Reuters Sports News Summary

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NFL notebook: McCarthy opens up on Packers firing

Former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was surprised to be fired before the end of the 2018 season. McCarthy addressed the situation in his first sit-down interview since the Packers fired him Dec. 2, which he said "couldn't have been handled any worse." MLB roundup: Nats walk off to hand Phillies first loss

Jake Noll's bases-loaded walk with no outs in the bottom of the ninth gave the Washington Nationals a 9-8 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. David Robertson (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Anthony Rendon, then walked Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman before Noll took ball four on a 3-2 pitch. Sean Doolittle (2-0) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the victory. NHL roundup: Toews, Kane set career marks in Chicago's win

Captain Jonathan Toews scored his career-high 35th goal and also converted in the first round of a shootout as the host Chicago Blackhawks skated to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. Patrick Kane collected a goal and an assist to set a career high of his own with 107 points. Artem Anisimov also tallied for the Blackhawks, who won four of the five meetings in the season series with the Blues. Tennis: Sevastova stunned, seeds struggle at Charleston Open

Fourth seed Anastasija Sevastova was stunned by world No. 81 Jessica Pegula 6-4 6-2 in the second round of the Charleston Open on Wednesday as several seeds struggled in South Carolina. Sixth seed Elise Mertens fell to Kaia Kanepi 0-6 6-0 7-5 and seventh seed Julia Goerges lost to American Taylor Townsend 6-4 7-6(0). 'Retired' Conor McGregor hints at return

Conor McGregor has hinted his "retirement" from mixed martial arts may be over already after the Irishman said in a post on Twitter: " ... see you in the Octagon". "I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds," he tweeted. Japan bans fencing coach for bullying athletes

The Japan Fencing Association said on Thursday it has banned Ukrainian coach Alexander Gorbachuk from all fencing activities for one month after he was found to have bullied athletes during the Epee World Cup in Buenos Aires last month. The association said it had also banned former European team champion Gorbachuk, who has been preparing the men’s epee team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, from accompanying athletes to competitions for six months. DePaul evens CBI championship series with OT win over USF

Max Strus scored 32 points and Paul Reed added a double-double of 28 points and 16 rebounds to lift host DePaul to a 100-96 overtime victory against South Florida in Chicago on Wednesday night, tying the best-of-three College Basketball Invitational championship series at one game apiece. The Blue Demons (19-16) will host the decisive third game on Friday night. Pele hospitalized in Paris with urinary infection - friend

Brazilian soccer great Pele was hospitalized in Paris with a strong fever but his condition is not life-threatening and he should be released "within a couple of days," one of his long-time friends said on Wednesday. The 78-year-old was suffering from a urinary infection and being treated with antibiotics, his friend and spokesman Pepito Fornos, who was with Pele at the hospital, said. NBA roundup: Heat's loss scrambles East standings

Boston's Gordon Hayward scored a game-high 25 points and Kyrie Irving added 23 to lift the Celtics to a crucial 112-102 road victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Jayson Tatum scored nine consecutive points in the fourth quarter to help Boston remain in a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Al Horford tallied 21 points, Tatum 16 and Aron Baynes 10, with a team-high 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who won their second straight game and fourth in their last five. Draft notebook: Murray State's Morant to make jump

All-American sophomore and projected lottery pick Ja Morant is leaving Murray State to enter the 2019 NBA Draft, The Athletic reported Wednesday. Morant averaged 24.5 points and led the nation with 10.0 assists per game this season, highlighted by a triple-double against Marquette -- 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds -- in a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament.