Ryan Braun is the first player to receive a suspension stemming from Major League Baseball's investigation of players reportedly linked to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder has been suspended without pay for the remainder of the season, causing him to miss the team's final 65 games.
ESPN is reporting that a source familiar with the investigation says the evidence against Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is “far beyond” what Major League Baseball had on Braun. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team has no idea when, or if, any discipline is coming for A-Rod saying, “we’ve been kept out of the process.”
On the scoreboard, Texas shut out the Yankees 3-0. Yu Darvish pitched into the seventh inning and Nelson Cruz hit a solo homer. Tampa Bay blanked Boston 3-0. Matt Moore tossed a two-hitter and James Loney had two RBIs. Baltimore passed Kansas City 9-2. Detroit topped the White Sox 7-3. Oakland defeated Houston 4-3. Minnesota beat the Angels 4-3 and Seattle won against Cleveland 2-1.
In the National League, Atlanta beat the Mets 2-1. Pittsburgh edged ahead of Washington 6-5. San Diego beat Milwaukee 5-3. It was Miami over Colorado 3-1. The Cubs doubled up Arizona 4-2 and Cincinnati crushed San Francisco 11-0.
In other sports news, Bigger Is Bettor won by a head in a four-horse battle to the wire to take the $100,000 Evan Shipman Stakes at Saratoga Race Course for horses bred in New York with jockey Joseph Rocco Jr. for owners Chester and Mary Broman.
In the NFL, the New York Jets have signed quarterback Geno Smith, their second-round draft pick, to a four-year contract that is worth about $5 million.
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