P&G donates $529,000 to US women’s soccer team

NEW YORK >> Procter & Gamble, a sponsor of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, is now supporting its members’ fight for equal pay.

The company, which supports U.S. soccer through its Secret deodorant brand, says it will donate $529,000 — $23,000 for each of the 23 players on the U.S. team that won the World Cup earlier this month — to help close the pay gap. The sponsor took out a full-page ad printed in The New York Times on Sunday urging the U.S. Soccer Federation to “be on the right side of history.”

“Let’s take this moment of celebration to propel women’s sports forward,” Secret says in the ad. “We urge the US Soccer Federation to be a beacon of strength and end gender pay inequality once and for all.”

In March, 28 members of the USWNT sued the US Soccer Federation for alleged gender discrimination. The suit claims the federation pays the women less than members of the men’s national team. TOKYO >> Former Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin has signed a one-year deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League.

Martín, who overcame a lifethreatening bacterial infection last summer, was designated for assignment last month by the Indians. He was batting .199 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs in 65 games.

Cleveland acquired Martín from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline last season, but he played only six games before becoming ill and being hospitalized.

“It’s an honor to be given this chance by the Marines,” Martin said in a statement issued by the team. “I’ll do everything I can in order to be the best player and teammate that I can become.”

The 31-year-old Cuban player made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers in 2011 and also played for the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and Detroit.