TENNIS
Del Potro beats Federer
Juan Martin del Potro rallied from three match points down in the third set and beat top-ranked Roger Federer 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2) on Sunday to win the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif., handing the Swiss superstar his first loss of the year. Del Potro became the first Argentine winner in the 42-year history of the desert tournament. Federer's 17-match winning streak -- the best start of his career -- ended. Del Potro held a match point at 8-7 in the second-set tiebreaker, but he lost the final three points on his own errors that allowed Federer to force a third set. Earlier, Naomi Osaka routed Daria Kasatkina of Russia 6-3, 6-2 in a matchup of 20-year-old rising stars to earn the first title of her career. Osaka's victory capped a run that included victories over two-time winner Maria Sharapova, No. 5 Karolina Pliskova and top-ranked Simona Halep during the two-week tournament. The Japan-born Osaka will rise to a career-high No. 22 in Monday's WTA Tour rankings. Osaka needed just 70 minutes to dispatch No. 19 Kasatkina, who had an equally impressive showing in the desert. Kasatkina will rise eight spots to No. 11 in the rankings. Osaka earned $1,340,860 for the victory.
GOLF
Park wins in Phoenix
Inbee Park spoiled Laura Davies' bid to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history, pulling away from the 54-year-old Englishwoman on Sunday in the Founders Cup at Phoenix. Park closed with a 5-under 67 at Desert Ridge for her 19th LPGA Tour victory and first in a little over a year. The 29-year-old South Korean star finished at 19-under 269, a day after revealing she was 50-50 about retiring before returning from a long break. Davies, three strokes behind Park entering the round, bogeyed the last hole for a 69 to finish five strokes back. She tied for second with Ariya Jutanugarn and Marina Alex. Davies won the last of her 20 LPGA Tour titles in 2001. She missed a chance to shatter the LPGA Tour age record set by Beth Daniel in the 2003 Canadian Women's Open at 46 years, 8 months, 29 days. Park pulled away on the back nine with four consecutive birdies. She won in her second start after the long break following the Women's British Open in August. She returned two weeks ago in Singapore for her title defense. In Gee Chun had a 66 -- the best round of the day -- to join Megan Khan (68) at 13 under.
BASEBALL
Royals sign Grimm
The Kansas City Royals signed right-handed reliever Justin Grimm to a $1.25 million, one-year deal Sunday that includes up to $300,000 in incentives. He was released by the Chicago Cubs last week. Grimm, 29, was 1-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 50 appearances last season. The club also announced that pitchers Miguel Almonte, Sam Gaviglio and Trevor Oaks, catcher Cam Gallagher and infielder Ramon Torres have been optioned to Class AAA Omaha. The roster moves leave the Royals with 46 players in major league camp.
Drury to start at 3rd
New York Yankees rookie Miguel Andujar has come up short in his bid to win the starting third base role. The Yankees optioned Andujar to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, clearing the way for Brandon Drury to claim the spot. The move allows Andujar, who hit .262 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI in 14 spring training games, to work on his defense in the minors. Drury, obtained from Arizona last month, was the front-runner for the position. He hit .267 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI for Arizona last season. New York also reassigned promising outfielder Estevan Florial, 20, to its minor league camp.
Vargas injures hand
New York Mets left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to miss four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand. The Mets acquired Vargas in free agency on Feb. 18, signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. He went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA for Kansas City last season, making his first All-Star team and tying for the major league lead in wins. Vargas, 35, was hit on the hand by a line drive during a minor league game Friday.
Ragans out for season
The news the Texas Rangers were fearing was delivered Saturday afternoon and announced Sunday morning: Cole Ragans, their No. 1 pick in 2016 and arguably their top pitching prospect, needs Tommy John surgery. The left-hander felt discomfort in his elbow Friday during a minor-league game and was quickly sent for an MRI exam. Team physician Dr. Keith Meister saw a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament and will perform the surgery this week in Arlington, Texas. Also, Kyle Cody, the reigning Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year who hasn't pitched this spring because of elbow inflammation, will be shut down for at least another three weeks, it was announced.
Polanco suspended
Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The commissioner's office announced the penalty Sunday. Polanco tested positive for Stanozolol and became the sixth player to be banned this year under the major league drug program -- one more than last year. Polanco hit .256 with 13 home runs and 74 RBI last season while starting 127 games at shortstop. The 24-year-old also stole 13 bases in helping the Twins earn an AL wild-card spot. In a statement released by the players' union, Polanco said he didn't "intentionally consume this steroid."
FOOTBALL
Raiders trade Patterson
The Oakland Raiders are trading star kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson to the New England Patriots. A person familiar with the deal said Sunday the trade will become official after Patterson passes a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Pardon My Take first reported the trade. NFL Network reported that Oakland will receive a fifth-round pick in the deal and send one of its six sixth-round picks to New England. Patterson is one of the most accomplished kickoff returners in the game. His career average of 30.2 yards per return ranks second all-time to Hall of Famer Gale Sayers' 30.6 mark.
Steelers sign Bostic
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed inside linebacker Jon Bostic to a two-year contract. Details of the deal were not disclosed and it will not be finalized until after Bostic undergoes a physical today. Bostic, 26, played 14 games for Indianapolis last season, getting 97 tackles and one sack. Bostic injured his right knee against Denver in December and finished the season on injured reserve. Pittsburgh is Bostic's fifth stop. Bostic began his career with Chicago after being taken in the second round of the 2013 draft. He played two seasons in Chicago then one in New England before the Patriots traded him to Detroit in 2016. He missed the entire season in Detroit with a foot injury before joining the Colts. The Steelers are in need of depth at inside linebacker with Ryan Shazier already ruled out for 2018 because of a spinal injury suffered in Cincinnati in December.
SOCCER
Seven may debut
Tim Weah, a son of former world player of the year and current Liberia President George Weah, is among seven players who could make their U.S. Soccer debuts in an exhibition against Paraguay on March 27 at Cary, N.C. Weah, a midfielder who turned 18 on Feb. 22, made his senior-level club debut for Paris Saint-Germain at Troyes on March 3 and played against Metz a week later. He had a hat trick for the U.S. against Paraguay last October in the second round of the Under-17 World Cup. Six others with no previous national team experience were on the 22-man roster announced Sunday: goalkeeper Alex Bono, defenders Shaq Moore, Erik Palmer-Brown and Antonee Robinson, midfielder Marky Delgado and forward Andrija Novakovich. Four have appeared just once for the U.S.: goalkeeper Zack Steffen, defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and midfielders Weston McKennie and Kenny Saief. Star midfielder Christian Pulisic was left off the roster so he could remain with Borussia Dortmund ahead of a Bundesliga match against first-place Bayern Munich on March 31.
SPEEDSKATING
Lorentzen wins 500
Norwegian speedskater Havard Holmefjord Lorentzen added the men's 500 meters title Sunday at the World Cup in Minsk, Belarus, to his Olympic gold medal for the same distance. Lorentzen was fourth in the final race of the season -- as the Dutch team swept the podium headed by Jan Smeekens -- but that was enough to secure the 500 title. Lorentzen had already won the overall World Cup title. Vanessa Herzog of Austria won the women's 500 title by nine points with a second-place finish behind Angelina Golikova of Russia. Former standings leader Nai Kodaira of Japan was absent with illness. Miho Takagi of Japan won the women's 1,500 to seal that title, while Russian Denis Yuskov won the World Cup title in the men's 1,500. Russia won the women's team sprint World Cup title, and Norway took the men's title. Mass start World Cup champions were Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida and Belgium's Bart Swings.
Sports on 03/19/2018