Suarez's grand slam leads Reds over slumping Pirates 5-4

CINCINNATI (AP) — Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam off Ivan Nova — who dropped his sixth straight start against Cincinnati — and Jesse Winker added a solo shot Thursday as the Reds pulled away to a 5-4 victory over the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds took two of three in the series,...

'You'll Never Walk Alone' is a hit from Broadway to Kiev

Gerry Marsden walked into Liverpool's ODEON cinema for a Laurel and Hardy film. It was raining when he started to leave, so he decided to stay for the second part of the double feature and watch the comedy duo one more time. And with that, a part of soccer history was born. Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel"...

'It's about time': Trump pardons late boxer Jack Johnson

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing's first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson's name more than 100 years after what many see as his racially-charged conviction. "I am taking this very righteous step, I believe, to correct a wrong...

Serena could face Sharapova in 4th round at French Open

PARIS (AP) — Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova could meet in the fourth round of the French Open thanks to the draw on Thursday. But a matchup between three-time champion Williams and two-time champion Sharapova is far from guaranteed. Williams resumes her comeback after maternity leave following two...

MLB panel says baseballs getting extra lift, cause unknown

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseballs really have been getting extra lift since 2015, and it's not from the exaggerated uppercuts batters are taking, according to a 10-person committee of researchers hired by the commissioner's office. "The aerodynamic properties of the ball have changed, allowing it to carry...

With home runs surging, MLB science panel concludes baseballs have had extra lift since 2015; no clear cause

Sharks finalize 7-year deal with high-scoring Evander Kane

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Evander Kane knew San Jose was a good fit when Joe Thornton showed up for a late-night airport pickup following a trade deadline deal. That comfort was only reinforced over the next 10 weeks on the ice and in the dressing room. It left Kane with an easy choice as he headed toward...

McIlroy shoots 5-under 67, 2 strokes off lead at Wentworth

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Rory McIlroy walked off the 18th green in disgruntled fashion, shaking his head and looking down at the ground. Shooting a 5-under 67 at Wentworth can rarely have felt so unsatisfactory. The four-time major winner pushed his approach shot from the middle of the fairway into...

Oklahoma eliminates top seed Texas from Big 12 Tournament

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Blake Brewster hit a solo homer in the third inning and No. 4 seed Oklahoma eliminated top seed Texas from the Big 12 Tournament with a 3-1 victory on Thursday. Brewster entered the game with just one home run and a .129 batting average this season. Levi Prater got the win in one...

Welington Castillo of White Sox banned 80 games for EPO test

NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago White Sox catcher Welington Castillo was suspended for 80 games by Major League Baseball on Thursday following a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance. The commissioner's office cited use of EPO. Erythropoietin is a hormone that stimulates the red-blood cell production...