SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016 SPORTS Lyon reject $44.9m West Rugby: Blues hold off Cycling - Aussie Dennis wins Ham offer for Lacazette strong-finishing Force Tour of California time trial LYON: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed yesterday that the French PERTH: The Auckland Blues battened down to defeat the strong- SAN FRANCISCO: Australia’s Rohan Dennis won Friday’s sixth stage time tri- club had rejected a 40-million-euro (£30.9m, $44.9m) offer from West Ham finishing Western Force 17-13 in a battle of the Super Rugby al in the Tour of California while France’s Julian Alaphilippe finished eighth to United for striker Alexandre Lacazette. French international Lacazette, 24, has strugglers in Perth yesterday. Tana Umaga’s Blues led 17-3 at half- retain his grip on the overall lead. BMC rider Dennis captured the 12.6-mile long been linked with a move to the Premier League having scored 48 goals time and fended off the Force despite not scoring a point in the (20.3km) time trial around the town of Folsom in 24mins 16secs, defeating over the last two Ligue 1 seasons. “For a sale to be made, all three parties must second half for their sixth win of the season. Auckland dominat- American Andrew Talansky of Cannondale by 17 seconds with US standout agree. We have refused several offers, the most important from West Ham for 40 ed the opening half with tries from Jerome Kaino and Tevita Li, Taylor Phinney, Dennis’ BMC teammate, third, another three seconds adrift. million euros and we refused it,” Aulas told French daily but had to defend for long periods as the home side hit back in Etixx-Quick Step rider Alaphilippe, meanwhile, kept the overall lead with two Le Progres. “It is an answer that says I want to keep the second term. Force skipper Matt Hodgson ploughed over stages remaining by finishing only 45 seconds behind Dennis, giving the him, but I’m not sure because ultimately it is he who from close range in the 54th minute and former Queensland Frenchman a total time of 24:26:46. The Aussie’s stage triumph jumped him will decide. “I do not want on August 28, ahead of the Reds centre Ben Tapuai kicked the home side to within four into second place overall, only 16 seconds off the pace Champions League, to find ourselves in the same situa- points with a penalty goal with 16 minutes. Force were in the after starting the day 61 seconds adrift. American tion as Monaco (who sold Anthony Martial to Blues’ quarter for the final stages before they lost possession in a Brent Bookwalter of BMC was third overall, 38 sec- Manchester United last summer). “Ideally, he will stay. If he driving maul allowing the Kiwis to kill off the game. Auckland onds back after a fifth-place stage finish in which he has an offer that he can’t refuse then it will come through saw out the game with 14 men after replacement forward Nic pulled back only two seconds from Alaphilippe. The me, and that’s it.” Aulas also said that he is hoping to Mayhew was yellow-carded for collapsing a Force maul close to Frenchman had owned a 22-second lead on American extend the contract of Lyon head coach Bruno Genesio, the Blues’ try-line. The win did little to help Auckland’s lowly Peter Stetina after five stages. Lotto-Jumbo rider George and bring in former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier as standing in the New Zealand conference despite the inconsistent Bennett of New Zealand, 37 seconds adrift after the fifth general manager.—AFP Blues bouncing back after being thumped 43-5 by the Golden stage, fell to ninth overall at 1:45 back.—AFP Lions in South Africa last week.—AFP Cubs overpower Giants; Arrieta shines Orioles power past Angels 9-4 on 4 homers SAN FRANCISCO: Jake Arrieta continued his impressive pitching and Kris Bryant provided the power as the Chicago Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 8-1 on Friday night. The Cubs won in Arrieta’s 22nd consecutive start going back to last season, with their ace going 16-0 over that stretch. They won on the road for the 24th time in 29 games as they snapped San Francisco’s eight-game winning streak. Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward left the game in the bottom of the first inning after crashing into the wall on a diving catch. Heyward is under evaluation for an injury to his right torso abdominal region, the Cubs said. Arrieta, who leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA, allowed four hits, struck out eight and walked one in seven innings. Jake Peavy (1-5) allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. PADRES 7, DODGERS 6 Melvin Upton Jr hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the San Diego Padres past the Los Angeles Dodgers. After Wil Myers hit a bloop single to shallow center to lead off the ninth against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, Upton went the oppo- site way beyond the right-center field fence for the comeback victory. Kevin Quackenbush (2-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win for the Padres, who had lost four straight. Jansen (1-1) had converted all 14 of his save chances before Friday. Justin Turner hit a two- run homer in the eighth inning that had given the Dodgers a 6-5 lead. NATIONALS 4, MARLINS 1 Tanner Roark finally beat the team that kept beating him, pitching 6 2/3 innings to help the Washington Nationals past Miami. Roark (3-3) came into the game 0-3 in three starts versus the Marlins this season with an ERA of 8.40. Against the rest of the majors he’s 2-0 in five starts with an ERA of 0.79. Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Taylor homered to help the Nationals score all their runs in the second inning. Marcell Ozuna hit his eighth home run for Miami, but Roark had no trouble with slumping slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who finished 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, dropping his average to .214. Justin Nicolino (2-2) went 5 1/3 innings and has lost all three career starts against Washington. He was hit hard. INDIANS 4, RED SOX 2 Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer, Corey Kluber slowed down the majors’ top-scoring team for seven innings and Cleveland won its fifth straight game. Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 25 games with a MINNEAPOLIS: Robbie Grossman #36 of the Minnesota Twins hits an RBI double as Russell Martin #55 of the Toronto Blue Jays catches during the second inning of the game on May 20, solo home run. The Red Sox homered for a 2016. —AFP club-record 20th straight game, breaking their mark of 19 set in July 1996. Kluber (3-5) Cingrani came on and hit Robinson Cano with the inning as he tried to score from second save. With the Mets trailing 2-1, Asdrubal the St. Louis Cardinals. Michael Bourn and allowed a run in each of the first two innings, his first pitch to tie it. Lee’s pinch-hit single base on Charlie Blackmon’s single to left. Mark Cabrera singled to start the sixth and Conforto Chris Owings added two RBIs apiece for the but gave up just one hit over the next five. He with two outs knocked in the go-ahead runs. Melancon worked around two singles in a homered off Wily Peralta (2-5). Diamondbacks, who are 13 7 on the road and allowed five hits, struck out six and walked Nelson Cruz and Lee homered in the ninth off scoreless ninth for his 14th save in 15 opportu- 7-17 at home. They pulled away with seven two. Cody Allen struck out three in the ninth Jumbo Diaz, the 35th and 36th homers nities. Eddie Butler (2-2) allowed two runs - RANGERS 2, ASTROS 1 runs over the last two innings and have won for his 10th save. allowed by Reds relievers this season. Hisashi one earned - in the loss. Colby Lewis pitched seven scoreless nine of 10 road series openers dating to last Iwakuma (2-4) gave up three runs in six innings and Prince Fielder provided the September. Carlos Martinez (4-4) allowed ROYALS 4, WHITE SOX 1 innings, including Zack Cozart’s solo homer. METS 3, BREWERS 2 offense with a two-run double to lead Texas to four runs in five innings and has lost his last Omar Infante, Paulo Orlando and Lorenzo Steven Matz pitched seven sharp innings to a victory. Lewis (3-0) allowed four hits and four starts after winning the first four. Cain all doubled in a three-run sixth inning off PIRATES 2, ROCKIES 1 win his sixth consecutive start, Michael struck out six in his first scoreless outing this Reliever Jonathan Broxton was charged with Jose Quintana to lead Kansas City to a victory. Starling Marte and John Jaso had two hits Conforto hit a two-run homer and New York season to pick up his first win since April 29. five runs in one-third of an inning in the Orlando added an RBI single an inning later each and made fine defensive plays to help beat Milwaukee. After skipping a turn in the Sam Dyson gave up an RBI single to Colby eighth and infielder Ruben Tejada made his and Dillon Gee (1-1) allowed a run over five Rasmus with two outs in the ninth before strik- major league pitching debut in the ninth, sur- innings for his first victory since 2014.