ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Joey Rickard hit a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning and the Baltimore Orioles, boosted by three home runs, beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-5 Sunday. Caleb Joseph, Trey Mancini and Jonathan Schoop homered for the Orioles. It was 5-all when Joseph opened the ninth with his third hit, a single off Alex Colome (1-3). Rickard put the Orioles ahead, Schoop was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Adam Jones added a sacrifice fly. Brad Brach (2-1) earned the win with two innings of shutout relief. Schoop’s 15th home run, a solo shot off reliever Chase Whitley, tied in the eighth. Evan Longoria’s three-run homer off starter Chris Tillman put the Rays up 5-3 in the fifth. It was Longoria’s 12th home run of the season and the ninth of his career off Tillman. It was the Rays’ only homer of the game, ending a streak of six straight multihomer games. Joseph and Mancini connected off starter Jake Odorizzi, marking the 11th … [Read more...]

After 21 starts at quarterback over three years at San Diego State, Kevin O'Connell had distinguished himself in a number of areas. He was 10th in Aztec career history in passing yardage, eighth in passing attempts, seventh in completions and fifth in total offense with 5,530 yards. There was one area in which his success was superlative: O'Connell’s 906 rushing yards — that’s 43 per start — were the most in school history by a quarterback. Fast forward to today and O’Connell, 32, is in his first year as the Redskins quarterbacks coach. His task is to take Kirk Cousins, who threw for nearly 5,000 yards last season, and make him better. A bit of extra mobility may be just the thing. “It’s all situational,” O'Connell said. “Understanding, maybe it’s in the red zone, maybe it’s third down when a defense drops eight into coverage, you know you’ve got a little bit extra time to hold it and try to see if Jamison or … [Read more...]

NEW YORK — Matthew Howard Sr. was just leaving a New York amusement park Saturday evening when he heard someone screaming. He looked up to see a young girl dangling about 25 feet off the ground from a slow-moving gondola ride. Her little brother sat next to her in the green two-person pod, crying hysterically for help, saying he couldn't hold on. Howard, 47, and his 21-year-old daughter, Leeann Winchell, positioned themselves under the girl as the ride stopped and security came running. A crowd of onlookers gathered, many filming, others calling for help. "I said: 'It's 'OK! It's OK to … [Read more...]

MOSCOW (AP) - Martin Rodriguez salvaged a draw Sunday for Chile against a tenacious Australian side to ensure his team qualified for the Confederations Cup semifinals. The Australians took the lead in the 42nd minute when James Troisi delicately chipped the ball in from a pass from Robbie Kruse, and then went in pursuit of a second goal that could have seen them qualify at Chile’s expense. Roared on by thousands of traveling fans, Chile held on and hit back in the 67th when Eduardo Vargas flicked the ball on for substitute Rodriguez to hit it past goalkeeper Maty Ryan. Chile had chances to score early on, but were held back by wasteful finishing and Ryan’s solid performance in the Australian goal. Ryan made a double save in the eighth minute, first parrying Arturo Vidal’s fierce shot, then scooping up Eduardo Vargas’ weak effort on the rebound. Alexis Sanchez appealed for a penalty in the 26th when he went down in the penalty area following Mark … [Read more...]

LONDON, England -- Fancy some typical Brazilian pão de queijo (cheese rolls) before catching a Chelsea F.C. soccer match in London? Stroll a few yards from Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium, crossing Fulham Road, and you’ll find ‘Café Brazil,’ a small, family-owned restaurant that emblematizes the Latino presence in London. The café serves as a focal point for Latin Americans in the West London areas of Fulham and Chelsea, especially those coming to see a game in the world’s best club competition, the English Premier League. Brazilians living in London, Uruguayan fans on a visit or U.S. Hispanics from Texas will find a home away from home in this small but welcoming venue whose walls are covered with photographs of well-known Latin American Chelsea players posing with the café’s owners, family, and … [Read more...]

NEW YORK (AP) — DeShawn Stevenson nailed the shot, ran toward the sideline and slapped hands with Ice Cube.Stevenson had a winner, and Cube might, too.The rapper-actor's new 3-on-3 basketball league of former NBA players got off to a strong start Sunday, with the first two games both decided on winning shots.The stands at Barclays Center were well-filled, with entertainers such as LL Cool J and NBA players such as James Harden in the crowd for the first two games before former MVP Allen Iverson, the main attraction among players, took the court following a concert for the third of four games on the day."We're excited to be here in the first weekend of the Big3," said Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, who coached Power to a 62-58 victory over Tri State on Stevenson's 3-pointer."I think it's going to be incredibly good. The games are … [Read more...]

TUSCALOOSA — Alabama's loaded receiving corps just found itself a little less loaded Sunday morning.Crimson Tide sophomore receiver T.J. Simmons announced over social media that he is transferring to West Virginia, a surprise move for the gifted Pinson, Ala. , product."Words are not enough to explain how thankful I am for having the opportunity to play for the University of Alabama," Simmons wrote in a message attached to photos of himself wearing a West Virginia jersey. "However, I am blessed to announce that I will be transferring to continue my football career at West Virginia University."Simmons would have to sit out the 2017 season per NCAA transfer rules but will have three years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2018.Simmons, who arrived on campus as an early enrollee in January 2016, was a former four-star receiver from Clay-Chalkville that saw minimal playing time as a true freshman last season, mostly on special … [Read more...]

EDITOR’S NOTEThis is the fourth in a five-part series taking a closer look at what life is like for Auburn’s coaches when they’re out on the road recruiting.For high school players without four or five stars next to their name, there might be no aspect of recruiting more pivotal than the in-home visit. Getting a kid to visit campus might convince them they want to come to Auburn, but Auburn might not know if it wants that kid until the coaches see him in his element.Travis Williams knows all about that: The reason he is Auburn’s linebackers coach today can be traced back to an in-home visit in 2001.Joe Whitt went to Williams’ Columbia, S.C., home with every intention of informing him that he would not be getting a scholarship offer. The longtime Auburn linebackers coach didn’t think the Spring … [Read more...]

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Scott Dixon won the IndyCar race at Road America on Sunday to spoil the Team Penske party on the rural road course.Dixon edged Josef Newgarden by 0.57 seconds to claim his first victory at Road America. It also gave the Chip Ganassi Racing veteran his first win since Watkins Glen in September.Dixon's 41st career victory moved him within one of tying Michael Andretti for third on the all-time list.Ganassi has a chance for a weekend sweep. Kyle Larson, the NASCAR points leader, started on the pole at Sonoma in a Ganassi car.In IndyCar's second year back at the 14-turn course after a nine-year hiatus, Dixon's No. 9 Honda had an average speed of 123.431 mph. He held off Newgarden and the three other Penske drivers who started up front.Newgarden's teammate Helio Castroneves, the pole sitter, finished … [Read more...]

MIAMI (AP) — The Chicago Cubs wasted a fine pitching performance by Mike Montgomery, stranding 11 runners and allowing three unearned runs to lose Sunday to the Miami Marlins, 4-2.Edinson Volquez (4-8) gave up five hits and five walks in five innings, but he stranded eight runners and departed with a 3-2 lead.Miami's Ichiro Suzuki, 43, became the oldest player to start in center field since at least 1900, surpassing Rickey Henderson. Suzuki batted leadoff for the first time this year and went 0 for 4, dropping his average to .200.Giancarlo Stanton hit his 20th homer for Miami, a solo shot off reliever Pedro Strop in the seventh.The Marlins scored three unearned runs in the first after Suzuki reached when shortstop Addison Russell bobbled his grounder for an error. Russell left the game in the fourth with a sore throwing … [Read more...]

Caption Close ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Scott Dixon spoiled Team Penske's party at Road America. First, his Chip Ganassi Racing team had to fix a faulty fuel cell on the No. 9 Honda that provided nervous moments during warmups Sunday. The payoff came a few hours later when Dixon held off Josef Newgarden after a restart with eight laps to go to win the IndyCar race at the rural Wisconsin road course. "Toward the end, I thought it was a straight-up battle," Dixon said. "I thought it was going to be tough." He edged Newgarden by 0.57 seconds, posting an average speed of 123.431 mph. Dixon's first victory since Watkins Glen in September was his 41st career win, moving him within one of tying Michael Andretti for third on the list of drivers with the most IndyCar wins. Ganassi had a chance for a weekend sweep. Kyle Larson, the NASCAR points leader, started on the pole at Sonoma, California, in a Ganassi car. "The boss definitely likes winners," the Ganassi team posted on Twitter . … [Read more...]

SOCHI, Russia — Germany, the World Cup champion, joined Chile, Mexico and Portugal in reaching the Confederations Cup semifinals on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over a Cameroon side reduced to 10 men after further confusion with experimental video replays.Germany was leading through Kerem Demirbay’s 48th-minute goal when a case of mistaken identity halfway through the second half — precisely the kind of situation that video replay is meant to correct — left Cameroon, the African champion, irritated.Sebastien Siani was dismissed for a challenge on Germany’s Emre Can after the referee, Wilmar Roldan of Colombia, inspected a field-side monitor. But it took furious protests from the Cameroon players, including Siani’s sarcastically applauding Roldan, for the referee to check the monitor again and discover he had sent off the wrong player.Siani was called back on the field, and Ernest Mabouka was — correctly — sent off. … [Read more...]

NEW YORK (AP) — Basketball's newest league started with a game-winning basket and an injured former NBA player.Rashard Lewis made a three-point play with his team facing game point Sunday in the opening game of the Big3, the 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by Ice Cube.Jason Williams, the flashy point guard nicknamed "White Chocolate," went down with a right leg injury late in the game. His 3 Headed Monsters blew the late once he went out and were a point away from losing, but Lewis made his basket and free throw to edge the Ghost Ballers, 62-60.The games are played to 60 points but teams have to win by two, so the Ghost Ballers couldn't quite get there when they went ahead 60-59.Lewis scored 27 points and former No. 1 pick Kwame Brown had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the 3 Headed Monsters. Ricky Davis led the Ghost … [Read more...]

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) - After Donovan Catholic High School wrestler Brandon Gonzalez fell unconscious when his heart stopped at the end of a January match, media coverage focused on the heroic efforts that revived him. For those all-too-familiar with such nightmares, however, the focus was different: How can we prevent the next one? Because there will be a next one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one student-athlete suffers sudden cardiac arrest every three to four days. “You read about it probably at least two times a year,” Pat Trott, an advocate for cardiac screening of all high school athletes, told the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/2rZKrzc). “When it hits home, it’s the worst thing in the world.” Trott knows, because in 2011 her daughter Nicole Trott died of sudden cardiac arrest shortly after graduating from St. John Vianney High School. Nicole was a cheerleader, gymnast and pole vaulter whose autopsy … [Read more...]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The three once-homeless sisters recited all the athletes they met at nationals and the souvenirs they received as they slurped shaved ice.Nine-year-old Brooke Sheppard got pointers from high jumper Vashti Cunningham . Rainn, 11, showed off the shirt she picked out at the merchandise tent. And 12-year-old Tai, well, her family's story moved Justin Gatlin so much that he gave her the first-place medal he won in the 100 meters at the U.S. track and field championships.The siblings from New York City were guests of USA track and field after their rise to prominence in the sport, with their exploits bringing them medals, TV appearances and a magazine cover. It also helped get them something more — a home. They and their mom moved out of a homeless shelter and into a two-bedroom apartment in April."A … [Read more...]

HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — Helmsman Peter Burling and his underdog Emirates Team New Zealand won two races Sunday to reach match point in the America's Cup against Jimmy Spithill and two-time defending champion Oracle Team USA.Now the Kiwis need to avoid the kind of soul-crushing collapse that kept them from winning the oldest trophy in international sports four years ago.Burling, who at 26 could become the youngest helmsman to hoist sailing's greatest prize, steered his red-and-black, 50-foot foiling catamaran to victories of 12 seconds in Race 7 and 30 seconds in Race 8 on the Great Sound.The Kiwis moved to 6-1 in the first-to-seven match. Team New Zealand has won seven races but began with a negative point because Oracle won the qualifiers.The clincher could come Monday, when two races are scheduled.New Zealand, a small, … [Read more...]

Bill Koch Journal Sports Writer BillKoch25Kevin McNamara Journal Sports Writer kevinmcnamara33 PROVIDENCE --- Ed Cooley’s summer recruiting is off to a terrific start following the news he received Sunday morning at Providence College’s Elite Camp. Four-star shooting guard AJ Reeves has verbally committed to the Friars, The Journal has confirmed. The 6-foot-6 Massachusetts native selected Providence over Big East rival Villanova, Louisville and Virginia. Corey Evans of Rivals.com had the news first. Reeves also claimed offers from fellow Big East schools Georgetown, Xavier and Creighton, fellow New England programs Rhode Island, Connecticut, Boston College and Fairfield and a host of others. None of those programs survived the May 31 cutdown announced by Reeves on his personal Twitter page. Instead, he selected the Friars over the 2013 national champion Cardinals, the 2016 national champion Wildcats and a … [Read more...]

Bill Koch Journal Sports Writer BillKoch25Kevin McNamara Journal Sports Writer kevinmcnamara33 PROVIDENCE --- As Ed Cooley, his coaching staff and several current Providence Friars conducted drills at an Elite Camp Sunday, the prospect of the day sat off to one side with a wide smile on his face.  AJ Reeves, a Boston schoolboy rated as the top scoring guard in New England, refrained from the various drills and instead chose to relax after making one of the biggest decisions of his 18-year old life. Early Sunday Reeves and his parents told Cooley that he wanted to be a Friar.  “I’m definitely really excited to pick the school I wanted,'' Reeves said. I’m excited and it’s a relief knowing I don’t have to worry about college now.”  Reeves’ commitment is one of the biggest in Cooley’s six years at Providence. Not only is he another top 75 rated player, but … [Read more...]

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — As Daniel Ricciardo celebrated winning a hectic Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel clashed in a bitter incident that could shape the rest of an intriguing Formula One season.Hamilton accused Vettel of "disrespectful" driving after the four-time champion pulled alongside Hamilton and appeared to deliberately swerve into him when they were behind the safety car approaching the midway point of a stop-start race."Ultimately what happened today was disrespectful. It's not deserving of that reaction from someone you have respect for," Hamilton said. "A multi-world champion should behave better than that. It's what you expect in go karts. That's not how you drive."Vettel, who is chasing a fifth world title to stop Hamilton winning a fourth, was given a 10-second … [Read more...]

Adam Lind gets the start against Scott Feldman. (Patrick McDermott/USA TODAY Sports) As he usually does on days like this, Dusty Baker will hold a few regulars out of his starting lineup for Sunday afternoon’s game. Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Wieters will get the day off, which means Zimmerman will get a game and a half off, since Baker was able to remove him from Saturday’s blowout win early, too. Jose Lobaton will catch in Wieters’s place. Adam Lind will play first. Lind gets the start against Reds right-hander Scott Feldman, who has pitched to a 4.20 ERA this season. The Nationals should not lose much offensively, given that Lind is hitting right-handers so well. If he only faced right-handed pitchers, in fact, he would be one of the league’s most potent hitters. He is hitting .344 with a 1.026 OPS against righties this year. Those numbers would put him third in batting average and fourth in OPS leaguewide, though of course he cannot toss his numbers against … [Read more...]