Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Rangers’ Choo Shin-soo hits 13th home run of the season

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers hit his 13th home run of the season during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Maryland on Tuesday.

It was the only run the Rangers scored in a 12-1 loss that extended their losing streak into a third game.

Choo appeared in the game as the Rangers’ first batter and right fielder. During the first inning, Choo hit a solo jack against Dylan Bundy’s 145 kilometer-per-hour (90 mile-an-hour) fastball over the left fence. It was Choo’s first home run in 23 days since the team’s game against the New York Yankees in June.

The home run improved Choo’s batting average to 0.248 with 44 RBIs this season.

By Kang Yoo-rim

ICE HOCKEY

Daemyung Killer Whales sign Matt Murley from NHL

Former National Hockey League forward Matt Murley has signed with a Korean club, his new team announced Wednesday.

The Daemyung Killer Whales in Asia League Ice Hockey said they had acquired the 37-year-old American forward. Murley made his ALIH debut last season with the Oji Eagles in Japan, picking up 19 goals and 44 assists for 63 points, good for fifth in the league.

The Killer Whales finished eighth in the nine-team ALIH last season with 26 points in 48 games, but have made several notable moves this summer. They’ve also brought in former NHL head coach Kevin Constantine as their new bench boss.

The team said Murley can play at center or at both wings and brings a wealth of experience to the young team.

FOOTBALL

Former Korean men’s team coach returns to Germany

Former national football team head coach Uli Stielike has left Korea and returned to his home country, officials in Seoul said Wednesday.

The Korea Football Association said Stielike departed for Germany on Saturday, one month after he was sacked as the men’s national football team boss.

The KFA said Stielike had a luncheon with his former backroom staff, including assistant coaches Jung Hae-sung and Seol Ki-hyeon, before leaving Korea. He did not leave a message for Korean fans, the KFA said.

Stielike, who took over the team in September 2014, was the longest-serving head coach in the team’s history. He was axed after Korea lost 3-2 to Qatar in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup last month. He left a record of 27 wins, five draws and seven losses.

Stielike was contracted with the KFA through the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Although the German parted ways with Korean football, he was reportedly paid for the remainder of his KFA contract worth 1.8 billion won ($1.6 million).

Yonhap