SEAHAWKS-WILSON
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson to practice despite knee injury
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will practice Wednesday and all indications are he will be able to play Sunday against the New York Jets.
Coach Pete Carroll said he needs to see how Wilson recovers from practice but as of now he’s expecting his quarterback to be able to play. Wilson sprained the MCL in his left knee while being pulled down awkwardly by San Francisco’s Eli Harold in the third quarter of Seattle’s 37-18 win Sunday.
Carroll said Wilson is “pretty determined” to play against the Jets, even with Seattle having its bye in Week 5 and the chance of getting the quarterback two weeks of rest.
This is Wilson’s second significant injury of the season. He sprained his ankle in the opener against Miami.
SEAHAWKS-SPILLER
Seattle Seahawks sign veteran running back C.J. Spiller
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran C.J. Spiller to a one-year contract Wednesday to add depth at running back.
The team finalized the deal and added Spiller to the 53-man roster after releasing running back Terrence McGee. McGee was signed late last week from Seattle’s practice squad and had three carries for 12 yards in Seattle’s 37-18 victory over San Francisco on Sunday.
Spiller was released by New Orleans on Sept. 13 after being inactive in Week 1 with the Saints choosing to go with a backfield of Mark Ingram, Tim Hightower, Travaris Cadet and Daniel Lasco. Spiller rushed for only 112 yards in very limited opportunities with the Saints last season. Spiller’s best season came in 2012 with Buffalo when he rushed for 1,244 yards and six touchdowns for the Bills.
He should get an opportunity to earn playing time in Seattle because of a rash of injuries in the backfield. Seattle has been thinned at running back after Thomas Rawls went down with a crack in his left fibula and C.J. Prosise has been out since breaking a bone in his hand in the opener against Miami.
Carroll said on Wednesday that while Prosise has been able to practice, the full recovery time on his hand injury is about six weeks. Rawls, who was hurt in Week 2 at Los Angeles, is expected to be sidelined for a few weeks.
MARINERS-ASTROS
Cano’s homers Mariners top Astros 12-4, boost playoff hopes
HOUSTON (AP) — Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 12-4 Wednesday to keep pressure on the other AL wild-card contenders.
Kyle Seager added another three-run drive in the eighth, his 30th home run this season, as Seattle pulled within 1½ games of Baltimore for the second AL wild card. Houston dropped three games back as its magic number for elimination was cut to two. The Orioles were at Toronto on Wednesday night.
Cano’s career-best 36th home run, a drive off Doug Fister (12-13), landed in the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field. Cano has nine homers and 25 RBIs in 19 games against Houston this season.
MLS-FIRE-SOUNDERS
Marshall’s first-half goal enough, Sounders beat Fire 1-0
SEATTLE (AP) — Chad Marshall headed in a corner kick in the 24th minute, and the Seattle Sounders beat the Chicago Fire 1-0 on Wednesday night to get back into the MLS playoff picture.
The Sounders (12-13-5) have 41 points and climbed into a tie with idle Portland for the sixth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference. Seattle still has one game at hand on the defending champion Timbers, and also has one more win. Total wins is the first tiebreaker.
Chicago (6-15-9) was eliminated from postseason contention. The Fire have four games remaining and can finish with no more than 39 points. D.C. United is sixth in the East with 40 points after beating Columbus earlier Wednesday.
Andreas Ivanschitz set up Marshall’s fourth goal of the season with a corner kick from the right wing side. The ball floated to the top right corner of the 6-yard box, and Marshall went up with a twisting header that went into the far side of the net, way beyond the reach of goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
SOLO-SHOULDER SURGERY
Hope Solo has shoulder replacement surgery
SEATTLE (AP) —Suspended U.S. national team goalkeeper Hope Solo says she has had shoulder replacement surgery.
The 35-year-old posted photos of herself post-surgery on her social media accounts Wednesday. She had the procedure at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle on Monday.
On the posts, she said he had been dealing with a right shoulder injury for “a long time.”
Solo had surgery on the same shoulder in 2011.
Solo was suspended for six months and her contract with U.S. Soccer was terminated last month following the Rio Olympics, where she drew criticism for calling the Sweden national team a “bunch of cowards” for their defensive style of play. The United States was eliminated by Sweden on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in the quarterfinals.
U.S. soccer said the suspension was a result of a several missteps.
FOOTBALL HAZING-OREGON
Ex-Oregon football coach arraigned in hazing case
(Information in the following story is from: Gazette-Times, http://www.gtconnect.com)
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — A not guilty plea has been entered for a former volunteer high school football coach charged in connection with an Oregon hazing incident.
The Gazette-Times reports that a judge entered the not guilty plea to a misdemeanor criminal mistreatment charge on behalf of 22-year-old Cooper Kikuta during his arraignment Tuesday. Kikuta, who has no previous criminal history, was granted conditional release.
The former assistant volunteer coach for Philomath High School is charged along with six varsity football players for a July hazing initiation in which 11 freshmen had intimate parts of their bodies targeted at a summer training camp.
Prosecutors allege Kikuta didn’t provide adequate care for the players who were under his supervision.
The juveniles cited in the case have admitted to the allegations against them.
LPGA TOUR
Ariya Jutanugarn leads Reignwood LPGA Classic in China
BEIJING (AP) — Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the final four holes for an 8-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Brooke Henderson on Thursday in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.
In position to take the lead from idle Lydia Ko in the player of the year standings by finishing ninth or better, Jutanugarn had 10 birdies and two bogeys at Reignwood Pine Valley in the first event in the six-tournament Asian Swing.
The 20-year-old Thai player is No. 2 in the world now and leads the LPGA Tour with five victories, winning the Women’s British Open in July for her first major title.
The fourth-ranked Henderson birdied three of the final four holes in a bogey-free round. The 19-year-old Canadian won the major KPMG Women’s PGA in June for the first of her two victories this season.
Americans Lizette Salas and Jennifer Song shot 68, and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith and South Koreans Amy Yang, Mi Jung Hur and Ilhee Lee followed at 69.
Chinese star Shanshan Fengtopped the group at 70. The bronze medalist in the Rio Olympics, she won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 at 26 under.
South Korea’s Mirim Lee had a 72. She won in 2014, the last time the event was played.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
