ALL RECENT AP STORIES

Houston @ ?? Pittsburgh @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Grssmn cf 4 2 1 0?? SMarte lf 4 0 1 0 Elmore 2b 3 0 1 1?? Snider rf 5 1 0 0 JCastro c 2 0 0 1?? McCtch cf 5 2 3 1 Carter rf 3 0 1 0?? GJones 1b 2 0 1 1 Pareds pr-rf 0 0 0 0?? Inge ph-1b 2 0 0 0 JMrtnz lf 3 0 0 0?? Walker 2b 4 1 1 0 Clemns p...

Tony Schumacher raced to the Top Fuel qualifying lead Friday in the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka. Schumacher, the series points leader in the 8,000-horsepower category, had a 3.769-second run at 326.08 mph to top the 16-car field. "The track was really smooth," said Schumacher, a two-time winner this season. "My crew took a good look at it and made the decision to go fast. (Crew chief) Mike Green made a great call there under the pressure after being bumped out of the top 12....

Tampa Bay @ ?? Baltimore @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Jnnngs cf 6 0 2 2?? McLoth dh 5 2 2 0 Joyce rf 5 1 1 0?? Machd 3b 5 1 1 2 Zobrist 2b 5 1 2 0?? Markks rf 5 0 1 0 Longori 3b 3 2 2 1?? A.Jones cf 5 1 1 0 Loney 1b 4 2 2 1?? C.Davis 1b 4 1 2 2 Scott dh 2 2 1 1?? Wieters c 4 1 1 2 KJhnsn lf ...

Paul Goldschmidt homered twice, tied his career high with four hits and drove in four runs to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Miami Marlins 9-2 Friday night. Eric Chavez homered and also had four hits, and Gerardo Parra and Martin Prado had three hits apiece for Arizona, which had 16 hits in all and won its third straight game. Trevor Cahill (3-4) won for the third time in four decisions following an 0-3 start, allowing one run , five hits and four walks in eight innings. He walked his...

Ken Venturi, who overcame dehydration to win the 1964 U.S. Open and spent 35 years in the booth for CBS Sports, died Friday afternoon. He was 82. His son, Matt Venturi, said he died in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Venturi had been hospitalized the last two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia, and then an intestinal infection that he could no longer fight. Venturi died 11 days after he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He couldn't make it to the induction. His sons, Matt...

Domonic Brown drove in the tiebreaking run on an infield grounder in the eighth and the Philadelphia Phillies snapped the Cincinnati Reds' six-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory on Friday night. Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run homer and Cliff Lee threw seven sharp innings for the Phillies, who've won four of five. Joey Votto hit a tying solo homer off Antonio Bastardo in the eighth, and Jay Bruce connected for a two-run shot for Cincinnati. Lee gave up two runs and six hits, striking out seven....

Arizona @ ?? Miami @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi GParra rf 5 1 3 0?? Pierre lf 2 0 0 0 Gregrs ss 4 2 1 0?? Hchvrr ss 4 0 0 0 Gldsch 1b 5 4 4 4?? Dietrch 2b 3 0 0 0 ErChvz 3b 5 1 4 2?? Ozuna rf 4 0 1 0 Pnngtn pr-2b 0 0 0 0?? Ruggin cf 4 0 0 0 C.Ross lf 4 1 1 2?? Dobbs 1b 4 2 3 0 MMntr c 4 0 0 0??...

Hiroki Kuroda pitched two-hit ball for eight dominant innings and the New York Yankees again beat Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-0 on Friday night. Austin Romine and Brett Gardner had run-scoring hits, Robinson Cano hit an RBI grounder and Jayson Nix had two sacrifice flies in dropping Buehrle to 1-10 in 15 starts against the Yankees. The left-hander hasn't beaten New York since April 10, 2004, when he was with the Chicago White Sox. The AL East-leading Yankees defeated last-place...

Toronto @ ?? New York @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi MeCarr lf 4 0 2 0?? Gardnr cf 3 1 2 1 Bautist rf 4 0 0 0?? J.Nix ss 0 0 0 2 Encrnc 1b 4 0 2 0?? Cano 2b 4 0 0 1 Arencii c 4 0 0 0?? V.Wells lf 4 0 0 0 Lind dh 3 0 0 0?? BFrncs dh 4 0 0 0 Lawrie 3b 3 0 0 0?? Overay 1b 4 0 1 0 Rasms cf 3 0 0...

O.J. Simpson's former lawyer defended himself point-by-point Friday against allegations he botched the former football star's armed-robbery trial, after giving damaging testimony that Simpson actually knew his buddies had guns when they went to a hotel room together to reclaim some sports memorabilia. Miami-based attorney Yale Galanter quickly found himself under withering cross-examination from a Simpson lawyer intent on proving that Galanter's word couldn't be trusted _ that he knew ahead...

Jessica Korda shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Hall of Famer Karrie Webb after the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. Korda had seven birdies in her second straight bogey-free round to reach 13 under on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex. "I'm hitting the ball good and I'm having a lot of fun out there," said Korda, coming off a two-week break to rest a wrist injury. "I feel really comfortable out here. This is...

New York Jets running back Mike Goodson is facing drug and weapons charges after he was found in a car with an acquaintance early Friday morning on Interstate 80 in New Jersey. According to state police, Goodson was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 31-year-old Garant Evans of Roselle. After receiving a 911 call from a tow-truck driver at about 3:15 a.m., police found them stopped in the left-center lane of Interstate 80 west in Denville, about 25 miles west of New York City. State Police Sgt....

Keegan Bradley again bogeyed Nos. 1 and 18 in the Byron Nelson Championship. Unlike the first round, Bradley didn't set a course record. But he still finished with a three-stroke lead. Bradley started and ended his round Friday with those bogeys, part of a 1-under 69 that got him to 11-under 129, the lowest 36-hole total at the Nelson since 2001. "I'm almost more proud of this round than yesterday because I didn't feel comfortable all day," said Bradley, whose opening 60 included his only bogeys...

The Copa del Rey trophy could have been coach Jose Mourinho's parting gift for Real Madrid, or at least a consolation prize after a disappointing season filled with locker-room turmoil and failure in La Liga and the Champions League. Instead, Atletico Madrid ended a 25-game, 14-year winless streak against its rival, getting a 98th-minute goal from Miranda for a 2-1 victory in the Copa del Rey final on Friday night following the ejections of Mourinho and Real star Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo put...

Everything seems to be lining up for Michael Andretti this May. His five drivers have taken turns atop the practice speed charts all week and, when series officials gave the engines a boost Friday, E.J. Viso and Marco Andretti were still on top. The team owner has the defending series champ, the only two-time IndyCar winner this season, a hot-shot rookie who has been among the fastest drivers all week and his son, Marco, who is bursting with confidence now that he's back on his favorite tracks,...

Carl Edwards captured the pole for the Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, paying tribute to the late Dick Trickle along the way. Edwards, the 2011 winner in the exhibition event, completed three laps and a four-tire pit stop Friday night in 1 minute, 51.297 seconds. Kurt Busch will start alongside Edwards on the front row Saturday night. Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch and Joe Logano round out the top five. Edwards had Trickle's name written just above his window, a tribute to the 71-year-old...

Add starting pitcher Andy Pettitte to the long list of All-Stars on the New York Yankees' disabled list. Pettitte was placed on the 15-day DL Friday because of a strained left trapezius muscle in his upper back. He expects to return as soon as he is eligible. "We don't think it's overly serious but we want to pay it safe," general manager Brian Cashman said. "I didn't expect him to give us 200 innings this year, regardless." Vidal Nuno is being recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and...

David DeJesus singled sharply to right field in the eighth inning and Darwin Barney sprinted from second base. Third base coach David Bell sent him home with the potential tying run. Whoops! Marlon Byrd threw on the fly to catcher John Buck, and the ball beat Barney by about 15 feet. Barney didn't even bother to slide and slowed down as Buck applied the tag, preserving the lead in the New York Mets' 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday. "Turned out it wasn't a very close play," Bell said....

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin was suspended for the first four games of the 2013 season on Friday after the league announced he violated the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances. Irvin will be eligible to participate in all offseason activities and preseason practices and games, but will be suspended without pay for the opening four games at Carolina, home for San Francisco and Jacksonville and at Houston. Irvin will be eligible to return to Seattle's active roster on Sept....

Pavel Datsyuk is one of the NHL's most feared scorers, a wizard with the puck who is equally adept at setting up his teammates for easy plays. Jonathan Toews has at least 23 goals in each of his six seasons in the league, and Patrice Bergeron is one of the top offensive threats for one of the league's best teams. If you want to stop a Datsyuk, Toews or Bergeron, it sure helps to have a Datsyuk, Toews or Bergeron. The three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the NHL's best defensive forward...

Things started out just fine for Buddy Lazier on Friday as he made his way through the refresher test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "So far, so good," he said after finishing the first phase of the test. But by the end of the day? Not so much. Lazier's car ran out of gas just a few laps before completing the test. To make matters worse, heavy rain and lightning ended practice early and Lazier's crew was left towing the No. 91 car to the garage in the middle of it all. A refresher is exactly...

Novak Djokovic can't seem to find any consistency on clay courts. And with the French Open less than 10 days away, he will enter Roland Garros on the back of two early defeats. The top-ranked Serb wasted a chance to serve out the match and was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 by sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the Italian Open quarterfinals Friday. In the semifinals, Berdych will face six-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal, who defeated fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. While he struggled at times,...

Matt Harvey won his fifth straight decision, allowing five hits in 7 1-3 innings and singling in the go-ahead run in the seventh to lead the New York Mets over the Chicago Cubs 3-2 Friday. Daniel Murphy and David Wright homered for the Mets, and right fielder Marlon Byrd preserved the lead by throwing out a runner at the plate in the eighth inning. The Mets won consecutive games for the first time since May 1 and 3. Harvey (5-0) won his first four starts of the year, then failed to get a decision...

Wrestling is heeding the harshest of wakeup calls. Now it's time for the International Olympic Committee to do the right thing. Put this most historic of sports back on the program for the 2020 Summer Games. Assuming the governing body, known as FILA, follows through on major steps Friday _ simplifying the rules, settling on a new leader, pressing forward with ways to make the sport more hip and exciting for fans _ there's no reason for wrestling to compete with seven other sports vying to get...

Charles Woodson pushed back a visit to Oakland to pursue a reunion with the Raiders because extending his career in the NFL isn't his only mission. The 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year would've traveled to the Bay Area from Denver after meeting with the Broncos on Wednesday, but he had charity obligations this weekend to support Mott Children's Hospital. "It's important for me to be here even though I'm looking for a job," Woodson said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday....

Everybody else had their shot. Go down the list of Kentucky Derby-winning trainers the past three decades or so and you'll find at least one of nearly every kind: insiders, outliers, organization men and fast-buck artists, even guys in on a wing and a prayer. Nine of them have gone on to win the Preakness and vie for a Triple Crown since Affirmed won the last one in 1978. None has delivered. But now comes a different character _ the throwback. On Saturday afternoon, if Orb is near the top of...

Charlotte Motor Speedway is honoring the memory of Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, who made history by sweeping the Sprint All-Star race and the Coca-Cola 600 here 20 years ago. CMS is offering fans a limited edition LiftMaster Pole Night commemorative ticket for $20. The ticket features photos of Earnhardt with his trophies from those wins. Earnhardt's All-Star win in 1993 was the third of his career and his former assistant engine builder Danny Lawrence remembers it well. "It sent chills through...

Kyle Busch holds a 3-0 advantage over Kasey Kahne this season and understands Kahne may be planning some retaliation. In fact, he jokingly told Kahne he was ready for revenge. "I just told Kasey, don't make it hurt too bad," Busch said. Nobody knows when _ or if _ Kahne will issue a payback for the three incidents he's had this season that all involved Busch. The latest came last Saturday night at Darlington Raceway when Kahne spun as the two were racing for the lead with 33 laps remaining....

Guillermo Jones of Panama regained the WBA cruiserweight title in his first fight since 2011, stopping local favorite Denis Lebedev in the 11th round Friday night. Jones, who won the title in 2008 and then retained it twice, inflicted a horrific bruise around the Russian's right eye before flooring him near the ropes with 56 seconds left in the round. The Panama fighter improved to 39-3 with two draws and 31 knockouts. The fight was his first since stopping Michael Marrone in November 2011....

The Miami Heat have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Spurs have dominated for years with the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Now the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded their leading scorer in January, have surged into their first Western Conference finals behind an unlikely Big Three of their own. Marc Gasol still is Pau's little brother to some. Memphis thought about trading guard Mike Conley, the son of a track star, early in his career. And Memphis is Zach Randolph's...

All eyes will be on Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. The 3-year-old colt will take on eight challengers in the second leg of the Triple Crown. If he wins, Orb will attempt to become the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978 at the Belmont Stakes on June 8. In the Preakness, Orb will be facing five horses he defeated in the Derby and three who did not run in the race. Here's a guide to watching the race: ___ _ INSIDE START. Orb will start from the inside,...

New York @ ?? Chicago @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Vldspn rf 2 0 0 0?? DeJess cf 4 0 1 0 Byrd ph-rf 1 0 0 0?? SCastro ss 4 1 2 0 DnMrp 2b 4 1 1 1?? Rizzo 1b 4 1 1 0 DWrght 3b 4 1 3 1?? ASorin lf 4 0 1 1 I.Davis 1b 4 0 1 0?? Schrhlt rf 4 0 0 0 Duda lf 4 0 1 0?? Valuen 3b 3 0 0 0 Parnell p ...

Unbeaten Alexander Povetkin retained his WBA heavyweight belt Friday night, stopping Polish challenger Andrzej Wawrzyk in the third round for his fourth successful title defense. The 33-year-old Russian improved to 26-0 with his 18th knockout, flooring Wawrzyk in the second round and again in the third with a right to the head. The referee allowed Wawrzyk to continue before stopping the bout with 31 seconds left in the round. "We didn't plan to win by a TKO," Povetkin said. Povetkin, who outpointed...

Reid Ryan choked back tears as he was introduced as president of his beloved Astros, the team he grew up watching in the days when his Hall of Fame father, Nolan Ryan, starred as a pitcher for Houston. "My ties with the Astros go all the way back to 1980 when my dad came over," Reid Ryan said. "Today really is a dream come true because you grow up an Astros fan if you're in Houston. Everybody's got their hometown team, and the Astros were mine. This is just a very special day." Astros owner Jim...

Jimmie Johnson is lapping the field. Just three months into the season, Johnson has built a 44-point lead over second place Carl Edwards and is positioning himself for a run at a sixth NASCAR Cup Series championship. Matt Kenseth is in third place, 59 points back of Johnson. "I'm very happy to have this big points lead and would love to lock early as you can imagine," Johnson said. "But I don't know if I'm just making this up for my own good and helping my cause, but I'm glad I'm not peaking-out."...

A Tampa Bay area girl throwing the first pitch at a Rays game got a big surprise from her father, who had been stationed in Afghanistan for the past two years. Before throwing the pitch Thursday, 9-year-old Alayna Adams got to watch a pre-recorded video of her father, Army Lt. Col. Will Adams, on the field's video screen. After she tossed the ball toward home plate, the catcher removed his mask, revealing himself to be her dad. Alayna ran toward her father, and the two embraced. Adams was expected...

Paris Saint-Germain hopes to strike a deal with David Beckham in the next two weeks in which the former England captain will work with the French club after retirement, possibly in an ambassadorial role. The 38-year-old midfielder announced Thursday he will retire from soccer after PSG's last game of the season. "I met him yesterday, actually, and he's very interested to continue being involved with the big project of Paris Saint-Germain," Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the team president, said at a news...

Mark Martin received a piece of advice very early in his career from Dick Trickle that he's never forgotten. "He was the one that told me, and this is kind of corny, but it isn't when you're 18 or 19 years old _ he told me `In order to finish first, first you must finish,'" Martin said. "That stuck with me always." The NASCAR garage was full of Trickle stories on Friday, a day after the 71-year-old racer died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. An old-school driver with an odd name,...

Everything's a go for Orb. The Kentucky Derby winner was in a playful mood the day before the Preakness, making faces for photographers between nibbles of grass outside his stall at Pimlico Race Course. "He's really settled in well. He seems to be energetic about what he's doing so I couldn't be more pleased," trainer Shug McGaughey said on a warm and sunny Friday morning. "We're excited about giving him a whirl to see if we can get it done and go on to the next step." Getting it done would...

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced to screaming throngs of Kings fans Friday that the deal to sell the NBA franchise to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive has been signed. The announcement at a City Hall rally brings to an end nearly five months of maneuvering by Johnson to secure a new ownership group, convince the council to commit to building a new downtown arena, and to show the NBA that the capitol city of the most populous state in the nation has the fan base to make the...

Alex Ferguson is looking forward to a retired life of luxury vacations, watching thoroughbreds, enjoying good wines and perhaps studying languages. Before that, though, there's one final challenge to overcome _ beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday in his 1,500th and last game as Manchester United manager. "One thousand five hundred matches _ it's quite incredible," Ferguson said Friday, shaking his head at his own longevity. The end of the road in Ferguson's 39-year coaching career comes at...

Epiphanny Prince is headed to Russia. The Brooklyn native will miss a few weeks of the WNBA season to join the Russian national women's basketball team for the EuroBasket tournament from June 15-30. Prince will leave the Chicago Sky on June 4 to train with the Russian team for a week before the tournament begins. She'll be back with the Sky at the end of the month and most likely miss six games. "I want to play the whole WNBA season, but made a commitment to play for the Russian national team,"...

Sam Schmidt is content to wait another day before hiring a third driver for the Indianapolis 500. The owner of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports told The Associated Press on Friday he has not hired a driver for the No. 99 car but might if his two other drivers safely qualify Saturday. Schmidt's other drivers are Simon Pageland, last year's IndyCar rookie of the year, and rookie Tristan Gautier. Both are from France. Schmidt says a handful of drivers, including Britain's Katherine Legge, are interested...

David Beckham's pecs are at least as much a part of his brand as his kick; his brand of shoes ultimately more lucrative than the game he's giving up. Listed as the world's highest-earning athlete for 2013, Beckham's retirement from play still leaves him with valuable endorsements and unparalleled celebrity. The question is whether he can maintain it. Only a few athletes, once their job is preceded by `ex,' manage to maintain a connection with fans: Those who have carefully built up their image...

Football without Alex Ferguson? Like Britain without the queen or gin without tonic, it seems almost unthinkable. Yet that will be the reality from Sunday when British football's most successful manager walks away after his 1,500th and final match in charge of Manchester United. Surely, the only ones not feeling twinges of sadness will be the die-hard haters who looked on enviously as this most driven of men turned United into England's dominant club, eclipsing Liverpool, and becoming a global...

The NASCAR Hall of Fame has gone Hollywood with its newest exhibit, "Lights. Camera. NASCAR." The exhibit opened to the public Friday and shows how NASCAR's influence on films. Among the items on display: -- Cole Trickle's No. 46 City Chevrolet from "Days of Thunder." -- Ricky Bobby's No. 26 Wonder Bread entry from "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." -- The 1962 Chevrolet built by Wendell Scott for "Greased Lightning." -- The Hudson Hornet driven by Doc Hudson in Disney's "Cars."...

Ian Poulter was eliminated from the World Match Play Championship after losing another round-robin match Friday. Poulter lost to Thomas Aiken, 1 up, at the Thracian Cliffs course when he bogeyed the last hole after missing the fairway. "I have no excuses," Poulter said. "There is no excuse for that display of golf over the last two days. It's disgusting, disgraceful and there's no explanation. I should have been able to finish the match off." Poulter lost to Thongchai Jaidee on Thursday. On...

May 18 1912 _ Detroit players went on strike to protest Ty Cobb's suspension. To avoid a forfeit and fine, manager Hugh Jennings recruited college players and others; they lost to the Philadelphia A's 24-2. Joe Travers gave up all 24 runs on 26 hits. 1929 _ The Brooklyn Dodgers outslugged the Philadelphia Phillies for a 20-16 victory in the first game of a doubleheader. Brooklyn's Babe Herman and Johnny Frederick each had five hits. Frederick scored five times to give him a major league record...

May 18 1920 _ Man o' War, ridden by Clarence Kummer, wins the Preakness Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over Upset. 1931 _ Fifteen-year-old Eddie Arcaro rides his first race, finishing sixth, at Bainbridge Park, Ohio. 1957 _ Bold Ruler, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Preakness Stakes by two lengths over Iron Liege. It's the sixth and last time Arcaro wins the Preakness. 1968 _ Forward Pass wins the Preakness Stakes by six lengths to give Calumet Farm a record seven wins in by an owner in the race....

After being on this earth for 77 years, winning 13 Triple Crown races and totaling more than $100 million in purse money, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has earned the right to sit in an office and let his assistants do the grunt work in the stables. That's not going to happen anytime soon. With three entrants in Saturday's Preakness _ that's a third of the field _ Lukas has been working diligently this week at Pimlico Race Course. Although he's already won the Preakness five times, he's...

Brad Marchand left the morning skate early. The Bruins were thrilled he was on the ice at the end of the game Thursday night. More precisely, just a few feet from the empty side of the net. Patrice Bergeron made a perfect pass across the slot and Marchand tipped the puck in with 4:20 left in the first overtime. That gave Boston a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers in the opener of their Eastern Conference best-of-seven semifinal. "That's what he needed to do. Get off the ice early so he could...

Although Trevor Lewis knows all about postseason heroics after scoring two goals in a Stanley Cup-clinching victory last season, even he was a bit overwhelmed by the Los Angeles Kings' latest spectacular playoff feat. With three minutes left, the San Jose Sharks appeared to be cruising toward a well-deserved win. After two penalties and two dynamic power-play goals, including the winner from Lewis, the Kings were halfway to the Western Conference finals. "I almost passed out on the celebration,"...

Carmelo Anthony made two jumpers to open the game, knowing it wouldn't stay that easy. The defenses in this series are too good, so the difference is something else. "It's just a matter of who wants it more," Anthony said. On Thursday night, that was the Knicks. Anthony scored 28 points and New York avoided elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 85-75 victory over Indiana in Game 5. Reserves J.R. Smith and Chris Copeland each had 13 points for the Knicks, who trail 3-2 and...

Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and the San Antonio Spurs are back in the Western Conference finals for the second straight season with the same style that has carried them to four NBA titles. Don't call these guys old just yet. After wearing down the younger Golden State Warriors in a grueling six-game series, the Spurs look as spry as ever. And they already know what to expect when they open the conference finals at home against Memphis on Sunday. "It's going to be a rough one," Duncan...

End it like Beckham. David Beckham, whose curling free kicks, rugged good looks and celebrity marriage made him one of the most famous athletes in the world, is retiring from soccer. Whether striding on the grass, the red carpet or the fashion catwalks, Beckham transcended his sport and became its highest-paid player, with a fortune estimated at $250 million. The 38-year-old former England captain said Thursday he would quit after his final two games with Paris Saint-Germain, where he won a...

After David Beckham's long and distinguished soccer career ends on an artificial turf field in northwestern France, his life promises to be perhaps even more glamorous than it already has been. Nearly 20 years after breaking into the Manchester United lineup, the 38-year-old former England captain won the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain this season. After announcing his retirement on Thursday, Beckham's role in soccer will take on a new dimension worldwide. He has an ambassadorial...

By the time the Golden State Warriors' magical season came to a close, their struggles to find healthy bodies were matched by their shooting woes. With the long jumpers no longer falling and the entire starting front line banged up with injuries, the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs on Thursday night with a 94-82 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of their second-round series. "I talked about this being a group that at the end of the day, our tank will be on empty and the light...

Jeff Keppinger walked with the bases loaded to drive in the go-ahead run _ his first base on balls in 141 plate appearances this season _ and the Chicago White Sox rallied with three runs in the eighth to beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 on Thursday night for their season-high third straight road win. The Angels' bullpen wasted a two-run lead as the club lost its second straight and dropped to 8-12 at home. Matt Lindstrom (2-2) got the victory after facing one batter in the seventh, getting Mike...

The Los Angeles Angels let another one get away, twice blowing the lead while the bullpen collapsed. Michael Kohn issued three straight walks in the eighth inning, the last to Jeff Keppinger with the bases loaded that drove in the winning run in a 5-4 victory by the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night. "This was a pretty big game for us, and it's indicative of how things have gone," Mark Trumbo said. "You've just got to go out there and get it done. It's games like this that you have to come...

Slow at the start of the series and strong at the end, the San Antonio Spurs wore out the Golden State Warriors the way they have so many other opponents. Tim Duncan had 19 points and six rebounds, Kawhi Leonard added 16 points and 10 rebounds and the Spurs held off a furious final rally to beat the Warriors 94-82 in Game 6 on Thursday night and advance to the Western Conference finals. "They've got great character. They're competitive. They know there's not a million chances to do this sort...

Dustin Brown slumped in front of his locker and contemplated the final minutes of Game 2 with the same bewildered wonder felt by all those joyous Kings fans streaming out of Staples Center. With three minutes left, the San Jose Sharks appeared to be cruising toward a well-deserved win over Los Angeles. After two penalties and two dynamic power-play goals, the Kings were halfway to the Western Conference finals. And even the Kings weren't quite sure how they got there. Brown tied it with 1:43...

Trailing 5-0, the San Diego Padres had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning and were poised to do a little damage against Stephen Strasburg. A groundout by Everth Cabrera brought in one run, but then Strasburg struck out Will Venable to end the threat. Strasburg went on to pitch a career-high eight innings against his hometown Padres, snapping a seven-start winless streak, and Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche homered to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-2 victory against San Diego...

SAN ANTONIO (94) Leonard 6-13 3-4 16, Duncan 7-13 5-5 19, Splitter 6-8 2-2 14, Parker 3-16 5-6 13, Da.Green 3-5 2-2 11, Ginobili 1-6 3-4 5, Diaw 0-1 0-0 0, Joseph 2-3 1-2 6, Neal 4-6 0-0 8, Bonner 1-2 0-0 2, Mills 0-0 0-0 0, Blair 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-73 21-25 94. GOLDEN STATE (82) Barnes 4-10 1-2 9, Ezeli 0-2 2-4 2, Bogut 1-3 1-2 3, Curry 10-25 0-0 22, Thompson 4-12 0-0 10, Lee 4-10 1-1 9, Jack 6-12 3-3 15, Dr.Green 0-3 0-0 0, Landry 4-8 3-5 11, Biedrins 0-0 0-0 0, Bazemore 0-0...

Stephen Strasburg had quite the homecoming. Pitching in front of about 50 family members and friends, Strasburg lasted a career-high eight innings against his hometown Padres to snap a seven-start winless streak, and Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche homered to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-2 victory against San Diego on Thursday night. "It's easy pitching in front of a lot of loved ones," Strasburg said. "It's just another place to me, to be honest. It's my hometown. I'm an Aztec. But I look...

The Colorado Rockies got to Matt Cain early. It wasn't enough. Angel Pagan hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning, Cain settled down after a shaky start and the Giants rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Rockies for the 10th straight time, 8-6 on Thursday night. Wilin Rosario, Todd Helton and Nolan Arenado went deep to put Colorado ahead 6-0 in the third inning, but Jhoulys Chacin couldn't hold the lead as the Rockies lost for the 16th time in the last 24 games. "Sometimes...

San Jose 0 2 1_3 Los Angeles 1 1 2_4 First Period_1, Los Angeles, Carter 4, 3:06. Penalties_Nolan, LA (slashing), 11:03 Kennedy, SJ (high-sticking), 14:12 Martinez, LA (holding), 17:33. Second Period_2, Los Angeles, Doughty 2 (Richardson, Penner), 4:10 (pp). 3, San Jose, Marleau 5 (Thornton, Couture), 9:47. 4, San Jose, Stuart 1 (Gomez, Hannan), 14:21. Penalties_Hannan, SJ (interference), 2:34 Wingels, SJ (high-sticking), 6:12 Martinez, LA (hooking), 7:42 Carter, LA...

Chicago @ ?? Los Angeles @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi De Aza cf-lf 5 1 2 0?? Aybar ss 4 0 1 0 AlRmrz ss 5 1 1 0?? Trout cf 3 1 0 0 Rios rf 5 1 1 1?? Pujols 1b 4 1 1 2 A.Dunn 1b 4 1 2 1?? Trumo rf 3 1 1 0 Konerk dh 4 0 1 0?? Hamltn dh 4 1 1 0 Gillaspi 3b 3 1 1 0?? HKndrc 2b 4 0 2 2 Viciedo lf ...

Banished to the dugout after his shortest outing in nearly three years, Justin Verlander wandered around like he didn't know who or where he was. Maybe it's because his pitching was unrecognizable. Geovany Soto knocked out the Detroit ace with a three-run homer that capped a seven-run third, and Yu Darvish lasted eight innings even though an anticipated pitching duel fizzled in the Texas Rangers' 10-4 victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night. Soto's drive just over the wall in left...

San Jose 0 2 1_3 Los Angeles 1 1 2_4 First Period_1, Los Angeles, Carter 4, 3:06. Penalties_Nolan, LA (slashing), 11:03 Kennedy, SJ (high-sticking), 14:12 Martinez, LA (holding), 17:33. Second Period_2, Los Angeles, Doughty 2 (Richardson, Penner), 4:10 (pp). 3, San Jose, Marleau 5 (Thornton, Couture), 9:47. 4, San Jose, Stuart 1 (Gomez, Hannan), 14:21. Penalties_Hannan, SJ (interference), 2:34 Wingels, SJ (high-sticking), 6:12 Martinez, LA (hooking), 7:42 Carter, LA...

Captain Dustin Brown tied it with 1:43 left and Trevor Lewis scored the tiebreaking power-play goal 22 seconds later, propelling the Los Angeles Kings to a stunning 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night and a 2-0 series lead. Brown scored during a 5-on-3 advantage and Lewis provided the winner on a loose puck with 1:21 left, sending Staples Center into shocked celebration. The defending Stanley Cup champions won their 12th straight home game since March and their sixth straight...

Stephen Strasburg pitched a career-high eight innings against his hometown Padres, and Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche homered to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-2 victory against San Diego on Thursday night. Strasburg's 54th big league start was his first professional appearance at Petco Park. The big right-hander went to high school in suburban Santee and pitched for Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn at San Diego State before the Nationals took him with the first overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft....

Washington @ ?? San Diego @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Span cf 4 1 1 0?? EvCarr ss 3 0 0 1 Lmrdzz 2b 4 1 1 1?? Venale rf 4 0 0 0 Harper lf 4 1 1 1?? Headly 3b 3 1 2 0 Zmrmn 3b 2 1 1 2?? Alonso 1b 4 0 0 0 LaRoch 1b 3 1 1 2?? Denorfi lf 3 0 0 1 Dsmnd ss 4 0 0 0?? Gyorko 2b 3 1 2 0 Berndn...

Without their point guard, the Indiana Pacers fumbled away their first chance to reach the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers committed 19 turnovers, including seven that gave the New York Knicks eight points in the fourth quarter, and lost 85-75 on Thursday night in Game 5. They have another chance to wrap it up Saturday at home but don't know if they will have George Hill, who was ruled out with a concussion about four hours before the game. D.J. Augustin replaced him and scored 12 points...

Tom Wilhelmsen looked toward the plate, facing Robinson Cano with the potential tying run at third base and two outs in the ninth. "There's no way we were going to lose that game," the Seattle closer said. "Emotions were high." Cano took a ball high and outside, then fouled off a pitch. And another. And another. And another. Then he swung over a 96 mph fastball on the outer part of the plate and grounded it right to Brendan Ryan. The shortstop scooped it up and threw to first, finishing the...

Good things happen for the Bruins in overtime. Even for Brad Marchand. Boston's leading goal-scorer during the regular season scored his first of the postseason with 4:20 left in the first overtime and the Bruins beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Thursday night in the first playoff game in 40 years between the Original Six teams. "It's always frustrating" not to score, Marchand said, "but there's so many other areas of the game. It's always nice to get the first one and you hope you just keep...

The Tampa Bay Rays came within one strike of salvaging a big win against the Boston Red Sox at the end of a long day that included placing Cy Young Award winner David Price on the disabled list. But Fernando Rodney just couldn't close it out and the Rays lost the game, 4-3, and the series, two games to one. "This game is difficult," said Rodney, who blew his third save of the season after blowing only two in 50 chances last year. "Sometimes when you think you've got it in your hands, it's gone....

For the New York Knicks, it was about playing harder, even if not really much better. Saving their season would be more about effort than execution. "Tonight it was just one of them days where you just got to leave it out there on the basketball court," Carmelo Anthony said. Now they have to do it two more times. Anthony scored 28 points and the Knicks avoided elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 85-75 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 on Thursday night. Reserves...

Angel Pagan hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning, Matt Cain settled down after a shaky start and the San Francisco Giants won their 10th straight over Colorado, rallying from a six-run deficit to beat the Rockies 8-6 on Thursday night. Brandon Crawford added a three-run double to help San Francisco and Marco Scutaro extended his hitting streak to 15 games. The NL West-leading Giants also extended their mastery over the Rockies, improving to 31-9 since 2011. Cain (3-2) struggled...

The Boston Red Sox were down to their last strike when Will Middlebrooks made the most of a mistake. Middlebrooks had a three-run double off closer Fernando Rodney with two outs in the ninth inning that lifted the Red Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Thursday night. "He hung me a changeup and normally he buries that pitch, and he left it up," Middlebrooks said. Middlebrooks lined a shot to left on a 1-2 pitch from Rodney (1-2) with the base loaded, giving the Red Sox the lead. Rodney, who...

Geovany Soto ended Justin Verlander's night with a three-run homer that capped a seven-run third, and Yu Darvish lasted eight innings even though an anticipated pitching duel fizzled in the Texas Rangers' 10-4 victory against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night. Soto's drive just over the wall in left field came after Verlander walked in two runs _ he had three previous bases-loaded walks in his career. Mitch Moreland's two-out double broke a 3-all tie before Soto's drive put Texas ahead 8-3....

San Francisco @ ?? Colorado @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Pagan cf 5 0 2 2?? Fowler cf 5 0 1 0 Scutaro 2b 5 1 2 0?? Rutledg 2b 4 0 0 0 Sandovl 3b 4 1 0 0?? CGnzlz lf 2 1 0 0 Arias 3b 0 0 0 0?? Tlwtzk ss 4 1 1 0 Posey c 4 0 1 0?? WRosr c 4 2 2 3 Pence rf 4 2 2 0?? Helton 1b ...

Carlos Gomez is convinced the Milwaukee Brewers' current slump is just a momentary bump in the road. That doesn't make it any easier to stomach after the Brewers fell to the Pirates 7-1 on Thursday night to fall to 2-11 in their last 13 games. "I know we're going to be fine," Gomez said. "This is a problem that can be fixed because we have good players. It's tough now, though. It's embarrassing. We have a lot of expectations on this team and we're not playing up to them." Not in the slightest....

Trailing by a run in the ninth inning, the woeful Miami Marlins tripled twice _ and still lost. After Miami forced extra innings, NL RBI leader Brandon Phillips drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th, and the Cincinnati Reds completed their second three-game sweep in a row by beating Miami 5-3 Thursday night. "I'm happy with the way we battled," manager Mike Redmond said. "We used almost all our guys, we bunted, we tried everything to score some runs and still we came up short."...

Detroit @ ?? Texas @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Dirks lf 4 1 1 0?? Kinsler 2b 4 2 1 0 TrHntr rf 3 0 0 1?? Andrus ss 3 1 1 1 MiCarr 3b 4 0 1 0?? Brkmn dh 3 0 0 1 Fielder 1b 3 0 1 0?? Beltre 3b 3 2 0 1 VMrtnz dh 3 0 0 1?? N.Cruz rf 4 1 1 1 Avila c 3 0 1 0?? Morlnd 1b 4 1 2 3 JhPerlt ss 4 1 1 1??...

On the verge of a second successive series sweep, the Cincinnati Reds encountered a ninth-inning blip. First Mat Latos gave up a triple, ending his bid for a complete game. Then closer Aroldis Chapman gave up another triple, sending the game into extra innings. But the Reds bounced back in the 10th, scoring three times to complete their second three-game sweep in a row by beating the Miami Marlins 5-3 Thursday night. NL RBI leader Brandon Phillips homered in the sixth inning and drove in the...

All Times EDT FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7) EASTERN CONFERENCE Washington vs. N.Y. Rangers Thursday, May 2 Washington 3, N.Y. Rangers 1 Saturday, May 4 Washington 1, N.Y. Rangers 0, OT Monday, May 6 N.Y. Rangers 4, Washington 3 Wednesday, May 8 N.Y. Rangers 4, Washington 3 Friday, May 10 Washington 2, N.Y. Rangers 1, OT Sunday, May 12 N.Y. Rangers 1, Washington 0 Monday, May 13 N.Y. Rangers 5, Washington 0, N.Y. Rangers wins series 4-3 ___ Montreal vs. Ottawa Thursday, May 2 Ottawa...

All Times EDT FIRST ROUND (Best-of-7) EASTERN CONFERENCE New York vs. Boston Saturday, April 20 New York 85, Boston 78 Tuesday, April 23 New York 87, Boston 71 Friday, April 26 New York 90, Boston 76 Sunday, April 28 Boston 97, New York 90, OT Wednesday, May 1 Boston 92, New York 86 Friday, May 3 New York 88, Boston 80, New York wins series 4-2 ___ Brooklyn vs. Chicago Saturday, April 20 Brooklyn 106, Chicago 89 Monday, April 22 Chicago 90, Brooklyn 82 Thursday, April 25...

All Times EDT East Division W L Pct GB Atlanta 22 18 .550 _ Washington 21 19 .525 1 Philadelphia 19 21 .475 3 New York 15 23 .395 6 Miami 11 30 .268 11 1/2 Central Division W L Pct GB St. Louis 26 14 .650 _ Cincinnati 24 16 .600 2 Pittsburgh 24 17 .585 2 1/2 Chicago 17 23 .425 9 Milwaukee 16 23 .410 9 1/2 West...

All Times EDT East Division W L Pct GB New York 25 16 .610 _ Boston 24 17 .585 1 Baltimore 23 17 .575 1 1/2 Tampa Bay 20 20 .500 4 1/2 Toronto 17 24 .415 8 Central Division W L Pct GB Detroit 22 16 .579 _ Cleveland 22 17 .564 1/2 Kansas City 20 17 .541 1 1/2 Minnesota 18 19 .486 3 1/2 Chicago 17 21 .447 ...

Boston @ ?? Tampa Bay @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Ellsury cf 5 0 0 0?? Jnnngs cf 5 0 1 1 Victorn rf 4 1 1 0?? Scott dh 4 0 3 1 JGoms lf 0 0 0 0?? Fuld pr 0 0 0 0 Pedroia 2b 3 1 1 0?? Zobrist rf 3 0 0 0 D.Ortiz dh 3 0 1 1?? Longori 3b 4 0 1 0 Ciriaco pr-dh 0 1 0 0?? YEscor ss 4 0 1 0 Napoli 1b ...

N.Y. Rangers 0 1 1 0_2 Boston 0 1 1 1_3 First Period_None. Penalties_None. Second Period_1, Boston, Chara 2 (Krejci, Horton), 12:23. 2, N.Y. Rangers, McDonagh 1 (Nash, Brassard), 19:58. Penalties_Pyatt, NYR (boarding), 2:22 Chara, Bos (hooking), 4:38 McQuaid, Bos (interference), 13:52. Third Period_3, N.Y. Rangers, Stepan 3 (Hagelin, Callahan), :14. 4, Boston, Krug 1 (Hamilton, Marchand), 2:55 (pp). Penalties_Eminger, NYR (holding), 1:09 Bergeron, Bos (hooking),...

On a night of injuries, the Seattle Mariners patched together just enough pitching to win. Andy Pettitte and Chris Stewart became the latest Yankees to get hurt, and emergency Seattle starter Hector Noesi pitched into the fifth inning in place of ailing Aaron Harang to lead the Mariners over New York 3-2 Thursday night. Pettitte (4-3) left after 4 2-3 innings because of an injured back muscle near his left shoulder. New York said Pettitte hurt his trapezius muscle, and there was no immediate...

INDIANA (75) George 7-18 7-10 23, West 7-17 3-6 17, Hibbert 3-7 3-4 9, Augustin 3-9 3-5 12, Stephenson 1-7 2-4 4, Mahinmi 2-2 1-4 5, Young 0-1 0-0 0, T.Hansbrough 0-3 0-0 0, Green 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 25-69 19-33 75. NEW YORK (85) Shumpert 2-10 0-0 5, Anthony 12-28 3-4 28, Chandler 1-4 0-0 2, Felton 6-14 0-0 12, Prigioni 1-2 0-0 3, Smith 4-11 4-5 13, Kidd 0-1 0-0 0, Martin 2-2 3-4 7, Stoudemire 0-0 2-2 2, Copeland 4-6 2-2 13, Novak 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-78 14-17 85. Indiana ...

Seattle @ ?? New York @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi MSndrs cf 5 0 0 0?? Gardnr cf 5 0 1 0 Bay lf 4 0 1 0?? J.Nix ss 5 0 0 0 Seager 3b 4 0 0 0?? Cano 2b 5 0 1 1 KMorls 1b 3 1 1 0?? V.Wells lf 3 0 0 0 Morse rf 3 2 2 1?? Overay 1b 3 0 0 0 Ibanez dh 4 0 0 0?? Grndrs dh 4 1 3 0 JMontr c 3 0 0...

Travis Snider homered for the first time in nine months and drove in three runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates past the reeling Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 on Thursday night. Snider finished 3 for 5, including a 458-foot blast off Hiram Burgos (1-2) in the sixth inning that gave the Pirates the lead. The home run sailed over bushes in right-center field at PNC Park, bounced on a sidewalk outside the stadium and landed in the Allegheny River. Francisco Liriano (2-0) allowed one run on six hits over...

Milwaukee @ ?? Pittsburgh @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Aoki rf 3 0 0 0?? SMarte lf 5 2 2 0 Segura ss 4 1 2 0?? Snider rf 5 2 3 3 Braun lf 3 0 1 0?? McCtch cf 5 1 2 1 Lucroy c 3 0 1 1?? GJones 1b 5 0 2 1 CGomz cf 4 0 0 0?? Contrrs p 0 0 0 0 YBtncr 3b 3 0 1 0?? Walker 2b 4 0 1 1 Weeks 2b ...

Cincinnati @ ?? Miami @ ab r h bi?? @ ab r h bi Choo cf 3 1 1 0?? Pierre lf 5 1 1 1 Cozart ss 4 0 0 0?? Hchvrr ss 4 1 3 0 Votto 1b 4 2 1 0?? Dietrch 2b 2 0 0 0 Phillips 2b 4 1 1 2?? Polanc ph-3b 1 0 0 0 Bruce rf 4 0 2 3?? Ozuna rf 3 0 1 1 Frazier 3b 5 0 0 0?? Coghln cf ...

Ryan Briscoe remembers it as if it was yesterday. A year ago, he sat on pit road with his fingers crossed, hoping his four-lap average was good enough to capture the Indianapolis 500 pole. It was. And now Briscoe is back, hoping not for a pole, but something better: A win. "I'm working on that," he said. "The first step is being there at the end. You need to be there, you need to look after your equipment and be in the fight at the end of the race. At this race, so many times, a lot of stuff...

Keegan Bradley had no thoughts about a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round at the Byron Nelson Championship. Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole Thursday. "It was going right at it. (A 59) crossed my mind for a second, and it would be unbelievable if I buried this," Bradley said. "But I had 3 feet to shoot 60. I was actually very nervous, uncomfortable over it and thank God I made it." Bradley shot 10-under 60, completed...

Lexi Thompson birdied four of her last five holes for a 7-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead Thursday with Eun-Hee Ji in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. The 18-year-old Thompson, second last year behind Stacy Lewis, had eight birdies and a bogey on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex. "I definitely had it in mind, but it's a whole different year and a new day, so I was just trying to go out and make some birdies," Thompson said. "I knew my...