Hamilton honors Lauda

Exhilarated at the Monaco Grand Prix after clinching a record-extending 85th pole position in fine style, Lewis Hamilton was also quick to dedicate his latest success to friend and mentor Niki Lauda.

Hamilton beat Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas on the last lap of qualifying on Saturday and he will aim for his 77th career win in Formula One on Sunday, which will feature more tributes to Lauda.

Lauda, who died on Monday, played a key role in getting Hamilton to join Mercedes in 2013 after he left McLaren.

“All these years, he has been my partner in crime, in all my negotiations and in pushing for improvements on the car. He was such a racer,” Hamilton said. “I have great memories and he’ll live on in all our memories.”

Lauda’s phone call to Hamilton in late 2012, when Hamilton was sitting by his swimming pool at home in Monaco, proved both decisive and fruitful. Since joining Mercedes, the British driver has won four world titles to add to his first with McLaren in 2008.

“He was part of the process of changing my life. If I hadn’t had that call, I’d be a one-time world champion and (now) I sit here a five-time world champion,” Hamilton said. “I definitely feel like I owe him a lot.”

BASEBALL

The Houston Astros placed outfielder George Springer on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left hamstring strain.

Springer suffered the injury trying to make a sliding catch on a foul ball in the eighth inning of Friday’s game against the Red Sox. Springer was playing in his first game back after missing the previous four with a stiff back.

Springer is batting .308 this season with 17 home runs 43 RBI.

HOCKEY

Mark Stone scored his tournament-leading eighth goal, Matt Murray made 39 saves and Canada beat the Czech Republic, 5-1, to advance to face Finland in the world championship final in Bratislava, Slovakia.

In the first semifinal, Marko Anttila scored midway through the third period in Finland’s 1-0 victory over Russia.

SOCCER

Valencia beat Barcelona, 2-1, in the Copa del Rey final in Seville, Spain, denying Lionel Messi the chance to lead his team to a fifth consecutive domestic cup title.

Messi tried to rally the side almost singlehandedly in the second half, and the club’s all-time greatest scorer hit the woodwork before scoring in the 73rd minute when he put in a rebound.

But Messi’s best effort to force added time was an off-target header with five minutes remaining.

RUGBY

The United States, Fiji, and New Zealand qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in rugby sevens after making the London Sevens quarterfinals.

The U.S. knocked off Spain and Wales but was under pressure from Australia. When American Steve Tomasin was sin-binned, Australia pounced to lead 17-12. But Tomasin came back to score a try from his own half, and Madison Hughes made the conversion for the U.S. to win, 19-17.

From Journal Sentinel wire reports