MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL / ROCKIES, ALL-STAR NEWS
San Francisco, CA— All-Star Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning to give Colorado the big hit it has missed for much of the past week, and the Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Tuesday night to end a season-high six-game losing streak. Colorado catcher Nick Hundley and San Francisco’s Angel Pagan exchanged words in the seventh during Pagan’s at-bat, and Hundley said something as Pagan turned to return to the dugout after a swinging strikeout. Pagan then gestured back toward the catcher before plate umpire Carlos Torres and Hundley had a heated chat. Rockies manager Walt Weiss rushed out, then the umpires gathered in the infield and both benches were warned but no ejections made. Hundley was booed loudly when he batted in the eighth, then he delivered an RBI single. Colorado capitalized against San Francisco’s shaky bullpen once ace Madison Bumgarner left, scoring more than one run for the first time in its last five games.
ALL-STAR ROSTERS
5 Cubs elected to start in All-Star Game
NEW YORK (AP) – The Chicago Cubs became the first team since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine to have five players voted as All-Star Game starters when their entire infield earned the honor Tuesday along with centerfielder Dexter Fowler. First baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant also were elected. The only other team to start four infielders was the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals. The Colorado Rockies have two players on the National League roster: outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and infielder Nolan Arenado. The July 12 game at San Diego’s Petco Park will feature 11 first-time starters, the most since 2005. In a sign of the sport’s generational change, 12 of the 17 elected starters are 26 or younger. Boston has three-first time starters and four overall. Designated hitter David Ortiz, who is retiring at the end of the season, became a 10-time All-Star and is joined by shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts.
ELSEWHERE IN SPORTS…
LONDON (AP) – Roger Federer is taking on Marin Cilic (CHIHL’-ihch) in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Federer is trying to equal Jimmy Connors’ record of reaching the Wimbledon semifinals 11 times. Also underway is the quarterfinal between American Sam Querrey (KWEER’-ee) and sixth-seeded Milos Raonic (RAH’-nihch).
CLEVELAND (AP) – Tigers starter Michael Fulmer tries to extend his club-record of eight straight starts allowing one run or fewer when he pitches against Cleveland this afternoon. The Detroit rookie right-hander will also be trying get earn the Tigers first win in 12 games against the Indians this season.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) goes after his National League-leading 13th win when the Giants host Colorado tonight. The All-Star right-hander has won 10 straight decisions and is 1-0 with a 0.63 ERA in two starts against the Rockies.
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) – Double amputee Olympian Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in a South African prison for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius was originally convicted of manslaughter but that ruling that was overturned by an appeals court that instead convicted him of murder and sent the case back to the original trial judge for sentencing.
MADRID (AP) – Soccer star Lionel (lee-ohn-EHL’) Messi and his father have received suspended sentences of 21 months in prison for tax fraud in a Barcelona court. They were accused of defrauding the tax department of $4.6 million. Messi and his father denied any wrongdoing at a four-day trial last month.