Inui on target again for Eintracht

FRANKFURT — Japan midfielder Takashi Inui scored in his third straight game for newly promoted Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in Tuesday's 3-3 draw at home against two-time league champion Borussia Dortmund. Frankfurt, with 13 points from five games, is second in the league, two points back of Bayern Munich.

Trailing 2-0 in the 49th minute, Inui set up Stefan Aigner to score when the visitors turned over the ball in the center circle. Two minutes later, Aigner returned the favor with a cross that Inui headed in for the equalizer.

"That was such a great ball," said Inui, who added that it was the first time he had scored from a header in his life.

"The manager laid down the law (at halftime). As a result, we got over it (being down 2-0) and didn't give up."

Dortmund, whose 31-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end on the weekend, retaliated in moments through Mario Gotze. In the 73rd minute, however, Inui played a short corner and Bastian Okzipka crossed to Anderson, whose finish preserved the new boys' unbeaten Bundesliga record.

"I really wanted to score the winning goal, but it's huge that the team remained undefeated," Inui said.

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Medlen leads Braves again

ATLANTA — The Rockies couldn't hit Kris Medlen, who threw almost nothing but strikes.

The Braves didn't have to rely on hits against Colorado's Tyler Chatwood, who threw far too many balls.

Chatwood matched his career high with five walks and gave up six runs in only three innings as the Rockies lost to Medlen and Atlanta, 6-1, on Monday.

Chatwood (4-4) gave up six runs, five earned, in only three innings. He gave up only three hits but couldn't overcome the walks.

"There was no consistency to his release point," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, who said that Chatwood's 74 pitches in three innings "is really not a formula for success."

"He couldn't get his fastball in the strike zone," Tracy said.

By comparison, Medlen was masterful. He threw 111 pitches, including 85 strikes.

Medlen (7-1) struck out a career high 12 to win his sixth straight decision. He allowed five hits without a walk in his second complete game of the season.

"He was terrific," said Tracy of Medlen. "And he's been terrific for a while.

"He had three pitches for strikes whenever he wanted them. Unfortunately, with the way he's been throwing the ball, we pretty much put him in a rocking chair right from the outset."

Medlen extended his streak of scoreless innings to 34?— the Braves' longest since Greg Maddux's 39? in 2000 — before the Rockies scored an unearned run in the seventh.

Medlen appeared in 38 games in relief before moving into the rotation on July 31. He is 6-0 with a 0.54 ERA in seven starts. He spent most of 2011 on the disabled list recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery on Aug. 18. 2010.

Medlen was 5-0 as a starter in 2010. Atlanta has won his last 18 starts.

Adding a curveball as a starter, he said, has been "huge."

"You can just attack guys so differently with an extra pitch, an effective pitch, too," he said. "I got a couple strikeouts with it."

Medlen said he is glad he doesn't have to worry about an innings limit, but he noted pitching in relief "was not easy on your arm."

Nationals 2, Cubs 1

In Washington, Ross Detwiler allowed four hits in seven shutout innings and Adam LaRoche homered, giving the Nationals their first winning season with a victory over Chicago.

The NL East-leading Nationals improved to 82-52. The club moved from Montreal to Washington for the 2005 season and went 81-81 that year. In 2008 and 2009, the team lost a combined 205 games, then finished 80-81 in 2011.

Phillies 4, Reds 2

In Cincinnati, Jimmy Rollins hit a three-run homer off Johnny Cueto during a cloudburst that sent fans scurrying for cover, leading Philadelphia over the Reds.

John Mayberry Jr. added a solo homer off Cueto (17-7), who failed in his attempt to become the majors' first 18-game winner. Cueto also lost a day game for the first time this season — he'd been 11-0 in 13 afternoon starts.

Rookie right-hander Tyler Cloyd (1-1) got his first major league hit and win.

Giants 9, Diamondbacks 8 (10)

In San Francisco, Marco Scutaro hit an RBI single in the 10th inning after Buster Posey's tying double in the ninth as the Giants rallied to beat Arizona.

Brandon Crawford beat out a single to short leading off the 10th and moved to second when Brett Pill dropped a sacrifice bunt. Angel Pagan grounded out to first to advance Crawford.

Scutaro sent the final fastball from Bryan Shaw (1-5) past diving third baseman Chris Johnson for San Francisco's seventh walk-off win. Scutaro also doubled and scored the tying run in the ninth to help hand J.J. Putz his second straight blown save.

Astros 5, Pirates 1

In Pittsburgh, Brett Wallace had three hits, including a three-run homer, to lift Houston past the struggling Pirates.

Edgar Gonzalez (1-0) picked up his first win as a starter in more than four years, giving up a run on five hits in 5? innings.

Cardinals 5, Mets 4

In St. Louis, rookie Joe Kelly pitched 6? effective innings and also doubled, and the Cardinals held off New York.

Marlins 7, Brewers 3

In Miami, Jose Reyes drove in three runs and the hosts snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Milwaukee.

Carlos Gomez hit a two-run home run in the second for the Brewers. Teammate Norichika Aoki was 2-for-5, and is now batting .286.

Dodgers 4, Padres 3 (11)

In Los Angeles, A.J. Ellis singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th, giving the Dodgers a victory over San Diego for their second consecutive walk-off win.

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Nationals top Phillies again

Yes!: Chicago's Tony Campana (left) celebrates beside Houston's Matt Downs after being called safe at third base on Tuesday. AP

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals continued their domination of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jordan Zimmermann pitched six solid innings, and Ian Desmond and Rick Ankiel homered to lead the Nationals to a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.

Harper tripled, singled and drove in two runs for the Nationals, who won their third straight overall and beat the Phillies for the sixth straight time in Philadelphia — something that never had been done in the franchise's 43-year history. Washington has defeated Philadelphia in four of the five meetings this season and 13 of the last 16 overall.

Roy Halladay (4-4) continued his indifferent season with his second-worst start of the season, going six innings and allowing five runs and nine hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

It was especially surprising against the Nationals, a franchise Halladay has dominated with an 11-1 record and 2.28 ERA in 16 career starts. His last loss to the Washington franchise came on June 28, 2002 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays against the then-Montreal Expos.

"You've got to be aggressive against him because he'll throw strikes," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said of Halladay. "He's a Hall of Famer, you better be up there swinging."

Harper did just that by belting the first pitch he saw, a 127-kph curveball, to right-center for a two-run triple in the third inning.

"He hung a curveball to the kid and he smoked it," Johnson said. "It was a turning point in the game as far as I'm concerned."

Said Harper, "I was looking for a first-pitch curveball and I got it. I was just trying to hit something up the middle and score some runs."

Mets 3, Pirates 2

In Pittsburgh, Lucas Duda smacked a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the eighth.

Reds 4, Braves 3

In Cincinnati, Brandon Phillips drove in three runs with a pair of homers off Brandon Beachy.

Marlins 7, Rockies 6

In Miami, Ricky Nolasco gave up three runs in the first inning, then settled down to set a franchise record for career victories.

Cardinals 4, Padres 0

In St. Louis, Adam Wainwright threw a four-hitter and the Cardinals beat San Diego.

Giants 6, Brewers 4

In Milwaukee, Buster Posey homered off the Miller Park scoreboard and had three RBIs.

Milwaukee's Norichika Aoki was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Astros 2, Cubs 1

In Houston, J.D. Martinez hit the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning and Jose Altuve had a solo homer.

Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 7

In Phoenix, Ivan De Jesus hit a two-run double with two outs in the ninth to give the Dodgers the lead.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Indians 5, Tigers 3

In Cleveland, Chris Perez, greeted by a standing ovation from the time he left the bullpen, worked another scary ninth inning for his 14th save.

Angels 4, Athletics 0

In Oakland, C.J. Wilson and Ernesto Frieri combined on a one-hitter.

Rangers 3, Mariners 1

In Seattle, Elvis Andrus lined a two-strike pitch into the left-center field gap for a two-run triple, and Texas snapped the Mariners' winning streak at four.

Ichiro Suzuki was 2-for-4 for Seattle.

Yankees 3, Royals 2

In New York, Robinson Cano homered, and Phil Hughes beat Kansas City for the second time this month.

Rays 8, Blue Jays 5

In St. Petersburg, Florida, Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer during a five-run fourth.

Twins 9, White Sox 2

In Chicago, P.J. Walters tossed his first career complete game.

White Sox outfielder Kosuke Fukudome was 0-for 1.

Orioles 4, Red Sox 1

In Baltimore, Brian Matusz allowed two hits and struck out nine batters.

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Hakuho triumphs again

His opening-day defeat seemingly a minor blip, Hakuho chased out top-ranked maegashira Takayasu to post his second straight win at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Tuesday.

The Mongolian yokozuna, who started a meet with a defeat for the first time since the 2008 Kyushu Basho in losing to Aminishiki on Sunday, was rarely in danger in the day's finale, thrusting a defensive Takayasu (0-3) back out of the dohyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Kisenosato and Kotoshogiku were among the early leaders at 3-0 at sumo's second rank of ozeki.

Five out of six ozeki, including Kakuryu, won, with Bulgarian Kotooshu the day's only major casualty in a narrow defeat to third-ranked maegashira Toyohibiki.

Baruto was never in any danger of failing to post his third win, the Estonian giant quickly chasing second-ranked maegashira Myogiryu (1-2) over the straw bales to keep a clean slate.

Harumafuji (2-1), sporting a black eye after taking a poke on the opening day Sunday in his bout against Homasho, put on a clinical display to oust top-ranked Russian Aran (0-3) and Kakuryu (2-1) handed sekiwake Goeido his first loss of the tournament.

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Nadal triumphs again in Barcelona

Hungry for more: Rafael Nadal bites his trophy after winning the Barcelona Open on Sunday. AFP-JIJI

BARCELONA, Spain — Rafael Nadal became the first player in the Open Era to win two tournaments seven times after beating David Ferrer 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 in Sunday's Barcelona Open final.

The second-ranked Nadal's 21st straight victory on clay followed up his eighth straight win in Monte Carlo, as Nadal won the 10th all-Spanish ATP final for a 48th career win.

The sixth-ranked Ferrer lost his fourth Barcelona Open final to Nadal, who saved 12 of 15 break points for a 34th straight victory at Barcelona.

Nadal skipped toward the net in celebration after hitting a backhand winner on match point. The six-time French Open champion displayed his normal resilience and steady play to overcome Ferrer in a match marked by grinding rallies and spectacular shotmaking more reminiscent of a major final.

"This is the hardest match I had on clay court this season, David always takes you to the limit," Nadal told Spanish state TV. "A bit of it was lottery, luck fell on my side today."

With a warm sun bearing down, the players exchanged early breaks before settling into a slugfest of powerful groundstrokes with long rallies often won by magnificently struck winners to the line.

Neither player let a shot go unchallenged with the rhythm only disrupted in the fourth game when both players stopped as medical staff helped a spectator in the stands.

Nadal saved seven of eight break points in the first set, including five which were set points for Ferrer in the 12th game. He fired an ace to save the last before holding for the tiebreaker, and Ferrer's double fault allowed Nadal to get ahead 4-1 as he took the first set in a grueling 93 minutes.

STUTTGART, Germany — Second-ranked Maria Sharapova cruised past top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday to win the Porsche Grand Prix for her first title of the year.

Sharapova lost the finals of the Australian Open and Indian Wells this year to Azarenka, and the Russian had never beaten her rival from Belarus in four previous encounters in a final.

"I am really pleased to win such a tough tournament, against such tough opponents," said Sharapova, before collecting the white sports car donated by the sponsor. "Victoria could not perform at her best because of her injury."

Azarenka, who fell to 29-2 this year but will keep the No. 1 spot, had her playing, right wrist taped after the first set. She was seeking her fifth title of the year.

"I am disappointed to lose, but still I had a good week," Azarenka said.

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Canales out again with leg injury

VALENCIA, Spain — Sergio Canales has re-injured a ligament in his right leg and will be sidelined for another six months, Valencia has announced

Canales tore a knee ligament in Thursday's second leg of the Europa League semifinals that saw his team eliminated by Atletico Madrid.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder suffered the same injury in October and had only recently returned to action.

Valencia is in third place in the Spanish League with four games to go.

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Sun likely sets on Nash's career in Phoenix; Bobcats lose again

PHOENIX — No one could say for certain that this was Steve Nash's final game in a Phoenix uniform, but the Suns' fans certainly sensed it was.

Parting touch: Phoenix's Steve Nash, who will become a free agent, exchanges high-fives with fans after the Suns lost to 110-106 to San Antonio in their final game of the season. AP

As a meaningless 110-106 loss to the depleted San Antonio Spurs wound down on Wednesday night, the crowd stood and chanted "We want Nash" over and over.

First it was just a few fans. Then it spread through the whole building.

Finally, coach Alvin Gentry sent the 38-year-old point guard back onto the court for a few plays before Nash left to rousing cheers.

"It was obviously amazing to get that type of reception and support," Nash said. "It's very special because it's not something I asked for or imagined to get that type of spontaneous reaction. It means it's authentic, the relationship that I thought we had."

Nash, a free agent at the end of the season after eight years with the Suns, said he will take time to explore his options.

"I'm in no rush," he said. "I think it's important to take my time and just gain some perspective on what's happened in my career and what the future may hold. It's just a lot of speculation at this point."

Gentry said he put Nash back in the game to get the ovation he deserved.

"He was a guy that made guys better," said Gentry, who was with the Suns for all eight of Nash's seasons, either as an assistant or head coach. "It was fun to watch him play and to be with him for eight years, and what he has accomplished here, and what he has done for this franchise and for my coaching career, is priceless."

Patty Mills scored 27 points in San Antonio's ninth win in a row.

The Spurs sent Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili — as well as coach Gregg Popovich — home earlier in the day. The four will also miss San Antonio's regular-season finale at Golden State on Thursday night.

Phoenix was eliminated from playoff contention with a loss at Utah on Tuesday night.

Nash had eight points and seven assists in just 18 minutes, all of his points coming in the third quarter. The two-time league MVP left the game with 3:08 to go in the third quarter and probably would have stayed on the sideline had the crowd not demanded his return.

As he left the court the final time to cheers, Nash looked down but waved his right index finger briefly to the crowd.

Bulls 92, Pacers 87

In Indianapolis, Kyle Korver scored 20 points to help Chicago beat Indiana and remain tied for the best record in the league with one game to play.

Nuggets 106, Thunder 101

In Oklahoma City, Ty Lawson scored 25 points, Kenneth Faried added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Denver beat the Thunder to avoid the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

Kevin Durant scored 32 points to extend his lead in the NBA scoring race, leaving Kobe Bryant in need of 38 points in his season finale Thursday night against Sacramento to claim his third scoring title and prevent Durant from becoming the seventh player to win three in a row.

Knicks 99, Clippers 93

In New York, J.R. Smith scored 21 points to help the Knicks hold off Los Angeles and close in on the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Magic 102, Bobcats 95

In Orlando, J.J. Redick had six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points as Orlando sent Charlotte to its 22nd consecutive loss.

76ers 90, Bucks 85

In Milwaukee, Evan Turner scored a career-high 29 points and Philadelphia beat the Bucks.

Wizards 96, Cavaliers 85

In Cleveland, John Wall had 21 points and 13 assists to help Washington extend its longest winning streak since 2007 to five.

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Larkin elected to Hall of Fame; Morris misses out once again

NEW YORK — Barry Larkin had no idea back in 1982 that he would become a baseball Hall of Famer thanks to Bo Schembechler.

Smooth as silk: Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday in his third year on the ballot. AP

A two-sport standout in his senior year of high school, Larkin went to the University of Michigan on a scholarship to play defensive back for Schembechler's Wolverines. When he arrived in Ann Arbor, Larkin learned he was being redshirted.

"I was a better football player than a baseball player at the time," Larkin recalled. "And that was influential because I just worked on my baseball talent, just that alone. And that was an eye-opener because I got so much better."

So much better that he was elected to the Hall of Fame on Monday with plenty of room to spare. The former Cincinnati Reds shortstop was chosen on 495 of 573 ballots (86 percent) in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, well above the necessary 75 percent. Larkin was on the ballot for the third time after falling 75 votes short last year.

He will be inducted July 22 in Cooperstown along with the late Ron Santo, elected last month by the Veterans Committee.

"I'm just incredibly, incredibly moved by this whole experience and so humbled by the experience and so excited about being the newest member of the Hall of Fame," Larkin said on a conference call.

His election came in the final year before the Steroids Era becomes the main focus in balloting.

Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling are eligible for the first time next year.

Jack Morris followed Larkin with 382 votes (67 percent), missing by 48 votes on his 13th try but up sharply from 54 percent last year. Morris, the ace of three World Series winners, finished with 254 victories and was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s. His 3.90 ERA, however, is higher than that of any Hall of Famer.

He has two chances left on the BBWAA ballot. Gil Hodges (63.4 percent in 1983) has the highest percentage among players who never gained election.

Playing from 1986-04 — all with his hometown Reds — Larkin hit .295 with 198 home runs, 960 RBIs, 2,340 hits and 379 stolen bases. A 12-time All-Star, he won the 1995 NL MVP award, nine Silver Slugger trophies and three Gold Gloves.

He helped the Reds win the 1990 World Series and in 1996 became the first shortstop to have 30 homers and 30 steals in a season.

Larkin's brother Mike, who was a year older, was recruited by Schembechler but decided to follow coach Gerry Faust from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati to Notre Dame.

"So Bo told my mother that he was going to get her next son," Larkin said.

Larkin became a baseball star at Michigan, which retired his No. 16 two years ago. He developed under coach Bud Middaugh and assistant Danny Hall, who is now Georgia Tech's coach.

"Those two guys really beat it in my head the correct way to play the game," Larkin said. "Because neither was a home run hitter, neither one was one of the most gifted, if you will, they were both very good at the Xs and Os, at the hitting behind the runner, at the mental part of the game."

Cincinnati, which drafted Larkin in the second round in 1982, took him with the fourth overall pick in 1985. Schembechler, who became president of the Detroit Tigers, used to kid Larkin about his career path.

"Bo always told me he would strike me out, anyway. That was Bo's way of saying, 'Congratulations kid, you did it,' " Larkin remembered. "He would always tell me: 'You'll be back. You'll miss football. Nobody comes to the University of Michigan to play baseball,' is what he used to say."

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Hansen outraces Kitajima again

Atlanta — Kosuke Kitajima tasted a second consecutive defeat to old rival Brendan Hansen at the U.S. Winter Nationals on Saturday, the two-time double Olympic champion finishing well back in fourth place in the men's 200 meters breaststroke.

Kitajima posted a time of 2 minutes, 12.59 seconds finishing nearly three seconds behind Hansen, who completed a breaststroke double with a winning time of 2:09.64 at Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.

Eric Shanteau was second while his American compatriot Elliot Keefer placed third.

"I haven't trained enough," said Kitajima, who kept up with Hansen before losing ground over the final 50 meters. "I was a bit concerned about what kind of race I could have but I think I gave it my all in an event which is doubling up as training for me."

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Yamasaki plays hero for Buffs again

Koji Yamasaki got a hero interview out of his game-winning hit against the Yomiuri Giants in the first game of their interleague series.

Cometh the hour: Koji Yamasaki hits a tie-breaking three-run home run in the ninth inning as the Buffaloes beat the Giants 4-1 on Monday. KYODO PHOTO

After his latest star turn, the Orix Buffaloes might starting fitting him for a cape.

Yamasaki was the hero again, hitting a tie-breaking three-run home run in the ninth inning, and Hayato Terahara tossed a complete game to help the Buffaloes sweep the two-game series against the Yomiuri Giants with a 4-1 win on Monday night at Tokyo Dome.

"I can't believe I won the game with a home run," Yamasaki, a .220 hitter going into the game, said.

Yamasaki's first homer made a winner out of Terahara (3-4), who turned in a gritty performance, going the distance on 133 pitches.

It wasn't quite a vintage performance by the 10-year veteran, but he had good velocity throughout the game, located his pitches well and made good use of his entire arsenal.

Terahara allowed one run on seven hits, striking out six and walking two.

"Thanks to Yamasaki, we can enjoy this victory," Terahara said. "It's especially sweet coming against the Giants. I felt really strong later in the game and appreciate the manager staying with me."

To the surprise of the majority of the 39,857 in attendance, Terahara stepped into the batter's box with two outs and none on in the ninth inning of a 1-1 game, despite having already thrown 120 pitches.

"I decided to leave him in the game to hit because he was pitching well and seemed to get better in the second half of the game," Orix manager Akinobu Okada said. "He's not a bad hitter either."

Terahara squeezed a walk out of a nine-pitch at-bat, then advanced to second after reliever Daisuke Ochi gave up an infield single to Tomotaka Sakaguchi.

That brought Yamasaki to the plate, and he brought the Buffaloes supporters in the crowd to their feet with his blast to left.

Yamasaki helped win the series opener on Sunday by breaking a 1-1 tie with a two-run infield single in the 10th. The Buffaloes also won that game 4-1.

Giants rookie starter Hirokazu Sawamura struck out 11, allowing one run on six hits. He did not factor into the decision.

Ochi (3-1) was charged with the loss.

Dragons 6, Eagles 1

At Nagoya Dome, lefty Yudai Kawai (2-1) pitched one-run ball over 6? innings, Tony Blanco drove in two runs on 2-for-4 hitting and Chunichi downed Tohoku Rakuten for the second night in a row.

BayStars 2, Fighters 0

At Yokohama Stadium, Hichori Morimoto hit a solo homer in support of Clayton Hamilton (1-3), who tossed six shutout innings in Yokohama's win.

Hawks 0, Swallows 0 (5)

At Jingu Stadium, Sho Iwasaki and Shohei Tateyama each pitched five shutout innings in a game that ended in a scoreless draw due to incessant rain.

Marines at Carp — ppd.

Lions at Tigers — ppd.

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