MLB:
The Red Sox have officially released Pablo Sandoval because the third baseman didn't report after being designated for assignment last week. It officially ends the Boston tenure for the once-celebrated free agent, who never was healthy enough to live up to the expectations that came with the $95 million contract he signed in 2014.
Staked to an early lead, Jacob deGrom pitched into the seventh inning and won his career-best seventh straight start as the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 on Wednesday. New York jumped on Mike Leake for seven runs in the first two innings and cruised from there behind deGrom to snap a three-game losing streak. DeGrom settled down after a 25-pitch first inning, allowing seven hits and striking out three.
Dustin Pedroia drove in three, Drew Pomeranz pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1. Pomeranz allowed an unearned run over 6 2/3 innings to win his fourth straight decision and continues to be among Boston's most dependable arms.
Miguel Sano hit a three-run home run, Jose Berrios went strong into the seventh inning and the Minnesota Twins beat New York 6-1 on Wednesday to win their first home series against the Yankees in nine years. Berrios (9-3) allowed only one run, his fewest in 11 starts, on a two-out single by Brett Gardner in the seventh before being removed. Berrios improved to 6-0 in seven afternoon turns this season and helped drop the Yankees to 0-8-2 in their past 10 series.
Right-hander Alex Meyer allowed only one hit in seven innings, and Mike Trout and C.J. Cron hit two-run homers to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-0 victory Wednesday night that snapped the Washington Nationals' six-game winning streak.
The 6-foot-9 Meyer had a perfect game until he walked Anthony Rendon with two outs in the fifth. He lost his no-hitter with two outs in the sixth when Brian Goodwin doubled down the right-field line.
Meyer, Rendon and Goodwin were all first-round draft picks by the Nationals in 2011.
In other games:
J.D. Martinez bruised his left hand, forcing him out of his debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Cincinnati Reds ended their five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory.
The win was capped by Adam Duvall's bases-loaded single in the 11th inning. The Reds had lost all five games since the All-Star break, including Arizona's 11-2 victory on Tuesday night that featured nine extra-base hits by the Diamondbacks.
Buster Posey pinch hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning and San Francisco defeated Cleveland 5-4. Posey, on a scheduled rest day, doubled off the wall on a 3-2 slider on the seventh offering from Indians reliever Bryan Shaw. The Indians lost for the sixth time in seven games as they concluded a 1-5 West Coast trip.
Kike Hernandez had two home runs to lead the surging Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-1 win in a rain-shortened game, spoiling the Chicago White Sox debut of top prospect Yoan Moncada. Hernandez broke out of a 1-for-23 slump with home runs in his first two at-bats, lifting the Dodgers to their 11th straight win and 31st victory in 35 games. The game was called in the top of the eighth inning after a 37-minute delay.
Brandon Moss doubled off the wall in the ninth to score the tying run, and Alex Gordon drove him home with a sacrifice fly to bail out closer Kelvin Herrera and give the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Moss homered in the third inning before coming through against Tigers closer Justin Wilson (3-4) in the ninth — shortly after Mikie Mahtook's two-run shot off Herrera had given Detroit the lead.
Kevin Gausman pitched six innings of four-hit ball, Adam Jones homered and scored three runs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the faltering Texas Rangers 10-2 on Wednesday night. Trey Mancini contributed two hits in a seven-run seventh inning, including a bases-loaded triple, and Jonathan Schoop finished with three hits and three RBIs. Having thus far outscored Texas 25-4 in the series, the Orioles will attempt to complete a four-game sweep on Thursday.
Max Moroff got his first career game-ending hit with a single in the 10th inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2. Moroff raised his right arm and ran to first base while his seventh big league hit scored Josh Harrison. Teammate Gregory Polanco hoisted the rookie into the air as the Pirates celebrated in the infield.
Daniel Nava tied a career high with four hits and Philadelphia had a season-best 20 hits to beat Miami 10-3 and win a road series for only the third time this season. Nava singled in each of his first four at-bats, drove in two runs and increased his average to .300. The Phillies completed a 3-3 trip but still have the worst record in the majors. Miami's Giancarlo Stanton hit his 30th homer to forge a tie with the Yankees' Aaron Judge for the major league lead in homers.
Nolan Arenado lined three homers as part of his five-hit afternoon and tied a career-high with seven RBIs, helping the Colorado Rockies complete a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres with an 18-4 victory. Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon also homered on a scorching day when the Rockies had a season-high 21 hits. Gerardo Parra had four hits and his streak of reaching base ended at 10 straight plate appearances.
Sonny Gray struck out six pitching into the seventh inning in what might have been his final home start in Oakland if the club tries to deal him before the trade deadline, and the Athletics rallied in the fifth to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2. Matt Joyce hit a towering homer to the right-field seats in the eighth for Oakland.
James Paxton had another strong start against Houston and rookie Ben Gamel powered the offense with a two-run homer to give the Seattle Mariners a 4-1 win over the Astros on Wednesday. Paxton allowed six hits and one run in seven innings, after not allowing a run in his previous two starts against Houston this season. It's the fourth straight win for Paxton, who struck out seven.
Mike Montgomery hit his first home run and allowed two hits and one run in six innings to lead the streaking Chicago Cubs to an 8-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Javier Baez hit a three-run homer in the eighth for Chicago, which stretched its season-best winning streak to six games since the All-Star break. The Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Braves.
NBA:
Blake Griffin says it was a no-brainer for him to sign a max five-year deal to stay with the L.A. Clippers. He says his summer wasn't filled with meetings with other teams. Blake says he canceled those after he met with the Clippers, the only NBA team he's played for in his seven-year career. He says he's "excited to be back" and he's where he wants to start and finish his career.
Griffin, who is 28, is undoubtedly the star of the Clippers with Chris Paul gone in the trade with the Rockets that sent Pat Beverley to Los Angeles. He said he and Paul talked about his decision to want to leave the Clippers and has "no hard feelings." He says players have to do what's best for themselves and their families.
In other NBA news:
Manu Ginobili appears to be putting off retirement for at least another season. The forward, who turns 40 on July 28, has tweeted that he is re-signing with San Antonio. The 6-foot-6 guard has been a part of four of the Spurs' five NBA championships. Ginobili averaged 7.5 points and 18.7 minutes per game last season. In 15 seasons with the Spurs, the native of Argentina ranks in the top five in franchise history in points (13,467), games (992), assists (3,835) and steals (1,349). The Spurs will need the two-time NBA All-Star. They lost Jonathon Simmons in free agency to Orlando and Tony Parker is expected to be out until at least January.
The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Mario Chalmers, nearly 1 1/2 years after he ruptured his right Achilles tendon playing for the team. The Grizzlies announced the deal Wednesday. Terms of the contract weren't disclosed. Chalmers, who is 31, was injured in March 2016. During the 2015-16 season Chalmers played 61 games for the Grizzlies and Miami Heat. He played for Miami from 2008-15 and was part of the Heat's 2012 and 2013 NBA championship teams.
NFL:
The Chicago Bears have signed quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, their first-round draft pick and the No. 2 overall selection in April.
Trubisky started all 13 games for North Carolina last season, setting single-season school records for passing yards (3,748), passing touchdowns (30) and total offense (4,056) while completing 68 percent of his passes.
He is not expected to start this season. Veteran Mike Glennon was signed in the offseason to take over for the departed Jay Cutler, and he gives the Bears time to develop Trubisky.
In other NFL news:
The Carolina Panthers have rehired Marty Hurney as their interim general manager. Hurney, who served as Panthers general manager from 1998-2012, replaces Dave Gettleman, who was fired earlier this week in a surprise move. Hurney drafted quarterback Cam Newton, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, center Ryan Kalil and defensive end Charles Johnson, and traded for tight end Greg Olsen — all of whom are team captains.
The death of former NFL wide receiver James Hardy has been ruled a suicide by Indiana officials. The Allen County Coroner's Office says the 31-year-old Hardy died of "asphyxia due to drowning." Hardy's body was found June 7 at a dam along the Maumee River in his hometown of Fort Wayne. The former Indiana star was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2008. He also played for Baltimore before being released in 2011.
Connecticut officials say the wife of longtime ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman died from blunt trauma and drowning after her car hit another vehicle in May. The Hartford Courant reports that Dr. James Gill, the chief state medical examiner, has ruled 67-year-old Katherine Ann Berman's death an accident. Her car struck the rear of an SUV, veered down an embankment and into water. The driver of the SUV, an elderly man who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, also died. The case remains under investigation.
SOCCER:
Omar Gonzalez and Eric Lichaj scored late in the first half and the United States beat El Salvador 2-0 on Wednesday night in an ugly CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal in which defender Henry Romero appeared to bite Jozy Altidore on the back of a shoulder and pull the American forward's nipple.
Canadian referee Drew Fischer, a Major League Soccer regular, did not penalize the incident, which occurred during a skirmish on the goal line in the 57th minute ahead of a U.S. corner kick. A furious Altidore fell to the ground but remained in the game.
The Americans, who started five veterans added for the tournament's knockout phase, overcame shaky defensive play and poor passing, advancing to a semifinal against Costa Rica on Saturday at Arlington, Texas.
Daniel Royer scored twice in a minute span late in the New York Red Bulls' 5-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes last night. Royer scored in the 90th and 91st minutes. He has seven goals this season. The five goals are the most the Red Bulls have scored this season and the most the Earthquakes have allowed. New York has won two in a row for the first time since a three-game streak in April.
GOLF:
Play is underway at the 146th British Open.
Organizers say they are expecting big crowds this week at Royal Birkdale that will rival the attendance records set at the Open when Tiger Woods was in his dominant prime. More than 220,000 people are expected on the course set on the northwest England coast by the time play ends Sunday. That ranks high among recent Opens, some of which was blamed on Woods not being in the field.
The crowd this week is expected to rank No. 4 among biggest crowds since officials started keeping attendance figures in 1960. The two biggest crowds were 239,000 at St. Andrews in 2000 and 237,000 on the same course in 2010, followed by 230,000 at Royal Liverpool in 2006. Woods won the Open in both 2000 and 2006.
Fans will need warm outfits, slickers and umbrellas. The forecast calls for a chance of rain in all four rounds.
TENNIS:
The Tennis Integrity Unit says a total of four matches at Wimbledon and the French Open have been flagged for unusual betting patterns.
The TIU's quarterly report, released Wednesday, says a total of 53 match alerts were received from April to June out of a total of more than 31,000 professional matches. There were 73 alerts during the same period last year.
Three of the recently flagged matches were at Wimbledon — two in qualifying, one in the main draw — and one was at Roland Garros. Only four were at ATP or WTA tour events. The other 45 were at low-level Challenger, Futures or ITF tournaments.
The TIU says each alert is assessed but is not, on its own, evidence of match-fixing, because other reasons can affect betting patterns.
NASCAR:
Matt Crafton won the Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday night for his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in more than a year.
The two-time series champion passed Stewart Friesen with 16 laps to go and won by 1.96 seconds in his No. 88 Toyota. Crafton won for the first time since May 2016 at Charlotte.
NHL:
Sidney Crosby will mark his 30th birthday by once again parading the Stanley Cup in his province.
In tweets sent out by the Sidney Crosby Hockey School, Crosby said he would hoist the trophy in the streets of Halifax and Dartmouth as part of an annual civic parade on August 7th in the Halifax_Dartmouth Natal Day parade.
The parade, part of annual events that celebrate Halifax's birthday, also happens to fall on the Pittsburgh Penguins captain's 30th birthday.
Crosby has shown off the Stanley Cup twice before in his hometown of Cole Harbour, just outside Dartmouth, in 2009 and 2016. Last July, Crosby carried the Cup in the back of a pickup that made its way to an arena in Cole Harbour as thousands of cheering fans looked on in sweltering heat.
OJ SIMPSON:
Instead of a blurry No. 32, 70-year-old O.J. Simpson will be wearing an inmate uniform with No. 1027820 when the former NFL star turned actor appears before a Nevada parole board on Thursday.
Simpson's spent more than eight years behind bars for armed robbery and assault with a weapon after trying to take back sports memorabilia in a budget hotel room in Las Vegas. Simpson was acquitted of murder in the 1995 "trial of the century" in Los Angeles.
Parole is a likely possibility with his clean prison record. Sports fans, newshounds and the curious will get to see what happens first hand.
ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, HLN and ESPN will show Simpson's parole hearing.
Interest in Simpson was revived last year with ESPN's documentary "O.J.: Made in America," and the FX miniseries, "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story"
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