Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Elvis Andrus hit a winning single in the ninth inning after making pair of fielding gaffes and the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3. With the score 3-3, Matt Chapman doubled over leaping third baseman Hanser Alberto with one out and Seth Brown was intentionally walked by Scott Barlow. Andrus, whose .213 average coming in was 140th among 143 qualified batters, followed with a sharp liner to right, and Chapman scored with a headfirst slide ahead of Jarrod Dyson's throw. Andrus made an error in the eighth and was slow on a throw, extending the inning.
CHICAGO (AP) — Joc Pederson homered and drove in three runs, Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras went deep and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-5 on Friday afternoon. The Cubs billed it as "Opening Day 2.0" because Wrigley Field was operating at 100% capacity for the first time since 2019. They fell behind 5-1, only to treat the crowd of 35,112 to a comeback win over their NL Central rivals. Pederson gave the Cubs a 7-5 lead in the seventh with a two-run double off the wall in right-center against Génesis Cabrera. Rizzo tied it at 5-all in the sixth with his drive to right against Daniel Ponce de Leon.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Ryan Lochte knows what people think of him. The swimmer who embarrassed himself and the U.S. five years ago in Rio de Janeiro is seeking to make his record-tying fifth Olympic team. He's 36, married and the father of two young children. Lochte says his life has completely changed from five years ago and he's more mature and centered. He's entered in six events at the U.S. trials that begin this weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. His best chance is likely in the 200-meter individual medley, where his world record set in 2011 still stands.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Not long after rolling into town, Michael Phelps would dutifully pop into the interview room to muse on his outlandish accomplishments at the pool. There was always an extra bit of excitement in the arena when he arrived, even if he rarely revealed anything of great importance. Like Jordan and Ali and Biles, Phelps' mere presence was all that was needed to signal an event was something special. Now, he is gone. For the first time since 1996, the U.S. Olympic swimming trials are being held without the sport's biggest star, the guy who won a staggering 23 gold medals.
UNDATED (AP) — The opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics is six weeks away but NBC's coverage of the upcoming Games shifts into high gear beginning this weekend. NBC will present 13 nights of primetime coverage of U.S. trials in four sports over the next two weeks, beginning Saturday with the diving trials. The network's coverage will also include swimming, track & field and gymnastics. Trials coverage remains an important part of NBC's preparations for the games. Swimming and track & field will get the most coverage hours with both trials lasting eight days. Swimming starts Sunday in Omaha, Nebraska, with track scheduled to begin on June 18 in Eugene, Oregon.
Update on the latest sports
NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
76ers beat Hawks for 2-1 series lead
ATLANTA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers have ended the Atlanta Hawks' 13-game home winning streak while taking a two-games-to-one lead in the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals.
Joel Embiid (joh-EHL' ehm-BEED') scored 27 points and the 76ers rode a dominant third quarter to a 127-111 victory over the Hawks. Embiid added nine rebounds, eight assists and three blocked shots despite playing with torn cartilage in his right knee.
Tobias Harris had 22 points and Ben Simmons added 18 for the Sixers, who led by five before outscoring the Hawks, 34-19 in the third period.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points, John Collins had 23 and Bogdan Bogdanovic 19.
Game 4 is Monday night in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Suns enjoy a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series following a 116-102 win over the Nuggets.
Devin Booker provided 28 points and teamed with Chris Paul to lead a steady offensive onslaught that countered Nikola Jokic's (nih-KOH'-lah YOH'-kihch-ehz) triple-double of 32 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. Paul had 27 points, eight assists and three steals for the Suns, who pulled away after halftime and earned their sixth straight win.
All five Phoenix starters scored in double figures as the Suns pulled within one victory of their first berth in the conference finals since 2010.
Monte Morris scored 21 off the bench for Denver, which will try to avoid elimination on Sunday.
NBA-RAPTORS-SIAKAM
Siakam has shoulder surgery
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have announced that Pascal Siakam (see-A'-kam) has undergone shoulder surgery and has an expected recovery time of about five months.
The forward suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder during a game against Memphis on May 8. two days after he tied a career best by scoring 44 points against Washington. The 2020 NBA All-Star missed Toronto's final four games and led the Raptors in scoring this season, averaging 21.4 points.
The surgery could force Siakam to miss the start of next season.
MLB-SCHEDULE
DeGrom, Scherzer forced to leave early
UNDATED (AP) — Two of the National League's best pitchers had to leave their starts early last night due to injuries.
Jacob deGrom was pulled from another fantastic start after six innings of the Mets' 3-2 win over the Padres. DeGrom allowed just one hit and faced the minimum number of batters before leaving with right flexor tendinitis. He also hit a two-run single and lowered his major league-best ERA to 0.56, the best ever after 10 starts.
DeGrom left after 80 pitches and extending his scoreless streak to 22 innings. He says he's not concerned about his elbow issue.
DeGrom lasted longer than Max Scherzer, who was able to throw just 12 pitches in Washington's 1-0 loss to the Giants. Scherzer came out of the game with a groin injury that he says is very mild.
Buster Posey homered and Anthony DeSclafani threw a career-best two-hitter for San Francisco.
In other major league action:
— Clayton Kershaw bounced back from two bad outings by yielding just one run and three hits over six innings of the Dodgers, 12-1 dismantling of the Rangers. Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Gavin Lux homered in the first inning before Albert Pujols and Will Smith left the yard to send Texas to its 16th consecutive road loss.
— Jazz Chisholm's two-out, two-run single in the fourth inning put the Miami Marlins ahead to stay in a 4-3 verdict over the Braves. Sandy Alcantara (al-KAN'-tah-rah) allowed two runs in six innings to help Miami improve to 4-1 versus Atlanta this year.
— Joc Pederson hit a solo homer and a two-run double to help the Cubs turn a 5-1 deficit into an 8-5 win over the Cardinals. Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras also went deep as Chicago handed St. Louis its seventh loss in eight games.
— Christian Yelich (YEH'-lihch) hit a bases-loaded double and Pittsburgh relievers issued three consecutive bases-loaded walks in a five-run seventh that sent the Brewers past the Pirates, 7-4. The Brewers tied a franchise record by drawing six walks in the five-run rally that put them ahead for good.
— The Reds hit five homers over the first five innings, including a three-run blast by Joey Votto (VAH'-toh) in an 11-5 trouncing of the Rockies. Nick Castellanos, Scott Heineman, Kyle Farmer and Tyler Stephenson also went deep as Cincinnati dropped Colorado to a major league-worst 5-25 on the road.
— Ryan Yarbrough followed up a rare Tampa Bay complete game with six solid innings in a 4-2 win over the Orioles. Brandon Lowe homered for the Rays, who are 21-5 since May 13 to become the first team to 40 wins this season.
— The Red Sox clawed back from a 5-1 deficit and beat the Blue Jays, 6-5 on Alex Verdugo's RBI hit off the Green Monster in the bottom of the ninth. Boston scored three in the sixth inning and tied it on Christian Arroyo's towering solo home run onto Lansdowne Street in the eighth.
— The Athletics pulled out a 4-3 win over the Royals on an RBI single by Elvis Andrus (AN'-droos) in the bottom of the ninth. Seth Brown homered and Matt Chapman had three hits including an RBI double to help Oakland overcome a pair of solo homers by Salvador Perez.
— Aaron Civale (sih-VAH'-lee) gave up a single to start the game before dominating Seattle's light-hitting lineup for eight innings of the Indians' 7-0 shutout. Bobby Bradley homered and Amed Rosario had four hits to back Civale, who struck out a career-high 11 and retired 22 in a row.
— Martín Maldonado (mahr-TEEN' mal-doh-NAH'-doh) hit a go-ahead double in the ninth before the Astros completed their fourth win in five games, 6-4 at Minnesota. Jose Altuve (al-TOO'-vay) and Yuli Gurriel (YOO'-lee gur-ee-EHL') homered, Alex Bregman drove in two runs and Michael Brantley added three hits for Houston.
— Yoan (YOH'-ahn) Moncada's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning sent the White Sox past the Tigers, 5-4. Moncada's fly ball came after Chicago closer Liam Hendricks served up a game-tying, two-run homer to rookie Daz Cameron in the ninth.
— Shohei Ohtani (SHOH'-hay oh-TAH'-nee) struck out eight over five innings and doubled twice in the Angels' 6-5, 10-inning win over the Diamondbacks. Max Stassi's RBI groundout scored Jared Walsh with the go-ahead run after Arizona forced extra innings on Eduardo Escobar's two-out blast in the ninth.
MLB-NEWS
Graveman returns
UNDATED (AP) — Seattle Mariners reliever Kendall Graveman has been activated after being on the injured list following a COVID-19 scare.
The 30-year-old right-hander had been out since May 23 and was in quarantine for two weeks.
He recorded five saves and did not allow a run in 16 2/3 innings over 14 appearances before being sidelined.
Also around the majors:
— Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw likely won't return until August after dislocating his left shoulder diving for a ground ball Wednesday at Cincinnati. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said the initial plan is to see whether Shaw can recover without needing surgery.
— Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen is taking a physical leave of absence from the team while his wife Nicole is dealing with brain cancer. Hazen says he will continue to consult regularly with assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye, who will take over day-to-day baseball operations. The 45-year-old Hazen has been the GM of the Diamondbacks since 2016.
— Two more teams have been able to relax coronavirus protocols after reaching the 85% vaccination threshold for players and other on-field personnel. However, the pace of vaccinations has slowed and no additional teams were announced as being on track to reach the threshold. Twenty-two of 30 clubs are under relaxed protocols.
TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN
Djokovic, Tsitsipas reach final
PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic (JOH'-koh-vihch) has advanced to the French Open final and will play fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday.
Djokovic (JOH'-koh-vihch) stopped Rafael Nadal's bid for a 14th French Open title and handed the King of Clay just his third loss in 108 matches at the tournament. Djokovic dropped the first set of the semifinal match before rallying for a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2 victory. He won the last six games as he takes aim at his second French Open championship and 19th Grand Slam title.
Nadal had been 7-1 versus Djokovic at Roland Garros, losing to him in 2015. Nadal beat Djokovic in last year's final.
Fans were allowed to stick around for the end of the four-hour match. French officials lifted the 11pm curfew that would have otherwise forced the crowd of 5,000 to leave the stadium.
Tsitsipas edged sixth-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to reach his first Grand Slam final. Tsitsipas was in meltdown mode at the start of the fifth seed, trailing love-40 after a double-fault before winning five straight points. He broke serve to go up 3-1 and cruised the reset of the way.
Tsitsipas had been 0-3 in Grand Slam semifinals.
Djokovic will try to join Roy Emerson and Rod Laver as the only men's players to win each Grand Slam singles title at least twice.
NFL-NEWS
Fields inks first Bears deal
UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Bears have signed their latest quarterback of the future.
Justin Fields has inked a four-year contract with the Bears, who took him with the 11th overall pick in this year's draft after trading up nine spots in a trade with the New York Giants. The Bears elected to take a young QB after declining to pick up Mitchell Trubisky's fifth-year option.
Fields was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2019 and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year each of his two seasons at Ohio State after transferring from Georgia. He threw for 5,373 yards, 63 touchdowns and nine interceptions for the Buckeyes.
Fields has been practicing with the Bears' second team, behind veteran Andy Dalton.
In other NFL news:
— The 49ers have signed offensive lineman Senio Kelemete to a one-year deal. The former fifth-round pick has played 88 games in nine seasons with the Cardinals, Saints and Texans.
NHL-BRUINS-RASK
Rask to undergo hip surgery
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka (TOO'-kah) Rask says he will have surgery to repair a previously undisclosed torn labrum in his hip.
Rask said he hopes to re-sign with the Bruins and be ready to return in January or February.
He missed three weeks in March and April but said that was because his back seized up while he was compensating for the hip injury. He appeared in 24 regular-season games and was 6-4 in the playoffs.
PGA-PALMETTO CHAMPIONSHIP
Hadley leads at midway mark
RIDGELAND, S.C. (AP) — Chesson Hadley shot a 5-under 66 for a two-stroke lead over Dustin Johnson in the Palmetto Championship at Congaree.
Hadley was at 11-under 131 at Congaree Golf Club, his lowest total through 36 holes since the The RSM Classic in 2016.
Johnson opened his afternoon round five shots behind Hadley but was tied for the lead through 17 before a double-bogey concluded his 3-under 69.
American Tain Lee is third at 7 under after a 68 as he plays his third career PGA event.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Jimenez takes lead with 2 eagles
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez had two eagles in a 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions' American Insurance Championship.
Jimenez eagled the par-5 16th and second holes and had four birdies and a bogey in the round that start on the back nine at University Ridge in Madison, Wisconsin.
Defending champion Jerry Kelly was second after a 67 in his hometown event. He eagled the second and had three birdies.
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