Sports News Roundup: Lightning run win streak to 9; Tokyo 2020 won't be canceled over coronavirus crisis and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB notebook: Astros’ Altuve, Bregman apologize

Two of the Houston Astros' top hitters, third baseman Alex Bregman and second baseman Jose Altuve, issued apologies for their role in a sign-stealing plot that led to the dismissal of manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. "I have some brief remarks I'd like to share with y'all. I'm really sorry about the choices that were made by my team, by the organization and by me," Bregman said Thursday, with his hands connected at the fingertips reading from a prepared statement. "I've learned from this and I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans. I would also like to thank the Astros' fans for all of their support. We as a team are totally focused on moving forward to the 2020 season."

French Open to be Federer's only claycourt appearance in 2020

Roger Federer will make his only appearance on clay this season at Roland Garros, his agent has told Reuters. The Swiss skipped the entire claycourt season in 2017 and 2018 and last year played only two tournaments on the surface before arriving in Paris for the French Open.

NHL roundup: Lightning run win streak to 9

Yanni Gourde broke a second-period tie with a short-handed game-winner as Tampa Bay beat the visiting Edmonton Oilers 3-1 on Thursday night, extending the Lightning's winning streak to an NHL-high nine games. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves for his league-best 31st win and ran his point streak to 20 contests (18-0-2) for the Lightning, who won for the 10th consecutive time at home -- tying the franchise record.

WHO says no case for canceling, moving Tokyo Games: IOC coordinator

The World Health Organization has told the International Olympic Committee there is no case for canceling or relocating the Tokyo 2020 Olympics over the coronavirus outbreak, the head of the IOC's Coordination Commission said on Friday. WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib declined to comment, telling reporters to wait for the daily briefing in Geneva on Friday by its top emergency expert Dr. Mike Ryan, scheduled for 1500 GMT.

Olympic wave riders in the frontline of climate change

Of all the sports at the Tokyo Olympics later this year none inhabit the frontline of climate change quite like surfing. This is why when the wave sport makes its debut on Chiba's Tsurigasaki Beach, there will be more than gold medals at stake.

Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen events postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

The Maybank Championship to be held in Kuala Lumpur and the Volvo China Open in Shenzhen that was both scheduled for April has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, the European Tour announced on Friday. The outbreak has killed more than 1,300 people and infected more than 60,000 in China after emerging late last year in Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province.

Kuchar leads, Woods five back at Riviera

Tournament host Tiger Woods had little time to fine-tune his game ahead of the Genesis Open but that did not stop him from making a hot start with an eagle at the first hole in the opening round in Los Angeles on Thursday. Woods, seeking a record 83rd PGA Tour victory, was delighted with the quality of his play on the front nine but was a little untidy coming home, dropping a couple of shots for a two-under-par 69 that saw him trail leader Matt Kuchar by five.

IOC: Tokyo 2020 won't be canceled over coronavirus crisis

The games will go on. That's the message from the International Olympic Committee at the start of a two-day meeting with organizers of the 2020 games in Tokyo.

ATP roundup: Tsitsipas falls to Bedene in Rotterdam

Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene used nine aces and some clutch play to knock off second-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece 7-5, 6-4 on Thursday in the Round of 16 at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Bedene saved all five break points he faced -- including three to hold at 4-4 in the first set -- and converted his only two opportunities to break Tsitsipas. He closed it out on his first match point, wrapping up victory in 92 minutes on the hardcourt.

NFL notebook: Lynn thinks QB Taylor could start in 2020

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor could have an opportunity to earn the starting job for the 2020 season, coach Anthony Lynn said Thursday. Taylor served as the team's backup in 2019 to longtime Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who parted ways with the franchise after 16 seasons on Monday. Taylor, who signed a two-year, $11 million contract last offseason, joins Easton Stick as the lone quarterbacks on the Chargers' roster.

(With inputs from agencies.)