Newman replaces Truex in chase
CONCORD, N.C. — His reputation has been battered, his team blasted by NASCAR for manipulating the outcome of a pivotal race. Now Clint Bowyer will do his best to pick up the pieces and try to salvage his season.
“No rearview mirrors in life, just windshield ahead. It’s been a great year and is going to be a great chase. Time to move on!!!” Bowyer posted on Twitter late Monday night.
It was his first public comment since NASCAR launched an investigation into his Saturday night spin at Richmond and ultimately uncovered a series of deliberate actions by Michael Waltrip Racing to alter the race results and the field for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
The sordid saga concluded Monday with a hefty penalty that saw Ryan Newman replace Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase as MWR was fined $300,000, and general manager Ty Norris received an indefinite suspension.
Truex, Bowyer and Brian Vickers were docked 50 points apiece — but Bowyer’s deduction does not affect his position in the Chase, which begins Sunday at Chicago.
Newman was leading with seven laps remaining Saturday night at Richmond, where a victory would have given him the final spot in the 12-driver Chase field. But Bowyer spun to bring out a caution, setting in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to Newman losing the race and the Chase berth, which instead went to Bowyer teammate Truex.
Scherzer fails in
bid for 20th win
CHICAGO — Miguel Cabrera didn’t have much of a chance to help Max Scherzer get his 20th win and the Detroit Tigers end their recent slump.
Just three batters into the first inning, Cabrera was ejected by home plate umpire Brian Gorman and Detroit went on to lose 5-1 to the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
The reigning AL MVP and 2012 Triple Crown winner complained to Gorman that he had checked his swing on an 0-1 Sale pitch that struck him in the right knee.
Chris Sale (11-12) outpitched Scherzer, denying him a 20th victory. Sale gave up one run and four hits in eight innings to win for the fifth time in six decisions.
Scherzer (19-3) gave up five runs and six hits in four innings as he lost consecutive starts for the first time this season after Boston beat him Sept. 3.
Pirates’ win clinches winning season
ARLINGTON, Texas — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle had no special message for his team and there was no big celebration after what was a special victory for their long-suffering fans.
With their 1-0 victory at Texas on Monday night, the Pirates clinched their first winning season since 1992. But victory No. 82 was really just another step toward their goal of getting into the playoffs.
“It’s going to touch a lot of people on a lot of different levels. We are aware of it,” Hurdle said. “Everybody’s here for a reason, and that’s to knock down things we haven’t done in a long time.”
Race 4 victory saves Oracle’s Cup chances
SAN FRANCISCO — Oracle Team USA’s heart-stopping victory in Race 4 of the America’s Cup may have saved the event as well as the syndicate’s chances to retain the oldest trophy in international sports.
Skipper Jimmy Spithill aggressively sailed Oracle’s 72-foot catamaran to an 8-second victory against Emirates Team New Zealand in the fog, wind and salt spray on San Francisco Bay on Sunday.
Oracle Team USA, owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison of Oracle Corp., hopes the victory helps swing the momentum and allows it to learn a thing or two about what it’s going to take to defeat a strong Kiwi team.
One of those things is home-water advantage.
The finish line of the five-leg course is just a few hundred yards off America’s Cup Park on Pier 27-29 on the Embarcadero.
By wire sources
