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| Youngsters make flips, take dips Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:09:30 -0500 Moments after Jim Ritter helped cap off a win for Indian Hills Country Club, his teammates made sure he was back in the pool again. Ritter, who won the Open Division in the diving competition, also serves as an assistant for Indian Hills. So in keeping with tradition, Ritter joined diving coach Sue Prieskorn in the pool after Indian Hills beat Bowling Green Country Club 175-83 on Friday in the team diving competition of the 52nd annual South Central Swim and Dive Meet at Indian Hills. Click here for more photos from the meet. “Jim does a great job helping out with the kids,” Prieskorn said. “They look up to him. He’s such a good diver and is going to be diving at Western next year. Someday maybe they can be a diver in college.” Ritter took the impromptu dip in stride. “I love being out here,” Ritter said. “I love working with all the kids. They keep me entertained and I love being out here with them having fun.” Ritter finished with 200.35 points in the competition, easily outdistancing Bowling Green Country Club’s Bradley Wierson, who finished second. “It was fun to get out here and get some experience,” Ritter said. “I’ve been doing this for the past eight years. You get used to it every once and a while. You get out here and start diving and then you get the hang of it. It’s just how much you practice and how much you get into it.” In the Girls’ Open Division, Bowling Green Country Club’s Katie Berryman edged Indian Hills’ Tori Dillard 138.15-137.20, making amends for a disappointing finish in the Girls’ 16-and-under Division. Berryman was in position to possibly win two events - but an incomplete score during the 16-and-under competition dropped her to third place. Indian Hills’ Goodman Johnson was the winner with a score of 106.90. “I tried as hard as I could after that, but after an incomplete dive you can’t win,” Berryman said. In the Boys’ division, Bowling Green’s Robbie Neveras won with a score of 110.30. In the Girls’ 14-and-under Division, Indian Hills’ Elaina Mueller easily outdistanced Bowling Green Country Club’s Allyson Sack to win the event. Mueller had 131.75 points, 30 more than Sack. “It was exciting,” Mueller said. “I’m glad I won. I win a lot sometimes, but it was fun.” Mueller said she didn’t feel that much pressure as one of the favorites. “I get a little nervous, but I’m used to it,” Mueller said. “I’ve (done) my dives a lot and the more I do them, the better I get.” Bowling Green’s Matthew Higdon was the winner in the Boys’ Division. Indian Hills won 10 of the 14 divisions Friday, and had nine divers place second. “I was very pleased with how the kids came together - especially in a sport like diving where it can be nerve-racking,” Prieskorn said. “They just got up there and did their little dives very gracefully, with smiles on their faces and had a great time. “No matter where they placed, they really enjoyed it.” The meet continues today and Sunday with swimming events at the Greenville Country Club. The other winners Friday: Girls’ 12-and-under Division, Casey Van Meter (Bowling Green Country Club) Boys’ 12-and-under Division, Parker Thomas (Indian Hills) Girls’ 10-and-under Division, Ashley Grace Bragg (Indian Hills) Boys’ 10-and-under Division, Griffin Cline (Indian Hills) Girls’ 8-and-under Division, Emma Davenport (Indian Hills) Boys’ 8-and-under Division, Kyle Bragg (Indian Hills) Girls’ 6-and-under Division, Reagan Fields (Indian Hills) |
| East’s Holton commits to Louisville Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:45:22 -0500 When Shenard Holton began his prep football career at Warren East, his main focus was to become a solid contributor for the Raiders. Anything beyond that, Holton said, was only a dream. On Friday, Holton’s dream began to come true, when the Warren East senior-to-be verbally committed to play football at the University of Louisville. “I always had dreams of doing good in high school, and I just dreamed of playing college and NFL and whatever,” Holton said Friday. “Now, seeing that it’s coming true, I’m just very thankful to get the opportunity.” Holton said he chose Louisville over Western Kentucky - which Holton said offered him a scholarship - while also considering Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio) and Ball State. Holton, who plays running back and strong safety for the Raiders, said Louisville - a member of the Big East Conference - is primarily interested in his defensive skills. That’s perfectly fine with the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, who moved to the Bowling Green area in 2001. “They graduated a lot of safeties and they needed (defensive backs), so I really thought Louisville was the place for me ...,” Holton said. “Defense is where I think my strength is right now. I like offense, I like tailback a lot, but I think at the next level I’m going to excel as a safety or a DB.” As a junior, Holton was a key component for a Raiders squad that finished 11-3 and advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals. He rushed 115 times for 712 yards and 13 touchdowns, while hauling in 23 passes for 566 yards and six scores. He led East with 114 total points. Defensively, Holton recorded 116 total tackles, 17 of them for losses. He also had four sacks, two forced fumbles - one of which he returned for a 79-yard touchdown - and four interceptions. Warren East coach Ben Bruni said Holton carries a 3.0 grade-point average and has already qualified academically to play for the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Bruni said he expects Holton to be a focal point for the Raiders, who open the 2008 season on Aug. 29 at cross-county rival Greenwood. “He makes us a better football team,” Bruni said. “But he is humble and knows that a great amount of his success is a byproduct of having good players around him.” Holton has high hopes for his senior season, despite the fact that the Raiders lost a large contingent of standout seniors from the 2007 squad that was one victory from playing for a state championship. “Last season we had all those seniors and all those playmakers - and I was one of them - but I had more surrounding me,” Holton said. “They graduated, so everybody thinks we’re going to be down this year, but I don’t think so. “We’ve got about 19 seniors coming back, so if we all lead and get things going well, I think we’re going to be in the same position as last year.” |
| Local squads aim for state titles Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:45:22 -0500 When the Little League all-star season began more than a month ago, several area teams had hopes of winning a state championship. Now, there are only three. The Bowling Green East 9- and 10-year-olds, the BG East 11- and-12-year-olds and Warren County South’s 11-year-old team will all try to make that dream a reality this weekend at the Little League State Tournament at Valley Sports in Louisville. “When we started the team, our goal was to be the state champs,” WCS manager Jim King said. “You’re kind of silly not to set your goal at that, so that’s where we set it and now it looks like we have an opportunity to do that, and the kids are keenly aware that that’s what they’re playing for. “And I know they’ll do their best to try and achieve that.” Area action begins today with the WCS team opening pool play against Russell-Flatwoods at 8 a.m. local time. The BG East 9-10 squad will battle Paintsville at 12:30 p.m., while the 11-12 club takes on St. Matthews of Louisville at 12:30 p.m. The BG East 11-12’s find themselves in a pool with not only St. Matthews of Louisville, but also Lexington East and South London. It’s a pool that manager BG East manager Rick Kelley will be a test. “We’re in a very tough pool with the Louisville winner, the Lexington winner and the London winner,” Kelley said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us, but we feel good about how we’re playing. Our attitude is very strong and very positive, so we are ready to go at it again.” As for the WCS 11s, King said he felt his team’s pool was open for the taking. In addition to Russell-Flatwoods, WCS is grouped with Lexington West and South Oldham. “I know we’ve got the first game against Russell-Flatwoods, and I’ve heard a little bit about them and hopefully we’ll be in a position to compete against all three of the teams in our pool,” King said. “Nobody stands out from where I can tell, so I’m looking for our guys to compete and hopefully do well.” As far as the BG East 9-10s, manager Bill Jones’ team will face Paintsville, Valley Springs and Richmond West in pool play. Like King, Jones said that the pool looks to be up for grabs. “All the teams are pretty good,” Jones said. “I think the kids are upbeat about playing and hopefully we can carry some of our momentum from district up to state, but it’s going to be tough to win a few games. “I really try not to let them hype it up that big. They know it’s a state tournament but they’re still 10-year-olds - they’re going to have fun and they’re going to have mental lapses, but we keep their focus pretty well when the game starts.” If any of the three teams advance out of pool play by placing in the top two, they’ll move to Tuesday’s semifinal round; championship games are scheduled for Wednesday. Kelley’s team is playing for even more than that. If the 11-12 squad wins the state tournament, they’ll then play for the Great Lakes Regional championship and a berth in the 2008 Little League World Series. “It will really be a tough road to get to the semifinals on Tuesday,” Kelley said. “I think two wins will certainly get you in there, but it is possible with that level of competition in our pool that you could end up with two losses and get in by a tiebreaker. It’s going to be a challenge. “All three of those teams are playing really well. We’ve definitely got our work cut out for us.” While Kelley maintains that the team faces a tough road, he said he feels confident in his squad’s chances. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in the ability of the players,” Kelley said. “We had several instances in district play where we had to come from deficits, and again I think that shows a lot of composure for 12-year-olds.” King had the same thoughts about his team, saying that the kids are simply ready to go. “The kids are fired up,” he said. “They’re ready to play, they’re tired of practicing and they’re good to go, I think.” |
| Sports briefes: Youth softball tournament this weekend Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:45:22 -0500 Opening ceremonies began Friday at Greenwood High School for the girls’ 6-and-under and 8-and-under coach pitch national softball tournaments. Play begins at 9 a.m. today at Michael O. Buchanon Park and runs through Sunday afternoon. Nineteen teams from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Georgia will participate over the weekend. BGHS golf tryouts July 28 Tryouts for the Bowling Green High School boys’ golf team will be held at 7:30 a.m. on July 28 at Paul Walker Golf Course. Everyone who plans to attend must have a physical before trying out. Additional information and physical forms can be picked up in the front office at Bowling Green High School. — For more information, contact coach Matt Logic at 779-6107. |
| WKU Briefs: Student-athletes honored for academics Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:45:23 -0500 For the fourth straight year, Western Kentucky University led the Sun Belt Conference in the total number of student-athletes honored by the league for their work in the classroom. A total of 158 WKU student-athletes were named this month to either the SBC Commissioner’s List or Academic Honor Roll, including a league-best 92 on the former, which includes individuals who maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or better over the last two semesters. Twelve of the school’s 18 programs that compete in the Sun Belt - football will not be eligible for the league championship until 2009 - had 10 or more individuals recognized, led by women’s swimming and diving, which had 28 total honorees, including 20 on the Commissioner’s List. Men’s track and field and cross country had 19 student-athletes honored, men’s swimming and diving and women’s track and field and cross country had 17 each, and women’s soccer had 16, including 11 on the Commissioner’s List. Baseball (13), women’s golf (10) and softball (10) were the other programs to have 10 or more competitors recognized. The women’s swimming and diving program also had the highest percentage of student-athletes on the roster with 84.8 percent, leading a group of 11 teams that saw at least half the student-athletes on its roster post at least a 3.0 GPA in the last year. Women’s golf was at 83.3 percent, women’s soccer was at 76.2 percent, and volleyball had 75 percent of its student-athletes earn academic honors from the SBC. Louisiana-Lafayette also had 158 total student-athletes recognized, while North Texas was third among the conference’s 13 members with 156 individuals honored. Both those schools, as well as six others in the conference, sponsor football. WKU soccer players part of club team championships Western Kentucky soccer veterans Kellie Walker and Katie Walker, along with newcomer Hayley Marsh, will compete with their respective club teams at the 2008 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in Little Rock, Ark., next week. The Walker sisters are in their third year at WKU and will represent the club team Michigan Hawks. Kellie Walker played in all 20 matches for the Lady Toppers, scoring five goals and recording five assists. Katie Walker participated in 19 matches, scoring her first collegiate goal against Georgetown College in the first match of the 2007 season. Marsh will compete for Colorado Rush Nike, a team with which the freshman has won six championships. The Lady Toppers open their exhibition season Aug. 14 against Memphis. |
| Dr. Bo says Volquez deal was worth it Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:26:00 EST Brett Favre, Michael Phelps and the WNBA playoffs will go on hold for a day. The second half of the major league baseball season started Thursday, and there are seven scintillating questions that only Dr. Bo can answer. |
| Knights end Bats' winning streak at seven, 5-3 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:25:00 EST Going for their eighth straight victory, the Louisville Bats were effectively halted in the eighth inning. The Charlotte Knights broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the eighth and won 5-3 before 9,739 last night at Louisville Slugger Field. The loss ended Louisville's season-high winning streak. |
| A pair of royal & ancients Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:19:00 EST Royal Birkdale was fertile ground for fairy tales yesterday. K. J. Choi rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 3-under-par 67 in more gloom and wind along the Irish Sea, giving him his first lead in a major championship. It'll be the second straight year he's in the final group at the British Open on Saturday. |
| Moir the merrier after Falls Cities Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:17:00 EST Playing in the Women's Falls Cities Golf Championship for the first time, Donna Moir carried a hot driver and a solid all-around game to victory in the match-play final yesterday at Glenmary Country Club. |
| Speed narrowly wins ARCA race at Kentucky Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:17:00 EST Scott Speed is proving to be a quick study in stock cars. The 25-year-old Californian, who last year was driving in Formula One, notched his second career ARCA RE/MAX Series victory last night in the Kentucky 150 at Kentucky Speedway. |
| Scott blazes his way to victory Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:24:00 EST In the first four days of the Junior Falls Cities, putts were as hard to find for Tim Scott as shade was. But yesterday Scott found them both in the 36-hole match-play final of the championship flight for 12-18-year-old boys at Long Run Golf Course. |
| Warren East's Holton picks Cards Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:16:00 EST The University of Louisville football team has picked up a commitment from one of the top prospects in Kentucky. Warren East High School running back/safety Shenard Holton decided to end the recruiting process and give the Cardinals' coaching staff their third commitment for the Class of 2009. |
| Johnson, Flanagan share the lead at U.S. Bank Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:16:00 EST Richard S. Johnson was disappointed his score wasn't lower, but Nick Flanagan was just happy to be playing well on the PGA Tour. |
| Ty Rogers now has 2 Shining Moments Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:20:00 EST When Ty Rogers drilled that three-pointer at the overtime buzzer in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 21, he did more than give the Western Kentucky University basketball team a scintillating 101-99 victory over 14th-ranked Drake. |
| Churchill to hold service Monday for late announcer Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:13:00 EST A memorial service for late racing announcer Luke Kruytbosch will be held at 1 p.m. EDT Monday in Churchill Downs' paddock area. |
| 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: |
| Racing more than hobby for Moss Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:22 EDT SPARTA . There aren't many owners in the Craftsman Truck Series who can spark an overflow presence in a media center simply by stopping by for a handful of minutes. And for all the new owners who have joined NASCAR over the years, they most likely weren't given a custom-made jacket by a track vice president to commemorate their team's first outing. As he is quick to point out, however, NFL star Randy Moss is not like any other owner NASCAR has seen. The New England Patriots receiver had the most anticipated arrival for someone not named Kyle Busch at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday when he turned out to watch the debut of his Randy Moss Motorsports team in the Built Ford Tough 225. |
| Cats will face Kansas St. in Vegas tourney Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:29 EDT The Kentucky men's basketball team will play Kansas State in its first game in the host city for the 2008 Las Vegas Invitational. The other semifinal will pit West Virginia against Iowa. Tournament organizers released the pairings on Friday. Those games will be played on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28. The two winners and two losers will play on Nov. 29. As part of the invitational, the teams will each play two games in their home arenas before going to Las Vegas. But those first two games have no bearing on the matchups in Las Vegas. |
| Trucks race: Can anyone catch Kyle? Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:08 EDT Rick Crawford has always been one of the more candid voices inside the Craftsman Truck Series garage, so it's no surprise the longtime driver didn't mince words when asked about facing Sprint Cup Series leader Kyle Busch this weekend. .I'd just like to catch him,. Crawford proclaimed during a national teleconference on Tuesday. If Crawford can pull off that feat Saturday night, he'd be the first driver to do so in several weeks. After a four-week hiatus from the Truck Series, the ridiculously red-hot Busch is starting in the Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway. |
| Horsemen's Cooper thinking ahead Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:32 EDT John Cooper just turned 31 and knows his playing days are numbered, but he continues his drive for championships. Cooper has been playing for titles most of his life, with Marshall University in college and with the Lexington Horsemen in arena football. A 6-foot-5 wide receiver with speed and savvy, Cooper grabbed the touchdown pass and two-point conversion that put the Horsemen in the playoffs in their first season of arenafootball2. Lexington tied Green Bay in the Midwest Division and swept the season series with the Blizzard after a 55-54 overtime victory last week. Quarterback Eddie Eviston was 19-of-20 passing in the second half after the Horsemen trailed by 20 points at the break. |
| Arroyo ruins Mets' 10-game win streak Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:37 EDT CINCINNATI . A whole lot of little things ended the New York Mets' winning streak. Bronson Arroyo extended his latest surge by pitching eight innings Friday night, and the Cincinnati Reds used a minimal rally to beat the Mets 5-2, ending their 10-game winning streak. It took a lot of Arroyo and a little bit of luck to end the Mets' run, which ended one win shy of the franchise record. The 10 straight victories put them back in contention in the NL East. Their first loss in exactly two weeks dropped them one game behind Philadelphia in the division. .They continued to battle right to the end,. Mets Manager Jerry Manuel said. .It was exciting and fun. They deserve a big pat on the back. But we've got work ahead.. |
| Holy Cow! Legends win in front of Caray Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:36 EDT Many players in Friday night's game between the Lexington Legends and Rome Braves no doubt grew up dreaming of playing in the big leagues. Perhaps with Harry Caray or his son Skip calling the play-by-play. There haven't been any .Holy cows!. coming from the Applebee's Park press box this series, but the Caray voice is unmistakable. Meet Josh Caray, in his second season as play-by-play man for the Rome Braves. Legends announcer Rob Gidel saw his team get the better of Caray's Braves on Friday, snapping an eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory. |
| Packers prez backs GM, coach in Favre standoff Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:19 EDT Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy restated his support for general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy on Friday in the standoff with Brett Favre. Murphy attended a meeting of the team's executive committee Friday. He was not available for comment afterward, but team spokesman Aaron Popkey said Murphy has "full confidence" in how Thompson and McCarthy are handling this matter. Favre is having second thoughts about football after retiring in March. But the Packers have since committed to moving on without the three-time MVP, causing a public rift between the team and one of its greatest players. Although the Packers are publicly owned, the seven-member executive committee meets in private and doesn't publicize its agenda. The meetings generally cover all aspects of the team's operation and typically include a football report. It was widely assumed, but not confirmed, that the Favre situation would be discussed Friday. In an interview with The Associated Press this week, Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Davis - an emeritus member of the Packers' board of directors - said Favre was bound to come up in any meeting involving high-level team executives. |
| Ex-Cat Bogans gives back to hometown Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:46 EDT |
| Patterson has NBA on his agenda Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:26 EDT If Kentucky star big man Patrick Patterson reaches his goals next season, he will be playing his last season as a Wildcat. UK basketball coach Billy Gillispie acknowledged at a Thursday news conference that he has talked to Patterson about possibly entering the 2009 NBA Draft. .We've talked several times already,. Gillispie said. .He needs to prepare like he's going to be the first player taken. Put that as a goal.. Patterson, co-freshman of the year in the Southeastern Conference, will be a sophomore next season. |
| Gillispie says he's near UK contract Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:15 EDT During a news conference on Thursday, Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie said he expected UK to present him with a formal contract soon. Gillispie coached last season under a Memorandum of Understanding Offer, which he signed his first night in Lexington as a candidate for the job. UK and the coach couldn't agree on the terms of a more formal contract. The memo contained such basic items as the length of the deal and pay for the coach. The coach's attorney, Stuart Campbell, noted his uneasiness about how the memo left vague the reasons UK could fire Gillispie for cause (that is to say, fire the coach without having to compensate him for years left on the deal). Gillispie said he met with UK President Lee Todd and Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart twice since the season ended to discuss a more formal contract. |
| Give Hamm a hand, he's going to Beijing Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:24 EDT Give Paul Hamm a hand. And a plane ticket to Beijing. The Olympic champion will get to defend his title in China thanks to a performance Saturday that ended any doubt about whether his broken right hand has healed. Eight weeks after the injury, Hamm needed to show competitive readiness at the final intrasquad meet before the U.S. team leaves for China. After watching Hamm excel, then gathering for a short meeting, the men's selection committee confirmed the 25-year-old defending all-around champion would be on the team. "It's been a wild ride for me every since my comeback into the sport," Hamm said. "I'm just happy right now to be able to compete at this level." It was a typically classy effort from America's best gymnast, though not exactly a stroll. Hamm grimaced and grunted his way through his rings routine and nearly fell during his high bar landing - signs that he needs the next three weeks to get in competitive shape. |
| Pujols' big day helps Cardinals rally for 6-5 win Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:09 EDT Albert Pujols had three hits and four RBIs, helping the St. Louis Cardinals rally from five runs down to beat the sagging San Diego Padres 6-5 on Saturday. Todd Wellemeyer (8-4) allowed one hit in his last 4 1-3 innings after surrendering five runs on four hits in the first two frames and Ryan Franklin worked the last two innings for his 14th save in 18 chances. The Cardinals have won four in a row, also erasing a 3-run deficit in Friday's 11-7 victory. They are 5-1 against the Padres. Randy Wolf (6-10) was knocked out in the sixth after a strong beginning for the Padres, who have lost five in a row and eight of 10. Rookie Edgar Gonzalez hit a three-run home run, matching his career best for RBIs. Pujols is second in the National League with a .359 average, his best since he was at .364 on June 5, after going 3-for-4. His three-run double highlighted a four-run fifth that closed the gap to a run and his infield RBI single in the sixth off Cla Meredith, a sharp grounder into the hole that shortstop Khalil Greene stopped but could not corral, put the Cardinals ahead 6-5. Adrian Gonzalez had an RBI double on a tailing, dipping drive that center fielder Rick Ankiel over-ran before slipping when he attempted to retrace his steps, and Kevin Kouzmanoff added a sacrifice fly to put the Padres ahead in the first. The Gonzalez play was ruled an error until the fourth, after official scorer Jeff Durbin had a chance to view numerous replays. |
| Aybar's bases-clearing triple sparks Angels Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:04 EDT The scrappy Los Angeles Angels are showing they've got what it takes to beat the Boston Red Sox. Pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-clearing triple to highlight a four-run seventh, and the Angels rallied for a 4-2 victory over the defending World Series champions Saturday. Los Angeles pinch hitters were just 6-for-38 with five RBIs this season before Aybar's clutch hit. The Angels, going for their fourth AL West title in five years, won their fourth straight game including an 11-3 triumph over the Red Sox on Friday night to move a season-high 21 games over .500 and extend their division lead over Oakland to eight games. The Angels have won a big league-leading 59 games, including four of five against the Red Sox, who swept them in the first round of the playoffs on their way to World Series championships in 2004 and again last year. Boston has won nine the last nine postseason games between the teams. The loss was the ninth in 11 road games for the Red Sox, who haven't lost a season series to the Angels since 2001. |
| Yankees outlast Oakland on hit by pitch in 12th Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:44 EDT Jose Molina was hit by Lenny DiNardo's pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Oakland Athletics for a 4-3 victory Saturday. Robinson Cano had four hits and David Robertson earned his first major league win as New York pulled out a tight game that lasted 4 hours, 45 minutes in 93-degree heat. The Yankees, who stranded a whopping 21 runners, were down to their final out in the ninth when Cano doubled off Huston Street. Wilson Betemit tied it with an opposite-field single on an 0-2 pitch, handing Street his fifth blown save in 22 chances. Long after Joba Chamberlain was lifted, Ryan Sweeney put Oakland ahead 3-2 with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera in the ninth. The All-Star closer struck out three straight batters with a runner on second to keep it a one-run game. Yankees pitchers had 18 strikeouts in all, their most since fanning 19 on April 29, 2001, in a 17-inning game at Toronto. |
| Fire shuts grandstand at Belmont Park Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:39 EDT A basement transformer fire has shut down the grandstand at Belmont Park. Officials say Saturday's small fire was out quickly, but it knocked out power to parts of the Long Island horse track at about 10:30 a.m. No one was hurt, and the racing schedule wasn't disrupted. The electrical problems shut down air conditioners and some concession stands. Officials closed the grandstand rather than have spectators broil in the heat. Fans were given free parking and admission to the clubhouse, where the air conditioners were working. Officials say the grandstand will remain closed Sunday, the last day of the summer meet at Belmont. Repairs will be done after racing shifts to Saratoga. |
| Favre sticks to script, declines to address rift Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:48 EDT Brett Favre is sticking to the script, declining to address his public rift with the Green Bay Packers in an appearance at Lambeau Field on Saturday. Favre called Green Bay "a special place" while praising former teammate Frank Winters in a news conference before the Packers' Hall of Fame induction ceremony banquet. After speaking for just over three minutes, Favre walked off the stage and ducked out a side door without taking questions. Favre retired in early March, but has been having second thoughts. He has asked to be released from his Packers contract, a request the team has no plans to grant. |
| Spain's Freire wins Stage 14 of Tour Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:34 EDT Tour de France riders approached the Alps focused more on racing and less on the fallout of three scandals over drug use. Three-time world champion Oscar Freire of Spain closed in on the sprint title by winning Saturday's 14th stage, while Australia's Cadel Evans kept the yellow jersey in the doping-battered race for a fifth straight day. Evans, who was runner-up last year, knows his clutch on the race leader's yellow jersey is about to be challenged - notably by Team CSC, which has two strong climbers who are within 1 1/2 minutes of him. "Tomorrow the challenges to my yellow jersey will begin," said Evans, adding that his Silence Lotto team has tried to save the energy of riders who could escort him up the Alpine climbs. "I have to play a smart race. "We don't have the strongest team for the mountains, we are well aware of that - and I'm sure my competitors are as well," Evans said. |
| The Shark is circling with 2-shot lead in British Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:09 EDT Greg Norman has another chance to win a major. This time, he might have nothing to lose. In gusts that approached 50 mph Saturday at Royal Birkdale, Norman finished off another chapter of this incredible script at the British Open with the perfect pitch shot over a pot bunker that settled a few inches from the cup, the easiest putt he had all day. Norman played bogey-free over the final eight holes for a 2-over 72, emerging from a four-way logjam at the turn to take a two-shot lead over defending champion Padraig Harrington and K.J. Choi. The rest of the details are still hard to believe. This is no longer the thrill-seeking Great White Shark who used to routinely beat up on the best players in every major until it was time to award the trophy. That was when his game was tested, and the wounds from so many majors-gone-wrong were still fresh. |
| Divers lose appeal to compete in Olympic synchro Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:09 EDT Laura Wilkinson and her diving partner Jessica Livingston lost their appeal Saturday to compete in 10-meter synchronized platform diving at the Beijing Olympics. An arbitrator ruled to keep 15-year-olds Haley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay as the synchro platform team for next month's games. Wilkinson and Livingston had filed a complaint against USA Diving and the U.S. Olympic Committee asking to be placed on the team or have another competition to see if they or Ishimatsu and Dunnichay should compete in Beijing. Details of Friday's confidential American Arbitration Association hearing were not disclosed, although USA Diving called the decision "a strong ruling." "USA Diving is extremely pleased by the arbitrator's decision supporting our selection procedures, the process and the selectors' decision," USA Diving chief executive officer Debbie Hesse said in a statement Saturday. "We hope our athletes and coaches can move past this and form a strongly bonded team at the Olympic Games." |
| Coles, Flanagan take lead at US Bank Championship Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:54 EDT Second-round leader Nick Flanagan birdied his final hole Saturday to join fellow Australian Gavin Coles in first place after three rounds at the US Bank Championship. Flanagan, who shared the second-round lead with Richard S. Johnson of Sweden, shot a 1-under 69 and Coles a 68 to get to 11 under at Brown Deer Park Golf Course. Johnson also birdied the 18th hole to shoot even-par 70, tied with Jon Mills (64), George McNeill (66) and Ken Duke (68) a stroke back of the leaders. The low rounds came despite a drizzle that fell most of the day. Five players were another shot back, including defending champion Joe Ogilvie, whose 68 on Saturday puts him in a good position to become the first repeat winner. |
| Wie DQ'd from State Farm over scorecard mishap Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:29 EDT Michelle Wie finished the third round of the State Farm Classic alone in second on Saturday - then was disqualified for failing to immediately sign her scorecard a day earlier. Wie was playing her best golf of the year, finishing off a 5-under 67 to get to 17 under for the tournament, one stroke back of Yani Tseng. That's when Wie was disqualified by LPGA officials, who said they'd learned during play Saturday from tournament volunteers about the 18-year-old's mistake. "I don't know why or how it happened," said Wie, who had been crying moments earlier. She took no questions before leaving the clubhouse at Panther Creek Country Club. Sue Witters, the LPGA's director of tournament competitions, disqualified Wie in a small office in an LPGA trailer at the golf course after asking her what had happened. |
| Wozniak gains final as Serena retires at Stanford Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:54 EDT Top-seeded Serena Williams bowed out in the semifinals of the $600,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis event on Saturday. Things did not start off well for last month's Wimbledon runner-up to her older sister Venus. She dropped the first set against Canadian qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak, 2-6. Down 2-5 in the opening frame, and favoring her left leg, Williams called on a trainer to wrap her knee. It apparently did little good. Trailing 1-3 in the second set, Williams abruptly retired due to an injury to that left knee after only 47 minutes of action. Williams had breezed past the fifth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-1 on Friday to gain the semis, and reached the final four in her first appearance at this tournament on the hardcourts at Taube Family Tennis Stadium. Wozniak, who is making her tournament debut, bested Australian Samantha Stosur 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the semifinal round. She will face the winner of the match later this evening between sixth-seeded Marion Bartoli and Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama. |
| Mystics fire Rollins, make Kenlaw interim coach Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:13 EDT The Washington Mystics have fired Tree Rollins as coach and promoted assistant Jessie Kenlaw to the position on an interim basis. In a statement Saturday, general manager Linda Hargrove didn't say what prompted the move by the Mystics, who are 8-14 and 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Detroit Shock in the Eastern Conference. Rollins played 18 seasons in the NBA and was an assistant coach with four NBA teams. He became Mystics coach in June 2007. Team officials appreciated Rollins' efforts, Hargrove said, but believe Kenlaw's energy and discipline will inspire players. She has coached in the WNBA for eight years, including stints with the Seattle Storm and Houston Comets. |
| Scott Dixon on schedule for another title Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:14 EDT Everything is right on schedule for Scott Dixon - for now. He heads into Sunday's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a series-leading four wins and the IndyCar Series points lead. That's a step up from last year, when the New Zealander left Mid-Ohio with three straight victories, but still trailed eventual champion Dario Franchitti by 24 points. Eventually, though, Dixon caught and passed Franchitti, only to see him win the title when Dixon ran out of fuel while leading half a lap from the end of the season-finale at Chicagoland Speedway. Dixon acknowledges that disappointment is never far from his mind as he chases his second series championship and first since 2003, even with Franchitti now racing in NASCAR. Still, with six races remaining on the 2008 schedule and leads of 63 points over Mid-Ohio pole-winner Helio Castroneves and 69 over his Chip Ganassi teammate Dan Wheldon, Dixon insisted it's too early to be thinking about points. |
| Serena Williams injures knee, pulls out of semi Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:34 EDT Top-seeded Serena Williams injured her left knee and pulled out of the Bank of the West Classic on Saturday, becoming the third singles player on the U.S. Olympic women's tennis team with a knee injury. She retired while trailing during the second set of her semifinal match against qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak. Williams' sister Venus and Lindsay Davenport, the other U.S. Olympic singles players, have already pulled out of next week's East West Bank Classic in Carson, Calif., with right knee injuries. Serena Williams struggled from the start against the 85th-ranked Wozniak and first called for the trainer when trailing 5-2 in the first set. She got the knee heavily taped by the trainer and came out to finish the set, but appeared to struggle to plant on her injured leg. Wozniak held serve to win the set and won 11 straight points to take a 3-1 lead early in the second. Williams appeared to injure the knee further while stretching for a backhand in the fifth game of the set and retired. She walked off the court and embraced her father, Richard. |
| Longoria slams Rays past Blue Jays 6-4. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:19 EDT Rookie All-Star Evan Longoria hit his first career grand slam during a five-run sixth and Matt Garza threw 7 2-3 scoreless innings to help the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays past the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Saturday night. Longoria has struggled recently, going 3-for-23 with no RBIs in his previous seven games. He broke out the slide in a big way with the bases-clearing drive off Toronto ace Roy Halladay (11-7) to put the Rays ahead 5-0. Garza (8-5) allowed two hits - coming on singles in the third by Scott Rolen and Marco Scutaro during the seventh - and struck out six. The right-hander was coming off a start on July 12 when he gave up seven runs and 11 hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss at Cleveland. The Rays have won two in a row following a seven-game losing streak. Tampa Bay has a 1 1-2 game lead over Boston, which lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Angels. Halladay allowed five runs and eight hits - including seven in the sixth - in six innings. He dropped to 8-2 in his last 13 starts. |
| McMurray tops in Nationwide qualifying at Gateway Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:58 EDT Jamie McMurray won the pole for Saturday night's Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 200 Nationwide Series race at the Gateway International Raceway just outside St. Louis. The No.17 Roush Fenway Racing driver rounded the 1.25-mile oval in 33.809 seconds (133.101 m.p.h.). McMurray, a Sprint Cup Series regular and native of nearby Joplin, MO, scored his second career Nationwide pole. His first one came in 2004 at New Hampshire. "When I ran my first lap, I thought I'll be lucky to make the show with that lap," McMurray said. "It felt so bad, and (crew chief) Pierre Kuettel told me my time coming off of turn two, and I thought I knew the pole wasn't much quicker than that. When I came off of turn four, I thought that's got to be a couple of tenths better than my first lap." Starting alongside McMurray will be fellow Sprint Cup competitor Reed Sorenson, who posted the second-best time of 33.812. One year ago, Sorenson ended a 61-race winless streak with the victory at Gateway. He finished 2.064 seconds ahead of Scott Wimmer. The last victory for Sorenson had come in 2005 when he won this race. |
| Fielder homers in Brewers win over Giants Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:28 EDT Rickie Weeks hit a two-run double to cap a four-run sixth inning, Prince Fielder homered and the Milwaukee Brewers remained unbeaten against the San Francisco Giants this season with an 8-5 win on Saturday. Ryan Braun missed hitting for the cycle by a home run for Milwaukee, which had had nine extra-base hits while winning its third straight. Milwaukee trailed 4-2 in the sixth before scoring four times to break the game open. One run scored on a wild pitch and another came home on an error by Giants catcher Bengie Molina - both on the same play. Weeks then doubled to left-center to drive in two more and give the Brewers a 6-4 lead. Fielder added his 20th home run of the year off San Francisco reliever Osiris Matos (0-2) in the seventh, a towering shot that easily cleared the stands in right field and landed in the waters of McCovey Cove. It marked the 15th consecutive game in which the Brewers have homered, tying the third-longest streak in franchise history. The club record is 19, set in 1996. Fielder also had an RBI single in the ninth. |
| Baker's 4 RBIs help Marlins beat Phils 9-5 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:28 EDT Rookie catcher John Baker drove in four runs Saturday and hit one of three homers for the Florida Marlins, who tightened the race in the NL East by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 9-5. Dan Uggla added a two-run homer, his 24th, and Jeremy Hermida hit his 11th. The Marlins lead the majors with 138 home runs. Cody Ross went 3-for-5 with a single, double and triple. Needing a homer to complete the first cycle by a Florida player, he struck out on three pitches in the seventh and grounded out in the eighth. Baker singled in a run and hit a three-run homer, tripling his season RBI total to six since being recalled from the minors July 8. Third baseman Jorge Cantu made two errors on one play but went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs. The Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Kevin Gregg. Ryan Howard, who leads the majors with 29 home runs, then struck out on three pitches. Pat Burrell, who homered twice earlier, grounded out to end the game. |
| Choo helps Cleveland snap 10-game road skid Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:28 EDT One-time Seattle prospect Shin-Soo Choo homered and doubled in his first two at-bats, Jeremy Sowers picked up his first win of the season and the Cleveland Indians beat the Mariners 9-6 Saturday afternoon to snap a 10-game road losing streak. The Indians last road win came June 21 against the Dodgers when CC Sabathia was still Cleveland's ace and even added a homer that day. The 10-game skid was Cleveland's longest road slump since 1991 when the Indians dropped 12 straight away from home. Choo led the way on Saturday with his fourth homer, three RBIs and added another double in the eighth. But he certainly wasn't alone in providing the Indians offense with some pop, as Cleveland had 10 hits in the first five innings. The Indians scored six times in the third inning behind five doubles to take a 9-1 lead and sent Seattle starter Miguel Batista packing after recording just six outs. The eight-run advantage was a lead that even Sowers couldn't squander, as the young lefty finally won in his 10th start with the Indians. |
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