SPORTS digest

Scrappers top Auburn, snap 9-game skid

Niles

Brayan Rocchio and Joab Gonzalez each drove in two runs and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Auburn Doubledays on Thursday.

Trey Turner (0-1) threw a wild pitch, scoring Henderson De Oleo for a 5-4 Scrappers (23-29) lead in the bottom of the eighth. Rocchio hit an RBI single to center field later in the inning.

Serafino Brito (2-0) pitched three scorless innings of relief, allowing three hits and striking out one. Nick Mikolajchak struck out a pair in the ninth for his second save of the season.

The Scrappers’ last win was a 4-3 victory over Auburn (20-31) on July 24.

The Scrappers will play the second game of the three-game series today. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Dolphins’ Ross, owner at odds over Trump

MIAMI

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is defending his support of longtime friend Donald Trump after being criticized about it by one of his players.

Receiver Kenny Stills’ comments Wednesday followed a report by the Washington Post that Ross plans to host a fundraiser for the president.

Stills tweeted a screen capture from Ross’ anti-racism RISE initiative’s website and wrote, “You can’t have a non-profit with this mission statement then open your doors to Trump.”

The mission statement says RISE “educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.”

Ross’ fundraiser is scheduled for Friday at his home on Long Island, the Post said.

“I always have been an active participant in the democratic process,” Ross said in a statement. “While some prefer to sit outside of the process and criticize, I prefer to engage directly and support the things I deeply care about.”

Ross and Trump have been friends for 40 years. Both are New York real estate billionaires with homes in Palm Beach, Fla.

UEFA bans goalie for 10 games for racism

NYON, Switzerland

UEFA has taken the rare move of banning a player for 10 matches for racism.

European football’s governing body imposed the punishment on Kostyantyn Makhnovskyi, a Ukrainian goalkeeper for Latvian side Ventspils.

The ban follows unspecified racist conduct by Makhnovskyi in a Europa League second qualifying round game against Gzira in Malta last week.

The ban ruled Makhnovskyi out of his team’s next 10 matches in Europe, starting later Thursday in the third Europa League qualifying round against Vitoria.

UEFA introduced a 10-match ban for discrimination in 2013. The organization recently could only cite it being applied previously in a futsal tournament.

Cowboys’ Quinn suspended for steroids

OXNARD, CALIF.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Robert Quinn has been suspended for the first two games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s ban on performance enhancers.

Quinn was acquired in a trade with Miami in the offseason. The league said Thursday the ninth-year player is eligible to practice and play in preseason games, but he is out until the regular season after breaking his left hand in practice at training camp.

Quinn can return when Dallas hosts the Dolphins in Week 3.

Quinn’s agent, Sean Kiernan, said he was “extremely disappointed” in the NFL’s decision to suspend Quinn. Kiernan said Quinn takes medication to control seizures. The agent said it is believed Quinn’s medication was contaminated with the substance in question when a prescription was filled at a pharmacy.

The Cowboys are counting on Quinn to start opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. Dallas gave up a sixth-round pick to Miami. Quinn was acquired due to the indefinite suspension for Randy Gregory, who is expected to seek reinstatement for this season.

Staff/wire report