Off the wire

BASEBALL

Beltran, Yanks reach deal

Carlos Beltran is coming back to New York, this time to the Bronx. The All-Star outfielder and the Yankees agreed Friday to a $45 million, three-year contract. Beltran’s agreement came hours after second baseman Robinson Cano decided to leave for Seattle and on the same day pitcher Hiroki Kuroda agreed to return for 2014. Beltran, 36, is an eight-time All-Star who played for the Mets from 2005-11, when he was dealt to San Francisco. He signed a $26 million, two-year contract with St. Louis before the 2012 season and reached the World Series for the first time this year.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed free agent outfielder Francisco Peguero to a one-year contract. Peguero, 25, played most of the 2013 season with the San Francisco Giants’ Class AAA team in Fresno, hitting .316 in 70 games. He also went 6 for 29 in 18 games with the Giants. In eight minor-league seasons with San Francisco, Peguero batted .306 in 690 games. He broke into the majors in 2012 and has a .200 career batting average in 46 plate appearances.

GOLF

Donaldson remains in front

Jamie Donaldson maintained his three-shot lead through the third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Saturday, putting the Welshman in sight of his biggest career payday in his Sun City, South Africa, debut. The Welshman had six birdies and a single bogey on No. 17 in a 5-under 67 to stay ahead of Ryan Moore of the United States (67) and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark (66). Donaldson had a 16-under total of 200. Henrik Stenson, playing his first tournament since clinching the European money title last month to go with his FedEx Cup, was five shots back after a 69, tied with Sergio Garcia(66) and Thongchai Jaidee (66). Donaldson had his birdies in twos at the Gary Player Country Club, with back-to-back gains on Nos. 4 and 5, 10 and 11, and 14 and 15 for a good chance at the $1.25 million winner’s check at the newly instated European Tour event. He last played the course nearly 20 years ago.

Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum rallied to win the Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday, hitting a 54-degree wedge to 2 feet on the par-5 final hole for a birdie and a one-stroke victory over American Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks). Phatlum, 24, closed with a 6-under 66 to finish at 15-under 273 in the Ladies European Tour’s season-ending event. She also birdied the par-4 17th at Emirates Golf Course. The third-ranked Lewis, a three-time winner this year on the LPGA Tour, bogeyed the par-three 15th and closed with three pars for a 69. She missed a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

Jaye Marie Green increased her lead to nine strokes in the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament at Daytona Beach, Fla., reaching 25 under after four rounds. Green, 19, from Boca Raton, had a bogey-free 5-under 67 on LPGA International’s Hills Course. She was 29th on the Symetra Tour money list this year. South Korea’s Mi Rim Lee was second after a 69, also on the Hills Course. She had a course-record 61 on Friday on the Jones Course. The top 20 after the final round today will earn Category 12 status, Nos. 21-45 and ties will receive membership in Category 17, and the other players who made the 72-hole cut will get Symetra Tour status.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL Malzahn gets raise

Auburn has given Coach Gus Malzahn a new six-year contract worth $3.85 million annually. Athletic Director Jay Jacobs announced the first-year coach’s new deal Friday. Malzahn has led Auburn to an 11-1 season after taking over a team that won three games and lost all eight SEC contests in 2012. “We want coach Malzahn to be at Auburn for a long time,” Jacobs said. Auburn hired Malzahn last December and gave him a five year contract worth $2.3 million annually. The new deal includes a $250,000 raise each year.

Notre Dame is going to make its first postseason appearance at Yankee Stadium. The Irish (8-4) on Saturday officially accepted an invitation to the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 28. They will be making their fourth consecutive bowl appearance and will play an American Athletic Conference opponent. It will be Notre Dame’s second visit to the new Yankee Stadium. The Irish beat Army 27-3 at the site in 2010. But the Irish have played some famous games at the old Yankee Stadium, including in 1928 against Army when Coach Knute Rockne gave his famous “Win one for the Gipper speech.” No. 1 Army and No. 2 Notre Dame played the Game of the Century there in 1946 in a game that featured four Heisman Trophy winners and ended in a 0-0 tie.

BOXING

Jacob Matlala dead at 51

Jacob “Baby Jake” Matlala, a four-time world champion in the flyweight and junior flyweight divisions and one of Nelson Mandela’s favorite fighters, has died. He was 51. The death of the South African boxer Saturday was announced by family spokesman Ray McCauley. Matlala died two days after Mandela, who attended Matlala’s last bout in 2002. At the time, the boxer gave the former president one of his belts. Standing just 4-10 ½, Matlala’s disregard for his size and ferocious punching speed made him one of South Africa’s favorite athletes. During a 22-year career, he won flyweight and junior flyweight belts for the WBO as well as the IBA light flyweight title and WBU junior flyweight crown.

BOBSLED

U.S. women sweep medals

The United States swept the podium in a women’s bobsled World Cup race on Saturday, with the team of Elana Meyers and Aja Evans winning a gold medal for the second day in a row.

Jamie Greubel and Lolo Jones tied for second place with Jazmine Fenlator and Lauryn Williams. Jones and Williams are Olympic track veterans, and Williams was making her World Cup debut. It was the first time American sleds took the top three spots in a women’s bobsled race. Meyers and Evans finished two runs in 1 minute, 38.61 seconds. Greubel and Fenlator drove to times of 1:39.24 to share the silver, a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of German star Sandra Kirasis. Meyers also assumed the series driving lead from Canada’s Kaillie Humphries, who was seventh.

SKIING

Kueng wins super-G race

Patrick Kueng of Switzerland won a World Cup for the first time, ending the dominance of Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal in super-G on Saturday in Beaver Creek, Colo.Kueng finished early and withstood a late charge from Otmar Striedinger of Austria, beating him by 0.24 seconds. Hannes Reichelt of Austria and Peter Fill of Italy tied for third. Svindal’s streak of four consecutive super-G wins was halted. He made several mistakes along the tricky course and was seventh. American Ted Ligety had an impressive run and finished fifth. Bode Miller showed signs of returning to form with a stellar start to the super-G, only to make a costly error. Miller was 14th, but said this was “encouraging” after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

HORSE RACING

Ullapool wins at Aqueduct

Ullapool led all the way Saturday to extend her winning streak to three in the $100,000 Garland of Roses Stakes for fillies and mares at Aqueduct. The gray 4-year-old trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. beat Delightful Quality by two lengths for her first stakes victory. The time was 1:11.03 for six furlongs on the fast track. Ullapool, the 3-2 favorite, paid $5, $3.30 and $2.60. Delightful Quality returned $4 and $3.20 while Baby J paid $3.70 to show.

Sports, Pages 22 on 12/08/2013

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