Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Latest Sports Buzz

Latest Sports Buzz

Patrick McEnroe Resigns As US Davis Cup Captain

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Patrick McEnroe resigned his position as captain of the United States Davis Cup, effective after the Americans’ playoff against Colombia this month.

McEnroe, 44, has been captain since 2000, leading the team as it ended the longest drought in U.S. Davis Cup history in 2007.

“Obviously it’s mixed emotions for me because of what Davis Cup has meant to me for 10 years, to the players that have supported it,” McEnroetold reporters at a news conference at the U.S. Open. “But I feel now is a good time for a transition, and I can focus on my professional energies, player development, and obviously will still be very involved with the team and who plays on the team and supporting the guys that are part of the team.”

McEnroe’s record as captain is an impressive 16-9 (second only to Tom Gorman’s 18 wins), helping develop such big names as Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey,

The New York native is the brother of seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe and a 10-year (1988-98) veteran of the ATP Tour.

“Patrick changed the culture of Davis Cup in the United States, creating a true team environment and a sense of camaraderie that the U.S. has never before seen,” USTA chief professional tournaments officer Jim Curley said in a statement. “He has been a champion of the competition in every sense of the word, and elevated the stature of the event in this country.”

McEnroe, also the United States Tennis Association’s general manager of player development since 2008, will focus his time on his family, work as an analyst for ESPN and the development of American standouts.

Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, John Isner and Ryan Harrison will play for the U.S. in Colombia in the Davis Cup world group playoffs, starting Sept. 17 in Bogota.

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Pierzynski`s Bat Leads White Sox Past Tigers

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

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John Raffel – AHN Sports Correspondent

Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – A.J. Pierzynski’s RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the Chicago White Sox over the Detroit Tigers 5-4 Monday at Comerica Park.

Pierzynski’s single scored pinch-runner Alejandro De Aza with one out and helped the White Sox extend their winning streak to seven games. The Chicago catcher had three RBI for the game.

Don Kelly’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Tigers a 4-3 advantage over the White Sox.

Alexei Ramirez delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the eighth off Tiger reliever Ryan Perry to tie the game 4-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, it appeared the Tigers had taken a 6-4 lead when the umpires ruled Brandon Inge had homered just inside the left field foul pole. But the umpires, after looking at the replay, reversed the call.

Kelly, who also had an RBI single in the first inning, hit the first pitch from former Tiger Edwin Jackson for his sixth home run of the season with Miguel Cabrera on base in the fourth.

Detroit had taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Austin Jackson, Will Rhymes and Johnny Damon had consecutive singles to open the inning. Jackson scored on Damon’s single while Rhymes came home on a single by Kelly.

Chicago tied the game in the second off Tiger starter Max Scherzer on Pierzynski’s two-run single.

The White Sox took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Juan Pierre’s RBI single. But later in the inning, Tiger outfielder Brennan Bosch threw Mark Kotsay out at the plate to keep the White Sox lead at one run.

Detroit Tiger starter Max Scherzer went the first 7.1 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Jackson had the same line for Chicago.

Chicago reliever Chris Sale retired the side in the bottom of the 10th to preserve the victory. He took the pitching win while Jose Valverde took the loss for Detroit.

The White Sox entered the day 3.5 games behind Minnesota in the American League Central Division race.

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Roberts` Go-Ahead RBI Single Lifts O`s Past Yanks

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Kareem Shaker – AHN Sports Reporter

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – Brian Roberts went 3-for-5 with two RBI and knocked in the go-ahead run, as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the New York Yankees 4-3 Monday afternoon.

Brian Matusz (8-12, 4.71 ERA) dealt six innings of three-run ball and Matt Wieters also kncoked in a run for Baltimore.

The Orioles bullpen kept New York off the board despite allowing several baserunners, capped with Koji Uehara’s seventh save in seven chances.

Alex Rodriguez hit a solo shot and added a sac fly to reach 100 RBI in a season for the 14th time, breaking the all-time record held by Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx.

Robinson Cano also knocked in a run and A.J. Burnett (10-13, 5.15) gave up four runs in seven innings for the fifth loss in his last six starts.

New York (86-52) has lost two straight after a season-high eight-game win streak. The Yanks still maintain a two-game lead over Tampa, which plays fading Boston Sunday night, for first in the AL East.

Baltimore (52-86) has already guaranteed itself a 13th-consecutive losing season.

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Wideout Houshmandzadeh Joins Ravens, Inks One-Year Pact

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

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Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Owings Mills, MD, United States (AHN) – Pro Bowler T.J. Houshmandzadeh, recently released by Seattle, is expected to add depth to the Baltimore Ravens’ wide receiver position after agreeing to a one-year deal with the team Monday.

Though unexpected but necessary, the move is widely viewed as a low-risk signing and involves less money as the 32-year-old native of California was inked for the veteran minimum of $855,000.

Houshmandzadeh, released by the Seahawks after one season Sunday, is still entitled to the remaining $6.15 million for 2010 in his previous contract with Seattle.

The addition of Houshmandzadeh comes after receiver Donte Stallworth sustained a foot injury in preseason. Stallworth is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.

Meanwhile, the 2007 Pro Bowler Houshmandzadeh credits star linebacker Ray Lewis for recruiting him to the Ravens.

Houshmandzadeh, who is very familiar with the AFC North, told USA Today.com that the Ravens spiritual leader and 11-time Pro Bowler Lewis said to him: “‘If you want to win, this is the place to be.”’

The former Bengal Houshmandzadeh, one of the NFL’s most productive receivers the past several seasons, added, “I know from competing against those guys when I was in Cincinnati how it is in Baltimore.”

Selected in the seventh-round by Cincinnati in the 2001 NFL Draft, Houshmandzadeh logged 79 catches for 911 yards and three TD in 16 games for the Seahawks last season.

Houshmandzadeh has caught 586 passes for 6,693 yards with 40 TD in 121 contests (90 starts) with Cincinnati and Seattle over nine NFL seasons.

In Baltimore, Houshmandzadeh is likely to be the No. 3 receiver behind Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason.

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Pierzynski`s Clutch Single Extends White Sox Win Streak To Seven

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

John Raffel – AHN Sports Correspondent

Detroit, MI, United States (AHN) – A.J. Pierzynski realizes now’s not the time for the Chicago White Sox to cool down.

Pierzynski’s RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the White Sox over the Detroit Tigers 5-4 Monday at Comerica Park.

Pierzynski’s single scored pinch-runner Alejandro De Aza with one out and helped the White Sox extend their winning streak to seven games. The Chicago catcher had three RBIs for the game.

The White Sox entered the contest 3.5 games behind first-place Minnesota in the American League’s Central Division.

“The only problem is we can’t seem to pick up any games over the Twins because they keep winning too,” Pierzynski said. “We have to keep fighting. We have to face Justin Verlander tomorrow. It’s going to be a tough game. We can’t afford a letdown. We have to try to win every game.”

Don Kelly’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Tigers a 4-3 advantage over the White Sox.

Alexei Ramirez delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the eighth off Tiger reliever Ryan Perry to tie the game 4-4.

In the bottom of the eighth, it appeared the Tigers had taken a 6-4 lead when the umpires ruled Brandon Inge had homered just inside the left field foul pole. But the umpires, after looking at the replay, reversed the call and Inge wound up striking out.

“Everyone pretty much knew it was foul,” Pierzynski said. “That’s why they have instant replay and it worked out they made the right call.”

“I had a good feeling it was foul,” Inge said. “It’s hard to come back at bat on a 3-2 count. It’s pretty tough. I was trying to keep my mind on the at-bat because I knew it would probably be overturned.”

Kelly, who also had an RBI single in the first inning, hit the first pitch from former Tiger Edwin Jackson for his sixth home run of the season with Miguel Cabrera on base in the fourth.

Detroit had taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Jackson, Will Rhymes and Johnny Damon had consecutive singles to open the inning. Jackson scored on Damon’s single while Rhymes came home on a single by Kelly.

Chicago tied the game in the second off Tiger starter Max Scherzer on Pierzynski’s two-run single. The White Sox took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on Juan Pierre’s RBI single.

But later in the inning, Tiger outfielder Brennan Boesch threw out Mark Kotsay at the plate to keep the White Sox lead at one run.

“It was a great game to watch,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “There was a lot of action there and a lot of movement and a lot of decisions to make. Good things happened today.”

Detroit Tiger starter Max Scherzer went the first 7.1 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. Jackson had the same line for Chicago.

Chicago reliever Chris Sale retired the side in the bottom of the 10th to preserve the victory. He took the pitching win while Jose Valverde took the loss for Detroit.

“He’s done everything right since he’s been here,” Pierzynski said of Sale, who had 2.2 scoreless innings for his first Major League victory. “So far so good.”

“He’s a very pleasant surprise,” Guillen said. “I have confidence in him the way he was throwing the ball.”

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Hoffman Cleans Up With 62 To Win Deutsche Bank

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Tom Edrington – AHN Sports Reporter

Norton, MA, United States (AHN) – Charley Hoffman is the guy on the PGA Tour who looks like a surfer with his long blonde hair hanging out the back of his golf cap.

He’s also the Waste Management guy, the company is his major sponsor.

What he did on Monday was clean up the rest of the field at the Deutsche Bank Championship with a final nine-hole score of 29 at the TPC Boston.

The sizzling score sent him soaring past the rest of the contenders and into the winner’s circle at this second stop of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Hoffman, who looked cool and calm all day, shot a dazzling 62 that left the rest of the competition sinking in his wake.

It was good for a mighty 22-under par total of 262 that tied the tournament 72-hole scoring record. He also bolted into the second position on the important FedEx Cup point standings.

He made 11 birdies on the day and really didn’t know he had soared up the leaderboard and into first until he was standing on the 72nd tee.

“I didn’t know how many birdies I had today,” he said, describing the events that transpired. “I was just trying to keep the pedal down. I didn’t have any clue where I stood until 17.”

Hoffman, who captured his second tour victory, kept the pedal down hard on the other players. It looked like a three-man race going to the back nine with Luke Donald and third round leader Jason Day in position to win along with Hoffman.

Donald ran into trouble with his tee shots and Day never could get any momentum mustered the last nine.

Day and Donald finished in a three-way tie for second with Geoff Ogilvy at 17-under, 267.

Tiger Woods closed with 68, his third straight round in the 60s, and finished at 10-under, made it to the next stage of the playoffs and is expected to be a captain’s choice for the United States Ryder Cup team which will be announced Tuesday morning.

“Hopefully he has my (phone) number,” Woods said of team captain Corey Pavin.

Hoffman, whose best shot of the back nine was a bunker shot he holed out for birdie at the 13th hole that got him to 19-under for the day and on his way to victory, also lobbied for a Ryder Cup spot. “It all worked out great,” Hoffman said of his day-long effort.

“I was able to pull through today. Hopefully Mr. Pavin (Corey) saw that . If I could shoot 62 out there today, I’m pretty sure I could play good in the Ryder Cup.”

Ryder Cup spot or not, Hoffman heads for this week’s BMW Championship at Cog HIll in Chicago with a lot of confidence.

“I was with my instructor, Sean Callahan this week and my game has been good. I’ve been playing well after having problems with my wrist earlier in the year. My bunker game couldn’t be better.

“It was,” Hoffman said with a smile, “a really fun day.”

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NHRA: Dixon Is Top Fuel Dog at U.S. Nationals

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Edward Lewis – AHN Sports Reporter

Clermont, IN, United States (AHN) – Larry Dixon remained the hottest driver in drag racing Monday when he scored his 10th win of the season by capturing the Top Fuel division at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at O’Reilly Raceway Park.

While Dixon showed the way in Top Fuel and the other class winners included Ashley Force Hood, Greg Stanfield and LE Tonglet as the first of six playoff races got started.

Dixon earned his fourth Indy win and 58th of his career when he topped Cory McClenathan in the final round after beating Bruce Litton, Steve Torrence and Shawn Langdon in the earlier rounds.

“Winning Indy is enough for me,” said Dixon, who became the first driver in NHRA history to win 10 consecutive finals in a season without a loss. “Nothing against Atlanta or Phoenix, but I would trade them all in to win at Indy.”

Force Hood, the daughter of NHRA legend John Force, tallied her first Funny Car win of the season and won here for the second year in row by topping her dad in the final round.

She made a winning pass of 308.07 mph while her father lost traction halfway down the run.

“This has just been an amazing day,” said Force Hood. “This may mean more than last year because we struggled so much this season. Last year we were on a roll – we had gone to some finals and won some races and were up high in the points — but this year it’s been the other end of the spectrum.”

“But our team has stayed positive and we just said we’d use the start of the playoffs to turn it all around and forget the past.”

Stanfield used a quicker reaction time to defeat defending world champion Mike Edwards in the Pro Stock final, while rookie LE Tonglet topped top qualifier and national record-setter Andrew Hines to win Pro Stock Motorcycle.

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Arpin Captures ARCA Win In Illinois

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Edward Lewis – AHN Sports Reporter

DuQuoin, IL, United States (AHN) – Steve Arpin knows dirt so he was able to give Venturini Motorsports its first-ever ARCA Racing Series win on it Monday when he captured the 58th running of the Southern Illinois 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Arpin, wheeling the No. 55 Chevrolet, passed Tom Hessert on Lap 62 of the 100-lap event and never looked back, beating Hessert to the checkered flag by a half second.

“We had an awesome race car from the get-go,” said Arpin, who won his third career ARCA Series event. “We were real tight right off the bat. I was nervous. I was honestly more nervous than I’ve been in a long time about being able to get to the front.”

“But, Bill (Venturini, crew chief) and Kevin made an awesome adjustment during the pit stop and (they) asked me just to trust them. They hit it right on. I think that is the most fun I can ever remember having in a race car.”

Arpin, a native of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada, cut his teeth racing in the dirt modifieds before jumping to stock cars.

“This one is just a little bit extra special to me because, like with my dirt racing background, that’s all I really have done before,” said Arpin. “To be able to come back here to the dirt and get an ARCA win is something I’ve really wanted, especially at this level.”

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Wozniacki Ousts Sharapova, Kuznetsova Stunned At U.S. Open

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

NY, NY, United States (AHN) – Top-seeded 2009 runner-up Caroline Wozniacki is on course for her maiden Grand Slam following a straight-sets demolition of former champion Maria Sharapova Monday in the fourth round at the U.S. Open.

The 20-year-old Dane, who had dominated three of the last four WTA tournaments prior to the New York event, maintained her composure against the three-time major winner Sharapova en route to a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Consistency was key in the win by the world No. 2 Wozniacki against the explosiveness of the Russian beauty, who committed 36 unforced errors in the match.

Wozniacki, who entered Monday with a 0-2 all-time record against the 2006 champion Sharapova, will next play the unseeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, who upended former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The 45th-ranked Cibulkova, a French Open semifinalist last year, reached her first quarterfinals at Flushing Meadow after downing two-time Grand Slam event champion Kuznetsova, seeded 11th, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Rising 31st-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi also moved through the next stage, her second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, after toppling 15th-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer, 0-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1.

On the men’s draw, former Aussie Open champion Novak Djokovic and fifth-seeded Robin Soderling advanced into the quarterfinals after disposing of their respective fourth-round assignments Monday.

The No. 3 seed Djokovic eliminated the 19th-seeded and power-hitting Mardy Fish with clinical precision, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

It will mark the fourth straight U.S. Open quarterfinal appearance for Djokovic, who reached at least the semis in his last previous three trips in New York.

Djokovic will meet Frenchman Gael Monfils (No. 17) in the quarterfinal.

Monfils advanced after besting compatriot Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.

Soderling also barged into the winner’s column Monday after outlasting Albert Montanes (No. 21), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

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Roethlisberger Not Selected A Steelers Captain

Posted: 07 Sep 2010 05:08 PM PDT

Jojo Doria – AHN Sports Contributor

Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN) – Ben Roethlisberger, suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season, was not chosen a Steelers captain in a vote by his teammates.

On Monday, the Steelers announced four captains, including two offensive captains, but Roethlisberger is not one of them.

The 28-year-old quarterback held a captain’s position the past two seasons.

A year after being named to his only Pro Bowl in 2007, Roethlisberger was finally embraced by his teammates after four seasons with the team.

Roethlisberger was elected as offensive co-captain along with receiver Hines Ward in 2008.

He once again gained the nod of his teammates last year despite an allegation of sexual assault against him in Nevada.

This season, he was slapped a six-game banned by the NFL following allegations he sexually assaulted a Georgia college student in March.

Roethlisberger was not charged as a result of the second sexual assault allegation made against him in less than a year.

Last week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduced Roethlisberger’s suspension to four games.

Despite the reduction of suspension due to good behavior, this year’s voting is a strong indication the two-time Super Bowl champion has to earn the trust back from his team.

The Steelers’ captains this year are receiver Ward, tight end Heath Miller and linebackers James Farrior and Keyaron Fox.

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