MLB:
The Atlanta Braves have put an emphatic finish on their three-game series of National League division leaders.
Jorge Soler and Austin Riley homered off Anthony DeSclafani in the fourth inning before the Braves completed a 9-0 rout of the Giants.
Ian Anderson pitched well in his first start since July 11, allowing four hits over 5 2/3 inning. Anderson missed 39 games with right shoulder inflammation.
Eddie Rosario added two-run triple in the sixth for the NL East leaders, who stayed 4 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies. Ozzie Albies connected for his 23rd homer in the eighth.
The Giants lost for only the fifth time in 20 games but still lead the NL West by 2 1/2 games over the Dodgers.
Los Angeles absorbed a 5-0 loss to the Rockies behind Antonio Senzatela, who allowing two hits over seven sparkling innings. The Dodgers finished with just three hits in their fourth shutout loss of the season.
CJ Cron leads the majors with 33 RBIs this month after supplying a three-run homer.
The Dodgers lost for just the fourth time in 21 games.
Checking out Sunday’s other major league action:
The Phillies won their third in a row as Freddy Galvis collected three RBIs in a 7-4 downing of the Diamondbacks. Rafael Marchand and Travis Jankowski hit back-to-back RBI triples to back Ranger Suarez, who allowed just one run over 5 1/3. Bryce Harper, Jean Segura and Marchand each had two hits for the Phillies.
The Brewers’ three-game skid is over after Rowdy Tellez and Luis Urias homered to power them to a 6-2 win over the Twins. Tellez belted a three-run shot, Urias added a solo blast and Kolten Wong hit a two-run double as Milwaukee extended its lead in the NL Central to 8 1/2 games over Cincinnati. Aaron Ashby surrendered a two-run homer by Miguel Sanó but just two other hits over five innings for his first major league win.
The Reds dropped a 2-1 decision to the Marlins, which cuts Cincinnati’s lead for the second NL wild card to 1 1/2 games over San Diego. Luzardo allowed one hit and no runs in six-plus innings, helping Miami beat the Reds for the second straight day after 11 straight losses to Cincy. Jesús Sánchez hit a two-run homer in the first, his sixth homer of the year and his second in two days.
The Pirates pulled out a 4-3 win over the Cardinals on Yoshi Tsutsugo’s three-run homer off Alex Reyes in the bottom of the ninth. Five of Tsustugo’s nine hits with the Pirates have been home runs. Kwang Hyun Kim pitched four innings of one-run ball for St. Louis in his return to the rotation.
Francisco Lindor forced a balk in the first inning and hit a two-run double as the Mets whipped the Nationals, 9-4. Javier Báez and Jonathan Villar homered as New York pulled off its first series win since a sweep of Washington on Aug. 10-12. The Nats’ three hits all came on homers as Josh Bell furnished two and Juan Soto had the other.
Joey Wendle drove in six runs with a pair of homers, including a grand slam that broke open the Rays’ victory over the Orioles, 12-8. Austin Meadows and Jordan Luplow also homered for Tampa Bay, which finished 18-1 against Baltimore this year. Ryan Mountcastle tied a career high with four hits, including his 24th home run for the Orioles.
The Rays’ lead in the AL East is up to six games over the Yankees following New York’s 3-1 loss to the Athletics. Tony Kemp broke a 1-1 deadlock with a two-run homer in the eighth inning. Kemp, Josh Harrison and Yan Gomes each had two hits to help the A’s move back within 5 1/2 games of the AL West-leading Astros.
Yu Chang doubled home Oscar Mercado with the go-ahead run on a fielder’s interference call in the eighth inning as the Indians rallied for a 7-5 win over the Red Sox. Cleveland trailed 4-0 and did not have a hit off Tanner Houck over the first 5 1/3 innings before José Ramirez lined a solo homer to right. Rafael Devers (DEH’-vurz) hit two solo home runs for Boston, which now leads Oakland by 2 1/2 games for the second AL wild card.
The Rangers crushed the Astros, 13-2 as Adolis García hit the first grand slam by a Texas batter in almost two years. García’s 29th homer came during an eight-run outburst in the fifth, the highest-scoring inning for the last-place Rangers this season. DJ Peters led off the fifth with a 450-foot drive and finished with three RBIs as Texas avoided being swept by Houston again.
Luis Robert slammed two of the White Sox’s five home runs in a 13-1 laugher against the Cubs. Eloy Jiménez, Yasmani Grandal and Brian Goodwin also connected for the White Sox, who went 5-1 against the Cubs this year. Robert, Jiménez and Goodwin each drove in three runs to support Dylan Cease, who tied a career high with 11 strikeouts.
Kyle Seager connected for a two-run drive to help the Mariners beat the Royals 4-3. Seager hit his career-high 31st homer in the seventh inning, lifting the Mariners to a 4-2 lead and helping them avoid a four-game series sweep at home. Kansas city catcher Salvador Perez homered for the fifth consecutive game and provided 11 RBIs via the long ball in the series.
Jose Berríos allowed one unearned run on six hits over seven innings to pitch the Blue Jays past the Tigers, 2-1. Bo Bichette and Kevin Smith homered as Toronto took the rubber match of the three-game set. Tim Mayza got the final four outs for his first career save.
Noah Syndergaard’s return to the majors has hit another snag.
A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that the New York Mets right-hander has tested positive for COVID-19.
Syndergaard was scratched from a rehab start on Sunday. New York manager Luis Rojas said Syndergaard had a “non-baseball-related injury.” He did confirm that Syndergaard has been vaccinated.
Syndergaard is recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Mets are hoping he can rejoin the team as a reliever should they become relevant in the NL East race again.
BASEBALL-LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES:
Jackson Surma drove in four runs and Ethan Van Belle struck out eight as Michigan beat Ohio 5-2 on Sunday in the championship game of the Little League World Series.
The team from Taylor North Little League delivered the first LLWS title for the state of Michigan since 1959.
Both teams are from the Great Lakes, marking the only time clubs from the same region played in the championship.
NFL:
The Minnesota Vikings have signed five-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith to a four-year contract extension. The deal secures the team’s longest-tenured player for what could be the remainder of his decorated career.
Smith leads all NFL safeties with 28 interceptions since he entered the NFL in 2012.
According to a person with knowledge of the deal, the new contract is worth $64 million with a little more than $26 million guaranteed.
The 32-year-old Smith was in the final year of his deal with a salary cap slightly above $10 million.
In other NFL news:
Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is expected to miss the upcoming season with a torn ACL. Dobbins left the Ravens’ preseason finale at Washington on Saturday night midway through the first quarter following his injury. The news is a blow for Baltimore, which led the NFL in rushing last season. Dobbins ran for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie last season.
The Jets have acquired edge rusher Shaq Lawson from the Texans for a sixth-round pick in next year’s NFL draft, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal. The Jets were in dire need of a pass-rushing specialist after Carl Lawson was lost for the season two weeks ago with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Shaq Lawson had 20 1/2 sacks in five seasons with Buffalo and Miami.
The Saints are planning to practice this week at the home of the Cowboys after evacuating because of Hurricane Ida. The Saints are scheduled to practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at AT&T Stadium before taking a break heading into the regular season. That’s according to a person that spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the club wasn’t discussing its plans publicly.
PGA-BMW CHAMPIONSHIP:
Patrick Cantlay emerged as the winner of a lengthy playoff that decided the PGA’s BMW Championship near Baltimore.
Clutch down the stretch and for six dynamic playoff holes, Patrick Cantlay put a fitting end to an epic battle with Bryson DeChambeau by making an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
DeChambeau missed four birdie putts to win in regulation and in the playoff. He missed the most important putt of the week from just inside 10 feet to extend the playoff.
They both finished regulation at 27-under 261. No one had ever shot 261 on the PGA Tour and didn’t take home the trophy.
Cantlay earned the sixth and final automatic spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team by winning the tournament. Tony Finau was in the sixth spot until he was surpassed by Cantlay’s victory.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-ALLY CHALLENGE:
Joe Durant made a 5-foot bogey putt on the par-4 18th for a one-stroke victory over Bernhard Langer in The Ally Challenge.
The 57-year-old Durant closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 17-under 199 at Warwick Hills. He won for the fourth time on the PGA Tour Champions after winning four times on the PGA Tour.
Steven Alker was third at 15 under after a 67.
F1-BELGIAN GP:
Max Verstappen has won a rain-soaked and shortened Belgian Grand Prix.
The race was called off Sunday after it had restarted under a safety car nearly three hours later than scheduled. The race was shortened to last one hour with only half points awarded to the winner, who needed to complete only two laps to earn points.
Red Bull driver Verstappen was leading Williams driver George Russell and Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton on Lap 4 when the restarted race ended after roughly 10 minutes with rain still lashing down.
Verstappen’s sixth win of the season was the 16th of his career and denied Hamilton a record-extending 100th win, while also trimming his overall lead from eight points to three.
OBIT-ROGGE:
The International Olympic Committee says Jacques Rogge (zhahk ROH’-geh), who led the organization as president for 12 years, has died. He was 79.
Rogge’s health had visibly declined when he attended Olympic events since his presidency ended in 2013.
Rogge led the European group of Olympic committees before being elected as the IOC’s eighth president in 2001.
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