Prop Gareth Milasinovich will miss much of his debut season with Ulster after suffering a knee ligament injury.

The Irish-qualified forward, 26, must undergo surgery to repair the ACL tear he suffered in pre-season training.

Ulster say the injury will keep the former Worcester Warriors player out of action for approximately nine months.

Milasinovich, who can play on both sides of the scrum, was expected to provide cover for first-choice tight-head Marty Moore this season.

The South Africa-born prop qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather Norman McFarland, a former Ulster hooker.

Milasinovich was one of six new recruits for Ulster during the summer along with Ireland prop Jack McGrath from Leinster, locks Sam Carter and David O'Connor, utility back Matt Faddes from the Highlanders and Munster fly-half Bill Johnston.

The son of Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke admitted that the club are not in the position to compete for trophies this season amid growing unrest among the team's supporters worldwide, but added that silverware is still ultimately the goal in the very near future.

Kroenke, and the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) that owns Arsenal, was criticised by Arsenal supporters' groups on Monday in a two-page letter that labelled the American billionaire "passive" and "absent" and using the club as an "investment vehicle."

In response, Josh Kroenke -- the vice-chairman of KSE and son of owner Stan -- said that the club is no longer able to compete for top trophies right now but are working their way back, while adding that he felt the disappointment of the fans and the team.

"As much as we would love to say that we'll be competing for the top trophies tomorrow, we know that that's not the case and that we have to get to work on that," Kroenke said in an interview on the club's website. He prefaced that comment by saying Arsenal's goal is still to win silverware.

Kroenke said he is confident in the "significant changes" in the last 18 months -- like the addition of a first-ever technical director in former midfielder Edu -- to lay the foundations to allow the club to achieve their goal of eventually winning silverware again.

"From our coaching staff to our management, there have been significant changes that have gone on and I'm really excited to let those foundations continue to grow and take shape to build a successful future for Arsenal.

"[We've appointed] Per Mertesacker, and most recently we appointed Edu -- so we have a technical director for the first time in the history of Arsenal. We have a man who has Arsenal DNA. We have an Invincible."

Arsenal finished fifth in the Premier League last season, one point behind North London rivals Spurs who came in fourth, in head coach Unai Emery's first season in charge after taking over from longtime boss Arsene Wenger. The Gunners will compete in the Europa League again this season, having lost in the final of last year's competition to Chelsea in Baku.

Kroenke told fans to be excited about upcoming signings this summer, saying: "There are a few things that I know our group are working on, and a few things we hopefully have on the doorstep."

Arsenal's only signing this summer is Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli, while Aaron Ramsey left for Juventus and captain Laurent Koscielny is on strike.

Stan Kroenke first invested in Arsenal in 2007 and went on to become majority shareholder in 2011.

Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004, with their last trophy being the FA Cup in 2017. The 2019-20 season will be their third in a row without Champions League football.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols hit a bases-clearing double during the Angels' six-run first inning, and Los Angeles remained unbeaten in five games since the All-Star break with a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Jake Marisnick was drilled between the shoulder blades by Angels reliever Noe Ramirez (4-1) in the sixth inning, and both teams nearly came to blows moments later. Marisnick ran over Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy in a collision at the plate in Houston nine days ago, leaving Lucroy with a concussion and a broken nose.

Shortly after Ramirez hit Marisnick with a 1-1 pitch, a verbal confrontation broke out between Pujols and several Astros in the dugout, including Lance McCullers Jr. and Justin Verlander. Both benches and bullpens partially emptied, but there was no serious physical contact -- and Marisnick noticeably tried to calm his teammates.

After the game, Astros manager AJ Hinch railed against the Angels getting a "free shot" at Marisnick.

"Our guy got suspended for an unintentional act and they got a free shot," Hinch said. "I feel bad for players nowadays. There's a lot of gray area in what to do. Sometimes you can run over catchers. Sometimes you can't. ... Sometimes you can retaliate, like tonight, they're going to get away with it, unless he gets suspended."

Hinch pointed out that Ramirez did not receive a warning, nor was he ejected.

"We'll see if there's discipline," Hinch continued. "And without discipline there's not going to be any issue doing it the next time. So if retaliations are in, cool. We're well aware."

Mike Trout missed his second straight game because of a mildly strained right calf, but Shohei Ohtani and Luis Rengifo also drove in first-inning runs in Los Angeles' eighth victory in 11 games since the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

Tyler White had three hits and an RBI in the Astros' fourth loss in six games. Their division lead over Oakland is down to 4 1/2 games, matching their smallest advantage since May 9.

With another impressive victory while mourning Skaggs' death, the Angels (50-46) moved four games above .500 for the first time since June 2018, albeit while still in fourth place in the AL West. Los Angeles has scored 54 runs in its past six games.

The Angels' first six batters reached base against Astros opener Hector Rondon (3-2), who gave up six runs, five hits and a walk against only nine batters while failing to get out of the first.

Ohtani, who drove in the first run with an infield single, went 2-for-4 and stole a base on his bobblehead night.

After getting three hits and three RBIs in the Angels' 9-6 win Monday, Pujols came through with another big offensive moment in Trout's absence. He drove in three runs with a perfectly placed double just inside the right-field line, and Rengifo chased Rondon with an RBI triple.

Andrew Heaney pitched eight-hit ball into the fifth inning and got five strikeouts in his second start since the death of Skaggs, his best friend.

MARKED MARISNICK

Marisnick, a native of nearby Riverside, had two hits while being booed heavily during pregame introductions and onward by angry Angels fans. Marisnick didn't play in the series opener Monday. He is currently appealing his two-game suspension for the collision.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Rogelio Armenteros came up from Triple-A Round Rock before the game and threw four innings of two-hit ball as Houston attempts to patch together the final two spots in a rotation damaged by injuries and inconsistency.

Angels: Trout hopes to return Wednesday but accepts the importance of caution. Brian Goodwin came off the injured list after missing nine games because of a bruised wrist and went 2-for-4 while replacing Trout in center.

UP NEXT

Gerrit Cole (9-5, 3.23 ERA), a Newport Beach native who graduated from nearby Orange Lutheran High School and attended UCLA, takes the mound for Houston against an opener and Felix Pena (7-2, 4.32 ERA), who threw the final seven innings of the Angels' combined no-hitter last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

India A 295 for 6 (Pandey 100, Gill 77, Cornwall 2-37) beat West Indies A 147 (Paul 34, Krunal 5-25) by 148 runs

Three days before the selectors meet to pick India's senior squad for the Caribbean tour, Manish Pandey, the A team captain, made a statement with an 86-ball century that fashioned a 148-run victory. Opener Shubman Gill also staked his claim for higher honours with his second successive half-century in the West Indies to follow up an unbeaten 109 against Sri Lanka A at home last month. After the two batsmen carried India A to 295 for 6, Krunal Pandya wrecked West Indies A's chase with 5 for 25 in seven overs. The 148-run win meant India wrapped up the five one-day series with two games remaining.

ALSO READ: India's selectors to meet on July 19

After opting to bat, India A lost Anmolpreet Singh for a duck in the third over, but Gill and No.3 Shreyas Iyer forged a 109-run stand to give the innings direction. Iyer, who made a brisk 77 in the tour opener, was more sedate on Tuesday, scoring 47 off 69 balls. The stand ended when Iyer was dismissed by offspin-bowling allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall in the 27th over. Pandey and Gill then took charge of the innings, putting on a 110-run stand to take the team towards 250.

While Gill fell 23 short of a hundred, Pandey reached the landmark off 86 balls, in the last over of the innings. Seamer Romario Shepherd then pinned him lbw with an inswinging yorker off his next ball to keep the visitors to under 300.

With West Indies selector Robert Haynes in attendance, John Campbell and Sunil Ambris have the A team a positive start by adding 51 for the first wicket. Ambris was the more aggressive opener, making 30 off 32 balls before he was trapped lbw by Avesh Khan. However, fingerspinners Krunal, Washington Sundar, and Hanuma Vihari tore up the middle and lower order as West Indies A went from 51 for 0 to 117 for 9.

With No.11 Akeem Jordan for company, Keemo Paul launched some big blows and top-scored with 34 off 16 balls, dragging his side to 147. It was Vihari who sealed the victory when he had Paul holing out in the 35th over. Ambris and Paul were the only West Indies A batsmen to pass 25 in the chase.

PHILADELPHIA -- Bryce Harper threw his helmet off rounding the bases, thrust his arms in the air and screamed while teammates stormed out of the dugout to mob him.

That's what Philadelphia has been waiting for from its $330 million man.

Harper hit a two-run double off Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen with one out in the bottom of the ninth after pinch-hitter Matt Beaty hit a three-run homer off Phillies closer Hector Neris in the top half, rallying Philadelphia to a 9-8 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

"That's what baseball is all about,'' Harper said. "Against one of the best closers, it's always fun.''

Pinch-hitter Andrew Knapp hit a double with one out after Adam Haseley's grounder hit off Jansen's right foot near the ankle and rolled to first base. Cesar Hernandez followed with a single and Scott Kingery's bloop single to center scored Knapp to get the Phillies within a run. Harper then ripped a ball to the gap that bounced off A.J. Pollock's glove and went to the wall to win it.

"That was a huge moment for Bryce,'' Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. "You could see how important that was for him.''

The Phillies rebounded from a 16-2 loss in the opener of a four-game series against the two-time defending NL champions.

Cody Bellinger hit his major league-leading 34th homer and Max Muncy, A.J. Pollock and Joc Pederson also went deep for the Dodgers.

Harper hit a three-run homer and had five RBIs for the first time since April 19, 2017, at Atlanta. Brad Miller and Kingery also connected for the Phillies.

Ranger Suarez (1-0) got two outs for the win.

Neris was ejected after hitting pinch-hitter David Freese in the back with the next pitch after Beaty homered, and Kapler also was tossed.

Jansen (3-3) has four blown saves in 24 tries. He was limping in the clubhouse after the game.

"I should've come out of the game,'' Jansen said.

Kingery drove his 13th homer out to left to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the first. Muncy crushed his 25th homer on an 0-2 pitch in the second to tie it at 1.

After J.T. Realmuto reached on a throwing error on third baseman Justin Turner to start the Philadelphia's second, Miller hit a two-run shot.

Harper then blasted his 17th homer to deep center with two outs to make it 5-1.

Bellinger lined a two-run shot in the fourth and Pollock connected one batter later to cut it to 6-4. Pederson launched his 21st homer in the fifth.

STAT STORY

The Dodgers lost despite five players hitting homers for the second time in franchise history, according to STATS. The other time was May 14, 1961, against the Cubs.

STARTING TIME

Dodgers: Walker Buehler gave up six runs -- two earned -- and four hits in six innings.

Phillies: Vince Velasquez gave up five runs -- four earned -- and five hits, striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings.

BENCHED

Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco wasn't in the starting lineup because he didn't run hard down the line on a grounder to third bases with two outs and the bases loaded during Monday night's 16-2 loss. The throw was wide but Franco was still out.

Kapler wouldn't call it a "benching'' and added Franco said he didn't run hard because of a groin injury, but his explanation made it clear it was disciplinary. Kapler hasn't sat a player for lack of hustle until now and has heard plenty of criticism from media and fans for not doing it.

"Taking a player out of the lineup in a punitive way is not my natural way of handling these type of situations,'' Kapler said. "In this particular situation, I thought it was critical to address in part because right after some of the other incidents that we've had.''

Franco grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: LF Jay Bruce left in the third inning with a right oblique strain. ... SS Jean Segura didn't start because of a heel contusion. ... RHP Edubray Ramos was placed on the 10-day injury list with a right shoulder impingement and LHP Austin Davis recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... RHP Juan Nicasio was activated from the 10-day injured list and RHP Yacksel Rios was optioned to Triple-A.

UP NEXT

RHP Kenta Maeda (7-6, 3.82 ERA) starts for the Dodgers and RHP Nick Pivetta (4-4, 5.81 ERA) goes for the Phillies on Wednesday night.

Billy Vunipola says he is determined not to disrupt England's World Cup preparations and regrets the impact on his Saracens team-mates after defending Israel Folau's anti-gay comments.

In April, Vunipola, 26, was warned by the Rugby Football Union for his support of Australian Folau's post which said "hell awaits" gay people.

But Vunipola - also a devout Christian - added "everyone knows where I stand".

"The regret I would have is bringing my team-mates into disrepute," he said.

"That was something I didn't really think about, which was probably a bit selfish from my point of view," the Saracens number eight added to BBC Sport.

"That is something I don't want to happen here [with England]. I don't want them to be affected by one person's opinion."

After liking Folau's post, Vunipola added on Instagram: "There just comes a point when you insult what I grew up believing in that you just say enough is enough.... He's [Folau] saying how we live our lives needs to be closer to how God intended them to be. Man was made for woman to procreate, that was the goal no?"

Folau's contract was terminated by Rugby Australia in May after he was found guilty of a "high level breach" of RA's player code of conduct.

Vunipola said: "We dealt with it as a group at Sarries and put it out in the open. I addressed the group myself.

"Everyone knows where I stood - or where I stand - but the point we had coming out of [the meeting] was that it is unfair to bring everyone else into it.

"Whatever I say will be scrutinised and will affect the team so, for me, it is better to say nothing about it.

"If I was a boxer I would happily sit here and talk to you about how I feel, how I think, how I stand. But it would be very unfair for me to do that right now, as it wouldn't be fair [on the rest of the England squad]."

Joe Marler and James Haskell were among current and former team-mates to voice their opposition to Vunipola's views, but the number eight is confident there will be no divisions in camp.

While Haskell has retired, Marler is among the 40 players currently training in Bristol before the tournament in Japan, which starts in September.

"Hask came to my wedding," Vunipola added. "All these things are there to be talked about.

"Marler and I have yet to talk about it but we are going to sit down. We are going to talk and see where it gets us."

Vunipola was booed by supporters during the latter stages of Saracens' victorious Champions Cup campaign last season, and accepts he could receive similar treatment in the future.

"I brought this on myself and I am not going to hide away from the fact I did," he said.

"But it is something that also means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to other people."

CORONA, Calif. – Lucas Oil Products Inc. has named Matt Conrad as the new general manager of Lucas Oil.

In an announcement made by founder, CEO and President Forrest Lucas, Conrad will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Lucas Oil Production Facilities in Corona, Calif., and Corydon, Ind.

“As our company has grown and matured, so has our staff. Looking to the future we believe it is time we promoted someone to the position of General Manager,” stated Lucas. “Matt Conrad has been the obvious choice for a long time. Matt is very unselfish and is always looking out for the company and staff. We are pleased to name him General Manager of Lucas Oil.”

An Indiana native, Conrad brings 15 years worth of Lucas Oil knowledge and experience into his new role, having joined the company in 2004 as a production line worker. Throughout his tenure at Lucas Oil, Conrad has worked within an array of additional departments, such as truck dispatch, shipping, human resources, payroll, I.T., new production line design and startup, and inventory management. He also served as a plant manager and was the General Manager of Lucas Oil Golf Course in English, Indiana.

“I am very excited about this new opportunity to help Lucas Oil move forward into the future and to take over more of the marketplace. I love being part of a great team that appreciates the company they work for and their team members,” explained Conrad. “One of my main goals will be to ensure we continue producing and shipping the best products as efficiently as possible, while also making our customers happy. I look forward to working closer with everyone in order to achieve these goals. Together we can accomplish more. Whenever everyone works together, ‘It Works!’”

ATTICA, Ohio – Heavy rain showers, a high-water table and saturated grounds at Attica Raceway Park combined to force the cancellation of Tuesday night’s Brad Doty Classic.

Cars had just rolled out for motor heat when severe thunderstorms moved into the area, thoroughly drenching the third-mile dirt track and bringing the night to a premature end.

Forty-nine cars were in attendance for the crown-jewel event, including NASCAR stars Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, popular dirt open-wheel racer Rico Abreu and current All Star Circuit of champions point leader Aaron Reutzel, as well as the World of Outlaws regulars.

The 31st edition of the Doty will not be made up, due in part to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series make-up event of Eldora Speedway’s #LetsRaceTwo finale, which is scheduled for the Brad Doty Classic’s traditional Wednesday night rain date.

Those who purchased a reserved ticket in advance to Tuesday’s event at Attica will receive a face value credit to their MyDirtTickets.com account to be used towards any World of Outlaws event available at WorldofOutlaws.com/tix.

If a credit to MyDirtTickets.com does not work, then fans have until Aug. 16 to request a face value refund. For more details call 844-DIRT-TIX Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to speak with a customer service representative about the available options.

For fans who purchased a general admission ticket and a pit pass at Attica Raceway Park, call the raceway at (419) 680-5606.

The World of Outlaws field moves to Eldora Speedway for the remainder of the week, July 17-20, for four straight nights of racing that culminates with the $175,000-to-win Kings Royal on Saturday night. Donny Schatz is the three-time defending event champion.

The Anaheim Ducks have signed veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.

Financial terms weren't announced.

Del Zotto spent part of the 2018-19 season with Anaheim before being traded to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blues.

The 29-year-old is in a much different place than when he was a mainstay on the Rangers' blue line at age 19. After four-plus years there, he fell out of favor and has been on five teams in the past six years.

No season was more of a journey -- literally -- than this past one. He started with Vancouver but was traded in January to Anaheim.

At the trade deadline he was then dealt to St. Louis. The Blues were just starting to turn it around at the time, but Del Zotto didn't get to play much of a role. He played in seven regular-season games and didn't suit up in the playoffs.

Del Zotto is coming off a two-year, $6 million deal he signed with Vancouver. Between the three teams last season he had 10 points in 42 games.

His best season was as a 21-year-old in New York, when he had 10 goals and 31 assists in 77 games in 2011-12 and helped lead the Rangers to the conference finals.

Also Tuesday, Anaheim signed centers Chase De Leo and Justin Kloos and defenseman Chris Wideman to one-year, two-way contracts.