Rays pitcher ties strikeout record

Tampa Bay’s young starter, Blake Snell, dominated early, even setting an American League record with seven straight strikeouts to start the game. It wasn’t enough as veteran star Felix Hernandez outlasted him with a vintage performance.

The Seattle Mariners offense eked out a couple runs in the eighth inning, just enough for the 2-1 win and series sweep against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Snell, who was born in Seattle and pitched for nearby Shorewood High School, struck out 12 — including the first seven batters he faced to tie an American League record. He didn’t give up a run in six inning, but he couldn’t outlast Hernandez.

Hernandez (6-4) allowed one run in eight innings, the first time he’s pitched past the seventh inning this season. He gave up five hits and one walk against seven strikeouts, tying his season high. His one run allowed was his fewest since he threw 5 1/3 scoreless in the season opener.

Tennis

DJOKOVIC IN FRENCH QUARTERS AGAIN » In his record 12th French Open quarterfinal, Novak Djokovic will face a man he knows well, even if the rest of the world does not.

What a tale Marco Cecchinato can tell, though. He is a 25-yearold from Sicily who once was handed a match-fixing suspension that later was thrown out on appeal. His tour-level career record was 4-23 before this season. His Grand Slam record was 0-4 before last week.

Yet here he is, earning the right to face Djokovic for a spot in the semifinals at Roland Garros by eliminating the No. 8-seeded David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 on Sunday. How surprising is this run? Cecchinato’s ranking of No. 72 is the lowest in a decade for a man in the final eight at the French Open.

Asked whether he could have envisioned, even as recently as April, that he would get this far at a major tournament, Cecchinato answered with one word, “No,” before breaking into as wide a smile as can be.

“For me,” he continued, “this is the best moment of my life.”

Cecchinato and Djokovic, who meet Tuesday, have crossed paths often in Monte Carlo. Djokovic, a 12time major champion, lives there; Cecchinato has worked on his game at an academy there.

Auto racing

HUNTER-REAY BREAKS THROUGH » Ryan HunterReay won his first IndyCar race since 2015, prevailing at Belle Isle after teammate Alexander Rossi slid off the track at a turn with about seven laps to go.

Rossi, the pole winner, was struggling to hold off Hunter-Reay before the mishap at a right turn on lap 64 of 70. From there, it was smooth sailing for Hunter-Reay on the 2.35-mile street course. He finished more than 11 seconds ahead of second-place Will Power.

Ed Jones finished third, followed by Scott Dixon. Rossi fell to 12th and dropped out of the series points lead.

Power returned to the top of the season standings.