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NBA PLAYOFFS
Nets up 2-1 after beating Raptors
UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have taken a two-games-to-one lead in their first-round series by holding off the visiting Toronto Raptors 102-98.
Joe Johnson scored 29 points, including a pair of game-clinching free throws with 3.1 seconds left after the Nets blew most of a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead. Deron Williams added 22 points and eight assists, while Paul Pierce chipped in 18 points.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, home-court advantage has meant nothing in the Wizards-Bulls series as the road team has won all three games. The Bulls are within two games to one after Jimmy Butler hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer and a pair of free throws in the waning months of a 100-97 victory at Washington. The game was tied at 91 until Butler drained a three with 24.9 seconds to play. He added a pair of free throws to put the Bulls ahead 96-93 and finished with 15 points.
D.J. Augustin capped his added three free throws in the final 5 ½ seconds to secure the victory.
Mike Dunleavy had a game-high 35 points on 12 of 19 shooting for the Bulls.
Bradley Beal had 25 points for the Wizards, who host Game 4 Sunday afternoon.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Flyers even series
UNDATED (AP) — Steve Mason made a triumphant return to the nets as the Philadelphia Flyers knotted their Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece.
Mason made 15 of his 37 saves during an often chaotic first period as the Flyers nipped the New York Rangers 2-1. Mason blanked the Blueshirts after Dominic Moore scored on a wraparound 4:38 into the game. It was Mason's first game action since suffering an upper-body injury on April 12.
Matt Read knotted the score a little more than four minutes after Moore's goal, and Jakub Voracek (VOHR'-uh-chehk) notched the game-winner on a power play in the second period.
Game 5 is Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Grandy rallies Mets
UNDATED (AP) — The Mets were expecting a lot from Curtis Granderson after signing him to a four-year, $60 million contract in December. They got something tonight.
Granderson has struggled most of the season, and he carried a .130 to the plate before hitting a walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth to cap the Mets' rally in a 4-3 triumph against Florida. The Mets were down to their last out until Omar Quintanilla (kehn-tah-NEE'-uh) hit an RBI double and scored on Granderson's base hit, giving New York its fifth victory in six games.
The Marlins grabbed a 3-2 lead on back-to-back homers by Jarred Saltalamacchia (sahl-tah-lah-MAH'-kee-uh) and Garrett Jones before falling to 1-9 on the road.
In other Major league finals:
— Justin Upton hit a three-run homer and Ervin Santana earned his third victory in Atlanta's 5-4 decision over Cincinnati. Upton leads the Braves with six homers and 15 RBIs after supporting Santana, who carried a shutout into the sixth but left the game after allowing four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.
— David Ortiz homered, Will Middlebrooks had two RBIs and the Boston Red Sox set season highs with 16 hits and eight extra-base hits in an 8-1 thrashing of Toronto. Mark Buehrle (BUR'-lee) came in with a major league-best 0.64 ERA before surrendering six earned runs and 12 hits 5 1/3 innings.
— The Los Angeles Angels clobbered the New York Yankees 13-1 as Erick Aybar (EYE'-bahr) went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and four runs scored. Albert Pujols (POO'-hohlz). Ian Stewart and Colin Cowgill also went deep for the Angels.
MLB-PINE TAR
Selig: Pine tar rule to be reviewed
UNDATED (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says the sport will wait until after the season to study whether the rule preventing pitchers from using pine tar should be changed.
New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games Thursday, a day after umpires found pine tar on his neck during a game against Boston. Pineda said he was trying to get a better grip on balls on a cool night, and pitchers say they suspect pine tar use may be routine — although usually discreet.
Baseball rules prohibit pitchers from using foreign substances.
Also in the majors:
— The Pittsburgh Pirates have put closer Jason Grilli on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique and called up right-hander Jared Hughe. Grilli has already blown three of seven save chances this season and has a 4.50 ERA after becoming an All-Star for the first time all season.
— The Texas Rangers have activated third baseman Adrian Beltre from the 15-day disabled list and placed third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff (KOOZ'-mah-nahf) on the DL with a sore back. Beltre was hitting .286 with four RBIs in eight games before straining his left quad. Kouzmanoff left Tuesday's game in Oakland with back tightness.
— The San Diego Padres have put third baseman Chase Headley on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained right calf suffered in Thursday's win over the Nationals. Headley is hitting .186 with two homers and seven RBIs.
— Angels manager Mike Scioscia (SOH'-shuh) says setup man Joe Smith will step into the stopper role until Ernesto Frieri (free-HER'-ee) works out his problems. Frieri is 0-2 with a 9.35 ERA in 10 appearances this year.
— The Chicago White Sox claimed right-hander reliever Hector Noesi (noh-EH'-see) off waivers from the Texas Rangers and expect him to throw a bullpen session for pitching coach Don Cooper on Saturday. Noesi allowed 10 runs in 6 1/3 innings for the Rangers in five relief appearances.
NASCAR-RICHMOND QUALIFYING
Rain helps Larson get pole
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole Saturday night in the Sprint Cup race at Richmond after qualifying was wiped out by a thunderstorm. The field was set based on the fastest laps run in the first practice Friday.
Brad Keselowski will start on the outside of the front row, with Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne (KAYN) in the second row.
Points leader Jeff Gordon will start 25th.
NFL-MOVES
Newton and Dareus staying put
UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have exercised their fifth-year option on quarterback Cam Newton's contract. The move keeps him with the team through the end of the 2015 season. By exercising the option on Newton's rookie deal, the Panthers will have more time to work out a longer contract.
Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, is slated to make $3.37 million this season and would receive $14.67 million in 2015 if he doesn't sign a contract extension before then.
Elsewhere:
— The Buffalo Bills have picked up the fifth-year option on the contract of defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. The Bills faced a deadline next week to determine whether to lock in the player through the 2015 season. Dareus, who's started since arriving at Buffalo as the fourth pick in 2011, had a career-best 71/2 sacks last year.
GOLF-ZURICH CLASSIC
Martin stays on top
AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Ben Martin has followed up his course record 62 with a 5-under 67 to hold the lead through two rounds of the Zurich Classic.
Martin stands 15-under par, three shots ahead of Andrew Svoboda and four better than Robert Streb and Seung-yul Noh.
GOLF-SWINGING SKIRTS CLASSIC
Lewis takes the lead
DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) — Stacy Lewis is the clubhouse leader late in the second round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic following a 3-under 69. Lewis is 6-under for the two rounds, giving her a one-shot lead over 16-year old Lydia Ko and France's Karine Icher.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MICHIGAN
Wolverines forward to leave school
UNDATED (AP) — Michigan sophomore Mitch McGary says he tested positive for marijuana during the NCAA tournament and plans to forgo his final two years of college eligibility for the NBA draft. McGary turned down a chance to enter the draft last year as a likely first-round pick and ended up having back surgery last season, putting his standing as an NBA prospect in doubt.
Connecticut is losing one junior star to the NBA draft, while another is staying with the Huskies. The school has announced that forward DeAndre Daniels has filed the necessary paperwork with the NBA, but that guard Ryan Boatright will return next season. Daniels averaged 13 points and six rebounds for the national champions, while Boatright gave the Huskies 12 points a game.
SWIMMING-PHELPS COMEBACK
Phelps swims fly in freestyle event
MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Phelps' comeback meet was cut short Friday when he failed to advance to the 50-meter freestyle final.
The 18-time Olympic gold medalist used the morning preliminaries to fine-tune his butterfly stroke instead of doing freestyle like everyone else. He finished seventh in a time of 24.06 seconds, missing out on the eight-man evening final.
OBIT-MORRALL
Longtime quarterback dies
MIAMI (AP) — Longtime NFL quarterback Earl Morrall has died at age 79. He had been in failing health for some time.
Morrall started 11 games during the Dolphins' perfect season in 1972 then stepped aside when Bob Griese (GREE'-see) returned from an ankle injury. He didn't agree with coach Don Shula's decision to replace him, but didn't make an issue of it.
Morrall spent 21 years in the NFL with the Dolphins, 49ers, Steelers, Lions, Giants and Colts. He won three Super Bowl rings.
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