Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/542609
TONYDEJAK—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Going into the second half of the season, the Oakland A's have the worst record in the AL but at 41-50are just 81/2 games behind the West-leading Los Angeles Angels. ByRonaldBlum The Associated Press NEW YORK Clayton Kershaw looks around the major leagues and sees opponents convinced they can reach the playoffs. "It's just a matter of everybody beating up on everybody," the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher said. "We want everybody to feel like they're in it." It's the year of parity in the ma- jor leagues, when almost no one has managed to break away from the pack or fall way behind. Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award win- ner and the reigning NL MVP, has a won-lost record reflecting the par- ity — he's 6-6. Every team in the American League reached the All-Star break with a .450 winning percentage or higher. It's the first time an entire league did that since 1944, according to STATS, and many rosters that sea- son were depleted of stars because of World War II. "It's fantastic to see," Pittsburgh pitcher Gerrit Cole said. "All the teams at .500 all think they're go- ing to finish over .500, and all the teams that are over .500, and even us, we're always fretting, looking be- hind our back." Boston headed to the All-Star break in last place yet just 6 games from first — only the second time since division play began in 1969 the AL East spread was that close. The first-to-last gap has been that narrow in any division just nine times over- all in the expansion era, STATS said. "We're at the bottom of the barrel right now, but we're not that far out," Red Sox All-Star Brock Holt said. "It's just about going out and taking care of our business, and the standings will kind of take care of themselves towards the end of the year. Oakland has the worst record in the AL but at 41-50 is just 8 games behind the West-leading Los Angeles Angels. While last in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox are 41-45 and only 5 games out for the AL's sec- BASEBALL Yearofparityinmajorleagues Nearly every team has shot at making playoffs heading into 2nd half By Steve Douglas The Associated Press ST.ANDREWS,SCOTLAND It turns out there's another 21-year-old American called Jordan worth watching at the British Open. Jordan Niebrugge shot the low- est first-round score by an ama- teur in an Open at St. Andrews with a 5-under 67 on Thursday, ensuring he was keeping Grand Slam-chasing Jordan Spieth com- pany on the leaderboard. Niebrugge's parents — father Rod and mother Judy — were at the Old Course to see their son's first ever round at a British Open after he qualified for golf's oldest major last month. They weren't surprised he played so well, given his liking for and experience in links conditions back home in Wisconsin. "It's a cool way to play," said Niebrugge, who took advantage of benign morning conditions to pick up shots on the first and last holes and birdie five more holes. "It's not target golf, like back in the States. Just to play around BRITISH OPEN American amateur Niebrugge shoots low By John Leicester The Associated Press PLATEAUDEBEILLE,FRANCE One mountain range completed, one more to go. Only the Alps loom as the last major obstacle between Chris Froome and a second Tour de France victory in Paris. His rivals tried and failed to make the British rider and his super-strong Sky team wilt on the toughest — and last — day of climbing in the Pyrenees on Thursday, on Stage 12 won by Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain, who gritted his teeth in driving rain on the final climb for his second stage win. With those mountains that straddle France and Spain be- hind them, the opportunities for podium contenders to eat into Froome's comfortable race lead are starting to run out. That might make them only more dangerous. They could take big- ger risks, like speeding hell for leather on downhill roads, in TOUR DE FRANCE Alps last major obstacle for Froome's title The San Francisco Giants be- gin the unofficial second half today far from the pole posi- tion and with a questionable amount of fuel in the tank, particularly when it comes to their high-mileage rotation. SECOND-HALF PREVIEW Giantsinpositionto sneak into postseason REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM/GIANTS By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND Jordan Spieth played like he had a Grand Slam to win. Dustin Johnson played like he had a score to settle. The two main characters from Chambers Bay brought their games across eight time zones and an ocean Thursday and set the tone at St. Andrews for what could be an- other riveting battle at the British Open. Spieth quickly seized on his op- portunity for a third straight major with six birdies in his first 11 holes, fought through a chilly wind on the inward nine and closed with a birdie for a 5-under 67 that put him two shots out of the lead. Johnson, whose three-putt from 12 feet on the final hole cost him a shot at the U.S. Open, looked as daunting as ever. He simply over- powered the Old Course with such force that he hit wedge into 10 of the par 4s and had an eagle putt on another. With a pair of big par saves on the tough closing holes, he played bogey-free for a 65 and for at least a day made good on a warning he made earlier in the week. Asked about Spieth's chances to sweep the four majors, Johnson said, "Well, I'm playing the next two so we'll have to see." This was hardly a two-man show. The six players who were one shot behind at 66 included former Brit- ish Open champion Paul Lawrie and two-time U.S. Open champion Re- tief Goosen. Jason Day, coming off his scary bout with vertigo symp- toms at the U.S. Open, was back on his feet and back in the hunt. Most impressive from that group were Zach Johnson and Danny Willett, who posted their scores as the tem- perature dropped and wind stiff- ened late in the afternoon. Spieth was joined at 67 by Louis Oosthuizen, the last Open cham- pion at St. Andrews. "If D.J. keeps driving it the way BRITISH OPEN SPIETH OPENS BID WITH GOOD ROUND Familiar foe Johnson takes opening-round lead with bogey-free 65 with 6 players 1 shot behind The United States' Jordan Spieth drives a shot from the 13th tee during the first round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Old Course on Thursday. PHOTOS BY DAVID J. PHILLIP — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The United States' Dustin Johnson drives the ball from the 15th tee during the first round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Old Course on Thursday. Get your puzzles fix with the NEA Crossword, 7Little Words and Celebrity Cipher, start your day off right with your horoscope, and read the latest advice doled out by Amy Dickinson. YOUR DAILY BREAK Fun and games inside today SEE PAGE B6 Shortstop Everth Cabrera has signed a minor league contract with the Giants. The 28-year-old Cabrera appeared in 29games for Baltimore this season, batting .208before his release last month. GIANTS Shortstop Cabrera signs minor league deal The Sacramento Kings voided the contract of forward Luc Mbah a Moute Thursday a er he failed a team physical. The announcement comes two days a er Mbah a Moute signed a one-year deal. BASKETBALL Kings void Luc Mbah a Moute's contract OPEN PAGE 2 AMATEUR PAGE 2 CYCLING PAGE 2 BASEBALL PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, July 17, 2015 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1