Category: Sports

Briscoe calls shot at Dover to win Xfinity Series race

Briscoe calls shot at Dover to win Xfinity Series race
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Chase Briscoe called his shot at Dover International Speedway and won his sixth Xfinity Series race of the season. Briscoe won five of the first 13 races this season but was winless in the last seven. That streak ended at Dover not long after Briscoe called his wife and promised he would win Sunday’s race. He went out and delivered in what he called his best Ford of the season. Briscoe won for the eighth time in his career.

Capitals fire coach Todd Reirden after 2 postseason letdowns

Capitals fire coach Todd Reirden after 2 postseason letdowns
By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer
The Washington Capitals have fired coach Todd Reirden after a second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs. General manager Brian MacLellan announced the move three days after the Capitals lost to former coach Barry Trotz’s New York Islanders in a five-game series. Washington opted to promote Reirden from the top assistant job and let Trotz leave rather than give him a raise after winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. Reirden likely would have left to seek a head coaching position elsewhere. Trotz’s Islanders reached the second round of the postseason for a second consecutive season.

NFL positive COVID-19 tests from NJ lab could be false

NFL positive COVID-19 tests from NJ lab could be false
By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL revealed Sunday that several positive COVID-19 tests were found a day earlier by one of its testing partners. Among teams reporting false positives, the Minnesota Vikings said they had 12, the New York Jets 10 and the Chicago Bears nine. The league has asked the New Jersey lab BioReference to investigate the results “while the clubs work to confirm or rule out the positive tests.” The NFL did not identify the teams or say how many tests were positive. Other teams that were affected are the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. The NFL uses BioReference for all of its COVID-19 testing, though tests are handled by labs throughout the nation to ensure teams get results quickly.

ESPN, LLWS announce media-rights extension through 2030

ESPN, LLWS announce media-rights extension through 2030
By The Associated Press undefined
ESPN will continue to air the Little League Baseball World Series as well as other events through 2030 as part of an eight-year extension. The agreement was announced by both parties on Sunday, which would have marked the first weekend of this year’s World Series. The event was canceled in the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic. The eight-year extension, which covers domestic, international and streaming platforms, makes ESPN the exclusive global rights holder for Little League baseball and softball. ESPN will carry more than 300 games yearly. ESPN started televising Little League games in 1983 and each year since 1987.

Andretti savoring his own Indianapolis 500 spotlight

Andretti savoring his own Indianapolis 500 spotlight
By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Marco Andretti has hard a rough racing career in which he’s never answered the expectations of his famous racing family. He has two victories in 15 seasons and hasn’t won a race since 2011. He will try to snap the so-called “Andretti Curse” in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. Andretti will lead the field to the green, the first Andretti to do so since grandfather Mario in 1987. He’s under an enormous spotlight but is comfortable in his skin and accepts the pressure.

Bumpy 2019 over, Steelers’ Rudolph eager to “push” Big Ben

Bumpy 2019 over, Steelers’ Rudolph eager to “push” Big Ben
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph believes he can be a starter in the NFL despite a rocky 2019. Rudolph was thrust into a starting role last fall after Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season due to a right elbow injury. The team went 5-3 during his starts, but his season was side-tracked following an incident with Cleveland defensive star Myles Garrett. The two fought near the end of a Browns’ victory, with Garrett ripping off Rudolph’s helmet and hitting him with it. Garrett claimed Rudolph used a racist slur, a slur the NFL found no evidence of. Rudolph says he’s focused on getting better in 2020.

Pirates Win Two Straight for First Time this Season

Offense breaks out as Pirates rip Brewers 12-5
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier and Jacob Stallings homered and drove in three runs apiece as the Pittsburgh Pirates slammed the Milwaukee Brewers 12-5. Struggling outfielder Gregory Polanco added a home run and a double for his first two-hit game in 15 months. Colin Moran doubled three times for Pittsburgh. Erik Gonzalez hit a two-run double in the seventh as the Pirates batted around against Milwaukee’s suddenly vulnerable bullpen. Pittsburgh’s nine extra-base hits were a season high and its run total matched the most surrendered by the Brewers this year.

Hamlin holds off JGR teammate Truex for 1st Dover victory

Hamlin holds off JGR teammate Truex for 1st Dover victory
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del (AP) — Denny Hamlin zipped past teammate Martin Truex Jr. with less than 10 laps to go and won the NASCAR Cup Series race Saturday at Dover International Speedway. Hamlin matched Kevin Harvick for the season victory lead with six, matching his total from last season and closing within two of his career high set in 2010. Hamlin chased down Truex, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, and held on in the first of two Cup races this weekend at Dover.  Hamlin won for the first time at Dover in 29 career races. He was told by crew chief Chris Gabehart to save the No. 11 Toyota from a burnout because the car is needed again Sunday.

Allgaier holds off Cindric to win Xfinity race at Dover

Allgaier holds off Cindric to win Xfinity race at Dover
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del (AP) — Justin Allgaier held of a streaking Austin Cindric to win his first Xfinity Series race of the season Saturday at Dover International Speedway. Cindric had been the driver to beat. He came into Dover with a staggering five wins in the last six races. Allgaier won a combined eight races from 2017-2019 but had gone 20 races since his last victory. His win earned him a spot in the Xfinity Series playoffs. Cindric was second for his seventh straight two-top finish.

Kuhl earns first win in 2 years as Pirates top Brewers 7-2

Kuhl earns first win in 2 years as Pirates top Brewers 7-2
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chad Kuhl allowed one run in five innings to pick up his first win in more than two years as the Pittsburgh Pirates rolled by the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Kuhl (1-1) gave up a long solo home run to Ben Gamel in the second but otherwise kept the Brewers at bay to pick up his first victory since June 15, 2018. Kuhl, who missed the second half of 2018 and all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, walked three and struck out just one as the Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak.