AP Sports

Jarren Duran’s 2-run HR gives AL a 5-3 win over NL in All-Star Game started by rookie pitcher Skenes

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Boston’s Jarren Duran, the All-Star MVP, hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning and the American League beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games. Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the third for a 3-0 lead. Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single for the AL to tie the score in the third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene. Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph fastball in his perfect inning. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.

Paul Skenes says `I feel like I’m one of them’ after hitless inning against All-Stars

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Paul Skenes became the fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game, retiring Steven Kwan, Gunnar Henderson and Aaron Judge for the National League in a hitless first inning. The 22-year-old right-hander, who has just 11 big league appearances, started Kwan with a 98.2 mph four-seamer and retired the major league batting leader on a 99.9 mph pitch with an 0-2 count that Kwan popped up. Henderson hit a weak comebacker on a 93.5 mph sinker and Juan Soto worked out a seven-pitch walk. Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch. The American League went on to a 5-3 win over the National League.

Paris mayor dips into the Seine River to showcase its improved cleanliness before Olympic events

PARIS (AP) — After months of anticipation, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a dip in the Seine River, fulfilling a promise to show the river was clean enough to host open swimming competitions during the 2024 Olympics. Clad in a wetsuit, Hidalgo plunged Wednesday into the river. Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet joined her. It’s part of a broader effort to showcase the river’s improved cleanliness ahead of the Summer Games which will kick off July 26 and host open-water swimming competitions. Daily water quality tests in early June indicated unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria, followed by recent improvements.

Great golf and being on the good side of the draw go a long way at the British Open

TROON, Scotland (AP) — Playing great golf helps at the British Open. It also helps to be on the good side of the draw. That’s one of the curses and charms of links golf. The British Open is loaded with examples of players who avoid the worst of the weather. That’s what happened the last time at Royal Troon in 2016. The leading 14 players after two days all came from the same side of the draw. They played late Thursday and early Friday and avoided the worst of the weather. The 152nd edition of the British Open starts on Thursday.

Bears agree to deal with quarterback Caleb Williams, AP source says; receiver Rome Odunze signed

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears have locked in their top two rookies, agreeing to four-year contracts with No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams and No. 9 selection Rome Odunze and avoiding any training camp drama with their prized quarterback and receiver. A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement with Williams to The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the contract. Williams gets a slotted $39.49 million fully guaranteed deal with a $25.5 million signing bonus. The Bears announced Odunze signed. The club has options for 2028 on both players. The Bears are banking on Williams to become the sort of franchise quarterback Chicago has craved for decades.

NBA moves a big step closer to finalizing new 11-year media rights deals

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NBA’s Board of Governors approved the league’s next media rights deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video at its meeting Tuesday, moving the league one giant step closer to finalizing the 11-year agreements that will be worth about $76 billion. Now comes the next, and possibly final, step: seeing if Warner Bros. Discovery will match one of the deals in an effort to extend a relationship with the NBA that dates to the late 1980s. WBD has five days to match, that clock starting to run when it receives the contracts from the league.

Mavericks star Kyrie Irving breaks left hand in offseason workout, has surgery

DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving has a broken left hand that required surgery after getting injured in an offseason workout. The Dallas Mavericks aren’t providing a timeline for Irving’s recovery. Irving and Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in their first full season together. Boston won the title series in five games. The 32-year-old Irving averaged 25.6 points in 58 games during the regular season while dealing with foot, heel and thumb injuries.

Jontay Porter, banned from NBA, is denied permission to resume career in Greece

A federal judge has denied a request by former NBA player Jontay Porter to be allowed to resume his basketball career in Greece while he is awaiting sentencing for his role in a betting scandal that got him banned from the league. Porter, in a letter sent by attorney Jeff Jensen on Tuesday, had asked that some conditions of his bond be modified so that he can get his U.S. passport back, be allowed to travel in Europe and to reside in Patras, Greece. Jensen told the court that Porter would play for the Greek club Promitheas BC. But a court posting Wednesday shows the request was denied by Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall.

WNBA heads to Olympic break with big All-Star weekend, showdown between US team and league standouts

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA heads into its monthlong Olympic break following this weekend’s highly anticipated list of All-Star festivities. The Olympic team’s matchup with a squad of league standouts featuring Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will be one of the toughest contests the Americans will potentially play before or during the Paris Games. In 2021, the WNBA All-Star team beat Team USA behind the MVP performance of Arike Ogunbowale. It was the only loss that the Americans had en route to winning their seventh straight gold medal. Friday night’s skills competition will feature a 3-point shooting contest. The field hasn’t been announced, though Clark and Sabrina Ionescu could participate.

A house with best views of British Open is up for sale. It’s in the middle of the Royal Troon course

TROON, Scotland (AP) — Royal Troon has some unique aspects but maybe most curious is the private house that sits in the middle of the championship course and has views of five holes for the British Open starting Thursday. It’s known as “Blackrock House” and is located between the greens of holes No. 2 and No. 16. It’s also close to the tees of No. 18 and two others. Originally built as one house, it was converted in the early 1970s into two dwellings. The Kelly family has owned the north side of the house since 1990 and has has now put it up for sale. The asking price has not been announced yet.