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INDIANS-RED SOX

Red Sox top Indians 8-1 behind Lackey's pitching

BOSTON (AP) - John Lackey allowed two hits in seven innings, Mike Carp hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 8-1 on a rainy Friday night.

It was the second straight strong performance by Lackey, who missed all last season following Tommy John elbow surgery. Last Sunday he gave up one hit and one unearned run in six innings of a 5-1 win at Minnesota. He left that game after a three-hour rain delay.

After a 44-minute delay before Friday's game, Lackey (3-4) struck out eight, walked three and gave up an unearned run while pitching through a steady rain. He allowed only 2 of the 25 batters he faced to hit the ball out of the infield.

CUBS-REDS

Votto, Hanigan HRs lead Reds over Cubs 7-4

CINCINNATI (AP) - Joey Votto extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a homer, and Ryan Hanigan and Brandon Phillips also homered on Friday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to their fourth straight win, 7-4 over the Chicago Cubs.

The Reds have won 12 of their past 15 games, surging to a season-high 12 games over .500. They've dominated the Cubs, winning 15 of their past 17 in the series.

Chicago is last in the NL Central, having lost a season-high five straight. The Cubs (18-29) slid a season-low 11 games under .500.

Votto and Hanigan homered in the fourth inning off Scott Feldman (4-4). Phillips connected off Hector Rondon in the eighth.

Bronson Arroyo (5-4) gave up three runs in six innings, including Feldman's first career homer.

INDIANS-MOVES

Indians activate Swisher from paternity list

BOSTON (AP) - Cleveland Indians first baseman Nick Swisher is back from the paternity list after his wife, JoAnna, had the couple's first child, a girl.

Swisher missed three games. To make room for him, the Indians optioned infielder Cord Phelps to AAA Columbus.

Swisher was in the starting lineup and batting fourth for Friday night's game against the Boston Red Sox.

Swisher is in his first season with the Indians, who signed him to a 4-year, $56 million free agent contract in December. He is batting .274 with six homers and 16 RBIs.

Phelps was 0 for 9 in four games with Cleveland.

REDS-MARSHALL

Reds LH Marshall back on DL with sore shoulder

CINCINNATI (AP) - The Reds have placed left-handed reliever Sean Marshall on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season because of a sore pitching shoulder.

Marshall's left shoulder became tired during spring training, and he went on the disabled list from April 10-25 with tendinitis. The problem reoccurred when he resumed pitching, so the Reds put him back on the disabled list Friday before the start of a series against the Chicago Cubs.

Marshall was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in only 11 appearances covering 7 innings.

Left-hander Manny Parra was activated off the disabled list to take his spot. Parra has been on the DL since April 26 with a strained muscle on the left side of his back. Parra was 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in six appearances.

BENGALS-BERNARD

Bengals sign RB Bernard, only 1 pick left unsigned

CINCINNATI (AP) - The Bengals have signed running back Giovani Bernard of North Carolina, leaving only 1 of their 10 draft picks without a deal.

Bernard was the second of their two picks in the second round. He'll get a chance to win a spot as a change-of-pace back, complementing BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Earlier in the week, the Bengals signed defensive end Margus Hunt of Southern Methodist, their other second-round pick. The only draft choice still without a contract is tight end Tyler Eifert, taken 21st overall in the first round. They're hoping that Eifert can learn the offense quickly enough to give Cincinnati another pass-catching option in formations using two tight ends.

BROWNS-GILKEY

Browns sign rookie OL Gilkey to 4-year contract

CLEVELAND (AP) - The Browns have signed rookie offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey to a 4-year contract.

Gilkey was selected in the seventh round (No. 227 overall) by the Browns in April's NFL draft. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Gilkey started 34 games at left tackle for Division II Chadron State.

However, the Browns had him lined up at guard during their organized team activity practices. Gilkey was 1 of just three Division II players invited to the 2013 Senior Bowl.

Gilkey is the second pick from the 2013 rookie class to sign with Cleveland. Former Notre Dame safety Jamoris Slaughter also signed a 4-year deal earlier this week, when the Browns released safety Eric Hagg.

Linebacker Barkevious Mingo (first round), cornerback Leon McFadden (third round) and defensive end Armonty Bryant (seventh round) remain unsigned.

BLUE JACKETS MOVES

Blue Jackets sign McElhinney, Melart to contracts

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Curtis McElhinney and defenseman Ilari Melart to 1-year contracts.

McElhinney, who turned 30 on Thursday, has appeared in 69 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He has a 19-26-4 record, with a 3.09 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage. In 2012-13, he went 29-6-3 with nine shutouts in 49 games with Springfield of the American Hockey League.

The 24-year-old Melart, signed to an entry-level contract, spent the past several seasons playing in Europe. Last year, he was with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League.

The club has begun to work on a new deal with top goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

IOWA-OHIO ST-GAME TIME

Iowa at Ohio State game to kick off at 3:30 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio State announced on Friday that its homecoming game will be Oct. 19 against Iowa and will kick off at 3:30 p.m.

The game will be televised by ABC or ESPN.

It will be the Hawkeyes' first visit to Ohio Stadium since the 2009 game that went into overtime. Ohio State prevailed, 27-24, on a 39-yard field goal by Devin Barclay and in the process earned its first trip to the Rose Bowl since the 1996 season.

4 of Ohio State's 2013 game times are now set. The home games against Wisconsin on Sept. 28 and Penn State on Oct. 26 and at Northwestern on Oct. 5 will all start at 8 p.m.

OBIT-ROBINSON

Former NBA guard Flynn Robinson dies at 72

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Flynn Robinson, the former NBA guard who played on the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971-72 championship team, has died after a 2-year fight with cancer. He was 72.

Flynn's wife, Nancy Pitts-Robinson, told the Lakers he died Thursday at Keck Hospital in Los Angeles.

Called "Mr. Instant Point" by late Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn, the 6-foot-1 Robinson averaged 9.9 points and 2.2 assists in 64 games in 1971-72, helping the Lakers win an NBA-record 33 consecutive games and the franchise's first title in Los Angeles.

"We are very sad to hear of the passing of Flynn Robinson," said Jeanie Buss, the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations. "Flynn played an important role on the 1971-72 Lakers team."

Robinson had his best season in 1969-70 with Milwaukee, averaging 21.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 81 games and appearing in his lone All-Star game. In seven NBA seasons with Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, the Lakers and Baltimore, the former University of Wyoming star averaged 14.5 points and 3.1 assists. He finished his career in the ABA with the San Diego Conquistadors in 1973-74.

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