Aoki continues All-Star streak with seventh selection

Before the Ryukyu Golden Kings ever played a game and before Okinawa proved to be a terrific location for a Japanese professional basketball team, Cohey Aoki had already established himself as a fan favorite in the bj-league.

Lucky seven: Tokyo guard Cohey Aoki has been chosen for his seventh bj-league All-Star Game. YOSHIAKI MIURA

The league's first-ever All-Star Game, held in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, in January 2007, included then-Tokyo Apache guard Aoki. Since then, he's been the only player in league history to appear in each of the next five showcase games in Niigata; Beppu, Oita Prefecture; Rifu, Miyagi Prefecture; Osaka; and Saitama.

Aoki, now the cornerstone player for the expansion Tokyo Cinq Reves, will make his seventh All-Star assignment — all starts — on Jan. 20 at Ariake Colosseum. He is the highest-scoring Japanese player in the league this season, averaging 14.5 points per game.

And despite his small stature, the 167-cm Aoki's shooting skills have stood tall. He's shooting 50.4 percent from inside the 3-point arc and better than 93 percent at the free-throw line. His clutch 3-point shooting remains the stuff of legends, too.

Tokyo coach Motofumi Aoki, who has kept the new club (7-11 through Sunday) within shooting distance of playoff contention, will direct the Eastern Conference club, with Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary serving as his bench assistant.

The rest of the East's starting five includes three-time All-Star guard Takanori Goya (Shinshu Brave Warriors, 10.5 ppg) and first-timers Marquin Chandler (Chiba Jets, 19.4 ppg), Jonathan Jones (Tokyo, 21.3 ppg) and Dillion Sneed (Iwate Big Bulls, 17.5 ppg).

The East's All-Star backups are guards Shigehiro Taguchi (Akita), Kimitake Sato (Niigata), Masashi Joho (Toyama, a five-time selection), Shingo Okada (Gunma), Takuma Yamashiro (Saitama) and Draelon Burns (Yokohama) and forward Takuya Komoda (Sendai).

For the Western Conference, the starting backcourt features Tsubasa Yonamine (4.9 ppg, 4-to-1 assist/turnover ratio) and Narito Namizato (13.1 ppg) of the Ryukyu Golden Kings and Kings forward Anthony McHenry (15.1 ppg), and Kyoto Hannaryz forward David Palmer (14.9 ppg) and Shimane Susanoo Magic forward Kazuya "J." Hatano (8.0 ppg and 5.6 rpg in 18 appearances with Oita before joining Shimane recently). The West's head coach is Ryukyu's Koto Toyama and Atsushi Kanazawa of the Rizing Fukuoka is his assistant.

The West's reserves are guards Shinya Ogawa (Shiga), Hiroyuki Kikuchi (Takamatsu), Akitomo Takeno (Fukuoka), Taishiro Shimizu (Oita) and forwards/centers Atsuya Ota (Hamamatsu Higashimikawa), Nathan Walkup (Osaka) and Michael Parker (Shimane).

For the 3-Point Shootout, the contestants are Aoki, Toyama's Angel Garcia, Iwate's Kenichi Takahashi, Ogawa, Kyoto's Yu Okada and Palmer. Aoki is the defending champion.

In the Slam Dunk Contest, the participants are Toyama's Ira Brown, Tokyo's Akihito Inoue, Tokyo's Dennis Carr, Shiga's Ray Nixon, Osaka's Yoshihiro Tachibana, a two-time champion, and Miyazaki's Larriques Cunningham. (Defending champion John "Helicopter" Humphrey of Saitama is sidelined with a back injury.)

Five Arrows talk: Takamatsu (7-11) has already won more than three times as many games as last season, and coach Kenzo Maeda's club still has 34 contests remaining on its 2012-13 schedule.

Stranger things have happened than a team recovering from a 2-50 season to rebound to respectable form the next campaign, and swingman Dexter Lyons, the Five Arrows' leading scorer (15.0 ppg) is confident his team is just getting started.

"To me, it is vital and pivotal for everyone to understand their role as a player on this particular team," Lyons told The Japan Times. "We are a 'defensive team,' but with offensive weapons too, and I think that we have to understand we have to be the team to initiate the aggressiveness from the start, or we will continue to fight against ourselves."

In 18 games, Takamatsu has put 1,346 points on the board and yielded 1,400.

"As this team continues to understand our identity, we have shown to be a good team base unit," Lyons continued. "No one on this team thinks they are the only star on the team, including me.

"We share the basketball on offense, but some players lack the confidence it takes on an every-game basis. I think that we have to improve on boxing out and rebounding. Too many times I can recall us as a team giving up too many second-chance points causing the other team to push their lead further."

Despite the fact that Takamatsu has made big strides since last season, Lyons, who's in his first season with the Shikoku-based club after playing for Miyazaki in 2011-12, realizes the Five Arrows are far from a finished product.

At this point in the season, I am not happy," he admitted, "but I think we are shocking many clubs with the personnel that we have, being we have some first-timers in the bj-league and that we are inexperienced with our Japanese players.

"We are getting better every day and I see us becoming a talented ball club with the smarts of coach Kenzo."

To a man, Lyons has a chip on his shoulder as he reflects on the team's status and its image.

"I don't like that the league still thinks this is last year's team that only won two games," he said bluntly. "And I think the refs are carrying this into this season. Just saying . . . I respect them, but they need to get better or this may cause major problems around this league."

"I firmly believe that we have not played our best basketball yet, but I will make sure to lead these guys," the Central Florida product declared.

89ers update: Taking stock of their season to date, Sendai 89ers bench boss Bob Pierce said his team, in a rebuilding mode with seven new players on its opening day roster, needs to employ more physicality on the court, especially in the closing minutes of games.

Speaking after the 89ers' 79-68 defeat last Friday against the host B-Corsairs, Pierce said his club did not match Yokohama's physical intensity and strength in the two-game series (both losses for the guests).

"I thought the biggest difference down the stretch was as the game got physical and there were bumps and pushes on every play, we were the ones going like this (backing off) and looking to the referees," said Pierce after his team dropped its fifth straight game and fell to 5-12.

"And when the game gets physical, if you're not physical back, you are going to lose and the biggest difference in the last six minutes or so is that we were little kids out there complaining to our mommy to come help us because someone was pushing us around."

In order to climb in the standings and enter the playoff conversation in the East, the ninth-place 89ers need to become better rebounders, Pierce said, especially "when you are playing to get the key rebounds at the end of the defensive possession." He added that the team is giving up too many second-chance points.

Furthermore, Sendai's in-game time management has been inadequate.

Case in point: the series finale against Yokohama.

"We used all of our timeouts, just trying to control the game and avoid turnovers with 4 minutes to go, and I always try to save two or three to the end," Pierce said. "So the fact that we had to use seven timeouts before the 4-minute mark was a sign that not just the guards but our team is not taking care of the ball and controlling what's going on, on the court."

Newcomer T.J. Cummings played his first two games in an 89ers uniform last weekend, and working him into the mix and getting adjusted to his new teammates is a work in progress.

"With T.J. coming on, obviously sometimes the defensive and offensive rotations were off . . . especially when they had to make quick decisions on pick-and-rolls with Draelon (Burns) and Thomas Kennedy," Pierce said. "Those things in particular are things we have to work on, making sure we are physical on rebounding."

Burns and Kennedy combined for 36 points in the series opener, followed by 41 a day later.

B-Corsairs banter: Under the steady leadership of second-year sideline supervisor Reggie Geary, the bj-league's 2011-12 Coach of the Year, Yokohama is among the league's hottest teams as the year winds down.

Yokohama (12-6) has won four straight, six of its last seven and seven of its last 10.

Strong defense and 3-point shootings are keys to the team's success.

"I've been saying from day one that's how this team was built," Geary said last week. "We want to be an up-tempo team. We felt that we had a good core of shooters coming back, and we added some new scorers to the equation. And so we want to spread the floor and do exactly what we are doing right now.

The B-Corsairs are 160-for-419 from beyond the 3-point arc, with Masayuki Kabaya (44-for-96) and Burns (46-for-110) their top two options.

Returning to the Final Four after accomplishing that feat as a first-year franchise remains the top target for Geary's club.

"I'm excited about where we're at, but I'm more excited about where we are going because we can play so much better and still have a long way to go in terms of where we eventually want to be," Geary said.

Pressed for more details, he responded by saying, "What has been the most pleasant revelation has been how this team has found a way to be very, very good defensively, and I think that we're playing defense at the right time. And for me, as the head coach, the most encouraging thing is defensively we're really doing some good things."

To illustrate his point, Geary noted that in the team's last 16 quarters, or four games, including the Sendai series, his team had only allowed 20 or more points in three quarters.

In related news, the B-Corsairs have added big man Shawn Malloy, a University of New Orleans product, to their roster. The announcement was made on Wednesday.

The 209-cm veteran played for the Iwate Big Bulls last season and averaged 10.5 rebounds (sixth-best total in the league) and 11.2 points per game.

Upcoming games: Weekend action features Akita vs. Saitama, Niigata vs. Gunma, Chiba vs. Yokohama, Tokyo vs. Iwate, Shiga vs. Takamatsu, Osaka vs. Kyoto, Miyazaki vs. Fukuoka, Shimane vs. Oita and Ryukyu vs. Hamamatsu.

Sendai and Shinshu, meanwhile, will renew their rivalry in a series that tips off on Christmas Eve.

Around the league: The Golden Kings (15-3) have lost three straight games. Star forward Anthony McHenry (knee) did not play last weekend, giving his body a chance to rest. . . . The blockbuster Golden Kings-Phoenix matchup this weekend features the teams that have captured the past four league titles. This series marks their first regular-season meeting as Western Conference rivals. Hamamatsu, winners of seven straight, left the Eastern Conference after finishing runnerup to Ryukyu in May's championship match at Ariake Colosseum. . . .

Gunma opened the season with 12 straight defeats, but has climbed out of the cellar with four wins in its past eight games. Credit coach Ryan Blackwell, who was left to pick up the pieces after original bench boss Tadashi Hayashi, 0-8 in his brief stint in charge, was shown the door in early November following the team's disastrous start. Floor leader Jermaine Dixon has played an instrumental role in giving the team a better grasp of how to compete in this league. The same can be said for guards Shingo Okada and Kenya Tomori, who, along with Dixon, previously starred for the Phoenix, including on last season's championship runnerup team.

Weekly accolade: Shimane center Jeral Davis, a 216-cm Talladega State (Alabama) product, had a major influence on the Susanoo Magic's back-to-back wins over Ryukyu last weekend in Okinawa.

Davis, the Lawson/Ponta Weekly MVP, blocked 12 shots in the series, including eight on Saturday. He also had 22 points and 12 rebounds in the series opener. A day later, Davis scored 20 points, grabbed eight boards and handed out three assists. He is the league's top shot blocker (3.6 per game) and is on pace to finish atop that category for the third straight season.

On Tuesday, Shimane coach Zeljko Pavlicevic wrote in an email that he's very pleased with the combined efforts of Davis and Parker in leading the team to a pair of big victories and their role as tone-setters for the squad.

New addition: The Saitama Broncos announced the signing of veteran post player Wayne Oliver on Tuesday.

The 201-cm Oliver, 31, attended Cameron University in Oklahoma before embarking on a career that has included stops in the IBL, ABA, Syria, China and Mexico.

Struggling Akita: The Northern Happinets have dropped six of their last 10 games. They were 7-1 to begin the season, and are now 11-7 and in sixth place — the final playoff spot — in the East, after being in first place a few weeks ago.

Akita brought in 199-cm forward Marshall Brown this week, the latest acquisition by Kazuo Nakamura's team, which employs a revolving-door policy for import players more so than any other club in the 21-team circuit.

Brown, a Missouri product, began the season with Miyazaki.

The 27-year-old played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA Development League last season, averaging 10.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 41 games (12 starts).

Got a story idea about the bj-league? Send an email to edward.odeven@japantimes.co.jp

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Baltimore snaps streak of 14 straight losing seasons

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles have too much else going on to be overly excited about ending their miserable run of 14 consecutive losing seasons.

Positive gains: Baltimore's Chen Wei-yin pitches during the Orioles' 3-2 win over the Rays on Thursday. AP

Manny Machado blooped an RBI single that eluded left fielder Matt Joyce's desperate dive with two outs in the 14th inning, and Baltimore beat Tampa Bay 3-2 Thursday to complete a three-game sweep and remain atop the AL East.

With their 81st victory — and 13th in a row in extra innings — the Orioles are assured no worse than a .500 record for the first time since 1997.

"There's a bigger goal in mind," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "That wasn't the goal from Day One this spring. Really, Day One of the offseason. It's watching other teams for years and saying, 'We want to do what they're doing. We'd like to get a chair at the dance, you know?' "

It's been an incredible season for the Orioles, who finished in the cellar in each of the previous four years. Baltimore (81-62) remained in a first-place tie with the New York Yankees, who beat Boston 2-0 on Thursday night.

After briefly celebrating a victory that capped a 5-2 homestand against the Yankees and Rays, Baltimore packed in the clubhouse for a trip to Oakland.

"It makes that West Coast trip a little easier when you win," said closer Jim Johnson, part of a bullpen that kept Tampa Bay scoreless on four hits over the final 6? innings. "You can enjoy it for a little bit, the five hours you're on the flight, but that's about it."

The Rays fell four games back in the division by virtue of yet another one-run defeat punctuated by a lack of offensive punch. Tampa Bay has lost 13 of its last 16 one-run games, including a 3-2 decision Wednesday night.

"It's just the same old story: We can't score enough runs," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We pitched extremely well, we played well in the field overall, loved the effort."

Sixteen pitchers took part in the game, which lasted 5 hours, 14 minutes. Tampa Bay used a club-record 26 players.

The Orioles' success in extras this season matches the longest in the majors since Cleveland won 13 straight extra-inning games in 1995.

Randy Wolf (2-0) earned the win by striking out Joyce with two on in the top of the 14th. Baltimore has won 14 of 19 overall and is 26-11 since Aug. 3.

Although the Orioles blew a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning, they improved to 64-0 when leading after the seventh.

Yankees 2, Red Sox 0

In Boston, Derek Jeter shook off an injury to tie Willie Mays for 10th place on the career hits list (3,283), backing Phil Hughes and helping New York maintain a share of the AL East lead. The Yankees won consecutive games for the first time in a month.

New York's Ichiro Suzuki was a late-inning defensive replacement in right field.

Angels 6, Athletics 0

In Anaheim, ace Jered Weaver (17-4) allowed two hits in seven innings and struck out nine in his first start since skipping a turn in the rotation because of biceps tendinitis.

Indians 5, Rangers 4

In Arlington, Texas, Jason Kipnis hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Joe Nathan and Cleveland snapped a five-game losing streak.

Rangers reliever Koji Uehara worked a scoreless ninth inning.

Blue Jays 8, Mariners 3

In Toronto, Edwin Encarnacion hit his 40th home run, Adam Lind also connected and the Blue Jays sent Felix Hernandez to his third straight loss.

Second baseman Munenori Kawasaki was 0-for-1 after entering the game as a defensive replacement for Seattle.

Twins 4, Royals 3 (10)

In Minneapolis, Denard Span had a game-ending RBI double in the 10th and the Twins rallied for a victory over Kansas City.

Tigers at White Sox — ppd.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cardinals 2, Dodgers 1

In Los Angeles, Allen Craig drove in Shane Robinson with the go-ahead run in the seventh, and St. Louis extended its NL wild-card lead over Los Angeles to two games with a victory over the struggling Dodgers.

Lance Lynn (15-7) pitched six innings of five-hit ball to earn his first win since July 27 for the Cardinals, striking out seven in the All-Star's return to the rotation after a bullpen demotion.

Astros 6, Phillies 4

In Houston, pinch hitter Jed Lowrie delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning and the Astros stung Philadelphia.

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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. AP

Jones 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 5

In 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 0

In 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 2

In 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 4

In 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 0

In 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 1

In 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 3

In Detroit, Justin Verlander allowed one earned run in seven innings, leading the Tigers to a victory over St. Louis.

Athletics 3, Dodgers 0

In Oakland, Brandon McCarthy showed no signs of an ailing shoulder in seven impressive innings.

Rangers 7, Padres 3

In 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 5

In Anaheim, Albert Pujols hit a three-run homer, Mark Trumbo added a three-run triple and drove in five runs.

Blue Jays 10, Brewers 9

In 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 LEAGUE

Phillies 7, Rockies 2

In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels threw eight sharp innings and John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Ruiz hit two-run homers for the Phillies.

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Sports Betting Champ Review - Is the 97% Winning Streak Just Kidding?

Thunder snap Spurs' win streak with rout

Taking flight: Thunder forward Kevin Durant attempts a shot over Spurs defenders Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday in Oklahoma City. The Thunder won 102-82. AP

OKLAHOMA CITY — The streak is over. The series may only be beginning.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points, Thabo Sefolosha set playoff career-bests with 19 points and six steals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped San Antonio's 20-game winning streak by beating the Spurs 102-82 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night.

Oklahoma City closed its series deficit to 2-1 and will host Game 4 on Saturday night.

"We never thought these guys had an advantage over us even though we had lost a few," Durant said. "It was just good that we took it to 2-1. We didn't want to go down 0-3."

Sefolosha threw a wrench in the Spurs' well-oiled offense at the start, getting four steals in the first 3 minutes. The Spurs ended up committing a postseason-worst 21 turnovers and scoring their least points all season.

San Antonio had been averaging 109.4 points during its month-and-a-half winning streak and had been held to double digits only twice.

"We just played a good basketball game," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "We played with a lot of force, we played with good energy, but we played defensive-minded basketball.

"That's who we are. That's how we win."

Tony Parker and Stephen Jackson led the Spurs with 16 points apiece. Tim Duncan had 11 points on 5-for-15 shooting, taking 11 of San Antonio's first 25 shots as the offense went through the All-Star center instead of Parker.

"They played like it was a closeout game, both offensively and defensively," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They were very active, physical, they moved the ball well on offense. They did all those things better than we did. They beat us good."

The Spurs, who already set an NBA record for the longest winning streak carried over from the regular season into the playoffs, were trying to match the league mark for most wins to start the postseason. The Lakers won 11 straight to start the 1989 and 2001 playoffs, getting swept in the NBA Finals the first time and winning it all the second.

The Spurs hadn't lost since April 11 against the Lakers at home.

"We are a prideful team. It's no fun being down 0-2. It's no fun," Brooks said. "But we weren't looking at the game thinking, 'Oh my gosh, we have a chance to be down 0-3.' We were looking at the game that we have a chance to be 1-2 after this game, and I give our guys a lot of credit. They believe in each other and they always play hard for each other."

Parker and Duncan didn't play in the final 15 minutes, and Popovich pulled the plug after a series of three straight turnovers allowed the deficit to reach 23 points early in the fourth quarter.

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Golden Kings extend winning streak to seven

The Ryukyu Golden Kings have accomplished a number of firsts in their history, including this: They were the first time other than the Osaka Evessa to win a bj-league title. They also became the first professional sports team in Okinawa in 2007.

On Saturday, they became the first team in the 2011-12 season to reach 20 wins, doing so by edging the Shiga Lakestars 84-81 in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture.

The Western Conference-leading Golden Kings (20-5) have won seven straight games. Dai Oketani's club has exhibited the patience, poise and depth of a championship team since the season started, and has improved along the way.

Anthony McHenry paced Ryukyu with 17 points, center Dillion Sneed added 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting in his season debut and Naoto Kosuge scored 15.

Josh Peppers led Shiga (16-9) with 19 points, Ray Nixon had 17 points with nine boards, Julius Ashby scored 15 and Yu Okada added 13 as both teams begin their quest in the season's second half to reach the Final Four.

HeatDevils 92, Evessa 82

In Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, center Taj Finger, a Stanford University product, made his season debut a successful, scoring 23 points to lead Oita to a series-opening win.

Finger, who played for the HeatDevils (6-19) before the March 11 earthquake last season, grabbed seven rebounds and made 9 of 12 shots from the field and 5 of 7 free throws in 28 minutes. Frontcourt mate T.J. Cummings added 18 points and 15 rebounds and Naoto Takushi, Wendell White and Kohei Mitomo each scored 13 points. Takushi registered eight assists in the win and raked in eight rebounds along with two steals.

For Osaka, Lynn Washington, the All-Star Game MVP for the second straight season, had 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Cohey Aoki and Wayne Marshall each scored 13 points for Osaka (17-6), and forward Mike Bell finished with 11 points and eight boards, three assists and three steals in his Evessa debut. Daisuke Tamura added seven points for the hosts.

Osaka (17-6) trailed 68-58 entering the fourth quarter, and never regained the lead the rest of the way.

Albirex BB 94, B-Corsairs 78

In Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, Erron Maxey scored 21 points, Yuichi Ikeda poured in 19 on 8-for-15 shooting and the Albirex played an impressive game in the series opener.

Nile Murry (14 points, nine assists) and Chris Holm (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Shuhei Komatsu (12 points), Hirotaka Kondo (five assists in 17 minutes) made major contributions in the victory for Niigata, now 16-9 overall, including 9-4 at home, under first-year coach Matt Garrison.

All-Star forward Justin Burrell was the B-Corsairs' high scorer with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Kenji Yamada scored 16 points for Yokohama (11-14).

Phoenix 80, Big Bulls 64

In Hamamatsu, Jermaine Dixon dished out 13 assists and the Phoenix rolled to a win over Iwate, spoiling Shinji Tomiyama's debut as acting head coach.

Jeffrey Parmer scored 16 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for the two-time defending champions and newcomer Lawrence Blackledge and Masahiro Oguchi each scored 14 for Hamamatsu (15-10).

The Phoenix outscored the out-of-towners 27-14 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Thomas Kennedy led the expansion Big Bulls (7-20) with 19 points and Gordon Klaiber had a 13-point effort. Forward Shawn Malloy added 11 points and 11 boards and Atsushi Nogami scored seven, while Yoshiaki Yamamoto handed out six assists.

Hannaryz 80, Five Arrows 58

In Muko, Kyoto Prefecture, led by balanced scoring, the hosts hammered Takamatsu in the series opener.

Senegalese big man Babacar Camara had a team-high 20 points for the Hannaryz (17-6). Former NBA center Lance Allred notched a double-double (12 points, 12 boards) and Taizo Kawabe scored 11 points.

Paul Butorac paced the Five Arrows (1-24) with 17 points.

Northern Happinets 99, Jets 78

In Yachiyo, Chiba Prefecture, Ricky Woods scored 22 points and Yuki Kikuchi's hot perimeter shooting led Akita to a sweep.

Kikuchi scored 19 points and drained 6 of 9 3-point shots, giving him 11-for-17 from beyond the arc in the series.

Stanley Ocitti scored 18 points, Kazuhiro Shoji had 15 points and seven assists and Mychal Kearse added 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals. All told, the first-place Happinets (17-9) collected 18 steals.

For Chiba (10-14), Maurice Hargrow was the leading scorer (23 points) and Jamel Staten finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

"Akita outplayed us all weekend," Jets coach Eric Gardow told The Japan Times. "Their matchup zone hurt us and we turned the ball over too many times (26 on Saturday).

"Our 3-point defense was simply obviously nonexistent as they shot 16-for-26. ... We will take the positives in that this is the best we have shot from the free-throw line (15-for-16) all year."

Rizing 74, Shining Suns 70

In Fukuoka, Kevin Palmer's 26-point, 13-rebound performance led the Rizing to a narrow victory over Miyazaki.

Akitomo Takeno scored 12 points, Jun Nakanishi had 11 and Carlos Dixon added 10 for Fukuoka (16-9).

For the Shining Suns (12-15), forward O'Neal "Trey" Mims finished with 15 points and 14 boards, Taishiro Shimizu scored 12 and Dexter Lyons had 10.

Grouses 77, 89ers 58

In Shinminato, Toyama Prefecture, center Devin Searcy's strong effort inside (18 points, 13 rebounds) and 16 points apiece from Takeshi Mito and Ira Brown carried the Grouses to a win over Sendai.

Dan Fitzgerald, who put 16 points on the board, was the leading scorer for the 89ers (12-13). Johnny Dukes scored 13 points and Rashaad Singleton had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots.

"Toyama played good defense and they beat us on the offensive glass," Sendai coach Bob Pierce said, citing Toyama's 28 offensive boards to Sendai's 17.

Susanoo Magic 83, Brave Warriors 66

In Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, Michael Parker had 22 points and 10 rebounds and B.J. Puckett scored 15 as the hosts defeated Shinshu.

Jeral Davis added 14 points and four blocks and Reggie Golson had 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Shimane (14-11). Floor leader Edward Yamamoto contributed eight points, six assists and three steals for Zeljko Pavlicevic's club.

Derek Raivio led the Brave Warriors (11-14) with 23 points, T yler Hughes added 12 points and 13 boards and Takato Saito scored eight points and had four of Shinshu's six assists.

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Goergl ends ailing Vonn's streak

Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria — Elisabeth Goergl of Austria ended Lindsey Vonn's four-race unbeaten streak in speed events by winning a World Cup downhill on Saturday.

Goergl, who also beat Vonn to take the world downhill title last year, went down the 2.85-km Kaernten-Franz Klammer course in 1 minute, 48.40 seconds. Julia Mancuso of the United States was second, 0.16 back, and Fabienne Suter of Switzerland was third.

Vonn, who was bothered by a stomach ailment this week, finished fourth and maintained the lead in the downhill and overall World Cup standings. She almost skied out at the second gate and finished 0.55 behind Goergl. Vonn had won both previous downhills and both super-G races this season.

It was only the third time in all 20 World Cup downhills since March 2009 that Vonn finished outside the top three.

"It was a rough start. I didn't have the balance," said Vonn, who spent most of the day before the race in bed. "I have been sick since Zagreb (last Tuesday) and I have not been able to eat anything, so I don't have energy and I don't have strength."

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Cole's late hot streak lifts Heat over Celtics

MIAMI — Norris Cole stepped to the foul line with 9.3 seconds left, set to clinch the game as cries of "M-V-P" rained down upon him from the sold-out stands.

Break on through: New Jersey's Kris Humphries tries to drive past Atlanta's Zaza Pachulia during the Hawks' 106-70 win on Tuesday. AP

No, this wasn't a scene from his days at Cleveland State.

Taking over in just his second NBA game — and with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all on the floor, no less — Cole scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including three huge jumpers down the stretch to save the Heat in a 115-107 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

"You grow up and live for moments like that," Cole said.

James scored 26 points, Wade had 24 points, eight assists and four blocks, and Bosh scored 18 for the Heat, which led by 20 points midway through the third quarter before having its lead twice sliced to three points in the final minutes. And both times, Cole took passes from James and knocked down jumpers, keeping short-handed Boston at bay.

"He's got savvy," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Great pickup."

Ray Allen scored 28 points on 8-for-12 shooting for the Celtics, while Rajon Rondo finished with 22 points and 12 assists and Keyon Dooling scored 18 off the Boston bench.

Through two games, Miami (2-0) has trailed only once — by two points, for all of 14 seconds. Boston turned the ball over 24 times, and Miami turned those into 33 points.

"Any team you turn the ball over that much they're going to score on you," Allen said. "We just have to settle in on both ends of the floor. Whether you score or not, they're going to run down your throats."

Lakers 96, Jazz 71

In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, Pau Gasol added 22 points and nine rebounds, and the Lakers avoided just the fourth 0-3 start in franchise history with a victory over Utah.

Metta World Peace scored 14 points for the Lakers, who had much more life than the Jazz despite playing their third game in three nights to open the season.

Los Angeles ran away with a dominant third quarter, making a 27-8 surge out of halftime in the club's first win for new coach Mike Brown.

Hawks 106, Nets 70

In Newark, New Jersey, Marvin Williams had 14 points and nine rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks opened a double-digit lead early and cruised to a victory over the sluggish Nets in their final home opener in New Jersey.

Jeff Teague added 13 points, Joe Johnson had 11 and the Hawks got big games off the bench from Zaza Pachulia (13 points and 11 rebounds) and Vladimir Radmanovic (17 points) in finally opening the lockout-delayed season by embarrassing the Nets in a game in which the crowd was booing the Brooklyn-bound team by halftime.

Bucks 98, Timberwolves 95

In Milwaukee, rookie Jon Leuer converted a three-point play with 1:17 left, helping the Bucks hold off Minnesota in their home opener.

Brandon Jennings scored 24 points and Stephen Jackson added 16 for the Bucks, who were playing without forward Drew Gooden because of a suspension and several other key players because of injuries.

Blazers 101, Kings 79,

In Portland, Gerald Wallace had 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists, leading the Blazers to a victory over Sacramento.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers (2-0). Nicolas Batum added 15 points and five rebounds off the bench.

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Hannaryz rally late, stretch winning streak to 11 games

The Kyoto Hannaryz gave their fans the perfect Christmas Eve git: a thrilling comeback win over the visiting Akita Northern Happinets.

Kyosuke Setoyama and Jermaine Boyette buried 3-point shots in the final minute and the Hannaryz rallied for a 79-78 triumph, extending their winning streak to 11 games.

Boyette, who had an 18-point performance, scored the game-winning basket with 2 seconds remaining. He was 4-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc.

The Hannaryz (14-5 overall, 8-3 at home) trailed 77-71 with 33 seconds left before Setoyama, who dished out 11 assists, and Boyette made clutch 3s, the latter of which pulled Kyoto to within 78-77.

Former NBA center Lance Allred paced the Hannaryz with 21 points on 10-for-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds. Teammate Rick Rickert added 13 points and eight boards for coach Honoo Hamaguchi's club. Naoto Nakamura added nine points and Taizo Kawabe had four assists.

For Akita (13-8), Stanley Ocitti was the top scorer with 21 points. Ricky Woods finished with 16 points and Curtis Terry and E.J. Drayton scored 14 points apiece.

Five Arrows 80, Shining Suns 75

In Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, Takamatsu ended its season-long losing streak by edging the hosts.

Paul Butorac scored a team-high 18 points for the Five Arrows (1-20) and Masaaki Suzuki had 15. Nyika Williams scored 11 points and Hiroyuki Kikuchi had 10, while Michael Nunnally and Kevin Smith, who made his season debut after a long injury layoff, both had eight.

The Five Arrows controlled the game in the third quarter, outscoring the hosts 19-6.

Tsubasa Yonezawa led the Shining Suns (9-12) with 16 points. Miyazaki's Dexter Lyons and Lewis Witcher scored 14 and 13 points, respectively. Darryl Dora grabbed 14 rebounds for the hosts.

Albirex BB 89, Jets 79

In Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, Erron Maxey had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Nile Murry scored 19 as Niigata swept the struggling hosts.

Dwight Gordon added 15 points, Shuhei Komatsu scored 13 and Chris Holm pulled down 18 rebounds for the Albirex (12-8).

Chiba coach Eric Gardow said it was "a tough weekend for the Jets. We got out-rebounded both days and our defense was very poor. ... Niigata outplayed us in both games. Congratulations to them."

For Chiba (10-12), Maurice Hargrow led the way with 29 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Jamel Staten added 23 points and nine boards for the Jets. Jamal Holden and Kosuke Yahata each scored eight points.

The Jets were 12-for-23 at the charity stripe.

Evessa 60, 89ers 59

In Osaka, center Wayne Marshall scored 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds and Lavell Payne and Cohey Aoki chipped in with 11 points apiece as the Evessa won the series opener.

Satoshi Takeda added 10 points and Kevin Tyner scored eight as Osaka improved to 14-5.

The Evessa raced out to a 12-1 lead to start the game.

"It wasn't pretty but we pulled out a win," Evessa coach Ryan Blackwell said. "Lawrence (Blackledge) made a great block at the end of the game that saved us."

He added: "We gave up 25 offensive rebounds, many when we were in 2-3 zone but still too much. Lavell Payne came off the bench and sparked us offensively when we struggled to make shots and Wayne made some nice plays offensively down the stretch."

Evessa star Lynn Washington served a one-game ban for a flagrant foul last weekend against Akita.

There were several interesting subplots to the game, including:

*Sendai's Dan Fitzgerald and Osaka's Lawrence Blackledge were Marquette University teammates.

*Blackwell played for the 89ers from 2006-08

*Sendai's Takuya Komoda suited up for Osaka after the March 11 earthquake ended the 89ers' 2010-11 campaign.

For Sendai (11-10), Johnny Dukes had 18 points, 15 boards and six assists and Rashaad Singleton finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Fitzgerald had 12 points and 10 boards.

"We battled back from a slow start, and had the ball and a shot at the end to win it," 89ers coach Bob Pierce said. "I think it might have been Santa who blocked it at the end."

Golden Kings 83, HeaDevils 80

In Kitsuki, Oita Prefecture, David Palmer scored a season-high 32 points, including 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, and Ryukyu improved to 11-2 on the road.

Naoto Kosuge had 14 points and Anthony McHenry and Morihisa Yamauchi each had 12 points for the Western Conference-leading Golden Kings (16-5). Center Jeff Newton, who was 0-for-5 from the field and scored zero points, grabbed 12 rebounds in the win, the only statistic he has stated repeatedly that he cares about.

T.J. Cummings paced the HeatDevils (4-17) with 25 points and 19 rebounds. Naoto Takushi, a former Ryukyu player, had 20 points and 12 assists, while Matt Lottich scored 12 points. Wendell White returned to the lineup after a three-game absence due to an ankle injury, and the one-time bj-league MVP had nine points, seven rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes.

Phoenix 71, Broncos 67

In Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, Wayne Arnold led two-time defending champion Hamamatsu Higashimikawa with 19 points and big man Herve Lamizana blocked six shots in a win over the Broncos.

Atsuya Ota had 12 points, Jeffrey Parmer added 11, Lamizana had 10 points and nine boards and Jermaine Dixon provided nine points and six assists from the point. Crafty veteran Masahiro Oguchi made five steals for the victors.

Hamamatsu (13-8) outscored the hosts 43-27 in the second half.

John "Helicopter" Humphrey led Saitama with 20 points. Kenny Satterfield had 13 points and seven assists and Jayme Miller contributed 10 points and 10 boards. Newcomer Nashid Beard had nine points and eight rebounds in his Saitama debut and Daiki Terashita also scored nine points.

The Broncos fell to 6-13 and lost their fourth straight game. They had 22 turnovers and shot 22-for-63 from the field.

B-Corsairs 73, Brave Warriors 63

In Okaya, Nagano Prefecture, Justin Burrell posted a double-double with 24 points and 10 boards and Marcus Simmons scored 13 points as Yokohama defeated Shinshu in the expansion teams' series opener.

Kenji Yamada had an 11-point outing and Senegalese forward Pape Mour Faye hauled in 16 rebounds and scored 10 points for good measure for the B-Corsairs (8-11).

Lee Roberts paced the Brave Warriors (9-12) with 19 points, while Edward Morris, Tyler Hughes and Derek Raivio scored 12 points apiece.

Big Bulls 89, Lakestars 69

In Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Iwate's offense kicked into high gear in the fourth quarter, with 28 points to the hosts' 13 en route to a one-sided win.

Thomas Kennedy scored a team-high 22 points, Makoto Sawaguchi had 17, while Shawn Malloy (15 points, 14 boards) and Gordon Klaiber (15 points, nine boards and four steals in his Big Bulls debut) also had key performances for the Big Bulls (6-15). Tasuku Namizato had eight assists in the win.

Iwate made 10 of 19 3-point shots.

Ray Nixon led Shiga (14-7) with 18 points and Julius Ashby scored 12. Josh Peppers scored nine for the Lakestars.

Rizing 83, Susanoo Magic 76

In Fukuoka, Kevin Palmer scored 23 points and Jun Nakanishi poured in 20 as the hosts topped Shimane.

Carlos Dixon added 17 points, Gary Hamilton had a 13-point, 12-rebound, seven-assist, four-steal performance and Akitomo Takeno dished out five assists and collected three steals for Fukuoka (14-7).

Reggie Golson was the Magic's top scorer (21 points) and Michael Parker scored 20. Jeral Davis had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Shimane (12-9).

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Hard-working Hannaryz extend win streak to eight

Former NBA center Lance Allred had 18 points and 20 rebounds and Jermaine Boyette scored a game-high 20 points to lead the visiting Kyoto Hannaryz to their eighth win in a row, an 80-73 triumph over the Miyazaki Shining Suns on Sunday in the bj-league.

Rick Rickert, a former Minnesota Timberwolves draft pick, added 16 points and 10 boards for the surging Hannaryz (11-5), who are off to their best start in the franchise's three-season history. Taizo Kawabe scored six points and Kyosuke Setoyama contributed five points and three assists.

First-year Kyoto coach Honoo Hamaguchi's team played a solid all-around game perhaps defined best by these numbers: 17 assists and nine turnovers. The veteran club also sank 13 of 16 free-throw attempts.

For Miyazaki (6-10), Darryl Dora was the leading scorer (19 points) and Taishiro Shimizu had 16.

89ers 95, Susanoo Magic 70

In Sendai, the 89ers raced out to a 23-3 at the end of the first quarter en route to a blowout victory over Shimane.

O'Neal Mims led Sendai (10-6) with 31 points, Dan Fitzgerald scored 28, including five 3-pointers, and Hikaru Kusaka had 15. Point guard Takehiko Shimura registered eight assists after dishing out 10 in the series opener. On the season, Shimura has 85 assists and 20 turnovers.

For the Susanoo Magic (8-8), Michael Parker scored 24 points with nine rebounds, Reggie Golson added 14 points and B.J. Puckett had nine.

Sendai coach Bob Pierce said his team's defense, which held Shimane to 39.4 percent shooting (26-for-66) from 2-point range, was a big key to the victory.

He called it a "great defensive effort from our whole team."

Center Rashaad Singleton got his first start since Oct. 23 and responded with a six-point, 13-rebound, five-block, three-assist performance for the 89ers. Singleton replaced Johnny Dukes, who served a one-game suspension for breaking a window in the team's locker room at halftime on Saturday, in the starting lineup.

Yoshihiro Tachibana (four points) capped the win with a dunk in the final second, and teammate Kenichi Takahashi scored seven points.

"I told our Japanese players last night that we needed more scoring from them," Pierce said, "and Hikaru responded with 15 points."

Golden Kings 90, Happinets 76

In Mitane, Akita Prefecture, Reggie Okosa had 26 points and 13 rebounds and Jeff Newton scored 22 points, grabbed 15 boards and swatted four shots as Ryukyu salvaged a series split.

Anthony McHenry poured in 12 points and Morihisa Yamauchi added eight, while Narito Namizato handed out eight assists for the Golden Kings (12-4), who moved back into a tie with the Osaka Evessa for first place in the Western Conference.

Ryukyu out-rebounded the hosts 58-40.

Michael Gardener paced Akita (11-5) with 26 points, Ricky Woods scored 16 and Kazuhiro Shoji scored 14.

Brave Warriors 78, Albirex BB 75

In Chikuma, Nagano Prefecture, Lee Roberts scored 23 points and Derek Raivio had 20 on 7-for-12 shooting as Shinshu improved to 8-8 in its inaugural season.

For Niigata (7-7), Yuichi Ikeda had 13 points and Chris Holm posted a double-double (12 points, 17 boards).

Lakestars 99, Broncos 77

In Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture, Ray Nixon put 23 points on the board, Josh Peppers scored 22 and the hosts improved to 8-2 at home en route to a sweep over Saitama.

Dionisio Gomez scored 14 points, Takamichi Fujiwara had 12 and Yu Okada finished with 11 points and eight assists for Shiga (11-5).

The undermanned Broncos, playing without frontcourt starters John Flowers and Gabriel Hughes due to health and injury issues, fell to 5-9. Kenny Satterfield (24 points) and Daiki Terashita (11) both played the entire 40 minutes, while John "Helicopter" Humphrey (20 points) logged 37:37 and Yuki Kitamuki was on the court for 36:06.

Big Bulls 77, Five Arrows 70

In Takamatsu, Iwate edged the hosts to record the first back-to-back wins in franchise history.

Second-year pro Makoto Sawaguchi, who turns 20 on Monday, led the Big Bulls (3-13) with 16 points and Thomas Kennedy had 14, while four teammates also scored in double figures for the expansion squad.

Paul Butorac finished with a team-high 19 points for Takamatsu (0-16).

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Hawks' unbeaten streak ends

Nishinomiya, Hyogo Pref. — Minoru Iwata limited the damage to three runs in seven innings and helped his own cause with a tiebreaking RBI single as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 5-3 on Friday.

The Tigers rapped out nine hits and the Hawks saw their undefeated streak end after 13 games, including two ties. It was Softbank's first loss in interleague play.

Iwata's bases-loaded single made it 2-1 in the second and another run scored the same inning when Matt Murton hit into a double play with the bases loaded.

Iwata (2-5) struck out seven and walked three.

"I haven't been pitching well lately and I was wondering, 'What the heck am I doing?' " said Iwata. "I've been ruining the flow of games lately, so I am glad that today I could get the win. I was determined not to lose tonight and I was really aggressive.

"The first pitch that came I thought might be the easiest to make contact, so I swung for that one," he added.

Takahiro Arai's single in the bottom of first tied the game at 1-1 at Koshien Stadium.

Pinch hitter Jose Ortiz pulled Softbank within two with a two-run homer in the seventh, but it wasn't enough. Kyuji Fujikawa closed out for his 10th save. D.J. Houlton (6-2) took the loss. Takahiro Arai's single in the bottom of first tied the game at 1-all at

BayStars 3, Marines 1

At Yokohama Stadium, Naoto Watanabe had a tiebreaking RBI double off Yoshihisa Naruse (4-3) in the eighth inning and an insurance run scored on a throwing error by shortstop Takuya Takahama as Yokohama downed Chiba Lotte to snap its four-game losing skid.

Shigeru Kaga (2-1) pitched one-run ball over eight frames and Shun Yamaguchi picked up his 11th save.

Fighters 9, Swallows 0

At Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, Bobby Keppel (5-1) threw seven shutout innings, Yoshio Itoi hit a pair of solo homers and Hokkaido Nippon Ham blanked Tokyo Yakult for its record-matching fifth consecutive shutout victory.

The Fighters extended their PL record streak without allowing a run to 50 innings, and tied the Chunichi Dragons's Japanese pro baseball mark of five straight shutout wins registered in July last year.

Shinya Tsuruoka drove in three runs, highlighting a four-run third off Yoshinori Sato (5-3) with a two-run single, and added a sac fly in a four-run seventh.

Lions 2, Dragons 1 (11)

At Nagoya Dome, pinch hitter Hiroshi Hirao hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly off Masafumi Hirai (1-1) in the 11th inning and Seibu held on to send Chunichi to its third loss in a row.

Hsu Ming-chieh (3-0) got the win in relief after Kazuhisa Makita pitched nine innings of one-run ball.

Buffaloes 6, Carp 3

At Hiroshima's Mazda Stadium, Mitsutaka Goto went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, helping Orix in its 14-hit attack against Hiroshima en route to its third straight win.

Shinya Nakayama (1-4) went six shutout innings. Bryan Bullington (4-2) yielded six runs in four innings for the Carp, who lost their seventh straight and set a league worst record for being held scoreless in 50 consecutive innings.

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Bruce hit ends Reds' long winless streak

In harm's way: Reds shortstop Paul Janish tries to avoid the Phillies' Carlos Ruiz's attempt to break up a double play in the sixth inning on Tuesday in Philadelphia. The Reds won 6-3. AP

PHILADELPHIA — Jay Bruce erased a frustrating night with one big swing.

Bruce hit a tiebreaking, three-run double in the ninth inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 Tuesday night to snap a six-game losing streak.

The Reds had lost eight straight against NL East-leading Philadelphia, including a three-game sweep in last year's division playoff series.

Bruce came in swinging a hot bat. He had four homers in the last five games and was tied for the NL lead with 12. But he struck out three times and popped out in his first four at-bats before clearing the bases against Ryan Madson (2-1).

"I blew it the first time with guys on second and third and one out," Bruce said, referring to his strikeout in the fifth. "I just tried to relax and get something I could handle."

Logan Ondrusek (1-0) retired the only batter he faced to get the win. Francisco Cordero finished for his ninth save in 10 tries.

Drew Stubbs got the Reds started with a one-out bunt single in the ninth. He advanced to second on Madson's throwing error. After Brandon Phillips lined to shortstop, Joey Votto was intentionally walked. Scott Rolen followed with an infield single as third baseman Placido Polanco made a backhanded grab to save a run.

Bruce then ripped a liner to deep right-center to knock in three and give the Reds a 6-3 lead.

"Coming back is kind of our M.O.," Bruce said. "We're never out of a game. The experience has helped us."

Braves 2, Pirates 0

In Pittsburgh, Jair Jurrjens pitched six-hit ball into the eighth inning to lead Atlanta over the Pirates.

Rockies 12, D-Backs 4 (1st)

D-Backs 5, Rockies 2 (2nd)

In Denver, Carlos Gonzalez homered twice and Colorado became the first team to decipher Josh Collmenter's tomahawk-pitching style, rallying past Arizona.

Then the Rockies lost the nightcap when Joe Saunders (1-5) snapped his six-game losing streak and Kelly Johnson hit a solo homer.

Dodgers 5, Astros 4

In Houston, Jerry Sands hit a grand slam and Jay Gibbons also homered as Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Astros.

Cubs 11, Mets 1

In Chicago, Ryan Dempster pitched seven effective innings, Starlin Castro had three hits and two RBIs and the Cubs pounded the stumbling Mets.

Brewers 7, Nationals 6

In Milwaukee, Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning and Brandon Boggs collided with catcher Wilson Ramos to score the go-ahead run, rallying the Brewers past Washington.

Cardinals 3, Padres 2 (11)

In San Diego, Daniel Descalso singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the 11th.

Marlins 5, Giants 1

In San Francisco, Ricky Nolasco pitched scoreless ball into the ninth inning and Florida quieted the streaking Giants.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Red Sox 4, Indians 2

In Cleveland, Josh Beckett picked up his first regular-season win at the Indians' home park, where Cleveland lost for just the fifth time this year.

Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4

In New York, Curtis Granderson had a tying RBI single in the ninth inning then stole second before Mark Teixeira singled him home.

Tigers 7, Rays 6

In Detroit, Alex Avila's second homer of the game gave the Tigers the lead in the eighth.

Twins 4, Mariners 2

In Minneapolis, Nick Blackburn came through with a desperately needed complete game and Denard Span had three hits and an RBI to lift the Twins.

Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4 for the Mariners.

Athletics 6, Angels 1

In Anaheim, David DeJesus hit two homers and drove in four runs, Guillermo Moscoso pitched six scoreless innings to win his first major league start.

Hideki Matsui finished 0-for-4 for the A's.

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1 The Story Behind the Longest Winning Streak in Football History

EXCLUSIVELY OFFERED BY GOINGDIGITALFILMS---Brand New DVDs--LIMITED FIRST PRODUCTION RUN--ORDER Yours Today! DVD FEATURES: Additional 45min Edited Version (No Explicit Language), Filmmakers Commentary Track, Deleted Scenes, Extended Football Games, 2 Additional Speeches by Head Coach Bob Ladouceur, 2 Teaser Trailers, Photo Gallery, Production Notes and More... You've heard the staggering statistics.... 151 consecutive wins....0 losses in the span of a decade... A winning percentage over 90% since 1979... You'd think it was a high school football factory, you'll find it's something much more... 1 is a rare behind-the-scenes chronicle of the most successful high school football team ever and follows the De La Salle Spartans through a season on a quest not to win another championship or break another national record, but on a journey to become a cohesive team bound by love. Recommended for anyone interested in the factors behind phenomenal team success, high school, football, greatest sports stories or teen development. It's not about X's and O's. It's about having faith in something larger than yourself. Feature length version contains some explicit language. Edited version contains no explicit language.

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