Off the wire

were in a tie for second at 3-under. First-round leader Thidapa Suwannapura carded a 75 and fell six strokes behind the leader.

All-Stars win warm-up

J.T. Realmuto and Amed Rosario drove in two runs each to lead the MLB All-Stars over the Yomiuri Giants 9-6 on Thursday in Tokyo in a warm-up game ahead of their six-game exhibition series against Japan’s national team. Juan Soto hit a double off the roof of the Tokyo Dome in the third inning that scored Yadier Molina from second to give the MLB team a 4-0 lead. Realmuto then doubled in a run and Rosario added two more on a single as the MLB squad scored five runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead. Realmuto also hit an opposite-field solo home run in the fifth to make it 8-3. The series begins today with three games on consecutive nights in Tokyo followed by one game in Hiroshima on Tuesday and two games in Nagoya on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mariners trade for Smith Speedy outfielder and leadoff hitter Mallex Smith has been acquired by the Seattle Mariners from the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia as part of a five-player deal. The deal was announced Thursday at the baseball general managers’ meetings at Carlsbad, Calif. Smith, 25, stole a career-best 40 bases this year and was caught 12 times. He hit .296, tied for the major league lead with 10 triples and had 40 RBI. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season. He signed with San Diego in 2012, was traded to Atlanta in December 2014 and was dealt to the Mariners in January 2017 and sent to the Rays on the same day in a swap that sent left-hander Drew Smyly (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) to Seattle. Kang sticks with Pirates Jung Ho Kang is staying with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh and the third baseman agreed Thursday to a $3 million, one-year contract that includes $2.5 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $625,000 each for 200, 300, 400 and 500. The deal was announced a week after Pittsburgh declined a $5.5 million club option for Kang, triggering a $250,000 buyout. Kang was a star in his native South Korea when the Pirates signed him to an $11 million, four-year deal in January 2015. He finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting after hitting 15 homers and driving in 58 runs in 2015, when Pittsburgh won 98 games. It would be the high point of Kang’s time with the Pirates. Kang, 31, didn’t play in the U.S. between September 2016 and June 2018 because of visa issues connected to three DUI arrests in South Korea. He made it back to the majors with Pittsburgh in September and went 2 for 6 during the final weekend of the season. As in Kang’s previous deal, the Pirates must allow him to become a free agent at the end of the contract.

Darnold won’t start

Sam Darnold will not start for the Jets on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, New York Coach Todd Bowles told reporters Thursday, but the rookie quarterback has not been ruled out altogether. Josh McCown will start for the Jets on Sunday. The Jets also have former Giants third-round pick Davis Webb on the practice squad and would promote him to be their game-day backup if Darnold is ruled out entirely. Darnold, who is dealing with a right foot strain, did not practice for the second consecutive day and again was seen in a walking boot. Bowles told reporters after Thursday’s practice that Darnold will be the Jets’ starting quarterback when he returns to full health, even if McCown has the Jets on a win streak.

Wally Triplett dies Wally Triplett, the trailblazing running back who was one of the first blacks drafted by an NFL team, has died. He was 92. The Detroit Lions and Penn State announced Triplett’s death Thursday. Triplett was the third black selected in the 1949 draft, but he was the first of those draftees to play in a regular-season game. He played in 24 games for the Lions and Chicago Cardinals. Triplett was also the first black player to start for Penn State, and in 1948, he and teammate Dennie Hoggard became the first blacks to play in the Cotton Bowl. Triplett played in 18 games for the Lions from 1949-1950. After serving two years during the Korean War, he returned to play for the Cardinals. U.S. women beat Portugal Jessica McDonald, making just her second appearance for the national team, scored in the 43rd minute and the U.S. women’s national team reached its 500th victory with a 1-0 victory over Portugal in Lisbon. The U.S. national team is now 500-65-74 overall since its inception in 1985. With the victory, the Americans remain undefeated this year at 17 wins and two ties. The team has an unbeaten streak of 27 games (24 victories, three ties) dating to a 1-0 loss to Australia in the Tournament of Nations. The streak comes as the U.S. team prepares for the World Cup next year in France. The defending World Cup champions qualified for the tournament last month at the CONCACAF women’s championship. The United States is currently the top-ranked team in the world, while Portugal is ranked No. 33 and did not qualify for France. The United States plays Scotland on Tuesday to wrap up a two-match European trip before taking the rest of the year off. IndyCar: No go in Brazil

An IndyCar official said Thursday there is no deal in place to return to Brazil in 2020 with a road race in Rio de Janeiro. Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella earlier this week said he had reached an agreement with series organizers but Jay Frye, IndyCar’s president of competition and operations, said that is not currently the case. IndyCar last raced in Brazil in 2013 in Sao Paulo. The first IndyCar race in Brazil was in 1996 at the Jacarapegua track, which has been replaced by Rio Olympic Park. Brasilia was scheduled to host an IndyCar race in 2015 but the event was canceled.