New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera threw 18 pitches Thursday in his first simulated game since knee surgery in June.

The 43-year old pitched one inning against minor-league players. Rivera, coming off anterior cruciate ligament surgery, said, "We have another month to go, a long time. But we're feeling good. Getting stronger and stronger."

CC Sabathia threw 46 pitches over two innings during his initial simulated game. He had offseason elbow bone spur surgery. "No problems," he said. "Threw everything."

  • Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus was scratched against Cleveland because of what the Rangers called "sensitivity in his left arm" -- apparently caused by a tattoo. Andrus spent nine hours Tuesday getting a likeness of his late father that covers most of the left arm. "I'm done with this, too much pain," said Andrus, who will leave the team Saturday to join Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic. ... Lance Berkman singled, walked and scored twice in a 10-0 Texas win.

  • Outfielder Carlos Beltran bruised the little toe on his right foot when he was hit by a pitch during St. Louis' 8-2 win over Miami. X-rays were negative, but Beltran said he was unsure whether the injury would
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    affect his plans to play for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

  • Clayton Kershaw struck out seven over three innings, and the Dodgers beat the Angels 10-8 to leave their Los Angeles rivals 0-5-2 at spring training. Kershaw allowed two earned runs and six hits.

  • Stephen Strasburg struck out six in three innings, and Washington and the New York Mets played to a 4-4 tie in 10 innings. Strasburg gave up one run and three hits.

    NFL

    The salary cap for the 2013 season will rise to $123 million from $120.6 million in 2012, an NFL Players Association official familiar with negotiations said. No formal announcement had been made. The increase is a result of greater-than-expected revenues last season -- primarily from NFL Properties -- according to the official.

  • By restructuring the contracts of linebacker DeMarcus Ware, tight end Jason Witten, receiver Miles Austin, cornerback Brandon Carr and center Ryan Cook, Dallas wiped out the $20 million it was projected to be over the 2013 cap.

  • Sheriff's officials say Tennessee tight end Brandon Barden was arrested in a roll-over drunken driving crash in eastern Georgia.

    Boxing

    The Nevada State Athletic Commission fined and suspended Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. over a failed drug test before a title fight in Las Vegas on Sept. 15. Chavez (46-1-1) tested positive for marijuana before his loss to Sergio Martinez. He was suspended for nine months from the date of the bout and fined $900,000, which amounts to 30 percent of his purse. Chavez said he took the drug to curb his stress eight or nine days before the fight. He already was fined $20,000 and suspended indefinitely by the WBC.

    Tennis

    Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic improved to 11-0 this year by routing Andreas Seppi 6-0, 6-3 at the Dubai Championships. In the semifinals, Djokovic plays Juan Martin del Potro and defending champion Roger Federer faces Tomas Berdych.

  • Sam Querrey double-faulted on the last two points of the third-set tiebreaker to lose to qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (4) at the Delray Beach (Fla.) International Championships. Tommy Haas moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Denis Istomin.

  • Venus Williams beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4, 6-0 in the Brazil Cup quarterfinals in Florianopolis.

    Colleges

    NCAA executive committee chairwoman Lou Anna K. Simon said the botched probe of Miami's athletic department should lead to change, but not at the top of the governing body.

    The NCAA alleges former Miami booster Nevin Shapiro was responsible for providing $170,000 in impermissible benefits to Hurricanes athletes, recruits and coaches between 2002-10, according to a source.

  • The Big East's major college football members will meet in Atlanta on Friday to discuss the planned departure of the seven basketball schools.

  • University of Utah swim coach Greg Winslow was suspended because of allegations he sexually abused a teenage girl he coached in Arizona six years ago.

    No charges have been filed, but athletic director Chris Hill said the allegations warrant the suspension.

    MCT Information Services contributed to this report.