CARDS BEAT SOX Yadier Molina's eighth inning solo homer held up as the Cardinals clipped the Red Sox 5-4 in the opener of a weekend Interleague series at Fenway Park. Skip Schumaker clubbed a two-run homer while Jason LaRue added a solo shot for St. Louis, which was swept by Kansas City in its previous series. Kyle Lohse gave up two runs, just one earned, on six hits over six innings of work to improve to 9-and-2 on the year. Ryan Franklin gave up a run in the ninth but held on for his 10th save. Julio Lugo homered and drove in two for the Red Sox, who had won their previous two. Mike Lowell also plated a run in defeat. Tim Wakefield allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in seven frames to drop to 4-and-5 with the loss. Game 2 of the series is on the air Saturday at 2:12 on 1340 WNBS.
MSU FOOTBALL MEDIA GUIDE HONORED
Murray State Athletics Media Relations 2007 MSU Football media guide earned “Best in the Nation” honors by the College Sports Information Directors of America recently in its annual publications contest. Each year, CoSIDA conducts contests for media guides and game programs separated by sport, 51 contests in total. The contests are typically divided into categories for Division I, Division II/NAIA Division I and Division III/NAIA Division II/Junior College. Football at the Division I level is further divided by FBS and FCS. Murray State was the only Ohio Valley Conference member to earn a national award. The 2007 MSU Football media guide was designed by Kevin Britton, and the inside and outside covers were designed by Erica Nagy. The top four included Murray State, three-time defending NCAA champion Appalachian State, Liberty University and the University of Richmond. Each of the top four finishers will be presented a certificate at the organization's annual convention held in Tampa, Fla., June 29 to July 2.
TITANS FOOTBALL UPDATE Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck supported teammate Ryan Fowler against the recent allegations that he either purchased, used or supplied performance-enhancing drugs. The NFL's substance abuse program has a confidentiality clause, something that was broken with the leak of Fowler's name to the public. With the threat of suspension facing Fowler, Bulluck said the NFL is not treating this situation with fairness. ''I don't see that if the NFL has a confidentiality rule, they can violate that,'' Bulluck said. ''I don't understand how all of a sudden they are going to prove that a guy is guilty.''
Rookie defensive linemen Jason Jones and William Hayes have felt like their life has been a whirlwind these last two months. At least that’s the way veteran defensive tackle Tony Brown remembered his first mini-camp as a rookie with the Carolina Panthers in 2003. The only difference between Brown then and the two Titans rookies now: the team invested second and fourth round picks in Jones and Hayes. Brown was undrafted. But Brown said that first-year experience is the same for everyone. ''Like I told them, I was that same guy,'' Brown said. ''I'm pretty sure they thought they were doing things right in college, and now they're having to transition from that to the pros. They feel like they're running in circles right now.'' The Titans received plenty of criticism for their recent draft, mainly because little was known about the players they selected. Jones hailed from Eastern Michigan and wasn’t projected as high as a second round pick, the 54th selection overall. The Titans also traded up in the fourth round to select Hayes out of Winston Salem State.
NATIONAL SPORTS UPDATE
Major League Baseball
---------------------
Edinson Volquez hurled seven solid innings, and Jolbert Cabrera had a two-run
double as Cincinnati downed the New York Yankees, 4-2, in the opener of a
three-game set at Yankee Stadium. Volquez (10-2) surrendered just two runs on
seven hits, while walking one and fanning five to pick up his 10th win of the
season. The hard-throwing, right-hander leads the major leagues with a
miniscule 1.71 earned run average. Cabrera was 4-for-4 before leaving with an
injury for the Reds, who snapped a five-game skid. Cabrera suffered a
dislocated left index finger on a headfirst slide while advancing to second on
a wild pitch during the seventh inning. Joey Votto finished 3-for-4 with a
home run. Johnny Damon and Robinson Cano each had an RBI single for the
Yankees, who lost for the first time in eight games. Mike Mussina (10-5)
allowed four runs on 10 hits in eight innings en route to his first loss since
May 20.
Elsewhere in Interleague play:
------------------------------
Chicago Cubs 4, Chicago White Sox 3
St. Louis Cardinals 5, Boston Red Sox 4
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 7, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 7, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Pittsburgh Pirates 1, Toronto Blue Jays 0 (12 innings)
Houston Astros 4, Tampa Bay Rays 3
Seattle Mariners 10, Atlanta Braves 2
Washington Nationals 4, Texas Rangers 3 (14 innings)
Baltimore Orioles 8, Milwaukee Brewers 5
San Francisco Giants 9, Kansas City Royals 4
Minnesota Twins 7, Arizona Diamondbacks 2
Oakland Athletics 7, Florida Marlins 6 (11 innings)
San Diego Padres 6, Detroit Tigers 2
Cleveland Indians 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 4 (10 innings)
National League
---------------
Carlos Delgado smacked a two-run home run as the New York Mets defeated the
Colorado Rockies, 7-2, in the opener of a three-game set at Coors Field.
Jose Reyes drove in a pair of runs while Trot Nixon added a solo shot for the
Mets, who have won four of their last five and are now 2-1 since Jerry Manuel
took over managerial duties after Willie Randolph was fired shortly following
the team's victory over the Angels on Monday. John Maine (7-5) got the win as
he gave up two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Jeff Baker hit a
two-run home run, his fourth consecutive game with a homer, while Aaron Cook
(10-4) was handed the loss as he was touched for six runs on 12 hits in seven
innings of work for the Rockies, who had won five of six coming into the game.
A tough week for managers just got tougher, as the Toronto Blue Jays fired
John Gibbons and replaced him with a familiar face in Cito Gaston. Gibbons
becomes the third manager to lose his job this week, following Willie Randolph
of the New York Mets and John McLaren of the Seattle Mariners. The Blue Jays
were expected to contend in the AL East this season, but enter Friday's action
last in the division with a record of 35-40. They've also dropped five in a
row and are 10 1/2 games behind first-place Boston. Gibbons had been the
club's skipper since August of 2004. Gaston, who had been a special assistant
to the team's president, guided the Jays to World Series. He lost a 1-0
game to the Pittsburgh Pirates in his return to the dugout on Friday.
===
Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling apparently won't pitch at all this
season, telling a Boston radio station that he will undergo surgery on Monday
for his ailing right shoulder. Schilling has been on the disabled list all
season because of a shoulder problem and the surgery could signal the end of
the right-hander's career. Schilling signed an $8 million deal with the Red
Sox last November, then began experiencing pain in the shoulder and biceps
over the winter. The 41-year-old veteran was 9-8 with a 3.87 earned run
average in 24 starts for the World Series champion Red Sox last season. He was
also 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four postseason games.
=== NFL ===
Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch has reached an agreement to apparently
plead guilty that he was the driver in his hit-and-run case from May 31. Erie
County (NY) district attorney Frank Clark announced an agreement in
principle during a Friday news conference, but refused to disclose details of
any plea until Lynch appears in court next week. Clark did say, however,
the agreement is related to Lynch driving the vehicle. In the incident
Lynch's 2008 Porsche Cayenne allegedly struck a pedestrian in downtown
Buffalo and then fled the scene. The woman was left with minor injuries.
Lynch hasn't admitted that he was the driver of the vehicle, which was
impounded after being found by police. Clark said he expects Lynch in court
next week because the running back will not plead in absentia. But Clark
refused to discuss the details of the agreement or the charges Lynch is
facing. Lynch, a first-round draft pick of the Bills in 2007, rushed for
1,115 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie season.
=== NHL ===
The Tampa Bay Lightning selected centerman Steven Stamkos with the first
overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft Friday night at Scotiabank Place.
Stamkos was the top-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and
solidified his standing as the best available player in this year's draft with
an excellent 2007-08 season. He led the Sarnia Sting with 105 points this
year, notching 58 goals and 47 assists in 61 games. The 18-year-old also
upped his stock by posting one goal and five assists for gold-medal winning
Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships. The Kings had the
second selection and used it to grab defenseman Drew Doughty. the 18-
year-old who was named the best defenseman for Team Canada at the 2008 World
Junior Championships. Los Angeles' selection of Doughty began a stretch that
saw four defenseman get picked in a row. Atlanta took Zach Bogosian with
the third pick, St. Louis grabbed Alex Pietrangelo next. Toronto, which
dealt its seventh selection to the New York Islanders for the fifth pick,
snatched up Luke Schenn with the fifth pick.
===
The Nashville Predators made a couple of moves prior to Friday's draft,
sending goaltender Chris Mason to St. Louis in exchange for a fourth-round
pick, and also inking netminder Dan Ellis to a multi-year contract. Ellis, who
turned 28 on Thursday, led the NHL with a .924 save percentage last season and
posted a record of 23-10-3 with a goals-against average of 2.34 and six
shutouts in 44 games.
===
The Florida Panthers have traded centerman and team captain Olli Jokinen to
the Phoenix Coyotes in a draft-day deal announced Friday at Scotiabank Place
in Ottawa. The Coyotes sent defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard along
with a second-round pick (49th overall) in this year's draft to Florida.
Jokinen, 29, had 34 goals and 37 assists in 82 games for the Panthers last
season. The Finnish star leaves Florida as the franchise's all-time leader in
goals (188), assists (231) and points (419).
===
The Calgary Flames had a busy night of trades at the 2008 NHL Entry draft
Friday at Scotiabank Place. The Flames acquired forward Mike Cammalleri from
the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the 17th overall pick in this year's
draft. That deal was a three-way trade that saw LA deal the 17th selection and
its 28th pick to Anaheim for the Ducks 12th overall pick in this year's draft.
Calgary also dealt forward Alex Tanguay to Montreal for the Canadiens 25th
pick.
===
The Philadelphia Flyers traded center R.J. Umberger to the Columbus Blue
Jackets on Friday during the 2008 NHL Draft. In exchange for Umberger, the
Flyers got from Columbus the 19th overall pick, with which the Flyers selected
defenseman Luca Sbisa, and Columbus' third-round pick in this year's draft.
The Blue Jackets also got the Flyers' 2008 fourth-round pick.
===
The Atlanta Thrashers have named John Anderson their new head coach. Anderson
spent the past 11 seasons as head coach of the Chicago Wolves, the Thrashers'
American Hockey League affiliate since 2001. He guided the Wolves to the
Calder Cup title this past season. The Thrashers were in need of a head coach
after general manager Don Waddell fired Bob Hartley when the club lost its
first six games of the 2007-08 season. Waddell remained behind the bench for
the remainder of the campaign and the Thrashers finished with a record of
34-40-8 to miss the playoffs, one season after winning the Southeast Division
title to reach the postseason for the first time in franchise history.
Anderson also led the Wolves to a Calder Cup title in 2002, and the
International Hockey League's Turner Cup in 1998 and 2000.
=== TENNIS ===
The draws for Wimbledon were disclosed Friday. Roger Federer's quest for a
sixth straight title at the All-England Club is fraught with potential danger,
as five former Grand Slam champions have been placed in the Swiss superstar's
half of the draw. Joining the 12-time Grand Slam champion in the top half are
reigning Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic of Serbia, former Wimbledon and
U.S. Open champ Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, 2002 Australian winner Thomas
Johansson of Sweden, two-time Grand Slam champ Marat Safin of Russia and 2003
French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain. By contrast, Spain's Rafael
Nadal, coming off his fourth straight French Open crown and the Wimbledon
runner-up to Federer the last two years, has just one other Grand Slam winner
in his half of the draw -- former U.S. Open champ Andy Roddick of the United
States. The top-seeded Federer will open with Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty, who's
lost in the first round at Wimbledon each of the last two years, and he could
meet France's Gael Monfils in the third round. Monfils gave Federer a battle
in the semifinals of the French Open a few weeks back. Nadal's try for a Grand
Slam title that isn't played on clay will begin with German qualifier Andreas
Beck, with a potential third-round match against another German in Nicolas
Kiefer.
===
On the women's side, Venus and Serena Williams, who have combined for six of
the past eight Wimbledon titles, have been placed in opposite sides of the
draw for this year's championship. Venus Williams, the defending champion and
four-time winner of tennis' most prestigious event, is this year's seventh
seed and will open play against British wild card Naomi Cavaday. Serena
Williams, who beat her sister for back-to-back Wimbledon crowns in 2002 and
'03, is the sixth seed. She will face Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in the first
round. Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia is in Serena's half of the draw, but
the two cannot meet until the semifinals. Ivanovic, coming off a French Open
title, will take on Paraguay's Rossana De Los Rios in the first round.
=== COLLEGE BASEBALL ===
Tim Federowicz drove in five runs, including the game-winning grand slam in
the top of the ninth inning, as North Carolina moved one step closer to the
College World Series title with a 7-3 win over LSU at Rosenblatt Stadium in a
game that was resumed Friday after being halted due to inclement weather on
Thursday. Locked in a 3-3 game, Ryan Graepel doubled off Louis Coleman with
one out in the ninth, and Dustin Ackley was intentionally walked to set up a
double play. A wild pitch, however, moved the runners to second and third
before Coleman fanned pinch-hitter Mark Fleury for the second out. Tim Fedroff
was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Federowicz crushed a 1-1
breaking ball over the wall in left to break the game wide open. Alex White
worked a 1-2-3 ninth to eliminate the Tigers from the CWS. Ackley was 4-for-4
and scored twice for the Tar Heels, who advanced to the Bracket 2 final.
Fedroff and Graepel each scored a pair of runs, while White tossed a pair of
shutout innings to earn the win. Matt Clark homered for the Tigers, while D.J.
LeMahieu added an RBI single and Micah Gibbs scored a pair of runs. Coleman
allowed four runs in three innings -- striking out six -- and took the loss in
relief of Jared Bradford, who held UNC to a run on four hits in 5 2/3 frames
of relief. LSU pitcher Blake Martin had a rocky first on Thursday. He gave up
a leadoff single, a one-out RBI double to Tim Fedroff, then beaned consecutive
batters before walking in a run to make it 2-0. Then the umpires stopped the
game due to rain and lightning before being resumed Friday with Bradford on
the hill in place of Martin. Harvey walked Gibbs and Clark to start the bottom
of the second, and LeMahieu cut the UNC lead in half with an RBI single to
center. Rain was again a factor, as weather forced a delay of nearly 90
minutes in the top of the third inning. Federowicz extended the lead to 3-1 in
the fifth, knocking in a run with a bases-loaded fielder's choice. With Brian
Moran on the hill in the fifth, the Tigers fought to tie the game. Gibbs
singled with one out, and Clark followed with a two-run blast just over the
wall in right-center. The two games originally slated for Friday, an afternoon
matchup between Georgia and Stanford and a nightcap between the UNC-LSU winner
and Fresno State, were pushed back to Saturday. UNC will take on Fresno State
in the Bracket 2 final, needing to beat the Bulldogs twice in order to advance
to the CWS championship series. Georgia and Stanford will meet in the Bracket
1 final, with Georgia needing just one victory to reach the championship
series.
=== AUTO RACING ===
Kasey Kahne captured the pole for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup
race at the Infineon Raceway. The No.9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge
circled the 1.99-mile, 12-turn road course in one minute, 17.740 seconds. The
pole victory was Kahne's second of the season, first on a road course and 16th
of his "Cup" career. He is the hottest driver in NASCAR with three wins in the
last five races. Kahne finished second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. last week in
Michigan. Starting alongside Kahne on the front row will be two-time series
champion Jimmie Johnson who posted a time of 1:17.836 seconds. Kurt Busch
(1:17.865) and Bobby Labonte (1:17.918) will make up row two. Other drivers of
note and their starting positions: Jeff Gordon (fifth), Robby Gordon (eighth),
Carl Edwards (12th), Denny Hamlin (13th), Earnhardt Jr. (15th), Jeff Burton
(20th), points leader Kyle Busch (30th), Kevin Harvick (32nd) and Tony Stewart
(39th).
