Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Orioles’ Kim and Twins’ Park hit home runs in the minors

Kim Hyun-soo of the Baltimore Orioles is working his way back to the big leagues during his rehab stint. His latest effort came on Monday in Maryland when he smacked a home run during a minor league game.

Kim sustained a hamstring injury early this month while running to first base and was placed on the Orioles’ disabled list last week retroactive July 11. He has been in rehab ever since.

On Monday, he played for the Bowie Baysox, a Double-A minor affiliate of the Orioles, against the Hartford Yard Goats, an affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, and went 2-for-4, including a home run and two runs batted in.

With no hits on Sunday, Kim’s homer during his second at-bat on Monday was his first hit in the minor league.

Elsewhere in the league, Park Byung-ho of the Minnesota Twins, who at the moment is also in the minors after struggling on the plate in the majors, cracked a dinger as well the same day.

Playing for the Rochester Red Wings, a Triple-A minors affiliate of the Twins, as the designated hitter, Park sent the ball over the left fence at the top of the sixth inning after stepping down with strikeouts during the second and fourth.

Park has had four home runs in the past five minor league games. As of Monday, he has batted .292 with six home runs and 11 runs batted in while in the minors.

By Choi Hyung-jo

TRACK AND FIELD

Doping whistleblower appeals ban from Olympics

Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova is appealing her ban from the Olympics, saying it was based on incorrect information and dubious legal grounds.

Stepanova sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee contending she never said she wouldn’t compete for the Russian team, as the IOC stated. The IOC would not make any exception for her to compete under a neutral flag.

She says the IOC’s ban of any Russian athlete who has previously served a doping ban is not permitted - a ruling the Court of Arbitration for Sport made in 2011.

Stepanova was an 800-meter runner who got caught for doping, but later came forward to expose the Russian doping system.

AP