By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 19, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — There have been a lot of ways the Rays have described right-hander James "Complete Game" Shields during his remarkable bounceback season.

"Dominant," Evan Longoria said.

"Lights out," said Sam Fuld.

"Up there with the elite," Casey Kotchman said.

And after Shields delivered another spectacular performance Sunday, tying a club record with his major league-best fifth complete game of the season in a 2-1 sweep-clinching win over the Marlins, manager Joe Maddon said he's deserving of another moniker.

"If that does not put him in the All-Star Game, I don't know what does," Maddon said. "Five complete games before the All-Star break, that doesn't happen every year. It's the way he's done it, too, just been dominating."

Shields (7-4, 2.40 ERA) got some help in picking up his second consecutive complete game, with leftfielder Fuld making two dazzling diving catches in the eighth and Kotchman coming through with another clutch hit, the winning single, as the Rays (39-33) stayed within 41/2 games of the first-place Red Sox before 26,761 at Tropicana Field.

But Shields was the story, allowing one unearned run, striking out 10 and walking none in a 110-pitch outing that was the picture of efficiency. Shields tied Joe Kennedy's club record set in 2002 of five complete games — in just 15 starts — with the Phillies being the only team to boast more this year.

"Over the last couple years, I haven't had any CGs, and this year, I told Joe, I said, 'I'm ready to finish some ballgames,' " Shields said. "It was one of those things where it was one of those pieces of the puzzle that was missing for me. To be able to have this many CGs this early is wonderful."

Shields nearly had his second shutout of the season against the reeling Marlins (32-40), who have lost 18 of their past 19 games and lost their manager two hours before the game when Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned.

The Marlins got their run when Dewayne Wise led off the game by reaching on an error by third baseman Longoria, moved to third on a double and scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Marlins might have had more had it not been for two great grabs by Fuld in the eighth. First, Fuld raced back to the warning track for a diving catch on a hooking liner by Omar Infante, then he recorded the third out by sprinting in to snag a blooper by Wise, sparking a standing ovation.

"Two game-changing catches," Longoria said.

And on a frustrating day offensively, Kotchman broke a tie at 1 in the bottom half, staying inside an inside fastball by ex-Rays left-hander Randy Choate and pushing it down the third-base line to score Matt Joyce from second.

"I felt I had him beat," Choate said. "Somehow he kept it inside the third-base line, and how I'm not even quite sure, because I think if I had thrown it any further inside, it would have hit him."

Kotchman smiled, saying, "Better to be lucky than good."

Few have been better than Shields, who, knowing Greg Dobbs was likely his last hitter with Kyle Farnsworth warming, struck him out to end it, earning at least one All-Star vote in the process.

"James Shields," Marlins interim manager Brandon Hyde said, "is an All-Star caliber pitcher."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

Gearhead stats

Winner's average speed: 153.029 mph

Time of race: 2 hours, 36 minutes, 50 seconds

Margin of victory: 0.281 seconds

Caution flags: 5 for 18 laps

Lead changes: 21 among 12 drivers

Lap leaders: Ku.Busch 1-8; Newman 9-11; Ku.Busch 12; Biffle 13-27; Bliss 28; Mears 29; Biffle 30-55; Kenseth 56; Biffle 57-62; Edwards 63; Biffle 64-71; Kenseth 72-84; Ky.Busch 85; Labonte 86; Biffle 87-99; Ky.Busch 100-121; Harvick 122; Menard 123-124; Ky.Busch 125-160; Kenseth 161-163; Edwards 164-192; Hamlin 193-200

Sprint Cup points

Through 15 of 36 races. The top 10 drivers plus two wild cards (based on wins) through 26 races make the Chase for the Championship.

Driver Pts. Back

Carl Edwards 532—

Kevin Harvick 512 20

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 505 27

Kyle Busch 503 29

Jimmie Johnson 503 29

Matt Kenseth 491 41

Kurt Busch 491 41

Ryan Newman 456 76

Denny Hamlin 455 77

Clint Bowyer 455 77

Note: Points unofficial; NASCAR posts official points today.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 19, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — When Marlins 2B Omar Infante ripped a hooking liner to deep left to lead off the eighth inning Sunday, RHP James Shields thought "it was a double off the bat."

Then Shields considered the fact that, hey, that's "Super" Sam Fuld in leftfield.

"As (Fuld) was running, I was saying to myself, 'You know, Super Man Sam might have a chance here,' " Shields said.

Fuld certainly did, making a spectacular diving catch near the warning track, one of two diving grabs in the inning. The second, in which Fuld sprinted in to snag a Dewayne Wise blooper, ended the inning and sparked a standing ovation.

"It's been a little while since I've done something like that," Fuld said. "Those sort of things tend to happen in bunches for whatever reason, like home runs and stolen bases. It seems like a lot of the time it happens all at once. But I never expected to do something like that twice in one inning."

Fuld, whose penchant for daring diving catches this season sparked a May superhero cape giveaway, said the places both balls were hit, to the side and front of him, lent themselves to aggressive approaches. And he had a good read on them.

"Once again, we put Sam out there and he does the spectacular," manager Joe Maddon said. "I really didn't think he was going to catch the ball by Infante. … But he has really good closing speed and he's fearless, and that's a big part of why he's able to make those plays."

Of all his memorable catches this season, Fuld said his one in Chicago in early April was his favorite, and the toughest, considering the amount of ground he covered before a fully-extended dive at the track.

But, as Shields said, "It just amazes me every time he does it."

OFF THE MARK: As a two-time Gold Glove award-winner, 3B Evan Longoria takes tremendous pride in his defense. So after Longoria tied a career worst with two errors Sunday, his most since Sept. 21, 2008 his rookie year, he was understandably disappointed.

In the first, Longoria bobbled a Wise chopper that had a lot of spin, and in the eighth, he made a throwing error, his fifth of the season (he had 14 in 2010).

"My defense isn't where I want it to be," Longoria said. "I haven't been playing like I should be. I don't know what it is, just more ground balls, or a lack of focus or what. I feel like I should make every play so I'm pretty tough on myself."

STANDING TALL: RHP Jeff Niemann is excited to get back on the mound tonight following a month-and-a-half stint on the disabled list, saying his lower back feels great and he's "ready to go."

Niemann said he got to work on some things while on his rehab stint, which he hopes will give him better success than earlier this season, when he went 0-4 (5.92 ERA) in his first five starts.

"It's kind of a little reset button," Niemann said. "You can go back to basics and get out there and get rid of some bad habits you get into. It went really well, and am looking forward to getting back out there."

But Maddon didn't appear like he was looking forward to seeing Niemann at the plate, joking it's not a good thought. "It's one of those things where you're sleeping at night and you wake up either sweating or screaming out loud," Maddon quipped. "That's the equivalent of watching Jeff Niemann hit."

MILLER TIME: The Rays will make their first-ever trip to Miller Park in Milwaukee, but those who have played there say it's a bit unique.

"It's a little futuristic," said Fuld, who played there while with the Cubs. "It looks like you're in a space ship."

GOING NATIONAL: With the Rays heading to National League parks on their road trip, they went through some refresher drills before Friday's game, getting prepared for all the nuances and different rules involved.

"We've got everything hopefully down again," Maddon said. "I know (Brewers manager) Ronnie Roenicke, he's very fundamental, so we'll see a lot of stuff out of them."

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Two days after facing questions about unauthorized auto parts and possible penalties, Denny Hamlin enjoyed a happier kind of scrutiny.

Hamlin earned his first Sprint Cup victory this year Sunday, holding off Matt Kenseth to win the Heluva Good 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The drivers appeared headed for a fuel-mileage finish, but a late caution enabled them to make pit stops before a frantic closing five-lap sprint.

"Over these last six weeks, I can honestly say we've had a chance to win each and every race," Hamlin said. "For me, if I go about eight weeks without winning, I'm wondering what the heck's going on."

Kenseth tried to go both above and below the leader, but was unable to pass Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin won by 0.281 seconds for his second straight victory in the June race at the track.

Kyle Busch was third, giving Joe Gibbs Racing two of the top three spots after the team was told to change oil pans before Friday's practice. NASCAR said oil pans from cars driven by Hamlin, Busch and Joey Logano were not submitted for approval before inspection.

The team could face additional penalties this week, but Hamlin and Busch hardly seemed distracted.

"It speaks volumes to the experience and resilience of this 11 car that you can start the week off with a down note and put that behind you and make sure that it doesn't affect what's getting ready to happen," said Mike Ford, Hamlin's crew chief. "This team usually comes out swinging when its back's against the ropes."

Team president J.D. Gibbs said Friday's situation was a good lesson.

"We want to be here with integrity," Gibbs said. "… If we can't conduct ourselves in the right way, there's no use in us doing this."

Hamlin, who won eight times last year and contended for the series title won by Jimmie Johnson, entered this race 12th in the standings but was still confident heading into the summer. Hamlin moved into a tie for ninth in points and gained a margin for error — the top 10 make the season-ending Chase for the Championship with two wildcard places going to drivers in spots 11-20 with the most wins.

Hamlin came into the weekend with neither a top-10 spot nor a win. Now he has both.

"Realistically, you know if the whole world collapses and ends, you're still one win away from getting a Chase spot, pretty much," Hamlin said. "We know two wins pretty much puts you in. From here on out, we know we're one win away."

Busch finished without incident after he and Kevin Harvick came off probation for a run-in last month. Harvick finished 14th Sunday.

Busch drove despite chest pain and led about midway through the 200-lap race.

"It was just hard to breathe. I had to take real short breaths," Busch said. "Felt like I was running a 400-mile marathon, which essentially I was. But I felt like I was running on my feet instead of in a race car."

Carl Edwards led coming out of a caution that ended at Lap 163. He finished fifth and stayed atop the standings, 20 points ahead of Harvick.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 21st after hitting hit the wall to cause the final caution, the result of a run-in with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin.

"I don't like putting up with carelessness, Earnhardt told TNT afterward. "I try really hard not to be careless and that really (ticked) me off what happened out there."

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, June 19, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Biggest controversy

While Ireland's Rory McIlroy was running away with the U.S. Open on Sunday, NBC was dealing with a major controversy and it has no one to blame but itself.

To celebrate the U.S. championship on a course played not far from the nation's capital, NBC opened Sunday's broadcast with a montage tying together golf and patriotism. In it, children recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The children started with, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation …''

The next two words are "under God,'' but the piece was edited in such a way that those two words were left out. Later in the opening, the children continued with the rest of the Pledge: " … with liberty and justice for all.'' As the opening was coming to an end, the children again could be heard reciting the Pledge, but again, the words "under God'' were never heard.

Immediately, many watching flooded Internet message boards and Twitter to criticize NBC. Finally, around 4:35 p.m. — about three hours into NBC's coverage — host Dan Hicks read the following statement on air:

"It was our intent to begin our coverage of this U.S. Open championship with a feature that captured the patriotism of our national championship being here in our nation's capital for the third time. Regrettably, a portion of the Pledge of Allegiance that was in that feature was edited out. It was not done to upset anyone and we'd like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it."

But the damage already was done and the apology seemed not only late, but insincere to those offended.

Either the omission of "under God'' was intentional or no one noticed that it was edited out. Either way, NBC deserves whatever criticism it gets. And whether you were offended or not — and whether you believe in God or not — really isn't the point of this. The fact is enough were offended that NBC was forced to read an on-air statement. When you have to read an on-air statement, you've probably done something wrong. That's bad business.

So what did NBC do wrong?

Well, if the words were left out on purpose for fear of mixing religion and sports then using the Pledge of Allegiance should have been shelved in favor of another opening because NBC had to know the reaction it would get. And to leave it out by mistake means no one who looked at it before it aired was sharp enough to realize the backlash it would get. Did NBC really think that no one would notice?

NBC does an outstanding job covering the U.S. Open and McIlroy's performance was incredible, but both were lost in either a colossal error in judgment or complete lack of competence.

Best coverage

Poor NBC. Aside from the whole "under God'' controversy, the U.S. Open did the network no favors. Tiger Woods didn't play. Phil Mickelson was out of it pretty much from the start. And Rory McIlroy sucked all the drama out of it. Still, NBC continues to have the best golf coverage on television. Golf fans already know how good hosts Bob Costas and Dan Hicks are, as well as Johnny Miller, who might be the best sports analyst on TV, and on-course reporter Dottie Pepper. The under-appreciated person on the telecast is Golf World magazine senior writer Tim Rosaforte. The good news is Rosaforte's appearances are chock full of information on the golfers' backgrounds. The bad news is he only makes a couple of appearances on each broadcast. NBC should tap into him more because his segments are among the best of the coverage.

Best feature

The best feature of the weekend was during Saturday's U.S. Open coverage when NBC's Jimmy Roberts looked at American presidents who played golf, going all the way back to the days of William Howard Taft (1909-1913). The feature included interviews with George H.W. Bush and the late Gerald Ford. It also had clips of many past presidents playing golf, including rare footage of John Kennedy, who actually had a nice swing.

In an interesting footnote, Roberts said the JFK footage was shot in August of 1963 and was for Arnold Palmer to review. Palmer looked at the footage and planned a trip to the White House to give JFK some lessons. That trip was scheduled for December of 1963, but Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963.

Best analysis

Every time I write something nice about Rays television analyst Brian Anderson, I get a handful of e-mails asking, essentially, "What's your love affair with Brian Anderson?'' For the record, I've spoken once to Anderson — and it was on the telephone. We're not "buddies'' and if he goofs up, I would write it.

So why do I consistently write good things about Anderson, above? Because he's really good. Here are two more examples from the weekend.

During Saturday's broadcast on Sun Sports, Anderson talked about how Rays slugger Evan Longoria needs to have a more consistent approach at the plate. Give credit to play-by-play announcer Dewayne Staats for picking up on that and asking Anderson what he meant. Anderson said Longoria needed to have better swings and not reach as much because he was popping up everything. Next pitch: Longoria reached and popped it up.

Then Sunday, Anderson pointed out that Marlins starting pitcher Chris Volstad rarely throws inside to left-handed hitters, which is a chief reason why lefties were hitting .345 against him. Moments later, Volstad struck out lefty Casey Kotchman, who doesn't strike out often. Kotchman was called out looking at an inside fastball and was clearly caught off guard that Volstad came inside — and that only reaffirmed Anderson's point.

Those are great observations and perfect timing. When you think about it, those are the two qualities that make a really good analyst.

Best cameo

Anyone who watches HBO boxing regularly loves Harold Lederman. For the past 25 years, Lederman, left, has served as HBO's unofficial ringside judge and he has become a legend even though he never appears on camera. Well, that changed Saturday night when Lederman was the analyst on the fight before the main event. Analyst Max Kellerman was home attending the birth of a child. Roy Jones Jr., the other analyst, had business ties with one of the fighters, so he was kept off the air for that bout.

That left no analyst alongside announcer Bob Papa. So in stepped Lederman, who was sensational. The only problem was his fight ended with a first-round knockout. So his 15 minutes of on-air fame was cut to less than three minutes.

Three things I liked this weekend on TV

• Sun Sports putting a microphone on David Price, who gave us some inside dope about how Marlins hitting coach Eduardo Perez is a master at catching opposing pitchers tipping their pitches.

• Nice hustle by Sun Sports to get an interview with Marlins president Larry Beinfest not long after manager Edwin Rodriguez turned in his resignation.

• On ESPN's Sports Reporters, it was finally pointed out that while LeBron James is taking all the grief for the Heat not winning the NBA championship, teammate Dwyane Wade has gotten off scot-free.

Three things that popped into my head

1. Tim McClelland is considered one of the top umpires in baseball, but Saturday night's Rays-Marlins game reminded me of just how arrogant he seems to be behind the plate.

2. No one should root for an injury, but I'm guessing not too many Rays fans were broken up when they saw Carl Crawford go on the disabled list with his .243 batting average.

3. Did anyone else think Johnny Damon, left, would be this good with the Rays?

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

SEATTLE — Jason Vargas had accomplished everything he needed to in his start against the Phillies. What he wanted most was to finish the game.

Vargas, left in to close out the ninth inning, pitched a three-hitter for his second shutout of the season, leading the Mariners to a 2-0 victory Sunday.

Vargas had retired 15 in a row until Ryan Howard's two-out single in the ninth brought up Ben Francisco as the potential tying run. Manager Eric Wedge, with closer Brandon League ready in the bullpen, came out for a visit.

"We had Leaguer ready for that matchup," Wedge said. "I had a pretty good idea what to do but I wanted to look him in his eyes as well. It was his ballgame."

Even though Vargas was approaching what would be a season-high 119 pitches, Wedge stayed with him.

"It's the first time I've had a manager in the ninth leave me in," Vargas said. "It's nice he has that confidence in me."

Vargas retired Francisco on a fly to center.

"For Wedgie to come out there with those crazy eyes and say, 'I'm sticking with you, let's get this done' — awesome," shortstop Brendan Ryan said.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned before Sunday's game with the Rays, shocking a reeling club that has lost 18 of its past 19 games.

Rodriguez, 50, was 32-39 in his first full season as manager, with the Marlins plummeting from 10 games over .500 in May to last place in the National League East. Bench coach Brandon Hyde served as manager Sunday as Larry Beinfest, Florida's president of baseball operations, started a search for an interim manager to finish the season.

Beinfest said Rodriguez communicated with him in the morning that he was thinking about it. He accepted his resignation at Tropicana Field.

"It was a very hard decision for me to make, with the positive way the organization is moving; a new ballpark next season, and the young core of players that this team has," Rodriguez said in a statement. "I can't say enough about the effort that this staff and these players have put into this season."

Beinfest told the players in a team meeting a few hours before the game.

"It was surprising, I guess, but I think it's more shocking," Marlins 3B Wes Helms said. "Right now, nothing is going right for us. Right now, it's all negative with the Marlins, that's the way it is. It's tough to swallow, it really is. I do know he did everything he could. We didn't do our job as a team."

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Rodriguez may have resigned for the sake of the team.

"He's one of the nicest, most decent men I've met in this game, and it's unfortunate that he has to feel the weight of this whole moment because it's not his fault," Maddon said. "It's a really small fraternity, and when that happens, it really does bother me, especially a guy like him who has worked so hard to get to this point."

PUJOLS HURT: Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols sprained his left wrist and hurt his shoulder in a collision at first base in the sixth inning against the Royals. Manager Tony La Russa said Pujols had "good strength" in his wrist during initial tests. He will be re-evaluated today.

BLUE JAYS: SS Yunel Escobar agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract extension that includes club options for 2014 and 2015.

BRAVES: OF Nate McLouth was activated from the disabled list after missing 22 games with a strained oblique. Utility player Joe Mather was designated for assignment.

BREWERS: An MRI exam on RHP Shaun Marcum showed no structural damage to his sore left hip, and he might start Wednesday against the Rays.

DODGERS: LH reliever Hong-Chih Kuo was activated from the disabled list after missing more than a month with anxiety disorder. C Rod Barajas went on the DL with a right ankle sprain, RHP Ramon Troncoso was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque and C A.J. Ellis was recalled from Albuquerque.

INDIANS: Jon Nunnally was fired as hitting coach and replaced by Bruce Fields.

NATIONALS: CF Rick Ankiel went on the disabled list with a strained left intercostal muscle.

PADRES: 2B Orlando Hudson was activated from the disabled list, and INF Logan Forsythe was optioned to Triple-A Tucson.

RED SOX: RHP Clay Buchholz went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained lower back. LHP Andrew Miller was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket.

ROYALS: Rookie LHP Danny Duffy left the game in the fourth inning with leg cramps.

WHITE SOX: Manager Ozzie Guillen spent the morning at a hospital passing a kidney stone but returned for the game.

YANKEES: RHP Phil Hughes, on the disabled list for two months with shoulder inflammation, allowed a run in 41/3 innings for Class A Staten Island and threw consistently in the low to mid 90s in his first rehab start.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

Concussions

Study affirms Recovery key in Young athletes

MINNEAPOLIS — A new study highlights the heightened danger to young athletes who suffer concussions and sustain new head blows before they've fully recovered.

The study, to be published today in Pediatrics, dug into the National Registry of Sudden Death in Young Athletes, a database maintained by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, to focus on deaths from blunt trauma among players 21 and younger. Previous studies from the data focused on deaths from cardiovascular problems.

A key finding, author Dr. Barry Maron said in an interview, was a worrisome number of high school football players who died of head and neck blows after they had already sustained concussions a few days to four weeks beforehand. Maron said it comes at a time of growing awareness about concussions, including the dangers of "second-impact syndrome."

The registry listed 1,827 sudden deaths among young athletes from 1980-2009. Fourteen percent of them (261), were caused by trauma-related injuries. Trauma fatalities were most frequent in football at 148, including 17 high school players who died of head or neck injuries after they had already sustained concussions a few days to four weeks beforehand.

The study said most of the deaths were preventable and showed the importance of better equipment, better protocols for when injured athletes should return to action, and possible changes in rules.

CYCLING

American wins Tour tuneup

Levi Leipheimer of the United States won the Tour of Switzerland, overtaking Damiano Cunego of Italy in the final time trial at Schaffhausen.

Leipheimer, 37, finished in 31 hours, 45 minutes, 2 seconds. Cunego had worn the yellow jersey since Monday and finished four seconds behind.

The Tour of Switzerland leads to the Tour de France, which starts on July 2.

et cetera

Beach volleyball: Brazilians Larissa Franca and Juliana Felisberta Da Silva won their first world title, beating two-time Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States 21-17, 13-21, 16-14 in Rome. May-Treanor and Walsh lost for only the second time in 33 world championship matches.

Horses: Trainer Mark Casse is aiming Pool Play for this fall's $5 million Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, but plans to take the horse to Saratoga for more training on dirt and possibly another race before then. Pool Play won Saturday's Stephen Foster Handicap in Louisville, Ky., as a 36-1 long shot.

NBA: Oft-injured Rockets center Yao Ming, 30, whose contract expires at the end of this month, declined to answer questions about his future at an appearance in China on behalf of the Special Olympics. Doctors have told him his surgically repaired left ankle is healing properly.

Swimming: Michael Phelps, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist, lost for the third straight time in one of his signature events, finishing a tenth of a second behind Nicholas D'Arcy in the 200-meter butterfly at the Santa Clara (Calif.) Grand Prix. Former Gator Ryan Lochte finished second in the 100 back and 200 individual medley.

Times wires

Times staff, wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. — One high draft pick down, another one ahead.

When Florida meets Vanderbilt tonight in the College World Series, the Gators will face a pitcher with a big bonus payday ahead of him for the second straight game.

The Gators (51-17) throw freshman Karsten Whitson (8-0) against Commodores left-hander Grayson Garvin, a new Rays prospect taken 59th overall in this month's Major League Baseball draft.

Garvin (13-3) led Vanderbilt in wins and tied South Carolina's Michael Roth for the SEC lead.

But he's not even the highest draft pick Florida has faced in this tournament.

Saturday, Florida started the CWS by chasing Texas right-hander Taylor Jungmann after 41/3 innings in an 8-4 victory. Jungmann was the 13th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Gators also know their opponent well.

Vanderbilt (53-10) met Florida in the SEC tournament championship game, with the Gators winning 5-0 on May 29 in Hoover, Ala. UF also took two out of three in a series May 13-15 in Nashville.

The one time Vandy defeated Florida this season was with Garvin on the mound. The Commodores won 14-1 on May 14 as Garvin pitched seven innings, striking out six and allowing one run on six hits.

The winner of tonight's game gets to rest until Friday. The loser faces the winner of today's Texas-North Carolina winner in an elimination game.

Senior Bryson Smith is hitting .556 (15-for-27) in the NCAA tournament to lead the Gators and comes in with a career-high 11-game hitting streak.

Gamecocks master drama; Cavs also win

South Carolina opened its defense of the College World Series title with a dramatic win Sunday, 5-4 over Texas A&M, with a run in the ninth inning.

Scott Wingo capped a 4-for-4 night with a bases-loaded, no-out single to right to drive in the winner. The Gamecocks (50-14) scored four in the bottom of the first after the Aggies (47-20) had four in the top of the frame.

In the first game, John Hicks' single in the seventh broke a scoreless tie in what until then had been the longest 0-0 game at the CWS since 1987, as top seed Virginia defeated California 4-1.

The No. 1 seed Cavs (55-10) face defending champion South Carolina on Tuesday. Cal (37-22) meets A&M on Tuesday in an elimination game.

BASKETBALL: Florida's Patric Young is one of 13 finalists for the 12-man U.S. Under-19 World Championship team. Another Gator, Scottie Wilbekin, was cut from the roster during camp in Colorado Springs, Colo. The team leaves Friday for Latvia, where the championships will be held June 30-July 10.

FOOTBALL: Nevada coach Chris Ault received a two-year contract extension after a 13-1 record and the No. 11 ranking last season. His contract calls for a $25,000 annual salary increase but Ault, 64, forfeited the increase in the coming year; his salary starting July 1 will be $435,119.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

BETHESDA, Md. — Rory McIlroy buried the memory of his Masters meltdown the same way he buried the competition at the U.S. Open, with a breathtaking performance filled with the promise of more majors to come.

Four days of flawless golf at Congressional ended Sunday afternoon when McIlroy polished off a 2-under 69 to shatter U.S. Open records that simply defy logic at the major known as the toughest test in golf.

"Nice to prove some people wrong," he said after finishing at 16-under par.

The last 10 U.S. Open champions combined were 14 under.

The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland walked off the 18th green and into the arms of his father, Gerry, who worked three jobs so his only son could pursue his passion. Not even he could have imagined a day like this.

"Happy Father's Day," McIlroy told him.

Dad had a Northern Ireland flag draped over his green shirt.

"Unbelievable," he said. "With what's happened over the last couple of months, and to come back and do this, it's fantastic. After the Masters, he worked so hard."

McIlroy finished at 268 to break the U.S. Open record by four shots. That record 12-under par by Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach? McIlroy matched it in the second round and kept rolling.

When he arrived for his news conference, he took a picture of the silver U.S. Open trophy on the table and posted it on Twitter with two references that said it all: Winning. Bounceback.

"Going back to Augusta this year, I felt like that was a great opportunity to get my first major. It didn't quite work out," he said. "But to come back straightaway at the U.S. Open and win that is nice. You can always call yourself a major champion, and hopefully after this, I can call myself a multiple major champion."

Since the Masters began in 1934, McIlroy is the second youngest major champion next to Woods.

His freckled-face bursting with joy when he tapped in for par, McIlroy won by eight shots over Jason Day, who closed with a 68 and moved to No. 9 in the world. It was the second straight runnerup in a major for Day, only this time he didn't have a chance.

No one did this week.

McIlroy opened with a three-shot lead, stretched it to six shots after 36 holes and eight shots going into the final round. No one got any closer over the final 18 holes.

McIlroy, who goes to No. 4 in the world, now stands above everyone going into the final two majors of the year.

Just think: If he had avoided the collapse at Augusta National, he could be headed to the British Open with the first two legs of the Grand Slam.

The drama Sunday was not who would win, but by how many. There was simply no catching McIlroy, not when he was staked to an eight-shot lead while playing flawless golf, not on a soft course that allowed him to hit wedge into six greens on the front nine.

McIlroy came out firing with a wedge that settled 8 feet from the pin for an opening birdie.

Twice when he faced putts from across the green, he holed 7-footers for par. He stretched his lead to 10 shots, and when he made the turn, his tee shot on the par-3 10th rolled down the slope and stopped inches away from an ace.

He didn't make a bogey until the 12th hole, when he failed to get up-and-down from short of the green, and his only three-putt of the championship came on the 17th hole. McIlroy made worse than par on only four of 72 holes.

It was the second straight U.S. Open title for the country of Northern Ireland, and defending champion Graeme McDowell walked back across the bridge to the 18th green to embrace the new winner.

"You're a legend," McDowell told him.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

WASHINGTON — Jermaine Jones relished the chance to celebrate his first career United States goal.

Jones' score early in the second half broke a scoreless tie, leading the Americans to a 2-0 victory over Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday.

To celebrate his goal, Jones gave a salute, honoring his soldier father on Father's Day.

"It was a nice little gift," said Jones in postgame remarks translated from German by teammate Steve Cherundolo.

Jones started his international career playing in three exhibitions for Germany before FIFA allowed his move to the United States team in 2009.

The United States faces Panama in the semifinals on Wednesday in Houston, a rematch of their June 11 meeting at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium in which Panama earned its first victory ever over the U.S., 2-1.

Sunday, Panama defeated El Salvador on penalty kicks after Luis Tejada's 90th-minute goal tied it at 1.

Jones' goal came on a shot from outside the penalty area in the 49th minute. Jamaica defender Jermaine Taylor stuck out his foot, deflecting the ball past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

Jones also drew a tackle from Taylor — TV replays indicated it was a dive — that earned the Jamaican defender a red card in the 67th minute.

"Jermaine has a good engine and has the ability in certain moments to get forward and be a threat," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "That was nice to see."

Midfielder Clint Dempsey scored the second goal in the 80th minute.

U.S. striker Jozy Altidore left with a strained left hamstring in the 12th minute. Bradley said he didn't know what Altidore's status would be for the remainder of the tournament.

U-17 WORLD CUP: The United States opened Group D in the Under-17 World Cup with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic in Torreon, Mexico. Alejandro Guido scored in the fifth minute and Esteban Rodriguez and Alfred Koroma scored in the second half. U.S. midfielder Tarik Salkicic of Pinellas Park entered as a substitute in the 74th minute.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Dario Franchitti was sorry to see Tony Kanaan drop out of contention.

Helio Castroneves? Not so much.

Franchitti took the lead after Kanaan crashed and Castroneves had a tire problem, and the two-time defending IndyCar series champion led the final 27 laps to win Sunday's Milwaukee 225 at the Milwaukee Mile.

Franchitti said a blocking move by Castroneves revved up his temper on a restart in which Castroneves was first, Kanaan second and Franchitti third.

"I was trying to get on Kanaan's gearbox," Franchitti said. "… I was still so spittin' mad from what Helio did on that restart, I was doing all I could to get on to him and get past Tony as well."

Franchitti said Castroneves "blocked to the inside, then blocked to the outside. No wonder he got a flat tire, some of the parts of the track he was using."

Kanaan crashed with 31 laps to go, and Castroneves gave up the lead when he made a late extra pit stop to change a tire that was going flat.

Graham Rahal was second, followed by Oriol Servia, Will Power and Danica Patrick, who earned her first top-five finish this season.

Franchitti pulled even with Power in the series standings.

Franchitti seemed genuinely sorry for Kanaan, his close longtime friend.

"I think we have a respect for each other," Franchitti said.

"It's a shame," Kanaan said. "It's my fault."

The race was a return to the Milwaukee Mile, which dates to 1903 but didn't host major events last year because of previous promoters' financial woes.

NHRA: Robert Hight broke the national speed record with a 316.45 mph semifinal run at the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn., on his way to winning the Funny Car class. He defeated Jack Beckman in the final with a 4.092-second run at 314.90 mph. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also won their divisions.

EAST BAY RACEWAY: Devin Dixon won the 50-lap Late Model main event late Saturday in Gibsonton.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

WIMBLEDON, England — Serena Williams hit bottom at the end of February.

Shortly after treatment for clots in her lungs, she went back into the hospital because of a hematoma, a large gathering of blood under the skin on her stomach.

She calls that "the disaster."

"After I had the lung problem, it was, like, 'Okay, I got through that.' Then having to have a surgery removing the hematoma was just my low point. I felt it was never going to end," Williams said Sunday, one day before the start of Wimbledon, where she has won the past two titles and four overall.

"I was just pretty upset," she said, "and just wondering when this string of things would stop happening."

That "string" began in July, a few days after she beat Vera Zvonareva in the final at the All England Club for a 13th Grand Slam title. Leaving a restaurant in Germany, Williams cut both feet on broken glass. She had two operations on her right foot and spent 10 weeks in a cast, then 10 more in a walking boot.

Then came the blood clots, for which she needed to inject herself with a blood thinner; those shots led to the hematoma.

Eventually, Williams began getting back in shape, with a particular focus on improving her lung capacity.

"Just having to work out a little bit harder, because I'm starting from zero," said Williams, who will be 25th in today's WTA rankings but whose past success at the All England Club resulted in a No. 7 seeding.

As for what it would mean to win another title now, Williams said: "It would be awesome and amazing, but that's not my thought process. My thought process is just to play the best I can and to be positive. … Six or seven weeks of just trying to get myself together isn't a tremendous amount of time, but the fact that I can even compete and be in a position I wasn't sure I'd have a chance to be at again is more than enough."

She returned to practice in April and played her first tournament in about 11 months last week at Eastbourne.

"I felt like the breaks were five seconds long. Every time I sat down, the umpire would call, 'Time.' But I felt like I was able to go through it," said Williams, who turns 30 in September.

Summing up, she added: "Life is too short, so have a drink."

Amid laughter, Williams made sure to note: "I'm just kidding."

ARN OUT: Greta Arn of Hungary (knee) withdrew. Her scheduled first-round opponent, No. 11 seed Andrea Petkovic, will instead face alternate Stephanie Foretz Gacon today.

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

What they're saying

"I think he's going to have a great career and be great for the game. … He's humble when he needs to be humble, and he's confident when he needs to be confident. He wants to learn, and he wants to get better. That's everything you need." — Jack Nicklaus, 18-time majors winner in an NBC telephone interview

"As I've said before, I think he has probably the most talent I've ever seen from a golfer. Lovely to watch him play, such a fluid motion, and he hits it far." — Luke Donald, the world No. 1, who finished at 5 over

"You can tell that Rory has had this type of talent in him for some time now, and to see him putting it together is pretty neat to see." — Phil Mickelson, who finished 7 over

"I think he's still growing, and it's just scary to think about it." — Y.E. Yang, who played in the final group the last two days and finished at 6 under

"He's a breath of fresh air for the game, and perhaps we're ready for golf's next superstar. And maybe Rory is it." — Graeme McDowell, 2010 champion, who finished at 2 under

"What a performance from start to finish. Enjoy the win. Well done." — Tiger Woods, in a statement

"He lapped the field, and for such a young age, how mature he is. Golf right now is in a really, really good spot where Rory McIlroy is right now." — Jason Day, whose runnerup score of 8-under 276 would have been enough to win 26 of the last 30 U.S. Opens

At the club in Holywood, Northern Ireland, where Rory McIlroy learned to play golf, they celebrated from the first birdie Sunday. Many pints were downed and songs sung, including an impromptu Rory, Rory Hallelujah. Members of the Holywood Golf Club were glued to the television, and a man kissed the large screen in the clubhouse's main bar after McIlroy won the U.S. Open by eight shots. "We're massively proud," club member Tommy Trimble said. "It was incredible." The club overlooking Belfast Lough bent its rules to let McIlroy in as a member at age 7, because he showed such promise. McIlroy's father started taking him to the club even before he could walk.

Biggest U.S. Open victory margins

15 2000, Tiger Woods (272), Miguel Angel Jimenez and Ernie Els (287), Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif.

11 1899, Willie Smith (315), George Low, Val Fitzjohn and W.H. Way (326), Baltimore CC, Baltimore

9 1921, James Barnes (289), Walter Hagen and Fred McLeod (298), Columbia CC, Chevy Chase, Md.

8 2011, Rory McIlroy (268), Jason Day (276), Congressional CC-Blue Course, Bethesda, Md.

But wait, there's more

Rory McIlroy became the third U.S. Open winner to shoot four rounds in the 60s, joining Lee Janzen in 1993 and Lee Trevino in 1968. He is also the youngest Open champion since 21-year-old Bobby Jones won in 1923.

Efforts out in the field

• Charl Schwartzel shot 66 to put him at 4 under for the championship, a U.S. Open score that often would have been good enough for a Masters champion to make it two majors in a row. Schwartzel, though, said he began the tournament thinking 10 under would be the winning score. "I played pretty spectacular today, actually," he said. "I wish I had four of these (rounds)."

• Phil Mickelson's U.S. Open ended where it began, in the same body of water. On his last hole Sunday, Mickelson stood in a greenside bunker launched a rainbow that splashed on the fly, some 15 feet beyond the other side of the peninsula green. After two unsuccessful drops on the steep lakeside slope, he had to place the ball and chip back toward the pin, where he made a 6-footer for double bogey to finish an even par round of 71 and a 7-over total of 291. The lake also received Mickelson's opening shot in his first round Thursday, when he started on the nearby par-3 10th and left his tee shot well short. He double bogeyed that hole as well. "I thought that the soft conditions obviously made it a little bit easier than everybody had hoped, but the setup was wonderful," he said. "I just didn't play how I'd hoped."

• Patrick Cantlay, 19 and the top amateur at the U.S. Open, shot 72 to finish tied for 21st at even par — while learning just how taxing a major championship can be. "I'm really tired," he said. "I felt it on the back nine. But you know, it's such a great experience to be here, and it's been an amazing week. I'm really excited, and adrenaline kind of kept me in it." Cantlay, above, just completed his freshman year at UCLA, where he plans to stay until he earns his degree.

• Kevin Chappell, below, was just as hot as Rory McIlroy over the final three rounds of the championship, shooting rounds of 67, 69 and 66. It helped compensate for an opening 76 and lifted him into a tie for third. "There's a lot to soak in," said Chappell, whose best career finish on the PGA Tour is a second place at this year's Texas Open. "Hopefully lock up my card for next year, which is also a big relief, and just really try and enjoy it." Chappell also matched Robert Garrigus as the top American in the field.

Course ripped again

Congressional, which had been softened by rain and cloud cover, was throttled by the field again. The USGA did nothing to try to protect par, moving tees forward to tempt players to take some risk. The result was a whopping 32 rounds under par Sunday. The previous record of 18 final rounds under par was at Baltusrol in 1993.

Wire to wire U.S. Open winners

Rory McIlroy 2011

Tiger Woods 2002

Tiger Woods 2000

Tony Jacklin 1970

Ben Hogan 1953

James Barnes 1921

Walter Hagen 1914

Times wires
Sunday, June 19, 2011

Yankees 10, Cubs 4

CHICAGO — Nick Swisher hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning, and New York won the rubber game of its first series at Wrigley Field in eight years. The paid attendance of 41,828 brought the weekend total to 126,283, a Wrigley Field record for a three-game series.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 20, 2011

Patric Young, the Florida Gators' sophomore center, is one of 13 finalists for the 12-man USA Basketball U19 World Championships roster.

The selections, which were made by the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee, came after three days and four training sessions at the USA U19 Team training camp that began this past Friday.

Florida head coach Billy Donovan served as a court coach during the initial sessions of the training camp.

Training camp for the selected finalists continues through Thursday, June 23, with the official 12-member USA U19 roster being announced prior to the team's departure for Europe on June 24. The 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for men is being held June 30-July 10 in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga, Latvia. The USA squad will attempt to defend the gold medal it won in 2009.

Young is one of five finalists who has prior USA Basketball experience, and one of two players from the 2010 USA U18 National Team that captured gold at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship. The other is Tony Mitchell of North Texas.

Florida sophomore Scottie Wilbekin did not make the first cut.

"I think our inside players are tremendous," head coach Paul Hewitt said. "We have some good balance and some guys that can shoot the basketball. Obviously, it was a hard decision to come down to 13, and we still have to make one more decision before we go overseas. The focus from here has got to be on defense. I don't think that we can be a team that's going to have the most continuity, so we have to be a really good defensive team and capitalize on our ability to get stops in transition."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 20, 2011

St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols - who had an infamous pre-draft workout at Tropicana Field in 1999 - won't be playing there when the Cardinals visit next weekend (July 1-3).

Pujols will be sidelined 4-6 weeks after sustaining what has been diagnosed as a non-displaced fracture of his left radius (forearm) in Sunday's game.

The Rays worked Pujols out before the 1999 draft but - like many other teams - weren't that impressed with what they saw as he ended up lasting until the 13th round. He has since become one of the top players in the game, winning three NL MVP awards.

Pujols played at the Trop once previously, going 4-for-12 with a home run in a 2005 series.

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 20, 2011

Gainesville Police are investigating a burglary at a home that Florida Gators football players Chris Rainey and Moses Jenkins share, in which Rainey's 2008 national championship ring was stolen. The story was first reported in the Gainesville Sun.

According to police, a friend of the players reported the burglary when she discovered the back door of the home had been kicked and the home ransacked about 11 a.m. Sunday. Jenkins and Rainey were not at home at the time.

Along with Rainey's ring, other items reported stolen to police were 10 pairs of shoes that belonged to Jenkins, a TV and a Sony PlayStation.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Monday, June 20, 2011

Another week, another honor for Tampa Bay Rays RHP James Shields.

Shields was named American League co-player of the week, sharing the honors with Detroit's Justin Verlander.

This is the second time Shields has won this season, also on April 25.

Shields was 2-0 with two complete games - including a shutout of the Red Sox - with 15 strikeouts for the week.

Verlander also was 2-0 with two complete games.

Shields and Verlander will each get a watch from Game Time.

By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Monday, June 20, 2011

As nicknames go, it kind of rolls off the tongue. It is smooth, and it is lyrical, and if you want to put it on a T-shirt, well, it fits.

All-Star Game James.

And who would have believed that?

He is the bulldog again. He is dependable, and he is competitive, and he finishes what he starts. James Shields has rediscovered himself, and once more, he is the guy the Rays want to have on the mound in a big game.

For Shields, and for the Rays, this is good news enough. Shields is Shields again. These days, no one questions his place in the pitching rotation. These days, no one doubts what he can do with a baseball in his hands. These days, Shields' turn to pitch is a pretty good way for the Rays to start the competition.

And so Rays manager Joe Maddon keeps saying "Shields,'' and he keeps saying "All-Star game'' in the same sentence.

Guess what? These days, it makes a lot of sense.

Beyond a manager's praise, however, beyond pulling for a nice comeback and a good story and a local player, has Shields really pitched well enough to be included when this year's all-star pitchers are named?

Quick answer: You betcha.

True, there are a great many impressive pitchers across the American League, and also true, a great many of them are having swell seasons, too. Justin Verlander of Detroit, for instance. Josh Beckett of Boston. Jared Weaver of Anaheim. And on and on.

On the other hand, we aren't talking about the Cy Young Award here. There will be 6-7 starters on the American League roster (six pitchers who normally start got into last year's game). This year, Shields deserves to be one of those guys.

Follow the numbers, and you will believe it, too.

Victories: It isn't a pitcher's most important statistic, but it's where the sorting begins. In recent years, it has become trendy to sneer at victory totals, as if they hide truths that other statistics expose.

That's true, to a degree. Still, there is something to winning a game, to facing down a big hitter in a key inning. Winning doesn't count for everything, but yeah, it counts for something.

In Shields' case, his seven victories (against four defeats) is actually one of his weakest arguments. After all, 18 AL pitchers have won seven games or more; 31 have won six or more.

(For that matter, both David Price and Jeremy Hellickson have seven wins, too.)

Earned run average: It may be a pitcher's biggest argument, and it may be why Beckett (who has a 1.86 era) may be the American League starter.

Shields is third in the AL with a 2.40 ERA, less than half of the 5.19 he had at the end of last season. That will be a huge argument toward adding him to the All-Stars.

Complete games: As statistics go, this one was big back in the day of zeppelin races. No one argues complete games anymore, because not many pitchers have complete games anymore.

Still, it's a great number. Not only does it give a team a chance to win that night, it gives them a great chance to win the following night because the bullpen is rested.

Shields leads the league with five in a half season. Only three AL pitchers had more all of last year. Heck, Shields only had five in his first five seasons.

Put it this way: If Shields can keep it up and average 10 a year, he would only be 53 seasons away from breaking Walter Johnson's record.

Strikeout-walk ratio: Shields has struck out 108 (second in the league) and has only 27 walks. That'll do.

WHIP: That's walks and hits per inning pitched. Another telling number for a pitcher.

Verlander (0.85) has been amazing. Weaver and Beckett (both at 0.92) have been excellent.

Shields, at 1.00, has been almost as good.

Batting average against: For some reason, it's one of my favorite numbers in judging a pitcher's dominance.

For instance, hitters are batting only .232 against Verlander, only .243 against Weaver. Against Shields, they're hitting .267.

Compare that to Jon Lester of the Red Sox, who hitters are hitting at a .325 clip. Or CC Sabbathia, who is giving up a .305 average (and 3.39 ERA). Those kind of numbers make their nine victories each fade a bit, don't they?

In other words, it's hard to argue that Shields hasn't been one of the top three or four pitchers in the league so far. When you consider how shaky he was at the end of last season, when he wasn't one of the top three or four in the Rays rotation, it has been remarkable to see.

You remember: Last year, Shields faded badly at the end of the season. He gave up the most homers in the league, and the most runs, and the second-most hits. To be honest, the last time I wrote extensively about Shields, it was to suggest the Rays look to someone else to start in his place. At the time, I felt as if I was singing in a chorus of 4 million.

It has been a stunning turnaround, a pitcher regripping his career. Shields has had more control of his pitches, more control of his mechanics, more control of his approach.

For one thing, Maddon will tell you that faster isn't always better. Last year, Shields was hitting 94, 95 on the radar gun with regularity. For a pitcher who normally throws 91 or 92, that sounds like a good thing. Maddon will tell you it was not, that it was an indication that Shields was overthrowing.

Now, Shields has had better command, and he doesn't list to the side as often. As for the critics, they don't seem nearly as loud.

Yeah, the guy deserves to be an All-Star.

After all, that's a big game, too.