Chris Sale righted himself and struck out 13 over eight two-hit innings, Sam Travis hit a two-run homer and the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Thursday night. Sale had allowed 14 runs over nine innings during his previous two starts, both against the rival New York Yankees.
He carved up the Angels in his 13th outing with double-digit strikeouts this season. The Red Sox had lost nine of 10 games, not including's Wednesday's contest against the Royals that was suspended in the 10th inning with the score tied at 4. Thursday's game ran without issue and was over in a tidy 2 hours, 16 minutes. Boston entered six games back of the second AL wild card.
Gio Urshela hit two home runs for the second straight game and the New York Yankees outslugged rookie Bo Bichette and the Toronto Blue Jays 12-6 to extend their winning streak to a season-best nine games. Playing in Toronto for the first time, Bichette became the first player in major league history to double in nine consecutive games. He also homered, giving him an unprecedented 13 extra-base hits in his first 11 career games. The Yankees have hit a record 19 homers over their last four games.
Madison Bumgarner carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, pitching the San Francisco Giants past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 on Thursday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
In MLB news, the Chicago White Sox will play a game against the New York Yankees next August at the site in Iowa where the movie "Field of Dreams" was filmed. The White Sox will play host to the Yankees in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13. A temporary 8,000-seat stadium will be built on the site to accommodate the first major league game ever played in Iowa.
The New York Mets have signed free agent right-handed pitcher Brad Brach and optioned left-hander Donnie Hart to Triple-A Syracuse. The 33-year-old Brach, a 2016 All-Star with Baltimore, has a career 3.32 ERA with 33 saves over nine major league seasons.
Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price was placed on the 10-day injured list after an MRI revealed a cyst on his left wrist. The team says the 33-year-old Price was treated with a shot of cortisone.
Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber pitched three innings in a minor league rehab start on Thursday, the most significant outing since a line drive broke his right forearm three months ago. Kluber, who was hit May 1 in Miami, allowed two home runs and threw 41 pitches for Triple-A Columbus in a game against Pawtucket. He struck out two, walked one and retired the final five batters he faced. The two-time Cy Young winner remains hopeful he can return to Cleveland's rotation this season.
NFL
Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass in his only series in the Giants' 31-22 victory over the local rival Jets, and opened the speculation on how long he will have to wait to replace Eli Manning. The preseason opener for both teams was suspended for 59 minutes late in the first quarter when lightning and heavy rain rolled into the MetLife Stadium area.
Jakobi Meyers caught two touchdown passes in an impressive preseason debut, and the New England Patriots drubbed the Detroit Lions 31-3 on Thursday night. Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford didn't play, and plenty of other key players were also spectators, but Meyers stood out for New England. The undrafted rookie caught scoring passes from Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham in the second quarter. He finished with six catches for 69 yards.
With LeSean McCoy resting, and Frank Gore limited to two series, rookie running back Devin Singletary got the Buffalo Bills off to a running start in their preseason-opening 24-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts The Colts struggled on offense while sitting out numerous starters, including starting quarterback Andrew Luck, who is nursing a strained left calf.
The Philadelphia Eagles rested Carson Wentz only to lose his backup. Nate Sudfeld left the sideline on a cart after injuring his left arm on a late hit in the second quarter of Philadelphia's 27-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Baker Mayfield was nearly perfect in Cleveland's preseason opener. He threw a touchdown pass in his only series as the Browns beat the Washington Redskins 30-10 in Freddie Kitchens' debut as coach. Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns' big offseason pickup, didn't play. Redskins QB Case Keenum threw a TD pass while rookie Dwayne Haskins had two interceptions.
In NFl news, an attorney suing the NFL over the failure to call a crucial penalty in a January playoff game disputes claims that allowing the lawsuit to proceed would lead to a burdensome flood of further such suits over game outcomes. Anthony LeMon filed his response Thursday to the league's attempt to block the lawsuit at Louisiana's Supreme Court. It notes that no other such suits are pending in state court in New Orleans, where his suit was filed. And it says the circumstances in the playoff game are unique. At issue is officials' failure to flag a Los Angeles Rams player for an illegal hit on a New Orleans Saints receiver at a key point in the playoff game. The Rams won the game and advanced to the Super Bowl.
Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld left the sideline on a cart after injuring his left arm on a late hit in the second quarter of Philadelphia's game against Tennessee. Sudfeld was wearing an air cast on the cart ride to the locker room. Cody Kessler replaced him and took a late hit by Nigel Harris on his first play.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn has been suspended for the first two games of the regular season for violating the NFL's ban on performance enhancers. Quinn was acquired in a trade with Miami in the offseason. The ninth-year player is eligible to practice and play in preseason games, but he is out until the regular season after breaking his left hand in practice at training camp.
A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Morris Claiborne on a one-year deal to fortify their backfield. Claiborne is suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
The Cleveland Browns have traded disgruntled running back Duke Johnson to the Houston Texans for an undisclosed 2020 draft pick. Johnson has been unhappy with his role in past seasons. He asked to be traded this year after the Browns signed suspended free agent running back Kareem Hunt.
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche has signed with the Miami Dolphins, two weeks after the Arizona Cardinals released their 2016 first-round draft pick. Nkemdiche is still recovering from ACL surgery last December, and the Dolphins placed him on the active/physically unable to perform list
MLS
Valentín Castellanos scored twice in the final 14 minutes and New York City FC beat the 10-man Houston Dynamo 3-2 in a match delayed an hour due to weather. Castellanos tied it at 2 in the 83rd minute with NYC's first goal from a header this season. It came six minutes after Mauro Manotas gave Houston a lead with a strike from 22-yards out for his ninth goal of the season. Castellanos had another header blocked in stoppage time, but he knocked home the rebound for the winner.
PGA
Troy Merritt isn't obsessed with his position in the FedEx Cup and what he needs to advance in the PGA Tour's postseason. He figures the best solution is good golf, and he delivered his best round of the year Thursday in The Northern Trust. Merritt began with a 10-foot par save, followed with a pair of 20-foot birdie putts and took advantage of calm, rain-softened Liberty National by tying the course record with a 9-under 62 for a one-shot lead over Dustin Johnson. Tiger Woods had a 4-over 75.
NBA
A Tennessee man charged with killing former NBA player Lorenzen Wright has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on a separate gun charge. Billy Turner was sentenced during a hearing Thursday in Memphis. Turner pleaded guilty in June to possessing a weapon as a convicted felon. Prosecutors say Turner had two guns in his possession when he was charged in December 2017 with Wright's killing. The retired NBA player's body was found riddled with bullet wounds in a swampy field in Memphis in July 2010. Turner and Wright's ex-wife were charged with first-degree murder. Sherra Wright pleaded guilty to facilitation of murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison July 25. Turner's trial in the killing is set for Sept. 16. Turner has pleaded not guilty.
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