Sports briefs
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Bears cruise
without Caleb
CHICAGO (AP) -- Case Keenum passed for two touchdowns in his first start in almost three years, and the Chicago Bears shut down Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles for a 27-7 victory.
Stepping in for the injured Caleb Williams, Keenum was 24 for 34 for 247 yards. He also scored his first rushing touchdown since 2019 on a 1-yard plunge with 7:19 left, capping a 13-play drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock.
It was Keenum's first action since he started for Houston in a 36-22 loss to Cleveland on Dec. 24, 2023. Philadelphia turned the ball over three times.
Braves take
NL opener
ATLANTA (AP) -- Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener of a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series.
Duran, who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games, gave up a single to Michael Harris II before hitting Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in right-center field. Harris had three hits. Braves ace Chris Sale dueled for much of the game against left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing the last couple weeks of the regular season with left shoulder inflammation.
Senate passes
sports bill
(AP) -- The Senate has passed a bill aimed at controlling spending and addressing issues in college sports. The bill, which took over four months to pass, faces challenges in the House.
Sen. Ted Cruz hopes the House will pass it within four weeks, but the House isn’t scheduled to return until after the midterm elections. Some Republicans and Democrats have concerns about the bill, including antitrust protections and the employment status of student-athletes.
The bill offers lawsuit protections to the NCAA and increases revenue-sharing with athletes. If the bill doesn’t pass, conferences may consider self-governance models.
A’s player
sues Tigers
DETROIT (AP) -- Athletics utility player Zack Gelof has filed a lawsuit against the Detroit Tigers, Ilitch Holdings and the Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority for damages after his right knee slammed into a Comerica Park fence during a game last summer.
Gelof was hurt in Detroit on July 9 while making a sliding catch in foul territory and colliding with a metal fence while playing left field.
The 26-year-old immediately grabbed his knee in obvious pain, a tear in his uniform pants showed where his leg made contact with the fence along the third-base side of the infield. The Tigers say they're aware of the lawsuit and declined further comment.
Giants release
Beckham Jr.
(AP) -- Odell Beckham Jr.’s return to the New York Giants lasted just three games with no catches. The Giants released Beckham and signed receiver/returner Braxton Berrios off the practice squad. The 33-year-old was thrown at just once during his brief cameo back with the team that drafted him.
Beckham made the roster out of training camp after being out of football for more than a year. Berrios was out of practice squad promotions, hence the need to clear a spot.
Mistaken
accusation
(AP) -- In Sen. Eric Schmitt’s effort to trip up former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith Tuesday, the Missouri Republican seemed to mistake basketball teams playing about 650 miles apart. Schmitt accused Smith of perjuring himself after repeatedly prodding him about whether he’d attended an NBA game in Atlanta on the evening of Feb. 3, 2024. The hometown Hawks were playing the Golden State Warriors.
Instead, Smith said, he had attended a University of Iowa women’s game that evening at the University of Maryland, where the visiting team was the Hawkeyes.
Call benefits
Broncos
DENVER (AP) -- Pat Bryant’s acting skills have drawn comparisons to famous sports “floppers.” On Sunday night, Bryant sold a defensive pass interference call against Josh Wallace, negating an interception and setting up a Denver Broncos touchdown.
The Broncos won 30-26 over the Los Angeles Rams. Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged the theatrics but said it wasn’t rehearsed. Replays showed some contact between Bryant and Wallace but the call stood. Rams coach Sean McVay refused to blame the loss on the call.
Analysts debated the decision, recalling a similar controversy involving McVay’s Rams in 2018.