Sportingnews - 20090528

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Spunky Spurrier ‘We’re still trying to make history’ at South Carolina Page 6

300 in sight for Big Unit Giants lefthander Randy Johnson earned career win No. 299 on Wednesday. MLB’s active wins leaders: Player Wins Tom Glavine, Braves 305 Randy Johnson, Giants 299 Jamie Moyer, Phillies 249 Andy Pettitte, Yankees 219 Pedro Martinez, free agent 214 BEN MARGOT / AP John Smoltz, Red Sox 210

NBA Playoffs Western Conference finals L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 94 (L.A. Lakers lead series 3-2)

NHL Playoffs Western Conference finals Detroit 2, Chicago 1, OT (Detroit wins series 4-1)

Soccer UEFA Champions League final Barcelona 2, Manchester United 0 Barca caps great season, Page 34

Baseball American League Baltimore 12, Toronto 10, 11 innings Detroit 8, Kansas City 3 Seattle 6, Oakland 1 N.Y. Yankees 9, Texas 2 Minnesota 4, Boston 2 Cleveland 12, Tampa Bay 7 L.A. Angels 3, Chicago White Sox 1 National League St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 2 Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 2 L.A. Dodgers 8, Colorado 6 Florida 6, Philadelphia 2 Cincinnati 6, Houston 1 N.Y. Mets 7, Washington 4 San Diego 8, Arizona 5 San Francisco 6, Atlanta 3

STANLEY CUP FINALS S

NBA PLAYOFFS

L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 94

THURSDAY MAY 28, 2009 SEE A DIFFERENT GAME VOLUME 1 ISSUE 310

First shot at milestone could come Wednesday, Page 8

Scoreboard

NBA DRAFT > 4

GAME 1:

PITTSBURGH VS. DETROIT

Saturday, 8 P.M. ET, NBC

Penguins get shot at revenge BY CRAIG CUSTANCE [email protected]

When asked about a possible opponent in the Stanley Cup finals, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby wouldn’t go so far as to say he preferred a shot at revenge against Detroit. His Penguins lost in a six-game finals to the Red Wings last year, and the most Crosby would admit was that it would make for a compelling series. “There’s a lot more story lines if it ends up Detroit,” Crosby said after beating Carolina. Well, it ended up Detroit. With the Red Wings’ 2-1 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night, the anticipated rematch between the Red Wings and Penguins was finalized. And like Sid promised, there are plenty of story lines: Marian Hossa’s decision: Last July, Hossa turned down an offer from the Penguins to sign a one-year deal

PAUL SANCYA / AP

Detroit will meet Pittsburgh in the first Stanley Cup rematch since Edmonton beat the Islanders in 1984.

with Detroit. His reasoning was simple: He wanted to win a Stanley Cup. “When I look at those two

teams,” Hossa said on the day he signed, “I felt like I would have a little better chance to win the Cup

with Detroit.” We’ll find out soon if he was right. Revenge: It’s never easy to lose in the Stanley Cup finals, but it must have been a little harder for the Penguins last year. Detroit clinched the title in Pittsburgh and the Penguins couldn’t have enjoyed the Red Wings celebrating a Stanley Cup win in their building. “Yeah, it would be a pretty sweet feeling to beat them,” Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal said. A fight for dynasty status: If the Red Wings win another Stanley Cup, it’ll be their third in seven seasons and fifth since 1997. The Penguins are making their second consecutive trip to the finals and, considering the young age of core players like Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, should be competitive for the next decade. Though they haven’t won a Cup, the Penguins already are drawing comparison to Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers teams of the 1980s. Blackhawks can build on loss, Page 9

MARK J. TERRILL / AP

Lamar Odom shook a playoff slump with 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. Page 13

ORLANDO AT CLEVELAND 8:30 tonight, TNT Magic lead series 3-1 They’ve got two home games and LeBron James on their side. So it shouldn’t be impossible for the Cavaliers to rally from a 3-1 deficit against the Magic—if, that is, they do a few things starting tonight in Game 5: Live by the 3. Mo Williams and Delonte West got the Cavs here. Their shots have to start falling eventually. Don’t they? Involve the big guys. If the perimeter shooters remain frigid, the Cavs need to involve their big men. They lack classic post-up guys, but the four bigs have combined to take just 24.8 percent of the shots. Match up. The Cavs can put James on either Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis, but not both. Cleveland must go small in order to keep up with Lewis.

1.

2. 3.

— Sean Deveney Magic don’t fear road, Page 14

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A quick look at the best sports on TV — all times Eastern NBA

Magic at Cavaliers 8:30 p.m., TNT The numbers clearly favor the Magic to win this series, as teams that have earned a 3-1 advantage in NBA postseason play have won 182 of 190 matchups. But if there is a team capable of completing the comeback, it is one that has LeBron James. If you’re a Magic fan and were watching as James hoisted his last-second 3-pointer at the end of Game 4, you had to fear it was going in. James gives the Cavs more than a fighting chance. And if the Magic start going cold from beyond the arc, this could be a blowout. — Roger Kuznia

SOCCER

Chicago Fire at Chivas USA 10:30 p.m., ESPN2 It couldn’t get much better in Major League Soccer than a game between its best offensive team (Chicago) and best defense (Chivas). Back in MLS after a successful run in England, Brian McBride has scored six times for the Fire. Again a regular after struggling for a couple years with different clubs, Chivas keeper Zach Thornton has allowed only six goals in 11 games. It’d be nice if the game weren’t after bedtime, but it could be worth losing some sleep. — Mike DeCourcy

TENNIS

French Open Noon, ESPN2 Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king of the French Open, having won the last four men’s singles titles, and Roger Federer has been his personal whipping boy, having beaten Federer in the last three finals. Will this year be any different for Federer? Check out his game as he plays Jose Acasuso in second round action while Andy Roddick faces Ivo Minar. This is also your chance to hear Dick Enberg call his 23rd French Open. — Roger Kuznia

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

1 p.m. ESPN—NCAA Division I, World Series, Game 1, Washington vs. Georgia, at Oklahoma City 7 p.m. ESPN—NCAA Division I, World Series, Game 3, Alabama vs. Michigan, at Oklahoma City

GOLF

10 a.m. TGC—European PGA Tour, European Open, first round, at Kent, England 3 p.m. TGC—PGA Tour, Crowne Plaza Invitational, first round, at Fort Worth, Texas NBA BASKETBALL

8:30 p.m. TNT—Playoffs, Eastern

2

OFF THE FIELD

Tune In Today

GUIDE

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

Conference finals, Game 5, Orlando at Cleveland SOCCER

10:30 p.m. ESPN2—MLS, Chicago at CD Chivas USA TENNIS

Noon ESPN2—French Open, early round, at Paris

Clarett wants another shot at NFL Still in prison on armed robbery and illegal weapons convictions, disgraced former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett says he wants a second chance in the NFL after washing out with the Denver Broncos, according to profootballtalk.com. In his latest blog post, per Bob Glauber of Newsday, Clarett is thinking about playing football again when he’s a free man. “I can’t hold these feelings in anymore,” Clarett said. “I want to play football again. I have a deep desire to play. I love the game. I have so much penitentiary aggression pinned up inside of me. I want to hit someone. I want to run the ball. I want to tackle someone. I want to play. I am going to play somewhere. I cannot accept how things ended. I won’t accept how they ended. I am 220, rock solid. I am moving swift, running fast, and jumping high. My mind is right and my life is in order.”

Prosecutors: Jail Williams Prosecutors asked a judge to sentence Jayson Williams for covering up a fatal shooting at his mansion in 2002 and cited the former NBA star’s recent erratic behavior, including an assault arrest in North Carolina. Williams, 41, was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in 2004 but convicted on four counts of trying to cover up the shooting of a hired driver at his mansion. The jury couldn’t reach a verdict on a reckless manslaughter count, and New Jersey Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman has delayed sentencing pending Williams’ retrial on that charge. The four cover-up counts, which include witness and evidence tampering, carry a

If you deliver it daily, they will come.

KIICHIRO SATO / AP

Maurice Clarett was a third-round pick by Denver in 2005, but was cut in training camp. combined maximum sentence of 13 years in prison, but Williams was not expected to receive a term longer than five years, the maximum sentence for the most serious charge.

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Quick hit The NBA’s dream Finals matchup of LeBron James’ Cavaliers against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers looks like a long shot, which comes as a relief to two of the league’s biggest sponsors, adidas and Gatorade, Ad Age reported. James and Bryant are the “two most prominent endorsers of their archrivals,” Nike and Coca-Cola’s Glaceau Vitaminwater. Meanwhile, Magic center Dwight Howard is an adidas endorser. — SportsBusiness Daily, sportsbusinessdaily.com

YOUR TURN In his 15th and final attempt, Jim Rice was voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. If you have a question for the 16-year outfielder with the Red Sox, send it, along with your name and hometown to [email protected] and we’ll run his answers in a future issue of Sporting News magazine.

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

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Next Gen: NBA Draft

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

NBA prospect takes unusual—but still impressive—career path Five hoping to hear their names called Tennessee-Martin’s Lester Hudson isn’t the only player from a untraditional hoops school looking for a place in this draft. Here are five others, ranked by their chance of getting selected:

1. Eric Maynor, VCU. The Colonial Athletic Association has produced some quality teams recently, but Maynor—a fringe lottery pick at point guard—should be the conference’s highest drafted player in some time. 2. Josh Akognon, Cal State-Fullerton. He’s extremely fast, but Akognon is generously listed at 5-11, and is more of a scorer than a point man. Still, the same could be said of Earl Boykins. 3. Garrett Siler, Augusta State. Siler is huge, at 7-0 and about 300 pounds. He needs a lot of work, both physically and in terms of honing his post game. But his size is a big plus, and could get him into the second round. 4. Russell Hicks, Florida International. He’s a 7-footer, which is always nice, but he struggled with injuries as a senior. 5. Cedric Jackson, Cleveland State. He’s a decent-enough point man, but he can’t shoot and is a stretch in the second round. — Sean Deveney

WADE PAYNE / AP

Lester Hudson, right, never graduated from junior high, high school or junior college, but he now has a college degree and NBA aspirations. BY SEAN DEVENEY [email protected]

Across the NBA, the next four weeks will be spent dissecting the best 30-plus prospects preparing to enter this year’s draft. It’s likely that guard Lester Hudson won’t quite rank in that class—barring a big surprise, he’s a secondrounder—because he lacks the resume of others in this draft. In fact, Hudson has one of the stranger resumes you’ll find among this year’s crop. Would you hire someone who starts out describing his career this

way: “I never graduated from junior high. I never graduated from high school. I never graduated from junior college. A lot of people had to take a chance on Lester Hudson.” Forgive him the third-person reference, because in this case, it’s apt—it’s almost as if the Lester Hudson who is now toiling in NBA workouts is different than the one who, years ago and on multiple occasions, needed tough love from coaches and teachers. Hudson has all the earmarks of success in basketball and otherwise. He averaged 27.5 points last year at Tennessee-Martin, the

second-highest average in Division I. As impressive as his on-court performance was his in-class performance. Hudson, the kid who did not graduate from the eighth grade, buckled down enough in college to earn his degree. Hudson grew up in Memphis’ tough Orange Mound neighborhood, and for most of his early life, treated school as an occasional diversion. He caught a break, though, when Andre Applewhite, coach at Central High in Memphis, noticed him in the school’s gym and approached him about joining the team. All he had to do, Applewhite

told him, was come to school each day and get serious about school. So he did. For a while, at least. He played his junior year, but because he had been held back in previous grades, he was 19 as a high school senior and ineligible to play. Without basketball, Hudson slipped in the classroom and did not graduate from Central. Still, Hudson got a chance at Southwest Tennessee Community College, earned his GED and was given a spot on the basketball team. He did well for two years, but failed to complete the core classes needed to get his degree. Again, he left school without graduating, and if he was to attend a Division I program, he would need to sit out a year to make himself eligible. So Hudson needed yet another person willing to take a risk on him, this time Tennessee-Martin assistant Jason James.

He approached the school’s head coach, Bret Campbell, about bringing on Hudson. “They told me I would have to sit out and focus on schoolwork until I was eligible,” Hudson said. “That was hard to hear. I love basketball, but if I wanted to play, I had to do this. So I did it.” Even if Hudson doesn’t walk across the stage at the draft, he already has walked across another pretty important stage: In April, he was in his cap and gown as part of Tennessee-Martin’s graduating class. “It was very emotional,” Hudson said. “My whole family, all my coaches, all the people who took risks on me, they were there. My life for now is basketball, and I am planning to do that for the next 10 or 12 years, either in the NBA or somewhere. “But now, there’s more to Lester Hudson than basketball.”

4

2009 draft order 1. L.A. Clippers 2. Memphis 3. Oklahoma City 4. Sacramento 5. Washington 6. Minnesota 7. Golden State 8. New York 9. Toronto 10. Milwaukee 11. New Jersey 12. Charlotte 13. Indiana 14. Phoenix 15. Detroit 16. Chicago 17. Philadelphia 18. Minnesota (from Miami) 19. Atlanta 20. Utah 21. New Orleans 22. Dallas 23. Sacramento (from Houston) 24. Portland 25. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio) 26. Chicago (from Denver through Oklahoma City) 27. Memphis (from Orlando) 28. Minnesota (from Boston) 29. L.A. Lakers 30. Cleveland Second Round 31. Sacramento 32. Washington 33. Portland (from L.A. Clippers) 34. Denver (from Oklahoma City) 35. Detroit (from Minnesota) 36. Memphis 37. San Antonio (from Golden State through Phoenix) 38. Portland (from New York through Chicago) 39. Detroit (from Toronto) 40. Charlotte (from New Jersey through Oklahoma City) 41. Milwaukee 42. L.A. Lakers (from Charlotte) 43. Miami (from Indiana) 44. Detroit 45. Minnesota (from Philadelphia through Miami) 46. Cleveland (from Chicago) 47. Minnesota (from Miami) 48. Phoenix 49. Atlanta 50. Utah 51. San Antonio (from New Orleans through Toronto) 52. Indiana (from Dallas) 53. San Antonio (from Houston) 54. Charlotte (from San Antonio) 55. Portland (from Denver) 56. Portland 57. Phoenix (from Orlando through Oklahoma City) 58. Boston 59. L.A. Lakers 60. Miami (from Cleveland)

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FHECEJ?ED

RECRUITING DISH

New York TE makes call to play some Beamer ball Earlier this week, Jerome Lewis made one fun phone call and a couple excruciating ones. That’s the nature of college football recruiting. The Bishop Kearney (Rochester, N.Y.) tight end informed the Virginia Tech coaching staff that he is committed to the Hokies, he told Sporting News Today. That was the enjoyable conversation. On the flip side, Pitt had been considered a serious contender for Lewis’ commitment, and Purdue, Syracuse, East Carolina and Minnesota were among other schools chasing him. He told SN Today that the Hokies won him over when they promised he could play tight end. Still, his excitement about playing offense didn’t make it any easier to tell the other coaches he wouldn’t be coming to their schools. “The coaches who you’ve made a strong relationship with are the toughest to say (no) to,” Lewis told SN Today. “Some coaches you might only talk to two or three times a month, so it’s not as difficult with them, but when you talk to coaches every other night and on the computer and on email, that’s when it’s tough.” Lewis (6-4, 232) caught 10 passes for 348 yards and a touchdown as a junior. He is rated a three-star prospect by two recruiting services. “My strength is my size, and my speed for my size,” said Lewis, who added that he recently ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. “I started playing football really late, so I’m still sort of learning the game.”

field and off the field,” Mitchell’s father, Terrance Mitchell Sr., told Rivals.com. “It’s a great football program, and they’ve got a very good academic situation. We really talked things over, and nobody could offer the type of perfect situation like Oregon had to offer.”

COURTESY OF JEROME LEWIS

Jerome Lewis said he recently ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds. Battery Creek (Beaufort, S.C.) S Ricky Chaney (6-3, 195) has committed to Clemson, Rivals.com reported. His only offer was from the Tigers. “It’s a great school,” Chaney told Rivals.com. “I fell in love with it on junior day—academics, the football program—and it’s a place that will help me in life to be a better person and better athlete and a better student. I did well academically this semester, filled it up with A’s and B’s.” Luther Burbank Senior (Sacramento, Calif.) CB Terrance Mitchell (5-10, 160) has committed to Oregon, Rivals.com reported. He also reported scholarship offers from Utah and Washington State. “You can’t beat the combination of what Oregon offers both on the

Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) CB Matthew Simmons (6-0, 175) has committed to Washington State, the school where his late father, Randal Simmons, played, Scout.com reported. “I’ve grown up loving Washington State,” Matthew Simmons told Scout. com. “I love the environment up there. It’s a good campus, and I feel like I’m at home there. I’ve been going there for a long time with my dad.”

In Hoops: Kentucky recruit John Wall pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and entered a program for first offenders which could lead to having his record cleared, The Associated Press reported. Wall, 18, pleaded guilty Wednesday to breaking and entering. Wake County Assistant District Attorney Phillip Cowan said that under the terms of the plea, Wall must complete 75 hours of community service, pay court costs and program fees and stay out of trouble for six months. The 6-foot-4 point guard at Raleigh Word of God signed a national letter of intent to play at Kentucky last week. He was charged after police found him walking out of a vacant house in Raleigh. Wall and two other teenagers were cited. — Brian McLaughlin

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

6

Spurrier’s South Carolina legacy could be riding on Garcia’s arm

JOHN RAOUX / AP

For the first time in three tries, Stephen Garcia made it through Steve Spurrier’s spring practice at South Carolina.

DESTIN, FLA.—The irony is, Steve Spurrier left his last college job because he was a victim of his own success. Now here he is again, at a different school in a different situation—with the same expectations. Only this one may be his hardest gig yet. “That’s the c h a l le nge,” Spurrier said. “To have that big year in Matt Hayes S o u t h COLLEGE FOOTBALL Carolina.” And it all rests on Stephen Garcia. Spurrier’s teams have won 28 games in four years at South Carolina, the best fourseason run in school history. His teams have beaten SEC heavyweights and he has elevated the program from the depths of insignificance. Yet that all pales in comparison to the bar he set for himself and any of his teams: He hasn’t won a championship—and he hasn’t found a quarterback. This is where Garcia, South Carolina’s talented yet enigmatic quarterback, enters the picture. The guy who just recently made it through his first spring practice in three tries because he couldn’t stay out of trouble, is the key to that “big year.” The guy who threw three interceptions in last year’s Outback Bowl loss to Iowa

and looked utterly lost against a mid-level Big Ten team, is the difference between the Gamecocks competing for an East Division championship or finding a way to win seven games. Again. “I feel good about where we are,” Garcia said this spring. He may be the only one. Spurrier, for one, isn’t buying it. At least not yet. As well as Garcia played this spring, he still has to make it through the summer—a stretch of months that made guys like Dave Brown at Duke and Shane Matthews, Danny Wuerffel and Rex Grossman at Florida. Guys who, after investing time and effort when no one was watching, saw it all play out in the fall in front of packed stadiums. His first two years on campus, Garcia couldn’t get it right away from the field and was kicked out of school for

repeated brushes with the law. He somehow found his way back by completing more than 175 hours of community service—“Some of our coaches said he’d never be able to do that,” Spurrier said—and humbly working his way back. His wild hair shaved, his free spirit tamed, Garcia is ready to be what Spurrier hasn’t been able to find since arriving in Columbia on the heels of Lou Holtz—who said he couldn’t change the “culture of losing” at the school. In four years, Spurrier has had quarterbacks who couldn’t make good decisions (Blake Mitchell, Chris Smelley, Tommy Beecher), and one who couldn’t throw (Sylvelle Newton). Wouldn’t you know it, the one who couldn’t throw wound up being the most efficient of them all. It was Newton’s running, his ability

Coaches won’t have to reveal votes in 2010 More secrecy, more of the unknown. Why should we be surprised? The American Football Coaches Association announced Wednesday that beginning in 2010, its poll—one of two that decides the human vote in the BCS ratings—will no longer be transparent. The coaches’ vote will be confidential, but coaches will be able to reveal their ballots if they choose. Which is sort of like saying Utah has a chance to win the national championship. Technically, it does—the reality is, it won’t happen. “I thought it kept everyone honest,” South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Wednesday at the SEC meetings. “Now there’s a chance for real hanky-panky.” The coaches’ poll voting was made public in 2005 after a controversial finish to the 2004 season, when Texas jumped California on the last poll to earn a spot in the Rose Bowl. “I understand the reasons we’re doing it, and they’re valid,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “But it does kind of seem a little sneaky peek.”

— Matt Hayes

to be a dynamic dual-threat and expand Spurrier’s passhappy offense, that made recruiting Garcia so intriguing. But because of his problems off the field—he missed two spring drills (30 practices) and one season redshirting— Garcia’s development hasn’t been nearly as quick as needed. He still makes high school mistakes: still tries to scramble at the first sign of pressure, still doesn’t go through progressions, still doesn’t feel the nuances of the game. But he has a big arm, can make all the throws and can do damage in the run game. In a perfect world, Garcia is beginning his third season as a starter and as a poor man’s Tim Tebow. And a young team built around three straight strong recruiting classes is on the verge of something special. Instead, Spurrier spent much of his time here at the SEC spring meetings responding to questions about how much longer he’ll coach, and if his tenure at South Carolina is starting to take the shine away from all he accomplished at Florida. “I can’t worry about how people remember me,” Spurrier said. “Whatever I did at Duke is history, at Florida is history. We’re still trying to make history at South Carolina.” This may be his hardest gig yet. [email protected]

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College Football

Top 100 countdown

INSIDE DISH

Sporting News Today is counting down its Top 100 college football teams for 2009, featuring one team each day leading into the season opener Thursday, Sept. 3.

SEC commish: Stop the sparring

99 LOUISIANA SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

LB Antwyne Zanders will be expected to provide leadership during a rough patch.

LOUISIANALAFAYETTE 2008 record: 6-6 overall, 5-2 Sun Belt

Coach: Rickey Bustle Outlook: The Ragin’ Cajuns might need to lean more heavily on defense with their top two running backs and quarterback gone— although center Chris Fisher is among the nation’s elite. The pressure will be on veteran linebackers Daylon McCoy and Antwyne Zanders, who must lead the Cajuns through a September slate that includes games in consecutive weeks against Kansas State, LSU and Nebraska. — Derek Samson

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SEC commissioner Mike Slive didn’t use notes and didn’t know how long he spoke. His message to his football coaches and athletic directors Wednesday couldn’t be clearer: Stop the public verbal sparring of the past few months. Now. “I had all 5-9, 170 pounds of me into every word I said,” Slive said at the SEC meetings in Florida. Slive hasn’t been happy about the string of public exchanges over the past few months, almost all involving new Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin.

Joe Paterno says he’d like to see either Rutgers, Pittsburgh or Syracuse join the Big Ten. The legendary Penn State coach also knows which school he wants to keep out: Notre Dame. Paterno met with reporters Wednesday at an alumni event near Allentown, Pa. Florida State senior WR Richard Goodman was suspended from the team after being charged for his role in a fight on campus last fall. Goodman turned himself into the Leon County (Fla.) jail on Tuesday after he was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm. He posted bond and was released. Coach Bobby Bowden said Wednesday that Goodman is suspended indefinitely “until the matter has been resolved.” Authorities say Goodman threw a chair that struck a woman in the face during a fight that broke out between Florida State football players and members of the Phi Beta

N?8KK@D<@J@K66

BOB LEVERONE / SN

Richard Goodman didn’t play last season while recovering from a fractured leg. Sigma fraternity last fall. The woman suffered extensive injuries. New Mexico State coach DeWayne Walker was arrested for suspected drunken driving last weekend but authorities said the charge was dismissed because his breath-alcohol level was well below the state’s legal limit for presumed intoxication. New Mexico police said the charge was thrown out because Walker’s breath-alcohol content tested at .01 percent after his arrest Saturday. New Mexico’s threshold for presumed intoxication is .08 percent. Clemson OL Barry Humphries will miss the first two games of the season after a drunken driving arrest.

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Overnight Report

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

NATIONAL LEAGUE

AMERICAN LEAGUE

San Francisco 6, Atlanta 3

First shot at 300 could come Wednesday CHICAGO—When Randy Johnson finally stepped to the edge of history at the San Francisco Giants’ foggy ballpark with his 299th victory, the 45-year-old lefthander allowed himself to savor the view for just about as long as it took to change out of his uniform. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like,” Johnson said. “I can’t anticipate things until they happen. I’m just grateful I’m in this position. It’s been a lot of hard work, with the back surgeries and the knee surgery. ... I just like going out there and pitching and doing well.” The Big Unit then got back to business. Even after 22 years in the big leagues, he’s always thinking ahead to his next start—and he knows it’s an awfully big one. Johnson pitched six impressive innings against the Braves, yielding three hits and one run in the Giants’ 6-3 win Wednesday night. Johnson (4-4) retired the Braves’ first nine hitters and 15 of the first 16 in a performance reminiscent of the Big Unit in his inimitable prime, although the big lefty has less power and more precision these days. The five-time Cy Young Award winner struck out five to run his career total to 4,843, second-most in baseball history. He didn’t walk a batter and allowed his only run on Casey Kotchman’s RBI single in the sixth, which he finished by striking out Chipper Jones for the third time. “The thing about Randy, he used to be a power pitcher,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “He studies the game and hitters, and he made great adjustments today. ... He kept the ball down. He had a good fastball, was

Giants 6, Braves 3 Atlanta AB R D.Hernandez ss 4 0 Kotchman 1b 4 0 C.Jones 3b 4 0 Prado 2b 4 1 M.Diaz lf 3 1 Francoeur rf 4 0 D.Ross c 2 0 b-McCann ph-c 1 0 Schafer cf 4 1 Kawakami p 1 0 Moylan p 0 0 c-G.Anderson ph 1 0 O’Flaherty p 0 0 Acosta p 0 0 Totals 32 3 San Francisco Rowand cf Renteria ss Winn rf Schierholtz rf B.Molina c F.Lewis lf Valdez p e-Frandsen ph B.Wilson p Ishikawa 1b Uribe 3b Burriss 2b Ra.Johnson p a-Aurilia ph Medders p Affeldt p d-Torres ph-lf Totals Atlanta San Francisco

BEN MARGOT / AP

Should he beat Washington next Wednesday, Randy Johnson will be the 24th major leaguer with 300 wins. locating it well, and using both sides of the plate. Good command, and he had one of his better sliders.” Johnson likely will get his first chance to become the 24th major leaguer with 300 victories next Wednesday at Washington. “I’m sure he’s been waiting for this moment all year,” Bochy said. “The way the game is, it’s tougher for these starters, with the way they’re being used, to get the wins and reach 300. (Jamie) Moyer, who knows how long he’ll keep

8

pitching? He’s not that far away, but it’s going to be a long time before we see another guy reach 300.” Some of Johnson’s children and a few Bay Area friends will make the journey, which he acknowledges is more than just another business trip. “Anxiety? A little nervous? Yeah, I suppose,” Johnson said. “I’d love to do it here in front of family and friends and the ownership. Of all the trips to do it on, it had to be on the East Coast one.” — The Associated Press

AB 4 3 3 2 5 3 0 1 0 4 3 4 1 1 0 0 1 35

H BI 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 5 3

BB SO Avg. 0 1 .200 0 0 .272 0 4 .306 0 0 .239 1 0 .288 0 0 .253 0 1 .254 1 0 .320 0 1 .209 0 0 .188 0 0 .000 0 0 .267 0 0 --0 0 --2 7

R H BI 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 2 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 6 14 5

BB SO Avg. 0 0 .279 2 0 .248 0 1 .279 0 0 .250 0 0 .253 1 1 .267 0 0 --0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 1 .262 1 0 .304 0 0 .271 0 0 .067 0 0 .175 0 0 --0 0 1.000 0 0 .300 4 3

000 001 200—3 5 0 011 002 20x—6 14 1

a-grounded out for Ra.Johnson in the 6th. b-walked for D.Ross in the 7th. c-singled for Moylan in the 7th. d-singled for Affeldt in the 7th. e-flied out for Valdez in the 8th. E: Burriss (4). LOB: Atlanta 5, San Francisco 11. 2B: D.Hernandez (1), McCann (6), Rowand 2 (13), Burriss (5). RBIs: Kotchman (23), G.Anderson 2 (11), Rowand (22), Schierholtz (4), Uribe (7), Burriss (10), Torres (2). SB: Rowand (3), Renteria (3), F.Lewis (4). S: Kawakami, Ra.Johnson. Runners left in scoring position: Atlanta 3 (Prado, D.Hernandez, Schafer); San Francisco 6 (B.Molina 2, F.Lewis, Renteria 3). Runners moved up: Kotchman, B.Molina, F.Lewis, Aurilia. GIDP: B.Molina. DP: Atlanta 1 (D.Hernandez, Prado, Kotchman). Atlanta IP Kawakami L, 3-6 5 2⁄3 Moylan 1⁄3 O’Flaherty 1⁄3 Acosta 1 2⁄3 San Francisco IP Ra.Johnson W, 4-4 6 Medders H, 2 1-3 Affeldt H, 9 2-3 Valdez H, 2 1 B.Wilson S, 10-13 1

H 9 1 4 0 H 3 0 1 0 1

R ER BB SO NP ERA 4 3 4 2 98 4.73 0 0 0 0 4 5.06 2 2 0 1 19 3.18 0 0 0 0 13 0.00 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 0 5 79 5.71 2 0 1 0 9 3.05 0 0 1 1 12 2.05 0 0 0 1 17 3.07 0 0 0 0 20 4.43

Inherited runners-scored: Moylan 2-1, Acosta 2-0, Affeldt 2-2. HBP: by Kawakami (Rowand). WP: Kawakami. PB: D.Ross. Umpires: Home, Bill Miller; First, Dale Scott; Second, Jerry Meals; Third, Mike DiMuro. T: 2:59. A: 27,744 (41,915).

L.A. Angels 3, Chicago White Sox 1

Abreu’s power starts to show ANAHEIM—The Los Angeles Angels hoped that Bobby Abreu could fill the big hole left in their lineup with the departure of Mark Teixeira. Nowhere near the power hitter that Teixeira is, Abreu took a big first step to making up for the loss of the free agent. Jered Weaver and Brian Fuentes combined on a fivehitter, Abreu had two RBIs, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Wednesday. “This is really my first game where I felt like I really helped them with the bat. I hope more of those are coming,” said Abreu, who is hitting .309 with 19 RBIs, but just one homer. Weaver (4-2) improved to 4-0 against Chicago while striking out eight in eight innings. He gave up four hits and one run. Weaver has now given up just one run in four of his last five starts. “I was trying to make some good pitches early, trying to get some early outs, and I was able to do that for the most part,” Weaver said. “Those guys can hurt you at any time, so you’ve just got to keep making your pitches, and mix it up a little bit.” Fuentes pitched the ninth to pick up his 13th save of the season. Teixeira left after signing a $180 million, eight-year contract with the Yankees and the Angels signed Abreu. — The Associated Press

Angels 3, White Sox 1 Chicago AB R H BI Podsednik lf 4 0 0 0 Al.Ramirez ss 4 0 0 0 Dye rf 4 1 1 0 Thome dh 4 0 2 0 Konerko 1b 3 0 1 1 Pierzynski c 3 0 1 0 Bri.Anderson cf 4 0 0 0 Getz 2b 2 0 0 0 J.Nix 3b 3 0 0 0 Totals 31 1 5 1

BB SO Avg. 0 1 .282 0 1 .240 0 2 .276 0 0 .252 0 0 .309 1 0 .274 0 1 .274 1 1 .246 0 2 .209 2 8

Los Angeles AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Figgins 3b 4 1 1 0 0 1 .298 Abreu rf 3 1 2 2 1 1 .309 Guerrero dh 4 0 1 0 0 1 .227 Hunter cf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .315 K.Morales 1b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .279 J.Rivera lf 3 0 2 1 0 1 .293 M.Izturis ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 .260 Kendrick 2b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .234 Mathis c 3 1 1 0 0 1 .229 Totals 29 3 7 3 2 8 Chicago 000 100 000 — 1 5 0 Los Angeles 000 003 00x — 3 7 0 LOB: Chicago 6, Los Angeles 4. 2B: Thome (7), Abreu (8), J.Rivera (6). RBIs: Konerko (31), Abreu 2 (19), J.Rivera (17). SF: Konerko. Runners left in scoring position: Chicago 2 (Bri.Anderson, J.Nix); Los Angeles 4 (K.Morales 2, M.Izturis 2). DP: Chicago 2 (Al.Ramirez, Getz, Konerko), (Al. Ramirez). Chicago Floyd L, 3-5 Los Angeles Jer.Weaver W, 4-2 Fuentes S, 13-15

IP 8 IP 8 1

H 7 H 4 1

R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 3 2 8 102 6.12 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 2 8 103 2.36 0 0 0 0 15 4.08

IBB: off Floyd (K.Morales), off Jer.Weaver (Pierzynski). WP: Jer.Weaver. Umpires: Home, Brian O’Nora; First, Fieldin Culbreth; Second, Gary Cederstrom; Third, Jim Wolf. T: 2:05. A: 40,169 (45,257).

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

9

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS NOTEBOOK

Detroit 2, Chicago 1, OT

Gutsy loss gives young ’Hawks something to build on DETROIT—The sting of another overtime playoff loss to the Red Wings was still fresh. The blank stares from players stuffing hockey equipment into giant duffle bags following the last game of the 2008-09 season revealed the disappointment. But after dreams of a Stanley Cup arriving in Chicago ahead of schedule for the talented young Blackhawks were erased by a Darren Helm overtime goal, Chicago captain Craig Custance Jonathan Toews had HOCKEY the sense to realize exactly what he just went through. “This is a career experience,” Toews said. “Something you can definitely use down the road.” Nobody expected Chicago’s road to lead as far as it did so quickly. And when the world of hockey was already anticipating a rematch between the Penguins and Red Wings in the Stanley Cup finals, the Blackhawks produced their gutsiest effort of the series. It wasn’t a win, and there are no Cups handed out for gutsy efforts, but even in the loss—and the series loss—the Blackhawks will find plenty to build on. Patrick Kane scored his first goal of the series with a beautiful backhand past Detroit goalie Chris Osgood. Chicago goalie Cristobal Huet bounced back from an ugly performance in Game 4 to nearly steal a game and extend this series back to Chicago. And Toews? Well, he earned the respect of the opposing coach with his refusal to quit. “He’s a will machine,” Detroit coach

PAUL SANCYA / AP

Though his team went down in five games, Chicago C Jonathan Toews earned the respect of his adversary. Mike Babcock said. “He keeps coming and keeps coming.”

In a few short days, we’ll find out how much the Penguins learned in being

eliminated from the playoffs by the Red Wings last spring. It’ll take a little while longer to discover what the Blackhawks learned, but the growth this franchise made during its playoff run is more valuable than any of the headline moves the Blackhawks made in the last year. If nothing else, this team will remember the bitter taste of coming this close and not winning. And never want to repeat it. “There’s always going to be this feeling of unfinished business in this dressing room,” Toews said. “We can use this as motivation. This sinking feeling stings quite a bit. I think we’ll remember that for a long time.” But there is more than pain to remember from this loss in Game 5. Kane scored one of the prettiest goals of the playoffs with his game-tying backhand. The goal also meant one of the game’s most-skilled young stars won’t have to answer questions about not scoring a single goal in the Western Conference finals. Huet made one of the best saves of the playoffs by getting a pad on a Johan Franzen shot in the final seconds of regulation. Huet, the likely starter next year for the Blackhawks, will ultimately look back at his impressive 44-save performance in a more positive light than he was able to immediately after the loss. But it was the man who had been here before—the Blackhawks coach—who was best able to sum up the entire experience. “I think we should all be proud of the year we had,” Joel Quenneville said. “They matured. They developed. But it was a really good working experience. We got to find out what playoff hockey is all about.” [email protected]

Hossa: Same ending, but different jersey For a guy who didn’t score a goal or have an assist, there certainly were a lot of cameras, microphones and notepads surrounding Marian Hossa after the game. He’d better get used to it. Hossa will be the focus of the buildup for the Stanley Cup finals after leaving the Penguins to sign a one-year deal last summer with the Red Wings, admittedly because he wanted to win a Stanley Cup. Now, the Penguins stand in the way of achieving that goal. “It’s a unique situation right now, this doesn’t happen often,” Hossa said. No, it doesn’t. A free agent turning down millions of dollars to sign a short-term deal to win a Cup is one thing. Having to beat his former team to do it raises the story to another level. “It is a little ironic, unique situation,” Hossa said, finally smiling. “Back-to-back finals, same teams. Right now, I’m on this team and looking to help this team win a Cup.” Is there extra motivation to beat his former teammates? “Being in the finals, that’s the motivation,” Hossa said.

Injuries pile up for Red Wings The morning of Game 5 against Chicago, Detroit coach Mike Babcock announced that Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom and Kris Draper wouldn’t play because of injuries. Then, shortly before the game, the Red Wings announced that defenseman Jonathan Ericsson wouldn’t play after being diagnosed with acute appendicitis and having to undergo surgery. The team said Ericsson is expected to return in time for Saturday’s Stanley Cup finals opener against the Penguins. “Well, today was a bit of a shocker, to say the least,” Babcock said. “Hopefully you’re going to get some guys back.” Babcock said before the game that Datsyuk and Lidstrom were close to being able to return. — Craig Custance

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

10

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS Detroit 2, Chicago 1, OT

Wings ride role players to Conference-clinching victory DETROIT—Darren Helm and Dan Cleary are far from marquee players for the Detroit Red Wings. The banged-up Red Wings, playing without stars Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk, needed Helm and Cleary to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night. Helm scored 3:58 into overtime, and Cleary had a goal in the third period in the defending champion Red Wings’ 2-1 victory over Chicago that set up a Stanley Cup finals rematch with Pittsburgh. “We lose guys and we keep getting the job done,” defenseman Brett Lebda said. Detroit won 4-1 in a series that needed overtime in three of the last four games. “We blew them out one game, but by no means was it easy,” said goalie Chris Osgood, who made 30 saves. The Red Wings and Penguins, coming off a four-game sweep over Carolina in the East, will open the championship series Saturday night in Detroit. The series will start nearly a week ahead of schedule because NBC and the NHL didn’t want a long layoff to stunt the excitement about the matchup. One of the intriguing stories will be Detroit’s Marian Hossa playing against the team he left behind as a free agent. Hossa turned down a long-term, lucrative deal from the Penguins last summer for a oneyear contract because he believed the Red Wings had a better shot to win it all again. “It’s a unique situation right now, definitely this doesn’t happen often,” Hossa said. “I try to make the best of the situation for myself and try to help the team win a Cup.” The Red Wings are matching up with Pittsburgh in what is the NHL’s first Stanley Cup rematch since the Edmonton Oilers beat the New York Islanders in 1984 after losing to them the previous year.

their end. It was a tough one.” Despite helping Chicago reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and the conference finals for the first time since 1995, Jonathan Toews took the season-ending loss hard. “It’s pretty hard kick to the ribs,” Toews said. “It stinks quite a bit, but maybe it’s the motivation and experience we needed.” Cleary opened the scoring 6:08 into the third period, and Chicago’s Patrick Kane tied it with 7:07 left in regulation with his first goal of the series. Huet made 44 saves for the Blackhawks. He forced overtime with a spectacular stop from his stomach, lifting his right leg to knock away Johan Franzen’s shot in the closing seconds. “He played great,” Quenneville said. “He is to be commended. The game he played kept us in it.” — The Associated Press

Series glance (Detroit wins series 4-1)

PAUL SANCYA / AP

Darren Helm, right, scored his third goal of the playoffs 3:58 into overtime and clinched Detroit’s Western Conference title. “To have the opportunity against Pittsburgh should be a lot of fun,” Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. “There will be a lot of hype.” The Red Wings, the first defending champion to get back to the finals since New Jersey in 2001, are trying to become the first team to repeat since they accomplished the feat in 1997 and ‘98. In the Western Conference finale, both teams were missing key players. Detroit was without six-time Norris

Trophy-winning defenseman Lidstrom; his replacement, Jonathan Ericsson; MVP finalist Datsyuk; and four-time Cup-winning forward Kris Draper. “Everybody picked up the slack,” said 47-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios, who played only because Detroit’s blue line was so thin. In addition to Khabibulin, Chicago faced elimination—for the first time this postseason—without star forward Martin Havlat. Goalie Cristobal Huet kept the

Blackhawks in the game, but a bad bounce for them and a fortunate one for Detroit ended the game. Detroit sent the puck behind Huet, Tomas Holmstrom got it across the crease after the carom and, after fanning with a shot attempt from the edge of the crease, Helm was credited with the series-clinching goal after it went in off his skate. “Those are the kind of goals you score in the later stages in playoffs,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. “We got hemmed in

May 17: Detroit 5, Chicago 2 May 19: Detroit 3, Chicago 2, OT May 22: Chicago 4, Detroit 3, OT May 24: Detroit 6, Chicago 1 Wednesday: Detroit 2, Chicago 1, OT

Chicago Detroit

0 0

0 0

1 1

0 1

— —

1 2

First Period: None. Penalties: Sharp, Chi (hooking), 8:34; Chicago bench, served by Brouwer (too many men), 16:34. Second Period: None. Penalties: Eager, Chi, misconduct, 8:00; Fraser, Chi (roughing), 8:00; Holmstrom, Det (roughing), 8:00; Hossa, Det (slashing), 8:31; Lebda, Det (hooking), 11:24; Keith, Chi (slashing), 14:31; Holmstrom, Det (tripping), 15:04. Third Period: 1, Detroit, Cleary 8 (Lebda, Filppula), 6:08. 2, Chicago, Kane 9 (Seabrook, Bolland), 12:53. Penalties: None. First Overtime: 3, Detroit, Helm 3 (Holmstrom, Lebda), 3:58. Penalties: None. Shots on Goal: Chicago 9-11-11-0: 31. Detroit 21-10-11-4: 46. Power-play opportunities: Chicago 0 of 3; Detroit 0 of 3. Goalies: Chicago, Huet 1-2-0 (46 shots-44 saves). Detroit, Osgood 12-4-0 (31-30). A: 20,066 (20,066). T: 2:41. Referees: Eric Furlatt, Bill McCreary. Linesmen: Greg Devorski, Shane Heyer.

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STANLEY CUP FINALS S

GAME 1:

PITTSBURGH VS. DETROIT

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

11

Saturday, 8 P.M., NBC

Young Penguins say they’re ready to be champs PITTSBURGH—Gretzky, Crosby. Messier, Malkin. Oilers, Penguins? The 1983 Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, were widely hailed as hockey’s team of the future. Cast against the threetime defending champion New York Islanders in the Stanley Cup finals, they looked inexperienced and overmatched in the first two games and ended up being swept. A year later, a transition from old to new took place as Gretzky and Messier led the Oilers to a Stanley Cup championship, ending the Islanders’ lengthy reign atop the NHL while beginning another. The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are the first team since those Oilers to return to the Stanley Cup finals a season after losing in them. And they’re eager to make a similar breakthrough—while getting revenge in a rematch against the champs. With Detroit’s Game 5 win over Chicago Wednesday night, that rematch became part of the fitting story line—one that players from both teams seemed to view as inevitable. Like the Islanders of yesteryear, the Wings have won multiple Stanley Cups—four since 1997. “They’re the champs, and they’ll be a big challenge for us,” forward Miroslav Satan said. But the Penguins believe they’ll be much better prepared than they were last spring, when the Red Wings overwhelmed them in the first two games at Detroit and went on to win in six games. Then, as defenseman Brooks Orpik said,

To Crosby, such comparisons are not valid—at least not yet. “They’ve won cups and … we’ve yet to do that,” Crosby said. “So we still have some things to prove. It’s a compliment, and we’ll try to keep playing the same way.” Or the way they have played since mid-February, when former coach Michel Therrien was fired and Dan Bylsma took over. The Penguins are 30-8-4 since then, 12-5 in the playoffs. Now it’s time to show they can extend that success all the way to the finish. And they will be sure to draw from the lessons of last year’s finals. “We learned a lot ... I think we took a lot away from it,” Orpik said. “We didn’t know what to expect, but this year is much more of a relaxed feel. This year, we’re a lot better prepared for everything.” — The Associated Press

Stanley Cup finals Saturday: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., NBC Sunday: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., NBC Tuesday, June 2: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., Versus Thursday, June 4: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., Versus Saturday, June 6: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., if necessary, NBC Tuesday, June 9: Detroit at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., if necessary, NBC Friday, June 12: Pittsburgh at Detroit, 8 p.m., if necessary, NBC

Say it again … GERRY BROOME / AP

A year ago, Evgeni Malkin (71) and the Penguins looked overmatched against Detroit. Now, they’ll get their chance for revenge. “We didn’t know what to expect, it all happened so quick, and we were down 2-0 before we knew it.” Much like the Carolina Hurricanes were before being swept in the Eastern Conference finals by the Penguins, who closed them out Tuesday night by winning 4-1 in Game 4. There were numerous signs in the series against the dead-tired Hurricanes that the Penguins are likely to be much better focused in these finals,

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was Pittsburgh’s best player Tuesday with 30 saves. Crosby (two goals, five assists against Carolina) and Malkin (six and three) are playing like stars are supposed to play when titles are decided. They already have combined for more points (56—28 each) in three rounds than they had in four last year. The difference in these Penguins is the absence of Marian Hossa, a topline winger who defected to Detroit in

the offseason. Now playing alongside Crosby is 38-year-old Bill Guerin, who has seven playoff goals and one each in four of his last six games. That the Penguins have returned to the finals isn’t a surprise to the 21-year-old Crosby, who has been compared to Gretzky since he was a pre-teen. Crosby and Malkin also are being linked to Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, who led the Penguins’ 1991-92 Stanley Cup runs.

Here’s a look at the times the same teams have played for the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons since the NHL assumed control of the Stanley Cup after 1926 (winner in parentheses): 2009: Detroit vs. Pittsburgh 1978: Montreal vs. Boston (Canadiens) 1969: Montreal vs. St. Louis (Canadiens) 1964: Toronto vs. Detroit (Maple Leafs) 1960: Montreal vs. Toronto (Canadiens) 1958: Montreal vs. Boston (Canadiens) 1955: Detroit vs. Montreal (Red Wings) 1949: Toronto vs. Detroit (Maple Leafs) 1933: N.Y. Rangers vs. Toronto (Rangers)

2008: Detroit vs. Pittsburgh (Red Wings) 1977: Montreal vs. Boston (Canadiens) 1968: Montreal vs. St. Louis (Canadiens) 1963: Toronto vs. Detroit (Maple Leafs) 1959: Montreal vs. Toronto (Canadiens) 1957: Montreal vs. Boston (Canadiens) 1954: Detroit vs. Montreal (Red Wings) 1948: Toronto vs. Detroit (Maple Leafs) 1932: N.Y. Rangers vs. Toronto (Canadiens)

— Ken Bradley

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

INSIDE DISH

12

Playoff glance

Roy rejects Avs offer; Coyotes process accelerated

CONFERENCE FINALS (Best-of-7)

EASTERN CONFERENCE Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy has rejected an offer to return to Colorado and lead the Avalanche back to respectability. Roy had been considering an offer to replace Tony Granato as coach, though for several weeks neither he nor the team would confirm it. The Avalanche are reeling from their worst finish since moving to Denver in 1995 and The Denver Post reported Roy also had been offered the vacant general manager job. “All I can say is that the Avalanche’s offer was more than interesting,” Roy said at a news conference to report he would stay with the Quebec Remparts, the junior league club Roy co-owns and coaches. Roy phoned Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix late Tuesday night to tell him he won’t accept the team’s offer, citing family reasons. “My quality of life here in Quebec City is extraordinary,” he said. “I adore this adventure, I adore working with youth. For me it’s a daily challenge, working to help these youths realize their dreams.” Roy declined to reveal details of his discussions with the Avs but said he mulled their offer for two weeks. The Post reported that Roy wasn’t shutting the door on ever returning to the Avs, the team he led to Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001. U.S. bankruptcy court judge Redfield Baum has accelerated the schedule for determining whether Canadian Jim Balsillie can buy the Phoenix Coyotes and move them to

happen and I believe it’s going to happen.” The Star Tribune reports that Peter Laviolette, the coach who guided Carolina to a 2006 Stanley Cup championship, has expressed interest in the Wildís coaching vacancy. Laviolette was fired earlier this season by the Hurricanes and replaced by Paul Maurice. While no interview has been scheduled with new Wild G.M. Chuck Fletcher, itís expected a meeting will happen soon. “It’s a terrific, prime position for whoever gets the opportunity there, but nothing at this point officially has happened yet,” Laviolette told The Star Tribune. “I’m definitely interested in coaching again. Minnesota is one of the premier jobs out there. “

JACQUES BOISSINOT / AP

Patrick Roy, left, with business partner Jacques Tanguay, said he wasn’t prepared to leave his life in Quebec City for duties with the Avalanche. southern Ontario over the objection of the NHL. At a Wednesday hearing, Baum called the relocation issue “the 10,000-pound elephant in the room” and said it needed to be resolved quickly. He set a hearing for June 9 and promised a ruling shortly thereafter. The relocation hearing had been scheduled for June 22, but Balsillie said Tuesday he will withdraw his $212.5 million offer if the sale is not completed by the end of June. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league will appeal if it loses at the bankruptcy court level, but he

expressed confidence that won’t be necessary. “We’re confident in what the law says,” he told the Associated Press, “and the law is pretty clear with respect to our rights to control both the identity of our owners and the location of our franchises.” The judge set two tentative dates for the auction of the team, depending on how he rules on the relocation issue—June 22 if Balsillie gets his way and Sept. 10 if the NHL prevails. Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said Wednesday he expects the NHL’s

third annual outdoor Winter Classic to be played New Year’s Day at Boston’s Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. Jacobs told reporters in a conference call he hasn’t received official confirmation from the league, but said an announcement should come in July. “It’s probably been the worst kept secret in Boston, but they won’t tell me,” Jacobs said, referring to NHL officials. “So until they can confirm it to me, which they won’t before the middle of July, we’ll just have to go on the basis that we think it’s going to

The Vancouver Canucks announced Wednesday they have signed F Rick Rypien, a cousin of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien, to a two-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the signing keeps Rypien from becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Rypien is an energy player, a hardhitting 5-11 grinder who’s not afraid to take on larger opponents. His biggest problem has been staying healthy in an NHL career that has touched four seasons and 41 games. “Rick plays with intensity and energy every time he steps on the ice, Canucks G.M. Mike Gillis said. “He is an important part of our team and a valued teammate.

Carolina vs. Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh wins series 4-0) May 18: Pittsburgh 3, Carolina 2 May 21: Pittsburgh 7, Carolina 4 May 23: Pittsburgh 6, Carolina 2 May 26: Pittsburgh 4, Carolina 1

WESTERN CONFERENCE Chicago vs. Detroit (Detroit wins series 4-1) May 17: Detroit 5, Chicago 2 May 19: Detroit 3, Chicago 2, OT May 22: Chicago 4, Detroit 3, OT May 24: Detroit 6, Chicago 1 Wednesday: Detroit 2, Chicago 1

NHL calendar Through May 30—NHL Combine, Toronto. June 5—Stanley Cup finals begin at Western Conference champion. June 18—NHL awards show at Las Vegas. June 26-27—NHL draft, Montreal. July 1—Free agency signing period begins. July 5—Deadline for playerelected salary arbitration. July 6—Deadline for club-elected salary arbitration. July 10—Deadline for eligible players to elect Group 5 free agency. July 20-Aug. 4—Salary arbitration hearings

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13

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 94

Series glance

Lakers reclaim series lead with Kobe as decoy

(L.A. Lakers lead series 3-2)

LOS ANGELES—Kobe Bryant offered himself up as bait and the Denver Nuggets bit. That freed up Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol on the inside, where the Lakers’ big men dominated. With Bryant luring double coverage then passing to his teammates, the Lakers owned the fourth quarter in a 103-94 victory Wednesday night that gave them a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 22 points—on just 13 shots—while Odom had 19 points and 14 rebounds despite an aching lower back and Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds. “It was a big gamble for me coming in, but I wanted to change my approach this game and be more of a decoy,” Bryant said after adding eight assists, several out of double-teams in the fourth quarter. “The past couple games they really were loading to my side and I figured I could be a decoy and try to give chances to my teammates.” Game 6 is Friday in Denver, where the Lakers lost Game 4 by 19 points. “That place is going to be rocking and rolling,” Bryant said. “We have to stay focused and poised and try to cut them up. Be cold-blooded, go out there and execute.” Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points, hitting 12 of 13 free throws, and Kenyon Martin and Chauncey Billups added 12 points each for the Nuggets. The teams were tied after the first, second and third quarters for just the fourth time in NBA playoff history. So it all came down to the final 12 minutes.

MARK J. TERRILL / AP

Pau Gasol, right, was an active presence on both ends of the court, scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking five shots. Bryant, Odom and Gasol teamed for all but seven of the Lakers’ 27 points in the fourth. They opened on an 11-0 run for their first lead of the second half and it was capped by Shannon Brown’s jumper that beat

the shot clock. “He came in, gave us a huge spark and that’s what you need,” Bryant said of Brown. “It’s about who controls momentum.” The Nuggets used a 13-6 run to

close to 93-89. Linas Kleiza scored seven straight and Anthony had six in the spurt. But then the Lakers regained control and finished off the victory. They improved to 20-0 in Game 5s at home

when a series is tied 2-2. “The games that we’ve lost, they had an advantage on the inside,” Anthony said. “The games that we’ve won, we had an advantage. We had to go to a smaller lineup tonight and they kept their big lineup on the court. That kind of hurt us a little bit. We’ve got to do a better job of keeping our big men out of foul trouble.” Anthony hit a jumper to get Denver to 96-91 with 1:24 remaining. But the Nuggets went cold from the field over the final 3:38, while the Lakers capitalized at the line. Los Angeles outscored Denver 10-5 in that span, including making six of eight free throws. This time, it was Denver coach George Karl’s turn to complain about the officiating. Lakers coach Phil Jackson and his organization were fined $25,000 each for griping after Game 4. “I thought they got the benefit of the whistle,” Karl said. “Every player in my locker room is frustrated, from guards to big guys. Gasol goes after at least 20 jump shots, 20 shots to the rim and gets one foul; our big guys have 16. Nene has six fouls, three or four of them don’t exist.” Karl said he didn’t want to get himself fined before agreeing with Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, whose team leads Cleveland 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals. “In the postgame we’re lobbying for the league to help us with the refereeing,” he said. “This is too good of a series. It’s too good of teams competing that we’re sitting here just confused by the whistle.” — The Associated Press

May 19: L.A. Lakers 105, Denver 103 May 21: Denver 106, L.A. Lakers 103 May 23: L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 97 May 25: Denver 120, L.A. Lakers 101 Wednesday: L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 94 Friday: L.A. Lakers at Denver, 9 p.m., ESPN Sunday: Denver at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m., if necessary

Denver L.A. Lakers

25 25

31 31

20 20

DENVER Min FG FT Reb Anthony 40:14 9-23 12-13 0-4 Martin 36:07 6-15 0-0 0-5 Nene 25:52 1-3 2-2 4-8 Billups 39:02 4-7 1-1 1-3 Jones 15:02 2-8 5-8 4-4 Smith 29:13 3-13 0-1 1-3 Andersen 24:27 1-4 0-0 3-8 Carter 10:58 3-4 0-0 1-3 Kleiza 19:05 3-6 3-5 0-5 Totals 240:00 32-83 23-30 14-43

18 — 94 27 — 103 A 4 1 2 5 1 4 0 0 0 17

PF 3 3 6 5 2 2 4 2 3 30

PTS 31 12 4 12 9 7 2 7 10 94

Percentages: FG .386, FT .767. 3-Point Goals: 7-24, .292 (Billups 3-6, Carter 1-1, Kleiza 1-3, Anthony 1-4, Smith 1-10). Team Rebounds: 12. Team Turnovers: 16 (20 PTS). Blocked Shots: 5 (Andersen 4, Martin). Turnovers: 14 (Anthony 5, Billups 3, Nene 2, Jones 2, Andersen, Smith). Steals: 11 (Anthony 2, Billups 2, Nene 2, Smith 2, Carter, Jones, Martin). Technical Fouls: Andersen, 9:43 fourth; Nene, 9:33 fourth. L.A. LAKERS Ariza Gasol Bynum Fisher Bryant Odom Farmar Vujacic Walton Brown Totals

Min FG FT Reb A PF PTS 32:25 4-7 4-6 0-5 4 4 12 45:00 5-8 4-5 1-10 4 1 14 18:53 4-9 1-3 1-2 1 4 9 27:11 4-9 4-4 0-0 2 5 12 44:54 6-13 9-10 1-5 8 3 22 32:07 7-15 4-7 4-14 3 2 19 6:35 1-3 0-0 1-1 0 0 2 3:32 1-2 0-0 0-1 1 1 3 15:09 2-5 0-0 2-4 2 2 4 14:14 3-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 6 240:00 37-76 26-35 10-42 25 22 103

Percentages: FG .487, FT .743. 3-Point Goals: 3-16, .188 (Odom 1-1, Vujacic 1-2, Bryant 1-6, Brown 0-1, Ariza 0-2, Farmar 0-2, Fisher 0-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 16 (14 PTS). Blocked Shots: 12 (Gasol 5, Odom 4, Ariza 2, Walton). Turnovers: 15 (Bryant 7, Fisher 2, Gasol 2, Walton 2, Bynum, Odom). Steals: 5 (Gasol 2, Ariza, Bryant, Walton). Technical Fouls: Defensive three second, 3:10 first; Brown, 9:43 fourth. A: 18,997 (18,997). T: 2:40. Officials: Monty McCutchen, Ron Garretson, Tom Washington.

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14

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Magic one win from making Cavs go ‘poof’, returning to Finals ORLANDO—Dressed in black, the imposing 7-footer sat near the floor for Game 4 like a casual NBA fan. He was hardly one. Around here, Shaquille O’Neal means much more. He represents the link to Orlando’s glorious past, however brief it may be. Shaq, a basket-breaking behemoth with the power of several men, led the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in 1995, a short visit that ended with an embarrassing sweep by Houston. The Magic and their fans have longed for a second shot. They can almost touch it. Orlando moved within one win of ending its 14-year Finals drought on Tuesday night as Dwight Howard, the Magic’s present-day Diesel, scored 27 points—10 in overtime— in a 116-114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals and shove LeBron James and his not-sosupportive cast to the edge of an early summer break. A razor-thin series—two onepoint games, and a two-pointer in OT—where the last team with the ball usually emerges victorious, could end tonight. Maybe. “We’re up 3-1, but we can’t relax,” said Rashard Lewis, whose catchand-shoot 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left in regulation was easily Game 4’s most dramatic shot. “Anything can happen. We got to go to Cleveland looking to try and close these guys out.” The Magic got more good news Wednesday when the NBA rescinded Howard’s Game

The road least traveled Of the 190 teams to face a 3-1 deficit in an NBA playoff series, only eight have rallied to win. 2006: Phoenix beats L.A. Lakers (first round) 2003: Detroit beats Orlando (first round) 1997: Miami beats New York (East semis) 1995: Houston beats Phoenix (West semis) 1981: Boston beats Philadelphia (East finals) 1979: Washington beats San Antonio (East finals) 1970: L.A. Lakers beats Phoenix (West semis) 1968: Boston beats Philadelphia (East finals)

— Los Angeles Times

STEPHEN M. DOWELL / AP

It’s been 14 years since the Magic last made it to the NBA Finals, and they can get back there again by winning Game 5 in Cleveland. 4 technical foul, his sixth of the playoffs. Under league rules, Howard would’ve been automatically suspended for one game had he received a seventh technical during the postseason. Orlando heads into Game 5 with no fear of the road. It finished off the defending champion Boston Celtics on their famed parquet floor in a Game 7 in the previous round

and have a chance to end Cleveland’s dream season on the court of King James. The MVP, who is averaging 42.3 points, 7.3 rebound and 7.3 assists in the series, won’t go quietly. “I’m up for the challenge,” James said. “And I think my play, my leadership has spoke for that. So I will be ready, and I think our guys will be ready also.”

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, who doesn’t sleep well even when things are going great, knows if anyone can turn this series around it’s the magnificent James. “This thing is a long, long, long way from over, just like the games in this series have been,” he said. “When you’ve got a guy as great as him on the other side, you’re a long way from done.”

After Wednesday’s practice in Ohio, Cavs coach Mike Brown agreed. “This is about as even of a series as you can ask for. They’ve just made one or two plays down the stretch more than us. But I still feel the confidence, I still feel the togetherness and I still feel like we have a chance to win this,” Brown said. The odds are stacked against the Cavaliers. In the NBA’s 62-year postseason history, 190 teams have taken a 3-1 lead in a series and 182 of them have won. More daunting for the Cavaliers is that the Magic have won 10 of the past 14 meetings between the teams, and were one of three teams to win at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena this season. James and Co. are running out of time and answers. Cleveland’s matchup problems are glaring: Height, depth, speed. You name it, Orlando more of it.

When the Cavs have concentrated on stopping Howard down low, the Magic make 3-pointers (they hit 17 of 38 in Game 4), and when Cleveland focuses its defense on guarding the perimeter, Howard destroys them near the basket. “They’re playing their best basketball of the season right now,” said Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. “They’re playing better than they played against Philly and Boston.” — The Associated Press

Today’s game (Best-of-7) Orlando at Cleveland, 8:30 p.m., ET, TNT (Orlando leads series 3-1)

Betting line Today FAVORITE ..........LINE ... at Cleveland .............7½....

O/U .........UNDERDOG (190) .................Orlando

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Playoff glance

INSIDE DISH

NBA takes back Howard’s Game 4 technical Magic C Dwight Howard had his technical foul from Game 4 of the Eastern finals rescinded by the NBA. Howard was given his sixth technical of the playoffs for taunting Anderson Varejao after a layup in the fourth quarter of the Magic’s 116-114 overtime victory Tuesday night. Varejao had draped his arms around Howard in a failed attempt to stop him from scoring. Under league rules, Howard would have been automatically suspended for one game if he received a seventh technical during the playoffs. “I wasn’t taunting Varejao or anything,” Howard said after the game. “My thing, it was a tough play. He grabbed me around the neck and I made the shot.” The 76ers interviewed Dallas assistant Dwane Casey for a second time about their coaching position, according to The Associated Press. Casey interviewed for the first time last week with Sixers president Ed Stefanski. Casey led Minnesota to a 33-49 record in 2006-07 and was fired 40 games into the 2007-08 season. Casey spent this season on Rick Carlisle’s staff in Dallas. The other known candidates are Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau, former Washington Wizards coach Eddie Jordan and Sixers scout Chris Ford. The Sixers informed Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis this week he was no longer a candidate. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the team also reached out to ESPN studio analyst Avery Johnson, but one

source said ‘’the timing isn’t right.’’ Although the Kings announced they will interview Thibodeau for their head coach opening this week, the meeting could be pushed to next week because of the NBA predraft camp in Chicago, which is also this week, The Boston Globe reported. Hornets C Tyson Chandler had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle and left big toe late last week, and F James Posey had a procedure on his right knee, The Times-Picayune reported. Chandler’s surgery was done in an attempt to lessen inflammation and irritation that hampered him throughout last season, when he missed 29 regularseason games because of the ankle injury. A midseason trade to Oklahoma City was rescinded by the Thunder because of concerns over the toe, though Chandler did not miss any games this season because of it. Both are expected to be fully recovered by the time training camp begins in October. Celtics C Kendrick Perkins and PG Rajon Rondo will not participate in USA Basketball’s minicamp in Las Vegas because of Perkins’ wedding, The Boston Globe reported. Perkins is getting married July 25, and Rondo is one of the groomsmen. The minicamp includes a meeting July 22, practice July 23-24, and an intrasquad scrimmage July 25. Restricted free agent Jamario Moon told The Miami Herald that Heat officials told him ‘’they are

CONFERENCE FINALS (Best-of-7), all times ET

EASTERN CONFERENCE Cleveland vs. Orlando

really impressed with me’’ but haven’t said if they will re-sign him because of the luxury tax. Moon is recovering from sports hernia surgery can resume playing in July.

(Orlando leads series 3-1) May 20: Orlando 107, Cleveland 106 May 22: Cleveland 96, Orlando 95 May 24: Orlando 99, Cleveland 89 May 26: Orlando 116, Cleveland 114, OT Today: Orlando at Cleveland, 8:30 p.m. Saturday: Cleveland at Orlando, 8:30 p.m., if necessary Monday, June 1: Orlando at Cleveland, 8:30 p.m., if necessary

EA Sports will become the presenting partner of the 2009 NBA draft, SportsBusiness Journal’s Eric Fisher reported. EA Sports will use the event to unveil the cover athlete for NBA Live 10, the latest version of its annual basketball simulation title scheduled for a fall release. In addition to the branding for the draft, EA will also gain integration on NBA.com and the league’s other digital assets. Online content plans include the creation of an EA Sports virtual green room that will provide behind-the-scenes coverage of likely draftees.

WESTERN CONFERENCE L.A. Lakers vs. Denver (L.A. Lakers lead series 3-2) May 19: L.A. Lakers 105, Denver 103 May 21: Denver 106, L.A. Lakers 103 May 23: L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 97 May 25: Denver 120, L.A. Lakers 101 Wednesday: L.A. Lakers 103, Denver 94 Friday: L.A. Lakers at Denver, 9 p.m. Sunday: Denver at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m., if necessary

A Suns-76ers exhibition game will be held in Monterrey, Mexico, on Oct. 18. The preseason game will mark the NBA’s second visit to Monterrey and the 18th game in Mexico overall. TNT is averaging 4.3 million viewers through 40 NBA playoffs telecasts through Sunday, up 18.7 percent for 39 telecasts at the same point last year, SportsBusiness Daily reported. Meanwhile, ESPN’s 16 postseason telecasts have averaged 4.0 million viewers, up 10.1 percent from 18 telecasts at the same point last year. ESPN’s 5.7 cable rating and 7.9 million viewers for Thursday’s Nuggets-Lakers Game 2 also marked the net’s second-most viewed basketball game ever.

15

NBA calendar June 4—NBA finals start date (possible move-up to June 2). June 15—NBA draft early entry entrant withdrawal deadline (5 p.m. ET). June 18—NBA finals latest possible end date. June 25—NBA draft. JACOB LANGSTON / AP

Dwight Howard was on the verge of a suspenion before the league rescinded a technical.

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INSIDE DISH

THE LAUNCHING PAD

Cardinals G.M.: Glaus’ return probably less than 50-50 Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his “gut feeling” is there is “probably less than a 50-50 chance” that 3B Troy Glaus will return from offseason shoulder surgery in 2009. The team is expected to learn more about Glaus’ progress next week, but Mozeliak admitted, “It’s like we’re losing the hope factor.” He added that the team will be proactive in its search for a righthanded bat if the news on Glaus is bad. The newspaper speculated the Cardinals could pursue a trade for Rockies 3B Garrett Atkins or Indians 3B Mark DeRosa. In other Cardinals news, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported P Kyle Lohse is expected to miss his scheduled start Friday. He still has some forearm weakness after being hit by a pitch in his most recent start. After playing five innings of defense in an extended spring training intrasquad game Wednesday, Yankees C Jorge Posada (hamstring) told reporters he hopes to rejoin the Yankees’ lineup Friday. Posada said his hamstring no longer is an issue. Also, CF Melky Cabrera is expected to miss four games with a strained right shoulder after he crashed into a wall trying to make a catch in Texas on Tuesday night. Dodgers manager Joe Torre told reporters that suspended OF Manny Ramirez would play 7-10 days in the minors before rejoining the Dodgers’ lineup. Ramirez, who is eligible to return July 3, has been working out on his own and soon could head to the team’s spring training facility in Glendale, Ariz.

16

What to expect in the major leagues today

batting average—The Plain Dealer in Cleveland reported Indians OF Grady Sizemore is suffering from elbow pain. Manager Eric Wedge, while not ruling out a trip to the disabled list for Sizemore, said he will continue to use Sizemore at DH in order to prevent him from having to throw. And speaking of DH, mlb.com reported Travis Hafner (shoulder) could be back from the disabled list as soon as Sunday. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the Pirates likely will wait until Friday before deciding whether to place P Matt Capps (elbow) on the disabled list. Capps was hit by a line drive in Monday’s game but was able to play long toss Wednesday.

M. SPENCER GREEN / AP

Royals manager Trey Hillman served a one-game suspension Wednesday. The discipline was a result of Hillman’s ejection for arguing balls and strikes in Monday’s game.

If Troy Glaus cannot play this season, the Cards will need another power bat. Although he left Tuesday’s game after being hit on the right wrist by a pitch, Brewers OF Ryan Braun was back in the starting lineup Wedneday. Also back in action for Milwaukee: SS J.J. Hardy, who had missed the previous four games because of back spasms. With trade rumors beginning to swirl, Nationals 1B Nick Johnson told the New York Daily News he would welcome a trade to the Mets. New York has a need at the position after 1B Carlos Delgado’s hip surgery. In other Mets news, P Oliver Perez (knee) told The Buffalo News that he expects to make another minor league rehab

start. In his first outing Tuesday, he allowed one earned run in 4 1/3 innings, though he walked five. After his second rehab start Tuesday, Red Sox P John Smoltz (shoulder) told The Boston Globe that he needs three more rehab starts before joining the Red Sox’s rotation. Smoltz’s next rehab start will be Sunday at Class A. In other Red Sox news, Yahoo! Sports reported the team has been scouting Braves OF Jeff Francoeur. Finally shedding some light on a possible cause for his offensive struggles this season—at least in terms of

According to The Arizona Republic, there is some progress to report on Diamondbacks P Brandon Webb (shoulder). Webb, who hasn’t pitched since opening day, is building up enough strength to play long toss. But manager A.J. Hinch admitted, “Once we do that, it’s like starting over. We’ll have to build his pitch count, similar in how we do in spring training.” Banished to the minor leagues after going 0-5 with an 8.19 ERA in six starts for the White Sox, P Jose Contreras could get a chance to regain his roster spot in the majors. The Chicago Sun-Times speculated Contreras is an option to pitch in the White Sox’s June 8 doubleheader.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP

Juan Pierre and the Dodgers hope to make life miserable again for the Cubs in L.A.

A painful reminder The last time the Cubs set foot in Dodger Stadium, they suffered the final loss in their 2008 NLDS sweep. They’re back tonight, and if the struggling Cubs are to make another postseason run—Sporting News’ official preseason prediction had Chicago beating Los Angeles in this season’s NLCS—now would be a great time to build some momentum. Meanwhile, the first-place Dodgers have a stranglehold on the N.L. West, despite Manny Ramirez’s suspension. That’s due in large part to the outstanding offense provided by Juan Pierre, who is filling in for Manny, and third baseman Casey Blake, who was the Dodgers’ “other” trading deadline acquisition in 2008. Of course, L.A.’s pitching also has been strong, and lefthander Randy Wolf (2-1) will try for his seventh quality start in 11 outings tonight.

Mauer power How hot is Twins catcher Joe Mauer? Even when he got a day off in the first game of this series against Boston, he delivered a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth inning. And in this month alone, he has surpassed his home run total from all of 2008. Tonight, he’ll face a resurgent Josh Beckett (2-0, 2.67 ERA in four May starts).

Wins in the West The Braves begin the second leg of their West Coast swing tonight at Chase Field. In order to salvage this seven-game trip, they’ll need to play better at Arizona than they did at San Francisco. Prior to their struggles against the Giants, the Braves had won their past four road series, so they are capable of turning it around. It will help to have ace Derek Lowe on the mound tonight. From 2005-08 with the Dodgers, Lowe posted a 3.66 ERA in 17 starts against the Diamondbacks. He was 3-1 with a 2.05 ERA against them in 2008.

— Chris Bahr

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17

Q&A with ... Rays 3B Evan Longoria

‘I know we haven’t hit the way we can hit collectively as a group’ Fresh off his A.L. rookie of the year season in 2008, Longoria has continued to bash. Instead of battling a sophomore slump, Longoria is making an early push at a Triple Crown. He recently appeared on Sporting News Radio to discuss his hot hitting, the Rays’ recent lineup-card gaffe and his outlook on the season.

A:

I don’t even know where to start. We got mixed up in the dugout and I was getting ready the whole time, and they said, “You’re going to hit.” But they didn’t tell me where I was going to hit. It’s not their fault; I was ready to hit anyway. But it was so last-minute, and I was throwing my gloves on as I was running to the plate. Obviously, I wanted to be in that situation to give us the chance to win that game. The pitcher was pretty good, too. He was throwing about 94 with a cutter and a split. It was a tough, tough plate appearance, but it was fun nonetheless. I enjoyed it.

Q: A:

You’re No. 20 on Sporting News’ top 50 players list. That’s quite an honor, isn’t it? Yeah, it is. The list is pretty short, and to be included with those guys is really an honor. To be included in that category and to be brought up in that sort of a list, it lets you know your hard work is paying off a little bit and you are being recognized for all the hard work that you put in.

Q:

You guys seemed to have fun with the recent lineup mishap (pitcher Andy Sonnanstine had to serve as the DH and bat third). What was that like? After the initial shock of the situation wore off, we were all right with it. If there were any other starting pitchers around here, they’d be upset with me. But if I had to pick one, I would definitely pick Sonny to hit in that spot. We got lucky in that respect, I guess. It ended up working out all right in that we won and nobody had to get yelled at after the game.

Q: A:

It really has been a miraculous year for you, hasn’t it? Going back even further from when I signed in ’06, it’s all been pretty much high speed, to say the least. At this time now it’s probably been the first time that I’ve been able to just relax and settle into a situation. I bought my first place in Tampa, and this will be my first full year in the big leagues. And now it seems like things are coming a little slower. So it’s a good sign.

A:

Q:

You’re from Southern California. You went to Long Beach State University. Do you have a sense for how much you’re respected there? I love Southern California. I love the people I grew up with and played with in Long Beach. Any time I have the chance to go home or the chance to do something in that community, I always jump on the opportunity, because where you grow up is your roots.

A:

STEVE NESIUS / AP

Last season, Evan Longoria won A.L. rookie of the year despite fracturing his wrist, and he’s picked up where he left off—the 23-year-old is hitting .324 with 11 HR and 49 RBIs.

Q: A:

It really takes a lot of hard work and a lot of support to get to where you are, doesn’t it? You’ve got to understand that everybody who makes it to the big leagues, it’s not an easy road.

Granted, I was blessed being a top pick. You get all the opportunities in the world to succeed as a top pick, and some guys’ roads are a lot tougher. But that doesn’t mean it was a free pass for me or anyone else who gets drafted high.

There’s still a lot of work involved.

Q:

When you walked up to the plate in the WBC, wasn’t that one of the most difficult plate appearances you ever had?

Q:

How do you feel about where you are in the division considering what you guys have gone through thus far? We definitely haven’t played the kind of baseball that this team can play. I know we haven’t hit the way we can hit collectively as a group. We’re just a few clicks away from being right where we want to be.

A:

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Fantasy Focus

LEAGUE LEADERS Batting Average

Stock Watch A.L.

Player Mi.Cabrera Bartlett V.Martinez Ad.Jones A.Hill Morneau I.Suzuki

.374 .373 .362 .359 .344 .343 .343

A quick look at who’s moving up and down in the fantasy world:

▲ Alexei Ramirez, 2B/SS, White Sox. The preseason sleeper disappointed owners with a .214 average in April, and he likely was dropped in some leagues. Ramirez has picked it up, so pick him up. He had four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored Monday—a reminder of how fast he fills up a stat sheet. Ramirez is warming up in time for June, a month in which he hit .355 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 2008.

A.L.

Team New York Houston Los Angeles Houston New York Washington Philadelphia

.367 .352 .347 .346 .345 .340 .339

Player C.Pena Teixeira Bay Morneau Kinsler 6 tied at

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay New York Boston Minnesota Texas

Runs

NAM Y. HUH / AP

Alexei Ramirez hit .355 last June.

Player Beltran Pence Hudson Tejada DWright CGuzman Ibanez

A.L.

Player B.Roberts Scutaro Ad.Jones Morneau 4 tied at

Player Ibanez Pujols Zimmerman Hudson A.Soriano Ad.Gonzalez 2 tied at

42 41 39 39 37

A.L.

Team Philadelphia St. Louis Washington Los Angeles Chicago San Diego

38 38 38 37 36 35 33

Player Crawford Ellsbury Figgins Abreu Bartlett BUpton 2 tied at

Player Longoria Bay Morneau Hunter C.Pena Markakis Teixeira

Player Ibanez Fielder Dunn Pujols Hawpe Loney 2 tied at

51 48 44 40 40 39 39

mired in a 1-for-20 slump and homerless since May 13. With Vladimir Guerrero back, Napoli will have fewer at-bats at designated hitter. It’s worth noting that Napoli hit .215 at catcher and .471 at DH (through Tuesday). Napoli remains a better option than teammate Jeff Mathis, but that’s not a strong endorsement. — Bill Bender

MORE COVERAGE Get everything you need to dominate your fantasy league at sportingnews.com/fantasy/baseball

A.L.

Player A.Hill V.Martinez Mi.Cabrera Cano Crawford Morneau 3 tied at

Team Philadelphia Milwaukee Washington St. Louis Colorado Los Angeles

44 43 42 40 36 36 35

75 68 64 62 62 62 61

Player Palmer Greinke Halladay Slowey Buehrle Penny Baez

Player Longoria M.Young Byrd Callaspo Lind B.Roberts 3 tied at

5-0 8-1 8-1 7-1 6-1 5-1 4-1

20 17 16 16 16 16 15

Player Martis Broxton Cain Stults Pelfrey Lincecum LiHernandez

1.000 .889 .889 .875 .857 .833 .800

Player Hudson Zimmerman Tejada Beltran F.Sanchez Ibanez D.Wright

A.L.

Team Los Angeles Washington Houston New York Pittsburgh Philadelphia New York

68 65 64 62 60 59 59

Team Washington Los Angeles San Francisco Los Angeles New York San Francisco New York

5-0 5-0 5-1 4-1 4-1 4-1 4-1

1.000 1.000 .833 .800 .800 .800 .800

Player Verlander Greinke Halladay F.Hernandez Lester Garza A.Burnett

Team Detroit Kansas City Toronto Seattle Boston Tampa Bay New York

Player F.Sanchez Tejada Hudson Kotchman Beltran F.Lopez Ha.Ramirez

Player J.Santana Peavy Lincecum J.Vazquez Billingsley Haren Jo.Johnson

85 81 68 66 62 60 57

A.L.

Team Pittsburgh Houston Los Angeles Atlanta New York Arizona Florida

17 17 16 16 15 15 15

Player Fuentes Papelbon Sherrill F.Francisco Jenks Ma.Rivera 2 tied at

Team New York San Diego San Francisco Atlanta Los Angeles Arizona Florida

86 84 84 78 69 63 59

Team San Diego New York Cincinnati St. Louis Milwaukee Los Angeles Arizona

14 13 13 12 11 11 11

N.L.

Team Los Angeles Boston Baltimore Texas Chicago New York

13 12 10 10 10 9 8

Player Bell Fr.Rodriguez Cordero Franklin Hoffman Broxton Qualls

East Boston New York Toronto Tampa Bay Baltimore

W L 27 20 27 20 27 23 23 26 21 26

Pct GB WCGB L10 Str Home .574 — — 5-5 L-2 17-6 .574 — — 7-3 W-1 14-9 .540 1½ 1½ 1-9 L-9 16-6 .469 5 5 4-6 L-4 11-10 .447 6 6 5-5 W-3 14-11

Away 10-14 13-11 11-17 12-16 7-15

Central Detroit Minnesota Kansas City Chicago Cleveland

W L 26 19 24 24 23 24 21 25 20 28

Pct GB WCGB L10 Str .578 — — 7-3 W-1 .500 3½ 3½ 6-4 W-2 .489 4 4 4-6 L-1 .457 5½ 5½ 6-4 L-1 .417 7½ 7½ 6-4 W-3

Home Away 15-7 11-12 19-10 5-14 15-12 8-12 12-10 9-15 10-11 10-17

West Texas Los Angeles Seattle Oakland

W L 27 19 24 22 22 26 18 26

Pct GB WCGB L10 Str .587 — — 5-5 L-1 .522 3 2½ 6-4 W-1 .458 6 5½ 4-6 W-1 .409 8 7½ 5-5 L-1

Home 15-8 13-10 12-12 11-13

Away 12-11 11-12 10-14 7-13

National League Standings East New York Philadelphia Atlanta Florida Washington

W 26 25 23 22 13

L 20 20 22 26 33

Pct .565 .556 .511 .458 .283

GB WCGB L10 — — 5-5 ½ 1 6-4 2½ 3 5-5 5 5½ 4-6 13 13½ 2-8

Str W-3 L-1 L-2 W-1 L-3

Home 15-8 9-14 11-12 9-14 7-16

Away 11-12 16-6 12-10 13-12 6-17

Central St. Louis Milwaukee Cincinnati Chicago Pittsburgh Houston

W 28 27 26 23 21 18

L 19 20 20 22 26 27

Pct .596 .574 .565 .511 .447 .400

GB WCGB L10 — — 7-3 1 — 4-6 1½ ½ 6-4 4 3 2-8 7 6 5-5 9 8 2-8

Str W-2 L-2 W-4 W-2 L-2 L-7

Home 17-9 13-9 13-12 14-8 11-9 9-15

Away 11-10 14-11 13-8 9-14 10-17 9-12

West W Los Angeles 33 San Diego 24 San Francisco 22 Arizona 20 Colorado 18 z-first game was a win

L 15 23 23 27 28

Pct GB WCGB L10 .688 — — 8-2 .511 8½ 3 9-1 .489 9½ 4 4-6 .426 12½ 7 6-4 .391 14 8½ 4-6

Str W-3 W-1 W-2 L-1 L-3

Home 18-5 17-6 15-8 10-17 7-13

Away 15-10 7-17 7-15 10-10 11-15

Pitching Matchups Today’s games (All times Eastern)

N.L.

Saves

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Texas Texas Kansas City Toronto Baltimore

16 12 11 11 11 11 10

N.L.

Team Los Angeles Kansas City Toronto Minnesota Chicago Boston Baltimore

Doubles A.L.

Team Houston Cincinnati San Francisco Colorado New York New York

Strikeouts N.L.

Team Toronto Cleveland Detroit New York Tampa Bay Minnesota

Player Bourn Taveras Burriss Fowler Jose Reyes D.Wright 2 tied at

30 21 19 15 14 14 11

A.L.

HIts

▼ Mike Napoli, C, Angels. Napoli is

18 17 16 14 14 13 12

Pitching (3 decisions) N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Boston Minnesota Los Angeles Tampa Bay Baltimore New York

Team San Diego Philadelphia Washington Cincinnati St. Louis Arizona

N.L.

Team Tampa Bay Boston Los Angeles Los Angeles Tampa Bay Tampa Bay

RBIs A.L.

Player Ad.Gonzalez Ibanez Dunn Bruce Pujols Reynolds 2 tied at

16 15 14 14 13 12

Stolen Bases N.L.

Team Baltimore Toronto Baltimore Minnesota

American League Standings

Home Runs

N.L.

Team Detroit Tampa Bay Cleveland Baltimore Toronto Minnesota Seattle

18

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

American League Tampa Bay (Niemann 4-3) at Cleveland (D.Huff 0-1),12:05 p.m. Boston (Beckett 4-2) at Minnesota (Swarzak 1-0),1:10 p.m. Detroit (Galarraga 3-4) at Baltimore (D.Hernandez 0-0),7:05 p.m.

The Line TB -115 at Cle +105 Bos -115 at Min +105 Det -110 at Bal +100

National League L.A. Dodgers (Wolf 2-1) at Chicago Cubs (R.Wells 0-1), 8:05 p.m. Atlanta (D.Lowe 6-2) at Arizona (Haren 3-4), 9:40 p.m.

The Line at Chi -110 LA +100 at Ari -125 Atl +115

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

19

AMERICAN LEAGUE N.Y. Yankees 9, Texas 2

Minnesota 4, Boston 2

Yankees now share A.L. East lead with Red Sox

Twins benefit from Dice-K’s wildness

ARLINGTON, TEXAS—A.J. Burnett used a simple plan to end six weeks of struggles. Burnett pitched six shutout innings to win for the first time since April 14, Hideki Matsui homered twice and the New York Yankees gained a share of the A.L. East lead by beating the Texas Rangers 9-2 Wednesday night. The righthander, who was 0-2 with a 6.04 ERA over his past seven starts, said he wanted to stay aggressive against a hard-hitting Rangers lineup. “I basically went after them,” Burnett said. “I didn’t leave anything over the plate. That’s a big difference. When you don’t make mistakes, they can’t capitalize.” Burnett (3-2) allowed three hits, walked four and struck out seven to snap his longest winless drought since the end of the 2005 season. After winning 18 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008, Burnett won his first two starts in pinstripes before his lengthy slump. “That’s the A.J. we all know and love,” said Mark Teixeira, who hit his 15th homer. “It all starts with starting pitching. If we get good starting pitching, we have a chance to win every single night with this offense.” The Yankees, who have won 12 of 15, are tied atop the division with Boston. It is the first time this season New York has been in first place in the A.L. East. “It’s about the team,” Burnett said. “As long as I take a positive step forward, the wins will come.” Derek Jeter was 3-for-4 and reached base five times, and Teixeira added his 12th homer in May. The Yankees had 15 hits and outscored the first-place Rang-

Yankees 9, Rangers 2 New York AB R H BI Jeter ss 4 1 3 1 Damon lf 5 0 0 0 Teixeira 1b 5 1 2 2 A.Rodriguez 3b 4 0 1 0 R.Pena 3b 0 0 0 0 Cano 2b 5 2 2 1 H.Matsui dh 4 2 2 3 1-Berroa pr-dh 0 0 0 0 Swisher rf 4 1 1 0 Gardner cf 5 1 2 0 Cash c 4 1 2 2 Totals 40 9 15 9

BB SO Avg. 2 0 .297 0 3 .302 0 1 .275 1 0 .258 0 0 .246 0 0 .320 1 1 .257 0 0 .167 1 1 .223 0 2 .277 0 0 .231 5 8

Texas AB Kinsler 2b 4 M.Young 3b 3 Hamilton cf 4 An.Jones dh 4 N.Cruz rf 2 Dav.Murphy lf 2 C.Davis 1b 4 Saltalamacchia c 4 Andrus ss 4 Totals 31

BB SO Avg. 1 0 .282 1 0 .335 0 2 .241 0 1 .288 2 1 .293 1 0 .221 0 3 .203 0 2 .252 0 1 .284 5 10

New York Texas

R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2

H BI 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 5 2

210 003 201 — 9 15 0 000 000 200 — 2 5 1

1-ran for H.Matsui in the 9th. E: Holland (2). LOB: New York 10, Texas 8. 2B: Jeter (11), A.Rodriguez (4), Cano (13), Cash (2), An.Jones (8), Saltalamacchia (6). HR: Teixeira (15), off Holland; H.Matsui (6), off Holland; H.Matsui (7), off Madrigal; Cano (9), off Benson; Kinsler (13), off Veras. RBIs: Jeter (22), Teixeira 2 (39), Cano (28), H.Matsui 3 (18), Cash 2 (3), Kinsler 2 (35). SB: M.Young (4). CS: Andrus (1). Runners left in scoring position: New York 4 (Damon, Cano 2, A.Rodriguez); Texas 3 (An.Jones, C.Davis 2). DP: Texas 2 (Holland, Andrus, C.Davis), (N.Cruz, N.Cruz, Saltalamacchia).

L.M. OTERO / AP

Brett Gardner, right, and the Yankees have won 12 of the past 15 games to climb to the division lead.

ers 23-10 in the three-game series. Alex Rodriguez was 7-for-13 with four RBIs in his first series in Texas since admitting earlier this year that he used steroids while playing for the Rangers. For the third straight game, he was greeted with loud boos every time he came to the plate. Derek Holland (1-2) lost in his second career start, allowing 10 hits and six

runs in five innings. “It’s definitely a little different facing the Yankees,” Holland said. “Each one was a tough out.” Matsui, who was in a 3-for-23 funk coming into the series, homered on the first pitch of the sixth inning from Holland. He added a two-run shot in the seventh off Warner Madrigal. — The Associated Press

New York A.Burnett W, 3-2 Veras D.Robertson Wang 20.45 Texas Holland L, 1-2 Jennings Madrigal Guardado Benson

IP 6 1⁄3 2⁄3 2

H 3 2 0 0

IP H 5 10 2⁄3 1 1 1⁄3 2 1 0 1 2

R ER BB SO NP ERA 0 0 4 7 118 4.78 2 2 1 0 23 6.41 0 0 0 1 8 2.84 0 0 0 2 26 R ER BB SO 6 5 2 5 0 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1

NP ERA 88 5.70 22 3.86 23 9.00 19 5.06 25 8.53

Holland pitched to 3 batters in the 6th. Inherited runners-scored: D.Robertson 1-0, Jennings 2-2, Madrigal 2-0. HBP: by A.Burnett (Dav.Murphy), by Benson (Cash). Umpires: Home, Mike Muchlinski; First, Phil Cuzzi; Second, Tom Hallion; Third, Jerry Crawford. T: 3:23. A: 38,409 (49,170).

MINNEAPOLIS—Daisuke Matsuzaka and the rest of the Red Sox righties tied a modern-day record with six wild pitches while Twins starter Kevin Slowey was the picture of control in Minnesota’s 4-2 victory over Boston. Matsuzaka (0-3) tied a franchise record set 80 years ago with four wild pitches, while relievers Manny Delcarmen and Justin Masterson also sent catcher George Kottaras scrambling. It was just the fifth time since 1900 that a team threw six wild pitches in a game. “A lot going on around the dirt area,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “George’s Canadian background came into play there. He looked like a goalie at times. There were a lot of balls bouncing.” Slowey (7-1) gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and just one walk in six innings. Speedy Denard Span had four hits, a walk and two runs scored for the Twins. Five of the wild pitches came with him on base. Matsuzaka was all over the place in his second start off the disabled list. He gave up three runs on nine hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts. This was the first time Kottaras, who is Tim Wakefield’s normal catcher, was behind the plate for a start by Matsuzaka. — The Associated Press

Twins 4, Red Sox 2 Boston AB R Ellsbury cf 4 1 Pedroia 2b 4 0 J.Drew rf 3 0 Youkilis 1b 2 0 Bay lf 4 1 D.Ortiz dh 4 0 Lowell 3b 4 0 Kottaras c 4 0 N.Green ss 3 0 Totals 32 2

H BI 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 2

BB SO Avg. 0 0 .307 0 0 .339 1 1 .257 1 1 .373 0 1 .281 0 1 .193 0 0 .309 0 2 .179 0 0 .299 2 6

Minnesota AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Span cf-lf 4 2 4 0 1 0 .316 Mauer c 3 0 1 1 1 0 .425 Morneau 1b 5 1 1 0 0 2 .343 Kubel dh 3 1 2 1 2 0 .340 Cuddyer rf 4 0 1 1 0 3 .284 B.Harris 3b 5 0 2 1 0 0 .264 Delm.Young lf 4 0 2 0 0 1 .253 1-Gomez pr-cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225 Tolbert 2b 2 0 0 0 1 1 .194 Punto ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 .187 Totals 34 4 13 4 5 7 Boston 001 001 000 — 2 6 1 Minnesota 003 001 00x — 4 13 1 1-ran for Delm.Young in the 7th. E: Kottaras (1), Punto (5). LOB: Boston 6, Minnesota 14. 2B: Morneau (14), Kubel (12), Cuddyer (11). HR: Bay (14), off Slowey. RBIs: Youkilis (29), Bay (48), Mauer (32), Kubel (25), Cuddyer (32), B.Harris (9). SB: Ellsbury (21), Pedroia (7), Span (11), Punto (5). S: Tolbert. SF: Youkilis, Mauer. Runners left in scoring position: Boston 3 (Youkilis, Bay, J.Drew); Minnesota 8 (Cuddyer, Delm.Young, Morneau, Tolbert, B.Harris 3, Mauer). DP: Boston 1 (Pedroia, N.Green, Youkilis); Minnesota 1 (Tolbert, Punto, Morneau). Boston Matsuzaka L, 0-3 Delcarmen Masterson Minnesota Slowey W, 7-1 Mijares H, 5 Guerrier H, 7 Nathan S, 8-10

IP 5 2⁄3 2 1⁄3 IP 6 1 1⁄3 2⁄3 1

H 9 2 2 H 6 0 0 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 3 3 6 102 8.82 1 1 1 1 18 1.25 0 0 1 0 42 4.24 R ER BB SO NP ERA 2 2 1 5 99 4.11 0 0 1 0 17 2.35 0 0 0 0 2 3.75 0 0 0 1 17 2.45

Inherited runners-scored: Masterson 3-1, Guerrier 1-0. IBB: off Delcarmen (Kubel). HBP: by Masterson (Cuddyer). WP: Matsuzaka 4, Delcarmen, Masterson. Umpires: Home, Chris Guccione; First, Todd Tichenor; Second, Jerry Layne; Third, Tony Randazzo. T: 3:10. A: 28,221 (46,632).

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20

AMERICAN LEAGUE Cleveland 12, Tampa Bay 7

Baltimore 12, Toronto 10, 11 innings

Sonnanstine’s struggles with Francisco ruin Rays

O’s rally, extend Jays’ slide

CLEVELAND—Ben Francisco smiled, shrugged his shoulders and had no explanation for his success against Tampa Bay righthander Andy Sonnanstine. Francisco homered and drove in four runs for Cleveland and the Indians earned their first three-game winning streak of the season by defeating the Rays 12-7 Wednesday night. “It’s a big win for us, to finally get three straight,” Francisco said. “We’re all feeling confident.” Francisco extended his domination against Sonnanstine (3-5) with a threerun homer and RBI single as Cleveland overcame a 5-0 deficit. On Monday night, the Indians came back from 10-0, beating the Rays with a seven-run ninth inning, 11-10. “We gave up two huge leads here and have to do a better job of pitching,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. Greg Aquino (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win—Cleveland’s sixth in eight games. It was the righthander’s first win since June 19, 2006, for Arizona. Luis Vizcaino worked three scoreless innings for his first save since Sept. 29, 2004, with Milwaukee. “Those two did a tremendous job running through five innings,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said. The Rays lost their fourth straight for the first time this season and have dropped 16 in a row in Cleveland since a 1-0 win on Sept. 29, 2005. But the Indians are a long way from matching their team record for consecutive home wins over a team. They beat the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles 27 straight times in Cleveland from 1952-54. Francisco’s three-run homer in

Indians 12, Rays 7 Tampa Bay AB R H BI B.Upton cf 4 1 1 0 Crawford lf 5 1 1 0 Longoria 3b 5 2 2 2 C.Pena 1b 5 0 1 0 W.Aybar 2b 4 1 2 1 Zobrist ss-rf 3 2 2 1 Dillon dh 2 0 0 0 a-Gross ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Kapler rf 3 0 1 2 b-Brignac ph-ss 2 0 0 0 M.Hernandez c 5 0 1 0 Totals 39 7 11 6

BB SO Avg. 1 2 .191 0 0 .313 0 2 .326 0 2 .243 1 0 .274 2 1 .297 1 1 .000 1 0 .256 0 0 .197 0 1 .214 0 1 .286 6 10

Cleveland A.Cabrera ss Sizemore dh V.Martinez c Choo rf Jh.Peralta 3b DeRosa lf Crowe cf Garko 1b B.Francisco cf-lf J.Carroll 2b Totals

BB SO Avg. 0 0 .317 0 1 .222 1 0 .362 1 2 .294 1 0 .268 1 1 .266 0 0 .182 0 0 .269 0 0 .255 1 0 .320 5 4

AB R H BI 5 0 2 1 5 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 4 1 1 2 4 1 1 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 2 1 5 2 3 4 3 2 2 1 38 12 14 12

Tampa Bay 501 100 000 — 7 11 0 Cleveland 053 040 00x — 12 14 1 b-flied out for Kapler in the 6th. E: Jh.Peralta (4). LOB: Tampa Bay 11, Cleveland 8. 2B: Zobrist (11), Sizemore (10), V.Martinez (15), B.Francisco (9). 3B: Zobrist (2). HR: Longoria (12), off Z.Jackson; B.Francisco (5), off Sonnanstine; Choo (6), off J.Nelson. RBIs: Longoria 2 (51), W.Aybar (11), Zobrist (25), Kapler 2 (5), A.Cabrera (27), Sizemore (30), V.Martinez 2 (34), Choo 2 (28), Garko (22), B.Francisco 4 (19), J.Carroll (1). SB: Zobrist (5). Runners left in scoring position: Tampa Bay 7 (B.Upton 3, Dillon, Longoria 2, Brignac); Cleveland 7 (V.Martinez, Sizemore 2, B.Francisco 2, A.Cabrera, Jh.Peralta).

MARK DUNCAN / AP

Ben Francisco, above, is 8-for-9 with five homers and 12 RBIs against Andy Sonnanstine. Cleveland’s five-run second was his third in three at-bats against Sonnanstine this year and fourth straight off the righthander. Francisco also homered off him in Cleveland on July 10. Francisco is 8-for-9 with five homers and 12 RBIs against the 26-year-old who grew up in

Wadsworth, Ohio, about 40 miles southwest of Progressive Field. “I try not to think about it and don’t want to talk about it too much,” Francisco said, fearful that he may jinx his streak. “Some guys you just have success against and others you don’t.” — The Associated Press

Tampa Bay IP Sonnanstine L, 3-5 3 J.Nelson 2 Isringhausen 2 Thayer 1 Cleveland IP Z.Jackson 4 Aquino W, 1-0 2 Vizcaino S, 1-1 3

H 9 4 1 0 H 8 2 1

R ER BB SO 8 8 2 3 4 4 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 R ER BB SO 7 6 4 4 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 4

NP ERA 75 7.66 44 6.43 28 3.60 10 5.06 NP ERA 88 9.35 48 0.00 40 1.80

HBP: by J.Nelson (Garko). WP: Sonnanstine. Umpires: Home, Tim Welke; First, Jim Reynolds; Second, Angel Hernandez; Third, Bill Welke. T: 3:16. A: 19,335 (45,199).

BALTIMORE—The Toronto Blue Jays did just about everything necessary to end their miserable losing streak. They got a fine performance from ace Roy Halladay, reached double figures in runs for the first time since May 6 and twice had an apparently secure lead. And still, the Baltimore Orioles rallied for an unlikely 12-10 victory Wednesday. Nolan Reimold hit a threerun homer in the bottom of the 11th inning, providing the Orioles with their first three-game winning streak of the season and extending the Blue Jays’ skid to nine games. “Been a long time since we had a lot of fun like that,” said Baltimore manager Dave Trembley, shortly after Reimold had his postgame interview interrupted by a shaving-cream pie in the face, courtesy of teammate Robert Andino. Baltimore trailed 8-3 when Halladay left after seven, and 10-8 after Aaron Hill hit a tworun homer in the top of the 11th. But after Luke Scott hit an RBI single off Brian Wolfe (1-1) to put runners at the corners with one out in the 11th, Reimold sent a 1-1 fastball over the wall in left-center, his fourth homer in 13 games since being recalled from Class AAA Norfolk. “I didn’t see the replay, how much of the plate it got, but he definitely went down and got it,” Wolfe said. — The Associated Press

Orioles 12, Blue Jays 10, 11 innings Toronto AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Scutaro ss 5 3 2 2 1 0 .291 A.Hill 2b 6 2 2 2 0 0 .344 Rios rf 6 0 2 1 0 1 .262 V.Wells cf 5 1 2 1 0 1 .269 Lind dh 4 1 0 0 2 2 .283 Rolen 3b 4 1 1 1 1 1 .297 Millar 1b 4 1 1 2 1 1 .286 Barajas c 5 0 1 0 0 0 .296 Bautista lf 5 1 1 1 0 1 .287 Totals 44 10 12 10 5 7 Baltimore AB R H BI B.Roberts 2b 5 0 1 1 Ad.Jones cf 6 0 3 2 Markakis rf 6 1 2 1 A.Huff 1b 6 1 2 0 Mora 3b 4 3 2 0 Scott dh 4 2 2 3 1-C.Izturis pr 0 1 0 0 Pie lf 3 0 1 0 a-Reimold ph-lf 3 1 1 3 Moeller c 2 1 0 1 b-Zaun ph-c 1 0 0 0 Andino ss 5 2 4 1 Totals 45 12 18 12

BB SO Avg. 0 1 .302 0 1 .359 0 0 .303 0 2 .269 1 0 .268 2 0 .311 0 0 .246 0 1 .195 0 2 .265 1 1 .200 0 1 .214 0 1 .262 4 10

Toronto 100 601 000 02 10 12 0 Baltimore 020 010 050 04 12 18 1 One out when winning run scored. a-struck out for Pie in the 8th. b-struck out for Moeller in the 9th. 1-ran for Scott in the 11th. E: R.Hill (1). LOB: Toronto 7, Baltimore 9. 2B: Scutaro (14), Rios (11), Bautista (6), B.Roberts (16), Markakis (14). HR: A.Hill (12), off Baez; Scott (6), off Halladay; Reimold (4), off Wolfe. RBIs: Scutaro 2 (24), A.Hill 2 (37), Rios (22), V.Wells (23), Rolen (16), Millar 2 (16), Bautista (8), B.Roberts (21), Ad.Jones 2 (36), Markakis (39), Scott 3 (18), Reimold 3 (9), Moeller (2), Andino (2). S: Mora. SF: V.Wells, B.Roberts. Runners left in scoring position: Toronto 2 (Bautista, Lind); Baltimore 4 (Markakis 3, Zaun). GIDP: Moeller. DP: Toronto 1 (Scutaro, A.Hill, Millar). Toronto IP Halladay 7 Carlson 1⁄3 Downs BS, 1-6 2⁄3 Frasor 2 B.J.Ryan H, 1 1⁄3 Wolfe L, 1-1 BS, 1-1 0 Baltimore IP R.Hill 3 1⁄3 Bass 1 2⁄3 C.Ray 2 Walker 1 Baez W, 4-1 3

H 8 3 2 1 1 3 H 6 2 1 0 3

R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 3 2 5 102 2.63 5 5 1 1 18 4.85 0 0 0 0 10 2.57 0 0 1 4 35 2.41 1 1 0 0 7 9.28 3 3 0 0 11 5.68 R ER BB SO NP ERA 7 6 3 3 73 6.14 0 0 1 1 34 4.22 1 1 1 2 42 9.39 0 0 0 0 8 4.09 2 2 0 1 36 3.58

Wolfe pitched to 3 batters in the 11th. Inherited runners-scored: Downs 3-3, Wolfe 1-1, Bass 1-1. IBB: off Frasor (Scott). HBP: by Carlson (Moeller). PB: Moeller. Umpires: Home, Rob Drake; First, Mark Wegner; Second, Tim Timmons; Third, Jeff

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit 8, Kansas City 3

Seattle 6, Oakland 1

Cabrera, Polanco power Porcello

Branyan’s homer boosts Bedard

KANSAS CITY—Rick Porcello is comfortable now, all settled in after a shaky start to his big league career. Porcello won his fifth straight start, Placido Polanco homered and drove in three runs and the Detroit Tigers beat the slumping Kansas City Royals 8-3 on Wednesday. Porcello (6-3) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. The 20-year-old rookie lost three of his first four starts. But in his last five, covering 30 innings, he’s allowed five runs and struck out 20 while beating Minnesota, Cleveland, Oakland, Colorado and Kansas City. His ERA over the span is 1.50. “He’s been watching film, watching tape of the hitters,” manager Jim Leyland said. “He does his homework. He wants to learn, and that’s always a good sign.” The righthander is the first Detroit rookie to record five wins in May since at least 1954. He’s the first Tigers pitcher with five wins in May since John Doherty in 1994. “I just think I’m doing a better job of getting my breaking ball over for strikes and kind of giving hitters a different look that way, to keep them of my fastball a little bit,” Porcello said. “I think that’s the biggest thing so far. I’m just going to keep working on it and getting better.” Porcello said he is gaining confidence with each win. “I’ve had a couple of starts now and I’m able to settle in a little better out there and focus. And all the jitters are kind of gone,” he said. “I think I’m getting a little more comfortable with each start.” In taking two of three from the Royals, the Tigers lost only to Zack Greinke and increased their lead over K.C. in the A.L. Central to four games. The Royals,

Tigers 8, Royals 3 Detroit AB J.Anderson lf 5 Polanco 2b 5 Ordonez dh 5 Mi.Cabrera 1b 4 Granderson cf 2 Inge 3b 4 Laird c 3 Raburn rf 4 Everett ss 3 Totals 35

R 1 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 1 8

H 4 2 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 12

BI 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 7

BB 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2

SO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2

Avg. .302 .269 .263 .374 .247 .274 .242 .250 .297

Kansas City AB R H BI BB SO Maier cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 DeJesus lf 4 1 2 0 0 0 Butler 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 J.Guillen rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jacobs dh 3 0 0 0 1 2 Teahen 3b 4 2 3 1 0 1 Callaspo 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 J.Buck c 3 0 0 0 1 2 Lu.Hernandez ss 4 0 1 1 0 2 Totals 34 3 8 3 2 9

Avg. .293 .244 .283 .288 .257 .274 .306 .226 .200

Detroit 020 033 000 — Kansas City 100 100 100 —

8 12 0 3 8 1

E: Teahen (3). LOB: Detroit 4, Kansas City 6. 3B: DeJesus (4). HR: Mi.Cabrera (10), off Davies; Polanco (1), off Davies; Teahen (6), off Porcello. RBIs: J.Anderson (10), Polanco 3 (21), Mi.Cabrera (37), Raburn (11), Everett (17), Butler (21), Teahen (17), Lu.Hernandez (1). SB: J.Anderson (10), Granderson (7). S: Laird, Everett. Runners left in scoring position: Detroit 2 (Mi.Cabrera, Ordonez); Kansas City 3 (Teahen, Maier, Lu.Hernandez). DP: Detroit 1 (Everett, Polanco, Mi.Cabrera); Kansas City 2 (Callaspo, Lu.Hernandez, Butler), (Lu.Hernandez, Callaspo, Butler). ORLIN WAGNER / AP

Placido Polanco drove in three runs and had his first HR of the season. after a promising April and early May, have lost 13 of 18. Bench coach John Gibbons managed the Royals while Trey Hillman served a one-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball for spitting in the face of umpire Paul Emmel on Monday. “Porcello was very good,” Gibbons said. “He’s got that dominating sinking fastball. Sometimes, it is tough to do anything with that. He comes as advertised. He’s a big arm out of high school, a young kid that got here fast. He’s impressive.” Josh Anderson, the Tigers’ leadoff

hitter, had four hits. He singled in Ryan Raburn in the fifth before Polanco connected against Kyle Davies (2-4) to give Detroit a 5-2 lead. Miguel Cabrera clubbed a towering home run off a 3-2 pitch from Davies leading off the second. Davies gave up eight runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings, letting the leadoff batter reach every time he went to the mound. Three of the runs were unearned because of third baseman Mark Teahen’s error in the three-run sixth. — The Associated Press

Detroit Porcello W, 6-3 Seay Zumaya Rodney Kansas City Davies L, 2-4 Ho.Ramirez R.Colon Farnsworth J.Cruz

IP 6 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1 IP 5 2⁄3 0 1 1⁄3 1 1

H 4 1 1 2 H 10 1 1 0 0

R ER BB SO 2 2 1 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 3 R ER BB SO 8 5 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

NP ERA 82 3.48 11 5.14 19 3.07 29 3.32 NP ERA 91 5.09 2 7.36 12 0.00 14 3.71 10 3.00

Ho.Ramirez pitched to 1 batter in the 6th. Inherited runners-scored: Zumaya 1-1, Ho.Ramirez 1-0, R.Colon 2-1. Umpires: Home, Bill Hohn; First, Bruce Dreckman; Second, Paul Emmel; Third, Angel Campos. T: 2:41. A: 16,568 (38,177).

OAKLAND—Manager Don Wakamatsu is finally seeing his Seattle Mariners do the little things at the plate: working the count, making adjustments, taking consistent swings. It was a pretty sight for Erik Bedard. Russell Branyan hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning, Bedard won for the first time in five starts and Seattle beat the Oakland Athletics 6-1 on Wednesday to avoid a sweep. “That was nice to put up a couple hits in a row,” Bedard said. “Hopefully it will continue and we’ll win more games.” Bedard (3-2) and A’s rookie Trevor Cahill (2-5) both had strong outings, similar to their matchup here in April. Bedard hadn’t won since April 24 against the Angels in Anaheim. Oakland’s Bobby Crosby snapped a career-long 72-game, 243 at-bat homerless streak with a drive in the second that tied it at 1, but Oakland could do little else against Bedard. Crosby’s last longball came on Aug. 12, 2008, against Tampa Bay. Crosby’s homer came in his 99th at-bat of the year. “My swing’s feeling good, that’s the thing,” he said. “After we went on the road, that Tampa Bay series I really struggled and didn’t feel that great. Came back here and worked on some things and started to feel a lot better. Today’s just a bonus to hit a home run.” — The Associated Press

Mariners 6, Athletics 1 Seattle AB R H I.Suzuki rf 4 0 3 Y.Betancourt ss 4 0 0 Beltre 3b 5 0 0 Griffey Jr. dh 4 1 0 Branyan 1b 4 2 2 Cedeno 2b 4 0 0 Ro.Johnson c 3 1 2 En.Chavez lf 4 2 2 F.Gutierrez cf 4 0 2 Totals 36 6 11

BI 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 6

BB 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

SO 0 1 1 2 1 3 0 1 0 9

Avg. .343 .258 .212 .218 .311 .173 .211 .272 .273

Oakland O.Cabrera ss K.Suzuki c Holliday lf Giambi dh Kennedy 2b Crosby 1b R.Sweeney rf R.Davis cf Hannahan 3b Totals

BI 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

BB 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

SO 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 2 0 6

Avg. .240 .286 .273 .212 .388 .225 .246 .162 .212

Seattle Oakland

AB 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 32

R 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

H 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 5

010 002 102 — 010 000 000 —

6 11 0 1 5 1

E: Kennedy (3). LOB: Seattle 6, Oakland 6. 2B: I.Suzuki (5), Ro.Johnson 2 (6), F.Gutierrez 2 (5). 3B: En.Chavez (1). HR: Branyan (11), off Cahill; Crosby (1), off Bedard. RBIs: Y.Betancourt (15), Branyan 2 (23), En.Chavez (10), F.Gutierrez 2 (19), Crosby (10). SB: I.Suzuki (8). CS: I.Suzuki (4). SF: Y.Betancourt. Runners left in scoring position: Seattle 4 (Griffey Jr., F.Gutierrez, Y.Betancourt 2); Oakland 1 (O.Cabrera). DP: Oakland 1 (R.Sweeney, R.Sweeney, K.Suzuki). Seattle Bedard W, 3-2 White H, 2 Aardsma Oakland Cahill L, 2-5 Ziegler Breslow Springer

IP 6 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1 IP 6 1 1 1

H 5 0 0 H 6 1 0 4

R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 2 5 108 2.48 0 0 0 0 11 1.90 0 0 0 1 11 1.19 R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 2 1 5 105 4.45 1 1 1 0 20 3.98 0 0 0 3 16 5.40 2 2 0 1 23 5.89

Inherited runners-scored: White 2-0. IBB: off Ziegler (I.Suzuki). Umpires: Home, Doug Eddings; First, Hunter Wendelstedt; Second, Brian Knight; Third, Dana DeMuth. T: 2:37. A: 30,012 (35,067).

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22

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

NATIONAL LEAGUE Chicago Cubs 5, Pittsburgh 2

St. Louis 3, Milwaukee 2

Zambrano likely to be suspended for tantrum

Atypical cleanup hitter lifts Cards

CHICAGO—Carlos Zambrano’s tantrum kept escalating. The emotional ace of the Chicago Cubs went wild, throwing a ball into the outfield, heaving his glove and then whacking a dugout drink dispenser with a bat. It was an outpouring of anger Wednesday that likely will lead to a suspension for the excitable righthander. As he argued a close play at the plate, Zambrano appeared to nudge umpire Mark Carlson and was ejected. That set off the 6-foot-5, 255-pound righthander in the seventh inning of the Cubs’ 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I overexaggerated after that play to throw the ball and to do the other things, you know,” Zambrano said after the game. “Hopefully MLB will review the play and we’ll see what happens.” With the Cubs leading 2-1 and Zambrano closing in on his 100th career win, Nyjer Morgan led off the seventh with a single to left and went to third when the ball got by Alfonso Soriano for a two-base error. When a Zambrano wild pitch bounded a short distance from catcher Geovany Soto, the speedy Morgan broke for the plate. Zambrano went to cover and took the throw. Morgan slid as Zambrano blocked the plate and Carlson called him safe. Zambrano jumped up, argued the call and appeared to make contact with Carlson, prompting the ejection. He then pointed in Carlson’s face and gave him the ejection sign. Zambrano wasn’t finished. He threw a ball into left, slammed his glove against a dugout fence and whacked the drink dispenser on his way to the clubhouse. “I apologize to him. Like I say, after he

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST / AP

Carlos Zambrano, right, got in the face of umpire Mark Carlson during his tirade. kicked me out, I should have gone to the clubhouse and kept watching the game,” Zambrano said. “I apologize to throw the ball and do other things. “I should have control of myself in that situation.” Carlson was not available for comment after the game. It was the Cubs’ second run-in with the crew in the series. Lefty Ted Lilly was ejected Monday by Bob Davidson from a game in which he wasn’t even pitching after questioning a ball-strike call from the dugout. Earlier this season, outfielder Milton Bradley was suspended after an angry dispute with Larry Vanover. The suspension was later reduced from two games to one. “I’m the only calm, cool, collected one

around here it seems,” said Cubs manager Lou Piniella who’s been known to throw bases and kick dirt during tantrums. “Just kidding.” Piniella said he would meet with Zambrano today. “He’s got to tone it down a little,” Piniella said. “He cares, but gosh you can argue a little bit, get your point across to the umpire that he thought the runner was out and just get back and go out and pitch.” Morgan said he was safe because he beat Soto’s throw by getting his arm in before Zambrano tagged him. “I just reacted and just ran,” Morgan said. “I was still safe. I don’t know which hand it was. I was in there way before the ball got there.” — The Associated Press

Cubs 5, Pirates 2 Pittsburgh AB Morgan lf 5 Delw.Young 2b 4 McLouth cf 5 Ad.LaRoche 1b 2 An.LaRoche 3b 3 Moss rf 4 R.Vazquez ss 4 Jaramillo c 4 Duke p 3 J.Chavez p 0 S.Burnett p 0 c-F.Sanchez ph 0 Totals 34

R 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

H 2 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 8

BI 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

BB 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5

SO 0 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 8

Chicago A.Soriano lf Theriot ss Bradley rf D.Lee 1b Re.Johnson cf Soto c Freel 3b Fontenot 3b Blanco 2b Zambrano p A.Guzman p a-Hoffpauir ph Marmol p b-Fox ph Gregg p Totals

R 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

H 1 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 12

BI 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 5

BB 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

SO Avg. 1 .253 0 .287 0 .200 0 .242 0 .239 1 .216 0 .152 0 .223 0 .250 1 .261 0 .000 0 .278 0 --0 1.000 0 --3

Pittsburgh 000 100 100 — Chicago 200 000 03x —

2 8 1 5 12 1

AB 5 3 3 3 4 4 2 2 4 2 0 1 0 1 0 34

Avg. .286 .294 .257 .228 .297 .263 .224 .271 .250 --.000 .326

a-popped out for A.Guzman in the 7th. b-doubled for Marmol in the 8th. c-walked for S.Burnett in the 9th. E: Delw.Young (1), A.Soriano (4). LOB: Pittsburgh 10, Chicago 8. 2B: A.Soriano (10), Blanco (1), Fox (1). 3B: Bradley (1). HR: Re.Johnson (2), off J.Chavez. RBIs: R.Vazquez (7), Bradley (14), Re.Johnson 2 (10), Blanco (1), Fox (1). S: Theriot. Runners left in scoring position: Pittsburgh 4 (Duke 2, An.LaRoche 2); Chicago 4 (Soto, Re.Johnson, D.Lee, A.Soriano). DP: Pittsburgh 1 (An.LaRoche, Delw.Young, Ad.LaRoche); Chicago 1 (Bradley, Blanco, D.Lee). Pittsburgh Duke J.Chavez L, 0-2 S.Burnett Chicago Zambrano A.Guzman Marmol W, 1-1 Gregg S, 7-8

IP 7 1⁄3 2⁄3 IP 6 1⁄3 2⁄3 1 1

H 8 2 2 H 7 0 1 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 2 2 2 3 105 2.75 2 2 0 0 7 2.70 1 1 0 0 18 3.32 R ER BB SO NP ERA 2 1 3 6 114 4.22 0 0 0 0 8 3.05 0 0 0 1 17 3.43 0 0 2 1 22 5.12

Inherited runners-scored: S.Burnett 1-1. IBB: off Zambrano (Ad.LaRoche). WP: Zambrano. Umpires: Home, Mark Carlson; First, Tim Tschida; Second, Bob Davidson; Third, Jeff Nelson. T: 2:38. A: 38,314 (41,210).

MILWAUKEE—Nick Stavinoha said all the right things when asked about Cardinals manager Tony La Russa’s preference to use veterans over rookies. He did lose his composure a bit when asked if he was sure he didn’t belong in the cleanup role. “I’m definitely not your typical cleanup hitter, that’s for sure,” he said with a smile. Maybe not, but the 27-year-old outfielder with 90 career at-bats had two RBIs and scored the goahead run to lead St. Louis to a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, pushing the Cardinals back into first in the N.L. Central. Stavinoha, who hit his first career homer in Tuesday night’s 8-1 win, certainly won’t be protecting slugger Albert Pujols once outfielder Ryan Ludwick returns, but La Russa was pleased with his effort. “Albert will be happy to get Ludwick behind him, but Stavinoha gives you a chance because he’s so competitive,” the manager said. St. Louis has won seven of its last nine and hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any game in the stretch. Cardinals starter Todd Wellemeyer (5-4) and the bullpen showcased the best team ERA in the majors (3.58) by silencing the struggling Brewers, who struck out 27 times in the threegame series and have lost five of six to drop out of first for the first time in two weeks. — The Associated Press

Cardinals 3, Brewers 2 St. Louis AB R Br.Ryan ss 3 2 Duncan lf 4 0 Pujols 1b 2 0 Stavinoha rf 3 1 Motte p 0 0 D.Reyes p 0 0 Franklin p 0 0 Barden 3b 3 0 LaRue c 4 0 Thurston 2b 4 0 Wellemeyer p 2 0 T.Miller p 0 0 C.Perez p 0 0 a-K.Greene ph 1 0 Rasmus cf 1 0 Schumaker cf-rf 3 0 Totals 30 3

H 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 7

BI 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

BB 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6

SO 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 8

Avg. .242 .257 .318 .250 ------.247 .276 .246 .150 ----.200 .232 .310

Milwaukee Counsell 2b Hardy ss Braun lf Fielder 1b M.Cameron cf Catalanotto rf b-McGehee ph-rf Gamel 3b Kendall c Coffey p Stetter p c-Gerut ph M.Parra p Mi.Rivera c Totals

H 2 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8

BI 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

BB 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

SO 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 8

Avg. .323 .247 .315 .265 .285 .333 .237 .174 .206 .000 --.217 .063 .308

AB 5 5 4 4 3 3 1 3 3 0 0 1 2 2 36

R 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

St. Louis 101 001 000 — Milwaukee 000 200 000 —

3 7 1 2 8 0

a-grounded out for C.Perez in the 7th. b-flied out for Catalanotto in the 8th. c-popped out for Stetter in the 9th. E: Pujols (6). LOB: St. Louis 7, Milwaukee 9. 2B: Br.Ryan (5), Stavinoha (2), Thurston 2 (11), Hardy (7). 3B: Catalanotto (1). RBIs: Stavinoha 2 (8), LaRue (2), Catalanotto 2 (2). SF: Stavinoha. Runners left in scoring position: St. Louis 4 (Schumaker, LaRue, Stavinoha 2); Milwaukee 5 (Gamel, Braun 2, Kendall, Hardy). DP: Milwaukee 2 (Hardy, Fielder), (Counsell, Hardy, Fielder). St. Louis Wellemeyer W, 5-4 T.Miller H, 4 C.Perez H, 3 Motte H, 10 D.Reyes H, 8 Franklin S, 12-13 Milwaukee M.Parra L, 3-6 Coffey Stetter

IP 5 1⁄3 1⁄3 1⁄3 1 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 IP 6 2⁄3 1 1⁄3 1

H 6 0 0 1 0 1 H 7 0 0

R ER BB SO NP ERA 2 2 1 5 88 5.02 0 0 0 0 9 3.09 0 0 0 0 2 2.63 0 0 0 2 15 3.32 0 0 0 1 9 3.21 0 0 1 0 24 1.42 R ER BB SO NP ERA 3 3 5 6 108 5.57 0 0 0 1 19 2.70 0 0 1 1 13 4.40

Inherited runners-scored: T.Miller 1-0, C.Perez 2-0, Coffey 3-0. IBB: off M.Parra (Pujols, Pujols). Umpires: Home, Paul Schrieber; First, Ed Rapuano; Second, Chad Fairchild; Third, Paul Nauert. T: 2:54. A: 40,226 (41,900).

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

23

NATIONAL LEAGUE L.A. Dodgers 8, Colorado 6

Pierre steps up as L.A.’s spark plug DENVER—Juan Pierre has stepped to the fore as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ offensive catalyst since becoming a fixture in the lineup in place of suspended outfielder Manny Ramirez. He was at it again Wednesday, joining Mark Loretta to hit successive RBI singles with two outs during a seventhinning rally, and the Dodgers then held off the Colorado Rockies 8-6 for a threegame sweep. “J.P. had that base hit off the second baseman’s glove, and we were off to the races after that,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. “He had some injuries last year and lost his starting job. A lot of stuff went on for this kid that he handled and it’s certainly paying dividends for us now.” Losing pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez acknowledged what other pitchers facing Pierre have already discovered—he’s one tough out. “He was battling out there,” Jimenez said. “I was throwing inside, away. The last pitch was a good pitch, but it was high.” In the 19 games Pierre has started in left field since Ramirez’s suspension, he has batted .421 (35 for 83). He went 3-for-5 with two RBI for a second straight game and hit .500 in the series against the Rockies (8-for-16) with a pair of triples, a double and seven RBI. Pierre did not comment following the game but one of his teammates had plenty to say. “J.P. has been on fire ever since he’s been starting,” winning pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “But everybody is stepping up. I can’t say enough about this team. I give all the credit to them. They bailed me out today.” — The Associated Press

Dodgers 8, Rockies 6 Los Angeles AB R H BI Pierre lf 5 1 3 2 Loretta 3b 3 2 1 1 Belisario p 1 0 0 0 Ohman p 0 0 0 0 Broxton p 0 0 0 0 Hudson 2b 4 1 1 0 Loney 1b 5 0 2 4 Martin c 5 0 0 0 Ethier rf 3 2 2 0 Kemp cf 3 1 2 0 J.Castro ss 4 1 1 0 Kershaw p 1 0 0 0 a-Blake ph-3b 1 0 0 0 Totals 35 8 12 7

BB SO Avg. 0 1 .404 1 0 .333 0 0 .000 0 0 .500 0 0 --1 0 .347 0 1 .293 0 2 .261 0 0 .257 1 0 .296 0 0 .385 0 1 .118 1 1 .307 4 6

Colorado AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Fowler cf 3 0 1 0 2 2 .266 Tulowitzki ss 5 0 0 0 0 3 .227 Helton 1b 4 0 0 1 1 0 .327 Murton lf 4 1 1 0 0 1 .278 c-Hawpe ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 Spilborghs rf 3 2 2 2 1 0 .273 Atkins 3b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .195 Corpas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --R.Flores p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --Embree p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --Street p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --b-S.Smith ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 .272 Barmes 2b 3 1 0 0 1 3 .234 P.Phillips c 3 1 1 1 1 0 .500 Jimenez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .231 Stewart 3b 0 0 0 0 2 0 .187 Totals 31 6 7 5 8 9 Los Angeles 110 000 510 — 8 12 0 Colorado 001 200 003 — 6 7 1 a-struck out for Kershaw in the 7th. b-tripled for Street in the 9th. c-grounded out for Murton in the 9th. E: Jimenez (1). LOB: Los Angeles 6, Colorado 7. 2B: Pierre (10), Loney (10), Murton (5), P.Phillips (1). 3B: S.Smith (2). HR: Spilborghs (4), off Kershaw. RBIs: Pierre 2 (20), Loretta (8), Loney 4 (36), Helton (32), Spilborghs 2 (22), S.Smith (11), P.Phillips (1). SB: Ethier (3). CS: Fowler (4). S: Kershaw, Jimenez. Runners left in scoring position: Los Angeles 4 (Pierre, J.Castro, Martin, Belisario); Colorado 3 (Tulowitzki, Hawpe 2). DP: Los Angeles 1 (Loretta, Hudson, Loney); Colorado 3 (Jimenez, Tulowitzki, Helton), (Jimenez, Barmes), (Tulowitzki, Barmes, Helton). Los Angeles IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Kershaw W, 3-3 6 4 3 3 4 4 98 4.34 Belisario 2 1 1 1 1 3 34 2.43 Ohman 0 1 1 1 0 0 5 5.84 Broxton 1 1 1 1 3 2 38 1.50 Colorado IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA Jimenez L, 3-6 6 2⁄3 9 5 4 2 5 109 4.37 Corpas 0 1 2 2 1 0 8 6.65 R.Flores 1⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 8 0.00 Embree 1 1 1 1 1 0 21 7.62 Street 1 0 0 0 0 1 17 3.26

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP

Dodgers OF Juan Pierre is batting .421 in 19 games as a starter since Manny Ramirez’s suspension.

Corpas pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. Belisario pitched to 1 batter in the 9th. Ohman pitched to 1 batter in the 9th. Inherited runners-scored: Ohman 1-1, Broxton 1-1, Corpas 2-1, R.Flores 3-3. HBP: by Embree (Ethier). Balk: Kershaw. Umpires: Home, Scott Barry; First, Ted Barrett; Second, Tim McClelland; Third, Andy Fletcher. T: 3:23. A: 22,271 (50,449).

Cincinnati 6, Houston 1

Again, Bruce shines on May 27 CINCINNATI—Jay Bruce thought about his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds, when he got three hits and had 17,000 fans screaming his name. On the one-year anniversary, he did it all again. Bruce homered twice and tripled home another run Wednesday night, and Bronson Arroyo pitched a five-hitter to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the Houston Astros 6-1 for a three-game sweep on the outfielder’s special day. “I was telling somebody earlier: It’s awesome,” Bruce said, referring to his success on May 27. Bruce was in a 1-for-18 slump when he hit a solo shot off Felipe Paulino (1-4) in the fourth, getting the 17,602 fans to yell “BRUCE!” as he rounded the bases. The cheer was even louder when his two-run homer off the right-hander made it 5-1 in the sixth and put the Reds in position for their first sweep of the Astros in Cincinnati since May 2004. Both homers came on firstpitch fastballs. “I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Paulino said. “He got me. I feel really great now. I’m healthy, I know I can throw my pitches. What happened today—it happens. Two pitches, two homers. Nothing I can do.” The 22-year-old outfielder completed his breakout game with a run-scoring triple in the eighth off Chris Sampson. Cincinnati has won four in a row. — The Associated Press

Reds 6, Astros 1 Houston AB Bourn cf 3 Tejada ss 4 Berkman 1b 3 Ca.Lee lf 4 Pence rf 3 Keppinger 3b 3 Maysonet 2b 3 Quintero c 3 F.Paulino p 1 Arias p 0 a-Michaels ph 1 Sampson p 0 Totals 28 Cincinnati AB Taveras cf 4 Hairston Jr. 2b 4 Votto 1b 4 L.Nix lf 4 Bruce rf 4 Ale.Gonzalez ss 4 A.Rosales 3b 4 Hanigan c 3 Arroyo p 4 Totals 35

R H BI 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 1 R H BI 1 1 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 6 11 6

BB SO Avg. 1 1 .286 0 0 .346 0 0 .229 0 0 .316 0 0 .352 0 0 .314 0 1 .200 0 0 .222 0 1 .111 0 0 --0 0 .176 0 0 .000 1 3 BB SO Avg. 0 1 .272 0 0 .264 0 1 .360 0 1 .286 0 0 .241 0 0 .211 0 2 .247 1 0 .328 0 2 .105 1 7

Houston 100 000 000—1 5 1 Cincinnati 101 102 01x—6 11 0 a-popped out for Arias in the 8th. E: Quintero (3). LOB: Houston 3, Cincinnati 6. 2B: Tejada (17), Arroyo (1). 3B: Bruce (1). HR: Hairston Jr. (6), off F.Paulino; Bruce 2 (14), off F.Paulino 2. RBIs: Berkman (28), Hairston Jr. 2 (14), Bruce 4 (29). SB: Bourn (16). CS: Keppinger (1). S: F.Paulino. SF: Berkman. Runners left in scoring position: Houston 2 (Tejada, Ca.Lee); Cincinnati 3 (Hairston Jr., Votto, Arroyo). Runners moved up: Tejada, Berkman, Taveras. GIDP: Berkman, Arroyo. DP: Houston 1 (Keppinger, Maysonet, Berkman); Cincinnati 1 (Hairston Jr., Ale.Gonzalez, Votto). Houston F.Paulino L, 1-4 Arias Sampson Cincinnati Arroyo W, 7-3

IP 6 1 1 IP 9

H 7 2 2 H 5

R ER BB SO NP ERA 5 4 0 4 84 6.75 0 0 0 2 19 4.35 1 1 1 1 27 2.17 R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 1 3 92 5.12

Umpires: Home, Mike Estabrook; First, Brian Gorman; Second, C.B. Bucknor; Third, Mike Everitt. T: 2:08. A: 17,602 (42,319).

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

24

NATIONAL LEAGUE N.Y. Mets 7, Washington 4

Another replay helps Mets seize division lead NEW YORK—Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets have become big fans of instant replay. Murphy’s tiebreaking homer, a call overturned by umpires in yet another review benefiting New York, led an uncharacteristically wild Johan Santana to a 7-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night. Five times this season a disputed home run call has gone to video replay during a Mets game—four in the past five contests. Two were reversed, and all five rulings ended up favoring New York. “This game is a weird game,” Gary Sheffield said. “They seem to be going our way. I’ve seen it a couple times and I still couldn’t tell.” Murphy had a career-best five RBIs and Sheffield hit an early two-run double off rookie Jordan Zimmermann (2-2), helping the injury-ravaged Mets finish a three-game sweep. Despite playing without Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran (for two games), New York has overtaken Philadelphia for the N.L. East lead by winning five of six following a four-game skid. The only lowlight: Top prospect Fernando Martinez, playing his second big league game, failed to run out an infield popup that was dropped. The 20-year-old was booed his next time up. “I promise that will never happen again,” he said. “I’m sorry, to my fans.” Adam Dunn hit a mammoth homer estimated at 465 feet for woeful Washington, which fell 20 games below .500 only 46 games into the season. — The Associated Press

Mets 7, Nationals 4 Washington AB C.Guzman ss 4 N.Johnson 1b 5 Zimmerman 3b 3 Dunn rf 4 Willingham lf 3 Belliard 2b 3 Maxwell cf 2 b-W.Harris ph-cf 1 Nieves c 4 Zimmermann p 2 Villone p 0 K.Wells p 0 Colome p 0 Hanrahan p 0 d-A.Hernandez ph 1 Totals 32

R 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

H 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

BI BB SO 1 1 3 1 0 1 0 2 3 2 0 2 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 7 15

Avg. .340 .337 .333 .283 .228 .164 .150 .261 .283 .000 --------.278

New York Pagan cf Castillo 2b D.Wright 3b Sheffield lf Putz p c-Valdez ph Fr.Rodriguez p Dan.Murphy 1b R.Castro c F.Martinez rf R.Martinez ss J.Santana p a-Tatis ph Parnell p Feliciano p Reed lf Totals

R 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7

H 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 11

BI BB SO 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 7 12

Avg. .323 .295 .345 .295 --.000 --.262 .253 .000 .121 .067 .275 ----.298

AB 4 2 5 2 0 1 0 4 4 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 33

Washington 000 300 001 — New York 201 002 20x —

4 5 0 7 11 1

a-lined into a double play for J.Santana in the 6th. b-grounded out for Maxwell in the 8th. c-grounded out for Putz in the 8th. d-flied out for Hanrahan in the 9th. E: Dan.Murphy (4). LOB: Washington 8, New York 9. 2B: Sheffield (5), Dan.Murphy (5), R.Castro (5), R.Martinez (2). HR: Dunn (16), off J.Santana; Dan.Murphy (4), off Zimmermann. RBIs: C.Guzman (12), N.Johnson (26), Dunn 2 (42), Sheffield 2 (19), Dan.Murphy 5 (17). CS: Castillo (2). Runners left in scoring position: Washington 3 (Willingham, N.Johnson 2); New York 6 (R.Castro 2, F.Martinez 2, Valdez 2). GIDP: Belliard. DP: Washington 1 (C.Guzman, Belliard); New York 1 (Putz, R.Martinez, Dan.Murphy). Washington ZimmermannL,2-2 Villone K.Wells Colome Hanrahan New York J.Santana W, 7-2 Parnell H, 9 Feliciano H, 7 Putz Fr.Rodriguez

KATHY WILLENS / AP

Daniel Murphy’s sixth inning home run was finally ruled as such after umpires gathered to watch replays.

IP 5 1⁄3 2⁄3 1 1 IP 6 2⁄3 1⁄3 1 1

H 8 0 1 1 1 H 3 1 0 0 1

R 5 0 2 0 0 R 3 0 0 0 1

ER 5 0 2 0 0 ER 3 0 0 0 0

BB SO 2 8 1 0 1 0 1 2 2 2 BB SO 6 11 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 1

NP ERA 100 6.07 9 0.00 14 6.35 1711.25 31 5.64 NP ERA 120 1.77 12 2.21 4 2.41 12 3.42 20 0.79

Zimmermann pitched to 3 batters in the 6th. K.Wells pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. Inherited runners-scored: Villone 1-0, K.Wells 2-0, Colome 2-2, Feliciano 1-0. IBB: off Colome (Sheffield). Balk: Colome. Umpires: Home, Sam Holbrook; First, Adrian Johnson; Second, Larry Vanover; Third, Dan Iassogna. T: 3:21. A: 40,171 (41,800).

Florida 6, Philadelphia 2

Badenhop solid in first start; Myers injured PHILADELPHIA—Burke Badenhop might find a permanent home in the starting rotation with more starts like his first one. Badenhop pitched five sharp innings, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross homered and the Florida Marlins beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Wednesday night. Making his first start of the season, Badenhop (3-2) allowed one run and five hits. Matt Lindstrom retired Jimmy Rollins on a liner to center with the bases loaded to end it. “Badenhop was fantastic,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He set up the whole game for us. To give us five innings was great.” Brett Myers (4-3) gave up five runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings for Philadelphia before leaving with right hip inflammation. He allowed just six runs in 21 innings in his previous three starts. Myers said his hip has been bothering him for a while, but he doesn’t expect to miss a start. “Today was the worst it’s been,” he said. “It was hard to finish pitches. It’s tough, but you have to power through it. I wasn’t going to quit. I hope it’s nothing serious.” — The Associated Press

Marlins 6, Phillies 2 Florida AB R H BI Bonifacio ss 5 0 0 0 Coghlan lf 4 1 1 0 Uggla 2b 4 2 3 2 Cantu 1b 4 0 0 0 Hermida rf 4 0 0 0 B.Carroll rf 0 0 0 0 C.Ross cf 4 3 3 2 Jo.Baker c 3 0 1 0 Helms 3b 2 0 1 1 Badenhop p 2 0 0 0 Meyer p 1 0 0 0 Calero p 0 0 0 0 Nunez p 0 0 0 0 b-R.Paulino ph 1 0 1 1 Lindstrom p 0 0 0 0 Totals 34 6 10 6

BB SO Avg. 0 1 .246 0 0 .211 0 1 .216 0 0 .270 0 0 .260 0 0 .143 0 0 .263 1 1 .276 1 0 .242 0 2 .000 0 1 .000 0 0 --0 0 --0 0 .246 0 0 --2 6

Philadelphia AB R H BI BB SO Avg. Rollins ss 4 0 0 0 1 0 .223 Victorino cf 3 0 0 0 1 0 .280 Taschner p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Utley 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .289 Howard 1b 4 0 2 0 0 1 .263 Ibanez lf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .339 Werth rf-cf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .255 Feliz 3b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .307 Ruiz c 4 1 1 1 0 0 .280 Myers p 2 0 1 0 0 1 .222 Condrey p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --a-Stairs ph-rf 1 1 1 1 1 0 .300 1-Bruntlett pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 .118 Totals 34 2 8 2 3 7 Florida

000 113 001 — 6 10 1

Philadelphia 000 010 010 —

2 8 0

a-homered for Condrey in the 8th. b-singled for Nunez in the 9th. 1-ran for Stairs in the 9th. E: Cantu (5). LOB: Florida 4, Philadelphia 8. 2B: Coghlan (1), Uggla (8), C.Ross (13), Howard (12), Feliz (13). HR: Uggla (9), off Myers; C.Ross (7), off Myers; Ruiz (2), off Badenhop; Stairs (3), off Nunez. RBIs: Uggla 2 (32), C.Ross 2 (28), Helms (11), R.Paulino (7), Ruiz (9), Stairs (8). SB: Helms (1), Rollins (7), Victorino (7). CS: Helms (1). SF: Helms. Runners left in scoring position: Florida 2 (Bonifacio 2); Philadelphia 7 (Ibanez 2, Werth, Howard 2, Rollins 2). DP: Florida 2 (Uggla, Bonifacio, Cantu), (Uggla, Bonifacio, Cantu); Philadelphia 1 (Feliz, Utley, Howard). Florida IP Badenhop W, 3-2 5 Meyer 1 1⁄3 Calero 2⁄3 Nunez 1 Lindstrom 1 Philadelphia IP Myers L, 4-3 5 2⁄3 Condrey 2 1⁄3 Taschner 1

H 5 0 0 1 2 H 7 1 2

R ER BB SO NP ERA 1 1 1 3 81 4.97 0 0 0 1 14 2.57 0 0 0 2 7 2.35 1 1 1 1 33 3.70 0 0 1 0 20 5.85 R ER BB SO NP ERA 5 5 1 3 94 4.66 0 0 0 2 22 2.00 1 1 1 1 18 3.92

Inherited runners-scored: Condrey 1-0. Umpires: Home, Wally Bell; First, Marty Foster; Second, Marvin Hudson; Third, John Hirschbeck. T: 2:57. A: 45,256 (43,647).

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

Attendance Report

San Diego 8, Arizona 5

Through May 26

Padres 8, Diamondbacks 5

Gonzalez hits league-best 18th HR

San Diego Giles rf Eckstein 2b Hairston cf Ad.Gonzalez 1b Kouzmanoff 3b Headley lf C.Burke ss a-Macias ph Jo.Wilson ss Blanco c Peavy p Gregerson p b-Gwynn ph Mujica p G.Burke p Bell p Totals

BI BB SO 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 5 9

Avg. .190 .239 .326 .285 .234 .237 .219 .278 .167 .182 .095 --.250 1.000 -----

Arizona AB R H BI BB SO G.Parra cf 4 1 2 2 0 0 Montero c 4 1 1 0 0 1 Vasquez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rauch p 0 0 0 0 0 0 c-C.Young ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 J.Upton rf 4 1 3 2 0 0 S.Drew ss 3 0 2 1 1 0 Reynolds 3b-1b 4 0 0 0 0 3 Tracy 1b 3 0 0 0 0 1 L.Rosales p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Snyder c 1 0 0 0 0 1 Byrnes lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 R.Roberts 2b-3b 4 1 1 0 0 0 Buckner p 2 0 0 0 0 1 Zavada p 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ojeda 2b 2 1 2 0 0 0 Totals 36 5 11 5 1 7

Avg. .291 .219 ----.172 .335 .209 .257 .184 --.231 .202 .356 .000 --.272

San Diego Arizona

PAUL CONNORS / AP

Padres SS Chris Burke dives to grab a grounder by Arizona’s Ryan Roberts, and turns it into an out.

PHOENIX—One day after battling the flu, Adrian Gonzalez didn’t need a note from his doctor to return to the San Diego Padres’ lineup. “He was a ‘go’ from the time that he walked into the clubhouse, poked his head in here and poked his thumb in the air,” manager Bud Black said. Gonzalez soon added another poke— his major league-leading 18th home run—to lift the Padres to an 8-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night, their 11th win in 12 games. David Eckstein added three hits and an RBI as the Padres took two of three

in a wild series between N.L. West rivals. San Diego rallied from a six-run deficit to win the opener, then nearly climbed out of a six-run hole in the second game. On Wednesday night, San Diego opened a 5-0 lead behind Jake Peavy (5-5), then watched Arizona pull within 5-4 before putting the game away with three runs in the eighth inning, taking advantage of four walks and two errors. The Diamondbacks cut the deficit to 8-5 with two outs in the ninth, forcing Black to call on ace closer Heath Bell, who got the final out for his major league-leading 14th save in 14 chances.

25

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

“That’s how we play in this division,” said Gonzalez, who also singled and drove in three runs. “We play each other tough. There are no easy wins.” San Diego CEO Jeff Moorad, a former Diamondbacks executive, dropped in on Black’s postgame interview. “Just keep winning series,” Moorad said, grasping his manager’s hand. “You got it, brother,” Black said. The Diamondbacks just keep losing series—especially at home, where they have dropped seven of nine series, including all three under new manager A.J. Hinch. — The Associated Press

AB 4 4 5 4 2 3 3 1 0 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 34

R 1 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8

H 1 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 11

200 003 030 — 000 003 101 —

IP 6 1⁄3 2⁄3 1 2⁄3 1⁄3 IP 5 1 1 1 1

H 8 0 1 2 0 H 7 1 1 1 1

R 4 0 0 1 0 R 5 0 3 0 0

ER 4 0 0 1 0 ER 5 0 3 0 0

BB SO 1 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 BB SO 1 5 0 1 4 0 0 2 0 1

HOME GAMES DATES

Baltimore Boston Chicago White Sox Cleveland Detroit Kansas City L.A. Angels Minnesota N.Y. Yankees Oakland Seattle Tampa Bay Texas Toronto AL Totals

NP ERA 95 3.67 4 3.54 19 2.59 17 1.50 2 0.46 NP ERA 95 7.16 22 0.00 26 6.23 20 6.46 16 6.86

Buckner pitched to 3 batters in the 6th. L.Rosales pitched to 5 batters in the 8th. Inherited runners-scored: Gregerson 2-1, Bell 1-0, Zavada 2-2, Vasquez 3-1. IBB: off L.Rosales (Ad.Gonzalez). Umpires: Home, Chuck Meriwether; First, Laz Diaz; Second, Eric Cooper; Third, Mike Reilly. T: 3:04. A: 18,264 (48,652).

TOTAL

ROAD GAMES AVG DATES

24 515,349 23 869,461 22 561,637 20 418,044 22 613,589 26 571,581 22 894,411 28 727,445 23 1,026,625 23 398,867 24 653,625 21 501,794 22 568,184 22 487,138

21,473 37,803 25,529 20,902 27,890 21,984 40,655 25,980 44,636 17,342 27,234 23,895 25,827 22,143

322 8,807,750

27,353

22 23 23 27 22 20 23 19 23 20 23 27 23 27

TOTAL

AVG

607,753 27,625 733,650 31,898 525,926 22,866 766,983 28,407 639,479 29,067 573,216 28,661 691,654 30,072 546,752 28,776 763,699 33,204 527,292 26,365 577,086 25,091 651,524 24,131 572,378 24,886 629,712 23,323

322 8,807,104

27,351

NATIONAL LEAGUE

8 11 0 5 11 2

a-struck out for C.Burke in the 8th. b-grounded into a fielder’s choice for Gregerson in the 8th. c-flied out for Rauch in the 9th. E: L.Rosales (1), J.Upton (2). LOB: San Diego 5, Arizona 6. 2B: G.Parra (2), S.Drew (5), Ojeda (5). 3B: Giles (1), G.Parra (3), J.Upton (4). HR: Ad.Gonzalez (18), off Buckner. RBIs: Eckstein (14), Ad.Gonzalez 3 (34), Kouzmanoff (19), Headley (19), Blanco (6), G.Parra 2 (13), J.Upton 2 (29), S.Drew (15). SB: J.Upton (5). SF: Kouzmanoff, G.Parra. Runners left in scoring position: San Diego 4 (Hairston, C.Burke, Giles 2); Arizona 3 (Tracy, Snyder, C.Young). DP: Arizona 2 (S.Drew, R.Roberts, Tracy), (Ojeda, S.Drew, Reynolds). San Diego Peavy W, 5-5 Gregerson H, 6 Mujica G.Burke Bell S, 14-14 Arizona Buckner L, 1-1 Zavada L.Rosales Vasquez Rauch

AMERICAN LEAGUE

HOME GAMES DATES

Arizona Atlanta Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Colorado Florida Houston L.A. Dodgers Milwaukee N.Y. Mets Philadelphia Pittsburgh San Diego San Francisco St. Louis Washington

TOTAL

26 704,399 23 551,184 21 828,469 24 533,181 19 526,262 23 412,786 24 719,279 23 1,014,063 21 763,552 22 852,378 22 949,608 20 313,365 23 597,758 23 782,479 26 1,050,968 24 483,872

ROAD GAMES AVG DATES

27,092 23,965 39,451 22,216 27,698 17,947 29,970 44,090 36,360 38,744 43,164 15,668 25,989 34,021 40,422 20,161

20 22 23 21 26 24 21 24 25 23 22 26 23 22 20 22

TOTAL

AVG

510,210 25,511 677,177 30,781 876,570 38,112 529,849 25,231 719,779 27,684 686,156 28,590 504,057 24,003 758,756 31,615 777,416 31,097 790,195 34,356 684,433 31,111 800,055 30,771 827,813 35,992 722,488 32,840 505,994 25,300 713,301 32,423

NL Totals

364 11,083,603

30,449

364 11,084,249

30,451

MLB Totals

686 19,891,353

28,996

686 19,891,353

28,996

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

26

Q&A with ... Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams

‘Stats only matter if we’re winning’ Despite sharing the workload with rookie Jonathan Stewart, Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams broke out in 2008, rushing for 1,515 yards and scoring a league-high 20 TDs in his third season. At the end of Carolina’s OTA session Wednesday, Williams talked to Sporting News Today’s Vinnie Iyer about the new nickname for the team’s running combo, his plans for this season and why he likes Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic over LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Q:

We’ve heard you and Stewart would like to be called “Double Trouble”? Are you committed to that nickname this season? We are. We’re “Double Trouble.” We’re committed to it. It’s trademarked by us, and not by somebody else. So, yeah, we’re officially “Double Trouble,” and we’ll let that be a thing.

A:

Q:

Is this a response to Titans’ running backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White possibly “stealing” your “Smash and Dash” nickname last season? No. (We’re) professional. We don’t take it to heart or anything, but we did in a sense, make (it) “Smash and Dash” from our Monday night performance (when Williams and Stewart combined for 301 yards rushing against the Buccaneers in December). But I’m not going to trash talk.

A:

Q: A:

How do you look back on what was a smashing success of a season? I don’t know if we can encore it or not, but we are

going to try our best. In the sense of making it back to the playoffs, I definitely feel we can do that. But stats only matter if we’re winning.

Q: A:

How does it feel to have the same five on the starting offensive line? We do have the same horses back up front, the same offensive system. Coach (offensive coordinator Jeff) Davidson has established himself. We’ve also got our established quarterback in Jake (Delhomme), who has been here for a long period of time now. Last year, he was coming off Tommy John surgery, so he’ll be a lot better this year. We’ll feel better about throwing the ball, running the ball and blocking.

in that game (divisional playoffs against Arizona). I know if I’m having a bad game one time, they’ll be calling for my head.

Q:

Was it hard not being able to help much in that game after you fell behind early to the Cardinals? It wasn’t difficult. Each game takes on a different meaning. It didn’t bother me at all. We tried our best, we gave our all, and unfortunately for us, we came out on the short end of the stick. We’ll make a strong push this year and see where it gets us.

A:

Q:

Q: A:

What do you think of your team’s young running backs, especially fourth-pick Mike Goodson? I like him. I like all our young backs. They’re all fast, quick and can move. Jonathan is still big and quick. But all the tailbacks we’ve got in this year definitely have to work hard. Because at any given time, God forbid, if (Stewart or myself) goes down, the coaching staff (has to be) comfortable enough to put one of those guys in.

Q:

Q: A:

Are you concerned about a potential lack of depth on that line? No, it doesn’t make me nervous at all. Our offensive line coach does a great job of coaching those guys up. Our running backs coach does a great job of coaching up the running backs. ... Just as a unit, I can’t tell you how it will play out. What has been the players’ response to Jake Delhomme getting his contract extension? We love Jake. That’s our quarterback, contrary to what our fans believe. He’s a great quarterback. He knows the system in and out. Every guy has a bad game at some point in his career. Unfortunately for him, it happened

A:

A:

What was the highlight of your offseason? Probably the Magic beating the Cavs (Tuesday) night. I’m going to get my Dwight Howard jersey tonight, so I’ll probably be wearing it tomorrow under my practice jersey. ... I’m not a LeBron guy. I respect everything he (does) on the court, but I’m more of a Dwight Howard guy, without the (technical foul) stuff.

BOB LEVERONE / SN

DeAngelo Williams, above, and Jonathan Stewart—aka ‘Double Trouble’—combined for 2,351 yards out of the Panthers’ backfield last season.

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27

Scouts’ views

Safety rankings: Reed, Polamalu are pure playmakers The salty veterans still lead this group, but there are some promising young players on the rise. Several have made the list while several others just missed. With the next generation emerging, this list could look a lot different a year from now. RealScouts, SN Today’s team of former NFL scouts, rank their top 20 safeties for ‘09:

1.

Ed Reed, Ravens. Reed was the only unanimous selection to the 2008 All-Pro team. He led the NFL with nine interceptions—two of which he returned for touchdowns—and tacked on two more picks and another TD in the playoffs. The system won’t change in Baltimore this year, and Reed is on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

3.

Adrian Wilson, Cardinals. Wilson is not quite as dominant as he was earlier in his career, but he still can excel in most aspects of the game. Wilson is at his best playing close to the line, but he also makes plays in coverage. He has great size and can deliver big hits with the best of them.

4.

Bob Sanders, Colts. Sanders played in just six games in 2008, and there is a chance he might not be healthy for the start of ’09. He is a game-changing player who has great range and is a punishing tackler, but he has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career.

5.

Chris Hope, Titans. Returning from a neck injury in 2007, Hope earned Pro

Kerry Rhodes, Jets. He is a playmaker who can excel in coverage or make an impact near the line as a run defender or blitzer. He figures to benefit from Rex Ryan’s aggressive scheme and likely will align all over the field in a Reed type of role.

16.

11.

17.

12.

18.

Ken Hamlin, Cowboys. He has great range and can track down a lot of balls playing center field. He is at his best jumping routes in zone coverage but also can match up with tight ends and wideouts in the slot.

2.

Troy Polamalu, Steelers. A year ago, Polamalu was healthy for all 16 games and the postseason for the first time since 2005 and turned in a career-high seven interceptions. He’s a high-energy player who can do it all, from blitzing to tackling to playing in coverage. He can attack from anywhere on the field.

10.

ROB CARR / AP

Oshiomogho Atogwe, Rams. A ballhawk, Atogwe has intercepted 13 passes and recovered four fumbles over the past two seasons. He also has increased his tackles each year in the league and has forced 13 fumbles over the past three seasons. He will get even more opportunities to make plays in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

6.

Nick Collins, Packers. Collins is a four-year starter who stepped up in 2008 with seven interceptions, including three for scores. He has excellent range as a center field-type safety and has the speed to cover a lot of ground and make plays with the ball in his hands. A Pro Bowler last season, he should excel in Green Bay’s new zone schemes.

7.

Brian Dawkins, Broncos. Though he still can play at a high level, Dawkins, 35, is

Brandon Meriweather, Patriots. He came on strong late in 2008 as the injury replacement for Rodney Harrison. Meriweather is a tough, hard-working run defender who eventually will excel as a deep safety, where his explosive speed and ball skills will be highlighted. Darren Sharper, Saints. Sharper’s skills have declined sharply as he heads toward age 34. The Saints will use more blitz packages under new coordinator Gregg Williams, which means Sharper should have a chance to make plays on the ball as a deep cover player.

13.

19.

8.

14.

20.

9.

15.

Ed Reed’s ability to take interceptions the distance helps make him the game’s top safety, SN scouts say. Bowl honors last season. He’s not a flashy player but consistently plays at a high level. He’s willing in run support and shows good range and route recognition in coverage.

LaRon Landry, Redskins. Landry is another versatile player who has the pop to handle run support and the agility and speed to play in deep coverage. He was slowed by injury last year, but he should become one of the top young safeties in the league this season.

closer to the end of his career than he would like to admit. He’s a strong tackler who is excellent near the line.

Michael Griffin, Titans. His seven interceptions were tied for second in the NFL last season, and he earned a Pro Bowl spot as an injury replacement for Reed. Griffin is emerging as one of the NFL’s best young safeties, with a combination of size, speed and athleticism that makes him excellent in coverage. Donte Whitner, Bills. Pending legal issues aside, Whitner is an instinctive playmaker who can play in traffic or space. He is a rising young player who has a physical style and is strong in run support.

Jermaine Phillips, Buccaneers. Injuries have affected Phillips’ numbers in recent seasons, but he is still a physical defender in the run game and has more ball skills than most safeties.

Sean Jones, Eagles. This former Pro Bowler is a ferocious tackler who had 14 interceptions over his last three seasons in Cleveland. He can play either safety spot and, if healthy, can deliver 100 tackles and five picks. Quintin Mikell, Eagles. Mikell is coming off his best season. Though he’s a physical player who likes contact and is at his best near the line, he has the instincts and speed to play a free safety role.

Tanard Jackson, Buccaneers. A former cornerback, Jackson has excellent ball skills and the burst and speed to make plays on the ball. He’s also a willing run defender, and though he hasn’t excelled in any one area, he is gaining valuable experience as a starter. He’s a player to watch. Roy Williams, Bengals. Williams has been reunited with coordinator Mike Zimmer. The two worked together for many years in Dallas, and Zimmer knows Williams’ strengths and weaknesses like the back of his hand. That, combined with Williams’ eagerness to prove he still can play at a high level, will make him a player to watch. — RealScouts, a team of former NFL scouts, analyzes NFL and college players, coaches and teams exclusively for Sporting News Today.

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28

INSIDE DISH

Umenyiora feels ‘explosive’ in return; Jones rejoins Jets Giants DE Osi Umenyiora was back on the field practicing with teammates Wednesday for the first time since suffering a knee injury last summer that cost him the season. The Giants kicked off OTAs, and Umenyiora was pleased with the condition of his knee after a long rehab process. “I was a little rusty, but I felt good at the same time,” Umenyiora said via the team’s website. “I think all the work that I’ve put in the past year or so has really paid off. I feel explosive. I feel good.” Jets RB Thomas Jones rejoined his teammates Wednesday after boycotting voluntary workouts in a contract dispute. Jones, who led the AFC with 1,312 yards rushing last season, was on the field for organized team activities after sitting out the Jets’ previous six OTAs and minicamp. The Pro Bowl running back is entering the third year of a four-year, $20 million deal, which was frontloaded with $13.1 million over the first two seasons. He’s scheduled to make $900,000 in base salary this season. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl RB/KR Leon Washington is still sitting out OTAs in a contract dispute. He hasn’t been at the Jets’ facility since the workouts began two weeks ago. The greatest QB in Vikings history is less than thrilled about the possibility that the greatest QB in Packers history will be decked out in purple next season, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. Appearing on a radio show in Atlanta, Fran Tarkenton lashed out at Brett Favre’s comeback drill and his

treatment of the Packers: “I think it’s despicable. What he put the Packers through last year was not good. Here’s an organization that was loyal to him for (16) years, provided stability of organization, provided players. It just wasn’t about Brett Favre. “In this day and time, we have glorified the Brett Favres of the world so much, they think it’s about them. He goes to New York and bombs. He’s 39 years old. How would you like Ray Nitschke in his last year (playing for) the Vikings, or I retire, and go play for the Packers? I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail.” According to Larry Kennan, executive director of the NFL Coaches Association, recently retired coaches Tom Moore and Howard Mudd can return immediately to the Colts as paid consultants, ESPN.com reported. However, they are not eligible to go back into the pension plan for six months. Kennan said clarification was provided by an attorney working on behalf of ERISA—the Employment Retired Income Security Act, the government agency that regulates pension plans. “As long as Howard and Tom pay their own taxes for the next six months, they can return to the Colts as paid consultants, I’d say effective right away, based on what the ERISA attorney just told me,” Kennan said. WR/KR Josh Cribbs attended the Browns’ OTAs after previously threatening to hold out for a new contract. Cribbs sat out last week’s voluntary minicamp but had a faceto-face discussion with new coach

Agent Drew Rosenhaus reported on his Twitter page that an unidentified third team has “serious interest” in his client, WR Plaxico Burress. The Jets and Bucs have already expressed interest.

Minicamp schedule

The Patriots boosted their depth at inside linebacker by signing former Lion Paris Lenon. The Patriots needed linebacker help after thirdround pick Tyrone McKenzie tore a knee ligament at rookie minicamp earlier this month. Lenon (6-2, 235) started 48 consecutive games for the Lions the past three years.

Buffalo—June 9-11 Cincinnati—June 18-20 Cleveland—June 11-13 Dallas—June 16-18 Denver—June 12-14 Detroit—June 23-25 (voluntary) Green Bay—June 23-25 Houston—June 15-17 Indianapolis—June 5-7 Kansas City—June 5-7 Miami—June 12-14 Minnesota—Friday-Sunday New England—June 10-12 New Orleans—June 5-7 N.Y. Giants—June 16-18 N. Y. Jets—June 9-11 St. Louis—June 5-7 San Francisco—June 5-7 Seattle—June 10-12 Tampa Bay—June 16-18

Ravens coach John Harbaugh told The Baltimore Sun that he expects WR Derrick Mason (shoulder) to ready for most, if not all, of training camp. Mason previously said he may not be able to participate in training camp.

BILL KOSTROUN / AP

The agent of Steelers OLB James Harrison said the player’s 2-year-old son has been released from a Pittsburgh hospital after recovering from an attack by his father’s pit bull.

A listing of upcoming NFL minicamps (all include rookies and veterans unless otherwise noted):

Note: Teams are allowed to have rookie minicamps separate from the full-squad minicamp, and teams with first-year head coaches are allowed to add up to two voluntary minicamps.

Osi Umenyiora anticipates having no problems with his surgically repaired knee.

Eric Mangini last week and decided to rejoin the team. If Cowboys QB Tony Romo doesn’t want to refer to Terrell Owens by name these days, that’s fine with T.O. “Dude, I could care less,” Owens said with a laugh after the Bills’ voluntary minicamp practice Wednesday. “I mean, he doesn’t mention my name, that’s fine. What about it?” Owens spoke in response to a question regarding Romo, who declined to refer to the receiver by

name after the Cowboys practiced last week for the first time since Dallas released Owens in March. Bills starting CB Terrence McGee hurt his right arm when he tumbled to the turf while defending Owens during a voluntary minicamp practice Wednesday. McGee was hurt about 30 minutes into the 90-minute session and did not return after entering the trainer’s room. Bills coach Dick Jauron did not have an update on the injury.

The NFL Players Association plans to appeal a judge’s ruling in the case of five players facing suspensions over positive drug tests. The union filed its notice of appeal Wednesday with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The players association wants the appeals court to reconsider a judge’s dismissal last week of a lawsuit filed by the union on behalf of Vikings DTs Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, and three Saints. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson last week threw out most claims by the

Williamses and all claims involving the Saints. This is the second appeal from that order. The Cowboys officially opened the doors for their new stadium on Wednesday. Hundreds showed up to celebrate, including several former Cowboys players. The team also unveiled the official price tag at $1.15 billion for the 80,000-seat stadium. That’s slightly higher than the longpresumed number of $1.1 billion.

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Remaining free agents A quick look at the remaining NFL free agents by position (R-restricted free agent, F-franchise tagged player): OFFENSE Quarterbacks—Brooks Bollinger, Dallas; Ken Dorsey, Cleveland; Gus Frerotte, Minnesota; Charlie Frye, Seattle; Drew Henson, Detroit; Quinn Gray, Kansas City; Trent Green, St. Louis; Rex Grossman, Chicago; Brad Johnson, Dallas; J.P. Losman, Buffalo; Jamie Martin, San Francisco; Craig Nall, Houston; Marques Tuiasosopo, Oakland; Anthony Wright, NY Giants. Running backs—Darian Barnes, New Orleans; Tatum Bell, Denver; Brian Calhoun, Detroit; Jesse Chatman, NY Jets; P.J. Daniels, Baltimore; Reuben Droughns, NY Giants; Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay; DeShaun Foster, San Francisco; Samkon Gado, St. Louis; Nick Goings, Carolina; Ahman Green, Houston; Andre Hall, Denver; Kay-Jay Harris, NY Giants; Maurice Hicks, Minnesota; Edgerrin James, Arizona; Rudi Johnson, Detroit; Deuce McAllister, New Orleans; Travis Minor, St. Louis; Chris Perry, Cincinnati; Andrew Pinnock, Denver; Michael Pittman, Denver; P.J. Pope, Denver; Cecil Sapp, Houston; Aaron Stecker, New Orleans; Selvin Young, Denver. Wide receivers—Drew Bennett, St. Louis; Marty Booker, Chicago; Drew Carter, Oakland; Jason Carter; Carolina; Keary Colbert, Detroit; Jayson Foster, Denver; D.J. Hackett, Carolina; Dante Hall, St. Louis; Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis; Ike Hilliard, Tampa Bay; Darrell Jackson, Denver; Nate Jackson, Denver; Matt Jones, Jacksonville; Joe Jurevicius, Cleveland; Ashley Lelie, Oakland; Brandon Lloyd, Chicago; Dane Looker, St. Louis; Marcus Maxwell, Baltimore; Anthony Mix, Tampa Bay; Ben Obomanu (R), Seattle; Tab Perry, Miami; Jerry Porter, Jacksonville; Kevin Robinson, Kansas City; Koren Robinson, Seattle; Edell Shepherd, Denver; Travis Taylor, Detroit; Amani Toomer, NY Giants; Kelley Washington, New England; Todd Watkins (R), Oakland; Harry Williams, Houston; Reggie Williams, Jacksonville; Wallace Wright (R), NY Jets. Tight ends—Courtney Anderson, Houston; Adam Bergen, Denver; Mark Bruener, Houston; Scott Chandler, San Diego; Owen Daniels (R), Houston; Nate Lawrie, Cincinnati; Michael Merritt, Kansas City; Chad Mustard, Denver; Rob Myers, NY Jets; Jeff Robinson, Seattle; Derek Schouman (R), Buffalo; Stephen Spach (R), Arizona; Daniel Wilcox, Baltimore; Kris Wilson, San Diego. Offensive tackles—Tyson Clabo (R), Atlanta; Anthony Davis, St. Louis; Jon Dunn, Detroit; Wayne Gandy, Atlanta; Kwame Harris, Oakland; Jonas Jennings, San Francisco; Levi Jones, Cincinnati; James Marten (R), Oakland; Fred Miller, Chicago; Rob Petitti, St. Louis; Jon Runyan, Philadelphia; Charles Spencer, Jacksonville; Barry Stokes, New England; Mark Tauscher, Green Bay; Mark Wilson (R), Oakland. Guards—Lennie Friedman, Cleveland; Pete Kendall, Washington; Matt Lentz, Detroit; Terrence Metcalf, Chicago; Edwin Mulitalo, Detroit; Chris Naeole, Jacksonville; Grey Ruegamer, NY Giants; Kendall Simmons, Pittsburgh; Rob Sims (R), Seattle; Jason Whittle, Buffalo. Centers—Brennen Carvalho, Green Bay; Jean-Philippe Darche, Kansas City; Melvin Fowler, Buffalo; Matt Lehr, New Orleans; Andy McCollum, Detroit; Jeremy Newberry, San Diego; Scott Peters, Arizona; Cory Withrow, St. Louis.

DEFENSE Defensive ends—Kevin Carter, Tampa Bay; Earl Cochran, Houston; Sean Conover, NY Jets; Nick Eason, Pittsburgh; Kalimba Edwards, Oakland; Ebenezer Ekuban, Denver; John Engelberger, Denver; Simon Fraser, Atlanta; Roderick Green, San Francisco; Travis LaBoy, Arizona; Jayme Mitchell, Minnesota; Jerome McDougle, NY Giants; Julius Peppers (F), Carolina; Josh Savage, New Orleans; Anthony Weaver, Houston; James Wyche, Jacksonville. Defensive tackles—Kenderick Allen, Minnesota; Gary Gibson, Carolina; La’Roi Glover, St. Louis; Vonnie Holliday, Miami; Antwan Lake, New Orleans; Langston Moore, Detroit; Kindal Moorehead, Atlanta; Dewayne Robertson, Denver; Orpheus Roye, Pittsburgh; Hollis Thomas, New Orleans; Josh Thomas, Indianapolis; John Thornton, Cincinnati; Casey Tyler, Dallas; Darwin Walker, Carolina; Ellis Wyms, Minnesota; Brian Young, New Orleans; Jeff Zgonina, Houston. Linebackers—Rufus Alexander, Indianapolis; Jason Babin, Kansas City; Rocky Boiman, Kansas City; Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay; Khary Campbell, Washington; Anthony Cannon, Detroit; Dan Cody, Baltimore; Rosevelt Colvin, New England; Donte’ Curry, Carolina; Donnie Edwards, Kansas City; Keith Ellison (R), Buffalo; Troy Evans, New Orleans; Gilbert Gardner, Chicago; Curtis Gatewood, Kansas City; Morlon Greenwood, Houston; Marques Harris, San Diego; Napoleon Harris, Minnesota; Abdul Hodge (R), Cincinnati; Mike Humpal, Pittsburgh; Brad Kassell, NY Jets; Jason Kyle, Carolina; Teddy Lehman, Buffalo; Wesly Mallard, Seattle; Jim Maxwell, Cincinnati; Willie McGinest, Cleveland; Marques Murrell (R), NY Jets; Ryan Nece, Detroit; Shantee Orr, Cleveland; Antwan Peek, Cleveland; Carlos Polk, Dallas; Junior Seau, New England; Matt Sinclair, Washington; Gary Stills, St. Louis; Terrell Suggs (F), Baltimore; Dontarrious Thomas, Minnesota; Pisa Tinoisamoa, St. Louis; Marcus Washington, Washington; Nate Webster, Denver. Cornerbacks—David Barrett, NY Jets; Fakhir Brown, St. Louis; Terry Cousin, Cleveland; Jason Craft, St. Louis; Travis Fisher, Detroit; Reynaldo Hill, Tennessee; William James, Jacksonville; Michael Lehan, New Orleans; Sam Madison, NY Giants; Ricky Manning Jr., St. Louis; Derrick Martin (R), Baltimore; Chris McAlister, Baltimore; Mike McKenzie, New Orleans; R.W. McQuarters, NY Giants; Deltha O’Neal, New England; Dunta Robinson (F), Houston; Lewis Sanders, New England; Duane Starks, Jacksonville; Brandon Sumrall, NY Giants; DeJuan Tribble, San Diego; Jason Webster, New England; Jimmy Williams, Houston; Stanley Wilson, Detroit. Safeties—Oshiomogho Atogwe (F), St. Louis; Michael Boulware, Minnesota; Mike Brown, Chicago; Oliver Celestin, Kansas City; Corey Chavous, St. Louis; Will Demps, Houston; Mike Doss, Cincinnati; Hiram Eugene, Oakland; Mike Green, Washington; Rodney Harrison, New England; Terrence Holt, New Orleans; Dexter Jackson, Cincinnati; Sammy Knight, NY Giants; Marquand Manuel, Denver; Marlon McCree, Denver; Lawyer Milloy, Atlanta; Chad Nkang, Jacksonville; Jarrad Page (R), Kansas City; Pierson Prioleau, Jacksonville; Chris Reis (R), New Orleans; Dwight Smith, Detroit; Jimmy Williams, San Francisco; Cameron Worrell, Chicago. SPECIAL TEAMS Kickers—John Carney, NY Giants; Matt Stover, Baltimore. Punters—Mitch Berger, Pittsburgh; Mike Dragosavich, Indianapolis; Sam Koch (R), Baltimore; Kyle Larson, Cincinnati; Ryan Plackemeier, Cincinnati.

NFL

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

29

Bucs have ‘one bone’ for a pack of QB candidates TAMPA—Raheem Morris characterizes the competition for the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback job in seven words. “One bone. Five dogs,” the firstyear coach begins. “Best man wins.” Luke McCown feels good about his chances. Byron Leftwich relishes the prospect of being a No. 1 again, and veteran Brian Griese, second-year pro Josh Johnson and first-round pick Josh Freeman could figure in the battle, too. Morris expects to take four quarterbacks to training camp in July. “It’s a competition,” said Leftwich, who signed with the Bucs in April after receiving assurances that he would be given a chance to win the job that Jeff Garcia held the past two seasons. Morris decided against bringing Garcia back but wanted to resign McCown, who has been a backup in Tampa Bay the past four seasons. Leftwich, who played behind Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh last year, has been a starter with Jacksonville and Atlanta. The Steelers were open to his return, and the 29-year-old also attracted interest from Washington. Morris sold him on Tampa Bay, promising that the best quarterback will play. “All anybody can ask for on this football team is that if I go out here and I play well, and if I’m playing better than anybody else, will I have the opportunity to be the guy?” Leftwich said. “The toughest thing in the world is being in a situation where no matter what you do, you know you won’t have a chance to get out on the field.” McCown has appeared in 12 games in five seasons. He’s 1-6 as a

NAM Y. HUH / AP

Brian Griese is just one of five competitors for Tampa Bay’s QB job. starter, with four of his seven starts coming a rookie with Cleveland in 2004, and only attempted one pass while getting limited playing time in two games last season. Nevertheless, McCown views himself as the front-runner, even though Leftwich and Freeman, the 17th overall pick in the draft, have been brought in since the

27-year-old decided to remain in Tampa Bay. “This has been a long time coming for me, and I’m not letting anybody take it from me,” McCown said. “This is my first real opportunity to compete to be the starter. I look at it as mine, and you’re going to have to shoot me.” He said Morris has been up

front about his desire to create competition for the starting job and that he was not surprised by the signing of Leftwich or drafting of Freeman, who is expected to be brought along slowly. McCown doesn’t view his inexperience as a hindrance. “Nobody knew what New England had in Matt Cassel. You just don’t know until you get out there and play,” McCown said. “And not three games. You’ve got to play eight, 10, 12 games in a row to get that experience, to get that confidence, to get that respect.” Leftwich, a former first-round pick with the Jaguars, has 49 career starts. He appeared in five games with the Super Bowl champion Steelers last season, throwing for 303 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He, too, signed a two-year deal knowing there was a chance the Bucs also might take a quarterback high in the draft. In addition to trying to win the starting job, he vowed to do everything he can to help Freeman. “I remember when I was in that situation,” Leftwich said, adding he’s also eager to work with a group of playmakers that includes receiver Antonio Bryant, tight end Kellen Winslow and running back Derrick Ward. “I’m going on my seventh year, and I realize as a quarterback in this league you can’t do it by yourself. When I was a rookie, and my second year, I thought I could. I’m smarter now. I realize it takes a lot of different elements for you as a quarterback to go out there and play well. I think the Buccaneers have all the elements.” — The Associated Press

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STARTING FIVE

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

Sporting News Today college basketball columnist Mike DeCourcy addresses five topics currently in his sport’s headlines

Q:

Villanova’s Jay Wright says no thanks to the Sixers. What current college coach will be next in becoming an NBA head coach?

DeCourcy: When Rick Pitino, John Calipari and Lon Kruger made their cash runs to the NBA roughly a decade ago, the league was paying obscene salaries to coaches, and the colleges merely were paying huge salaries. Pitino and Calipari, in particular, received lifechanging paydays by accepting NBA jobs. The current trend in the league is moving away from the “star” coach (unless that coach happens to be named Jackson or Popovich) and toward guys who get lesser paydays and shorter contracts. Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Chicago’s Vinny Del Negro might be considered prototypes. It doesn’t make sense for a college coach with a contract term that might run as long as a decade at $2 million per to run after an NBA job where he might get four years for roughly the same money. One college coach with appeal to an NBA team who would be interested in taking such a job would be Pitino. His interest in getting back to the league would be less about money or security and more about being away from Louisville as the court case related to an alleged extortion attempt against him becomes a Jon-and-Kate type of obsession in the city. It still makes me laugh, though, that people think the NBA is too complicated for college coaches. Jim O’Brien won 10 games combined in his final two seasons at Dayton. He’s been a head coach in the pros for seven seasons. Cavs assistant John Kuester was drawing up plays for LeBron James and Co. at the end of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. His next-to-last team as George Washington head coach went 1-27.

Q:

What’s been the biggest offseason transfer so far?

DeCourcy: There are scores of players

30

would be leaving—Jared Carter, A.J. Stewart and Donald Williams—scored a combined 68 points last season. They couldn’t play for the Wildcats before DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall arrived. Athletes rarely want to be part of a situation where they have no chance to get in games. That’s why they play college basketball—to play. They invest too many hours and too much sacrifice to not get the reward of game night. The three players moving on will be happier than if they were nailed to the UK bench another year.

Q:

What do you think of Florida’s Nick Calathes agreeing to a contract to play in Greece?

DeCourcy: Few players volunteer to play for less money in a lesser pro league. If Calathes didn’t think he was ready to be a first-round pick, he should have stayed with the Gators.

Q: CARLOS OSORIO / AP

Jay Wright is the latest big-name college coach to turn down overtures from the NBA, instead choosing the job security and salary available at Villanova. who’ve announced transfers, most with names we’d barely recognize. A few reasonably prominent players opted to change schools—forward Malcolm White from Ole Miss to LSU, for instance. He averaged 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. Guard Nick Williams averaged 8.9 points as a freshman at Indiana but will resume his career at Ole Miss. It’s possible neither will become a star. The biggest name to change schools, then, is Liberty’s Seth Curry. He’s a big name primarily because his brother, Stephen, was an

All-American at Davidson. Whether Seth can succeed at Duke is debatable. When he’s eligible to play in November 2010, the Devils will have veterans Nolan Smith and Elliot Williams at his position. It’s not clear Seth is a great pure shooter; he only hit 34.7 percent from 3-point range, though he did make 102 3-pointers as a freshman.

Q:

So three Kentucky players suddenly won’t return? Strange how John Calipari was able to find scholarships for all the high-profile

recruits he is attracting, isn’t it?

DeCourcy: I said a week ago this is the inevitable consequence of moving out two coaches in three years. Calipari was not hired because he was going to make an immense, immediate X’s and O’s difference in the Wildcats. There was nothing technically wrong with the coaching done by Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie. UK struggled, by its standards, because they didn’t attracting the necessary talent. The three players Kentucky announced

Rubio or Griffin?

DeCourcy: Is that a serious question? Blake Griffin will be one of the top athletes ever to play his position, and he is enormously competitive. He could use more skill with the ball, but he’ll be an excellent power forward. Ricky Rubio is a spectacular passer, but he is neither a great athlete nor a great shooter. His defense could be suspect, and he’ll be easier to defend on the pickand-roll than somebody who can make a shot, like Deron Williams or even Ty Lawson. If my team didn’t have a point guard, Rubio would be a good one to get, but I wouldn’t consider him with the No. 1 overall pick.Can anyone answer this question, by the way: If the European developmental system is superior to what we have in the U.S. because the players get to spend so much more time in the gym, how come Rubio shot only 39.1 percent from the field this season? [email protected]

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Report: Memphis accused of violations MEMPHIS—The University of Memphis reportedly is responding to an NCAA notice of allegations accusing the men’s basketball program of major violations during the 200708 season under John Calipari. According to The Commercial Appeal, the allegations include “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam by a player on the 200708 team, which finished runner-up in the NCAA Tournament. Lamar Chance, spokesman for the basketball program, declined comment Wednesday night when contacted by The Associated Press. The player’s name was redacted in the report, obtained by The Commercial Appeal through the Freedom of Information Act, due to privacy laws. The player has subsequently denied the charge, according to university personnel. The only player on the roster who competed during that season was Derrick Rose, who subsequently was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last June, the newspaper reported. If proven to be true, the Tigers could be forced to forfeit their NCAA-record 38 victories and Final Four appearance. Memphis, which received the notice of allegations Jan. 16, is scheduled to appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions June 6. Calipari, who left Memphis for Kentucky on March 31, is not named in the report, The Commercial Appeal said on its website Wednesday night. It is also alleged that Memphis provided $2,260 in free travel to road games for an associate of a player. Those names also were redacted in the report due to

MARK J. TERRILL / AP

John Calipari is not named in the report, but the NCAA has requested his presence at a June 6 hearing. privacy laws, the newspaper reported. “We take it very seriously. We don’t condone it,” athletic director R.C. Johnson told the newspaper. He declined to comment in detail

about the allegations. “We’re doing a thorough investigation.” Johnson said the university is still working on its response to the NCAA notice of allegations. — The Associated Press

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

31

INSIDE DISH

Gillispie sues UK for $6M Former Kentucky men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie sued the school Wednesday, seeking at least $6 million he says he is owed on his deal for being fired without cause. Gillispie, who was dismissed last spring, was working under a memorandum of understanding but hadn’t signed a formal contract during the two years he coached at Kentucky. He contends that under that memorandum, he should be paid $1.5 million a year for four of the five years left on the deal. The suit also asks for an undisclosed amount of punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, court costs and interest. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Dallas contends the school’s athletics association is in breach of contract and has committed fraud because the university never intended to honor the agreement. “Rather than honor its written, signed deal with coach Gillispie, defendant prefers instead to pretend as though no deal was ever reached,” the lawsuit says. University attorneys expressed surprise over the lawsuit. “The university was continuing to negotiate a separation in good faith and his counsel had asked for more time,” they said in a statement. Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart, reached by The Associated Press on Wednesday at the Southeastern Conference meetings in Destin, Fla., said he had no comment. “I just got off the phone with our attorneys and I can’t say anything,” Barnhart said.

nity he didn’t want to turn down.” Oglesby averaged 13.2 points. He has dual citizenship in the United States and Norway, where he was born and his father played basketball.

Billy Gillispie contends he should be paid $1.5 million a year for four of the five years left on his deal with Kentucky.

Jimmy Stanton, a spokesman for University of Kentucky President Lee Todd, also declined comment because the matter involves pending litigation. Clemson is losing its top 3-point threat to Europe. Sophomore G Terrence Oglesby told the coaching staff that he plans to give up his final two seasons of eligibility and play overseas. Tony Oglesby told The State of Columbia, S.C., that his son would travel to Italy on Saturday and begin negotiations with the 15 teams from Italy and Spain. “This is nothing really against Clemson,” Tony Oglesby told the newspaper. “It’s just an opportu-

Playing for Vanderbilt means C A.J. Ogilvy is stranded a long way from Australia each winter, but later this summer it’ll give him the chance to make a trip back home. The Commodores will make their third international trip under coach Kevin Stallings this August, but their first to Australia. They will fly into Melbourne and travel around the country before finishing the tour in Sydney. Teams are allowed to make such playing tours once every four years, and Stallings twice has taken his team to Europe, but having a star player from Australia made this a logical time to travel a different route. “Those were wonderful trips, but we were looking to do something different this time,” Stallings said. “It just made sense to incorporate something over there. A.J. is thousands of miles away from home all school year long, so this was a nice opportunity to go over there and give him a chance to play at home.” Stallings is looking forward to the trip and also to improving his team with some tough games. Almost exclusively composed of sophomores and freshmen, the Commodores were 19-12 last season, with Ogilvy leading the team with 15.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. — Mike DeCourcy

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

Autism Speaks 400

INSIDE DISH

Robby Gordon penalized for Coke 600 infractions

at Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del.

Top 5 and 5 to watch When: Sunday, 2 p.m. ET TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. Radio: MRN/Sirius XM Satellite Ch. 128 Track layout: 1-mile oval Race distance: 400 laps/400 miles 2008 winner: Kyle Busch 2008 polesitter: Greg Biffle BY ROGER KUZNIA [email protected]

MARY ANN CHASTAIN / AP

Roush Fenway driver Greg Biffle has the highest driver rating at Dover, a place where he won last September. Here’s a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Sunday’s Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Dover unless otherwise indicated. Driver rating is based on the past eight points races at the track. Jeff Gordon, 91.4 driver rating. When it comes to racing at Dover the past three years, Gordon is like Flo from Progressive.com— always on. His average start in that span is 7.5, and his average finish is 7.8. While Gordon has two pole positions, he has not won at the Monster Mile since 2001. The fact he led 30 laps in the fall race could signal he’s ready to win again. Tony Stewart, 65.5. Used to be that Dover was one of Stewart’s best tracks. No more. Stewart’s subpar driver rating is due to his one Top 10 finish in the last eight races. It hasn’t helped that he has three DNFs due to wrecks in that span. If Stewart somehow manages a Top 10 finish this weekend, it would be another fantastic story to an already-unbelievably strong first season as an owner/driver. Kurt Busch, 91.0. Busch made his Sprint Cup Series debut at Dover in 2000 with current FOX analyst Jeff Hammond as his crew chief, finishing 18th. A mechanical issue and a wreck kept Busch from having

1.

2.

3.

32

what he anticipated to be good runs in the two races last year, so don’t be surprised to see the Deuce a part of this Sunday’s storyline. Jimmie Johnson, 102.9. Johnson has the fourth-highest driver rating at Dover, trailing only Roushketeers Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards (more on them later). Along with teammate Gordon, Johnson led laps in last year’s fall race. If the Roush trio is to have any competition, this Hendrick duo appears best positioned to provide it. Denny Hamlin, 73.9. Hamlin’s rating has been crushed by finishes of 38th, 43rd and 38th in the past three races. He did qualify well in two of those three races (third each time), so there’s hope.

4. 5.

Five to watch

7.

Ryan Newman, 98.4. No driver is hotter than Newman, with four straight topfive finishes this season. He even won his first pole position in over a year last week at Lowe’s, an additional indicator that the Newman of the early 2000s may be showing up. Newman has won four poles and three races at Dover. Matt Kenseth, 114.5. Kenseth has been much more dominant in the fall races,

9.

leading 602 of his 686 laps in those races. However, his finishes in the June event are just as strong, with a win, a fifth and a fourth in his last three. Greg Biffle, 116.6. Biffle’s victory in last year’s fall race over Kenseth and Carl Edwards was perhaps the best race of the year. All three led laps in the final 100 miles before Biffle led the last nine circuits. Biff has just one finish outside the Top 10 in his last eight races, a 13th in 2005. Carl Edwards, 105.7. In the past five Dover races, Edwards has finished no worse than third, and he won the fall race in 2007. The 285 laps he’s led at Dover are his third most, trailing only Texas (499) and Atlanta (299). But Edwards has had fewer success stories this year, so it’s hard to expect a dominant outing Sunday. Mark Martin, 100.6. If Martin performed well at Dover in DEI equipment the past two years, think of what he’ll do in his Hendrick car. Martin has three Top 10 finishes in the past four Dover races and has led more laps in his career at Dover than any driver on the circuit. The latter part of that sentence is partly due to the fact he’s 50. But he’s plenty good too.

10. 11.

12.

Owner/driver Robby Gordon has been penalized 50 championship owner points and 50 championship driver points for a rear axle housing infraction discovered by NASCAR inspectors after Monday’s rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, in which Gordon finished third. Kirk Almquist, crew chief of the No. 7 Toyota driven by Gordon, was fined $50,000 for the violation. Specifically, the rear axle housing exceeded the allowable toe of plus or minus one degree. In layman’s terms, the axle was canted too far to the right, which can facilitate corner entry and improve a car’s ability to turn through the corner. Believing there might be an issue with the housing, based on post-race inspection at LMS, NASCAR impounded the part and took it to the research-and-development center in Concord, N.C., for further examination. The penalties were announced Wednesday afternoon. Gordon earned $208,985 for his third-place finish, which he earned by staying on the track under caution after rain hit the speedway. When the rain persisted, NASCAR called the race after 227 laps. NASCAR also announced on Wednesday that Andrew Crnkovic, a crew member for the No. 07 team in the Camping World Truck Series, has been suspended indefinitely for violation of NASCAR’s substance abuse policy, based on findings from a drug test administered during Sprint AllStar Race weekend (May 15-16). — Reid Spencer writes for the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

TERRY RENNA / AP

Robby Gordon’s No. 7 Toyota had a rear axle issue discovered in post-race inspection.

Ryan Newman will take a turn in the JR Motorsports Nationwide Series entry this weekend at Dover International Speedway. Newman is making the first of his four scheduled starts in the car, which he will also drive at Chicagoland Speedway (July 10), Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 21) and Kansas Speedway (Oct. 3). — SceneDaily.com TomTom Inc. announced Wednesday that it will become an associate sponsor of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing for both the Sprint Cup Series and the IndyCar Series this year. The navagation-system company will be the primary sponsor for multiple races of the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr. in the Cup series and the No. 10 Honda Dallara driven by Dario Franchitti in the IndyCar Series. — SceneDaily.com

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Sprint Cup statistics (Through 12 of 36 races)

HAROLD HINSON FOR SN

Jeff Gordon finished a lackluster 14th in the Coca-Cola 600, but he’s still the points leader.

DRIVER RATING

RK. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

DRIVER Jeff Gordon Kyle Busch Jimmie Johnson Denny Hamlin Tony Stewart Kurt Busch Mark Martin Carl Edwards Greg Biffle Brian Vickers Jeff Burton Juan Montoya Ryan Newman David Reutimann Matt Kenseth Kasey Kahne Jamie McMurray Dale Earnhardt Jr. Martin Truex Jr. Clint Bowyer

LAPS IN TOP 15

Sum of driver position on each lap divided by the laps run in the race

Season to date laps: 3,848

RK. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

DRIVER Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson Kurt Busch Denny Hamlin Tony Stewart Kyle Busch Carl Edwards Mark Martin David Reutimann Greg Biffle Jeff Burton Brian Vickers Juan Montoya Ryan Newman Martin Truex Jr. Kasey Kahne Matt Kenseth Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jamie McMurray Clint Bowyer

ARP 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.28 10.69 11.22 13.33 14.21 15.37 15.39 16.14 16.17 16.60 17.35 17.57 17.64 17.74 17.90 19.58 19.92

MAKE Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Dodge Chevrolet Ford Ford Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Ford Dodge Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet

TEAM Hendrick Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Hendrick Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Stewart-Haas Racing Penske Racing Hendrick Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Roush Fenway Racing Red Bull Racing Richard Childress Racing Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Stewart-Haas Racing Michael Waltrip Racing Roush Fenway Racing Richard Petty Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Hendrick Motorsports Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Richard Childress Racing

RATING 107.5 107.1 101.7 100.0 99.6 99.3 96.4 89.7 89.5 83.9 82.9 82.7 82.5 82.2 81.8 79.2 77.9 76.3 76.3 74.8

Number of laps where driver had the fastest speed on the lap. Total green flag laps: 3,135 RK. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

DRIVER Jeff Gordon Greg Biffle Kyle Busch Kurt Busch Jimmie Johnson Mark Martin Denny Hamlin Tony Stewart Carl Edwards Brian Vickers Jeff Burton Kasey Kahne Matt Kenseth David Reutimann Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ryan Newman Martin Truex Jr. Juan Montoya Marcos Ambrose Clint Bowyer

PCT. 9.5 8.1 7.5 7.2 6.9 6.6 5.2 4.4 3.7 3.4 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.8 1.6 1.4

LAPS 299 255 236 227 217 206 164 139 116 106 84 82 80 80 70 67 59 56 49 45

RK. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

DRIVER Jeff Gordon Denny Hamlin Jimmie Johnson Tony Stewart Kurt Busch Mark Martin Carl Edwards Kyle Busch Jeff Burton David Reutimann Greg Biffle Ryan Newman Brian Vickers Juan Montoya Kevin Harvick Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kasey Kahne Clint Bowyer Jamie McMurray Matt Kenseth

PCT. 84.6 79.7 78.7 76.2 76.0 75.6 69.1 68.5 66.4 64.4 56.8 54.1 52.0 50.8 47.5 46.1 45.9 45.0 44.2 42.1

LAPS 3,257 3,068 3,029 2,933 2,925 2,908 2,660 2,634 2,556 2,480 2,187 2,080 2,001 1,953 1,827 1,775 1,767 1,732 1,700 1,620

PERCENTAGE OF LAPS RUN ON LEAD LAP Season to date laps: 3,848 RK. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

DRIVER Kurt Busch Denny Hamlin Jimmie Johnson Carl Edwards Jeff Gordon Tony Stewart Dale Earnhardt Jr. Mark Martin Jeff Burton David Reutimann Juan Montoya Ryan Newman Greg Biffle Brian Vickers Clint Bowyer Kyle Busch David Stremme Kasey Kahne Martin Truex Jr. Jamie McMurray

33

POINTS STANDINGS

AVG. RUNNING POSITION

FASTEST LAPS RUN

Formula combining the following categories: Wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, led most laps, lead-lap finish. Maximum: 150 points per race. Must have raced in 75 percent of scheduled point-paying races.

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

PCT. 96.9 94.4 91.9 91.0 90.0 86.8 86.8 86.2 86.1 84.7 80.3 78.6 78.3 77.9 77.5 75.7 74.9 72.7 70.4 69.6

LAPS 3,728 3,633 3,537 3,501 3,462 3,339 3,338 3,316 3,313 3,260 3,088 3,024 3,012 2,996 2,982 2,911 2,881 2,797 2,710 2,677

RK. DRIVER

PTS.

PTS. BACK

ST.

WINS

T-5

T-10

DNF

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46.

1,722 1,678 1,607 1,594 1,575 1,540 1,538 1,472 1,460 1,448 1,431 1,428 1,422 1,397 1,351 1,348 1,319 1,238 1,225 1,216 1,168 1,168 1,149 1,148 1,145 1,136 1,134 1,129 1,126 1,113 1,095 1,089 1,033 1,017 865 743 731 573 479 466 451 448 382 346 317 292

--44 -115 -128 -147 -182 -184 -250 -262 -274 -291 -294 -300 -325 -371 -374 -403 -484 -497 -506 -554 -554 -573 -574 -577 -586 -588 -593 -596 -609 -627 -633 -689 -705 -857 -979 -991 -1,149 -1,243 -1,256 -1,271 -1,274 -1,340 -1,376 -1,405 -1,430

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 10 11 6 4 9 7 8 9 4 5 4

1 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

6 5 3 5 2 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 2 0 1 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 8 6 7 4 5 6 5 5 6 5 6 3 4 3 5 4 3 3 2 3 1 2 1 3 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 1 3 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 2 2 3 0 0 2 1 3 2 3 2 0 3 0 0 7 2 3 8 1 0 1

Jeff Gordon Tony Stewart Kurt Busch Jimmie Johnson Denny Hamlin Kyle Busch Ryan Newman Jeff Burton Matt Kenseth Greg Biffle Carl Edwards Mark Martin David Reutimann Juan Montoya Kasey Kahne Brian Vickers Clint Bowyer Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Marcos Ambrose Jamie McMurray Casey Mears Kevin Harvick Reed Sorenson Joey Logano David Stremme Bobby Labonte Elliott Sadler AJ Allmendinger Sam Hornish Jr. Michael Waltrip David Ragan Paul Menard Robby Gordon Scott Speed John Andretti David Gilliland Regan Smith Brad Keselowski Joe Nemechek Aric Almirola Scott Riggs Dave Blaney Bill Elliott Max Papis Travis Kvapil

LAPS LED 496 54 322 319 479 789 137 67 171 267 42 215 47 8 46 59 16 109 90 0 0 2 9 0 25 3 5 29 0 3 5 3 3 2 13 2 0 0 1 2 0 3 3 0 0 0

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Soccer

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

34

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL Barcelona 2, Manchester United 0

Barcelona caps fantastic year with Champions trophy ROME—Barcelona gave an emphatic answer to who is the best soccer team in Europe, dispatching Manchester United with a dazzling and dominating display to win the Champions League title for the second time in four seasons. Samuel Eto’o scored 10 minutes in and Lionel Messi connected in the 70th, leading the Spanish champions to a onesided 2-0 victory Wednesday night that prevented the English power from becoming the first team in 19 years to win consecutive European titles. “This is the most important victory of my life,” Messi said. “When the second goal came, that calmed us down a lot.” Eto’o took a pass from Andres Iniesta, cut around defender Nemanja Vidic and beat Edwin van der Sar from 8 yards. The goalkeeper got a touch on the rightfooted shot but couldn’t keep it from going in at the near post. “The victory is much more important than the goal,” said Eto’o, a three-time African player of the year from Cameroon. Messi, a 21-year-old star of Argentina’s national team, easily won the glamour duel with reigning FIFA player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi, who is 5-foot-7, was wide open when he scored on a header from about 6 yards off a cross from Xavi Hernandez, who had hit a post with a free kick 17 minutes earlier. It was Messi’s tournament-high ninth goal and his first in 11 games against English opponents. Messi set off colorful celebrations at one end of Stadio Olimpico, filled with 62,467 fans, and left English supporters in silence as Manchester United’s European unbeaten streak ended at 25 games. In Rome, Barcelona supporters splashed, fully clothed, in the Trevi

Ronaldo doesn’t know if he’ll stay with Man U ROME—Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Manchester United became uncertain again when he wouldn’t say whether he will remain with the English champions next season. When asked after United’s loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final whether he would be at Old Trafford next season, the reigning world player of the year said: “I don’t know.” Real Madrid has been trying to obtain the 24-yearold Portuguese winger for nearly two seasons and former president Florentino Perez is on the verge of heading the club again. A lifelong Madrid fan, has three seasons remaining on his current contract and has said he’d like to play for Real Madrid at some point. United manager Alex Ferguson has labeled Real Madrid “a mob” for repeatedly trying to get Ronaldo to make a move. Perez, responsible for bringing Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham to Real Madrid during his six year tenure, has said he is ready to spend three years’ worth of money on players this summer alone.Messi wins duel vs. Ronaldo

Messi wins duel ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP

Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o, second from right, scored 10 minutes into the game, giving the Spanish champs a lead they never relinquished. Fountain. Before the match, a Manchester United fan was hospitalized after sustaining a stab wound and 15 people, including United and Barcelona fans, were arrested in separate incidents. “Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, absolutely,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola said of the Argentine, who scored 38 of Barcelona’s 153 goals this season. “I think right now he is adding his name to the Golden Ball.” Ronaldo had United’s only two ontarget shots and six overall. Wayne Rooney managed just one shot. “This is one of the biggest disappointments of my career,” Ronaldo said. “The

game was between Manchester and Barcelona. It wasn’t a duel between anyone in particular.” Manchester United, which won its third straight Premier League title and added the English League Cup and Club World Cup, was trying to become the first team to win consecutive European crowns since AC Milan in 1989-90. The Red Devils also won the tournament in 1968 and 1999. In its first season under Guardiola, a former Barcelona star who began as a ball boy at Camp Nou, the Catalan power won Europe’s top club competition for the third time following victories in 1992 and 2006.

“When I won as a player I was young and it was magnificent,” said Girardiola, who played for Barcelona’s 1992 team. “But now winning the treble at the first attempt is marvelous.” Barcelona also swept Spain’s La Liga and Copa del Rey. After the victory, fans in the Spanish city honked horns and set off flares. “I’ve been waiting for so long to get this title,” said Barcelona forward Thierry Henry, who played for the Arsenal team that lost to Barcelona in the 2006 final. “The last five minutes were the longest of my life.” — The Associated Press

Lionel Messi didn’t use his usual scoring method— a deft touch from his quick feet—to settle the debate over whether he or Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to be called the world’s best player. Instead, the Barcelona forward settled it with his head. Messi’s 70th-minute header helped Barcelona defeat Manchester United on Wednesday, a victory that puts Barcelona in exclusive company as only the fifth European club to win three major trophies in a season. All eyes had been on the Ronaldo vs. Messi matchup after Ronaldo edged Messi for both the FIFA world player of the year and Golden Ball award last season. A historic season for Barcelona is likely to be enough to see Messi dethrone King Cristiano. Messi was instrumental in much of Barcelona’s play, just as he was in securing the Spanish league title with a record points haul and a 25th Copa del Rey trophy. — The Associated Press

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Tennis

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

35

FRENCH OPEN Glance

Results

PARIS—A look at the French Open on Wednesday: Weather: Rainy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon. High of 63 degrees. Attendance: 35,459. Men’s seeded winners: No. 1 Rafael Nadal, No. 3 Andy Murray, No. 7 Gilles Simon, No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez, No. 13 Marin Cilic, No. 14 David Ferrer, No. 17 Stanislas Wawrinka, No. 18 Radek Stepanek, No. 23 Robin Soderling, No. 30 Victor Hanescu, No. 31 Nicolas Almagro. Men’s seeded losers: No. 20 Marat Safin, No. 21 Dmitry Tursunov, No. 28 Feliciano Lopez. Women’s seeded winners: No. 1 Dinara Safina, No. 8 Ana Ivanovic, No. 9 Victoria Azarenka, No. 20 Dominika Cibulkova, No. 21 Alize Cornet, No. 22 Carla Suarez Navarro, No. 25 Li Na, No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, No. 29 Agnes Szavay, No. 32 Iveta Benesova. Women’s seeded losers: No. 11 Nadia Petrova, No. 15 Zheng Jie. Stat of the day: 2 — Total number of games lost by Safina through two matches in the tournament. Quote of the day: “I need to stop and just get out of this tennis circuit to be able to understand what’s going on in my life.” — Safin, after losing to French wildcard entry Josselin Ouanna 10-8 in the fifth set. Safin is retiring at season’s end. On court today: No. 2 Roger Federer vs. Jose Acasuso, No. 4 Novak Djokovic vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky, No. 6 Andy Roddick vs. Ivo Minar; No. 2 Serena Williams vs. Virginia Ruano Pascual, No. 4 Elena Dementieva vs. Jelena Dokic, No. 5 Jelena Jankovic vs. Magdalena Rybarikova. Today’s forecast: Cloudy. High of 70 degrees. Today’s TV: Tennis Channel, 5 a.m.-noon EDT; ESPN2, noon to 6:30 p.m. EDT. — The Associated Press

Sharapova pulls through in third set PARIS—On a day of adieus at the French Open, Maria Sharapova managed to stick around. Trailing through most of the third set in her toughest test since shoulder surgery, Sharapova pulled out a 6-2, 1-6, 8-6 victory over 11th-seeded Nadia Petrova on Wednesday to reach the third round at Roland Garros, her return to Grand Slam tennis. “I kind of started stumbling away. Things went in the wrong direction,” said Sharapova, who missed the U.S. Open and Australian Open. “I was just glad I could pick myself up and keep fighting.” That she did: Five times, Petrova was one point away from serving for the match. But Sharapova didn’t allow her to convert those chances. “She really showed, even though she has been out for a while, she’s willing to compete till the end,” Petrova acknowledged. Sharapova’s French Open continues, as does Rafael Nadal’s winning streak at Roland Garros—which he extended to a tournamentrecord 30 matches—but there will be no more trips to the clay-court major for Marat Safin or Fabrice Santoro. Both are retiring at season’s end, and both bowed out Wednesday. At dusk, Venus Williams lost the first set of

BERNAT ARMANGUE / AP

Maria Sharapova beat 11th-seeded Nadia Petrova in the second round. her match against Lucie Safarova. They were told to pack up, because there wasn’t enough light. Winners included No. 3 Andy Murray, No. 7 Gilles Simon—who eliminated Robert Kendrick, making Andy Roddick the only U.S. man left—No. 8 Fernando Verdasco and

Lleyton Hewitt, who faces Nadal next. Safin’s younger sister, No. 1-ranked Dinara Safina, won in straight sets, as did defending champion Ana Ivanovic and 16-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal, who upset No. 15 Zheng Jie of China. — The Associated Press

Wednesday At Stade Roland Garros Paris Purse: $21.8 million (Grand Slam) Surface: Clay-Outdoor Singles Men First Round Arnaud Clement, France, def. Dmitry Tursunov (21), Russia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Christophe Rochus, Belgium, def. Fabrice Santoro, France, 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Second Round Andy Murray (3), Britain, def. Potito Starace, Italy, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Fernando Gonzalez (12), Chile, def. Rui Machado, Portugal, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Victor Hanescu (30), Romania, def. Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, 7-5, 7-5, 7-5. Janko Tipsarevic, Serbia, def. Feliciano Lopez (28), Spain, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Nicolas Almagro (31), Spain, def. Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-2. Gilles Simon (7), France, def. Robert Kendrick, United States, 7-5, 6-0, 6-1. Marin Cilic (13), Croatia, def. Dudi Sela, Israel, 6-0, 6-3, 6-1. Fernando Verdasco (8), Spain, def. Philipp Petzschner, Germany, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. Stanislas Wawrinka (17), Switzerland, def. Nicolas Massu, Chile, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Radek Stepanek (18), Czech Republic, def. Mathieu Montcourt, France, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Rafael Nadal (1), Spain, def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, Russia, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, def. Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. David Ferrer (14), Spain, def. Nicolas Kiefer, Germany, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Josselin Ouanna, France, def. Marat Safin (20), Russia, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), 4-6, 3-6, 10-8. Robin Soderling (23), Sweden, def. Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Nikolay Davydenko (10), Russia, leads Diego Junqueira, Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 2-2, susp., darkness. Women First Round Alize Cornet (21), France, def. Maret Ani, Estonia, 6-4, 7-5. Second Round Dinara Safina (1), Russia, def. Vitalia Diatchenko, Russia, 6-1, 6-1. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (27), Russia, def. Julie Coin, France, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Victoria Azarenka (9), Belarus, def. Kristina Barrois, Germany, 7-6 (1), 7-5. Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakhstan, def. Arantxa Rus, Netherlands, 6-0, 6-2. Li Na (25), China, def. Timea Bacsinszky, Switzerland, 6-1, 6-4. Aravane Rezai, France, def. Polona Hercog, Slovenia, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Agnes Szavay (29), Hungary, def. Elena Vesnina, Russia, 6-2, 6-0. Carla Suarez Navarro (22), Spain, def. Lucie Hradecka, Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4. Iveta Benesova (32), Czech Republic, def. Alla Kudryavtseva, Russia, 6-1, 6-2. Michelle Larcher de Brito, Portugal, def. Zheng Jie (15), China, 6-4, 6-3. Ana Ivanovic (8), Serbia, def. Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, 6-1, 6-2. Olga Govortsova, Belarus, def. Akgul Amanmuradova, Uzbekistan, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5. Dominika Cibulkova (20), Slovakia, def. Kirsten Flipkens, Belgium, 6-1, 6-0. Maria Sharapova, Russia, def. Nadia Petrova (11), Russia, 6-2, 1-6, 8-6. Gisela Dulko, Argentina, def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, 7-6 (5), 0-6, 6-2. Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, leads Venus Williams (3), United States, 7-6 (5), susp., darkness. Doubles Men First Round Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski (6), Poland, def. Sebastian Prieto and Martin Vassallo Arguello, Argentina, 6-4, 6-3. Marc Lopez and Tommy Robredo, Spain, def. Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank, Argentina, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4). Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer, Austria, def. Oscar Hernandez and Albert Montanes, Spain, 6-4, 6-1.

Bruno Soares, Brazil, and Kevin Ullyett (5), Zimbabwe, def. Jeremy Chardy and Marc Gicquel, France, 7-6 (2), 6-4. Frantisek Cermak, Czech Republic, and Michal Mertinak (12), Slovakia, def. Simon Greul, Germany, and Allesandro Motti, Italy, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain, and Sergio Roitman, Argentina, def. Rohan Bopanna, India, and Jonathan Erlich, Israel, 6-4, 7-6 (10). Jan Hernych, Czech Republic, and Christophe Rochus, Belgium, def. Andreas Beck, Germany, and Jean-Claude Scherrer, Switzerland, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-4. Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut, France, def. Jerome Haehnel and Florent Serra, France, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. Dusan Vemic, Serbia, and Mischa Zverev, Germany, def. Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro, France, 6-4, 6-4. Andrei Pavel and Horia Tecau, Romania, def. Rajeev Ram and Bobby Reynolds, United States, 6-2, 7-5. James Cerretani, United States, and Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine, def. Nicolas Almagro and Ivan Navarro, Spain, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. Jose Acasuso, Argentina, and Fernando Gonzalez, Chile, def. Stephen Huss, Australia, and Ross Hutchins (13), Britain, 6-4, 6-2. Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov, Russia, def. Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa (10), Brazil, 6-4, 7-5. Travis Parrott, United States, and Filip Polasek (15), Slovakia, def. David Martin and Sam Querrey, United States, 7-5, 7-5. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, and Luis Horna (8), Peru, def. Arnaud Clement and Nicolas Devilder, France, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Wesley Moodie, South Africa, and Dick Norman, Belgium, def. Max Mirnyi, Belarus, and Andy Ram (7), Israel, 7-6 (6), 6-3. Christopher Kas, Germany, and Rogier Wassen, Netherlands, def. Martin Damm, Czech Republic, and Robert Lindstedt (16), Sweden, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (5), 7-5. Lukas Dlouhy, Czech Republic, and Leander Paes (3), India, def. Sebastien de Chaunac and Benoit Paire, France, 6-1, 6-3. Women First Round Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko, Ukraine, def. Sophie Lefevre and Aurelie Vedy, France, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. Julie Ditty, United States, and Maria Emilia Salerni, Argentina, def. Marta Domachowska, Poland, and Tamira Paszek, Austria, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-2. Kveta Peschke, Czech Republic, and Lisa Raymond (2), United States, def. Tathiana Garbin and Roberta Vinci, Italy, 6-2, 6-4. Ekaterina Dzehalevich, Belarus, and Andreja Klepac, Slovenia, def. Eva Hrdinova and Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2. Mathilde Johansson and Pauline Parmentier, France, def. Violette Huck and Laura Thorpe, France, 6-2, 6-3. Chuang Chia-jung, Taiwan, and Sania Mirza (14), India, def. Ipek Senoglu, Turkey, and Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, 7-5, 6-1. Cara Black, Zimbabwe, and Liezel Huber (1), United States, def. Melinda Czink, Hungary, and Natalie Grandin, South Africa, 6-3, 7-6 (2). Vera Dushevina, Russia, and Anastasia Rodionova, Australia, def. Nathalie Dechy, France, and Mara Santangelo (15), Italy, 6-1, 6-1. Maria Kirilenko, Russia, and Flavia Pennetta (8), Italy, def. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, and Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark, 6-4, 6-4. Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs (4), Australia, def. Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, and Selima Sfar, Tunisia, 6-2, 6-2. Ekaterina Makarova, Russia, and Arantxa Parra Santonja, Spain, def. Mariya Koryttseva, Ukraine, and Galina Voskoboeva, Kazakhstan, 6-0, 7-6 (0). Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, and Peng Shuai (9), China, def. Liga Dekmeijere, Latvia, and Aleksandra Wozniak, Canada, 6-3, 6-1. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia, and Ai Sugiyama (7), Japan, def. Emilie Loit and Kristina Mladenovic, France, 7-5, 7-5. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, and Elena Vesnina (12), Russia, def. Stephanie Cohen-Aloro and Alize Cornet, France, 6-1, 6-3. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, and Francesca Schiavone, Italy, def. Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (6), Spain, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska, Poland, def. Viktoriya Kutuzova, Ukraine, and Aravane Rezai, France, 6-2, 6-1. Maret Ani and Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, def. Kinnie Laisne and Stephanie Vongsouthi, France, 6-1, 6-1. Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual (3), Spain, def. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia, and Virginie Razzano, France, 6-2, 6-4. Jelena Dokic, Australia, and Alisa Kleybanova, Russia, def. Petra Cetkovska, Czech Republic, and Carla Suarez Navarro, Spain, 6-3, 6-2. Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson, United States, def. Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakhstan, and Tamarine Tanasugarn, Thailand, 6-2, 6-2.

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Golf

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

36

Fresh off win overseas, Casey brings new No. 3 ranking to Colonial

TOM HEVEZI / AP

Paul Casey has had quite the season thus far, winning twice overseas and finishing second in the Accenture Match Play Championship.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Paul Casey arrived at the Crowne Plaza Invitational a bit overwhelmed. His body was worn out from flying to England last week, winning the prestigious BMW PGA Championship with birdies on the final two holes, hoisting a few glasses in celebration and then getting on a plane and flying back to the United States. There also was the head-spinning part. With that victory, Casey—who started the year ranked No. 41—vaulted to No. 3 in the world rankings, behind only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. That’s keeping some pretty good company. So is this: He joined Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie as the only British players to climb that high since the world rankings began. “I’m not sure it’s sunk in yet,” he said. Adding to the commotion this week is the fact Casey will be playing a tournament at the Colonial Country Club for the first time. He arrived Tuesday at the historic venue known as Hogan’s Alley, but opted not to play a morning round (“I figured my bed was more inviting.”) He was back Wednesday for the proam and, today, will be eager to try building on a breakout season that also includes a runner-up finish at the Accenture Match Play Championship and a victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship. Casey has a list of reasons for this kick-start to his career. There are swing improvements, like better approach shots and more touch with his putter, to being in better shape. All told, it’s left him with a better attitude, “sort of a little bit of belief in my own game that I could, you know,

Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Site: Fort Worth, Texas Schedule: Today-Sunday Course: Colonial Country Club (7,054 yards, par 70) Purse: $6.2 million. Winner’s share: $1,116,000 TV: Golf Channel (Today, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Friday, 12:30-3:30 a.m., 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2-5 a.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.)

win more frequently, certainly win on the PGA Tour.” “The win in Abu Dhabi help fuel all of that,” he said. “Without the win in Abu Dhabi, I doubt I would have finished second at the Match Play. And the second at the Match Play really helped with the win at Houston. And the win at Houston sort of helped for last week, so it sort of snowballed.” Now comes a new heat to try melting that snowball—the expectations that come with being the world’s best player not named Tiger or Phil. “It’s kind of fun,” said Casey, who in his days at Arizona State erased Pac-10 records set by Woods and Mickelson. “I think it’s a little bit of responsibility that goes with (being No. 3) and pressure. I have had that before, but not in the U.S. I’ve had that in Europe quite a bit. I think it assists me in some respects because I do take that very seriously. I feel like I need to perform. ... I will be quickly overtaken if I take my focus off the ball.” Mickelson is the defending champion in Fort Worth and a two-time

recipient of the plaid jacket that goes to this tournament’s winner, but he’s taken an indefinite leave to be with his wife after announcing last week that she has breast cancer. A “pink out” will be held Saturday, with golfers, caddies and others wearing pink to support Amy Mickelson and to help raise money to fight the disease. Instead of Mickelson, the most recent Colonial winner teeing off today will be 2007 champ Rory Sabbatini, who also comes in fresh off winning the Byron Nelson Championship last weekend. Sabbatini already has joined Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Mickelson and Sergio Garcia among the 14 golfers to win both events in their careers. Only Hogan won both the same year, doing so in 1946. Sabbatini has a lot going for him. There’s the momentum of last week, memories of his third-round 62 in 2007 and, perhaps most of all, his familiarity with the changes made to the course since last year. Geoff Ogilvy described them as subtle but tricky, like a lowered tee box on No. 3 and a bunker on No. 14 that’s gone from outside the dogleg to the inside, bringing it much more into play. “I don’t live too far from here so I’ve played it quite a numerous times since the redesign,” said Sabbatini, who moved to Fort Worth from another nearby suburb less than two years ago and considers Colonial one of his two home clubs. “They’ve done a wonderful job. They kept a lot of the succinct intricacies about the golf course out here so that makes it challenging and just toughened it up a bit.” — The Associated Press

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College Baseball

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NCAA Division I regionals glance

All times ET, double elimination

At Clark-LeClair Stadium

At Alex Box Stadium

Greenville, N.C. Friday Game 1 : South Carolina (38-21) vs. George Mason (42-12), 3 p.m. Game 2 : East Carolina (42-17) vs. Binghamton (29-20), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m., if necessary

At McKethan Stadium

Gainesville, Fla. Friday Game 1 : Miami (36-20) vs. Jacksonville (36-20), 1 p.m. Game 2 : Florida (39-20) vs. Bethune-Cookman (32-26), 6:30 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6:30 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 1 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6:30 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6:30 p.m., if necessary

Baton Rouge, La. Friday Game 1 : LSU (46-16) vs. Southern U. (30-15), 2 p.m. Game 2 : Minnesota (38-17) vs. Baylor (29-24), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

At Boshamer Stadium

At Dick Howser Stadium

At L. Dale Mitchell Park

At Doug Kingsmore Stadium

At Jim Patterson Stadium

At Reckling Park

Chapel Hill, N.C. Friday Game 1 : Coastal Carolina (46-14) vs. Kansas (37-22), 2 p.m. Game 2 : North Carolina (42-16) vs. Dartmouth (27-16), 6 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 1 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 5 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m., if necessary Clemson, S.C. Friday Game 1 : Alabama (37-19) vs. Oklahoma State (32-22), 3 p.m. Game 2 : Clemson (40-19) vs. Tennessee Tech (30-22-1), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

At Russ Chandler Stadium

Atlanta Friday Game 1 : Elon (40-16) vs. Southern Mississippi (35-23), 3 p.m. Game 2 : Georgia Tech (35-17-1) vs. Georgia State (39-20), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

Tallahassee, Fla. Friday Game 1 : Georgia (37-22) vs. Ohio State (40-17), Noon Game 2 : Florida State (42-16) vs. Marist (31-26), 4 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, Noon Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 4 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, Noon Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 4 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary Louisville, Ky. Friday Game 1 : Middle Tennessee (43-16) vs. Vanderbilt (34-25), 3 p.m. Game 2 : Louisville (44-15) vs. Indiana (32-25), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary At Oxford-University Stadium Oxford, Miss. Friday Game 1 : Missouri (34-25) vs. Western Kentucky (39-18), 4 p.m. Game 2 : Mississippi (40-17) vs. Monmouth, N.J. (32-23), 8 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 p.m., if necessary

Norman, Okla. Friday Game 1 : Arkansas (34-22) vs. Washington State (31-23), 2 p.m. Game 2 : Oklahoma (41-18) vs. Wichita State (30-25), 8 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 p.m., if necessary Houston Friday Game 1 : Kansas State (41-16-1) vs. Xavier (38-19), 3 p.m. Game 2 : Rice (39-15) vs. Sam Houston State (36-22), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

At Lupton Baseball Stadium

Fort Worth, Texas Friday Game 1 : Texas A&M (36-22) vs. Oregon State (35-17), 3 p.m. Game 2 : TCU (36-16) vs. Wright State (33-28), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

At UFCU Disch-Falk Field

Austin, Texas Friday Game 1 : Texas State (41-15) vs. Boston College (33-24), 2 p.m. Game 2 : Texas (41-13-1) vs. Army (34-19), 7 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., if necessary

At Packard Stadium

Tempe, Ariz. Friday Game 1 : Oral Roberts (31-13) vs. Cal Poly (37-19), 5 p.m. Game 2 : Arizona State (44-12) vs. Kent State (42-15), 10 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 10 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 4 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m., if necessary

At Anteater Ballpark

Irvine, Calif. Friday Game 1 : Virginia (43-12-1) vs. San Diego State (40-21), 7 p.m. Game 2 : UC Irvine (43-13) vs. Fresno State (32-28), 11 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 7 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 7 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 11 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 11 p.m., if necessary

At Goodwin Field

Fullerton, Calif. Friday Game 1 : Georgia Southern (42-15) vs. Gonzaga (35-16), 6 p.m. Game 2 : Cal State Fullerton (42-14) vs. Utah (26-29), 10 p.m. Saturday Game 3 : Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 5 p.m. Game 4 : Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 p.m. Sunday Game 5 : Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 5 p.m. Game 6 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m. Monday Game 7 : Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m., if necessary

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

37

After a near half-century wait, Utes back in NCAA tournament SALT LAKE CITY—Utah is back in the NCAA baseball tournament for the first time in nearly 50 years. The Utes are ending a 49-year drought by playing this weekend in the NCAA regionals, a berth they claimed with an upset run through the Mountain West Conference tournament. “We want to prove that we’re a good program and show the nation we deserve this bid,” said second baseman Corey Shimada, a senior whose career has been extended by at least two games. The Utes open their first NCAA tournament since 1960 on Friday when they play Cal State Fullerton, the No. 2 national seed and host of the four-team regional. While the Titans are regulars in the regionals, the Utes have gone generations between appearances. The last time Utah made it this far there was no “ping” of the bat— hitters still were using wooden bats—and there was no such thing as a designated hitter. One of the only things that hasn’t changed in the 49 years is the College World Series is still played in Omaha. The Utes are still a long way away from Rosenblatt Stadium, but much closer than anyone would have predicted at the end of the regular season. Utah was the bottom seed in the Mountain West tournament—No. 6 in a six-team field that included five teams with NCAA regional aspirations. Only three made it and one of them was Utah, which at 26-29 is the only team with a losing record

SCOTT G. WINTERTON / AP

Brian Budrow, right, and the Utes are the only team without a winning record in the tourney. among the 64 schools still playing. Utah went 5-1 in the conference tournament, winning three straight after falling within one loss of ending the season. “The winning has kept us relaxed. We’ve got nothing to lose,” senior pitcher Brian Budrow said. “We’ll go in there and try to get three straight wins and move on.” Why not? The Utes are already the first No. 6 seed to win the Mountain West tournament in its 10-year history, beating top-seeded TCU twice on the Horned Frogs’ home field. The Utes finished off the tournament with two straight wins over the Aztecs, who needed just one victory in the double-elimination format to win the title.

Utah blew an 8-1 lead in the eighth inning of a 9-8 loss to San Diego State last Thursday, but beat the Aztecs Friday and Saturday in two games that mattered much more. “We had a devastating loss. For us to come back and play the way we did, with the determination that we had was really special to watch,” coach Bill Kinneberg said. Utah hit .308 in the tournament and scored 38 runs in the six games, 24 coming with two outs. The Utes had only four errors and other than the disastrous performance in the loss to San Diego State, Utah’s pitchers came through with some of their best outings of the season. — The Associated Press

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2009

IN BRIEF

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Arrested man claims he sold steroids to athletes TAMPA—A central Florida man arrested with thousands of anabolic steroid pills told investigators he sold to professional athletes, including players on the Washington Nationals and Capitals, authorities said Wednesday. Richard Thomas boasted about selling steroids to professional baseball, hockey and football players, saying, “You name the sport, and I’ve sold steroids to athletes who play it,” the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities said Thomas didn’t name specific players, and they have no evidence he sold to members of those teams. Investigators who searched Thomas’ house in Lakeland on Tuesday recovered thousands of anabolic steroid pills, injectable liquids and syringes with an estimated wholesale value of $100,000, said Carrie Eleazer, a spokeswoman with the sheriff’s office. They also found several weapons, including loaded semiautomatic handguns. Thomas and his wife, Sandra, were charged Tuesday with several counts of possession of illegal steroids, firearms, and maintaining a dwelling for drug use. Thomas and his wife were booked into the Polk County Jail on $215,000 each. Sandra Thomas posted bond and was released on Wednesday. Richard Thomas remained in jail and was expected to appear in court today. Sheriff’s records did not list an attorney. Capitals players passed three rounds of drug tests during each of the past two seasons, and neither the team nor officials from the National Hockey League had reason to believe Thomas’s claims, the league and the team said in a joint release Wednesday. A spokesman for Major League Baseball, which also randomly tests for

USA TRACK & FIELD: Named Jill Geer chief public affairs officer and Ivan Cropper senior director of marketing and communications.

Major League Soccer EASTERN CONFERENCE W Chicago 4 D.C. 3 Toronto FC 4 Kansas City 4 Columbus 2 New England 2 New York 2 WESTERN CONFERENCE W Chivas USA 7 Seattle 4 Houston 4 Colorado 3 Real Salt Lake 3 Los Angeles 1 FC Dallas 1 San Jose 1

L 0 1 3 4 2 3 6

T 6 7 4 3 6 4 3

Pts 18 16 16 15 12 10 9

GF 17 17 16 15 14 8 10

GA 11 15 16 13 16 16 13

L 1 2 2 2 5 1 6 7

T 3 4 3 4 2 8 3 2

Pts 24 16 15 13 11 11 6 5

GF 15 14 11 13 14 12 9 10

GA 6 8 7 11 13 12 17 21

NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

JAE C. HONG / AP

Wednesday’s game Columbus 2, San Jose 1 Today’s game Chicago at Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m. Saturday’s games Colorado at New York, 7:30 p.m. D.C. United at New England, 7:30 p.m. Toronto FC at Houston, 8:30 p.m.

Columbus at Seattle FC, 10:30 p.m. Kansas City at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Real Salt Lake at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. Sunday’s game FC Dallas at Chicago, 3 p.m.

Chad Dawson, right, easily dispatched Antonio Tarver earlier this month. steroids, said the organization is looking into the matter.

Boxing PANAMA CITY, PANAMA—Light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson has decided to vacate his IBF title after the organization refused to grant an exception to an immediate defense against mandatory challenger Tavoris Cloud. Promoter Gary Shaw informed the IBF of Dawson’s decision at its annual convention Wednesday. “No major television network was willing to buy the fight, (and) the IBF left us little choice,” Shaw said in a statement. “I respect the IBF’s decision, but the fight they were forcing us to do was commercially unviable.” Dawson (28-0, 17 KOs) easily defended his IBF and IBO titles in a

rematch against Antonio Tarver earlier this month. Rather than defend against Cloud, the hard-punching 26-year-old is reportedly eyeing a fight with former champ Glen Johnson, whom Dawson beat in a close unanimous decision early last year.

Cycling BLOCKHAUS, ITALY—Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong finished 10th in the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, 1 minute, 59 seconds behind stage winner Franco Pellizotti. When Armstrong attacked on the uphill finish, he left the race leaders behind and got as close as 25 yards behind leader Pellizotti. “It was a nice try,” Armstrong’s team director Johan Bruyneel said. “Definitely he is coming to another level

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again. That’s exactly what I hoped for.” Armstrong is still regaining his form after 3½ years of retirement and breaking his collarbone in March. Armstrong eventually dropped back for the rest of the climb behind defending Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre, with two-time Giro winner Gilberto Simoni in tow. Armstrong sits 12th, 12:17 behind.

Golf ROCKFORD, MICH.—A 9-year-old golfer from suburban Grand Rapids has recorded his first hole-in-one. Jake O’Dette of Rockford used an 8-iron Monday to score the ace on the 91-yard seventh hole at Tustin Trails Golf Course, about 10 miles south of Cadillac. The third-grader started golfing at 5. — The Associated Press

BASEBALL MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: Suspended Kansas City manager Trey Hillman one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for his inappropriate actions during the bottom of the eighth inning of the Royals game against Detroit on May25. American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Placed RHP Koji Uehara on the 15-day DL. Activated DH Luke Scott from the 15-day DL. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Recalled LHP Zach Jackson from Columbus (IL). Optioned LHP Rich Rundles to Columbus. LOS ANGELES ANGELS: Placed RHP Scot Shields on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Rich Thompson from Salt Lake (PCL). OAKLAND ATHELTICS: Placed INF Nomar Garciaparra on the 15-day DL, retroactive to May 24. Recalled RHP Jeff Gray from Sacramento (PCL). National League CHICAGO CUBS: Placed INF Aaron Miles on the 15-day DL. Optioned LHP Neal Cotts and INF Bobby Scales to Iowa (PCL). Recalled INF Jake Fox from Iowa. Purchased the contracts of INF Andres Blanco and LHP Jason Waddell from Iowa. FLORIDA MARLINS: Optioned Chris Leroux to Jacksonville (SL). Recalled OF Brett Carroll from New Orleans (PCL). WASHINGTON NATIONALS: Recalled C Luke Montz from Harrisburg (EL). Designated RHP Daniel Cabrera for assignment. Midwest League QUAD CITIES RIVER BANDITS: Announced RHP Ben Zawacki has been transferred from extended spring training. Atlantic League LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Announced RHP Ken Ray has been signed by the Cleveland Indians who assigned him to Columbus (IL). United League EDINBURG ROADRUNNERS: Signed LHP Brian Martin and C Cameron McGuire. SAN ANGELO COLTS: Signed C Matt Acevedo and INF Butch Ballez. Released C Chad Clemons. FOOTBALL National Football League CAROLINA PANTHERS: Signed S Paul

Chiara and CB Reggie Sullivan. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Signed LB Paris Lenon. NEW YORK JETS: Claimed TE Martrez Milner off waivers from the N.Y. Giants. Waived OL Kyle Link and TE Rob Myers. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Signed DT Trevor Jenkins. Canadian Football League WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS: Signed OL Mike Morris, OL Adam Bestard, RB Peter Quinney and LB Thaine Carter. HOCKEY National Hockey League MONTREAL CANADIENS: Signed F Mikael Johansson to a one-year contract. NEW YORK RANGERS: Agreed to terms with F Andres Ambuhl. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Signed F Rick Rypien to a two-year contract extension. MOTOR SPORTS NASCAR: Suspended indefinitely Andrew Crnkovic, crew member of Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee, for failing a random drug test on May 15. SOCCER Major League Soccer MLS: Suspended San Jose D Chris Leitch for one game and fined him $250 for his conduct in a game on May 23. NEW YORK RED BULLS: Acquired a 2010 first-round draft pick and a 2011 secondround draft pick from Houston for F Dominic Oduro. Waived G Terry Boss. COLLEGE CLEMSON: Announced G Terrence Oglesby is leaving the men’s basketball team to play professionally overseas. MASSACHUSETTS: Announced the retirement of women’s soccer coach Jim Rudy. NEW ENGLAND: Named Dan Letellier softball coach. OSWEGO STATE: Named Adam Stockwell men’s basketball coach. PRAIRIE VIEW: Signed Cynthia CooperDyke, women’s basketball coach, to a four-year contract. SEATTLE PACIFIC: Named Ryan Looney men’s basketball coach. UNION, N.Y.: Named Marianna Locke women’s assistant ice hockey coach. VASSAR: Named Antonia Sweet men’s volleyball coach.