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Terrelle Pryor and the business of his return to Ohio State on Friday night

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Like everyone five years removed from college, Terrelle Pryor is different. He has to be. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor walked down the skinny part of the tunnel to the field, because that's where he used to walk as a Buckeye. Most of the rest of his Browns teammates took the wide path in the newly decorated tunnel installed last season, a perk of the Urban Meyer era.

The tunnel made the old quarterback jealous.

"They did all the designs when I left," Pryor said with a smile as he worked his way along the stands in Ohio Stadium, signing autographs.

He signed one white No. 2 Ohio State Pryor jersey after sitting out the Browns' intrasquad scrimmage at his old home Friday, and most of the rest of the time put black pen to orange and brown. 

Maybe the search for meaning ends there. 

Infusing Friday with any deeper significance probably rings hollow for a guy basically looking for a job. There's a lesson that all Buckeyes learn when they play here, that the next legend is right behind you. Pryor left the place a mess, but more than the tunnel has been refurbished in the four years since he's been gone.

His five-year ban from associating with the school ends next summer. He said he talked not only with Meyer on Friday -- "I never met him. Last time I talked to him he was recruiting me for Florida" -- but athletic director Gene Smith, who slapped the ban on him on July 26, 2011, in light of the Buckeyes' NCAA violations. (Smith's conversation with Pryor didn't violate that ban.) 

"We didn't have no bad times here," Pryor said. "I did a lot of work for you guys. We had a lot of successful games here, there's a lot of memories out there." 

He warmed up on the field, and the fans warmed up to him. He had said before he wants to return in the future when he's allowed. He said it again in the stadium he owned for three years.

"Absolutely. It's going to be on Coach Urban if he wants me to. But I love this place," Pryor said.

But sitting out was "business" in his attempt to get healthy and continue his quest to successfully make the quarterback-to-receiver switch while entering his fifth year in the league. His advice to Ohio State's Braxton Miller, making a similar switch, was to get in the playbook. Miller was watching from the stands Friday with his father and son and a few teammates.

Pryor said they haven't talked about their parallel paths. But with one sweep of the eye, on a field in which both have made so many tacklers miss and put so many points on the board, you could take in two star quarterbacks still playing the game but not the position.

Both moving - why?

"It's less opportunity," Pryor said. "The NFL, there's not a lot of reps. It's not like college where you get a lot of reps and get the experience. So it's a difficult task."

A business answer.

College campuses are filled with sentimentality, with new choices and old memories. But the past is easier to embrace when you've either made it or you've moved on. Pryor remains in the thick of the fight, trying to recapture what he was, now in a new world.

To the reporters who covered Pryor's rise and fall in Columbus, he said "God bless you guys," as the interview ended. He called the chance to come back, even without playing Friday, "a blessing."

And like everyone five years removed from college, he is different. He has to be.

"I've got a one-year-old son," Pryor said. "I love him. I love football. I'm a praying man. I just want to go make plays. That's it."

But this is business. It was business at Ohio State, too. Pryor hasn't backed it up on the field like he did in college. But his words Friday were familiar.

"When you're talking in terms of athleticism and making plays, like I always say, I'm the best on the field," Pryor said. "When I step on it that's how I hold myself, I hold myself to a high standard. I compete at a high level. I just want to do work and be the best for my team."

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Friday's fall sports roundup: Golf highlights

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Check out a roundup of Northeast Ohio's high school golf highlights for Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are high school sports highlights from Friday. See below for information on how you team’s accomplishments can be recognized in these daily roundups.

BOYS GOLF


Trinity Classic: St. Vincent-St. Mary edged out Archbishop Hoban in the 7th annual Trinity Golf Classic at Ironwood in Hinckley. The Irish won with a score of 315, with Hoban finishing second with 318. Padua finished third, scoring 319. Highland came in fourth with 332 points and Berkshire finished fifth with 333.




GIRLS GOLF


Pickerington North Panthers Invitational: Led by medalist Sophia Trombetta's 74, Independence placed fourth at the Panthers Invitational in Pickerington.


How your team can be included in these roundups


These roundups are based on box scores and game notes entered in cleveland.com’s database by school or team representatives. If your team is not participating in the box score program please contact your athletic director or coach and encourage them to do so. They can obtain instructions and database login information from High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis at kdavis@cleveland.com.

Joe Thomas: Johnny Manziel has proved 'he's ready to be an NFL starting quarterback'

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Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel has proved to Joe Thomas, one of his harshest critics, that he's ready to be an NFL quarterback. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio --  Johnny Manziel didn't work with the first team during Friday night's Orange and Brown scrimmage at Ohio Stadium, but he won over one of the most important starters on offense and one of his harshest critics from last year: eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas.

"He's really proved to a lot of people that this is important to him and he's ready to be an NFL starting quarterback,'' said Thomas. "Playing well in the scrimmage tonight and looking like an NFL quarterback is another good step in the direction that he wants to go. He's just earning that trust of his teammates that he's going to need to do if he wants to be that starter. He impressed a lot of people out here tonight.''

In four series of work, Manziel completed 9-of-11 attempts for 93 yards and two touchdowns, a 4-yarder to tight end E.J. Bibb on the left side of the end zone, and an 18-yarder to first-year receiver Josh Lenz, a beautiful back shoulder throw on the left side of the end zone, where he beat Kendall James.

On the latter drive, Manziel went 5-for-6 for 65 yards, including a laser shot over the middle to Marlon Moore, a 17-yard bullet to tight end Rob Housler off a rollout left.

 "We always knew he had the talent,'' Thomas said. "So it was never a matter of the talent that he had. You're starting to see the work that he put in off the field, but the commitment that he's made in the meeting room. Studying film when he doesn't need to be. Doing the things that a starting quarterback has to do. I think you're seeing it now that he's in competitive situations he's able to let that talent go and play well. And that's what you saw today.''

Thomas was quick to point out, however, that even though Manziel is proving he can do the job now, he's still firmly in Josh McCown's corner too. 

"Josh has done so many good things that to me it's not really a conversation about who should be the starter right now,'' said Thomas.

Coach Mike Pettine said Manziel didn't work with the ones -- as anticipated -- because of all the injuries on offense and not enough reps to go around. As it was, McCown played only two series, including one in the red zone.

"It'll happen in the preseason game, but the way we were depleted with injuries and being cautious with guys, there was just no way to do it without putting other guys at risk,'' said Pettine.

Manziel took it in stride, like he has everything else since he rejoined the team in April after 10 weeks in rehab.

"Like I said I was leaving that up to Pett and if I got some reps good, if I didn't I was just going to go out and control what I could control and that was one thing that I couldn't,'' he said. "When they told me to go in, I went in and tried to handle whatever situation I got the best I could."

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was excited about Manziel's spirited scrimmage, in front of 49,734 fans at the 'Shoe.

"One of our coaches reminded me today he should be a college senior,'' said Haslam. "He's still 22, so he's a young guy.  I think Johnny's starting to grow up and he's starting to understand you've got to work hard, and you've got to get after it every day. So he's learning to do that and he's got to prove he can do that over a period of time. But so far, so good. He's making good progress and he's working hard.''

McCown, who put a touchdown and a field goal on the board on his two series with the first-team offense, was most impressed with Manziel overcoming adversity on his opening drive. Manziel just missed Lenz deep down the right side on his opening play, and the drive fizzled five plays later on a sack by Nate Orchard, with heavy pressure from top pick Danny Shelton.

Manziel came back on his next drive, a red zone drills, to complete the 4-yarder to Bibb, who beat Orchard at the goal-line. Two drives later, back on a college football field, he showed some of that Johnny Football flare in going 5-for-5 and firing it in to Lenz.

"Oh man, it was sweet,'' McCown said of Manziel's perfect drive. "I was proud of him. He started off okay and then kind of had a lull and then that's the thing about playing this position. You can't create false adversity, it just has to happen.

"When you go through some things like tonight where you kind of have a couple of drives that don't go your way and then you pull yourself out of it, that's the main thing. The throw was terrific, but just the way he battled through it was awesome and that's the mark of making progress in my opinion and of a quarterback maturing and I'm very pleased with how he played. He played very well. He's really coming along.''

Manziel acknowledged that he shook off the opening drive and finished well.

"Sure, we came out guns blazing right there and almost threw an 80-yard touchdown on the first play,'' he said. "We just missed it. So I think Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) did a good job of dialing up some plays there. We got a first down and then three and out. After that, we got into the end zone and that's what we wanted to do. So i was happy about it." 

Browns coach Mike Pettine was most pleased with Manziel's poise in the pocket. He rolled out and utilized his mobility with a purpose, but didn't take off running prematurely.

"I think the think that jumps out is that he's much less antsy in the pocket,'' said Pettine. "He sets his feet, which is something you really didn't get to see much last year, and he's trusting his reads and I thought he placed the ball, I thought his location and accuracy was very good tonight."

Manziel, who had his right arm throwing arm wrapped with ice after the scrimmage like he does after every practice, was buoyed by the performance.

"Yeah, I think that's the thing -- stringing three or four good days in a row together and felt really comfortable out there today,'' he said. "I was really looking forward to getting out here in front of these guys for the scrimmage and getting into a little bit of a live setting, and I think it really went well for all guys. I think Josh did a good job with the ones. I think Connor (Shaw) and Thad (Lewis) did a good job handling the threes as well. So all around just looking at our room as a whole, I thought it was really nice."
 
He acknowledged that he's starting to feel less a sense of urgency to bolt up field at the first sign of trouble.

"Yeah, I thought made some good throws today in the pocket,'' he said. "So it's not like some of those games later in the year last year where I was trying to escape to right away. I really trust these guys that I have and these protections. When we're hot, we're hot and we know it and we're getting the ball out. Feeling comfortable is a good thing."

Manziel, who's developed good timing with backups such as Lenz, Shane Wynn and Darius Jennings, saw the field well on his deep touchdown pass to Lenz.


"Just went single safety,'' he said. "I think me and Josh have had good chemistry throughout training camp. I really trust him and put it on his back shoulder there and he made a great play. So both those drives where we had touchdown passes there, I think Bibbs made a heck of a catch there on our stick route and then Josh getting in the end zone as well.

"That was the way I wanted to finish off the day, especially coming out after halftime and stalling. To get that in was big time especially moving it and I think maybe completing every pass on that drive."

The drive -- and Manziel's entire camp -- has been impressive enough to sway even the team's most hard to please veteran.

Cleveland Indians lose wild one to Minnesota Twins: DMan's Report, Game 108

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The Indians amassed 14 hits and nine runs -- and still lost to the Twins on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Torii Hunter hit a solo homer with one out in the ninth inning as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Cleveland Indians, 10-9, Friday night at Progressive Field. Hunter went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs for the wildcard-contending Twins (55-54).

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Sterling-silver lining: Yes, the Tribe lost. Yes, it was a continuation of a lost season (49-59). But not all was lost: Earlier in the day, the organization unloaded Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn in a trade with the Atlanta Braves.

Inexcusable: The Tribe is 20-33 at home.

Lumber yard: The teams combined for 29 hits. The Twins had 15.

Action-packed: Through two innings, the game was scoreless. Through three innings, Minnesota led, 6-4.

Here is a batter-by-batter breakdown of the third, which Fox SportsTime Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood said lasted 42 minutes:

Twins (vs. RHP Cody Anderson)

(L) Aaron Hicks -- single to center (2-2 changeup).

Skinny: Anderson had retired the first six. Hicks hit the elevated pitch on outer third off the end of the bat.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- sacrifice bunt to third (0-0 fastball).

Skinny: Indians sent imaginary thank-you note to Suzuki.

(L) Eduardo Escobar -- RBI single to center (2-2 fastball).

Skinny: Escobar swung and missed at a 2-1 pitch, but, according to Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning, the scoreboard had read 1-2. The confusion led plate umpire D.J. Reyburn to huddle with the other umpires, then check with MLB replay headquarters. After a delay of several minutes, the count was, indeed, determined to be 2-2. Escobar fouled before slapping a fastball on the outer half at the knees through the box. Good piece of hitting by Escobar.

(R) Brian Dozier -- double off left-field wall (0-0 fastball). Escobar to third.

Skinny: Dozier ambushed Anderson, dropping the barrel on a pitch on the inner half at the knees. It was not the first time, and won't be the last, that Dozier drove a first-pitch fastball a long way.

(Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visits mound.)

(L) Joe Mauer -- intentional walk.

Skinny: Wise decision, even as Mauer is in the midst of a down year. The next batter, Miguel Sano, is a rookie who strikes out a lot and whiffed in the first inning.

(R) Miguel Sano -- pop to second (1-1 changeup).

Skinny: Sano was too eager against a pitch on the outside corner below the knees.

(R) Trevor Plouffe -- two-run double to left (1-1 changeup).

Skinny: Ball landed inches inside left-field line and rattled in the corner. Plouffe kept the hands back just enough on a pitch that was over the plate above the knees.

(R) Torii Hunter -- two-run single to left (2-2 changeup).

Skinny: Grounder into hole at short. Pitch was on the inner half at the thighs.

(Tribe manager Terry Francona hooks Anderson for RHP Austin Adams.)

(L) Eddie Rosario -- RBI triple to left (2-1 fastball).

Skinny: Earlier in the AB, Hunter stole second. Left fielder Michael Brantley cut off the Rosario hit with the backhand, then got accidentally smacked in the face by center fielder Tyler Holt's glove, which was knocked loose. Indians were extremely fortunate that Holt did not collide with Brantley.

(L) Aaron Hicks -- liner to left-center (0-0 fastball).

Skinny: Holt made a running catch at the track.

Twins, 6-0.

Indians (vs. RHP Mike Pelfrey)

(R) Giovanny Urshela -- single to second base (1-1 fastball).

Skinny: Urshela punched the pitch toward the hole, where Dozier fielded while sliding. Dozier popped up and, in one motion, made a throw that pulled Joe Mauer off the bag. Dozier had time to set himself.

(R) Tyler Holt -- single to center (1-2 slider).

Skinny: In what could have been a huge AB in the game, Holt used a semi-emergency hack to cover a pitch off the outside corner at the knees. Holt snapped an 0-for-10.

(L) Jose Ramirez -- swinging strikeout (1-2 splitter).

Skinny: Ramirez chased a pitch in the dirt.

(L) Francisco Lindor -- single to right (1-0 fastball).

Skinny: Ball hit hard enough that Urshela needed to stop at third.

(L) Michael Brantley -- RBI single to left (1-0 fastball).

Skinny: Using the approach that makes him so dangerous, Brantley did not try to do too much against a pitch down and running to the outer half. He slashed it into the hole.

Stop the presses: The Indians notched a hit with the bases loaded.

(L) Carlos Santana -- RBI walk (3-1 fastball).

Skinny: Good discipline by Santana to lay off the 3-1 pitch, which was outside but not by much.

(Twins pitching coach Neil Allen visits mound.)

(R) Yan Gomes -- sacrifice fly to center (2-2 splitter).

Skinny: Gomes, similar to Holt, covered a pitch off the outside corner and did something positive with it.

(L) Lonnie Chisenhall -- RBI single to left (1-0 fastball).

Skinny: Chisenhall, similar to Brantley, stayed compact and shot a low pitch to left.

(R) Jerry Sands -- fly to right (2-0 fastball).

Skinny: Sands narrowly missed a pitch to hit.

Twins 6, Indians 4.

Dr. Smooth delivers, again: The Twins led, 7-4, entering the bottom of the fourth.

With runners on first and second and two outs, Brantley pounced on a 1-0 fastball that didn't have much on it and doubled into the right-field corner. The two-run hit chased Pelfrey.

Yanimal flexes: Righty A.J. Achter relieved Pelfrey and walked Santana. He fell behind Gomes, 2-1, and threw a fastball (90 mph) over the plate at the thighs. Gomes parked what amounted to a batting-practice pitch over the left-field wall for a 9-7 lead.

So much for that: The Tribe's stirring comeback was for naught, however, because the Twins scored one in the fifth (off Jeff Manship), one in the sixth (off Zach McAllister), and one in the ninth (off Bryan Shaw).

Hunter, who thoroughly enjoys hitting in Cleveland, sent Shaw's cutter over the right-field wall for his 18th.

Danny Shelton packs a wallop in impressive debut for Cleveland Browns

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The first-round pick delivered a huge hit and supplied good pressure on the pass rush. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - If Roger Goodell tuned into the NFL Network on Friday night and saw Browns nose tackle Danny Shelton hitting Marlon Moore, the NFL Commissioner knows he got off easy on draft night.

The No. 12 overall pick made his grand entrance in the league by bear hugging Goodell on stage in Chicago and lifting him off his feet. Poor Moore should have been as lucky.

After catching a 5-yard pass along the sideline in the intra-squad scrimmage, the reserve wideout was leveled by the hard-charging defensive lineman along the sideline. The night's biggest hit was delivered by a 339-pounder who had dropped into coverage and closed ground impressively for a man of his heft.

"I know he is not the fastest guy, but when he gets there, he packs a punch," Browns coach Mike Pettine said. "I was just happy to see Marlon get up from that shot." 

On an evening belonging to Johnny Manziel and his continued improvement, the Browns left Ohio Stadium also pleased with the effort of their first pick. The University of Washington product showcased his strength, quickness and ability to collapse the pocket. Shelton forced Manziel into an errant throw with good pressure and played a role in Nate Orchard's sack of the backup quarterback.

His plodding 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine led some critics to wonder whether the Browns spent a high pick on a two-down player. And while it was merely a scrimmage against teammates, Shelton demonstrated the relentlessness and physical prowess that could make him a third-down contributor.

Both quarterback pressures came on third downs.

"He's incredibly impressive," said Manziel, who threw one pass away to avoid Shelton as the quarterback rolled right. "He had a bull rush there and he's fast. That's what you expect out of a first-round pick."

Shelton's performance surely pleased position coach Anthony Weaver, who scoffs at those who hold the 40-time against the rookie.

"I'm not coaching track stars," Weaver said in June. "I'm coaching football players. There's a lot of guys who run a 4.8, but when you put the tape on they don't play to that 4.8. He plays a lot faster than that 40 time."

Just ask Moore, who was being wrapped up by corner Justin Gilbert when the beefy Samoan made his presence felt.

"I talked to (Moore) after the play," Shelton said. "He said it was a good play on him. He said next time it had to be against another teammate, another player."

Shelton inherited jersey No. 71, which had belonged to Ahtyba Rubin who was allowed to leave via free agency. The hustle play was reminiscent of ones Rubin made in his prime with the franchise.

The Browns drafted Shelton to plug holes in a run defense that finished last in the NFL a year ago. He also excelled at making plays outside the hash marks with the Huskies.

"It's a mindset you have to have," Shelton said. "When you play football you're always told never to quit. As the years have gone by and I have grown into the game that's just a part of me -- to run to the ball."

Shelton, who recorded 9.5 sacks last season, wants to prove himself as a multi-dimensional player. He hopes defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil will let him drop into coverage occasionally to make plays like the one on Moore.

"College tape is my resume for now," Shelton said.

He added to it Friday with a solid pro debut, one fitting a first rounder who won't take as easy on ball carriers as he did The Commish.

What Yan Gomes, Terry Francona and Cody Anderson said after Cleveland Indians' 10-9 loss to Minnesota Twins

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Read what the Cleveland Indians said after Friday's 10-9 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here is what Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona, catcher Yan Gomes, and starting pitcher Cody Anderson said after the team's 10-9 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Friday at Progressive field.

Manager Terry Francona

On Cody Anderson's outing:

I think it was just inconsistent. There were a couple of balls that were up to the wrong guys, the right-handed hitters. That's what they do. He got the one base hit that cost him two runs that went right by Gio and Lindor that was a seeing-eye single that capped off the night for him. That hurt. A little bit inconsistent in what he's doing. He's still working on the breaking ball to the right-handed hitters that needs to get off to guys who cover the plate. That's still a work in progress.

On the offense responding to a 6-0 deficit:

It was really good. That had a chance to be a long night. Jumping right back into that was really encouraging. It wasn't fun to lose a game, but it was a lot more interesting the way we played it out.

On Brantley and Gomes performances at the plate:

Somebody asked me a while back why I felt better about things. And Gomer's.. that's more the hitter we've come to expect. I don't see any reason why that won't continue.

On Torii Hunter's knack for beating the Indians:

Boy he's really beat us up. I think he's following me. I've seen him do that for too many years.

Pitcher Cody Anderson

On his start:

It felt good coming in. It felt strong. Bullpen went great. It just didn't work out.

On a common theme in his recent starts:

Just staying focused and keeping the ball down during games. You kind of tend to get in a rhythm and you tend to not notice the ball going up and you don't make the adjustment in time. I need to work on keeping the ball down and putting some emphasis on off-speed pitches and keeping us in the game.

On how to keep the ball down in the strike zone:

Just going out there every day and work on keeping it down, locating the fastball. Arm speed, everything. Getting the mechanics right.

On watching the offense battle back:

It was amazing. They deserved a win right there. If I'd have done my job, those guys would have earned a win. Hats off to them for playing a great game.

Catcher Yan Gomes

On the offense having a big night:

We didn't come out with a win, but being six runs down right away and coming back and making it a pretty good game was definitely good to see. It shows that we're willing to battle. I felt like some people have been talking like as soon as teams score runs we go down and we don't fight back. The mentality that we have, we've got good hitters. At any point anything can happen. We showed it today.

On Anderson's outing:

There were a couple mistakes that he made. They're a good ball club for a reason. They're playing really good. Some of those guys you can't quite make mistakes to and they made him pay.

On the Bourn-Swisher trades:

Those two guys are among our best friends in here and they're definitely leaders in this clubhouse. Trading them away is kinda tough because they're your friends. They're teammates. We've still got a season to battle. The core guys are going to be here for a while. It's up to us to take over the reins. These next two months and the next couple of years, it's gonna be what we're about.

On stepping into more of a leadership role with Bourn and Swisher gone:

Once four or five of us signed multi-year deals, you're not going to sit in the background most of the time anymore. Knowing that they're asking a lot, we've got good enough core guys who are going to take this team over and we're going to battle as much as we can now. We're focusing on what we can do in these next few months and what we've got in the future. If we don't think in the future, we're going to be here again talking about it because we didn't think ahead. Once we get to a point like this, I can tell you right now we're going to battle our butts off. We're not mathematically out, so we're going to battle and see where we end up at the end of the year.

Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admits potential deal with Columbus to host team's training camp is 'getting closer'

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Browns scrimmage before nearly 50,000 fans at Ohio Stadium on Friday night. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The stadium might have been half empty, but the Browns' future in the capital city appears full of promise.

City officials and Browns executives are working toward a deal that will make Columbus home to the franchise's training camp for the foreseeable future.

A crowd of nearly 50,000 fans at Ohio Stadium for the Browns' intra-squad scrimmage Friday only added to the mutual interest between the sides. Team management was delighted by the turnout - the largest for a Browns' scrimmage in a decade - and owner Jimmy Haslam didn't pour cold water on speculation that a deal will be struck.

"It's not there yet, but I think we're getting closer," Haslam said. "(I) had dinner with (Ohio State athletic director) Gene Smith (Thursday) night and that was positive."

Sources told NEOMG earlier in the week Columbus officials are seeking a five- to 10-year commitment from the Browns. The plan is to build a multi-use facility financed by public and private dollars. The venue would not be complete until 2017, but the club possibly could train here next year at temporary location.

"We had a great couple of days," team president Alec Scheiner said standing on the sideline near the end of the scrimmage.

If the Browns do make the move, at least a portion of training camp will remain in Berea.

The scrimmage was a trial balloon of sorts, but negotiations have been ongoing for a year. Potential corporate partnerships and the city's proximity to four NFL franchises make Columbus appealing to the Browns. Central Ohio represents an NFL battleground market, one within 185 miles Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.

The Browns capped online registration for tickets to the event at 60,000 only to grant access to 10,000 more fans on a waiting list.

Because tickets were free some wondered how many actually would turn out for the glorified practice in a stadium seating approximately 105,00. Official attendance was listed at 49,734.

"Columbus has been great to deal with," Haslam said. "I think it has been good for our guys to get away from Berea for a couple days. A little different scenario. And to play in front of 45, 50 thousand people is fun whether you're a veteran or a young person. So, it has been a great two days at Ohio State and the city of Columbus has been great to work with. "

It's sound more and more like the Browns will be back soon enough.

2015 Bridgestone Invitational third-round leaderboard, live streaming, TV schedule, tee times (photos)

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2015 Bridgestone Invitational live leaderboard, TV schedule, tee times, updates and fan guide for the tournament that features second-round leader Jim Furyk, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia.

AKRON, Ohio -- The 2015 Bridgestone Invitational third round is Saturday at Firestone Country Club. Below are our live leaderboard, TV schedule, links to live streaming and tee times with new pairings. Also, find updates on second-round leader Jim Furyk, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia. 

Furyk built a four-shot Friday lead over Shane Lowry and big hitters Watson and Dustin Johnson. Spieith and Garcia were six shots behind. Fowler was seven off the pace on a challenging South Course that did not yield a bogey-free round Thursday or Friday. 

Injured defending champion Rory McIlroy and 2013 winner Tiger Woods, who did not qualify, are not playing, but they are entered in next week's PGA Championship.

2015 BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

Where: Firestone Country Club, South Course, 452 East Warner Road, Akron.

Purse: $9,250,000. Winner's share: $1,570,000

Live streaming: pgatourlive.com

Golf channel live stream: stream.golfchannel.com

TV SCHEDULE

  • Saturday: Golf Channel, noon; CBS, 2 p.m.
  • Sunday: Golf Channel, noon; CBS, 2 p.m.

COURSE SCHEDULE 

  • Saturday: Third round. Gates open 7 a.m. Military appreciation ceremony 9:30 a.m. at the Championship Club.
  • Sunday: Final round. Gates open 7 a.m. Trophy presentation at the conclusion of play at 18th green.

PAIRINGS, TEE TIMES

Notable pairs:

From No. 10

  • Phil Mickelson and Brendon Todd, 8:45 a.m.
  • Marc Leishman and Francesco Molinari, 10:25 a.m.
  • Louis Oosthizen and SorenKjeldsen, 10:55 a.m.

From No. 1

  • Ricky Fowler and Kevin Na, 12:45 p.m.
  • Jason Day and Sergio Garcia, 1:05 p.m.
  • Jordan Spieth and Lee Westwood, 1:25 p.m.
  • Henrik Stenson and Books Koepka, 1:35 p.m.
  • Grame McDowell and Danny Lee, 1:45 p.m.
  • Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson, 1:55 p.m.
  • Jim Furyk and Shane Lowry, 2:05 p.m.


 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (two rounds)

  • Average driving distance: Bubba Watson, 352.1
  • Fairways hit: Justin Rose, 71.4 percent
  • Greens in regulation: Justin Rose, 72.2 percent
  • Strokes gained tee to green: Jim Furyk, 4.192

SATURDAY WEATHER

Mostly cloudy, high of 82. Chance of scattered thunderstorms increasing to 35-40 percent between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. according to weather.com.

NEWS

Second round coverage.

Jim Furyk builds second-round lead; Jordan Spieth breaks par

At 45, Jim Furyk is, as usual, a pace-setter: Bill Livingston column

Spieth, McIlroy, Zach Johnson in historic PGA Championship grouping next week 

Updates, more coverage: cleveland.com/golf

THE SOUTH COURSE

Firestone's famed South Course has hosted the PGA Championship three times and has been the site of the Bridgestone Invitational and its predecessor, the World Series of Golf, almost continuously since 1962.

2015 course tournament stats

  • Average scores: Thursday, 71.364; Friday, 70.988.

  • Toughest holes: No. 4 (plus .312 average over par), No. 5 (.234), No. 3 (.234), No. 9 (.195).
  • Easiest holes: No. 2 (-.318 average under par), No. 10 (-.107), No. 17 (-.0.52), No. 14 (-.006).
  • Rounds par and below: 72; rounds above par: 82.

 Course overview

  • Par: 70 (four par 3s, two par 5s)
  • Length: 7,400 yards.
  • 72-hole record: 259, Tiger Woods (2000).
  • 18-hole record: 61, Jose Maria Olazabal (1990), Tiger Woods (2000 and 2013), Sergio Garcia (2014).
  • Fairway, green grass type: Bent grass

  • FEATURED HOLES
  • No. 4. The 471-yard par 4 requires a long, straight tee shot and a sticky approach shot onto an elevated green. Spieth had three bogeys on this hole last year.
  • No. 5. A tiny green at the end of the 220-yard par 3 can be reached with a 5- or 6-iron, unless the wind blows, and then it gets interesting.
  • No. 6. The club's web site describes the par 4 as "469 yards of heartburn." It usually ranks as the course's toughest hole.
  • No. 15. The 221-yard par 3 features a flat green, but bunkers on the left of the green are hidden and attract numerous tee shots.
  • No. 16. The Famed "Monster,'' so named by Arnold Palmer after he took triple bogey there. The 667-yarder is among the longest par 5s on the tour. Making matters worse is a pond fronting the green. Finishing at the main walkway and next to the 18th green, it is a popular spot for fans and often provides great theater.
  • No. 18. The long (464 yards), narrow par 4 has a green defended by bunkers and is a difficult place to make birdie.

FAN INFO

Camera, phone policy

Cameras are allowed during the practice round Wednesday, but once the tournament starts, no photographs are allowed, and fans are asked to silence their mobile devices.

Music After Play

The Clarks perform Saturday in the Fan Zone after play is completed.

Fan Zone

The Taste of Ohio Cafe and the 16th Hole Bridgestone Green Monster Challenge are near food trucks along the main concourse.


Videos: Recap of Browns' Orange and Brown Scrimmage

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Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed report on the Orange and Brown Scrimmage. Also, a highlight video plus Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel talk about their play. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed fill you in on what happened during the Orange and Brown Scrimmage played at Ohio Stadium in Columbus Friday night. 

Topics include:

  • Quarterback Johnny Manziel did not get reps with the first-team, but had a good night with the backups going 9-of-11 with two touchdowns.
  • Josh McCown led the first-team to a touchdown on the first drive of the scrimmage. 
  • Rookie Danny Shelton had the biggest hit of the night when he knocked Marlon Moore out of bounds after a first down catch.
  • Justin Gilbert injured his hand breaking up a pass to Brain Hartline in the end zone. 
  • Terrelle Pryor was well received by the crowd on his first return to Ohio Stadium, but did not play because of injury.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

On Facebook: CLEvideos

What did Ohio State fans think of Terrelle Pryor's return to Ohio Stadium?

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"Now he's back, and he deserves to be back." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thomas Holmes might have been the biggest Terrelle Pryor fan in Ohio Stadium on Friday night.

So imagine his excitement when Pryor went up into the stands on the east side of stadium after the Cleveland Browns scrimmage, and signed the back of Holmes' scarlet No. 2 Buckeyes jersey.

Those few seconds took Holmes back. Back to before Pryor became a Buckeye, when Holmes' grandfather used to send him newspaper clippings of what Pryor was doing at Jeannette High School in Western Pennsylvania.

Pryor was back in Ohio Stadium on Friday for the first time since 2011. Of course Holmes, who traveled from Wooster, was going to wear his Pryor jersey.

"I couldn't wait until he got to Ohio State (out of high school)," Holmes said. "Now he's back, and he deserves to be back."

But how many Thomas Holmes were there going to be in Ohio Stadium on Friday night? Pryor's return to Columbus was tempered a bit by the fact that a sore hamstring kept him out of the scrimmage. But still, Pryor, back in The 'Shoe, how would that be received?

Generally positive. But it was hard to find a Pryor jersey among the announced attendance of 49,734.

Don't read into that too much. There was a surprising lack of Ohio State gear overall. This was a Browns game. But in a game that amounted to little more than a full-contact practice, one that featured Johnny Manziel by the way, the most interesting man in the building was standing on the sideline in a bucket hat.

"He's the only reason I came here,"said Kyle Davidson, a 2007 Ohio State grad and North Carolina native, who was sporting a scarlet No. 2 jersey while walking the concourse.

That's because love him or hate him, the idea of Pryor being back in Ohio Stadium was intriguing enough to bring some fans to a scrimmage they'd otherwise not care about.

But what if the circumstances were different? What if Pryor was making this appearance on the field of a program that hadn't yet found its way out from under the cloud of Pryor and Jim Tressel's departures?

"It is better because we got a good coach, and our program has been able to recover from that," Davidson said. "It would be (worse) if it ended up being dismantled after that."

And maybe that's it.

Maybe this was the perfect time for Pryor to be in Ohio Stadium, fresh off the Buckeyes National Championship.

"He's a Buckeye," Lance Wiles of Gahanna said while leaning over the railing in a Pryor jersey hoping for an autograph.

"I still love him."

Joe Haden sits out scrimmage with 'muscle tightness': Cleveland Browns Insider

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The Pro Bowl corner did not appear to be laboring and was seen running at several points. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Browns coach Mike Pettine made little of the team's decision to hold out Joe Haden near the end of Thursday's practice.

After the Pro Bowl cornerback did not participate in Friday's intra-squad scrimmage, Pettine conceded Haden is dealing with "a little muscle tightness."

Haden didn't appear to be laboring along the sidelines in Ohio Stadium and was spotted running several times. So whatever discomfort he's dealing with doesn't appear serious. The club likely is exercising caution with one of its star players.

The defensive back was a full participant in Thursday's practice, but didn't take part in 11-on-11 drills late in the day. Justin Gilbert took his place with the first unit after Pierre Desir suffered a hamstring injury.

In the scrimmage, Gilbert made a nice pass breakup on a ball intended for Brian Hartline in the end zone, but injured his wrist on the play.

"I know he hurt his wrist on the ball in the back of the end zone," the coach said. "I haven't heard from (trainer) Joe Sheehan yet just how he finished up. I know he was a little banged up, but he pushed through it (and kept playing)."

Orchard flashes

Second-round pick Nate Orchard recorded a sack of Johnny Manziel on the scrimmage's second series. As camp has progressed and grown more physical, the edge rusher is growing more noticeable.

"Nate is quietly just getting better," Pettine said "Very heavy-handed guy. This is his type of environment. It was hard for him in shorts to really show up. We talked about that before. It's encouraging to see a guy, a rookie that kind of starts and he's a little bit lost and gradually starts to come on once he gets it."

Orchard did get beat in coverage for a 4-yard touchdown pass from Johnny Manziel to E.J. Bibbs.

Quotable

Pettine on nearly 50,000 fans turning out for a glorified practice:

"It speaks for itself. It's Cleveland Browns fans. It's loyal, passionate, whether they're here in Columbus, a lot of them made the trip down (interstate) 71 or came from all over the state. People love this team, and we feed off that. It's great for our guys to see that."

Mack sits

The Browns opted not to play center Alex Mack in the scrimmage. They have excluded him from some 11-on-11 drills at the goal line and inside-running drills as he recovers from a broken leg suffered last season.

"Alex, he was good to go, but we just held him out of this," Pettine said. "He will get plenty of work in the preseason games."

The Browns open preseason play Thursday against the Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Pro Football Hall of Fame 2015 Weekend Fan Guide: everything you need to know about parade, induction ceremony, game (photos)

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Your complete fan guide for Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend in Canton, including Saturday's induction ceremonies and Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The big day has arrived in Canton. The 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame class that includes running back Jerome Bettis, wide receiver/returner Tim Brown, defensive end/linebacker Charles Haley, contributor Bill Polian, linebacker Junior Seau, guard Will Shields, center Mick Tingelhoff, and contributor Ron Wolf will be inducted on Saturday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

The day begins with the annual TimkenSteel Grand Parade in downtown Canton and include autograph sessions during the day. The weekend concludes on Sunday night when the Steelers and Vikings open the NFL preseason.

Here's a look at the weekend's schedule and ticket information:

Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend
When: Today through Sunday.
Where: Canton.

Saturday: TimkenSteel Grand Parade.
Time: 8 a.m.
Location: Cleveland Avenue, Downtown Canton.
Click here for information.

Saturday: Returning Hall of Famers autograph sessions.
Time: Noon.
Location: Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Click here for participants and information.

Saturday: Class of 2015 Enshrinement
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN.
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Cost: $35 and up.
Click here for more ticket information.

Sunday: Class of 2015 autograph session.
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Pro Football Hall of Fame Event Center.
Cost: $375 plus shipping and handling.
Click here for more information.

Sunday: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame game.
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Tickets: Game is sold-out.
TV/Radio: NBC (WKYC, Ch. 3); Westwood One radio.

No. 20 Cleveland Heights football starts a new era: Preseason Top 25 countdown (video, poll)

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A look at the Cleveland Heights football team entering the 2015 season.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio – The cleveland.com high school football Preseason Top 25 countdown continues today with the unveiling of Northeast Ohio's No. 20 team, the Cleveland Heights Tigers.

Check cleveland.com/hssports daily as the Top 25 is revealed one team per day, leading up to the announcement of the area's top-ranked team on Aug. 27.  


PREVIOUSLY: No. 25 MadisonNo. 24 Elyria, No. 23 Wadsworth, No. 22 Highland and No. 21 North Olmsted.


Here is more on Cleveland Height's football team as it enters the 2015 season, which begins at home against Buchtel on August 28.


3 keys to qualifying for the playoffs


1. Take advantage of some very skilled players : Returning QB Jahquan Primm will have another season under his belt as the quarterback, but more importantly, he has some talented players joining him. Anthony Johnson and Jaylen Harris form one of the most explosive receiving duos in the area. Johnson has offers from schools like Cincinnati and Kentucky, while Harris has offers from Ohio State and Alabama. After transferring from Villa Angela-St. Joseph last season, Harris played in the final five games, and finished with 10 touchdowns.


2. Overcoming a difficult schedule: The Tigers will face a very difficult schedule this season, as five teams on the schedule made it to the playoffs last year. Besides games with the normal rivals like Glenville, Bedford and Lorain, there is also a very difficult game against St. Vincent-St. Mary. With tough games like that, there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up huge points when it comes to playoffs, but it will be quite a challenge to win those games.


3. A more consistent offense: In the team's six losses last year, the Tigers were able to average only 14.3 points, compared to 41.3 in three victories. Having Harris for the entire season will make a big difference, but a key for this team will be to limit the mistakes and get good protection from the line. There will be plenty of mismatches on the outside, and Cleveland Heights must take advantage of those.


MORE ABOUT Cleveland Heights


Click here to see 2015 schedule


OHSAA division, region: Division I, Region 1.


Conference: Lake Erie League.


2014 record: 3-6.


Coach: Independent.


Coach's record at school: First year.


Coach's career record: First year.


Returning starters: 6 offense, 5 defense.



Key players:


Zach Ford, DB., Sr., 6-3, 180.


Jaylen Harris, WR/LB., Jr. 6-5, 210.


Carl Henderson, OL., Jr., 6-5, 280.


Anthony Johnson, WR/DB., Sr. 6-3, 205.


QB Jahquan Primm, QB/FS., Sr. 5-11, 165.


Demonte Stone Meeks MLB, Sr., 6-1, 225.


Leandrew Woody, RB/DB., Sr., 6-1, 185.


Scouting report


Strengths: The biggest strength of this team will be the superior athletes. From the skilled players on offense, to all three levels on defense, there are players who have the ability to fly around the field and make big plays. While they have had to adjust to first year coach Mac Stephens' system, this is a more experienced team that will be a tough team to beat this season.


Concerns: Any time you bring in a new football coach, it will take some time for everyone to get on the same page. While this team did a lot in the summer to get things figured out, it takes time in pads for everything to fall into place.


Bottom line: Coach Stephens is a very intense coach who can get anybody motivated when he speaks. He took the job late, so he has had to play catch up for much of the summer. However, things will be easier for him as Harris, one of the top players in the state of Ohio will be able to play in Week 1. His size and athleticism makes him one of the most difficult players to guard. A tough schedule will make Cleveland Heights have to earn a playoff berth, and the first two weeks could be the difference.


Follow Cleveland Heights all season


Bookmark the team's cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to Cleveland Heights.

Toronto's Josh Donaldson keeps No.1 spot: 2015 AL MVP watch

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Third baseman Josh Donaldson has 22 RBI in 20 games since the All-Star break for the high-flying Toronto Blue Jays.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here is an update on the latest AL MVP candidates by beat writer Paul Hoynes. Stags are through Friday.

1Josh Donaldson, Toronto (1): The Blue Jays added David Price and Troy Tulowitzki at the trading deadline, but Donaldson has been there from Day One. He's leading the AL in RBI and runs. Since the All-Star break, the Jays third baseman has 22 RBI in 20 games.

2. Mike Trout, Angels (7): The Indians pitchers did a great job against Trout in their recent three-game series, but he's still a monster. He leads the AL in homers and OPS and is tied for second in runs.

3. Nelson Cruz, Mariners (2): The Mariners have been a disappointment, but not Cruz. In fact, he's getting better. He's hitting .378 (34-for-90) with 11 homers and 15 RBI since the break.

4. Kendrys Morales, Royals: Kansas City doesn't have the MLB's biggest divisional lead by accident. Morales is hitting .288 and is fifth in the AL with 76 RBI.

5. Mark Teixeira, Yankees (6): He's already hit more homers and driven in more runs than he did all last year. He's hitting .351 (20-for-57) with seven homers and 14 RBI over his last 15 games.

6. Prince Fielder, Texas (4): Fielder's comeback story continues. He's second in the AL with a .324 (133-for-411) average after playing just 42 games last. He's slowed since the break, hitting .253 with two homers and nine RBI.

7. Chris Davis, Orioles: He's hitting only .248 and leads the AL with 137 strikeouts, but he's second in RBI with 79 and seventh in homers with 28. He's hitting .303 (23-for-76) with nine homers and 27 RBI since the break and just might lead the Orioles back to the postseason.

8. J.D. Martinez, Tigers: The Tigers have dumped Price, Yoenis Cespedes, and GM Dave Dombrowski, but Martinez is still producing. He's tied for third in the AL with 30 homers and is sixth with 73 RBI.

9. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees: Love him or hate him, A-Rod has proven a lot of people wrong this year. He's hitting .279 with 24 homers and 63 RBI at 40.

10. Jose Bautista, Toronto: He's hitting only .237, but he has 25 homers and is third in the AL with 77 RBI. Bautista has eight homers and 17 RBI in 20 games since the break.

Others to consideration: Brian Dozier, Jason Kipnis (8), Manny Machado, Albert Pujols (3), Miguel Cabrera (5).

Next week: AL rookies of the year candidates.

Cleveland Indians rally, but fail to hold lead as Minnesota Twins take series opener

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Torii Hunter's home run in the ninth inning gives the Twins a comeback win against the Indians. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Minnesota outfielder Torii Hunter's one-out solo home run to right in the ninth inning Friday spoiled the Indians' impressive mid-game comeback from a 6-0 deficit in a 10-9 loss at Progressive Field.

The Twins (55-54) jumped ahead with a six-run third before the Indians' offense came alive behind the hitting of Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes.

Brantley started the rally in the third with an RBI single, and Carlos Santana walked with the bases loaded. The Indians (49-59) added runs on a Gomes sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Lonnie Chisenhall to make it 6-4.

Brantley's two-out, two-run double to right in the fourth chased Minnesota starter Mike Pelfrey from the game and brought the Indians within one at 7-6. Gomes then greeted reliever A.J. Atcher with a three-run blast to left that gave the Indians a 9-7 lead.

But an RBI double by Aaron Hicks in the fifth and solo home runs by Brian Dozier (in the sixth) and Hunter (in the ninth) put the Twins in front and allowed them to turn things over to All-Star closer Glen Perkins, who had a hitless ninth.

The wheels came off the cart for rookie right-hander Cody Anderson in the third, as he surrendered five hits and six earned runs. Trevor Plouffe punctuated the frame for Minnesota with a bases-loaded double to left. Anderson got hit hard in the inning, surrendering an RBI double to Dozier and an RBI single to Eduardo Escobar.

In his last two starts, Anderson has pitched 7.1 innings and surrendered nine earned runs. Since the start of July, Anderson's ERA has ballooned from 0.57 to 4.31.

What it means

The Indians (49-59) have lost seven out of their last eight at home. They drop to 10 games below 500 for the first time this season. It is the 17th time they have lost after having the lead, and the 10th loss after collecting more than 10 hits.

The Twins lead the season series, 5-2.

Chop to the chops

All it took was a glove to the face for Brantley to get things going at the plate.

During the Twins' six-run third, Brantley was belted by Tyler Holt's glove on what turned out to be an RBI triple by Eddie Rosario. Brantley responded with back-to-back RBI hits in his next two at-bats. He singled sharply to left in the third and delivered a two-out, two-run double in the fourth.

A review that counts

With one out in the third and Aaron Hicks at second, Anderson ran the count to 2-2 against Escobar. That's when home plate umpire D.J. Rayburn lost track of the count and consulted with his fellow umpires before going to an official review.

After 1:58, Rayburn confirmed the 2-2 count and Escobar sent Anderson's next pitch into center field for an RBI single. The hit was the first domino in a disastrous frame for Anderson, who did not survive the inning.

What's next?

RHP Trevor Bauer (8-8, 3.98) will face Minnesota's Ervin Santana (2-2, 3.89) on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

Bauer seeks his first career win against the Twins. He's 0-3 with a 6.07 ERA. This season, Bauer lost 9-3 at home on May 8.

Santana is coming off a 5-1 loss at Toronto on Aug. 3. It will be Santana's seventh start of the season and his 18th career against the Indians. He is 3-9 with a 4.09 ERA. He last faced Cleveland on Aug. 9, 2013 at Progressive Field, allowing four runs in seven innings and taking the loss as a member of the Kansas City Royals.


Tyler Holt optioned to Class AAA Columbus, told to relax: Cleveland Indians notes

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Indians place Cody Anderson on the DL, option Tyler Holt to Columbus and recall RHP Shawn Armstrong and outfielder Abraham Almonte.

Tyler HoltIndians right fielder Tyler Holt struggled to make an impression on the Indians during his brief stint. with the team in 2015. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Tyler Holt needed to relax so the Indians sent him to Class AAA Columbus. That's how manager Terry Francona put it Saturday afternoon.

The Indians also wanted to get a look at new outfielder Abraham Almonte, who started in center field Saturday night against the Twins at Progress Field.

"This will let Tyler go back and take a deep breath," said Francona. "It was almost like a football game for him. He'd get so amped up. He was missing pitches, couldn't get a bunt down.

"For a kid who has worked so hard to get here, I just tried to explain, 'Hey, man, you have to give yourself a chance.' He understood. He said "I'm not giving myself a chance.'"

The Indians recalled Holt from Class AAA Columbus on July 29, the day after David Murphy was traded to the Angels. He hit .100 (2-for-20) in nine games with the Tribe after hitting .286 (79-for-321) with 11 doubles and 24 RBI in 76 games at Columbus.

"He put too much pressure on himself," said Francona. "He was making the game harder and the game is hard enough."

The Indians acquired Almonte from San Diego on July 31 for lefty Marc Rzepczynski.

"We want to get a look at him in center field," said Francona.

Almonte, 26, has bounced between the Padres and Class AAA El Paso this season. He hit .204 (11-for-54) with three doubles and four RBI in 31 games with the Padres. At El Paso, he hit .275 (67-for-244) with 18 doubles, two triples, four homers and 35 RBI in 61 games at El Paso. He stole 11 bases.

Michael Bourn, the Tribe's opening day center fielder, was traded to Atlanta on Friday along with Nick Swisher and $11 million in cash.

One pitch: The move that sent Holt to the Columbus was triggered by right-hander Cody Anderson being placed on the disabled list with a left oblique injury following his start Friday. It allowed the Indians to recall Almonte even though he'd been with the Clippers fewer than 10 days.

"I did it on one pitch," said Anderson.

Francona said Anderson had an MRI on Saturday morning.

"It a low-grade strain, but it is a strain," said Francona. "We need to get that out of there. We tried to explain it to him that it's not like a hamstring. You can stretch that when you feel it (tighten). We need to have this thing go away."

Francona said Anderson would be shut down for the next three to five days before he starts his throwing program.

The Indians won't need a fifth starter until Aug. 15 against the Twins at Target Field. Shaun Marcum, who has already made six starts with the Tribe this year, is 7-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 12 starts at Columbus.

Anderson (2-3, 4.31) hasn't pitched well since the All-Star break. He's 0-2 with 11.49 ERA (20 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings).

New arm: Along with Almonte, the Indians recalled right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who has pitched out of the Columbus bullpen all season.

Armstrong is 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA in 40 games for the Clippers. He saved 14 games in 15 chances and struck out 62 in 44 innings. The opposition hit .208 against Armstrong.

"I think we're getting him at a good time," said Francona. "Hopefully, we'll get to see how he's been throwing because his velocity has been really good and he's throwing strikes. I hope he can come help us."

New addition: Infielder Chris Johnson joined the Indians on Saturday after being acquired in the Bourn-Swisher deal with the Braves. He'll play some first and third base and said he was open to taking some fly balls in the outfield to see if he can get some at-bats out there.

"I think he understands we have a third baseman and a number of first basemen," said Francona. "I also told him that one of our goals is for this to be a good place for you to be. We'll work at it to make sure it is."

Finally: Michael Brantley moved into Swisher's vacated locker. ... Second baseman Jason Kipnis (right shoulder) has not started throwing yet. ... Bourn and Swisher were in Atlanta's starting lineup on Saturday night. ... A fire broke out across the street from the Gateway Parking garage about 45 minutes before the start of Saturday's game. It sent clouds of black smoke floating over the Progressive Field scoreboard until it was extinguished. The parking garage was closed, but the game started on time.

Cleveland Gladiators lose again to Philadephia Soul, but get another shot in playoffs

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Philadelphia Soul beat the Cleveland Gladiators Saturday, 48-33, in the regular season finale for both teams. The squads meet again next weekend in the first round of the Arena Football League playoffs. The Soul has handled Cleveland three times already. This time, they held the Gladiators to their lowest point total this season. Cleveland quarterback...

_00011_cleveland.pngCleveland Gladiators lose for third time to Philadelphia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Philadelphia Soul beat the Cleveland Gladiators Saturday, 48-33, in the regular season finale for both teams. The squads meet again next weekend in the first round of the Arena Football League playoffs.

The Soul has handled Cleveland three times already. This time, they held the Gladiators to their lowest point total this season.

Cleveland quarterback Shane Austin threw for three scores on the way to breaking the team record for aerial TDs in a season at 101. Austin also ran for two scores. But every time the Gladiators crawled back into the contest at Quicken Loans Arena, the Soul answered.

The strangest play of the game came early, but the turnover ended up not really costing Cleveland.

After Philadelphia scored first with just over nine minutes left in the first quarter, Cleveland's Amarri Jackson literally went nearly sideline to sideline and goal line to goal line with the kick return. However, when he got to within a step of the Philadelphia end zone, the ball was poked from his grasp. The Soul recovered.

Cleveland's defense held, leading to an Austin three-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Collin Taylor. Still, the Soul scored four minutes later.

Austin ran in for a score about a minute into the second quarter. The extra point was missed, and the Gladiators scored only three more touchdowns the rest of the way.

Both teams played their starters most of the way despite the game being meaningless in the standings. The Gladiators were without offensive tackle Kitt O'Brien, who signed this week with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.

The playoff game starts at 5 p.m. Saturday in Philly. Cleveland ends the regular season 8-10. The Soul is 15-3.

Cleveland Indians pound Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins, 17-4, on 19 hits

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Jerry Sands hit a pinch-hit homer and newcomer Abraham Almonte had four hits as the Indians rolled past the Twins on Saturday night at Progressive Field

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The bare-bones Indians, with most of their veteran hitters traded in the last several days, produced one of their biggest offensive games of the season Saturday night at Progressive Field.

What does the Indians' 17-4 victory over the Twins mean? It's hard to say. The only thing the Indians have done on a consistent basis this year when it comes to swinging the bat is be inconsistent.

Stlill perhaps a trend is forming. In Friday's 10-9 loss to the Twins, the Indians collected 14 hits. Saturday night they finished with 19.

Here's snapshot of the night. Leadoff hitter Jose Ramirez singled, tripled and doubled in the first three innings. He scored two runs and drove in three as the Indians drove Ervin Santana to an early exit.

But that was only the start. Abraham Almonte, in his first game as an Indian, went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a two-run homer to cap the night in the eighth. It was Almonte's second career four-hit game in the big leagues.

Jerry SandsCleveland Indians' Jerry Sands, right, gets congatulations from Yan Gomes after hitting a grand slam off Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Blaine Boyer during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Then came Jerry Sands' pinch-hit grand slam in the fifth. It was Sands' second career slam and the first by the Indians this season, producing a 13-3 lead.

Finally, there was Twins outfielder Shane Robinson pitching the ninth inning. He entered with the bases loaded and after walking in a run retired the side in order.

The Indians knocked Santana (2-3, 5.40) out in the third inning. They pounded him for eight runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Santana is 3-10 against the Indians and 1-7 at Progressive Field. His only win on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario came on July 27, 2011 and he needed a no-hitter to do it

Trevor Bauer (9-8, 4.06) went 6 1/3 innings. He struck out eight, walked three and allowed four runs on seven hits. Three of the seven hits were homers. The victory ended Bauer's three-game losing streak.

It was a night of firsts for the Tribe.

Rookie right-hander Shawn Armstrong, just recalled from Class AAA Columbus, made his big-league debut in the ninth inning. Armstrong retired the side in order, striking out the first two batters he faced.

Chris Johnson made his Indians' debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. The Indians acquired Johnson on Friday from Atlanta for Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. He struck out.

Ramirez and Michael Brantley had three hits each. Every Indians starter had at least one hit. Lonnie Chisenhall was the only regular who didn't score a run.

What it means

The Indians (50-59) won for just the second time in their last six games. It was just their eighth win in the last 21 games. They improved to 4-5 against the Twins this season.

The Twins (55-55) have lost eight of their last 11.

Nice debut

Almonte, in his first start with the Indians, hit consecutive doubles to start his career in Cleveland. He added a single and homer later in the game. The Indians acquired the switch-hitting Almonte on July 31 from San Diego for left-hander Marc Rzepczynski.

In a pinch

Sands' slam in the fifth was the first by an Indians pinch-hitter since Travis Hafner did it on July 1, 2006 in Cincinnati.

Don't worry about it

Bauer has now allowed 21 homers this season. Fourteen, including three Saturday, have come in his last nine starts.

He allowed 16 homers in 153 innings last year.

Thanks for coming

The Twins and Indians drew 31,666 fans to Progressive Field on Saturday night. The Indians have drawn 986,967 fans in 54 home dates.


What happens next?

The Indians end this three-game series Sunday afternoon when Corey Kluber (6-12, 3.60) faces Minnesota's Phil Hughes (10-7, 4.14) at 1:10 p.m.

Kluber is coming off a loss to the Angels in which he failed to hold a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Kluber is 4-2 against the Twins.

Hughes is coming off a loss as well, falling to Toronto. The loss broke a six-game winning streak. He is 1-0 against the Tribe this year and 5-2 in his career.

Abraham Almonte's Cleveland Indians party at expense of Minnesota Twins: DMan's Report, Game 109

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The Indians have scored a total of 26 runs in the first two of a three-game series against the Twins. They lost, 10-9, Friday and won, 17-4, Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Abraham Almonte went 4-for-5 with a homer and two doubles in his team debut and Jerry Sands hit a pinch-hit grand slam as the Cleveland Indians crushed the Minnesota Twins, 17-4, Saturday night at Progressive Field. Tribe second baseman Jose Ramirez singled, tripled and doubled in his first three at-bats. Tribe left fielder Michael Brantley went 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs and a ridiculously good walk.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Who are these guys?: On a seven-game trip to Oakland and Anaheim, July 30-Aug. 5, the Indians scored a total of 16 runs in going 3-4.

In their past two games, they have scored a total of 26 runs. On Friday night, they lost the opener of the three-game series, 10-9.

The Indians are 50-59; the Twins, 55-55.

Strong first impression: Almonte, batting eighth and playing center field, put on a show. Almonte was acquired from San Diego for Marc Rzepczynski and initially optioned to Class AAA Columbus.

Leading off the second inning, Almonte hit the first pitch for a double to center. He drilled a get-me-over fastball from righty Ervin Santana.

Almonte scored on Ramirez's one-out hustle triple. Ramirez scored on Francisco Lindor's sacrifice fly to push the Tribe's lead to 4-1.

With a runner on first and one out in the third, Almonte took a ball. Santana threw a fastball running away, and Almonte, with his second swing as an Indian, one-hopped the left-field wall for another double. The runner, Giovanny Urshela, stopped at third.

Fox SportsTime Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "Two swings, two doubles. And I mean, they were smoked....Where has he been?''

Almonte scored on Ramirez's two-run double that made it 7-1 and knocked out Santana (2 1/3 IP, 10 H, 8 R).

With runners on second and third and two outs in the fourth, Almonte grounded righty J.R. Graham's 1-2 pitch to Graham.

Leading off the seventh, Almonte smacked righty Blaine Boyer's first pitch to center for a single.

With a runner on first and none out in the eighth, Almonte belted a 2-1 fastball from righty A.J. Achter into the Tribe bullpen.

Dr. Smooth on call: Brantley did what Brantley does: Antagonize pitchers. He owns multiple hits in four consecutive starts and at least one hit in 11 consecutive starts.

Brantley singled to drive in a run in the first, doubled in the second and singled in the seventh. But his most impressive work resulted in the walk, which opened the door for a five-run fifth inning.

Graham retired the first two before Lindor singled to third. Lefty Ryan O'Rourke got ahead of Brantley, 0-2.

The next nine pitches went: ball, foul, foul, ball, foul, foul, ball, foul, ball. Brantley spit on the 11th overall, a good off-speed pitch that rode just low, for the walk.

Carlos Santana walked, Yan Gomes walked with the bases loaded and, after Boyer replaced O'Rourke, Sands hit the grand slam -- the Tribe's first of the season. The Indians led, 13-3.

Bauer power: Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer allowed four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out eight.

Bauer has struggled with the Twins in his brief career, and he did not possess his best stuff Saturday. But he was good enough, with plenty of help from his offense, to earn the victory. He is 9-8 with a 4.06 ERA.

All of the runs against Bauer came via the homer: Joe Mauer solo (1-2 fastball); Kurt Suzuki (1-2 curve); and Eddie Rosario (1-0 fastball).

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Bauer's start: 

FIRST INNING

(R) Brian Dozier -- 92 fastball called strike (outside corner at knees); 92 fastball low and outside; 84 slider down and away; 92 fastball foul; 85 slider low; 92 fastball, called strikeout.

Skinny: Dozier thought he had walked, but plate umpire Mike Everitt made the correct call on a pitch with comeback action.

(L) Joe Mauer -- 83 changeup foul (yard from being double off LF wall); 91 fastball inside; 92 fastball foul (comeback to inner half); 93 fastball, homer to right.

Skinny: Catcher Roberto Perez appeared to want breaking pitch away, but Bauer overruled him with fastball in. Mauer crushed a pitch that was off inside corner at thighs....20th homer allowed by Indians in first inning.

(R) Miguel Sano -- 83 high and inside; 84 high; 92 fastball foul; 92 fastball outside; 93 fastball foul; 86 slider, grounder to second.

(R) Trevor Plouffe -- 92 fastball foul; 86 slider down and away; 84 breaking pitch high; 91 fastball high and outside; 93 fastball outside, walk.

(R) Torii Hunter -- 92 fastball high; (Perez visits mound); 86 down and away; 85 slider outside; 93 fastball outside, walk.

Skinny: Bauer with 15 balls and 10 strikes. Manning said: "(Bauer's) nibbling instead of being aggressive.''

(Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visits mound.)

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 93 fastball down and in; 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 79 curve in dirt; 78 curve foul; 94 fastball, swinging strikeout (up).

Skinny: Changing speeds and eye levels with final two pitches paid off.

SECOND INNING

(L) Aaron Hicks -- 92 fastball called strike; 92 fastball, bunt single to third.

Skinny: Indians manager Terry Francona was sure Hicks' front foot was out of the box at the time of the bunt. Replays supported Francona, who spoke with Everitt. The hit stood.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 85 slider, GIDP 1-6-3.

Skinny: Suzuki was sitting on first-pitch fastball but got quality pitch off outside corner. Tribe shortstop Lindor appeared to get away with phantom tag during turn.

(L) Eduardo Escobar -- 93 fastball high; 85 called strike; 85 foul; 77 curve, swinging strikeout (in dirt).

THIRD INNING

(R) Brian Dozier -- fastball called strike; 92 fastball outside; 86 called strike (outer third); 78 curve, swinging strikeout (in dirt away).

Skinny: Dozier upset with Everitt for not seeking help, but Dozier was begging: It was a swing that did not need appeal.

(L) Joe Mauer -- 86 high; 87 called strike (inner third); 92 fastball high and outside; 93 fastball called strike (outside corner at knees); 94 fastball, swinging strikeout (two-thirds swing at pitch off outside corner).

Skinny: The final two fastballs were terrific.

(R) Miguel Sano -- 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball swinging strike; 78 curve, single to second.

Skinny: Jose Ramirez fielded behind second.

(R) Trevor Plouffe -- 94 fastball called strike; 93 fastball high; 86 down and away; 93 fastball swinging strike; 94 fastball, called strikeout.

Skinny: Plouffe upset with Everitt, and justifiably so: The pitch was at the knees but started outside and stayed several inches outside.

FOURTH INNING

(R) Torii Hunter -- 91 fastball high; 83 slider, grounder to third.

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 85 slider inside; 93 fastball foul; 86 down and in; 93 fastball, single to right.

(L) Aaron Hicks -- 92 fastball foul; 84 slider low; 86 down and in; 92 fastball, fly to center.

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 93 fastball called strike; 85 slider outside; 91 fastball foul; 79 curve, two-run homer to left.

Skinny: Suzuki's fourth homer of season came off pitch that stayed over the plate on the inner half. Perez was set up away.

(L) Eduardo Escobar -- 93 fastball, grounder to short.

FIFTH INNING

(R) Brian Dozier -- off-speed high; 91 fastball foul; 92 fastball swinging strike; 86 slider outside; 94 fastball, single to center (up).

(L) Joe Mauer -- 92 fastball foul; 85 changeup low; 93 fastball, GIDP 4-6-3.

Skinny: Mauer rolled over pitch on outside corner at thighs.

(R) Miguel Sano -- 94 fastball low and outside; 86 breaking pitch swinging strike; 86 slider swinging strike; 87 slider outside; 94 fastball, called strikeout.

Skinny: Sano locked up by a pitch on outside corner at knees.

SIXTH INNING

(R) Trevor Plouffe -- fastball called strike; 83 breaking pitch swinging strike; 75 curve foul; 78 curve in dirt; 92 fastball high; 83 breaking pitch, grounder to second.

(R) Torii Hunter -- 83 breaking pitch called strike; 91 fastball called strike; 85 breaking pitch outside; 78 curve, swinging strikeout (in dirt).

Skinny: Nasty 12-to-6 drop.

(L) Eddie Rosario -- 91 fastball outside; 91 fastball, homer to right.

Skinny: Rosario hammered a pitch middle/in.

(L) Aaron Hicks -- 83 changeup called strike; 85 breaking pitch foul; 78 curve in dirt; 78 curve down and in; 93 fastball, grounder to second.

Skinny: Quality backhanded play by Ramirez.

SEVENTH INNING

(R) Kurt Suzuki -- 92 fastball outside; 83 slider outside; 91 fastball foul; 91 fastball foul; 85 off-speed, fly to left.

Skinny: Michael Brantley made catch on track.

(L) Eduardo Escobar -- 84 slider called strike; 83 off-speed outside; 92 fastball high; 93 fastball outside; 92 fastball outside, walk.

(Ryan Webb relieves Bauer.)

2015 Bridgestone Invitational final-round leaderboard, live streaming, TV schedule, tee times (photos)

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2015 Bridgestone Invitational live leaderboard, TV schedule, tee times, updates and fan guide for the tournament that features third-round co-leaders Jim Furyk and Justin Rose, plus Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia and the rest.

AKRON, Ohio -- The 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational fourth round is Sunday at Firestone Country Club. Below are our live leaderboard, TV schedule, links to live streaming, tee times with and notable pairings, news and weather. Also, find updates on third-round co-leaders Justin Rose and Jim Furyk as well as Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. 

Furyk and Rose were tied at nine-under par 201 Saturday and held a two-shot lead on Shane Lowry. Four back were Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and Steven Bowditch.

Injured defending champion Rory McIlroy and 2013 winner Tiger Woods, who did not qualify, are not playing, but they are entered in next week's PGA Championship.

2015 BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

Where: Firestone Country Club, South Course, 452 East Warner Road, Akron.

Purse: $9,250,000. Winner's share: $1,570,000

Live streaming: pgatourlive.com

Golf channel live stream: stream.golfchannel.com

TV SCHEDULE

  • Sunday: Golf Channel, noon; CBS, 2 p.m.

COURSE SCHEDULE .

  • Sunday: Final round. Gates open 7 a.m. Trophy presentation at the conclusion of play at 18th green.

SUNDAY PAIRINGS, TEE TIMES

Notable pairs:

  • Phil Mickelson, Hideki Matsuyama, 9:20 a.m.
  • Billy Horschel, Louis Oosthuizen, 10:20 a.m.
  • Adam Scott, Paul Casey, 11 a.m.
  • Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, 11:40 a.m.
  • Zach Johnson, Pablo Larrazabal, 11:50 a.m.
  • Jordan Spieth, Bernd Wiesberger, 12:10 p.m.
  • Sergio Garcia, Webb Simpson, 12:20 p.m.
  • Rickie Fowler, Branden Grace, 1 p.m.
  • Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, 1:10 p.m.
  • David Lingmerth, Danny Lee, 1:20 p.m.
  • Graeme McDowell, Brooks Koepka, 1:30 p.m.
  • Bubba Watson, Robert Streb, 1:40 p.m.
  • Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, 1:50 p.m.
  • Shane Lowry, Steven Bowditch, 2 p.m.
  • Justin Rose, Jim Furyk, 2:10 p.m.

SUNDAY WEATHER

Increasing clouds, high of 84, zero percent chance of rain, according to weather.com.

STATS

2015 course stats (three rounds cumulative)

  • Average scores: Thursday 71.364; Friday 70.988; Saturday 70.571. 

  • Toughest holes: No. 4 (plus .260 average over par), No. 9 .(.260)
  • Easiest holes: No. 2 (-.378 average under par), No. 10 (-.0.43), 
  • Rounds par and below: 175; rounds above par: 122.

Individual leaders (three rounds cumulative)

  • Driving distance: Bubba Watson, 356.8 yards
  • Fairways hit: (tie) Justin Rose, Keegan Bradley, 71.4 percent
  • Greens in regulation: Justin Rose, 74.1 percent
  • Approach shot proximity to hole: Jim Furyk, 28 feet, 6 inches
  • Sand saves: Justin Rose 3/3
  • Strokes gained tee to green: Justin Rose, 3.988

NEWS

Third-round coverage:

Co-leaders Jim Furyk, Justin Rose finish strong: Third round recap

No Tiger Woods at Bridgestone Invitational -- no problem with an exemption: Bill Livingston column

Second-round coverage:

Jim Furyk builds second-round lead; Jordan Spieth breaks par

At 45, Jim Furyk is, as usual, a pace-setter: Bill Livingston column

Spieth, McIlroy, Zach Johnson in historic PGA Championship grouping next week 

UDATES, more coverage: cleveland.com/golf

THE SOUTH COURSE

Firestone's famed South Course has hosted the PGA Championship three times and has been the site of the Bridgestone Invitational and its predecessor, the World Series of Golf, almost continuously since 1962.

Overview

  • Par: 70 (four par 3s, two par 5s)
  • Length: 7,400 yards.
  • 72-hole record: 259, Tiger Woods (2000).
  • 18-hole record: 61, Jose Maria Olazabal (1990), Tiger Woods (2000 and 2013), Sergio Garcia (2014).
  • Fairway, green grass type: Bent grass

  • FEATURED HOLES
  • No. 4. The 471-yard par 4 requires a long, straight tee shot and a sticky approach shot onto an elevated green. Spieth had three bogeys on this hole last year.
  • No. 5. A tiny green at the end of the 220-yard par 3 can be reached with a 5- or 6-iron, unless the wind blows, and then it gets interesting.
  • No. 6. The club's web site describes the par 4 as "469 yards of heartburn." It usually ranks as the course's toughest hole.
  • No. 15. The 221-yard par 3 features a flat green, but bunkers on the left of the green are hidden and attract numerous tee shots.
  • No. 16. The Famed "Monster,'' so named by Arnold Palmer after he took triple bogey there. The 667-yarder is among the longest par 5s on the tour. Making matters worse is a pond fronting the green. Finishing at the main walkway and next to the 18th green, it is a popular spot for fans and often provides great theater.
  • No. 18. The long (464 yards), narrow par 4 has a green defended by bunkers and is a difficult place to make birdie.

FAN INFO

Camera, phone policy

Cameras are allowed during the practice round Wednesday, but once the tournament starts, no photographs are allowed, and fans are asked to silence their mobile devices.

Fan Zone

The Taste of Ohio Cafe and the 16th Hole Bridgestone Green Monster Challenge are near food trucks along the main concourse.

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