Wayne Byers Show – Morning -Jul 27

MLB-SCHEDULE

— The Twins regained their power stroke as Jake Cave hit a grand slam and Nelson Cruz homered twice in a 14-2 assault on the White Sox. Cruz added two doubles and drove in seven runs for the reigning AL Central champion Twins, who set a major league record for home runs last year. Kenta Maeda (mah-EH’-dah) allowed two runs and struck out six in five innings to win his Minnesota debut.

Yanks take series from Nats

UNDATED (AP) — Gleyber Torres had the big hits as the New York Yankees took the rubber match of their three-game series with the defending World Series champs.

The Yanks trailed 2-0 until Torres delivered a solo homer and a go-ahead single to lead a 3-2 victory over the Nationals in Washington. Patrick Corbin retired New York’s first 11 batters and 18 of the first 19. But Torres ended the shutout bid with a long home with one out in the seventh to chase Corbin.

Nats reliever Will Harris promptly served up a solo homer by Luke Voit (voyt) that knotted the score.

Trea Turner homered for the Nationals.

Elsewhere around the majors:

— Shohei Ohtani (SHO’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) didn’t record an out in the two-way star’s long-awaited return to the mound for the Angels, allowing the first six Oakland batters to reach base in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics. The right-hander from Japan gave up Marcus Semien’s leadoff single and three straight walks before a mound visit and Mark Canha’s two-run single. The Angels wasted a big day by Mike Trout, who hit a three-run homer in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

— The Braves torched the Mets, 14-1 behind Dansby Swanson, who was 3-for-5 with a solo homer and five RBIs. Marcel Ozuna (oh-ZOO’-nuh), Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies also went deep as Atlanta easily captured the rubber match of the three-game set. Rick Porcello was rocked for six earned runs over just two innings in his Mets debut.

— The Giants gained a split of their four-game series with the Dodgers as Mauricio Dubon poked a tiebreaking, RBI single in the sixth inning of San Francisco’s 3-1 win at Los Angeles. Darin Ruf and Donovan Solano each had two hits and an RBI in the Giants’ second straight win. Tyler Rogers worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth before Trevor Gott pitched the ninth to get the save.

— Tyler Chatwood pitched three-hit ball over six innings of the Cubs’ 9-1 thumping of the Brewers. Willson Contreras smacked an RBI double in the Cubs’ four-run fourth and a long solo homer in the seventh. Ian Happ added a two-run drive in the eighth and Anthony Rizzo belted a solo shot one out later.

— Colin Moran and Jose Osuna homered as the Pirates got their first win under new manager Derek Shelton, 5-1 versus the Cardinals. Shelton also was involved in the majors’ first socially-distanced umpire argument as he and plate umpire Jordan Baker each wore face coverings while jawing six feet apart. Winning pitcher Mitch Heller allowed a run and three hits over five innings to help Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for just the second time in their last 14 meetings.

— The Mariners finally beat the Astros for the first time in 16 tries as Kyle Lewis hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 7-6 verdict over Houston. The Mariners trailed by 1 entering the eighth until Shed Long Jr.’s run-scoring single tied it at 5 with one out. Tim Lopes had three hits and scored twice for Seattle, which went 1-18 versus the Astros last year.

— Kevin Kiermaier’s first hit of the season was a two-run triple in the 10th inning that gave the Rays a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays. The Rays scored twice in the ninth to force extra innings, then fell behind again 5-4 when Blue Jays pinch-runner Santiago Espinal stole third base and scored on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Ji-Man Choi hit a solo homer and worked out a bases-loaded walk in Tampa Bay’s two-run ninth.

— The Orioles earned a 7-4 victory against the Red Sox as Rio Ruiz and Anthony Santander each belted two-run homers. José Iglesias added four hits as the Birds beat the Bosox for the second straight game following a 13-2 loss on opening day. Baltimore’s Wade LeBlanc gave up two home runs but settled down over 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and four hits while striking out four.

— Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas each hit three-run homers to power the Marlins to an 11-6 rout of the Phillies. Miami rallied from 4-0 and 5-4 holes to rough up embattled Phillies starter Vince Velasquez and four relievers. The Marlins took the rubber match despite the absence of hurler Jose Urena, who was scratched about 90 minutes before the first pitch amid concerns of a team outbreak of the coronavirus.

— The Tigers pulled out a 3-2 win over the Reds on C.J. Cron’s tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning. Detroit rallied after Cincinnati starter Trevor Bauer matched a career high with 13 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Spencer Turnbull pitched one-run ball over five innings for the Tigers in his first start since he went 3-17 with a 4.61 ERA last season.

— The Indians were 9-2 winners over the Royals in Carlos Carrasco’s first start since being diagnosed with leukemia over a year ago. Carrasco struck out 10 in six-plus innings, and José Ramírez homered twice in the rubber match of the series. Ramírez hit a three-run homer left-handed in the fourth and added a solo shot from the right side in the sixth.

— Trevor Story homered twice for the Rockies in a 5-2 decision over the Rangers. Story belted a tying two-run shot in the fourth and added a solo drive that put Colorado ahead, 4-2. Texas slugger Joey Gallo hit the first home run in the club’s new $1.2 billion retractable roof stadium, a 437-foot shot.

— The Diamondbacks scored twice in each of their final two at-bats to down the Padres, 4-3. Ketel Marte scored the tying run in the eighth and lifted a sacrifice fly in the ninth to put Arizona ahead. David Peralta’s RBI single capped the Diamondbacks’ scoring.

MLB-NEWS

Kluber pulled early, Verlander shut down

UNDATED (AP) — The injury news isn’t good for a pair of Texas major league teams.

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander has a strained right forearm and will be shut down for at least two weeks.

Astros manager Dusty Baker made the announcement on Sunday but denied a report that said the injury would end Verlander’s season. He said Verlander would be evaluated after two weeks.

Baker said Verlander felt “tenderness” in his arm during his start on Friday, where he pitched six innings and got the win. He had an MRI on Saturday, and now he’ll miss at least roughly a third of this 60-game regular season.

Meanwhile, Rangers right-hander Corey Kluber (KLOO’-bur) left his first start in almost 15 months after just one inning Sunday due to shoulder tightness.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner was making his first appearance for a team other than Cleveland after an offseason trade. He threw 18 pitches while facing three batters. Colorado’s Trevor Story walked and was thrown out trying to steal.

The Rangers said the 34-year-old Kluber reported feeling the tightness in the first few pitches and it got worse as the inning progressed. He was examined by a team doctor and will be further evaluated Monday.

In other MLB news:

— Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez says he is awaiting results of additional testing after doctors recently discovered an issue with his heart they believe is a result of his recent bout with COVID-19. The 27-year-old left-hander tested positive for the coronavirus before the start of summer camp, but was cleared and returned to workouts on July 18. He hasn’t had another positive coronavirus test, but said an MRI revealed a condition called myocarditis, that the team’s medical staff felt was serious enough to shut him down for at least a week.

— Reds second baseman Mike Moustakas (moos-TAH’-kahs) went on the injured list Sunday after he woke up feeling sick. Manager David Bell said Moustakas didn’t feel well when he woke up Sunday morning and was told to stay home as a precaution. Center fielder Nick Senzel was a late scratch from Cincinnati’s lineup for the final game of a series against the Tigers. The moves came a day after Reds infielder Matt Davidson went on the injured list because he tested positive for COVID-19.

— The President has backed out of an opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 15. Donald Trump tweeted Sunday that he won’t be able to make the trip because of his “strong focus” on the coronavirus, vaccines and the economy. Trump said in the tweet: “We will make it later in the season!”

NBA-NEWS

Clippers’ Williams will serve 10-day quarantine, miss games

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The NBA said Sunday that Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers is being quarantined for 10 days because of his trip out of the league’s bubble last week to attend a family member’s funeral.

He will miss at least two of the Clippers’ seeding games, including their July 30 opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s possible he could miss more than two since his likely release will be Aug. 4, the day of the Clippers’ third seeding game.

The issue was not that Williams left the bubble but that he also went to a club on that trip to Atlanta, and photographs of that visit appeared on social media. That prompted an investigation by NBA security.

In other NBA news:

— Joel Embiid (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEED’) is hurting, and that’s a cause for concern as the Philadelphia 76ers get set to restart their season this week. The All-Star starting center sat out Philadelphia’s scrimmage against Oklahoma City on Sunday with right calf tightness, something 76ers coach Brett Brown hopes is merely a minor blip. Embiid has an extensive injury history and has never appeared in more than 64 games in a regular season. He missed 21 of Philadelphia’s 65 games this season before the March 11 shutdown.

— Boston’s Kemba Walker and Phoenix’s Ricky Rubio were back in action Sunday, going head-to-head in a Celtics-Suns scrimmage. Both missed the first scrimmages with their teams inside the NBA bubble last week. Walker missed the first scrimmage with left knee soreness. Rubio was a late arrival at Disney and the Suns wanted to get him a couple of more practices before he saw any scrimmage action.

NHL-NEWS

Arizona GM steps down

UNDATED (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes aren’t very happy with John Chayka’s decision to step down just a week after the team opens the Stanley Cup qualifiers against Nashville.

The Coyotes issued a statement saying they are disappointed in his actions and his timing of the resignation. They added that “Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

Chayka made a name for himself as one of the NHL’s top general managers since being promoted in 2016 and recently signed a contract extension through 2024 late last year. His relationship with new owner Alex Meruelo began to deteriorate when he asked for permission to pursue another, non-NHL opportunity. The Arizona Republic reported Chayka was not invited to a recent dinner with Meruelo and new CEO Xavier Gutierrez to talk with Taylor Hall about a contract extension.

In other NHL news:

— Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman won’t travel with the team to the NHL’s Eastern Conference “secure zone” in Toronto because of a personal matter. General manager Julien BriseBois (BREEZ’-bwah) says Hedman will go from his home to the rink and back and avoid the general public in Florida this week before joining his teammates. He’s expected to be able to practice upon arrival and play in Tampa Bay’s first playoff game Aug. 3.

— Well-traveled NHL forward Eddie Shack has died at 83, according to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for his bruising style, distinctive skating gait and larger-than-life personality, Shack won four Stanley Cups with Toronto in the 1960s. Nicknamed “The Entertainer” — with his trademark cowboy hat and luxurious mustache — he scored the winning goal for the Leafs in the 1963 final.

PGA-3M OPEN

Thompson wins in Minnesota

BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes for a 4-under 67 and a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open.

Thompson finished 19 under in his second PGA victory, seven years after his first.

Adam Long took second after a 64. Richy Werenski shared the lead with Thompson after both Friday and Saturday before shooting a 70 to fall into a tie for third at minus-16.

Tony Finau finished in the third-place group after a 68.

In world and national news…

(AP)  The world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccine test got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers. The experimental vaccine is made by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., and it’s one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race. The needed proof: Whether more people who get dummy shots become infected than those given two doses of the real vaccine. The U.S. government plans separate huge studies of several leading vaccine candidates through fall, each in hot spots where the virus still is spreading.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Suggesting a narrower pandemic relief package may be all that’s possible, the White House is still pushing ahead with Monday’s planned rollout of the Senate Republicans’ $1 trillion effort. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assailed the GOP “disarray” as time-wasting during the crisis. By Friday, millions of unemployed Americans could lose an expiring $600 federal jobless benefit and a federal eviction moratorium is also coming to an end. The Trump administration’s top negotiators — White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin — spent the weekend at the Capitol trying to finish the package. Meadows said they have an agreement “in principle” with Senate Republicans.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that Joe Biden’s supporters are less enthusiastic than President Donald Trump’s, both about the campaign itself and about their candidate. But the poll also finds that the Democrat’s coalition may be equally motivated by anxiety. Overall, voters give Biden higher marks on many positive traits that apply to leadership in the age of the coronavirus, including honesty, capability and caring for Americans. Trump’s job approval in the new poll sits at 38%, within the narrow range that has endured throughout his presidency but down from relative highs earlier this year.

BEIJING (AP) — The price of gold has surged to a record as investors move money into an asset seen as a safe haven in uncertain times. The price surged $37 to over $1,934 per ounce on Monday. It added 2% percent after breaking its 2011 record high price on Friday, closing at $1,897.50 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices of gold and silver have jumped as rising infection numbers and job losses in the United States and some other economies fuel concern the recovery from the virus and the worst global downturn since the 1930s might be faltering. Precious metals, along with bonds, often are seen as stores of value when financial markets decline.

HONOLULU (AP) — Hurricane Douglas has gained some strength and begun to spin away from many of the Hawaiian Islands. A hurricane warning is in effect late Sunday for Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Niihau, which could still be hit by Douglas with strong wind gusts and rough surf. Officials are calling on residents to remain vigilant. Heavy rain and wind gusts had battered Maui during the morning, downing a small tree on the Hana Highway. Sand and debris washed ashore on a two-lane coastal road on Oahu. Despite the dangers, surfers rode waves and residents took selfies at a lookout point next to the ocean.

BERLIN (AP) — Europe’s tourism revival is running into turbulence only weeks after countries opened their borders, with rising infections in Spain and other countries causing increasing concern as authorities worry about people bringing the coronavirus home from their summer vacations. European countries started opening up to each other’s tourists in mid-June, but recent events have shown that the new freedom to travel is subject to unpredictable setbacks. Over the weekend, Britain imposed a 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving from Spain, Norway ordered a 10-day quarantine for people returning from the Iberian peninsula, and France urged its citizens not to visit the Catalonia region.