FIGURE SKATING

Defending ice dance champs in position again

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani never missed a beat in an elegant routine that earned them a record score of 82.42 points and an early lead in the short ice dance competition at the U.S. figure skating championships Friday at Kansas City, Missouri.

The Shibutanis were the clear front-runners, especially after their bronze medal at the Grand Prix final. They won the gold medal at the U.S. championships last season and could go back-to-back with another sensational effort Sunday.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the 2015 champs who took silver a year ago, tore it up in a routine that used the bluesy “Bad to the Bone” and “Uptown Funk” as their soundtrack. With a funky set that had the crowd seem like they were peeking inside a nightclub, Chock and Bates scored 79.96 points and are in second place.

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, three-time bronze medalists, were third with 79.72 points.

BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUES: Free agent right-hander Neftali Feliz agreed to a one-year, $5.35 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, who are looking for a closer.

Feliz spent last season with Pittsburgh, going 4-2 with a 3.52 ERA in 62 games, mainly as a setup man.

The 28-year-old was a closer for the Rangers early in his career, winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2010.

• Relief pitcher Santiago Casilla is crossing the bay again, re-joining the Oakland Athletics with a two-year contract after seven seasons with San Francisco.

The right-hander lost his job as closer last season for the Giants, but could be in the mix for saves with the A’s.

Casilla has spent his entire major league career between the two Bay Area teams; his initial six seasons were with Oakland.

• Right-hander Trevor Cahill and the San Diego Padres finalized a $1.75 million, one-year contract.

Cahill, who went to high school in suburban Vista, went 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 50 games for the Chicago Cubs in 2016.

AUTO RACING

MONTE CARLO RALLY: A spectator was killed after being hit by a car Thursday night during the first stage of the rally in Monaco, race organizers said.

Organizers said the spectator was struck by a car driven by New Zealand driver Hayden Paddon and died after being transported to a hospital in Nice, France.

Stage 1 of the race was cancelled, although stage 2 was held later Thursday night.

Belgian driver Thierry Neuville held a 45-second lead over defending world rally champion Sebastien Ogier following Friday’s stages.

NASCAR: Rick Hendrick, owner of the most successful organization in NASCAR, was introduced by Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremony Friday night, and inducted by his wife, Linda.

Also inducted were Mark Martin, car owners Richard Childress and Raymond Parks, and the late Benny Parsons.

SKIING

WORLD CUP: Matthias Mayer gave host Austria a winning start to the traditional Hahnenkamm races by taking a super-G at Kitzbuehel.

Under crisp blue skies, the Olympic downhill champion beat Christof Innerhofer of Italy by 0.09 seconds. Beat Feuz of Switzerland was 0.44 behind in third.

The win is Mayer’s fourth, but his first since he broke two vertebrae in a downhill crash in Italy 13 months ago.

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