AP-NW–Sports Right Now/1279
MARINERS-ANGELS
Mariners hold off Angels 4-3 for 10th win in 12 games
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ketel Marte drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly, Leonys Martin scored from second base on a bunt, and the Seattle Mariners held on for a 4-3 victory at the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday night.
Robinson Cano had three hits, Kyle Seager and Chris Iannetta each had two hits and scored a run as the Mariners won for the 10th time in 12 games to move two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.
Drew Storen (3-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win. Mariners closer Edwin Diaz gave up a run and loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but struck out Jefry Marte and got Andrelton Simmons to ground out for his eighth save in eight chances.
MARINERS SALE
MLB owners set to approve Mariners sale
HOUSTON (AP) — Major League Baseball owners were set to vote Thursday on the proposed sale of a controlling stake in the Seattle Mariners from Nintendo of America to a group of minority owners led by John Stanton.
As part of the sale, Stanton will take over as control person from current chairman Howard Lincoln, who is retiring. The agreement was announced in April and approval is expected. The sale could close this week.
Nintendo, which took control of the team from Jeff Smulyan in 1992, is selling all but 10 percent of its stake in the franchise and the regional sports network ROOT Sports. The transition shifts the percentage of ownership shares within First Avenue Entertainment LLLP, which owns the franchise and a majority interest in ROOT Sports, holdings the team said in April were valued at $1.4 billion.
Stanton said then the minority ownership group includes 17 investors, and there will be no majority owner among the group.
VIKINGS-SEAHAWKS
Seahawks and Vikings meet again in preseason
RENTON, Wash. (AP) —Seattle and Minnesota are meeting for first time since the Seahawks beat the Vikings 10-9 in the playoffs last season.
“This is a playoff team, won the Super Bowl a couple years ago and the NFC championship game a couple years ago,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of the Seahawks. “So, our guys know the competition that they’re facing. I don’t think they think of it as like this is the wild card round or anything like that, but I think it’ll be good competition.”
Seattle continues to lean toward undrafted former TCU star Trevone Boykin as its backup quarterback to Russell Wilson. The rookie completed 16 of 26 passes and threw a 37-yard touchdown to Tanner McEvoy on the final play of regulation to give the Seahawks’ 17-16 win.
SEAHAWKS-GRAHAM
Carroll hedges on Graham being ready for Seahawks opener
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tempered some of his optimism regarding tight end Jimmy Graham’s ability to be ready for the start of the season.
Carroll said Wednesday that, as expected, Graham will not play against Minnesota on Thursday in the Seahawks’ second preseason game. Graham is recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his right knee suffered last November in a game against Pittsburgh. Graham was activated off the physically unable to perform list last week and returned to limited practice.
Carroll said throughout the majority of the offseason that he hoped Graham would be ready for the start of the regular season. Graham had surgery almost immediately after the injury and his right knee was completely immobilized for 11 to 12 weeks.
SEAHAWKS-FANT
Fant going from hoops to football as latest Seahawks project
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — While the kids on the grass berm jockeyed for autograph position and screamed to get the attention of Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner, George Fant stood a few feet away being tutored by assistant offensive line coach Pat Ruel.
For the next few minutes, even with the commotion nearby, Fant pummeled the padded base holding up the scoreboard next to the Seattle Seahawks’ practice field as he worked on hand placement and the initial strike needed to play offensive line in the NFL.
Another day. Another lesson on playing offensive line for Fant — an undrafted rookie project and former basketball player.
Fant’s football education continues Thursday night when the Seahawks play the Minnesota Vikings in their second preseason game. Fant is beyond raw when it comes to his football experience.
Consider that Fant is the 13th-leading scorer all-time on the basketball court at Western Kentucky. That his last real organized football came in the eighth grade, despite playing sparingly on special teams for WKU. That basic skills like getting into the proper stance, the proper hand placement, the proper footwork, while second nature to his teammates, are almost completely new for Fant.
CARDINALS-CHARGERS PRACTICES
Cardinals, Chargers wrap up two days of practices
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals and San Diego Chargers got through two days of joint practices without one fight.
“We had no issues at all,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said Wednesday. “We weren’t concerned about that. We addressed that beforehand and the players understood what we were trying to get done and that was to get better.”
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians was hospitalized overnight before the night practice Tuesday with what he described as diverticulitis. He attended the first 30 minutes of the Wednesday workout at Chargers Park.
“I’m just happy and blessed and thankful to God that he is all right,” Cardinals linebacker Deone Bucannon said.
The teams square off in a preseason game Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium.
CFL-BC LIONS-CALGARY STAMPEDERS
BC Lions taking on Stampeders Friday night
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — There’ll be more at stake than top spot in the West Division when Calgary Stampeders and B.C. Lions meet Friday night at B.C Place Stadium.
Calgary (5-1-1) has the CFL’s top record, just ahead of B.C. (5-2). But the teams have split their previous two meetings, meaning the winner not only assumes first in the West but also clinches the season series, which is the tie-breaker should they end the season tied.
B.C. won the first meeting 20-18 in the season opener for both teams. Chris Rainey figured prominently in that game for the Lions with two TDs, including one on a 72-yard punt return.
Calgary outscored B.C. 22-7 in the fourth quarter July 29th en route to a thrilling 44-41 overtime victory at McMahon Stadium. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell completed 29-of-44 passes for 364 yards and three TDs.
Calgary is unbeaten in the six games since its loss to B.C. Mitchell leads the CFL in TD strikes (12) and is second in passing (2,194 yards) with only four interceptions.
OLY-USA WOMENS BASKETBALL-BIRD
Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird has knee sprain in Rio
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sue Bird and the U.S. women’s basketball team received some good news Wednesday when an MRI revealed that the team captain just had a knee capsule sprain.
The Seattle Storm point guard had initially feared the injury would be much worse.
“Obviously I felt a huge relief.” Bird said in a statement provided by USA Basketball.
Bird wasn’t at practice on Wednesday and is listed as day-to-day. She has little time to recover before the U.S. faces France in the women’s basketball semifinals on Thursday night. A win and the U.S. would play in the gold medal game on Saturday.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
