Giants streak into Windy City
UNDATED (AP) – The National League West leaders get the first at-bat on today’s full major league schedule. San Francisco brings a three-game winning streak into its road series in Chicago. The Giants have opened up a 4 1/2-game lead over the division-rival rival Dodgers. Los Angeles hosts Arizona tonight.
Also this evening in the NL, East leader Washington hosts wild card-hopeful St. Louis, Central leader Cincinnati puts a three-game winning streak on the line at Houston, wild card-leader Atlanta is home to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh continues its push for a wild-card berth at Milwaukee, Miami entertains the New York Mets and Colorado hosts San Diego.
In the AL tonight, Baltimore enters the opener of a three-game series in New York just three games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, wild-card leader Oakland will be aiming for a seventh straight victory when they host Boston, West leader Texas is four games up on the A’s entering its game at Cleveland, Central leader Chicago will be trying to hand the Tigers a fourth straight loss when they hook up in Detroit, Tampa Bay is a game and a-half out of a wild card entering its road contest in Toronto, Kansas City is home to Minnesota and Seattle hosts the L.A. Angels.
One loss and Roddick is done
NEW YORK (AP) – The 2003 champion could play the final match of his career tonight at the U.S. Open. Andy Roddick announced yesterday, his 30th birthday, that this would be his final tournament before retiring. The 20th seed takes on unseeded Bernard Tomic of Australia tonight in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roddick will be followed on court by women’s No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.
Defending women’s champion Sam Stosur is first up in the main stadium on Day 5 of the U.S. Open. The seventh-seeded Australian is matched up against 31st-seeded Varvara Lepchenko of the U.S.
Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and American hopeful John Isner are also on the afternoon card in New York.
Maybe some progress today
NEW YORK (AP) – The NHL’s collective bargaining talks resume today.
The players’ union is expected to table a counterproposal to an offer extended by the owners earlier in the week.
The current agreement expires Sept. 15, when the league has said it will lock out the players.
The two sides are at odds over hockey-related revenue. The league wants to knock down the players’ percentage from 57, what it was last season, to 46.
Spartans, Broncos and Cardinal on tonight’s schedule
UNDATED (AP) – Three teams in the lower half of the AP’s preseason Top 25 are preparing to take the field on the second night of the new college football season. Two of them will be sharing the same field, with No. 13 Michigan State hosting 24th-ranked Boise State. The Spartans put a 14-game home winning streak on the line against a Broncos program that went 24-2 over the past two years. Michigan was 22-5 over that time period.
Stanford begins the post-Andrew Luck era this evening against visiting San Jose State. Redshirt junior Josh Nunes will be under center for the 21st-ranked Cardinal, who have beaten the Spartans each of their last four meetings, including a 57-3 romp last season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore at N-Y Yankees 6:05 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Detroit 6:05 p.m.
Texas at Cleveland 6:05 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Toronto 6:07 p.m.
Minnesota at Kansas City 7:10 p.m.
Boston at Oakland 9:05 p.m.
L.A. Angels at Seattle 9:10 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco at Chi Cubs 1:20 p.m.
St. Louis at Washington 6:05 p.m.
N-Y Mets at Miami 6:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at Atlanta 6:35 p.m.
Cincinnati at Houston 7:05 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Milwaukee 7:10 p.m.
San Diego at Colorado 7:40 p.m.
Arizona at L.A. Dodgers 9:10 p.m.
TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(24) Boise State at (13) Michigan State 7:00 p.m.
San Jose State at (21) Stanford 9:00 p.m.