THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014 SPORTS

Ghana midfielder McIlroy to represent Ireland Ashraful gets fixing ban CORK: Rory McIlroy says he will represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympic DHAKA: Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and ex-New Zealand extends Milan deal Games in Rio de Janeiro, putting an end to speculation that he may batsman Lou Vincent were handed lengthy bans from all forms of cricket yesterday have chosen to play for Great Britain instead. for their roles in a Twenty20 match-fixing scandal. A special tribunal set up to inves- ROME: Sulley Muntari has signed a one-year extension to his contract The 25-year-old two-time major winner was born in Northern tigate claims of corruption in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) announced with AC Milan, the Ghana midfielder agreeing to a deal that keeps Ireland and could have represented both Ireland at Britain when golf that Ashraful was banned for eight years and ordered him to pay a fine of one mil- him at the Serie A club until 2016. returns to the Olympic stage for the first time since 1904. lion taka ($12,820) after he admitted match-fixing. “AC Milan communicates that Sulley Muntari has renewed his con- “I see this as a continuation of what I have always done,” he was Vincent was banned for three years for failing to report approaches to fix match- tract until June 30, 2016,” the club said in a statement yesterday. reported as saying on Wednesday ahead of the Irish Open at the Fota es. A third former international, Sri Lanka’s Kaushal Lokuarachchi, received an 18- Muntari signed a permanent deal with Milan before the start of Golf Club in Cork. “I have been thinking about it a lot. I don’t know if it is month ban for the same offence. Shihab Jishan Chowdhury, an owner of last season after joining on loan from local rivals Inter Milan in because the World Cup is in Brazil and I was thinking a couple of years the league’s reigning champions Dhaka Gladiators which employed January 2012. down the line. “I was thinking about all the times I have played for Ashraful, was banned for 10 years and fined two million taka for The 29-year-old scored five goals in 26 league Ireland as a boy and everything. For me it is the right decision to play being party to an effort to fix a match. Shakil Kasem, one of the appearance for Milan last season as the Serie A for Ireland.” McIlroy, who recently split from his fiancee, Danish tennis three-member tribunal which handed down the sentences, said giants floundered, finishing in eighth place and player Caroline Wozniacki, had earlier said “he would probably play for the bans would be effective anywhere in the world. “The charges missing out on European football for the first Great Britain”, and in 2013 suggested he may miss the tournament alto- against the four were brought in accordance with the ICC’s (International Cricket Council) anti-corruption code,” Kasem told time since 1998. Muntari played the full 90 min- gether to avoid controversy over any decision. AFP. “As a result, during the ban period, they’ll be barred from utes in Ghana’s dramatic 2-1 loss to the United “I was always very proud to put on the Irish uniform and play as an amateur and as a boy, and I would be very proud to do it again,” he playing and all sorts of cricketing activities anywhere in the States in a World Cup Group G fixture in added. “Just because now that I’m playing golf for money and I’m a pro- world.” The ban on Ashraful, 29, is backdated to May last Brazil on Monday, a match decided by a fessional, I’m supposed to have this choice or this decision to make, year when the one-time prodigy tearfully admitted hav- John Brooks header four minutes from where if you look at the rugby players, you look at cricketers or hockey ing helped fix matches in the tournament, which has time. — Reuters players, they view Ireland as one, the same as we do in golf. —Reuters been tainted by scandal since its inception. —AFP Yankees trounce Blue Jays

NEW YORK: Masahiro Tanaka gave up a home run to Jose Reyes on the first pitch of the game, then earned his major league-high 11th victory as the New York Yankees beat Toronto 3-1 Tuesday night for their 14th straight home win over the Blue Jays. Brett Gardner hit a two-run homer off the right- field foul pole and the Yankees sent the AL East lead- ers to their seventh loss in 10 games. Tanaka (11-1) struck out 10 in six innings and left with an AL-best 1.99 ERA. The Japanese rookie has made 14 starts this season - he’s gone at least six innings in every outing and never permitted more than three earned runs. Dellin Betances worked two innings and David Robertson closed for his 17th save. Pitching about 50 miles from his Long Island hometown, Blue Jays rook- ie Marcus Stroman (3-2) threw 98 pitches in 3 2-3 innings on a sticky night.

RED SOX 2, TWINS 1 Lewis Hamilton in action in this file photo. Brock Holt scored both Boston runs, Jon Lester weathered a shaky start and pitched six-plus strong innings as the Red Sox held off Minnesota. Hamilton targeting Lester (8-7) has a winning record for the first time this season. The Red Sox have won two straight and four of six. After needing 33 pitches to get out of the Austria Formula One first inning on a hot, muggy night at Fenway Park, Lester settled down and took a shutout into the sixth. AUSTRIA: Lewis Hamilton is ready to take Australian Daniel Ricciardo took his first F1 He left with one out in the seventh after striking out an unfamiliar bull by the horns this week- victory ahead of what amounts to a home six and holding the Twins to one run, four hits and a end as Austria’s revamped Red Bull Ring race for the team. walk. Edward Mujica pitched the ninth and earned his returns to the Formula One calendar after The short but scenic track, in the south- second save. Phil Hughes (7-3) took the loss for the an 11-year absence. ern Styrian mountains, remains largely the Twins, who have dropped four straight. The Mercedes driver, a teenager when same as the old A1 Ring and is set to be a Austria last hosted a grand prix in 2003, big celebration of motorsport in Austria PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 2 needs to win at Spielberg to rein in champi- with every living Austrian F1 driver taking Ryan Howard homered and Kyle Kendrick won onship-leading team mate Nico Rosberg part in a legends parade. consecutive starts for the first time in 11 months for after the blow of retirement in Canada 10 How much of a celebration it will be for Philadelphia. The Phillies, winners of two straight and days ago. Red Bull remains to be seen. “We’re going to six of eight, got a solid start from Kendrick (3-6), who “I’ve never driven the circuit but I’ve have a lot of home support. There’s still a had gone 2-11 in his previous 20 starts since last Aug. been working on it in the simulator and I’m gap to Mercedes, we are working on closing 11. Kendrick allowed six hits and two runs with one sure I’ll learn it pretty quickly when we get that down,” team principal Christian Horner walk and six strikeouts in seven innings. out on track,” the 2008 world champion said said after Montreal. Atlanta has lost seven of 11 and 13 of 21. Ervin in a team preview. “To have a race at the Red Bull Ring as Santana (5-4) continued to struggle, giving up eight “It’s always exciting to go to a new ven- Red Bull Racing - with that comes a bit of hits and four runs with three walks in six innings. ue, so it should be an interesting weekend. pressure but it will be fantastic to perform Santana, who struck out five, is 1-4 with a 6.17 ERA in his last seven starts. I’m feeling good in the car right now and I’ll in front of effectively a home crowd.” be pushing flat out to come away with max- Quadruple world champion Sebastian BREWERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 5 imum points this time around.” Vettel has driven the circuit on a number of Jonathan Lucroy homered twice, including a grand With Rosberg finishing first or second in occasions but only four current drivers - slam in an eventful seventh inning, to lead Milwaukee every race so far this season, while Hamilton Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Felipe past Arizona. has retired twice, the German now has a 22- Massa and Kimi Raikkonen - have raced Lucroy’s slam to center came on Brad Ziegler’s first point lead as the championship arrives at there in Formula One. delivery after Arizona reliever Evan Marshall was eject- Red Bull’s home track for the eighth race of None have won and only Raikkonen has ed for hitting Ryan Braun with a pitch. Marshall (2-2) 19 this year. stood on the podium. The last winner at the took the loss, facing three batters without getting an Hamilton may have to win another four track was Michael Schumacher, the seven out after relieving starter Mike Bolsinger, who was races in a row, as he did earlier in the year, times world champion who is now in hospi- called up from Triple-A Reno earlier in the day. just to regain the upper hand if Rosberg tal in Switzerland after recently emerging Lucroy had a solo homer in the sixth. Aramis stays that consistent. from a coma following a ski accident at the Ramirez also hit a solo shot for the Brewers. Kyle Lohse NEW YORK: Yankees Mark Teixeira hits a seventh-inning RBI single in a baseball game against “There is a long, long way to go. I caught end of last year. (8-2), who had hit three batters all season, plunked the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. — AP up before and I’ll catch up again,” said the Schumacher also had one of the most two in his six innings, apparently leading to retaliation rallied against Brian Schlitter (2-2). Marlins rookie David Wright hit his first homer since May 28, and Briton, who started the season with a retire- controversial wins of his career at the circuit by Marshall. Lohse allowed four runs, three earned, reliever Sam Dyson (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless Lucas Duda also connected for the Mets, who have ment in Australia that left him 25 points in 2002 when Brazilian team mate Rubens and six hits. innings for his first career win. lost 11 of 14. Mets manager Terry Collins batted the adrift. “It’s going to take another four wins Barrichello was ordered to let him pass pitcher eighth with Eric Young Jr. hitting ninth for the to make the difference so I’m going to do despite dominating the race. MARINERS 6, PADRES 1 ORIOLES 7, RAYS 5 second straight game in an effort to stimulate the Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer and Jesus my best to get those results.” Mercedes Of the newcomers, McLaren’s Danish Chris Davis hit a replay-delayed grand slam to lead offense. During the 14-game slump, the Mets have Montero got his first big league homer in more than a Baltimore past Tampa Bay. Davis was awarded a slam scored two or fewer runs seven times. Daisuke motorsport head Toto Wolff was not dis- rookie Kevin Magnussen and Toro Rosso’s year to help Seattle sweep a two-game set with San counting that possibility. “Obviously, Nico Russian newcomer Daniil Kvyat are those off Erik Bedard (3-5) during a five-run third-inning Matsuzaka worked a scoreless seventh inning in relief Diego. Roenis Elias (6-5) allowed three hits and struck after a video review showed his drive struck the foul of Mets starter Jonathon Niese (3-4). now holds an increased gap at the top of with the freshest experience having raced out six without a walk in seven strong innings. pole. He reached second base on an opposite-field the championship but Lewis is a fighter and there last year in the Renault 3.5 World Dominic Leone and Danny Farquhar each pitched an shot down the left-field line. The review that lasted 1 WHITE SOX 8, GIANTS 2 I have no doubt that he will come back Series and Formula Three respectively. inning in relief. Cano’s fourth home run of the season minute, 18 seconds revealed the ball hit the pole a few Gordon Beckham and Dayan Viciedo hit two-run stronger than ever,” he said. “It’s a very cool place - it’s a circuit where gave the Mariners a 4-1 lead in the fifth and was feet above the wall, and Davis was given a home run. home runs, John Danks pitched effectively into the you never really get to rest in the cockpit enough to chase San Diego starter Eric Stults after the The Orioles also got a two-run homer from Steve seventh inning and the White Sox snapped a four- HOME RACE because the track is always going some- inning ended. Stults (2-9) allowed four runs, six hits Pearce. Sean Rodriguez and Desmond Jennings game losing streak. Mercedes have been dominant this sea- where,” said Magnussen. “Every lap is a real and a walk. homered for Tampa Bay, which is 5-16 in its last 21 The slumping White Sox had managed a total of son but Austrian-owned Red Bull broke adrenaline rush because the corners never games. six runs during their skid. Viciedo, who was just 2 for their winning streak in Canada when stop coming.” — Reuters ROYALS 11, TIGERS 4 The Rays pulled within 5-2 in the bottom of the 23 on the homestand coming in, went 2 for 4. His Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas homered as part third when Rodriguez and Jennings hit consecutive fifth-inning blast ended a stretch of 51 at-bats without of a seven-run second inning, and Kansas City took solo homers off Miguel Gonzalez (4-4). an RBI. Danks (6-5) settled down after a somewhat Boks skipper to set caps over first place in the AL Central with its ninth straight slow start and gave up two runs - one earned - and victory. Gordon and Moustakas hit two-run shots off NATIONALS 6 ASTROS 5 five hits in 6 1-3 innings. In his last five starts, the left- Max Scherzer, and Kansas City has won the first two Anthony Rendon doubled twice and drove in three hander is 3-1 with a 1.51 ERA. milestone in Wales test games of this four-game series emphatically. The runs, and Washington opened a six-game homestand Hunter Pence went 2 for 4 with a home run for the Royals, who trailed the Tigers by seven games after a with a win over Houston. Giants, who have dropped four straight and seven of CAPE TOWN: will become he’s also been a great interim captain, May 20 loss, now lead Detroit by a half-game atop the Ryan Zimmerman added two doubles and two eight. Giants starter Matt Cain (1-5) allowed eight runs the most-capped South African player of with out injured.” division. RBIs as the Nationals snapped a four-game losing - seven earned - and 10 hits in five innings. Scherzer (8-3) yielded a career high-tying 10 runs all time when the giant lock leads the streak. Tanner Roark (6-4) pitched five innings in win- in four-plus innings. Yordano Ventura (5-5) allowed ning his third straight start. Rafael Soriano worked the REDS 6, PIRATES 5 Springboks in the second test against BOTHA RESTED three runs and eight hits in seven innings. Wales in Nelspruit on Saturday. Van der Merwe, who was given last ninth for his 14th save. Houston’s Jose Altuve returned Todd Frazier led off the ninth inning with a When he takes to the pitch, the 37- weekend off to attend his brother’s wed- to the lineup, going 4 for 5 with two doubles and two tiebreaking homer, lifting Cincinnati past Pittsburgh ANGELS 9, INDIANS 3 RBIs. He was limited to one pinch-hitting appearance after the Reds’ bullpen blew a three-run lead. year-old will beak the record of 2007 ding, will play alongside his team Mike Trout homered twice and drove in four runs, in the last three games after being hit on the right Frazier’s team-leading 16th home run to center World Cup-winning skipper mate Matfield after Meyer opted to rest and rookie Matt Shoemaker remained unbeaten as a hand by a pitch. Dallas Keuchel (8-4) came in 6-1 with field came off closer Jason Grilli (0-2) and gave the with his 112th appearance for the side as veteran , who was not even starter as Los Angeles beat Cleveland. a 1.33 ERA over his last seven starts, but struggled Reds third fifth win in six games. Cincinnati (34-35) South Africa look to wrap up the two-test named on the bench. Trout’s three-run homer in the fifth broke a 3-all tie with his command. also got within one game of .500 on its ninth try. series with another thumping win. “I’ve always preferred to stick with a and capped a four-run inning. He added a leadoff Billy Hamilton had three hits and two stolen bases Matfield will lead a side that has two winning combination and the changes to homer in the seventh. The two-time All-Star was 3 for DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 2 for the Reds, while Joey Votto had two hits and three changes from one that scored five tries in the team were both part of our planning,” 5, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, and has Hanley Ramirez homered before leaving with a RBIs. Frazier, Brandon Phillips and Ryan Ludwick beating the Welsh 38-16 in Durban last Meyer added. reached base safely in 35 of his last 36 contests. hand injury, and Zack Greinke pitched Los Angeles to added two hits apiece. Logan Ondrusek (2-2) pitched weekend. “The backline really performed well Shoemaker (4-1) allowed two runs in a career-high a win over Colorado. Matt Kemp also went deep and 1 1/3 innings and the eighth and Aroldis Chapman The first will be a new lock partner in last weekend and we would like to give eight innings. The right-hander is 4-0 in seven major- Carlos Triunfel hit his first major league home run after got the last three outs for his 12th save. Flip van der Merwe and the other at them another opportunity to play league starts, six this season. He also had a career- replacing Ramirez. loose-head prop, where Tendai together, as there were a number of new high 10 strikeouts. Josh Tomlin (4-4) gave up six runs Greinke (9-3) gave up a run and three hits with five ATHLETICS 10, RANGERS 6 Mtawarira takes over from Gurthro combinations. in 5 1-3 innings as Cleveland snapped a 10-game strikeouts in six innings, and tied St. Louis’ Adam Derek Norris homered and drove in five runs, Steenkamp. “This is a fantastic accolade “The same applies up front. Bakkies is home winning streak. Wainwright and Cincinnati’s Alfredo Simon for the NL Stephen Vogt was 3 for 3 with two RBIs and Oakland for Victor,” Springbok coach Heyneke fit for selection, but we decided to man- lead in wins. held off Texas for its third win in four games. MARLINS 6, CUBS 5 Meyer said in a SARU media release yes- age his workload this week and I know Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless eighth and Kenley Tommy Milone (5-3) won his fifth consecutive deci- Garrett Jones hit a three-run homer in the seventh terday. “He has been a terrific servant of Flip, who has been outstanding in the Jansen got three outs for his 20th save. X-rays on sion, matching his career-best, for the A’s. Milone inning and Miami rallied to beat Chicago. Adeiny Ramirez’s right hand were negative. Jhoulys Chacin (1- gave up three runs and five hits over 5 2-3 innings in the game in South Africa and has led his last two seasons, will slot back in easily. Hechavarria started the Marlins’ seventh with a bunt country with distinction since returning “The same goes for ‘Beast’ 5) gave up three runs, seven hits and three walks in six improving to 5-0 over his last eight starts. He walked single for his fourth hit. Rafael Furcal had a two-out, innings for the Rockies. one and struck out three. to the Green and Gold. (Mtawarira), who upped the tempo with two-run single in the fourth for his first RBIs since Yu Darvish (7-3) lost his eighth straight to the A’s “When he returned to the game earli- his work rate last weekend.” Centre 2012. CARDINALS 5, METS 2 and the Rangers lost for just the second time in six er this season, he set his goals on becom- Wynand Olivier, recalled to the squad Hard-luck Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija allowed Michael Wacha escaped a pair of jams with strike- games. Darvish allowed seven runs - four earned - and ing a Springbok yet again and he’s this week after last appearing in the three runs, two earned, in six innings but was again outs, Yadier Molina hit his first homer in nearly four eight hits over 5-plus innings. He walked five and struck worked extremely hard to get there. national team jersey in 2012, takes his denied a victory. The Cubs are 4-11 when he starts weeks and St. Louis won for the eighth time in nine out eight, including Brandon Moss in the first for career “I don’t think anyone can doubt that place on the bench instead of injured fly- even though his ERA is 2.78. Luis Valbuena’s RBI dou- games. Wacha (5-5) gave up a run and five hits in six strikeout 600. Roughned Odor hit a home run, tripled he deserves his place in the team and half Johan Goosen. — Reuters ble in the seventh gave Chicago a 4-3 lead, but Miami innings and Molina got his first homer since May 24. and drove in three runs for the Rangers. —AP