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Houllier won't need heart surgery

Birmingham, England — Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has been told he will not require surgery after being admitted to hospital with chest pains.

Houllier, who had open heart surgery in 2001 while manager of Liverpool, was taken to hospital on Wednesday night where he underwent tests.

Villa assistant coach Gary McAllister visited the 63-year-old Frenchman on Thursday and said specialists "are definitely saying there is no surgery needed."

"If you took away all the stuff attached to his arms, he didn't look ill," McAllister said on Friday. "He is on the coronary ward. He was great and bubbly. He had a tough night but he was looking surprisingly well and in fine fettle."

McAllister, who will be in charge of Villa for Saturday's home match against Stoke in the Premier League, said that instead of surgery, Houllier needed "purely medicine and rest."

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Howard Hawks excelled within a regimented Hollywood system leaving his mark on every film he made regardless of studio, stars, or genre. Hawks hoped to make this comedy with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, and that might have been a classic, but MAN'S FAVORITE SPORT? still gets by nicely. Rock Hudson stars as a San Francisco Abercrombie & Fitch salesman who has written a best-selling book on fishing, without ever having fished a day in his life. His boss enters him in a competition, and wacky dame Paula Prentiss is on hand to dish out as much trouble as possible. Hawks moves a little slower than previous works, cribbing some of his own early jokes, but is still dead funny.

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Miyazaki's Cole displays fortitude by sticking it out

For every expansion team, its inaugural season is a series of highs and lows. There's the exhaustion and enthusiasm that it takes to build a team from scratch and the growing pains that go with it. And it's never an easy task.

Solid leader: Miyazaki Shining Suns big man Brandon Cole has been a strong performer on both ends of the court for the expansion team. MIYAZAKI SHINING SUNS / BJ-LEAGUE

To complicate matters, the expansion Miyazaki Shining Suns, have been confronted with an issue that many bj-league teams have faced since the March 11 earthquake in Tohoku, tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant crisis: the loss of foreign players who were major contributors. (Most teams generally start three imports.)

Forward/center Brandon Cole is now the lone foreigner on Miyazaki's roster. Jackie Manuel and Elijah Palmer, key frontcourt players since the season began, decided to leave Japan after what occurred early last month.

Without the duo's on-court play, the team has continued to struggle. The Shining Suns, 13-35 through April 17 under rookie head coach Koto Toyama, play host to the first-place Ryukyu Golden Kings in their final series of the season this weekend.

"Our team has been extremely focused despite everything that we've been through losing two of our key players and leaders," Cole told The Japan Times. "We realized that once they decided to leave that everyone would have to step up their game a few levels for us to even have a chance to win.

"We knew it was going to be very difficult for our Japanese players to replicate everything that those guys brought to the table on both ends of the floor, but they have honestly been playing their hearts out for us and I've gained even more respect for them in the process."

Cole, who attended Atlantic-10 school Xavier University in Cincinnati, has been one of the bj-league's best players this season. Making 48 starts to date, he's averaging 18.8 points (No. 5 in the league) and 11.4 rebounds (fourth-best total). He's scored in double digits in all but two games, a nine-point output in the season opener and eight on Jan. 30.

Easy deuce: Brandon Cole throws down a slam dunk earlier this season against the Rizing Fukuoka. MIYAZAKI SHINING SUNS / BJ-LEAGUE

The 203-cm post player has faced a greater challenge in the weeks since Palmer and Manuel's departure. Both men, who averaged a combined 35.9 points, last suited up for Miyazaki on March 6.

"It's definitely been tougher and more challenging," Cole admitted. "It's extremely difficult to simulate the intensity and athleticism of our upcoming opponents every week when we only have one American in practice.

"Coach has been pretty hard on the Japanese players because he knew how challenging that it was going to be with us having only one import player going up against four or five talented import players every game."

Effort-wise, Cole is correct. Unfortunately for the Shining Suns faithful, that hasn't translated to a lengthy winning streak in the season's final stretch. Only the Takamatsu Five Arrows (10-36) have more losses.

Losing can demoralize players, but the tough season hasn't discouraged Cole from sticking to his role as a natural on-court leader, a job he has embraced.

"I've always been comfortable leading the charge on any team that I've been on, whether it be by example or vocally," said Cole, who majored in criminal justice in college. "My leadership responsibility has definitely increased with those guys gone, so now I am being more vocal than I was earlier in the season instead of sharing the leadership roles with those two guys."

Credit the 27-year-old Cole for his perseverance and his willingness to be a leader on a team struggling to build a winning foundation. In the future, the Shining Suns will benefit from lessons learned this season, and they can thank Cole for helping them take that first important step in their journey as a pro team.

Coach Toyama, an assistant on the 2009-10 champion Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix, has developed a friendly relationship with Cole. The two men, who were born 14 months apart, exchange ideas about what can make the team better.

"Most definitely, I have given him a lot of feedback on certain play calls and gave him my input on what plays I would like to run in certain situations," Cole said. "But it's been like that all season. Coach Koto has given me the freedom and responsibility to be the go-to guy from day one and has always been interested in my opinions on what defenses to play and what offensive schemes to run, so that hasn't really changed."

Cole has been impressed with the young coach's fierce determination to build a winner, describing Toyama's "trademark energy" as a key factor for the team. Though Miyazaki's 1-9 mark against, in order, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Takamatsu, Osaka and Shiga, since its season resumed on March 19 has frustrated him.

"We've had a few games against top teams like Kyoto, Osaka, and Fukuoka that we could've won if we would have stayed focused on just a few more possessions," he said. "Those wins, especially given our team's current state, would've been huge for us to show the league that we can still compete at a high level with the top teams in the league with only one foreigner."

When the season's over and Cole finds time for some well-deserved rest, he'll remember how truly difficult it was. In fact, he already realizes that.

"My toughest year emotionally would probably have to be my rookie season in China (for the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers)," said Cole, who learned the value of perseverance during a college career that saw him start his final 14 games after coming off the bench in his first 79 for the Musketeers, during which he played behind two-time NBA All-Star David West.

"It was my first-ever pro job, playing for an extremely old-fashioned and militant coach. The differences in all of the basketball concepts that I had learned at Xavier compared to some of the things that my Chinese coach would say and do was astounding to me as a rookie player.

"I was drained emotionally in my time there due to the huge gap in our basketball philosophies and the way he treated his players, as well as the huge cultural differences.

"But physically, this would definitely have to rank as my most difficult," he continued. "I've never played this many games before in any of my other leagues and not to mention the back-to-back game schedule every weekend. Factor that in, with the minutes I have logged and responsibility to produce for this team night in and night out, and I would rank this season as my toughest for sure."

Throughout the season, Cole has displayed a mental toughness that is commendable. But he admitted he's had support,. He and his wife Nykeba didn't feel right about bolting from Japan after the March 11 events.

"She was the main one encouraging me to stay, surprisingly," Cole said. "We constantly did a lot of research on the situation and after realizing how far we were located from the actual disaster up in the Sendai area, then I felt more comfortable in staying. I definitely didn't want to leave the team in a position where they had no chance to compete. . . . I definitely didn't want to leave the team with no Americans at all to go to battle with. Especially since the organization has been so great to me and my family all year, I just couldn't do it."

Ultimately, sports isn't just about wins and losses, but also as a means for communities and families, regions and nations to share a common bond. In this regard, the 2010-11 season has been a success for the Shining Suns.

Listen to Cole's explanation:

"My best memory with the fans here has got to be when my son (Cameron) was born here on Nov. 28 during our home game against Fukuoka. The gifts and love I received from the fans was amazing; they really showered me and my family with a lot of love. That, and the support I received for my birthday from the fans back in March, was very memorable to me and something that I'll never forget."

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Sanchez loses no-hit bid in ninth

MIAMI — The toll from throwing 123 pitches showed on Anibal Sanchez. The Florida Marlins right-hander wore one big bag of ice on his right shoulder, another on his right arm and yet another on his right thigh as he settled into a chair with a grimace.

Hot bat: Chicago's Kosuke Fukudome hits a single in the seventh inning against Los Angeles on Friday. The Dodgers beat the Cubs 12-2. AP PHOTO

Trying to throw a no-hitter is hard.

Sanchez held the Colorado Rockies hitless Friday night until Dexter Fowler led off the ninth inning with a broken-bat single. Sanchez then got the final three outs for a one-hitter and the Marlins won 4-1.

Sanchez (1-1) had a career-high nine strikeouts, and the run off him was unearned. He threw a no-hitter for the Marlins as a rookie in 2006 and shook off the disappointment of falling just shy of another.

"It was awesome to have the opportunity to almost throw again a no-hitter," Sanchez said. "I'm excited."

The one-hitter was the second this season. Dan Haren of the Los Angeles Angels had one in a 2-0 victory over Cleveland on April 12.

The hit off Sanchez came on his 116th pitch, and the first of the ninth. Fowler pulled a single to right field past second baseman Omar Infante, ending the no-hit bid.

"To see it go on a broken bat is kind of disheartening," Florida catcher John Buck said, "but it shows how hard it is to do. It's just the way it rolls."

Added Fowler: "That was my best swing of the night, but he blew my bat up."

Fowler was doubled off first on a lineout by Jonathan Herrera. When Carlos Gonzalez grounded out, Sanchez had the fourth complete game of his career and his first since July 29.

"He came out today with some good pitches — inside corner, outside corner, first-pitch strikes," Herrera said. "He made us chase those pitches."

Gaby Sanchez and Chris Coghlan homered for the Marlins, who won their fourth consecutive game. Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin (3-1) allowed four runs in five innings.

Sanchez walked three, including Fowler to lead off the game. He was unfazed when a two-out fielding error by first baseman Gaby Sanchez allowed Fowler to score.

"Anibal has a very strong mental approach," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "After that first inning, it takes mental toughness to keep his composure, and he did a great job."

A 27-year-old Venezuelan, Sanchez pitched a no-hitter Sept. 6, 2006, against the Arizona Diamondbacks in just his 13th career start.

Mets 4, Diamondbacks 1

In New York, Ike Davis hit a two-run homer and Mike Pelfrey had his first effective start of the season to lead the Mets to a come-from-behind victory over Arizona.

Dodgers 12, Cubs 2

In Chicago, Juan Uribe hit a two-run homer, Andre Ethier extended his major league-best hitting streak to 19 games and surging Los Angeles beat the Cubs.

Chicago leadoff hitter Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-4, raising his average to .417.

Brewers 14, Astros 7

In Milwaukee, Ryan Braun hit a go-ahead three-run homer in his first game since signing a $105 million, five-year contract extension to lift the Brewers over Houston.

Phillies 2, Padres 0

In San Diego, Cole Hamels held his punchless hometown Padres to four hits in eight innings and Philadelphia won, handing San Diego its second straight shutout and third in five games.

Braves 4, Giants 1

In San Francisco, Chipper Jones hit a two-run double, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman each singled in runs during a decisive four-run third to back Tommy Hanson and Atlanta beat the Giants.

Cardinals 4, Reds 2

In St. Louis, Kyle McClellan (3-0) worked six-plus innings after the Cardinals guessed correctly and used a substitute starter before a lengthy rain delay in a victory over Cincinnati.

Albert Pujols had two RBIs and Ryan Theriot had three hits and scored twice for St. Louis.

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Predators make dramatic comeback, drop Ducks in OT

Decisive score: Nashville's Jerred Smithson scores the winning goal past Anaheim goalie Ray Emery in overtime of Game 5 on Friday night. The Predators beat the Ducks 4-3 and lead the first-round playoff series 3-2. AP PHOTO

Anaheim, calif. — The Nashville Predators have known nothing but heartbreak in their brief playoff history, and the Anaheim Ducks were only a few seconds away from adding to the pain as they nursed a lead in Game 5.

That's when captain Shea Weber scored on a slap shot that suggested these Predators might be different — and early in overtime, Jerred Smithson put Nashville into uncharted postseason territory.

Smithson scored 1:57 into overtime, and the Predators moved to the brink of winning a playoff series for the first time, stunning the Ducks 4-3 on Friday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

Weber tied it on a long slap shot with 35.3 seconds left for the Predators, who had never won an overtime playoff game, never won a Game 5 — never even won three games in a series — before their dramatic comeback.

"It's an amazing feeling to be one step closer," said Jordin Tootoo, whose second assist set up Smithson's one-timer past Ray Emery. "The playoffs are all about momentum swings, and we've done well with that throughout the year."

The Predators can close it out in Game 6 on Sunday in Nashville.

Defenseman Kevin Klein scored his first career playoff goal and Pekka Rinne made 23 saves for Nashville, which even managed to reverse its ugly fate in Game 5 against Chicago last season.

Most of the key veterans in the jubilant Predators dressing room remembered giving up the Blackhawks' tying goal with 13.6 seconds left in regulation before losing the game — and the series one game later.

"It's a different feeling than Game 5 last year," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "Last year, in Game 5, it was a devastating thing that happened to us. . . . This year, it's the polar opposite. I think we're mature enough to know there's a very good hockey team on the other side, and we're going to have to be absolutely at our best in Nashville."

Both teams scored two goals apiece in a thrilling third period, with Anaheim blowing two leads. Bobby Ryan scored a spectacular goal early in the third in his return from a two-game suspension, but Joel Ward tied it with 8:40 left in regulation.

Sabres 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

In Philadelphia, Tyler Ennis scored off a rebound 5:31 into overtime to give Buffalo a victory over the hosts and a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

Mike Webber's shot hit Michael Leighton's pad, before Ennis swooped in from the right side and scored his second goal of the game.

The Sabres survived despite blowing a 3-0 lead, after Ennis, Thomas Vanek and Marc-Andre Gragnani had scored in the first period.

Ryan Miller made 36 saves.?James van Riemsdyk and Andrej Meszaros scored in the second period, before Danny Briere tied it for the Flyers at 3:36 of the third period.

"All I know, is I wanted to score the winner," Ennis said. "I just wanted to be the guy who ended it."

Philadelphia, the No. 2 seed in the East, is missing Jeff Carter and Chris Pronger and is on its third goalie of the series. The Flyers biggest problem could come on Sunday, when Buffalo is poised to send the defending Eastern Conference champions home for the offseason.

Staked to the early lead, it seemed over Philadelphia. Miller has two 1-0 victories in the series and appeared to again stump the Flyers. Not for long.

After van Riemsdyk and Meszaros scored in the second, Briere stuck it to his former team when his backhander off a behind-the-net feed from Mike Richards tied it 3-3.

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Texas trio declare for NBA draft

Austin Texas — Texas players Tristan Thompson, Jordan Hamilton and Cory Joseph are all declaring for the NBA draft.

Team spokesman Scott McConnell said Friday that Hamilton, a sophomore, plans to sign with an agent, which would immediately end his college eligibility.

Thompson and Joseph, both freshman last season, plan to submit their names but will hold off on signing an agent. That will allow them to return to Texas if they choose to.

The NBA deadline for underclassmen to submit their names to the NBA is Sunday. The NCAA allows them to withdraw by May 8 and still maintain their college eligibility.

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Kokubo delivers game-winning single in ninth

KAGOSHIMA — Hiroki Kokubo made his first hit of the season an unforgettable one, roping a game-winning single in the ninth inning as the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-4 on Saturday afternoon.

Look of determination: Lions southpaw Kazuhisa Ishii fires a pitch against the Buffaloes during Saturday's game. Seibu beat Orix 4-0. KYODO PHOTO

Kokubo, who was playing in his second game of the year after returning from a right-thumb injury he sustained in the season opener, hit a two-out single to deep center with runners at first and second, bringing home Yuichi Honda for the winning run at Kamoike Stadium.

"It feels like a dream to me, I'm exhilarated," said Kokubo after lifting Softbank to its third win in a row.

"My other four at-bats weren't very good, and since I was selected to start today, I felt a lot of responsibility. I am glad we got the win," the Hawks captain said.

"My first hit of the season become a memorable one," said Kokubo, who grounded out twice, flied out and struck out swinging in his other trips to the plate.

The Hawks' Seiichi Uchikawa continued his hot hitting, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

Saburo Omura hit a solo homer for Lotte.

The Marines scored two runs off Softbank closer Takahiro Mahara to tie it 4-4 in the top of the ninth, but couldn't seal the deal in front of 19,002.

Lions 4, Buffaloes 0

At Osaka's Kyocera Dome, Kazuhisa Ishii dominated over seven shutout innings, Takeya Nakamura and Jose Fernandez hit solo homers and Seibu stopped a five-game skid in a win against Orix.

Takumi Kuriyama broke up a pitchers' duel with a two-run double off Shinya Nakayama (0-2) with two outs in the seventh.

The Buffaloes, who mustered just four hits, lost their fourth in five games.

Eagles 4, Fighters 3

At Kobe's Hotto Motto Field, Randy Ruiz smacked a towering homer leading off the bottom of the ninth, giving Tohoku Rakuten a "sayonara" win over Hokkaido Nippon Ham.

Ruiz worked the count to 2-2, swinging for a strike on one slider and fighting off two more from Keisuke Tanimoto (0-1) before he launched the fourth one into the seats in left-center. Rookie Manabu Mima (1-1) got his first pro win.

The Fighters saw their winning streak end at five games.

CENTRAL LEAGUE

Carp 6, Swallows 6 (9)

At Hiroshima's Mazda Stadium, Tokyo Yakult rallied from a five-run deficit to earn a tie against Hiroshima after the game ended in nine innings because of the power-saving rule implemented following the March 11 earthquake.

Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, featuring a game-tying solo blast with one out in the ninth.

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Cox to begin competing for Britain

London — American 400-meter runner Shana Cox will represent Britain beginning in November after the IAAF approved her switch of nationalities.

The 26-year-old Cox could compete for her adopted country at the 2012 Olympics in London, where both her parents were born. The New York-born Cox was the 2008 NCAA champion in the 400 and part of Penn State's winning 4x400 relay. Her personal best of 50.84 seconds in the 400 trails only three active British women, including Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu.

Cox says "this is something I've always wanted... and I'm looking forward to being part of an amazing team."

Tiffany Ofili, a U.S.-born sprint hurdler, and Anguilla-born longjumper Shara Proctor also recently switched allegiances to Britain.

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Glavine wants to own Thrashers

Atlanta — Former Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said Thursday he would like to be part of an ownership group that keeps the NHL Thrashers in Atlanta.

Glavine told an Atlanta radio station he hopes to organize an ownership group.

"I'm trying on my end," Glavine told 790 The Zone. "No promises. We'll see what happens."

Bruce Levenson, one of the lead owners seeking to sell the Thrashers, said Glavine has expressed preliminary interest in the team.

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Saturday, April 23, 2011

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Houllier awaits tests at hospital

Birmingham, England — Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier was in a "comfortable" condition on Thursday after being hospitalized and will not be in charge of the team for this weekend's Premier League match against Stoke.

Villa said Houllier was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday night and will remain there "for several days" while he undergoes more tests.

The club didn't specify the exact nature of Houllier's problem. "I spoke with him this morning... and he sounded very positive," Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner said.

The 63-year-old Frenchman will temporarily relinquish firstteam duties to assistant coach Gary McAllister, who took training on Thursday and will be in charge for Saturday's home match at Villa Park.

Houllier had open heart surgery in October 2001 while manager of Liverpool, and was out of the game for five months.

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Orix right-hander Park holds Lions in check

OSAKA — Park Chan Ho gave a vintage performance over seven shutout innings on Friday, leading the way in the Orix Buffaloes' 2-0 win over the Seibu Lions.

Quality outing: Buffaloes starter Park Chan Ho keeps the Lions off the scoreboard for seven innings on Friday as Orix defeated Seibu 2-0. KYODO PHOTO

The 37-year-old South Korean, who had stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers in his heyday from 1994-2001 and last played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010, allowed three hits, struck out six and walked four at Kyocera Dome.

The veteran right-hander was instrumental in helping Orix snap a three-game losing streak.

"This was a very significant game for us. One of our catchers got hurt (in the third inning). I have to take my hat off to the two catchers that helped me pitch a great game tonight," Park said.

Park yielded three runs in 6 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles in his first start in Japan on April 15, but prevailed this time in another nail biter.

Mamoru Kishida worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season.

Koji Yamasaki had a sac fly in the second inning and Hirotoshi Kitagawa chipped in with an RBI single in the third.

Kazuhisa Makita (0-1) took the loss for Seibu, which has lost five straight.

Fighters 4, Eagles 3

At Hotto Motto Field, Yang Dai-kang hit a tiebreaking RBI single to shallow left field in the top of the ninth and Hokkaido Nippon Ham held off Tohoku Rakuten to pick up its fifth win in a row.

Kensuke Tanaka tied the game with his two-out, RBI single, setting the stage for Yang's heroics with runners on first and second. Bobby Keppel (1-0) got the win and Ryan Speier (0-1) was tagged for the loss for the Eagles.

CENTRAL LEAGUE

Tigers 4, BayStars 3

At Koshien Stadium, Takahiro Arai came to the rescue with a walk-off RBI double with two outs in the ninth inning as Hanshin avoided consecutive defeats with a win over Yokohama.

Hanshin closer Kyuji Fujikawa (1-0) fanned three in the ninth for the win. Matt Murton had an RBI double in the second and a game-tying solo homer in the seventh against reliever Clayton Hamilton.

Shigeru Kaga (1-1) took the loss for the BayStars, who have lost five in a row.

Yokohama slugger Terrmel Sledge hit his CL-leading sixth homer.

Swallows 5, Carp 0

At Mazda Stadium, Hitoshi Yamamoto went seven scoreless innings as Tokyo Yakult notched its third straight shutout, beating Hiroshima for its fifth consecutive victory.

Yamamoto (1-0), making his first start of the season, gave up two singles, struck out five with two free passes on the night en route to his first career victory.

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Kemp's HR lifts L.A. in 12th

Beating the throw: Boston's Carl Crawford steals second base as the Angels' Erick Aybar applies a late tag in the fourth inning on Thursday night. The Red Sox beat the Angels 4-2 in 11 innings. AP PHOTO

Los Angeles — Matt Kemp hit his second game-ending homer in five days, connecting in the 12th inning Thursday to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Atlanta Braves 5-3.

Both teams were down to their final strike much earlier.

David Ross hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the ninth off Clayton Kershaw to put the Braves ahead 3-2.

Casey Blake, who had homered earlier, hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom half off Craig Kimbrel to make it 3-3.

Andre Ethier doubled with one out in the Dodgers' 12th against Christhian Martinez (0-1). Kemp drove an 0-2 pitch over the fence in left-center for his fourth homer of the season.

"Matty's awesome," Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw said. "I told him what an incredible job he did and thanks for picking me up. In that situation, where both bullpens are getting eaten up, for Matty to pull it out like that with an 0-2 count, it was an awesome at-bat."

Phillies 3, Padres 0

In San Diego, Roy Oswalt and three relievers pitched a combined four-hitter and Philadelphia beat the Padres, who have been shut out a major league-leading five times in 19 games.

Reds 7, Diamondbacks 4

In Cincinnati, Mike Leake got razzed by a few fans during his first appearance since a shoplifting arrest, but ignored the nasty signs and gave the Reds a much-needed boost, going seven innings to beat Arizona.

Leake (3-0) led Cincinnati to only its second win in eight games. He allowed three runs and fanned six in his longest outing of the season.

It was a rough week for Leake, a 23-year-old pitcher who was the Reds' top draft pick last June. Police reports said he removed the tags from six shirts at a Macy's store downtown on Monday and tried to leave without paying for them. The shirts were valued at $59.88.

Cardinals 5, Nationals 0

In St. Louis, Kyle Lohse threw a career-best two-hitter and Matt Holliday kept his average near .500 with a two-run homer and single as the Cardinals beat Washington.

Albert Pujols added a two-run homer off Collin Balester in a three-run eighth for St. Louis. The Cardinals took two of three from the Nationals and has won eight of 11 overall.

Mets 9, Astros 1

In New York, David Wright ended his career-worst 0-for-20 drought with a homer and a two-run double, Chris Capuano pitched seven sharp innings and the Mets welcomed Jason Bay back to their lineup with a romp over Houston.

Marlins 9, Pirates 5

In Miami, Scott Cousins hit a grand slam for his first career home run, Brett Hayes added a three-run shot and Florida beat Pittsburgh to finish off a three-game sweep.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Mariners 1, Athletics 0

In Seattle, Felix Hernandez took a shutout into the eighth inning and Adam Kennedy's home run was all the Mariners needed to beat Oakland.

Hernandez (2-2), last year's Cy Young Award winner, allowed four singles, two by Cliff Pennington and one by David DeJesus and Josh Willingham.

Hernandez struck out eight and walked three.

Ichiro Suzuki was 0-for-3 for Seattle.

Twins 3, Orioles 1

In Baltimore, Jim Thome hit his 591st career home run and had two RBIs to back a dominating pitching performance by Scott Baker, and Minnesota beat the Orioles to salvage a split of the four-game series.

Red Sox 4, Angels 2 (11)

In Anaheim, Adrian Gonzalez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the 11th, and last-place Boston hung on for its fifth win in six games, topping Los Angeles.

Royals 3, Indians 2

In Kansas City, Melky Cabrera rifled a bases-loaded, two-run single into left field off Cleveland closer Chris Perez with one out in the ninth, lifting the Royals to a victory over the Indians.

White Sox 9, Rays 2

In St. Petersburg, Fla., Omar Vizquel, A.J. Pierzynski, Carlos Quentin and Paul Konerko each drove in two runs and Chicago stopped a seven-game losing streak.

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Chelsea's play making it tough to fire Ancelotti

LONDON — Carlo Ancelotti is giving Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich a problem.

All informed reports suggest the Russian billionaire is set to make Ancelotti his next ex-manager this summer, but Chelsea keeps winning. Wednesday's 3-1 victory over Birmingham saw the Blues move above Arsenal into second place, six points behind Manchester United, which must play both the London powerhouses in the coming weeks.

Could Abramovich really sack Ancelotti if Chelsea retains its title?

At any other club the question would not even be asked, but Abramovich is a man unbothered by compensation and has shown to have bouts of unpredictable knee-jerk reactions.

Chelsea, six wins from its last seven league games, plays relegation-threatened West Ham Saturday after United takes on in-form Everton.

On Sunday, Arsenal travels to Bolton where it can expect a reaction from the home side's 5-0 thrashing by Stoke in the F.A. Cup semifinal a week ago. Most neutrals would consider a humble bet on Chelsea winning the best investment.

Ancelotti appears to have, at least temporarily, given up on ?50 million Fernando Torres, whose appearances as a substitute against Birmingham made it 13 games and almost 900 minutes without a goal since his transfer from Liverpool.

The Italian has restored Didier Drogba to the focal point of the attack and he is showing all the hunger, passion, power and leadership qualities lacking in Torres' game.

As much as anything the team seems more comfortable without Torres and has belatedly displayed the qualities that saw it complete the double last season. Even if Chelsea (or Arsenal) wins every game, it still needs United to slip up elsewhere, with Everton the chasing pack's best hope of upsetting the Reds.

United also has the distraction, albeit one Chelsea and Arsenal would like, of a Champions League semifinal against Schalke. Manchester City showed in the F.A. Cup semifinal that United is beatable, and how impotent it was without the suspended Wayne Rooney, who is available again against his former club Everton.

One thing is clear: Chelsea will not relinquish its English crown without a fight even though Ancelotti conceded: "I would rather be in United's place."

Chelsea has banned further questions about Ancelotti's future but there is little more he can say. He has given the impression of someone who knows his days are numbered, his philosophical attitude no doubt influenced by the ?5 million payoff he would receive.

It is difficult to find anyone who believes Ancelotti is not the right man for the job, though in the past week Harry Redknapp, Jose Mourinho, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten have all been "set" to take over this summer according to various "exclusives."

Abramovich, or rather his millions, have made Chelsea into the force it is, but he appears to be so obsessed about winning the Champions League he will continue to fire managers until his ambition is achieved.

* * *

ARSENAL, YET again, showed it lacks the backbone to be the champion by throwing away leads against Liverpool and Tottenham. The 3-3 draw with Spurs on Wednesday was the game of the season, with Arsenal playing some breathtaking football. But its display at White Hart Lane mirrored a season of frustration and underachievement.

With Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott running riot, the Gunners led 3-1 after 40 minutes. Yet again they were unable to hold on to a lead and see the game out, the second time this season they have squandered a two-goal advantage against their North London rivals.

They were also ahead against Liverpool last Sunday, almost impossibly, they threw away a four-goal lead at Newcastle and they lost the League Cup final 2-1 after scoring the opening goal against Birmingham.

The current Premier League is not one of vintage quality, and Arsenal, five draws in its last six matches, looks like it has missed a golden opportunity to win the title.

In contrast, Spurs have picked up 22 points from losing positions this season.

Under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal has played the best football in England, but six years without a trophy (assuming it does not win the title) has understandably seen some of his methods questioned. Arsenal has the beauty, but it also needs some of the best players like Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Patrick Vieira provided.

The frailties that are obvious to others have been ignored by Wenger. Arsenal looks to have a goalkeeper of stature in Wojciech Szczesny, but Wenger should have invested in a top-class e_SSRqkeeper rather than persist with Manuel Almunia for the last three years. Wenger has signed cultured, ball-playing defenders who lack the physical or mental strength John Terry gives Chelsea or Nemanja Vidic gives United.

Producing players rather than buying them is an admirable policy, but Wenger has failed Arsenal by not investing in a superstar or two. It is difficult to think of anyone who could do a better job for Arsenal than Wenger, though the Frenchman needs to change his transfer policy or else the years without a trophy will continue.

Wenger, the Arsenal players, the Arsenal fans . . . just about everybody knows the Gunners appear to have thrown away a Premier League title that was well within their grasp. Six years and counting.

Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.

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Wade, Heat handle 76ers

PHILADELPHIA — Hours before Game 3, Dwyane Wade had that big-game feeling.

Boxed in: Philadelphia's Elton Brand is guarded by Miami's Chris Bosh (center) and LeBron James in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday night. The Heat won 100-94 and lead the series 3-0. AP PHOTO

Wade's 36 miserable hours of migraine headaches had passed, his head was clear and his game, well, he would prove his game was back in championship form.

"I don't have to worry about bright lights," Wade said.

Was he ever fantastic under the postseason spotlight.

Wade had 32 points and 10 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 24 points and 15 boards and the Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 100-94 victory Thursday night.

"I felt a lot better," Wade said. "My game felt better. I think my teammates could see it."

The Heat saw it from the opening tip. Wade was driving, attacking, dunking — playing his game at full blast the way he couldn't in Game 2. He even fought through another familiar malady, a banged-up shoulder that needed ice and treatment.

Wade delivered with a string of big baskets — he was 10 of 19 from the field overall — in the third and fourth quarters that spurred Miami to the brink of the conference semifinals. He drew a foul on a spin move against Jrue Holiday and hit two free throws with 51.6 seconds left that about clinched the game.

Wade missed practice before Game 2 with a migraine headache. He was slowed in Game 2 by the lingering effects of the headache and scored a combined 31 points in the first two games.

"He understood we needed something a little bit more," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Holiday scored 20 points, Lou Williams finished with 15 and Elton Brand had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers.

Bulls 88, Pacers 84

Indianapolis, Derrick Rose scored 23 points, including the go-ahead layup with 17.8 seconds left, to help Chicago take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

Indiana's Danny Granger had a chance to win it at the end, but he missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds. He led the Pacers with 21 points.

Trail Blazers 97, Mavericks 92

In Portland, Wesley Matthews had 25 points and Portland cut Dallas' lead in the first-round playoff series to 2-1.

Jason Terry had 29 points for the Mavericks, including five 3-pointers.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 20 points for the Blazers, while Brandon Roy had 16 off the bench.

Minneapolis AP

Kevin Love has the NBA's Most Improved Player award. Now the challenge is to help his Minnesota Timberwolves become next season's most improved team.

There's nowhere to go but up for the Wolves, whose 17-65 record was the worst in the league. That didn't keep Love from making the All-Star team and adding to his trophy collection with the MIP award on Thursday.

"Kevin deserves an enormous amount of credit, not only for what he accomplished on the court but for the kind of dedication and the fortitude he exhibited a year ago today all the way through last summer," said David Kahn, the team's basketball boss.

Love was a runaway winner, getting 66 of a possible 116 first-place votes and 400 points from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NBA. LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers was second with 157 points.

Love averaged 20.2 points and led the league with 15.2 rebounds per game this season.

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Clowe scores pair as Sharks move out to 3-1 lead on Kings

Diving attempt: San Jose's Jason Demers (left) and Los Angeles' Jarret Stoll vie for the puck in the second period of Game 4 on Thursday night. The Sharks beat the Kings 6-3 to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series. AP PHOTO

LOS, Angeles — The Sharks and Kings skated through a scoreless opening period. Then Scott Nichol lured Los Angeles star defenseman Drew Doughty off the ice with offsetting roughing penalties, opening the door to three straight goals by San Jose.

The Kings never fully recovered.

Ryane Clowe scored twice, Jason Demers added another goal in the second period and the Sharks won 6-3 on Thursday night to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.

"Nichol is the reason why they won," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "Three goals were directly responsible for Nichol's game."

Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski scored in a 54-second span early in the third and Torrey Mitchell followed with his first goal of the playoffs to extend the Sharks' lead.

"I don't know what it is," Doughty said. "They're scoring easy goals. We're giving them tap-in goals and that's not something we usually do."

The Sharks return to San Jose for Game 5 on Saturday night having swept the Kings on their home ice.

"It's a great opportunity," Clowe said. "You take a 3-1 lead and you're going back to home ice to wrap it up. We should be fired up and we should want to close it out right there."

Los Angeles gave up 12 goals in its two home games.

"That's embarrassing," Jack Johnson said. "We're not going to win a game if they score six goals a game. We're a defensive team and if we're letting in that many goals we're in a lot of trouble."

The Kings had a 5-on-3 for much of the final 3 minutes after Dany Heatley was penalized for tripping and Nichol got a 10-minute misconduct, but they failed to convert. The frustrated Kings got two 10-minute misconducts themselves in the closing seconds.

Blackhawks 5, Canucks 0

In Vancouver, defenseman Duncan Keith had two goals and two assists and Chicago stayed alive in its Stanley Cup title defense, routing Vancouver to cut the Canucks' lead to 3-2 in the first-round series.

Marian Hossa, with his first two goals of the series, and Patrick Kane, with his first, also scored, and rookie Corey Crawford made 36 saves for his first playoff shutout.

Since losing the first three games of the best-of-seven series, the Blackhawks dominated a Canucks team that it eliminated from the playoffs the last two seasons.

Bruins 5, Canadiens 4 (OT)

In Montreal, Michael Ryder scored 1:59 into overtime to give Boston a victory over the Canadiens, tying the Eastern Conference series 2-2.

Ryder, the former Montreal winger who also scored in the second period, took Chris Kelly's pass from behind the net and shot past Carey Price to give Boston its second victory in a row at the Bell Centre after the Bruins dropped the first two games at home.

Kelly brought Boston even for the third time in the game, scoring with 6:18 left in the third period. He put away a loose puck at his feet in the goalmouth for his second of the series.

Patrice Bergeron and Andrew Ference added goals for the Bruins. Tim Thomas made 34 saves.

Michael Cammalleri had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens.

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Experience has taught Nakamura how to persevere

YOKOHAMA — If the J. League is looking for inspiration as it prepares to restart the season on Saturday, Shunsuke Nakamura knows more than a thing or two about triumph over adversity.

No looking back: Yokohama F. Marinos midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, who played overseas for several seasons, says he has no regrets about the way his career has gone. AP

The Yokohama F. Marinos midfielder is one of hundreds of players getting ready to return to action this weekend, six weeks after the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan's northeast coast and cast the new J. League campaign into limbo with only one round of games played.

Nakamura, however, is more than just another player. A legend in Japanese soccer with 98 caps to his name and a bulging medal collection from four gilded years in Scotland with Celtic, Nakamura returned to Marinos early last season to see out his playing days at the club where it all began.

If that suggests a career of unfettered success, however, the reality is somewhat different. Last year's demotion from national team linchpin to World Cup bench-warmer was just the latest in a series of disappointments for a player who has inspired as many naysayers as disciples, and marked a cruel end to an international career that never had the chance to truly flourish on the biggest stage.

For all the setbacks, however, Nakamura's enthusiasm remains as strong as ever.

"Since the earthquake, everyone has been collecting money and doing other things to help," he said at Marinos' training ground earlier this week. "The fixture schedule changed after we had played only one game, and that has made it difficult to keep in good condition. So after all that, I'm glad that the J. League is about to restart. After everything that has happened, I want to help bring a bit of good news to people and give them something to enjoy."

Having retired from the national team after the World Cup, that enjoyment will have to come from watching Nakamura wear the blue of Yokohama alone.

"Now I only have to play in the J. League, and at my age that makes it easier to stay in shape," the 32-year-old said. "In the past, when I was in Italy or Scotland, it took a long time to come back to Japan by plane and it left me tired. Now I can concentrate only on Marinos and my family.

"Marinos was the club that I belonged to and supported when I was young, so coming back here only makes me happy."

But Nakamura's return to Yokohama last February was not quite so simple. An expected transfer after leaving Celtic in the summer of 2009 failed to materialize when he instead accepted an offer from Spanish side Espanyol, finally arriving at Marinos eight months later when it became clear that his failure to make an impact in La Liga was jeopardizing his place on the national team.

e_SDLqTransferring from one club to another is not an easy process, so what happens happens," he said. "I didn't play so many games in Spain and I wasn't able to show what I could do in that half-year. But it would be a waste not to use that experience, and in that sense it was a very important time for me. I don't wish that I had come direct from Scotland to Marinos, because going to Spain was a valuable experience."

The price he would ultimately pay for that experience, however, was his starting place in Japan's World Cup team. With Nakamura struggling for form and fitness and the national team heading to South Africa on the back of a string of poor results, manager Takeshi Okada took drastic action in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

A tactical reshuffle meant Nakamura was consigned to the bench, and he stayed there for all but the final 26 minutes of Japan's first-round defeat to the Netherlands. Having been left out of the 2002 World Cup squad and failing to do himself justice in 2006, the impact was devastating.

"I don't know if disappointed is the word," he said. "I didn't expect it — I didn't even play. It felt like my whole world had collapsed. But it was just one more experience for me, and I wanted the team to do well so I knew I had to get over it and do what I could. But it was disappointing."

Players with a weaker mentality would have crumbled in the same situation, but Nakamura has suffered enough disappointment to know that there is always a way back.

e_SDLqWhen you are lacking in something, you have to be humble enough to recognize that," he said. "For example, if I'm playing well and the manager substitutes me, rather than think 'this guy doesn't know what he's doing,' I'm the type to ask myself 'What is it that I haven't done well enough?'

"At the World Cup it was the same. I thought about what it was that I wasn't doing well enough and what I would have to do to overcome that.

"It's about the ability to take a good look at yourself and see where you're going wrong. Of course there are times when that doesn't work, but it all depends on how you reflect on what has happened and use it to move upward. That's a habit I've had since long ago."

Having now entered the final phase of his career, Nakamura certainly has plenty to reflect on.

"There is nothing that I wish I had done differently," he said. "Maybe I should have gone to Spain instead of Italy when I first went to Europe. But I've given my all in everything I've done, and if something didn't work, then I thought about why it went wrong. But I've got no regrets."

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Johnson vows more cash for Kings

Sacramento, Calif. — Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson has pledged additional money as part of a regional effort to persuade NBA officials to keep the Kings in California's capital.

Johnson told NBA officials in Sacramento on Thursday that he has $ 9.2 million in commitments for new advertising, ticket purchases and other financial support from regional businesses and other backers. That’s up from the $ 7 million he presented to league owners at the NBA Board of Governors meeting last week.

Johnson and other political and business leaders in the area were meeting with Oklahoma City Thunder owner and relocation committee chairman Clay Bennett and league attorney Harvey Benjamin on Thursday and Friday.

The Kings have until May 2 to request permission to relocate to Anaheim.

Friday, April 22, 2011

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MLB assumes control of disjointed Dodgers

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is taking the extraordinary step of assuming control of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team increasingly paralyzed by its owners' bitter divorce.

Once among baseball's glamour franchises, the Dodgers have been consumed by infighting since Jamie McCourt filed for divorce after 30 years of marriage in October 2009, one week after her husband fired her as the team's chief executive. Frank McCourt accused Jamie of having an affair with her bodyguard-driver and performing poorly at work.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig told Frank McCourt on Wednesday he will appoint a MLB representative to oversee all aspects of the business and the day-to-day operations of the club.

At the same time, Frank McCourt was preparing to sue MLB, a baseball executive familiar with the situation said, speaking on condition of anonymity because McCourt had not made any statements.

"I have taken this action because of my deep concerns regarding the finances and operations of the Dodgers and to protect the best interests of the club," Selig said in a statement.

Seven hours after Selig made his announcement, Frank McCourt issued a statement expressing puzzlement.

"Major League Baseball sets strict financial guidelines, which all 30 teams must follow," McCourt said. "The Dodgers are in compliance with these guidelines. On this basis, it is hard to understand the commissioner's action today."

A person familiar with Selig's thinking said the commissioner may choose to force a sale. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because Selig's statement did not mention that.

"I consider it a sad day for baseball and a sad day for the Dodgers," general manager Ned Colletti said.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly had his 50th birthday Wednesday. He said he saw the news on television and then Colletti talked to the team.

"It's hard to imagine it would happen somewhere like the Dodgers, but there's crazy stuff going on everywhere. You're seeing monster major banks going down, so obviously it can happen," Mattingly said before the game against Atlanta at Dodger Stadium.

Baseball officials could not recall another instance in modern times when the commissioner seized control of a team from its owner. Before Tom Hicks sold the Texas Rangers last year, Selig appointed John McHale to monitor the Rangers but technically left Hicks in charge of the franchise while McHale worked behind the scenes..

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Weaver ups record to 5-0

Backhand stab: St. Louis third baseman Daniel Descalso goes to the ground to field a grounder off the bat of Danny Espinosa in the third inning of the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Descalso threw out Espinosa on the play. AP PHOTO

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jered Weaver became the major league's first five-game winner, striking out eight in a six-hitter for the Los Angeles Angels in a 4-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Howie Kendrick and Vernon Wells homered for Los Angeles, which has won 11 of its last 14 games. Jeff Mathis drove in a run on a suicide squeeze and also scored.

It was the fifth career complete game for Weaver (5-0), who lowered his ERA to 1.23. The right-hander had no walks while throwing 80 of his 119 pitches for strikes.

Matt Harrison (3-1) struck out five while allowing three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. The Rangers have lost six of eight.

Indians 7, Royals 5

In Kansas City, Justin Masterson remained unbeaten in four decisions and Cleveland, after being stymied for five innings by Luke Hochevar, rallied to beat the Royals.

Masterson (4-0) shut down Kansas City after allowing two runs in the first.

Red Sox 5, Athletics 3

In Oakland, Kevin Youkilis and Jed Lowrie homered off the previously untouchable Gio Gonzalez and Boston got its first road win of the season after seven straight losses, beating the Athletics.

Hideki Matsui went 2-for-4 with a walk for Oakland.

Yankees 6, Blue Jays 2

In Toronto, Bartolo Colon pitched into the seventh inning to earn his first win in two years and Curtis Granderson homered for New York.

Colon (1-1) allowed two runs and five hits in 6? innings to win for the first time since May 26, 2009, when he led the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

The 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out seven and walked two in his first major league start since July 24, 2009, for the White Sox.

Rays 4, White Sox 1

In St. Petersburg, Fla., Wade Davis pitched seven solid innings, John Jaso homered and Tampa Bay won for the eighth time in nine games.

Orioles 5, Twins 4

In Baltimore, Matt Wieters and Vladimir Guerrero homered, and Adam Jones drove in two runs to lead the Orioles to their second straight victory after an eight-game skid.

Tigers 3, Mariners 2

In Seattle, Rick Porcello pitched 6? innings of one-run ball, leading Detroit to the win.

The Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Rockies 10, Giants 2

In Denver, Jorge De La Rosa overcame a shaky start to pitch seven sharp innings and Ty Wigginton tied a career high with four RBIs, helping Colorado beat San Francisco.

De La Rosa (3-0) gave up two runs and four hits to help the Rockies salvage the finale of the three-game series against the surging Giants.

Buster Posey had both RBIs for San Francisco.

Phillies 4, Brewers 3

In Philadelphia, Shane Victorino hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Placido Polanco had a three-run shot, leading the Phillies to the win.

Nationals 8, Cardinals 6 (1st)

Cardinals 5, Nationals 3 (2nd)

In St. Louis, Lance Berkman had three hits and two RBIs and the Cardinals got four innings of one-hit relief in a Game 2 victory that gave them a doubleheader split.

Laynce Nix homered and drove in two runs in Game 1 for Washington, which chased Jake Westbrook (1-2) with a six-run third.

Jaime Garcia (3-0) allowed one earned run in five-plus innings and Colby Rasmus got his fourth RBI of the day as the Redbirds won the nightcap.

Cubs 2, Padres 1 (11) (1st)

Padres 5, Cubs 4 (2nd)

In Chicago, Ryan Ludwick had three hits, including one of the Padres' three home runs, and San Diego salvaged a split of a doubleheader.

Cameron Maybin and Chris Denorfia also homered off Cubs starter James Russell (1-3) as the Padres rebounded from a loss in 11 innings in the afternoon opener. The teams were forced to play the doubleheader after Tuesday night's game was rained out.

Chicago's Kosuke Fukudome was 4-for-7 on the day, including a two-out single in the ninth inning of the nightcap.

Dodgers 6, Braves 1

In Los Angeles, Jon Garland tossed a four-hit complete game on Dodgers rookie manager Don Mattingly's 50th birthday.

Andre Ethier had three hits, including his 100th career homer, to extend his hitting streak to a major league-best 17 games.

Diamondbacks 3, Reds 1

In Cincinnati, Ian Kennedy overcame a nasty spill on the mound while pitching into the sixth, and Arizona earned its third consecutive win.

Astros 4, Mets 3

In New York, Hunter Pence hit a blistering go-ahead home run in the eighth to spark Houston.

Marlins 6, Pirates 0

In Miami, Chris Coghlan drove in three runs, two of them on a second-inning infield single, and Ricky Nolasco struck out eight in seven innings for Florida.

Arthur the Good Sport

Join Arthur, D.W., and all their pals in a fun-filled animated series based on Marc Brown's best-selling children's books. Each video includes three great adventures! The Good Sport When the Athlete of the Year Award doesn't go to Francine, she makes no effort to hide her hurt feelings from Jenna, the recipient. Michelle Kwan, world champion figure skater and graduate of Lakewood Elementary, guest stars to teach Francine about being a good sport. Muffy's Soccer Shocker Muffy's proud that her dad is the new soccer coach until he exhausts the team with demanding drills like the shock absorber! Even if Muffy survives playing goalie in the big game, will the team survive her dad? Francine Frensky, Olympic Rider All her life, Francine has dreamed of owning a horse. Her secret goal is to be an Olympic equestrienne but first she has to learn to ride!

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Lakers target Paul, get Game 2 victory

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant barely made a ripple on offense for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was too busy ensuring Chris Paul didn't make another huge splash that could have put the Lakers in a cavernous playoff hole.

Heading for the lane: Kobe Bryant of the Lakers drives past New Orleans' Trevor Ariza in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday night. The Lakers won 87-78 to tie the series 1-1. AP PHOTO

Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Lamar Odom scored 16 points, and the Lakers survived quiet offensive games from their two biggest stars to even their first-round playoff series with an 87-78 victory over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Ron Artest added 15 points as the two-time defending champions rebounded from a stunning nine-point loss in the series opener with Bryant leading an improved defensive effort against Paul, who still had 20 points and nine assists after shredding Los Angeles' defense in Game 1.

"We stayed in front of him for the most part," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He made some big plays for them . . . but I think we did a better job being attentive to him, and that's as good as it gets right now."

Los Angeles spent the past two days scheming ways to prevent a repeat of Paul's 33-point, 14-assist dissection of their defense in Game 1. Bryant's snarling intensity was obvious when he took his turn guarding Paul, jumping on him with full-court pressure and even battling him for inconsequential inbound passes midway through the game.

"We had a good rhythm today," Bryant said. "We found something we can hang our hats on in terms of the intensity and the aggression that we played with. Going up to New Orleans, I think that environment will bring it out."

Game 3 is Friday night in New Orleans.

Trevor Ariza scored 22 points for the Hornets, who committed 16 turnovers after making just three in Game 1.

Spurs 93, Grizzlies 87

In San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 17 points in the All-Star's return after missing Game 1 with an elbow sprain, and the Spurs beat Memphis to even the first-round series. 1-1.

Ginobili wore a thick sleeve to protect his right elbow but played as physically reckless as usual.

Sam Young had 17 points for the Grizzlies, who opened the series with their first franchise playoff win.

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. George Hill and Richard Jefferson added 16 apiece.

Zach Randolph scored 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting and Marc Gasol had 12 points, and 17 rebounds for Memphis.

Thunder 106, Nuggets 89

In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 23 points, Russell Westbrook added 21 and the Thunder built a big first-half lead on the way to a victory over Denver in Game 2 on Wednesday.

The first-round playoff series shifts to Denver on Saturday night with Oklahoma City leading 2-0.

Ty Lawson scored 20 points to lead the Nuggets.

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Swallows' Tateyama hurls five-hit shutout

Wladimir Balentien got hit in the face with a shaving cream pie during his hero interview.

Shut 'em down: Swallows right-hander Shohei Tateyama holds the Dragons to five hits in Tokyo Yakult's 2-0 win on Thursday at Jingu Stadium. KYODO PHOTO

As for Shohei Tateyama? Well, he didn't get hit by much.

Tateyama tossed a five-hit shutout and Balentien hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to help the Tokyo Yakult Swallows finish off a three-game sweep of the Chunichi Dragons with a 2-0 win on a cloudy Thursday afternoon at Jingu Stadium.

"I saw Yoshinori throw a shutout against the Dragons," Tateyama said, referring to the three-hit shutout teammate Yoshinori Sato tossed against Chunichi on Wednesday. "Watching Yoshinori pitch gave me a good idea about the Dragons' batters."

Tateyama (1-0) struck out three, walked three and threw 123 pitches. He was rarely in trouble and induced double-play groundballs after each of his three walks.

"I had a good pace today," Tateyama said.

"Everyone was playing really well behind me," he later added.

Chunichi was held without an extra-base hit and never managed more than one hit in a single inning against Tateyama.

"His control was good," Yakult catcher Ryoji Aikawa said of Tateyama. "His forkball was really effective and he was able to get outs with it. Because his forkball was good, he was able to throw strikes and get outs with his fastball, shuuto and slider."

Balentien provided Tateyama with all the run support he needed with his two-run homer in the fourth, the only extra-base hit of the afternoon.

"I feel very good to give my pitcher a push and a couple of runs," Balentien said. "Because he was pitching very well and he needed a couple of runs to win this game."

The Swallows outfielder flashed some glove in the eighth, giving chase to Motonobu Tanishige's flyball and making the grab on the run to rob the Chunichi veteran of a sure double.

"He hit it very well and I just tried to make a play on the ball," Balentien said.

Dragons starter Yudai Kawai had a decent outing, but was tagged with the loss after allowing both runs. Kawai (0-1) gave up five hits, struck out two and walked one over five innings.

There wasn't much in the way of offense for either side, with the Swallows settling for four singles in addition to Balentien's homer and the Dragons combining to hit five singles.

Joel Guzman led the way for Chunichi at the plate, snapping a 17 at-bat hitless streak with a 2-for-3 day.

Slam Nation: The Sport of Spoken Word

Before Russell Simmons' highly acclaimed HBO series Def Poetry Jam, SLAMNATION captured the cutthroat world of spoken-word poetry with an "energy that pulses, snaps and crackles" (Chicago Tribune), Beginning in New York City at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe's Grand Slam tournament, the film follows slam champion Saul Williams and three other top poets--Beau Sia, Mums the Schemer, and Jessica Care Moore--as they journey to the annual National Poetry Slam, the Super Bowl of spoken-word poetry. Tensions run high as they join dozens of spoken-word artists from across the nation to compete for the championship-and the cash prize. Judges, chosen randomly from the audience, score poets on a scale from 0 to 10. The drama unfolds as rivalries are revealed and controversies arise, underscoring larger questions of art versus ego and self-expression versus self-advancement. Produced and directed by Emmy award-winner Paul Devlin (Power Trip), this two-disc set includes the television spin-off Slammin' plus hours of uncensored bonus performances. SLAMNATION will expose you to the raw energy and sheer talent of some of the greatest performance poets in the world. DVD Features: Original Slammin’ TV Spin-off; "Special Play" mode with complete, uncut versions of all poems; Filmmaker Commentary with Slam co-founder Marc Smith; Uncensored Bonus Poems; Deleted Scenes; Filmmaker Biography; Poet Biographies; Resources; Theatrical Trailer; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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