AP-NW–Sports Right Now/700
RED SOX-MARINERS
Holt’s single in 11th lifts Red Sox past Mariners, 3-2
SEATTLE (AP) — Brock Holt’s RBI single in the 11th inning lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
Travis Shaw, who had a solo homer in the second, opened the 11th against Cody Martin (1-2) with an opposite-field single to left against the shift. Sandy Leon sacrificed Shaw to second and Holt then bounced an single up the middle off the glove of diving shortstop Sean O’Malley.
Craig Kimbrel (2-3) retired all four batters he faced — including striking out the side in the 10th — for the victory. Brad Ziegler pitched the 11th for his third save, stranding the tying run at third.
SEAHAWKS-TRAINING CAMP INJURIES
Cottom, Shields injured during Seahawks practice
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Two Seattle Seahawks players went down with injuries within minutes of each other during Thursday’s practice.
Fullback/tight end Brandon Cottom was the first to go down without contact during one-on-one receiving drills.
As the team brought a cart onto the field to attend to Cottom, tight end Ronnie Shields fell to the turf about 20 yards away. Shields had to be helped to the sideline by a trainer and teammate Jimmy Graham before the cart could return to carry him away.
Cottom’s injury appeared to be to his left leg while Shields grabbed at his right ankle. Cottom was competing for Seattle’s fullback job.
Head coach Pete Carroll said after practice that he believed both injuries were Achilles issues, though he was still waiting for confirmation on both.
Cottom and Shields add to a growing list of injuries for Seattle. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin (leg), safety Kam Chancellor (groin), linebacker Brock Coyle (oblique), defensive end Montese Overton (calf) and running backs Zac Brooks (hamstring) and Tre Madden (shoulder) all sat out practice Thursday.
FBC-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEGINS
USC opens training camp looking for stability, new QB
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California opened training camp Thursday under its third different head coach in seven seasons.
The Trojans now need to choose a starting quarterback and replace their entire defensive front before facing defending national champion Alabama on Sept. 3, the opening game of a schedule regarded as the most difficult in college football this season.
For a beaming Clay Helton, entering his first full season as coach after an improbable rise to the top spot at USC, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“For a football coach this is like Christmas, and the last three days I’ve felt like an 8-year old at the top of the stairs waiting to go down and open his presents,” Helton said. “To be back out here with guys you love and some newcomers, it is a very exciting time for us.”
USC hopes Helton can bring the stability and consistency that has been lacking ever since Pete Carroll departed for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks in 2010. Getting through August without making any headlines off the field would be a good start after notable incidents in each of the last two years.
BBM-RAINIERS-CHIHUAHUAS
Tacoma beats El Paso 16-15 behind Romero’s home run
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Stefen Romero hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, leading the Tacoma Rainiers to a 16-15 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas on Thursday.
The home run by Romero started the scoring in a six-run inning and gave the Rainiers a 12-10 lead. Later in the inning, Tacoma scored on three more plays, including a two-run single by Tyler Smith.
El Paso cut the deficit to 16-15 behind two-run homers by Hector Sanchez and Manuel Margot.
David Rollins (4-0) got the win in relief while Jason Jester (0-2) took the loss in the Pacific Coast League game.
Margot had five hits, while Hunter Renfroe and Diego Goris recorded three apiece for El Paso in a losing effort. The Chihuahuas also hit a season-high five home runs.
With the win, Tacoma improved to 10-4 against El Paso this season.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.