GOLF
3 teams share lead
The teams of Bryson DeChambeau-Kevin Na, Brian Harman-Patton Kizzire, and Emiliano Grillo-Graeme McDowell shot 13-under 59 in scramble play Friday to share the first-round lead in the QBE Shootout at Naples, Fla. Harman-Kizzire and Grillo-McDowell birdied the final three holes at Tiburon Golf Club, and DeChambeau-Na eagled the par-5 14th. LPGA Tour player Lexi Thompson and Tony Finau were two strokes back at 61 with Charley Hoffman-Gary Woodland and Charles Howell III-Luke List. Defending champions Steve Stricker and Sean O'Hair shot 62. The teams will play modified alternate shot today and close with better ball Sunday in the PGA event.
Schwartzel out front
Charl Schwartzel eagled the 17th on his way to an 8-under 63 and a one-shot lead after the second round of the South African Open on Friday. The 2011 Masters champion moved to 12-under 130 overall and replaced Louis Oosthuizen (70) at the top of the leaderboard at the Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg. Schwartzel had six birdies but only took the lead with the eagle on his second-to-last hole when his approach bounced on the green and landed on the far fringe before the backspin kicked in. Madalitso Muthiya (68) is second at 11 under. Oosthuizen, ahead by a shot after the first round, dropped into a tie for third at 10 under with Kurt Kitayama (69) and Zander Lombard (68).
BASEBALL
Former players killed
Former major league players Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo were killed in a car crash following a winter league game in Venezuela. Valbuena, 33, and Castillo, 37, died late Thursday, according to Cardenales de Lara of the Venezuelan league. The team said their vehicle overturned as they were heading to the city of Barquisimeto after a game in the capital, Caracas. Third baseman Carlos Rivero was in the car and survived, according to the website beisbolplay. Valbuena, an 11-year major league veteran, hit .199 with 9 home runs and 33 RBI in 96 games this year for the Los Angeles Angels, who released him on Aug. 7. Valbuena hit .226 with 114 home runs over 11 big league seasons with the Angels, Seattle, Cleveland, the Chicago Cubs and Houston. Castillo played five seasons with Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Houston. He had a .254 average with 39 home runs.
Corbin joins Nationals
Patrick Corbin put on his No. 46 Washington Nationals jersey as rotation-mates Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg looked on from the front row at the news conference in Washington to introduce the lefty starter with the $140 million, six-year contract. The Nationals announced the addition of free-agent Corbin on Friday, the latest in a flurry of offseason moves by General Manager Mike Rizzo. One of the team's other recent acquisitions, catcher Yan Gomes, and long-time first baseman Ryan Zimmerman were also at Nationals Park for the announcement. Rizzo said the deal with Corbin, 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA for Arizona in 2018, is "independent" of what might happen with right fielder Bryce Harper, who has played his entire career for the Nationals and is a free agent.
Richards, Padres sign
Free agent pitcher Garrett Richards and the San Diego Padres have finalized a $15.5 million, two-year contract. Richards will earn $7 million next year and $8.5 million in 2020 as part of the deal announced Friday. He can earn an additional $2.5 million annually in performance bonuses: $250,000 for each start from 21 through 30. Richards was 5-4 with a 3.66 ERA last season for the Los Angeles Angels before reconstructive surgery in July. The 30-year-old right-hander was 45-38 with a 3.54 ERA with the Angels since 2011. Infielder Carlos Asuaje was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot.
RHP Kelly joins D'backs
Right-hander Merrill Kelly is joining his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks, agreeing to a $5.5 million, two-year contract. The 30-year-old spent the past four seasons with SK Wyverns in South Korea. He was 48-32 with a 3.86 ERA, including 16-7 in 2017. A Scottsdale native, Kelly attended Desert Mountain High School, Yavapai College and Arizona State. He was taken by Tampa Bay on the eighth round of the 2010 amateur draft and rose to Class AAA in the Rays' system. He gets $2 million next season and $3 million in 2020. The Diamondbacks have a $4.25 million team option for 2021 with a $500,000 buyout, and if that is exercised they have a $5.25 million option for 2022. He cannot be sent to the minor leagues without his consent, and he will become a free agent at the end of the contract.
FOOTBALL
Chiefs sign wide receiver
The Kansas City Chiefs signed wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to a one-year contract, taking a low-risk gamble that they can become the team that finally allows the 2014 first-round draft pick to live up to expectations. The Chiefs announced the deal Friday, one day after Benjamin was invited for a visit. They released defensive end Jarvis Jenkins to create space for him on the roster. Benjamin, 27, was waived by Buffalo earlier this week, ending a disappointing 13 months with the Bills. He had just 23 catches for 354 yards and one touchdown while getting knocked for having one of the highest drop rates in the NFL this season. Benjamin, who began his career in Carolina, gives the Chiefs some depth for the stretch run. Sammy Watkins has been bothered by a foot injury and his status going forward remains uncertain.
Howard out Sunday
NFL interception leader Xavien Howard has been ruled out of the Miami Dolphins' game Sunday against New England because of a left knee injury. Coach Adam Gase said Friday that Howard might be able to return for next week's game at Minnesota. Howard was hurt when tackled following an interception in Sunday's victory over Buffalo. He missed only one play but sat out practice this week. The Dolphins have declined to say whether the third-year cornerback had surgery. He has seven interceptions, including two in each of the past two games.
BASKETBALL
Cavs, Bucks agree to trade
A person familiar with the trade says the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to re-acquire guard Matthew Dellavedova from Milwaukee, and also are getting forward John Henson and two draft picks in 2021 from the Bucks in exchange for guard George Hill and forward Sam Dekker. The swap, which will bring the popular Dellavedova back to Cleveland, is pending league approval, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the teams have not yet had the conference call with NBA officials. The first-round pick in 2021 is protected, the person said. Hill recently returned after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury. Dekker has also been sidelined. Dellavedova's scrappiness endeared him to Cleveland fans during his three seasons with the Cavs. He was a major contributor on their 2016 title team before he signed with the Bucks as a free agent.
MOTOR SPORTS
Rossi replaces Rahal
Alexander Rossi has replaced fellow IndyCar driver Graham Rahal at Acura Team Penske for the IMSA sports car endurance events. Rossi will share the No. 7 Acura ARX-05 DPi with fulltime Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring. Rahal had been the co-driver for those events last season but said on social media Friday he's too big to properly fit in the car. Rahal is listed at 6-foot-2 and posted a post-workout photo last month acknowledging he's the tallest active driver in IndyCar and was "determined not to be the fattest too." Rossi is a former Indianapolis 500 winner who has slowly been expanding his schedule beyond IndyCar. The American won karting championships and the Formula BMW World title as a teenager, pursued Formula One in Europe, and migrated to IndyCar in 2016. Simon Pagenaud returns to the Penske sports car program for a second season as the additional driver in the endurance races alongside regulars Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron.
Sports on 12/08/2018