BASEBALL

Luke Tendler provided all of the offense necessary for Portland, with an RBI double in the seventh and a run-scoring single in the eighth, as the Sea Dogs held off the Erie SeaWolves 2-1 at UMPC Park in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Portland starter Matt Kent scattered two singles over seven scoreless innings, striking out two, while Adam Lau gave up a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth to Isaac Paredes for the SeaWolves (31-34) only run.

The victory gives the Sea Dogs their longest winning streak since a six-game streak from April 30-May 6, 2017.

Konner Wade is scheduled to start for Portland on Wednesday in a 12:05 p.m. start.

SOCCER

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MEN’S WORLD CUP: French police investigating whether corruption played a role in the stunning decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar took 1980s soccer superstar and former top executive Michel Platini into custody Tuesday for questioning.

Platini’s representatives denied any wrongdoing on his part, saying he is “absolutely confident in the future” and has “strictly nothing to reproach himself for.”

Also questioned Tuesday were two one-time associates of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, adding a layer of political intrigue to the investigation of the hugely controversial decision to hold soccer’s showcase tournament in a desert country so scorching hot in June and July that the matches will be played instead in November and December.

As head of European soccer’s governing body UEFA, Platini was the continent’s top representative on the FIFA committee that picked Qatar in 2010.

TRACK AND FIELD

IAAF: The governing body of track argued in court that Olympic champion Caster Semenya is “biologically male” and that is the reason she should reduce her natural testosterone to be allowed to compete in female competitions, according to documents released publicly for the first time on Tuesday and which provide new insight into a bitter legal battle.

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Semenya was legally identified as female at birth and has identified as female her whole life. But the IAAF says she is one of a number of female runners in elite athletics who have medical conditions known as “differences of sex development” and who were born with the typical male XY chromosome pattern. That gives them some male biological characteristics, male levels of the hormone testosterone after puberty, and an unfair athletic advantage over other female athletes, the IAAF says.

The documents released by sport’s highest court show that Semenya responded by telling the judges that being described as biologically male “hurts more than I can put in words.” The 28-year-old South African runner said she was unable to express how insulted she felt at the IAAF “telling me that I am not a woman.”

The IAAF’s stance on Semenya and other female athletes affected by its new testosterone regulations — and Semenya’s outrage at the biological male claim – was revealed in a 163-page decision published by the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport. It details parts of the courtroom exchanges that were held behind closed doors when Semenya challenged the IAAF over the highly contentious hormone rules in a five-day hearing in February. CAS had previously released only short excerpts of the final verdict when it was announced last month.

Tuesday’s fuller court records, which were still redacted, show the IAAF referred to the two-time Olympic and three-time world champion as one of a number of “biologically male athletes with female gender identities.”

Arguing that Semenya and others like her should be subject to its hormone limits to ensure fairness in female competitions, the IAAF stated: “There are some contexts where biology has to trump identity.”

HOCKEY
NHL: Philadelphia acquired veteran defenseman Justin Braun from the San Jose Sharks for a 2019 second-round pick and 2019 third-round pick.

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The Sharks were looking to clear salary-cap space after re-signing defenseman Erik Karlsson for $92 million over eight years. Braun, 32, counts $3.8 million against the salary cap this season in the last year of his contract. He joins a remade Flyers blue line that includes fellow right-handed-shooting defenseman Matt Niskanen, who was acquired from Washington in a trade last week.

• Tampa Bay re-signed defenseman Braydon Coburn to a $3.4 million, two-year deal. The 34-year-old had four goals and 19 assists in 74 games last season when he averaged 17:08 of ice time.

TENNIS

BIRMINGHAM CLASSIC: Top-ranked Naomi Osaka lost the second set to Maria Sakkari of Greece before recovering for a first-round win – 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 – and only her 11th tour-level victory on grass.

Rain washed out much of the schedule Tuesday, but Julia Goerges recovered to defeat Dayana Yastremska 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 while former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko eased past Wimbledon junior champion Iga Swiatek 6-0, 6-2 and will now face Johanna Konta.

QUEEN’S CLUB: Andy Murray’s comeback has been delayed after rain washed out the entire day’s play at the Queen’s Club grass-court tournament for only the third time in 18 years.

HALLE OPEN: Roger Federer began his bid for a record-extending 10th Halle Open title with a 7-6 (1), 6-3 win over Australia’s John Millman, with defending champion Borna Coric also advancing.


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