Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Ranger Choo Shin-soo back in lineup following injury

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers is finally back in the big league.

Choo has been sidelined for more than a month due to series of injuries, a strained hamstring being the latest, and was unable to make any notable plays since the Major League season started. However, he silenced critics as he knocked the ball out of the park in his first game back from the disabled list (DL).

Finally coming off of the DL on Tuesday, Choo went into the Rangers game against the Oakland Athletics batting first and playing right field. Choo went 1-for-4 during the Rangers’ 5-14 loss to the Athletics, adding a home run and a run-scored.

After flying out during his first at-bat at the top of the first inning, he walked to first base during his second at-bat at the top of second with four balls. Choo’s solo homer came at the top of fifth during his third at-bat when he cranked Sean Manaea’s 89-mile-per-hour four-seam fastball to the center field.

Tuesday’s dinger is Choo’s first this season. His batting average increased slightly after the game to .200

By Choi Hyung-jo

TENNIS

Johnson defeats Gasquet
in rainy ATP Queen’s upset

LONDON - Steve Johnson of the United States beat fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet 7-6 (2), 6-2 on a rainy opening day of the Wimbledon warmup tournament at Queen’s Club on Tuesday.

In a match that was delayed and then interrupted several times by the weather, Gasquet held a set point but failed to serve out the opening set at 5-4.

After being overwhelmed in the tiebreaker, the 10th-ranked Frenchman surrendered an early break in the second set and failed to recover.

All the other main draw matches were postponed.

The tournament features four of the world’s top 10 players as they prepare for Wimbledon, which begins June 27.

Andy Murray is re-united with coach Ivan Lendl and heads the 32-player field as he bids for a record fifth Queen’s title.

Stan Wawrinka, who is being assisted by former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, is seeded No. 2, and Milos Raonic is No. 3 as he works with seven-time major champion John McEnroe.

Krajicek was surprised to receive a call from Wawrinka’s principal coach Magnus Norman, but jumped at the chance.

“I’d like to add (to his game),” Krajicek said.

AP