Off the wire
BASEBALL
Howard, Braves do deal Free- agent slugger Ryan Howard has reached a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves, hoping for another chance to play in the majors. Howard, 37, wasn’t signed by the Philadelphia Phillies after last season. The Braves made the deal Thursday. Howard will report to extended spring training next week. The first baseman will then join Class AAA Gwinnett when he’s ready. Howard hit .196 with 25 home runs and 59 RBI in 112 games last year. The 2006 NL MVP is a three- time All- Star and has 382 career home runs, all with the Phillies. The Braves were shut out by the New York Mets on opening day before coming back to beat them 3- 1 in 12 innings Wednesday night. Atlanta already has star Freddie Freeman at first base, but could be looking for some pop off the bench.
Richards’ exam set A day after Garrett Richards gave the Angels a scare when he came out of a game with cramping in his biceps, Manager Mike Scioscia was still hopeful that it’s nothing more than that. “Our medical staff is going to look into things,” Scioscia said Thursday morning. “They are confident this isn’t connected to his other situation last year. We’ll wait for guidance.” Richards tore his ulnar collateral ligament last year, following a start in which he was initially diagnosed with dehydration. He had stem- cell therapy and appeared to bounce back to full strength this spring. He had not allowed a run when he came out of Wednesday night’s game in the fifth inning. Richards is scheduled for an exam today. Yankees prospect on DL Top Yankees pitching prospect James Kaprielian was placed on the minor league disabled list because of pain in his right elbow and will be sent for scans. New York said Thursday that the 23- year- old right- hander, taken with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 amateur
draft, will have an MRI and a dye contrast MRI. His 2016 season was cut short after his third start at Class A Tampa, on April 21, because of a strained right flexor tendon. Tebow HR in 1st at- bat Tim Tebow hit a home run in his first at- bat as a New York Mets minor leaguer. The former NFL quarterback connected for a two- run drive Thursday night for the Columbia Fireflies in a Class A South Atlantic League game against Augusta in Columbia, S. C. With a 15 mph wind blowing out, Tebow launched a shot and stopped at second base, thinking it was a double. But the ball hit a railing just above the fence in left- center field and an umpire twirled his hand to indicate the home run. Tebow pumped his fist in the air as he rounded the rest of the bases in the second inning as the crowd went wild. He started the game in left field. Tebow played three seasons in the NFL. The former Heisman Trophy winner left
football for broadcasting after the 2012 season, before decided to pursue a career in a sport he last played as a junior in high school. In spring training for the Mets, Tebow batted .148 in 27 appearances. He struck out eight times and didn’t have an extra base hit or an RBI.
SOCCER
U. S. shuts out Russia Crystal Dunn scored twice on the same field where she tied a national team record with five goals in a game last year and the U. S. women rolled to a 4- 0 exhibition victory over Russia on Thursday night in Frisco, Texas. Allie Long also scored two goals to give her five for her national team career — all on headers — as the U. S. celebrated with an easy victory a day after the announcement of a new labor deal that will cover the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Dunn opened the scoring on Carli Lloyd’s 55th career assist for the national team, then added an unassisted goal for a 3- 0 lead in the 41st minute. The latest tallies gave Dunn 20 goals in 49 career caps for the U. S., which is second in the world rankings behind Germany. Rose Lavelle had her first career assist on Long’s first header, and Mallory Pugh assisted on the second. Alyssa Naeher recorded her eighth shutout in her 11th career start for the United States.
TENNIS
Wozniacki beats Beck Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Annika Beck of Germany 7- 5, 6- 1 on Thursday in the third round of the Volvo Car Open at Charleston, S. C. The fifth- seeded Wozniacki, who lost to Johanna Konta of Britain in the final of the Miami Open last Saturday, saved four of five break points in the decisive second set while Beck failed to save any in three tries. In other singles matches on the green clay at Daniel Island: Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia defeated Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 7- 5, 7- 6 ( 6); Mirjana Lucic- Baroni of Croatia upset seventh- seeded Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 7- 6 ( 5), 6- 4; Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Fanny Stollar 6- 1, 1- 0 after the Hungarian teenager retired; and Irina- Camelia Begu of Romania upset Samantha Stosur of Australia 7- 5, 6- 3.
HOCKEY
Canada blanks Finland Marie- Philip Poulin had a goal and an assist in a 2- plus minute span of second period, helping Canada pull away and beat Finland 4- 0 on Thursday night in the women’s hockey world championship semifinals at Plymouth, Mich. The Canadians will face the winner of the U. S.- Germany game tonight for gold. Finland handed Canada a stunning setback in group play with a 4- 3 victory, but couldn’t come close to another upset. The Canadians were in control from start to finish in the rematch. It didn’t show up on the scoreboard, though, until late in the first period when Sarah Potomak lifted a shot over Noora Raty’s blocker. Emily Clark added an empty- net goal with 4: 29 left. Canada’s Shannon Szabados wasn’t tested much during a 23- save shutout.