BASEBALL
The Somerset Patriots scored five runs in the eighth inning to pull away for a 7-1 win over the Portland Sea Dogs in an Eastern League game on Friday in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey.
Sea Dogs starting pitcher Brayan Bello took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits, while striking out eight and walking four.
Luis Medina earned the win for Somerset, which has taken three of the first four games in the six-game series. Medina allowed one hit, struck out six and walked one.
Blake Perkins hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to give Somerset the lead. Derek Dietrich and Chad Bell both hit two-run home runs in the eighth for the Patriots.
Pedro Castellanos had a triple for Portland.
TENNIS
BECKER SENTENCED: Tennis great Boris Becker was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was convicted earlier this month on four charges under the Insolvency Act and had faced a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Becker will have to serve at least 15 months before being eligible for release.
MADRID OPEN: Naomi Osaka kicked off her clay campaign with a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win over qualifier Anastasia Potapova in the first round in Madrid.
Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins won the last eight games to advance 7-5, 6-0 over Monica Puig, the Olympic gold medalist in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Another American to advance was 12th-seeded Jessica Pegula against Camila Giorgi, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5. Madison Keys was eliminated by fourth-seeded Maria Sakkari 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-4.
BMW OPEN: Botic van de Zandschulp upset the second-seeded Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-1 to reach the semifinals in Munich.
The Dutch player, who also defeated Ruud at the U.S. Open last year, saved the only break point he faced and won 50% of his first-serve return points.
Van de Zandschulp next faces Serbian player Miomir Kecmanovic, who defeated the fourth-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Holger Rune, who upset tournament favorite Alexander Zverev on Wednesday, progressed to the semifinals by easing past Emil Ruusuvuori 6-0, 6-2 in their quarterfinal.
The 18-year-old Dane next meets German player Oscar Otte, who defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-1, 7-6 (1).
HORSE RACING
RIDER DIES: An exercise rider has died after being thrown from a horse at Keeneland’s training track.
Callie Witt, 20, died after being thrown from a 2-year-old horse, Keeneland track spokeswoman Amy Gregory confirmed to The Associated Press.
On-site medical personnel immediately tended to Witt for life-threatening injuries before Lexington Fire and Emergency arrived within 6 minutes and took her to the University of Kentucky Hospital Emergency Department, according to a Keeneland press release. Witt was later pronounced dead from blunt force injuries.
SOCCER
GERMAN: Union Berlin substitute Sven Michel scored again to salvage a 1-1 draw against already relegated Greuther Fürth in his team’s 100th Bundesliga game since promotion.
Michel, who scored late and set up the other goal for Union to beat Leipzig 2-1 away last weekend, came on in the 70th minute and scored two minutes later when he forced Fürth defender Nick Viergever to lose the ball in his own penalty area.
PREMIER LEAGUE: A late bid to buy Chelsea was launched by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe even as the sale process was reaching its end-game with the selection of a preferred bidder for the English Premier League club.
Ratcliffe, who has an existing portfolio of sports investments, ruled out joining the bidding when Roman Abramovich was forced to put Chelsea up for sale after being sanctioned by the British government in March over his ties to President Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.
But Ratcliffe has bid 2.5 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) — around the same price being offered by rival investors — while also pledging to invest 1.75 billion pounds ($2.2 billion) in the 2021 Champions League winner over the next 10 years to try to maintain the successes enjoyed during Abramovich’s 19 years as owner.
GOLF
EUROPEAN: Laurie Canter shot a 5-under 67 to take the second-round lead of the Catalunya Championship in Girona, Spain.
Canter made four birdies and an eagle before a lone bogey on the 17th hole at the Stadium Course.
James Morrison and Oliver Bekker were a shot behind. Morrison shot a 1-under 71 and Bekker even par in an up-and-down round that included five bogeys, three birdies and an eagle.
CHAMPIONS: Steve Stricker played his first round in 201 days and it seemed as though he was healthy as ever, opening with a 5-under 67 in The Woodlands, Texas, to share the lead in the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions.
Stricker dropped only one shot on a windy day at The Woodlands and was tied with Steven Alker and Ernie Els, who drove into a hazard and took bogey on the final hole.
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