Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

WIMBLEDON, England — Head bowed, Andy Roddick trudged off Centre Court, his purple Wimbledon towel dragging along the turf.

As the three-time runnerup at the All England Club headed for the exit, he tossed his racket underhand to some kids in the front row. Thanks to his latest earlier-than-anticipated Grand Slam loss, the American won't be needing it next week.

The eighth-seeded Roddick departed Friday, beaten 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 in the third round by unseeded Feliciano Lopez. The Spaniard served 28 aces, and he finally ousted the 2003 U.S. Open champion after losing all seven previous matches they played.

Roddick, who turns 29 in August, lost to Roger Federer in the 2004, 2005 and 2009 finals here but only made it as far as the fourth round last year and the second round in 2008.

"What do you do? You keep moving forward until you decide to stop," Roddick said. "At this point, I've not decided to stop, so I'll keep moving forward."

He hasn't been past the quarterfinals at any of the past seven major tournaments.

It didn't help that Lopez was nearly perfect, hitting 57 winners and eight unforced errors.

"Unbelievable," Lopez said. " … I was surprised that I didn't miss anything, almost."

Because of rain, only two other third-round men's matches finished: No. 4 Andy Murray moved forward in his bid to give Britain its first male champion at Wimbledon since 1936, beating Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) with the help of a behind-the-back, between-the-legs trick shot; and No. 17 Richard Gasquet beat Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Defending men's champion Rafael Nadal saved two set points against Gilles Muller and rallied to take the first set 7-6 (8-6), but their match was halted by rain and will continue today.

In women's play, No. 2 Vera Zvonareva, the runnerup at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2010, was eliminated by No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-3. Pironkova reached the semifinals last year, when she upset five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, and they'll have a rematch next week. Williams overpowered 76th-ranked Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 6-2.

"I'm in the next round. That's my main goal, regardless whether I play amazing, whether I play halfway decent," Williams said.

Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki won a delayed second-round match over Virginie Razzano 6-1, 6-3.

Past Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova struggled at the start against 17-year-old Laura Robson of Britain before righting herself 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

"She was much more aggressive than I was in the beginning," Sharapova said. "But then I just kind of got my rhythm a little bit and started playing better."

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — After seeing her lead disappear in the morning session, Yani Tseng fought her way back into a place where she has been plenty comfortable this year.

The top-ranked Tseng overcame double bogey on her ninth hole to shoot 2-under 70 Friday for a one-stroke lead over Pat Hurst after the second round of the LPGA Championship, the tour's second major of the year.

Tseng was at 8-under 136.

Hurst had 67. Morgan Pressel, Minea Blomqvist and Hee Young Park were 6 under after 69s. Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse (69) was in a group of three at 5 under

Battling a torrential downpour, then a steady drizzle for nearly half her first nine holes, Tseng followed her first-round-best 66 with a gritty performance.

"I feel a little bit disappointed in my round, but I hung in there," Tseng said. "I missed some short putts, and that's very disappointing. But I still have the lead, and I'm still very excited."

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome (72) and Tampa resident Kristy McPherson (74) were at 2-over 146 and made the cut by one. Defending champion Cristie Kerr shot her second straight 72 to make the cut. Michelle Wie also opened with consecutive 72s.

Amateur sets PGA mark en route to lead

CROMWELL, Conn. — UCLA star Patrick Cantlay, 19, has insisted he has no intention of leaving school early to join the PGA Tour. But the low amateur last week in the U.S. Open softened his stance a little after shooting a course-record 10-under 60 — the lowest tour round ever by an amateur — to take a four-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship.

"I'm going to stay amateur definitely for the Walker Cup (in September), and my plan is to stay amateur until I finish college," said Cantlay, who was at 13-under 127.

Taking advantage of preferred lies at soggy TPC River Highlands, Cantlay tied the tournament record set by Tommy Bolt when the event was played in Wethersfield in 1954.

After shooting 67 in the morning in the rain-delayed first round, he had eight birdies and an eagle in the afternoon.

D.J. Trahan (62), Webb Simpson (65) Alexandre Rocha (66) and Vaughn Taylor (66) were tied for second along with Andres Romero. Seventy-seven players are scheduled to complete the second round today.

Champions: Palm Harbor resident John Huston and Mark Wiebe shot 7-under 65s to share the lead after the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

Logano takes Sprint Cup pole

SONOMA, Calif. — Joey Logano won the pole on the road course at Infineon Raceway for this weekend's Sprint Cup race.

Logano, left, posted 93.256 mph lap Friday in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to take the top qualifying spot for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350. It snapped Kurt Busch's streak of three straight poles.

"This is the last place I expected to get a pole," Logano said. "I never considered myself a road course racer.

"We didn't think we were going to be good enough to get the pole but made some good adjustments and got some speed in the car."

Jamie McMurray qualified second in a Chevrolet with a lap at 93.223, and Paul Menard was third. Logano teammate Denny Hamlin was fourth, Ryan Newman fifth and Kasey Kahne sixth.

Busch wound up 11th, and defending champion Jimmie Johnson was 12th.

Sato gets IndyCar pole; Patrick No. 2

Takuma Sato and Danica Patrick will form an unlikely duo on the front row for today's IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Sato, a former Formula One driver, is chasing his first podium finish in the open-wheel series. Patrick, the series' biggest star, is looking for her first win on American soil.

Sato earned his first series pole, turning in a two-lap average of 180.375 mph on the 0.875-mile oval to finish just ahead Patrick. It's the best start of the year for Patrick (180.210 mph), whose lone win was in Japan in 2008. Sato's previous best start was third last year at Mid-Ohio.

Defending champion Tony Kanaan starts third. JR Hildebrand, best known for his final-lap crash at the Indianapolis 500 this year, is fourth. Series co-points leaders Will Power and Dario Franchitti start fifth and sixth, respectively.

De Silvestro out for Iowa IndyCar

Simona De Silvestro has been ruled out of today's IndyCar race in Iowa because of postconcussion symptoms related to a qualifying crash last week. De Silvestro was taken to the hospital Saturday night after crashing in Milwaukee. She was cleared to drive by IndyCar officials Sunday morning, but she left for the care center 11 laps into the race. IndyCar said Friday that De Silvestro still exhibited symptoms during a medical evaluation.

Notes

Carl Edwards will skip today's Nationwide race at Road America in Elkhart, Wis., to focus on the Sprint Cup event. The decision was announced after Edwards qualified 23rd. It snaps Edwards' streak of 210 consecutive Nationwide starts, the longest active streak in the series.… Rain washed out qualifying in the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio. … NASCAR increased the caution car speed by 5 mph at all four sanctioned road course tracks. The pit road speeds have also been increased by 5 mph at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International. … Indianapolis 500 champ and St. Petersburg resident Dan Wheldon and his Indy 500-winning team, Bryan Herta Autosport, will test the new IndyCar prototype chassis in August and September. The new chassis is scheduled to debut next season.

Times wires

Number of the day

110.4 Driver rating for Tony Stewart, right, at Infineon Raceway in the past six seasons, tops among Sprint Cup drivers. Though Stewart has won twice in his career at the 1.99-mile road course in Sonoma, Calif., his last was in 2005, when he was with Joe Gibbs Racing. Stewart is on a streak of four straight top-10 finishes at Infineon, with a second-place effort in 2009 his best effort in that span. He qualified 20th for Sunday's race.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Jacques Villeneuve still wants to do a full season in NASCAR.

At this rate, it should take only a few more decades to get 30-plus races under his belt.

"I guess before I turn 80 I'll manage to get a full season in," Villeneuve joked Friday.

The 1997 Formula One champion and 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner has had only a handful of chances to race in NASCAR since his unsuccessful shot at making a full-time move from open-wheel racing a few years ago. He's back in the Nationwide series this weekend, taking Brad Keselowski's place in Penske Racing's No. 22 car for this afternoon's race at Road America.

Villeneuve is a master of the scenic 4-mile road course that winds through the tree-lined hills of central Wisconsin. Back in his Indy days, he won at the track in 1994 and '95.

He finished 25th in last year's Nationwide race at Road America, joking that he "brought down the average a lot."

Sprint Cup series star Carl Edwards won that day, but Villeneuve had a huge impact.

He led a handful of laps and put on quite a show, using a series of breathtakingly aggressive moves to get in contention before an electrical cable disconnected and cost him a shot at the victory.

Villeneuve ran three more NASCAR races last year — two in Nationwide and one in Sprint Cup, a surprise appearance at the Brickyard 400 — and he figures his strong run at Road America helped him earn those chances.

"I'm sure running good last year helps," Villeneuve said. "Any time you run well, it opens the door a little bit. I've been working on NASCAR for quite a few years now. And it's slow progress, but it's always a little progress. I just never give up and keep going."

He's scheduled to race for Penske in his hometown, Montreal, this season, but he doesn't have firm plans beyond that.

Villeneuve hasn't had a full-time ride in any series since a split with his Formula One team in 2006. Asked what he has been up to recently, he mentions ice racing in France.

He acknowledges that it's tough to get back in the car and be competitive right away when he isn't racing every week.

"It is challenging, and it puts a lot of pressure on me," Villeneuve said. "If you do 30 races, you can afford to have a few bad ones. If you do just a couple of races, and they're road courses and you're a road course specialist … then you either win or finish in the top three and it's normal, or it was a lost weekend.

"A lot weighs on those races, the future."

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, June 24, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — One day, Charter kennel owner Rodney Cooley would like to settle at Derby Lane and live in the city where he was born.

Now is not that time.

Cooley, whose kennel has been one of the top operations at Derby Lane the past two decades, is leaving the St. Petersburg greyhound facility next week. It was a numbers game that didn't add up. Two years ago, Charter's stock of dogs became limited when an illness hit its Texas-based farming program. Derby Lane's declining purses — the lowest among six tracks where Cooley competes — sealed the move.

"It's just a matter of getting built back up so I can have enough dogs to supply on a regular basis," said Cooley, a St. Petersburg native who resides in Wheeling, W. Va. "(Purse) points are down a bit more than normal. Being in the top five kennels, you barely break even with expenses of gas and everything going up.

"My goal is to come back (to St. Petersburg) and live, but it's getting hard to make a living unless you run the kennel yourself."

This is Derby Lane's second major kennel defection in the past year; Wayne Ward left in 2010. Alabama Racing, one of the leading kennels at Daytona Beach, will replace Charter when the new season begins Friday, Derby Lane spokeswoman Vera Rasnake said.

Cooley, 46, also races dogs at Flagler in Miami, Naples-Fort Myers, Gulf at La Marque, Texas, Southland Park at West Memphis, Ark., and Wheeling Island. Purse points reach $230 at gaming tracks such as Southland Park and Wheeling Island, Cooley said. Derby Lane's most recent points payout was $55.04, down from a season-high $73.64 (Feb. 28-March 6). Points values are based on money wagered on the product.

Trainer Danielle Asbury was stunned by Cooley's decision.

"It was a very, very big surprise," she said. "I've worked for Rodney for four years, and I loved every minute of it."

Asbury expects to move to Bridgeport, Ohio, in July but said she has no job lined up: "I may go back to school."

Charter is exiting Derby Lane for the second time. It raced in St. Petersburg from 1996-2004, and returned in 2008. In 15 Derby Lane meets, Charter has won 3,429 races with one kennel title (1998), four seconds and 14 top-10 finishes. Some of Charter's notable Derby Lane performers were 2002 All-America member Dodgem By Design and 2003 track wins leader Lonesome Cry.

Tonight at the track: Derby Lane celebrates Fan Appreciation Night with the final two stakes of its 2010-11 campaign: the $30,000 St. Petersburg Derby (Race 10) and $10,000 Consolation Derby (Race 8). Starters from the rail in the 85th annual St. Petersburg Derby: Flying Masago (McAllister kennel), Dancin Rainman (Nova), Flying Marvelous (McAllister), Storm Rush (Royal Racing), Ok Barry (Capabal), Magic Smoke (Abernathy), Galway (D'Arcy) and Uss Gazillionair (Lester Raines). First post is 7:30.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

PASADENA, Calif. — The United States is looking for another win over rival Mexico in tonight's title match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, even if it means doing it on American soil but without much of a homefield advantage.

The game is the latest installment in a rivalry that has featured World Cup qualifiers in frigid Ohio and in Mexico City's altitude, and the United States' 2-0 win over Mexico in the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup.

Enhancing the drama: a sellout crowd of more than 90,000 at the Rose Bowl, with the vast majority supporting Mexico.

"We have fewer fans than any other team," the United States' Clint Dempsey said. "We need more. But we're a strong team. I hope one day we'll get more U.S. fans in the stadiums."

Mexico's Giovani Dos Santos said that support can be intimidating: "In a Gold Cup, Mexico always has to have a winning mentality. We have the players. We're coming to win it. We want to remain champions, or it will be a disaster for everybody."

The game is the third consecutive time the teams will face each other for the title. Mexico won 5-0 in 2009 at Giants Stadium after the Americans won 2-1 in 2007 in Chicago.

The United States and Mexico have won nine of the 10 Gold Cup championships since the tournament began in 1991, with Mexico taking five titles.

The Gold Cup winner qualifies for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, a preview of the 2014 World Cup.

The U.S. team has used three successive shutouts to reach the Gold Cup final after a 2-0 loss in Tampa to Panama.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard hasn't allowed a goal in 322 minutes.

"We're playing a lot better and, sometimes, it's good to get a wake-up call," Landon Donovan said of the first-round loss.

Mexico is counting on 23-year-old Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez, who leads the Gold Cup with seven goals. He scored 20 goals in all competitions during his first season with Manchester United.

Mexico reached the finals despite losing six players from its original roster. Five, including two starters, tested positive for clenbuterol, a banned substance. The sixth, defender Ricardo Osorio, was lost due to illness.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

Phillies 1, Athletics 0

PHILADELPHIA — Pinch-hitter Ben Francisco delivered an RBI single with two outs in the ninth to lift the Phillies. Rookie starters Vance Worley and Guillermo Moscoso took no-hitters into the sixth as neither team got a runner to third until the ninth. Shane Victorino walked against Brian Fuentes and went to second on Domonic Brown's one-out single. Both advanced on a grounder to first, then Francisco hit a bouncer over third baseman Scott Sizemore.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. — Florida is in the College World Series final, which is right where most people in college baseball figured they would be all along.

The second-seeded Gators advanced with a 6-4 victory over Vanderbilt on Friday as former Plant High standout Preston Tucker drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to offset a shaky bullpen that squandered a three-run lead.

UF (53-17) plays South Carolina or Virginia in the best-of-three final starting Monday. Virginia needed to beat the Gamecocks late Friday and again tonight to reach the final.

For the Gators, the final is the place to be to finish a year in which they were the preseason No. 1, won the SEC tournament and lost back-to-back games only twice.

"You have to feel fortunate," Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "You've got to have some breaks along the way. This is a long grind. This team, from Day 1, its goal was to set out to play for the national championship. That doesn't always come in the end, doesn't always work out that way. But they've been focused, and we're looking forward to it."

Former Alonso High star Alex Panteliodis limited Vanderbilt (54-12) to three hits in six innings before a parade of five relievers blew his 4-1 lead.

"That thing could have spiraled out of control," O'Sullivan said.

Daniel Pigott singled, and Cody Dent and Nolan Fontana reached on back-to-back bunts to load the bases in the eighth before Tucker drove a ball into deep leftfield for a single. The Gators added another run when Mark Lamm's breaking ball in the dirt bounced away from Curt Casali, allowing Dent to score.

Austin Maddox (3-0) pitched the last 1 2/3 innings for the win, which was Florida's fifth in six meetings this season against its SEC Eastern Division rival.

"We're happy we're in the finals," said Tucker, who provided the winning margin against the Commodores with a three-run homer in a 3-1 victory earlier in the week, "but we're going to be just as disappointed as if we went 0-2 if we lose the series. So we'll stay focused, bear down at practice and do the same thing we did today — executing some bunting, maybe some hit-and-runs."

Corey Williams had come in to face Tucker, who was hitting .364 in the national tournament. He drilled a pitch over leftfielder Tony Kemp for his NCAA tournament-leading 19th RBI.

"I was looking for a fastball up I could elevate," Tucker said. " … All I was worried about is getting the run in from third."

Panteliodis, the Mets' ninth-round draft pick, retired the last eight batters he faced before he turned the game over to the normally reliable Florida bullpen.

Format Study: The Division I baseball committee will study proposals that would emphasize best-of-three play in the NCAA tournament. The current 64-team format starts with 16 four-team, double-elimination regions. Those winners advance to one of eight best-of-three super regions, with those winners going to the College World Series. The committee will look at two proposals. In one, there would be 32 best-of-three regions, with the winners advancing to eight four-team, double-elimination super regions. The other proposal would open with 32 two-team regions, progress to 16 two-team super regions, eight two-team "super super regions" and the eight-team CWS. The first three rounds would all be best-of-three.

UCF case: In the wrongful death lawsuit against UCF, Brian Watters, a team captain in 2010, became the third former player to testify that football coach George O'Leary ordered water and athletic trainers out of the fieldhouse during the workout in which Ereck Plancher died in March 2008. O'Leary has testified he never ordered water or athletic trainers out.

Times staff, wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. — Florida is in the College World Series final, which is right where most people in college baseball figured they would be all along.

The second-seeded Gators advanced with a 6-4 victory Friday over Vanderbilt as former Plant High standout Preston Tucker drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to offset a shaky bullpen that squandered a three-run lead.

Florida (53-17) plays defending champion South Carolina (53-14) in the best-of-three final starting Monday. The Gamecocks beat Virginia 3-2 in 13 innings to advance.

For the Gators, the final is the place to be to cap a year in which they were the preseason No. 1, won the SEC tournament and lost back-to-back games only twice.

"You have to feel fortunate," Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "You've got to have some breaks along the way. This is a long grind. This team, from Day 1, its goal was to set out to play for the national championship. That doesn't always come in the end, doesn't always work out that way. But they've been focused, and we're looking forward to it."

Former Alonso High star Alex Panteliodis limited Vanderbilt (54-12) to three hits in six innings before a parade of five relievers blew his 4-1 lead.

"That thing could have spiraled out of control," O'Sullivan said.

Daniel Pigott singled, and Cody Dent and Nolan Fontana reached on back-to-back bunts to load the bases in the eighth before Tucker drove a ball into deep leftfield for a single. The Gators added another run when Mark Lamm's breaking ball in the dirt bounced away from Curt Casali, allowing Dent to score.

Austin Maddox (3-0) pitched the last 1⅔ innings for the win, which was Florida's fifth in six meetings this season against its SEC Eastern Division rival.

"We're happy we're in the finals," said Tucker, who provided the winning margin against the Commodores with a three-run homer in a 3-1 victory earlier in the week, "but we're going to be just as disappointed as if we went 0-2 if we lose the series. So we'll stay focused, bear down at practice and do the same thing we did today — executing some bunting, maybe some hit-and-runs."

Corey Williams had come in to face Tucker, who was hitting .364 in the national tournament. He drilled a pitch over leftfielder Tony Kemp for his NCAA tournament-leading 19th RBI.

"I was looking for a fastball up I could elevate," Tucker said. " … All I was worried about is getting the run in from third."

Panteliodis, the Mets' ninth-round draft pick, retired the last eight batters he faced before he turned the game over to the normally reliable Florida bullpen.

In the night game, Adam Matthews scored in the bottom of the 13th after Virginia reliever Cody Winiarski botched two throws after fielding bunts, sending defending national champion South Carolina back to the final with a 3-2 victory.

South Carolina closer Matt Price worked out of bases-loaded situations in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings.

Brady Thomas singled leading off the 13th against Winiarski. Matthews came in to run and advanced when Winiarski pivoted and threw wildly trying to get him at second on Peter Mooney's bunt. Robert Beary followed with another bunt. Winiarski tried to throw out Matthews at third, but he threw the ball away, allowing the winning run to score.

Gator transfers: Defensive end Chris Martin, has decided to transfer, football coach Will Muschamp announced. Martin, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound redshirt freshman from Colorado, transferred in from Cal in July 2010 and redshirted this past season. He wants to play closer to home.

Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

Rockies 4, Yankees 2

NEW YORK — Jason Giambi homered against his former team to lift the Rockies. It was Giambi's first visit to New York since he came with Oakland in 2009, the season after finishing his seven-year deal with the Yankees. Fans gave him an ovation after being lifted for a pinch-runner in the ninth. A.J. Burnett became the first Yankee to strike out four in an inning. No. 3 in the sixth, Chris Nelson, reached when Strike 3 got away for a wild pitch.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

Diamondbacks 7, Tigers 6

DETROIT — Wily Mo Pena's tiebreaking homer in the eighth went an estimated 454 feet for the Diamondbacks. Pena was hitting .363 with 21 home runs at Triple A when the Diamondbacks called him up earlier this week for his first big-league stint since 2008 for the Nationals. He has homered twice since joining the team.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

Brewers 4, Twins 3

MILWAUKEE — Prince Fielder doubled in two runs with two outs in seventh for the Brewers, raising his NL-leading RBI total to 65. Twins starter Scott Baker entered with a three-game win streak. He left with the lead but two runners on. Fielder drove in both off Jose Mijares. Randy Wolf is 3-0 with a 2.30 ERA over his past seven starts for Milwaukee, which remains the only team to not lose consecutive home games this year. Minnesota has lost three straight since an eight-game win streak.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

PITTSBURGH — Jose Tabata and Lyle Overbay each had two hits and an RBI to lead the Pirates to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox on Friday night.

Paul Maholm beat an American League team for the first time in nearly two years by surviving 5 1/3 eventful innings. Joel Hanrahan worked a perfect the ninth to pick up his 21st save in as many chances as the Pirates (38-37) won their third straight to climb back above .500.

Boston starter Jon Lester pitched six solid innings but failed to become the AL's first 10-game winner, giving up three runs, two earned.

Adrian Gonzalez had two hits to bump his major-league-leading average to .360, but the Red Sox left 11 men on base while dropping their third straight to a National League team.

The Red Sox put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth, but reliever Jose Veras struck out Marco Scutaro then got David Ortiz to ground out to short.

Times staff
Friday, June 24, 2011

Team Player Pos. From

1. Edmonton Ryan Nugent-HopkinsFRed Deer (WHL)

2. Colorado Gabriel Landeskog F Kitchener (OHL)

3. Florida Jonathan Huberdeau F Saint John (QMJHL)

4. New Jersey Adam Larsson D Sweden

5. N.Y. Islanders Ryan Strome F Niagara (OHL)

6. Ottawa Mika Zibanejad F Sweden

7. Winnipeg Mark Scheifele F Barrie (OHL)

8. Philadelphia Sean Couturier F Drummondville (QMJHL)

(from Columbus)

9. Boston Doug Hamilton D Niagara (OHL)

(from Toronto)

10. Minnesota Jonas Brodin D Sweden

11. Colorado Duncan Siemens D Saskatoon (WHL)

(from St. Louis)

12. Carolina Ryan Murphy D Kitchener (OHL)

13. Calgary Sven Baertschi F Portland (WHL)

14. Dallas Jamieson Oleksiak D Northeastern U

15. N.Y. Rangers J.T. Miller F U.S. development team

16. Buffalo Joel Armia F Finland

17. Montreal Nathan Beaulieu D Saint John (QMJHL)

18. Chicago Mark McNeill F Prince Albert (WHL)

19. Edmonton Oscar Klefbom D Sweden

(from L.A.)

20. Phoenix Connor Murphy D U.S. development team

21. Ottawa Stefan Noesen F Plymouth (WHL)

(from Nashville)

22. Toronto Tyler Biggs F U.S. development team

(from Anaheim)

23. Pittsburgh Joe Morrow D Portland (WHL)

24. Ottawa Matt PuempelF Peterborough (OHL)

(from Detroit)

25. Toronto Stuart Percy D Missisaauga (OHL)

(from Philadelphia)

26. ChicagoPhillip Danault F Victoriaville (QMJHL)

(from Washington)

27. Tampa Bay Vladislav Namestnikov F London (OHL)

28. Minnesota Doug Phillips F Saint John (QMJHL)

(from San Jose)

29. Vancouver Nicklas Jensen F Oshawa (OHL)

30. Anaheim Rickard Rakell F Plymouth (OHL)

(from Toronto via Boston)

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

HOUSTON — James Shields made this one look easy.

Shields rolled to his sixth complete game of the season — and third in a row — with a seemingly effortless three-hit outing against the Astros in the Rays' 5-1 win.

"He rolled through that lineup pretty good,'' third baseman Evan Longoria said. "That's a big-league lineup. It shouldn't look that easy.''

Shields retired the first nine Astros without a ball leaving the infield and allowed only one hit, a Michael Bourn single to right-center, through the first six innings. The second hit came in the seventh, when his throw on Brett Wallace's slow roller was off target, and the Astros foiled the shutout bid when Chris Johnson followed with a double to deep center.

That became the first earned run Shields allowed in 242/3 innings dating to the June 8 game at Anaheim, when he was charged with three after Cesar Ramos came in and gave up a bases-loaded double.

It actually was the first earned run scored while he was on the mound in more than 31 innings, dating to June 2 at Seattle.

Shields needed just 106 pitches to finish the job, striking out nine and walking one.

"There's nothing I can say. You need to talk to James. This is all him,'' Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "There's no superlative I can give you that's adequate.''

Shields became the first pitcher to have six complete-game wins at this point of the season — 76 team games — since 1997, when Pat Hentgen did so for Toronto.

Shields said in spring training he wanted to finish more games but admitted Friday that he has exceeded his own expectations.

"I definitely didn't think it would be this many. I was thinking three or four; something like that,'' Shields said. "This is unbelievable. This is not how I expected to start, but this is exactly how I want to start. And I'm going to try and keep it going.''

Said Maddon: "That's six now? In this modern age, that's pretty darn good, especially prior to an All-Star Game.''

Shields broke the team record for complete games in a season, which he had shared with Joe Kennedy.

Shields also became the fifth pitcher in the past five years to have three consecutive complete games, joining Brandon Webb (2007), CC Sabathia (2008), Felix Hernandez (2010) and Cliff Lee (2010).

"What do you want me to say?'' catcher Kelly Shoppach said. "It's ho-hum now.''

Shields, did, however, tie the team record by striking out four times.

The Rays seized control of the game in a hurry with a four-run blitz after two were out in the third inning, capped by Longoria and B.J. Upton hitting their first back-to-back homers of the season.

Sean Rodriguez, with a 1-and-2 count, got the Rays started in the third with a single to left-center. He stole second and scored on Ben Zobrist's full-count single with an evasive move to get around the blocked plate and swipe it with his left hand.

Longoria, going without batting gloves in an effort to break out of his latest funk (.105 over his previous 10-plus games) crushed the next pitch over the left-centerfield wall for his seventh homer of the season, and second of the road trip.

Four pitches later, Upton lofted a ball that just cleared the leftfield wall; so close that the umpires, at the behest of the Astros, went in to look at the instant replay to confirm the call.

Longoria delivered another run in the fifth with a sharp single to right after Rodriguez singled and Zobrist walked and both moved up on a wild pitch.

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com.

Times wires
Friday, June 24, 2011

MILWAUKEE — Twins 1B Justin Morneau will have surgery Wednesday for a herniated disc fragment and miss another six weeks, the team said.

Morneau, the 2006 MVP and four-time All-Star out since June 9 with a strained left wrist, has felt numbness in his left hand since late in spring training.

"Even though the risk is small, there still is a risk that if he continued to play through this and not get it fixed that his full strength would not come back," Twins trainer Rick McWane said.

Morneau said surgery on any part of his spine is serious but it was the best option.

"I think the thing that kind of made the decision was hearing that it could be permanent, the weakness in the arm and numbness in the fingers," Morneau said.

Morneau is hitting .225 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 55 games a year after missing the final 78 games of the season with a concussion. McWane said the concussion and neck problems are not related.

MVP hopes contacts alleviate day struggles

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas OF Josh Hamilton will try contact lenses to help him see the ball better during day games.

Entering Friday, the 2010 MVP was hitting .122 (6-for-49) with no homers and 17 strikeouts in 14 day games compared with .374 (41-for-109) with six homers and 14 strikeouts in 25 night games. Hamilton said he believes his blue eyes make it harder to see the ball during day games. And a specialist agreed.

"Because of the lack of pigment in lighter color eyes — like blue or green eyes as opposed to brown — you get a lot more unwanted light," said Richard Ison, a Dallas optometrist. "And that can create glare problems."

Hamilton wore tinted lenses that make his eyes look red during batting practice and outfield drills.

"I could tell a difference," he said. "It just takes the brightness off everything."

McLaren promoted — for now: John McLaren moved from bench coach to interim manager for the Nationals a day after Jim Riggleman resigned. McLaren is a former bench coach for the Rays who went 68-88 over parts of two seasons as Mariners manager. GM Mike Rizzo said McLaren will be in charge for only a few days and he has talked to several candidates to finish this season. One is Davey Johnson, who has managed the Mets (winning the 1986 World Series), Reds, Orioles and Dodgers. He's currently an adviser to Rizzo.

Oswalt to DL: Phillies RHP Roy Oswalt went on the DL with lower-back inflammation. Oswalt, who missed three weeks earlier this year with the same injury, is 1-5 with a 4.06 ERA over his past eight starts. RHP Kyle Kendrick will take his place in the rotation. Also, C Brian Schneider, out since May 12 with a strained hamstring, was activated.

Jeter waits: Yankees SS Derek Jeter said he doesn't know when he will return from a strained right calf. Jeter, out since June 14, still awaits clearance from doctors to run, hit and field grounders. Also, RHP Bartolo Colon, out with a strained right hamstring, threw 31 pitches in his first bullpen session. His return remains unknown.

Orioles: Willie Randolph and John Russell switched jobs, Randolph becoming third-base coach and Russell bench coach. Last week, RHP Chris Jakubau­skas, running from first, was thrown out at home on a double with no outs. But manager Buck Showalter said Russell, an ex-catcher, has a sore knee and can help Matt Wieters and Craig Tatum between innings.

Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus left in the fifth after spraining his left wrist on a headfirst slide while stealing a base. His status hasn't been determined.

Reds: LH reliever Aroldis Chapman, out since May 16 with shoulder inflammation, was activated.

Red Sox: RHP Josh Beckett's next start was pushed back to help him recover from an illness that left him bedridden earlier this week. RHP Tim Wakefield will start today. Beckett, whose 1.86 ERA leads the AL, has been pushed back to Tuesday.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

Rays at Astros

When/where: 7:05 tonight; Minute Maid Park, Houston

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers

Rays RH Wade Davis (6-5, 4.57)

Astros RH Bud Norris (4-5, 3.26)

Watch for …

Wading in: Davis is showing some signs of improvement, winning his past two starts (five runs over 12 innings) after going winless in his previous four. His schedule has been erratic, and he faces the Astros for the first time on seven days' rest.

Hey, Bud: Norris is winless in his past two starts. But it's not his fault as he allowed one run total while the Astros scored none. Norris has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of 15 starts. He faced the Rays last year, allowing five runs (four earned) and striking out 10 over five innings in a no-decision.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Norris

Reid Brignac 1-for-2

B.J. Upton 0-for-3

Ben Zobrist 1-for-3, HR

On deck

Sunday: at Astros, 2:05. Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (2-4, 4.82); Astros — J.A. Happ (3-9, 5.33)

Monday: vs. Reds, 7:10. Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (7-6, 3.09); Reds — Johnny Cueto (5-2, 1.63)

Tuesday: vs. Reds, 7:10. Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (8-6, 3.51); Reds — Mike Leake (6-4, 4.19)

Wednesday: vs. Reds, 12:10. Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (8-4, 2.29); Reds — Edinson Volquez (4-3, 5.77)

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Hunting for an excuse? Upton gets his 'rest'

CF B.J. Upton decided he was too tired for his first hunting experience and didn't join bench coach Dave Martinez and equipment/home clubhouse manager Chris Westmoreland on their Thursday crossbow shooting, hog-hunting expedition. "Fatigue," Upton said. "I needed rest. I didn't chicken out. I really needed to rest. And they said they walked like 12 miles. I'm glad I didn't go." Martinez, who shot several hogs (and Westmoreland a deer), said of Upton's decision: "I was a little disappointed, but I wasn't surprised."

Getting his kicks

LHP David Price plays a lot of video-game soccer. And he was thrilled to discover Wednesday that the U.S. team, playing a Gold Cup semi in Houston, was staying at the same hotel as the Rays. He shared an elevator with goalkeeper Tim Howard (who knew who he was) and talked with Freddy Adu. "It was sick," Price said. "I was pumped. I think I was a little overgiddy."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Lightning GM Steve Yzerman went back to some of his roots with his first-round draft pick Friday night, selecting C Vladislav Namestnikov with the 27th overall selection.

Namestnikov's uncle is former NHL player Slava Kozlov, who played with Yzerman on the Red Wings.

Namestnikov, 18, is 6 feet and 166 pounds. He had 30 goals, 68 points and 49 penalty minutes in 68 games last season for London of the junior Ontario league. He also was plus-12.

Namestnikov represented Russia at the 2010 under-18 world championships in Belarus, tying for the team lead with five goals in seven games as Russia finished fourth.

He also represented his country at the world under-17 challenge, scoring eight goals in five games.

It was not immediately clear if Yzerman tried to trade up or down before the pick.

JONESY: F Blair Jones, along with his new one-year, two-way contract, got a challenge from Yzerman: "I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make the team."

Jones, 24, had zero points in seven games, but he had 16 hits while averaging 6 minutes, 24 seconds of ice time and being reliable defensively.

"The way he played in the playoffs, he showed he can play in the NHL," Yzerman said.

"We'll give him every opportunity."

REVAMP: The Lightning in the past few weeks retooled its scouting department, hiring five new amateur scouts and letting go four others.

Added were Brian Putnam, John Rosso, John Burkart, Rob Kitamura and Brad Whelan. Michel Boucher also was promoted from part time to full time.

The hires come at the end of a yearlong evaluation process that began with the hiring of Al Murray as director of amateur scouting.

"We wanted to take some time and assess where we were going and how we wanted to have things run," Yzerman said. "We appreciate the work those gentlemen did for us, but we felt it was time to make some changes and add some people Al particularly wanted to work with."

HELPER: Sean Couturier, whom the Flyers drafted eighth overall, said Lightning coach Guy Boucher was critical in easing his transition to juniors.

Boucher was leading Drummondville of the Quebec league in 2008, when Couturier, a center, came on the scene.

"He's great, Couturier said. "Everyone on the team he treated fairly."

Couturier said he is not surprised Boucher turned around the Lightning so quickly because he has "a great hockey sense, is intense and passionate about the game.

"He protects the players, and he's there for them," Couturier added. "You respect that."

STAYING PUT: Norfolk, Va., will be Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate next season, despite speculation of a change to Syracuse, N.Y., or Portland, Maine, to cut down on travel, Lightning assistant GM Julien BriseBois said.

There are no current talks to extend the five-year deal that expires after 2011-12.

QUOTE TO NOTE: D Eric Brewer, who has the same agent as unsigned C Steven Stamkos, on his teammate: "I would say that he's probably not going to go anywhere."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

ST. PAUL, Minn. — One of the most important aspects when evaluating a player, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said, is character. That is something he said he does not need to worry about with Vladislav Namestnikov.

Tampa Bay's first-round draft choice Friday, 27th overall, is the nephew of Slava Kozlov, a teammate of Yzerman's with the Red Wings. His father, Evgeny, played 43 NHL games with the Canucks, Islanders and Predators.

"I know his family. I know his background," Yzerman said. "When (Tampa Bay's scouts) started talking about him, it kind of excited me because he comes from a very good family."

Namestnikov, 18, a 6-foot, 166-pound center, ranked by NHL Central Scouting as the No. 11 North American skater, had 30 goals, 68 points and 49 penalty minutes in 68 minutes for London of the junior Ontario league last season.

Al Murray, Tampa Bay's head of amateur scouting, said he was at the top of the Lightning's list of remaining players.

"We see a combination goal-scorer, playmaker who's responsible (defensively)," Murray said. "Being around those Detroit dressing rooms, he talked about watching Steve and those players. I think he learned some real good lessons."

Actually, Namestnikov said, "I can barely remember it. I was like 7 years old."

Still, he said, "It's really special, a guy like Yzerman running an organization I'm going to be in. It's unbelievable."

REVAMP: The Lightning in the past few weeks retooled its scouting department, hiring five amateur scouts and letting go four.

Added were Brian Putnam, John Rosso, John Burkart, Rob Kitamura and Brad Whelan. Michel Boucher also was promoted from part time to full time.

The hires come at the end of a yearlong evaluation process that began with the hiring of Murray.

"We wanted to take some time and assess where we were going and how we wanted to have things run," Yzerman said. "We appreciate the work those gentlemen (let go) did for us, but we felt it was time to make some changes and add some people Al particularly wanted to work with."

HELPER: Sean Couturier, whom the Flyers drafted eighth overall, said Lightning coach Guy Boucher was critical in easing his transition to juniors.

Boucher was leading Drummondville of the Quebec league in 2008 when Couturier, a center, came on the scene.

"He's great, Couturier said of Boucher. "Everyone on the team he treated fairly. … He protects the players and he's there for them. You respect that."

STAYING PUT: Norfolk will be Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate next season, despite speculation of a change to Syracuse, N.Y., or Portland, Maine, to cut down on travel, Lightning assistant GM Julien BriseBois said. There are no talks to extend the five-year deal with Norfolk that expires after 2011-12.

QUOTEs TO NOTE: D Eric Brewer, who has the same agent as unsigned C Steven Stamkos, on his teammate: "I would say that he's probably not going to go anywhere." … From G Dwayne Roloson, who can be an unrestricted free agent July 1, on Twitter: "To answer all the rumors that have been going around, no I will not be retiring. I have a Cup to win for my team. Thank you for the support!

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2011

HOUSTON — As much as his left foot hurt as he walked off the field Tuesday night in Milwaukee, LHP J.P. Howell feared the worst.

"I thought it was 4-6 weeks in a boot," Howell said. "I was kind of concerned."

As the pain for the most part went away on Wednesday, as he was flying home to see team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton, Howell was confused.

And when Eaton told him the issue wasn't structural but medical, a diagnosis of gout — a form of arthritis that can be affected by food and drink — Howell was relieved and a bit surprised.

"I didn't think I could have a diet problem weighing 185 pounds," he said.

Gout is more common in older people, which also caught Howell, 28, a bit off guard.

"Everyone says, 'My grandpa has that,' or 'My grandma.' It's never been anyone's brother or anyone in their 20s."

The pain is occasional and can be severe, but it can be managed with medication. Plus, Howell plans to make changes to his diet, cutting back on red meat.

Manager Joe Maddon acknowledged it's an unusual condition but said the key develo­pment is Howell no longer has to wonder or worry about what's wrong.

"The biggest thing is that he knows what it is," Maddon said. "And if you know what it is and if it's painful, what are you going to do about it? You've got to just medicate it and maybe change your diet. Not knowing what it is just plays on your mind. So now that we have definition, he feels a lot better about it."

CEREBRAL APPROACH: RHP Wade Davis takes a two-game winning streak into tonight's start, saying a more consistent mental approach, at Maddon's request, might be the key to improving on what has been an inconsistent season.

"It's been a lot more mental focusing," he said. "I've always tried to go out there with a clear mind. And sometimes, I just — not bad decisions — just I could think a little more about the situation, certain pitches and committing to certain things. And that's been a lot better."

Davis said Maddon challenged him to think more.

"Most people say don't overthink the situation," Davis said. "I'm trying to think a little bit more because I've always been a guy that's just felt I could get anybody out with anything. That may be the case sometimes, but I have to put a little more thought into it."

DRAFT BREEZE: The Rays signed another compensation-round pick, SS Brandon Martin, No. 38 overall, and were close with second-rounder RHP Lenny Linsky (No. 89). Scouting director R.J. Harrison had his first meeting with top pick RHP Taylor Guerrieri, and talks will continue.

TO THE MATT: Maddon said he believes OF Matt Joyce's slump — 12-for-72 (.167) since May 28 to drop from .377 to .309 — is primarily the result of expanding his strike zone. But also getting Friday and Sunday off, as the Astros start left-handers, will be good for him as the Rays will face a lot of right-handers next week.

NBA WAY: Executive vice president Andrew Friedman has become friends with Rockets GM Daryl Morey and spent Thursday night in their draft room, where the action was even wilder than the MLB draft because they can, and do, make trades.

HE WiLL TAKE ONE TO GO: Maddon raves about Minute Maid Park, which features a retractable roof and glass-paneled wall to allow for city views and is built compactly in downtown Houston.

"They didn't do anything wrong here," he said. "I think it's awesome. We love coming here. The footprint, the number of seats, the way it lays out, I'm a big fan."

MISCELLANY: DH Johnny Damon is expected to play leftfield tonight against RHP Bud Norris and possibly Sunday against LHP J.A. Happ. … The Rays filled out their All-Star ballots before Friday's game. … The rotation for the Reds series will be RHP Jeremy Hellickson, LHP David Price and RHP James Shields.