
Clippers sign three-time All-Star Bradley Beal after Suns buyout
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers have signed Bradley Beal after the Phoenix Suns bought out his contract. Beal, a 32-year-old three-time All-Star, played 53 games for the Suns last season, averaging 17 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. He shot 50% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue praised Beal’s versatility, calling him a rare talent who excels in scoring, playmaking, and improving teammates. Beal brings 13 years of NBA experience to the Clippers, adding depth and skill to their roster.
Ichiro Suzuki reflects on early days in Seattle, quickly being comfortable so career could take off
Ichiro Suzuki has long cherished baseball history and he has visited Cooperstown in New York. Now it’s his turn to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, his time to make a speech about a brilliant baseball career that took him from Japan to the big leagues and far beyond. The former Seattle Mariners star will be side by side with Billy Wagner and CC Sabathia for the July 27 induction ceremony.
War veterans go from Ukraine front lines to Wembley ringside for Usyk’s heavyweight bout
LONDON (AP) — More than a dozen war veterans from Ukraine will be on hand when Oleksandr Usyk faces Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night in the pair’s fight to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. The veterans are all employees of Ukraine’s largest private energy company DTEK, which has partnered with Usyk to raise awareness about the plight of the country’s civilian energy infrastructure since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Usyk says the bout is “very important to my country and the soldiers who protect my country because it’s motivation for my people.”
Shohei Ohtani co-writes children’s book starring his dog Decoy
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has co-written a children’s book featuring his dog, Decoy. The Los Angeles Dodgers star shared the news Thursday on Instagram, posting a photo of Decoy, a Dutch Kooikerhondje, with the book. Titled “Decoy Saves Opening Day,” the story follows Decoy as he scrambles to retrieve his lucky baseball before throwing the first pitch on opening day. The book, illustrated by Fanny Liem, will be released on February 3 by HarperCollins. Ohtani hopes Decoy’s fame will raise awareness of the rare Kooikerhondje breed, which he has promoted through events like a first pitch and a victory parade.
NYC pawn shop owner pleads guilty to his role in burglary of NFL star Joe Burrow’s home and others
NEW YORK (AP) — A Manhattan pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to serving as a fence for luxury items stolen from wealthy people across the country, including a brazen burglary at the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy admitted Friday that he purchased watches, jewelry and other high-end goods to sell despite knowing they were stolen. The charge he pleaded guilty to in Brooklyn federal court carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors said Nezhinskiy fenced the stolen goods for international burglary crews, some of which targeted homes of prominent professional athletes.