Last Update on May 25, 2013 05:35 GMT

INDIANS-RED SOX

BOSTON (AP) -- John Lackey allowed two hits in seven innings, Mike Carp hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-1 on a rainy Friday night.

It was the second straight strong performance by Lackey, who missed all last season following Tommy John elbow surgery. Last Sunday he gave up one hit and one unearned run in six innings of a 5-1 win at Minnesota. He left that game after a three-hour rain delay.

After a 44-minute delay before Friday's game, Lackey (3-4) struck out eight, walked three and gave up an unearned run while pitching through a steady rain. He allowed only two of the 25 batters he faced to hit the ball out of the infield.

CUBS-REDS

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a homer, and Ryan Hanigan and Brandon Phillips also homered on Friday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to their fourth straight win, 7-4 over the Chicago Cubs.

The Reds have won 12 of their past 15 games, surging to a season-high 12 games over .500. They've dominated the Cubs, winning 15 of their past 17 in the series.

Chicago is last in the NL Central, having lost a season-high five straight. The Cubs (18-29) slid a season-low 11 games under .500.

Votto and Hanigan homered in the fourth inning off Scott Feldman (4-4). Phillips connected off Hector Rondon in the eighth.

Bronson Arroyo (5-4) gave up three runs in six innings, including Feldman's first career homer.

INDIANS-MOVES

BOSTON (AP) -- Cleveland Indians first baseman Nick Swisher is back from the paternity list after his wife, JoAnna, had the couple's first child, a girl.

Swisher missed three games. To make room for him, the Indians optioned infielder Cord Phelps to Triple-A Columbus.

Swisher was in the starting lineup and batting fourth for Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox.

Swisher is in his first season with the Indians, who signed him to a four-year, $56 million free agent contract in December. He is batting .274 with six homers and 16 RBIs.

Phelps was 0-for-9 in four games with Cleveland.

REDS-MARSHALL

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Reds have placed left-handed reliever Sean Marshall on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season because of a sore pitching shoulder.

Marshall's left shoulder became tired during spring training, and he went on the disabled list from April 10-25 with tendinitis. The problem reoccurred when he resumed pitching, so the Reds put him back on the disabled list Friday before the start of a series against the Chicago Cubs.

Marshall was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in only 11 appearances covering 7 innings.

Left-hander Manny Parra was activated off the disabled list to take his spot. Parra has been on the DL since April 26 with a strained muscle on the left side of his back. Parra was 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in six appearances.

BENGALS-BERNARD

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Bengals have signed running back Giovani Bernard of North Carolina, leaving only one of their 10 draft picks without a deal.

Bernard was the second of their two picks in the second round. He'll get a chance to win a spot as a change-of-pace back, complementing BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Earlier in the week, the Bengals signed defensive end Margus Hunt of Southern Methodist, their other second-round pick. The only draft choice still without a contract is tight end Tyler Eifert, taken 21st overall in the first round. They're hoping that Eifert can learn the offense quickly enough to give Cincinnati another pass-catching option in formations using two tight ends.

BROWNS-GILKEY

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Browns have signed rookie offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey to a four-year contract.

Gilkey was selected in the seventh round (No. 227 overall) by the Browns in April's NFL draft. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Gilkey started 34 games at left tackle for Division II Chadron State.

However, the Browns had him lined up at guard during their organized team activity practices. Gilkey was one of just three Division II players invited to the 2013 Senior Bowl.

Gilkey is the second pick from the 2013 rookie class to sign with Cleveland. Former Notre Dame safety Jamoris Slaughter also signed a four-year deal earlier this week, when the Browns released safety Eric Hagg.

Linebacker Barkevious Mingo (first round), cornerback Leon McFadden (third round) and defensive end Armonty Bryant (seventh round) remain unsigned.

BLUE JACKETS MOVES

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Curtis McElhinney and defenseman Ilari Melart to one-year contracts.

McElhinney, who turned 30 on Thursday, has appeared in 69 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He has a 19-26-4 record, with a 3.09 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage. In 2012-13, he went 29-6-3 with nine shutouts in 49 games with Springfield of the American Hockey League.

The 24-year-old Melart, signed to an entry-level contract, spent the past several seasons playing in Europe. Last year, he was with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League.

The club has begun to work on a new deal with top goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Last Update on May 25, 2013 07:50 GMT

NBA PLAYOFFS

MIAMI (AP) -- This time Indiana didn't wilt in the final seconds.

After losing the NBA Eastern Conference finals opener in overtime to Miami, the Pacers kept their composure until the end and escaped with a 97-93 win over the Heat to even that series at a game apiece. All five Pacers starters hit double figures led by Roy Hibbert's 29 points and 10 rebounds.

Paul George scored 22 points, George Hill added 18 and David West finished with 13 for the Pacers.

LeBron James scored 36 points for the Heat, who got 17 points from Chris Bosh and 14 from Dwyane (dwayn) Wade. The Heat led 88-84 in the fourth quarter, then were outscored 13-5 the rest of the way.

Game 3 will take place Sunday night on the Pacers home court. The Pacers are 6-0 at home this postseason.

By the way, if you have wondered just how dominating the Heat have been this season, this was just their fourth loss in their last 50 games.

NHL PLAYOFFS

PITTSBURGH (AP) --Too much talent. Too much skill. Too much composure.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have reached the NHL Eastern Conference finals and will play either the New York Rangers or Boston Bruins. James Neal had his first career hat trick as the Penguins eliminated Ottawa in five games, 6-2. The Penguins are in the conference final for the first time since 2009.

Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Brenden Morrow also scored for the Pens. Tomas Vokoun (voh-KOON') made 29 saves as top-seeded Pittsburgh strolled to the next round.

MLB-FINAL SCORES

UNDATED (AP) -- Minnesota's Joe Mauer ruined Anibal (AHN'-ih-behl) Sanchez's bid for the first no-hitter of the Major League Baseball season with a one-out single in the ninth inning. Sanchez finished with a one-hitter as the Detroit Tigers blanked the Minnesota Twins 6-0.

Sanchez fell two outs shy of his second career no-hitter, but thanks to Mauer it was just another near miss this season. There have already been five one-hitters this year, according to STATS.

It was Sanchez's second gem in about a month -- he set a franchise record with 17 strikeouts in eight innings against Atlanta on April 26.

Sanchez struck out 12 on Friday and allowed three walks. He is 5-4.

It's the second time this season a no-hit bid was broken up in the ninth. On April 2, Texas starter Yu Darvish had a no-hitter with two out in the ninth when Houston's Marwin Gonzalez singled in a 7-0 Rangers victory.

In other baseball:

---- The New York Yankees beat Tampa Bay 9-4, but it was a Pyrrhic victory. Yankees right fielder Curtis Granderson was hit on the left hand by a pitch, which X-rays showed a broken knuckle on his pinkie finger. Granderson missed the first 38 games this season with a broken right forearm, the result of a hit by pitch in his first at-bat at spring training.

---- Jordan Zimmermann is the NL's first eight-game winner as the Washington Nationals trimmed Philadelphia 5-2. Steve Lombardozzi's (lohm-bar-DOH'-zeez) two-run double in a four-run fifth inning was the big hit. Zimmermann is 8-2.

-- Chris Davis hit his major league-leading 16th home run, Nick Markakis had three hits and three RBIs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-6.

-- Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a homer, and Ryan Hanigan and Brandon Phillips also homered in the Cincinnati Reds to their fourth straight win, 7-4 over the Chicago Cubs.

-- Marco Estrada gave up one run over seven innings and Alex Gonzalez had a two-run double, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

---- The L.A. Angels won their sixth in a row, 5-2 over Kansas City. Mike Trout had his 21st multi-hit game, and stole his 11th base. He is hitting .366 in May.

---- John Lackey allowed two hits in seven innings, Mike Carp hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-1.

-- Jeff Keppinger drove in the winning run on a single in the 11th and John Danks was solid in his season debut and the Chicago White Sox beat the Miami Marlins 4-3.

---- Arizona erupted with all five of its runs in the seventh inning and the D-Backs beat San Diego 5-2. Everth Cabrera homered for the Padres. But ex-Padre closer Heath Bell retired Cabrera with two runners on in the ninth to end it.

-- Chris Young connected on a three-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the Oakland Athletics to a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros.

---- Colorado blanked the World Series champion San Francisco Giants 5-0 as Tyler Chatwood beat the Giants for the second time in seven days. Michael Cuddyer (kuh-DY'-ur) homered and hit a two-run double after coming off the disabled list.

---- St. Louis smacked the L.A. Dodgers 7-0. Before the latest defeat, Dodgers president Stan Kasten delivered a vote of confidence to beleaguered Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, saying: "I expect Donnie to be here for a long time." The last-place Dodgers are 19-27 despite a hefty payroll.

---- Texas laced Seattle 9-5 behind a 13-hit attack. Jeff Baker and Lance Berkman homered for the Rangers.

-- Evan Gattis had a two-run, pinch-hit single in the top of the eighth, then the Mets rallied to tie it in a downpour in the bottom half before the Atlanta Braves and New York were suspended by rain with the score 5-5. They'll resume the game this evening before the regularly scheduled night game.

SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Lefty Russ Cochran and Kenny Perry each shot 5-under 66 to share the second round lead in the Senior PGA Championship. They're at 7-under par after 36 holes.

Japan's Kiyoshi Murota (ky-YOH'-shee myoo-ROH'-tah) was two strokes back after a 70. Jay Haas and Duffy Waldorf matched Loren Roberts at 4 under.

PGA-COLONIAL

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) --Matt Kuchar (KOO'-char) has taken a one-shot lead over Graham DeLaet when play was suspended due to inclement weather late in the second round of the PGA's Colonial. Kuchar is 10 under par through his 15 holes. DeLaet shot a second-round 3-under-67 and is 9-under-par.

There were 54 players still on the course, three still with eight holes to play, when play was stopped. The second round at Hogan's Alley will be completed this morning.

LPGA-BAHAMAS

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) -- Heather Bowie Young made five straight birdies while jumping from one side of the golf course to the other. Silvia Cavalleri was hitting the ball so well Friday she was sorry the Bahamas Classic was held on only 12 holes.

Bowie Young and Cavalleri were tied for the lead at 6-under 39.

That's right, a first-round 39.

Severe flooding earlier in the week left much of the Ocean Club under water. The LPGA decided to use the holes that were available.

The hope was to complete three rounds of 12 holes to make the inaugural Bahamas Classic official.

FRENCH OPEN-DRAW

PARIS (AP) -- The seedings for next week's French Open have been announced with Novak Djokovic (NOH'-vak JOH'-kuh-vich) leading the way for the men and Serena Williams the women. Rounding out the top-three seeds for the men are Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (rah-fay-ehl nah-DAHL'). Following Williams are Maria Sharapova (shah-rah-POH'-vah) and Victoria Azarenka (ah-zah-REN'-kuh).

The way things are set up, Nadal and Djokovic, the finalists last year, could meet in the semifinals.

NFL-BEARS

CHICAGO (AP) -- Hall of Famer Mike Ditka will have his No. 89 retired by the Chicago Bears this season. The Bears say the number will be retired at halftime of their Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field on Dec. 9. In a statement, Ditka calls it "a tremendous honor" and says he's "very humbled by it."