Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Cardinals’ Oh Seung-hwan bags his 15th save of season

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals nabbed his 15th save of the season.

During a Major League game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Sunday, Oh stepped in to relieve Kevin Siegrist at the bottom of the ninth and pitched a scoreless inning, allowing a hit while grabbing two strikeouts, to add a save to his record. After the loss two days earlier against the Reds, Oh came to help the team end its three-game skid.

As soon as he went to the mound, Oh gave up a single to Adam Duvall of the Reds. But that was the only runner that Oh allowed on base. The next batter, Tyler Holt, was struck out swinging while the third batter, Zack Cozart, was called out on strikes. The Reds ace batter, Joey Votto, came to the plate as the fourth batter, only to fly out to the left fielder, Brandon Moss.

By Choi Hyung-jo

GOLF

Alex Noren lands birdie to take home European title

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland - Alex Noren of Sweden sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to beat Scott Hend of Australia in a playoff for the European Masters title on Sunday.

Noren fired a 5-under round of 65 to be tied at 17 under with Hend, the overnight leader who carded a 66 on the Swiss Alps course.

Playing the par-four 18th hole again in the playoff, Hend left his third shot from the fringe of the green well short before Noren’s no-doubter putt earned a 450,000 euros ($502,000) winner’s prize.

The 39th-ranked Noren won his sixth European Tour title on the same Swiss Alps course where his first came in 2009.

Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters champion defending his title here, shot a 64 to finish tied for 12th place at 9 under.

AP