Racking them up: Texas starter Yu Darvish fires a pitch against San Diego in the first inning on Wednesday. The Rangers won 4-2. APDarvish held San Diego to five hits over eight innings and got his first major league hit to help the Texas Rangers beat the Padres 4-2 on Wednesday for their sixth straight win.Darvish (9-4), who struck out eight and walked three, leads all big league rookies with nine victories. He pitched for Japan at Petco Park in the 2009 World Baseball Classic."He just couldn't find his rhythm to get the ball where he wanted to," manager Ron Washington said of Darvish, who allowed a two-run single to Padres starter Anthony Bass in the second inning."He just kept emphasizing what he needed to do. After the second inning, when they scored those runs, he finally did it," noted Washington. "Once he found it, he was on from there on. He just began to pound the strike zone. The sixth, seventh and eighth innings were innings that a good pitcher shows you he's not going to be denied. Once we took the lead, it was over."Yorvit Torrealba, who was with the Padres in 2010, drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the sixth to bring in Josh Hamilton with the go-ahead run. The Rangers swept the three-game series and improved to 12-3 in interleague play, the best in the majors this year."I asked the interpreter to tell the pitching coach, Mike Maddux, and Wash, I think it was somewhere around maybe after the third inning, I know my pitch count is up a little bit, but please don't base me getting taken out just on pitch count," Darvish said through an interpreter, after throwing 122 pitches. "I can throw into the seventh, eighth still, it's no problem. But if you guys feel like it's the right situation to take me out, or maybe my approach or the substance of my pitching is not good, then that's fine. I have no problem with that."Washington had reliever Mike Adams warming up in the eighth just in case, but Darvish finished the inning."I reminded him that we had tomorrow off so I probably would have five days between starts (as is common in Japan)," Darvish said. "Throwing 130 pitches in Japan is a matter of course"As the game went on, my body got warmed up and began to respond like I normally expect it to."Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.The Padres have lost five of six since their only three-game sweep of the season, at Seattle last week. San Diego (24-46) has the worst record in the majors.Darvish allowed multiple baserunners in the first two innings. He walked consecutive batters with one out in the first before getting Chase Headley to line out to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who doubled Cameron Maybin off second to end the inning.After Alexi Amarista's double down the left field line was interfered with by a fan, putting runners on second and third with two outs in the first, Bass singled just inside first base to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. Bass then stole the first base of his career."We had some good at-bats early," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Anthony got the big at-bat there in the second inning. We had some guys on but it seemed as the game went on, he got stronger. He threw his pitches in and around the plate more consistently."Darvish hit a broken-bat single in the third for his first big league hit. He was promptly doubled off first after Amarista, the second baseman, caught Kinsler's liner, ending the inning.Darvish wasn't all that thrilled with the hit."I think if I was a hitter I might feel extreme joy, but as a pitcher, I don't feel as much so," he said.Alberto Gonzalez, who was with San Diego last year, singled with two outs in the fifth to bring in David Murphy, who walked and stole second.Bass left with inflammation in his right shoulder after allowing one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.The Rangers went ahead in the sixth with two runs on two hits and three walks off three relievers. With one out, Michael Young singled, Hamilton doubled and Adrian Beltre walked to load the bases against Dale Thayer (0-2). Nelson Cruz grounded to Headley at third base. Rather than going for the bag and then throwing to second, Headley threw to second for the second out but Amarista's throw to first didn't get Cruz, and Young scored.Alex Hinshaw came on and walked pinch hitter Craig Gentry. Brad Boxberger came on and walked Torrealba to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.Young hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Darvish notches 9th victory
SAN DIEGO — Once Yu Darvish settled down after the second inning, the San Diego Padres didn't have a chance.Racking them up: Texas starter Yu Darvish fires a pitch against San Diego in the first inning on Wednesday. The Rangers won 4-2. APDarvish held San Diego to five hits over eight innings and got his first major league hit to help the Texas Rangers beat the Padres 4-2 on Wednesday for their sixth straight win.Darvish (9-4), who struck out eight and walked three, leads all big league rookies with nine victories. He pitched for Japan at Petco Park in the 2009 World Baseball Classic."He just couldn't find his rhythm to get the ball where he wanted to," manager Ron Washington said of Darvish, who allowed a two-run single to Padres starter Anthony Bass in the second inning."He just kept emphasizing what he needed to do. After the second inning, when they scored those runs, he finally did it," noted Washington. "Once he found it, he was on from there on. He just began to pound the strike zone. The sixth, seventh and eighth innings were innings that a good pitcher shows you he's not going to be denied. Once we took the lead, it was over."Yorvit Torrealba, who was with the Padres in 2010, drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the sixth to bring in Josh Hamilton with the go-ahead run. The Rangers swept the three-game series and improved to 12-3 in interleague play, the best in the majors this year."I asked the interpreter to tell the pitching coach, Mike Maddux, and Wash, I think it was somewhere around maybe after the third inning, I know my pitch count is up a little bit, but please don't base me getting taken out just on pitch count," Darvish said through an interpreter, after throwing 122 pitches. "I can throw into the seventh, eighth still, it's no problem. But if you guys feel like it's the right situation to take me out, or maybe my approach or the substance of my pitching is not good, then that's fine. I have no problem with that."Washington had reliever Mike Adams warming up in the eighth just in case, but Darvish finished the inning."I reminded him that we had tomorrow off so I probably would have five days between starts (as is common in Japan)," Darvish said. "Throwing 130 pitches in Japan is a matter of course"As the game went on, my body got warmed up and began to respond like I normally expect it to."Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.The Padres have lost five of six since their only three-game sweep of the season, at Seattle last week. San Diego (24-46) has the worst record in the majors.Darvish allowed multiple baserunners in the first two innings. He walked consecutive batters with one out in the first before getting Chase Headley to line out to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who doubled Cameron Maybin off second to end the inning.After Alexi Amarista's double down the left field line was interfered with by a fan, putting runners on second and third with two outs in the first, Bass singled just inside first base to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. Bass then stole the first base of his career."We had some good at-bats early," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Anthony got the big at-bat there in the second inning. We had some guys on but it seemed as the game went on, he got stronger. He threw his pitches in and around the plate more consistently."Darvish hit a broken-bat single in the third for his first big league hit. He was promptly doubled off first after Amarista, the second baseman, caught Kinsler's liner, ending the inning.Darvish wasn't all that thrilled with the hit."I think if I was a hitter I might feel extreme joy, but as a pitcher, I don't feel as much so," he said.Alberto Gonzalez, who was with San Diego last year, singled with two outs in the fifth to bring in David Murphy, who walked and stole second.Bass left with inflammation in his right shoulder after allowing one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.The Rangers went ahead in the sixth with two runs on two hits and three walks off three relievers. With one out, Michael Young singled, Hamilton doubled and Adrian Beltre walked to load the bases against Dale Thayer (0-2). Nelson Cruz grounded to Headley at third base. Rather than going for the bag and then throwing to second, Headley threw to second for the second out but Amarista's throw to first didn't get Cruz, and Young scored.Alex Hinshaw came on and walked pinch hitter Craig Gentry. Brad Boxberger came on and walked Torrealba to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.Young hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Racking them up: Texas starter Yu Darvish fires a pitch against San Diego in the first inning on Wednesday. The Rangers won 4-2. APDarvish held San Diego to five hits over eight innings and got his first major league hit to help the Texas Rangers beat the Padres 4-2 on Wednesday for their sixth straight win.Darvish (9-4), who struck out eight and walked three, leads all big league rookies with nine victories. He pitched for Japan at Petco Park in the 2009 World Baseball Classic."He just couldn't find his rhythm to get the ball where he wanted to," manager Ron Washington said of Darvish, who allowed a two-run single to Padres starter Anthony Bass in the second inning."He just kept emphasizing what he needed to do. After the second inning, when they scored those runs, he finally did it," noted Washington. "Once he found it, he was on from there on. He just began to pound the strike zone. The sixth, seventh and eighth innings were innings that a good pitcher shows you he's not going to be denied. Once we took the lead, it was over."Yorvit Torrealba, who was with the Padres in 2010, drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the sixth to bring in Josh Hamilton with the go-ahead run. The Rangers swept the three-game series and improved to 12-3 in interleague play, the best in the majors this year."I asked the interpreter to tell the pitching coach, Mike Maddux, and Wash, I think it was somewhere around maybe after the third inning, I know my pitch count is up a little bit, but please don't base me getting taken out just on pitch count," Darvish said through an interpreter, after throwing 122 pitches. "I can throw into the seventh, eighth still, it's no problem. But if you guys feel like it's the right situation to take me out, or maybe my approach or the substance of my pitching is not good, then that's fine. I have no problem with that."Washington had reliever Mike Adams warming up in the eighth just in case, but Darvish finished the inning."I reminded him that we had tomorrow off so I probably would have five days between starts (as is common in Japan)," Darvish said. "Throwing 130 pitches in Japan is a matter of course"As the game went on, my body got warmed up and began to respond like I normally expect it to."Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.The Padres have lost five of six since their only three-game sweep of the season, at Seattle last week. San Diego (24-46) has the worst record in the majors.Darvish allowed multiple baserunners in the first two innings. He walked consecutive batters with one out in the first before getting Chase Headley to line out to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who doubled Cameron Maybin off second to end the inning.After Alexi Amarista's double down the left field line was interfered with by a fan, putting runners on second and third with two outs in the first, Bass singled just inside first base to give the Padres a 2-0 lead. Bass then stole the first base of his career."We had some good at-bats early," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Anthony got the big at-bat there in the second inning. We had some guys on but it seemed as the game went on, he got stronger. He threw his pitches in and around the plate more consistently."Darvish hit a broken-bat single in the third for his first big league hit. He was promptly doubled off first after Amarista, the second baseman, caught Kinsler's liner, ending the inning.Darvish wasn't all that thrilled with the hit."I think if I was a hitter I might feel extreme joy, but as a pitcher, I don't feel as much so," he said.Alberto Gonzalez, who was with San Diego last year, singled with two outs in the fifth to bring in David Murphy, who walked and stole second.Bass left with inflammation in his right shoulder after allowing one run and three hits in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.The Rangers went ahead in the sixth with two runs on two hits and three walks off three relievers. With one out, Michael Young singled, Hamilton doubled and Adrian Beltre walked to load the bases against Dale Thayer (0-2). Nelson Cruz grounded to Headley at third base. Rather than going for the bag and then throwing to second, Headley threw to second for the second out but Amarista's throw to first didn't get Cruz, and Young scored.Alex Hinshaw came on and walked pinch hitter Craig Gentry. Brad Boxberger came on and walked Torrealba to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.Young hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Giants' Utsumi named interleague MVP
Southpaw Tetsuya Utsumi, who helped the Yomiuri Giants end the Pacific League's seven-year stranglehold on interleague championships, was named the interleague MVP on Thursday.Utsumi, who went 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in five starts against PL opponents, will receive ?2 million for the award.Giants teammate Toshiya Sugiuchi and fellow lefty Mitsuo Yoshikawa of the Nippon Ham Fighters each won the Japan Life Insurance award, worth 1 million yen. Sugiuchi threw a no-hitter against Tohoku Rakuten on May 30 and posted a 4-1 interleague record with a 1.76 ERA, while Yoshikawa went 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA.HIROSHIMA — The Hiroshima Carp announced the signing of 31-year-old first baseman Brad Eldred on Thursday. Eldred, a right-handed hitter, has played a total of 90 major league games since 2005.The Carp are fourth in the Central League in home runs with 29, but Nick Stavinoha, who leads the team with nine, is out with a season-ending injury to his left knee that will require surgery. Regular cleanup hitter Kenta Kurihara, too, will likely be out until September after having elbow surgery on May 9.The Carp are fifth in the Central League with a record of 24-31-6, three games back of fourth-place Hanshin. Eldred, who has 251 career minor league homers, has primarily been used as a designated hitter this season, although he has played first base and in the outfield.The Detroit Tigers released the right-handed hitter, who had a brief stint with the American League club after a torrid spring for Triple-A Toledo. Eldred, who was 3-for-16 with Detroit with six strikeouts, hit 24 home runs in 63 games this season for Toledo.Eldred, whose contract is for $230,000 plus incentives, will wear the No. 55 that belonged to former CL batting champ Shigenobu Shima before he was traded to the Seibu Lions in March.
Grouses need coach after Shimoji steps down
After nearly finishing with their first winning season in franchise history, the Toyama Grouses will not have Kazuaki Shimoji at the helm in 2012-13. Serious health issues appear to be the primary factor, league insiders told The Japan Times.
Short stint: Toyama Grouses coach Kazuaki Shimoji will not return for a second season due to health issues. ED ODEVENThe Eastern Conference club announced on Wednesday that Shimoji would not return for a second full season in charge. His contract had expired and that opens the door for another coach to step in.Shimoji took over as head coach in February 2011, when Kohei Eto was fired with the team stuck in last place in the Eastern Conference with an 8-18 record. Shimoji led the Grouses to a 5-13 record to close out the season.Toyama went 25-27 this past season and guard Masashi Joho became the first Grouses player to be named to the league's Best Five team. Shimoji's overall coaching record was 30-40 with the Grouses. The 35-year-old had served as an assistant coach for the Niigata Albirex BB since 2006 before joining Toyama.The Grouses were a strong rebounding team this past season, and that inside muscle — led by Devin Searcy's 10.7 boards per game (tied for the fourth-best output in the league) — gave the team their first taste of respectability since joining the league along with the Takamatsu Five Arrows as expansion clubs in the fall of 2006. (The Grouses were 61-171 in the regular season entering 2011-12.)Shimoji's departure didn't shock one league insider.On Wednesday, the source told The Japan Times, "I don't know who the next coach will be, but a (former Grouses player) told me last week that Shimoji had health problems. He said that he wouldn't be surprised if Shimoji never coaches again."One veteran coach reacted to the news this way: "What a shame. . . . Maybe back to the drawing board (for Toyama).""Mr. Shimoji has had a major heart problem, and he had big surgery on his heart three times in the past," another league insider said.The source said Shimoji had coped with Marfan Syndrome, which is described by Webster's New World College Dictionary as "a hereditary disorder characterized by abnormalities of the blood circulation and the eyes, abnormally long bones in the limbs and very mobile joints."Wikipedia cites heart defects as a major issue that people with Marfan Syndrome must cope with.While apparently enduring serious health problems, Shimoji had invigorated the Grouses and helped the franchise build for a successful future. At the same time, "he completed one of his dreams," a Hokuriku-based hoop pundit pointed out, "to become a head coach in the bj-league. But at the end of the season, he felt his (physical) condition exhausted him too much.""It is unlikely he will come back to this league for a head coaching job," the source predicted.The Grouses, Miyazaki Shining Suns and Osaka Evessa will join seven other clubs with already announced newly hired sideline supervisors in the 21-team circuit for the upcoming season.Shimoji issued a statement thanking the team's entire staff, as well as boosters, volunteers and the local media, for their support and encouragement."The players gave me fighting spirit through competition," he said. "I really appreciate it . . . "
Short stint: Toyama Grouses coach Kazuaki Shimoji will not return for a second season due to health issues. ED ODEVENThe Eastern Conference club announced on Wednesday that Shimoji would not return for a second full season in charge. His contract had expired and that opens the door for another coach to step in.Shimoji took over as head coach in February 2011, when Kohei Eto was fired with the team stuck in last place in the Eastern Conference with an 8-18 record. Shimoji led the Grouses to a 5-13 record to close out the season.Toyama went 25-27 this past season and guard Masashi Joho became the first Grouses player to be named to the league's Best Five team. Shimoji's overall coaching record was 30-40 with the Grouses. The 35-year-old had served as an assistant coach for the Niigata Albirex BB since 2006 before joining Toyama.The Grouses were a strong rebounding team this past season, and that inside muscle — led by Devin Searcy's 10.7 boards per game (tied for the fourth-best output in the league) — gave the team their first taste of respectability since joining the league along with the Takamatsu Five Arrows as expansion clubs in the fall of 2006. (The Grouses were 61-171 in the regular season entering 2011-12.)Shimoji's departure didn't shock one league insider.On Wednesday, the source told The Japan Times, "I don't know who the next coach will be, but a (former Grouses player) told me last week that Shimoji had health problems. He said that he wouldn't be surprised if Shimoji never coaches again."One veteran coach reacted to the news this way: "What a shame. . . . Maybe back to the drawing board (for Toyama).""Mr. Shimoji has had a major heart problem, and he had big surgery on his heart three times in the past," another league insider said.The source said Shimoji had coped with Marfan Syndrome, which is described by Webster's New World College Dictionary as "a hereditary disorder characterized by abnormalities of the blood circulation and the eyes, abnormally long bones in the limbs and very mobile joints."Wikipedia cites heart defects as a major issue that people with Marfan Syndrome must cope with.While apparently enduring serious health problems, Shimoji had invigorated the Grouses and helped the franchise build for a successful future. At the same time, "he completed one of his dreams," a Hokuriku-based hoop pundit pointed out, "to become a head coach in the bj-league. But at the end of the season, he felt his (physical) condition exhausted him too much.""It is unlikely he will come back to this league for a head coaching job," the source predicted.The Grouses, Miyazaki Shining Suns and Osaka Evessa will join seven other clubs with already announced newly hired sideline supervisors in the 21-team circuit for the upcoming season.Shimoji issued a statement thanking the team's entire staff, as well as boosters, volunteers and the local media, for their support and encouragement."The players gave me fighting spirit through competition," he said. "I really appreciate it . . . "Nadeshiko bounce back with win
GOTHENBURG SWEDEN — Women's world champions Japan rebounded from Monday's 4-1 loss to the United States with a morale-boosting 1-0 win away to Sweden in a warmup against their London Olympic Group F rivals on Wednesday.Yuki Nagasato beat the offside trap to net for the second game in a row with the clincher shortly before the half-hour mark in Japan's last match before coach Norio Sasaki names his squad."Everything starts from here," said Sasaki, who made a number of changes to the side that lost to the United States in the three-team exhibition tournament and started Olympic Lyon striker Ami Otaki alongside Nagasato up front."Sweden were the tallest team in this tournament and we were the smallest and it was a good lesson for us," added Sasaki, whose team beat the Swedes in the semifinals en route to last year's World Cup triumph in Germany.
Kagawa to head to Manchester for physical
New Manchester United acquisition Shinji Kagawa was set to depart for England on Thursday to undergo a physical.Earlier in the day, the Japan midfielder visited a primary school in Sendai that was damaged in last year's earthquake and tsunami, and played with the students."Do what you can to hold on to a dream and pursue it," the 23-year-old, who played youth soccer in Sendai, told the children.Kagawa was taking part in a three-day project to assist in the rebuilding of the disaster-hit area by meeting primary school children in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures.He is scheduled to have a medical exam on Friday in Manchester and return to Japan on Saturday.
Pittsburgh's Malkin selected as NHL's Most Valuable Player
Major haul: Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin poses with the (from left) Ted Lindsay Award, the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy at the NHL Awards dinner in Las Vegas on Wednesday. APLAS, Vegas — Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin won the Hart Trophy on Wednesday night, becoming the NHL's most valuable player for the first time.Three Swedish players also claimed major trophies at the annual NHL Awards postseason ceremony, but the Penguins' Russian superstar claimed three awards for himself.Malkin won the Hart for the first time at the Wynn Las Vegas casino, beating out Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Tampa Bay scorer Steven Stamkos. Malkin also collected the Art Ross Trophy as the league scoring champion and the Ted Lindsay Award from his fellow NHLPA members as the NHL's best player."It's the best day of my life," said Malkin, known to teammates and fans as Geno. "It's very exciting."Malkin gathered the Hart, Ross and Lindsay awards next to him after the ceremony, only occasionally struggling in his ever-improving English to express his excitement.Malkin's 109-point season and steady leadership were even more impressive because he largely did it without teammate Sidney Crosby, who played just 22 games after his comeback from a concussion."I can't believe I'm sitting here, and around me there are three trophies," Malkin said. "It's an unbelievable day for me."Malkin, who turns 26 next month, edged out Stamkos and Lundqvist, who still won the Vezina Trophy for the first time.Lundqvist's win in his fourth Vezina nomination topped the impressive list of Swedish winners. Ottawa's Erik Karlsson won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman, and Colorado's Gabriel Landeskog won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie.Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson also won the King Clancy Trophy for humanitarian contributions to hockey."For sure, it's a great year for Sweden," Lundqvist said.St. Louis also had a pretty good day in Vegas: Ken Hitchcock won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL's top coach for the first time in his lengthy career, while Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was selected he league's top executive. Blues goalies Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott also picked up their Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the regular season.Boston forward Patrice Bergeron won his first Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward. Florida's Brian Campbell became the first defenseman since 1954 to win the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanlike play, and Montreal forward Max Pacioretty won the Masterton Trophy for his comeback from serious injury.But the spotlight was on Malkin, who won his first MVP award after arguably the most impressive season of his six-year career in Pittsburgh.Malkin had a career-high 50 goals and 59 assists while carrying the Penguins during the extended injury absence of 2007 Hart winner Crosby.Malkin was the NHL's only 100-point scorer this season and the first scoring champion in a decade to win a second title despite being almost every opponent's top defensive target whenever they faced the Penguins.Malkin also grew into a more prominent role outside of Crosby's shadow."Every year I'm a little bit more comfortable," he said. "I learn English, watch TV, go out with friends and teammates. I love this sport. I like my teammates, and I want to be the best."Wizards offload Lewis to Hornets for Okafor
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Hornets traded forward Trevor Ariza and center Emeka Okafor to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday for forward Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick.
Backs to the wall: Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant shoots during practice in Miami on Wednesday. The Thunder trail the Heat 3-1 in the NBA Finals. Game 5 is set for Thursday. APLewis is entering the last season of a $118 million, six-year contract and could be a candidate for the NBA's amnesty clause, meaning he may not end up playing for the Hornets if New Orleans chooses to cut him loose in order to clear space under the salary cap."We are rebuilding our team and this is one step in our new direction," Hornets general manager Dell Demps said. "This trade will provide an opportunity for our young players to develop and create flexibility to add to our core group moving forward."Said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld: "Rashard unfortunately was injured while he was with us, and he didn't get an opportunity to show the kinds of things he was capable of doing. . . . He had a very hefty buyout in his contract, and we elected to add a couple of players to the roster by using his contract."Grunfeld said the Wizards would have had to pay a $13.7 million buyout.New Orleans also receives the 46th pick in this year's draft, which originally belonged to Dallas.The Hornets, who are expected to take Kentucky star Anthony Davis with the top overall draft pick and also have the 10th selection, did not have a second-round pick before the trade. Washington, meanwhile, has the third overall pick and still has the second pick of the second round.Grunfeld said the deal won't have any effect on the team's draft plans."We felt like we needed to add some veterans to the roster, and we were able to do that with this move. . . . We get players that are good solid players and fill two needs for us," he said. "Instead of going into free agency to try to fill our needs, we did it through a trade."Okafor has never lived up to being the second pick in the 2004 draft, but has averaged double figures in points (12.7) and rebounds (10.1) during his career. Last season, however, he averaged a career-low 9.9 points and 7.9 rebounds and missed time with a sore left knee.Ariza averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, but was deactivated for the last few weeks of the season while the Hornets, already well out of playoff contention, took a closer look at younger players on the roster.Several of those younger players, including second-year swingman Al-Farouq Aminu, showed signs of improvement as the Hornets won eight of their last 13 games.Grunfeld said Ariza and Wizards point guard John Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, played together in a pickup game in Los Angeles on Wednesday."We think we're a better team today than we were yesterday," Grunfeld said, "but we still have a lot of work ahead of us."NEW YORK — New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin retained agent Jim Tanner of the Washington law firm Williams & Connolly to represent him in basketball and marketing matters, two people familiar with the situation said.Roger Montgomery, Lin's current agent, will work with Tanner on the former Harvard University player's free agency, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the agreement isn't complete.Tanner's clients include San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, Miami Heat forward Shane Battier and Grant Hill of the Phoenix Suns, whose president of basketball operations, Lon Babby, was a Williams & Connolly attorney and player agent before joining the team.The move comes at an important time for Lin, whose emergence this season could lead to increased endorsements. The 23-year-old, the first Chinese- or Taiwanese-American to play in the NBA, is a restricted free agent.
Backs to the wall: Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant shoots during practice in Miami on Wednesday. The Thunder trail the Heat 3-1 in the NBA Finals. Game 5 is set for Thursday. APLewis is entering the last season of a $118 million, six-year contract and could be a candidate for the NBA's amnesty clause, meaning he may not end up playing for the Hornets if New Orleans chooses to cut him loose in order to clear space under the salary cap."We are rebuilding our team and this is one step in our new direction," Hornets general manager Dell Demps said. "This trade will provide an opportunity for our young players to develop and create flexibility to add to our core group moving forward."Said Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld: "Rashard unfortunately was injured while he was with us, and he didn't get an opportunity to show the kinds of things he was capable of doing. . . . He had a very hefty buyout in his contract, and we elected to add a couple of players to the roster by using his contract."Grunfeld said the Wizards would have had to pay a $13.7 million buyout.New Orleans also receives the 46th pick in this year's draft, which originally belonged to Dallas.The Hornets, who are expected to take Kentucky star Anthony Davis with the top overall draft pick and also have the 10th selection, did not have a second-round pick before the trade. Washington, meanwhile, has the third overall pick and still has the second pick of the second round.Grunfeld said the deal won't have any effect on the team's draft plans."We felt like we needed to add some veterans to the roster, and we were able to do that with this move. . . . We get players that are good solid players and fill two needs for us," he said. "Instead of going into free agency to try to fill our needs, we did it through a trade."Okafor has never lived up to being the second pick in the 2004 draft, but has averaged double figures in points (12.7) and rebounds (10.1) during his career. Last season, however, he averaged a career-low 9.9 points and 7.9 rebounds and missed time with a sore left knee.Ariza averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, but was deactivated for the last few weeks of the season while the Hornets, already well out of playoff contention, took a closer look at younger players on the roster.Several of those younger players, including second-year swingman Al-Farouq Aminu, showed signs of improvement as the Hornets won eight of their last 13 games.Grunfeld said Ariza and Wizards point guard John Wall, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, played together in a pickup game in Los Angeles on Wednesday."We think we're a better team today than we were yesterday," Grunfeld said, "but we still have a lot of work ahead of us."NEW YORK — New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin retained agent Jim Tanner of the Washington law firm Williams & Connolly to represent him in basketball and marketing matters, two people familiar with the situation said.Roger Montgomery, Lin's current agent, will work with Tanner on the former Harvard University player's free agency, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the agreement isn't complete.Tanner's clients include San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, Miami Heat forward Shane Battier and Grant Hill of the Phoenix Suns, whose president of basketball operations, Lon Babby, was a Williams & Connolly attorney and player agent before joining the team.The move comes at an important time for Lin, whose emergence this season could lead to increased endorsements. The 23-year-old, the first Chinese- or Taiwanese-American to play in the NBA, is a restricted free agent.Jones livid after loss to Barbarians
Japan coach Eddie Jones tore into his team following a 40-21 loss to the French Barbarians on Wednesday, threatening to resign if he does not see a change in the attitude of the players.The defeat followed three straight losses at home to Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific Nations Cup and Jones, who took over for John Kirwan at the start of the year, did not like what he saw from the Brave Blossoms who were not at full strength, featuring several inexperienced players."It was disgusting today," the former Wallabies boss said. "There's no other way to look at it. We had 15 players out there who did not put their bodies on the line, and that's my fault as coach."We can't train any harder, we can't train with any more intent. Players understand the game plan, but they weren't physical. How you can play rugby and not be physical?"When captain Toshiaki Hirose laughed as he stumbled for words, Jones' temper reached the boiling point. Hirose was nearly in tears as the Australian continued to unload on the team."It's not funny!" he said. "That's the problem with Japanese rugby, seriously. We're not serious about winning. If we want to win, we have to go out and physically smash people."
Strasburg handcuffs Rays in 10-strikeout performance
WASHINGTON — Before the first pitch was thrown, Stephen Strasburg saw home plate umpire Jeff Nelson walked toward the mound and began preparing for a pine tar search.
Strikeout total climbs: Washington's Stephen Strasburg throws a pitch against Tampa Bay in the first inning on Wednesday. The Nationals beat the Rays 3-2. AP"I thought he was going to check my glove," Strasburg said.As it turned out, the ump only wanted to see the ball, which had bounced in the dirt on the throw to second following Strasburg's final warm-up toss. The Washington Nationals ace was free to work his usual magic, which on Wednesday consisted of 10 strikeouts over seven innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 3-2 win that stopped a four-game losing streak."We kind of had a laugh on the bench," Washington manager Davey Johnson said. "When the umpire came out, he wanted to look at the ball. Stras was getting ready to undress. . . . He was ready to take everything off and have them search him."Pitchers on both sides were on extra alert one night after Rays reliever Joel Peralta was ejected for having pine tar in his glove, igniting a skirmish of words between Johnson and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon that carried over into Wednesday.But the game itself passed without incident, except for the widespread boos that greeted Peralta when he entered the game with one out in the eighth inning. Peralta is likely to be suspended by Major League Baseball, but he remains eligible to pitch while the league office examines his glove and continues its investigation. Using a different mitt, Peralta retired the two batters he faced without needing much encouragement from his manager."He was jacked up enough," Maddon said. "He didn't need me to say anything to him."Strasburg (9-1) prevailed in a fastballer's duel with newbie Chris Archer to win his sixth consecutive start, allowing five hits and two runs while throwing 111 pitches. Tyler Clippard picked up his 10th save.Diamondbacks 14, Mariners 10In Phoenix, Ryan Roberts hit an inside-the-park home run, Justin Upton added a three-run shot and Arizona tied a franchise record with six homers during a wild win over Seattle.Ichiro Suzuki finished 1-for-5 in the loss, while teammate Munenori Kawasaki was hitless in three at-bats. Mariners reliever Hisashi Iwakuma allowed a run in 1? innings.Mets 4, Orioles 3In New York, Dillon Gee extended the Mets' shutout streak to 29 innings before Baltimore broke through late, and New York held off the Orioles for a three-game sweep.The Mets nearly shut out the Orioles for the third straight day, before Wilson Betemit hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Steve Pearce drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.Indians 8, Reds 1In Cleveland, Justin Masterson pitched a three-hitter for his first complete game this season and the AL Central-leading Indians finished a three-game sweep of Cincinnati.Masterson (4-6) took a shutout into the eighth before the Reds ended the right-hander's streak of consecutive scoreless innings at 18.Cardinals 3, Tigers 1In Detroit, Jake Westbrook pitched his first complete game in over two years, giving up only an unearned run in the Cardinals' victory over the Tigers.Red Sox 15, Marlins 5In Boston, David Ortiz hit a grand slam for one of the Red Sox's four homers as they set a season high in runs, beating the Marlins.Mike Aviles, Jarod Saltalamacchia and Will Middlebrooks also homered.Braves 10, Yankees 5In New York, Jason Heyward hit two of a record nine homers at the new Yankee Stadium and Atlanta beat the Yankees.Brewers 8, Blue Jays 3In Milwaukee, Yovani Gallardo pitched into the seventh inning and Ryan Braun hit one of the Brewers' four homers in a win over Toronto.Royals 2, Astros 1In Houston, Bruce Chen pitched into the sixth inning on three days' rest and Brayan Pena drove in a run.Twins 2, Pirates 1In Pittsburgh, Josh Willingham hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning for Minnesota.White Sox 7, Cubs 0In Chicago, Gavin Floyd pitched four-hit ball into the seventh, Gordon Beckham homered, and the struggling White Sox beat the Cubs to avoid a three-game sweep.Athletics 4, Dodgers 1In Oakland, Tommy Milone pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game and Yoenis Cespedes had two hits and an RBI in his return to the lineup as the Athletics won for the seventh time in eight games.Angels 6, Giants 0In Los Angeles, Jered Weaver pitched six innings of two-hit ball in his return from the disabled list and the Angels beat the Giants, handing Ryan Vogelsong his first loss in almost seven weeks.NATIONAL LEAGUEPhillies 7, Rockies 6In Philadelphia, Todd Helton missed tagging first base to allow the winning run to score on Placido Polanco's grounder in the ninth inning and the Phillies rallied to beat the Rockies.
Strikeout total climbs: Washington's Stephen Strasburg throws a pitch against Tampa Bay in the first inning on Wednesday. The Nationals beat the Rays 3-2. AP"I thought he was going to check my glove," Strasburg said.As it turned out, the ump only wanted to see the ball, which had bounced in the dirt on the throw to second following Strasburg's final warm-up toss. The Washington Nationals ace was free to work his usual magic, which on Wednesday consisted of 10 strikeouts over seven innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 3-2 win that stopped a four-game losing streak."We kind of had a laugh on the bench," Washington manager Davey Johnson said. "When the umpire came out, he wanted to look at the ball. Stras was getting ready to undress. . . . He was ready to take everything off and have them search him."Pitchers on both sides were on extra alert one night after Rays reliever Joel Peralta was ejected for having pine tar in his glove, igniting a skirmish of words between Johnson and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon that carried over into Wednesday.But the game itself passed without incident, except for the widespread boos that greeted Peralta when he entered the game with one out in the eighth inning. Peralta is likely to be suspended by Major League Baseball, but he remains eligible to pitch while the league office examines his glove and continues its investigation. Using a different mitt, Peralta retired the two batters he faced without needing much encouragement from his manager."He was jacked up enough," Maddon said. "He didn't need me to say anything to him."Strasburg (9-1) prevailed in a fastballer's duel with newbie Chris Archer to win his sixth consecutive start, allowing five hits and two runs while throwing 111 pitches. Tyler Clippard picked up his 10th save.Diamondbacks 14, Mariners 10In Phoenix, Ryan Roberts hit an inside-the-park home run, Justin Upton added a three-run shot and Arizona tied a franchise record with six homers during a wild win over Seattle.Ichiro Suzuki finished 1-for-5 in the loss, while teammate Munenori Kawasaki was hitless in three at-bats. Mariners reliever Hisashi Iwakuma allowed a run in 1? innings.Mets 4, Orioles 3In New York, Dillon Gee extended the Mets' shutout streak to 29 innings before Baltimore broke through late, and New York held off the Orioles for a three-game sweep.The Mets nearly shut out the Orioles for the third straight day, before Wilson Betemit hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Steve Pearce drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.Indians 8, Reds 1In Cleveland, Justin Masterson pitched a three-hitter for his first complete game this season and the AL Central-leading Indians finished a three-game sweep of Cincinnati.Masterson (4-6) took a shutout into the eighth before the Reds ended the right-hander's streak of consecutive scoreless innings at 18.Cardinals 3, Tigers 1In Detroit, Jake Westbrook pitched his first complete game in over two years, giving up only an unearned run in the Cardinals' victory over the Tigers.Red Sox 15, Marlins 5In Boston, David Ortiz hit a grand slam for one of the Red Sox's four homers as they set a season high in runs, beating the Marlins.Mike Aviles, Jarod Saltalamacchia and Will Middlebrooks also homered.Braves 10, Yankees 5In New York, Jason Heyward hit two of a record nine homers at the new Yankee Stadium and Atlanta beat the Yankees.Brewers 8, Blue Jays 3In Milwaukee, Yovani Gallardo pitched into the seventh inning and Ryan Braun hit one of the Brewers' four homers in a win over Toronto.Royals 2, Astros 1In Houston, Bruce Chen pitched into the sixth inning on three days' rest and Brayan Pena drove in a run.Twins 2, Pirates 1In Pittsburgh, Josh Willingham hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning for Minnesota.White Sox 7, Cubs 0In Chicago, Gavin Floyd pitched four-hit ball into the seventh, Gordon Beckham homered, and the struggling White Sox beat the Cubs to avoid a three-game sweep.Athletics 4, Dodgers 1In Oakland, Tommy Milone pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game and Yoenis Cespedes had two hits and an RBI in his return to the lineup as the Athletics won for the seventh time in eight games.Angels 6, Giants 0In Los Angeles, Jered Weaver pitched six innings of two-hit ball in his return from the disabled list and the Angels beat the Giants, handing Ryan Vogelsong his first loss in almost seven weeks.NATIONAL LEAGUEPhillies 7, Rockies 6In Philadelphia, Todd Helton missed tagging first base to allow the winning run to score on Placido Polanco's grounder in the ninth inning and the Phillies rallied to beat the Rockies.Kings' Doughty investigated for rape
HERMOSA BEACH, California — Police are investigating date rape allegations against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty stemming from an encounter with a woman at a Southern California seaside bar.Doughty's attorney Craig Renetzky confirmed Tuesday that Hermosa Beach police were investigating the woman's sexual assault allegations against Doughty, and said the district attorney's office is expected to decide this week whether to file charges. He would give no further details.
French Barbarians outplay Brave Blossoms
Eddie Jones' Japan rugby squad went down 40-21 at the hands of the French Barbarians despite a second-half surge from the Asian champions on Wednesday.Coming off three defeats to Fiji, Tonga and Samoa at the Pacific Nations Cup on home soil, Rugby World Cup winner Jones fielded an experimental side which did not respond much to the Barbarians in the first half.The visitors sat pretty on a 32-7 lead at the break, reaching the scoreboard in just the second minute as Benjamin Lapeyre crossed for his first time of the evening.The Barbarians piled up the points with three more tries by Lapeyre, Thierry Lacrampe and Marvin O'Connor while Camille Lopez was successful on three of the four conversions.Lopez and Lapeyre also each added a penalty.Japan did not have an answer until the 33rd minute when Kosei Ono pulled back a try with Yu Tamura converting before the teams headed into the tunnel.The Brave Blossoms off to a fast start in the second half, Tamura touching down in the 42nd minute before scoring the conversion himself.Kobe Steel veteran Shoji Ito further closed the gap eight minutes past the hour with a five-pointer, and Ayumu Goromaru came off the bench to make it a 32-21 contest.But Japan turned over the ball a few times too often as the Barbarians, who padded out their lead with a late Pierre Bernard penalty and a try by Julien Arias, held on for victory.The two sides meet again on Sunday also at Prince Chichibu Stadium.
Heat move within win of NBA title
MIAMI — LeBron James could hardly stand, certainly couldn't run. Good thing all he needed to do was shoot.
Super Mario: Chris Bosh embraces Mario Chalmers after the Heat's 104-98 win over the Thunder on Tuesday in Miami. APBetter get well fast, LeBron. You're one win away from the biggest party of your life.A limping, grimacing James shook off left leg cramps to hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:51 remaining and the Miami Heat held off the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 104-98 victory Tuesday night and a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals that no team has ever blown.Game 5 is Thursday night and James will have a chance to finish a nine-year chase that started in Cleveland before he famously — or infamously — left for South Florida before last season."Of course it's there to think about," James acknowledged.With James watching the final moments, Mario Chalmers finished off a stellar 25-point effort that matched Dwyane Wade. James had 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, missing a shot at a triple-double only because he was on the bench at the end after thigh cramps emerged following a fall near the Thunder basket.The Heat needed all James could give and more to hold off Russell Westbrook. He scored 43 points for the Thunder, who wasted an early 17-point lead but were never out of the game because of their sensational point guard. Kevin Durant had 28 points but James Harden threw in another clunker, finishing with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Westbrook and Durant were the only Thunder players to score in the last 16:46."Shots were falling," said Westbrook, who was 20 of 32. "It really doesn't mean nothing. We didn't come out with the win."James stumbled to the court on a drive midway through the fourth quarter, staying on the offensive end of the floor as the Heat regained possession on a blocked shot, and he made a short jumper that made it 92-90. After Westbrook missed a jumper, the Heat called timeout as James gingerly went to the court. Unable to walk off, he was carried to the sideline by a pair of teammates.He returned to a huge roar with a little over 4 minutes left and the Heat down two, and after Chris Bosh tied it, James slowly walked into a pull-up 3-point attempt — perhaps doing so knowing he couldn't drive by anyone — and drilled it.That made it 97-94, and when Wade followed with a layup with 2:19 left, the Heat finally had enough room to withstand Westbrook, who kept coming all night."Whatever it takes. No excuses," said Wade, who had to shake off his own aches and pains after landing hard on his back in the first half following a spectacular block by Serge Ibaka. "You don't want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities."Chalmers sure didn't. The player who was struggling so badly that the Thunder put Durant on him in hopes of avoiding further foul trouble made 9 of 15 shots, scoring more points than he had in the previous three games."Mario Chalmers is a winner," Wade added. "He was due for a big game and he came through for us."The Heat couldn't have done it without James, who refused to let any pain prevent him from taking the biggest step of his career.Miami never got past its second Finals victory last year, with James' struggles its biggest problem as it lost the last three to Dallas. But he was at his brilliant best in this one, keeping up his scoring surge but also willingly kicking it out to open teammates when double-teamed.He tried to play through the pain, but the Heat had to call another timeout and remove him for good.But there's no doubt he will play Thursday: "I'll be ready," James said. "I'll be ready for Game 5."
Super Mario: Chris Bosh embraces Mario Chalmers after the Heat's 104-98 win over the Thunder on Tuesday in Miami. APBetter get well fast, LeBron. You're one win away from the biggest party of your life.A limping, grimacing James shook off left leg cramps to hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:51 remaining and the Miami Heat held off the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 104-98 victory Tuesday night and a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals that no team has ever blown.Game 5 is Thursday night and James will have a chance to finish a nine-year chase that started in Cleveland before he famously — or infamously — left for South Florida before last season."Of course it's there to think about," James acknowledged.With James watching the final moments, Mario Chalmers finished off a stellar 25-point effort that matched Dwyane Wade. James had 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, missing a shot at a triple-double only because he was on the bench at the end after thigh cramps emerged following a fall near the Thunder basket.The Heat needed all James could give and more to hold off Russell Westbrook. He scored 43 points for the Thunder, who wasted an early 17-point lead but were never out of the game because of their sensational point guard. Kevin Durant had 28 points but James Harden threw in another clunker, finishing with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Westbrook and Durant were the only Thunder players to score in the last 16:46."Shots were falling," said Westbrook, who was 20 of 32. "It really doesn't mean nothing. We didn't come out with the win."James stumbled to the court on a drive midway through the fourth quarter, staying on the offensive end of the floor as the Heat regained possession on a blocked shot, and he made a short jumper that made it 92-90. After Westbrook missed a jumper, the Heat called timeout as James gingerly went to the court. Unable to walk off, he was carried to the sideline by a pair of teammates.He returned to a huge roar with a little over 4 minutes left and the Heat down two, and after Chris Bosh tied it, James slowly walked into a pull-up 3-point attempt — perhaps doing so knowing he couldn't drive by anyone — and drilled it.That made it 97-94, and when Wade followed with a layup with 2:19 left, the Heat finally had enough room to withstand Westbrook, who kept coming all night."Whatever it takes. No excuses," said Wade, who had to shake off his own aches and pains after landing hard on his back in the first half following a spectacular block by Serge Ibaka. "You don't want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities."Chalmers sure didn't. The player who was struggling so badly that the Thunder put Durant on him in hopes of avoiding further foul trouble made 9 of 15 shots, scoring more points than he had in the previous three games."Mario Chalmers is a winner," Wade added. "He was due for a big game and he came through for us."The Heat couldn't have done it without James, who refused to let any pain prevent him from taking the biggest step of his career.Miami never got past its second Finals victory last year, with James' struggles its biggest problem as it lost the last three to Dallas. But he was at his brilliant best in this one, keeping up his scoring surge but also willingly kicking it out to open teammates when double-teamed.He tried to play through the pain, but the Heat had to call another timeout and remove him for good.But there's no doubt he will play Thursday: "I'll be ready," James said. "I'll be ready for Game 5."Shelby's family in burial dispute
DALLAS — The body of celebrated auto designer and race car driver Carroll Shelby, who died more than a month ago, could remain in a Dallas morgue for several more weeks while his family fights about burial plans, his sons said Tuesday.Shelby's three children said their father, who died May 10 in a Dallas hospital, signed a document in February giving them permission to have his body cremated. His wife, Cleo Shelby, who lives in California, alleges the signature on that directive is a forgery. She said a document signed two years ago gives her power of attorney in Shelby's affairs.Shelby's son Michael Shelby said on Tuesday that several witnesses watched his father sign the paperwork in February and "there was absolutely no way" Cleo Shelby could substantiate her claims."It's not children's wishes versus the wife," Michael Shelby said. "It's his written wishes versus Cleo Shelby."
Sakai eager for Bundesliga debut
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Japan defender Hiroki Sakai said Wednesday he is relishing the prospect of testing himself against the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery after earning a move from Kashiwa Reysol to the German Bundesliga with Hannover."I'm looking forward to seeing how I match up to the attacking force of Robben and Ribery," Sakai said of the Bayern Munich stars. "I want to play against big clubs and I get excited just thinking about being there (in Germany).""I have been watching overseas soccer on video since I was playing at youth level and I have always thought I would like to play abroad if I got the call," added the 22-year-old, who said the stability at Hannover had appealed to him.Sakai has signed a four-year contract with Hannover. The terms of the deal, including his wage and the transfer fee, were not disclosed.
Braves get to Kuroda, end Yanks' win streak
ATLANTA — Chipper Jones and the Atlanta Braves eventually caught the ball, and the New York Yankees.
Throwing darts: Tigers ace Justin Verlander pitches against the Cardinals on Tuesday in Detroit. The Tigers won 6-3. APJones atoned for a costly error by cutting down the potential tying run at the plate and the Braves held on to end the Yankees' 10-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night."Sometimes you're going to whiff on some balls," the All-Star third baseman said. "But you've got to have a hockey goalie mentality down there. You've got to flush it or you're going to get the next one down your throat."The Yankees were trying to match their longest winning string in nearly a half-century. Instead, the Braves threw out two runners at home and won for only the second time in nine games — their skid included four losses to New York."They pitched really well and had some really good defense. That's kind of what we've been doing," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.Jason Heyward singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning off Hiroki Kuroda. Heyward also tripled and scored, and nailed Mark Teixeira at home with a strong throw from right field."We wouldn't have gotten there if it wasn't for Jason Heyward," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.Kuroda (6-7) allowed all four runs on six hits and three walks. Against the Braves, whom he beat just six days ago, the right-hander had a career ERA of 2.23 along with six wins in as many games.Kuroda was not happy with the way his night ended."It's not the greatest feeling in the world," said Kuroda, who struck out six. "It wouldn't have hurt to have won. I just have to forget about this and move on."I worried too much when I put runners on base. I wasn't aggressive enough trying to protect a one-run lead and ended up allowing two."Atlanta rookie Andrelton Simmons drove in two runs and Jones delivered an RBI double for the slumping Braves.The Yankees' recent run was built entirely against NL teams. Only once since 1965 had the Yankees won 11 in a row, and that was in 1985. The team's record winning streak of 19 was set in 1947.Red Sox 7, Marlins 5In Boston, David Ortiz hit his 17th homer and Clay Buchholz won his fourth straight start as the Red Sox won for the fifth time in six games.Mets 5, Orioles 0In New York, Johan Santana pitched six sharp innings, Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer, and the Mets earned their second straight shutout of Baltimore.Pirates 7, Twins 2In Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen had three hits, including his 12th homer of the season, and Kevin Correia ended a lengthy winless streak at home.Rays 5, Nationals 4In Washington, Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer and David Price bounced back from his worst start of the season to pitch seven strong innings, leading Tampa Bay to a victory over the Nationals.Hideki Matsui was 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance for the Rays.Indians 3, Reds 2 (10)In Cleveland, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer with one out in the 10th inning off hard-throwing Aroldis Chapman to give the Indians a win.Royals 2, Astros 0In Houston, Luke Hochevar pitched into the eighth inning, two relievers completed the shutout, and Billy Butler hit a solo home run to lead Kansas City over the Astros.Cubs 2, White Sox 1In Chicago, Travis Wood pitched six strong innings for his first win as a starter in more than a year and the Cubs beat the White Sox.Tigers 6, Cardinals 3In Detroit, Justin Verlander allowed one earned run in seven innings, leading the Tigers to a victory over St. Louis.Athletics 3, Dodgers 0In Oakland, Brandon McCarthy showed no signs of an ailing shoulder in seven impressive innings.Rangers 7, Padres 3In San Diego, Josh Hamilton returned to the Texas lineup after missing four starts due to illness and hit a two-run triple.Angels 12, Giants 5In Anaheim, Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer, Mark Trumbo added a three-run triple and drove in five runs.Blue Jays 10, Brewers 9In Milwaukee, Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista erased a one-run deficit with back-to-back home runs off closer John Axford in the ninth and Toronto rallied to a win.Brewers leadoff batter Norichika Aoki finished 0-for-5.NATIONAL LEAGUEPhillies 7, Rockies 2In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels threw eight sharp innings and John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Ruiz hit two-run homers for the Phillies.
Throwing darts: Tigers ace Justin Verlander pitches against the Cardinals on Tuesday in Detroit. The Tigers won 6-3. APJones atoned for a costly error by cutting down the potential tying run at the plate and the Braves held on to end the Yankees' 10-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night."Sometimes you're going to whiff on some balls," the All-Star third baseman said. "But you've got to have a hockey goalie mentality down there. You've got to flush it or you're going to get the next one down your throat."The Yankees were trying to match their longest winning string in nearly a half-century. Instead, the Braves threw out two runners at home and won for only the second time in nine games — their skid included four losses to New York."They pitched really well and had some really good defense. That's kind of what we've been doing," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.Jason Heyward singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning off Hiroki Kuroda. Heyward also tripled and scored, and nailed Mark Teixeira at home with a strong throw from right field."We wouldn't have gotten there if it wasn't for Jason Heyward," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.Kuroda (6-7) allowed all four runs on six hits and three walks. Against the Braves, whom he beat just six days ago, the right-hander had a career ERA of 2.23 along with six wins in as many games.Kuroda was not happy with the way his night ended."It's not the greatest feeling in the world," said Kuroda, who struck out six. "It wouldn't have hurt to have won. I just have to forget about this and move on."I worried too much when I put runners on base. I wasn't aggressive enough trying to protect a one-run lead and ended up allowing two."Atlanta rookie Andrelton Simmons drove in two runs and Jones delivered an RBI double for the slumping Braves.The Yankees' recent run was built entirely against NL teams. Only once since 1965 had the Yankees won 11 in a row, and that was in 1985. The team's record winning streak of 19 was set in 1947.Red Sox 7, Marlins 5In Boston, David Ortiz hit his 17th homer and Clay Buchholz won his fourth straight start as the Red Sox won for the fifth time in six games.Mets 5, Orioles 0In New York, Johan Santana pitched six sharp innings, Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer, and the Mets earned their second straight shutout of Baltimore.Pirates 7, Twins 2In Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen had three hits, including his 12th homer of the season, and Kevin Correia ended a lengthy winless streak at home.Rays 5, Nationals 4In Washington, Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer and David Price bounced back from his worst start of the season to pitch seven strong innings, leading Tampa Bay to a victory over the Nationals.Hideki Matsui was 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance for the Rays.Indians 3, Reds 2 (10)In Cleveland, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer with one out in the 10th inning off hard-throwing Aroldis Chapman to give the Indians a win.Royals 2, Astros 0In Houston, Luke Hochevar pitched into the eighth inning, two relievers completed the shutout, and Billy Butler hit a solo home run to lead Kansas City over the Astros.Cubs 2, White Sox 1In Chicago, Travis Wood pitched six strong innings for his first win as a starter in more than a year and the Cubs beat the White Sox.Tigers 6, Cardinals 3In Detroit, Justin Verlander allowed one earned run in seven innings, leading the Tigers to a victory over St. Louis.Athletics 3, Dodgers 0In Oakland, Brandon McCarthy showed no signs of an ailing shoulder in seven impressive innings.Rangers 7, Padres 3In San Diego, Josh Hamilton returned to the Texas lineup after missing four starts due to illness and hit a two-run triple.Angels 12, Giants 5In Anaheim, Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer, Mark Trumbo added a three-run triple and drove in five runs.Blue Jays 10, Brewers 9In Milwaukee, Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista erased a one-run deficit with back-to-back home runs off closer John Axford in the ninth and Toronto rallied to a win.Brewers leadoff batter Norichika Aoki finished 0-for-5.NATIONAL LEAGUEPhillies 7, Rockies 2In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels threw eight sharp innings and John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Ruiz hit two-run homers for the Phillies.Drogba to play for Shanghai club
SHANGHAI — Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba said Wednesday that he has formally signed with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua."I have signed with the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua," he said in a statement in French posted on his website. "I have signed a two-and-a-half-year contract (until December 31, 2014) and will join the team in July."
Phelps, Lochte set for battle at trials
OMAHA NEBRASKA — Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte renew their rivalry at next week's U.S. Olympic trials, where both swimmers are entered in seven events, including six against each other.They'll open the eight-day meet in Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday in the 400-meter individual medley, a grueling event that Phelps had said he wasn't going to swim anymore after the 2008 Olympics, where he won a record eight gold medals. He holds the world record in the event.Their other events against each other will be the 100 and 200 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 200 IM and 100 butterfly. Phelps is entered in the 200 butterfly; Lochte is set to swim the 100 back.
Ichiro gets 2,500th hit of stellar MLB career
PHOENIX — Ichiro Suzuki wasted little time reaching another milestone after a rare day off.
Milestone man: Ichiro Suzuki singles in the first inning to collect the 2,500th hit of his major league career against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday in Phoenix. KYODOIchiro led off the game with his 2,500th career hit and finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored and the Seattle Mariners outlasted the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-9 in 10 innings on Tuesday night."If you look at me now and if you look at me when I first got here in 2001, if I said my first day that my goal is to hit 2,500, on that day people would say that I was crazy," Ichiro said through an interpreter. "Now looking at (it), things do come true."Between his nine seasons in the Pacific League and his 12-plus seasons in Seattle, Ichiro has 3,781 hits, the third most among professional players in either country, trailing only Pete Rose (4,256) and Ty Cobb (4,191)."I was there when (former All-Star Roberto) Alomar got his 2,500th hit, and I remember thinking at the time that it was an astronomical figure," Ichiro said. "So to have come this far means something to me."The milestone came the night after Seattle manager Eric Wedge had given Ichiro his second day off of the season."Yesterday was tough for me," Ichiro said. "It was very regrettable because you want to go out there and perform but I understand the skipper's situation. It depends from here on how I will be given the day off."Wedge had no doubts spending a night in the dugout helped his right fielder."You saw the way he swung the bat today," Wedge said. "From his first swing in his first at-bat when he fouled that pitch back, that got my attention right away. Then he dropped a couple in there and hit a couple hard."It is something that he has to understand that it's not a bad thing if you get a day off now and then. I know what he is conditioned for and that he wants to play every day but what we are looking for is getting the most out of everybody over 162 games."Ichiro capped the Mariners' three-run 10th inning when he used his classic inside-out swing to slice a double just inside the left-field line that easily scored Casper Wells and put Seattle in front 12-9.Wells had hit a pinch-hit, two-run single off sidewinding right-hander Brad Ziegler to give the Mariners an 11-9 lead.J.J. Putz (1-4) walked Justin Smoak leading off the 10th, Dustin Ackley looped a single to center, moving pinch runner Munenori Kawasaki to second and Brendan Ryan advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt before Wells came to the plate."I was kind of picking up where he released from, which basically was the dirt," Wells said. "I was looking for a pitch that I could handle and hit it hard. You have to have your focus."Smoak, Ryan and Kyle Seager homered for the Mariners, who have won three of their past four.Aaron Hill, Gerardo Parra and Paul Goldschmidt homered for Arizona, which saw its six-game home winning streak snapped.
Milestone man: Ichiro Suzuki singles in the first inning to collect the 2,500th hit of his major league career against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday in Phoenix. KYODOIchiro led off the game with his 2,500th career hit and finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored and the Seattle Mariners outlasted the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-9 in 10 innings on Tuesday night."If you look at me now and if you look at me when I first got here in 2001, if I said my first day that my goal is to hit 2,500, on that day people would say that I was crazy," Ichiro said through an interpreter. "Now looking at (it), things do come true."Between his nine seasons in the Pacific League and his 12-plus seasons in Seattle, Ichiro has 3,781 hits, the third most among professional players in either country, trailing only Pete Rose (4,256) and Ty Cobb (4,191)."I was there when (former All-Star Roberto) Alomar got his 2,500th hit, and I remember thinking at the time that it was an astronomical figure," Ichiro said. "So to have come this far means something to me."The milestone came the night after Seattle manager Eric Wedge had given Ichiro his second day off of the season."Yesterday was tough for me," Ichiro said. "It was very regrettable because you want to go out there and perform but I understand the skipper's situation. It depends from here on how I will be given the day off."Wedge had no doubts spending a night in the dugout helped his right fielder."You saw the way he swung the bat today," Wedge said. "From his first swing in his first at-bat when he fouled that pitch back, that got my attention right away. Then he dropped a couple in there and hit a couple hard."It is something that he has to understand that it's not a bad thing if you get a day off now and then. I know what he is conditioned for and that he wants to play every day but what we are looking for is getting the most out of everybody over 162 games."Ichiro capped the Mariners' three-run 10th inning when he used his classic inside-out swing to slice a double just inside the left-field line that easily scored Casper Wells and put Seattle in front 12-9.Wells had hit a pinch-hit, two-run single off sidewinding right-hander Brad Ziegler to give the Mariners an 11-9 lead.J.J. Putz (1-4) walked Justin Smoak leading off the 10th, Dustin Ackley looped a single to center, moving pinch runner Munenori Kawasaki to second and Brendan Ryan advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt before Wells came to the plate."I was kind of picking up where he released from, which basically was the dirt," Wells said. "I was looking for a pitch that I could handle and hit it hard. You have to have your focus."Smoak, Ryan and Kyle Seager homered for the Mariners, who have won three of their past four.Aaron Hill, Gerardo Parra and Paul Goldschmidt homered for Arizona, which saw its six-game home winning streak snapped.Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sandusky's wife takes witness stand
BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA — Dottie Sandusky says her husband never had inappropriate contact with the boys who stayed at their home.The wife of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky took the stand Tuesday in her husband's child sex abuse trial.She said their life has always been a busy one, with her husband's coaching schedule and charity work. But when he was home, she says boys from her husband's charity would go with him to football games and then sleep over.Dottie Sandusky said she remembers most of the men who testified during the trial that Jerry Sandusky abused them.She said there was no inappropriate contact.She also said that the basement where the boys would stay wasn't soundproof. That contradicts one man's testimony that he screamed during an assault but couldn't be heard.
Wimbledon champ Kvitova loses in first round at Eastbourne
Back at you: Ekaterina Makarova hits a return to Petra Kvitova during their match at Eastbourne on Tuesday. Makarova upset Kvitova 7-5, 6-4. AFP-JIJIEASTBOURNE, England — Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova was among the top three women's seeds to fall in the first round of the Eastbourne Championships on Tuesday.Kvitova was the first to exit, going down 7-5, 6-4 to Ekaterina Makarova.She was followed out of the grass-court tournament by top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria, and third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, who was outlasted 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 by Christina McHale."It was a tough opponent for me for the first round, and I didn't play well," Kvitova said. "She has won here in the past, so I know that she can play well on the grass."For me, this was my first match on grass and I didn't expect too much."However, defending champ Marion Bartoli of France beat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2, 6-2.In the men's event, Andy Roddick claimed his first win in seven matches when fellow American Sam Querrey retired with a back injury with Roddick leading 5-2."Regardless of what he had going on, I hit the ball really well," said Roddick, whose last victory came in Miami three months ago. "Last couple of days it's been really good in practice. I don't know why or how or what the process has been, but it's felt pretty good."Top-seeded Richard Gasquet of France was also shown the exit when he was beaten 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) by Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic, and fifth-seeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau went down 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4) to Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan.The second-seeded Kvitova put on an erratic performance during her first match on grass since lifting the trophy at Wimbledon last year.She broke serve twice in the opening set, but Makarova broke back each time and broke a third time for the set with a perfectly executed winner down the line.Makarova, who won the event as a qualifier two years ago but lost to Kvitova in 2011, fought off two break points at the start of the second set and broke to lead 4-2.Kvitova then broke at love when Makarova served for the match at 5-3, but she responded by taking Kvitova's serve again, forcing an error from a powerful service return."It's not good preparation for Wimbledon, but I have more days for getting ready. I have to work hard now to improve my game," Kvitova said.Radwanska has enjoyed a spectacular season, winning titles in Dubai, Miami and Brussels, and she believes that may have taken its toll."I think I have been playing a lot of matches this year, and I'm kind of like a little bit tired," said Radwanska, who double-faulted on match point. "Of course I was trying everything, but she's really playing good on grass."Wozniacki looked uncomfortable for her entire match.After splitting the first two sets, McHale broke to lead 2-1 in the third. Although she allowed Wozniacki to level at 4-4, the American broke serve again at love and closed out the match on her fourth match point.Rooney, England score controversial victory
DONETSK, Ukraine — Only one goal counted, and it belonged to Wayne Rooney.
JT saves the day: England defender John Terry clears the ball during England's Euro 2012 match against Ukraine on Tuesday. AFP-JIJIThe England striker returned from a two-match suspension to head in the lone goal Tuesday and give his team a 1-0 win over Ukraine and a spot in the European Championship quarterfinals against Italy on Sunday. The cohost Ukrainians, however, will leave the tournament knowing that things could have been different.Needing a win to advance, the Ukrainians thought they had tied it the 62nd minute when Marko Devic's deflected shot appeared to loop over the line before it was hooked clear by England defender John Terry. But the goal was not awarded by the referee or his extra assistant, who was half-standing on the field only a few meters from the post."The goal that wasn't given really changed our plan because if it was given, I think the whole game could have looked another way," Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko said through an interpreter. "We tried to give Ukraine a gift but we weren't able to do it."Although a draw still would have eliminated them, the equalizer would have given the team hope knowing that another goal would put Ukraine through to the quarterfinals."I was sad because the ball was in the goal by one meter," Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said.The controversy will likely add to the pressure on UEFA President Michel Platini to reverse his opposition to goal-line technology.At the 2010 World Cup, England midfielder Frank Lampard was denied a goal that would have leveled the match against Germany at 2-2. England ended up losing 4-1."To be successful you need a bit of luck," England captain Steven Gerrard said. "Two years ago we were unlucky with Frank Lampard and we had to pack our bags."It was Rooney, however, who did manage to put his team on the scoreboard on Tuesday.Gerrard whipped a cross into the penalty area that glanced off two defenders before Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov let it slip through his hands as he crouched to collect the ball. Rooney was at the far post and made it count."I was always putting myself in goalscoring opportunities," Rooney said. "I could've done better with a couple more but I got the goal and it's three points."Rooney missed the first two Euro 2012 matches through suspension. He was sent off in the team's last qualifier in October, and received a three-match suspension that was eventually reduced to two.The goal was Rooney's first at a major tournament since scoring four at Euro 2004 as an 18-year-old rising star. He failed to find the net at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, while England failed to even qualify for Euro 2008.KIEV — France was outplayed, outfought and outscored, and that was against a team with nothing to play for.With world champion Spain now waiting in the quarterfinals of the European Championship, things better improve quickly for the French to stand a chance of going any further.France limped into the knockout round of Euro 2012 despite a 2-0 loss to Sweden in their final Group D game, showing just how much the team still needs to improve to be true contenders in the tournament. The French finished second in Group D.France will face Spain on Saturday in the quarterfinals."You have to be optimistic to think that we can beat Spain, but it's hard right now to imagine that we can. We have to do better on Saturday," France coach Laurent Blanc said. "We wanted to finish top of the group but couldn't manage it, so we have to deal with that."
JT saves the day: England defender John Terry clears the ball during England's Euro 2012 match against Ukraine on Tuesday. AFP-JIJIThe England striker returned from a two-match suspension to head in the lone goal Tuesday and give his team a 1-0 win over Ukraine and a spot in the European Championship quarterfinals against Italy on Sunday. The cohost Ukrainians, however, will leave the tournament knowing that things could have been different.Needing a win to advance, the Ukrainians thought they had tied it the 62nd minute when Marko Devic's deflected shot appeared to loop over the line before it was hooked clear by England defender John Terry. But the goal was not awarded by the referee or his extra assistant, who was half-standing on the field only a few meters from the post."The goal that wasn't given really changed our plan because if it was given, I think the whole game could have looked another way," Ukraine captain Andriy Shevchenko said through an interpreter. "We tried to give Ukraine a gift but we weren't able to do it."Although a draw still would have eliminated them, the equalizer would have given the team hope knowing that another goal would put Ukraine through to the quarterfinals."I was sad because the ball was in the goal by one meter," Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin said.The controversy will likely add to the pressure on UEFA President Michel Platini to reverse his opposition to goal-line technology.At the 2010 World Cup, England midfielder Frank Lampard was denied a goal that would have leveled the match against Germany at 2-2. England ended up losing 4-1."To be successful you need a bit of luck," England captain Steven Gerrard said. "Two years ago we were unlucky with Frank Lampard and we had to pack our bags."It was Rooney, however, who did manage to put his team on the scoreboard on Tuesday.Gerrard whipped a cross into the penalty area that glanced off two defenders before Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov let it slip through his hands as he crouched to collect the ball. Rooney was at the far post and made it count."I was always putting myself in goalscoring opportunities," Rooney said. "I could've done better with a couple more but I got the goal and it's three points."Rooney missed the first two Euro 2012 matches through suspension. He was sent off in the team's last qualifier in October, and received a three-match suspension that was eventually reduced to two.The goal was Rooney's first at a major tournament since scoring four at Euro 2004 as an 18-year-old rising star. He failed to find the net at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, while England failed to even qualify for Euro 2008.KIEV — France was outplayed, outfought and outscored, and that was against a team with nothing to play for.With world champion Spain now waiting in the quarterfinals of the European Championship, things better improve quickly for the French to stand a chance of going any further.France limped into the knockout round of Euro 2012 despite a 2-0 loss to Sweden in their final Group D game, showing just how much the team still needs to improve to be true contenders in the tournament. The French finished second in Group D.France will face Spain on Saturday in the quarterfinals."You have to be optimistic to think that we can beat Spain, but it's hard right now to imagine that we can. We have to do better on Saturday," France coach Laurent Blanc said. "We wanted to finish top of the group but couldn't manage it, so we have to deal with that."Nishikori earns 19th seed for Wimbledon
LONDON — Kei Nishikori was named Wednesday as the 19th seed for the men's draw at Wimbledon this year, making him the first Japanese men's seed at the grasscourt Grand Slam since the current world ranking system was introduced in 1973.The draw will take place Friday for the June 25-July 8 championships at the All England Club.Nishikori, ranked 20th in the world, was the first seeded Japanese man in a Grand Slam as the 24th seed at the Australian Open in January.He upset sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round to become the first Japanese man to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event since Shuzo Matsuoka did so at Wimbledon in 1995. Nishikori bowed out with defeat to Britain's Andy Murray in the last eight.The 22-year-old was forced to miss the French Open due to injury.Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic and French Open winner Maria Sharapova were named as top seeds for Wimbledon.On the men's side, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Murray rounded out the top four while defending women's champion Petra Kvitova was seeded fourth.
Watanabe shines in victory over Swallows
Shunsuke Watanabe made himself at home on the mound at windy Jingu Stadium on Wednesday night.
How low can you go?: Mariners right-hander Shunsuke Watanabe delivers a pitch against the Swallows on Wednesday at Jingu Stadium. Chiba Lotte defeated Tokyo Yakult 6-0. KYODOUsed to pitching in the gusting winds at his home park on the Chiba bayside, the submarine righty allowed three singles and a walk over seven innings and drove in a run as the Chiba Lotte Marines beat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 6-0."It's the best I've pitched all year," said Watanabe, who won for the first time since May 9. "I'm used to the wind, although I don't know this park well. I just concentrated as best I could."Katsuya Kakunaka broke the ice in the top of the first after Swallows starter Shohei Tateyama (4-5) retired the first two batters. A walk and a single set the table for Kakunaka, who entered the game batting .329 in interleague play. The left-handed batter smacked a 2-2 forkball into center to give Watanabe the lead.Shunichi Nemoto widened the lead in the fifth with his second homer of the season and his second in two games. With two out in the sixth, Watanabe took advantage of his chance to bat by driving in Kakunaka for the first run of his career with a single. The Marines' second run scored on a throwing error by Swallows center fielder Lastings Milledge."I don't really like batting," Watanabe said. "It was dumb luck."Kakunaka, who went 3-for-4, also singled home a run in the seventh.The victory increased Lotte's lead in the Pacific League to 1 1/2 games over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.Despite a Central League team winning the interleague title for the first time since the competition starting in 2005, the PL won the season series from the CL, 67-66. There were 11 ties.BayStars 6, Eagles 2At Sendai's Kleenex Stadium, Yokohama opened the scoring on back-to-back, fourth-inning doubles by veterans Norihiro Nakamura and Alex Ramirez, while leadoff man Sho Aranami went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in a win over Tohoku Rakuten.Lefty Shugo Fujii (2-2) allowed a run in 5 1/3 innings to earn the victory, while the BayStars flailed right-hander Manabu Mima (4-2) for five runs on 10 hits in five innings.
How low can you go?: Mariners right-hander Shunsuke Watanabe delivers a pitch against the Swallows on Wednesday at Jingu Stadium. Chiba Lotte defeated Tokyo Yakult 6-0. KYODOUsed to pitching in the gusting winds at his home park on the Chiba bayside, the submarine righty allowed three singles and a walk over seven innings and drove in a run as the Chiba Lotte Marines beat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 6-0."It's the best I've pitched all year," said Watanabe, who won for the first time since May 9. "I'm used to the wind, although I don't know this park well. I just concentrated as best I could."Katsuya Kakunaka broke the ice in the top of the first after Swallows starter Shohei Tateyama (4-5) retired the first two batters. A walk and a single set the table for Kakunaka, who entered the game batting .329 in interleague play. The left-handed batter smacked a 2-2 forkball into center to give Watanabe the lead.Shunichi Nemoto widened the lead in the fifth with his second homer of the season and his second in two games. With two out in the sixth, Watanabe took advantage of his chance to bat by driving in Kakunaka for the first run of his career with a single. The Marines' second run scored on a throwing error by Swallows center fielder Lastings Milledge."I don't really like batting," Watanabe said. "It was dumb luck."Kakunaka, who went 3-for-4, also singled home a run in the seventh.The victory increased Lotte's lead in the Pacific League to 1 1/2 games over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.Despite a Central League team winning the interleague title for the first time since the competition starting in 2005, the PL won the season series from the CL, 67-66. There were 11 ties.BayStars 6, Eagles 2At Sendai's Kleenex Stadium, Yokohama opened the scoring on back-to-back, fourth-inning doubles by veterans Norihiro Nakamura and Alex Ramirez, while leadoff man Sho Aranami went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in a win over Tohoku Rakuten.Lefty Shugo Fujii (2-2) allowed a run in 5 1/3 innings to earn the victory, while the BayStars flailed right-hander Manabu Mima (4-2) for five runs on 10 hits in five innings.Mattingly thinks Clemens trial wasted resources
OAKLAND, California — Don Mattingly considers the five-year congressional investigation into Roger Clemens a complete waste of resources and money.
At what cost?: Roger Clemens was found not guilty of lying to Congress about using performance-enhancing drugs. APThe 49-year-old Clemens was acquitted Monday on all six counts that he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs."What a waste. I was thinking about it after all this time, what a waste of resources," Mattingly, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, said Tuesday before his team began a three-game interleague series with the Athletics. "Then you hear about teachers and stuff who don't have paper and pencils for kids, and it seems like what a waste. What a waste of money. Really, I don't think anybody cares. At this point nobody cares, it's like, 'So long.' "Mattingly played against Clemens for more than a decade while with the Yankees early in the 354-game winner and seven-time Cy Young Award winner's career with the rival Boston Red Sox. Mattingly — a .311 career hitter (23-for-74) with eight RBIs and three doubles against the right-hander — also served as bench coach of the Yankees in 2007 during Clemens' final big league season in the Bronx.Mattingly figures the government has much better ways to spend money than investigating superstar athletes.Mattingly hopes Major League Baseball is finally beginning to move forward from the Steroids Era thanks to improved testing and stiffer penalties for those who fail drug tests. He sees positive strides toward a reliable solution."I don't know. It seems like something always pops up, you know? It always creeps back a little bit," Mattingly said. "It's definitely getting behind us, I think, as we go. I think the biggest thing is better testing and thorough testing. You start getting HGH testing and you're getting better testing, it just kind of reinforces to guys that you can't get away with it, and it's going to be an equal playing field. That's what I like."It kind of protects players from the players, it protects organizations, it protects fans, it protects everybody. I think the testing protects everybody."NEW YORK — Major League Baseball Tuesday banned Philadelphia Phillies rookie second baseman Freddy Galvis for 50 games for using a performance-enhancing drug.Galvis tested positive for clostebol, a synthetic anabolic steroid."A trace amount of a banned substance — 80 parts in a trillion — was detected in my urine sample," Galvis said in a statement. "I cannot understand how even this tiny particle of a banned substance got into my body.""The Phillies continue to believe in and endorse Major League Baseball's drug policy. We also support Freddy Galvis in his determination to put this matter behind him and we look forward to his return as a productive member of the Phillies as soon as possible," the Phillies said in a statement.
At what cost?: Roger Clemens was found not guilty of lying to Congress about using performance-enhancing drugs. APThe 49-year-old Clemens was acquitted Monday on all six counts that he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs."What a waste. I was thinking about it after all this time, what a waste of resources," Mattingly, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, said Tuesday before his team began a three-game interleague series with the Athletics. "Then you hear about teachers and stuff who don't have paper and pencils for kids, and it seems like what a waste. What a waste of money. Really, I don't think anybody cares. At this point nobody cares, it's like, 'So long.' "Mattingly played against Clemens for more than a decade while with the Yankees early in the 354-game winner and seven-time Cy Young Award winner's career with the rival Boston Red Sox. Mattingly — a .311 career hitter (23-for-74) with eight RBIs and three doubles against the right-hander — also served as bench coach of the Yankees in 2007 during Clemens' final big league season in the Bronx.Mattingly figures the government has much better ways to spend money than investigating superstar athletes.Mattingly hopes Major League Baseball is finally beginning to move forward from the Steroids Era thanks to improved testing and stiffer penalties for those who fail drug tests. He sees positive strides toward a reliable solution."I don't know. It seems like something always pops up, you know? It always creeps back a little bit," Mattingly said. "It's definitely getting behind us, I think, as we go. I think the biggest thing is better testing and thorough testing. You start getting HGH testing and you're getting better testing, it just kind of reinforces to guys that you can't get away with it, and it's going to be an equal playing field. That's what I like."It kind of protects players from the players, it protects organizations, it protects fans, it protects everybody. I think the testing protects everybody."NEW YORK — Major League Baseball Tuesday banned Philadelphia Phillies rookie second baseman Freddy Galvis for 50 games for using a performance-enhancing drug.Galvis tested positive for clostebol, a synthetic anabolic steroid."A trace amount of a banned substance — 80 parts in a trillion — was detected in my urine sample," Galvis said in a statement. "I cannot understand how even this tiny particle of a banned substance got into my body.""The Phillies continue to believe in and endorse Major League Baseball's drug policy. We also support Freddy Galvis in his determination to put this matter behind him and we look forward to his return as a productive member of the Phillies as soon as possible," the Phillies said in a statement.Bobcats tap Dunlap as next coach
NEW YORK — The Charlotte Bobcats have hired former Denver Nuggets assistant Mike Dunlap to be their new head coach, two people familiar with the decision said.The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because an official announcement was still being planned.Dunlap, 54, will replace Paul Silas, whose contract was not renewed after Charlotte finished with the worst winning percentage in NBA history this past season. The Bobcats were 7-59.
Former U.S. coach Panagoulias dies
VIENNA — Former U.S. men's soccer head coach Alketas "Alkis" Panagoulias has died. He was 78.USA Soccer and the Greek Football Association confirmed Tuesday that he died on Monday.A native of Greece, Panagoulias led the U.S. men from 1983-85, and also guided the 1984 Olympic team. He later managed Greece from 1992-94 and led his country to its first World Cup appearance in 1994.The Americans went 6-5-7 with Panagoulias as coach. At the time, Panagoulias' six wins were the second-highest total for a U.S. head coach.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Japan men miss chance to climb to top of volleyball standings
Japan wasted an opportunity on Tuesday to take the lead among Asian teams at the 2012 FIVB Olympic men's volleyball tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Busy night: Tatsuya Fukuzawa leads Japan with 21 points in Tuesday's Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tournament match against South Korea. KYODOJapan defeated South Korea 25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 15-6, securing just two points for the victory. The Koreans collected one point for the five-set defeat.Following losses earlier in the day by China and Iran, a win in fewer than five sets would have put Japan at the top of the pack chasing Asia's guaranteed berth to London on offer at the eight-team tournament. Instead, the hosts are equal on five points with Iran, who they trail on points ratio.Japan was led by Tatsuya Fukuzawa, who scored 21, and Kunihiro Shimizu, who chipped in 13."I wish we could have won 3-1," Japan captain Daisuke Usami said. "We were passive after the first set. Our mental approach must be reviewed. We will have to sustain our strong will in the coming matches."Although he was far from jubilant, Japan coach Tatsuya Ueta praised his players."This was a team win," he said. "We've become a team where everyone battles. Every player on the floor did his utmost."South Korea coach Park Ki-Won said, "The individual level of the players was unstable. They could not perform well. This was the key element. I'm sorry we lost."Earlier, tournament leader Serbia remained perfect by defeating China 25-15, 25-13, 25-21 behind 13 points from Milos Nikic. China fell to 1-2 with four points from three games.Australia, which trails Serbia on points ratio, dropped the first against Iran before winning 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23. Thomas Edgar scored 24 for Australia, while Adam White accounted for 22.In the day's other match, Venezuela routed Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 with captain Kervin Pinerua top-scoring for the South Americans with 14 points.The top two teams will each win a spot at the London Olympics, as will the next-best Asian team.Japan's next match is against China on Wednesday.
Busy night: Tatsuya Fukuzawa leads Japan with 21 points in Tuesday's Olympic men's volleyball qualifying tournament match against South Korea. KYODOJapan defeated South Korea 25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 15-6, securing just two points for the victory. The Koreans collected one point for the five-set defeat.Following losses earlier in the day by China and Iran, a win in fewer than five sets would have put Japan at the top of the pack chasing Asia's guaranteed berth to London on offer at the eight-team tournament. Instead, the hosts are equal on five points with Iran, who they trail on points ratio.Japan was led by Tatsuya Fukuzawa, who scored 21, and Kunihiro Shimizu, who chipped in 13."I wish we could have won 3-1," Japan captain Daisuke Usami said. "We were passive after the first set. Our mental approach must be reviewed. We will have to sustain our strong will in the coming matches."Although he was far from jubilant, Japan coach Tatsuya Ueta praised his players."This was a team win," he said. "We've become a team where everyone battles. Every player on the floor did his utmost."South Korea coach Park Ki-Won said, "The individual level of the players was unstable. They could not perform well. This was the key element. I'm sorry we lost."Earlier, tournament leader Serbia remained perfect by defeating China 25-15, 25-13, 25-21 behind 13 points from Milos Nikic. China fell to 1-2 with four points from three games.Australia, which trails Serbia on points ratio, dropped the first against Iran before winning 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23. Thomas Edgar scored 24 for Australia, while Adam White accounted for 22.In the day's other match, Venezuela routed Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 with captain Kervin Pinerua top-scoring for the South Americans with 14 points.The top two teams will each win a spot at the London Olympics, as will the next-best Asian team.Japan's next match is against China on Wednesday.Kawasaki hit lifts Mariners
Good job: Seattle manager Eric Wedge (left) and shortstop Munenori Kawasaki celebrate after the Mariners' 8-6 win over the Angels on Monday. Kawsaki hit a three-run double in the fifth inning. APANAHEIM, California — Munenori Kawasaki had a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning and John Jaso had three hits, leading the Seattle Mariners to an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.Mariners manager Eric Wedge credited the win to reliever Tom Wilhelmsen.Wilhelmsen retired Albert Pujols and Mark Trumbo with the tying runs on second and third in the eighth inning."When you're facing those two hitters in that situation, you can't ask for anything more," Wedge said. "He did a great job of making them work and then he had to finish it off in the ninth. It was a great performance by Tom."The Angels had cut the Mariners' 8-4 lead to two runs and Pujols coming up with one out in the eighth. Wedge replaced Shawn Kelley with Wilhelmsen.Pujols hit a comebacker to the mound and John Hester got caught in a rundown between third and home and was tagged out. Hester kept the rundown going long enough to allow Pujols to reach second.Wilhelmsen then struck out Trumbo, the cleanup hitter. Wilhelmsmen pitched a scoreless ninth for his first career save.Kyle Seager homered and Seattle had 10 hits overall.Mariners starter Jason Vargas (7-4) gave up four runs and nine hits in 5? innings. He struck out a season-best eight.Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki finished 0-for-5.Athletics 12, Rangers 1In Oakland, rookie Jarrod Parker held Texas hitless until the eighth inning and Brandon Inge drove in four runs in the Athletics' eight-run second inning.Twins 10, Royals 7In Kansas City, Justin Morneau and Josh Willingham each hit two-run homers, Trevor Plouffe also went deep and Minnesota held off the Royals.NATIONAL LEAGUECardinals 5, Mets 4In New York, Allen Craig hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning and St. Louis found a bit of missing pop, stopping its season-worst losing streak at five.Giants 3, Cubs 2In San Francisco, Ryan Vogelsong won his fourth straight decision, Buster Posey scored the go-ahead run on a double-play grounder in the seventh inning and the Giants beat Chicago for a four-game sweep.Dodgers 4, Phillies 3In Philadelphia, Elian Herrera hit a tiebreaking RBI single off Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth.Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 0In Phoenix, Colorado rookie Christian Friedrich pitched four-hit ball for seven innings in the best outing of his young career and the Rockies won for the seventh time in eight games.SECAUCUS NEW JERSEY — Carlos Correa was all smiles when he heard his name announced, knowing he had made hometown history at the baseball draft.The Houston Astros selected the 17-year-old slugging shortstop with the No. 1 pick Monday night, making him the first player from Puerto Rico to lead off the draft."This means a lot," Correa said from the draft site at MLB Network studios. "We've got a lot of good players there."Correa, however, is the only one to be drafted first from an island that has produced its share of baseball royalty: Roberto Clemente, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Juan Gonzalez and Bernie Williams.Kings close in on Cup
Too close for comfort: Los Angeles' Jarret Stoll (left) and New Jersey's Bryce Salvador collide as Devils goalie Martin Brodeur makes a save during the Kings' 4-0 win on Monday. APLOS ANGELES — Everybody in the sold-out building sensed a crucial moment of the Stanley Cup finals when the New Jersey Devils got a two-man advantage early in a scoreless Game 3. The Devils threw every star and every scheme at the Los Angeles net, desperate for a power-play goal to turn around the series.Jonathan Quick and his three penalty-killers coolly stopped everything, including the Devils' momentum.Nothing has slowed down these Kings during one of the most spectacular playoff runs in NHL history — and now they are one win away from their Hollywood ending.Quick made 22 saves in his third shutout of the postseason, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams each had a goal and an assist, and the Kings rolled to the brink of the franchise's first title, beating New Jersey 4-0 on Monday night to take a 3-0 series lead.Alec Martinez scored the opening goal, and Jeff Carter and Williams added late power-play goals for the Kings, who improved to an astonishing 15-2 in the postseason."I don't think we're too surprised," said Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who has scored in every game of the finals. "We know we have a great team in here. Before this game, it easily could have been 2-0 for them. It is a tight series, but at the same time, we are really confident with the team we have in here."And with good reason: The Western Conference's eighth-seeded team has jumped to a 3-0 lead in its fourth straight series — a feat never accomplished in NHL history before these seemingly charmed Kings steamrolled every opponent in their path.Game 4 is Wednesday night at Los Angeles."We're almost where we're trying to go, but we haven't won anything yet," captain Dustin Brown said. "We know what we have a chance to do, though. Having an opportunity to win a championship here could get rid of a lot of frustration for a lot of people."Martin Brodeur stopped 17 shots, but the Devils couldn't beat the impenetrable Quick or his penalty-killers, who turned aside six power plays — none bigger than a 60-second kill during 5-on-3 play late in the first period that left the Kings' fans standing and roaring."I think the (penalty-kill) was the difference in the game," the 26-year-old Quick said.The relative youngster in black has outplayed the 40-year-old Brodeur, and New Jersey must accomplish just the fourth comeback from an 0-3 series deficit in NHL playoff history to win its fourth title."It's not the best situation," Brodeur said. "It's probably the worst situation you could be in — no, it is the worst situation you could be in. But we believe in ourselves. We're going to compete as hard as we can, and the result will be there one way or another. . . . We're just facing a team right now that's doing everything right."The Devils had never lost three straight Stanley Cup finals games in the franchise's five appearances. New Jersey hadn't lost three straight games this season since late February.Boxer Mosley announces retirement
NEW YORK — Boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley is retiring, ending a career in which he won titles in three different weight classes, beat Oscar De La Hoya twice and never was knocked out.The 40-year-old announced on Twitter that he was hanging up his gloves, saying he "loved every moment of it. Win, lose or draw."Mosley lost three of his last four fights, including a dreary bout against Manny Pacquiao in May 2011 in which he mostly seemed to be avoiding the Filipino star in the ring.His last fight was May 5 on the undercard of the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto. Mosley lost a lopsided decision to rising Mexican star Canelo Alvarez. The loss dropped his record to 46-8-1.Mosley began boxing at age 8 and wound up winning three U.S. Amateur titles and a bronze medal at the 1990 Goodwill Games.His professional career peaked when he won the WBC welterweight title by beating De La Hoya in 2000 before besting the popular fighter again in 2003 to claim the light middleweight title. Mosley also won the IBF lightweight belt in 1997 and was chosen fighter of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Sharapova stumbles through at French Open; Li crashes out
Ave Maria: Maria Sharapova hits a shot during her 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 win over Klara Zakopalova in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday. APPARIS — On days like these, when so little goes right and so much goes awry, Maria Sharapova tosses away the strategies and scouting reports her coach devises and, well, does whatever it takes to win.Locked in a three-set, 3-hour struggle at a wet and windy French Open on Monday, Sharapova's right, racket-swinging wrist was aching — and that, she insisted, was the least of her problems.There was the tumble to her backside that Sharapova could laugh about later. The exasperating line calls, and what the second-seeded Russian considered an obstinate chair umpire. The 12 double-faults, plus 41 other errors of Sharapova's own doing. The nine breaks she allowed, including three while serving for the match. The unseeded foe who wouldn't go away."It was," Sharapova summed up, "a good test for me."Certainly the first she's faced at Roland Garros this year. After dropping a total of five games in three matches that averaged less than an hour each, Sharapova moved into the quarterfinals at the only Grand Slam tournament she hasn't won by dispensing with tactics and swinging away until she finally pulled out a 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 victory over 44th-ranked Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic."I'm useless with game plans. That's probably the one thing (coach Thomas Hogstedt) just gets so frustrated with me about," Sharapova said. "I go out there and I do my own thing, and then he's like, after the match, 'Really? What's the point? I mean, what's the point of having me?' But I apologized when I hired him, in advance, so he's OK."Hogstedt's take?"It's good we have a day off tomorrow so we can step it up again," he said. "This was clearly a match where she was not playing as well as she should."Sharapova and Hogstedt both said her wrist, which she repeatedly flexed during the match and fiddled with at her news conference afterward, shouldn't be an issue. Something else that might not be? The opposition. It seems that nearly every day a potential roadblock is swept out of the draw, from Serena Williams, to Francesca Schiavone, to Li Na.Indeed, Sharapova now has one thing in common with every woman left: None has won the French Open.Her next opponent, No. 23 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, hasn't been beyond the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament but got to that round for the fourth time by defeating unseeded Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.Asked whether she thinks she can beat three-time major champion Sharapova, Kanepi replied: "If I play well, of course. Why not?"Defending champion Li's surprising exit came against Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, an eyeglasses-wearing doubles specialist ranked 142nd in singles who needed to go through qualifying rounds to enter the main draw."I have to find the reason why I lost the match," said Li, China's only Grand Slam singles champion. "I will find out. But not today."Rafael Nadal's pursuit of a record seventh French Open title rolled on with another rout, this one a 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 victory over his pal, Juan Monaco of Argentina, who's not exactly a slouch — he was seeded 13th and has won five clay-court titles.But Nadal is 49-1 for his career at the French Open and might be better than ever. He's lost a total of 19 games so far, the fewest through four completed matches at Roland Garros since Guillermo Vilas' 16 games in 1982."I feel really comfortable, really at ease," Nadal said. "When the tournament is over, I'll tell you if this was my best Roland Garros or not. For the time being, I'm still playing. So far, so good. But we'll see. Things could change."Sugiuchi, Aoyama win May awards
Yomiuri Giants southpaw Toshiya Sugiuchi led Nippon Professional Baseball's May honor roll when the two leagues' monthly awards were announced Tuesday.Sugiuchi, who threw a no-hitter on May 30, won his first Central League pitcher of the month award after going 4-0 in five starts with a 0.68 ERA. In the Pacific League, Tohoku Rakuten closer Koji Aoyama also won his first award, while the honors for position players went to a first baseman in each league, the Chunichi Dragons' Tony Blanco and the Orix Buffaloes' Lee Dae Ho.Sugiuchi struck out 50 batters in May, when he allowed one run in 7? innings in the one start he did not win."It's a difficult number to reach, 50 strikeouts in a month," said Sugiuchi. "I think that speaks for the kind of groove I was in.""I've been allowed to play ball in a good environment. My teammates made it possible for me to win this award," he said.Aoyama saved six consecutive Golden Eagles games from May 9 to May 16, with the first five coming on consecutive days. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed just six hits and one walk in 11? scoreless innings during the month and totaled eight saves and one hold. It was his first monthly honor."I never even imagined (winning this award)," said Aoyama. "I go all out each and every game, and I'm just happy my results were so well thought of."
Surging Thunder put Spurs on brink
SAN ANTONIO — Look who's unstoppable now.
Thunder storm: San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (left) keeps the ball away from Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka on Monday. APForget that incredible San Antonio streak of 20 straight wins. That's ancient history, and the way the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken complete command of the Western Conference finals, the Spurs might soon be finished themselves.Kevin Durant scored 27 points and the Thunder are on the brink of the NBA Finals, beating the Spurs 108-103 in Game 5 on Monday night and going from an 0-2 hole to moving within a victory of a series knockout. Their first chance will be Wednesday night at home, where they haven't lost all season."We never thought we're supposed to wait our turn," Durant said. "Coach always emphasizes that with every opportunity that you step on the floor. It's a great opportunity to get better. To get to our dream."Russell Westbrook added 23 and the Thunder took a 3-2 lead in a wildly entertaining Western Conference finals. Looking invincible while carrying a 20-game winning streak a week ago — the fourth-longest in NBA history — the Spurs have lost three straight and are on the verge of a stunning collapse.Manu Ginobili scored 34 in a smashing return to the starting lineup, and the switch showed just how much San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich knew his team might be in trouble. The only way the Spurs would have considered it a success is had they won, and that chance went clanging off the back of the rim with 4.9 seconds left when Ginobili missed an off-balance 3.Ginobili then walked to the scorer's table, made a fist and hammered it down."It wasn't a great shot, but it wasn't a bad one," Ginobili said. "It just didn't go in."It was the Spurs' first loss at home since April 11.Popovich said he removed Danny Green from the starting lineup and plugged in Ginobili — who had started only seven previous times this season — to give the Spurs "an energy boost." But that didn't solve a third straight uneven game for the Spurs, particularly another languid second quarter that put them in a 14-point deficit."If we don't get that straight," Popovich said, "it'll be over on Wednesday."The Thunder, meanwhile, are bringing home just what they needed: the must-win on the road if they're going to pull this series out."That was a total team effort," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Everybody did their job. I thought we played as hard as we can play."Oklahoma City pulled it off behind its stars. James Harden scored 20, joining Durant and Westbrook as the only Thunder players in double figures.Harden hit the biggest shot, draining a 3-pointer with 28.8 seconds left that pushed Oklahoma City's lead to five. He admitted afterward that the ball was supposed to go to Durant but had no choice but to let go with the shot clock winding down and Spurs rookie Kawhi Leonard in his face."The shot clock was running down and I had to make a play," Harden said. "Leonard was playing great defense on me. I just shot it with confidence. West Conference finals — that's a big shot."Tony Parker had 20 points and Tim Duncan had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs.
Thunder storm: San Antonio's Manu Ginobili (left) keeps the ball away from Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka on Monday. APForget that incredible San Antonio streak of 20 straight wins. That's ancient history, and the way the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken complete command of the Western Conference finals, the Spurs might soon be finished themselves.Kevin Durant scored 27 points and the Thunder are on the brink of the NBA Finals, beating the Spurs 108-103 in Game 5 on Monday night and going from an 0-2 hole to moving within a victory of a series knockout. Their first chance will be Wednesday night at home, where they haven't lost all season."We never thought we're supposed to wait our turn," Durant said. "Coach always emphasizes that with every opportunity that you step on the floor. It's a great opportunity to get better. To get to our dream."Russell Westbrook added 23 and the Thunder took a 3-2 lead in a wildly entertaining Western Conference finals. Looking invincible while carrying a 20-game winning streak a week ago — the fourth-longest in NBA history — the Spurs have lost three straight and are on the verge of a stunning collapse.Manu Ginobili scored 34 in a smashing return to the starting lineup, and the switch showed just how much San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich knew his team might be in trouble. The only way the Spurs would have considered it a success is had they won, and that chance went clanging off the back of the rim with 4.9 seconds left when Ginobili missed an off-balance 3.Ginobili then walked to the scorer's table, made a fist and hammered it down."It wasn't a great shot, but it wasn't a bad one," Ginobili said. "It just didn't go in."It was the Spurs' first loss at home since April 11.Popovich said he removed Danny Green from the starting lineup and plugged in Ginobili — who had started only seven previous times this season — to give the Spurs "an energy boost." But that didn't solve a third straight uneven game for the Spurs, particularly another languid second quarter that put them in a 14-point deficit."If we don't get that straight," Popovich said, "it'll be over on Wednesday."The Thunder, meanwhile, are bringing home just what they needed: the must-win on the road if they're going to pull this series out."That was a total team effort," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Everybody did their job. I thought we played as hard as we can play."Oklahoma City pulled it off behind its stars. James Harden scored 20, joining Durant and Westbrook as the only Thunder players in double figures.Harden hit the biggest shot, draining a 3-pointer with 28.8 seconds left that pushed Oklahoma City's lead to five. He admitted afterward that the ball was supposed to go to Durant but had no choice but to let go with the shot clock winding down and Spurs rookie Kawhi Leonard in his face."The shot clock was running down and I had to make a play," Harden said. "Leonard was playing great defense on me. I just shot it with confidence. West Conference finals — that's a big shot."Tony Parker had 20 points and Tim Duncan had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs.Sakata chosen for International Rugby Board's Hall of Fame
Yoshihiro Sakata, at one time considered among the top rugby players in the world, will be inducted into the International Rugby Board's Hall of Fame, the IRB announced Tuesday. He will be the first Japanese to be inducted.Sakata, a Japan international who once scored four tries in a famous win against the Junior All Blacks and also played provincial rugby in New Zealand for Canterbury, became the 51st member to join the Hall."This is really an honor," Sakata said from Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya. "This is the result of giving it my all. I'm very thankful to rugby."NAGOYA — Japan suffered its first loss under Eddie Jones as the Brave Blossoms went down 25-19 at the hands of Fiji in their Pacific Nations Cup opener on Tuesday.Ayumu Goromaru scored 14 of Japan's points. The hosts were awarded a penalty try midway through the second half.Setareki Koroilagilagi led the Fijians with 10 points from the set piece, despite missing four penalties and a conversion. Aisake Katonibau, Waisea Nayacalevu and Vereniki Goneva crossed for the islanders.Samoa beat Tonga 20-18 earlier in the four-way competition.Goromaru had put Japan up 9-0 by the 19th minute with three penalties, but the Fijians scored 14 unanswered points to take the halftime lead through tries by Katonibau and Nayacalevu, both converted by Koroilagilagi.Fiji stretched its lead just one minute into the second half with a Koroilagilagi penalty, and was ahead 25-12 in the 59th minute as Goneva touched down.The visitors gifted a penalty try two minutes past the hour. Goromaru converted to pull Japan within six, but could not further close the gap.Japan next plays Tonga on Sunday in a rematch of the first-round affair at last year's Rugby World Cup. The Brave Blossoms close out the tournament on June 17 against Samoa.
Sugiuchi maintains stellar form
FukuokaKYODO
On a roll: Giants pitcher Toshiya Sugiuchi extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 on Tuesday, tossing seven shutout innings. Yomiuri defeated the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 5-1. KYODOSix days after throwing a no-hitter, Toshiya Sugiuchi of the Giants allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings against his old team on Tuesday at Yahoo Dome.Working in his former home park, Sugiuchi allowed just one hit and a walk in a 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks that boosted Yomiuri to within half a game of first place in the Central League.Sugiuchi (8-1) held the Hawks hitless until Tomoaki Egawa's two-out single in the fifth. The southpaw had gone 16 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and has now gone 24 innings without allowing a run. The CL's pitcher of the month for May, when he fanned 50 batters, started June by striking out eight."While I reminded myself to stay calm, I felt at first that last time's no-hitter was a burden to me," said Sugiuchi.Edgar Gonzalez broke up a scoreless game with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly and made it 3-0 with a two-run home run in the sixth. Two batters later, Ryuichi Kajimae made it 4-0 with an RBI double.Another Giants pitching streak came to an end in the ninth, when lefty Tetsuya Yamaguchi surrendered a homer to light-hitting Kenji Akashi. In his previous game, the reliever had equaled a CL record with 24 scoreless appearances to start the season.Carp 12, Fighters 3At Sapporo Dome, Hokkaido Nippon Ham starter and PL ERA leader Mitsuo Yoshikawa was ejected in the third inning for hitting Akihiro Higashide in the head with a pitch and things rapidly unraveled in a blowout loss to Hiroshima.Kenji Tsuchiya (0-1), who was activated that day, gave up the lead two pitches later on a three-run homer by Masato Akamatsu. The 12 runs were the most scored by the Carp this season.Lions 7, Dragons 4At Seibu Dome, Takeya Nakamura belted a three-run homer, his fifth in four games, as Pacific League cellar dweller Seibu handed CL-leading Chunichi its third straight loss.Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (5-5) allowed a run in seven innings for the win. The Dragons' Tony Blanco, the CL's player of the month for May, hit a consolation homer in the eighth. The two-run shot was his 100th in Japan.Tigers 3, Eagles 1At Sendai's Kleenex Stadium, Tohoku Rakuten's Koji Aoyama, the Pacific League's pitcher of the month for May, walked the first two batters he faced in the ninth before surrendering a tie-breaking single to Hanshin's Craig Brazell.Tomoaki Kanemoto, without a home run since April 1, homered in Sendai, where he attended Tohoku Fukushi University. With the exception of 2009, he has hit at least one homer there every year since interleague play began in 2005.Buffaloes 5, Swallows 0At Osaka's Kyocera Dome, Evan MacLane (3-2) scattered five hits and a walk over six innings, and Hirotoshi Kitagawa belted a three-run homer as Orix snapped Tokyo Yakult's three-game winning streak.The Buffaloes' Bobby Scales started the trouble in the fourth inning with a one-out double off Tatsuya Masubuchi (1-2), who issued a bases-loaded walk and run-scoring wild pitch in the inning. The Swallows have one tie and 10 losses in their last 11 games against Orix.Marines 3, BayStars 2At Chiba's QVC Marine Field, Chiba Lotte's Katsuya Kakunaka tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI triple and scored the go-ahead run on Toshiaki Imae's sacrifice fly.Marines starter Shunsuke Watanabe allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings. He left with two outs in the top of the sixth and a man on, but the bullpen faltered as Yokohama took the lead in the inning on a two-run single by Alex Ramirez.
On a roll: Giants pitcher Toshiya Sugiuchi extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 on Tuesday, tossing seven shutout innings. Yomiuri defeated the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 5-1. KYODOSix days after throwing a no-hitter, Toshiya Sugiuchi of the Giants allowed just one hit in seven scoreless innings against his old team on Tuesday at Yahoo Dome.Working in his former home park, Sugiuchi allowed just one hit and a walk in a 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks that boosted Yomiuri to within half a game of first place in the Central League.Sugiuchi (8-1) held the Hawks hitless until Tomoaki Egawa's two-out single in the fifth. The southpaw had gone 16 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and has now gone 24 innings without allowing a run. The CL's pitcher of the month for May, when he fanned 50 batters, started June by striking out eight."While I reminded myself to stay calm, I felt at first that last time's no-hitter was a burden to me," said Sugiuchi.Edgar Gonzalez broke up a scoreless game with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly and made it 3-0 with a two-run home run in the sixth. Two batters later, Ryuichi Kajimae made it 4-0 with an RBI double.Another Giants pitching streak came to an end in the ninth, when lefty Tetsuya Yamaguchi surrendered a homer to light-hitting Kenji Akashi. In his previous game, the reliever had equaled a CL record with 24 scoreless appearances to start the season.Carp 12, Fighters 3At Sapporo Dome, Hokkaido Nippon Ham starter and PL ERA leader Mitsuo Yoshikawa was ejected in the third inning for hitting Akihiro Higashide in the head with a pitch and things rapidly unraveled in a blowout loss to Hiroshima.Kenji Tsuchiya (0-1), who was activated that day, gave up the lead two pitches later on a three-run homer by Masato Akamatsu. The 12 runs were the most scored by the Carp this season.Lions 7, Dragons 4At Seibu Dome, Takeya Nakamura belted a three-run homer, his fifth in four games, as Pacific League cellar dweller Seibu handed CL-leading Chunichi its third straight loss.Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (5-5) allowed a run in seven innings for the win. The Dragons' Tony Blanco, the CL's player of the month for May, hit a consolation homer in the eighth. The two-run shot was his 100th in Japan.Tigers 3, Eagles 1At Sendai's Kleenex Stadium, Tohoku Rakuten's Koji Aoyama, the Pacific League's pitcher of the month for May, walked the first two batters he faced in the ninth before surrendering a tie-breaking single to Hanshin's Craig Brazell.Tomoaki Kanemoto, without a home run since April 1, homered in Sendai, where he attended Tohoku Fukushi University. With the exception of 2009, he has hit at least one homer there every year since interleague play began in 2005.Buffaloes 5, Swallows 0At Osaka's Kyocera Dome, Evan MacLane (3-2) scattered five hits and a walk over six innings, and Hirotoshi Kitagawa belted a three-run homer as Orix snapped Tokyo Yakult's three-game winning streak.The Buffaloes' Bobby Scales started the trouble in the fourth inning with a one-out double off Tatsuya Masubuchi (1-2), who issued a bases-loaded walk and run-scoring wild pitch in the inning. The Swallows have one tie and 10 losses in their last 11 games against Orix.Marines 3, BayStars 2At Chiba's QVC Marine Field, Chiba Lotte's Katsuya Kakunaka tied it 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI triple and scored the go-ahead run on Toshiaki Imae's sacrifice fly.Marines starter Shunsuke Watanabe allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings. He left with two outs in the top of the sixth and a man on, but the bullpen faltered as Yokohama took the lead in the inning on a two-run single by Alex Ramirez.Durant, Green show class of West's best organizations
NEW YORK — Kevin Durant cannot possibly be, as commonly portrayed, as great a guy as he is a player, right?"He's actually better!" Matt Tumbleson countered when posed the impious question while the Thunder's director of communications and I watched Daddy Long Legs warm up on the Staples Center court prior to the end of the Clippers' crucifixion.As Exhibit A, Tumbleson told me something truly unbelievable that happened following the Orlando All-Star Game, in which Durant was voted MVP, 24 hours after finishing first in the Long Distance Shootout."The demand for Kevin throughout the weekend was constant, but after winning MVP things got really intense," Tumbleson said. "Everyone wanted a piece of his time and he handled it all smoothly with a smile."So, long after the building had emptied out and only slow-filing writers like myself were still in front of their computers, Durant finally was free to join family and friends and Tumbleson was off duty to join former Spurs' boss Tom James for a nightcap or two."About 45 minutes later, I got a call from Durant," Tumbleson recounted.No doubt, a "need play" was about to be run."Kevin said he wanted to thank me for spending so much extra time with him and that he really appreciated it," he said.Ah, the tales they tell of tall men. What would you think if you heard one like that from a person paid to pump up players?Naturally, I believed it. That's because there's an epidemic of etiquette sweeping the NBA.In late March, I did a short post-game interview with North Babylon's Danny Green, chosen No. 46 by the Cavaliers in 2009 (115 minutes in 20 games) and ultimately waived. The next season, after a brief tryout, Gregg Popovich cut him, yet he rejoined the team two weeks later, eight games in all.And here he was (is) starting for the Western Conference champs, contributing tangibly and intangibly in a multitude of areas.I understood Green, who won more games (123; the 2009 NCAA championship, too) at North Carolina than any Tar Heel preceding him, caught a break when Manu Ginobili got hurt early in the season.But how did he re-position himself to get that break after being let go? That's what I wanted to know.Simple. Yeah, right."I called up Pop and asked for another chance," Green explained. "I promised I'd do anything he asked me to do and swore I'd work during the off-season on improving whatever he told me to work on."Popovich liked Green's approach and learned to like his style. Once Green had his coach's confidence he began to develop his own. Thus the coach allowed mistakes to be made and the player was allowed to relax and grow without fear of instant or dire consequences.Before leaving the Spurs' locker room that evening, I stopped to speak with James, the team's publicist for 15 years. He said a lot of good things about Green but one stood out."Earlier this season, out of the blue, Danny came over and said, 'I just want you to know that you really do a good job.' In all my years, that's a first coming from a player," James said.* * *No surprise that the Bobcats interviewed Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw. The so-called source was someone in the know, which puts Michael Jordan above suspicion.Sources tell me Charlotte plans to have a coach in place sometime before the start of next season's draft lottery.This just in: Mitt Romney claims, if elected, he can fix the economy and unfix the draft lottery. In an unrelated matter, he's found a running mate: Ricky Rubio. . . .I never got close to Orlando Woolridge during his 13 NBA seasons, two with the Nets — one mostly on suspension for substance abuse — in the late '80s. That's mainly because I didn't want to have to cover his tormented soul.Despite incessant preaching and teaching, the majority of us refuse to learn from the mistakes of others. We must make our own and pray our addictions don't kill us. The unlucky often pay by dying young, like Woolridge, who passed away at 52 from a diseased heart.Still, from what I've read about the accomplishments of his five children, as well as a sister whose medical training he financed, Woolridge was an influential leading man in their lives.In the end, hopefully Willis Reed's cousin was able to cut himself some slack. In the end, spent with his parents at their Mansfield, Louisiana, home, hopefully Woolridge realized his career and life were not a waste, but, in fact, a success.Peter Vecsey covers the NBA for the New York Post.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Kagawa to join Manchester United
Shinji Kagawa's long-awaited move to Manchester United finally happened after the Premier League giant announced Tuesday it had come to terms with Borussia Dortmund on a transfer for the Japan midfielder.
It is the biggest transfer ever by a Japanese player, and perhaps even by an Asian player. The fee, depending on Kagawa's performance at Old Trafford, could reach as high as ?22 million, according to the latest reports from Germany.The deal is subject to a medical and the issuance of a work permit. Both are expected to be completed by the end of June, United said through a statement."Manchester United is delighted to announce that it has agreed (to) terms with both Borussia Dortmund and Shinji Kagawa for his transfer to the club," United said.However, Kagawa, who is currently on national team duty for the World Cup qualifiers, was not expecting the announcement to be made as he trained for Friday's match at home to Jordan, and refused to go into details.Appearing slightly annoyed by the situation, Kagawa did not take questions. He initially did not want to meet the press, but the Japan Football Association convinced him to at least say something."I haven't put pen to paper yet," Kagawa said. "We still have two more games to play, and the entire team is focused on these qualifiers."I'll talk about all of this once I'm done here. I hope people will understand."His teammates, though, showered him with words of congratulations."Shinji deserves to be playing for a top club. He belongs," CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda said. "I hope he does well."Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi has no doubt Kagawa will succeed in the Premiership, and will not take a backseat even at Alex Ferguson's star-studded club."Kagawa can keep the ball in the smallest of spaces and is a quick decision-maker," Miyaichi told Kyodo News. "He can play there for sure."He's Japan's No. 10, and I think he'll be able to perform even at a glamorous side like Manchester United."Kagawa had been linked with the world's biggest club like European champions Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan, although the Premier League was always his preferred destination.The 23-year-old was instrumental in helping Dortmund win back-to-back Bundesliga titles, and is also an integral part of Alberto Zaccheroni's plans for Asian champion Japan.Kagawa failed to make Takeshi Okada's team for the 2010 World Cup, but his stock took off after transferring from the J. League's Cerezo Osaka to Dortmund, where he scored 21 goals in 49 league appearances.He missed the second half of his first season in Germany after breaking his metatarsal at the 2011 Asian Cup, but returned for 2011-12 to push Dortmund to the Bundesliga and German Cup double.Ferguson scouted Kagawa in person at the German Cup final. The two met afterward, and Kagawa later admitted he was charmed by the legendary Scot.Dortmund wished Kagawa continued success at United, where he will be joined by fellow Asian and former J. League player Park Ji Sung of South Korea."He made huge contributions to the team over what has been a successful two years," sports director Michael Zorc said. "We hope he continues to do well."
It is the biggest transfer ever by a Japanese player, and perhaps even by an Asian player. The fee, depending on Kagawa's performance at Old Trafford, could reach as high as ?22 million, according to the latest reports from Germany.The deal is subject to a medical and the issuance of a work permit. Both are expected to be completed by the end of June, United said through a statement."Manchester United is delighted to announce that it has agreed (to) terms with both Borussia Dortmund and Shinji Kagawa for his transfer to the club," United said.However, Kagawa, who is currently on national team duty for the World Cup qualifiers, was not expecting the announcement to be made as he trained for Friday's match at home to Jordan, and refused to go into details.Appearing slightly annoyed by the situation, Kagawa did not take questions. He initially did not want to meet the press, but the Japan Football Association convinced him to at least say something."I haven't put pen to paper yet," Kagawa said. "We still have two more games to play, and the entire team is focused on these qualifiers."I'll talk about all of this once I'm done here. I hope people will understand."His teammates, though, showered him with words of congratulations."Shinji deserves to be playing for a top club. He belongs," CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda said. "I hope he does well."Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi has no doubt Kagawa will succeed in the Premiership, and will not take a backseat even at Alex Ferguson's star-studded club."Kagawa can keep the ball in the smallest of spaces and is a quick decision-maker," Miyaichi told Kyodo News. "He can play there for sure."He's Japan's No. 10, and I think he'll be able to perform even at a glamorous side like Manchester United."Kagawa had been linked with the world's biggest club like European champions Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan, although the Premier League was always his preferred destination.The 23-year-old was instrumental in helping Dortmund win back-to-back Bundesliga titles, and is also an integral part of Alberto Zaccheroni's plans for Asian champion Japan.Kagawa failed to make Takeshi Okada's team for the 2010 World Cup, but his stock took off after transferring from the J. League's Cerezo Osaka to Dortmund, where he scored 21 goals in 49 league appearances.He missed the second half of his first season in Germany after breaking his metatarsal at the 2011 Asian Cup, but returned for 2011-12 to push Dortmund to the Bundesliga and German Cup double.Ferguson scouted Kagawa in person at the German Cup final. The two met afterward, and Kagawa later admitted he was charmed by the legendary Scot.Dortmund wished Kagawa continued success at United, where he will be joined by fellow Asian and former J. League player Park Ji Sung of South Korea."He made huge contributions to the team over what has been a successful two years," sports director Michael Zorc said. "We hope he continues to do well."Gonzalez thrives after recent return to Giants
Edgar Gonzalez is back and he's hit the ground running.
Back to speed: Edgar Gonzalez is getting back into the groove after returning to the Yomiuri Giants from a period of inactivity in the United States. KYODOAfter a long time spent off the diamond in the U.S., Gonzalez, who recently returned to play for the Yomiuri Giants, was essentially ushered off the plane and onto the field upon arriving back in Japan.Not that he's complaining."It's going good," Gonzalez said last week. "I just got back a little while ago and got a couple of games under my belt. I hadn't played in 20-something days before I came here. I played one game in the minors and then I came up. So, it's taking some time, but I feel really good."Gonzalez is hoping to use the experience he gained from his last stint in Japan to his advantage this time around."The adjustment is going to be a lot quicker than it was before," he said. "There's always an adjustment period when you go somewhere else, but it'll be a lot quicker just by knowing the league and being pretty comfortable with it."Gonzalez has appeared in eight games for the Giants this year and is looking more comfortable with each at-bat.He was hitless in his first four games (eight plate appearances), then finished with two hits in each of the next three, driving in three runs over that span. On Tuesday, he homered and finished with three RBIs in Yomiuri's 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.Gonzalez has a .304 average, one home run and six RBIs in the short period of time he's been back in the fold."I'm hoping to help offensively," Gonzalez said. "The team's already got really good pitching. I think with a little bit of offense, this team can go a long way and I hope I can help with that."He also got to see a bit of history not long after his return, having been present for teammate Toshiya Sugiuchi's no-hitter against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 30.It wasn't the first no-hitter Gonzalez had been a part of, but it had a decidedly nicer outcome than the last, when he was a member of the San Diego Padres squad that was no-hit by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez on July 10, 2009. Oddly enough, current Yomiuri infielder John Bowker was playing with San Francisco during that game."I came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning, and I hit a ball that was a home run, but (Aaron) Rowand caught it on top of the fence and brought it back," Gonzalez said.Gonzalez is no stranger to Japan or the Giants. He spent the 2010 season with the team, appearing in 100 games and hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He spent most of the next season with Triple-A Fresno (San Francisco Giants), hitting .315 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs in 137 games.From there he had a brief stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization, but played just nine games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs before asking for and being granted his release in order to come back to Yomiuri."Everything is pretty much the same," Gonzalez said of being back. "Some of the foreigners are different. They're a really good group of guys, so I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to see that."While familiar with many things in Japan, Gonzalez is aware the robust offensive environment he experienced in 2010 has changed with the introduction of NPB's new ball, which helped send offensive numbers plummeting in 2011.The San Diego native says he's not worried about it having a major effect on his game."I'll just take it how it goes," he said. "Plus, I don't consider myself a home run hitter. I consider myself a singles hitter or a doubles hitter. As long as I keep on doing that, I'll be fine."
Back to speed: Edgar Gonzalez is getting back into the groove after returning to the Yomiuri Giants from a period of inactivity in the United States. KYODOAfter a long time spent off the diamond in the U.S., Gonzalez, who recently returned to play for the Yomiuri Giants, was essentially ushered off the plane and onto the field upon arriving back in Japan.Not that he's complaining."It's going good," Gonzalez said last week. "I just got back a little while ago and got a couple of games under my belt. I hadn't played in 20-something days before I came here. I played one game in the minors and then I came up. So, it's taking some time, but I feel really good."Gonzalez is hoping to use the experience he gained from his last stint in Japan to his advantage this time around."The adjustment is going to be a lot quicker than it was before," he said. "There's always an adjustment period when you go somewhere else, but it'll be a lot quicker just by knowing the league and being pretty comfortable with it."Gonzalez has appeared in eight games for the Giants this year and is looking more comfortable with each at-bat.He was hitless in his first four games (eight plate appearances), then finished with two hits in each of the next three, driving in three runs over that span. On Tuesday, he homered and finished with three RBIs in Yomiuri's 5-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.Gonzalez has a .304 average, one home run and six RBIs in the short period of time he's been back in the fold."I'm hoping to help offensively," Gonzalez said. "The team's already got really good pitching. I think with a little bit of offense, this team can go a long way and I hope I can help with that."He also got to see a bit of history not long after his return, having been present for teammate Toshiya Sugiuchi's no-hitter against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 30.It wasn't the first no-hitter Gonzalez had been a part of, but it had a decidedly nicer outcome than the last, when he was a member of the San Diego Padres squad that was no-hit by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez on July 10, 2009. Oddly enough, current Yomiuri infielder John Bowker was playing with San Francisco during that game."I came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning, and I hit a ball that was a home run, but (Aaron) Rowand caught it on top of the fence and brought it back," Gonzalez said.Gonzalez is no stranger to Japan or the Giants. He spent the 2010 season with the team, appearing in 100 games and hitting .263 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He spent most of the next season with Triple-A Fresno (San Francisco Giants), hitting .315 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs in 137 games.From there he had a brief stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization, but played just nine games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs before asking for and being granted his release in order to come back to Yomiuri."Everything is pretty much the same," Gonzalez said of being back. "Some of the foreigners are different. They're a really good group of guys, so I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to see that."While familiar with many things in Japan, Gonzalez is aware the robust offensive environment he experienced in 2010 has changed with the introduction of NPB's new ball, which helped send offensive numbers plummeting in 2011.The San Diego native says he's not worried about it having a major effect on his game."I'll just take it how it goes," he said. "Plus, I don't consider myself a home run hitter. I consider myself a singles hitter or a doubles hitter. As long as I keep on doing that, I'll be fine."Manning airs it out in practice
ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO — Peyton Manning is the only four-time MVP in NFL history, he's hoisted a Super Bowl trophy and hosted "Saturday Night Live."Yet, he's never faced scrutiny quite like this."I've never had to comment before on incompletions in practice, so this is new to me," the Denver Broncos quarterback said with a chuckle when peppered with questions about some errant deep throws Monday."I will say that when you are throwing deep balls, the idea is to take your shot. It's not the highest percentage play but we're going to keep throwing them," Manning said. "As they always say, in a game if you throw five deep balls and you complete one of them, that's actually a great thing. I mean, you're taking a shot and trying to send a message to the defense to hopefully back them off."
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