AP-NW–Sports Right Now/1273
MARINERS-WHITE SOX
Rodon, Morneau, Cabrera lead White Sox past Mariners, 4-1
CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Rodon pitched into the seventh inning, Justin Morneau had a two-run single and Melky Cabrera drove in a run and scored twice to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
Jose Abreu also drove in a run to help Chicago, which took three of four in the series and has won six of eight.
Robinson Cano hit a solo homer, his 30th, and Kyle Seager had three hits for the Mariners.
Rodon (5-8) allowed the run and five hits in six-plus innings before giving way to the bullpen.
Seattle starter Taijuan Walker (4-9) allowed four runs on four hits in 7 1/3 innings. He also hit three batters.
MLS-SOUNDERS-TIMBERS
Timbers defeat Cascadia rivals Sounders 4-2
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Timbers scored four goals in the first half then held off Cascadia rival Seattle 4-2 Sunday, snapping the Sounders’ five-game unbeaten streak.
Vytautas Andriuskevicius, Fanendo Adi, Lucas Melano and Steven Taylor scored for the defending MLS Cup champion Timbers (9-10-8). They remained in sixth place in the Western Conference.
Seattle forward Clint Dempsey missed the game because of medical tests for an irregular heartbeat. Dempsey also was left off the U.S. national team’s roster for upcoming World Cup qualifying matches.
Jordan Morris scored for the Sounders (9-13-4). They beat the Timbers 3-1 last Sunday in Seattle but sit in eighth place in the conference standings.
It was the third meeting this season between the Cascadia Cup rivals. Fans of the two teams, along with supporters of the Vancouver Whitecaps, created the Cascadia Cup in 2004 for the winner of the three-way contest based on points each season.
SEAHAWKS-TACKLE SHUFFLE
Both offensive tackles remain unsettled for Seattle
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Going into the final week of the preseason, the Seattle Seahawks are solid on the interior of the offensive line.
Out on the edge, at the tackle spots, the situation remains unsettled.
Bradley Sowell, J’Marcus Webb and Garry Gilliam have rotated between left and right tackle throughout training camp with nothing solidified through the first three preseason games. How the positions finally shake out is one of the few points of interest for the Seahawks going into Thursday’s preseason finale against Oakland.
For now, it appears Sowell is ahead in the competition to start at left tackle, but offensive line coach Tom Cable said nothing has been settled at either tackle position.
Thursday’s preseason win over Dallas was the third straight week the Seahawks went with Gilliam at right tackle and Sowell at left tackle. Webb’s calf injury earlier in training camp precipitated changes to the original plan of having Gilliam at left tackle and Webb on the right side. So did Sowell standing out in the early days of training camp.
NFC OVERVIEW-NFC WEST
Few contenders, more pretenders in NFC
HOUSTON (AP) — The last four teams to play for the NFC championship have the same goal: Super Bowl or bust.
Carolina, Arizona, Seattle and Green Bay are still the class of a conference that has far more pretenders than contenders. It’s a smart bet one of the four teams will be in Houston playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February.
The Cardinals were 13-3 last year and are 34-14 under Bruce Arians. A blowout loss at Carolina in the NFC title game was a bitter end to a fine season. Carson Palmer is coming off his best season, but threw four interceptions against the Panthers. Palmer turns 37 in December, so there’s urgency to win now.
Seattle also was knocked out of the playoffs by the Panthers. The Seahawks might have even more depth than they did when they almost won consecutive Super Bowls in 2013-14.
Running back Thomas Rawls — Marshawn Lynch’s replacement — and tight end Jimmy Graham are back from significant injuries that ended their 2015 seasons early. Russell Wilson led the NFL in passer rating and is still improving.
COWBOYS-PRESCOTT’S TIME
Romo injury makes rookie Prescott sudden starter for Cowboys
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott grew up rooting for the Dallas Cowboys in Louisiana. He suddenly finds himself in line to start their opener as a rookie quarterback with Tony Romo sidelined by yet another back injury.
Receiver Brice Butler believes the fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State pictured this years ago.
“He ends up getting drafted here. Now he’s the starting quarterback,” Butler said Sunday. “I don’t know if he thought it was going to happen this soon. But I’m pretty sure when he got here, he was like, I’m going to be the future of this franchise.”
The 23-year-old Prescott was the Number 3 quarterback for the Cowboys going into training camp before backup Kellen Moore broke his right ankle in practice.
Prescott was impressive enough in the first two preseason games to make owner and general manager Jerry Jones comfortable with him as Romo’s backup, rather than bringing in a veteran.
After Romo broke a bone in his back on the third play of the third preseason game at Seattle, Jones is ready to roll with Prescott.
WEBCOM TOUR
Ryan Brehm wins Web.com finale, earns PGA Tour card
NORTH PLAINS, Ore. (AP) — Ryan Brehm won the Web DOT com Tour’s regular-season ending WinCo Foods Portland Open on Sunday to earn a PGA Tour card.
The 30-year-old former Michigan State coach made $144,000 to jump from 30th to fourth on the money list with $281,808 and earn a PGA Tour card as top-25 finisher.
Tied for the third-round lead with Taiwan’s Cheng Tsung Pan, Brehm closed with a bogey for a 3-under 68 and his first Web.com Tour victory. He finished at 15-under 269 on Pumpkin Ridge’s Witch Hollow course to beat Mark Anderson by a stroke.
Anderson finished with a 68. He also earned a PGA Tour card, making $86,400 to jump from 51st to 16th with $169,499.
Zack Fischer was third at 13 under after a 68. He was 46th on the money list.
The four-event Web DOT com Tour Finals — offering another 25 PGA Tour cards — starts September 8th through 11th with the DAP Championship in Beachwood, Ohio.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Langer wins Boeing Classic playoff for 29th senior title
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) — Bernhard Langer made a 3-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Woody Austin and Kevin Sutherland on Sunday to win the PGA Tour Champions’ Boeing Classic for the second time.
A day after his 59th birthday, Langer birdied the par-5 18th in regulation for a 5-under 67 to match Austin and Sutherland at 13-under 203 at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Austin also had a 67, and Sutherland shot 64.
Langer played the back nine in 6-under 30, also making birdies on Nos. 10-13 and 15.
Also the 2010 winner, the German star took advantage of Austin and Sutherland both finding bunkers on the 18th in the playoff. Langer won for the fourth time this season and the 29th on the 50-and-over tour, tying him for second with Lee Trevino on the career list.
Gene Sauers, the second-round leader and U.S. Senior Open winner two weeks ago, shot a 72 to finish a shot out of the playoff.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
