Sports

With a young offensive core led by Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, last year's Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack and the return to the NFL of local hero Marshawn Lynchafter a one-year retirement, the Raiders are considered one of the top challengers to New England in the AFC after last year's breakthrough 12-win season.

Jasmine Jimenez had 27 assists, Naomi Benitez finished with three aces and 10 kills and the Watsonville High Wildcatz swept the Scotts Valley High Falcons 25-16, 26-24, 29-27 on Tuesday in non-league action.

Sandoval snapped his 0-for-39 skid with a three-run homer, Matt Moore pitched effectively into the seventh inning and San Francisco beat the Chicago White Sox 9-2 on Friday night.

Normally reliable Houston reliever Chris Devenski allowed two runs in the seventh inning, including Chad Pinder's tiebreaking homer with two outs, and the Astros lost the second game 11-4 on Saturday.

Laird ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns to help the Golden Bears overcome a lackluster performance with a late rally to beat lower-level Weber State 33-20 on Saturday.

Carr threw two touchdowns, Lynch ran for 76 yards and Sebastian Janikowski's replacement kicker came through with four field goals in his NFL debut as the Raiders beat the Titans 26-16 in the season opener Sunday.

Darvish and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, Cody Bellinger hit his 37th home run and Los Angeles won back-to-back games for the first time in nearly three weeks, beating the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Wednesday night.

The pain of being cut six times without ever playing an NFL game had taken its toll mentally on Tavecchio and he was ready to move on before the Oakland Raiders gave him a call to come to camp for a fourth straight year as the backup to Sebastian Janikowski.

Pomeranz threw six innings of one-run ball, finishing by striking out Matt Olson with the bases loaded, and Andrew Benintendi had three hits and drove in three runs to lead the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox past the Oakland Athletics 6-2 on Thursday.