The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Tuesday that fans will not be allowed at this month’s Indianapolis 500 due to ongoing health and safety concerns due to COVID-19. The race is scheduled for August 23rd, and the track had previously implemented a plan to allow 25 percent capacity. IMS officials said the tough decision came after careful consideration and extensive consultation with state and city leadership. Since IMS announced a capacity limit June 26th, coronavirus cases have tripled in Marion County with the positivity rate doubling.
The Indiana Pacers dominated the first quarter en route to a 120-109 win over the Orlando Magic Tuesday at the NBA’s bubble at Walt Disney World. T.J. Warren continued his spectacular August run and scored 17 of his 32 points in the first quarter as the Pacers jumped out to a 43-22 advantage. Indiana is now 3-0 in the Orlando bubble with five games to go until the playoffs begin. The Pacers take on the Phoenix Suns Thursday afternoon.
Indianapolis Colts linebacker Skai Moore became the first Colts player to opt out of the 2020 season over health and safety concerns due to COVID-19. The 25-year-old has spent the last two seasons with Indianapolis after signing as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2018. Moore has spent a total of 10 games on the active roster after bouncing back and forth between the practice squad. Players have until 4 p.m. Thursday to opt out.
Chicago Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel struggled once again, but the Cubs held on to defeat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 at Wrigley Field for their fifth straight win. Chicago got home runs from Jason Heyward, Jason Kipnis and Willson Contreras to complete the two-game sweep. Kimbrel entered in the ninth with a 5-2 lead and quickly surrendered two runs while recording one out, and Kyle Ryan came in and shut the door for his first save. Chicago is 9-2 and leads in the NL Central by four games over the Reds.
The Chicago White Sox have won six games in a row after a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. The White Sox tied the game at 2 in the sixth inning on an Eloy Jimenez two-run homerun to center field. In the seventh, Jose Abreu gave the Sox the lead with a 2-out RBI single. White Sox closer Alex Colome (COLE-uh-may) allowed two runners in in the ninth inning before forcing a Ben Gamel groundout to secure his third save of the season. The Sox and Brewers head to Guaranteed Rate Field to begin a two-game series starting today.
The Cleveland Indians defeated the Cincinnati Red 4-2 Tuesday night at Great American Ballpark behind two runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Franmil Reyes clubbed a go-ahead two-run homerun off of Nate Jones in the eighth to break a 2-2 tie and give Cleveland the lead for good. The loss snapped the Reds’ four-game winning streak, and the two teams will play a two-game series in Cleveland tonight.
