AP National Sports

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Andy Murray withdrew from his showdown against Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Open on Thursday because of a stomach illness. The announcement came not long before Murray was scheduled to take the court against the top-ranked Djokovic in the third round. It would have been the

By JOHN DUERDEN Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Japan and South Korea will start fine-tuning for the World Cup with high-profile warm-ups against Brazil next month but there been concern among Iranians that their Asian top-ranked team has been slow off the mark. Iran is in Group B with England and the United

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — The top-seeded Phoenix Suns were braced for another fourth-quarter playoff fight on Wednesday night. Chris Paul turned it into an early knockout. The 12-time All-Star scored 28 points, including 14 in another spectacular final period, to lead the Suns over the Dallas Mavericks 129-109 for a

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The McLaren Formula One team has taken Miami by storm ahead of Sunday’s inaugural grand prix. McLaren is determined to become the official team of North America and is chasing fans and sponsors throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. Its efforts are

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — Marseille is under pressure to hold onto second place in the French league and will need Dimitri Payet in his best form to secure automatic entry into next season’s Champions League. The 35-year-old Payet is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. As the

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Mike Smith bounced back with a perfect 30-save night and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-0 Wednesday to even their first-round playoff series through two games. Evander Kane had two goals and an assist, Ryan McLeod had one of each and Jesse Puljujarvi, Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tony Gonsolin didn’t worry when he left an early first-pitch fastball over the plate and fell behind the San Francisco Giants on a homer by Brandon Crawford. Gonsolin knows the Los Angeles Dodgers rarely fail to provide their pitchers with enough support to get away

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov had a hat trick and Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice for the Minnesota Wild, who snapped back at the St. Louis Blues with a 6-2 victory to even their first-round playoff series at one game apiece. Frederic Gaudreau and Kaprizov scored on

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The commissioners of the Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 are scheduled to meet with lawmakers in Washington on Thursday to lobby for federal legislation to regulate name, image and likeness compensation to athletes. Greg Sankey of the SEC and George Kliavkoff of the Pac-12

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina goalie Antti Raanta left the Hurricanes’ playoff victory over the Boston Bruins in the first period of Wednesday night after David Pastrnak struck him in the head with a gloved hand. Raanta was playing the puck when Pastrnak skated in and hit Raanta in

By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rowdy Tellez homered twice and set a Milwaukee Brewers record with eight RBIs to extend his recent power surge in an 18-4 blowout of the reeling Cincinnati Reds. Tellez had a grand slam, a two-run homer and a two-run double. He has homered four times in

By MIKE CRANSTON Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Jose Iglesias had a two-run double and Connor Joe a two-run triple in consecutive at-bats in the fourth inning after a crucial error by shortstop Alcides Escobar, and the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 5-2. Charlie Blackmon added an RBI groundout in the five-run

By MARK GONZALES Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Lucas Giolito struck out 10, Luis Robert made a game-saving catch and Matt Foster worked out of a major jam as the Chicago White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 at Wrigley Field. José Abreu and Leury García homered for the White Sox, who overcame an early

TORONTO (AP) — Victor Hedman had a goal and three assists for his first four-point playoff game and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 2 to even the first-round series. Nikita Kucherov added a goal and two assists and Brayden Point, Corey Perry and Brandon Hagel