IN BRIEF
AUTO RACING: Ryan Hunter-Reay snatched the pole from Scott Dixon in the final seconds of qualifying in Sonoma, Calif. Hunter-Reay crossed in 1 minute, 17.6277 seconds to earn his first pole of the season and deny Dixon the top starting spot. Dixon, who is vying for a fifth Indy Car title, went 1:17.7599 seconds . ... Ross Chastain held off Justin Allgaier for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, pulling away in Las Vegas to win in his 132nd series start.
BOXING: Canelo Alvarez is the new middleweight champion of the world, by the smallest of margins. Alvarez scored a majority decision win over Gennady Golovkin in a spirited fight that was almost as close as the draw the two fought to a year earlier. Two judges scored it 115-113 for Alvarez, while the third had it 114-114 . ... Floyd Mayweather Jr. says he’s coming out of retirement again to fight Manny Pacquiao for a second time in December. Mayweather posted a video on Instagram early Saturday that showed him and Pacquiao together, reportedly in Japan, jawing at each other. Whether the fight actually happens remains to be seen. Oddsmakers at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook made Mayweather a 2-1 favorite.
GOLF: Chasing a first major title, Amy Olson fired a bogey-free 65 for a two-shot lead over Sei Young Kim after the third round of the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France . ... Scott McCarron shot a 9-under 63 at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Mich., for a share of the Ally Challenge lead with Tom Lehman and Jeff Maggert. McCarron was at 10-under 135. Vijay Singh, a three-time winner at Warwick Hills in the defunct Buick Open, was 7 under in the PGA Tour Champions event.
NFL: The Browns are set to release troubled WR Josh Gordon. The stunning news came just hours after the team announced he would miss Sunday’s game in New Orleans with a hamstring injury. Gordon has been suspended for most of the last four seasons because of drug violations. “For the past six years, the Browns have fully supported and invested in Josh, both personally and professionally and wanted the best for him, but unfortunately we’ve reached a point where we feel it’s best to part ways,” general manager John Dorsey said.
NHL: Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk scored in the shootout to lead the Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Flames in the exhibition season opener in Shenzhen, China . ... Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is taking a leave of absence following the death of his father, George. The Penguins said George Sullivan, 81, died Saturday in Scituate, Mass.
SOCCER: Tobin Heath and Lindsey Horan scored as the Portland Thorns advanced to the NWSL title game with a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Reign in Portland, Ore. The defending champion Thorns (13-6-6) play the winner of Tuesday’s semifinal between the Chicago Red Stars and the North Carolina Courage for the title Saturday.
TENNIS: Doubles specialist Mike Bryan’s decision to come out of Davis Cup retirement gave the U.S. a needed lift. Bryan, 40, teamed with Ryan Harrison for the first time and helped the Americans outlast Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic 7-5, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5) over nearly five hours to cut Croatia’s lead to 2-1 in their semifinal in Zadar, Croatia.
— Edited from news services