Baseball
TOKYO – Tetsuto Yamada hit two home runs to lead Japan to an 8-5 win over Cuba in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.
Seiichi Uchikawa broke a 5-5 tie on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Yamada made it 8-5 with a two-run shot to center field at Tokyo Dome.
Yamada also hit a leadoff homer in the first inning.
Two-time champion Japan improved to 2-0 in Pool E and can advance to the March 20-22 championship round in Los Angeles with a win over Israel (1-1) on Wednesday. The top two teams in the group advance.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer, and Rougned Odor had a long RBI single during a three-run ninth inning, and Venezuela rallied to beat Italy 4-3 to qualify for the second round of the World Baseball Classic.
Cabrera blasted a shot over center field to tie it at 2 and then Odor smacked his single to put Venezuela ahead. Odor later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Alcides Escobar.
Venezuela will face the United States on Wednesday in San Diego.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Colorado Rockies catcher Tom Murphy will miss four to six weeks with a hairline fracture in his right forearm.
Manager Bud Black said Murphy broke his arm Saturday in a game against the Cubs when he was hit by Anthony Rizzo’s bat while throwing to second base on a steal attempt. The ball sailed into center field and Rizzo was called for interference. Murphy stayed in the game until the seventh, as planned. His injury wasn’t discovered until later.
Murphy is in a splint but won’t need surgery, Black said.
Murphy joins a long list of Rockies sidelined during spring training. First baseman Ian Desmond is set for surgery on his broken left hand this week and will miss several weeks. Right-hander Chad Bettis is undergoing chemotherapy and is out indefinitely after discovering a recurrence of his testicular cancer during a routine follow-up. Left-hander Chris Rusin has an oblique injury and outfielder David Dahl has injured ribs.
With Murphy out, the Rockies will turn to Tony Wolters and Dustin Garneau at catcher although Black said he’d consider other options.
Cycling
SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, Italy – Nairo Quintana won the Tirreno-Adriatico race for a second time in three years Tuesday, while Rohan Dennis was fastest on the final stage, an individual time trial around San Benedetto del Tronto.
Quintana had started the day with a 50-second advantage over Thibaut Pinot and the Colombian rider’s 45th place finish, 41 seconds behind Dennis was enough to secure the overall victory.
NFL
RENTON, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks hope Eddie Lacy can be motivated by a one-year contract to rediscover the form that made him the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Seahawks and Lacy agreed to terms on a one-year deal Tuesday, providing Seattle a big body for a run game that was once the best in football but lagged last season following the retirement of Marshawn Lynch.
Lacy was the top offensive rookie four years ago when he rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for more than 1,100 yards in 2014, but has since been slowed by injuries and lost favor with Packers coach Mike McCarthy at times.
Associated Press
