News sports 2008-08-07 Andanh.com

Curfew conflict Wed, 6 Aug 2008 11:03:31 -0500
INDIANAPOLIS — The Bowling Green East Little League All-Stars got an unexpected day off Tuesday from Great Lakes Regional Tournament play, much to manager Rick Kelley’s frustration. East’s scheduled contest against Wisconsin was postponed until 9:30 a.m. CDT today because of the possibility Little League curfew rules would come into play. According to Little League rules, no inning can start after 11 p.m. local time. Because of rain showers and longer-than-expected games earlier in the day, East and Wisconsin were looking at an approximate start time of 9 p.m. That was too risky, according to Little League Central Region director Mike Legge. “What I was confronted with was whether in fact, in my judgment, we could get a complete game in,” Legge said. “As this game (the one prior to East-Wisconsin) continued on, it became more and more apparent that that was in jeopardy.” The decision didn’t sit well with Kelley. “To say you want to be careful and don’t want to run into the time restriction is in my opinion a very poor piece of judgment,” Kelley said. “It’s just sort of mind-boggling that you would postpone the game because you think you might not get to the sixth inning in two hours plus.” East and Wisconsin were originally scheduled to play at 3:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday, but all tournament action was pushed back because of rain. Trouble for East and Wisconsin began when Missouri and South Dakota played a stunningly long game in the Midwest Regional Tournament, which is also at the Ruben F. Glick Little League Center. Missouri won 17-16 in nine innings, a game that took three hours and 16 minutes. Ohio’s victory over Michigan wrapped at about 8:30 p.m., but Legge didn’t want to risk starting another game. “I understand all of the frustrations that come with it and at some point you just have to make a balanced judgment on whether you think that they can get a complete game in or not,” Legge. Legge added that had BG East and Wisconsin begun their game but not completed five innings before 11 p.m., Little League rules prohibit the game from being suspended or resumed. “It’s just not a good situation for anyone,” Legge said. But Kelley said it’s highly unlikely BG East and Wisconsin wouldn’t have reached the sixth inning before 11 p.m. “What they were saying was they were afraid that a Little League game wouldn’t get to the sixth inning after two hours plus, which is absolutely ridiculous,“ Kelley said. “You don’t have to have the game finished, you just have to be to the sixth inning before 11 p.m. A Little League baseball game is going to get to the sixth inning 90 times out of 100.” According to official box scores of the previous Great Lakes Regional games this year, six of the nine previous tournament games were completed in less than two hours. Kelley also wanted Little League officials to be proactive in seeking out other playing fields earlier in the day to prevent a postponement because of curfew. The postponement essentially gave BG East a three-day break from play and a guaranteed extension of their stay in Indianapolis. East had two scheduled days off before Tuesday’s planned game against Wisconsin. Now, East’s originally scheduled pool play finale against Indiana - which was first slated for tonight - will be played at 3:30 p.m. CDT Thursday. Tournament semifinals have been moved from Thursday to Friday and the championship is still scheduled for Saturday night. “It’s not good from the standpoint of the time off, but we’ll deal with it and move forward,” Kelley said.

Toppers focus on growing as team Wed, 6 Aug 2008 11:03:31 -0500
As the Western Kentucky football team inches its way closer to the dog days of fall camp, the amount of work that must be done on both sides of the ball can seem staggering. But learning to do it all as a team is just as important. Whether in the meeting room, during wind sprints or at the breakfast table, the WKU players and coaches put just as much emphasis on jelling as a unit as they put on game plans. “The first couple days of fall camp is when the team really comes together,” senior defensive end Dan Cline said. “It really just sets a cohesiveness amongst all of us on the gridiron. We get to see what the young guys can do and bring to the table, and they get to see what kind of attitude the older guys have. “It’s more of a learning process when it comes to teamwork, and you realize who’s going to be there to support you.” Though there are far more returning players than incoming freshmen, many players are in new roles - changing last season’s huddle culture. So when a season ends and a new one begins, the challenge of becoming a team again is critical. “It’s not just practices, it’s the locker room, it’s eating meals together, we do things during team meetings where we have a picture of every person that’s in the program on a PowerPoint presentation and when we call someone’s name, they have to get up and tell us about themselves,” WKU coach David Elson said. “There’s 105 players, a full coaching staff, trainers, managers and everybody’s a part of it - and we’re really trying to build that family culture and atmosphere. “It’s really 24/7 looking out for each other.” Elson said that during his tenure as head coach, he has tried to make the team-building concept something that never stops. “I think it’s year-round, to be honest with you,” Elson said. “It comes with adversity - we’re going to have some tough practices and that will bring them together. But you also look to the summer time with our workouts, and that’s one of the most important times because it’s just them. “And I’ll tell you right now, our guys really improved on some techniques over the summer and were out here getting work done, so they were really holding each other accountable and being there for each other.” Perhaps the biggest challenge in all of this is with the incoming freshmen, who usually enter camp without recognizing many faces. WKU’s veterans take it upon themselves to correct that situation as soon as possible. “When the young guys come in, we don’t want to leave them out,” junior running back Tyrell Hayden said. “We want to show them that Western is all about family, about being together and if we go somewhere, we’ll call them and ask them if they want to go. “We want to show them what being a college football athlete is all about, and what being a student at Western is all about - it’s about being a big family and reaching out to everybody.” So while it appears the team concept is part of the squad’s everyday life, the first few weeks of fall practice are truly a critical time. “It’s vital during those first couple of weeks, because if you don’t have a close team, you’re going to fall apart,” Cline said. “If you’re a strong team, you’ll look to the guy next to you and play your heart out for him. “And team success is really built on family, and pushing for the guy next to you.” The emphasis on making everyone feel involved seems to be working. Cline said this current group - freshmen included - might be one of the closest teams he’s ever played on. “It’s going great,” Cline said. “I feel like this year’s team is closer than any team I’ve ever been a part of over the past five years. “The young guys aren’t intimidated to ask the older guys questions, and you don’t see that too much throughout the landscape of college football, but we know if we want to be successful this season, we have to do it together as a team.” On the Web --Read WKU beat writer Nick Baumgarder’s blog about the second day of the Hilltoppers’ preseason camp at http://bgdailynews.wordpress.com.

Long wait for Gators’ Watson Wed, 6 Aug 2008 11:03:32 -0500
A summer of uncertainty became a fall of rebirth with one swoop of the pen for Ryan Watson. The former Greenwood pitcher signed Tuesday to play for Campbellsville University, less than three weeks before classes begin. The signing ended a frustrating recruiting process that had the right-hander wondering where - and if - he would play college ball. “I’m pretty excited about going up there and getting started playing baseball,” Watson said. “There was a lot of times I was down. People were talking to me, but nobody really said that they for sure wanted me. It wasn’t until I went to Campbellsville about a month ago that I knew where I was going.” Watson said he looked at Northern Kentucky and several other small schools, and even considered walking on at Western Kentucky. But then he got a big assist from Greenwood pitching coach Donnie Johnson. Johnson, an All-American at Campbellsville, approached Campbellsville coach Beaford Sanders about signing Watson. “With all the respect I have for Donnie, I knew this was somebody we really needed to take a serious look at,” Campbellsville coach Beaford Sanders said. “I’m looking forward to watching (Ryan) develop and grow. We’re glad to have him at Campbellsville University.” Watson said he was really grateful to Johnson for helping him get into Campbellsville. “I think it helps to know that someone like that recommended you to a place like that,” Watson said. Watson just concluded one of the most successful careers ever for a Greenwood pitcher. The right-hander set a school record for wins last season, going 8-4 with a 1.86 era with 60 strikeouts and only 16 walks. Watson is tied for third with 15 career wins and is second in school history in career innings pitched with 1732/3. “Any time we have someone go to the next level it is exciting for our program,” Greenwood coach Chris Decker said. “What’s more exciting is if he takes advantage of the opportunity he’s been given. Campbellsville is a great academic school and a great baseball school. Coach Sanders has been there a long time. They’ve won a lot of games there and they are going to win a lot more. I’m looking forward to watching him play the next few years.” While Watson will pitch for Campbellsville, he said he is uncertain what his exact role will be - but he is ready for the challenge. “This is just another chance for me to prove myself,” Watson said.

Kirby individual champ at Dale Hollow Wed, 6 Aug 2008 11:03:32 -0500
Bowling Green’s Robert Kirby fired a 4-under 68 to win the individual title Monday at the Dale Hollow Classic in Burkesville. Warren East’s Keith Tooley was third with an even-par 72. The Purples finished fourth in the team competition with a score of 314. Bryan Jaska carded a 77, John Minton an 83 and Michael Reed an 86 for Bowling Green. For Warren East, Kyle Tooley finished with an 87, Harrison Young shot a 91, Brent Beckham had a 93 and Mason Rector had a 96. Covington Catholic won the team competition, shooting a 300. On Saturday, Bowling Green tied for ninth in the team competition at the GRC Buggies Classic in Lexington. Jaska finished fifth with an even-par 72. Kirby had a 73, Reed shot an 81 and Minton finished with a 91.

UK's Hartline just wants to win Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:14:00 EST
Mike Hartline didn't know when he woke up yesterday that he would be UK's starting quarterback by lunch. Videos: Players react to Pulley dismissal | Brooks' statement on Pulley | UK players look ahead

Cardinals happy to focus on football Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:11:00 EST
Count quarterback Hunter Cantwell among the many University of Louisville football players who eagerly awaited yesterday's start of fall camp.

Pulley's troubles lead to dismissal Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:03:00 EST
University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks wanted his unsettled quarterback situation to be resolved on the field.

Running debate: Locke or Smith? Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:03:00 EST
There are questions at quarterback and unknowns at wide receiver, and at some point, the University of Kentucky football team figures it will find some answers at those positions.

Ex-Wildcat Linville dies at 78, played on '51 national champs Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:02:00 EST
Shelby Linville, who played on the University of Kentucky's 1950-51 national championship basketball team, has died. He was 78.

IU looks to get Finch eligible Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:46:00 EST
Safety Jerimy Finch received clearance yesterday to begin practicing with the Indiana University football team. Now the sophomore transfer from Florida is hoping he can become eligible right away.

At PGA, Lefty wants to hit another homer in the majors Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:05:00 EST
Since winning the 2006 Masters, the world's second-ranked golfer has just two top-10 finishes -- including a meltdown on the final hole of the 2006 U.S. Open that left him tied for second -- in golf's past 10 major championships.

Bats top Hens 10-8 for 70th victory Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:04:00 EST
"Quite frankly, we're just trying to stay focused on playing good baseball," manager Rick Sweet said. "If we play good baseball, good things will happen. (The 70-victory mark is) a nice accomplishment. It makes me smile because these guys have worked very hard. This is a fun group of guys."

Brewers behave, blast Reds Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:05:00 EST
Prince Fielder made amends by apologizing, then hit a two-run homer last night that helped the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 and quickly move beyond their ugly altercation in the dugout.

Prairie Village advances Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:05:00 EST
Megan Sutherland scored twice to help Prairie Village advance to the winners' bracket final of the Babe Ruth 16-and-under Fastpitch Softball World Series with a 2-0 victory over Henderson, N.C., yesterday in Pittsfield, Mass.

Churchill reports steady earnings Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:29:00 EST
Churchill Downs Inc.'s net earnings for the April-to-June quarter held steady at $29 million compared to last year, according to results announced yesterday. That's despite disputes with horsemen at two of its tracks that made thoroughbred races unavailable to certain bettors.

Curlin in Woodward; '09 campaign possible Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:06:00 EST
Horse of the Year Curlin's next start will be the $500,000, Grade I Woodward Stakes on Aug. 30 at Saratoga, owner Jess Jackson announced yesterday, adding that he is at least considering racing Curlin next year as a 5-year-old.

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:

Report: Favre traded to Jets Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:15 EDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. . Brett Favre left Green Bay on Wednesday, most likely for good. While he has gone home to Mississippi for the time being, he could end up in New York very soon.

Fox Sports reported on its Web site late Wednesday night that the Packers have traded the quarterback to the Jets. The report said the exact compensation wasn't immediately known, but it is believed to be a single draft pick that increases in value depending on New York's performance during the season.

The Jets declined to comment on the report.

Favre's agent, James .Bus. Cook, confirmed in an e-mail message to The Associated Press earlier Wednesday that the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were emerging as the most likely trade destinations for the three-time MVP.

Lexington youth baseball teams choose freedom over fame Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:45 EDT

Sometime in the coming week, TV viewers might tire of round-the-clock Olympics, Cincinnati Reds losses and Brett Favre coverage.

For relief, they'll turn to ESPN in search of a traditional end-of-summer favorite: Little League Baseball.

What they will not see throughout two weeks of broadcasts is a team from Lexington, which has been home to some of the nation's finest youth baseball leagues of the past decade.

Lexington's two dominant youth baseball organizations . Southeastern and South Lexington . will both be represented in the World Series, but their All-Star teams will not be on ESPN and will not visit Williamsport, Pa., because they are not part of the Little League Baseball family. Instead, both play under the banner of Cal Ripken Baseball.

Ex-Card Bush back on the football field Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:35 EDT

Michael Bush is tired of watching after spending nearly two years on the sideline while his teammates got to play football.

Bush has not played in any game since breaking his right leg in the season opener of his final college season at Louisville in 2006. He missed the rest of that college season and all of his rookie campaign with the Oakland Raiders, putting special meaning on his exhibition opener against San Francisco on Friday night.

.I didn't think it'd be this long,. Bush said. .I was told six months, seven months. It turned out to be two years now. So I'm just ready to get out there and get it going again..

Bush was considered one of the top running backs in the country before breaking his leg against Kentucky on Sept. 3, 2006. He was coming off a junior season in which he ran for 1,143 yards and an NCAA-leading 23 touchdowns and was being projected as a possible first-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

John Clay: Bengals hope Rivers is a linebacker who sticks Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:10 EDT

GEORGETOWN . Maybe Keith Rivers will stop the streak of Bengal busts.

Maybe Marvin Lewis will catch some good luck for a change with his linebacker choice, his first-rounder, the No. 9 overall pick who finally got the Bat signal from his agent that an agreement had been reached, the holdout was over, and the former Trojan could travel from Cincinnati to Georgetown College and pull on the pads.

.I'm ready to rock and roll,. declared Rivers.

This was Wednesday, after the Bengals' morning practice, their first with No. 58. Truth be told, Rivers did little. But he was here. In uniform. In pads. After a nearly two-week absence, the rookie from Southern Cal was ready to go.

UK QBs lining up for shot at No. 1 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00 EDT

Mike Hartline was going to take the first snap of fall camp as the University of Kentucky's No. 1 quarterback whether Curtis Pulley was around or not.

And while Pulley's dismissal has put Hartline in the driver's seat for the starting job, it has also changed the entire landscape of UK's quarterback position heading into its season opener at Louisville on Aug. 31.

UK offensive coordinator Joker Phillips also emphasized that nobody should pencil in Hartline just yet.

.He's not the starter,. Phillips said of Hartline. .He will get the first reps (repetitions with the first team), but if I name him the starter, what do I tell Will? We're going to let them all compete and see what happens..

Recap: Cincinnati vs. Milwaukee Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:43 EDT
Rickie Weeks had a four-hit day and Jeff Suppan hurled seven solid innings as Milwaukee doubled up Cincinnati, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Great American Ball Park.

Weeks finished 4-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs for the Brewers, who won the final two games of the series but remained five games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Jason Kendall finished 1-for-3 with a two-run single.

Suppan (7-7) surrendered three runs on seven hits in seven innings to pick up the win. The veteran did not walk a batter and fanned three. Salomon Torres earned his 22nd save of the year with a perfect ninth.

Jay Bruce was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and drove in all three runs for the Reds, who have dropped five of six. Bruce also had two outfield assists in the game.

The struggling Homer Bailey (0-6) allowed six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to remain winless on the season. Once one of baseball's hottest pitching prospects, Bailey has given up 59 hits and 32 earned runs in 36 1/3 innings this season.

Brooks dismisses Pulley, Hartline moves into No. 1 spot Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:20 EDT

University of Kentucky coaches thought they had pulled off a recruiting coup when they signed Mr. Football Curtis Pulley in February 2005.

Now, 31/2 years later, the Curtis Pulley era will be remembered largely for unfulfilled promise.

Pulley's Wildcats career came to an end Tuesday when UK Coach Rich Brooks announced that Pulley had been dismissed for a violation of team rules.

Pulley was cited by Louisville police for marijuana possession in June, then was arrested in July on charges of driving on a suspended or revoked license, speeding and having expired plates or registration. He entered a guilty plea to the marijuana charge and agreed to enter a diversion program. He pleaded guilty to speeding, but the suspended license charge was dismissed.

Major test still looms for Perry Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. . Kenny Perry already has tied a career high with three wins and reached his goal of making the Ryder Cup team that will face Europe in his home state.

All this, and Perry still hasn't played in a major this year.

That changes this week at the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, where one of the hottest golfers on the planet is among the favorites.

But it hasn't changed the conversation because he was still answering questions Tuesday about not playing in the British Open or trying to qualify for the U.S. Open.

Pulley mulling transfer to EKU Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:05 EDT

Former University of Kentucky quarterback Curtis Pulley could be headed down 1-75 to continue his college football career.

Pulley got his official release from UK on Tuesday, and he visited Eastern Kentucky University later that day. Pulley watched the Colonels practice and is strongly considering a transfer to EKU, Pulley's father, Curtis Sr., said last night.

Pulley would be eligible to play immediately at Eastern and would have two seasons of eligibility. The Colonels, who compete in the NCAA Division I Championship Division, finished 9-3 last year and return senior quarterback Allan Holland, who was the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2007. But Pulley's father said that his son would consider a move to free safety, a position at which Pulley's high school coach, Craig Clayton, says Pulley has NFL potential.

EKU has a family connection with Pulley as well. His uncle, Lonnie Pulley, coached high school football in North Carolina with EKU Coach Dean Hood.

Fielder takes out frustrations on Cincinnati Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:50 EDT

CINCINNATI . Prince Fielder made amends by apologizing, then hit a two-run homer Tuesday night that helped the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 and quickly move beyond their ugly altercation in the dugout.

The Brewers were on their best behavior a day after Fielder shoved pitcher Manny Parra in the dugout during a series-opening loss. Fielder apologized before the game on Tuesday, then helped Milwaukee's uptight offense relax by hitting his sixth homer in his last nine games.

Right-hander Dave Bush (6-9) was among those who pulled Fielder away from Parra on Monday night, and he ended up pinned underneath the bulky first baseman and several teammates. One night later, he was on top of his game.

Bush allowed only three hits in seven innings, retiring 17 consecutive batters after Edwin Encarnacion drove in a run with an infield single in the first inning. It was a breakthrough performance for Bush, who was 0-2 with a 14.24 ERA in five previous starts at Great American Ball Park.

Ludwick homers again, Cards beat Dodgers Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:35 EDT
Ryan Ludwick tied a franchise record with a homer in his fifth straight game, Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-6 on Wednesday night.

Pujols' sixth career grand slam and Ludwick's drive during a five-run fourth chased Derek Lowe, who gave up eight runs and 13 hits in only 3 1-3 innings. Pujols finished 4-for-4 with a walk, and Ludwick was 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

Manny Ramirez hit his 513th homer run in the second inning to break a tie with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for 20th place on the career list. Ramirez added an RBI single in the third to give the Dodgers an early 3-1 lead, and is batting .600 (12-for-20) with three homers and six RBIs in five games since joining the Dodgers.

Fans booed him before every at-bat, and rode him when he took his time getting back into the box after running out a foul grounder in the sixth.

Joel Pineiro (4-5) needed only 78 pitches to get through seven innings for his first victory in five starts and only his second in 15 appearances since April 29. Pineiro's strong effort bailed out a beleaguered bullpen that blew its major league-leading 27th save on Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles (54-58) at LA Angels of Anaheim (70-43), 3:35 p.m. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:10 EDT
The Baltimore Orioles wrap up a potentially very successful road trip with this afternoon's rubber match of a three-game set with the powerful Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Baltimore has posted a solid 5-3 mark thus far on its nine-game trek, and a series win over the Angels, who own the best record in the majors at 70-43, would certainly be a notable achievement for Dave Trembley's young club.

The Orioles evened things up with Anaheim behind a spectacular major league debut from Chris Waters on Tuesday. The 27-year-old left-hander baffled the Angels over eight innings to lead Baltimore to a 3-0 victory.

Waters yielded just one hit -- a Vladimir Guerrero single in the second inning -- and walked three over eight stellar frames. The minor-league veteran retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced before turning the game over to George Sherrill, who finished off the two-hit shutout and picked up his 31st save of the year.

Luke Scott paced the Baltimore offense by going 3-for-3 with a solo home run, while Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora both had two hits and an RBI to help the O's snap a two-game slide.

Dodgers' Ramirez hits 513th career home run Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:10 EDT
Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit his 513th home run in the second inning Wednesday night, breaking a tie for 20th place with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews on the career list.

Ramirez was booed before leading off the second, the crowd evidently slow to forget that he was the World Series MVP in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox swept the Cardinals. Ramirez proceeded to belt a hanging curveball from Joel Pineiro over the center-field wall.

The hit made Ramirez 11-for-17 with three homers, two doubles and six RBIs since joining the Dodgers just before last week's non-waiver trade deadline.

Kendrick tosses 6 scoreless to lift Phils over Fla Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:00 EDT
Kyle Kendrick pitched six scoreless innings, Ryan Howard homered and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 5-0 on Wednesday night.

The NL East-leading Phillies moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Florida. The New York Mets entered the day two games behind.

Kendrick (10-5) allowed four hits and pitched around five walks to win at home for the first time since beating Cincinnati on June 2. Kendrick matched his win total from his rookie year when he came from nowhere last season and bailed out a depleted staff to help the Phillies win the division.

Chad Durbin tossed two scoreless innings, and Ryan Madson finished to complete the five-hitter.

Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez (1-1) gave up four runs - three earned - and five hits in five innings in his second start since returning from shoulder surgery.

Barajas, Blue Jays hand Oakland 9th straight loss Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:55 EDT
Rod Barajas hit a three-run homer, Shaun Marcum pitched seven strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Oakland 5-1 Wednesday night to extend the Athletics' season-long losing streak to nine games.

Oakland has been outscored 47-17 during the skid, managing no more than three runs in each of the losses.

The Athletics are a major league-worst 2-16 since the All-Star break and have lost seven straight road games, a season high.

Marcum (6-5) allowed one run and three hits to win for the first time in four starts since missing 27 games with a sore right elbow. He walked two and struck out seven.

The right-hander didn't allow a hit through the first five innings and had set down 13 straight batters, the final five on strikeouts, when Bobby Crosby homered to begin the sixth. It was Crosby's sixth of the season and second in three games.

Norway scores early to beat US 2-0 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:45 EDT
Norway jumped on the United States from the opening whistle, getting two goals in the first four minutes Wednesday to beat the U.S. women's soccer team 2-0 at the Beijing Olympics.

Norway looked like the medal-contenders they're supposed to be, while the Americans never looked the part.

Leni Larsen Kaurin outjumped and outmuscled U.S. defender Lori Chalupny to head the ball over charging goalkeeper Hope Solo and into an open net in the 2nd minute.

Two minutes later, Melissa Wiik latched onto a deep pass on the right side after the U.S lost the ball in midfield. The Norwegian then outraced U.S. captain Christie Rampone and curled a right-footed shot past Solo and just inside the far post.

"We are satisfied," Norway coach Bjarne Berntsen said. "We are very grateful for the tremendous start we had in this game.

Foreign activists launch pre-Olympics protests Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:50 EDT
Americans unfurled a religious banner in the heart of communist China and other foreign activists protested Wednesday on a range of issues, but authorities handled them with uncharacteristic restraint two days before the Olympics start.

The demonstrations were small - groups of no more than four people - and no arrests were reported.

The soft touch suggests Beijing might be hoping to repair its image abroad, which has taken a hit over hot-button issues like its human rights record and its policies in Tibet and Sudan.

But the rare public protests were quickly condemned by Olympics organizers, who are determined to make sure the communist government's plan for the Beijing Games goes off without a hitch.

"We express our strong opposition," Sun Weide, spokesman for the Beijing Olympics organizing committee, said after four pro-Tibet activists were led away by police after putting up banners on light poles outside the National Stadium.

Karstens nearly perfect as Bucs top Diamondbacks Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:10 EDT
Jeff Karstens has given the Pittsburgh Pirates a perfect start. Almost a perfect game, too. The recently acquired right-hander set down his first 23 batters before Chris Young's two-out double in the eighth inning and finished with a two-hitter Wednesday in a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Karstens (2-0) has tossed 15 scoreless innings - against a pair of first-place teams - since coming to Pittsburgh in a six-player trade July 26 that sent outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte to the New York Yankees. This masterpiece followed a 3-0 victory Friday over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

"It's been a big change," Karstens said. "I was pitching well in Triple-A and I felt like I wasn't going to go anywhere."

The 25-year-old Karstens outpitched Randy Johnson, who tossed baseball's most recent perfect game in May 2004. Karstens also got his first two major league hits off the five-time Cy Young Award winner and scored on Doug Mientkiewicz's eighth-inning double.

"After I got that second hit, I was like, 'What's going on?'" Karstens said.

Span drives in 4 to lead Twins past Mariners 7-3 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:53 EDT
Rookie Denard Span drove in a career-high four runs and robbed Adrian Beltre of a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Seattle Mariners 7-3 Wednesday.

Minnesota won the final game of the series against the AL's worst team and moved within one-half game of Central-leading Chicago. The White Sox later hosted Detroit.

The Twins had blown leads of 6-0 and 2-0 in the first two games of the series to fall out of first place. They would have blown a 4-0 edge in this one without the new leadoff whiz who's quickly become known as "Span Man."

Nick Blackburn (9-6), who began 2007 at Double-A New Britain, allowed three runs in six innings to tie Detroit's Armando Galarraga for most wins by an AL rookie.

Beltre had two hits and two RBIs for Seattle. The Mariners were denied a season-high fourth consecutive win and first three-game sweep of an AL team in their lost season.

Weeks has 4 hits, Brewers beat Reds 6-3 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:48 EDT
Struggling leadoff hitter Rickie Weeks matched his career high with four hits Wednesday, and the slumping bottom of the Milwaukee Brewers' batting order chipped in, too, setting up a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Brewers took two of three in a series that started with a pair of ugly shoves and concluded with a pair of uplifting wins.

First baseman Prince Fielder twice shoved pitcher Manny Parra in the dugout during a 6-3 loss Monday night, when the Brewers had their NL wild-card lead trimmed to a mere half-game over St. Louis. Fielder apologized a day later, and the Brewers were on their best behavior the rest of the way.

They even managed to get some clutch hits, the thing they've missed the most during their recent slide of seven losses in 11 games.

Jeff Suppan (7-7) handled the Reds' free-swinging lineup for the third time this season, allowing an RBI groundout and a two-run homer by Jay Bruce. Suppan has given up only six earned runs in those three starts against Cincinnati.

Lincecum, Rowand lead Giants past Braves 3-2 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:20 EDT
Tim Lincecum pitched eight innings for his first win in more than three weeks and Aaron Rowand homered and drove in three runs and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Wednesday. Randy Winn added four hits including the 1,500th of his career and scored twice for the Giants.

San Francisco won for the fourth time in six games after going 4-8 following the All-Star break.

Brian Wilson pitched a perfect ninth for his NL-leading 32nd save in 34 chances.

Lincecum improved to 12-3 this season and is 11-2 in 19 starts following a Giants' loss.

He allowed five hits and struck out eight to earn his first win since July 13 and only his second in his past six starts. In his three previous outings, the San Francisco ace right-hander had a loss and two no-decisions.

Pena's 3-run shot lifts Rays past Indians 10-7 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:03 EDT
Carlos Pena's three-run homer capped a six-run rally in the ninth inning that carried the Tampa Bay Rays past the Cleveland Indians 10-7 on Wednesday for one of their most thrilling victories in a wondrous season.

Eric Hinske had an RBI double in the ninth and Gabe Gross tied it 7-all with a two-run homer off Edward Mujica, who was trying for his first major league save.

Masa Kobayashi (4-5) replaced Mujica and gave up an infield single to Akinori Iwamura. The right-hander then walked Ben Zobrist before Pena homered to center for his fifth career game-ending homer, setting off a raucous celebration at Tropicana Field.

Pena tossed his helmet aside as he approached home plate, where he was mobbed by jubilant teammates bouncing in unison. The AL East leaders, who have never won more than 70 games in 10 previous seasons, improved to 68-45 with their eighth victory in 11 games.

Tampa Bay, a major league-best 45-17 at home, now embarks on its final trip out West this season beginning Thursday night at Seattle.

Minor leagues, major costs: Fuel prices hurt teams Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:38 EDT
A trip to play in Hawaii sounded like the perfect reward for the seniors on the Longwood University baseball team. The school had made the jump to Division I, and coach Buddy Bolding thought the Lancers deserved a memorable end to the 2009 season.

Phone calls were made. Prices were gauged. Money was raised. Then airfare from Virginia jumped $600, to $1,300 a ticket. Suddenly Longwood was saying "aloha" to paradise - and not as in hello.

"It's a damn shame, that's all there is to it," Bolding said. "It's really a bummer."

The sky-high price of oil is wreaking havoc on athletic travel budgets, particularly for minor league teams and smaller schools.

Oil prices are up more than 60 percent from a year ago, and a gallon of gas is 82 cents more expensive. The problem goes far beyond cross-country farewell trips: It's forcing teams to re-evaluate how, why and where they play all their games.

Packers, Jets confirm deal to trade Brett Favre Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:30 EDT
The Green Bay Packers have reached an agreement to trade quarterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets, the team announced late Wednesday night. Terms of the trade weren't immediately available.

The Packers had been talking with the Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since deciding earlier this week that the team could no longer co-exist with one of the most beloved players in franchise history.

The Packers decided to move forward with Aaron Rodgers as their starter after Favre announced his retirement in March. Given their commitment to Rodgers, team officials weren't particularly receptive when Favre decided a little over a month ago that he might want to play after all - the latest development in several years' worth of flip-flopping about his football future.

"Brett has had a long and storied career in Green Bay, and the Packers owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for everything he accomplished on the field and for the impact he made in the state," Green Bay officials said in a statement.

"It is with some sadness that we make this announcement, but also with the desire for certainty that will allow us to move the team and organization forward in the most positive way possible."

Terrell-Kearney wins US Women's Open Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:55 EDT
Kim Terrell-Kearney won the first professional championship match featuring two black bowlers, beating Trisha Reid 216-189 on Wednesday night in the U.S. Bowling Congress' U.S. Women's Open.

Terrell-Kearney, from Dover, Del., built an early lead and held on for her second U.S. Women's Open victory and third career major title. She earned $25,000.

"I had a feeling it was the first time something like this had happened," said Terrell-Kearney, the women's bowling coach at Delaware State. "I've had footsteps to follow in, and hopefully I'm providing inspiration for other African Americans out there to pursue their goals in bowling."

In the championship match, Terrell-Kearney struck on four of her first five shots to take a 24-pin lead at the halfway point, while Reid, from Columbus, Ohio, had just three strikes in the entire game.

"It's been a great week, and it's really satisfying to reach my goal of 10 career titles," Terrell-Kearney said. "Winning the Open is the pinnacle of most bowlers' careers and to win it twice is amazing."

Padres hit 3 homers in latest win over Mets Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:10 EDT
Jody Gerut hit Pedro Martinez's first pitch for a home run and Mets third baseman David Wright committed a costly error, helping the San Diego Padres beat New York 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Cha Seung Baek stymied the Mets again, allowing two runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in two starts against New York this season.

Brian Giles and Chase Headley also homered for the last-place Padres, who improved to 5-1 against the Mets this year.

Daniel Murphy had three hits for New York in his fourth big league game, including his first career triple. His fifth-inning single drove in Jose Reyes and tied it at 2, but Wright was doubled off first base on Carlos Beltran's flyout to end the inning.

Martinez (3-3) settled down after allowing first-inning homers to Gerut and Giles, and left with runners at second and third and one out in the seventh. Pedro Feliciano struck out Gerut and walked Edgar Gonzalez before Giles cued a grounder toward third.

Giambi homers, Rivera returns to save Yankees' win Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:45 EDT
The New York Yankees finally got the reliable pitching and road victory they've been looking for.

Jason Giambi homered, Sidney Ponson beat his former Texas teammates and Mariano Rivera returned from an aching back to save New York's 5-3 win over the Rangers on Wednesday night.

The win snapped a two-game skid and stopped the Yankees from sliding further back in the hunt for the AL wild card, a race in which the Rangers have also become a looming contender.

Ponson (7-2), released by Texas in June, gave up three runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. Rivera, who hadn't pitched since Friday because of back spasms, threw a one-hit ninth for his career-best 27th consecutive save this season.

Derek Jeter had two hits and two RBIs after attending a memorial service earlier in the day in Oklahoma City for former Yankees star and longtime broadcaster Bobby Murcer.

Nationals-Rockies game postponed by rain Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:40 EDT
The scheduled game between the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies was postponed because of rain Wednesday night.

It will be made up as part of a doubleheader Thursday. The first game is scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. EDT, with the nightcap to follow.

Jeff Francis will pitch the opener for the Rockies against Odalis Perez. The starters in the second game will be Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez and Washington's Jason Bergmann.

Francis and Perez had been slated to start Wednesday night.

Ellsbury homers, Wakefield dominates in Boston win Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:35 EDT
Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer and Tim Wakefield's baffling knuckleball shut down Kansas City on four hits through six innings, helping the Boston Red Sox to an 8-2 victory over the Royals on Wednesday night.

Jed Lowrie and J.D. Drew drove in two runs apiece for the Red Sox, who finished their season series 6-1 against the Royals.

Wakefield (7-8) threw knuckleballs almost exclusively, tossing practically each delivery toward the plate in the 63 mph range while winning for the first time in four starts.

After Mark Teahen's two-out single in the first, the 42-year-old right-hander retired 10 in a row. He gave up two runs, only one earned, while striking out six and not walking a batter.

Three other Boston pitchers shut out the Royals on four hits the rest of the way.

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