Roger Goodell has been blasted from coast to coast for suspending Ray Rice only two games, while a player such as Josh Gordon is facing a year.

BEREA, Ohio - NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell defended the league's decision to suspend Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games for domestic violence, while a player such as Browns receiver Josh Gordon is facing a minimum one-year ban for testing positive for marijuana.

Goodell and the NFL have been blasted from coast-to-coast by media and fans for the apparent disparity in punishments.

"You have to deal with the facts,'' Goodell told reporters at the Pro Football Hall of Fame press conference Friday in Canton. "We have a drug program that is collectively bargained and it has a step process. It takes four incidents before you actually reach a suspension in a drug-related case. You have to respond to facts here.

"You have a lot of people voicing their opinions, but what you have to understand is that this is a young man (Rice) who made a terrible mistake – it's inconsistent with what we're all about. We have dealt with it in a serious manner, and we're very confident that this young man understands where he is and what he needs to do going forward.''

Goodell said he understands that not all of the league's decisions will be popular.

"When we make decisions we always get reactions,'' he said. "We understand that, we listen to it, and we use it to make ourselves better. We're comfortable with that and we understand that.''

While Goodell is in Canton, Gordon was having his appeal heard by arbitrator Harold Henderson at the NFL offices in New York City. Henderson's decision is not expected today, but it's final. Gordon is appealing his minimum one-year ban on the grounds that he tested positive because of second-hand smoke -- an argument no NFL player has won before.

Other NFL players such as former Giants and current Ravens running back Will Hill have tried the "second-hand smoke'' defense and lost.

"Josh is going through the process right now,'' Goodell said. "I am not a part of that process. At some point in time, I may have an opportunity to be involved. When I am, I look forward to meeting with him.''

Goodell indicated that he won't be part of the decision-making process on Gordon's suspension.

"They'll make a decision based on the information that is exchanged today,'' Goodell said.

A source told cleveland.com that Gordon's lawyers will argue that his test results were inconsistent. They will contend that he's the only player claiming second-hand smoke who had a control test under the NFL threshold of 15 nanograms of the banned substance in marijuana per milliliter.

His "A'' test  was 16 nanograms, and his "B" test of the same specimen, used to confirm the positive "A,'' was 13.63 ng/ml, the source told cleveland.com.

If Gordon loses his appeal, he'll be banished from the team immediately and have to wait a year to apply for reinstatement with Goodell. If he wins, he'll return to Cleveland and resume his Pro Bowl career. Henderson can also decide on something less than the minimum one-year ban, but a league source stressed, "an appeal ruling is expected to affirm or reject the decision.'' A decision is expected soon, but not likely Friday.

Meanwhile, Goodell defended suspending Rice for only two games after he allegedly struck his then-fiancee and now wife unconscious in a casino elevator in Atlantic City on Feb. 15. Videos show Rice dragging her unconscious out of the elevator.

"Our policy is clear on this,'' said Goodell. "We have a very firm policy that domestic violence is not acceptable in the NFL and that there will be consequences for that. When we're going through the process of evaluating the issue and whether there will be discipline, you look at all of the facts that you have available to us.

"Law enforcement normally has more – on a normal basis – has more information, facts, than we have. We'll get as much as we possibly can. And then you also have the opportunity to sit down with the individual, and maybe others, to determine how that individual is reacting to it. I think what's important here is that Ray has taken responsibility for this.''

He said Rice's suspension was based in part on the fact he's been accountable for his actions.

"He recognizes he made a horrible mistake, that it is unacceptable, by his standards and by our standards. And he's got to work to re-establish himself. The criminal justice system, as you know, put him in a diversionary program with no discipline, and we felt it was appropriate to have discipline, and to continue counseling programs and to continue our education work.

"And I was also very impressed with Ray in the sense that Ray not only is accepting this issue, and saying how it was wrong, but he's saying 'I want to make a powerful difference in this area.' I think you heard from him yesterday. He is a young man that really understands the mistake he made and he is out and about and determined to make a positive difference.''

Goodell emphasized the NFL can't make up rules as it goes along.

"We have to remain consistent,'' said Goodell. "We can't just make up the discipline, it has to be consistent with other cases, and it was in this manner.''

Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Rangers at Progressive Field and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Rangers at Progressive Field and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 111: Indians (55-55) vs. Rangers (43-67)

First pitch: 1:05 p.m. at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

A former three-star prospect of Akron Firestone in the 2011 recruiting class, Brown played in all 14 games for the Buckeyes a year ago – mostly on special teams – but wasn't in play for one of the starting offensive line spots even though Ohio State lost four starters from the group a year ago.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – With no clear route to the field at Ohio State, offensive lineman Tommy Brown has opted to transfer from the Buckeyes to Akron to finish out his collegiate career close to home. 

A former three-star prospect of Akron Firestone in the 2011 recruiting class, Brown played in all 14 games for the Buckeyes a year ago – mostly on special teams – but wasn't in play for one of the starting offensive line spots even though Ohio State lost four starters from the group a year ago. 

Former Firestone football standout LT Tommy Brown is transferred to UA, will seek hardship waiver to play 2014.

— George Thomas (@GeorgeThomasABJ) August 2, 2014

According to the Akron Beacon Journal's George Thomas, who first reported the news, Brown will seek a hardship waiver with the intent of earning instant eligibility with the Zips in 2014. 

Talk Browns live tonight at 8 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talk Browns training camp with writers from cleveland.com and beyond live on Sunday night. Dan Labbe hosts Browns Insider from 8-9 p.m.

For the second consecutive day, Terry Francona omitted Yan Gomes' name from his starting lineup.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the second consecutive day, Terry Francona omitted Yan Gomes' name from his starting lineup.

The catcher is dealing with a stiff neck, suffered during Friday's series opener against Texas. He exited that game early -- mainly because the Indians held a comfortable lead -- and was to receive a scheduled night off on Saturday anyway. Roberto Perez started in his place on Sunday, though Gomes pinch-hit in the ninth inning.

"He got here early [on Sunday] and I think he wanted to work through it and play," Francona said. "I just think with all the catching he's done to this point, especially being a day game, if we allow him to get treatment and maybe come into the game later, I think that would do him a world of good."

Francona has been impressed with Perez's ability to call a game from behind the plate.

"That's one of his strengths," Francona said. "As he gets to know the league, that'll really become a strength. He catches, throws and runs the game really well."

Testing, testing: Chris Dickerson returned to action on Sunday when he pinch-hit for Nick Swisher in the ninth inning. The outfielder hadn't played since leaving Thursday's affair early with inflammation in his left knee.

Michael Bourn will run the bases on Monday as he continues to recover from a strained left hamstring. If all goes well, Bourn could begin a minor league rehab assignment this week. On Saturday, he ran the bases on the artificial carpet on the Cleveland Gladiators' field at The Q across the street.

Rotating: One day, it's Zach McAllister to Triple-A. The next, it's T.J. House to Cleveland. Another day, it's Josh Tomlin to Cleveland. The next, it's Tomlin to Triple-A. The Indians have constantly shuffled their starting rotation for the last two months, but Francona said it hasn't been difficult to manage.

"These are all guys we know," he said. "We had them in spring training. We have them in the organization. So I think that certainly lessens the anxiety or the feeling of not being a team, because I don't get that feeling."

Tomlin will start Tuesday in place of McAllister, who was sent out after a rough outing on Thursday. House rejoined the rotation on Friday.

Columbus bound: Zach McAllister was officially optioned to Triple-A on Sunday. The club designated him for assignment on Friday with the intent of securing optional waivers so McAllister could be optioned. The right-hander is 0-4 with a 9.88 ERA over his last seven big league starts.

The good and the bad about the Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend in Canton, Ohio.

CANTON, Ohio -- Four things I think about the Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend that included the enshrinement ceremony of the 2014 class:
 
1. This class of linebacker Derrick Brooks, punter Ray Guy, defensive end Claude Humphrey, tackle Walter Jones, wide receiver Andre Reed, defensive end Michael Strahan and cornerback/safety Aeneas Williams is not only impressive because they participated in the most Pro Bowls (55) of any HOF class, but four of them represent how the fanfare associated with many so-called high school and college All-Americans doesn't always equal NFL success. Reed attended Kutztown University. Humphrey, Strahan and Williams all attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities. And Williams didn't walk-on to Southern University until his junior year.

2. Some of the best moments during the weekend included the opportunity for fans to interact with current and past Hall of Famers without paying a fee. While an autograph and memorabilia show is often reserved for an A-list of athletes and former athletes and comes with a fee, legends and current players freely walk and mingle among the public in Canton signing autographs and taking selfies.

3. Overall, the HOF enshrinement speeches were entertaining, inspiring and evoked emotion. Reading a script line-by-line are the worst speeches. The best speeches are those done without or limited notes. Three of the seven Hall of Famers stood out. Williams, who spoke about his journey from a walk-on to a HOF, was inspiring. Reed's emotional speech about the Bills remaining in Buffalo and his relationship with teammate Jim Kelly, a cancer survivor, rallied the Buffalo Bills' dominant crowd. And we know Strahan is busy with all of his TV gigs, but he should consider time as a standup. He closed the show with a humorous speech.

4. I predict the 2015 HOF class will include can't-miss players Orlando Pace, Junior Seau and an eyebrow raiser in quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner's time on the NFL Network will certainly help his cause because TV often cures the out of sight and out of mind mentality that hurts more deserving players. Warner's supporters point to his two MVP seasons and three Super Bowl appearances. I point to a guy who was horrible (and often injured) in five of his 12 seasons, and who lost two out of three Super Bowls.

Ryan Hunter-Reay continues his charge as the fastest driver in final practice session prior to the Honda Indy 200.

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- No real surprises at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after the final practice prior to today's 3:50 p.m. Honda Indy 200 race. Ryan Hunter-Reay was the fastest at 123.711 mph around the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course in the back woods of Ohio.

Pole-sitter Sebastian Bourdais was sixth-fastest while current series points leader Helio Castroneves continued his struggles, no better than 15th among 22 drivers at 122.986 mph.

The driver to watch when the race starts will be Scott Dixon, who has won four times here since 2007. Because of problems in qualifying he will start at the back of the field, last, but during practice he showed there is speed in his machine.

Dixon was second to Hunter-Reay at 123.530 mph, indicating he will be a hard charger early on as today looks to be sunny and bright, which is a complete contrast to the rain and winds for Saturday qualifying.

Young guns: It wasn't that long ago when Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti were considered the hot young drivers on the circuit. However, both careers seem to be stuck in neutral. This season alone Andretti, 27, has yet to win, has one second and one third, but no other top five finishes. He has posted just two victories in his career to date.

Rahal, 25, has not been much better, with one second, and no other top five finishes. The Columbus, Ohio native has just one career victory on his ledger so far. Both drivers clearly have time to get into the fast lane but clearly it is not coming easy for either of them.

Tiger Woods withdraws from 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational with back spasms.

AKRON, Ohio -- Tiger Woods began the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational hoping things would get better – his season, his game and especially his back. He struck out Sunday. Woods withdrew in the middle of the fourth round with back spams, walking gingerly from the ninth tee to a courtesy car.

Woods was playing in his third event since having microdiscectomy back surgery to repair a pinched nerve on March 31. He said before Bridgestone others who had the same procedure wondered how he was able to play golf so soon. Now the question becomes how soon he'll be able to play again.

Unclear is whether he will play in PGA Championship beginning Thursday in Louisville, Ky., and perhaps less likely, whether he will be chosen to play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Woods was in no mood to speculate on either Sunday.

"Just want to get out of here,'' Woods said after struggling to change his shoes in the players' parking lot. He leaned hard against an open SUV hatch, as if to catch his breath.

Woods said he aggravated the injury on his second shot on No. 2, from the lip of a fairway bunker. Woods lost his balance and jumped into the sand trap.

"I fell back into the bunker I just jarred it, and it's been spasming every since,'' he said. "It's just the whole lower back.''

Woods, the defending champion, was three-over par through eight holes on the round, and four-over for the tournament after shooting 68-71-72 the first three days.

Woods said his back felt progressively worse after that shot. His approach shot on No. 3 landed in the water, which led to a bogey.

On the par-three fifth hole, his fat tee shot dropped 65 yards shy of the pin. Playing partner Bubba Watson speculated that may have aggravated the injury. Woods dropped his club behind his back and put his hands on his bowed head. Still, he chipped to the green and made an eight-foot par putt.

His next tee shot landed among trees in the right rough, and his escape shot landed in front of a temporary concession stand, where fans were lined up for burgers and beer. After taking a drop, he finally found he green and two-putted from 11 feet for a bogey.

A greenside bunker ate his tee shot on 7, and he took a double bogey.

His final shot was a tee shot pulled into the rough on No. 9, after which he struggled to pick up his tee. That caught Watson's attention.

"He hit some shots that we're not used to seeing Tiger hit, even when he's coming back from an injury. Obviously, something was bothering him,'' Watson said. "I shook his hand and said, 'You know, I'm praying for you and hopefully everything turns out good.'

"We've seen this man win with a hurt leg. He's going to try to be a champion and he's going to try to tough it out. Obviously, it got too tough for him.''

Woods has won eight tournaments at Firestone and was hoping this would be the place to restore his game.

Since beginning the season with a runner-up finish in December, Woods has placed 80th, 25th, 69th, missed a cut and withdrawn twice. Plus back surgery. His quest for a 15th major championship seems to be slipping further away for the 38-year-old who previously had three knee surgeries and injured both Achilles tendons.

Woods is scheduled to be paired with Phil Mickelson in the first two rounds at the PGA, if he plays.

"I hope it's just a muscle or something and nothing serious. I'm really looking forward to playing with him,'' Mickelson said. "As much as I love playing with him, playing against him, trying to beat him, we all want him in the field. We all want him back. I just hope he's OK.''

In an interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says the team expects to trade Love by Aug. 23 or Aug. 24, which conveniently, is when Cavaliers No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins becomes eligible to be traded.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Are Kevin Love and Andrew Wiggins three weeks away from trading places?

In an interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says the team expects to trade Love by Aug. 23 or Aug. 24.

"I'm saying it's most likely because Kevin has made it pretty clear that that's what he wants to do," Taylor tells the newspaper.

The late August date suggests Wiggins could be part of the deal because the Cavaliers can't trade him until then. Per league rules, Wiggins can't be dealt for 30 days after signing his rookie contract, which he did on July 24.

"I think when you move somebody like Kevin, who's been an all-star, that you've got to get a number of players on your team that have the potential of replacing him," Taylor is quoted in the article. ESPN reported a deal for Love would also likely include former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett as well as a future first-round draft choice.

Meanwhile, in a move that can be interpreted as risk management, mere coincidence or just something that makes you go, "Hmmm," Wiggins' Cavaliers jersey was pulled from the NBA.com store on Friday.

The scuttlebutt about Love possibly joining LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to create a new big three in Cleveland has Cavaliers fans on the edge of their seats and Wiggins himself anxious about his future.

"I just want to play for a team that wants me. So whichever team wants me I'll play for," Wiggins told ESPN.  "At the end of the day you have to remember that the NBA is a business before anything. I'm a rookie. I really don't have too much say," he said.

Love, 25, a three-time NBA All-Star, is a free-agent after this season. While he is said to be intrigued by the idea of playing with James, Love reportedly still intends to become a free agent in 2015 to get the best deal either from the team he is traded to or on the open market.

A day after calling his short iron game "pathetic," Mickelson logged 10 birdies at Firestone Country Club.

AKRON, Ohio – Twenty-four hours earlier, Phil Mickelson's short irons were "pathetic." He wasn't finding any luck with birdies, and he was frustrated with a game that seemed so close to finally clicking but still was nowhere near where he wanted it.

A day later, Mickelson was slightly more upbeat about his game after shooting 8-under 62 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He logged 10 birdies while hitting 11 greens.

"Where I was at mentally after those first two rounds compared to now is a 180-degree difference," Mickelson said, smiling. 

Which is not to say he's ready to declare himself as the favorite for next week's PGA Championship just yet. 

"When you feel like you're close, all you need is for it to just click one day, and all of a sudden you're off and running," Mickelson said. "Now, I don't know what will happen next week. But if I play well, I'll look back to today's round as being the key point." 

It started right from the beginning Sunday, when Mickelson birdied his first three holes. He didn't hit particularly dazzling shots. But he still sank putts and started to gain confidence. 

He birdied 5, 7, and 10. 

And on 13, his wedge shot from 92 yards out landed straight in the hole. 

He added birdies on 15, 16 and 17 – which needed an improbable 140-yard shot from closer to the No. 18 fairway to land on the green. 

Safe to say, Mickelson is feeling pretty good about his game right now. 

"I feel like my game is right there, and I have a little bit of momentum now heading in (to next week)," Mickelson said. "And I don't feel like I'm searching as much. I feel like I found what I'm looking for, I just have to keep it going and build on today's round and put together four good solid rounds." 

That has been a long time coming for Mickelson this season, as he hasn't recorded a top-10 finish in 16 PGA tournaments. He felt as if his game was starting to come around after the British and Scottish Opens last month, however, which is why his first two round scores at Firestone Country Club of 71 and 73 were frustrating. 

"After Friday's round, I was very frustrated because I just thought it was right there for one of these rounds to come, and to shoot 71, 73 is just terrible," he said. "I didn't understand why it was not coming together. This is only one round, I don't want to jump ahead, but I feel like I'm not searching anymore." 

His short irons were no longer "pathetic," and he was no longer searching for birdies. At least for one day. 

"I've just been kind of waiting for it click, just waiting for things to come together without trying to force it," he said.

Garcia's shot not only hit a spectator, but dislodged the diamond in her engagement ring. The woman later found the stone amid the rough at Firestone Country Club.

AKRON, Ohio -- Lately, Sergio Garcia can't seem to go anywhere without hearing about rings. As in, did Garcia give his longtime girlfriend, Katharina Boehm, the diamond ring she has been sporting these days? Are the two engaged? 

In the fourth round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Garcia, again, was linked to a diamond ring. 

This time, it was the ring of a spectator who happened to be standing to the left of the fairway on the No. 3 hole at Firestone Country Club. 

Garcia's tee shot flew to the left of the fairway, and landed right on a spectator's diamond engagement ring. 

The force of the impact from the ball dislodged the diamond. 

When Garcia saw what had happened, he searched through the grass for signs of sparkle before telling his caddie to get the woman's contact information. 

"Obviously, it didn't feel very good because you never like to hit anybody," Garcia said after shooting 1-over 71 on Sunday. "But if you hit someone and make her lose a diamond ring, you feel even worse."

Garcia said he was was prepared to purchase a new diamond ring for lost stone he caused.

"I don't know how Kathy would have felt about that," he said of his girlfriend.     

Within minutes, however, the CBS broadcast of the Bridgestone showed the woman happily holding her found, loose diamond. 

She'd found a diamond in the rough. 

By the numbers: Yes, the 16^th hole at Firestone Country Club is a 667-yard, par-5 monster. It's difficult. 

But it wasn't the most difficult hole in this year's Bridgestone Invitational. Not by a longshot.

That honor actually went to the par-4, 471-yard No. 4. Players averaged 4.225 on that hole, with 78 bogeys and 10 double-bogeys.

The easiest hole was the par-5, 526-yard No. 2. Players averaged 4.534, with only 22 bogeys and one double-bogey. They had 10 eagles and 143 birdies.

Phil on 18: When Phil Mickelson's tee shot off the 464-yard par-4 No. 18 drifted to the right off the fairway, settling precisely beneath a cluster of pine trees, he knew he had a difficult decision. 

The ball had landed just a few inches behind a large tree root. He could use a 9- or 8-iron to simply to punch the ball back onto the fairway – but he feared the combination of the force needed to dislodge the ball and the proximity of the root could lead to injury. 

Instead, he used his hybrid club to loft the ball over the root and within 20 yards of the green. He wound up saving par. 

"I had to just chip it, just an easy little swing," Mickelson said. "Also, there's no leading edge, there's kind of a lot of bounce, so that club skidded right through the grass. So I didn't feel anything because I was able to swing easy and have it just glide through. But I was worried about getting hurt if I tried to get after it. But I didn't really have a shot to try that. So, it worked out." 

Dufner struggles: It's understandable that Jason Dufner didn't want to talk after he finished his fourth round Sunday. The Olmsted Falls native was 7-over par 77 in the final round, to push his four-day total to 14-over. He has battled two bulging discs in his neck this season, which only was diagnosed last week, and had a steroid injection to start the week.

Bowing out: Tiger Woods was the most notable player to withdraw Sunday, after teeing off on No. 9. Graham DeLaet also withdrew during the final round because of the flu.

Florida safety Ben Edwards flipped from Ohio State to Auburn in April. On Sunday, the four-star safety decommitted from the Tigers and the Buckeyes are back in play.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State once had four-star safety Ben Edwards of Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian in its 2015 recruiting class. Then he flipped from Ohio State to Auburn in April. 

Here's another turn: Edwards decommitted from Auburn on Sunday and the Buckeyes are back in play for the prospect Rivals.com rates as the No. 8 safety in the country. 

It's never over until it's over in recruiting. 

According to Keith Niebuhr of 247Sports, Edwards says the four programs still in play to land his services are Stanford, UCLA, Ohio State and Auburn. 

A 6-foot, 196-pound prospect, Edwards has nearly 40 scholarship offers, including ones from Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisville, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Penn State and others. 

I am decommitting from Auburn. I have to do what's best for me. Auburn I thank y'all for everything but I have to move on.

— Ben Edwards (@Ben_Edwards_) August 3, 2014

Scott Dixon started last, but used solid pit strategy and the benefit of early yellow flags to win for the fifth time at Mid-Ohio since 2007.

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Scott Dixon added to his legacy Sunday in the central Ohio hill country as he started last yet finished first for his fifth Honda Indy 200 victory since 2007 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

His victory over pole-sitter Sebastian Bourdais, with James Hinchcliffe third, was Dixon's first triumph of the season, but adds to titles won here in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Using solid pit strategy, and getting the benefit of two full-course yellows, Dixon would take the lead on lap 43 and ultimately lead 41 of 90 laps in the 15th race of the season, running out of gas just after crossing the front grandstands.

"The fuel light came on with a lap and a half to go,'' Dixon said. "Thank God I had been saving fuel."

See complete results here.

Meanwhile, back in the pack, a devastating weekend for Helio Castroneves saw him start 15th and finish 19th, ultimately losing his lead in the points championship to teammate Will Power, who finished sixth. Hard-charging Ryan Hunter-Reay finished 10th as his race was littered with a stop-and-go penalty for speeding in the pits and a mid-race spin that took him out of contention.

Hunter-Reay entered the day third in the points race, 69 behind Castroneves. Now Castroneves (544 points) sits four points behind Power (548) with three events left in the season with Hunter-Reay still third (484). In effect, the Indianapolis 500 winner picked up on four points in his chase for the title.

While several drivers over the years have fallen back to last during the race, then gone on to win, Dixon's rise through the field was the best from a starting position since Max Papis started 25th and won at Leguna Seca, California in 2001, and Dixon started 23rd and won in Nazereth, Pennsylvania, also in 2001.

"Not the best qualifying session we've had this year, I can tell you that,'' Dixon said Saturday after going off course and not getting in a hot lap. "We'll have to come up with a great strategy to dig us out of this hole"

And that's exactly what happened, with the aid of a pair of full-course yellows.

"I don't think Dixie's strategy would have worked without that (yellows),'' Bourdais said.

The start of the race did not get through the first turn before mayhem hit, with Tony Kanaan getting spun then taking a near nose-to-nose hit from Marco Andretti that knocked both drivers out of the race.

Meanwhile, back in the pits, Castroneves sat pensively as his car would not start due to throttle problems. A full-course yellow for the Kanaan-Andretti mishap was the only thing that kept Castroneves from being more than four laps down when he finally got his machine going.

"I went on the inside of (Josef) Newgarden and it was really tight for both of us,'' Kanaan said. "I don't know if he saw me or not. Then towards the middle of the corner ... there was contact. Man, I was in a tough position there. Marco didn't see me, unfortunately, and I feel bad for Marco.''

The race settled in by the 10th lap with pole-sitter Bourdais holding a slim lead over Newgarden with Ryan Hunter-Reay third. But another yellow soon followed, and Dixon, charging hard, was now on a fuel strategy that helped him rotate to the front while others dipped into the pits.

Once on point, he was never passed on the track.

"We finally got back into the winners circle,'' Dixon said. "Our strategy was just spot on once we got that yellow."

Not that bad: While Castroneves lost the 13-point championship lead he carried into Mid-Ohio, to fall back only four spots behind teammate Will Power should be considered a job well done. Under the heading of small victories Castroneves actually had the fastest lap of the race at 121.616 mph.

Home sweet home: A strong showing was delivered by Columbus, Ohio native Graham Rahal as he finished fifth for his third strong effort in the last four races. Rahal, 25, has finished seventh, sixth, 20th and now fifth as the season has started to wind down.

"It was a good day for us, but you always want to do better,'' Rahal said. "Certainly, there is nothing to be disappointed about, because we are getting closer."

Bourdais on the move: "You can never be disappointed with a podium. Hopefully we can score a couple more of these."

Bourdais has now won the pole the last two races and finished first (Toronto) and second.

With one, swift swing of the bat, David Murphy stated his case for Father of the Year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- David Murphy was mad at himself after his first-inning double. That wasn't what he set out to do, despite the RBI he recorded.

Murphy's daughter, Madison, celebrated her seventh birthday on Sunday. The Indians' right fielder wanted to honor her special day with a home run.

With one, swift swing of the bat, he stated his case for Father of the Year.

Murphy rescued his club from near-defeat with a game-tying, two-run blast in the ninth inning. The long ball erased Cleveland's 3-1 deficit and pushed the contest to extra innings. The Indians won, 4-3, in 12 frames.

Murphy's home run, however, paled in comparison to the tangible gifts Madison received on Sunday: a guitar and a skateboard.

"She probably won't actually care about any of it," Murphy said. "She'll just care about her presents."

Murphy now has eight hits in his last 14 at-bats. That includes four extra-base hits. He is batting .471 (16-for-34) over his last 11 games.

Murphy spent seven seasons with the Rangers before joining the Indians over the winter on a two-year pact. He took pleasure in contributing to a sweep of his former teammates. In addition to his two base knocks on Sunday, Murphy twice robbed Chris Gimenez of a hit. In the ninth, he made a sliding catch to take away a line-drive single. In the 12th, he chased down a line drive bound to bounce off the wall. Murphy said it was "one of those days where everything worked out."

"You get pumped up to play your friends," Murphy said. "It probably helped a little bit that I faced some guys that I know how to approach. I know how they pitch. I've seen them pitch a decent amount over the years. You could say that's an advantage."

With one out and one on in the ninth, Murphy deposited a Neftali Feliz fastball into the right-field stands.

"It was pretty much the pitch that hopefully every hitter is ready for when it comes," Murphy said. "It was down the middle, a little bit down. I was ready for it."

So was Madison.

"It was fun to be able to do that on a day like that for her," Murphy said. "It makes it special."

Michael Brantley, who hit a walkoff homer against Texas on Sunday, is batting .322 with 16 homers and 69 RBI.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Texas Rangers in the finale of a three-game series Sunday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 111.

Opponent: Rangers.

Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland.

Time of day: Afternoon.

Time elapsed: 3 hours, 58 minutes.

Attendance: 18,422.

Result: Indians 4, Rangers 3 (12).

Records: Indians 56-55, Rangers 43-68.

Broom service: The Indians swept the series. They won the season series, 6-1.

Scoreboard watch: The Indians remained 6.5 games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Tigers defeated the Rockies in Comerica Park. It is difficult to envision the Indians, as currently constituted, overtaking Detroit, so the best postseason opportunity appears to be via the second wild card -- crowded though it is. The Tribe pulled within 3.0 games of the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost their third straight game to the Astros in Houston.

Bottom line, up front: The Indians stole one. Yes, they played the lowly Rangers -- but they stole one.

The Indians won despite: falling behind by three after 1 1/2 innings; being handled by Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish for seven; and trailing by two entering the ninth. They improved to 3-51 when trailing after eight.

Starring roles: The game belonged to Indians center fielder Michael Brantley and right fielder David Murphy.

Brantley went 2-for-6 with a walkoff homer and double. He led off the 12th against righty Phil Klein, a Youngstown State product, and sent a full-count fastball screaming into the Texas bullpen in right.

All-Star Brantley is batting .322 with 16 homers, including two walkoffs in extra innings.

Murphy went 2-for-3 with one homer, three RBI, one run, two walks and two outstanding catches.

With one out in the ninth, Murphy hit a two-run homer off Texas closer Neftali Feliz to tie the score, 3-3. Murphy has nine game-tying RBI this season.

Magical two-pack: Sunday marked the second time this season that Murphy has belted a two-run homer in the ninth to tie the score in a game the Indians won at Progressive Field. On May 21 against the Tigers, Murphy's blast off closer Joe Nathan made it 9-9 (Brantley also scored). The Tribe prevailed, 11-10, in 13.

Haunting the former employer: Murphy played for the Rangers from 2007 through 2013. He finished the series at 6-for-10 with one homer, three doubles and five RBI and the season series at 12-for-25 with the homer, six doubles and seven RBI.

Getting defensive: The Indians did not commit an error and made an assortment of above-average plays. Among the highlights: Catcher Roberto Perez threw out a runner attempting to steal second off a curveball; the infield turned 4-6-5 double play; and Murphy made a diving catch in the ninth and running catch in the 12th.

Both of Murphy's web gems came against former Indian Chris Gimenez. The second one, in front of the Texas bullpen, prevented Gimenez from leading off with at least a double.

Bauer power: Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer allowed three runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four. He threw 63 of 102 pitches for strikes.

Bauer rebounded from a rough start against Seattle (4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R). He has posted quality starts in five of his past six outings.

The Rangers scored once in the first when Elvis Andrus blooped a double to left and Alex Rios hit a soft single to center. In both cases, Bauer made good pitches (fastballs inside).

Gremlins invaded Bauer's right arm in the second. Bauer struggled with control and command against the lower part of the Texas order and allowed two runs on zero hits.

Bauer (4.20 ERA) did not possess his best stuff, but he locked down the Rangers for the rest of his day. Once again, he demonstrated a competitive fire that refused to let him to fold. He willed his way through 7 1/3.  

Operation shutdown: Six Tribe relievers combined to give up one hit in 4 2/3. Scott Atchison retired the one batter he faced, which ended the Texas 12th and put him in position to improve to 5-0.    

Hurling Darvish: Darvish pitched like the ace he is, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out eight. He threw 70 of 101 pitches for strikes.

The only scoreboard damage against him came in the second, when Lonnie Chisenhall hit a one-out double and scored on Murphy's two-out double to cut the Tribe's deficit to 3-1.

Murphy's homer ruined Darvish's opportunity for victory. Darvish remained 10-6 and lowered his ERA from 2.90 to 2.82.

Darvish performed much better than he did in his other game against the Tribe this season. On June 6 in Arlington, Texas, he gave up four runs on nine hits in a 6-4 victory.

Indians with hits against him that night were Asdrubal Cabrera (double, single,  homer), Yan Gomes (three singles), Chisenhall (homer), Jason Kipnis (single) and Carlos Santana (single).

Two of those five players were unavailable at the outset for the rematch. Cabrera was traded to the Washington Nationals earlier in the week and Yan Gomes had a stiff neck. Their respective replacements, Jose Ramirez and Perez, combined to go 1-for-6 with a single against Darvish.

Gomes pinch-hit for Perez with two outs in the ninth and singled off Feliz. Kipnis popped out.

Spotlight on ... Brantley: He entered at .322 overall and was 7-for-11 in his previous three games. Here is a breakdown of his at-bats:

First inning vs. Darvish (none on, two outs) -- 94-mph fastball inside, ball; 90 cutter inside corner, pop to third.

The skinny: Catcher Gimenez recycled the signs before the first pitch. Brantley was too eager against the cutter. For a hitter of Brantley's caliber, the pitch qualified as hittable, even coming from a terrific pitcher.

Third inning vs. Darvish (runner on first, two outs) -- 93 fastball high, swinging strike; 94 down and in, ball; 70 curve low, ball; 94 fastball over plate, pop to center.

The skinny: Brantley got what any hitter would want when ahead in the count: a fastball over the plate. He just missed it. In his first two at-bats, Brantley appeared to be sitting and spinning instead of relying on his classic line-drive approach.

Sixth inning vs. Darvish (none on, none out) -- 77 slider, ball; 92 fastball outer half, fly to left.

The skinny: The slider squirted on Darvish; thus, the lower velocity. Brantley didn't hit the fastball all that hard, but he could have had an extra-base hit if not for Rangers left fielder Jim Adduci's diving catch while moving to his right. Adduci left his feet twice in the series to deny Brantley, who is no stranger to having fielders take away hits from him. 

Eighth inning vs. lefty Neal Cotts (none on, one out) -- 88 slider outer half, called strike; 93 fastball, swinging strike; 94 fastball outside corner, called strikeout.

The skinny: Brantley was handled easily, which doesn't happen often. K-box showed the strikeout pitch to be borderline.

10th inning vs. righty Roman Mendez (none on, one out) -- 89 fastball outside corner, called strike; 83 changeup outer half, double to right.

The skinny: Brantley is not used to 0-fers. He kept the hands back on a changeup that stayed above the knees and drilled it.

12th inning vs. Klein (none on, none out) -- 83 breaking pitch, called strike; 92 fastball, ball; 85 changeup, ball; 85 breaking pitch, ball; 92 fastball outer half, swinging strike; 93 fastball inside, foul; 93 fastball inside corner at knees, walkoff homer to right.

The skinny: Brantley was late on the 3-1 fastball and tipped it into Gimenez's glove. It served to deke Klein into thinking he had more on his heater than he actually did. Gimenez wanted each of the next two pitches away, but Klein missed inside both times. While it is true that Klein didn't want to get cute and risk a walk, he learned valuable lessons that pitchers, especially righties, should know by now re: Brantley:

1. Don't fall behind in a big spot and expect to get him out with fastballs.

2. Don't miss location twice in a row with average fastballs.

3. Don't double up with the same pitch, at the same velocity, in the same area.

Spotlight on ... Indians first baseman Santana: He entered with 20 homers, an MLB-leading 77 walks and a .374 on-base percentage.

Second inning vs. Darvish (none on, none out) -- 91 cutter inside and low, ball; 90 cutter over plate, foul; 90 cutter inside corner, grounder to first.

The skinny: Darvish was not going to let Santana extend the arms.

Fourth inning vs. Darvish (none on, none out) -- 90 cutter outside corner, called strike; 78 curve, foul; 64 curve, liner to right.

The skinny: One of the many reasons Darvish is effective is speed variance -- for all pitches and from breaking pitch to breaking pitch. He went Bugs Bunny on Santana, who kept the hands back but committed too much weight to the front side.

Sixth inning vs. Darvish (none on, one out) -- 91 fastball outside corner, single up the middle.

The skinny: Santana, as patient as they come, was unwilling to spot Darvish anything. He demonstrated good plate coverage.

Eighth inning vs. Cotts (none on, two outs) -- 83 slider high, ball; 89 cutter in, foul; 92 fastball high, swinging strike; 92 fastball down and in, ball; 90 cutter inside, foul pop to catcher.

The skinny: Cotts worked over Santana. The cutter darted in under the hands.

10th inning vs. Mendez (runner on second, one out) -- Intentional walk.

The skinny: No-brainer -- even though the next batter, Chisenhall, had burned Texas the previous game with an RBI single after an IBB to Santana.

The strategy worked for Texas this time. Chisenhall grounded into a double play.

Rough day: Tribe designated hitter Nick Swisher entered Sunday having hit safely in six straight games (8-for-21). Darvish was unimpressed, striking him out three times on a total of 12 pitches. Swisher swung and missed six times.

With two strikes and two outs in the fourth, Swisher swung and missed at a low pitch that got away from Gimenez. As Swisher began running to first, plate umpire Doug Eddings inadvertently kicked the ball several yards away from Gimenez. Yet Gimenez still was able to recover and throw out Swisher by a step.

Swisher is 1-for-10 with eight strikeouts career against Darvish.

Three plate appearances were the extent of Swisher's afternoon. With one out in the ninth, Chris Dickerson pinch-hit for him and walked against Feliz. Swisher is dealing with a sore right wrist.

Dickerson's at-bat proved enormous because the next batter, David Murphy, homered.  

Swisher is batting .212 overall, .158 in day games (21-for-133).

Bowie started eight games a season ago and was a potential starter for Seattle this year if not for the shoulder injury.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns claimed an offensive lineman off waivers Sunday who started eight games last season for the Super Bowl champions. 

Just don't expect to see him in a Browns' uniform anytime soon.

View full sizeSeattle Seahawks' Michael Bowie (73) started eight regular-season games last season as a rookie.Associated Press

The club was awarded second-year pro Michael Bowie, who the Seattle Seahawks had placed on the waived/injured list Saturday. A valuable contributor to the Seahawks, Bowie suffered a significant shoulder injury on the first day of training camp and hasn't practice since, according to the Seattle Times. He'll require surgery and could be sidelined from four to six months.

Bowie (6-5, 320) entered Seahawks 'camp as a potential starter at right tackle.

Some believe it's an unwritten rule that teams should not poach players that other franchises have designated waived/injured. Of course, New England did the same thing earlier in the week claiming running back Tyler Gaffney from Carolina.

The 22-year-old would have joined the Seahawks' injured-reserve list had he not been claimed in 24 hours.

Bowie started seven games at right tackle and one at right guard. He also started at left guard in Seattle's divisional-round win over New Orleans, but was inactive for the remained of the playoffs.

The versatile lineman should be fit for spring practices in 2015.

The Browns claimed another injured lineman, Nick McDonald, from the San Diego Chargers last month. McDonald, who reportedly broke a wrist, is at least a month from returning to action.

It required 12 innings, a timely dose of strength from Murphy's seldom-flexed muscles and a walk-off home run from Michael Brantley, but the Indians eked out a 4-3 victory to capture a three-game sweep.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- David Murphy and Nick Swisher sat at their lockers on Sunday morning, discussing how important the series finale was against the Rangers.

"We need this one," Swisher said.

"Badly," Murphy added.

It required 12 innings, a timely dose of strength from Murphy's seldom-flexed muscles and a walk-off home run from Michael Brantley, but the Indians eked out a 4-3 victory to capture a three-game sweep.

Yu Darvish out-dueled Trevor Bauer, but Yu can't always get what Yu wants. Texas' ace limited Cleveland to one run on four hits across seven innings, but he didn't factor into the decision, as Murphy erased a two-run deficit with a one-out blast to right field in the ninth.

Bauer lasted a career-high 7 1/3 innings, as the 23-year-old held Texas to three runs on six hits and four walks.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who extended his Progressive Field hitting streak to 25 games, scored on an Alex Rios single in the first. Rougned Odor and Shin-Soo Choo registered back-to-back sacrifice flies in the second as Bauer struggled with his command. David Murphy carved into the deficit with an RBI double in the bottom half of the frame, but the Indians went quietly until the ninth.

Brantley tagged Gahanna, Ohio, native Phil Klein to open the 12th, as he lined the game-winning round-tripper over the right-field fence.

What it means
The Indians have completed the first two installments of their eight-game homestand. Against Seattle and Texas, they have mounted a 4-2 record. The Indians registered their first series sweep since they recorded a 6-0 homestand against the Rockies and Red Sox in early June.

Bauer outage
Bauer had trouble locating early on in his outing on Sunday, but he settled in -- as has become the norm for him -- as the afternoon unfolded. He loaded the bases in the second inning with a hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks. Two of those runs came around to score. After that inning, however, he retired 11 of the next 12 hitters.

Bauer has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

Rough day
Designated hitter Nick Swisher struck out swinging in each of his three at-bats. In the second, Darvish followed up a 94-mph fastball with an 81-mph slider to take care of Swisher. In the fourth, he retired Swisher on three pitches: a 94-mph heater, an 81-mph slider and a 74-mph breaking ball. Swisher approached the plate in the sixth with a chance to atone for his previous at-bats. However, with two on and two out, he again whiffed.

Chris Dickerson pinch-hit for Swisher in the ninth and drew a walk. Swisher exited the game with a mild strain of his right wrist. He will be re-evaluated on Monday. He was sporting a brace on his wrist after the game.

What's to come
The Indians will begin a four-game set with the Reds, split between Cleveland and Cincinnati. The clubs will clash at Progressive Field on Monday and Tuesday and at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday and Thursday. Corey Kluber (11-6, 2.61 ERA), on the heels of his first career complete-game shutout, will oppose right-hander Alfredo Simon (12-6, 2.84 ERA), who was a National League All-Star.

Rory McIlroy roars past Sergio Garcia in first three holes to win his first WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio – Cynics circle Sergio Garcia's golf career like buzzards on roadkill. They are feasting after Rory McIlroy ran over Garcia to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by two shots at Firestone Country Club on Sunday.

McIlroy began the day three shots behind Garcia and won by two shots.

Garcia's lead evaporated just three holes into the final round as he added to his legacy of Sunday failures, while young McIlroy headed into this week's PGA Championship the favorite to win his fourth career major, and second this summer.

McIlroy, who also beat Garcia by two strokes at the British Open two weeks ago, finished with a four-under par 66 and a 15-under 265 total for his first win at Firestone, and his eighth career victory. He ascended to the No. 1 world ranking at age 25. It also was his first World Golf Championships event victory.

"I put some pressure on Sergio early,'' McIlroy said. "I rode my luck a little bit on the back nine. Sergio had some putts to get close to me. I had a couple tree limbs that went my way. But I played another really solid round of golf.''

Garcia, who led by three strokes after the second and third rounds, lost what had been a magnificent touch with his driver and putter. He shot a 71 Sunday, which was 10 shots worse than his record-tying round Friday, and finished at 13-under 267.

"I felt like I played OK. Not amazing. Obviously, I didn't feel comfortable on the greens,'' sad the 34-year-old Spaniard.

McIlroy won $1.53 million. Garcia's consolation prize: $900,000.

Garcia placed second for the 12^th time in his career, which also includes eight victories. Garcia is 3-for-12 when beginning Sunday in the lead.

First-round leader Marc Leishman was third at 268.

McIlroy's three opening birdies and Garcia's bogey on No. 3 put McIlroy one stroke ahead.

There were two swing holes in the round, starting with No. 3, which was the decisive hole of the tournament for both golfers. The 442-yard par three with a green fronted by a pond ranked most difficult in the tournament. It yielded seven birdies and forced 16 bogeyes. McIlroy birdied it twice. Garcia had two bogeys.

On Sunday, McIlroy's approach shot landed softly between a right-side bunker and the pin, six feet away. He sank the put. Garcia's drove it left into the rough, and his approach overshot the green into more rough, and he two-putted from six feet.

McIlroy and Garcia were tied at 14-under on 9 and 10. McIlroy regained the lead for good with a birdie on the par-4 11th, where his second shot landed within seven feet and he made the putt.

Garcia's bogey on 15 put him two shots behind.

Woods withdraws: Defending champion Tiger Woods, an eight-time winner at Firestone, withdrew with back spasms on the ninth hole, leaving his status for the PGA Championship as well as possible Ryder Cup team selection in doubt.

Scoreboard watching: Charl Schwartzel's 64 lifted him into a four-way tie for fourth place at 271 with Patrick Reed, who shot a 65, Keegan Bradley (69) and Justin Rose (69).

Graeme McDowell, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Moore and Adam Scott were tied at 273.

Scott lost his No. 1 world ranking, falling to No. 2. Garcia is No. 3.

Life of Lefty: Unpredictability has always been essential to Phil Mickelson's wide appeal, from shot to shot and round to round. So, Sunday's season-best round of 62 was just another day at the office for "Lefty.''

A day after he labeled his iron play "pathetic,'' he holed a 92-yard wedge shot for one of 10 birdies. He finished five-under par and played his last 36 holes nine-under, which he hopes is a harbinger for the PGA Championship.

"When you feel like you're close, all you need is for it to just click one day, and all of a sudden you're off and running," he said. "Now, I don't know what will happen next week. But if I play well, I'll look back to today's round as being the key point."

Rain buddies: A 76-minute weather delay interrupted play in the morning, giving the course time to dry out. A light rain fell from the time play began at 8:05 a.m. until the stoppage at 10:44 a.m. Play resumed at noon, three hours before the leaders teed off and played under mostly sunny skies.

Woods and Bubba Watson were on the first tee when play was stopped.

"That was strange,'' Watson said. "The whole day started off strange.''

It got more weird. Playing ahead of Watson and Tiger was Russell Henley, whose scheduled partner, Graham DeLaet withdrew before the round with the flu.

"I called over to him on No. 4, 'You don't have any friends?'' Watson said.

Watson soon was without a partner when Woods withdrew.

"A few holes later, I'm like, 'I got no friends, either.' So, we joined up on 10,'' Watson said.

After clearing with rules officials, Watson and Henley finished their round together.

Watch as Joe Haden talks about this years defense and the quarterback competition between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. Then watch highlights from Manziel's first day with the first team. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns' Pro Bowl cornerback, thinks this defense can be very special.

"I just see a lot of good things going on.  We have good leadership with Dansby, Whitner and myself.  There's so much competition on the defensive side of the ball, everybody knows they have to step up, they have to make plays to make the squad.  I think our defense can be very special," Haden said on Day 8 of training camp.

On the quarterback competition between Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel, Haden said, "I like both of them.  Both of them are really doing positive things, trying to control the offense.  I think they are getting a little more comfortable."

When asked if he has seen progress in Manziel, Haden responded, "He's becoming more comfortable.  You can see that he is finally starting to relax.  Understanding the offense lets you play a whole lot faster, especially at quarterback."

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Join cleveland.com's Zack Meisel for live updates and a chat during tonight's Indians game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Reds at Progressive Field and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 112: Indians (56-55) vs. Reds (56-55)

First pitch: 7:05 p.m. at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7