Michael Phelps made it three for three at the U.S. national championships, winning the 200-meter individual medley Sunday night with another time that would have been good enough for a world title. Phelps was under world-record pace through the first three laps, but he struggled a bit on the freestyle leg to touch in 1 minute, 54.75 seconds -- 0.75 off the mark set in 2011 by American rival Ryan Lochte. It was easily the fastest time in the world this year, more than second faster than Lochte's winning time of 1:55.81 at the world championships in Kazan, Russia. Phelps cruised through the 100 and 200 butterfly the two previous nights in San Antonio, putting up the fastest times in those events since high-tech bodysuits were banned after the 2009 worlds.
TENNIS
Kerber outlasts Pliskova
Angelique Kerber bent her knees nearly to the ground all afternoon to dig out an onslaught of powerful ground strokes by Karolina Pliskova, beating the hard-hitting Czech 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 for the Bank of the West championship Sunday in Stanford, Calif. The gritty, left-handed Kerber extended points with her baseline gets on the way to a title in the event she lost at Stanford a year ago against Serena Williams. The fifth-seeded Kerber, from Germany, improved to 4-0 in finals this year, which included edging Pliskova 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (4) in a nearly 2 1/2-hour match for the championship on grass at Birmingham, England, in June, for her first title on that surface. This match went 2 hours, 7 minutes. Kerber let out a scream and raised her arms in delight when Pliskova's forehand went into the net on the second match point, completing the 10th break of serve by the German.
HORSE RACING
Bay of Plenty takes Alydar
Godolphin Stable's Bay of Plenty led from start to finish to win the $100,000 Alydar by 2 1/2 lengths Sunday at Saratoga Race Course at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Bay of Plenty ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.92 over the fast main track. Making his first start since finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 6 at Belmont Park, Bay of Plenty led through a quarter-mile in 23.29 seconds and a half in 43.84, opening a sixth-length lead at the top of the stretch. A 4-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, Bay of Plenty paid $8.80, $5.50 and $4.30 for his first career stakes victory. Mylute rallied from far back to finish second, returning $6.50 and $4.80. Neck 'n Neck paid $4.90 to show.
• Jockey Trevor McCarthy has been taken to a hospital for precautionary neurological testing after his mount reared back and hit him in the head before the start of the first race at Monmouth Park on Sunday. Track medical director Angelo Chinnici said McCarthy may have suffered a concussion when he was struck by Literary Lady. McCarthy is expected to undergo a CAT scan and other tests. A native of Wilmington, Del., McCarthy has ridden 40 winners from 230 mounts during Monmouth's current meet, placing him second in the track's overall standings. The accident marks the second time in recent weeks that McCarthy was injured in an on-track incident at the Oceanport facility. On July 19, he underwent similar testing after he was tossed from his mount during a race.
BASKETBALL
Pitt guard to transfer
Pittsburgh guard Josh Newkirk will transfer closer to his home in North Carolina while continuing to rehab from surgery on his left knee. The school announced Sunday that Newkirk is in good academic standing and will likely transfer to another Division I school, which would require him to sit out one season. Newkirk averaged 5.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season for the Panthers. He underwent microfracture surgery on his knee on May 6. The Panthers had hoped the speedy Newkirk would develop into one of the ACC's better point guards but it never happened. He struggled finding his shot, making just 38 percent of his field goal attempts as a sophomore in 2014-15 as Pitt failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
BASEBALL
Wright to play rehab game
New York Mets third baseman David Wright is ready to start a minor league rehab assignment as he works to come back from spinal stenosis. Wright will be the designated hitter tonight for Class A St. Lucie. He is scheduled to play in the field Tuesday. New York General Manager Sandy Alderson said after New York's 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday that Wright will play five innings in both games. There has been no timetable announced for when Wright could rejoin the Mets. "This is all new to all of us," New York Manager Terry Collins said. "We don't know how David is going to react. He's feeling great. He thinks it's going to be fast, but he doesn't know either. We'll have to take it day by day as we've said all along. There are no numbers set down for this guy, none. " Wright has played in just eight games this season.
• Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez has a strained right bicep tendon and is likely headed for the disabled list. Manager Dan Jennings said Fernandez had an MRI on Saturday. He said there is no timetable for his return, but he did not rule out having him back this season. Jennings said "We won't put him out there until we know he is 100 percent. There is no need to push it or rush it." Fernandez threw 76 pitches over five innings against the Braves on Friday night and complained of shoulder stiffness on Saturday. He returned to Miami and was examined by Dr. Dan Kaplan. The 2013 NL Rookie of the Year is 4-0 with a 2.30 ERA in seven starts this year. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2014.
MOTOR SPORTS
Marquez holds on
Marc Marquez overcame a morning fall and a strong challenge from Jorge Lorenzo on Sunday, making the decisive pass with less than three laps to go for his third consecutive Indianapolis Grand Prix victory. The Spaniard beat Lorenzo by 0.688 seconds in Indy's closest MotoGP race ever. Points leader Valentino Rossi, of Italy, was a distant third on Indy's 2.591-mile, 16-turn road course. Marquez, 22, has won five consecutive at the Brickyard and seven consecutive on American soil. Lorenzo beat Marquez into the first turn of the race and led the entire way until Marquez used his momentum from the race's fastest lap to sweep inside of Lorenzo and take the lead. Lorenzo never caught up. Marquez trails Rossi by 59 points.
Sports on 08/10/2015