Simone Biles has won a bronze medal in balance beam, her first of the Tokyo Olympics.Just a little over a week ago, the 24-year-old stepped away from competition to focus on her mental health. Biles said she was dealing with the "twisties," what happens when an athlete loses his or her awareness in the air. She drilled a slightly altered routine Tuesday, ending with a double-pike dismount — no twisting required — and posting a score of 14.000. Biles finished behind gold medalist Guan Chenchen and silver medalist Tang Xijing both of China.
Also in Tokyo:
German Malaika Mihambo took the top spot in the women's long jump with a 7-meter leap on her final attempt and edged U.S. veteran Brittney Reese for the gold medal. The 34-year-old Reese now has back-to-back Olympic silver medals at the Tokyo Games and from Rio de Janeiro after winning the title at London in 2012.
April Ross is the last defending medalist standing in the beach volleyball women's bracket. The American 2016 bronze medalist and partner Alix Klineman ousted defending champion Laura Ludwig of Germany and advanced to the semifinals. Ross and Klineman are the United States' last hopes for a beach volleyball medal in Tokyo.
A shot putter from the country of Georgia has been pulled from the event after testing positive for steroids. Benik Abramyan was due to take part in the shot put qualifying round later Tuesday.
The Greek Olympic team says the outbreak of COVID-19 cases among its artistic swimmers has ruled them out of competing at the Tokyo Games. Three new cases were reported Tuesday and the entire artistic swimming squad was asked to leave the Olympic Village. Only one case had been previously confirmed. The Greek team says they are all staying at a quarantine hotel. Greece was due to compete in the duet and team events.
Poland has granted a visa to a Belarusian Olympic sprinter who said she feared for her safety and that her team's officials tried to force her to fly home. A Polish Foreign Ministry official says the runner, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, received a humanitarian visa from the Polish embassy in Tokyo. The standoff apparently began after she criticized how officials were managing her team. That set off a massive backlash in state-run media back home, where authorities relentlessly crack down on government critics.
MLB
Homers by Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, Ryan Mountcastle and Ramón Urías powered the Orioles to a 7-1 win over the Yankees. All four home runs came against losing pitcher Andrew Heaney, who worked six innings in his Yankees debut. Jorge López took a no-hitter into the sixth and allowed one run and one hit in six innings, helping Baltimore end New York's three-game winning streak.
Elsewhere in baseball:
The Marlins had dropped four in a row before Lewis Brinson belted a first-inning grand slam off Tylor Megile to spark Miami's 6-3 win over the Mets. Miguel Rojas had two hits and scored twice as the Marlins gut New York's division lead to 2 1/2 games over the Phils. Jesús Luzardo pitched five innings and limited New York to three runs and four hits in his Marlins debut.
The Phillies have shaved another game off the New York Mets' lead in the NL East. J.T. Realmuto's go-ahead, two-run single was part of a five-run ninth that lifted the Phillies past the Nationals, 7-5. Jean Segura's RBI double against Wander Suero tied the game in the ninth. Ryan Zimmerman's pinch-hit, two-run single against Archie Bradley pushed the Nationals ahead 3-2 in the seventh.
The Jays have followed a series sweep of the Royals with a 5-2 loss to the Indians in 10 innings. Amed Rosario singled home the tiebreaking run and scored on a two-run homer by Jose Ramirez. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 34th home run for the Blue Jays who had been 3-0 in Toronto since returning to Ontario.
The Giants wasted a 7-1 lead before Buster Posey's RBI single in the 10th put them ahead to stay in an 11-8 victory at Arizona. San Francisco built its lead on the strength of Alex Dickerson's grand slam in a five-run fifth. Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores also homered for San Francisco, which increased its lead in the NL West to 3 1/2 games over the Dodgers.
The Brewers coasted to a 6-2 win over the Pirates as Eduardo Escobar supplied a three-run homer and an RBI triple. Winning pitcher Eric Lauer allowed just three hits and no walks over five scoreless innings as Milwaukee stretched its lead in the NL Central to 7 1/2 games over the Reds. Bryse Wilson worked five innings and allowed just one run in his Pirates debut.
The Mariners put together a five-run third and ended the Rays' four-game winning streak, 8-2, trimming Tampa Bay's lead in the AL East to one game over Boston. Jake Fraley hit a two-run single during the third-inning rally. Ty France came within a triple of hitting for the cycle, providing three hits and three RBIs.
The Rangers took the lead for good with a double steal in a 4-1 victory over the Angels. Brock Holt scored the tiebreaking run with a headfirst slide into home and later lifted a sacrifice fly. Dane Dunning allowed one run and three hits over five innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time this season.
In MLB news:
The Milwaukee Brewers picked up a reliever and lost another on Monday. The NL Central leaders have acquired John Axford from the Blue Jays for $1 as the 38-year-old right-hander continues his comeback attempt. Axford hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2018 and began this season as a studio analyst on the Blue Jays' television broadcast crew. He signed a minor league contract in June and went 1-0 with an 0.84 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Blue Jays' Triple-A Buffalo affiliate. All-Star closer Josh Hader has joined the growing collection of Brewers on the COVID-19 injured list. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Hader reported contact with someone experiencing "COVID-like symptoms." Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich and pitchers Jake Cousins, Jandel Gustave and Hunter Strickland already had been placed on the COVID-19 list over the last few days.
NBA
Chris Paul opted out of the final year of his contract with the Phoenix Suns over the weekend, but he's staying put. A person with knowledge of the deal has told The Associated Press tha Phoenix is bringing back the veteran point guard on a four-year deal that could be worth up to $120 million. The package would keep him with the Suns until he's 40 years old. Paul helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals this past season.
The AP has learned of several other NBA moves through people familiar with the negotiations:
Kyle Lowry's representatives have announced that he is heading to the Heat. A person with knowledge of the deal said Lowry would be signing a three-year package worth nearly $30 million annually. The contract is part of an eventual sign-and-trade that sends Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa from Miami to Toronto.
The Mavericks are bringing back shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. on a $72 million, four-year contract.
The Nuggets have reached two-year agreements with guard Will Barton and forward JaMychal Green.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has agreed to a $100 million, five-year contract to remain with Cleveland.
Lonzo Ball is heading to the Bulls in a sign-and-trade agreement that will send guards Tomas Satoransky and Garrett Temple to the Pelicans.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Quentin Hillsman has resigned as the women’s basketball coach at Syracuse. The team is under review by a law firm over his alleged threats and bullying of players. Athletic director John Wildhack said both sides “agreed that parting ways is in the best interest” of the school. He says an interim coach will be named. Syracuse had 12 players enter the transfer portal after the season. Hillsman blamed their departure on attrition, COVID-19 and other issues. The allegations of threats, bullying and unwanted physical contact by Hillsman were first reported by The Athletic. That prompted the university to hire an outside law firm to investigate.
NFL
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is expected to miss 5 to 12 weeks because a broken left foot. Coach Frank Reich says doctors found Wentz had broken the foot years ago, probably in high school, and that a piece of bone came loose when he hurt the foot last Thursday. For now, Indy plans to use Jacob Eason as the starter. Eason was a fourth-round draft pick in 2020 and has not appeared in an NFL game — regular season or preseason.
In other news from the NFL training camps:
Bills general manager Brandon Beane told The Associated Press he is giving himself before the start of the regular season to negotiate a long-term extension with quarterback Josh Allen before putting off discussions until next year. Beane wouldn't specify an exact date in saying the two sides have agreed to suspend talks before Week 1 so as not to serve as a distraction for the fourth-year starter, whose rookie contract runs through the end of the 2022 season. The Bills bought themselves time by picking up Allen's fifth-year option at $23 million in May.
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner was listed as week-to-week on the injury report, so his status for Philadelphia's preseason opener against Pittsburgh on Aug. 12 is uncertain.
The Giants have announced the re-signing of running back Alfred Morris, who was second on the team in rushing with 238 yards despite playing just nine games for Big Blue.
Dolphins receiver Preston Williams joined three tight ends already on the team's COVID-19 reserve list. Tight ends Mike Gesicki, Cethan Carter and Adam Shaheen went on the list Sunday. The Dolphins didn't say whether the players tested positive or entered protocol because of contact tracing.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Alabama coach Nick Saban will make $11.5 million in the final year under a new eight-year contract that's worth at least $84.8 million. The university has released details of Saban's previously announced deal, after the board of trustees' compensation committee formally approved it. Saban has won a record seven national championships and is set to make $8.7 million this year with annual raises of $400,000.
Also in college football:
LSU quarterback Myles Brennan needs surgery to repair what coach Ed Orgeron called a severe left arm injury. Brennan is a fifth-year senior competing to regain the starting job he lost to injury a season ago. Brennan's injury to his non-throwing arm means sophomore Max Johnson will enter the start of fall camp Friday with the inside track to start LSU's season opener Sept. 4 at UCLA.
The player considered to be the top quarterback prospect in the class of 2022 says he is skipping his senior year of high school in Texas and plans to enroll at Ohio State for the upcoming semester after completing his high school course work this summer. Five-star recruit Quinn Ewers says his decision was influenced by Texas rules which prohibit him from earning money from endorsement and sponsorship deals.
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