ZSN Sports

Kentucky ends Notre Dame’s perfect start, 72-58

2010-12-09T00:11:00.005-05:00

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

After Kentucky’s two-point loss at North Carolina last Saturday and a sluggish first half against Notre Dame, the Wildcats looked like they might be in line for their first two-game losing streak of the John Calipari era.

But after holding the Fighting Irish (No. 23 AP) to one field goal over a 15 ½-minute stretch, Kentucky (No. 17) ended Notre Dame’s undefeated start on the way to a marquee win.

Terrence Jones scored 27 points and snagged 17 rebounds and Brandon Knight added 20 points as the Wildcats beat the Irish 72-58 in Louisville, Ky., in the SEC/Big East Invitational Wednesday night.

Ben Hansbrough led Notre Dame with 21 points. He hit five of his first six 3-pointers, including the 200th of his career, but cooled off along with his teammates in the second half, missing his final three treys.

After Kentucky (6-2) erased Notre Dame’s 11-point lead with a 13-2 run to close the first half, the Wildcats took advantage of an Irish offensive drought to open up a big lead. Jones scored on the first possession of the second half and Knight canned two free throws and a jumper. Darius Miller, Knight and DeAndre Liggins all sank treys to put Kentucky up 56-46 with about 9 minutes left.

Meanwhile, during the 15 ½-minute stretch ending with 9:30 left in the second half, Notre Dame (8-1) was 1-for-13 from the field, which didn’t knock the Irish out of contention but crippled their chances to win.

Notre Dame’s Carleton Scott cut the Kentucky lead to 62-57 with a putback jumper with just over 3 minutes left, but the Irish could get no closer. Jones sank a 3 in the corner and added a pair of free throws. Miller canned one from the charity stripe and Knight and Jones added two more apiece down the stretch to win going away.

The only possible downer for the Wildcats came when Knight hobbled off with 31.5 seconds to go after going down in a pile under the Notre Dame basket, appearing to favor his left leg. He appeared to be receiving treatment for a cramp in front of the Wildcats bench.

The Irish put together the first run of the game, using a 12-2 spurt to take an early lead. Hansbrough drained a pair of 3s and Scott made a thunderous dunk, then hit a layup during the run to give Notre Dame a 27-20 lead.

Notre Dame then opened up a double-digit lead when Hansbrough hit a jumper and a 3-pointer and Tim Abromaitis made a jumper and two free throws, putting the Irish ahead 38-27 with about 4:45 to go in the first half.

But the Wildcats made a 13-2 run to close the half to tie the score at the break. Jones dunked, Stacey Poole Jr. hit a 3, Knight made a layup, Doron Lamb sank a baseline jumper and two free throws and Knight drove the lane and made a floater to tie the score at 40.

Scott scored 10 points for Notre Dame.

NOTES: Kentucky is 42-18 all-time in this series. The Wildcats have won 11 of their last 12 games against the Irish. Their lone loss was in the 2009 NIT quarterfinals, the final game of coach Billy Gillispie’s tenure. … Kentucky is 59-18 all-time at Freedom Hall, the former home of their archrival Louisville. Notre Dame is 11-35 in that building. … This game marked the first time this season the Irish have been outrebounded. Kentucky pulled down 40 boards to Notre Dame’s 33. … The 8-0 start was Notre Dame’s best since 1973-74. … The Irish had won five straight games against SEC opponents, including a victory over Georgia in the Old Spice Classic this season. … Kentucky hosts Indiana Saturday evening. Notre Dame returns to action Saturday night against Gonzaga.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Terrence Jones (3) alters Ben Hansbrough's layup attempt Wednesday. (Clay Jackson/Danville Advocate-Messenger)

Video credit – ESPN

Brady hits 250, Patriots deliver beatdown to Jets, 45-3

2010-12-06T23:46:00.005-05:00

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

The AFC’s two best teams couldn’t have looked more different on Monday night, and it appears the New England Patriots aren’t ready to pass on the mantle of AFC East champions to the New York Jets quite yet.

Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, including the 250th of his career, and moved into 13th place all-time as the Patriots turned their date with a fierce division rival into a 45-3 laugher in Foxborough, Mass.

The Patriots (10-2) were never even seriously challenged after scoring on their first three possessions. For the Jets (9-3), nothing went right.

Brady carved up their vaunted defense. The New England backs and receivers broke nearly countless tackles. New England’s pass defense, ranked dead last in the NFL, forced quarterback Mark Sanchez into three interceptions in a span of six passes. The special teams units couldn’t get on track, with an early missed field goal and a couple of poor punts that gave the Patriots strong field position.

Kicker Shayne Graham capped New England’s first drive with a 41-yard field goal into a stiff wind, and after the Jets’ Nick Folk missed a 53-yard try woefully wide left, the Patriots took a two-possession lead. Wes Welker caught a pass for 14 yards on third-and-7 and the Jets’ Eric Smith was flagged for pass interference in the end zone to set up BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 1-yard touchdown run.

Jets punter Steve Weatherford then uncorked a 12-yard punt to his own 32-yard line, and on fourth-and-3, the Patriots elected to go for it instead of trying a 43-yard field goal.

Smart choice. Brady found Deion Branch with a short pass left, and Branch took it 25 yards to the end zone for a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Folk and New York broke into the scoring column early in the second quarter. After Braylon Edwards dropped a pass that would have given the Jets a first down on third-and-3 when hit by New England’s Kyle Arrington, Folk hit a 39-yard kick.

New England responded by augmenting its lead on the next possession. Danny Woodhead, who was cut by the Jets this season, caught a pass out of the backfield for 35 yards, Brady ran for the first down on third-and-2 and Green-Ellis picked up 13. Brady rolled left and found a leaping Brandon Tate in the end zone for a touchdown for a 24-3 halftime lead.

Things only got worse for the Jets to begin the second half, with a couple of interceptions turning into long touchdown drives. Patriots rookie Brandon Spikes snuffed out a promising New York drive, picking Sanchez at the New England 2 for his first career interception.

Brady then hit Rob Gronkowski for 12 yards on third down, Aaron Hernandez for 35 and Welker for an 18-yard touchdown down the sideline, capping the 93-yard drive.

Rookie Devin McCourty intercepted a deep Sanchez throw on the Jets’ ensuing drive, and New England marched 94 yards to yet another touchdown. Brady flipped the ball to Woodhead, who ran for 50 yards. Green-Ellis broke several tackles for a gain of 11 before Brady and Hernandez hooked up for a 1-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 38-3 edge.

James Sanders intercepted one more Sanchez throw and returned it 28 yards to the Jets 28 to set up the Patriots’ final points. Green-Ellis ran for 10 yards on fourth-and-inches and finished off the drive, powering into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. Graham’s extra point capped the scoring at 45-3.

The Patriots tied the Falcons (10-2) for the best record in the NFL, while the Jets’ eight-game road winning streak came to an emphatic end.

NOTES: Brady passed Drew Bledsoe to move into 13th place on the all-time touchdown pass list, finishing with 252. … Folk has missed six of his last 12 field goal attempts. … The Jets were playing their first game without safety Jim Leonhard, who is out for the season. … New York has not scored a first-quarter touchdown in the last eight games, the longest drought in the league. … Brady and coach Bill Belichick have won 107 games together, tied for second in NFL history for wins by a quarterback-coach tandem, with Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Noll. … Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson passed Eric Dickerson to move into sixth place on the all-time rushing list. … The Patriots have won 26 straight home games with Brady under center, the longest streak for a quarterback. … The Jets beat New England 28-14 at home in Week 2. … New York hadn’t trailed by 42 points since losing 45-3 to Miami on Nov. 24, 1986. … New England travels to Chicago Sunday afternoon. The Jets host the Dolphins Sunday.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Tom Brady throws Monday night. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Jags keep pace atop South with 17-6 win at Titans

2010-12-05T16:23:00.002-05:00

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 17-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans was hardly aesthetically appealing, but it made the muddled AFC South playoff picture a bit clearer.

Maurice Jones-Drew ran for a career-high 186 yards, over 100 for the fifth straight game and surpassing the 1,000-yard mark on the season, for the Jaguars in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday.

The Jacksonville (7-5) defense kept Kerry Collins’ Tennessee offense out of the end zone again. The Titans (5-7) haven’t reached paydirt in 13 quarters, the longest such stretch in franchise history.

The Jaguars’ victory ensures they will retain at least a tie atop the AFC South with Indianapolis (6-5), which hosts Dallas later Sunday.

Jacksonville took the lead for good with a pounding first-quarter touchdown drive. Eleven of the 12 plays on the drive were runs – quarterback David Garrard handed Jones-Drew the ball seven times, and Rashad Jennings turned his fourth carry on fourth-and-1 into an 11-yard scoring burst up the middle. Josh Scobee connected on the point-after.

The Jaguars continued to control time of possession and were rewarded when a 13-play second-period drive culminated in another touchdown. Garrard found Greg Jones for 11 yards on third-and-1, Jennings picked up three on third-and-2 and Marcedes Lewis caught a pass for 10 yards to convert third-and-9. Garrard then ran a bootleg left for a 4-yard touchdown.

After Collins threw incomplete for Randy Moss on fourth down, Jacksonville scored once more before the half. Scobee was true from 26 yards out on the final play of the second quarter to give the Jaguars a 17-0 halftime lead.

Tennessee finally got on the board on its first possession of the second half. Collins hit Justin Gage for 25 yards on third-and-10 and Chris Johnson broke free for 21 yards. After a wide-open Bo Scaife dropped a third-down pass inside the Jaguars’ 5, Rob Bironas kicked a 37-yard field goal.

The Titans’ Jacob Ford then blocked a Scobee 49-yard field goal attempt, and Tennessee marched back into scoring range. Jaguars cornerback William Middleton committed pass interference on fourth down to give the Titans a free first down and Jared Cook caught a pass for seven yards on fourth-and-6 before Bironas’ 30-yard boot cut the Tennessee deficit to 17-6.

But, given two more chances with the ball, the weak Tennessee offense couldn’t make anything happen. Collins threw incomplete for Nate Washington on fourth down with about 7 minutes left.

With about 2:50 to go, Collins’ pass was tipped by Daryl Smith and intercepted by Middleton.

Jacksonville was able to run out the clock from there, with Jones-Drew providing a signature play by stiff-arming safety Michael Griffin near the sideline and running for 37 yards.

Johnson also passed the 1,000-yard milestone for Tennessee. He finished with 53 yards on 13 carries.

The Jaguars have won four of their last five games. The Titans’ losing streak, which knocked them out of first place in the division, is up to five.

NOTES: Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was in the booth in what the team called an “advisory role” after undergoing chemotherapy treatment Wednesday. … Collins, who returned from missing two weeks with a right calf injury, was Tennessee’s third starting quarterback in three weeks. Vince Young, who is out for the season with a right thumb injury, and rookie Rusty Smith started the previous two games. … Jacksonville had lost five straight road December games. … Tennessee beat the Jaguars 30-3 in Jacksonville Oct. 18. … The Jaguars’ Mike Sims-Walker was out with a right ankle sprain. … Jacksonville hosts Oakland Sunday. The Titans continue their stretch of three straight home division tilts when the Colts come to town.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Maurice Jones-Drew (32) carries the ball as Michael Griffin tries to tackle him. (Frederick Breedon/AP)

Video credit – CBS

Auburn dominates S. Carolina 56-17 for SEC title

2010-12-04T20:06:00.002-05:00

2010-11 COLLEGE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Everyone’s been talking about Auburn quarterback Cam Newton all week, mostly for the wrong reasons.

That talk isn’t likely to decrease. But after the SEC championship game Saturday, it may take on a different tint: Heisman hype.

Game MVP Newton became the second player in NCAA history to run and pass for 20 touchdowns in a season, guiding BCS top-ranked Auburn to an emphatic 56-17 win over South Carolina in Atlanta.

With the win, the Tigers (13-0, No. 2 AP) likely clinched a berth in the national championship game in Glendale, Ariz., Jan. 10. They are projected to face Oregon, which capped a 12-0 regular season with a win over Oregon State Saturday.

As for Newton, who was briefly ineligible this week due to an amateurism violation before the NCAA reversed course and reinstated him for this game? He threw for 335 yards and four scores and ran for 73 yards and two touchdowns and will attempt to ride a strong SEC title game performance to the Heisman Trophy, similar to Alabama’s Mark Ingram’s course to the Heisman last year.

Auburn was up just one touchdown in the last 15 seconds of the second quarter before seizing momentum for good with a stunning play to end the first half. Newton scrambled to the right sideline and flung the ball into the end zone from 51 yards away. South Carolina’s DeVonte Holloman tipped it in the air and the Tigers’ Darvin Adams snagged it for a touchdown as time expired. Wes Byrum’s extra point gave Auburn a 28-14 lead.

South Carolina (9-4, No. 18 AP) took possession to begin the second half, but Spencer Lanning missed a 42-yard field goal wide right, and the Tigers made everything look easy from there out. Newton scrambled left for 25 yards to convert third-and-2 and lofted a pass to Emory Blake for 39 yards up the sideline before finishing off the drive himself with a 1-yard touchdown run.

On the Gamecocks’ ensuing possession, pressured quarterback Stephen Garcia threw the ball right into Auburn’s T’Sharvan Bell’s arms. Bell practically waltzed the 10 yards to paydirt, and Byrum’s boot put the Tigers up 42-14.

One offensive possession later, Auburn put together a grind-it-out-style drive for seven more points. Michael Dyer ran for three first downs, Onterio McCalebb gained 22 yards on a sweep, Dyer and Newton picked up first downs on the ground and Newton hit Blake on a fade for a 7-yard touchdown pass.

After a 33-yard Lanning field goal, Newton and most of the Tigers’ offensive starters came off the field to an ovation, but the Auburn offense wasn’t finished. Backup quarterback Barrett Trotter ran for 34 yards two plays before Mario Fannin ran six yards for a touchdown with 5:26 to go.

Earlier, Auburn opened things up offensively on its first possession to take the first lead of the game. Newton found Adams on play-action on the second play from scrimmage for 62 yards, and a wide-open McCalebb came out of the backfield and caught a 12-yard touchdown pass.

South Carolina evened the score when Garcia found fullback Patrick DiMarco on play-action for a 25-yard touchdown. Newton responded with a 5-yard touchdown run to regain the lead, and after a Gamecock punt, Newton hit Adams, running free up the sideline with a 7-yard lead on defender Stephon Gilmore, for a 54-yard touchdown and a two-touchdown lead.

Lanning and Byrum traded missed field goals before South Carolina made a sustained drive to cut its deficit in half. Marcus Lattimore caught a pass for 26 yards on third-and-9 before Garcia and Alshon Jeffery hooked up for a 1-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the half.

Of course, then Auburn took control for good on its way to its seventh SEC title.

Adams caught seven passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers.

NOTES: Newton was declared ineligible by Auburn on Tuesday and reinstated by the NCAA on Wednesday. The NCAA determined Newton’s father solicited payment from Mississippi State during Newton’s recruitment, but that Newton himself knew nothing of the matter. … South Carolina was seeking its first SEC title. It has only won one conference title ever, the ACC crown in 1969. … Auburn leads the all-time series 8-1-1 and has won five straight. … This was Auburn’s sixth game with 50 or more points this season, a school record. … Auburn gained 589 yards, holding the Gamecocks to 349.

Photo above: Cam Newton celebrates Saturday. (Brant Sanderlin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

BOX SCORE

Video credit – CBS

Gilardino pushes host Fiorentina past Cesena, 1-0

2010-11-13T18:33:00.004-05:00

SERIE A SOCCER

FIRENZE, Italia -- This season hasn't been altogether kind to injury-ravaged Fiorentina, which at one point in October was dead last in Serie A.

After a 1-0 victory over Cesena Saturday night at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, the Viola have climbed back to the top half of the table.

Alberto Gilardino scored in the
59th minute for the hosts, who lost striker Adrian Mutu in the 41st minute and remain without captain Riccardo Montolivo, starting goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, Cristiano Zanetti and Stefan Jovetic.

Gilardino's goal, his fifth of the season and second in as many matches, was nothing short of beautiful. He took Alessio Cerci's cross in the box, spun and fired top drawer into the left side past Cesena goalie Francesco Antonioli.

Despite it being the slimmest of possible leads, the one-goal margin seemed to be more than enough for Fiorentina keeper Artur Boruc for the remainder of the second half. Cesena mounted only a couple of legitimate scoring chances, with Ivan Fatic's long shot going well high in the 76th minute and Emanuele Giaccherini's 85th-minute shot deflected wide left.

Fiorentina missed out on a couple of chances to extend its lead when Gaetano D'Agostino took substitute Adam Ljajic's pass in front of the goal but shot very high, and Gianluca Comotto's header off a corner was just a touch too high.

Cesena has now lost four of its last five and sits 19th in the standings.

NOTES: Neither Fiorentina nor Cesena has won on the road this season. ... The Viola return to action Saturday night at league leaders AC Milan. Cesena hosts Palermo next Sunday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Alberto Gilardino celebrates after scoring Saturday. (La Repubblica)

Roma beats city rival, league leader Lazio, 2-0

2010-11-07T12:58:00.003-05:00

SERIE A SOCCER

AS Roma came into this season with high expectations but has looked a bit lost at times, coming into the Derby della Capitale against hated Lazio in ninth place in Serie A.

A pair of successful penalty kicks helped the Giallorossi pick up a key victory against their top-of-the-table rival.

Marco Borriello and Mirko Vucinic each converted from the spot in the second half as AS Roma defeated Lazio 2-0 in Rome on Sunday.

Borriello scored the winner in the 52nd minute. Lazio's Stephan Lichtsteiner deflected Fabio Simplicio's shot with his wrist to put Borriello on the spot. Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera guessed correctly, diving to his left, but Borriello's shot caromed off Muslera and across the goal line.

Vucinic provided the final margin with three minutes of regulation time left, finding the net after his teammate Julio Baptista was brought down by Andre Dias in the box. This time Muslera guessed wrong; he dove left while Vucinic was deftly sending the ball the other direction into an unguarded net. Vucinic then ripped off his shirt and ran to celebrate, earning a yellow card, but by then it didn't much matter.

The Biancoceleste didn't make much noise at all offensively, and their best chances to score were thwarted by stellar goalkeeping from Julio Sergio, who stopped a Cristian Ledesma free kick in the 48th minute and Hernanes' 65th-minute shot inside the area. Lazio's Pasquale Foggia's shot from extremely close range in the 83rd minute hit the crossbar.

Five minutes earlier, Lazio was denied an opportunity when Roma's John Arne Riise brought down Stefano Mauri on a set-piece play about two yards from the goal, but despite five Lazio players simultaneously crowding and yelling at referee Emidio Morganti, no foul was called.

Second-place AC Milan beat Bari 3-2, cutting Lazio's lead to two points. Roma is seven points back, tied for fifth place.

NOTES: Lazio had won seven of its last nine matches and hadn't lost since Aug. 29. ... Roma has won five of seven derbies. ... Although technically the away side in this match, Roma is unbeaten at the Stadio Olimpico in six league matches this year. ... Lazio star Hernanes promised before the game he would score but did not, being lifted for a substitute in the 72nd minute. ... Rodrigo Taddei, David Pizarro, Matteo Brighi and Stefano Okaka missed the match due to injury for Roma, and Mourad Meghni and Alberto Quadri were out for Lazio. Francesco Totti of Roma and Lazio's Giuseppe Biava also missed due to suspension. ... Roma next hosts Fiorentina Wednesday night. Lazio is at Cesena Wednesday.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: AS Roma's Marco Cassetti, center, and Marco Borriello celebrate after Borriello's goal Sunday. (La Repubblica)

Video credit -- Sky Sports

Renteria, Lincecum, Giants beat Texas to win World Series

2010-11-01T22:44:00.004-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – WORLD SERIES GAME 5

With one mighty swing of the bat, Edgar Renteria has made everyone forget his struggles over the last two years and reprised his old role as World Series-winning hero.

He, Tim Lincecum and the Giants are the best in the baseball world for the first time in 56 years and the first time since the Giants moved west to San Francisco.

Series MVP Renteria stunned Texas ace Cliff Lee with a three-run seventh-inning bomb, Lincecum allowed one run and struck out 10 Rangers and the Giants won Game 5 3-1 in Arlington, Texas, Monday night.

Renteria's walk-off single won Game 7 of the 1997 Series for Florida over Cleveland. Thirteen years later, the veteran victimized Lee and Texas to secure another ring for himself and the Giants' first championship since the franchise did it in New York in 1954.

Giants pitching has dominated almost all series long, and Game 5 was no different. Lincecum three-hit Texas over eight innings, beating fellow former Cy Young winner Lee for the second time in the series.

Lincecum and Lee matched scoreless frame for scoreless frame all the way until the top of the seventh, when San Francisco's Cody Ross delivered yet another key hit with a leadoff single up the middle and Juan Uribe singled to center.

Game 4 hero Aubrey Huff then dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt, the first of his career, and one batter later, Renteria drilled a 404-foot shot to left-center for a lead the struggling Texas offense had no chance of overcoming against Lincecum and Giants closer Brian Wilson.

The Rangers' Nelson Cruz finally touched Lincecum for a one-out solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. The next batter, Ian Kinsler, drew a walk, but Lincecum settled in and struck out David Murphy and Bengie Molina, who came to Texas in a midseason trade from the Giants, to end the inning.

Lincecum proceeded to retire Mitch Moreland, Elvis Andrus and Michael Young 1-2-3 in the eighth, and Wilson came on to shut it down in the ninth, striking out Josh Hamilton looking, inducing a groundout from Vladimir Guerrero and striking out Cruz swinging to touch off the celebration in gray, orange and black.

Giants catcher Buster Posey was the only player with a multi-hit night, going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, Texas' biggest hitters continued to struggle when it mattered most. Hamilton and Guerrero each went 0-for-4 Monday and finished 2-for-20 and 1-for-14, respectively, for the series.

Lee pitched well but found himself the losing pitcher of record for the second time in a week after losing Game 1 Wednesday. Lee, a free agent following this season, allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, with six strikeouts.

NOTES: San Francisco's Pat Burrell was back in the lineup at designated hitter after sitting out Game 4 but continued to flounder, finishing 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. His series line was 0-for-13 with 11 strikeouts, and he struck out 22 times in the playoffs. ... Lincecum went 4-1 this postseason. ... This was the eighth World Series matchup of former Cy Young winners, including Lee and Lincecum's Game 1 meeting.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Edgar Renteria homers in Game 5. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)

Audio credit -- San Francisco Giants Radio Network

Bumgarner, Giants one win from title after 4-0 win

2010-10-31T23:42:00.004-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – WORLD SERIES GAME 4

On Halloween Night, Giants rookie starter Madison Bumgarner came to Game 4 of the World Series dressed as a dominant ace.

Consequently, the team in orange and black is one win away from its first Series title since moving to San Francisco.

Bumgarner held Texas to three hits over eight innings, Aubrey Huff hit a two-run third-inning homer and the Giants beat the Rangers 4-0 in Arlington, Texas, Sunday night.

The win gives the Giants a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. The Rangers now find themselves one loss from elimination after being shut out for just the second time since Sept. 23 -- but also the second time in three games.

Huff handed Bumgarner an early lead, and the Giants essentially coasted from there. Andres Torres led off the third with a double that bounced off first base and caromed down the right-field line, and Huff hit Rangers starter Tommy Hunter's one-out offering out of the yard to right.

Torres' seventh-inning two-out double to the center-field wall plated Edgar Renteria, who had singled and was running from first base with the pitch. Catcher Buster Posey added a solo shot in the eighth for the final margin.

San Francisco closer Brian Wilson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning in a non-save situation, striking out Josh Hamilton on a failed check swing for the final out.

Bumgarner, 21, the fifth-youngest pitcher to start a Series game, only allowed one runner past first base, stirking out six batters with two walks.

Renteria went 3-for-4, while Torres was 3-for-5.

Hunter took the loss for Texas, allowing two runs on five hits over four innings. He issued one walk and struck out one.

Game 5 is Monday night in Arlington, matching Game 1 starters and aces Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee. The Giants and Lincecum earned an 11-7 win in the opener, while the previously nearly unbeatable Lee gave up seven runs without finishing the fifth inning.

NOTES: Bumgarner and Posey were the first rookie batterymates to start a World Series game since 1947. The Yankees' Spec Shea and Yogi Berra did so against the Brooklyn Dodgers that year. ... Texas reliever Alexi Ogando left in the top of the sixth inning with a left oblique strain. It was not immediately clear whether he will be available for the remainder of the series. ... San Francisco's Cody Ross' 10-game postseason hitting streak came to an end, one game shy of tying the franchise record held by Irish Meusel. ... The Giants have won 14 of 15 against Texas. ... Former President George W. Bush threw out the opening pitch, a strike, to team president Nolan Ryan. His father, former President George H.W. Bush, looked on. ... The shutout was the Giants' fourth of the playoffs, tying the 1998 Yankees and 1905 New York Giants for the most in a single postseason. ... San Francisco's Nate Schierholtz and Travis Ishikawa made their first starts of the postseason.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Madison Bumgarner pitches Sunday. (Matthew Campbell-Pool/Getty Images)

Audio credit -- San Francisco Giants Radio Network/ Rangers Radio Network

Long balls give Texas first win of World Series, 4-2

2010-10-30T22:05:00.006-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – WORLD SERIES GAME 3

The Texas Rangers came back home for Game 3 of the World Series having been thoroughly beaten by San Francisco in Games 1 and 2.

All it took was a three-run homer from their No. 9 hitter and some effective pitching to pick up their first-ever World Series win.

Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer in the second inning, starter Colby Lewis turned in another solid outing on the hill and the Rangers beat the Giants 4-2 in Arlington, Texas, Saturday night.

Lewis didn't seem otherworldly on the mound but allowed just two runs and five hits over 7 2-3 innings against a San Francisco club that looked much more like the team that struggled to score runs in the regular season than the Giants who outscored Texas 20-7 in the first two World Series games at home.

The right-hander, who went 12-13 during the regular season but is now 3-0 in the playoffs, never trailed, thanks to Moreland and the Rangers offense. Nelson Cruz doubled Jonathan Sanchez's first pitch of the second inning off the center-field wall and Bengie Molina walked with two outs.

Moreland then took the ninth pitch of the at-bat out to right for a 3-0 edge. Josh Hamilton supplemented the lead three innings later with a two-out solo homer, his fifth of the playoffs.

The Giants' Cody Ross continued his improbable postseason hot streak with a seventh-inning home run to left. Andres Torres hit a homer to right in the eighth to cut San Francisco's deficit to 4-2.

Texas closer Neftali Feliz made his first appearance of the World Series and retired the Giants 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn the save, striking out Pat Burrell, getting Ross on a flyout to deep right and punching out Juan Uribe.

Elvis Andrus and Michael Young each had two of Texas' eight hits.

Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday night in Arlington. The Rangers' Tommy Hunter will face San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner.

NOTES: Burrell went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. He's struck out eight times in the series. ... Texas' Jeff Francoeur and the Giants' Pablo Sandoval each made their first starts of the series. The Rangers' Vladimir Guerrero was also back in the lineup as the designated hitter after sitting out Game 2 following a two-error night in the field in Game 1. ... This marked the third World Series game played in the state of Texas after the Astros hosted Games 3 and 4 of the 2005 Series, which they lost to the White Sox. ... Texas team president and former ace Nolan Ryan threw the first pitch to former Ranger Ivan Rodriguez. The pitch was reportedly clocked at 87 mph in the stadium.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Mitch Moreland, left, receives congratulations from Texas manager Ron Washington, center, and teammates after hitting a home run Saturday. (David J. Phillip/AP)

Audio credit -- San Francisco Giants Radio Network/ Rangers Radio Network

Ross, Cain, Giants beat Phils 3-0, take 2-1 NLCS lead

2010-10-19T19:48:00.002-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – NLCS GAME 3

In the third spectacular NLCS pitching matchup in as many games, the Giants' Matt Cain dominated the Phillies on the hill and turned a little run support into a Game 3 victory.

Cain pitched seven two-hit innings, Cody Ross continued his mastery of Philadelphia's Cole Hamels with a fourth-inning tiebreaking RBI single and the Giants beat the Phillies 3-0 in San Francisco Tuesday to take a 2-1 series lead.

Cain's strong effort earned him his first career playoff win. Ross, who homered three times in the first two games of the series, victimized Hamels again after doing so regularly with division rival Florida prior to coming to San Francisco as a waiver-wire pickup in August.

This time, Ross came up in the fourth inning with two outs and knocked in Edgar Renteria, who had walked, one batter before Aubrey Huff singled home former Phillie Pat Burrell.

One inning later, the Giants' Freddy Sanchez's infield single -- initially ruled an error on Phillies second baseman Chase Utley -- scored Aaron Rowand, another ex-Phillie, who had doubled.

Philadelphia, which hadn't been shut out since August, couldn't do much against Cain. The Phillies got two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but Shane Victorino grounded out to end that inning.

The Phillies' only baserunner after that came in the ninth, when Jimmy Rollins singled with one out. But Giants closer Brian Wilson induced a game-ending double play from Raul Ibanez to give San Francisco the series lead.

Cain struck out five batters and walked three. Hamels allowed three runs on five hits in six innings of work, with eight strikeouts and a walk.

Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday night. Giants rookie Madison Bumgarner will face Philadelphia's Joe Blanton.

NOTES: Ross has an RBI in each of the last four postseason games in which he had a plate appearance. ... San Francisco's Juan Uribe was back in the lineup after missing Game 2 with a bruised left wrist. Reportedly, tests showed no structural damage. ... Cain was pitching on 10 days' rest, the longest stretch of his career. He received a no-decision in the Giants' loss to Atlanta in Game 2 of their division series.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Matt Cain pitches in Game 3. (Ben Margot/AP)

Audio credit -- Giants Radio Network/Phils Radio Network

Rangers beat Yankees for first-ever home playoff win

2010-10-16T20:16:00.004-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – ALCS GAME 2

One game after squandering a five-run lead in their potential first home playoff win ever, the Texas Rangers used a complete team effort to make sure it didn't happen again, and tie up the ALCS in the process.

David Murphy homered and doubled to knock in two runs, Elvis Andrus stole home in the first inning, pitcher Colby Lewis put up a strong start and Texas beat the Yankees 7-2 in Game 2 of the ALCS in Arlington, Texas, Saturday.

The Texas bullpen, which imploded in an ignominous eighth inning in Game 1, held New York scoreless over 3 1-3 innings in relief of Lewis, who scattered six hits over 5 2-3 frames.

Meanwhile, the Rangers, who staked their pitchers to a five-run lead in Game 1, touched Yankees All-Star Phil Hughes for seven runs and 10 hits, seven for extra bases.

The Rangers' offensive outburst was all the more bewildering for New York, considering who was on the mound. Hughes had pitched 15 1/3 scoreless innings in his career at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, including a no-hit bid he was forced to leave after a hamstring injury in his second major-league start.

Despite the offensive fireworks to come, Texas manufactured its first run. Andrus led off the first inning with an infield single, took second on a Hughes wild pitch and stole third base before Josh Hamilton drew a free pass.

Andrus and Hamilton then executed a double-steal to perfection, with Hamilton breaking for second but stopping shy of the bag and allowing himself to be caught in a run-down. Andrus then broke for the plate and swiped home without a tag, as New York second baseman Robinson Cano's throw to catcher Jorge Posada was wide and late anyway.

Murphy began to heat up at the dish in the second with a one-out upper-deck solo shot to right. After Mitch Moreland and Andrus singled with two down, Michael Young doubled the other way down the right-field line to plate Moreland for a 3-0 edge.

Texas continued to pile up its early lead with two more runs in the third inning. Nelson Cruz led off with a double, moved to second on Ian Kinsler's sacrifice bunt and came home on Murphy's double into the right-field corner. Bengie Molina followed with a two-bagger to the right-center-field wall to score Murphy.

The Yankees cut a run off their deficit in the fourth, when Lance Berkman singled off Moreland's glove to plate Cano, who had doubled on the first pitch of the inning and took third on a wild pitch.

But any momentum New York might have begun to build up was lost when Berkman was caught in no-man's-land and tagged out between first and second base, and the Rangers responded by tacking on two more runs in the fifth. Cruz led off with a double off the center-field wall and Kinsler tripled to score Cruz and chase Hughes.

Moreland greeted Yankees reliever Joba Chamblerlain with an opposite-field single through the left side to score Kinsler and take a 7-1 lead.

New York scored just once more after that, on a Cano homer halfway up the right-field upper deck in the sixth. Rangers relievers Clay Rapada, Alexi Ogando, Darren Oliver, Darren O'Day and Neftali Feliz picked up where Lewis left off, holding the powerful Yankee offense scoreless.

The series heads to New York for Game 3 Monday night, when Texas' Cliff Lee will oppose the Yankees' Andy Pettitte.

NOTES: Texas improves to 1-7 in home postseason games all-time, including 1-5 against the Yankees. They lost Games 3 and 4 of the ALDS to Tampa Bay at home. ... Andrus' swipe of home was the first in a playoff game since the Angels' Brad Fullmer turned the trick, also on a double-steal, in Game 2 of the 2002 World Series. ... Texas has homered in all seven of its postseason games. ... Cruz has hit safely in all seven playoff games. ... Andrus has reached base to lead off the Texas first inning in four straight games. ... Hamilton was the only Texas starter held hitless, but he walked four times, including two intentional passes.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Elvis Andrus, second from left, steals home behind Jorge Posada, right, Saturday. (Barton Silverman/The New York Times)

Audio credit -- Texas Rangers Radio Network

Hamels dominates Reds to complete NLDS sweep

2010-10-10T23:19:00.003-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – NLDS GAME 3

Cole Hamels didn't match Roy Halladay's Game 1 no-hitter, but he was plenty effective enough to get the Philadelphia Phillies to their third straight NLCS.

Hamels struck out nine Cincinnati batters in a complete-game five-hit shutout to help the Phillies complete a three-game sweep of the Reds, winning 2-0 in Cincinnati Sunday night.

Philadelphia is now one series victory away from its third straight NL pennant. The Phillies await the winner of the San Francisco-Atlanta division series, which the Giants lead 2-1 after a Sunday victory.

The Phillies scored yet another unearned run -- their sixth out of 13 in the series -- to give Hamels all the offense he would need in the first inning. Reds shortstop Orlando Cabrera, a two-time Gold Glover, threw wildly to first on Jayson Werth's two-out grounder, pulling first baseman Joey Votto off the bag and allowing Placido Polanco to score from third.

Chase Utley added a fifth-inning two-out solo homer that just barely cleared Cincinnati's Drew Stubbs' glove and the right-center field wall. The play was upheld after video review, giving Hamels and the Phillies a 2-0 edge.

Cincinnati only had a few real scoring chances all night. Stubbs led off the bottom of the first with an infield single and Brandon Phillips lined a shot to left-center, but Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino made an outstanding running catch to save a likely RBI extra-base hit.

In the seventh, Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez doubled to the left-field wall with two outs, but Jay Bruce flew out to Werth to end the inning.

With the Reds down to their final three outs of the season, Phillips singled to lead off the ninth, but Votto grounded into a double play to Utley and Hamels struck out Rolen swinging for the final out.

Hamels' performance and the early Cincinnati defensive miscue overshadowed a solid outing by Reds starter Johnny Cueto, who was making his first career playoff appearance. He allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits, with a walk and two strikeouts.

After a strong effort in Game 1 but faltering in Game 2, the Reds' relief corps was again effective in Game 3. Normal starter Homer Bailey, Bill Bray, Nick Masset and heralded rookie Aroldis Chapman held Philadelphia to three hits over the final two innings.

NOTES: Game 1 of the NLCS is to be played in Philadelphia Saturday. ... Hamels has never lost to the Reds and is 6-0 against them in regular-season play. ... After falling behind 4-0 in Game 2, the Phillies outscored Cincinnati 9-0. ... Philadelphia has won six straight potential playoff clinchers and 10 of 12. ... Utley's homer was his 10th in postseason play, the most in team history. Werth has nine. ... Cincinnati committed seven errors in the series after finishing second in the NL with a .988 fielding percentage during the regular season. ... Cabrera was back in the lineup after leaving Game 2 due to injury. ... The announced attendance at Great American Ball Park was 44,599, the most in stadium history. The previous high was on opening day in 2005. ... Bailey's stint on the mound was his first career major league relief appearance. ... Rolen finished the series 1-for-11 with eight strikeouts. ... Since the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, NL Central teams have lost 15 of their last 16 playoff games.

Photo above: Cole Hamels pitches during Game 3. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

BOX SCORE

Audio credit -- Reds Radio Network

Host Northern Ireland draws Italy 0-0 in Euro qualifier

2010-10-08T17:03:00.003-04:00

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER SPECIAL COVERAGE – EURO 2012 QUALIFYING GROUP C

After Northern Ireland's historic recent home wins over big boys England and Spain, Italy should probably be satisfied to get out of Windsor Park with a draw.

That was the result -- a 0-0 tie -- between Norn Iron and the Azzurri in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Friday night.

The finish left Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington pumping his fist as time expired, showing his excitement as his side took down another top-flight team in front of a raucous capacity crowd.

Italy, meanwhile, escaped without a loss, faring better than the English and Spaniards in the last five years. The Azzurri also fell in the teams' last meeting in Belfast in 1958, when Northern Ireland won 2-1 to clinch a World Cup berth.

The Italian side attacked most of the night and took 16 shots to the Green and White Army's 5. But Northern Irish goalkeeper Maik Taylor parried six shots on goal to hold firm.

Italy got off several good chances in the first half in particular. Domenico Criscito's 13th-minute shot from the left side went wide right.

Northern Ireland countered with a scoring try in the 31st minute, but David Healy's header drifted wide left.

Italy's Marco Boriello wasted no time, shooting immediately on a 1-on-1 against Taylor, who stopped him from extremely close range to preserve the clean sheet. Antonio Cassano collected the rebound but proceeded to shoot wide right.

In the second half, Boriello tested Taylor in the 62nd minute but shot right at him, making for an easy save.

Then, in the 86th minute, Italy's Giampaolo Pazzini headed a shot across the net and wide left.

Northern Ireland then almost completed the miracle victory in the final minute of regulation time, but Steven Davis was stonewalled by Azzurri keeper Emiliano Viviano to effectively end the match.

Italy picked up one point for a total of seven, which leads Group C. Northern Ireland is tied for third place with four.

Northern Ireland's next qualifier is Tuesday at the Faroe Islands. Italy hosts Serbia Tuesday night in its next match.

NOTES: Italy has not lost a road qualifier since 2006, but has never won in three trips to Belfast. ... Azzurri defender Gianluca Zambrotta did not play and remains three appearances shy of 100 caps for Italy.

Photo above: Italy's Antonio Cassano, right, possesses the ball in front of Northern Ireland's Gareth McAuley. (News of the World)

BOX SCORE

Video credit -- Rai Uno

Phils' Halladay no-hits Cincinnati in NLDS opener

2010-10-06T19:53:00.004-04:00

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – NLDS GAME 1

Not bad for a postseason debut -- at least for Philadelphia's Roy Halladay.

For the Cincinnati Reds, making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, it couldn't have gone much worse.

Halladay pitched the second no-hitter in postseason history and his second of the season, dominating the Reds 4-0 in Game 1 of the NLDS in Philadelphia Wednesday.

Halladay faced just one batter over the minimum, striking out eight batters -- perhaps thanks in part to the generous strike zone of home-plate umpire John Hirschbeck -- and walking the Reds' Jay Bruce in the fifth inning. He added an RBI single in the second inning to help his own cause.

The right-hander, making his playoff debut after pitching the first 12 seasons of his career in postseason-starved Toronto, threw a perfect game at Florida May 29. The only other playoff no-hitter was Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series against Brooklyn.

The Reds -- only six of whom have postseason experience -- fell behind early and never had a chance against Halladay. Cincinnati starter Edinson Volquez surrendered a sacrifice fly to Chase Utley, scoring Shane Victorino, who had doubled and stolen third, for a one-run first-inning lead.

Halladay got in on the fun offensively one inning later, singling home catcher Carlos Ruiz, who had walked. Victorino then knocked in Wilson Valdez, who had singled, and Halladay to chase Volquez after just 1 2-3 innings.

The old adage goes that in any no-hitter, the defense always contributes a few gems behind the pitcher. But Cincinnati couldn't even manufacture any real near-misses at the plate and went quietly before the raucous crowd in the ninth. Halladay retired Ramon Hernandez and pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo before Brandon Phillips chopped an 0-2 pitch in front of the plate, with Ruiz making the final play to end it.

The lone bright spot for the Reds was the work of their bullpen. Travis Wood, Logan Ondrusek and Bill Bray collectively allowed just one hit over the final 6 1-3 frames.

Volquez allowed four runs on four hits, with two walks and no punchouts.

Victorino went 2-for-4, the lone player with a multi-hit night.

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Friday, with the Phillies' Roy Oswalt set to oppose Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo.

NOTES: Halladay's effort is the sixth no-hitter this season. Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez, Oakland's Dallas Braden, Edwin Jackson of Arizona and Tampa Bay's Matt Garza all accomplished the feat, with Detroit's Armando Galarraga losing a perfect game against Cleveland with two outs in the ninth inning on a blown call in June. ... Halladay is the first pitcher to throw a shutout in his playoff debut since the Mets' Bobby Jones pitched a one-hitter in Game 4 of the 2000 NLDS. ... Halladay also threw just the second playoff shutout in Phillies history. Curt Schilling shut out the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the 1993 World Series. ... Philadelphia's Placido Polanco sat out with back stiffness.

Photo above: Philadelphia's Roy Halladay pitches Wednesday. (Matt Slocum/AP)

BOX SCORE

Audio credit -- Reds Radio Network

Bayern beats Roma in Champions League opener

2010-09-15T17:24:00.007-04:00

2010-2011 INTERNATIONAL SOCCER SPECIAL COVERAGE – UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP E

The last time Bayern Munich participated in a Champions League game against an Italian side, it fell to Inter Milan in the 2009-2010 final in May.

Thanks to a couple of late goals from German national stars Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose, the Bavarians are off to a fast start in their quest to reach the finals again.

Muller found the net in the 78th minute and Klose followed suit five minutes later as Bayern downed AS Roma 2-0 in Munich, Germany, Wednesday night.

Bayern outshot Roma 24-6 but couldn't break through against the defensive-minded Italian side until late. Muller, situated in the right side of the box, took Daniel van Buyten's pass and finished with the outside of his right foot across the goal inside the left post past Roma keeper Julio Sergio.

Substitute Klose provided a pretty set-piece goal from close range in the 83rd minute, getting his studs on Holger Badstuber's free kick to direct the ball past Sergio for a 2-0 lead that would prove more than insurmountable.

Both sides return to Champions League action Sept. 28. Bayern travels to face Swiss side Basel, while Roma hosts Romanian club CFR Cluj.

Roma, which owns just one point in Serie A play on the heels of a 5-1 loss at Cagliari, hosts Bologna Sunday. Bayern has four points after three Bundesliga matches and takes on FC Cologne Saturday.

NOTES: John Arne Riise, Philippe Mexes, Rodrigo Taddei, Mirko Vucinic and Stefano Okaka all missed the match for Roma due to injury. ... Bayern is slated to play six games in the next 17 days.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller and AS Roma's Marco Cassetti battle for the ball Wednesday. (Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Video credit -- Rai Due

Zambrano winning pitcher as Cubs beat St. Louis 3-2

2010-08-14T19:44:00.004-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Carlos Zambrano probably couldn’t have picked a better time for his first win since his month-long team suspension.

Zambrano earned his first win since June 20, Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee homered and the reeling Cubs beat the Cardinals 3-2 in St. Louis Saturday.

Chicago won for just the third time in its last 17 games, evening the weekend series, while the NL Central-leading Cardinals’ edge over second-place Cincinnati dwindled to a half-game with their second loss in eight games.

Zambrano (4-6), starting for the second time since his suspension for a dugout outburst against the White Sox June 25, pitched 5 2-3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out three batters and walked two, beating longtime Cubs-killer Chris Carpenter, who lost to Chicago for the first time since Aug. 10, 2008.

The Cubs (49-68) took the lead for good in the second inning, when Ramirez homered in his first at-bat since missing three games with sore ribs and Koyie Hill doubled home Marlon Byrd, who had doubled, to go on top 2-1.

Lee doubled the lead with his second homer in as many games, a solo shot to right with two outs in the third.

The Cardinals got that run back in the sixth. Skip Schumaker singled with two outs, took second base on a Zambrano wild pitch and scored on pinch hitter Randy Winn’s single, evading Hill’s tag at home to make it 3-2.

St. Louis (65-50) appeared to be in good shape to begin the bottom of the ninth after Aaron Miles led off with an infield single and moved to second on Ramirez’s throwing error.

But Cubs closer Carlos Marmol got Brendan Ryan to pop up a bunt to Hill – leading to loud booing from the St. Louis faithful – then induced a foul popout from Felipe Lopez and struck out Allen Craig on three pitches, leaving the dangerous Albert Pujols stranded on deck, to end it.

The Cardinals had taken a one-run first-inning lead on Matt Holliday’s sacrifice fly to score Jon Jay, who had singled.

Ramirez went 2-for-4. Marmol posted his 20th save.

Jay and Pujols each had two hits for the Cardinals. Carpenter (13-4) yielded three runs on six hits, with three strikeouts.

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa missed his second straight game, serving out his suspension for his role in the Cardinals’ brawl with the Reds during an 8-4 win Tuesday, for which Carpenter and Yadier Molina were fined.

NOTES: The Cubs won a one-run game for the first time in nine tries. … Zambrano is 6-1 in 11 starts at St. Louis. … The Cubs’ second inning marked the first time Carpenter yielded four extra-base hits in one inning since Sept. 28, 2006 against San Diego. … Carpenter had won four straight decisions and falls to 10-4 all-time against the Cubs. … St. Louis had scored at least four runs in every game in August coming in. … With a win Sunday, the Cardinals can claim their fourth straight home series win over Chicago. The Cubs with a victory can win just their second Central series in their last 15 tries, but their second straight over St. Louis after taking two of three at home July 23-25. … The Cardinals currently lead Cincinnati by a half-game and fifth-place Chicago by 17 games. The Reds host the Marlins Saturday night and can tie for first place in the Central with a win. … The Cubs’ Ryan Dempster and St. Louis’ Kyle Lohse will pitch the rubber game Sunday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Carlos Zambrano pitches Saturday. (Bill Boyce/AP)

Video credit – FOX

Gonzalez, Crisp, A's down Rangers, 6-2

2010-08-07T21:55:00.004-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Trying to stay in contention in the American League West race, the Oakland Athletics shut down the punchless Texas offense.

Gio Gonzalez pitched seven scoreless innings, Coco Crisp drove in three runs and the A's beat the Rangers 6-2 in Oakland, Calif., Saturday.

Division-leading Texas (64-46) retains an 8 1/2-game lead over second-place Oakland, but the Athletics (55-54) will have a chance to win the series Sunday afternoon.

Rangers starter Rich Harden again fell victim to a high pitch count, lasting just 2 1-3 innings -- long enough for Oakland to score all the runs it would need.

With the bases loaded in the first inning, Harden walked Kevin Kouzmanoff to force in Crisp before Mark Ellis' sacrifice fly to right scored Daric Barton.

One inning later, Crisp lifted a two-out homer to right for a 3-0 edge.

Crisp's sac fly in the fourth scored Cliff Pennington, who had tripled. In the sixth, Matt Watson doubled to right to score Rajai Davis. Crisp's second sac fly then scored pinch runner Gabe Gross ahead of Texas outfielder Nelson Cruz's strong throw to the plate.

The Rangers managed to plate two runs in the final two innings. Catcher Taylor Teagarden hit his second homer in as many days, hitting a pitch just beyond Crisp's reach and off his glove to center in the eighth.

David Murphy's two-out ninth-inning single plated Jorge Cantu for the final run.

Gonzalez (10-7) allowed four hits and no runs over seven innings, with two strikeouts and three walks.

Crisp and Davis each had two hits for the A's.

Harden (4-4) yielded three runs on two hits and five walks. He had two strikeouts against his former club.

Murphy went 2-for-4 to lead Texas offensively.

NOTES: Texas' three-game winning streak ended. ... Gonzalez has won 14 of his last 15 starts when the A's score three runs or more. ... Oakland's Trevor Cahill will work the series finale Sunday against the Rangers' Colby Lewis.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Oakland's Gio Gonzalez pitches Saturday. (Chad Ziemendorf/San Francisco Chronicle)

Video credit -- FOX

ZSN College Football 2010 Preseason Top 25 Rankings

2010-08-04T00:11:00.001-04:00

School (2009 Record)/Season opener (Sept. 4 unless otherwise noted)

1. Alabama (14-0)/San Jose State
2. Boise State (14-0)/Virginia Tech (Landover, Md.) (Sept. 6)
3. Ohio State (11-2)/Marshall (Sept. 2)
4. Texas (13-1)/Rice (Houston)
5. Texas Christian (12-1)/Oregon State (Arlington, Texas)
6. Florida (13-1)/Miami (Ohio)
7. Iowa (11-2)/Eastern Illinois
8. Virginia Tech (10-3)/Boise State (Landover, Md.) (Sept. 6)
9. Wisconsin (10-3)/at UNLV
10. Georgia Tech (11-3)/South Carolina State
11. Nebraska (10-4)/Western Kentucky
12. Oregon (10-3)/New Mexico
13. Cincinnati (12-1)/at Fresno State
14. Miami (Fla.) (9-4)/Florida A&M (Sept. 2)
15. Penn State (11-2)/Youngstown State
16. North Carolina (8-5)/LSU (Atlanta)
17. West Virginia (9-4)/Coastal Carolina
18. Pittsburgh (10-3)/at Utah (Sept. 2)
19. Stanford (8-5)/Sacramento State
20. Arkansas (8-5)/Tennessee Tech
21. Oregon State (8-5)/TCU (Arlington, Texas)
22. LSU (9-4)/North Carolina (Atlanta)
23. Texas Tech (9-4)/SMU (Sept. 5)
24. Oklahoma (8-5)/Utah State
25. Navy (10-4)/Maryland (Baltimore) (Sept. 6)

Cain, Renteria, Giants beat L.A. 2-0 to complete sweep

2010-08-01T23:08:00.006-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

San Francisco pitcher Matt Cain has finally beaten the Dodgers, his team’s fiercest rival.

He wouldn’t have done it without a motivated Edgar Renteria, who helped Cain out in no small way with some much-needed offensive support.

Cain earned his first win against L.A. after eight losses and Renteria smacked a two-RBI sixth-inning triple as the Giants swept the Dodgers with a 2-0 win in San Francisco on Sunday.

The Giants’ (61-45) big right-hander pitched 7 2-3 innings, allowing four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

Renteria gave Cain (9-8) all the offense he would need in the sixth, breaking up a scoreless tie. With two out and Pat Burrell on second after his double, Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw intentionally walked Aaron Rowand to bring up Renteria, who tripled to the wall in left-center to score Burrell and Rowand and then pumped his fist after sliding into third.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ offensive woes continued. The Dodgers, whose losing streak stretched to five games, are averaging just over two runs a game since the All-Star break and were held to two runs or less for the sixth time in seven games.

The Dodgers (54-51) had multiple baserunners in the same inning just once, in the fourth inning. Recent acquisition Scott Podsednik reached on an infield single, stole second and advanced to third before James Loney walked with two out. Cain responded by inducing a fielder’s choice from Matt Kemp to end the inning.

Closer Brian Wilson notched his 31st save of the season, retiring Kemp on a flyout to a running Rowand in the right-center gap for the final out.

Kershaw (10-6), making his first start after serving a five-game suspension for hitting Rowand with a pitch July 20, allowed two runs on six hits over seven innings, with six strikeouts and four walks.

NOTES: The Giants are 21-6 since July 6. They’ve won five of six against the Dodgers and swept L.A. at home for the first time since a four-game series June 21-24, 2004. … San Francisco’s Javier Lopez and the Dodgers’ Octavio Dotel, teammates in the Pittsburgh bullpen on Saturday, made their debuts for their respective new clubs after trade-deadline deals one day ago. … Los Angeles’ Ryan Theriot, acquired from the Cubs on Saturday, made his first appearance as a Dodger, going 0-for-4 at second base. … L.A.’s Andre Ethier missed his second straight game after the birth of his child. … The Giants stay in second place in the NL West, 1.5 games behind first-place San Diego. The Dodgers are eight games out in fourth place. … San Francisco is off Monday, then travels to Colorado for a two-game set, with Jonathan Sanchez scheduled to pitch Tuesday night. The Dodgers head home to host the Padres in a four-game series. Hiroki Kuroda will throw Monday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: San Francisco's Matt Cain pitches Sunday. (Ben Margot/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Backup Hanigan keys Reds’ 5-2 comeback over Atlanta

2010-07-31T23:56:00.003-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CINCINNATI – With a little help from a crucial Braves defensive miscue, Reds reserve catcher Ryan Hanigan helped his club beat the NL East leaders for the first time this season.

Hanigan’s seventh-inning double coupled with Atlanta center fielder Melky Cabrera’s odd throwing error allowed three runs to score on the play as Cincinnati came back to beat the Braves 5-2 Saturday.

The Reds (58-47) had been stymied by Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens most of the afternoon, trailing 2-1 entering the seventh inning. But Cincinnati changed all that when Scott Rolen doubled, Jonny Gomes singled and Jay Bruce singled to right to score Rolen and tie the game with one out.

One out later, Hanigan took Jurrjens’ offering to the center-field wall. Cabrera retreated to field it, but his throw slipped out of his hand and meekly shot sideways toward right field, allowing the merry-go-round on the bases to continue. Gomes and Bruce scored ahead of Hanigan, who came all the way around and slid home to give Cincinnati a 5-2 lead.

Reds closer Francisco Cordero, fresh off taking the loss in Atlanta’s series-opening win Friday, took the mound to boos and pitched himself into trouble in the ninth, allowing two runners to bring Braves rookie Jason Heyward – who victimized Cordero with the winning two-run 10th-inning double Friday – to the plate as the potential tying run with two out.

But Cordero struck out Heyward looking, turning the boos into cheers and evening the NL contenders’ weekend series. The rubber match is Sunday.

Atlanta (59-44) jumped on Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (11-6) early, taking a two-run first-inning lead. Omar Infante led off the game with a double and came home when Hanigan fielded Heyward’s topper and threw the ball away into right field. Eric Hinske then drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Heyward.

But Arroyo shut down the Braves after that, and Rolen cut the Reds’ deficit in half in the fourth with a two-out solo shot to left.

Rolen led the Reds with a 2-for-3 performance. Arroyo allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings, with three walks and three strikeouts, to earn the win. Cordero produced his 28th save.

Jurrjens (3-4) gave up five runs on eight hits in 6 2-3 frames of work, with six punchouts and no walks. He has yet to win on the road this season.

Brian McCann and Infante each had three of Atlanta’s seven hits.

NOTES: Cincinnati’s win was its 31st comeback victory of the season, second in the majors. … The Reds honored Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, who is retiring from managing after this season, at home plate before the game. … Atlanta discovered Saturday that leadoff hitter Martin Prado broke the second knuckle on his right pinkie sliding into home Friday. He is expected to miss at least a week. … Arroyo is 6-3 all-time against the Braves. … All of Jurrjens’ losses have come in day games. … Early during the game, the Braves completed a deadline deal with Kansas City that brought Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth to Atlanta. Cincinnati did not pull off any blockbuster deals. … The Reds remain a half-game back of St. Louis in second in the NL Central. Atlanta is 3.5 games up on Philadelphia in the East. … Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez and the Braves’ Tommy Hanson will work Sunday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Cincinnati's Ryan Hanigan (29) slides home after his game-winning double Saturday. (Al Behrman/AP)

Garza no-hits Tigers, Rays win series opener, 5-0

2010-07-26T22:16:00.003-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Thanks to Matt Garza, the Tampa Bay Rays finally ended up on the right side of a no-hitter.

Garza held Detroit without a hit and Matt Joyce broke up the Tigers’ Max Scherzer’s own no-hit bid with a sixth-inning grand slam as Tampa Bay won 5-0 in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday night.

The no-hitter is the first in franchise history for the Rays (60-38), who have been no-hit twice themselves this year.

Garza’s effort is the fifth no-hitter in 2010. Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez no-hit Atlanta April 17, Oakland’s Dallas Braden threw a perfect game against the Rays May 9, Roy Halladay of Philadelphia was perfect against Florida May 29 and Arizona’s Edwin Jackson dominated his old team, the Rays, June 26. The Tigers’ Armando Galarraga lost a perfect game against Cleveland with two outs in the ninth inning on a blown call June 2.

Remarkably, Garza’s no-no came against a team he had never beaten. He was 0-4 with a 5.85 ERA in six starts against Detroit coming in.

Garza (11-5) struck out six batters and allowed just one baserunner – he walked Brennan Boesch in the second inning. He only had one near-miss all night, giving up a third-inning drive to right to Danny Worth, but right fielder Ben Zobrist leaped to make the catch.

He didn’t need a whole lot of offense to win, but the Rays helped him out with a big sixth inning. Scherzer got the first out of the inning, but Zobrist drew a walk, Carl Crawford reached on catcher’s interference on Gerald Laird and Evan Longoria walked to set the stage for Joyce, who laced a pitch halfway up the right-field foul pole for a four-run cushion.

Crawford added a little more insurance with an eighth-inning homer to dead center, and Garza induced a groundout from Don Kelly, struck out Laird looking and got pinch hitter Ramon Santiago on a flyout to Zobrist to end it.

Joyce spoiled a dominant start by Scherzer (7-8), who allowed two hits through 5 2-3 innings, with four walks and eight strikeouts.

Detroit (51-47) manager Jim Leyland wasn’t around to see the show. He was ejected in the third inning after arguing when second-base umpire Marty Foster called the Rays’ B.J. Upton safe stealing second, though replays showed Tigers second baseman Will Rhymes tagged him out.

The Tigers have lost 10 of their last 13 games and are 16-30 on the road this season, having lost seven straight.

Tampa Bay has won seven of its last eight at home after dropping 12 of 19 at Tropicana Field.

NOTES: The Padres and the Mets are now the only major-league teams who have never thrown no-hitters. … This was the first game of an 11-game homestand for the Rays. … Garza has won his last four home decisions. … Detroit was without Brandon Inge, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, all on the 15-day DL. … With Longoria’s 0-for-3 night, he is hitless in his last 13 at-bats. … Leyland was also ejected by Fieldin Culbreth of the same umpiring crew at Atlanta June 27. … Tampa Bay remains three games back of the Yankees in second in the AL East. The third-place Tigers are three games behind the first-place White Sox in the Central. ... The Rays’ James Shields and Detroit’s Justin Verlander have the unenviable task of following Garza’s effort. They’ll pitch the second game of the four-game set Tuesday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Tampa Bay's Matt Garza pitches during his no-hitter Monday. (Mike Carlson/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Lopez hands Cardinals 4-3 11-inning win over Cubs

2010-07-26T00:11:00.003-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Trying to avoid their fourth straight loss and solidify their spot atop the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals were saved by an extra-inning home run – not from any of their usual suspects, but from Felipe Lopez.

Lopez’s 11th-inning homer helped the Cardinals beat the Cubs 4-3 to end their losing streak and avoid a three-game sweep in Chicago Sunday night.

The Cardinals (55-44) took a half-game lead in the Central. Their main competition for the division lead, Cincinnati, lost 4-0 at Houston Sunday. Chicago is 10 games out in fourth place.

Lopez provided the winning run in the 11th inning with his two-out, no-doubt homer off Chicago reliever Brian Schlitter to right, after which he flipped his bat, raised his hands and hopped, à la Sammy Sosa, out of the batter’s box.

Cubs pinch hitter Xavier Nady led off the bottom of the inning with a bloop single, but Chicago couldn’t push him home as St. Louis’ Dennys Reyes struck out Kosuke Fukudome to end the game.

The Cardinals struck first against Chicago starter Ryan Dempster in the second inning. Jon Jay led off with a triple to the wall in right-center and Skip Schumaker drove him in with a bloop single.

Pitcher Chris Carpenter then sacrificed Schumaker to second, and Brendan Ryan’s single up the middle scored Schumaker for a 2-0 St. Louis edge.

The Cubs (45-54) cut their deficit in half in the fourth when Derrek Lee led off with a double into the left-field corner and came home on Marlon Byrd’s one-out single to left-center.

Chicago took its first lead one inning later. Ryan Theriot tripled past a diving Jay to score Geovany Soto, who had walked, to tie the game before Starlin Castro’s two-out single knocked in Theriot.

But Albert Pujols stole the Cubs’ lead and momentum immediately, hitting a leadoff shot to left to lead off the sixth. St. Louis almost took the lead back, but Byrd fielded a two-out Carpenter single up the middle and threw Schumaker, who had doubled, out at home to end the inning.

Both teams loaded the bases in the 10th but couldn’t push a run across. Matt Holliday, Jay and Schumaker hit back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases for St. Louis before Schlitter (0-1) got Yadier Molina to ground into an inning-ending double play.

In the bottom of the frame, Tyler Colvin reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second, Castro was hit by a pitch and Aramis Ramirez reached on a Schumaker error, but Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin (5-1) struck out Byrd looking to strand three runners.

Schumaker went 4-for-4 to lead St. Louis. Ryan Ludwick, Jay and Ryan had multiple-hit nights. Reyes earned his first save of the season.

Carpenter pitched seven innings and yielded three runs on nine hits. He struck out four batters and walked one. With the no-decision, he remains 10-3 against the Cubs all-time.

Dempster also threw seven frames, allowing three runs on nine hits with four walks and four strikeouts. He’s allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his last 10 starts.

Byrd, Alfonso Soriano and Theriot posted two-hit performances.

NOTES: Chicago hasn’t swept the Cardinals at home since taking four straight from July 27-30, 2006. … The Cubs’ series win breaks a 10-series losing skid in division play and is just their third all season. They last beat a Central team by sweeping Milwaukee April 23-25 and dropped a combined six series against woeful Pittsburgh and Houston during that time. … St. Louis is an MLB-best 39-9 when scoring first this season. … Holliday ran his hitting streak to 11 games with his 10th-inning single. … Cubs reliever Sean Marshall posted his 10th straight scoreless appearance. … Nady had just three hits in his last 39 at-bats before his pinch-hit single. … The Cardinals are off Monday before a three-game road set with the Mets. Jaime Garcia will pitch Tuesday night. Chicago heads to Houston for three, with Carlos Silva – who allowed five runs in one inning in a loss to the Astros last Monday – pitching Monday’s series opener.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Felipe Lopez watches his game-winning 11th-inning homer Sunday. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Buehrle, Quentin, White Sox cool off A’s, 5-1

2010-07-24T00:40:00.001-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

One year to the day after throwing a perfect game, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle finally figured out how to win at Oakland, with a little help from Carlos Quentin.

Buehrle threw a complete-game four-hitter for his first-ever win at Oakland Coliseum, Quentin drove in two runs in his return from injury and Chicago beat the Athletics 5-1 in their series opener in Oakland, Calif., Friday night.

Buehrle’s effort came 365 days after he took down Tampa Bay with a perfect game last July 23.

The White Sox have won a majors-best 29 of their last 38. Oakland lost for just the second time in nine games.

Quentin, in the lineup for the first time since Sunday after bruising his hand at Minnesota, put Chicago (53-42) on the board in the fourth inning. He knocked in Alex Rios on a sacrifice fly to the warning track after Rios’ leadoff double off A’s All-Star pitcher Trevor Cahill.

Two innings later, the White Sox tripled their lead. Juan Pierre led off with a walk and Omar Vizquel singled ahead of Rios, who reached on Oakland’s Cliff Pennington’s error, letting Pierre score.

Quentin’s groundout then scored Vizquel for a three-run edge.

Oakland (48-48) scored its run on back-to-back seventh-inning doubles. Jack Cust’s base hit off the right-center-field wall scored Kevin Kouzmanoff to cut the Athletics’ deficit to two.

But the Sox weren’t done at the plate. In the ninth, A.J. Pierzynski’s bouncer up the middle scored pinch runners Andruw Jones and Brent Lillibridge, who each stole second, for some insurance.

Buehrle (9-8) struck out two batters and walked none, retiring 11 straight A’s at one point. He had been 0-6 at the Coliseum with a 4.66 ERA in 12 appearances. He’s just 4-12 against Oakland all-time.

Vizquel and Rios each went 2-for-4.

For Oakland, Cust was 2-for-3.

Cahill (9-4) allowed three runs on four hits over seven innings, with two walks and no strikeouts. He has lost two of three decisions after winning seven straight.

NOTES: Buehrle is 6-2 in his last eight starts. … The only AL parks Buehrle remains winless in are the new Yankee Stadium, erected before last season, and Minnesota’s Target Field, which is in its inaugural campaign. … Oakland reliever Jerry Blevins worked two-thirds of a scoreless inning, his 13th consecutive scoreless outing. He hasn’t allowed a run since June 25. … Athletics outfielder Rajai Davis was scratched with a reported hamstring injury. … Chicago stretched its lead in the AL Central to 2.5 games over second-place Detroit, which was rained out Friday. The Athletics sit in third in the West, 8.5 games back of Texas. … The middle game of the series is Saturday afternoon, with Chicago’s Freddy Garcia set to oppose Vin Mazzaro for the A’s.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Chicago's Mark Buehrle pitches Friday. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Video credit – WGN

Sox ninth-inning error caps Twins comeback, 7-6

2010-07-18T18:22:00.002-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

The Chicago White Sox began their second half-opening four-game series at Minnesota with a solid lead in the AL Central.

After a sudden ninth-inning meltdown to lose the third game of those four, Chicago’s lead over the Twins and Detroit has dwindled to 1 ½ games.

Sox outfielder Alex Rios’ wild throw up the third-base line allowed Michael Cuddyer to score the winning run as the Twins scored four runs in the ninth to win 7-6 in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Combined with the Tigers’ five straight losses, Minnesota’s three-game winning streak has moved it into a tie in second in the Central with the Tigers.

Chicago, which won its ninth straight game in the series opener, has lost three straight for the first time since dropping four in a row April 15-18. Minnesota is on its first three-game winning streak since taking five straight May 27-31.

White Sox (50-41) starter Freddy Garcia was in line for his seventh straight win after allowing three runs over six innings, but closer Bobby Jenks wasted no time helping the Twins off to a great start in the bottom of the ninth, walking Orlando Hudson on 10 pitches and Joe Mauer.

Jason Kubel’s single to center scored Hudson and Cuddyer’s single plated Mauer to cut the Twins’ deficit to 6-5 and chase Jenks.

With reliever Sergio Santos on the hill to put out the fire and still no outs, Jason Repko walked to load the bases and Delmon Young blooped a base hit to center in front of Rios. Pinch runner Nick Punto scored on the play, and Cuddyer dashed home on Rios’ throwing error to clinch the series for Minnesota.

The Twins (49-33) scored first in the second inning. Young’s homer to left plated Jim Thome, who had singled.

Chicago cut Minnesota’s lead in half in the next frame when Gordon Beckham’s double against Twins starter Nick Blackburn scored Alexei Ramirez, who led off the inning with a double.

Cuddyer and Kubel got that run back for the Twins in the fourth, when Kubel singled and Cuddyer drove him home with a triple to center for a 3-1 Minnesota edge.

But the White Sox scored the next five runs, putting them in good position heading into the ninth. Juan Pierre knocked in Ramirez with a groundout in the fifth, and Carlos Quentin doubled home Rios and Paul Konerko after their sixth-inning singles to chase Blackburn.

Reliever Brian Duensing walked Ramirez intentionally and Quentin stole third before Ramon Castro singled in Quentin and Beckham’s single knocked in Ramirez for a 6-3 lead.

Each team had 16 hits. Kubel and Cuddyer were each 3-for-5, while Thome, Young, Danny Valencia and J.J. Hardy each had two hits.

Beckham led the way for Chicago, going 4-for-4. Omar Vizquel, Rios, Konerko, Quentin, and Ramirez all registered two hits.

Duensing (3-1) scattered seven hits over four innings of one-run ball to record the win. Jenks (1-2) took the loss. The Twins’ comeback rescued Blackburn from what would have been his seventh loss in eight decisions.

Quentin left after the sixth inning with a bruised right hand. No more information regarding his condition was immediately available.

NOTES: J.J. Putz pitched a scoreless eighth inning out of the White Sox bullpen. It was his 24th straight shutout outing, tying him with Shingo Takatsu for the longest streak in Sox history. Takatsu did it in 2004. … The White Sox have lost just eight of their last 34 games. … The Twins host the Indians for a three-game set beginning Monday night, with Scott Baker on the mound. Chicago begins a six-game West Coast swing with three tilts in Seattle. Daniel Hudson is set to make his fourth career start Monday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Delmon Young (center) celebrates with teammates Sunday after his ninth-inning hit helped the Twins win 7-6. (David Brewster/Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Video credit – WGN

McCann 3-RBI double snaps NL skid, 3-1

2010-07-14T00:13:00.005-04:00

2010 MLB SPECIAL COVERAGE – ALL-STAR GAME

Atlanta catcher Brian McCann was just 12 years old the last time the National League won an All-Star Game.

The 26-year-old’s bases-clearing seventh-inning double finally ended the American League’s 13-year streak of dominance.

Game MVP McCann provided all the NL’s offense as the senior circuit knocked off the AL 3-1 in Anaheim, Calif., in the Midsummer Classic Tuesday night.

The AL, which has come back to win four straight one-run All-Star Games, finally ran out of heroics this time. Boston’s David Ortiz reached on a leadoff single in the ninth inning off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton but was forced out at second on a great defensive play by Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd, and the NL hung on for the win.

Coming into the seventh inning, the NL offense had been stymied all night by a combination of Rays starter David Price, the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte, Texas’ Cliff Lee, the Tigers’ Justin Verlander and Jon Lester of Boston.

But the NL lineup, down 1-0, won the game in the seventh. Cincinnati’s Scott Rolen and the Cardinals’ Matt Holliday singled and Byrd drew a walk to load the bases for McCann.

The catcher did not disappoint, taking White Sox reliever Matt Thornton’s pitch to right for a three-run double.

The AL, as usual, didn’t go quietly. Toronto’s John Buck doubled with one out in the seventh off Holliday’s glove and the Blue Jays’ Vernon Wells reached on a fielder’s choice, but Angels local favorite Torii Hunter struck out swinging to end the inning.

Ortiz led off the ninth with a single, but Broxton struck out Adrian Beltre of the Red Sox and Byrd fielded Buck’s bloop to right, spun and threw Ortiz out at second.

Broxton then got the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler to fly out to Arizona’s Chris Young in center field to give the NL its first All-Star win since 1996.

The AL scored first, manufacturing a run to go on top in the fifth inning. New York’s Robinson Cano hit a sacrifice fly to deep left to score Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria, who had walked and gone to third on Dodgers pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo’s throwing error.

Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun made the prettiest defensive play of the night, robbing Texas’ Josh Hamilton of an extra-base hit with a diving snag in the fourth.

The Mets’ David Wright was the only player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2.

Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado was the first of nine NL pitchers, while 10 AL hurlers took the mound.

Washington reliever Matt Capps was the winning pitcher of record, while the Yankees’ Phil Hughes, who allowed two hits in the seventh, took the loss. Broxton was credited with the save.

NOTES: The players observed a moment of silence before the game for Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, 80, who died Tuesday morning. … With the win, the NL pennant winner will have home-field advantage in the World Series in October. … The NL leads the all-time series 41-38. … The senior circuit’s last win was 6-0 in Philadelphia in 1996. … Price, 24, was the youngest starting pitcher in an All-Star Game since the Mets’ Dwight Gooden, then 23, did it in 1988.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Atlanta's Brian McCann hits a three-run double Tuesday. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Video credit – FOX

Iniesta gives Spain first World Cup title, beats Dutch

2010-07-11T17:49:00.004-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINAL

The European champions have finally won their first world title.

Andres Iniesta scored in the 116th minute as Spain defeated the 10-man Netherlands 1-0 in extra time in the World Cup final in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday.

Spain, a first-time finalist,claimed its first World Cup, ending the Netherlands’ 25-game unbeaten streak. Its patient attack yielded just eight goals in the entire tournament, the lowest ever for a champion, as Spain became the first nation to ever lose its first game and come back to win the title.

With about five minutes to play in extra time, Iniesta took a ball in the penalty area from substitute Cesc Fabregas and finished across Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

The match was anything but beautiful – the 14 cards English referee Howard Webb handed out more than doubled the previous record for a final – but both goalkeepers provided sublime moments to force extra time and set the stage for Iniesta.

La Roja’s Iker Casillas dove to stop two Arjen Robben second-half breakaways, while Stekelenburg stonewalled Sergio Ramos in the fifth minute and stopped Fabregas in the 95th minute.

Iniesta alone had two earlier chances to score, but hesitated and was stopped by Stekelenburg after being alone in the penalty area in the 81st minute and again in the 99th.

Both sides missed out on some earlier seemingly easy scoring opportunities. The Oranje’s Joris Mathijsen almost completely whiffed on a corner in the 37th minute, and Spain’s Joan Capdevila returned the favor in the 48th minute, failing to capitalize on an open net.

Spanish Golden Boot contender David Villa blasted a tough-angle shot from inside the 6-yard box well high in the 69th minute, then hit a 25-yard free kick over five minutes later.

Ramos headed a corner over the bar in the 77th minute, Jesus Navas’ shot was deflected off the side net by Netherlands defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the 101st minute and a slipping Fabregas missed wide right in the 104th minute.

Mathijsen headed a corner over the bar, missing a wide-open net, 13 minutes before teammate John Heitinga received his second yellow card and was sent off.

Xavi missed the 110th-minute free kick, but the Spaniards’ one-man advantage soon paid off with Iniesta’s goal six minutes later.

NOTES: The Dutch hadn’t lost since falling 2-1 to Australia on Sept. 6, 2008. … This was the first World Cup held outside Europe won by a European nation. … Spain lost its opener to Switzerland, 1-0, but has lost just two of its last 56 matches. … The last World Cup to reach extra time scoreless was in 1994, when Brazil beat Italy on penalty kicks in Pasadena, Calif. … Spain has won five straight games by one goal. … Dutch captain van Bronckhorst played in his final professional game.

Photo above: Spain's Andres Iniesta celebrates his World Cup-winning goal Sunday. (Luca Bruno/AP)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Germany claims third place with 3-2 win over Uruguay

2010-07-10T18:08:00.003-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – THIRD-PLACE GAME

The pitch and players were dampened, but Germany’s and Uruguay’s effort and performance were worthy of a World Cup medal-round match.

In one of the most exciting games from start to finish of the World Cup, Germany’s Sami Khedira headed home the winning goal in the 82nd minute to beat Uruguay 3-2 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Saturday.

The steady rain didn’t stop Germany from winning third place for the second straight World Cup. They also did so as the hosts in 2006 and have won bronze four times overall.

Die Mannschaft’s win wasn’t secured until just a few seconds from time, when Uruguay’s Diego Forlan’s free kick in the second minute of stoppage time hit the crossbar and bounced away.

Forlan and Germany’s Thomas Muller both scored a goal, tying them with the Netherlands’ Wesley Sneijder and Spain’s David Villa for the tournament lead with five goals.

Muller opened the scoring in the 19th minute, knocking in a rebound off Bastian Schweinsteiger’s long shot.

Edinson Cavani hit the equalizer for La Celeste nine minutes later, toe-poking the ball on the ground to the far post past German keeper Jorg Butt.

Uruguay scored the first goal of the second half to take the lead. Forlan took Egidio Arevalo’s cross in the 51st minute and bounced it over a frozen Butt.

Just five minutes later, Germany tied the game again. Marcell Jansen outjumped two Uruguayan defenders and beat keeper Fernando Muslera with a header.

Both sides dodged a couple of chances, with Butt stopping Luis Suarez and Forlan and Schweinsteiger and Stefan Kiesling missing for Germany, before Khedira’s late heroics.

Khedira’s header off a corner proved to be the winning goal.

Not before a little last-second stress, though. Arne Friedrich received a yellow card in the second minute of stoppage time, but Forlan couldn’t connect to force an extra session.

Uruguay striker Suarez returned after missing his side’s semifinal loss to the Dutch and was loudly booed nearly every time he touched the ball after his now-infamous late intentional handball that kept host continent nation Ghana from reaching the semifinals.

The Germans’ victory ensures that all three medal teams will be European. The Netherlands and Spain face off in the final Sunday.

NOTES: Germany improved to 7-1-2 all-time against La Celeste, which finished higher at the World Cup (fourth) than in its South American qualifying group (fifth). … The Germans finished with 16 goals, currently good for the tournament high. … Germany’s Miroslav Klose sat out with a back injury. He is currently one goal shy of Ronaldo’s all-time World Cup goal record with 14, and the 32-year-old is not considered likely to make the German squad for the 2014 Cup in Brazil. … Muller, 20, became the youngest player to score five goals in a World Cup.

Photo above: Germany's Sami Khedira, center, celebrates with Per Mertesacker after his game-winning goal Saturday. (Gero Breloer/AP)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Hunter, Pineiro, Angels whitewash Royals 11-0

2010-07-04T23:32:00.004-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

The Los Angeles Angels used record-tying contributions from two of their stars to avoid a sweep at the Royals’ hands and pick up a game on division-leading Texas.

Torii Hunter tied a career high with seven RBI, Joel Pineiro posted his sixth straight win and the Angels beat the Kansas City nine 11-0 in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday night.

With the win, Los Angeles (46-38) drew to within 3.5 games of first-place Texas, which lost to the White Sox earlier Sunday, in the AL West race.

Pineiro pitched seven scoreless innings, winning his sixth straight decision for the first time since June and July 2003. He had lost his last three starts against the Royals.

In a rare national television appearance for Kansas City on Independence Day, the Royals mustered eight hits but left 11 runners on base.

Hunter and Los Angeles jumped in front for good in the fourth inning. Bobby Abreu’s sacrifice fly to the wall in center plated Jeff Mathis, who had singled.

After Erick Aybar singled and Howie Kendrick drew a walk, Hunter hit a long drive just inside the left-field foul pole for a 4-0 edge.

Three innings later, Mike Napoli hit a sac fly to score Hunter, who had walked. Paul McAnulty, who was recalled earlier Sunday, then hit his first homer of the season, a long drive to right-center, to score Hideki Matsui, who had singled, to go up 7-0.

Hunter then hit his second homer of the night in the seventh, a two-run shot to center to score Reggie Willits, who had walked.

Hunter’s two-out, two-run single in the eighth plated Aybar, who reached on an infield single, and Kendrick, who also singled, to mercifully end the scoring at 11-0.

Pineiro (9-6) allowed six hits and four walks, with three strikeouts. Hunter went 3-for-4, while Aybar, Kendrick, Matsui and Mathis all had two hits.

One game after beating the White Sox for his first career win, Kansas City starter Anthony Lerew (1-2) allowed six runs on six hits over five frames, with two walks and three strikeouts.

David DeJesus and Mike Aviles were each 2-for-4 for the Royals (36-46). Billy Butler singled in the top of the third for his 500th career hit. The 24-year-old is the youngest active player to reach the mark.

The Royals, who saw their season-long three-game winning streak end, have won three straight series.

NOTES: Kansas City hasn’t won four consecutive games since Sept. 7-11 of last season. … Pineiro has allowed only 10 runs in his last 43 1-3 innings. … The Angels have won 16 of their last 21 games against the Royals. … Kansas City’s Scott Podsednik’s two-out ninth-inning single extended his hitting streak to seven games. … McAnulty was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake earlier Sunday. … The Royals’ Albert Callaspo sat out for the second straight game with a slight bone bruise on his left wrist. … L.A.’s Juan Rivera missed his fourth straight game with a stress-related left eye ailment. … The Angels’ Cory Aldridge made his first appearance since Oct. 7, 2001, with Atlanta. … The Royals sit in fourth place in the Central, trailing Detroit and Minnesota by eight games. … The Angels head to Chicago for a four-game series with the White Sox. Trevor Bell, who was optioned to Salt Lake Friday, will reportedly be recalled to start Monday afternoon. Kansas City next travels to Seattle. Brian Bannister will pitch the opener of the three-game set Monday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: The Angels' Torii Hunter (48) rounds third base in front of Kansas City's Wilson Betemit (46) after homering Sunday. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Klose, Muller, Germans thrash Argentina, 4-0

2010-07-03T12:40:00.005-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – QUARTERFINALS

Miroslav Klose, Germany’s active goals leader, scored twice, which would have been more than enough for his side to eliminate Argentina from the World Cup.

That wasn’t all, though. The Germans also got a goal from a 20-year-old who Argentina’s coach famously thought was a ballboy five months ago and another player who had never scored an international goal.

Klose tied Gerd Mueller’s record for most World Cup goals by a German, Thomas Muller and Arne Friedrich also scored and Germany backed up all its pregame trash talk, trouncing Argentina 4-0 in Cape Town, South Africa, Saturday.

Die Mannschaft advances to the semifinals on Wednesday to face the winner of Saturday’s Paraguay-Spain match.

Klose, getting his 100th cap for Germany, helped turn a close game through the first half into a blowout, scoring in the 68th minute and adding the finale in the 89th minute.

Argentina manager Diego Maradona probably knows who Muller is now after refusing to share a podium with him following a March friendly in Munich, thinking Muller was a ballboy. Muller scored Germany’s first goal just three minutes into the match, heading home a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick off Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero from six yards out.

Then, with Argentina continuing to create offensive chances, Klose stepped up in the 68th minute. He took Lukas Podolski’s ball in the box and tapped it into an open net.

Six minutes later, Friedrich scored his first goal for the German side, knocking in Schweinsteiger’s ball into the box.

The Germans, who have been dominant much of this tournament, finished off their South American rivals in the 89th minute, when Klose finished Mesut Ozil’s cross, then somersaulted.

La Albiceleste’s Lionel Messi, who some in the media have called the best player in the world, finished the World Cup without a goal. Fittingly, he was stonewalled by Manuel Neuer just a few seconds from time.

Argentina had some good chances but was unable to finish. Messi’s through ball to Carlos Tevez in the 2nd minute was stopped by Neuer. Angel Di Maria shot right at Neuer in the 33rd minute, and two minutes later, Gonzalo Higuain tested the keeper again, who made a diving stop at the near post.

An offsides call off the ensuing corner negated an Argentina goal – at least four Argentines appeared to be offsides.

In the second half, Germany’s Per Mertesacker blocked Tevez’s shot with his face and Higuain again shot right at Neuer for an easy save in the 63rd minute.

Germany made headlines with pre-match verbal attacks on Argentina, which it beat on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals four years ago. German captain Philipp Lahm called the Argentine side “impulsive” and “temperamental” and said “they don’t know how to lose.”

Team manager Oliver Bierhoff called Argentina “aggressive and provocative” and Schweinsteiger said La Albiceleste had “no respect” as they “try to influence the referees.”

NOTES: Mueller will miss Wednesday’s match after getting his second yellow card of the tournament in the 35th minute for handling the ball. … Germany is 36-2-1 all-time when leading at halftime in World Cup play. Argentina is 0-9-1 when trailing at halftime. … Germany has reached the semifinals for the third straight World Cup. ... Klose’s second goal was his 51st all-time for the national team. Klose and Mueller are tied for second-most ever with 14 at the World Cup. Brazil’s Ronaldo scored 15.

Photo above: Miroslav Klose scores during Saturday's game. (Joern Pollex/Getty Images)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Bruce, Reds beat Halladay, take series from Phillies, 4-3

2010-06-30T19:30:00.002-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CINCINNATI – With a series against the Phillies on the line, the Reds had been hitting Philadelphia ace Roy Halladay well all afternoon but trailed 3-2 with six outs left.

Jay Bruce finally broke through, taking Halladay deep for a two-RBI homer to win the game and put Cincinnati back on top in the NL Central.

Bruce’s eighth-inning home run pushed the Reds past the Phillies 4-3 in the rubber game of a three-game set Wednesday afternoon.

Combined with the Cardinals’
4-2 home loss to the Diamondbacks, Cincinnati (44-35) regained a half-game lead over St. Louis in the Central.

The Phillies (41-35) dropped to three games back of Atlanta in the East, remaining in third place. The Braves host Washington Wednesday night.

The Reds offense touched Halladay, who threw a perfect game at Florida May 29, for 13 hits but left nine men on base, leaving Cincinnati behind 3-2 headed into the eighth inning.

Bruce took care of that. He drilled a shot to deep right, scoring Jonny Gomes, who led off with a single to left, to take the lead.

Closer Francisco Cordero came on and got the save, pitching around pinch hitter Ross Gload’s one-out single and stolen base and retiring Shane Victorino on a groundout to end the game.

Philadelphia is having some injury troubles, with starters Chase Utley, Placido Polanco and Carlos Ruiz all on the disabled list, but one of the Phils’ replacements gave them a fourth-inning lead. Jayson Werth and backup second baseman Wilson Valdez singled ahead of third catcher Dane Sardinha, who hit a homer that carried over the left-field wall for a 3-0 edge.

Cincinnati began its climb back in the sixth, when Joey Votto hit a leadoff homer to right. One inning later, Orlando Cabrera singled home Ramon Hernandez, who had singled himself, to cut the Reds’ deficit to one.

One game after seeing his record-tying 33-game scoreless streak come to an end, Reds reliever Arthur Rhodes (3-2) worked a perfect inning with two strikeouts to become the pitcher of record. Cordero earned his 21st save.

Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang worked 6 1-3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Hernandez went 3-for-4 to lead the Reds at the plate. Gomes, Bruce and Brandon Phillips each had two hits.

Victorino and Valdez recorded two hits apiece for the Phillies.

Halladay (9-7) took the loss in an eight-inning complete game, with 10 strikeouts and no walks.

NOTES: The Phillies lost for just the fifth time in their last 14 games. … It was the Reds’ 25th comeback win of the season. … Cincinnati embarks on an 11-game road trip leading into the All-Star break, heading to Chicago for four games with the Cubs. Travis Wood will get the start Thursday afternoon. Philadelphia will go to Pittsburgh for a four-game series, with Cole Hamels on the mound Thursday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Jay Bruce (32) rounds the bases after his game-winning eighth-inning home run. (Gary Landers/Cincinnati Enquirer)

Gamecocks walk off with first title, beat UCLA 2-1

2010-06-30T00:19:00.004-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS GAME 2

An often-mentioned fact coming into the College World Series finals was that UCLA, owner of 106 NCAA team national championships, was seeking its first in baseball.

So was South Carolina. And after winning, the Gamecocks claimed not just their first baseball title – but their first in any NCAA men’s sport.

Junior Whit Merrifield knocked in Scott Wingo with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Gamecocks a 2-1 victory over the Bruins in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday.

Closer Matt Price pitched 2 2-3 innings, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth inning, to get the win and outduel UCLA closer Dan Klein.

Forced into the loser’s bracket after dropping their first game of the College World Series, South Carolina (54-16) became the first team to win six straight games in a CWS and the third team to win six total in a series.

South Carolina’s Jackie Bradley Jr. was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, despite going 0-for-5, ending his 22-game hitting streak.

With the score tied at 1 in the 11th, the Gamecocks put together the rally that won them their first national title. Wingo reached on a leadoff free pass, moved to second base on a passed ball on UCLA catcher Steve Rodriguez and took third on Evan Marzilli’s excellent bunt.

Merrifield did the rest from there, lacing Klein’s 2-0 offering into right field to easily score Wingo.

Facing elimination after dropping Game 1 7-1 Monday, the Bruins (51-17) drew first blood in the fifth inning. Freshman Trevor Brown led off with an infield single, Rodriguez bunted him to second and Niko Gallego singled to left-center to drive Brown in.

South Carolina got a little help from the UCLA defense to tie the game in the eighth. After pinch hitter Brady Thomas singled and Robert Beary came on to pinch run, Bobby Haney’s grounder to the right side got through Bruins first baseman Dean Espy’s glove, allowing Beary to score.

Gamecocks starter Michael Roth worked five innings, allowing one run. UCLA’s Rob Rasmussen held Carolina scoreless over six frames.

Price (5-1) allowed one hit and one walk.

Haney and Marzilli each went 2-for-5.

Brown, Beau Amaral and Brett Krill had two-hit nights for UCLA.

Klein (6-1) allowed one hit and one run, with two walks and four strikeouts over 3 1-3 innings.

It was the last CWS game at Rosenblatt Stadium. Next year’s series will be held at the new TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.

NOTES: South Carolina’s only other team national title came in women’s track and field in 2002. … Oregon State in 2006 and Holy Cross in 1952 also won six games at the CWS. … After committing his eighth-inning error, Espy punched the wooden dugout bench in frustration and then left the game, later icing his right hand. No word was immediately available on the extent of his presumed injury. … This series marked the fifth time since 1970 two teams seeking their first title were playing in the final game. The last time was in 2006, when Oregon State defeated North Carolina. … The Gamecocks are the first national champion to lose their first CWS game since the Beavers in 2006. … Rodriguez drew a ninth-inning walk – the South Carolina staff’s first free pass in 18 innings.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: South Carolina's Whit Merrifield (5) celebrates his game-winning single Tuesday night. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Video credit – ESPN

Cubs end skid, White Sox winning streak, 8-6

2010-06-27T17:44:00.005-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

The Chicago Cubs finally broke out of their offensive slumber and, in so doing, ended their cross-town rival’s long winning streak.

Tyler Colvin drove in four runs and Ryan Dempster struck out eight White Sox as the Cubs avoided a sweep on the South Side with an 8-6 win in Chicago on Sunday.

The Sox’ 11-game winning streak – their longest since 1961 and tied for the longest in the majors this season – came to a halt. They hadn’t lost since falling 1-0 at the Cubs’ hands on Ted Lilly’s near no-hitter at Wrigley Field June 13.

The North Siders’ eight runs are more than they scored in their last five games – four of which they lost – combined.

Trailing 2-0, the Cubs (33-42) took the lead for the first time in the series in the top of the third inning. Colvin’s one-out homer to left field plated Geovany Soto and Starlin Castro, who had each singled.

Derrek Lee, serving as the designated hitter at U.S. Cellular Field, pulled a two-run double down the left-field line two innings later, scoring Colvin and Marlon Byrd, who each singled and moved up a base on Sox starter John Danks’ wild pitch, to go up 5-2.

Soto’s double in the sixth brought home Alfonso Soriano, who had drawn a free pass, for another run before the South Siders’ Paul Konerko led off the bottom of the frame with a shot to left, cutting the Sox deficit to 6-3.

The Cubs got that run back and one more for good measure in the eighth. Soriano hit a high leadoff homer to left and Colvin singled home Castro, who had doubled to the wall with two away, for an 8-3 edge.

Of course, nothing has come easily for the Cubs in this series – which began with pitcher Carlos Zambrano being sent home after a dugout fit during the first inning of Friday’s series opener – and securing this win was no different.

Closer Carlos Marmol was handed a five-run lead at the beginning of the ninth and proceeded to yield three quick runs. Mark Kotsay and A.J. Pierzynski drew one-out bases on balls, Gordon Beckham doubled home Kotsay and Juan Pierre’s single to right scored Pierzynski and Beckham to cut the home team’s deficit to 8-6.

Pierre then took second on defensive indifference and pinch hitter Andruw Jones walked to bring the winning run to the plate in the form of Alex Rios. But Marmol struck out Rios swinging to escape his self-created jam.

Dempster (6-6) had gotten into trouble early, falling behind by two runs in the first inning on Carlos Quentin’s two-out single up the middle to score Omar Vizquel and Rios, who both singled before Rios stole second.

But Dempster settled down, scattering nine hits – all singles except Konerko’s homer – and three runs over seven innings, with eight punchouts and a walk.

Soto finished 3-for-4, Colvin went 3-for-5, Castro was 2-for-4 and Lee was 2-for-5 with two RBI.

Danks (7-6), characteristically strong against the National League and the Cubs in particular, allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out five Cubs and walked two.

Vizquel, Rios and Alexei Ramirez all had two-hit afternoons.

The White Sox (39-35), who were presented with a trophy after last night’s 3-2 win, took the regular-season series 4-2.

NOTES: A win would have tied the White Sox for their fourth-longest winning streak in team history after reeling off 12 straight victories in June 1961. … The Cubs had lost 16 of their last 24 games. … Danks had been 5-1 in his last six interleague starts and 2-0 against the Cubs. … The White Sox lead the all-time series, 41-37. … The Sox finish interleague play 15-3. … After Lee’s effort today, Cubs designated hitters finish interleague play 6-for-39. Lee, Soto, Byrd, Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Xavier Nady all got at-bats in the DH slot in the Cubs’ interleague games in American League parks. … At press time, the Cubs stood in fourth place in the NL Central, 8.5 games behind Cincinnati. The Sox are 1.5 games back of Minnesota in third in the AL Central. … The Cubs return to the North Side for a three-game series with Pittsburgh. Randy Wells will pitch the opener Monday night. The White Sox next head to Kansas City for three, with Mark Buehrle set to work Monday.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Tyler Colvin (21) and Geovany Soto (18) high-five after Colvin's home run Sunday. (Jim Prisching/AP)

Video credit – WGN

Ghana knocks out Americans 2-1 in extra time

2010-06-26T17:11:00.005-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – KNOCKOUT STAGE

Landon Donovan's second-half penalty-kick goal gave the United States all the momentum in its World Cup knockout stage game with Ghana.

But the Yanks couldn't capitalize, falling out of the tournament for the second straight time at the Black Stars' hands.

Asamoah Gyan scored in the 93rd minute as Ghana outlasted the U.S. 2-1 in Rustenburg, South Africa, Saturday to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.

Ghana also eliminated the U.S. in the 2006 Cup, downing the Americans 2-1 in the group stage in Germany on Stephen Appiah's controversial penalty kick. It will advance to face Uruguay on Friday.

This time, though, Ghana needed no controversial play to win -- just extra time after Donovan's 62nd-minute penalty kick. He beat Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingson from inside the box -- Kingson dove to his right, while Donovan knocked it in off the opposite post to tie the game 1-1.

The score remained that way through regulation time, but Gyan wasted no time in extra play. He beat U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra badly into the box, then split Bocanegra and Jay DeMerit before finishing with a left-footed laser past keeper Tim Howard three minutes into the extra session.

After that, the U.S. couldn't get much of anything going offensively. Clint Dempsey and Maurice Edu missed headers wide and substitute Herculez Gomez missed a shot wide left near the end of the extra time. Ghana managed to hold the ball in the U.S. half for most of stoppage time before time expired on the Yanks.

The U.S. fell behind early for the third time in this tournament when Kevin Prince Boateng stripped the ball from Ricardo Clark and tapped the ball past Howard in the fifth minute.

NOTES: The game marked the United States' third straight loss by one goal in the World Cup knockout stage after falling in 2002 and 1994. ... Uruguay beat South Korea 2-1 earlier Saturday to advance. ... Ghana is the only side left from the host continent, Africa.

Photo above: Ghana's Asamoah Gyan celebrates his game-winning goal Saturday. (Matt Dunham/AP)

Video credit -- ESPN on ABC

Bradley, Thomas, Gamecocks eliminate Oklahoma in 12

2010-06-24T23:32:00.003-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

With sophomore outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. at the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning, the South Carolina Gamecocks were down to their final strike of the season.

Bradley kept his personal hitting streak alive long enough to knock in the game-tying run, then came home on Brady Thomas’ base hit to win.

Bradley’s and Thomas’ first hits of the game helped South Carolina come back from a 2-1 12th-inning deficit to beat Oklahoma 3-2 in a College World Series elimination game in Omaha, Neb., Thursday.

The Gamecocks (50-16) survive to face archrival Clemson on Friday. South Carolina must beat the Tigers twice to go to the CWS championship series.

Oklahoma (50-18) had taken the lead in the top of the 12th on Tyler Ogle’s leadoff homer.

The Gamecocks started off the bottom of the inning when Robert Beary drew a leadoff walk from Sooners reliever Ryan Duke. Beary then stole second to set the stage for Bradley, who came up with two down.

Bradley worked the count to 3-2 before pulling a pitch past diving first baseman Cameron Seitzer, scoring Beary to tie the game at 2 and extending his hitting streak to 19 games in the process.

But South Carolina wasn’t done. Jeffery Jones walked before Thomas singled up the middle to plate Bradley to set off a pinstriped mob at the plate.

In the second, Ogle scored Oklahoma’s only other run, when he led off with a single and scored on Caleb Bushyhead’s single to center.

That score held up until the eighth inning, when Evan Marzilli led off with a double, took third on Whit Merrifield’s bunt and scored on Christian Walker’s one-out single.

Reliever Tyler Webb (3-2) was the winning pitcher for the Gamecocks, but the real hero on the mound was starter Blake Cooper, who threw 97 pitches on three days’ rest.

Walker went 3-for-5 for South Carolina, and Marzilli was 2-for-6.

Sooners starter Zach Neal also twirled a gem, working seven innings in his first start in 11 days.

Duke (3-2) was the pitcher of record for Oklahoma.

Ogle went 2-for-3 to lead the Sooners at the dish.

NOTES: This was the teams’ second meeting in five days. Oklahoma beat South Carolina 4-3 Sunday. … The Gamecocks are 1-2 against the Tigers this season – winning the middle game of a three-game set in March.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: South Carolina's Jackie Bradley Jr. (19) scores the winning run Thursday. (Dave Weaver/AP)

Video credit – ESPN2

Cole, Bruins knock off Horned Frogs 6-3

2010-06-22T00:49:00.002-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

One game after its first-ever College World Series victory, UCLA is all of a sudden just one win from reaching the CWS championship series.

Bruins ace Gerrit Cole one-hit TCU over the first six innings and recorded 13 strikeouts as the Bruins beat the Horned Frogs 6-3 in Omaha, Neb., Monday.

The Horned Frogs will take on Florida State Wednesday night in an elimination game. The winner of that contest faces UCLA on Friday.

UCLA, which scored in eight of its nine at-bats against Florida on Saturday, kept its momentum rolling and took a big lead early. In the first inning, Blair Dunlap singled up the middle under Frogs second baseman Jerome Pena’s glove to score Beau Amaral, who had walked.

Amaral doubled the Bruins’ lead in the second, singling between TCU starter Kyle Winkler’s legs with two down to plate Dean Espy, who led off with a single.

One inning later, UCLA (50-14) used a couple of long balls to score all the runs Cole needed. Cody Regis lifted an opposite-field shot beyond the left-field wall, scoring Justin Uribe with one down. Freshman Jeff Gelalich then hit just the second homer of his career, going deep to right for a 5-0 edge.

TCU (52-13) finally got to Cole in the seventh to cut its deficit to two. Taylor Featherston laced a two-out, bases-loaded, full-count triple over a diving Amaral to the wall to clear the bases – scoring Jason Coats, Matt Curry and Jantzen Witte, who had all singled.

The Bruins bought some insurance with a run in the bottom of the frame. Amaral hit a leadoff ground-rule double to left, took third on a passed ball on the Frogs’ Bryan Holaday and came home Niko Gallego’s sacrifice fly to go up 6-3.

UCLA reliever Dan Klein pitched around a Joe Weik single in the ninth to earn his 10th save of the year.

Cole (11-3) yielded three runs on five hits over eight innings, with 13 strikeouts and two walks.

Amaral led UCLA at the plate, going 3-for-3. Regis knocked in two runs.

Winkler (12-2) lasted 2 2-3 frames, allowing five runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out two.

Curry was 2-for-4 for TCU. Featherston drove in three runs.

NOTES: TCU has won 32 of 38 since it last lost consecutive games. … When the Bruins scored in the first three innings Monday, they had scored in 14 out of 15 frames, dating back to their super regional-clinching victory over Cal State Fullerton. … This was TCU and UCLA’s first-ever meeting. … Florida State sent home rival Florida 8-5 in the CWS’ first elimination game Monday.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: UCLA's Gerrit Cole pitches Monday. (Nati Harnik/AP)

Video credit – ESPN2

Fabiano, Brazil take down Ivory Coast 3-1 to advance

2010-06-20T17:06:00.005-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – GROUP STAGE

After a lackluster performance in a win over North Korea to begin the World Cup, Brazil broke through against Ivory Coast to take a stranglehold on the Group of Death.

Striker Luis Fabiano scored twice to lead Brazil past Ivory Coast 3-1 in Johannesburg, South Africa on Sunday, advancing his side to the World Cup semifinals.

The Selecao picked up theirsixth point to lead Group G. Ivory Coast remains tied with Portugal for second with one point apiece.

Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba made his first start since breaking his right arm against Japan June 4 and scored in the 79th minute for his side’s lone goal – the first ever scored by an African team against Brazil in a World Cup.

Kaka became the first player with two assists in one match before receiving a second yellow card on a late dubious decision. He will miss Brazil’s next match against Portugal on Friday.

With the Elephants’ loss, African nations fell to 1-7-4 during the tournament. Ghana possesses the lone win.

Brazil took control in the 25th minute when Fabiano took Kaka’s feed and drilled a shot from the right side of the 6-yard box out of Ivorian keeper Boubacar Barry’s reach into the roof of the net – very similar in nature to American Landon Donovan’s strike in the United States’ draw with Slovenia.

Fabiano struck again for the Verde-Amarela in the 50th minute, gathering a loose ball in the box and tapping it over Didier Zokora’s and Yaya Toure’s heads – though appearing to bump the ball twice with his forearm and upper arm – before finishing with his left foot.

The Brazilians turned it into a rout in the 62nd with its trademark beautiful passing game. Kaka found Elano cutting unmarked to the left across the box, and Elano went inside the back post for a three-goal lead.

Drogba scored for the Elephants in the 79th minute, heading a ball from Toure inside the near post past flatfooted Brazilian goalie Julio Cesar.

With the game out of hand late, play began to get a little chippy. Three minutes after Elano’s goal, Ivory Coast’s Ismael Tiote took him out with a boot to the shin. Elano was carried off on a stretcher.

Then, in the 87th minute, Kaka bumped Kader Keita in the chest with an elbow. But Keita went down, holding his face and inciting a small riot, with several of his teammates chasing Kaka back up the pitch. Kaka was then shown yellow for the second time and sent off.

The Ivorians were whistled for 22 fouls overall and three yellow cards, while Brazil was called for 17 fouls and Kaka’s double-yellow.

Ivory Coast returns to action Friday against North Korea in what now amounts to a must-win for the Ivorians to survive – their goal differential dropped to -2 with Sunday’s loss, while Portugal has yet to play its second match.

NOTES: This was Brazil’s and Ivory Coast’s first-ever meeting. … The Brazilians have won seven straight matches.

Photo above: Brazil's Luis Fabiano scores his first goal Sunday. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Americans come from 2-0 hole to draw Slovenia

2010-06-18T12:39:00.007-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – GROUP STAGE

In desperate need of at least a draw to keep their hopes alive to advance out of Group C play, the United States clawed back from a 2-0 second-half deficit to Slovenia to secure just that.

But the Americans must be unsatisfied after coming so close to securing the three points a win would have given them.

Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley tallied second-half goals to forge a 2-2 draw with Slovenia in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday evening.

However, the Yanks’ Maurice Edu’s 85th-minute tiebreaking goal was disallowed by Mali referee Koman Coulibaly – due, according to FIFA, to a foul, which was not readily apparent on replay.

Each side gets one point for the draw, leaving the Slovenes on top of Group C with four points after their win over Algeria. The U.S. has two points, having drawn England.

England and Algeria face off Friday night. If the English win as expected, the U.S. will have to win its final group game Wednesday with Algeria and hope for some help to have any shot to advance to the knockout stage.

As has become the norm, the Americans conceded early to put themselves in trouble. Slovenia’s Valter Birsa, unmarked, hit a long left-footed screamer from the back line of the box that U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard apparently couldn't see and didn’t even try to stop, putting the Green Dragons on top 1-0 in the 13th minute.

Then, just when the Americans were beginning to find some scoring chances, an unmarked Zlatan Ljubijankic scored in the box past Howard, who was diving out to stop the ball, putting the Yanks in serious trouble.

Donovan got the Americans back in the game early in the second half. He slipped past defender Bostjan Cesar and over Marko Suler in the 48th minute and hit a laser from a tight angle right over Slovene keeper Samir Handanovic to cut the U.S. deficit in half.

Thirty-four minutes later, Steve Cherundolo sent a long kick forward and Jozy Altidore headed it on to Bradley, who finished in the net for the equalizer.

The Americans thought they had the match won in the 85th minute, when Edu scored in the box off Donovan’s free kick. But Coulibaly waved the goal off.

Howard then saved a couple of scoring chances to preserve the draw. He stopped Milivoje Novakovic’s 88th-minute header and dove to knock away a long Aleksandar Radosavljevic effort one minute later.

Herculez Gomez got off one final scoring try for the U.S. in the first minute of stoppage time, but missed high.

Slovenia faces England Wednesday. The English won the sides’ last matchup 2-1 in a September friendly in London.

NOTES: Slovenia is the least populous nation represented at the World Cup, while the U.S. is the highest. … The Green Dragons are 7-1-1 in their last nine matches. … The U.S. is 1-30-3 all-time when going down by two goals. The lone win came in a 1995 friendly against Saudi Arabia. … The U.S.' Robbie Findley was yellow-carded for the second straight game and will miss the match with Algeria. ... Donovan becomes the third American to score at two different World Cups, joining Brian McBride and Clint Dempsey, who accomplished the feat against England last week. Donovan scored against Poland and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup.

First image: The U.S.' Michael Bradley (4) celebrates with Herculez Gomez (9) after his game-tying goal Friday. (Luca Bruno/AP)

Second image: Slovenia's Valter Birsa (10) celebrates after his goal Friday. (Luca Bruno/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Lakers down Celtics 83-79 to repeat with 16th NBA title

2010-06-18T00:18:00.007-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 7

With the NBA championship at stake in Game 7 of the NBA finals, the Los Angeles Lakers shot just 32.5 percent from the field, 20 percent from 3-point range and 67.6 percent from the free throw line.

Turned out not to matter. Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and Co. played excellent defense, dominated Boston on the boards and made all the big shots down the stretch.

Bryant scored 23 points with 15 rebounds, the previously frigid Ron Artest scored 20 and the Lakers won their second straight title and avenged a 2008 finals loss to Boston with an 83-79 win in Los Angeles Thursday night.

The Lakers brought home their 16th title and second straight, denying the Celtics their 18th. It’s Bryant's and Derek Fisher’s fifth championship with the franchise.

Paul Pierce led five Celtics in double figures with 18 points in addition to 10 rebounds.

Like most of the series, it wasn’t a pretty game offensively. But the Lakers outrebounded Boston 53-40 and brought down 23 offensive boards, capitalizing on the absence of Boston center Kendrick Perkins, who was out after tearing two knee ligaments in Game 6.

Down 49-36 in the third quarter, the Lakers scored nine of the next 11 points, with Kobe Bryant scoring the first three points and Lamar Odom hitting a putback to cut Los Angeles’ deficit to 51-45.

Then, after the Celtics opened a nine-point lead back up, Bryant made a layup, Pau Gasol sank two free throws and Odom made another putback to close the third period. Gasol’s jumper to open the final frame brought the Lakers to within 57-55.

From that point, L.A. outscored Boston 30-22 in the fourth quarter, to the delight of the home Staples Center crowd. Gasol and Boston’s Kevin Garnett traded baskets before Bryant hit three free throws. After an Allen runner, Ron Artest made a three-point play to tie the game 61-all with 7:30 left.

Allen missed his first free throw of the finals but then canned three straight from the line, but Fisher retied the game with a 3. Bryant then hit two freebies and a jumper and Gasol netted a pair of free throws to go up 70-64 with 4:30 to go.

A Pierce jumper and a Garnett slam sandwiched around a Bryant free throw then cut the Celtics’ deficit to 71-68 before three Gasol free throws. Pierce drained two from the line, but Gasol got the roll on a shot down low for a six-point edge with 1:30 remaining.

Boston’s Rasheed Wallace drilled a crazy 3 and Artest answered with a trey before Allen sank a 3 of his own in the corner. With less than a minute to go, Bryant missed his own try from beyond the arc, but Gasol pulled down the offensive board and found Bryant, who was fouled and sank two free throws for an 81-76 lead with 25.7 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Rondo grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a desperation 3 with 16.2 seconds to go to cut the Celtics’ deficit to two. Boston then fouled Sasha Vujacic, who canned two from the line to open up a two-possession lead.

Rondo then threw up another 3 which found nothing but air. Odom threw the ball high downcourt as time expired to seal the Laker victory.

Despite getting pounded on the boards early with Perkins’ absence, Boston took care of business on offense with a 13-3 run to close the first quarter. Ray Allen sank a 3-pointer in the corner, Rajon Rondo found Garnett for an alley-oop, Glen Davis made a reverse layup, Paul Pierce drained a jumper and Davis scored and hit two more free throws for a 23-14 lead.

But L.A. scored the first 11 points of the half while forcing eight straight Boston misses from the field to retake the lead. Bryant hit a J in the lane, Odom made a free throw, Artest sank a putback and Gasol scored down low. Artest then made a steal, outran a lackadaisical Allen for a transition layup and followed that with another putback to go up 25-23.

With the score 29-all, the Celtics put together a 9-2 spurt to lead at halftime. Allen made two from the charity stripe, Pierce hit two more, Wallace sank a jumper and Pierce canned a 3 for a seven-point lead. Pierce’s free throws to close the half gave Boston a 40-34 edge at the break.

The Celtics picked up where they left off with a 9-2 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Garnett scored down low and made a three-point play before Rondo hit a scoop shot in the lane and a putback for a 49-36 edge.

Gasol scored 19 points with 18 boards. Fisher added 10.

Garnett netted 17 points. Rondo scored 14 with 10 assists, Allen added 13 and Wallace, starting for Perkins, scored 11.

NOTES: This was the longtime rivals’ 12th meeting in the finals. Boston has won nine of those series. … Allen hit his first 21 free throws of the series. … Fisher was 0-for-8 on 3s coming in but his both he tried in Game 7. … The Lakers hadn’t won a title at home since dispatching Indiana in 2000. … No visiting team has won a finals Game 7 since the Washington Bullets did so in 1978.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant drives past Boston's Ray Allen in Game 7. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Switzerland stuns Spain 1-0, matches shutout record

2010-06-16T12:44:00.002-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – GROUP STAGE

It was clear early on Switzerland would need a spectacular defensive effort to beat European champion Spain in their World Cup Group H opener.

In tying the World Cup record for most consecutive shutouts, the Swiss provided just that – and as a result beat the Spaniards for the first time ever.

Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio turned away the Spaniards time and again and midfielder Gelson Fernandes scored in the 52nd minute as Switzerland shocked Spain 1-0 in Durban, South Africa, Wednesday.

Benaglio’s effort was the fifth straight Swiss World Cup shutout, tying the record Italy set in 1990. But more importantly, it was the first victory for the Schweizer Nati over Spain in 19 matches and ties Switzerland with Chile, which it faces Monday, atop Group H.

Spain, the second-ranked team in the world, fell for just the second time in its last 50 matches – La Furia last lost to the United States in a 2-0 stunner at last summer’s Confederations Cup in South Africa. The Spaniards saw their 12-game winning streak snapped.

The Spaniards dominated offensive play even without Fernando Torres starting – they controlled possession 74 percent of the game and outshot Switzerland 25-9. In the first half, Benaglio gathered in Andres Iniesta’s 21st-minute shot after Fernandes deflected it, and came out to stifle an open Gerard Pique in the box three minutes later.

David Villa saw his 31st-minute free kick from the top of the box get blocked and then chipped a ball past an open goal from in close in the 45th minute, leading to a scoreless tie at halftime.

A bit of chaotic play in the 52nd minute gave the Swiss the lead. Eren Derdiyok took a long goal kick upfield, passed off and got a return ball. Approaching the goal inside the box, he was taken out feet-first by Spanish keeper Iker Casillas. But Casillas and Pique couldn’t corral the loose ball, and Fernandes finished into what was basically an open net.

The trailing Spaniards then brought in Torres and began to pepper the Swiss side, looking for the equalizer. Sergio Ramos’s 60th-minute header off a Xavi cross was just high and Benaglio stonewalled Villa near the top of the box one minute later.

Iniesta pulled a shot wide right in the 63rd minute, Torres hooked a shot harmlessly high and away to the right in the 68th and Alonso struck the crossbar on a long line-drive strike in the 70th minute for perhaps Spain’s closest near-miss.

Two minutes later, Benaglio stopped Jesus Navas in the box before Switzerland nearly doubled its lead, but Derdiyok, who had beaten three men into the center of the box, tapped his shot squarely off the near post in the 74th minute.

Navas missed off the left post in the 77th minute and Torres headed a ball over the bar n the 85th. Finally, near the end of five minutes of stoppage time, Xavi airmailed a last-ditch effort, sealing Spain’s fate.

Spain, which entered the tournament as a favorite, now faces an uphill battle in its quest for its first world title. La Roja takes on Honduras Monday. Chile beat Honduras 1-0 Wednesday – its first World Cup win in 48 years – in other Group H action.

NOTES: The side that scores first is 10-0-4 in this World Cup. … Switzerland was 0-2-1 in its last three matches coming in. … Spain had won seven straight group matches, dating back to a 0-0 draw with Uruguay in the 1998 World Cup. … Torres, Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas were all limited with right leg injuries. Iniesta left after tumbling on a tackle in the 77th minute and Fabregas did not play. … The Swiss were without captain and all-time goal leader Alexander Frei and Valon Behrami, due to ankle and thigh injuries, respectively.

Photo above: Switzerland's Gelson Fernandes moves past Spain's Xavi (8) during their match Wednesday. (Julie Jacobson/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Lakers beat down Boston 89-67 to force Game 7

2010-06-15T23:50:00.003-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 6

Playing in their first elimination game of these playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers pummeled Boston, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 to determine the NBA champion.

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 26 points and Pau Gasol had his fourth double-double of the finals as the Lakers defeated Boston 89-67 in Game 6 in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

The rivals will face off Thursday in Los Angeles in Game 7, with the Larry O’Brien Trophy at stake.

L.A., which stood by and watched Boston’s bench put together a breakout performance in Game 4, outscored the Celtic reserves 25-13. The Lakers also out-rebounded Boston 52-39.

The Celtics were thoroughly dominated from the second quarter on, scoring the second fewest points in a finals game. And their case wasn’t helped by the first-quarter injury of center Kendrick Perkins, who sustained a knee sprain and did not return after the 5:30 mark of the first period.

The Lakers took their first double-digit lead after scoring seven of the last nine points of the first quarter – on a Ron Artest jumper and 3-pointer and a Gasol basket down low – and never came close to trailing again.

They were making all the hustle plays Boston made in the last two games, highlighted by backup Jordan Farmar sliding at midcourt ahead of the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo to shovel a loose ball ahead to Bryant, who would sink two free throws on the possession.

That play was part of a 19-6 second-quarter run, which included four Lamar Odom points, a Farmar layup in the lane, a Gasol putback out of nowhere, Sasha Vujacic’s 3-pointer, Farmar’s contested slam in transition and a long Artest J. Bryant’s layup gave Los Angeles a 49-27 lead, and the Lakers were up 51-31 at the break.

The second half was mostly organized chaos, showcasing more strong play from the L.A. bench – notably, two thunderous Shannon Brown dunks, the second a one-handed alley-oop finish off Gasol’s pass.

Gasol scored 17 points with 13 rebounds – finishing one assist shy of a triple-double – and Bryant hauled down 11 boards. Artest poured in 15 and Odom grabbed 10 rebounds.

Ray Allen led Boston with 19 points, his highest point total since his record-setting Game 2 performance. Paul Pierce scored 13, Kevin Garnett totaled 12 and Rondo netted 10.

NOTES: The Lakers are 10-1 at home this postseason and have won 30 of their last 34 home playoff contests. … Boston is 3-4 this season in potential close-out games and 0-3 away from home. … Perkins, who went down going up for an offensive rebound, will be re-evaluated Wednesday. … The team leading after the first quarter has won every game in the series. … The Lakers haven’t lost consecutive home playoff games since 2000, when they fell twice to Portland. … Thursday’s game will be just the third finals Game 7 in the last 21 years. … The lowest point output in a finals game was Utah’s 54-point effort in a loss to Chicago in the 1998 finals.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Los Angeles' Pau Gasol (16) moves down low against Boston's Rasheed Wallace, left, during Game 6. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Celtics hold off Bryant, L.A. 92-86, go up 3-2 in finals

2010-06-13T23:23:00.004-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 5

It was bound to happen eventually. Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant finally broke out in a big way, scoring 38 points in Game 5 of the NBA finals.

But Boston held down the rest of the Lakers all night and is now in control of the series, up 3-2 headed back to L.A.

Paul Pierce led four Celtics in double digits with 27 points, his highest total of the series, as the C’s withstood Bryant’s barrage to win 92-86 in Boston Sunday night.

Bryant scored 23 straight Lakers points from late in the second quarter until the 2:16 mark of the third quarter. But only Pau Gasol joined him in double figures, with 12 points, and Los Angeles couldn’t complete its comeback from a 13-point third-quarter deficit and trails in a series for the first time this postseason.

The Lakers did manage to cut their deficit to 87-82 with 1:30 left after hitting seven straight free throws, five from Bryant. Ron Artest then went to the line with 43 seconds left, but missed two, and Pierce outwrestled Bryant for the rebound.

On the ensuing possession, Rajon Rondo took a nice cross-court pass from Pierce and sank a layup on a breakaway. L.A.’s Lamar Odom answered with a putback, but Ray Allen drained a pair of free throws with 18.4 ticks to go for a 91-84 edge.

The Celtics took over late in the second quarter and never trailed again. Trailing 37-36 after an Artest 3-pointer and a Bryant J, Boston scored 16 of the next 20 points, with Pierce drilling two 3s, for a 52-41 lead early in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Bryant was in the midst of scoring the Lakers’ first 19 points of the third stanza, including three treys and a ridiculous tip-in off a Derek Fisher assist. But Los Angeles got no closer during the run because it couldn’t hold the Celtics either – Boston took its biggest lead, 71-58, after Allen hit a pair of jumpers.

Boston’s Kevin Garnett put up a double-double, scoring 18 points with 10 boards. Rondo added 18 and Allen scored 12.

Gasol hauled down 12 rebounds for the Lakers.

Game 6 is in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

NOTES: Los Angeles’ Andrew Bynum played 32 minutes after having fluid drained from his right knee after Game 4, when he only played 12 minutes. Bynum partially tore his meniscus in the Lakers’ first-round series against Oklahoma City. … Of the 25 finals series that have been tied at two games apiece, the winner of Game 5 went on to win 19 of those series. … Los Angeles shot 26 free throws to Boston’s 13. … Allen has missed all 18 3-pointers he’s tried since Game 2, when he set a finals single-game record with eight 3s. He has sunk all 16 free throws he’s attempted this series. … With Bryant at the line with 1:30 remaining, a fan threw an object on the floor, drawing a reprimand from the public-address announcer.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Boston's Rajon Rondo (9) directs the Celtics' offense in Game 5. (Adam Hunger/Reuters)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Dempsey scores fortunate goal, U.S. draws England 1-1

2010-06-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – GROUP STAGE

For some reason, the United States soccer team seems to get better results against England in the World Cup than in other matches.

This time, the U.S. side combined one terrible England mistake with solid goalkeeping to salvage a tie in their Group C opener.

Clint Dempsey’s 40th-minute shot somehow made it through English keeper Robert Green and American goalie Tim Howard was strong after allowing an early goal as the U.S. drew England 1-1 in Rustenburg, South Africa, Saturday.

The Three Lions went on top in the fourth minute, when England captain Steven Gerrard took a cross from Emile Heskey, got past Yanks midfielder Ricardo Clark in the box and finished to a soon-to-be-irate Howard’s right.

But the U.S. took advantage of Green’s error in the 40th minute to tie the match. Dempsey’s left-footed shot from about 25 yards out hit Green’s gloves and dribbled right behind him and out of his desperate reach across the goal line.

The play came 11 minutes after Howard was injured when Heskey slid boot-first into Howard’s chest chasing a ball in the keeper’s box. Howard stayed down for a moment and grimaced for several more moments but stayed in the game.

Both sides had some excellent scoring chances in the second half, but could not convert. Howard stopped a 52nd-minute effort from Heskey and Lampard’s 63rd-minute shot before snuffing out two scoring chances in the same minute – slapping away Shaun Wright-Phillips’ breakaway shot away and, seconds later, grabbing Wayne Rooney’s flick in the 76th minute.

Stars and Stripes captain Carlos Bocanegra headed a ball wide left on Landon Donovan’s set piece in the 62nd minute before Jozy Altidore wasted a golden chance, breaking away down the left side and hitting Green’s hand and the near post from inside the 6-yard box.

Donovan’s 89th-minute strike was high over the net in the last legitimate chance to break the draw.

The Yanks return to action Friday against Algeria, while England faces Slovenia, which it beat 2-1 Sept. 5 at Wembley Stadium in London.

NOTES: England now leads the all-time series 7-2-1, winning three straight against the U.S. since the Americans’ last win, 2-0 in a June 9, 1993 friendly in Foxborough, Mass. … The Yanks still lead the Three Lions in World Cup play, 1-0-1, after stunning the English 1-0 in 1950 in Brazil. … Gerrard’s goal was the seventh the U.S. has allowed in the first 15 minutes of matches in World Cups since 1990. … Oguchi Onyewu played a full 90 minutes for the U.S. for the first time since tearing his left patellar tendon in an Oct. 14 qualifying match against Costa Rica, while Altidore played until the 86th minute despite spraining his ankle during pre-Cup training.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: The U.S.' Clint Dempsey (8) celebrates his goal with Michael Bradley (4) and Jozy Altidore (17) Saturday. (Timothy A. Clary / AFP -- Getty Images)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Host South Africa draw Mexico 1-1 to open World Cup

2010-06-11T12:43:00.004-04:00

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SPECIAL COVERAGE – GROUP STAGE

On paper, South Africa, the 83rd-ranked team in the world by FIFA, shouldn’t have had much of a chance against No. 17 Mexico.

Then again, this match was hardly played in a normal situation, and Bafana Bafana nearly pulled off a monumental upset in the World Cup opener.

Midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala gave host South Africa a lead in the 55th minute, which held up until Mexico’s Rafael Marquez answered in the 79th, producing a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday.

El Tri possessed the ball 65 percent of the game but were unable to capitalize on numerous first-half chances, leaving the door open for South Africa, the first African nation to host a World Cup.

After an exciting first half with no goals, Tshabalala sent the vuvuzela-blowing partisans into a frenzy in the 55th minute. He ran down the left side and hit a left-footed scorcher from the box past Mexican goalkeeper Oscar Perez and defender Ricardo Osorio.

Twenty-four minutes later, the patient El Tri attack finally yielded a goal. Marquez took Andres Guardado’s cross and drilled a shot over South African keeper Itumeleng Khune for the equalizer.

Mexico dominated first-half play, coming very close to several goals and even having one disallowed. Giovani Dos Santos had a near miss in the second minute, an unmarked Guillermo Franco headed a 15th-minute corner over the crossbar and Dos Santos missed just wide left again in the 19th minute.

Marquez missed a free kick high in the 28th minute, Khune stonewalled Franco with a forearm save in the box in 32nd minute and Carlos Vela’s 34th-minute cross missed wide left before Dos Santos’ shot on frame in the 37th minute was blocked.

Bafana Bafana narrowly averted disaster one minute later, when Vela’s goal off a corner was disallowed due to offsides – a close call at best.

Franco then again headed the Jabulani, an adidas-made ball, over the bar again from the box in the 41st minute.

But South Africa later missed out on a couple of big second-half chances themselves. Teko Modise went on a 70th-minute run into the box but was tripped up by Mexican defender Francisco Rodriguez before Perez cleared his dribbler.

Then, with the score even at 1 in the 90th minute, striker Katlego Mphela took a goal kick and broke free down the right side, but his shot hit the left post from just outside the box.

South Africa resume Group A play Wednesday against Uruguay, while Mexico face France Thursday.

NOTES: With the draw, host nations are 14-0-6 in World Cup openers all-time. … South Africa are the lowest-ranked host team ever. … Bafana Bafana are now unbeaten in their last 13 matches, dating back to an Oct. 13 1-0 loss to Iceland in a friendly in Reykjavik. … El Tri are winless in three meetings against African sides in World Cup play. They lost to Tunisia 3-1 in 1978 and drew Angola 0-0 in 2006. … The Mexicans are 8-2-3 in their last 13 games.

Photo above: Mexico's Gerado Torrado (6) and South Africa's Teko Modise (11) battle for the ball Friday. (Chris Brunskill/UPI)

Video credit – ESPN

Boston bench gives Celtics 96-89 win in Game 4

2010-06-11T00:14:00.003-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 4

With Boston’s biggest stars still not on track much of the night, the Celtics’ bench carried them to an NBA Finals-tying victory.

Glen Davis scored 18 points and Nate Robinson added 12 as the Celtics beat the Lakers 96-89 in a physical affair in Game 4 in Boston Thursday night.

Paul Pierce paced Boston with 19 points, while Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 33.

The game saw more heated reactions and interactions than any games in the series to date. Boston’s Rasheed Wallace and Robinson each drew technical fouls, Bryant and Boston’s Kendrick Perkins had a heated conversation, the Celtics’ Ray Allen and L.A.’s Derek Fisher had a staring contest and Robinson and Bryant engaged in a little shoving for positioning before a free throw.

With the Celtics down 64-62, Boston’s bench players gave their team a lead their starters couldn’t lose. With four reserves – Davis, Robinson, Wallace and Tony Allen on the floor with Ray Allen – the C’s went on a 12-2 run, with Davis and Tony Allen each making 3-point plays and Ray Allen adding two field goals.

Then, leading 76-70, Wallace, fresh off his technical whistle for his reaction after a foul call, drilled a 3 to extend his team’s lead to nine.

Boston starters Pierce and Rajon Rondo got in on the fun down the stretch. Rondo grabbed a deflection defensively and gave the ball to Pierce, who ran down the shot clock and made an and-1. Rondo then tipped away a Bryant pass, ran the ball down and made a layup with 31.4 seconds left.

Bryant hit a trey to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 94-89 with 11 seconds left, but Pierce canned two free throws with 9.5 seconds to go to end it.

Cold shooting plagued both teams during the first half. Robinson’s open 3 gave Boston a 19-16 lead at the end of the first period.

Los Angeles finally got a little something going offensively in the second stanza. Down 29-28, Bryant drained back-to-back 3s to spur the Lakers to a 43-35 edge. But Boston’s Kevin Garnett snagged a loose ball and hit a jumper at the first-half buzzer to cut the Celtics’ halftime deficit to 45-42.

Garnett scored 13 points and Rondo scored 10. Ray Allen followed a 0-for-13 shooting effort in Game 3 with 12 points.

Gasol poured in 21 points and Lamar Odom added 10 for Los Angeles.

Game 5 is Sunday night in Boston.

NOTES: Fisher missed his first free throw of the series in Game 4 when his technical free throw after Robinson was teed up didn’t go down. He had been 9-for-9. … Boston outscored L.A. 54-34 in the paint and 15-2 on fast breaks.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Boston's Glen Davis (11) and Nate Robinson celebrate during the Celtics' win in Game 4. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Kane, Hawks beat Flyers in OT for first Cup in 49 years

2010-06-09T23:45:00.001-04:00

2010 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 6

After waiting 49 years to hoist the Stanley Cup, what’s a few more minutes?

Chicago star Patrick Kane found the net four minutes into overtime to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 win over the Flyers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals in Philadelphia Wednesday night.

The Blackhawks’ title – their first since 1961 – broke the NHL’s longest active championship drought. Jonathan Toews, who had an assist, received the Conn Smythe playoff MVP trophy.

The host Flyers, who needed a shootout win over the New York Rangers in the regular-season finale just to reach the playoffs as the East’s No. 7 seed, finally lost in their sixth win-or-go-home game since then.

But, as usual, Philadelphia didn’t go down without a fight. Trailing 3-2 with 3:59 left in regulation, Scott Hartnell scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the playoffs, tipping the puck past Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi after it bounced off Chicago’s Brent Seabrook’s stick and Marian Hossa’s skate. Ville Leino and Danny Briere were credited with assists.

The unfazed Blackhawks went back into attack mode for the victory. With 4:06 gone in the extra session, Kane took Brian Campbell’s pass and slid the puck past Flyers tender Michael Leighton. The goal came with less fanfare than usual – the light did not immediately go off and the referee made no immediate signal, but replays showed the puck did slide across the goal line, handing Chicago the title.

The ‘Hawks broke through first in the opening period. Dustin Byfuglien scored on a power play at 16:49, with Jonathan Toews and Kane assisting, for his 11th goal of the postseason.

Philadelphia evened the count at the end of the first frame. With 26.5 seconds left in the period, Hartnell tipped in a rebound off a Briere power-play shot, with Chris Pronger also receiving an assist on the play.

The Flyers took the lead in the second period. Briere converted a tic-tac-toe goal on a 2-on-0 break, his team-leading 12th of the playoffs. Leino and Lukas Krajicek got helpers on the play at 8:00.

Two minutes later, Chicago’s Patrick Sharp beat Leighton with assistance from Dave Bolland and Duncan Keith to tie the score.

Then, at the 17:43 mark of the second, the Blackhawks’ Andrew Ladd deflected home a Niklas Hjalmarsson slap shot, with Kane also receiving an assist, for a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame.

Niemi stopped 21 shots for the Blackhawks, while Philadelphia’s Leighton made 37 saves.

Chicago outshot the Flyers 41-24 and 27-13 in the first two periods.

NOTES: Game 6 marked the first win by a road team in the series. … Hossa, playing in his third straight Stanley Cup finals, finally won. He lost in 2008 with the Penguins and 2009 with the Red Wings. … The Blackhawks finished the playoffs 11-1 when leading after the second period. … Philadelphia ends the postseason 9-2 at home. Game 6 was their first loss in their last eight home games. … This was Chicago’s first win at Philadelphia in their last 11, dating back to 1996.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Chicago's Andrew Ladd celebrates after scoring a second-period goal during Game 6. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Video credit – NBC

Fisher steps up late, Lakers regain Finals lead in Boston

2010-06-09T00:02:00.004-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 3

As usual, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers offensively in Game 3 of the NBA finals. But it was veteran Derek Fisher who stepped up in the fourth period to keep Los Angeles on top.

Bryant scored 29 points, Fisher scored 11 of his 16 in the fourth quarter and the Lakers beat the Celtics 91-84 in Boston Tuesday night.

Kevin Garnett was the Celtics’ lone offensive bright spot, scoring 25 points – more than he had in Games 1 and 2 combined. But one game after hitting a finals-record eight 3-pointers, Ray Allen scored just 2 points, going 0-for-13 from the field, and Paul Pierce was again unspectacular, shooting 5-for-12 and pouring in 15.

Los Angeles was in control most of the night, but Boston made things interesting in the fourth period. Down six to begin the final frame, Glen Davis scored twice for the Celtics after a free throw by L.A.’s Pau Gasol, and Game 2 hero Rajon Rondo made a layup to cut Boston’s deficit to 68-67 with 9:45 left.

But the Celtics couldn’t quite come all the way back. Fisher answered with a drive in the lane, Lamar Odom scored on a putback and Fisher scored three straight Lakers baskets to go up 78-73.

Boston cut the L.A. lead back down to two points with a Pierce 3 and two Garnett baskets, but Bryant sank a jumper and Fisher completed an and-1 in transition to open up a seven-point lead. Pierce made a layup, but Sasha Vujacic and Bryant canned two each from the line to secure the win.

Boston went up early 12-5 with three baskets apiece from Garnett and Rondo, but the Lakers took control with a 21-5 run to close the first quarter. Bryant scored seven points during the run, Odom banked home a 3-pointer and added an and-1 in transition, and Gasol scored four. Even Luke Walton and Shannon Brown scored to get in on the fun, and Los Angeles led 26-17 at the end of the first.

L.A. kept the heat on to begin the second period, opening up a 17-point advantage. Bryant made an old-fashioned 3-point play, Brown sank a jumper, Andrew Bynum hit a turnaround and Jordan Farmar and Odom made layups to go on top 37-20. The Lakers held a 52-40 lead at the break.

Bryant didn’t especially well from the field, hitting 10 of 29 field goals. But Odom had by far his best game of the series, totaling 12 points. Gasol had his customary double-double, scoring 13 points with 13 rebounds. Bynum pulled down 10 boards as well.

Davis scored 12 points and Rondo added 11 for the Celtics.

Game 4 is Thursday night in Boston.

NOTES: Garnett hit just two field goals in Game 2 but scored Boston’s first three from the field Tuesday. … Allen was one missed field goal shy of the worst shooting performance in finals history.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Los Angeles' Derek Fisher, right, shoots over Boston's Rasheed Wallace during Game 3 Tuesday. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Chanticleers advance with 11-10 win in 10 over Cougars

2010-06-07T17:44:00.004-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT MYRTLE BEACH REGIONAL

It took a couple of wild victories in the Myrtle Beach Regional for Coastal Carolina to break College of Charleston’s spell.

The second one sets up a Chanticleer showdown with in-state foe South Carolina in the super regionals.

Rich Witten hit a key grand slam and scored the winning run on a 10th-inning wild pitch, Cody Wheeler threw three relief innings to get the win and host Coastal Carolina won 11-10 to advance in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Monday afternoon.

Coastal’s victory, its third in two days, comes on the heels of its 8-7 walk-off win over the Cougars Sunday night to force Monday’s game. College of Charleston put the Chanticleers behind the eight-ball with a 16-6 win Saturday night, its third straight win this season in the series, but couldn’t finish off the Chants with a trip to the super regionals at stake.

The No. 4 national seed Chanticleers (55-8) will host the Gamecocks, who won their home regional, this weekend.

Before Coastal could rally to win in the 10th, it first had to survive the Cougars’ (44-19) bid in the bottom of the ninth. With the score tied at 10, Wheeler struck out the first two batters he faced, but Justin Brewer singled and his pinch runner, Thomas Brittle, took second base on a Jose Iglesias passed ball and moved to third on a Wheeler wild pitch. Baker Knox drew an intentional pass before Wheeler struck out Jamie Holler, but his wild pitch in the dirt got past Iglesias, allowing Holler to reach and load the bases.

But Coastal shortstop Taylor Motter bailed Wheeler out, taking Joey Bergman’s lightly hit grounder behind the mound after Wheeler deflected it and just beat Bergman to first with the throw. The call sent Cougars first base coach Chris Morris into histrionics – he spiked his helmet and was immediately ejected, then had to be restrained by police and escorted off the field – but the Chanticleers had escaped the jam.

Witten then began the 10th with a double to left. Adam Rice bunted him to third and Cougars reliever Heath Hembree’s pitch high over catcher Rob Kral’s glove let Witten score easily for the winning run.

Wheeler averted danger again in the bottom of the frame, allowing a Cole Rakar leadoff single and walking Matt Leeds before inducing a loud flyout to the warning track from Jose Rodriguez and striking out Greg Blake swinging to end the game and spark a teal-colored mob on the mound.

The Chanticleers drew first blood in the first inning. Sunday night hero Rico Noel hit a one-out triple off Rakar’s glove and scored on Tommy LaStella’s groundout. Iglesias then laced a two-out homer to left-center for a 2-0 edge.

Charleston wasted no time responding. Chants pitcher Matt Laney hit Bergman with his first pitch of the game and Rakar homered to left to even the score.

Coastal answered back in the third. Noel led off with an infield single off Bergman’s glove, stole second and scored on Iglesias’ single. Motter doubled with two down to plate Iglesias.

The Cougars took their first and only lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs and sending 10 batters to the plate. Rakar’s double down the left-field line scored Holler, who had singled, and Bergman, who doubled to center. Rodriguez’s sac fly plated Rakar and pinch-hitter Brewer singled to right to score Kral, who walked, putting Charleston up 6-4.

Witten stepped up big-time in the sixth. After Chance Gilmore and Motter drew free passes, Daniel Bowman reached on a bunt single and Witten took Cougars reliever Matt Pegler deep for a grand slam and an 8-6 advantage.

The back-and-forth continued one inning later, when Charleston’s Rakar and Kral lifted back-to-back jacks to tie the game.

Coastal took a tenuous lead once more in the eighth, when Rice reached on a hit-by-pitch, Scott Woodward got on when Bergman committed an error and LaStella doubled into the left-center gap to score them both. But the Cougars came back – a Bergman groundout plated Knox, who had singled, and Rakar’s sac fly to left scored Holler, who had doubled, ahead of Gilmore’s throw to knot the score at 10.

Wheeler (12-0), who worked a complete-game victory over Stony Brook in the Chanticleers’ regional opener Friday night, pitched three scoreless innings to get the win in his first career relief appearance. He allowed three hits and two walks but pitched out of two big jams, with four strikeouts. Noel went 3-for-6 and Iglesias and Witten were both 2-for-5.

Rakar went 4-for-5 with six RBI to lead Charleston. Knox went 2-for-2, Brewer was 2-for-4 and Kral and Holler were 2-for-5. Hembree (5-3) took the loss, pitching 2 1-3 innings.

NOTES: Morris was the third Cougar ejected during the regional. Head coach Monte Lee was not present, serving a one-game Southern Conference suspension after being ejected from Sunday night’s game arguing a call. Freshman Dre Watts missed Sunday’s game after being ejected during the Cougars’ win over Coastal Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Rich Witten (21) and his Coastal Carolina teammates celebrate after beating College of Charleston 11-10 to advance in the NCAA tournament Monday. (Willis Glassgow/AP)

Video credit – CBSsports.com; Audio credit – Chanticleer Sports Network

Allen sets Finals 3 record, Boston wins Game 2, 103-94

2010-06-06T23:33:00.003-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 2

Boston coach Doc Rivers said before Game 2 of the NBA Finals his team needed to get Ray Allen the ball.

His star guard responded in a big way, and Rajon Rondo and the Celtics held off a Lakers comeback to even the finals.

Allen set a finals single-game record with eight 3-pointers and scored 32 points, Rondo put up a triple-double and Boston closed with a 16-4 run to hold off the Lakers 103-94 in Los Angeles Sunday night.

Boston won despite seeing little contribution from the other two members of its so-called “Big Four.” Paul Pierce scored just 10 points, and Kevin Garnett battled foul trouble much of the night, totaling six points.

But one game after shooting just 1-for-10 on 3s in Game 1, Allen and the Celtics sank 11 of 16. Both teams shot over 40 percent from the field overall.

The Celtics, who were badly outmuscled on both ends of the floor in Game 1, fared much better Sunday. They won the rebounding battle 44-39, outscored Los Angeles 36-26 in the paint and held the Lakers under 100 points for the first time in their last 12 games.

L.A., which set a finals record for blocks in a game with 14, lost for the first time at home this postseason. The Lakers trailed by 14 at one point late in the first half but came all the way back to take a fourth-quarter lead before faltering down the stretch.

Down 90-87 with five minutes to go, Rondo led his team on a late spurt to reclaim the victory that had once seemed secure. Rondo scored twice in succession, Garnett finally got a shot to stay down and Rondo sank an open jumper for a 95-90 lead.

One possession later, Rivers ran onto the floor to call a timeout to avoid an eight-second violation, and was rewarded with Kendrick Perkins’ up-and-under basket. Perkins, Rondo and Garnett combined for six free throws, yielding just an open Kobe Bryant 3 and a Pau Gasol free throw, the rest of the way.

Despite Allen’s hot first half, when he hit seven consecutive treys, the Lakers trailed by only six at halftime after scoring seven straight to close the second quarter. Ron Artest sank a free throw, Gasol dunked for an and-1 and Bryant stole a bad Shelden Williams pass and hit a 3 to draw Los Angeles to within 54-48 at the break.

The Lakers then began the third period with a four-point play, when Andrew Bynum made a free throw before Gasol rebounded his second miss and Artest hit a 3-pointer in the corner. Artest then made a steal and sank one free throw to bring L.A. to within 54-53.

Then, after a Perkins dunk, Bryant made a layup and Gasol hit a jumper to give the Lakers the lead. Neither team led by more than four the rest of the way until Boston’s game-ending run.

The Celtics put together the first significant run of the game to close the first quarter and forced 10 straight Lakers misses in the process. Down 21-20, Boston’s Rasheed Wallace made a 3, Pierce hit four free throws and Wallace cashed in another long jumper. Tony Allen made two free throws.

Then, after Jordan Farmar broke L.A.’s drought with a dunk, Rondo deked Bynum into flying past him and scored down low and Allen hit four straight 3s to put Boston up big.

Rondo scored 19 points, dished 10 assists and snagged 12 rebounds. Perkins scored 12 for Boston.

Gasol scored 25 to lead Los Angeles. Bryant and Bynum each chipped in 21. Bynum blocked seven shots and Gasol turned away six.

Game 3 is Tuesday night in Boston.

NOTES: Allen surpassed the old finals record of seven 3-pointers in a game. He accomplished the feat in Game 6 of the 2008 finals against Los Angeles, Houston’s Kenny Smith did it in Game 1 in 1995 against Orlando and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen sank seven against Utah in Game 3 in 1997. … This game broke Bryant’s string of four straight 30-point finals games, dating back to last year’s series with the Magic.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Boston's Ray Allen (20) shoots a 3-pointer over Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant during Game 2 Sunday. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Cardinals take down Billikens 11-2 to open tournament

2010-06-04T23:01:00.007-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT LOUISVILLE REGIONAL

The No. 7 national seed Louisville Cardinals opened their home NCAA tournament regional with an 11-2 victory over Saint Louis in Louisville, Ky., Friday night.

Louisville advances to face Vanderbilt Saturday afternoon, while the Billikens take on Illinois State in an elimination game. The Commodores beat the Redbirds 8-7 in 13 innings Friday.

The Cardinals went on top for good with a three-run fourth inning. Trailing 2-1, Josh Richmond hit a sacrifice fly to score Phil Wunderlich, who was hit by a pitch. Zak Wasserman’s double to right plated Stewart Ijames, who had singled, and Jeff Arnold singled with two down to score Drew Haynes, who had doubled, for a 4-2 edge.

From there, Louisville (49-12) began to pile on. Ijames’ sac fly scored Adam Duvall, who was hit by a pitch, and Richmond doubled home Ryan Wright, who had reached on an infield single, for two more runs in the fifth.

Two innings later, the Cardinals’ Andrew Clark led off with a single ahead of Wright, who homered to left-center. Ijames then doubled to right-center, stole third base and came home on Saint Louis reliever Jim Foster’s balk.

Louisville mercifully scored just two more runs in the eighth. Clark hit a one-out, two-run dinger to right, plating Arnold, who had walked. The homer closed the scorebook at 11-2.

The Cardinals scored first in the third inning. Wasserman singled and scored on Clark’s sac fly.

The Atlantic-10 champion Billikens (33-28) answered for their only lead in the next frame. Danny Brock and Jon Myers led off with back-to-back jacks to go up 2-1.

Clark led the Louisville offensive attack, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Wasserman went 2-for-3, Arnold and Ijames were each 2-for-4 and Wright was 2-for-5.

Reliever Tony Zych (5-2) was the pitcher of record for the Cardinals, working 3 1-3 innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits with no walks and five strikeouts. Derek Self started and lasted just four-plus innings.

J.D. Dunn went 3-for-4 for Saint Louis at the dish. Bryant Cotton (9-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs on 12 hits over six innings, with one walk and four punchouts.

NOTES: Cardinals coach Dan McDonnell was not present and is serving a three-game suspension after using foul language and making physical contact with umpires during a loss to St. John’s in the Big East tournament. Hitting coach Chris Lemonis and pitching coach Roger Williams will lead the team during McDonnell’s absence. … With Brock’s fourth-inning home run, he tied Jason Wood for the single-season Saint Louis runs record with 64. Wood accomplished the feat in 1999. … Louisville secured a national top-eight seed for the first time. … The Cardinals have won nine of their last 11 games, while the Billikens’ seven-game winning streak was snapped. … Louisville leads the all-time series between the former Conference USA mates, 31-17.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Louisville's Drew Haynes slides safely into second base for a double under Saint Louis' Michael Levine's tag. (John Sommers II/Louisville Courier-Journal)

Video credit – CBSsports.com; Audio credit – KOOL-AM, Clarksville, Ind.

Bryant, Gasol push Lakers past C’s in Game 1, 102-89

2010-06-04T00:03:00.004-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 1

The last time the Lakers and the Celtics met in an NBA finals game, Boston embarrassed L.A. to clinch its 17th NBA title in Game 6 in 2008.

Yes, it was only Game 1, but on Thursday night, the defending champion Lakers returned the favor.

Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 30 points and Pau Gasol scored 28 in a double-double as the Lakers took Game 1 102-89 in Los Angeles.

The Celtics never led after Rajon Rondo scored the first points of the game, and the Lakers bullied Boston down low, outscoring the Celtics 48-30 in the paint and winning the rebound battle 42-31.

The Lakers – who are 9-0 at home during the playoffs – and Celtics are each seeking their second title in three years. Boston downed Los Angeles in six games in 2008, and the Lakers returned to the finals last season, defeating Orlando in five games.

L.A. was dominant most of the night, culminating with a 12-2 third-quarter run to open up a 20-point lead. Bryant slammed home an alley-oop feed from Derek Fisher, the Lakers hit eight of nine free throws and Ron Artest nailed a 3-pointer to put Los Angeles on top 84-64 heading into the fourth quarter.

Late in the second period, the Lakers had turned a two-point edge into nine when Gasol canned a jumper and Artest nailed a 3 and scored in transition to go up 44-35. Los Angeles led 50-41 at halftime after Rondo’s fadeaway jumper at the buzzer.

Artest scored 15 points for the Lakers, while Andrew Bynum added 10. Gasol pulled down 14 rebounds.

Paul Pierce scored 24 to lead Boston. Kevin Garnett scored 16, Rondo added 13 and Ray Allen netted 12.

Game 2 is Sunday night in Los Angeles.

NOTES: The Lakers are now 29-3 in the last three seasons in home playoff games. … Boston has won nine of the teams’ 11 finals series. … This is the fourth time the last two champions have met in the finals.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant, right, drives on Boston's Tony Allen Thursday night. (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Video credit – ESPN on ABC

Blackhawks hold off Flyers 2-1, go up 2-0 in Cup finals

2010-05-31T23:21:00.003-04:00

2010 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – FINALS GAME 2

One game after the highest-scoring Stanley Cup finals contest in 18 years, the Chicago Blackhawks needed just two goals to move to within two wins of hoisting the Cup.

Chicago’s Marian Hossa and Ben Eager scored 28 seconds apart late in the second period and Antti Niemi stopped 32 shots as the Blackhawks beat Philadelphia 2-1 in Game 2 in Chicago Monday night.

The Blackhawks won their second straight game without any relevant offensive contributions from stars Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews, combining for just five shots.

After a scoreless first period, the Blackhawks struck twice in rapid succession in the second frame for all the offense Niemi needed. Hossa skated to the net from the right side and redirected a rebound past Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton at the 17:09 mark for his third goal of the postseason. Troy Brouwer and Patrick Sharp received assists.

With Philadelphia still regrouping, an unlikely source contributed Chicago’s game-winning goal after a Flyer turnover. Eager sent a wrister from the right offensive circle into the top right corner 28 seconds after Hossa’s goal. Dustin Byfuglien was credited with an assist on Eager’s first goal of the playoffs.

The Flyers cut their deficit in half on a power play early in the third period. Simon Gagne’s slap shot cut through traffic past a screened Niemi and found the net with 5:20 gone in the period. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter assisted on Gagne’s eighth goal of the playoffs.

Philadelphia outshot Chicago 15-4 during the third period, but couldn’t beat Niemi again.

Leighton, back in the Flyers net after surrendering five goals and being pulled during Chicago’s 6-5 win in Game 1, made 24 saves.

The best-of-seven series now shifts to Philadelphia. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday.

NOTES: The Blackhawks have won seven straight postseason games, and 10 of their last 11.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Chicago goaltender Antti Niemi reaches for the puck during the Blackhawks' 2-1 win over Philadelphia Monday night. (Jerry Lai/US Presswire)

Video credit – NBC

Hot Twins complete sweep of slumping Rangers, 6-3

2010-05-30T23:40:00.003-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

The division-leading Minnesota Twins are looking much better after completing a three-game sweep of the suddenly cold Texas Rangers.

Jason Kubel knocked in two runs and Denard Span made a diving game-ending catch as Minnesota won its fourth straight game, beating Texas 6-3 in Minneapolis Sunday night.

The Rangers have now lost four straight games and six of seven, on the heels of a five-game winning streak. They fell out of a virtual tie with Oakland for first place in the AL West, dropping a half-game back of the A’s.

After the Twins saw their 3-0 lead dwindle to one run in the top of the third, they went back to work against Rangers reliever Matt Harrison for all the runs they would need. Kubel’s single to right plated Justin Morneau, who hit a leadoff double, and Delmon Young lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Michael Cuddyer, who had walked, for a 5-2 edge.

Minnesota (30-20) never trailed and took its first lead in the first inning against Texas starter Derek Holland. Joe Mauer’s one-out double to the center-field wall scored Orlando Hudson, who had singled to right.

One inning later, Holland surrendered walks to Young and J.J. Hardy before Nick Punto’s single to right-center scored Young. Holland was then taken out of the game for Harrison, and Span singled to center to plate Hardy.

Texas (26-24) struck back in the third. Michael Young led off the frame with a double off Twins starter Scott Baker and Ian Kinsler walked. Vladimir Guerrero then singled up the middle to score Young, and Josh Hamilton’s sac fly sent Kinsler home to bring the Rangers to within a run.

After the two-run Minnesota third, both teams scored once more. Texas’ Elvis Andrus singled home Matt Treanor, who had hit a long double, in the sixth. Kubel’s double in the seventh plated Cuddyer, who drew a free pass.

The Rangers threatened in the ninth, but Twins reliever Jon Rauch pitched himself out of a jam. After allowing an Andrus single and a Michael Young double with one away, Rauch retired Kinsler and Guerrero on flyouts to center to end the game.

Span and Hudson collided in shallow center field on the final play of the game and then each stayed on the turf – Span for a few moments and Hudson for minutes. Both walked off under their own power to an ovation from the partisan crowd, with Hudson appearing to grimace in pain.

Punto went 2-for-3 for the Twins. Span and Kubel were each 2-for-4.

Baker (5-4) worked six innings to get the win, allowing three runs on eight hits, with three walks and four strikeouts. Rauch earned his 12th save.

Texas’ Young was 2-for-4, and Andrus went 2-for-5.

Holland (2-1), who allowed three runs on three hits, left after facing three batters in the second inning due to what was called left shoulder soreness. He was reportedly having difficulty feeling the ball in his hand.

Both managers used five pitchers.

NOTES: Minnesota is 18-9 at home, while the Rangers have lost nine of their last 10 road contests. … Minnesota last swept Texas Sept. 17-19, 2007, in the Metrodome. … This was the first Sunday night regular-season game at Target Field, in its inaugural season as the home of the Twins. … The Twins became the fourth team in the American League to reach 30 wins this season. They join Tampa Bay, New York and Toronto. The Yankees and Blue Jays both also accomplished the feat Sunday. … Kinsler went 1-for-4 Sunday and is 2-for-16 during the Rangers’ losing streak. … The Twins lead the Central by 3.5 games over second-place Detroit. … Minnesota will next embark upon a seven-game West Coast swing, starting with a four-game series in Seattle. Francisco Liriano is scheduled to pitch Monday night. The Rangers are off Monday and return to action in Chicago against the White Sox, with Rich Harden set to work the opener of the three-game set Tuesday night.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Minnesota's Jason Kubel watches an RBI single during the Twins' 6-3 win over Texas Sunday night. (Andy King/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Auburn fells South Carolina in extras, 3-1

2010-05-27T14:26:00.002-04:00

2010 COLLEGE BASEBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Before this week, the SEC West champion No. 16 Auburn Tigers hadn’t been to the conference tournament since 2003.

Thanks to an extra-inning win over No. 10 South Carolina, they won’t have to go home just yet.

Junior outfielder Trent Mummey’s 12th-inning two-run single provided the margin of victory for the Tigers as they defeated South Carolina 3-1 in an elimination game in Hoover, Ala., Thursday afternoon.

Auburn closer Austin Hubbard got the win, holding the Gamecocks scoreless over 4 2-3 innings. He came on in relief of starter Grant Dayton, who yielded only five hits – two of which were bunt singles – and a run, working into the eighth inning.

With the score tied at 1 in the 11th inning, the Tigers (40-18) finally broke through for the winning runs against South Carolina closer Matt Price. Casey McElroy failed to advance a runner on a bunt but reached first for a fielder’s choice. Gamecocks second baseman Scott Wingo misplayed Justin Hargett’s grounder, and Justin Fradejas drew a free pass to load the bases for Mummey.

The all-SEC first-team performer responded with a single up the middle on a full-count pitch to score McElroy and Hargett and put Auburn up 3-1.

Hubbard then pitched around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, striking out South Carolina’s Jackie Bradley Jr. and inducing flyouts from Christian Walker and Jeffery Jones to end it.

Auburn drew first blood in the top of the fourth, when defensive replacement Creede Simpson led off with a homer to left.

The Gamecocks (43-15), who were shut out for the first time in 154 games Wednesday in a 3-0 tournament-opening loss to Ole Miss, finally dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh, when Brady Thomas went yard to right for the equalizer.

For the Tigers, Hunter Morris and Ryan Jenkins each went 2-for-5, while Mummey was 2-for-6. Hubbard (5-2) picked up the win.

Bradley went 3-for-6, extending his hitting streak to 11 games, and Whit Merrifield was 2-for-4 with two bunt singles. Price (3-1) took his first loss of the season.

The Tigers will face the loser of Friday’s Alabama-Ole Miss matchup on Saturday afternoon. Auburn fell to its in-state rival Crimson Tide 7-1 in its opener Wednesday.

NOTES: Auburn’s Brian Fletcher left the game after being hit on the hand with a Blake Cooper pitch in the first inning, sustaining what was reportedly just a bruise. … Auburn has won 14 of its last 18 games. … South Carolina has dropped four of five after winning six straight. … The teams have split the season series 2-2.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Auburn's Trent Mummey (7) receives congratulations from Justin Fradejas, right, after his game-winning single to beat South Carolina. (Mark Almond/The Birmingham News)

Video credit – ESPN3.com

Magic fight back, 113-92, to force Game 6 with C’s

2010-05-26T23:47:00.002-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 5

The Boston Celtics, who two nights ago were one game from sweeping the Orlando Magic, had all kinds of trouble keeping their big men on the floor in Game 5 Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard and Orlando were pretty much having their way offensively en route to their second win of the Eastern Conference finals.

Facing elimination for the second straight game, the Magic beat down the Celtics 113-92 to cut their series deficit to 3-2 in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday.

Nelson led all scorers with 24 points and Howard chipped in 21 to send the series back to Boston for Game 6 Friday night.

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven NBA playoff series, but the Magic now need just two wins to accomplish that feat. And they have all the momentum on their side.

Boston hasn’t been nearly as fortunate – suffering from, at best, controversial officiating and physical Magic play in Game 5. Kendrick Perkins drew two quick technicals and was ejected in the second quarter, putting coach Doc Rivers in a tight spot early.

Then, in the second half, the Celtics’ Glen Davis sustained a concussion after his head was on the receiving end of an inadvertent Dwight Howard elbow, and Marquis Daniels left after appearing to hit his head on Marcin Gortat’s chest early in the fourth period, resulting in another concussion. Rasheed Wallace suffered back spasms and later fouled out with just under 5 minutes left.

Already up 37-33 early in the second quarter, Orlando took control for good with a 14-4 run. J.J. Redick hit a 3-pointer, Howard sank a hook, Jason Williams scored, Redick made another trey and Brandon Bass scored in the lane before throwing up an alley-oop to Howard, whose thunderous slam put the Magic up 51-37.

The Celtics made a little noise with a 9-3 run. Paul Pierce drained six straight free throws and Ray Allen canned another after an Orlando technical foul, and Kevin Garnett hit a fadeaway baseline jumper to cut the Boston deficit to 54-46.

But then Perkins drew his second technical, and Boston was never the same after that. Perkins, who had earlier been part of a double-technical with Orlando’s Gortat, was whistled for a personal foul, then, obviously displeased, turned around and walked the other direction, screaming. This was enough to draw another technical from Ed Rush and end Perkins’ night.

Orlando’s lead fluctuated between six and 11 points during the third quarter, which saw Boston’s second casualty – Davis, who took an elbow from Howard on the way down from a shot, fell down and then couldn’t keep his balance. Davis left with a concussion, with his team trailing 84-75 at the end of the third frame.

The fourth quarter was never a contest. Leading 96-86, Orlando put together a 13-4 spurt to blow Boston out of the water late. Nelson sank a trey, Markus Pietrus dunked in transition, Nelson hit another 3, Howard and Nelson combined for three free throws and Rashard Lewis hit a jumper with 2:35 left to go up 109-90.

Redick and Lewis, who has been quiet this series and is reportedly suffering a viral infection, each scored 14 points for Orlando. Howard snagged 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Wallace led the Celtics with 21 points off the bench. Rajon Rondo scored 19 points, Pierce netted 18 and Garnett scored 10.

NOTES: Perkins’ technicals were his sixth and seventh of the playoffs, meaning that unless the league rescinds one or both of them, he will face an automatic one-game suspension. … This game snapped Boston’s string of four straight road playoff wins. … Lewis took intravenous fluids before the game. … This is the first time the Celtics will have to play a Game 6 after leading a best-of-seven series 3-0. … Orlando’s Matt Barnes and Rondo each also were teed up.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Orlando's J.J. Redick pumps his fist after sinking a 3-pointer during the Magic's 113-92 win over Boston Wednesday. (John Raoux/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Byfuglien strikes again late, Hawks finish off San Jose

2010-05-23T18:33:00.004-04:00

2010 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 4

Dustin Byfuglien was responsible for the game-winning overtime goal that put the second-seeded Chicago Blackhawks up 3-0 on San Jose.

He struck again with six minutes left in Game 4 Sunday afternoon to put the Hawks into the Stanley Cup finals.

Byfuglien scored his second game-winner in three days as the Blackhawks scored four straight goals to defeat top-seeded San Jose 4-2 and complete a sweep of the Western Conference finals in Chicago.

It was Byfuglien’s fifth straight game with a goal and captain Jonathan Toews recorded a point for the 13th straight playoff game, extending his franchise record.

With the score tied at 2, Chicago connected on a power play for the series-winning goal. Byfuglien beat Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov between his legs for his eighth goal of the playoffs. Toews and Patrick Kane assisted on the goal with just seven seconds left on the power play at the 14:05 mark of the third period.

San Jose didn’t muster much of an offensive threat after that. Chicago goalie Antti Niemi caught Douglas Murray’s slap shot with 3:15 remaining.

Then, with 42 seconds left, Chicago’s Kris Versteeg hit an empty-netter from mid-ice to seal the Blackhawks’ first trip to the finals since 1992.

Facing elimination, San Jose came out and scored the first two goals, quieting the United Center crowd in the process. With 11:08 gone in the first period, Joe Thornton won a faceoff in the offensive zone and Murray’s initial slap shot was blocked by the Hawks’ Duncan Keith. But Logan Couture went high with the rebound for his fourth goal of the postseason, with assists credited to Devin Setoguchi and Murray.

Then, with 7:35 elapsed in the second frame, Patrick Marleau, who has been responsible for most of the Sharks’ offense this series, hit a one-timer from the right offensive circle. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Pavelski received assists on the shorthanded goal that put San Jose up 2-0.

However, the Sharks did not score again, and the Blackhawks reawakened the Madhouse on Madison with a pair of second-period goals to tie the game. Brent Seabrook broke the ice for Chicago at 13:18 with a 4-on-4 goal between Nabokov’s legs, which was initially waved off by referee Tim Peel. But after conferring with the war room in Toronto, the goal was counted and Niklas Hjalmarsson and Versteeg got assists.

Five minutes and 20 seconds later, Chicago’s Dave Bolland took the puck, skated around behind the net and fired off Sharks defenseman Kent Huskins’ upper body and inside the near post from the left side, evening the score. Ben Eager and Keith were credited with helpers.

Niemi stopped 16 shots in the Blackhawks’ net, while Nabokov finished with 23 saves.

Chicago will advance to take on the winner of the Eastern Conference finals. Philadelphia currently leads Montreal in that improbable series 3-1.

NOTES: Keith lost seven teeth after Marleau, trying to clear the puck in the second period, hit Keith in the mouth with the biscuit. Keith left but returned and got an assist later. … Toews has a league-high 26 points in these playoffs. … Marleau finished with five of the Sharks’ seven goals in the series and put up a point in his eighth straight game. … The Blackhawks enter the finals having won eight of their last nine matches.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Chicago's Dustin Byfuglien celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in the Blackhawks' 4-2 win over San Jose May 23. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

Video credit – NBC

Milito hits twice, Inter finish off treble, 2-0 over Bayern

2010-05-22T17:22:00.002-04:00

2010 INTERNATIONAL SOCCER SPECIAL COVERAGE – UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

If this was in fact Jose Mourinho’s final match as manager of Inter Milan, his club, led by Alberto Diego Milito, sent him off in historic fashion.

Milito found the back of the net twice as Inter completed the first-ever Italian treble by stymieing German champions Bayern Munich 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid Saturday night.

Inter, which already won the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, is hoisting the European Cup for the first time since 1965.

Mourinho became just the third manager to win the European Cup with two different clubs, having led FC Porto of his home nation to the title in 2004. And Samuel Eto’o, who assisted on Milito’s second goal in the 70th minute, is the third player to win back-to-back Champions League titles with different teams; he led Barcelona to the title last season.

Milito put Inter up for good with a strike in the 34th minute, his fifth goal in 11 matches. He headed Nerazzurri keeper Julio Cesar’s long punt to Wesley Sneijder, took off and took a return pass before a strong finish past Bayern keeper Jorg Butt for the game-winner.

He then doubled Inter’s lead in the 70th minute, this time from the left side. Milito took Eto’o’s pass and hammered a right-footed shot to the far side of the net to set the final margin at 2-0.

Bayern, meanwhile, only got a couple of legitimate cracks at the net, both with a one-goal deficit in the early moments of the second half, and could not finish. Thomas Muller’s shot 25 seconds into the half was brilliantly stopped by Cesar, who was on the ground but stuck his feet into the path of Muller’s shot.

Then, in the 63rd minute, Bayern’s Arjen Robben hit a ball from just inside the box from the right, but Cesar slapped it away to preserve his clean sheet.

NOTES: Bayern was also seeking a treble after taking the Bundesliga and German Cup. … Inter Milan was playing in its first European final since 1972. Bayern was in its first final since winning in 2001. … Mourinho, who is rumored to be considering a move to Real Madrid, joined Ottmar Hitzfeld and Ernst Happel as the only managers to lead two different sides to European Cups. … Eto’o joins Marcel Desailly and Paulo Sousa as the only players to ever win the Champions League in two straight years with different clubs. This was Eto’o’s third European Cup; his Barcelona side also won in 2006, defeating Arsenal. … Bayern’s Franck Ribery and Inter’s Thiago Motta did not play, serving suspensions for being sent off in their clubs’ matches against Lyon and Barcelona, respectively.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Inter Milan's Diego Milito celebrates after scoring during his club's 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final May 22. (Victor R. Caivano/AP)

Video credit – FOX

Garnett, Rondo, Celtics end James’, Cavs’ season, 94-85

2010-05-13T23:40:00.005-04:00

2010 NBA PLAYOFFS SPECIAL COVERAGE – EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS GAME 6

LeBron James’ performance in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals – 27 points in a triple-double – was far better than his Game 5 effort, a 32-point loss against Boston.

Unfortunately for the Cleveland Cavaliers, that didn’t translate to a win in their most crucial game of the season.

Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo each posted double-doubles as the Celtics took down the Cavaliers 94-85 in Boston Thursday night to advance to the East finals.

The Celtics are headed for their second conference finals appearance in three seasons. The last time they made it so far, they took out Detroit on their way to a 2008 Finals victory over the Lakers. Now, they’ll face Orlando, which is 8-0 this postseason, sweeping Charlotte and Atlanta.

Meanwhile, Cleveland, which posted a league-best 61-21 regular-season record, is left to wonder whether or not its big star, James, will depart in free agency.

Boston held just a two-point lead at halftime, 51-49, and Cleveland tied the game at 57 when James saved the ball in-bounds to Shaquille O’Neal, who slammed it home. But similar to Game 5, the Celtics again dominated the rest of the third period on their way to victory. Boston put together a 10-1 run, including two Garnett jumpers and a Paul Pierce 3, on its way to a 67-58 lead and a 76-67 edge at the end of the quarter.

The Cavaliers had one final run left. After Rondo’s layup to begin the fourth quarter extended the Boston lead to double digits, Cleveland’s Anthony Parker made a free throw and James sank back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Cavs; deficit to 78-74 with 9:30 left.

But the Celtics scored the next 10 points to win going away. Rondo made a layup in transition, Pierce and Rasheed Wallace drained 3s and Garnett dunked on the break.

From there, the Cavaliers never got closer than seven. And the disturbing aspect of the final minutes for Cleveland fans must be an apparent lack of effort down the stretch by the Cavaliers – with about 1:15 to go on the Celtics’ last full possession and down just nine, Cleveland chose not to foul and lackadaisically allowed Garnett to snag an offensive rebound and help the Celtics further run down the clock.

Garnett led Boston offensively, with 22 points. Rondo netted 21, Pierce and Wallace scored 13 and Tony Allen provided a spark off the bench with 10. Garnett pulled down 12 boards, and Rondo handed out 12 assists.

James finished with 19 rebounds and 10 assists, but also committed nine turnovers. Mo Williams scored 22 points, mostly in the first half, and O’Neal chipped in 11.

NOTES: James totaled 15 points in Game 5, shooting 3-for-14 from the field. … Boston is 5-1 at home in the playoffs. … The Celtics missed their first eight 3-pointers and finished 5-for-17, the same as Cleveland. … The Cavaliers have lost all five best-of-seven series where they have gone down three games to two. … The Celtics’ Game 1 with the Magic is Sunday afternoon in Orlando.

BOX SCORE

Photo above: Boston's Kevin Garnett, right, faces Cleveland's Shaquille O'Neal, left, during the Celtics' 94-85 win over the Cavaliers in Game 6 of their playoff series May 13. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Video credit – ESPN

Hughes, Yankees knock off Tigers 8-0 to end skid

2010-05-12T23:01:00.002-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Stuck in a season-long three-game losing streak, the Yankees turned to their most dependable starter this season and finally found some offense along the way.

Phil Hughes pitched seven scoreless, five-hit innings and New York scored more runs than it had totaled during the entire losing skid, besting the Tigers 8-0 in Detroit Wednesday night.

It was the second half of a day-night doubleheader. The Tigers took the afternoon tilt 2-0.

New York (22-11) took the lead for good in the top of the first inning against Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman. Alex Rodriguez’s two-out bloop single behind first base scored Brett Gardner, who had singled and stolen second base, for a 1-0 edge.

Two innings later, the Yankees pushed across another run. Mark Teixeira’s seeing-eye single under the glove of diving Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera sent Derek Jeter, who walked and stole second, home.

That was more than enough for Hughes (5-0), who struck out eight Tigers. He has retired 39 batters via the punchout during as many innings this season.

Hughes faced only one serious jam. Detroit (19-15) loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning on a Johnny Damon walk and singles by Magglio Ordonez and Brennan Boesch singles, but Hughes struck out Alex Avila swinging and retired Don Kelly on a popout to second to end the threat.

The Yankees then broke open a pitchers’ duel and tacked on a little insurance to the tune of a six-run ninth inning against the Detroit bullpen. Francisco Cervelli’s one-out cue-shot single to center off reliever Phil Coke scored Randy Winn, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Gardner’s infield single against recently called-up reliever Alfredo Figaro then plated Cervelli.

Teixeira singled to center to score Ramiro Pena, who walked, and Jeter, who reached on a fielder’s choice, before Rodriguez’s double to left scored Gardner. Figaro’s high wild pitch then let Teixeira trot across the plate for an 8-0 advantage.

New York closer Mariano Rivera, making his first appearance since an April 30 save after reported stiffness in his left side, then retired the Tigers 1-2-3 in the ninth to end the game.

Gardner went 3-for-5 to lead New York at the plate. Teixeira and Rodriguez each were 2-for-5, and Cervelli went 2-for-4. Teixeira knocked in three runs, and Rodriguez plated two.

Boesch was the only Tiger with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.

Bonderman (1-2) was the hard-luck loser, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out seven batters, a season high, and walked one.

NOTES: New York has won eight of its last 11 games against the Tigers. … Jeter played the nightcap as the designated hitter and went 0-for-4. He is 0-for-13 in the series and 2-for-25 on the Yankees’ road trip, which began in Boston. … Cabrera extended his personal hitting streak to 11 games. … This was Bonderman’s first decision in his last four starts. He is 3-8 all-time against New York. … Avila is 0-for-16 this season with runners in scoring position. He was 0-for-2 in Wednesday night’s game. … Detroit lost for just the fourth time in 15 home games. … The Yankees sit in second place in the AL East, 1.5 games back of Tampa Bay, the best team in the majors. Detroit trails Central-leading Minnesota by three games. … C.C. Sabathia will work the series finale for New York Thursday afternoon. He’ll oppose Detroit starter Justin Verlander.

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Photo above: New York pitcher Phil Hughes delivers during the Yankees' 8-0 win over Detroit May 12. (Robin Buckson/The Detroit News)

Video credit – ESPN

Gators outlast rain, Kentucky for 10-8 win

2010-04-17T00:15:00.002-04:00

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Florida designated hitter Austin Maddox hit a game-winning seventh-inning home run and the Gators withstood a couple of late Kentucky rallies and a long rain delay to take the opener of their series with the Wildcats 10-8 in Lexington, Ky., Friday night.

Umpires called a rain delay of about 1 ½ hours during the top of the eighth inning. The rain, which had been falling basically all evening, finally let up and allowed play to resume at about 11:05 p.m. ET.

Following the rain, Kentucky trailed 10-6 but made some noise at the plate, scoring twice and getting the tying run to the plate. Chris Bisson’s groundout against Florida closer Kevin Chapman plated Marcus Nidiffer, who was hit by a pitch. Chad Wright’s single to left-center chased home Taylor Black, who had doubled down the left-field line, bringing Kentucky to within 10-8.

But with two runners on and only one out, Chapman struck out Gunner Glad swinging and induced an Andy Burns flyout to escape the jam.

Then, in the ninth, Chapman struck out Braden Kapteyn, Keenan Wiley and Nidiffer 1-2-3, all swinging, to preserve Florida’s victory.

The Gators (No. 9 NCBWA) held a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but Kentucky (No. 30) used a couple of long balls on its way to tying the score. With one out, Nidiffer and Black hit back-to-back shots to center off Florida starter Alex Panteliodis. Then, Chad Wright’s sac fly to deep left scored Michael Williams, who had doubled and taken third on a wild pitch by Gators reliever Nick Maronde.

But Florida (24-9, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) came back with three runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead for good. Maddox lifted a two-out home run to right-center against Wildcats reliever Jordan Cooper, scoring Nolan Fontana, who had walked, and Preston Tucker, who singled. The blast handed the Gators a 9-6 edge.

The Gators plated another run in the eighth before the rain delay. Matt den Dekker led off the inning with a homer to right, not long before the tarp was pulled and play was stopped.

Earlier, Kentucky (21-13, 4-9) drew first blood, touching Florida ace Panteliodis for two runs in the bottom of the second. Burns led off the inning with a homer to right-center, and with two down, Nidiffer went deep to left-center.

Then, in the fourth, Kapteyn’s single plated Burns, who had led off with a double and moved to third on a throwing error on Panteliodis.

But Florida scored five times in the fifth inning off Wildcats starter Logan Darnell to take its first lead. Daniel Pigott led off with a homer to left field. Then, Fontana singled with one out and Kentucky right fielder Glad committed an error, allowing den Dekker, who had singled, and Josh Adams and Mike Zunino, who each walked, to score.

Pigott’s groundout scored Fontana to cap the inning with a 5-3 Gator lead.

Florida tacked on one more in the sixth before the Wildcats’ first rally. Bryson Smith’s sacrifice fly with one down plated Maddox, who had doubled and took third on den Dekker’s sac bunt.

Maddox was 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Gators’ attack. Den Dekker went 2-for-3 and Pigott posted a 2-for-5 night. Fontana knocked in two runs.

Jeff Barfield (2-0) got the win for Florida, allowing two runs on one hit over 1 1-3 innings of work. Chapman worked two innings, yielding one walk and one hit with four strikeouts, for his seventh save of the year. Panteliodis went 5 1-3 frames, allowing five runs on eight hits, with three punchouts and a walk.

Nidiffer went 2-for-3, Black was 2-for-4 and Burns posted a 2-for-5 night for Kentucky. Wright and Nidiffer each posted two RBI.

Cooper (1-3) was the pitcher of record for the Wildcats, yielding four runs on three hits in one inning. Darnell lasted six innings and gave up six runs on seven hits, with two walks and three strikeouts.

NOTES: Tucker extended his hitting streak to a team-high eight games. … Florida has won six of nine against the Wildcats and leads the all-time series 126-54-1. … The Gators man second place in the SEC East, trailing South Carolina, which owns a 10-3 conference mark with its 5-0 win over Ole Miss Friday night. Kentucky is tied with Tennessee for fourth place in the conference. The Volunteers downed Mississippi State 15-13 Friday. … The Gators will send freshman right-hander Hudson Randall to the mound Saturday night in search of the series victory. Kentucky will counter with freshman southpaw Taylor Rogers.

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Video/audio credit – Big Blue Sports Network

BC drills Wisconsin 5-0 for second title in three seasons

2010-04-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

2009-10 COLLEGE HOCKEY POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

Boston College entered the Frozen Four as the hottest team in the country. The Eagles will leave Detroit with another national championship.

Sophomore forward Cam Atkinson scored two of the Eagles’ four third-period goals and junior goalie John Muse stopped 20 shots to whitewash Wisconsin 5-0 Saturday night.

The Eagles (29-10-3) end the 2010 season on a 13-game unbeaten streak and claimed their second title in three years and fourth overall. Boston College also got a measure of revenge for the Badgers’ 2-1 conquest of the Eagles in the 2006 final.

Boston College took the lead for good on a power-play goal 12:57 into the game. Senior Ben Smith, the Frozen Four most outstanding player, took passes from Steven Whitney and Joe Whitney and beat Wisconsin tender Scott Gudmandson to his left for a 1-0 edge.

After a scoreless second period, the Eagles broke through for three goals in the first 7 ½ minutes of the third period to blow the game open. With 1:38 gone in the period, Atkinson scored off Joe Whitney’s assist. At the 3:40 mark, Chris Kreider found the net, with helpers credited to Jimmy Hayes and Philip Samuelsson. Finally, with 7:20 elapsed in the third frame, Atkinson scored on another power play, with Brian Gibbons assisting, for a 4-0 Eagles lead.

BC then cashed in an empty-netter for the last goal of the season. Matt Price scored an unassisted, uncontested goal with 4:31 left in the period to go up 5-0.

Gudmandson made 21 saves for the Badgers (28-11-4).

NOTES: Boston College’s last loss came at Northeastern, falling 3-2 Feb. 19. The Eagles tied New Hampshire March 5. … BC trailed just 55 seconds during its 13-game unbeaten streak. … The Eagles downed Notre Dame for the 2008 title. … Boston College beat Miami (Ohio) 7-1 in the semifinals Thursday, while Wisconsin downed the Rochester Institute of Technology 8-1. … The Eagles lead the all-time series 12-9 and have won four straight meetings with the Badgers. … Wisconsin was seeking its seventh national championship. … Boston College’s seniors finished their careers with a 25-2 postseason record. … This was the Eagles’ fourth final in the last five years. Besides losing to the Badgers in 2006 and beating the Irish in 2008, they lost to Michigan State in 2007.

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Video credit – ESPN

Duke survives Butler for fourth national title, 61-59

2010-04-06T00:05:00.001-04:00

2009-10 COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

The feel-good story of the tournament, hometown Butler, couldn’t have possibly come any closer to winning its first national championship without actually hoisting the trophy.

Instead, the big-boy Duke Blue Devils fended off two potential game-winning shots from Bulldogs star Gordon Hayward in the last five seconds to take home their fourth title.

Duke’s Kyle Singler led all scorers with 19 points and Hayward’s short jumper with 5 seconds to go and half-court heave at the buzzer each hit the rim but just wouldn’t go down, letting the top-seeded Blue Devils escape with a 61-59 win in the tournament title game in Indianapolis Monday night.

With the win, Blue Devils (35-5) coach Mike Krzyzewski joined former UCLA coach John Wooden and Kentucky mentor Adolph Rupp as the only coaches to win four or more national titles.

Trailing 60-55 in the last 2 minutes, No. 5 seed Butler (33-5) came back to the brink of winning the title. Matt Howard, whose status was questionable coming in after sustaining a mild concussion during the Bulldogs’ semifinal win over Michigan State, scored down low twice to cut his team's deficit to 60-59.

Singler then missed a jumper with 38 seconds to go, giving the Bulldogs one more shot. After a Duke deflection and a pair of timeouts, Hayward took an inbounds pass, drove the lane and lofted a rainbow from the right side over the backboard which hit the back iron and fell off into Duke’s Brian Zoubek’s hands.

Zoubek was immediately fouled and hit the first free throw with 3.6 seconds left but missed the second intentionally, setting Hayward and Butler into motion. Hayward snagged the rebound and took off down the right side, hurling a shot from half-court that struck the backboard, came off the front iron and bounded away to end the Bulldogs’ run.

The excitement of the final possessions was a fitting end to a back-and-forth championship game. Duke and Butler traded 3-pointers to close the first half, with Nolan Smith hitting for the Blue Devils and Avery Jukes connecting for the Bulldogs, to make the halftime score 33-32, Duke.

Jon Scheyer scored 15 points and Smith added 13, while Zoubek snagged 11 boards.

Hayward and Shelvin Mack each scored 12 points for Butler. Howard also netted 11.

NOTES: Duke was making its fourth championship game appearance in 12 years. The Blue Devils won the 1991 title in Indianapolis. … Butler’s 25-game winning streak has come to an end. The Bulldogs last lost at UAB Dec. 22. … The Blue Devils have won 13 straight neutral-site games. … Duke ends the season on a 10-game winning streak. … This marked the second time since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1984 that two private schools played for the title, and the fifth time overall. Georgetown and Villanova met in the 1985 championship.

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Video credit – CBS

Boston downs defending champ Yanks 9-7 in opener

2010-04-05T00:47:00.001-04:00

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Coming into the season, much has been made over the Boston Red Sox remaking themselves into a club more focused on pitching, defense and “small ball.”

These may not be the Sox of old, but they showed the rival Yankees Sunday night they can still get it done at the plate.

Dustin Pedroia knocked in three runs, two with a seventh-inning game-tying homer, as the Red Sox came back from a four-run fourth-inning deficit to beat New York 9-7 in Boston in the 2010 season opener.

Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Pedroia and Boston (1-0) tied the game, then turned Yankee miscues into their first lead of the night. Pedroia hit a game-tying one-out home run to left field, plating new shortstop Marco Scutaro, who led off the inning with a single off New York reliever Chan Ho Park.

Kevin Youkilis then touched Park for a two-out double off the Green Monster, bringing Damaso Marte on out of the New York bullpen. Marte promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing Youkilis to take third, and then released another high offering that catcher Jorge Posada couldn’t handle, resulting in a passed ball and the game-winning run in the form of Youkilis.

Boston played tack-on in the eighth against Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain. Mike Cameron, making his first appearance in center field for the Red Sox, singled with one down to center and came home on Pedroia’s two-out single to right, closing the scorebook at 9-7.

Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon came on for the ninth and pitched around a two-out Posada single, retiring new Yankee Curtis Granderson on a groundout to third for the final out.

New York drew first blood against Boston starter Josh Beckett in the second inning with back-to-back jacks. Posada lined a two-out pitch off the left-field foul pole before Granderson hit a shot out to right-center in his first at-bat with New York.

The Red Sox cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the frame. New third baseman Adrian Beltre’s one-out sacrifice fly to the warning track in right scored Youkilis, who had doubled off New York starter C.C. Sabathia.

The Yankees (0-1) came back with a three-run fourth inning. Robinson Cano led off with a double over Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury’s glove off the left-field wall, Nick Swisher drew a two-out walk and Brett Gardner singled the other way to score Cano.

Derek Jeter’s grounder past a diving Scutaro scored Swisher, advancing Gardner to third, before the Yankees gave Boston a little of its own medicine from last season. Jeter took off for second, drawing Boston catcher Victor Martinez’s throw, before Gardner sprinted for the plate, reminiscent of Ellsbury’s straight swipe of home in a Boston win over the Yanks on a Sunday night last April. This double steal resulted in a 5-1 Yankees lead.

Unfazed, Boston scored four runs over the next three innings to even the score. In the fifth, Scutaro’s two-out single to left scored J.D. Drew, who had singled to left. One inning later, Youkilis laced a triple past Swisher into the right-field corner, plating Pedroia, who had walked, and Martinez, who reached on a double down the left-field line.

After David Robertson relieved Sabathia, Beltre promptly singled up the middle to allow Youkilis to score and tie the game at 5.

New York took the lead back in the seventh against Red Sox relievers Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima. Mark Teixeira drew a leadoff walk against Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez doubled high off the Monster. Cano’s groundout against Okajima sent Teixeira home, and Posada singled up the middle to score Rodriguez for a 7-5 edge that Pedroia would soon negate.

Youkilis went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, while Pedroia was 2-for-4. Cameron and Scutaro each were 2-for-3 in their Red Sox debuts. Beckett lasted 4 2-3 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout. Okajima (1-0) was credited with the win, allowing one hit and a walk over one inning. Papelbon recorded his first save.

Posada was 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead New York. Gardner went 2-for-4, and Jeter and Cano each had 2-for-5 nights. Sabathia worked 5 1-3 frames and yielded five runs on six hits, with two walks and four punchouts. Park (0-1) took the loss, giving up three runs, two earned, on three hits while recording two outs.

NOTES: New York had won nine of 10 in the series. … This was the first night opener in the history of Fenway Park, which opened in 1912. … Sabathia was making his seventh Opening Day start, while Beckett worked his fifth lidlifter. … The series resumes Tuesday night, with Boston’s Jon Lester set to oppose the Yankees’ A.J. Burnett.

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Video credit – ESPN2

Hayward, Butler down Spartans, one win from title

2010-04-03T21:14:00.000-04:00

2009-10 COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT FINAL FOUR

A 10 ½-minute field-goal drought couldn’t derail the hometown Butler Bulldogs on their way to the national title game.

Gordon Hayward scored two of his game-high 19 points to break an extended scoring drought with 1:36 to go, helping lead No. 5 seed Butler to a 52-50 win over Michigan State in the Final Four in Indianapolis Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (33-4), the hometown favorite making their first Final Four appearance, will again travel the 5.7 miles from the Butler campus to Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night to take on the winner of Saturday night’s West Virginia – Duke matchup. This time, they’ll have a shot at the national championship.

To get there, the Bulldogs first had to survive a dreadful cold spell – shooting just 24 percent in the second half and 30.6 percent for the game. But Butler hit 70.4 percent of its free throws, while the fifth-seeded Spartans converted only 55.6 percent of its shots from the charity stripe.

Michigan State’s Korie Lucious sank a 3-pointer to begin the second half and put the Spartans (28-9) up 31-28. But from there, Butler went on a 10-2 run to take a lead that would hold up for good. Hayward made a pair at the line, Willie Veasley and Shelvin Mack made layups, Ronald Nored nailed two free throws and Matt Howard scored down low to hand the Bulldogs a 38-33 edge with 15 minutes remaining.

Durrell Summers finished off an alley-oop from Lucious to bring the Spartans to within 39-37 before the Bulldogs picked up their biggest lead, reeling off five straight points. Avery Jukes came up with an offensive rebound and putback, Hayward made a free throw and Veasley converted a steal into a slam for a 44-37 advantage.

But from there, Michigan State, making a return trip to the Final Four after reaching the title game in Detroit last season, held Butler without a field goal for the next 10 ½ minutes and outscored the Bulldogs 9-4 during that stretch to climb to within two. Delvon Roe and Summers each made a layup, Raymar Morgan put back his own miss and Draymond Green hit a free throw and scored down low – all while Howard, Hayward and Shawn Vanzant combined for four free throws – to cut Butler’s edge to 48-46 with 2:09 to go.

Hayward and Butler finally broke through on their next possession. Hayward missed a 3 – Butler’s 12th straight missed field goal – but Vanzant saved the ball in-bounds right back to Hayward, who laid it in with 1:36 left.

Michigan State came back to within one the next time down the court, after Summers sank a free throw, Roe rebounded his miss on his second try, and Green canned two from the line.

But the Spartans could get no closer. Green missed a contested shot in the line with 7 seconds left. Then, down three after two Nored free throws, Lucious made his first and missed his second of two free throws intentionally with 2 ticks remaining, but Hayward pulled down the rebound as time expired.

At the game’s outset, Lucious sank back-to-back 3s for an early Michigan State lead, but Hayward answered with two straight triples of his own. Butler scored the last five points of the half, as Veasley connected on two free throws and, after a Vanzant steal, Mack drained a trey with 38 seconds left in the half to tie the score at 28.

Mack added 14 points to Butler’s cause. Summers put up a double-double for Michigan State, scoring 14 points with 10 boards. Lucious and Green each contributed 12 points.

NOTES: Butler has won 25 straight contests. The Bulldogs haven’t lost since falling 67-57 at UAB Dec. 22. … The Spartans were making their nation-high sixth Final Four appearance in the last 12 seasons. They lost to North Carolina 89-72 in the championship game last year. … Butler is making the first-ever Final Four for a Horizon League team. It already holds the records for most wins in school history and for a Horizon League squad. … The Bulldogs have won eight of their last 10 against Big Ten teams, including a 3-1 mark this year. … Michigan State had never lost a tournament game in Indianapolis, including winning the 2000 national title. The Spartans fall to 7-1 in the city. … Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the Spartans’ second-round win over Maryland, again watched from the bench in street clothes. … The Spartans lost for just the second time in nine games.

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Video credit – CBS

Blue Devils beat Baylor 78-71 for Final Four return

2010-03-28T21:54:00.000-04:00

2009-10 COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT ELITE EIGHT

With one of top-seeded Duke’s three big guns held without a field goal by the Baylor defense, the other two stepped up to get the Blue Devils back to the Final Four.

Kyle Singler only scored five points, all from the free throw line, but Nolan Smith scored 29 and Jon Scheyer netted 20 to push Duke past third-seeded Baylor 78-71 in the South Region final in Houston on Sunday.

Now, the Blue Devils (33-5) move on to their first Final Four in six years. They’ll face East Region champion West Virginia in Indianapolis on Saturday night, with defending runner-up Michigan State set to oppose first-time participant Butler in the other national semifinal.

Duke turned a four-point possession and a Baylor technical into a 12-1 second-half run to punch its ticket to Indianapolis. Trailing 61-60 with just over 3 1/2 minutes left, Smith went to the line for a pair of free throws. He made the first one and missed the second, but Lance Thomas pulled down one of his astounding eight offensive boards and found Smith for a 3-pointer that gave Duke the lead.

Scheyer then nailed a trey on Duke’s next possession, and after a Baylor free throw, Thomas made a three-point play off a dunk putback, putting the Blue Devils up 70-62.

After a Singler steal, the Bears’ frustration got the better of them. Scheyer threw an elbow in the general direction of Baylor’s LaceDarius Dunn’s face trying to break a double-team, and after play had stopped, the Bears’ Quincy Acy bumped Smith, leading to a technical on Acy. Scheyer sank the two technical free throws with 1:19 left to extend Duke’s lead to double digits.

Baylor (28-8) could get no closer than five after that. Dunn hit a 3 off an in-bounds pass with 9 seconds left, but Singler nailed two free throws at the other end to set the final margin at 78-71.

Trailing by five late in the first half, Baylor scored 10 unanswered points to take what would become a halftime lead. Ekpe Udoh made a free throw, Dunn stole the ball and dunked, Acy scored and dunked on consecutive possessions and Tweety Carter sank a 3. The Bears led 35-32 at the break.

But the Blue Devils used another four-point possession to spark a rally early in the second period. Trailing 42-37, Singler scored his first point of the game on a free throw, but missed the second one. Scheyer, however, snagged the rebound and was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. Scheyer then downed all three free throws.

After a Dunn layup, Smith sank four straight free throws. Udoh hit two from the line for Baylor, but Smith answered with a jumper, and Brian Zoubek’s putback put Duke up 49-46 with 14 minutes to go.

Dunn led the Bears with 22 points. Udoh posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Carter and Acy each scored 12.

NOTES: Singler had made at least one field goal in all 108 career games prior to Sunday. … This was the teams’ first meeting. … This is Duke’s 11th Final Four under coach Mike Krzyzewski. … The Blue Devils are 11-1 in region finals since 1985. … Duke hit just 22 of 61 field goals, or 36.1 percent. Baylor shot 45.8 percent from the field. … This was the Bears’ winningest season in school history.

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Video credit – CBS

West Virginia knocks off ‘Cats to reach Final Four

2010-03-27T22:09:00.000-04:00

2009-10 COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NCAA TOURNAMENT ELITE EIGHT

With a trip to the Final Four on the line, West Virginia’s sharpshooters had little trouble taking down the favored but cold-shooting Kentucky.

Da’Sean Butler scored 18 points to lead the second-seeded Mountaineers past top-seeded Kentucky 73-66 in the East Region final in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday night.

West Virginia (31-6) is headed to its second Final Four in school history and first in 51 years. A key reason for that success was using a 1-3-1 zone to force the explosive Wildcats (35-3) offense to shoot jumpers.

Kentucky, consequently, shot just 4-for-32 from behind the arc. The ‘Cats also sank just 55.2 percent of their free throws. Meanwhile, West Virginia hit 10 3-pointers – all of its first-half points from the field came from long range.

Already leading 28-26 at the start of the second half, the Mountaineers opened up a double-digit lead immediately. Kevin Jones made a 3-pointer in the corner, emergency starter Joe Mazzulla went coast-to-coast for a layup and John Flowers sank a trey for a 36-26 edge – Kentucky’s first double-digit deficit of the NCAA tournament.

Then, up 53-45, West Virginia poured home eight straight points for a lead that would prove insurmountable. Cam Thoroughman broke free for a wide-open layup, Jones got the roll on a baseline jumper and Devin Ebanks scored and added two free throws for a 61-45 advantage.

Kentucky turned up the pressure and managed to cut its deficit to four points late. Trailing 68-58, freshman phenom John Wall sank a long 3, Patrick Patterson made two free throws and Darnell Dodson got a trey to fall after Smith and Butler each made a free throw, coming to within 70-66 with 29 seconds to go.

Jones then made one of two from the line for the Mountaineers, and Thoroughman altered Dodson’s 3 on the other end. Ebanks sank two free throws with 13 seconds left to end it.

Mazzulla, starting in place of point guard Darryl “Truck” Bryant, who broke his right foot in practice Tuesday, scored 17 points, a career high. Jones added 13 and Ebanks chipped in 12.

Wall led all scorers with 19 points for the Wildcats. DeMarcus Cousins contributed 15, while Patterson hauled down 13 rebounds.

NOTES: West Virginia has won 10 straight games. … Kentucky lost for just the second time in its last 18 contests. … The Mountaineers are 25-0 this season when holding opponents under 70 points. … West Virginia will take on the winner of Sunday’s South Region final, pitting Duke and Baylor, next Saturday in Indianapolis.

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Video credit – CBS

Crosby OT goal gives Canada 3-2 win over U.S., gold

2010-02-28T18:29:00.000-05:00

2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS SPECIAL COVERAGE – MEN’S ICE HOCKEY GOLD-MEDAL GAME

It didn’t take Canada long to exact revenge for its loss to the United States last Sunday.

Team USA scored with 24 seconds left in the third period to force overtime, but Sidney Crosby found the net in the extra session to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the Americans and the 2010 Winter Olympics gold medal in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday.

Relegated to the qualification tournament after their 5-3 loss to the U.S. last Sunday night, the Canadians completed a stretch of four wins in six days with their victory to clinch gold.

American netminder Ryan Miller was named the tournament MVP and made 35 saves.

Canada (6-1) took control early with the first two goals. Jonathan Toews scored his first Olympic goal on a rebound at the 12:50 mark of the first period, with Mike Richards receiving an assist.

Then, 7:13 into the second frame, Corey Perry sent home a rebound with helpers credited to Ryan Getzlaf and Duncan Keith.

Team USA (5-1) came to life at the 12:44 mark of the second period, when Ryan Kesler redirected Patrick Kane’s drive off Luongo and across the crease to cut the Americans’ deficit in half.

The U.S. narrowly avoided disaster before tying the game. With 3:15 to go in the third period, Crosby couldn’t capitalize on a breakaway when Kane reached in from behind and got his stick on the puck to kept Crosby from getting off a free shot at Miller.

Then, with an empty net and an extra attacker on the ice for Team USA, Zach Parise sent home the puck after Kane sent it at the net off Jamie Langenbrunner’s skate and Luongo with 24.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the game.

But Crosby stepped up in overtime to win it. Crosby, on the left wall, threw the puck into the corner to Jarome Iginla, who then sent it back to Crosby in the left circle. He finished the rest from there to clinch the gold medal and redemption against the Americans for Canada.

Canadian goaltender Roberto Luongo, who stepped into the crease after coach Mike Babcock replaced Martin Brodeur following Team USA’s win last week, stopped 34 shots for Canada.

NOTES: Team Canada also beat the U.S. for gold in the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. … Finland took bronze after its 5-3 victory over Slovakia Saturday. … Team USA had not trailed in the tournament until the first period of this game. … This marked only the third time a host nation won gold in men’s hockey. The Americans came out on top in 1960 in Squaw Valley and 1980 in Lake Placid.

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Video credit – NBC

Rafalski, Miller send USA past Canada, to quarterfinals

2010-02-21T22:42:00.000-05:00

2010 VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS SPECIAL COVERAGE – MEN’S ICE HOCKEY PRELIMINARY ROUND

Brian Rafalski scored two goals and assisted on another, Ryan Miller turned away 42 shots and the United States beat host Canada 5-3 in the Olympics preliminaries in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday night.

Canada outshot the Americans 45-22, but the U.S. held on for its first win over the Canadians in an Olympic contest since 1960. With the win, the Americans clinched either a 1 or 2 seed in the quarterfinals, depending on the outcome of the Sweden-Finland game Sunday night.

The U.S. (3-0) wasted no time, scoring its first goal 41 seconds after the puck dropped. Rafalski’s shot deflected off Canada star Sidney Crosby and past keeper Martin Brodeur. Ryan Suter and Jamie Langenbrunner were credited with assists on the play.

The hosts evened the count 8 minutes later. Eric Staal sent home a deflection from Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews to tie the game.

It only took Rafalski and the Americans 22 seconds to regain the lead. With Langenbrunner screening his New Jersey teammate Brodeur in front of the net, Rafalski rocketed a shot right down the middle for a 2-1 edge at the first intermission.

Canada (2-1) came back to tie the score again 3:32 into the second period. Dany Heatley poked a Toews miss past Miller, with Shea Weber also receiving an assist.

With just under four minutes to go in the second frame, the U.S. took the lead for good. Chris Drury scored off helpers from Bobby Ryan and David Backes at the 16:46 mark for a 3-2 advantage.

The Americans started off the third period with some insurance on a power play. Rafalski’s low slap shot ricocheted off Langenbrunner’s skate and into the net with 7:09 gone in the period. Suter also received an assist.

Crosby scored on a power play to cut the Canadians’ deficit to one goal with just over 3 minutes to go. Rick Nash and Duncan Keith sent the puck to Crosby by the net, who sent it in at the 16:51 mark to make it 4-3, U.S.

But Miller turned aside shot after shot in the next 2 minutes, and the Americans added another goal to seal it. Zach Parise found Ryan Kesler skating up the left side, and Kesler got the puck past Canada forward Corey Perry into the empty net with 44.7 seconds left for the final margin.

Brodeur stopped 18 shots for Canada.

NOTES: Rafalski’s second goal was his fourth straight for the U.S. … The Americans finished their Group A preliminary round with 9 points. Canada netted 5 and will have to face Germany in the qualification tournament for a shot to advance. … This was the first all-North American Olympic hockey game since Canada downed the U.S. 5-2 to win gold in the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – MSNBC

Duke deals Heels sixth loss in seven games, 64-54

2010-02-10T23:24:00.000-05:00

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

North Carolina had former star Tyler Hansbrough back in the building to retire his number Wednesday night. Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, he wouldn’t be able to wear his familiar No. 50 against rival Duke.

Jon Scheyer led all scorers with 24 points as the Duke Blue Devils (No. 8 AP) handed reeling North Carolina its fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games, 64-54 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Duke (20-4, 8-2 ACC) extended its ACC lead to a full game over second-place Maryland. The Tar Heels (13-11, 2-7), the defending national champions and preseason No. 6, find themselves second to last in the conference with their NCAA tournament hopes dimming seemingly by the day.

North Carolina cut its deficit to 49-48 on Will Graves’ 3-pointer with 6 minutes to go. But Duke put together a 15-4 run down the stretch to win the game. Scheyer sank a 3, Nolan Smith put in a layup, Kyle Singler scored and Scheyer hit a fallaway trey. Scheyer made three more free throws and Smith sank two freebies for a 64-52 lead with under half a minute to go.

The game was back-and-forth throughout. Duke took a 9-4 lead on two 3s from Singler and a Scheyer triple, but Carolina tied the game at 20 on two Deon Thompson free throws and a Graves 3. The Heels’ Larry Drew II made a 3-point play to close the half to cut the black-clad Blue Devils’ halftime edge to 28-27.

Trailing 39-38, North Carolina took its biggest lead at four points on Drew’s 3 and a Dexter Strickland layup. But Duke came back to tie the game at 45 before the Blue Devils’ Mason Plumlee sent home an emphatic reverse slam off an offensive board and Scheyer made a layup for a 49-45 edge.

Duke won despite shooting just 31.9 percent from the field. The Tar Heels hit 34.5 percent of their shots.

Singler scored 19 points and Smith put in 10 for Duke.

Graves led North Carolina with 13 points. Drew scored 11 and Thompson chipped in 10.

NOTES: North Carolina had won the last three games and six of seven in the series. The Tar Heels still lead the all-time series 130-98. … Carolina has dropped five straight home contests. That’s the Heels’ longest such streak since 2001-02. … Duke returns home for a showdown for first place with the Terrapins Saturday afternoon. The Tar Heels host fellow league bottomfeeder North Carolina State Saturday afternoon.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – ESPN

Brees leads Saints to comeback over Colts, 31-17

2010-02-07T22:51:00.000-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – SUPER BOWL XLIV

The resurrection of the New Orleans Saints and of Drew Brees is complete.

Brees, cast off from the Chargers after a torn labrum in 2005, led the Saints to a 31-17 win over Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday night.

And now New Orleans, four seasons removed from a 3-13 record in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, has its first Super Bowl title in franchise history.

The Saints (16-3) matched the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, coming back from a first-quarter 10-0 deficit. Super Bowl MVP Brees completed 32 of 39 passes for two touchdowns, tying the Super Bowl record for completions.

Colts (16-3) quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 333 yards and a score, but tossed a crucial fourth-quarter interception that Tracy Porter returned for a 74-yard touchdown for a two-possession lead.

Momentum swung New Orleans’ way after a daring play to start the second half. Trailing 10-6, the Saints elected to onside kick, and safety Chris Reis came up with Thomas Morstead’s boot at the Saints’ 42.

Brees then found Pierre Thomas, who broke three tackles for 12 yards. Thomas took a screen pass and cut up the middle for a 16-yard score. Garrett Hartley’s extra point put New Orleans up 13-10.

Indianapolis marched right back to retake the lead. Joseph Addai ran for 11 yards and Manning found Dallas Clark for 26 and 27 yards on consecutive third downs. Clark made a reception for 11 on third-and-5 before Addai spun out of a tackle for a 4-yard touchdown. Matt Stover hit the point-after.

However, the Saints scored the final 18 points of the game to win going away. Courtney Roby returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards, Reggie Bush caught a pass over the middle for 13 and Devery Henderson made a reception on play-action for 12 yards on the sideline.

Hartley’s 47-yard field goal cut the New Orleans deficit to 17-16 to begin the fourth quarter.

The Saints pinned the Colts back at their own 11 on the kickoff, but Manning and Reggie Wayne hooked up to convert a fourth down as Indianapolis headed into field-goal range. But Stover, the oldest player in Super Bowl history at 42, missed a 51-yard field goal wide left.

Starting at its own 41, New Orleans took the lead for good. Bush ran for 12 yards before Brees hit Jeremy Shockey for a 2-yard touchdown. The Saints went for two, and Lance Moore caught a pass at the goal line, which was initially ruled incomplete but overturned by replay, to put the Saints up 24-17.

Porter then intercepted Manning and ran it all the way back with 3 minutes to go, and on the Colts’ final possession, Wayne dropped Manning’s throw at the goal line on fourth-and-goal for a turnover on downs with 44 seconds left.

Earlier, Indianapolis scored the first points of the game after a Saints three-and-out. Clark caught a play-action throw for 18 yards and made a reception for seven on third-and-4. Manning and Austin Collie hooked up for 14 to convert third-and-7 to set up a 38-yard Stover field goal.

New Orleans punted again, sending the Colts back to their own 4. Manning and Co. responded with the longest drive in Super Bowl history to go up by double digits. Donald Brown caught a pass for 11 and Addai reeled off gains of 16, 11 and 26 yards, the last on third-and-1. Manning found Pierre Garcon for a 19-yard score on third-and-6.

But the Saints kicked two field goals to close the second half. Brees and Marques Colston hooked up for 11 yards on the sideline, Indianapolis’ Philip Wheeler was penalized for unnecessary roughness and Colston hauled in a pass for 10 over the middle. Hartley kicked a 46-yard field goal for the Saints’ first points.

Indianapolis went three-and-out, but New Orleans couldn’t score, as Thomas was stuffed on fourth-and-goal by Gary Brackett, Clint Session and Tim Jennings. But the Colts again were held to three plays and punted, setting up the Saints at their 46 with 35 seconds to go in the half.

Henderson caught a pass for 19 yards to set up Hartley’s 44-yard field goal as the half expired, cutting the Colts’ edge to 10-6.

Brees threw for 288 yards in his Super Bowl debut. Colston caught seven passes for 83 yards, Henderson made seven receptions for 63 yards and Thomas caught six passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Manning connected on 31 of 45 passes. Addai ran for 77 yards on 13 carries, with a touchdown. Clark caught seven passes for 86 yards, Collie made six receptions for 66 yards, Garcon hauled in five tosses for 66 yards and a score, Addai made seven catches for 58 yards and Wayne snagged five passes for 46 yards.

NOTES: Washington came back from a 10-0 deficit to beat Denver in Super Bowl XXII. … The Saints had won two playoff games in franchise history before this season; they’ve won three this year. … Morstead’s onside kick was the first before the fourth quarter in Super Bowl history. … Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney started after tearing a right-ankle ligament during the Colts’ AFC title-game win over the New York Jets. Freeney recorded one sack but made little noise in the second half. … Hartley became the first kicker to hit three field goals from 40 or more yards away in one Super Bowl. … The Colts were seeking their second Super Bowl win in four years, after taking down Chicago in the same venue in Super Bowl XLI. … The Colts lost just their third playoff game out of their last nine. … Indianapolis ran just six offensive plays in the second quarter. … Brees completed his last 10 passes. … Tom Brady connected on 32 passes during New England’s Super Bowl XXXVIII win over Carolina. … Manning and Brees’ 63 combined completions set a Super Bowl record.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – CBS

McCamey paces Illini to win over Lucas-less Spartans

2010-02-06T23:37:00.001-05:00

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

With Michigan State’s star on the sideline, Illinois made the Big Ten race a whole lot more interesting.

Demetri McCamey scored 22 points and handed out 11 assists as the Fighting Illini beat the No. 5 Spartans 78-73 in Champaign, Ill., Saturday night.

Michigan State’s Kalin Lucas, last year’s conference player of the year, did not dress after spraining his right ankle during the Spartans’ loss to Wisconsin Tuesday.

Illinois (16-8, 8-3 Big Ten) has won four straight games after a three-game losing streak. The first-place Spartans (19-5, 9-2), meanwhile, have lost two straight games for the first time since February 2008.

The Spartans, who had trailed most of the night, drew even with 1:45 left when two Raymar Morgan free throws tied the game at 68. But Illinois freshman Brandon Paul drove for a layup, and McCamey drained a 3-pointer with 37.7 seconds left to put the Illini up 73-68.

Michigan State’s Durrell Summers’ 3 with 17.4 seconds to go cut the Spartans’ deficit to 74-73, but D.J. Richardson sank two free throws, and Summers’ potential game-tying trey was partially blocked by Mike Davis, who capped the night off with an emphatic slam at the other end.

Earlier, Illinois put together the game’s first run. With the score tied at 16, Richardson hit a 3, Dominique Keller dunked, Davis made a layup and Bill Cole slammed it home to cap a 9-2 run.

Michigan State answered, though. Chris Allen and Korie Lucious hit 3s and Austin Thornton’s jumper at the first-half buzzer brought the Spartans to within 35-34.

The teams kept going back and forth early in the second half. Tied at 45, Paul scored after Davis’ offensive rebound while being fouled. McCamey then sank back-to-back 3s for a 53-47 edge.

The Spartans scored eight straight to take the lead. Draymond Green hit a putback and Allen made two 3-pointers.

Illinois then reeled off nine straight to regain the advantage. Davis sank a jumper, Paul converted a steal into a slam, McCamey drilled a 3 and Richardson dunked in transition for a 64-57 lead with about 7 minutes left.

Davis scored 16 points and Richardson added 14 for the Illini.

Michigan State’s Green put up a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Allen contributed 15 points and Summers chipped in 11.

NOTES: The Spartans had won 10 straight before falling to the Badgers. … Michigan State lost for just the third time in its last 15 conference road games. … The all-time series, including the Spartans’ 73-63 win Jan. 16, is tied at 54. … Illinois travels to Wisconsin Tuesday night. The Spartans face Purdue Tuesday.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – ESPN

Hartley boots Saints past Vikes 31-28, into Super Bowl

2010-01-24T23:25:00.003-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

After 43 seasons of mostly awful football and one tragedy that shook the Gulf Coast and gutted the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Saints are headed for their first Super Bowl.

Garrett Hartley kicked a 40-yard field goal in overtime to push the Saints past the Vikings 31-28 in the NFC title game in New Orleans Sunday night.

The Saints (15-3) move on to face AFC champion Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami Feb. 7. The Colts downed the Jets 30-17 Sunday.

Minnesota (13-5) held the ball almost nine minutes longer than New Orleans and outgained the Saints 475 yards to 257. But the Vikings committed five turnovers, compared to the Saints’ one.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre set the NFL record for most playoff completions, surpassing Joe Montana’s mark. Favre has hit 481 of his postseason throws during his time with Green Bay and Minnesota.

Before the Saints could win the game in overtime, they first had to survive a Favre-led Minnesota charge in regulation. The Vikings took possession with just over 2:30 left and had marched into field goal range, reaching the New Orleans 33 with 19 seconds left. But Minnesota was penalized for having 12 men in the huddle, pushing the Vikings back five yards and creating a third-and-15 situation, forcing Minnesota to try to gain more yardage.

Favre then rolled out and threw deep for Sidney Rice, but New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter, who had earlier been flagged for a crucial pass interference penalty and missed a third-down tackle, stepped in front of the throw with 7 seconds left in regulation.

New Orleans won the coin toss to begin overtime and took care of business from there. Pierre Thomas returned the kickoff 40 yards to the Saints’ 39. Quarterback Drew Brees threw incomplete on third-and-6, but Minnesota’s Asher Allen was penalized for holding, giving New Orleans a first down.

Thomas dove over the pile on fourth-and-inches for a first down to the Vikings 41 and Minnesota’s Ben Leber was penalized for pass interference, moving the ball to the New Orleans 29. Reggie Bush lost five yards before Brees hit Robert Meachem for 12. Brees threw incomplete on third down, setting the stage for Hartley, who missed a potential 37-yard game-winning kick in final seconds of the Saints’ regular-season loss to Tampa Bay.

Not this time. Hartley hit this 40-yarder right down the middle with just under five minutes gone in the extra session to send the Saints to Miami.

New Orleans surrendered a touchdown on the opponent’s game-opening drive for the second straight week. Favre hit Jim Kleinsasser for 12 yards and Adrian Peterson caught a pass and broke a tackle for 11 before breaking loose and cutting left for a 19-yard touchdown. Ryan Longwell’s extra point capped the 10-play, 80-yard drive.

The Saints punched in their first score on their first possession. Meachem caught a screen on third-and-5 for seven yards, Marques Colston made a reception over the middle for 13 and an encroachment penalty on the Vikings’ Pat Williams gave New Orleans a first down.

Thomas then caught a screen pass and took it 58 yards down the sideline to the end zone. Hartley evened the score at 7.

Minnesota retook the lead immediately, with some help from the Saints defense. Favre threw incomplete on third-and-5, but New Orleans’ Randall Gay was penalized for holding, keeping the drive alive. Bernard Berrian caught a pass for 15 yards, the Saints’ Bobby McCray drew a flag for unnecessary roughness and Percy Harvin caught a pass for 20 over the middle on third-and-7.

Rice then hauled in a 5-yard touchdown on third-and-goal, and Longwell put the Vikings up 14-7.

Two possessions later, New Orleans tied the game again in the second quarter. Bush made a reception for 28 yards on third-and-10, David Thomas caught a pass for 11, Pierre Thomas ran for 12 and Brees found a leaping Devery Henderson on play-action for a 9-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone.

The Saints narrowly avoided disaster in the last minute of the first half. Bush muffed a punt, with Minnesota’s Eric Frampton jarring the ball loose and Kenny Onatolu recovering at the New Orleans 10-yard line.

But Favre and Peterson couldn’t get the handoff exchange right, putting the ball on the turf, and Scott Fujita came up with it for the Saints, allowing New Orleans to let the half expire.

A key special-teams play jump-started New Orleans’ first score of the third quarter. Courtney Roby returned the second-half opening kickoff 61 yards, the longest in Saints playoff history. David Thomas caught a pass for 17 yards and Pierre Thomas ran for nine yards up the middle, stretching the ball across the goal line for a touchdown. Hartley’s boot gave the Saints a 21-14 edge.

Minnesota re-knotted the score on its first possession of the half. Rice caught a pass for 13 Favre then found Visanthe Shiancoe for completions of 26 yards on play-action, 20 yards and 21 on play-action to convert third-and-2. Peterson hammered in the 1-yard touchdown, and Longwell tied the game.

The Saints defense then forced two straight turnovers, and the offense took advantage of the second one. Jonathan Vilma intercepted Favre, but New Orleans was forced to punt. The Saints’ Will Smith then forced a Harvin fumble, and Remi Ayodele scooped up the ball and ran to the Vikings 7.

Three plays later, Brees found Bush in the flat for a 5-yard touchdown, which was ruled a score after replay. Hartley’s point-after put New Orleans up 28-21 with just under 13 minutes to play in regulation.

After another turnover deep in New Orleans territory, Minnesota finally put together another scoring drive. Taking over at his own 43 after a Saints punt, Favre hit Shiancoe for 16 yards to convert third-and-6. Peterson ran for 18 yards up the middle, New Orleans’ Porter was penalized for pass interference in the end zone and Peterson ran two yards up the middle for a touchdown. Longwell tied the game at 28 with 5 minutes left in regulation.

Brees went 17 for 31 for 197 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Pierre Thomas ran for 61 yards and a score on 14 carries.

Favre completed 28 of 46 passes for 310 yards, a score and two picks. Peterson amassed 122 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns, though he had two of Minnesota’s five fumbles. Berrian made nine receptions for 102 yards, Shiancoe caught four passes for 83 yards and Rice made four receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown.

NOTES: This was the first NFC title game hosted by the Saints. … New Orleans’ opening touchdown drive was the first against the Vikings all season. … Montana completed 460 passes during his playoff career. … Minnesota finished with a 4-5 record on the road. The Vikings went 9-0 at home. … Minnesota had beaten the Saints four straight times. … Favre limped off the field and sustained a left-ankle injury after being hit by McCray while throwing his interception to Vilma. He did not miss an offensive snap. … Harvin, the league’s offensive rookie of the year, was active for Minnesota despite missing three practices this week with migraines.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – FOX

Jets march on with 17-14 victory in San Diego

2010-01-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

Four weeks after being left for dead by their own coach, the New York Jets have ridden a stellar defense, a strong running game and a rookie quarterback all the way to the AFC championship game.

Shonn Greene ran for 128 yards and a touchdown and the Jets defense intercepted San Diego’s Philip Rivers twice to lead New York to a 17-14 win over the Chargers in San Diego in the AFC divisional playoffs Sunday night.

New York (11-7) has won seven of its last eight, snapping San Diego’s 11-game winning streak.

The Jets are now one win away from the Super Bowl. The only team standing in their way is Indianapolis, where New York’s magical winning streak began one week after falling to Atlanta. First-year coach Rex Ryan famously proclaimed the Jets out of the playoff picture after that 10-7 loss Dec. 20.

But the Jets took down the Colts and Cincinnati to end the regular season, then beat the Bengals again in the wild-card round before Sunday’s conquest of the Chargers.

New York travels to Indianapolis for the AFC title game next Sunday. The Colts defeated Baltimore 20-3 Saturday night.

Trailing 7-3, New York took its first lead on its first possession of the fourth quarter after Jim Leonhard intercepted Rivers, giving the Jets the ball at the San Diego 16. The Chargers’ Shaun Phillips was penalized for a late hit, giving the Jets some more free yards.

On the third play of the fourth quarter, quarterback Mark Sanchez rolled right and found Dustin Keller in the back corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. Jay Feely’s extra point put the Jets up, 10-7.

The Chargers (13-4) punted, and New York put together another scoring drive. Jerricho Cotchery returned the punt 25 yards and caught a pass for seven yards to convert third-and-4. Greene broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown up the middle on the next play.

San Diego kicker Nate Kaeding missed a 40-yard field goal, his third miss of the game, on the Chargers’ next possession, but the Jets were forced to punt.

The Chargers then put together a long scoring drive to come to within one possession. Rivers hit Antonio Gates for 11 yards and found Vincent Jackson on the sideline, who got his toes in-bounds for a 37-yard gain. But Ryan challenged the call, and Jackson kicked the red flag on the ground, resulting in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The call stood after replay. Rivers, undeterred, then found Darren Sproles for 19 yards and connected with Jackson for 12 on third-and-7. Rivers then finished off the drive himself, diving in for the 1-yard score with 2:14 left. Kaeding cut the Chargers’ deficit to 17-14.

New York’s Kerry Rhodes came down with the Chargers’ Mike Scifres’ onside kick, though, and this time the Jets were able to run down the clock. Thomas Jones ran over right guard for two yards on fourth-and-1 with under a minute to go to seal it.

The first quarter ended scoreless, after Kaeding missed a 36-yarder and the Jets went three-and-out on their first four possessions.

San Diego drew first blood the first time it got the ball in the second period. Jacob Hester caught a pass for 15 yards, the Jets’ Lito Sheppard was flagged for pass interference, Gates made a one-handed fingertip catch on the run for 23 yards and Rivers hit Kris Wilson in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. The halftime score was 7-0.

New York began the second half with its first points. The Chargers’ Quentin Jammer committed pass interference on third-and-7, giving the Jets a free first down. Feely then kicked a 46-yard field goal to make the score 7-3.

Sanchez hit 12 of 23 passes for 100 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jones carried the ball 14 times for 41 yards, and Braylon Edwards caught two passes for 41 yards.

Rivers connected on 27 of 40 attempts for 298 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions on two straight passes, the first to shutdown corner Darrelle Revis, who snagged the ball after it bounced off Jackson’s hands, leg, shoes and back.

Jackson made seven receptions for 111 yards and Gates caught eight passes for 93 yards.

NOTES: Kaeding had hit 67 straight kicks inside 40 yards and 20 straight overall coming in. … New York had not won two playoff games in the same season since 1982.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – CBS

Saints beat Arizona 45-14 to reach NFC title game

2010-01-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

Nineteen seconds into the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals’ divisional playoff game with the New Orleans Saints, they had a 7-0 lead and all kinds of momentum.

It turned out not to matter.

New Orleans outscored the Cardinals 45-7 the rest of the way, Drew Brees threw for three touchdowns and the Saints took out Arizona 45-14 in New Orleans Saturday night.

With the win, the Saints (14-3) will host their first NFC championship in team history Jan. 24 against the winner of Sunday’s Dallas-Minnesota game.

If this was in fact star Arizona (11-7) quarterback Kurt Warner’s final game – he has openly talked about retirement – his final game was less-than-spectacular. He threw one interception and no touchdowns and left the game with a chest injury late in the first half after being blindsided trying to make a tackle after his pick. He did return in the second half, but by then it was far too late.

The Cardinals, coming off a 51-45 overtime win over Green Bay in the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history last week, jumped on top with a score on their first possession. LaRod Stephens-Howling returned the opening kickoff 32 yards, and Tim Hightower took off for a 70-yard score on Arizona’s first play from scrimmage. Neil Rackers’ extra point put the Cardinals up 7-0.

Meanwhile, New Orleans’ situation wasn’t so bright after losing their last three regular-season games. But the Saints methodically marched down the field to tie the game. Jeremy Shockey caught a pass for six yards on third-and-2, Marques Colston made a reception for 17 and Reggie Bush cut back and ran for 11. Shockey hauled in a pass for 13 and Lynell Hamilton capped the drive with a 1-yard score. Garrett Hartley evened the count at 7.

The Saints’ defense forced an important turnover to set up the offense in good field position. Warner hit Jerheme Urban for a big gain, but New Orleans’ Randall Gay punched the ball out from behind, and Darren Sharper picked it up.

New Orleans began at the Arizona 37 and scored quickly. Quarterback Drew Brees hit Colston for 12 yards on third-and-1 and then, given all kinds of time, found a limping Shockey for a 17-yard touchdown.

Arizona went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Saints took advantage. Devery Henderson caught a play-action pass and broke three tackles for 16 yards and Bush broke a tackle in the backfield and ran 46 yards to the end zone. Hartley’s boot gave the Saints a 21-7 edge.

Arizona began the second period by cutting its deficit back to one score. Warner hit Steve Breaston for 17 yards. Sharper intercepted Warner, but a roughing-the-passer penalty negated it, giving Arizona the ball back.

Early Doucet made a reception for 15 yards on third-and-2, and Chris Wells ran for a 4-yard score.

But from there, New Orleans was in complete control. Bush ran for six yards on third-and-5, Colston made a reception for 26, and Brees hit Henderson on a flea-flicker for a 44-yard touchdown.

The defense made another big play for the Saints. New Orleans’ Will Smith intercepted Warner, and to make matters worse for the Cardinals, Bobby McCray absolutely drilled Warner on a vicious, though apparently legal, blind-side block, forcing Warner to head for the locker room.

Starting at the Cardinals’ 27, New Orleans capitalized quickly. Bush caught a pass for five yards on third-and-3, Pierre Thomas ran for two yards to convert third-and-inches, and Colston caught a 2-yard touchdown pass just after the 2-minute warning. Hartley’s kick extended the New Orleans lead to 35-14.

Arizona got one last shot in the first half. Backup quarterback Matt Leinart took the Cardinals into field-goal range, but Rackers left a 50-yard kick short as the half expired.

The Saints scored the first points of the second half on their second possession. Colston caught a pass for 11 yards, and Arizona’s Calais Campbell was penalized for roughing the passer. Hartley kicked a 43-yard field goal for a 38-14 New Orleans lead.

New Orleans continued its domination with a special-teams touchdown. Bush returned Arizona’s next punt for an 83-yard score. Hartley’s point-after closed out the scoring at 45-14.

Brees completed 23 of his 32 passes for 247 yards, three scores and no interceptions to lead the NFL’s top-rated offense. Colston snagged six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, Henderson caught four passes for 80 yards and a score, Bush ran for 84 yards and a score on just five carries, and Thomas ran 13 times for 52 yards.

Warner connected on 17 of 26 for 205 yards, while Leinart hit 7 for 10 for 61 yards in relief. Hightower ran for 87 yards and a score on six carries, Fitzgerald caught six passes for 77 yards, Doucet made eight receptions for 68 yards, and Breaston caught four passes for 52 yards.

NOTES: Shockey dressed for the first time since Week 14. … Arizona’s Anquan Boldin and Gerald Hayes were inactive. Boldin hurt his left ankle and knee in the Cardinals’ loss to Green Bay in the regular-season finale, and Hayes hurt his right ankle against the Packers last week. … Warner is 9-4 in the playoffs, but 0-3 in the Louisiana Superdome. His St. Louis Rams lost to the Saints in 2000 and to New England in Super Bowl XXXVI the next season. … The Cardinals surrendered 90 points in their two playoff games, the most by a team in two straight games in playoff history. … New Orleans and Arizona combined for 49 points in the first half, the most of one half in playoff history. The previous high was 48, posted by Jacksonville and Miami during their 2000 AFC divisional game, which the Jaguars won 62-7.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – FOX

Kansas bounces back with 84-72 win at Nebraska

2010-01-13T23:36:00.001-05:00

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

It didn’t come easy, but the result was familiar – the Kansas Jayhawks beat Nebraska, again.

Sherron Collins scored 22 points, Marcus Morris added 19 and Kansas pulled away in the second half to beat the Cornhuskers 84-72 in Lincoln, Neb., Wednesday night.

The Jayhawks (15-1, 1-0 Big 12) (No. 3 AP) responded to their first loss of the season at Tennessee on Sunday by downing Nebraska (12-5, 0-2) for the 14th straight time and 23rd time in 24 tries.

Brandon Richardson, who did not start with the stomach flu, posted a career high with 18 points to lead Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers came out early with a 12-1 run out of the gate. Sek Henry scored, Ryan Anderson sank a 3-pointer, Jorge Brian Diaz scored twice and Eshaunte Jones drained a trey.

Kansas came up with a 20-5 run to take its first lead. Collins hit three shots from beyond the arc, Morris and Reed each hit 3s and Taylor scored. Morris’ 3 gave the Jayhawks a 21-17 edge.

Nebraska managed to take the lead at halftime, when Jones and Brandon Richardson hit 3-pointers late in the half. Richardson’s shot put the Huskers out in front, 44-43.

Richardson then gave Nebraska the lead again early in the second half, scoring eight straight points, including back-to-back 3s, giving the Huskers a 54-53 lead seven minutes into the second half.

But Kansas turned it on from there and was never seriously threatened again. Collins scored four seconds later in transition to put the Jayhawks back in front, sparking a 12-2 run. Collins scored again, Tyrel Reed hit a 3, Markieff Morris sank a triple and Tyshawn Taylor hit two free throws for a 65-56 Kansas lead.

Taylor and Reed each netted 11 points for Kansas.

Diaz scored 15 points and Jones added 12 to the Huskers’ cause.

Both teams shot exceptionally well from long range. The Jayhawks went 13-for-21 from beyond the arc, at 61.9 percent, and Nebraska hit 11 of 21 3-point shots, or 52.4 percent.

NOTES: This game matched the two best defensive teams in the Big 12. Nebraska came in surrendering just 58.6 points per game, while Kansas allowed 59.8 points a contest. … The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 167-71 and haven’t lost to the Huskers since Feb. 15, 2004. … Nebraska has lost seven of eight to ranked opponents. … Kansas has won 19 straight conference openers, dating back to 1992. … Kansas hosts Texas Tech Saturday afternoon. Nebraska will face Iowa State Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – ESPN2

Bledsoe leads unbeaten Kentucky past Florida, 89-77

2010-01-12T23:39:00.002-05:00

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

The Kentucky Wildcats (No. 2 AP) keep playing with fire. And yet, they keep managing to remain unscathed.

Freshman Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 25 points as the Wildcats let a 15-point second-half lead slip away but held on to beat Florida 89-77 in Gainesville, Fla., Tuesday night.

Kentucky (17-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) is off to its best start since the 1965-66 season and won for the first time in six tries at Florida.

The Gators (11-5, 0-2) came out with a 7-0 run to begin the game. Vernon Macklin and Kenny Boynton scored before Alex Tyus hit the first 3-pointer of his career.

Trailing 19-15, Kentucky scored eight straight to take control. Bledsoe scored, John Wall hit back-to-back jumpers and Bledsoe made an up-and-under layup in transition.

The Wildcats then put together a 9-3 run late in the half. Leading 29-26, Bledsoe scored, Patrick Patterson made a free throw and dunked off a Daniel Orton steal and Bledsoe made a couple of free throws and a jumper. Kentucky led 38-31 at halftime.

Kentucky led by as much as 15 points almost six minutes into the second half at 57-42 after a DeMarcus Cousins layup. But Erving Walker, who scored 20 points, and Florida chipped away and tied the game with a 30-15 run. Walker hit four 3s during the stretch and totaled 16 points. Tyus, Boynton and Macklin chipped in four points apiece and Chandler Parsons hit a basket. Macklin’s layup tied the game at 72 with 5 minutes to go.

But then the Wildcats woke up. Patterson scored down low, Darnell Dodson hit a 3 and Bledsoe made a trey and a layup after a Parsons free throw to go up by eight points. Wall sank four free throws and a late 3 to seal it.

Wall chipped in 19 points for Kentucky, while Patterson and Cousins joined him in double figures with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Tyus netted 17 points and Boynton contributed 12 to the Gators’ cause.

NOTES: This is Kentucky’s best start since starting the 1965-66 season 23-0. … Florida has won eight of the last 11 in the series. … The ‘Cats lead the all-time series 87-32. … Florida has lost five of its last eight, including games to Richmond and South Alabama. The Gators are 0-2 in SEC play for the first time under coach Billy Donovan. … Kentucky returns to action at Auburn Saturday afternoon. The Gators host LSU Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – ESPN

Rice, defense carry Ravens to 33-14 beatdown of Pats

2010-01-10T17:55:00.001-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

The Baltimore Ravens have developed an old, familiar formula for playoff victories: Establish the running game. Rattle the opponent’s quarterback. Create points by forcing turnovers. Win the game.

Ray Rice ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns, the Ravens forced New England’s Tom Brady into three interceptions and a fumble and Baltimore took a 24-0 first-quarter lead and coasted home for a 33-14 wild-card win over the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday.

The Ravens (10-7) advance to face AFC top seed Indianapolis Saturday. New England (10-7) is finished, having lost for the first time in its last 12 home playoff games and the first time at home this season.

Baltimore took the lead on the first play from scrimmage and never looked back. Rice took off for an 83-yard scoring run, the longest of his career and the second-longest in NFL playoff history, and Billy Cundiff’s extra point gave the Ravens a 7-0 edge.

The Ravens defense stepped up to help set up some more points. Linebacker Terrell Suggs sacked Brady, stripped the ball and recovered it at the Patriots’ 17. Rice then ran for five yards to convert third-and-4 and Le’Ron McClain punched in a 1-yard touchdown run.

Two possessions later, cornerback Chris Carr intercepted Brady to set the Ravens offense up at the New England 25. Quarterback Joe Flacco picked up a first down on third-and-1, Willis McGahee caught a pass for 13 yards out of the backfield and Rice found the end zone from one yard out. Cundiff’s kick extended the Baltimore lead to 21-0.

Baltimore’s D wasn’t done. Ed Reed intercepted Brady and ran 25 yards before lateraling to Dawan Landry, who ran 25 more yards to the Patriots’ 9. Cundiff hit a 27-yard field goal, mercifully ending the first quarter with a 24-0 lead.

New England took advantage of a turnover itself to score its first points. Baltimore’s Tom Zbikowski muffed a punt and the Patriots’ Kyle Arrington recovered at the Ravens’ 16. Fred Taylor picked up two yards on third-and-1 and Brady hit Julian Edelman for a 6-yard touchdown on third-and-goal. Stephen Gostkowski kicked the extra point.

Baltimore started off the third quarter with more of the same. Landry intercepted Brady on New England’s second offensive possession after cornerback Frank Walker separated the Patriots’ Ben Watson from the football. Landry ran 42 yards up the sideline to set up Cundiff’s 23-yard kick for a 27-7 edge.

The Patriots then marched down the field to come back to within two possessions. Darius Butler returned the kickoff 42 yards, Brady found Randy Moss for six yards on third-and-3 and Baltimore’s Carr was flagged for illegal contact, giving New England another first down. Edelman snagged a 1-yard touchdown, and Gostkowski brought the Patriots to within 27-14.

But Baltimore’s next drive put the game out of reach. Zbikowski ran the kickoff back 30 yards, Derrick Mason caught a pass for eight yards on third-and-2 and a leaping Michael Clayton snagged a pass for 17 on third-and-7. Flacco ran around left end for on third-and-7 for what proved to be just enough after replay.

McGahee capped the 12-play, 6-minute drive with a 3-yard touchdown. He was stopped on the 2-point conversion, but the Ravens had handed their defense a nearly insurmountable 33-14 lead.

New England could muster no more points. Gostkowski missed a 44-yard field goal wide right, and Brady was sacked on fourth-and-10 at his own 33 by Baltimore’s Dwan Edwards for a turnover on downs with about 1 minute left to end it.

Flacco completed just 4 of 10 through the air for 34 yards, with an interception. But Rice ran for 159 yards and two scores and McGahee picked up 62 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Brady went 23 for 42 for 154 yards, two touchdowns and three picks. Moss made five receptions for 48 yards, Edelman caught six passes for 44 yards and two scores and Kevin Faulk ran 14 times for 52 yards.

NOTES: Baltimore had never beaten New England before this game. The Ravens were previously 0-5 in the series. … The Patriots’ last home playoff loss was Dec. 31, 1978, to the Houston Oilers. … New England’s Wes Welker, the league leader in receptions, was placed on injured reserve and did not play. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee in the Patriots’ 34-27 loss at Houston last week.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – CBS

Dallas dominates Eagles to end long playoff skid, 34-14

2010-01-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

2009-10 NFL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – NFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

Despite the Dallas Cowboys’ division-clinching defeat of Philadelphia last week, their recent playoff history suggested they might be in over their heads in a wild-card rematch with the Eagles.

Well, Wade Phillips, Tony Romo and Co. have their first playoff victory under their belts now. And they did it in dominating fashion.

Felix Jones ran for 148 yards, Romo threw for two scores and the Cowboys beat Philadelphia 34-14 in Arlington, Texas, Saturday night for their first playoff victory since 1996.

Philadelphia (11-6) didn’t help its own cause much. The Eagles committed five turnovers in losing their first playoff game of a season for the first time in eight postseason appearances under coach Andy Reid.

The win is Dallas’ second against the Eagles in seven days. The Cowboys took down Philadelphia 24-0 Jan. 3 to win the NFC East title.

Next up for the Cowboys (12-5) – a date at NFC North champion Minnesota next week.

After a scoreless first quarter, Dallas struck first early in the second period. Romo hit Miles Austin for 12 yards to convert third-and-8 and the Eagles’ Sheldon Brown was flagged for pass interference, moving the ball to the 1-yard line.

John Phillips then caught a 1-yard touchdown pass off play-action, and Shaun Suisham kicked the extra point.

The Eagles got a jolt from their situational quarterback to tie the game. Michael Vick came on, faked a handoff and found Jeremy Maclin for a 76-yard score down the left sideline. David Akers hit the equalizer.

But from there, it was all Dallas. After a Romo interception was overturned by replay, Felix Jones ran for 12 yards and a face-mask penalty on Will Witherspoon handed the Cowboys 15 more yards. Patrick Crayton caught a pass for 18 yards on third-and-9, Roy Williams made a reception for 17 on third-and-7 and Jason Witten snagged a play-action pass for 18.

Tashard Choice capped the 10-play, 85-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Suisham kicked the point-after.

Crayton then returned a Philadelphia punt 31 yards up the sideline, Austin caught a pass for 36 and Williams hauled in a toss for 17 to set up Suisham’s 25-yard boot for a double-digit lead.

Dallas got a little help from the Eagles offense to dig Philadelphia a deeper hole. Vick and fullback Leonard Weaver couldn’t get the handoff exchange right, and the Cowboys’ Bobby Carpenter scooped up the fumble at the Eagles’ 18.

Jones ripped off a gain of 13 yards, and Romo hit Austin for a 6-yard touchdown on play-action just after the 2-minute warning.

Dallas’ Bradie James then stripped Weaver after a reception and recovered the ball himself, setting the Cowboys up with 51 seconds left. Philadelphia’s Asante Samuel was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and Quintin Mikell was flagged for pass interference before Kevin Ogletree caught a pass for five yards on third-and-4.

The much-maligned Suisham, who was cut in midseason by rival Washington and then signed by the Cowboys, booted a perfect 48-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the quarter, giving the Cowboys a 27-7 halftime lead.

Dallas kept up its offense in the third period. Romo hit Crayton for 10 yards on third-and-4 one play before Jones took off for a 73-yard run, cutting down the sideline, then back to the middle of the field, then back down the sideline to the end zone. The run was the longest in Cowboys playoff history and, with Suisham’s extra point, extended the Cowboys’ advantage to 34-7.

The Eagles scored the final points of the night and of their season in the fourth quarter. Maclin caught a pass for 15 yards, Brian Westbrook gained 27 on a screen and Dallas’ Ken Hamlin was penalized for unnecessary roughness and Jason Hatcher was flagged for illegal hands to the face, giving Philadelphia two more free first downs.

DeSean Jackson then caught a screen on play-action and ran four yards to the end zone. Akers’ kick made the final score 34-14.

Romo hit 23 of 35 passes for 244 yards for Dallas. Jones ran for 148 yards on 16 carries with a score and Choice ran 14 times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Austin caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown and Williams made five catches for 59 yards.

Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb went 19 for 37 for 230 yards, a score and an interception, while Vick completed one of his two attempts, with a touchdown. Maclin amassed 146 yards receiving on seven catches, with a score. Brent Celek caught three passes for 59 yards.

Jackson, who made waves the week leading up to the game by posting on Twitter that the Eagles were going to “sting” the Cowboys, was held to three catches for 14 yards, with the short touchdown reception.

NOTES: Dallas ended a six-game playoff losing streak. … The Cowboys have won four of six in the series. … Phillips was 0-4 in the playoffs coming in, while Romo was 0-2. … This was the first time the Cowboys had beaten one team three times in the same season. … The teams were penalized a combined 228 yards, a postseason single-game record. … The official attendance was 92,951, a playoff single-game record, not including Super Bowls.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – NBC

ZSN College Football Final Top 25 Rankings

2010-01-08T11:32:00.002-05:00

School (Final record)/Why?

1. Alabama (14-0)/Didn’t exactly play a stellar game against Texas, but defense was good enough for the Tide to finish perfect.

2. Texas (13-1)/Longhorns suffered outrageous misfortune in losing quarterback Colt McCoy on their first possession in the title game and couldn’t quite complete what would have been a comeback for the ages.

3. Boise State (14-0)/Broncos pulled out all the stops to claim another Fiesta Bowl, this one over TCU.

4. Florida (13-1)/If this game marked the end of an era in Gainesville, the Gators sure went out with a bang in the Sugar Bowl.

5. Texas Christian (12-1)/Hard-fought loss to Boise State in Fiesta Bowl for first defeat of year.

6. Cincinnati (12-1)/Dominated by emotional Florida in New Orleans.

7. Ohio State (11-2)/Finally claimed another BCS win, downing Oregon in the Rose
Bowl.

8. Iowa (11-2)/Dominated Georgia Tech in Orange Bowl.

9. Oregon (10-3)/Played pretty well, but couldn’t best Buckeyes in Pasadena.

10. Penn State (11-2)/Nittany Lions came back to knock off LSU.

11. Georgia Tech (11-3)/ACC champs shut down by stout Iowa defense in Miami.

12. Virginia Tech (10-3)/Hokies looked very good in taking down Tennessee in Chick-fil-A Bowl.

13. Pittsburgh (10-3)/Hard-fought win over North Carolina in Meineke Bowl.

14. Brigham Young (11-2)/Opened up a can on Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl.

15. LSU (9-4)/As has been the problem much of the season, less-than-explosive offense cost Tigers big-time in bowl loss to Penn State.

16. Wisconsin (10-3)/Dominated Miami in a virtual road game at the Champs Sports Bowl.

17. Miami (Fla.) (9-4)/Didn’t play particularly well in a bowl loss to Wisconsin.

18. Nebraska (10-4)/Shut out Arizona in Holiday Bowl to cap stellar season defensively.

19. Utah (10-3)/Downed Cal fairly handily in Poinsettia Bowl.

20. Oklahoma State (9-4)/Cowboys dropped a tough one to Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl.

21. Stanford (8-5)/Cardinal fell to Oklahoma in El Paso.

22. Oregon State (8-5)/Laid an egg against BYU in Vegas.

23. Southern California (9-4)/Didn’t exactly overwhelm a game Boston College team in the Emerald Bowl, but ultimately took care of business.

24. Central Michigan (12-2)/Chippewas put together fourth-quarter comeback, then knock off Troy in overtime in GMAC Bowl.

25. Texas Tech (9-4)/Dealt with pregame adversity and chaos and came back to down Michigan State in a closer-than-anticipated Alamo Bowl.

Dropped out/Why?

Arizona. Thoroughly dominated by Cornhuskers in San Diego.

West Virginia. Didn’t look good in blowing double-digit lead against fired-up Florida State in the Gator Bowl.

Houston. Spectacular season ends with a thud against Air Force in Armed Forces Bowl.

Tide holds off McCoy-less Texas for BCS title, 37-21

2010-01-08T01:27:00.002-05:00

2009-10 COLLEGE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON SPECIAL COVERAGE – BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

When star senior quarterback Colt McCoy left the game with a shoulder injury on Texas’ first possession of the BCS national championship game, all seemed lost for the Longhorns.

Texas came back to cut its 18-point halftime deficit to three in the fourth quarter. But then the Crimson Tide’s second-ranked defense seized Alabama’s eighth national title.

Alabama’s defense forced five turnovers, Heisman winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson each ran for two scores and the Tide defeated Texas 37-21 in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday night.

McCoy was hit on his right shoulder by Alabama’s Marcell Dareus on an option run and ran off the field with his arm hanging limp. ABC reported that McCoy’s X-rays were negative, but he did not play another snap, forcing true freshman Garrett Gilbert into action.

Texas (No. 2 ZSN/2 AP) was in control early after an Alabama fake punt deep in its own territory failed, as the Longhorns’ Blake Gideon intercepted punter P.J. Fitzgerald’s pass at the Crimson Tide 37. Cody Johnson ran for a first down on third-and-1, Tre’ Newton ran for 16 yards on a sweep and D.J. Monroe came in motion, took a handoff and ran 10 yards. Hunter Lawrence’s 18-yard field goal put Texas on top.

The Longhorns (13-1) then employed an intermediate kickoff instead of kicking it deep, and Curtis Brown came up with the ball to give Texas possession at the Alabama 30. Lawrence booted a 42-yard field goal to double the Horns’ lead.

Alabama (No. 1/1) finally put together a sustained drive and took the lead early in the second quarter. Quarterback Greg McElroy found Julio Jones for 23 yards before Ingram ran right up the middle for a 2-yard score. Leigh Tiffin hit the extra point for a 7-6 Crimson Tide lead.

The Crimson Tide (14-0) forced an overwhelmed Gilbert and Texas into a couple of three-and-outs before another touchdown. Richardson ran up the middle 49 yards to the end zone on the second play of the drive, and Tiffin extended the Alabama lead to 14-6.

Texas’ Justin Tucker’s next punt traveled just 35 yards, and Alabama All-American Javier Arenas returned it 12 yards to the Texas 29. Tiffin nailed a 26-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in the half for what everyone assumed would be an 11-point halftime lead.

However, the Longhorns elected to try to grab a few more points before the half ended. That backfired horribly when Monroe bobbled Gilbert’s shovel pass into the line and defensive lineman Dareus picked the ball out of the air, stiff-armed Gilbert to the ground, spun away from another tackle and ran 28 yards for a score with 3 seconds to go. Tiffin’s kick gave the Crimson Tide a 24-6 advantage at the half.

Both teams’ first three possessions of the second half ended in punts before the Longhorns began to come back. Gilbert hit Marquise Goodwin for 13 yards on third-and-8 and then found Jordan Shipley running free down the middle for a 44-yard touchdown. Lawrence’s kick cut the Alabama lead to 24-13.

After Texas punted and Tiffin missed a field goal for Alabama, Gilbert settled in and directed the Longhorns offense to another score. The Tide’s Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody jumped offsides on third-and-1 and Shipley caught passes for 13 and 12 yards, the first to convert a third-and-9. Gilbert hit a wide-open Shipley for a 28-yard score and gunned a pass over the middle to Dan Buckner for the 2-point conversion to draw Texas to within 24-21 with 6:15 left in the game.

The Horns then forced an Alabama punt and took over at their own 7 with 3:14 to go. But Gilbert was hit from behind by the Crimson Tide’s Eryk Anders and fumbled, and Courtney Upshaw fell on it at the Texas 3.

Ingram powered his way to a 1-yard score with 2 minutes left. Arenas then picked Gilbert off for the second time, and Richardson punched in a 2-yard touchdown.

Fittingly, the Alabama defense intercepted Gilbert for the fourth time – Tyrone King snagged a deflection – to end it with 26 seconds left.

McElroy completed just 6 of 11 passes for 58 yards. But Ingram, named the game’s offensive MVP, and Richardson each surpassed 100 yards on the ground and ran for two scores against Texas’ top-ranked rushing defense – Ingram ran for 116 yards on 22 carries and Richardson ran 19 times for 109 yards.

Dareus was the defensive MVP.

Gilbert hit 15 of 40 for 186 yards, two scores and four interceptions in a debut as Texas’ offensive leader that was both challenging and promising. Shipley caught 10 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns and Goodwin made three receptions for 70 yards for Texas, which was seeking its second BCS title in five years.

NOTES: Teams from the Southeastern Conference have now won four straight BCS titles. Florida beat Ohio State to cap the 2006 season, LSU took down the Buckeyes the next year and the Gators downed Oklahoma last season. … Alabama’s last national title was in 1992. … Texas won the last BCS championship played in Pasadena, defeating USC 41-36 in the 2006 Rose Bowl. … Ingram extended his school record for rushing yards in a season to 1,658 yards. … McElroy is 30-0 as a starter in high school at Carroll in Southlake, Texas, and college. He hasn’t lost a start since eighth grade. … Alabama coach Nick Saban became the first coach since the AP poll began to win national titles at two different schools. He directed LSU to a win in the 2004 Sugar Bowl. … Alabama has won 27 of its last 29 games. Texas lost for just the second time in its last 28 contests. … The Longhorns’ nation-long 17-game winning streak and seven-game postseason string came to an end.

BOX SCORE

Video credit – ESPN on ABC