WASHINGTON -- It's a classic case of addition by addition.

The Atlanta Braves got Nick Markakis back on Friday. In related news, they just became an ever more dangerous October out.

Playing in his first game since suffering a fractured wrist on July 26, Markakis was all over the place. Facing Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the second inning, he lined a single to center field. In his next trip against the three-time Cy Young winner, Markakis laced a double to center and came around to score the Braves' first run of the game. In the fifth, he came up with the bases loaded and just barely missed hitting a grand slam, instead settling for a 385-foot sac fly that sent Nats outfielder Victor Robles all the way to the wall in left-center and extended Atlanta's lead to 3-0.

"I was just up there trying to get comfortable again," said Markakis, who was hitting .284 with a .787 OPS at the time of his injury. "Your first game back after seven weeks against a pitcher like that is not the easiest feat, so I was pleased. Didn't see as many pitches as I'd like to, but when I did see my pitch, I tried not to miss it."

He didn't miss much of anything in the outfield either.

With Atlanta and rookie starter Mike Soroka leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, following a leadoff double by Adam Eaton, Nats MVP candidate Anthony Rendon lifted a fly ball to the gap between left and center. Markakis, a right fielder by trade who was playing left field for the first time this year, and center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. converged on the ball and confusion ensued. In the end, it was Markakis who ended up laying out and making an acrobatic, albeit avoidable, backhanded grab that kept Washington scoreless and almost resulted in him getting trampled by Acuna. An inning later, Markakis was on the ground again, sliding to his knees in shallow left to deprive Robles of a leadoff single.

In typical Markakis fashion, neither play was a work of art (nor was the ball that got under his glove in the seventh and was charitably ruled a double). But considering that Markakis has now played a grand total of four games in left field over the last 12 years, the Braves will gladly live with it. Just like they'll gladly live with having Markakis back in the lineup.

In the seven weeks since Markakis suffered that broken wrist, the Braves' outfield has been something of a mess. Austin Riley, who came out of nowhere to win Rookie of the Month in May, came crashing back to earth and then landed on the injured list with a sprained knee in early August. Opening Day center fielder Ender Inciarte, who missed two months with a lumbar strain and returned shortly before Markakis got hurt, hit the IL again in mid-August with a balky hamstring. Riley and veteran reserve Adam Duvall, a pair of right-handed hitters, have been good against southpaws but can't be trusted against righties, and lefty swinger Matt Joyce has been the opposite. If not for Acuna, who has played all three positions (not at the same time) and is threatening to join the exclusive 40-40 club, Atlanta's outfield might have collapsed on itself and turned into a certifiable black hole. Or something like that. Now, with Markakis back, the Braves' universe is measurably more copacetic.

"My god," said manager Brian Snitker following Markakis' reentry into Atlanta's atmosphere. "It's just something else. One live BP, and two of the hardest-hit balls he's probably had all year. And made a couple really nice plays in left. The guy's a ballplayer. It's huge for our lineup and our team to have him back in there."

To be clear, the "huge" that Snitker refers to is more about the future than the past. Despite the disarray in the outfield, the Braves did just fine, thanks, without their veteran outfielder. In fact, their 30-14 record during Markakis' absence was tops in the National League and 2.5 games better than the mighty Dodgers. Over that stretch, they managed to extend their division lead by three games over a Washington team that was as hot as any in the league. But that was then and this is now: In order for the Braves to accomplish their goals, from overtaking Los Angeles for top seed in the NL to winning a playoff series for the first time in nearly 20 years (2001 was the last time) to going all the way, they'll need all hands on deck. On Friday, they added one more very capable pair of hands.

"It was awesome to have Kakes back," Soroka said. "I know he really wanted to come back and make an impression, and I think he did that right off the bat. That gave us a little life."

More importantly, it gave Atlanta an even better chance in October.

WATERBURY, Vt. – The 41st Coca-Cola Labor Day Classic for the American-Canadian Tour resumes Saturday at Thunder Road Int’l Speedway.

Qualifying for the Labor Day Classic had been partially completed when the event was postponed on Sept. 1. While the heat races are in the books, much of the field still needs to be set. Two hundred laps of green-flag racing will follow, leaving plenty of opportunities for the frontrunners to gain ground – and plenty of potential bullets to dodge.

Rich Dubeau and Jimmy Hebert remain the two drivers duking it out for the ACT title. Dubeau unofficially gained two points on Hebert in the heat races last week. This extends his point lead to 28 markers. However, both know the feature is where the big points are on the line.

Each driver is chasing their first ACT title. Finally earning that first crown would be the culmination of their years with ACT, and both Dubeau and Hebert realize how rare chances like this are. They have two events left to try and capitalize knowing there’s no guarantee the opportunity will ever come along again.

“It’s something you dream about doing when you’re a kid,” Hebert said recently. “Growing up and watching the ACT Tour and being so close with Tom Curley, it means a lot to us. As I’m getting older and my kids are getting older, the clock is ticking down on how many more years I’m going to be able to fight for a championship. Each year it seems like it’s a little more stressful trying to get it done.”

A win for either driver in the Labor Day Classic itself would provide a huge title boost and give them a place in Vermont racing history. The Classic is Thunder Road’s oldest event, having first been held in the track’s inaugural 1960 season. It is one of three events, along with the Memorial Day Classic and Vermont Milk Bowl, where the winner’s name is inscribed on a granite monument behind Thunder Road’s main grandstands.

Over the years, legendary racers from throughout the Northeast have triumphed in the Classic, including Ronnie Marvin, Bobby Dragon, Jean-Paul Cabana, Dave Dion, and Robbie Crouch. Saturday’s winner will join these names, along with recent racing heroes such as Nick Sweet, Brian Hoar, and Patrick Laperle, carved into the granite.

A stout field is ready to get back underway on Saturday. The last three winners of the Labor Day Classic – Jason Corliss, Scott Payea and Sweet – all looked strong in the first round of qualifying.  Payea is looking for a Hail Mary to get back in contention for his third straight title while Corliss leads the way in the track’s Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Model standings. Sweet is making a rare Late Model appearance this season while chasing the Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model title.

Two-time and defending King of the Road Scott Dragon; 2017 Thunder Road Champion Bobby Therrien; reigning Vermont Governor’s Cup winner Brooks Clark; and leading ACT rookie Ryan Kuhn are among the other big names expected to return on Saturday. Dylan Payea and Tyler Cahoon took heat wins along with Kuhn before the postponement. Tour regulars Christopher Pelkey, Claude Leclerc, Mathieu Kingsbury, Peyton Lanphear, and Reilly Lanphear will also be back in action.

LOS ANGELES – The 16th AMA speedway bike racing season at the eighth-mile dirt Industry Speedway in the Grand Arena of the Industry Hills Expo Center concluded with four important events during August.

Pro riders of the sport popular in California used 500cc bikes powered by Jawa, GM and one GTR Swiss-designed and manufactured engine.

Saturday, Aug. 10 was round two of the three round AMA Speedway National Championship Series conducted in Ventura during June, Industry (August) and Auburn; in September. Industry had 16 first division riders race five rounds of four-lap heat races to earn points.

Max Ruml led all four laps pf the feature over Austin Novratil and Gino Manzares. Nine-time AMA Speedway National champion Billy Janniro fell in turn two on the opening lap. He remounted quickly but trailed by a straightaway and finished fourth. Nevertheless, Janniro led series points after two rounds.

Sunday, Aug. 11 was the seventh annual AMA/FIM Silver Cup event for Junior Division riders. Sixteen 250cc riders and 11 150cc riders competed in heat races. The four high-point riders in both divisions raced for the championships. First-time Silver Cup champions were Nor Cal riders.

Cameron Krezman, 16, won the 250cc cash and huge trophy. Nick Hohlbein, 10, won the 150cc cash and trophy. The top three finishers in each division were honored on the podium.

Wednesday, Aug. 14 was the fourth annual Ray “Junior” Kurtz Memorial Cup race. The event honors the long-time speedway bike fan and financial supporter through his Plastic Express Trucking firm. Kurtz also owned the winning USAC Silver Crown No. 30 Plastic Express dirt track car raced to many victories by Chuck Gurney, who was present. Junior suffered a fatal heart attack on March 1, 2016 while in Las Vegas.

SoCal star Max Ruml, 22, used a thrilling outside pass on the final lap in the third and fourth turns to pass race-long leader Janniro, 39, and win by two lengths over the Nor Cal star. Aaron Fox and Gino Manzares followed closely.

Ruml became the first repeat Kurtz Cup winner. He also won in 2017 after Janniro won the 2016 race. Novratil, who uses the Swiss engine, won in 2018. Names of winners appear on the base of the perpetual Kurtz Cup trophy, which has a colorful helmet painted by racing artist Troy Lee, Junior’s stepson.

Saturday, Aug. 24 was the season finale at Industry. It was the 44th running of the AMA Speedway California Championship. Industry Racing Director Kelly Inman arranged for a well-timed promotional video and interview from the speedway that appeared Aug. 22 on the KCAL Channel 9 (Los Angeles) 10 p.m. newscast sports segment.

More than 1,000 people attended the race. Sixteen first division pro riders raced five rounds of heats with four riders in each race. Points were awarded on a 3-2-1-0 basis. The eight highest point riders competed in a pair of semi-finals that transferred first and second place finishers in each semi to the feature.

Main event winner M. Ruml repeated his 2016 victory and became the eighth multi-year California State Champion. Five-time AMA California State Champion Janniro finished second, a mere length back. Novratil, 24, won all five of his heat races and scored the maximum 15 points. He finished third with Manzares fourth. Dillon Ruml, 20-year old brother of the winner, was unable to race because he had a broken wrist from a fall weeks earlier at Industry.

Eleven of the 19 different AMA California State Champions have won the coveted title once. The series began in 1968 and ran each year through 1998. The event was not run from 1998-2005. Industry Speedway hosted the event each year since 2006. Eight riders have won multi-titles and 33 of the 44 races. They are: Nor Cal brothers Steve and Mike Bast (six titles each), B. Janniro (five), Mike Faria, current AMA referee Steve Lucero, and Charlie Venegas (four titles each), plus Bobby Schwartz and M. Ruml (two titles each).

Two other AMA speedway bike races took place and deserve mention. On Saturday, August 31 Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn (north of Sacramento) held its annual track championship race. M. Ruml won the 2019 FFMS track championship with 15 points. Following were: Bart Bast and Charlie Venegas with 12 points each. Next were Anthony Dion and Russell Green with 11 points each.

To the surprise of many, four-time track champion Billy Janniro was not at his home track in Auburn Aug. 31. He was at Action Park East, in Greene, New York racing in the US Open Speedway Chamionship round one. The A-main finish top four were: Janniro, fellow Nor Cal rider Blake Borello, 18, and New Yorkers Casey Donholt and Dave Oakden.

On Sept. 1 Janniro won all four of his heat races and his first US Open Championship with 68 points. Nor Cal riders Chris Kerr and B. Borello finished second and third with 48 and 41 points. Donholt was fourth with 36 points in the 16 rider field. There also were races for support classes–second and third division 500cc riders and for 250cc and 150cc junior division riders.

California’s Costa Mesa Speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds hosted a speedway bike program Saturday, Sept. 7. M. Ruml won the first division feature over Janniro, with Manzares and Fox third and fourth. Support 500cc D-2 and D-3 pros plus 250cc and 150cc junior riders also raced. The third and final round of the 2019 AMA National Championship will be held Sept. 21 in Auburn.

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was cleared for practice and didn't require a non-contact jersey as the team hit the ice Friday for the first time in training camp.

"I feel good," McDavid said after playing on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Zack Kassian. "It was a complicated summer. Lots of stuff going on. Lots of different opinions. There was a time when (getting on the ice for camp) was definitely in doubt, but as of right now it's good."

McDavid, the second-leading scorer in the NHL last year (116 points), partially tore a left knee ligament five months ago in the last game of the regular season when he rammed into a goalpost against Calgary. He didn't require surgery, but has been working to heal the knee all summer.

McDavid and Draisaitl will be expected to carry the offensive load for the Oilers again this season. Draisaitl scored 50 goals and added 55 assists last year to finish fourth overall in the NHL. Kassian scored a career-high 15 goals.

He said McDavid didn't show any rust or wear and tear.

"The way he was competing the way he was working, he's ready to rock by the looks of it," Kassian said.

Coach Dave Tippett said the plan is to take it slow with McDavid to make sure he is ready for the season opener Oct. 2. He may not see as much action in the preseason.

SAN JOSE -- The dressing room stall is empty, save for a few rolls of stick tape. Located to the right of forward Timo Meier, two stalls down from franchise legend Joe Thornton, it used to be were San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski would hang his gear after practice. Another player will take it over this season. But at the start of 2019-20 training camp, it's a shrine to Pavelski, and a visual reminder of the void his departure as a free agent leaves on this team and its players.

Sharks center Logan Couture texted Pavelski as he traveled to their practice facility on Friday, writing: "It's going to be weird going to the rink and not seeing you there."

Couture entered the NHL in 2009-10. Pavelski had been a part of every training camp in which he's participated.

"The s---ty part of professional sports is when friends move on," said Couture, who was named Pavelski's successor as captain this week. "It's not going to be the same [here]."

Pavelski, 35, signed with the Dallas Stars after failing to come to an agreement on money or term with the Sharks. Economically speaking, the move wasn't shocking. His deal carried a cap hit of $7 million annually for three years. San Jose currently has less than $3 million in cap space, after an offseason that saw them sign defenseman Erik Karlsson (8 years, $92 million) and Meier (4 years, $24 million) to significant new deals.

Culturally speaking, this is a new era for the San Jose Sharks: the post-Pavelski era. He arrived in 2006-07 and played 963 games for them, scoring 355 goals. His reputation as a win at all costs player, especially in the postseason, cemented his reputation as one of the dressing room's most important leaders. Look no further than last postseason: There was a puck off his mouth early in the first round that cost him teeth; the horrific concussion he suffered when his head bounced off the ice in Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round; the reaggravation of a knee injury on a hit by St. Louis defenseman Alex Pietrangelo in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals; and hand surgery he had during the playoffs as well.

Given that history, it was hard to imagine the Sharks without Pavelski. After the Blues eliminated them in the conference final, Pavelski seemed convinced he'd remain with San Jose, too. "I'm pretty confident. I have a pretty strong belief system is that I'll be back here. It's not about dotting the I's yet. But we love it here. I'm sure things will move along," he said.

That they did - straight to Texas, where Pavelski skated with Stars captain Jamie Benn on Friday.

"He was always here, forever," said Sharks forward Tomas Hertl. "Especially for me, all six of my years. It for sure sucks. He was a great friend to me. He helped me a lot, and spent time with him on the ice and off the ice. It's tough."

But the message post-Pavelski is one of opportunity.

"Losing Pavs is a big hole to fill. With the way he played, and how established he was in this room," said Karlsson. "Someone else is going to have to do his job, and that's a workload that'll be shared by a lot of people in this room during the course of the year. We have to adapt to the players we have in this room now, and not look at what we're missing."

For coach Pete DeBoer, the challenge is filling the leadership void left by Pavelski with the core of players the Sharks return this season.

"Pav played a huge role with our team, with our group, but also with me. Naming him captain was one of the first things I did when I was a coach here. Not having him here is different," said DeBoer. "At the same time, that's the NHL. I went to a Stanley Cup Final in New Jersey, and lost Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk over the next 12-18 months. It's unfortunate, but that's how this business goes. But the good news here we have a big core of leadership guys, and guys that have grown up in this organization."

The Sharks named four alternate captains this week in Hertl, Karlsson, Hertl and Brent Burns. Couture was named captain.

"I think it's going to be great," said Thornton of Couture's captaincy. "I've played a long time with him. I've seen him grow. I've seen him mature. I'm super proud of him."

Couture said he missed a call from the Sharks' former captain on the eve of camp, but that he had been in communication with Pavelski. "I talked to him a bunch through the summer. He was great keeping a few of us in the loop about what his plans were and what was going on in his life," said Couture.

"We miss him here. But he's happy. And we're happy for him."

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – The Korda sisters will be back together for the Americans in Saturday morning foursomes at the Solheim Cup.

So will Georgia Hall/Celine Boutier and Carlota Ciganda/Bronte Law for the Euros.

Anne van Dam will get a new partner in Anna Nordqvist for the Euros with Suzann Pettersen sitting down for the second time in three sessions.

And Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare, who struggled as a foursomes pairing but thrived apart with clutch fourball finishes, will get a rest on the American bench.

Europe leads, 4 1/2 to 3 1/2, after the first day. Here’s the lineup (all times ET; Golf Channel coverage begins at 3 a.m. ET)

Match 1, 3:10 a.m. – Anna Nordqvist/Anne van Dam (EUR) vs. Morgan Pressel/Marina Alex (U.S.)

Match 2, 3:22 a.m. – Georgia Hall/Celine Boutier (EUR) vs. Lizette Salas/Ally McDonald (U.S.)

Match 3, 3:34 a.m. – Charley Hull/Azahara Munoz (EUR) vs. Danielle Kang/Megan Khang (U.S.)

Match 4, 3:46 a.m. – Carlota Ciganda/Bronte Law (EUR) vs. Jessica Korda/Nelly Korda (U.S.)

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – When the final fourball match ended Friday evening at the Solheim Cup, it was just past 7 p.m. local time … about 5 hours, 40 minutes after it had begun, and more than a half hour after the TV window was scheduled to conclude.

“Yes, it’s painfully slow out there,” said U.S. captain Juli Inkster.

No slow-play penalties were given out on Day 1 at Gleneagles, though American Lizette Salas did receive one bad time in her and Danielle Kang’s fourball match against Suzann Pettersen and Anne Van Dam. (Salas took 72 seconds to hit her approach shot at the par-4 13th.) However, the slow crawl of matches, especially in the afternoon session, sparked outrage on social media.

Inkster understands, but she also defended the players, who competed in the biggest event of the year in cold, windy conditions.

“You look at this golf course, it's tough,” Inkster said. “The wind's blowing. The greens are firm. The ball's not going anywhere. It's cold. I mean, it's not like it's a pitch-and-putt. It's a tough golf course, and out here every shot counts, every putt counts, so it's going to take longer. That's just the way it is.”

European captain Catriona Matthew put the onus on the officials.

“Some of the players on both sides do take quite a while to hit a shot, but it's the officials really,” Matthew said. “They're the ones who police the pace of play, so it's really up to them, I think.

“… But ideally it would be nice to be faster tomorrow.”

Inkster ended her slow-play response by appearing to point the finger at the other team.

“It's not fair, because the other players know how to play the game, so my players are playing at [the other players’] pace,” Inkster said. “And then when [the officials] say we're timing them, [the other players] speed up. They make a living out of that, so until we change the rule, they're going to keep doing it.

“And they know who they are.”

GLENEAGLES, Scotland – It was music to U.S. captain Juli Inkster’s ears. No, not the heavy wind heard on the other line when she phoned first alternate Ally McDonald last Thursday and asked her if she’d travel to the Solheim Cup early, just in case Stacy Lewis, battling a bad back, couldn’t go.

“I go, ‘Are you out hitting balls?’” Inkster recalled of her question to McDonald. “She goes, ‘Yeah.’”

Just what Inkster wanted to know.

McDonald ultimately got the call to replace Lewis on Tuesday, and three days later she teamed up with Angel Yin in her first Solheim Cup match. It didn’t take long, either, as she and Yin pummeled Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall, 7 and 5, to tie the fourball record for margin of victory in this event.

“When Juli called me to step in and replace Stacy if need be, I knew it could go either way when I got here,” McDonald said, “but I was able to go in, and first match out get a point for the U.S. It means a lot.”

McDonald’s late addition pushed the American rookie total to six players, half the roster. But Inkster’s rookies played a part in every point and half point on Day 1, as the U.S. trails only 4 1/2-3 1/2. Nelly Korda teamed with sister Jessica for a foursomes win before earning a comeback halve alongside fellow rookie Brittany Altomare. Marina Alex, paired with veteran Morgan Pressel, also got a halve in foursomes.

But no rookie was more impressive than McDonald. While Yin, a Solheim sophomore, contributed four birdies, McDonald chipped in with three of her own. They also lost just one hole and put zero bogeys on the abbreviated card.

“I would say we’re ham and eggs,” Yin said.

Added McDonald: “We just fed off each other. … We kind of threw out our birdies in a pretty equal way, one birdie there, one birdie here.”

And after Friday’s performance, Inkster likely won’t be worried about throwing McDonald – or several of her rookies, for that matter – out there early and often this weekend.

In just his second round as a PGA Tour member, Scottie Scheffler proved that he’s adept at making mid-tournament adjustments.

Following an opening 65 at A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier on Thursday, Scheffler spent the afternoon working on his putting.

“I made a little bit more room in my setup. Felt like my chest was a little taller and help my arms fall a little bit more,” he said. “It was a pretty simple fix.”

That “fix” led to a dramatic turnaround on the greens that included converting 14-of-15 putts from 10 feet and in as well as an improvement in strokes gained: putting (3.42).

The rookie took a share of the lead with a second-round 62 that included four consecutive birdies to start his day and finished with a 13-under total.

“I just tried to keep hitting good shots and not over think it. It was nice to get off to a good start,” he said.