Sports News Roundup: Nelson Cruz, Twins slam Tigers; Egor Gerasimov scores early upset in Cagliari and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

North Korea drops out of Tokyo Olympics citing COVID-19, dashing South Korea hopes

North Korea will not join the Tokyo Olympics this year due to coronavirus concerns, the country's sports ministry said on Tuesday, dashing South Korean hopes the Games could be a catalyst to revive stalled peace talks. It will be the first time North Korea has missed a Summer Olympics since it boycotted Seoul in 1988 amid the Cold War.

MLB roundup: Nelson Cruz, Twins slam Tigers

Nelson Cruz hit a pair of homers, including his 10th career grand slam, and drove in five runs as visiting the Minnesota Twins slugged their way to a 15-6 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Willians Astudillo had three hits, drove in two runs, and scored another for Minnesota. Andrelton Simmons reached base four times, scored two runs, and drove in two more, while Jorge Polanco supplied two hits, a run, and an RBI.

Johnson set to defend as sense of normalcy returns to Masters

The Masters returns to its traditional date this week as the year's first major at Augusta National and Dustin Johnson is the man to beat on a layout that, while familiar, will play and look much different than the one he triumphed on five months ago. Colorful, blooming azaleas set against emerald fairways and greens will be back on full display in stark contrast to the autumn foliage that created a rather unique setting last year when COVID-19 forced the Masters to be played in November.

Baylor ends Gonzaga's perfect run, wins NCAA title

Jared Butler made four 3-pointers and recorded 22 points and seven assists as Baylor turned Gonzaga's unbeaten season dream into a nightmare with a wire-to-wire, 86-70 victory in the national championship game on Monday night at Indianapolis. MaCio Teague added 19 points as the Bears (28-2) won their first national title by prevailing in the battle of No. 1 seed. Davion Mitchell contributed 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Adam Flagler scored 13 points for Baylor.

Olympics: Tokyo organisers to cancel water polo test event - NHK

Tokyo Olympic organizers are expected to cancel a water polo test event scheduled for this weekend, a report said on Tuesday, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt preparations less than four months before the start of the Games. Cancellation would be another blow for organizers just days after they restarted test events, which had been on hold due to the pandemic, for the first time in more than a year.

Natural order restored as spectators return to Augusta National

The natural order was restored -- kind of -- as Masters week began under an azure April sky in front of appreciative spectators at Augusta National on Monday. Five months after a unique November Masters that was staged with virtually no spectators due to coronavirus concerns, a limited gallery of a few thousand has been allowed onto the hallowed grounds this week.

Georgia voting debate reaches the Masters and Augusta National

Golfers arriving for The Masters at Augusta National on Monday were nudged into addressing Georgia's new voting restrictions debate but tried to steer clear of the controversy including Major League Baseball's decision to remove the All-Star Game from Atlanta over the issue. The Masters is the year's first golf major and one of the most popular annual sports events. Often described as Spring Break for CEOs, the tournament is a magnet for America's corporate elite, some of whom belong to Augusta National, which has gone to great lengths in the past to shield its members.

ATP roundup: Egor Gerasimov scores early upset in Cagliari

Egor Gerasimov of Belarus defeated No. 7 seed Guido Pella of Argentina 6-4, 6-0 in first-round action Monday at the Sardegna Open in Cagliari, Italy. Gerasimov saved five of seven breakpoints and swept the last nine games of the 86-minute match.

Fans pack stands as Texas Rangers welcome full capacity

Baseball fans packed the stands of Globe Life Field on Monday after the Texas Rangers opened their doors to 100% capacity, making the game the first North American sporting event without attendance restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team said it was a sellout, with 38,238 in attendance under an open roof on a sunny day at the Arlington, Texas, stadium, the only one in baseball to allow full capacity after Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state to fully reopen last month.

NBA: Curry to auction 'Bruce Lee shoes' for families of Atlanta shooting victims

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will auction a pair of custom game-worn shoes featuring a picture of martial arts icon Bruce Lee to raise money for the families of last month's Atlanta-area shootings victims. Curry wore the yellow, white and black shoes -- designed with the Bruce Lee Foundation and featuring Lee's famous quote "under the heavens, there is but one family" -- during Sunday's 117-111 defeat by the Atlanta Hawks.