Rays down Yanks...Verlander keeps Tigers close...Braves' Medlen masterful

Published Date

UNDATED (AP) - David Price earned his league-leading 18th win with another superb performance against the New York Yankees, as the Tampa Bay Rays opened a key series against their AL East rival with a 6-4 victory. Price had been out of the rotation since Sept. 2 because of a sore shoulder, but came back with seven innings of two-run ball.  The Rays began the day four games behind division co-leaders Baltimore and New York.

     - The Chicago White Sox continue to hold a one-game lead in the AL Central after beating the Minnesota Twins 6-0 Friday. Chris Sale threw six scoreless innings to notch his 17th victory for Chicago.

     - Justin Verlander pitched seven shutout innings and made sure Detroit stayed in step with first-place Chicago in the AL Central, leading the Tigers to a 4-0 win over the downward spiraling Cleveland Indians.

     - Yu Darvish has run his strikeout total past 200 while earning his 15th victory as the AL West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 victory. Josh Hamilton hit his 42nd home run for the Rangers.

     - Pinch hitter Kendrys Morales had two-run homer during an eighth-inning rally that sent the Los Angeles Angels over the Kansas City Royals 9-7.

     - The Red Sox have broken their six-game losing streak and the expense of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mauro Gomez hit a tiebreaking triple in the ninth inning, as Boston Red Sox beat Toronto 8-5.

     Over in the National League:

     - Kris Medlen was masterful again, striking out a career-high 13 as the Atlanta Braves pulled out a 2-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. Andrelton Simmons scored the winning run on a throwing error in the ninth inning. Craig Kimbrel (2-1) earned the win by striking out the side in the top of the ninth. Medlen went seven innings, allowing only a homer to Bryce Harper.

     - The Miami Marlins slowed Cincinnati's march toward the playoffs. Jacob Turner allowed only two hits and completed a career-high inning, as the Marlins beat the Reds 4-0 in Miami.

     - In Friday's lone afternoon game, the Pittsburgh Pirates sank closer toward .500 with their seventh straight loss, falling to the Chicago Cubs 7-4. Starlin Castro's three-run homer accounted for the difference. The Pirates are now stand 72-71 on the season.

     - The New York Mets have cooled a surging Brewers team in Milwaukee. Lucas Duda homered and doubled, Jonathon Niese pitched six strong innings as the Mets snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Brewers. The loss drops Milwaukee back to .500 at 72-72.

     - After having a seven-game winning streak broken Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies are back in the win column with a 12-6 victory over the Astros in Houston. Jimmy Rollins keyed a four-run first inning with a leadoff homer.

     NFL-INJURY REPORT

     Jets' Revis can't play...Dolphin, Lion out with concussions

     UNDATED (AP) - The New York Jets will face the Pittsburgh Steelers' speedy receivers without Darrelle Revis (dah-REHL' REE'-vihs) . The All-Pro cornerback was ruled out for the game as he continues to deal with the concussion he suffered in in last week's win over Buffalo.

     - Two key pieces of the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense are questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets. Safety Troy Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison have not practiced at all this week. Polamalu is nursing a strained right calf, while Harrison is recovering from a minor procedure on his left knee.

     - Arizona quarterback John Skelton is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game at New England, but coach Ken Whisenhunt is refusing to rule him out altogether. Skelton sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's game against Seattle. Kevin Kolb relieved him and directed the decisive touchdown drive in the Cardinals' 20-16 victory.

     - Colts coach Chuck Pagano says outside linebacker Dwight Freeney will not play Sunday against Minnesota, and receiver Austin Collie is doubtful. Freeney has not practiced since spraining his left ankle in last weekend's loss at Chicago. Collie has not played since sustaining a concussion Aug. 19 against Pittsburgh.

     - Miami running back Daniel Thomas has been ruled out of Sunday's game against Oakland because of a concussion, leaving the team with little experience behind starter Reggie Bush. Rookie Lamar Miller, a fourth-round draft pick from the University of Miami, will likely be active for the first time. Thomas' absence might also mean more carries for 258-pound rookie fullback Jorvorskie Lane.

     - Detroit Lions cornerback Bill Bentley has been ruled out of Sunday night's game at San Francisco. Bentley is recovering from a concussion. The rookie isn't the only defensive back who might not play for the Lions. Cornerback Chris Houston is doubtful because of a sprained left ankle, and safety Louis Delmas is also doubtful following left knee surgery.

     - Washington Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon remains hobbled with a sore right foot and will be a game-time decision Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Garcon was limited in practice again Friday and is listed as questionable. He was hurt in last week's win over the New Orleans Saints, when he also had an 88-yard reception for Robert Griffin III's first career touchdown pass.

     - The Cincinnati Bengals' defense has suffered a major blow. They've placed linebacker Thomas Howard on injured reserve after he tore his ACL in practice yesterday. Coach Marvin Lewis calls the injury "a freak thing," but says "You have to move on." Howard was Cincinnati's tackling leader last season with 120 stops. To take his place on the roster, Cincinnati signed linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy, a third-year player from Texas.

     NFL-FINES

     NFL hands out fines

     NEW YORK (AP) - Safeties Madieu Williams of Washington, Taylor Mays of Cincinnati and Rahim Moore of Denver have been fined $21,000 each by the NFL for unnecessary roughness in Week 1.

     Williams made helmet-to-helmet contact with Jimmy Graham when the Saints tight end was defenseless with about three minutes remaining in Sunday's game at New Orleans. Mays did the same to Baltimore tight end Ed Dickson in a Monday night game. Rahim unnecessarily struck defenseless Steelers receiver Emmanuel Sanders in the head and neck area Sunday night.

     Houston DE Antonio Smith says he's been fined $21,000 for kicking Miami guard Richie Incognito, who was not disciplined.

     NHL-LABOR

     Countdown continues

     NEW YORK (AP) - The Saturday midnight deadline for the expiration of the NHL collective bargaining agreement approaches and with it, the league's threat to lockout the players.  Neither side showed interest in resuming talks with none scheduled even though the two sides have been in contact.

     Barring a dramatic, last minute breakthrough, the NHL is facing its fourth work stoppage since 1992.

     NHL-SIGNINGS

     Doan stays with Phoenix...Stars extend goalie...Caps' Carlson inks long-term deal

     GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The NHL and its players may not have a collective bargaining agreement yet, but that's no stopping teams from signing players to new deals.

     Shane Doan is staying with Phoenix. The Coyotes' captain has signed a four-year, $21.2 million contract with the team. Doan became a free agent on July 15, but didn't sign while waiting for the Coyotes' ownership situation to clear up.

     - The Dallas Stars have signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen (LAY'-tih-nehn) to a five-year contract extension worth $29.5 million. The deal secures the eight-year veteran through the 2017-18 season. The 28-year-old is coming off career bests in save percentage and goals-against average.

     - The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman John Carlson to a six-year contract worth $23.8 million. The 22-year-old had nine goals and 23 assists and ranked second on the team in ice time per game and led the club with 153 blocked shots.

     - The Detroit Red Wings have completed deals with a pair of players, re-signing forward Justin Abdelkader to a four-year, $7.2 million contract and signing defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (koh-lee-AH'-kah-voh) to a two-year, $5 million deal. The 25-year-old Abdelkader had eight goals and 14 assists in 81 games last season for Detroit. The 29-year-old Colaiacovo comes in as a free agent after scoring two goals and 17 assists in 64 games for the Blues last season.

     - Forward Alex Burrows has signed a four-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks. The 31-year-old left wing had 28 goals and 24 assists in 80 games last season. Burrows has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with Vancouver, totaling 270 points in 522 games.

     - The Nashville Predators signed left winger Gabriel Bourque to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension Friday. Bourque had seven goals and 12 assists in 43 games as a rookie last season.

     CHAMPIONS TOUR

     Senior heads the class

     KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) - Peter Senior has the lead after the first round of the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship.  The Australian shot a 65 to finish 7-under par. Senior is looking for his first win on the Champions Tour after five runner-up finishes.

     Americans Bill Glasson and Jay Don Blake are one off the pace.

     DAVIS CUP

     U.S. in deep hole with Spain

     GIJON, Spain (AP) - The U.S. is down 2-0 in its best of five Davis Cup semifinal with Spain. In today's opening singles match, David Ferrer (feh-REHR') rallied past Sam Querrey (KWEER'-ee) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, while in the second singles match Nicolas Almagro stopped John Isner (IHZ'-nur) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

     The U.S. must win Saturday's doubles match to stay in the series, with brothers Mike and Bob Bryan facing Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez. Reverse singles are Sunday.

     The winner of the event will take on the winner of the Argentina-Czech Republic semifinal in November.

     GOLF-WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

     Bad weather shuts down play

     HOYLAKE, England (AP) - Play has been called off for the day at the Women's British Open because of strong winds. Play had started but was shut down because of winds gusting up to 60 mph.  England's Felicity Johnson started with a quintuple-bogey 9. American Cristie Kerr's ball blew off the 12th tee three times. Co-leader So Yeon Ryu bogeyed her only hole before play was stopped.

     The second round is scheduled to start early Saturday, leaving the possibility of a Monday finish to the year's final major.

     INDYCAR

     Andretti wins pole, title contenders in back

     FONTANA, Calif. (AP) - Marco Andretti has won the pole for the IndyCar season finale at Auto Club Speedway.

     Andretti's qualifying average was 216.069 mph, and narrowly held off Ryan Briscoe's challenge of 216.058.

     It's the first pole since 2008 for Andretti, who is stuck in the worst season of his career. Andretti is ranked a career-worst 17th in the standings headed into Saturday night's finale.

     IndyCar points leader Will Power qualified third, but will drop back 10 spots on the starting grid for making an unapproved engine change. Same for Ryan Hunter-Reay, who qualified 17th and also will drop back at the start.

     Power takes a 17-point lead over Hunter-Reay into the finale. Both are seeking their first championship.

     INDYCAR-HUNTER-REAY CONTRACT

     FONTANA, Calif. (AP) - IndyCar championship contender Ryan Hunter-Reay has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with Andretti Autosport. Hunter-Reay goes into Saturday night's season finale at Auto Club Speedway trailing leader Will Power by 17 points in the standings. He's trying to become the first American since 2006 to win the IndyCar championship.

AP-WF-09-15-12 0446GMT