SPORTS DIGEST || Scrappers prevail, 2-1

Scrappers prevail, 2-1

Niles

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh inning and went on to beat the Auburn Doubledays 2-1 Thursday.

With the game tied 1-1, Martin Cervenka singled and Joel Mejia bunted him to second.

A ground out advanced Cervenka to third and a passed ball allowed Cervenka to score the winning run.

The Scrappers are 27-41 while Auburn stands at 23-46 in the New York-Penn League.

Federer reaches third round in U.S. Open

NEW YORK

Five-time winner Roger Federer controlled Carlos Berlocq as he dismissed the Argentine clay-courter, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, on Thursday to glide into the third round of the U.S. Open.

With his matches all going off perfectly on schedule so far amid rain delays for some of his rivals, it’s starting to look like business as usual for the 17-time grand slam winner who is working to regain his magic after a so-so season marred by a lack of multiple titles, an early Wimbledon loss and back pain.

Seventh seed Federer advanced like clockwork in just over 90 minutes with seven breaks of serve and 37 winners against the South American.

Longtime MLB umpire Frank Pulli dies at 78

PALM HARBOR, Fla.

Longtime major league umpire Frank Pulli, who used instant replay to make a call nearly a decade before video reviews were allowed, has died. He was 78.

Major League Baseball said Pulli died Wednesday in Palm Harbor, Fla., from complications of Parkinson’s disease.

Pulli umpired in the National League from 1972-99 and worked four World Series, six NL championship series and two All-Star games.

Pulli was among the 22 umpires who lost their jobs in a failed mass resignation. He was an MLB supervisor from 2000-07.

Morkov takes Vuelta 6th stage, Nibali leads

CACERES, Spain

Michael Morkov of Denmark won the sixth stage of the Spanish Vuelta after catching Tony Martin in the final miles, while Vincenzo Nibali maintained the overall lead on Thursday.

Martin, the world time trial champion, broke away near the start of the 108-mile ride from Guijuelo to Caceres and held off the peloton until the final sprint.

The 28-year-old Morkov, riding for SaxoBank-Tinkoff, finished with a winning time of 3 hours, 54 minutes, 15 seconds.

Nibali kept the red leader’s jersey for today’s seventh stage, a second consecutive flat ride favoring sprinters that will stretch 128 miles.

Donovan back for WCup qualifying

CHICAGO

Landon Donovan will be back with the Americans when they resume soccer World Cup qualifying next week.

U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann snubbed the Americans’ all-time leading scorer for the last round of qualifiers, saying Donovan needed to work his way back onto the team following his offseason sabbatical.

But Donovan redeemed himself — and then some — with his play in last month’s Gold Cup, scoring five goals as the Americans won the title. He’s continued his dazzling play with the Los Angeles Galaxy, scoring four goals in three games.

Chicago Marathon to increased security

CHICAGO

Chicago Marathon organizers have announced increased security measures after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing in April.

Race officials said Thursday that runners will have to show identification when they pick up their bibs for the Oct. 13 marathon. The race’s 45,000 runners also will have to use clear bags for personal belongings and enter the race through designated gateways. The city is anticipating more than 1 million spectators.

The April 15 bombing in Boston killed three people and injured more than 260 others near the finish line.

Vindicator staff/wire reports