News sports 2008-07-09 Andanh.com

Better late than never Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:15:30 -0500
OWENSBORO — After waiting through a two-hour rain delay and then failing to get a hit off Owensboro Southern starter Mason Richardson through the first five innings Tuesday, the Bowling Green East bats took their time showing up. But once they did, it was well worth the wait. The East 11-and-12-year-olds scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning, erasing a 2-0 deficit to lock up a state tournament berth with a 3-2 win over Owensboro Southern at Country Heights in Owensboro. “Once again we battled throughout and kept it close,” East manager Rick Kelley said. “Their guys was throwing a terrific ballgame but was running out of pitches and we took advantage of the opportunity.” East now moves on to the state tournament at Valley Sports in Louisville beginning July 18. Also advancing to Louisville is Warren County South’s 11-year-old squad, who won the District 1 championship Tuesday with a 1-0 victory over Franklin-Simpson at Owensboro’s Highlands Elementary School. While East failed to get much of anything early off Richardson - he struck out the first six batters he faced - Southern struck first in the second when Trenton Cundiff was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. That scored Jamon Cosby - who singled - to get Southern on the board. Darian Dull added to the lead in the third inning with a solo homer to right field. Down to its last three outs in the top of the six, East finally got to Richardson. Nacarius Shannon opened the inning with a sharp single to left. Zach Borden then battled to a walk, putting two runners on and maxing out Richardson’s pitch count for the day. Click here for photos from the District 1 Little League championship. Southern reliever Ben Wright recorded a strikeout before the real fun started for East. Seaton Sheldon put the ball in play to second base, but a throwing error allowed Shannon to score and cut the deficit in half. Hunter Sewell then reached on another error, allowing Borden to cross the plate and tie the game. Sheldon was lifted for pinch runner Christopher McDaniel, who moved to third after Sewell’s at-bat. McDaniel then crossed the plate on a passed ball to complete the comeback. “I’m just so proud of them because they don’t get down when they’re in a deficit,” Kelley said. “That’s been three or four ballgames now when we’ve had a deficit, but yet we’ve come back and always managed to find a way to win. “I’m just so proud of them.” Much of the thanks for even getting to the sixth inning with a chance to win had to go to reliever Zach Sibalich. Sibalich entered the game in the third inning down 1-0, and while he surrendered a home run, he kept Southern at bay for the remainder of the game - including the final three outs in the bottom of the sixth. “I was kind of nervous at first,” Sibalich said. “But then I started to pitch pretty good and that kind of went away and it almost felt like a normal game. “We were just telling each other to stay in it, keep hitting the ball, putting it in play and see what happens.” And that positive attitude earned this group - which won the state tournament last season in the 11-year-old division - a chance to keep on playing. That’s something Sibalich and the whole squad couldn’t be happier about. “It just feels great,” he said. “We were there last year and we won and it’s just great to be going back.” BGE 000 003 — 3 OS 011 000 — 2

East 9-10 squad erases another deficit Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:15:31 -0500
OWENSBORO — For the third straight game, Bowling Green East found itself in an early hole. And for the third straight game, it didn’t matter. The East 9- and 10-year-olds mounted yet another comeback, this time erasing an early 3-0 deficit to win the Little League District 1 championship Tuesday with a 12-7 win over East Daviess County at Country Heights in Owensboro. “It was just a great team effort,” East manager Bill Jones said. “We made a couple mistakes in the field, but our pitching was great all night and we found a way.” East now advances to the state tournament at Valley Sports in Louisville beginning July 18. After East Daviess County jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, East got to work. Jackson Gooding led off the game with a single and was brought home two batters later when Rob Warren sent a pitch deep over the left field fence to cut the lead to 3-2. EDC scraped another run across in the top of the second to extend its lead again, but East responded in a big way during its half of the second, sending all nine hitters to the plate and racking up five runs. Reed Begley led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a stolen base and eventually to third on a Bobby Dillard single, before coming home on a passed ball. Dillard then scored when Ethan Wilson reached on an error two batters later. Warren followed with his third RBI of the game, this time scoring Wilson on a double. After Jake Bush then reached on a fielder’s choice, Austin Zinoble cleared the bases with a two-RBI single to make it 7-4. EDC added another in the top of the third, but Gooding knocked in Justin Gentry - who led off with a single - during the bottom half of the inning to bring the score to 8-5. The East bats continued to light up in the fourth, plating three more runs to break the game open. The big hero on the day for East was Warren, who not only was strong with the bat, but also stepped onto the mound in the second inning and slowed the East Daviess County bats to a standstill - allowing just three runs before maxing out his pitch count in the sixth inning. “He was a one-man wrecking machine today,” Jones said. “He was good with the bat, he pitched real good, allowed only a couple of hits and hit that big home run early in the first inning to get us started and start the comeback.” Jones said that once again the team did a fine job of staying focused after starting in a hole. “Tonight was kind of hard with their older counterparts over there playing with a lot noise,” Jones said. “And we just told them to stay focused. “I told them before the game that we played six hard innings the other night and we’ll have to do it again tonight, and we did.” EDC 310 120 — 7 BGE 251 31X — 12

Key renamed Mavericks coach Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:20:54 -0500
Less than 48 hours after the abrupt departure of former head coach Vincent Askew, the newly formed Kentucky Mavericks have found their man - again. Mavericks president Jason Smith confirmed Tuesday that Russellville’s Otis Key has been named head coach for the second time. Key was originally tabbed to lead the team before Askew was hired, but agreed at that point to step aside and be an assistant. Now Key is back in the head coaching chair about a week after giving it up. “To grow up in this area ... it’s sort of like it’s come full circle,” Key said. “I feel really good and confident about that.” Smith, who had named Key interim head coach after Askew’s departure, said it made sense to give the full-time job to Key and said he expects the former Harlem Globetrotter to have a lengthy and successful career as Mavericks head coach. “After we sat back and thought about it, it was an easy decision,” Smith said. “The people here know coach Key. I don’t care if Phil Jackson, Pat Riley or whoever walks in the door. If they want a job with the Kentucky Mavericks, they are taking an assistant job under coach Key. He is our head coach. The only way he leaves is if he steps down.” Key brings an impressive playing resume with local flavor. He played high school ball at Russellville and went on to a college career at Austin Peay before eventually becoming a player and coach with the Harlem Globetrotters. Key admitted it’s been a tough week mentally, but he is excited about the chance to lead the Mavericks in their first season in the ABA. “I make no secret about it, my emotions have been on a pretty big roller coaster,” Key said. “I got up the first time I was asked to be the head coach. It came down a little bit, but I still viewed it as a good opportunity to learn from Vincent. Then I was back up on a high after being offered the head coaching job permanently. “Now I have to put those emotions aside and tighten in to the task at hand - making these guys a winning team and a winning franchise.” For now, Key said the focus is to find the 15 players who will make up the first Mavericks roster. The Kentucky Mavericks wrap up three days of tryouts today at the Phil Moore Park Gymnasium and will conduct two more sets of tryouts later this month in hopes of having a roster in place by the end of July. “It lets me go in with a clear mind, lets me focus on getting the best players available and putting them into a team,” Key said. “If we are able to do that, then I think the citizens of Bowling Green and the surrounding areas will respond and this will be very successful.”

Perry open to criticism for skipping British Open Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:20:55 -0500
Kenny Perry never imagined facing so much criticism over where to play golf. There was a time when he was desperate to play anywhere. He was 26, with two children in diapers and no money for a third attempt at qualifying for the PGA Tour. That’s when he made a deal with an angel, Ronnie Ferguson, an elder at the Church of Christ in Franklin, who offered him $5,000 for one last shot at Q-school with one string attached. If he failed, Perry didn’t owe Ferguson a dime. But if he made it, Perry would give back 5 percent of his tour earnings to David Lipscomb University, a small Christian school in Nashville. That was 22 years and $25 million ago. Over the years, Perry has collected 11 victories on the PGA Tour, including two in the last six weeks at the Memorial and the Buick Open. The kids who have gone to Lipscomb with help from his scholarship program have become teachers, nurses, youth ministers. This is worth remembering as Perry gets buried next week for skipping the British Open, sticking to his original plan to play in Milwaukee. As determined as he was to play golf for a living, Perry was equally tenacious about playing in the Ryder Cup at Valhalla, just up the road from his old Kentucky home. “This is a lifetime opportunity for him,” U.S. captain Paul Azinger said Monday. Azinger is partly responsible for Perry essentially wrapping up a spot on this team so soon. He revamped the qualifying process to put more emphasis on the current year, which was a good thing for Perry. He was 79th on the money list last year, but already this year has two victories and a playoff loss and is No. 4 in the U.S. standings. Consider what happened the only other time Perry played in the Ryder Cup. He qualified for the 2004 team based almost entirely on his 2003 performance, when he won three times. Not surprisingly, he played only two matches at Oakland Hills and lost them both. Clearly, those memories linger. “I told (wife) Sandy, this might be the worst thing I’ve ever wished for,” Perry said. “I may play poorly and get drilled.” No need to wait for the Ryder Cup to get hammered. There are plenty of guys who make a Ryder Cup team without winning a major. Perry might be the first to clinch a spot without having played in a major that year. He wasn’t eligible for the Masters. Then, he chose not to go through 36-hole qualifying for the U.S. Open the day after he won the Memorial because he was worn out. Besides, Perry said he has never played well at Torrey Pines and wanted to conserve his strength for PGA Tour events that would give him a better chance at winning, and making the Ryder Cup team. With only five weeks remaining in the qualifying process, Perry is virtually a lock to make the team. Along the way, his outstanding play earned him a spot at Royal Birkdale through a special money list. This might be Perry’s best chance to win a major, considering his form and Tiger Woods’ knee. But he turned it down. Woody Austin didn’t go to Carnoustie last year because he had played two months straight and didn’t want to show up at the toughest links course in the world and shoot a million. It would be one thing if Perry wanted to rest his 47-year-old bones. But he’s playing this week at the John Deere Classic, and next week at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. “I committed to all these tournaments when I was ranked 100th in the world,” said Perry, who is now at No. 20. “And now, all of a sudden, I’ve won twice. I’m not going to back out on them.” He risks the respect of his peers, however. Why would anyone skip a chance to play one of four major tournaments that define a career? How does it look when one of the top Americans ducks a major to play against the B-Flight in Milwaukee? The most peculiar part of Perry’s decision is that he finished 16th or better in three of his last four Opens. His best finish was at Royal St. George’s, where he wound up four shots behind Ben Curtis in a tie for eighth. That was in 2003, the best season of Perry’s career. Anyone playing this well - and few are better at the moment - can win anywhere. Such a decision contrasts with Sean O’Hair going through hoops to get a passport to St. Andrews in 2005 after winning the John Deere Classic, or Bob Estes flying across the ocean as an alternate and leaving without ever hitting a shot. Then again, Perry isn’t the first player to skip a major at the top of his game. Arnold Palmer was the Masters champion in 1964 when he stayed home from the British Open because he was tired. Annika Sorenstam was 28 when she skipped the du Maurier Classic, citing fatigue after taking appearance money from two overseas tournaments. Perry at least should get credit for being the first American to care more about the Ryder Cup than a major. Besides, his captain is squarely behind him. “I don’t care and he doesn’t care,” Azinger said about the British Open flap. “So why should it bother anybody else? The guy has the guts of a burglar. He’s going to be 48. He can do whatever he wants. I’m happy for him.” Azinger’s only instruction for Perry after he won the Buick Open was to set new goals so he stays sharp before Valhalla. One might be to win the PGA Championship and gain a small measure of redemption at Oakland Hills. Another would be leading his team to a rare victory at the Ryder Cup in Kentucky. Care to guess which tops the list?

Rogers second at Ky. Senior Open Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:20:55 -0500
Bowling Green’s Steve Rogers, 52, shot a two-day score of 138 to finish second at the 2008 Kentucky Senior Open on Tuesday at The Bull Golf Club in Richmond. Rogers, who fired a 69 both days, lost in a one-hole playoff to Steve Humphrey, who carded scores of 66 and 72, respectively. It was the third straight strong showing for Rogers at the Senior Open, as he won the tournament two years ago and has finished in second each of the last two years.

Dickerson's push helps Bats go green Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:36:00 EST
Outfielder Chris Dickerson had seen enough of the litter the Bats were going through at Louisville Slugger Field.

In recruiting, really the kids are all right Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:35:00 EST
I wondered, in light of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' request that coaches lay off prospects who are high school sophomores and younger, whether coaches at these camps will avert their eyes when talented freshmen run on the court.

Cards coach stresses conditioning Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:50:00 EST
Dozens of University of Louisville football players crouch and touch a yard line with their left hands.

Coaches drawn to HoopFest Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:29:00 EST
Hundreds of college basketball coaches are expected to descend on Louisville starting today for the 25th annual Kentucky HoopFest, spotlighting top school-age players on nearly 200 teams around the country.

Former UK assistant to coach St. X golfers Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:29:00 EST
As the successor to Marty Donlon, Dan Utley knows he has big shoes to fill as the golf coach at St. Xavier High School.

UK hires diving coach from N.C. State Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:29:00 EST
The University of Kentucky announced the hiring of Ted Hautau as its diving coach Monday. Hautau previously coached at North Carolina State, where he guided All-America honorable-mention diver Kristin Davies this year.

Thompson strong in return Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:29:00 EST
Daryl Thompson didn't let his demotion from the Cincinnati Reds affect him. Just ask the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Cubs' Dempster dominates Reds Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:30:00 EST
Ryan Dempster became the first Cubs pitcher in 31 years to start a season 10-0 at home and Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto homered last night to lead Chicago to a 7-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Curlin will try turf Saturday at Belmont Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:30:00 EST
Horse of the Year Curlin will make his turf debut in Saturday's Grade I Man o' War at Belmont Park after New York racing authorities indicated there no longer is an issue involving licensing of all his owners.

Lawyer asks judge to force Curlin's sale Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:30:00 EST
An attorney wants a judge to force the public auction of 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin. Lexington attorney Angela Ford asked a state judge yesterday to force the sale to settle a $42 million civil judgment against attorneys Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion. They own a minority stake in the horse.

PREP BASEBALL: Elizabethtown upends Central Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:08 -0500
ELIZABETHTOWN What a difference two weeks can make.

PREP BASEBALL: John Hardin sweeps North Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:06 -0500
RADCLIFF It’s been said that hitting is contagious and the John Hardin Bulldogs certainly had a bad case of it spread through the team Thursday night.

PREP SOFTBALL: Krupinski, Central Hardin shut out John Hardin Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:06 -0500
CECILIA Having been shut out in their previous two games, the Central Hardin Lady Bruins were in a little bit of a funk.

PREP SOFTBALL/BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Lady Panthers fall; Mayfield moves to 7-1 Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:07 -0500
The slumping Elizabethtown Lady Panthers lost for the 10th time in 13 games, falling to visiting Warren Central on Thursday, 3-1.

BOYS'/GIRLS' PREP TENNIS RESULTS: Thursday's Matches Thu, 1 May 2008 23:03:07 -0500
Results from Thursday's area high school tennis matches:

RiverDogs edge Legends 5-4 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:16 EDT

The Lexington Legends rallied for a seventh-inning tie, but a passed ball and a two-out RBI single in the eighth led to a 5-4 loss to the Charleston RiverDogs in South Carolina Wednesday.

The RiverDogs scored three runs in the sixth to make it 4-2, but the Legends got two back in the seventh on first baseman Eric Taylor's bases-loaded single into right field.

Lexington's Fernando Abad replaced reliever Reid Kelly in the eighth and got two quick strikeouts before a single by David Williams. Then, with Austin Krum up to bat, a pitch got by catcher Jonathan Fixler, moving Williams over to second.

Krum promptly brought him home on a single into center field.

UK recruit skips U.S. team to meet LeBron Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:01 EDT

AKRON, Ohio . July camps and summer recruiting periods revolve around choices: which prospect to woo, what college to pick.

But highly regarded point guard prospect John Wall put an interesting variation on the subject of choice. He had to choose between church and state, so to speak.

As a hero worshiper of .LeBron James, Wall had the chance to play in the Skills Academy sponsored by the celebrated Cleveland Cavalier.

Yet, Uncle Sam invited Wall to participate in the tryouts for the 18-and-under U.S. national team that will play in Argentina later this month.

Kyle Busch to race trucks at Sparta Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:51 EDT

The field for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway received an added dose of star power this week when it was announced Sprint Cup Series points leader Kyle Busch is planning to contest the 150-lap race on July 19.

Busch, who notched his sixth Cup Series win of the season at Daytona last Saturday, will be racing in the trucks race at Kentucky for the first time. He will attempt to become the first driver to win three races in three different series at Kentucky, having captured the 2003 ARCA RE/MAX Series race and the 2004 NASCAR Nationwide Series (formerly Busch Series) contest at the Sparta tri-oval.

.Kentucky and St. Louis are two weeks that are together for the truck and Nationwide stuff. I never really had plans to run in the Nationwide Series, so we're just going to run the truck race here,. said Busch, who tested his Cup car at Kentucky Speedway on Tuesday.

The Sprint Cup Series is off the weekend of the Built Ford Tough 225.

Perry open to criticism for skipping British Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:00 EDT
Kenny Perry never imagined facing so much criticism over where to play golf.

There was a time when he was desperate to play anywhere. He was 26, with two children in diapers and no money for a third attempt at qualifying for the PGA Tour. That's when he made a deal with an angel, Ronnie Ferguson, an elder at the Church of Christ in Franklin, Ky., who offered him $5,000 for one last shot at Q-school with one string attached.

If he failed, Perry didn't owe Ferguson a dime. But if he made it, Perry would give back 5 percent of his tour earnings to David Lipscomb University, a small Christian school in Nashville, Tenn.

That was 22 years and $25 million ago.

Over the years, Perry has collected 11 victories on the PGA Tour, including two in the last six weeks at the Memorial and the Buick Open. The kids who have gone to Lipscomb with help from his scholarship program have become teachers, nurses, youth ministers.

UK commitment Vilarino ignores his doubters Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:10 EDT

AKRON, Ohio . When speculation arises about which committed prospect Kentucky might drop, G.J. Vilarino's name is prominently mentioned.

Vilarino, who is participating in the LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, confidently noted that such speculation should not apply to him.

.I know myself: I'm good enough,. he said. .The coaches believe in me. At the end of the day, that's all that matters..

Vilarino, who now goes by his first name of Gerardo, said he received all the validation he needs from the UK coaches.

Rockcastle walk-on finds a good fit at UK Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:02 EDT

After the basketball season ended, Chrysti Noble would see her former player Sarah Rowe around the neighborhood, ball in hand.

The former Rockcastle County star would be shooting baskets or dribbling the ball around.

Those images made Noble want to look away.

.I was sad she wasn't going to play basketball anymore,. Noble said. .She was one of the best all-around players I'd ever coached in 18 years..

Bello gets first win in nearly two months Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:38 EDT

Anthony Bello pitched seven solid innings for his first win in nearly two months, and the Lexington Legends defeated the RiverDogs 3-1 in Charleston, S.C., Tuesday night.

Bello (3-5) gave up six hits and one run, walking one and striking out one. The 22-year-old left-hander was 0-3 in his previous four starts and hadn't won since May 17.

Jordan Powell worked two perfect innings in relief for his fourth save of the season.

The Legends struck in the first inning when Matt Cusick hit a leadoff triple and scored on Craig Corrado's grounder to second base.

Harang goes wild as Dempster wins his 10th at home Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:21 EDT

CHICAGO . Ryan Dempster's 10-0 start at home was one reason to celebrate Tuesday night. And there was another. The Cubs' rotation is getting another front-line starter in Rich Harden, who hails from British Columbia. Just like Dempster.

.Awesome. We're taking over. ... From my neck of the woods. Finally somebody who speaks my language,. Dempster said after the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 behind his seven strong innings and homers from Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto.

Harden, expected to pitch this weekend against the Giants at Wrigley Field, joins the staff of the NL Central leaders that already includes Dempster and Carlos Zambrano. He was acquired Tuesday in a six-player deal from the Oakland Athletics.

Dempster (10-3) is the first Cubs' pitcher to win his first 10 decisions at home since Rick Reuschel in 1977. He allowed two hits and a run in seven innings, while throwing 103 pitches on a muggy night at Wrigley Field.

Truex takes 150-point hit in NASCAR standings Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:13 EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. . Martin Truex's bid to make the Chase for the championship took a severe hit Tuesday when NASCAR penalized his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team 150 points for bringing an illegal car to Daytona.

Truex's car failed its initial inspection last week at Daytona because the No. 1 Chevrolet failed to fit NASCAR's roof template. NASCAR officials seized the car and sent it to their Research and Development Center in Concord for further inspection.

.We've dug ourselves a hole but we're not giving up. This team seems to respond the best when its back is against the wall,. said Truex, who missed the only practice session before Saturday night's race because of the illegal car.

.We brought a new car to Daytona and it fit all of the templates at our shop. It doesn't appear to have been anything intentional on our part but it was still our responsibility. We'll deal with it and move on..

Dunbar opens search for new head coach Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:13 EDT

The position of the Paul Laurence Dunbar baseball coach is officially listed as open, Fayette County Schools spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall confirmed Tuesday.

Mickey Marshall, who guided Paul Dunbar's baseball team to two state championships in the past five years, was suspended from his coaching duties in May, pending an investigation into allegations of financial misconduct.

Deffendall said the school district's investigation into the allegations continues.

The initial suspension against Marshall, who teaches at Dixie Elementary, was extended an additional 20 working days at the end of the school year, said his attorney Jim Morris. That means the suspension will last into September.

Sore knee knocks Bradley out of Rangers lineup Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:43 EDT
The Rangers scratched All-Star designated hitter Milton Bradley from the lineup Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels because of soreness in his left knee.

Texas also put pitcher Vicente Padilla on the 15-day disabled list with a stiff neck, retroactive to Saturday, and recalled right-hander Wes Littleton from Triple-A Oklahoma.

In addition, the Rangers changed their starting pitcher Wednesday night, but still used someone making his first major league start.

Texas opted to go with rookie reliever Warner Madrigal to start against the AL West-leading Angels in place of Padilla. The Rangers went with Madrigal instead of calling up left-hander Michael Ballard from Double-A Frisco to make his big league debut.

Bradley, the AL leader with a .441 on-base percentage, played the previous two games after leaving Sunday's game at Baltimore because of tendinitis. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Bradley was available to pinch-hit, and the problem wasn't considered serious.

Bucks set to give Bogut 5-year, $72.5M extension Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT
Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut will sign a five-year, $72.5 million extension later this week, his agent said Wednesday. Bogut, the top overall pick in the 2005 draft, was expected to sign the extension Friday, agent David Bauman said.

The agreement was first reported Wednesday by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on its Web site.

Bucks spokesman Dan Smyczek also confirmed Wednesday that there was an agreement on a deal.

"He's thrilled," Bauman told The Associated Press. "He feels like Milwaukee really stepped up and demonstrated to him he's a valued member of this team."

The signing should also silence critics who feel the team hasn't shown a commitment to winning, Bauman said. The hiring of Scott Skiles as coach and the trade for Richard Jefferson demonstrated to Bogut that the team was making a push to be competitive.

White Sox put Bobby Jenks on DL, bring up Carrasco Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT
The Chicago White Sox placed closer Bobby Jenks on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and purchased right-hander D.J. Carrasco's contract from Triple-A Charlotte.

Jenks has bursitis near his left (non-pitching) shoulder. The move is retroactive to June 30.

The 27-year-old Jenks is 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA for the AL Central leaders and ranks ninth among AL relievers with 18 saves. He last pitched on June 29 and got the save as the White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs.

Carrasco, 31, was 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA, one save and 23 strikeouts in seven games with Charlotte. He appeared in 101 games over three seasons with Kansas City from 2003-05, going 14-15 with a 4.81 ERA.

"He was the last guy to be cut this spring training," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He's going to give me more flexibility. He has experience. He's available to give us two or three innings if we need it."

76ers ink Brand to 5-year deal worth reported $82M Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT
Elton Brand believed his career would end as an L.A. Story. Forced by a contract ultimatum Brand would not accept, the would-be movie mogul and two-time NBA All-Star instead opted to take his production east and see his name roll on the credits of Philadelphia's roster.

Brand and the 76ers made it official Wednesday on a five-year deal worth a reported $82 million, a shrewd move that promptly turned the emerging franchise into Eastern Conference contenders.

"I'm prepared to do some big things this year," Brand said.

For that kind of commitment, Brand should be ready.

Last week, Brand opted out of his contract with the Clippers, but Los Angeles was expected to make a strong push to re-sign him. Instead, he spurned the Clippers once agent David Falk said he was offered a "take it or leave it" contract on June 30. The deal was nearly $20 million less than what Brand signed for in Philadelphia.

Olsen throws 8 strong innings, Marlins beat Padres Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:38 EDT
Scott Olsen pitched eight strong innings, and Mike Jacobs and Hanley Ramirez homered to lead the Florida Marlins past the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday.

Olsen appeared to be in line for his first major league complete game, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the ninth as the Marlins sent eight batters to the plate and scored twice.

Olsen (5-4) cruised through the first eight innings, allowing just one run and four hits. It appeared that manager Fredi Gonzalez was going to allow the left-hander to go out for the ninth because the Marlins didn't have a reliever warming up in the bullpen until well into the inning.

But after Florida scored two runs in a long inning, Gonzalez got the bullpen going. Joe Nelson allowed Chase Headley's RBI single before Kevin Gregg got two outs for his 17th save in 23 chances.

Jacobs and Ramirez each homered to back Olsen, who has not thrown a complete game in 87 career starts, the ninth-longest streak in major league history.

Bulls' top pick Rose out with knee tendinitis Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:43 EDT
Derrick Rose has had a rough summer league. Now it might be over. The Chicago Bulls held their No. 1 overall pick out of Wednesday's game with tendinitis in his right knee. It was the third of five games the Bulls and five other teams are playing over five days in Orlando.

Rose said the injury, which dates to his college days at Memphis, wasn't serious and he fought for court time.

"I was mad today, but I knew they wasn't going to play me so I was just going to have to suck it up," Rose said after Chicago's 86-74 win over Orlando. "I could have played, but they said 'Don't worry about it, this is just the summer.'"

Rose has struggled a little in two exhibition games, averaging 9.5 points, 5.5 assists and four turnovers a game. Like most summer league teams, the Bulls' is filled with undrafted rookies, European pros and NBA Developmental Leaguers. But Rose does have third-year pro Tyrus Thomas and second-year forward Joakim Noah to feed the ball.

"I've just got to get used to it," Rose said. "Like at Memphis, it took me a time to get used to the offense and get used to my teammates. Other than that its going to be a great time."

Trade to Raptors feels like 'rebirth' for O'Neal Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT
Frustrated by off-court distractions and on-court failures with the Indiana Pacers, Jermaine O'Neal said Wednesday he broke down and cried when he learned last month he was being traded to Toronto in a deal that sent guard T.J. Ford to Indiana.

At a news conference, O'Neal said the Pacers' struggles, beginning with the brawl against Detroit Pistons fans at Auburn Hills in November 2004, began to erode his enjoyment for the game.

"It's probably been one of the worst situations any pro team has been through," O'Neal said. "There are a lot more things that went on behind the scenes that kind of wore you down. It wore me down a bit mentally and I started to not really enjoy playing as much as I used to love to play the game. When I got the call from my agent and he told me about the possibility of coming here, it was like a rebirth. Sometimes you lose that love and you need a move or something to get that fire back in you."

Also Wednesday, the Raptors officially announced the re-signing of restricted free agent guard Jose Calderon, whose emergence last season while Ford was injured allowed Toronto to acquire O'Neal.

General manager Bryan Colangelo said trading Ford "brings clarity to an issue that was somewhat of a distraction as (last) season wore on." Colangelo said the Raptors had three or four offers for Ford, but felt O'Neal was too good to pass up.

Pennetta, Medina Garrigues move on in Palermo Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:23 EDT
Top-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta and second-seeded Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues were a pair of winners Wednesday at the Palermo International tennis tournament.

Pennetta got past Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2, 6-3 in second-round action, while Medina Garrigues grounded Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 6-0, 6-4 in opening-round play on the red clay at Country Time Club.

Medina Garrigues will meet fellow Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives in a second- rounder here on Thursday.

In other second-round action, fourth-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro overcame Russian Galina Voskoboeva 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, while fifth-seeded Italian Sara Errani came back to beat Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Suarez Navarro and Errani will square off in the round of eight on Friday.

Two other first-round matches saw eighth-seeded Italian Tathiana Garbin get past Ukrainian Yuliana Fedak 6-2, 7-5 and Llagostera Vives vault past Slovakian qualifier Jarmila Gajdosova 6-0, 6-3.

Fish falls in Newport Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:08 EDT
Top-seeded American Mardy Fish was a second-round loser Wednesday at the $385,000 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.

Fish was shown the door by Indian qualifier Rohan Bopanna 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 on the grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Fourth-seeded Russian Igor Kunitsyn and seventh-seeded Canadian Frank Dancevic avoided second-round upsets, as Kunitsyn drilled fellow Russian Mikhail Ledovskikh 6-1, 6-1 and Dancevic overcame American qualifier Brendan Evans 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

One other second-rounder saw Indian wild card Prakash Amritraj take out American Jesse Levine, while one final first-round bout had Spaniard Ivan Navarro besting South African Rik De Voest 7-5, 6-4.

On Thursday, second-round matches will come for defending Newport champion Fabrice Santoro and 2007 runner-up Nicolas Mahut. The second-seeded Santoro will meet Pakistani Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, while Mahut will encounter American Vincent Spadea.

James Jones coming home, signs with Miami Heat Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:53 EDT
Throughout his NBA career, James Jones has always thought of the Miami Heat as his team. And now, it finally is.

The South Florida native signed a five-year contract on Wednesday with the Heat, one that'll pay him $4 million next season and could be worth more than $23 million over the life of the deal. He had other offers, including one from the Detroit Pistons that tempted him, but ultimately Jones wanted to come home.

"For me, it's like coming full circle," Jones said. "I'm from the city. I spend all my time here and when the Heat hurt, even when I'm on another team, I still feel that pain. ... So for me, the interest from my hometown team superseded and outweighed all the other positives and pluses of the different cities, especially Detroit, that were looking for my services."

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel first reported terms of the agreement, including a clause that makes the final three years conditional - which ensures that Miami can still have maximum spending capability during the free agent summer of 2010, the year that Dwyane Wade can opt out of his Heat contract.

Jones, who played at the University of Miami and has been with Indiana, Phoenix and Portland in his NBA career, is a 3-point specialist, and that's an area where the Heat clearly need an upgrade.

Sentencing for disgraced NBA referee postponed Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:43 EDT
A judge delayed the sentencing of disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy to have more time to decide how much restitution he and two co-conspirators should pay the NBA for their roles in a betting scandal.

U.S. District Judge Carol Amon moved the sentencing, originally scheduled for Monday, to July 29.

The 41-year-old Donaghy pleaded guilty last year to felony charges of taking cash payoffs from gamblers in the 2006-07 season. He faces up to 33 months in prison.

The NBA has claimed Donaghy owes it $1.4 million, including $577,000 of his pay and benefits over four seasons, plus hefty legal fees and other expenses related to an internal investigation. His lawyer has argued that the punishment should apply to only one season - a position supported by the government last week in court papers.

The government papers concluded that Donaghy, professional gambler James Battista and middleman Thomas Martino should collectively pay $233,317 in restitution.

Abreu's 10th-inning double lifts Yankees over Rays Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:48 EDT
Bobby Abreu hit a game-winning double off Grant Balfour in the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees cooled off the Tampa Bay Rays with a 2-1 victory Wednesday.

Jason Giambi singled in a run for the Yankees, who gave out 20,000 replica mustaches to fans to support the All-Star candidacy of Giambi, whose hot streak coincided with his decision to grow a mustache.

New York has won four straight after losing five of six, closing within 6 1/2 games of the surprising Rays, who lead the AL East. The Rays have lost three in a row for the first time since they were swept at Boston from June 3-5.

Tampa Bay went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and is 2-for-28 (.071) in that situation during the three losses.

Derek Jeter walked with one out against Balfour (2-1), who hadn't allowed a run in his previous 10 appearances. Abreu fell behind 0-2, then doubled to right-center as Jeter scored without a throw to the plate. It was Abreu's first game-ending hit with the Yankees.

Pacers deal made final: Bayless, Diogu to Blazers Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:08 EDT
The Trail Blazers completed the draft-night deal that brought Jerryd Bayless and forward Ike Diogu to Portland, and sent Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts and cash to the Indiana Pacers.

The Blazers acquired the draft rights to Bayless, the 11th overall draft pick, while Indiana received the rights to Rush, the 13th pick. The deal was struck on June 26, but could not be formally announced until Wednesday.

Bayless, a 6-foot-3 guard, played one season at Arizona, averaging 19.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and four assists. Diogu, a 6-foot-9 forward who has been in the NBA three seasons, averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 30 games.

"Bayless will make our backcourt more athletic. He's a proven scorer and a tenacious competitor," general manager Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. "In Diogu we have a young NBA player with a whole lot of potential that really helps fill a positional need for us."

Jack played his first three NBA seasons in Portland, averaging 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and four assists. McRoberts averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in eight games his rookie season. He was the 37th overall pick in the 2007 draft out of Duke.

T'wolves get Carney, Booth, 1st rounder from 76ers Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:03 EDT
The Minnesota Timberwolves completed a trade with Philadelphia on Wednesday that gave the Wolves another first-round draft pick and paved the way for the 76ers to sign star power forward Elton Brand.

The Sixers sent swingman Rodney Carney, veteran center Calvin Booth, a protected first-round draft pick and cash to Minnesota for a conditional second-round draft pick. The Timberwolves used a $2.8 million trade exception gained from a trade last December with Miami to make the finances match.

The first-rounder is one Philadelphia acquired in a trade with Utah for shooter Kyle Korver last season. The Wolves will get it if the Jazz pick lower than 22nd in 2009, 17th in 2010, 15th in 2011, 16th in 2012 or 16th in 2013.

Minnesota also gets an athletic former first-round pick in Carney, who can get out and run with a young team that wants to play an up-tempo style next season.

Vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said he told Carney: "There's some competition out there for you. How well you do and what you do will be totally predicated on your effort and your talent. Come on in here and try to win some time.

Stewart leaving JGR, plans to purchase NASCAR team Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT
From his seat in the bright orange No. 20, Tony Stewart spent a decade driving his way to superstardom while helping Joe Gibbs Racing become one of NASCAR's top teams.

The partnership produced 32 victories, two Cup championships and more than $68 million in winnings. It also survived a flurry of storms created by one of the most tempestuous drivers in NASCAR history.

It was the perfect union, yet it left Stewart wanting more.

More than he could ever get at Gibbs, where an ownership stake wasn't an option and Stewart was simply the driver. So Stewart secured his release from the organization Wednesday, paving the way for him to purchase his own NASCAR team.

"While this moment is bittersweet, we're parting on good terms and we know that each of us has benefited greatly from the other," team president J.D. Gibbs said in a statement.

Blum leads Astros past Pirates to avoid sweep Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:38 EDT
Geoff Blum hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Houston Astros avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 on Wednesday night.

Kazuo Matsui, Ty Wigginton and Michael Bourn each had two hits for the Astros, who blew a four-run lead before scoring twice in the seventh. Last-place Houston, which had lost seven of eight, is one game behind the Pirates in the NL Central.

Burnett gets best of Orioles in Jays win Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:23 EDT
Alex Rios and David Eckstein each drove in two runs, A.J. Burnett won for the third time in four starts and the Toronto Blue Jays used a seven-run fourth inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-8 on Wednesday night.

Eckstein went 2-for-4 with two doubles and Rios finished 2-for-5 with a pair of singles as the Blue Jays won back-to-back games for the first time in July.

Burnett (9-8) improved to 6-1 in eight career starts against the Orioles, even without his best stuff. He allowed seven runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Flores helps Nats beat D'backs to end 6-game skid Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:03 EDT
Jesus Flores' three-run, pinch-hit homer in the sixth inning brought a tedious game out of the doldrums and helped the Washington Nationals to a 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

The win ended last-place Washington's six-game losing streak, dropped first-place Arizona (45-46) back below .500 and denied the Diamondbacks their first three-game winning streak in nearly two months.

Nationals starter John Lannan, who receives the worst run support in the majors, threw six scoreless innings for his first victory since May 18.

Finally rewarded for a quality start, Lannan (5-9) allowed two hits and walked three. He had allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his previous eight outings without a victory to show for it. His win ended a streak of 12 quality starts by the Nationals without a win.

It was the Nationals' first shutout since May 19. Joel Hanrahan, Luis Ayala and Jon Rauch each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Mulder's shoulder can't hold up in return to mound Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:58 EDT
Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder left his comeback start against the Philadelphia Phillies with more pain in his shoulder after throwing only 16 pitches and recording one out in the first inning on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals said Mulder had left shoulder discomfort and will be evaluated on Thursday.

Mulder, coming back from two shoulder operations, made his first start since September and hasn't won a game in 25 months. The former 20-game winner struck out Jimmy Rollins to start the game, then walked Shane Victorino and Chase Utley.

He was quickly visited by a trainer and manager Tony La Russa. After a brief talk on the mound, Mulder left the game.

Brad Thompson came in as the emergency reliever and got Ryan Howard to ground into a double play.

Overturned triple play spurs BoSox past Twins 18-5 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:53 EDT
Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run double as the Boston Red Sox followed an overturned triple-play call with seven runs in the seventh inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 18-5 on Wednesday and complete a three-game sweep.

Jacoby Ellsbury had a career-high four hits, and Manny Ramirez, Kevin Youkilis and Sean Casey had three apiece to help Boston set season highs for hits (23) and runs.

Josh Beckett (9-5) allowed three runs in the first and followed it with four scoreless innings before being chased after two batters in the sixth. Livan Hernandez (9-6) allowed six runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings, but he was long gone by the time the game turned silly in the seventh.

With runners on second and third and Boof Bonser pitching for Minnesota, Jason Varitek hit a sinking liner to center field. Denard Span slid for the ball, backhanding it as it one-hopped into his glove.

The base runners took off, but after the umpires belatedly signaled a catch, Span threw to second to double off Casey. Second baseman Alexi Casilla leisurely threw to third to get Mike Lowell, who had already crossed the plate.

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