The Atlanta Braves opened a series between National League division leaders by rallying for a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants that improved the home side's August record to 17-5.
The NL East-leading Braves trailed 3-0 and 4-2 to the NL West-leading Giants before Ozzie Albies' RBI double in the seventh inning brought Atlanta within one and Jorge Soler's three-run homer later in the inning put the Braves on top for good.
Adam Duvall also homered for the Braves, while Buster Posey and Wilmer Flores went deep for the GIants in the first and ninth innings, respectively.
Joc Pederson sealed the win by leaping to rob Tommy La Stella of extra bases for the final out.
Cole, streaking Yankees cruise past A's
Gerrit Cole pitched six shutout innings and reached 200 strikeouts for the season in his 24th appearance, the fastest ever for a Yankees pitcher to hit that milestone, as the Yankees defeated the Oakland Athletics 8-2. The Yankees supported him with home runs from Giancarlo Stanton, Luke Voit, Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka as they won their 13th successive game – their longest winning streak since 1961.
The Philadelphia Phillies blew a two-run lead in the ninth, then rallied from a two-run deficit in the 10th to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 and keep pace with the Braves in the NL East. After Christian Walker's two-run homer sent the game to extra innings and Ketel Marte's shot gave Arizona the lead, Brad Miller kept the Phillies alive with a 10th-inning homer before Jean Segura won it in the 11th with a walk-off single.
In his first game since July 5, Yasmani Grandal hit two homers and drove in eight runs as the Chicago White Sox rallied from a 6-0 first-inning deficit to defeat the Cubs 17-13 in an intra-city showdown.
Wade Miley pitched seven shutout innings as the Cincinnati Reds blanked the Miami Marlins 6-0 with Tyler Naquin and Mike Moustakas hitting solo home runs for the victors.
The San Diego Padres picked up only their third win in the last 15 games, shutting out the Los Angeles Angels 5-0 as Joe Musgrove allowed only three hits and struck out nine in a compete-game shutout.
Indians lose despite allowing just three hits
Cleveland Indians pitchers held the Boston Red Sox to three hits but still managed to lose 4-3 thanks to Jonathan Arauz's first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the eighth after a walk by Christian Vazquez and a single by Jarren Duran. Boston's only other run crossed the plate on a double play in the fifth.
Reyes runs Tigers into a win
Victor Reyes blazed around the bases after his sinking liner eluded Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Josh Palacios in the eighth inning, his inside-the-park home run providing the winning margin in the Detroit Tigers' 2-1 triumph.
Friday's results
Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 Baltimore Orioles
Detroit Tigers 2-1 Toronto Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox 4-3 Cleveland Indians
Cincinnati Reds 6-0 Miami Marlins
St Louis Cardinals 4-3 Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals 2-1 New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves 6-5 San Francisco Giants
Houston Astros 5-4 Texas Rangers
Chicago White Sox 17-13 Chicago Cubs
Minnesota Twins 2-0 Milwaukee Brewers
San Diego Padres 5-0 Los Angeles Angels
New York Yankees 8-2 Oakland Athletics
Colorado Rockies 4-2 Los Angeles Dodgers
Kansas City Royals 8-7 Seattle Mariners
Giants at Braves
The San Francisco Giants (83-45) look to bounce back from Friday's defeat as they send Logan Webb to the mound against Huascar Ynoa and the Atlanta Braves (69-58).
The Winston-Salem Open will produce a first-time ATP Tour winner as Mikael Ymer and Ilya Ivashka each advanced to their first Tour-level final Friday.
Ymer upset the only player among the four semi-finalists who previously had reached a final, 15th seed Carlos Alcaraz, by a score of 7-5 6-3 as he contested his first ATP semi-final at the North Carolina event.
The 22-year-old Swede, ranked number 90 in the world, knocked off Alcaraz in the second round at this year's Australian Open in their only prior meeting.
Ymer converted all three of his break points against the Spanish teen, who is ranked a career-best number 54 this week.
Ivashka had no trouble disposing of Emil Ruusuvuori 6-2 6-1 in the first semi-final.
The Finn had won 93 per cent of his service games this week entering the match but was broken in four of eight Friday.
Ivashka, meanwhile, did not face a single break point on his own serve as he cruised to victory in 68 minutes.
Elina Svitolina is in position to win her first title of 2021 after outlasting Rebecca Peterson to reach the Chicago Women's Open final.
After dropping just one game in her quarter-final win over Kristina Mladenovic, Svitolina needed nearly two and a half hours to dispatch Peterson 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 on Friday.
The top seed will seek her 16th career WTA Tour title against ninth-seeded Alize Cornet, who rallied to defeat Varvara Gracheva 4-6 6-1 6-0 in the other semi.
Gracheva's capitulation after winning the first set was understandable, as earlier in the day she had finished off a quarter-final upset of eighth seed Marta Kostyuk in a match that had been suspended due to darkness Thursday.
Gracheva prevailed 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-4 in that contest, with play on Friday beginning late in the second set, but did not have enough to pull out another win.
The final will feature the eighth head-to-head meeting between Svitolina and Cornet, with the Ukrainian holding a 4-3 edge.
At Tennis in the Land, second seed Anett Kontaveit defeated seventh seed Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4 6-4 in one semi-final.
She will meet Irina-Camelia Begu in the final of the Cleveland tournament after the unseeded Romanian upset sixth seed Magda Linette 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.
Kontaveit won her first WTA title at Guadalajara earlier this year, while Begu will be seeking her fifth Tour title and first since 2017.
Florian Senechal powered to victory during a dramatic climax to Stage 13, while Odd Christian Eiking retained his grip on the red jersey at the Vuelta a Espana.
Deceuninck-Quick-Step rider Senechal claimed his maiden Grand Tour stage win at Villanueva de la Serena on Friday.
Senechal's team-mate – and green jersey holder – Fabio Jakobsen looked poised for the victory heading into the twisty last 5 kilometres, but slipped off the pace at the vital moment.
The Frenchman subsequently held his nerve during the final sprint as he pipped Matteo Trentin to the line.
"I don't realise yet that I’ve won a Grand Tour stage," he said.
"It's crazy. At first, I thought Demare was going to pass me, or [Michael] Matthews. But nobody did.
"I don't know how to thank my team-mates. They did a crazy job to put me in the perfect position. A thousand thanks.
"I am lucky today and I'm very happy for my family, my friends and my wife. It’s a good present."
Meanwhile, GC leader Eiking survived the day in the valley to maintain his hold on the red jersey ahead of a brutal summit finish at Pico Villuercas on Saturday.
Although, the Norwegian is expecting defending champion Primoz Roglic to pose a significant threat to his chances of retaining La Roja.
"I'm happy I didn't lose too much time [on Friday]," he said.
"I want to try and keep the red jersey tomorrow, but it depends mostly on Roglic.
"If he decides to stand up and go for it, it's going to be difficult but if I'm lucky and if I have the legs, I can keep fighting for the jersey."
STAGE RESULT
1. Florian Senechal (Deceuninck-Quick Step) 4:58:23
2. Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates)
3. Alberto Dainese (Team DSM) +0:02
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Odd Christian Eiking (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) 50:31:52
2. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) +0:58
3. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +1:56
Points Classification
1. Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 200
2. Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF Education–Nippo) 114
3. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 106
King of the Mountains
1. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) 31
2. Romain Bardet (Team DSM) 27
3. Michael Storer (Team DSM) 17
What's next?
The riders return to the mountains on Saturday for Stage 14, which will run 165.7km between Don Benito and Pico Villeurcas.
It was a clean sweep for Team Puerto winning all team divisions at the CGA’s 64th Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (CAGC). Six Caribbean countries sent their best 47 golfers to compete August 24-26 at the Country Club at Grand Reserve, Rio Grande, in Puerto Rico.
Chris Sale joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in MLB history with three immaculate innings after helping the Boston Red Sox past the Minnesota Twins 12-2.
Red Sox ace Sale pitched 5.2 innings, striking out eight batters while allowing two runs on two hits in Boston on Thursday.
Sale stole the headlines with his nine-pitch third inning after striking out Twins trio Nick Gordon, Andrelton Simmons and Rob Refsnyder on three pitches each.
"Today was probably the best my mechanics have been start-to-finish. I really felt like I was staying on top of the baseball. I really kind of found it out in the bullpen before the game," Sale said.
Boston team-mate Bobby Dalbec homered twice for the Red Sox, driving in seven runs.
Judge lifts Yankees to 12th straight win
The New York Yankees extended their winning streak thanks to Aaron Judge's tie-breaking single with two outs in the ninth inning as they edged the Oakland Athletics 7-6. The Yankees have won 12 games in a row – their best run since 1961.
Another day and another win for World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat the San Diego Padres 4-0 for a three-game sweep behind Max Scherzer. Dodgers star Scherzer gave up just two hits and one walk while striking out 10. The Dodgers have now gone 11 consecutive seasons without a losing record – their longest streak since the team moved to Los Angeles.
Salvador Perez became the first American League (AL) catcher with 35-plus homers in a season since 1999. Perez's grand slam run helped the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 victory at the Seattle Mariners.
The Washington Nationals lost 7-5 to the Miami Marlins but Juan Soto joined an exclusive club. The Nationals star recorded his second season of 100-plus walks – becoming only the third player to do so through their age-22 season along with Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Mel Ott.
Angels grounded again
Despite Shohei Ohtani's lead-off homer, the Los Angeles Angels were humbled 13-1 by the resurgent Baltimore Orioles, who snapped a 19-game losing streak 24 hours earlier. Elvis Peguero was charged with five of the six runs the Angels allowed in the fifth inning.
Grand slam!
Struggling for form before Wednesday, the Orioles celebrated back-to-back wins on Thursday. Pedro Severino fuelled Baltimore with a grand slam and six RBIs.
Thursday's results
Baltimore Orioles 13-1 Los Angeles Angels
Cincinnati Reds 5-1 Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago White Sox 10-7 Toronto Blue Jays
Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7 Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates 11-7 St Louis Cardinals
Boston Red Sox 12-2 Minnesota Twins
San Francisco Giants 3-2 New York Mets
Cleveland Indians 10-6 Texas Rangers
Miami Marlins 7-5 Washington Nationals
Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 San Diego Padres
New York Yankees 7-6 Oakland Athletics
Kansas City Royals 6-4 Seattle Mariners
Cubs at White Sox
Bragging rights will be on the line when the White Sox (74-55) host city rivals the Cubs (56-73) on Friday. Dallas Keuchel will toe the mound for the White Sox as the Cubs counter with Keegan Thompson.
Pablo Carreno Busta headlined the casualties at the Winston-Salem Open, where the top seed was shocked in straight sets by Ilya Ivashka.
The 2016 champion, Carreno Busta had his sights set on the semi-finals of the ATP 250 tournament but he suffered a surprise 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 loss on Thursday.
"Of course it's a great feeling. I had a great match today. These conditions suit me," Ivashka said. "I think he had more pressure because he's the top seed so for me it was a good challenge to see what my level is and to compete with these guys, so for me it was a great match."
Carreno Busta – who trumped world number one and 20-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic to win bronze at the Olympic Games – was not the only seed to fall.
Richard Gasquet and Frances Tiafoe also crashed out in the quarter-finals following defeats to Emil Ruusuvuori and Mikael Ymer.
The only seed to advance to the semis was 15th seed Carlos Alcaraz, who saw off Marcos Giron.
Australian Open chief Craig Tiley is confident the season-opening grand slam will be held in Melbourne next year, despite coronavirus concerns.
COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc around much of Australia, with Victoria and New South Wales both locked down due to outbreaks in the states.
The 2021 Australian Open went ahead, albeit in February instead of January, amid the coronavirus pandemic and without fans for most of the tournament following a snap lockdown of Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic was among the players critical of the conditions athletes endured prior to this year's Australian Open, with strict quarantine measures introduced.
Players, however, as set to spend two weeks in a biosecure bubble prior to the 2022 event, according to Tiley.
"There's a lot of time between now and when we get going but, at this point in time, we're planning on having a two-week bubble, where the players will be able to move freely between the hotel and the courts," Tiley said.
"They're protected, they're kept safe among themselves and safe from the community as well.
"And after those two weeks, they'll come out and be able to compete in the Australian Open in front of crowds."
Stefanos Tsitsipas faces Andy Murray and Ash Barty will take on 2010 finalist Vera Zvonareva in the first round of the US Open.
French Open runner-up Tsitsipas and 2012 champion Murray is one of the standout matches in the opening round at Flushing Meadows.
Top seed Novak Djokovic will start his quest for a calendar Grand Slam against a qualifier in New York and could face a repeat of the Wimbledon final versus Matteo Berrettini in the last eight.
World number one Djokovic, a strong favourite for a record 21st major title with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer absent due to injury, could do battle with Alexander Zverev at the semi-final stage.
Daniil Medvedev, the second seed, is in the bottom half with Tsitsipas, who he could come up against in the semi-final. Medvedev's first test will come against Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Barty could come up against Iga Swiatek in the last eight and Karolina Pliskova if she makes it through to the semi-finals.
Simona Halep's encounter with Camila Giorgi is a mouthwatering first-round match, while defending champion Naomi Osaka returns to grand slam action against former US Open junior champion Marie Bouzkova.
Angelique Kerber could be a tough fourth round opponent for Osaka. Close friends Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens meet in another eye-catching first-round match.
There will be no Serena or Venus Williams at the final major of the year due to injuries.
Valtteri Bottas and George Russell on Thursday stated there was "no news" of who will partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next year.
Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff this week affirmed his desire to finalise his driver line-up for 2022 in September.
Williams driver Russell stepped in for Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix last year after the seven-time Formula One world champion tested positive for coronavirus.
The 23-year-old Brit also conducted a Pirelli tyre test for Mercedes ahead of the mid-season break, adding further fuel to suggestions he could take Bottas' seat.
Bottas and Russell were paired for media conference duties ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, with neither driving giving much away over their futures.
"There's no news to share yet,” said Bottas. "Maybe I know something, maybe I don't but like I said there's no news to share."
Russell said: "No news to share at this stage.
"There's obviously been discussions over the summer break, but there's nothing to announce one way or another this weekend, and probably not next weekend either to be honest, which I think is no problem. Do things right, rather than quickly, let's say.
"I think we're both fortunate that we're both looked after in ways by Mercedes and we both trust them to look after our futures, one way or another.
"From my side, speaking for myself, there's no real problems and whether it's tomorrow, whether it's after Abu Dhabi, I guess you have to trust the people that are looking out for you."
Both the Men’s and the Women’s Individual standings show a tie for the top spot in round 2 of the CGA’s annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships (CAGC). The 64th CAGC is being played at the Country Club at Grand Reserve, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, August 24 - 26.
In the Men’s individual standings, Rhadames Peña of the Dominican Republic (who shot 72) was able to close the slim gap from round 1 to tie with Gustavo Rangel of Puerto Rico (with 73 strokes). Both currently lead the board with an overall 142 and 2 under par. Puerto Rico’s Jeronimo Esteve (70) and Justin Burrowes of Jamaica (73) are just behind with scores of 144 and 145, respectively.
The individual standings in the women’s division remains a tight race leading into the final round. At the top of the board, there is a tie between the powerful Puerto Rican ladies Paola Rosario (with 73 strokes) and Camila Negroni (shooting 78) for 152 at the end of round 2. Just 1 point away, with an overall score of 153, is another tie between Puerto Rico’s Darianys Guzman (77) and US Virgin Islands’ Alexandra Swayne (79).
Host country Puerto Rico Men’s Team continues their lead for the Hoerman Cup with 5 over par (scoring 290+291 for an overall 581). Jamaica remains in second place (+34) improving their score from 309 to 301 for an overall score of 610. The Dominican Republic in third (+39) also improved from 312 to 303 to score 615.
Puerto Rico is hoping for a clean sweep in their home country, with their women’s team also at the top of the leaderboard for the George Teale Trophy. Puerto Rico maintained their score of 150 on both days for a score of 300 and 12 over par. Tied in the second place are teams the Dominican Republic and US Virgin Islands, scoring an overall 322 for 34 over. They are followed closely by the Jamaican team with 327.
Six Caribbean countries sent 47 of their best amateur golfers to compete for the Arthur Ziadie Trophy which is awarded to the best overall team awarded (see standings), as well as the Hoerman Cup (Best Male Team) and the George Teale Trophy (Best Female Team). Sponsors include R&A, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Banco Popular, Titleist, and Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve, among others.
The 2021 CAGC heads into the final round today (Thursday, August 26).
Fernando Alonso has secured a second season with Alpine after the two-time Formula One champion impressed team bosses on his return to the cockpit.
After two years out of F1, Alonso has had eight top-10 finishes in 11 races of this season to date.
His and the team's best results came in the Hungarian Grand Prix last time out, where Alonso took fourth place and Esteban Ocon won the race.
Alpine, who previously competed as Renault, said in a statement on Thursday: "Alpine is pleased to announce that two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso will continue in its colours for the 2022 season alongside Esteban Ocon.
"The extension of Fernando’s contract signals the continuation of an already strong collaboration, fresh off the back of its historic maiden victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, in which Fernando played a pivotal role."
Alonso believes the 2022 season can be particularly fruitful for Alpine, when a host of technical regulations are introduced that may lead to closer competition between the teams.
The 40-year-old Spanish driver said: "I'm very happy to confirm the contract extension with Alpine into 2022. I felt at home the moment I returned to this team and have been welcomed back with open arms.
"It's been a tricky season for everyone, but we've shown progress as a team and the result in Hungary serves as a good example of this progression. We're targeting more positive memories for the rest of this season but also crucially from next year onwards with the new regulation changes coming into Formula One.
"I have been a big supporter of the need for a level playing field and change in the sport and the 2022 season will be a great opportunity for that. I am looking forward to the rest of this year and racing alongside Esteban in 2022 for Alpine."
Alonso has competed in 322 F1 races across his career, winning 32 times and finishing on the podium on 97 occasions.
His F1 titles came as a Renault driver in 2005 and 2006, and Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi said: "He is just as hungry as we are for success and is putting in every effort to translate it to performance.
"For now, however, we need to focus on delivering a strong second half of the year, extract the maximum at every race and ensure we finish as high up in the constructors' standings as possible. This will put us in a golden position for next year and the significant opportunity it brings."
The Baltimore Orioles returned to winning ways, ending a 19-game losing streak by upstaging the Los Angeles Angels 10-6.
Baltimore celebrated an overdue victory after rallying past Shohei Ohtani and the Angels in MLB action on Wednesday, a five-run seventh inning fuelling the hosts.
Trailing 6-2 in the fourth inning and 6-4 in the sixth, the Orioles – who were two losses short of the American League (AL) record for the longest skid, an unwanted record set themselves following a 0-12 start in 1988 – came from behind.
DJ Stewart, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander homered for the Orioles, whose losing streak became the longest in MLB history to end with the team scoring 10-plus runs, according to Stats Perform.
Two-way Angels star lasted 5.0 innings, allowing five hits, four runs and three homers in Baltimore.
Ray keys Jays victory
The playoff-chasing Toronto Blue Jays needed a win and they got it thanks to Robbie Ray, who inspired their 3-1 victory at home to the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Blue Jays starter Ray matched his career high by striking out 14 batters over seven innings. Ray allowed five hits and just one run as he became the first ever Toronto left-handed pitcher to record 14 strikeouts in a game.
Francisco Mejia's three-run homer in the ninth inning lifted the Tampa Bay Rays past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4. The Phillies lost but it was still a memorable day for Zack Wheeler, who became the first Philadelphia pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in 26 games or fewer.
Brandon Woodruff dominated, striking out 10 in six shut-out innings in the Milwaukee Brewers' 4-1 win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Rockies mask Marquez's struggles
The Colorado Rockies split a doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs after winning 13-10 in 10 innings after dropping the opener 5-2. However, Rockies starter German Marquez failed to impress, giving up five runs on seven hits in three innings. He has 10.13 ERA over 13.2 innings in his last three starts.
Sano's moonshot!
The Minnesota Twins topped the Boston Red Sox 9-6 with help from Miguel Sano, who delivered a 495-foot homer in the third inning – the longest in MLB this season.
Wednesday's results
St Louis Cardinals 3-2 Detroit Tigers
Houston Astros 6-5 Kansas City Royals
Chicago Cubs 5-2 Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies 13-10 Chicago Cubs
Baltimore Orioles 10-6 Los Angeles Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks 5-2 Pittsburgh Pirates
Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 Philadelphia Phillies
Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Chicago White Sox
Minnesota Twins 9-6 Boston Red Sox
San Francisco Giants 3-2 New York Mets
Cleveland Indians 7-2 Texas Rangers
Miami Marlins 3-2 Washington Nationals
Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 Cincinnati Reds
Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 San Diego Padres
Yankees at Athletics
The red-hot New York Yankees (74-52) will put their 11-game winning streak on the line when they visit the Oakland Athletics (70-57) on Thursday. Jameson Taillon is set to start for the Yankees as the A's counter with James Kaprielian.
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard said he still wants to win an NBA championship with the franchise amid ongoing speculation over his future.
Lillard's future has dominated headlines following Portland's first-round playoff exit last season, the six-time All-Star continuing to be the subject of trade rumours involving the Philadelphia 76ers.
There has also been talk about the New York Knicks, but despite his frustration after another early postseason elimination in 2020-21, Lillard remains determined to deliver a title to Portland.
"We lose to Denver, they were you know unhealthy," Lillard told Complex News' Pierce Simpson. "I'm frustrated with the loss against Denver, so like we gotta do better.
"I've always said I want to play in Portland, I want to win in Portland, and I still feel that way. So if I'm saying we gotta do better, we gotta give ourselves a real chance, we can't get out the first round as we are, then we gotta get better.
"Not from a standpoint of threatening you all. It was like, if it comes down to me having to move on and do something different like then maybe that's what I have to do.
"But it was like, I haven't made that decision you know what I'm saying? But the fact remains that I would like to win a championship in Portland."
Lillard has been named an All-Star six times in his career and has helped the Blazers reach the playoffs in each of the past eight seasons.
It is his clutch shooting that has consistently kept Portland in the mix and, since he entered the league in 2012, only Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry (2,460) and James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets (2,125) have made more three-pointers than Lillard's 2,051.
Portland reached the Western Conference Finals in 2019 but were swept by Curry and the Warriors.
However, this season's exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in six games was their fourth first-round elimination in five seasons and led to the Blazers parting ways with head coach Terry Stotts. Chauncey Billups is the man now tasked with leading them to a first NBA Finals since 1992 and a first championship since 1977.
"You get to a position where it's like, 'Do I defend myself or do I just say nothing'. For me, when I'm just hearing stuff that's not the facts, I'm going to say I didn't say that," Lillard told The Athletic as he addressed the trade speculation.
"Some things I've just got to let it be said. I know what the truth is. I know where I stand. It's not my duty to make the public know … it's not my job to make them aware of what that is.
"It definitely has been different. I feel like I've handled it like I've handled everything. I just let it happen. I let people talk and I just stay true to who I am and I stand on that.
"If I say something, I stand on what I said. It is what it is, at this point."
Pablo Carreno Busta sailed into the quarter-finals of the Winston-Salem Open an the top seed was joined by Richard Gasquet.
Carreno Busta – the 2016 champion – was too good for Dominik Koepfer 6-2 6-3 at the ATP 250 tournament on Wednesday.
The Spaniard, who stunned world number one Novak Djokovic to win bronze at the Olympic Games, will meet Ilya Ivashka, who upstaged ninth seed Jan-Lennard Struff 6-2 6-1.
"It was a very good match. I think I played very aggressively today, I made a lot of winners," Carreno Busta said. "I played against him the last two tournaments so it was important to me at the beginning of the match to be very focused and play very aggressive so I think this was a very good match for me.
"I'm feeling really comfortable playing this year, also. We know next we have the US Open but day by day I need the confidence, I need the rhythm. I think that I'm playing at a really good level so I would like to continue this way."
Former world number seven Richard Gasquet saw off third seed Daniel Evans 6-4 7-6 (7-4), Frances Tiafoe defeated Thiago Monteiro 7-5 7-6 (7-2), while fourth seed Marton Fucsovics was sent packing by Carlos Alcaraz 6-3 0-6 6-2.
Top seed Elina Svitolina had no trouble booking her spot in the Chicago Women's Open quarter-finals on the same day Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin pulled out of the US Open.
Svitolina made light work of Fiona Ferro on Wednesday, cruising to a 6-4 6-4 victory at the WTA 250 tournament.
The Ukrainian star and bronze medallist at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will face seventh seed Kristina Mladenovic in the quarters.
Marketa Vondrousova – the fifth seed, ninth seed Alize Cornet, Tereza Martincova and Rebecca Peterson also moved through from the round of 16.
At Tennis in the Land, second seed Anett Kontaveit secured a quarter-final berth by topping Caroline Garcia 6-3 6-3 in Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Williams and Kenin withdrew from next week's US Open at Flushing Meadows.
Williams – a two-time US Open champion – will not compete in New York due to a persistent leg injury, joining sister Serena in sitting out the year's final grand slam.
"It's super, super, super disappointing," Williams said in a video via her Twitter and Instagram accounts. "I'm having some issues with my leg all this summer, and just couldn't work through it.
"I tried my best here in Chicago [at the WTA 250 Chicago Women's Open], but I just was unable to figure out the equation. And there's been so many times where I've been able to figure it out, even not in the best of my health, but this time, I just couldn't make any miracles work."
Kenin – the 2020 Australian Open champion – withdrew after testing positive for coronavirus.
"Fortunately I am vaccinated and thus my symptoms have been fairly mild," Kenin tweeted. "However I have continued to test positive and thus will not be able to compete at the US Open next week."
"I plan to spend the next several weeks getting healthy and preparing to play well this fall. Thank you all for supporting me. I want to wish all the players the best of luck in New York."
New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom resumed throwing on Wednesday as manager Luis Rojas welcomed the "great news" for the MLB franchise.
DeGrom has been sidelined since July after being shut down from throwing due to right forearm tightness.
The four-time All-Star and two-time National League (NL) Cy Young Award winner played catch at Citi Field midweek following an MRI and while there is no timeframe regarding a return, Rojas is buoyed by the news.
"Jacob was cleared to start playing catch," Rojas told reporters on Wednesday. "He started today.
"Had an MRI this morning and the doctor gave him the green light after looking at the results.
"We'll see where we go from here. There's not a progression mapped out yet on how things are going to keep going, but at least getting to play catch today, that's great news for us."
DeGrom has posted staggering numbers this season, going 7-2 with an MLB-best 1.08 ERA in 15 starts and striking out a remarkable 14.3 batters per nine innings while walking just 1.1 per nine.
Rojas added: "It'll be huge to have him at the end. We gotta start playing better baseball, especially if our offense starts clicking. To see Jake late in the season, probably at a perfect point of the season where we're closing the gap or facing our division rivals, it would be ideal.
"But I don't know a timeline yet with Jake on how things are going to go, starting with today's clearance of playing catch. It would be huge to have him back."
Meanwhile, Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard will begin a minor league rehab assignment via the High-A Brooklyn on Thursday.
Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow in March last year and has not played since sitting out the coronavirus-shorted 2020 season.
Heading into Wednesday's clash with the San Francisco Giants, the Mets (61-64) were third in the NL East, seven games adrift of the Wild Card spots.
The 2021 Formula One title race was just hotting up as a four-week break frustratingly put the season on hold.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was trailing challenger Max Verstappen through nine races this year, the last three of which the Red Bull driver won.
But back-to-back dramatic races at Silverstone and the Hungaroring put Hamilton back in the ascendancy.
Verstappen crashed out in an incident involving Hamilton at the British Grand Prix and then could only finish ninth at the Hungarian GP following another early collision.
Tempers frayed between the two races, with the Dutchman furious with Hamilton's role at Silverstone.
A pause in the campaign might have allowed the pair to settle just a little, though, before the action resumes at the Belgian GP on Sunday.
Ahead of an event where Verstappen always enjoys significant support, he said: "I am of course excited to go back to Spa.
"It's my favourite track and it's really cool to drive with so many high-speed corners and elevation changes.
"I'm also looking forward to seeing all the fans who will be coming to support us, and it will be cool to see so much orange in the grandstands again as they couldn't be there last year.
"I also think it is a good place to reset our championship fight and I'm well prepared and feeling good ahead of the weekend."
LAST TIME OUT
Verstappen would have hoped to quickly put the British GP behind him in Hungary, still leading the championship as he lined up on the grid.
But another early flashpoint, this time involving Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas among a host of other drivers, took the Red Bull superstar out of contention.
Although the red flag was soon waved, Verstappen could only recover to finish ninth.
Hamilton's woes centred instead on team tactics, as an apparent error from Mercedes had him back in last place for a time.
Yet another stunning drive took the Briton to third, though, and Sebastian Vettel's disqualification from second boosted Hamilton further up the standings.
Esteban Ocon claimed an unlikely win, but much of the focus remained on the top two in the title race.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN BELGIUM
Fireworks, if the past two races are anything to go by.
Verstappen will surely hope just to get through the first few laps without contact on Sunday, with Red Bull's sensational race pace disrupted by his repeated involvement in crashes.
All this drama has suited Hamilton rather well, meanwhile, with the Mercedes man frustrated by the Silver Arrows' deficit to their rivals prior to those outings.
Perhaps the break will have allowed Mercedes to make up some of that gap, but Hamilton has not sounded hopeful for much of this year. He is on 99 F1 wins, bidding to become the first man to three figures.
The 36-year-old is not the only Mercedes man at the centre of attention, though, as Toto Wolff is yet to confirm their second driver for 2022.
Assuming no decision is made before Sunday, George Russell will hope to lay down a marker with a strong performance in a weak Williams, while Bottas also needs a result.
TOP FIVE OPTA STATS
Successive successes? – Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to win back-to-back Belgian GPs, with three between 2004 and 2007. Hamilton, who has a record six poles at Spa, was the most recent winner in 2020.
Quali so crucial – The past six winners at the Belgian GP have started from the front row of the grid, with five from pole and one from second. This is the longest such streak in the race's history.
Centurion in silver – This would not be Hamilton's first hundred. He was also the first to register 100 pole positions, with that total now 101 heading to Spa.
Finn to finish? – Bottas will aim to get back on track having failed to place in Hungary. Never in his F1 career has he not registered a position in consecutive races, unable to finish in Russia and the United States in 2015 but recording 12th place in the former.
No closer to Kimi – Fernando Alonso is on course to surpass Rubens Barrichello and move second with 323 grand prix appearances. However, Raikkonen's continued F1 career keeps him clear on 341.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 195
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 187
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 113
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 108
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 104
Constructors
1. Mercedes – 303
2. Red Bull – 291
3. McLaren – 163
3. Ferrari – 163
5. Alpine – 77
Fresh off agreeing to a one-year extension to remain with the St. Louis Cardinals, longtime catcher Yadier Molina announced he plans to retire following the 2022 season.
Molina verified speculation that the 2022 campaign would be his last at a press conference prior to St. Louis' home game against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. The Cardinals announced on Tuesday that the 10-time All-Star would be returning next season on a one-year deal.
The 39-year-old has spent his entire 18-year career with St. Louis, though a return in 2021 was not finalised until he and the Cardinals were able to agree to a one-year, $9million contract just prior to the start of spring training. Molina said he wanted to avoid a similar situation this winter and informed his agent to begin negotiations as soon as possible.
"That's why my agent and myself came to [president of baseball operations John Mozeliak] and told them I want to stay here," Molina said. "I want to get it done this early and not put this on the organisation in free agency again, because it's going to be my last year and I want to finish here with this great organisation."
A key member of the Cardinals' last two World Series championship teams in 2006 and 2011, Molina's 2,120 career games played are the third-most in franchise history behind only Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Lou Brock. He holds the major league record for most games as a catcher with one team at 2,081, and his nine Gold Gloves trail only Ivan Rodriguez (13) and Johnny Bench for the most by a catcher.
"It gives me great pleasure to announce that Yadier Molina will continue his franchise legacy for another season in 2022," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr. said in Tuesday's press release. "Yadi has continued to play at an All-Star level this season and has already established himself among the greatest players to have ever worn the birds on the bat."
Molina has started 95 of the Cardinals' 124 games behind the plate this season and ranks third on the team with 51 RBIs to go along with a .259 average and eight home runs.
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