Off the wire

Vasek Pospisil knocked off Juan Martin del Potro and denied the Argentine a successful return to the ATP Tour with 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory to advance to the second round of the Miami Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.
Vasek Pospisil knocked off Juan Martin del Potro and denied the Argentine a successful return to the ATP Tour with 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory to advance to the second round of the Miami Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.

SOCCER

Solo starts therapy

U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo said she used her 30-day suspension from the squad to "reassess my life and career" and has entered therapy. Solo launched a personal blog this week to share thoughts about herself and the national team as it prepares for the 2015 World Cup in Canada. Solo was suspended by U.S. Soccer in January after her husband, former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens, was arrested on drunken driving charges while driving a federation van. The incident came shortly after domestic violence charges against Solo had been dismissed. In her first post, Solo also says she is seeing an Eastern medicine healer. She recounts apologizing to her teammates and her return to help the U.S. win the Algarve Cup title in Portugal.

FOOTBALL

49ers waive Martin

The San Francisco 49ers have waived offensive lineman Jonathan Martin. The team announced the move on Thursday to end Martin's one-year trial run with the team. The Niners acquired Martin last March in a deal with Miami. Martin had left the Dolphins in October 2013 after accusing teammate Richie Incognito of bullying. An NFL investigation determined Incognito and two other Dolphins offensive linemen engaged in persistent harassment of Martin. Martin started seven games at right tackle last season in place of injured Anthony Davis. He struggled in that role and allowed 7 1/2 sacks, according to STATS. Martin was picked in the second round out of Stanford in 2012.

• The Cincinnati Bengals brought back defensive tackle Pat Sims on Thursday, signing him as an unrestricted free agent from Oakland. Sims was Cincinnati's third-round pick in 2008 and spent five seasons with the Bengals before leaving as a free agent. He spent the last two seasons with the Raiders, playing in 32 games with a total of 85 tackles. He has seven career sacks and one interception. He's the second member of the defensive line to reunite with Cincinnati in the offseason. The Bengals also signed defensive end Michael Johnson, who left as a free agent after the 2013 season and played one year with Tampa Bay before being released.

TENNIS

Pospisil advances

Juan Martin del Potro's latest comeback from an injury is off to a slow start. Playing his first match since Jan. 15, del Potro lost Thursday to Vasek Pospisil in the first round of the Miami Open, 6-4, 7-6 (7), at Key Biscayne, Fla. Del Potro had been sidelined with a lingering left wrist injury. The 2009 U.S. Open champion had wrist surgery a year ago and played in just four tournaments in 2014, and his ranking has fallen to No. 616. Rustiness showed in the second set, to the disappointment of a partisan stadium crowd rooting for the Argentine. He served at 5-4 and was broken. He double-faulted holding a set point, lost another set point and double-faulted again on the next-to-last point. Del Potro converted only one of six break-point chances and hit just nine winners to 36 for Pospisil, a Canadian ranked 60th. Del Potro said he felt fine physically after the match. He said his wrist is not yet 100 percent, but it's improving week by week. Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki won her opening match against American Madison Brengle, 6-0, 6-1. Wozniacki is seeded fourth, and all seeded players had first-round byes. No. 7-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 champion, beat Anna Schmiedlova, 6-4, 7-5. No. 9 Andrea Petkovic topped American Christina McHale 6-2, 6-2. In other men's play, American Steve Johnson lost to Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Former Australian Open runnerup Marcos Baghdatis was eliminated by Simone Bolelli, 6-2, 6-2. Martin Klizan won and will face No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the second round Saturday night.

BASEBALL

Reds-Astros do deal

The Cincinnati Reds acquired first baseman Dan Johnson from the Houston Astros on Thursday for a player to be chosen later or cash, one of two trades involving minor leaguers. They also sent infielder Devin Lohman to the Philadelphia Phillies for a player to be chosen later or cash. Johnson played in 15 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season, batting .211 with a home run and seven RBI. He left as a free agent after the season and signed with Houston in December. He'll report to the Reds' minor league camp. The 35-year-old infielder also has played for Oakland, Tampa Bay, the White Sox and Baltimore. Lohman batted .245 with five home runs and 29 RBI in 108 games at Class AA Pensacola last season.

• Right-hander Yovani Gallardo was selected as the opening day starter for the Texas Rangers by manager Jeff Banister on Thursday. This will be Gallardo's sixth consecutive opening day assignment. The previous five were with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Rangers acquired Gallardo, who went to high school in Fort Worth, in a four-player trade in January. Gallardo will face off against Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray on April 6 in Oakland. Gallardo, who is eligible for free agency after the season, becomes the seventh different Rangers' opening day starter in the past seven years. Gallardo has an 11.32 ERA in three spring training games. Yu Darvish was projected to start the Texas opener, but is out for the season after reconstructive elbow surgery on March 17. Banister also announced left-hander Ross Detwiler has secured a spot in the rotation. Detwiler was used as a reliever last season by the Washington Nationals, but has 69 starts in his career. Detwiler is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA in three spring appearances.

GOLF

Watson, resort part ways

Ten years after he was named golf pro emeritus at The Greenbrier, PGA Tour great Tom Watson and the Charleston, W.Va., resort are parting ways. Resort owner Jim Justice told the Charleston Daily Mail that Watson's agreement with The Greenbrier has expired and wasn't renewed. Justice says Watson's time to dedicate to the White Sulphur Springs resort is limited and expensive. He says he prefers to have someone in place who can offer golf lessons and remain on site much of the season. Watson's title was held only by the late Sam Snead. The resort hosts the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic in July.

Sports on 03/27/2015

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