HOCKEY

Former Bruin Bourque apologizes after DUI

Former Boston Bruins star Ray Bourque apologized to his family, friends and fans for driving drunk last month in a statement released Wednesday following his appearance in Lawrence District Court in Massachusetts.

Bourque admitted in court that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him of driving under the influence when he rear-ended a minivan in Andover on June 24.

Bourque’s “admission to sufficient facts” plea will resolve the case without a guilty finding if he completes a year of probation. A judge also suspended Bourque’s driver’s license for 45 days.

Police said Bourque had a blood-alcohol level of 0.249, three times the state’s legal limit to drive. In his statement, Bourque said he takes full responsibility for his actions.

BASEBALL

NECBL: Ben Wessel struck out five in 61/3 shutout innings to lead the host Sanford Mainers (10-12) to a 7-1 win over the Vermont Mountaineers (7-14).

Wessel (1-0) allowed three hits and one walk.

Zach Jancarski had two hits, two RBI and a stolen base.

FOOTBALL

NFL: Seattle Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner, a former Patriot, is under investigation after being accused of punching his girlfriend’s father at a California home.

Pomona police said the woman’s 59-year-old father told them that Browner and his daughter argued by telephone and the father walked over to Browner’s house, about a block away.

The man said they argued and the two-time Super Bowl champion punched him. He reportedly fell down and hurt his thumb but declined medical treatment.

• Fresh off their return from St. Louis, the Los Angeles Rams are getting their own show on E!.

“Hollywood & Football” will chronicle the lives of six Rams players and their families as they adjust to life in Los Angeles in six episodes debuting this fall.

• The New Orleans Saints announced the signing of 6-foot-1, 270-pound defensive end Darryl Tapp, a 10-year veteran. The team also waived tight end Jack Tabb.

HOCKEY

NHL: The Los Angeles Kings signed forward Teddy Purcell to a one-year, $1.6 million deal.

Los Angeles hopes Purcell, a former UMaine Black Bear, will help offset the loss of free agent Milan Lucic, who signed with Edmonton. Purcell has six straight 30-point seasons.

CYCLING

TOUR DE FRANCE: Belgian rider Greg van Avermaet won the first mountain stage of the Tour de France with an audacious solo attack in the Massif Central and also claimed the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

The BMC rider was part of an early nine-man breakaway and he methodically whittled down the group before accelerating past fellow Belgian Thomas De Gendt with 10 miles to go on the penultimate climb of the day.

COLLEGES

FOOTBALL: Former Baylor coach Art Briles is asking a federal judge to remove him as a defendant in a lawsuit that alleges the school ignored a woman’s claims she was sexually assaulted by a football player.

The lawsuit claims Briles ignored reports from the woman’s family that one of his players was a sexual predator.

Briles’ motion filed Wednesday said the claims against him are based on hearsay. He also argued that federal and state laws don’t allow him to be sued as an individual in the case against the university.

– Staff and news service report