CARDS THROW TIGERS FOR A LOOPER
Brian Barton went deep and drove in two runs as the Cardinals doubled up the Tigers 8-4 in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park. Brendan Ryan had three hits, two RBI and a run scored for St. Louis, which won for the third time in four games. Skip Schumaker knocked in a pair of runs, and Yadier Molina had three hits and scored twice in the victory. Braden Looper permitted four runs over six innings to move to 9-and-5 with the win. Gary Sheffield blasted a two-run homer in his return to the lineup, and Ivan Rodriguez and Miguel Cabrera each hit solo shots in defeat. Kenny Rogers yielded five runs on nine hits over five-and-a-third-innings to fall to 5-and-5 with the loss.
WOODS NAMED HEAD COACH AT MVSU
Former Kentucky standout Sean Woods was chosen as the new head basketball coach at Mississippi Valley State University on Tuesday. Woods replaces James Green, who left earlier this year to become the new coach at Jacksonville State in Alabama. Woods served two seasons at Texas Christian as director of basketball operations and then assistant coach. Prior to his time at TCU, Woods spent one year as an assistant coach at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE OVC
Former Eastern Kentucky University baseball coach Elvis Dominguez was announced as the new head coach at Bradley University Tuesday morning. Dominguez had just completed his seventh season at EKU, compiling a record of 178-199-2 (86-82 OVC) during that span. Dominguez’s seven year tenure at EKU was highlighted by eight MLB draft picks, nine All-Americans, three OVC Players of the Year, and 22 All-OVC selections. He also recruited and coached the 2008 OVC Pitcher of the Year, Christian Friedrich, who was drafted as the twenty-fifth overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft to the Colorado Rockies. Dominguez’s 2003 team – which featured current Atlanta Brave Josh Anderson – finished second nationally in steals with 131, while his 2004 squad led the nation in batting average (.375) and doubles (137). Dominguez’s greatest contribution to the program, however, may have come off the field. During his time in Richmond, the baseball program boasted the top NCAA Academic Progress Rate score (960) of any other Division I baseball program in the state of Kentucky, and ranked among the 80th percentile of all Division I programs in the country.
TILGHMAN STAR AN OLYMPIC HOPEFUL
According to The Paducah Sun, former Paducah Tilghman track standout Danielle Carruthers is among the declared and qualified entries for the 2008 United States Olympic Trials track and field meet June 27-July 6 in Eugene, Ore. The women’s 100-meter hurdles will be held July 5-6. Carruthers just missed making the Athens 2004 U.S. Olympic team finishing fourth with her personal best of 12.56. However, only the top three advanced to the Athens Olympics.
MEMPHIS LOOKING TO IMPROVE DRAFT STATUS
The Grizzlies are reportedly in continuing discussions aimed at moving up in Thursday's NBA draft. A number of potential trade packages have apparently been discussed, including a deal that would send several Grizzlies players and a draft pick to Miami for their number two overall pick and other players. The number two pick would give the Grizzlies the opportunity to draft Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, considered one of the top two players available in the draft. You can hear the draft, live tomorrow night on 1340 WNBS
HANCOCK OUT AT CHURCHILL DOWNS
Seth Hancock, managing partner of Claiborne Farm, has stepped down from the Churchill Downs Inc. board of directors after 35 years. Hancock, whose family has run the stallion farm in Paris, Ky., since 1915, was elected to the board at Churchill Downs in 1973.
MEMPHIS DOWNS NASHVILLE
The Memphis Redbirds used three home runs to down the Nashville Sounds, 8-6, Tuesday night in Nashville. D'Angelo Jiminez, Joe Mather, and Rico Washington each hit a two run shot as the Redbirds came back for the win. Matt Clement got the win in relief, after pitching a scoreless sixth inning.
NATIONAL SPORTS REPORT
Major League Baseball
---------------------
Mike Lowell hit a two-run double, and Jason Varitek drove in the go-ahead run
in an eighth-inning Boston rally, as the Red Sox stunned Arizona, 5-4, in the
middle contest of a three-game interleague set. Dustin Pedroia finished 2-
for-4 with a home run and two RBI for Boston, which has won two of three.
The Red Sox were limited to one run on four hits in Monday's opener, but
put together an 11-hit attack to take the win -- just their second in the
past five games at Fenway Park. Justin Masterson gave up four runs on seven
hits in a six-inning start, while Chris Smith (1-0) tossed two scoreless
innings of relief to get the win. Chad Qualls (1-6) was touched for two runs
on four hits in two-thirds of the eighth and took the loss, the Diamondbacks'
fourth of five. Chad Tracy finished 2-for-3 and drove in all of Arizona's
runs, primarily on a three-run homer.
Elsewhere in Interleague play:
------------------------------
Pittsburgh Pirates 12, New York Yankees 5
San Francisco Giants 3, Cleveland Indians 2
St. Louis Cardinals 8, Detroit Tigers 4
Toronto Blue Jays 14, Cincinnati Reds 1
Tampa Bay Rays 6, Florida Marlins 4
Seattle Mariners 11, New York Mets 0
LA Angels of Anaheim 8, Washington Nationals 3
Houston Astros 4, Texas Rangers 3
Baltimore Orioles 7, Chicago Cubs 5
Kansas City Royals 7 Colorado Rockies 3
Oakland Athletics 5, Philadelphia Phillies 2
Minnesota Twins 3, San Diego Padres 1
Chicago White Sox 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 1
National League
---------------
Dave Bush hurled seven solid innings and the Milwaukee Brewers staved off a
late rally to edge the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, in the second of a three-game set.
Bush (4-7) lasted seven innings and yielded just one run on four hits while
striking out five. Torres survived a ninth-inning scare, giving up two runs on
two hits with two walks, to earn his career-best 13th save. Corey Hart and
J.J. Hardy each had a double and an RBI for the Brewers, who have won four in
a row and eight of nine. Mark Teixeira had a double and hit a two-run home run
in the ninth inning for the Braves, who have lost four of six overall. Omar
Infante had the other Atlanta RBI. Charlie Morton (1-1) was dealt the loss as
he was touched for four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits.
=== TENNIS ===
Second-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic, third-seeded former champion Maria
Sharapova and defending titlist and four- time winner Venus Williams were a
trio of opening-round victors Tuesday at Wimbledon. Jankovic, still seeking
that elusive first-ever trip into a Grand Slam final, handled Ukrainian Olga
Savchuk 6-3, 6-2 on Court 1, needing four match points to do so. The hard-
hitting Jankovic has already reached semifinals at the Australian and French
Opens this year and landed in the fourth round here at Wimbledon the last two
years. Jankovic will battle rising Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the next
round, marking a rematch of a French Open quarterfinal won easily by the Serb
three weeks ago. Suarez Navarro beat Russian Galina Voskoboeva 6-2, 6-4 on
Tuesday. The 2004 champion Sharapova, clad in a white tuxedo-type shirt and
white shorts, cruised past France's Stephanie Foretz 6-1, 6-4 in 1 hour, 15
minutes on Court 1 at the All England Club. Meanwhile, a seventh-seeded
Williams was tested in the first set by Britain's Naomi Cavaday before
cruising in the second for a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 victory on the famed Centre Court.
===
On the men's side, two-time runners-up Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick posted
opening-round victories, while world No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko came up a loser
Tuesday at Wimbledon. The second-seeded Nadal improved to 13-2 in his last 15
matches at the All England Club by handling German Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-4, 7-6
(7-0). Meanwhile, a sixth-seeded Roddick, who gave way here to Federer in the
2004 and 2005 finals, handled Argentine Eduardo Schwank 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) to
improve to 28-7 lifetime at the All England Club. Big-serving German Benjamin
Becker doused the Russian Davydenko in 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 fashion on another sunny
day here. In other action, eighth-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet tattooed
American Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to improve to 6-1 in his last seven matches
at Wimbledon, while ninth- seeded American James Blake came from behind to
dispose of diminutive Belgian Christophe Rochus 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
=== NHL ===
The Tampa Bay Lightning continued their makeover on Tuesday, naming Barry
Melrose the team's new head coach. It's been a busy few days for the
Lightning, who selected Steve Stamkos with the first overall pick of the NHL
Entry Draft on Friday and introduced the franchise's new ownership group on
Monday. The eight-man partnership, headed by Hollywood producer Oren Koules
and former NHL player Len Barrie, then made its first official move by naming
Melrose as the club's sixth head coach. Melrose, who most recently had served
as hockey analyst for ESPN, has not been behind an NHL bench since he was
fired by the Los Angeles Kings during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season. He
posted a record of 79-101-29 in two full seasons and part of a third with the
Kings, guiding the club to a surprise Stanley Cup Finals appearance in the
spring of 1993.
===
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday that Anaheim Ducks owner Henry
Samueli is suspended indefinitely from any and all further involvement with
his club and with the league. Samueli pled guilty on Monday to one count of
making a false statement in front of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
and sentencing in Federal District Court is expected to come on August 18. At
that time, the league will conduct a review of Samueli's status to decide
what, if any, further penalties the NHL should levy against him. Alternate
governor Michael Schulman will serve as the franchise's governor in Samueli's
absence. He will be responsible for managing all club operations and will
report to the commissioner.
=== GOLF ===
Tiger Woods underwent successful surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in
his left knee on Tuesday. The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas D. Rosenberg
and Dr. Vernon J. Cooley in Park City, Utah. These doctors performed
arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in April. The surgery came eight days
after Woods captured his third U.S. Open Championship. He needed 91 holes to
defeat Rocco Mediate and announced shortly thereafter he would undergo surgery
and miss the remainder of the year. Woods had surgery after finishing second
at this year's Masters. No timetable is available for his return next year.
Woods will miss the season's final two major championships, the British Open
and PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup.
=== MLB ===
Seattle Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard is expected to miss his scheduled start
Wednesday against the New York Mets because of back spasms. Bedard was forced
to leave his last outing on June 20 against Atlanta after the third inning.
The left-hander, in his first season with Seattle following a trade from
Baltimore, is just 4-4 with a 3.97 earned run average in 13 starts. He spent
time on the disabled list in April with a hip injury. Miguel Batista,
relegated to the bullpen earlier this month, is scheduled to take Bedard's
start on Wednesday.
=== NBA ===
Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion reportedly won't opt out of the final year of
his contract. A Miami newspaper spoke with Marion's agent, Dan Fegan, who said
discussions for an extension took place. However, he added a deal could not be
reached and it was decided that Marion would complete the final year of his
deal. Marion was acquired by the Heat as part of the February blockbuster
trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix. He averaged 14.3 points and 11.2
rebounds in 16 games with Miami before sitting out the final 16 games with
back and foot problems. Overall, the 30-year-old UNLV product averaged 15.4
points and 10.2 rebounds in 63 games last season.
===
Denver Nuggets star forward Carmelo Anthony pleaded guilty Tuesday to driving
while impaired and failure to stay in one lane. In Denver County Court,
Anthony was sentenced to a year's probation and ordered to serve 24 hours of
community service. He was also imposed more than $1,000 in fines, fees and
court costs, but avoided a more severe charge of driving under the influence.
Anthony, who was pulled over on Interstate 25 on April 14, has already been
suspended by the Nuggets for the first two games of next season because of the
arrest. The plea comes a day after the 24-year-old Syracuse product was named
to the 2008 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.
=== COLLEGE BASEBALL ===
Steve Susdorf went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBI, as Fresno State
batted its way to a staggering 19-10 win over Georgia in the second game of
the College World Series finals. Georgia used an eighth-inning rally to take
Monday's opening game of the best- of-three series. But Fresno State's victory
Tuesday forces a third game, scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. (et), to decide
the championship. Since 2003, when the College World Series championship
switched to a three- game series format, only one team won the first game and
lost the series -- North Carolina in 2006, when it lost to Oregon State.
Fresno State pounded out 19 hits -- Danny Muno went 3-for-4 with a triple and
two RBI, while Gavin Hedstrom, Erik Wetzel, Alan Ahmady, Tommy Mendonca, Steve
Detwiler and Jordan Ribera each had two hits. Wetzel drove in three, while
Mendonca blasted a three-run home run for Fresno State, which became the first
school in College World Series history to score more than 16 runs twice in the
same tournament. Fresno State topped Rice, 17-5, in its opening game.
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