Off the wire

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

BASEBALL

Wacha returns Thursday

Michael Wacha will replace Justin Masterson in the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation Thursday and make his first start since mid-June. Manager Mike Matheny said Wacha, who had a breakout rookie season last year when he was named MVP of the National League Championship Series, will be limited to approximately 60 pitches at Milwaukee. He's 5-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 15 starts and has been on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder stress reaction. Rookie Marco Gonzales and Tyler Lyons, left-handers who were among five players added Tuesday, will be ready for long relief in that game. The Cardinals activated reliever Jason Motte from the disabled list from a lower back strain and recalled left-hander Nick Greenwood and catcher Tony Cruz before Tuesday's game against the Pirates.

• This was not the kind of record-setting season Texas Rangers Manager Ron Washington envisioned. When left-hander Derek Holland took the mound against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night, he became the 60th player that Texas has used this year, breaking a tie with three other teams for the most players used in a single season in major-league history. The Indians and Padres each used 59 players in 2002, as did the Padres in 2008. The Rangers also tied the record for most pitchers used with 37, shared with the 2002 Padres. To put that into perspective, the Brewers have used 35 players total this season. The biggest reason for the turnover has been injuries. The Rangers used the disabled list a league-leading 26 times with 14 players currently on it. Three years removed from back-to-back World Series appearances, Texas began the day with a 53-84 record, the fewest victories in the majors.

• The Royals have recalled infielder Christian Colon, outfielder Terrance Gore and pitchers Aaron Crow and Liam Hendriks from Class AA Northwest Arkansas for their playoff push. Colon was in the starting lineup at third base for Tuesday night's game against Texas. Gore gives the Royals a speedy threat on the base paths. He opened the season at Class A Wilmington and climbed to Class AAA Omaha before spending time in Northwest Arkansas prior to his arrival. Colon can play several infield positions, while Crow is a former All-Star reliever. Hendriks was impressive in a spot start last week but will be used out of the bullpen down the stretch.

BASKETBALL

U.S. beats New Zealand

Anthony Davis scored 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 15 and the U.S. team remained unbeaten at the Basketball World Cup at Bilbao, Spain, by beating winless New Zealand 98-71 on Tuesday. James Harden added 13 points for the Americans, who will play two more games here before moving on to Barcelona for the round of 16. They face the Dominican Republic today before wrapping up Group C play on Thursday against Ukraine. Two nights after having to rally from a halftime deficit and pull away in the fourth quarter for a 98-77 victory over Turkey, the U.S. team led this one wire to wire. The game was close only for a little more than a quarter. BJ Anthony scored 11 points for New Zealand, which fell to 0-3. Goran Dragic scored 22 points and Slovenia broke away from a close game to beat South Korea 89-72 on Tuesday and remain the only unbeaten team in the Las Palmas, Canary Islands, pool. The Slovenians led by one point at halftime before outscoring the South Koreans 49-33 in the second half. The Slovenians haven't lost since the Americans beat them on the same court in their final exhibition game four days before the World Cup opener. Lithuania missed a chance to keep pace when it lost 82-75 to Australia, leaving both teams at 2-1. Lithuania fell into a huge early hole and trailed 47-28 at halftime before a second-half rally fell short.

• Euroleague champion Maccabi Tel Aviv and two other clubs will be part of what the NBA said will be a record nine preseason games featuring international teams in North America. The league said in a statement Tuesday that Maccabi Haifa, also of Israel, and the Brazilian team Flamengo also will take part. Maccabi Tel Aviv will open its trip Oct. 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers and its former coach, David Blatt. It will then play in Brooklyn two nights later to face the Nets. It will be the fourth trip in five years to the U.S. for Maccabi Haifa, which will face Washington, Portland, Sacramento and Toronto. Flamengo will travel to Phoenix, Orlando and Memphis.

MOTOR SPORTS

Truck team shuttered

Turner Scott Motorsports has shut down the Truck Series team driven by Ron Hornaday Jr., a move that forced the layoff of 18 employees. "The decision to lay off any employee is painful and we realize the affects it has on their lives," team co-owner Harry Scott Jr. said Tuesday. "However, the decisions made by TSM today are necessary and the responsible steps for all of TSM to ensure our commitment to our employees, partners and fans to be as competitive as possible." Hornaday was fourth in the Truck Series standings when Scott announced last week that entry would not race Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Ben Kennedy and Cameron Hayley did compete for Turner Scott on Sunday. Hayley finished 10th, and Kennedy was 15th. Kyle Larson and Dylan Kwasniewski raced Saturday at Atlanta in the Nationwide Series race for Turner Scott. Scott and co-owner Steve Turner are at odds over the management of the race team, and each has filed legal action against the other. Turner has filed a lawsuit against Scott in a Texas court, while Scott has filed a notice of complaint in a North Carolina court. Turner's lawsuit seeks more than $3 million from Scott and asks for his dismissal from Turner Scott Motorsports. Scott's notice claims Turner has allowed the team's funds to be depleted, has not paid debts or funded the entries he was obligated to fund.

• There are only two spots in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship up for grabs headed into the regular-season finale at Richmond, where a first-time winner this season could snag a dramatic last-minute berth. Kasey Kahne did it Sunday night at Atlanta, where his first victory of the season earned him an automatic berth in the 16-driver field. Matt Kenseth, who is winless on the year, also became eligible based on points. There are only four drivers who could possibly get in on points if they don't win: Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson.

GOLF

Watson’s picks: Bradley, Mahan, Simpson

NEW YORK — U.S. captain Tom Watson went with experience and a gut feeling Tuesday night when he filled out his Ryder Cup team with Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson.

Not so valuable was recent success. He left out Chris Kirk, who finished higher in the final Ryder Cup standings than Simpson and who won the Deutsche Bank Championship a day earlier by going head-to-head with Rory McIlroy the final 36 holes.

“That was a snapshot,” Watson said of his decision not to take Kirk.

The other two choices weren’t surprising. Even though Bradley has not won a tournament in two years and missed out by three spots qualifying on his own, he has raw power suited for this event and won all three matches in a partnership with Phil Mickelson two years ago at Medinah.

Mahan is the only pick who has been on a winning team, although he is associated more with the wrenching emotion that losing brings. Mahan was in the decisive match four years ago at Wales when Graeme McDowell made all the right shots in another European victory.

Mahan was left off the 2012 team, even though he narrowly missed qualifying.

Whomever he chose, Watson’s message was clear. The Ryder Cup, which will be played Sept. 26-28 at Gleneagles, is all about redemption.

The Americans were poised to win at Medinah two years ago when they took a 10-6 lead into the final day, only for Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer to deliver key putts and big comebacks that allowed Europe to retain the cup.

Europe has won seven of the last nine times, and it will be heavily favored in Scotland.

Earlier Tuesday, at the European Tour headquarters in Wentworth, captain Paul McGinley selected Poulter, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher, who will be 39 when he makes his Ryder Cup debut in his home country.

Sports on 09/03/2014