Rays stay hot, Giants take over NL West lead

UNDATED (AP) – The Tampa Bay Rays continue to slice into the New York Yankees’ lead in the American League East.

The Rays picked up their fifth straight win as Jeremy Hellickson allowed a run and six hits in seven innings of a 5-1 win over Kansas City. Hellickson improved to 8-8 by winning at home for the first time in eight home starts since May 16.

Desmond Jennings, Jose Labaton and Elliot Johnson each had two hits and an RBI as Tampa Bay won for the 12th time in 14 games to pull within four games of the Yankees. The Rays also lead the wild-card race by two games over Baltimore and 2 1/2 over Oakland.

The Chicago White Sox did the Rays a favor by downing the Yankees 9-6. Alexei Ramirez hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh, one inning before Adam Dunn smacked his major league-leading 36th home run.

Dewayne Wise and Gordon Beckham also went deep as the Central Division-leading White Sox moved two games ahead of Detroit.

Ryan Dempster allowed a run and four hits in eight innings of the Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Orioles. David Murphy had a pair of RBI singles to back Dempster’s best start since joining Texas from the Cubs last month.

Oakland is still six games in back of the West-leading Texas Rangers following Minnesota’s 7-2 triumph over the Athletics. Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham each had three hits and two RBIs for the Twins, who kept the A’s a half-game behind Baltimore in the battle for the final AL wild-card berth.

Michael Saunders belted a pair of two-run homers as Seattle topped Cleveland 5-3. Saunders’ second round-tripper snapped a 3-3 tie in the seventh.

Over to the National League, where the San Francisco Giants have regained a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the West. Madison Bumgarner struck out 10 while allowing four hits in eight shutout innings of the Giants’ 2-1 win over the Dodgers. Pedro Sandoval provided the San Francisco runs with a sacrifice fly and a single.

The Giants were within one out of a shutout until Hanley Ramirez homered.

The Washington Nationals increased their lead in the East to six games over the second-place Atlanta Braves. Second baseman Dan Uggla (UHG’-luh) bobbled Chad Tracy’s grounder, allowing Danny Espinosa to score the winning run in the 13th inning of Washington’s 5-4 verdict over the Braves. It was the first run for the Nationals since Ian Desmond’s two-run homer gave them a 4-1 lead in the first inning.

Jason Heyward tied the game with a two-run homer in the fifth after his RBI single opened the scoring, but the Braves dropped their third in a row.

The Phillies slowed down the Reds’ charge toward the Central Division crown. John Mayberry hit a two-run homer and had three RBIs as Philadelphia ripped Cincinnati 12-5. Domonic Brown supplied a two-run double while the Phils were scoring four times in the fifth to take a 7-5 lead.

Ryan Howard and Eric Kratz added solo homers to support a shaky Roy Halladay, who gave up five runs and 10 hits in seven innings.

A former Red helped Cincinnati keep its six-game lead over Pittsburgh. Edinson Volquez fanned 10 while allowing a run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings to pitch San Diego past the Pirates 3-1. Will Venable supplied a pair of RBI singles for the Padres.

Elsewhere on the senior circuit, Giancarlo Stanton homered twice and Jose Reyes had four hits as Florida hammered Arizona 12-3. Stanton and Justin Ruggiano hit back-to-back blasts during the Marlins’ nine-run fourth inning.

Jonathan Lucroy homered twice and had four RBIs in Milwaukee’s 9-4 win over the Chicago Cubs. Lucroy’s second blast came in an eight-run fifth that put the Brewers ahead 9-3.

Augusta National admits women as members

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Augusta National’s membership is about to include females for the first time since the club was founded 80 years ago.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore will be presented with the club’s iconic green jackets when the new season opens in October. Augusta has been under pressure for years to admit a woman as a member. Club chairman Billy Payne calls the admission of Rice and Moore a “joyous occasion.”

The move likely ends the debate that intensified in 2002 when Martha Burke of the National Council of Women’s Organizations urged the club to admit women. Former club chairman Hootie Johnson stood his ground, even at the cost of losing Masters television sponsors for two years.

Dolphins, Titans pick quarterbacks

UNDATED (AP) – The Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans have announced their NFL season-opening starting quarterbacks, and they aren’t the men who had the job last year.

Dolphins coach Joe Philbin has chosen rookie Ryan Tannehill over Matt Moore, who started the team’s final 12 games last season. Tannehill was drafted with the eighth overall pick out of Texas A&M and becomes the first rookie to quarterback Miami’s season opener.

Jake Locker has won the competition to become Tennessee’s starting quarterback, beating out veteran Matt Hasselbeck. Coach Mike Munchak says Locker’s time is now in giving the Titans their best chance to win the AFC South.

Also in the NFL, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick suffered a rib injury while being leveled on a pass play in the first quarter of Monday’s game against New England. Vick went to the locker room for X-rays on his ribs after being knocked down by Patriots linebacker Jermaine Cunningham. Officials say the X-rays were negative.

The NFL has suspended Kansas City All-Pro linebacker Tamba Hali (TAHM’-buh HAH’-lee) for the season-opener against Atlanta for violating its policy on substance abuse. Hali went to his first Pro Bowl last season after recording 12 sacks.

Saints linebackers Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne are injured, and it’s not clear if either will be ready for the season opener against Washington. Lofton is out with a high ankle sprain and Hawthorne with torn cartilage in his knee.

Colts receiver Austin Collie could return to the football field later this week after being diagnosed with yet another concussion. The fourth-year player was injured in the first quarter of Sunday night’s 26-24 loss at Pittsburgh after taking a blow to the head from Steelers linebacker Larry Foote.

Linebacker Shawne Merriman has been cut by the Buffalo Bills. The one-time star pass-rusher was trying to continue his career with the Bills after season-ending surgery in November to repair a partially torn right Achilles tendon that had nagged him for much of the previous two seasons.

Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo (oh-RAK’-poh) and strong safety Brandon Meriweather will only miss the final two preseason games with injuries. Orakpo has damaged some scar tissue in his left shoulder, and Meriweather has a swollen and sore left knee.

Kansas City Pro Bowl receiver Dwayne Bowe was on the field with the rest of his teammates for the first time since signing his franchise tender last week. That keeps alive the possibility that he could play in the Chiefs’ preseason game Friday night against Seattle.

A person familiar with the situation says the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to play multiple home games in London beginning in 2013. New owner Shad Khan has made it clear he wants to play games overseas in hopes of increasing the team’s brand globally.

Authorities say Junior Seau (SAY’-ow) had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system when he shot himself in the chest at his home in May. The San Diego County medical examiner’s office on Monday released the full autopsy results for the 43-year-old former NFL linebacker, saying he used a .357-caliber unregistered revolver to kill himself.

The Rocket signs to play minor league ball

HOUSTON (AP) – Former Major League ace Rogers Clemens has signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League and is expected to start for them on Saturday at home against Bridgeport. The 50-year-old right-hander was acquitted in June of charges he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens hasn’t played for a team since pitching for the Yankees in 2007. His agent, Randy Hendricks, says the pitcher’s “fastball was clocked at 87 mph.”

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 5, Kansas City 1
Texas 5, Baltimore 1
Chicago White Sox 9, N.Y. Yankees 6
Minnesota 7, Oakland 2
Seattle 5, Cleveland 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 5, Atlanta 4, 13 innings
Philadelphia 12, Cincinnati 5
Colorado 3, N.Y. Mets 1
Milwaukee 9, Chicago Cubs 5
Miami 12, Arizona 3
San Diego 3, Pittsburgh 1
San Francisco 2, L.A. Dodgers 1