Wednesday Sports in Brief

Updated Oct. 22, 2020 3:00 a.m. ET

Associated Press

MLB

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit two home runs to break out of an extended postseason slump and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4, tying the World Series at one game apiece.

Down 5-0, the Dodgers closed within 6-4 on Corey Seager’s solo homer in the eighth. Aaron Loup relieved and struck out Cody Bellinger with a runner on base to prevent further damage.

Joey Wendle also drove in three runs for Tampa Bay. Will Smith and Chris Taylor homered to help the Dodgers rally.

After a day off, Game 3 will be Friday night at neutral site Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. Charlie Morton starts for the Rays against Walker Buehler in a matchup of pitchers who have both excelled in October outings.

NBA

Stan Van Gundy is headed to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he’ll take over a promising team that includes 2019 No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson and reigning Most Improved Player Brandon Ingram.

Van Gundy agreed to a four-year contract, said a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms had not been revealed publicly.

The coach said on his Twitter account Wednesday that he was “excited to join a talented New Orleans Pelicans team” and thanked team owner Gayle Benson and others for the opportunity.

In New Orleans, Van Gundy will replace Alvin Gentry, who was let go after the Pelicans missed this season’s playoffs.

Van Gundy, 61, spent parts of 12 seasons coaching Miami, Orlando and Detroit, winning 58% of his games and going to the playoffs eight times.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tyronn Lue is stepping into his new job as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers fully aware of the pressure to bring the first NBA championship to the long-suffering franchise. As if Lue needed a reminder, owner Steve Ballmer proclaimed, “My personality is all about winning.”

It’s been nearly two years since Lue worked as a head coach. He was fired in Cleveland after an 0-6 start to the 2018-19 season and used the down time to work on himself before joining Doc Rivers’ staff in Los Angeles this past season.

He was introduced as coach of the Clippers on Wednesday.

Now it’s Lue’s turn to try to take the Clippers where the franchise has never been before — beyond the second round of the playoffs.

GOLF

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Former Masters champion Adam Scott has tested positive for the coronavirus and withdrew from the Zozo Championship at Sherwood on Wednesday, becoming the second high-profile golfer in as many weeks to do so.

Dustin Johnson, the world’s No. 1 player, tested positive last week at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.

Scott has not played since the U.S. Open, and the Australian has played only four times — two majors and two FedEx Cup playoff events — in the four months since the PGA Tour returned from the COVID-19 shutdown.

TENNIS

BERLIN (AP) — Former Wimbledon semifinalist Julia Goerges announced her retirement from tennis Wednesday at the age of 31.

The German reached her highest ranking of ninth in the world in 2018 and was ranked 45th at her retirement. Her most recent match was a second-round loss to fellow German Laura Siegemund at the French Open.

Goerges, in a letter addressed to the game of tennis, wrote that she was “ready to say ‘goodbye’” after a 15-year pro career.

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Marquette University has paused all men’s and women’s basketball team activities for 14 days after each program received one positive COVID-19 test.

School officials said the most recent round of testing that took place Monday produced two positive results out of 45 tests of men’s and women’s basketball players as well as NCAA-defined Tier 1 team personnel. All individuals within Tier 1, which includes coaches, trainers, physical therapists, medical staff, equipment staff and other team personnel will quarantine for 14 days.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU has self-imposed penalties for NCAA rules violations by the football program that include a reduction of scholarships and a two-year ban from its athletic facilities for Cleveland Browns star and former Tigers receiver Odell Beckham Jr., according to a report by Sports Illustrated.

LSU acknowledged it was working the NCAA and had self-imposed penalties, but provided no other details.

The NCAA is not required to accept self-imposed penalties and could add to LSU’s punishment.

COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State’s Pat Chambers has resigned following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct by the Nittany Lions’ basketball coach.

Chambers, 49, had been at the school for nine years and was coming off the team’s best season under his directions.

Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said in a statement that assistant coach Jim Ferry was being elevated to interim coach for the coming season. NCAA basketball season starts Nov. 25.

Chambers was in the middle of a four-year contract with Penn State that runs through 2021-22 season. He was 148-150 with Penn State, including an NIT championship in 2018.

DOG SHOW

NEW YORK (AP) — The Westminster dog show will be held outdoors at an estate about 25 miles north of Manhattan on June 12-13 because of the pandemic, the Westminster Kennel Club said Wednesday.

The shift to the Lyndhurst site along the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York, will mark the first time in more than 100 years that best in show at Westminster hasn’t been awarded at Madison Square Garden. In 1920, the top prize was presented at Grand Central Palace in New York.

OBITUARY

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Former Raiders offensive lineman Mario Henderson has died. He was 35.

The team announced Henderson’s death Wednesday. There was no cause of death given.

Henderson joined the Raiders in draft-day trade after being picked in the third round by the New England Patriots after his college career at Florida State. He played four seasons in Oakland, starting 28 games.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Merritt Norvell Jr., the first Black athletic director at Michigan State, has died. He was 79.

A spokesman at the University of Nevada confirmed Wednesday that football coach Jay Norvell, who is Merritt Norvell’s son, took some time away from the team because of his father’s death.

Norvell was appointed to Michigan State’s AD spot in 1995 and served until 1999.

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