MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2015 SPORTS

Xavi eyes perfect send off Noves on French mission Falcao to captain Colombia BARCELONA: Barcelona midfielder Xavi raised the King’s Cup aloft alongside Andres PARIS: Toulouse coach Guy Noves will take over as France BOGOTA: Colombia coach Jose Pekerman has named striker Radamel Iniesta in his final appearance at the Camp Nou on Saturday and now victory in the head coach after this year’s World Cup, attempting to give Falcao as captain of his Copa America team believing he will show his best Champions League would make it a perfect send-off for the club legend. back Les Bleus some of the grace they have lost in recent form despite a disappointing season at Manchester United. “We have full Xavi became the first Spanish player to win 24 trophies following the 3-1 win over years. The French rugby federation said on Sunday that the confidence in Falcao, he’s been decisive in the national team,” Pekerman Athletic Bilbao and can still add to that with a victory over Juventus on 61-year-old had agreed to a four-year contract to replace said. “We expect him to reach his maximum level (for Colombia).” June 6. Philippe Saint-Andre, who took over after the side lost the The Argentine coach kept faith with the core of his 2014 The home-grown talent may have only been a fringe player this 2011 World Cup final to hosts New Zealand. “I am happy World Cup quarter-finalists in his 23-man squad but has season but his trophy haul over 17 years shows his importance to and proud of this nomination,” said Noves, who has been had to do without defender Eder Alvarez Balanta and the Catalan club that he will leave at the end of this campaign. Toulouse coach since 1993. “Representing my country is a midfielders Abel Aguilar, Fredy Guarin and Juan With the La Liga trophy also in the bag, victory in the Champions great honour and a great responsibility.” Quintero, who are all injured. League final would see Barca equal their treble success of 2009. His two assistant coaches would be named in Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez, Golden Boot winner “We are now in a position where we can start to make compar- November, the French federation added. Noves was one of at the World Cup finals where he scored six goals, will isons although there is a long way to go and next Saturday we will eight candidates interviewed by the FFR. Media reports be at the heart of Colombia’s midfield behind Falcao, see what happens,” Xavi told reporters. suggested that Clive Woodward, who led England to their who will be looking to add to his record 24 goals for his “We could equal the historic treble but who knows? I think World Cup title in 2003, was one of the candidates. country after missing last year’s tournament in Brazil. the coach (Luis Enrique) has rotated the squad well and so we French sports daily L’Equipe reported that he will be Pekerman said one of his challenges would be to are all fresh which is important. assisted by current France forwards coach Yannick Bru and get the best out of overlapping full backs Pablo “We need to be cautious because Juventus also are a Stade Francais backs coach Jean-Frederic Dubois. Armero of Flamengo and Napoli’s Camilo Zuniga. great side that have a lot of confidence. They also have a France have been drawn in Group D at the September The form of both players has dipped due to double and we will see how it works out but we want to 18-October 31 World Cup being held in England, alongside injuries or a lack of match practice at their club make history.”—Reuters Canada, Ireland, Italy and Romania.—Reuters sides. —Reuters Astros blank White Sox, Rangers win

HOUSTON: Dallas Keuchel struck out a RAYS 3, ORIOLES 0 career-high 11 and pitched a four-hitter, Erasmo Ramirez threw three-hit ball over leading the over the seven innings, and the Rays beat Wei-Yin 3-0 on Saturday. Heavy Chen and the Orioles to end a six-game los- rain caused minor flooding inside Minute ing streak. Maid Park during the game, but there were Steve Souza Jr. and Joey Butler homered no delays. for the Rays, who staked Ramirez to an early Keuchel (7-1) pitched his second career lead in a matchup of AL East clubs with shutout and first since May 13, 2014. He did- struggling offenses. n’t walk a batter and finished with a 1.76 Ramirez (3-2) struck out seven and ERA after throwing his eighth complete walked one in his longest outing since last game overall. July. Chen (1-4) gave up three runs and six The Astros improved to 31-19, tying the hits in seven innings. It was the ninth time 1998 team that won a franchise-high 102 in 10 starts the left-hander permitted three times for the best 50-game start in team his- earned runs or fewer, but he’s got only one tory. Jose Quintana (2-6) allowed one run in win to show for it. 6 1-3 innings. Evan Gattis and Chris Carter hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth. DIAMONDBACKS 7, BREWERS 3 Paul Goldschmidt outslugged the RANGERS 8, RED SOX 0 Brewers with two homers and four RBIs, Chi Chi Gonzalez took a no-hitter into leading the Diamondbacks to a win. The the sixth inning of his major league debut left-handed first baseman led off the third and preserved the shutout with some smart with a homer before hitting a long three- fielding, leading the Rangers to a win over run shot for a 7-2 lead in the fourth. That the Red Sox. drive caromed off the scoreboard high David Ortiz led off the sixth with an above the 400-foot sign in deep straight- opposite-field double to the gap in left-cen- away center, chasing starter Kyle Lohse (3-6) ter to end the no-hit bid. He gloved a come- from the game. backer by Pablo Sandoval with one out and Even Arizona starter Jeremy Hellickson got Ortiz trapped in a rundown between (3-3) got in on the fun at the plate with two third base and home plate. hits, including an RBI single through a The 23-year-old right-hander struck out drawn-in infield in the second. The Brewers two, walked five and threw 102 pitches in 5 lost their seventh straight to drop to a major 2-3 innings. He and three relievers limited league-worst 16-34. Boston to five hits. Adam Rosales tied a career high with TWINS 3, BLUE JAYS 2 four hits for Texas. Boston left-hander Wade Brian Dozier drove in the tiebreaking run Miley (4-5) allowed six runs, five earned, in with a triple in the seventh inning, lifting four-plus innings. the Twins past the Blue Jays. Blaine Boyer pitched a perfect ninth for his first save, giv- MARLINS 9, METS 5 ing major league leader Glen Perkins a Giancarlo Stanton homered twice and break after the All-Star closer gave up a go- Christian Yelich snapped a seventh-inning ahead, two-run homer to Chris Colabello tie with a two-run single, sending the the night before. Marlins to a victory over the Mets. Kyle Gibson got the Blue Jays to hit into a HOUSTON: Astros’ Preston Tucker (left) slides safely into home plate as Chicago White Sox catcher Geovany Soto loses the ball during the JT Realmuto and Jeff Baker also went double play in each of the first three fourth inning of a baseball game. —AP deep as Miami dinged a struggling innings. Ryan Pressly (2-1) picked up the vic- DODGERS 5, CARDINALS 1 ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances. The nine hits in 6 1/3 innings with three strike- Jonathon Niese, who lasted only four tory with a scoreless seventh. Aaron Loup (1-3) relieved Aaron Sanchez Yasmani Grandal’s three-run homer Pirates won for the eighth time in nine outs and no walks. innings. in the seventh and gave up a leadoff single capped a four-run sixth inning off Michael games. Kole Calhoun, Matt Joyce and rookie The Marlins had lost 14 of 17 before tak- to Aaron Hicks before the line drive by Wacha and Los Angeles prevailed for a rain- Carlos Perez also went deep for the Angels, ing the first two games of this series. Mike Dozier that glanced off diving right fielder soaked victory. YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 3 who had totaled just six home runs in Dunn (1-3) escaped a sixth-inning jam by Ezequiel Carrera’s glove. Carlos Frias (4-2) allowed an unearned Carlos Beltran hit a go-ahead, two-run Weaver’s 10 previous starts this season. For striking out Duda and retiring Daniel run and five hits in seven innings, an homer in the sixth, Brian McCann and Chase Joyce, it was his third in four games after Murphy with runners at the corners. Yelich ROCKIES 5, PHILLIES 2 impressive bounce back after surrendering Headley drove in runs and the Yankees end- hitting just one in his first 40 games. singled to right off rookie Hansel Robles (0- Nolan Arenado, Michael McKenry and a career-worst 10 runs his last time out. Frias ed a four-game losing streak in Oakland. All of the homers came off Shane Greene 1) to give the Marlins a 7-5 lead. Ben Paulsen each homered, leading the bunted for his first career hit in the seventh. McCann drove in a run in his eighth (4-4), who had given up only three in his Rockies to a victory over the slumping Howie Kendrick’s RBI single tied it at 1 two straight to help the Yankees win their fourth first 59 innings this season combined. He REDS 8, NATIONALS 5 Phillies. Eddie Butler (3-5) tied his career at-bats before Grandal, activated from the in six games. Headley had three hits and was charged with seven runs and six hits in Joey Votto hit a two-run homer - his sec- high by going six innings, allowing one run 7-day concussion disabled list earlier Alex Rodriguez hit safely in his ninth just 1 2/3 innings. ond in two days - and Zack Cozart doubled and four hits. He struck out three and Saturday, hammered a 3-1 pitch an estimat- straight, and in his last 14 starts. with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, walked one in an emergency start, helping ed 435 feet to left-center. Josh Reddick had three hits and drove in INDIANS 4, MARINERS 3 rallying the Reds to a victory over the the Rockies win for the sixth time in seven The Dodgers, held hitless for the first 5 a run for the A’s, who had a two-game win Jerry Sands hit a two-run homer, his first Nationals. games. 1/3 innings, ended a drought of 42 consecu- streak snapped. Billy Butler and Marcus of the season, David Murphy added a pinch- Cozart’s double highlighted a four-run Cesar Hernandez homered and Ryan tive scoreless innings on the road, including Semien drove in runs. hit RBI single, and Cleveland beat Seattle. inning off Casey Janssen (0-1). Billy Howard had an RBI double for Philadelphia, a 3-0 loss in the series opener Friday. Jesse Hahn (2-5), who threw his first com- Sands, called up from Triple-A Columbus Hamilton followed with a two-run single. which lost its sixth straight and fell a sea- Wacha (7-1) gave up four runs and three plete-game and shutout in his last start, on Thursday, homered on a 1-2 pitch from The Reds have won consecutive games for son-worst 13 games under .500. hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Cardinals, whose gave up four runs - three earned - on seven Seattle starter Roenis Elias (2-2) in the sec- the first time in more than two weeks, end- Jorge De La Rosa was scheduled to start five-game winning streak ended. hits over six innings. ond inning, driving the ball into the ing Washington’s club-record streak of win- for the Rockies, but the left-hander was Chasen Shreve (2-1) struck out all four Mariners’ bullpen in left field. ning nine consecutive series. JJ Hoover (3-0) scratched Saturday morning because of a BRAVES 8, GIANTS 0 batters he faced to earn the win. Andrew Murphy added his fourth RBI this season retired all three batters on grounders in the cut on his left middle finger that cost him Juan Uribe hit a towering two-run drive Miller pitched the ninth for his 15th consec- as a pinch-hitter, dropping a broken-bat sin- eighth. Aroldis Chapman walked two while his second straight start. Aaron Harang (4-5) in the ninth for his first homer since joining utive save. gle over the Mariners’ drawn-in infield in the getting his ninth save. gave up two runs on four hits in six innings. Atlanta and Williams Perez shut down San sixth inning. Francisco for his first major league win. ANGELS 8, TIGERS 6 Robinson Cano, back in the lineup after Andrelton Simmons and Cameron Mike Trout and Albert Pujols were among missing two games with an inner ear infec- Maybin each hit a pair of RBI singles, while five Los Angeles Angels to homer in the first tion, homered for the first time since April Christian Bethancourt and Freddie Freeman two innings, allowing Jered Weaver to 14, lining a two-run shot in the third inning. also singled in runs off Tim Lincecum, who breeze to a win. It snapped a string of 171 plate appearances was chased after just 4 1/3 innings. Weaver (4-4) won his fourth straight deci- without a homer for Cano, tying the longest Jace Peterson was a shy of a sion over five starts, allowing three runs and streak of his career. —AP natural cycle with his first career three-hit game. Uribe, acquired from the Dodgers on Thursday, hit his second home run this year MLB results/standings and first since April 25, this one off Jean Machi. Lincecum (5-3) had his home score- Minnesota 3, Toronto 2; Colorado 5, Philadelphia 2; Tampa Bay 3, Baltimore 0; Arizona 7, Milwaukee 3; Miami 9, less streak end at 23 innings on Simmons’ NY Mets 5; Cincinnati 8, Washington 5; Houston 3, Chicago White Sox 0; LA Dodgers 5, St. Louis 1; Texas 8, second-inning single. Perez (1-0) allowed Boston 0; LA Angels 8, Detroit 6; NY Yankees 5, Oakland 3; Atlanta 8, San Francisco 0; Pittsburgh 5, San Diego 2; four hits in seven innings in his third major Cleveland 4, Seattle 3. league start. American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division PIRATES 5, PADRES 2 W L PCT GB Washington 28 21 .571 - Charlie Morton pitched seven strong NY Yankees 26 24 .520 - NY Mets 27 23 .540 1.5 innings and combined with two relievers on Tampa Bay 25 25 .500 1 Atlanta 24 25 .490 4 a four-hitter, and drove in the go-ahead run Baltimore 23 25 .479 2 Miami 20 30 .400 8.5 in the sixth inning to lead Pittsburgh. Toronto 23 28 .451 3.5 Philadelphia 19 32 .373 10 Morton (2-0) retired his last 11 batters in Boston 22 28 .440 4 Central Division Central Division his second start of the season. He won his St. Louis 32 17 .653 - Kansas City 29 18 .617 - Chicago Cubs 25 22 .532 6 season debut 4-2 against Marlins on Minnesota 29 19 .604 0.5 Pittsburgh 26 23 .531 6 Monday after starting the year on the dis- Detroit 28 23 .549 3 Cincinnati 21 27 .438 10.5 abled list recovering from right hip surgery. Cleveland 23 26 .469 7 He held San Diego to two runs, one earned, Chicago White Sox 22 26 .458 7.5 Milwaukee 16 34 .320 16.5 and three hits while striking out two and Western Division Western Division walking one. After allowing an unearned Houston 31 19 .620 - LA Dodgers 29 19 .604 - San Francisco 30 21 .588 0.5 run in the fourth, he got Will Middlebrooks LA Angels 26 24 .520 5 Texas 25 25 .500 6 Arizona 23 25 .479 6 to hit into a double play, and then retired in San Diego 24 27 .471 6.5 NEW YORK: Miami Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich hits the wall while trying to catch a ball Seattle 24 25 .490 6.5 the Padres in order in the fifth through sev- Oakland 19 33 .365 13 Colorado 21 26 .447 7.5 hit by New York Mets’ Curtis Granderson during the fourth inning of a baseball game. —AP enth innings. pitched the