Sports briefs

BASEBALL

Murphy’s fifth playoff home run puts Mets in series lead

NEW YORK - Daniel Murphy hit his fifth playoff homer and rookie Noah Syndergaard outpitched Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta, sending the New York Mets to a 4-1 victory and a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.

Arrieta, baseball’s most dominant pitcher since the All-Star break, had not even settled in when Murphy homered for the fourth straight game, a two-run drive just inside the right-field pole in a three-run first inning.

Given the quick lead, Syndergaard kept the bats of Chicago’s young sluggers on ice with a shutout ball into the sixth inning.

Curtis Granderson robbed Chris Coghlan of a likely home run with a leaping grab at the center-field wall, swiped a pair of bases and scored two runs for the Mets. AP

FOOTBALL

Prosecutors look into claims of World Cup slush fund

FRANKFURT, Germany - German prosecutors say they are examining whether there are grounds to open an investigation into allegations that German bidders used a slush fund to help secure the 2006 World Cup.

Nadja Niesen, a spokeswoman for Frankfurt prosecutors, said fraud, breach of trust or corruption were possible offenses that might be investigated.

German weekly Der Spiegel alleged Friday a slush fund of 10.3 million Swiss francs (about $6 million at that time) was set up to buy the votes of four Asian representatives on FIFA’s executive committee.

The German football federation vehemently rejects the allegations. AP