NEW YORK -- Mark Reynolds was cut by the Colorado Rockies two home runs shy of 300 after hitting .170 with four homers and 20 RBI in limited at-bats.

The 35-year-old infielder returned for his second stint with the Rockies in March, agreeing to a $1 million, one-year deal. He had just 135 at-bats in 78 games and was designated for assignment on Sunday in a flurry of roster moves by Colorado, which had lost 13 of its previous 15 games.

"Kind of a punch in the gut," Reynolds said. "It's tough to be consistent when you don't get consistent at-bats. I knew the role I signed up for; I knew what my role was on this team. It was just one of those things where I could never get going."

A 13-year veteran, Reynolds said he will return home to assess whether or not he'd attempt to continue his playing career. He was a key member of Colorado's 2017 wild-card team, hitting 30 homers with 97 RBI to guide the Rockies to the first postseason appearance in eight seasons.

"Mark never really got on track, especially the last couple of months," manager Bud Black said. "He's been a great pro. He's had a great career."

"We're going to miss Mark," Black added. "Change in this game is inevitable, and we had to make these moves for the present."

Colorado recalled right-hander Jeff Hoffman from Albuquerque, selected the contract of left-hander Sam Howard from the Triple-A farm team and optioned Antonio Senzatela to the Isotopes, a day after the right-hander allowed six runs and lasted just 1 1/3 innings in an 11-5 loss to the New York Yankees. Senzatela allowed 21 earned runs with six walks and six strikeouts in his past three outings.

Hoffman, 26, begins his third stint with the team and has allowed 25 earned runs over seven starts with the Rockies. He was 6-5 with a 7.32 ERA with Albuquerque, and Black said Hoffman will pitch in relief.

Howard was dropped from Colorado's 40-man roster during the offseason and the 26-year-old was 2-1 with a 3.83 ERA over 36 appearances with the Isotopes.

"We needed some reinforcements for our bullpen," Black said. "The pitching has been taxed over the last few weeks, and especially late, especially the last couple of days."

In its first nine games since the All-Star break, Colorado's bullpen allowed 36 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings for an 8.24 ERA.

Samuel Tefera follows in footsteps of fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie to win historic race on day two of the Müller Anniversary Games in London

Until this weekend Haile Gebrselassie was the last – and only – Ethiopian to win the Emsley Carr Mile. The legendary runner won the race when it was held at Gateshead in 1999 and now, 20 years later, Samuel Tefera followed in his fellow countryman’s famous footsteps by out-kicking Filip Ingebrigtsen in a thrilling finish on day two of the Müller Anniversary Games in London.

Tefera’s time of 3:49.45 was also the quickest since 2003 as he held off Ingebrigtsen, who ran a Norwegian record of 3:49.60. It meant the 19-year-old wrote his name into history – quite literally, because a post-race tradition is for winners to sign an Emsley Carr Mile book which dates back to 1953 and includes names such as Seb Coe, Steve Ovett and Hicham El Guerrouj.

“I am very happy to get the win and to be the quickest in the world this year,” said Tefera, who won the world indoor title in Birmingham last year. “It was very strong competition so I knew I had to push all the way to the line.”

Ingebrigtsen’s national record came 24 hours after his younger brother, Jakob, set a Norwegian 5000m record when, coincidentally, being outkicked by another Ethiopian, Hagos Gebrhiwet. “Two national records for the Ingebrigtsen’s is how we like it,” he said. “With him doing a national record I thought I at least have to PB.”

Similar to Saturday’s middle-distance races on the first day of this Diamond League meeting, there were a number of good British performances further down the field. Jake Wightman, the 2018 Emsley Carr Mile winner, clocked a PB of 3:52.02 in third. Chris O’Hare ran 3:53.35 in seventh, just ahead of Josh Kerr, who clocked a PB of 3:53.88, while Jake Heyward continued his comeback from injury to clock a fine 3:54.78 in 10th and Piers Copeland and James West also broke four minutes with PBs.

Zhenye Xie clocked an Asian record of 19.88 (0.9) as Miguel Francis clocked 19.97 in second to go equal third on the UK all-time rankings with Adam Gemili. “I’m not in the greatest shape so to run 19.97 in the shape that I’m in is actually very pleasing,” said Jamaica-based Francis, who was born in the British overseas territory of Montserrat and has a PB of 19.88 set before he transferred his allegiance to GB.

Behind, fellow Brit Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake ran 20.28 in fifth while European under-23 champion Shemar Boldizsar was eighth in a PB of 20.56. Earlier, Mitchell-Blake had anchored a GB team that included CJ Ujah, Zharnel Hughes and Richard Kilty (pictured below) to a world lead and meet record of 37.60 ahead of Japan (37.78) and Netherlands (national record of 37.99).

The 400m saw Akeem Bloomfield of Jamaica go No.5 on the world rankings with 44.40 as he beat Jonathan Jones in Barbados (44.63).

There was a large contingent of Chinese media in London and they saw another of their athletes, Wenjun Xie, win the 110m hurdles in 13.28 from Wilhelm Belocian as Britain’s Andrew Pozzi finished sixth in 13.52.

Daniel Stahl won the discus in a meeting record of 68.56m but all eyes were on British record-holder Lawrence Okoye as he made his first competitive appearance since 2012 and threw 60.80m to finish ninth and one place ahead of up-and-coming fellow Brit Greg Thompson. Okoye has been absent from athletics since London 2012 in order to play American Football and, while he is still living in the United States, he says he is having fun on his return to athletics and is targeting the British Championships next month in Birmingham.

There was also a comeback in the high jump as Mutaz Essa Barshim made his first Diamond League appearance for more than a year but the world champion from Qatar was beaten by Majededdin Ghazal as the Syrian leapt 2.30m to beat Barshim’s 2.27m.

Earlier in the Club Connect relays, Croydon Harriers set an under-20 men’s club record of 40.63, while the T53-54 800m was won by Dillon Labrooy in 1:38.13 in a close race with GB team-mate Richard Chiassaro.

Results can be found here, while a women’s events report is here.

UK discus record-holder makes promising comeback at Diamond League in London after spending recent years focusing on American football

Seven years ago Lawrence Okoye was one of the top young talents in British athletics. The giant discus thrower from Croydon Harriers set a British record of 68.24m, featured on the cover of AW a couple of times and placed 12th in the Olympic final in London.

Aged 20, he was the youngest finalist in the discus final at London 2012 by four years and had an offer to study law at Oxford University, but he suddenly and dramatically quit athletics – and England – to try his hand at grid iron in the NFL in the United States.

Okoye signed for the San Francisco 49ers but his American Football career never really took off as he did not make their team and moved to the Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and other clubs without ever making his mark.

Then, earlier this year, he received negative headlines after being arrested for being part of a prostitution sting in Alabama, although the details of the case are vague and Okoye was reluctant to give details when he made a surprise return to the discus circle – and the London Stadium – on Sunday for the Müller Anniversary Games.

Okoye threw 60.80m to place ninth – one place ahead of current British No.1 Greg Thompson – but eight metres short of his British record and also the mark of the winner, Daniel Ståhl of Sweden, who threw 68.56m.

Okoye looked slightly bemused by the media interest in his comeback on Sunday and was more curt and tight-lipped than the chatty, articulate thrower that left Britain in 2013. But he has not lost his polite personality and answered a handful of questions on his return, saying: “I’m just having some fun. I’m taking it day by day. Right now I’m just recovering from an injury so wanted to pick up a discus and see how it goes.”

Okoye, who still lives in the United States, says he began practising with a discus again about six to seven weeks ago. “Obviously it’s not long enough to be at my best but I think if I work to come back then I can get back to good throws,” he said, adding that he plans to contact his old coach John Hillier but the geographical factor could now be an issue when it comes to eyes-on coaching.

Can he get back to his best – or even over the 70-metre barrier perhaps? “It’s definitely possible,” he said. “We’ll see how things go. We don’t know how things are going to pan out. This was a nice opportunity to come back into the stadium, though.

“I don’t have to make a decision right now. I’m enjoying being in London and I liked competing here today. I’ll probably come to the British Champs and we’ll look to take it from there.”

Britain tops medal table at European U20 Championships after three golds on final day

Three gold medal-winning performances, including one as part of a clean sweep in the men’s 800m, helped the Great Britain team to the top of the medal table as the European Under-20 Championships came to a close in Borås, Sweden.

Oliver Dustin, Ben Pattison and Finley McLear stormed off the final bend in the two-lap final and battled down the home straight before Dustin edged ahead to pip Pattison and McLear managed to stay on his feet to bag bronze.

It was reminiscent of the GB one-two-three at the 1986 European Championships, where Seb Coe, Tom McKean and Steve Cram were memorably described as “three Spitfires out of the sun” by one newspaper as they swept into the home straight. Although time will tell if the GB junior trio from 2019 will go on to match those achievements at senior level.

The winning time was 1:50.56 as Pattison, who had led through 400m in 57.90, clocked 1:50.68 and McLear ran 1:51.19, almost staggering over the line, as the trio finished more than a second ahead of the rest of the field.

Hungary’s Lorinc Varga was fourth in 1:52.26.

Reminiscent of the good ol' day of British middle distance running!

A British one-two-three in the men's 800m in #Boras2019! pic.twitter.com/orOdMLkzHt

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 21, 2019

Demonstrating the nation’s great current depth, Britain managed the clean sweep even with European under-20 leader and British record-holder Max Burgin out injured.

“What a race, what a battle,” said 18-year-old Dustin, last year’s English Schools champion. “It was a scrappy race. It was a slow-ish first lap and it took a bit to wind it up. I just wanted to sit in a good position, track whoever was leading and then give it everything in the home straight.

“I can’t wait to get to the victory ceremony with the guys. We all came into this wanting a one-two-three and we all performed to the best of our ability. We just showed Europe how to run an 800m.”

Britain’s two other triumphs came in the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

First Cassie-Ann Pemberton, Amy Hunt, Georgina Adam and Immanuela Aliu combined to clock 44.11 to win the 4x100m ahead of the Dutch team (44.21) and Germany (44.34) as world under-18 record-holder Hunt claimed her second crown of the championships after her individual 200m success.

Then Natasha Harrison, Isabelle Boffey, Louise Evans and Amber Anning ran a world under-20 lead of 3:33.03 to win the 4x400m ahead of Belarus with a national under-20 record of 3:37.06 and Poland with 3:37.13.

That secured a second title for 800m winner Boffey and a second medal for Anning after her 400m silver.

Another two medals had been claimed by GB team-members earlier on during the final day of competition as Seamus Derbyshire secured silver in the 400m hurdles and Holly Mills claimed bronze in the long jump after her fourth place in the heptathlon.

Sweden’s Carl Bengtstrom got gold in the hurdles in 50.32 ahead of Derbyshire’s 50.86 PB, while Mills was just a single centimetre off her PB with a best of 6.50m.

The long jump was won by Italy’s Larissa Iapichino, the daughter of Olympic and world medallist Fiona May, after an exciting contest.

Iapichino jumped 6.58m to take a title which her mother had claimed in 1987, while silver went to Sweden’s Tilde Johansson thanks to her best leap of 6.52m. Mills’ British team-mate Josie Oliarny placed seventh with 6.14m.

Another athlete following in her parent’s footsteps was Russia’s Aksana Gataullina as, competing as an authorised neutral athlete, she claimed the pole vault title with a clearance of 4.36m, 36 years after her father Rodion Gataullin won gold himself.

The women’s 400m hurdles title was claimed by Femke Bol of Netherlands after a run of 56.25, with GB’s Marcey Winter finishing sixth with a PB of 58.18.

Switzerland’s 800m silver medallist Delia Sclabas won the women’s 1500m title after a sub-60-second final lap as Ireland’s Sarah Healy secured silver, 4:25.95 to 4:27.14. GB’s Erin Wallace finished seventh in 4:30.08.

Slovenia’s Klara Lukan gained gold in the women’s 5000m as GB’s Izzy Fry finished fourth (16:24.50) and Grace Brock eighth (16:43.00), while the men’s title was won by Spain’s Aaron Las Heras after a PB of 14:02.76 as Ireland’s Darragh McElhinney claimed bronze (14:06.05). GB’s Rory Leonard placed ninth in 14:28.56.

Poland’s Zofia Dudek (9:30.06) won the women’s 3000m title from Portugal’s Mariana Machado (9:30.66) as GB’s Saskia Millard (9:33.77) and Eloise Walker (9:45.19) were fifth and 11th respectively. Turkey’s Murat Yalçinkaya claimed the men’s steeplechase crown after clocking 8:58.20 as Britain’s Remi Adebiyi (9:17.81) and Kristian Imroth (9:25.19) were 12th and 14th.

There was gold for Germany in the men’s 4x100m as the quartet pipped GB by 0.01 with 39.79, but the British team missed out on medals after later being disqualified. Silver went to Italy and bronze to Netherlands. The men’s 4x400m title was won by Turkey in 3:08.34.

Spain’s Yasiel Brayan Sotero won the men’s discus title with 62.93m as Czech twins Michal (62.17m) and Jakub Forejt (61.64m) secured silver and bronze. GB team co-captain James Tomlinson finished fifth with 60.01m.

Netherlands’ Jorinde van Klinken (17.39m) claimed the women’s shot put gold, with Britain’s Sarah Omoregie 10th (14.69m), while Simon Wieland threw a Swiss under-23 record of 79.44m to win the men’s javelin and Italy’s Carolina Visca 56.48m to win the women’s.

Germany’s Thomas Carmoy won the high jump (2.22m) and Artem Konovalenko of Ukraine won the triple jump (16.50m).

The morning’s 10,000m race walk titles were won by Belarus’ Mikita Kaliada in 41:10.03 and world under-20 silver medallist Meryem Bekmez as she led a one-two for Turkey in the women’s event, clocking 44:44.50 ahead of Evin Demir with 46:38.68.

Results can be found here.

WELCOME, N.C. – Longtime NASCAR crew chief Nick Harrison, who had served as the signal-caller for Justin Haley at Kaulig Racing this season, has died.

Kaulig Racing officials confirmed the unexpected news on Sunday morning, less than 24 hours after the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Nick Harrison, our beloved crew chief of the No. 11 car at Kaulig Racing,” said team owner Matt Kaulig and team president Chris Rice in a joint statement. “Please keep Nick’s family in your thoughts and prayers at this time.”

No other details were immediately available.

From Columbia, N.C., Harrison called the shots for a myriad of drivers over his 14-year NASCAR career and spent time atop pit boxes in all three of the sport’s national divisions. He was a veteran of more than 300 races as a NASCAR crew chief.

Harrison debuted in that role in what was then the NASCAR Busch Series (now the Xfinity Series) in 2006, part of four races split between drivers Chad Chaffin and Steadman Marlin.

He then took a hiatus from the national spotlight before returning in 2010, working with Phoenix Racing and veteran car owner James Finch in both the Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series on a part-time basis before graduating to the Cup Series as a full-time crew chief the next year.

During a two-year tenure as a full-time crew chief at the Cup level, Harrison earned one top-five and two top-10 finishes, both with Kurt Busch in 2012. He also worked with Landon Cassill, Bill Elliott, Boris Said, A.J. Allmendinger and Regan Smith, among others.

Harrison made six trips to victory lane as a NASCAR national series crew chief, most notably playing a leading role in five Xfinity Series victories between Phoenix Racing and Richard Childress Racing, which he joined in 2014.

His last Xfinity Series win as a crew chief came on June 9, 2018, in a rain-shortened event at Michigan Int’l Speedway where Austin Dillon drove to victory lane.

Harrison also earned a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series win with Dillon in 2014 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

Words can’t describe how I feel about @NickHarrison111. The man was one of the first people to believe in me in the Cup series. He gave me an opportunity to drive for James Finch which gave me confidence to believe in myself at the top level. We were able to win the together…

— Austin Dillon (@austindillon3) July 21, 2019

multiple times in @XfinityRacing and a win in @NASCAR_Trucks. My favorite thing to this day to hear over the radio was his voice saying Hauling Balls. I hope today I hear it on the radio as we give it all we got on the track today for Nick. ??

— Austin Dillon (@austindillon3) July 21, 2019

This season, Harrison had been working with Kaulig Racing as Haley’s crew chief, leading the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro team.

The duo earned two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes together.

Not just a crew chief, but a friend to everyone who knew him. I, and everyone at Kaulig Racing are devastated. He will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/bXvQF973DG

— Justin Haley (@Justin_Haley_) July 21, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s been said that winning the Indianapolis 500 is a life-changing experience.

In Simon Pagenaud’s case, his victory in the 103rd Indianapolis 500 certainly saved his career with Team Penske.

The popular driver from France entered the Month of May as an afterthought, and left the Indianapolis Motor Speedway three weeks later as the most accomplished driver in racing.

He became only the second driver in history to win the IndyCar Grand Prix, the pole for the Indianapolis 500 and The Greatest Spectacle in Racing in the same year.

Pagenaud fended off a fiercely determined Alexander Rossi over the final 13 laps to win the 500. The two drivers traded passes, bringing the crowd of nearly 300,000 to its feet.

On lap 198, Rossi had his opportunity to make what he thought would be the race-winning pass when he went around Pagenaud in turn one.

Two turns later, Pagenaud regained the lead.

Pagenaud drove his Chevrolet/Dallara in “Conga-like” fashion, trying to break the draft that could keep Rossi’s Honda/Dallara close enough to pass. The strategy ultimately worked, as Pagenaud finished .209 seconds ahead of Rossi.

His first Indy 500 victory gave him the “May Sweep,” joining teammate Will Power, who accomplished the feat in 2018.

Pagenaud entered the month in the midst of a winless streak that had hit 22 races, stretching back to the final race of the 2017 season.

It’s an important year for Pagenaud because it’s the final year of his contract with Team Penske. According to Kyle Moyer, the team’s IndyCar general manager, drivers are expected to win at Team Penske.

“Any year is important here, especially if it’s a year where you didn’t win any races,” Moyer said. “Roger Penske expects drivers to win and the team expects drivers to win, or you are going to be replaced.

“He needs to get winning, contract or not. That’s what we are paid to do. That is what we are expected to do,” Moyer added. “Does he need to win? Yes.”

After completing his sweep at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, team owner Roger Penske was asked if Pagenaud would be back with the team next year.

“What do you think?” Penske responded. “Do you want to answer that question for me? Absolutely.

“I don’t think that I said anything to the media about Simon. He’s on our team. He’s one of our drivers. You’ve seen that,” Penske said. “That was scuttlebutt. I think that’s a good word for it. But what he did this month, certainly he achieved records in his own personal life and certainly what he had expected to, and the run today, it’s a history-book run for me when we think about some of the races — an opportunity to be in the winner’s circle, so he did a great job.”

It was the 18th Indianapolis 500 victory for Team Penske and came on the 50th anniversary of the team’s first Indianapolis 500 start.

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