Off the wire

MOTOR SPORTS

Ricciardo tops in Canada

Daniel Ricciardo won the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday in Montreal, breaking the Mercedes stranglehold on the Formula One circuit. The Red Bull driver earned his first Formula One victory and the first victory this year for any driver other than Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Ricciardo passed Rosberg, the points leader and pole-sitter, with two laps to go. Hamilton was knocked out in the 48th lap with a brake problem. Rosberg finished second, easily protecting his lead in the championship standings. The German has 140 of a possible 175 points through seven races, with two victories and five second-place finishes. Hamilton remains second in the standings with 118 points. Ricciardo moved up to third with 79 points.

FOOTBALL

Martinez leaving Nebraska

Former Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez’s brother is leaving the team after just one year in the program. Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini confirmed to the Lincoln Journal Star that Drake Martinez has left the team. Drake Martinez was recruited as a safety, but didn’t get a chance to play last fall because of health issues, including having his tonsils removed. Martinez’ father, Casey, said Drake lost quite a bit of weight and strength because of the health issues. Casey Martinez said Drake recovered most of his strength but wanted a fresh start at a new school. Nebraska also currently has several players competing for playing time at safety.

The Green Bay Packers now own more than 62 acres of land around Lambeau Field, which is double the amount they owned four years ago. The Packers are buying land as part of a long-term strategy to provide the team with non-football sources of income, Press-Gazette Media reported. The team plans to create a retail, entertainment and sports district. Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy has said the team wants to create a year-round destination to draw visitors from outside northeastern Wisconsin. “We are still looking at the land we own and concepts that would work. There’s still some work that needs to be done and some due diligence. That’s the phase we are in now,” said Aaron Popkey, director of public affairs. Most of the land used for football operations is owned by other entities. Green Bay and the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District own Lambeau Field, and the county owns much of the land that is home to the indoor and outdoor practice fields.

BASEBALL

Twins sign Morales

The Minnesota Twins have signed free-agent first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a one-year, prorated $12 million contract. Morales, who had been in Miami working out while waiting to sign, hit .277 with 23 home runs and 80 RBI in 156 games with the Seattle Mariners last season. The prorated portion of Morales’ contract will total slightly more than $7.4 million. Since Morales is out of options and not injured, the Twins can’t send him to the minors to shake off the rust from missing the season’s first 60 games. To make room on the 25-man roster, Minnesota released Jason Kubel, who appeared in 798 games over parts of eight seasons with the Twins. He was hitting .224 this year, but just .158 since April.

Texas Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland will miss about three months to have surgery on a left ankle that’s been bothering him all season. Moreland has tried injections and other remedies but hasn’t been able to get rid of persistent pain in the ankle. The Rangers announced the decision Sunday. The 28-year-old Moreland had to take over at first when Prince Fielder was sidelined for the season to have neck surgery. Moreland is hitting .246 with 2 home runs and 23 RBI. He had a career-high 23 home runs last season.

The Baltimore Orioles activated right-hander Tommy Hunter from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday. Hunter, sidelined with a left groin strain, is 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA and leads the team with 11 saves in 14 opportunities. He hasn’t pitched for the Orioles since May 20. Hunter had one rehab assignment, throwing 11 pitches in a scoreless inning with two strikeouts and a hit batter for Single-A Delmarva on Saturday. “I felt good,” Hunter said. “I was able to throw the ball over the plate for the most part except for the last guy. I was happy with it. Was able to throw some pitches where I wanted them. It was good.” To make room, Baltimore optioned right-hander Evan Meek to Triple-A Norfolk. Meek was 0-2 with a 6.39 ERA in 13 appearances.

The Houston Astros recalled left-hander Rudy Owens from Triple-A Oklahoma City and sent down right-handed reliever Paul Clemens on Sunday. Owens, who started his first major league game with the Astros on May 23, will pitch out of the bullpen. “If we were to run into a tough situation where we needed someone to give us extended innings, he would be able to be the long guy we would use,” Astros Manager Bo Porter said. Clemens allowed four runs in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota and has gone between Triple-A and the majors six times this season.

TENNIS

Murry, Mauresmo to team up

Andy Murray has appointed former French tennis great Amelie Mauresmo as his coach. The Wimbledon champion, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the French Open semifinals on Friday, will work with Maursemo at least through the grass-court season. “I’m excited by the possibilities of the new partnership and Amelie is someone I have always looked up to and admired,” Murray said. Mauresmo is the French Fed Cup captain, and also the 2006 Wimbledon and Australian Open champion. Mauresmo said “he’s an amazingly talented tennis player and I feel I have plenty to offer both him and the team around him. I’m looking forward to getting down to work and helping him win more Grand Slams.” Murray has been without a coach since he parted ways with Ivan Lendl in March.

SOCCER

Cameroon team delays travel over pay

Cameroon’s World Cup team refused to board a plane due to take them to Brazil on Sunday because of a long-running dispute over bonus payments for the tournament, forcing their national federation to take out a loan to meet their demands.

In a statement, the Cameroon Football Federation said it “regrets to announce” that the squad’s departure from Yaounde on a plane put aside for its use had been delayed. The federation said it had taken out a “private loan” to meet player demands, and would now increase the sum given to each squad member by around $12,000. The total bonus was not disclosed.

Cameroon team spokesman Raphael Nkoa had told The Associated Press that a “certain number of issues” had to be resolved and the squad did not depart as planned on Sunday morning. They would fly later Sunday, Nkoa and the federation insisted.

World body FIFA also said it had been given assurances that the Cameroon party would leave Yaounde on Sunday night and arrive in Brazil today, just four days ahead of the team’s World Cup opener against Mexico on Friday.

The problems appeared to be partially resolved by the time the squad returned to Cameroon for a final warm-up game against Moldova on Saturday, but resurfaced the morning the party was due to head to Brazil. Local reports in the West African nation said some players even refused to take part in a farewell ceremony with government officials after beating Moldova 1-0 in Yaounde.

On Sunday, the federation said it had been unable to give players the money they requested because it would not receive World Cup payments from FIFA until after the tournament. The federation resorted to borrowing the money. Each country going to the World Cup gets $1.5 million from FIFA to help in its preparations and is guaranteed at least $8 million in prize money.

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