MLB:
In baseball, in the American League, Alex Rodriguez hit the 20th homer of his renaissance season, Mark Teixeira connected for an early two-run shot as the Yankees edged Baltimore 4-3, Houston doubled up Boston 4-2, the Angels won against Minnesota 5-2, Detroit trumped Seattle 9-4, and it was Oakland over Toronto 4-3 in 10 innings.
In the National League, Washington slid past the Mets 4-3, the Dodgers beat Atlanta 3-1, in a double header Cincinnati bested the Cubs 9-1 in the first and the Cubs beat Cincinnati 6-5 in the second, San Francisco topped San Diego 7-1, and it was Miami over Arizona 5-3.
In interleague play, Philadelphia edged Tampa Bay 5-4 in 10 innings, Kansas City topped Pittsburgh 10-1, Texas beat Colorado 10-8, Cleveland beat Milwaukee 7-5, and it was St. Louis over the White Sox 3-2.
NBA:
The San Antonio Spurs have signed Glens Falls native and guard Jimmer Fredette. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed Wednesday.
The former BYU player spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 3.6 points, 1.4 assists and 10.2 minutes. He has career averages of 6.1 points and 1.4 assists in 229 games in four seasons with Sacramento, Chicago and New Orleans. As a senior at BYU in 2010-11, he was the NCAA Division I scoring leader with a 28.9 average.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league is leaning toward not guaranteeing a playoff spot to a team that wins its division. Silver says no decision has been made, but he believes it's likely that teams will qualify for the postseason only if they have one of the top eight records in their conference. Being a division winner would not assure a team of a playoff spot.
Division winners are currently guaranteed no worse than the No. 4 seed, though that's expected to be changed before next season. Portland got that spot in the Western Conference last season by winning the Northwest Division, but the Trail Blazers would have been seeded sixth by win-loss record.
NFL:
The foundation created by late Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson will deliver $1.2 billion over the next 20 years to causes in western New York and southeastern Michigan.
The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation is funded with proceeds from the sale of the Bills after the death of the franchise's founder in 2014.
A mission statement released Wednesday said grants will go to causes that resonated with Wilson. The Hall of Fame owner's priorities included supporting healthy lifestyles, early childhood and youth development, caregivers, community development and economic growth.
Wilson directed the foundation to spend down its fund within 20 years in order to complete its work within the lifetimes of those who knew him best.
Wilson was 95 when he died at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.
WNBA:
New York topped Los Angeles 59-53 and it was Connecticut over Minnesota in overtime 78-77.
Soccer – U.S. Team:
In a stunning upset, underdog Jamaica has reached the Gold Cup championship in soccer. The Jamaicans built a 2-0 halftime lead, and then held off Team USA 2-1 in the semifinal for the right to meet Mexico in Sunday's Gold Cup final. The Americans will play Panama for third place Saturday.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard says he is ready to make himself available for the United States national team again after taking a break since the 2014 World Cup. The 36-year-old Howard, who plays for Everton in the English Premier League, was allowed a sabbatical from international soccer in August last year but he could now return after the Gold Cup.
NCAA:
Some of the Atlantic Coast Conference's sleeping giants hope this is the year they return to prominence. Neither Miami nor North Carolina has ever been to the ACC championship game. And lately, once-frequent division winner Virginia Tech has been no better than mediocre.
NHL:
Defenseman Josh Manson and the Anaheim Ducks have agreed to a two-year, $1.65 million contract extension through the 2017-18 season. He made his NHL debut and played 28 games for the Ducks last year, collecting three assists. Manson was a sixth-round pick by Anaheim in 2011. He is the son of longtime NHL defenseman Dave Manson.
Tennis:
Former top-10 player Mardy Fish says the U.S. Open will be the last tennis tournament of his career.
The 33-year-old American has played just one competitive match since August 2013 as he's dealt with anxiety issues. The U.S. Tennis Association said Wednesday that Fish was using a protected ranking to gain entry to the singles field for the year's last Grand Slam event.
Fish tweeted: "I will finish my career at the US Open."
He says he'll play tournaments in Atlanta and Cincinnati before that.
Fish had announced last month that he would play doubles with retired pal Andy Roddick in Atlanta along with making his singles comeback there.
Fish's health problems began in March 2012 when his heart started racing uncontrollably the night after he lost a match at Key Biscayne, Florida.
Golf:
Stroke-play medalist Megan Khang beat Shannon Brooks 1 up yesterday in the first round of match play in the U.S. Girls' Junior. The 17-year-old Khang, from Rockland, Massachusetts, is making her record-tying seventh appearance in the tournament. She took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 16th and matched Brooks, from Vienna, Virginia, with pars on the final two holes at Tulsa Country Club.
Tour de France:
Germany's Simon Geschke won a tough and dangerous Stage 17 of the Tour de France. The bearded Geschke won the stage held in the Alps with a solo breakaway and on a treacherous descent. Race leader Chris Froome showed his bike-handling skills on the last high-speed descent where 2007 and 2009 winner Alberto Contador suffered a problem with his bike, costing him time.
