Kershaw going to All-Star Game
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw is going to the All-Star Game in Cincinnati despite a .500 record in the first half for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The current National League MVP and Cy Young Award winner wasn’t elected by his peers and he finished third in the fan vote, but that doesn’t bother him.
Kershaw says he has no pride in how he gets into the game and no one will remember that he made it only because Washington’s Max Scherzer started for the Nationals on Sunday and decided not to be active for Tuesday’s game.
The left-hander is 6-6 but has a 2.85 ERA. He is an All-Star for the fifth straight year.
Kershaw says his family is looking forward to the trip, with his wife Ellen already selecting outfits for 5-month-old daughter Cali.
Kershaw joins teammates Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal and rookie Joc Pederson on the NL All-Star roster.
A-Rod moves into top 25
BOSTON (AP) — New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez has moved into the top 25 on baseball’s career hit list.
Rodriguez doubled in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game against the Boston Red Sox to record his 3,020th hit. That ties him with Rafael Palmeiro for 25th all-time.
Rodriguez needs three more hits to tie Lou Brock for 24th.
Palmeiro and Rodriguez share another distinction — they’ve both been caught using performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez served a yearlong suspension in 2014, and the scandal has tarnished his rise up the career home run list. He hit his 672nd homer Saturday, fourth all-time.
Grilli ruptures Achilles tendon
DENVER (AP) — It began as a scramble from the mound toward first to cover the bag, something Jason Grilli has done countless times in his career. This one, though, ended with a bad step and Grilli crumpled on the ground in agony.
The Atlanta Braves reliever suffered a season-ending left Achilles tendon rupture and took the loss Saturday in a 3-2 defeat to the Colorado Rockies.
Misfortune hit the Braves at the outset of the Rockies’ ninth-inning rally. Grilli (3-4) tumbled to the ground and suffered the injury to his lower left as he ran toward first to cover the bag when Drew Stubbs, the first batter he faced, hit a grounder that first baseman Chris Johnson ranged to his right to field.
Grilli sprinted off the mound toward first and suddenly tumbled to the ground, grabbing his leg in pain.He was helped to his feet, taken away on a cart for further treatment and replaced by David Aardsma.
Concerns voiced about expansion
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Some people who live near the Pro Football Hall of Fame in northeast Ohio are raising concerns about how they might be affected by a proposal to develop the area by adding a hotel, restaurants or other features.
The Repository newspaper in Canton reports a meeting was held this week for residents who live near or in the proposed site for the “Hall of Fame Village.” The multiyear development concept isn’t finalized but could include youth football fields and NFL-themed amusement rides, and it has an estimated cost of $476 million.
To fulfill that vision, project leaders would need more property. They say the hall can’t force people to move if they’re not willing to sell.
Residents also raised concerns about home values, parking and potential expansion.
Mets’ Nieuwenhuis belts three HRs
NEW YORK (AP) — Kirk Nieuwenhuis homered three times to help the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.
Nieuwenhuis homered twice off Diamondbacks starter Rubby De La Rosa (6-5), in the second and third innings and once off reliever Randall Delgado in the fifth. His homer off Delgado rang off the right field foul ball and drew a curtain call from the cheering crowd of 28,259.
The Mets outfielder’s effort backed Jonathon Niese, who was starting in place of the injured Steven Matz. Niese (5-8) allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Nieuwenhuis’ effort marked the first time any Met had ever homered three times in a home game. Nieuwenhuis is the 10th player in Mets history with a three-homer game and the first since Ike Davis accomplished the feat on July 28, 2012 at Arizona.
