AP Sports Summary for September 1st, 2023.
Acuña hits grand slam on wedding night to become 30-HR, 60-SB player as Braves beat Dodgers 8-7
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a grand slam on his wedding night to become the first player with 30 homers and 60 stolen bases in a season, and the Atlanta Braves overcame a pair of Mookie Betts home runs to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7. In a meeting of the top NL MVP contenders, the Braves took a 7-1 lead and hung on when Raisel Iglesias struck out Kiké Hernández with two on for the final out. Acuña got married earlier in the day, then got three hits and helped the major league-best Braves improve to 88-45. He sent a 429-foot shot into the left-field pavilion off Lance Lynn in a six-run second inning for his third career grand slam. Acuña has 36 career homers in August, his most in any month. He stole his 62nd base in the ninth.
John Isner heads to retirement after US Open last-set tiebreaker losses in singles and doubles
NEW YORK (AP) — John Isner has headed off into retirement after losing in singles and doubles at the U.S. Open. The 38-year-old American was beaten in final-set tiebreakers in both matches. That included a five-set exit against Michael Mmoh in singles before a packed house at the Grandstand at Flushing Meadows. Isner leaves with the record for career aces and finished with 48 against Mmoh. Isner and Jack Sock then lost in doubles. Isner is best known for winning the longest match in tennis history — one that lasted 11 hours, 5 minutes and ended 70-68 in the fifth set against Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010.
With ACC leaders set to take up Stanford, Cal, SMU expansion, 2 UNC trustees announce opposition
With Atlantic Coast Conference university leaders seemingly on the verge of deciding whether to expand with Stanford, California and SMU, two members of North Carolina's board of trustees announced their opposition to the move. ACC presidents and chancellors are scheduled to meet Friday morning to again consider a Western expansion, a person with direct knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. It was unclear if the presidents will take a decisive vote on adding new members, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the conference and schools were not making internal discussions public.
Bryson Barnes helps No. 14 Utah beat Florida 24-11 in season opener
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Bryson Barnes threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Money Parks on Utah's first play of the game, rushed for another score and No. 14 Utes beat Florida 24-11 on Thursday night in the opener for both teams. Nate Johnson split time at quarterback with Barnes for the Utes with usual starter Cam Rising still recovering from a knee injury in the Rose Bowl. Utah clamped down on defense in Rising's absence, forcing a turnover and getting five sacks. Graham Mertz threw for 333 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in his first start for the Gators. Ricky Pearsall had 92 yards on eight catches. Florida drove inside the red zone four times but totaled only 10 points on those drives.
Aaron Rodgers' quest to turn Jets into contenders is NFL's top storyline entering the season
The biggest storyline in the first NFL season this century without Tom Brady centers on Aaron Rodgers' quest to turn the New York Jets into a championship contender. The 39-year-old, four-time NFL MVP left Green Bay for a team that hasn't reached the playoffs since the 2010 season and hasn't won a Super Bowl since Broadway Joe Namath guaranteed one more than 50 years ago. Rodgers has plenty of talent surrounding him but the Jets play in one of the toughest divisions in the league and a conference loaded with contenders, including the defending Super Bowl champions. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are aiming to become the first team to win consecutive titles since Brady led the New England Patriots to back-to-back rings in 2003-04.
Happy Harvick: NASCAR driver ready for final playoff run
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Harvick is happy to get one more chance at the NASCAR playoffs. The 2014 Cup Series champion won't spend much time on nostalgia, knowing he's left a legacy of success and leadership at the track. Harvick will end his stellar career after this season and become a TV analyst for Fox. Harvick is winless this season and will start 15th among the 16 playoff drivers. He's had 10 top-10 finishes this year, including a second place at Darlington Raceway in May. The playoffs begin at the track "Too Tough To Tame" on Sunday night.
Titans' Derrick Henry ready to remind everyone what running backs mean to NFL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Derrick Henry has run for more yards than anyone else since the start of the 2016 NFL season and seems like a man on a mission going into the final year of his deal with the Tennessee Titans. He can make his case for a third contract and help the Titans win. He also can help remind everyone the run game still matters in a league where only kickers and punters earn less on average than NFL running backs. Henry notes that running backs touch the ball sometimes almost as much as quarterbacks and are very marketable. He says they want their due share.
Cleveland claims former LA pitchers Giolito, López and Moore for late playoff push
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians are hoping some Los Angeles Angels throwaways can help their playoff push. Cleveland claimed starter Lucas Giolito and relievers Matt Moore and Reynaldo López off waivers from Los Angeles on Thursday. The acquisitions didn't cost the Guardians any prospects. After going 4-2 on a recent road trip, the Guardians are currently five games behind the first-place Twins with 28 games left. By getting Giolito, Moore and López, the Guardians hope to catch the Twins, defend their division title and make the postseason. It could be a memorable final surge as manager Terry Francona has hinted he'll retire in October.
After years of fighting, a praying football coach got his job back. Now he's unsure he wants it
BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — Years after assistant coach Joe Kennedy left a Washington state high school football team over objections to his post-game praying on the field, he has returned to the gridiron thanks to a Supreme Court decision. His first game back is Friday. Kennedy's effort to be rehired became a cultural touchstone, pitting public school employees' religious liberties against longstanding principles separating church and state and protecting students from religious coercion. Kennedy says he has some anxiety that people are going to be watching for him to pray after Friday's game and he doesn't know how long he'll stick with the coaching job.
ESPN networks go dark on Charter Spectrum cable systems on busy night for sports
ESPN is among a number of Disney Entertainment channels that have gone dark on Charter Spectrum cable systems. The channels went off the air Thursday night due to a carriage dispute between the nation's second-largest cable TV provider and Disney. Charter Spectrum is the major carrier in New York and Los Angeles, among numerous other cities. ESPN was carrying a college football game between Florida and No. 14 Utah while ESPN2 was showing the U.S. Open tennis tournament when the channels went dark for Charter Spectrum's 14.7 million subscribers.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Detroit 4 N.Y. Yankees 3
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Miami 6 Washington 1
Final San Francisco 7 San Diego 2
Final Atlanta 8 L.A. Dodgers 7
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Final (14)Utah 24 Florida 11
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WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Connecticut 84 Phoenix 74
Final Seattle 72 Los Angeles 61
Final Las Vegas 84 Washington 75
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Seattle at N-Y Mets 7:10 p.m.
Toronto at Colorado 8:40 p.m.
Baltimore at Arizona 9:40 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay at Cleveland 7:10 p.m.
Minnesota at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Boston at Kansas City 8:10 p.m.
Detroit at Chi White Sox 8:10 p.m.
N-Y Yankees at Houston 8:10 p.m.
L-A Angels at Oakland 9:40 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chi Cubs at Cincinnati 1:10 p.m.
Chi Cubs at Cincinnati 6:40 p.m.
Miami at Washington 7:05 p.m.
Philadelphia at Milwaukee 8:10 p.m.
Pittsburgh at St. Louis 8:15 p.m.
San Francisco at San Diego 9:40 p.m.
Atlanta at L-A Dodgers 10:10 p.m.
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WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas at Indiana 7 p.m.
Atlanta at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Connecticut at New York 8 p.m.
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