Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 6

11 innings

DENVER — Matt Lindstrom's wild pitch brought home the winner. Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who started the All-Star Game last year, allowed six extra-base hits.

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Tradition suggests it isn't possible. Tallahassee could dictate otherwise.

Greyhound racing at Derby Lane, the world's oldest continuously operating dog track that debuted in 1925, might become extinct. That stunning scenario exists if sister bills in the Florida Legislature, giving total control of racing dates to individual tracks, become law.

"We're devastated," Tampa Bay Greyhound Association president and kennel owner Cal Holland, 66, said. "This is the biggest threat I've ever seen to greyhound racing."

Senate Bill 1594 and House Bill 1145, written to eliminate the requirement that dog tracks conduct live races in order to maintain a parimutuel license, have advanced through subcommittees. The legislation would empower tracks to set racing dates with no minimum performances required or even drop the sport completely. Poker, simulcast wagering and slot machines would remain at current sites. SB 1594, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Maria Sachs of Delray Beach, was approved by a 7-5 vote. Republican Rep. Dana Young of Tampa authored HB 1145, which passed by a 14-1 vote. The legislative session concludes May 6.

Holland said the bills would allow tracks until Aug. 31 to amend their 2011-12 racing dates recently awarded by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. Next season, Derby Lane and Tampa Greyhound Track have been granted six-month permits with all racing at St. Petersburg. Tampa, which dropped live racing in 2007, received 210 performances from July 1 to Dec. 31. Derby Lane was granted 209 performances from Jan. 2 to June 30, 2012.

Another piece of legislation, SB 1708, was withdrawn Wednesday by Republican Sen. Dennis Jones of Seminole. It would have allowed up to five "destination resort" casinos in the state and prevented any parimutuel site, including thoroughbred tracks like Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, from engaging in their developments. The Downs is slated for 92 racing days next season, from Dec. 10 through May 6, 2012.

A perfect storm could end greyhound racing at Derby Lane as early as July 1, when the Florida bills would take effect. But that isn't likely. Holland said he was told by Derby Lane chief of operations David Tiano that the track schedule will run "as is" for at least the next year.

"We have a good partnership with Tampa and plan on maintaining that partnership, which would keep us year-round on the same schedule that we have now," Derby Lane spokeswoman Vera Rasnake said. "(The bills) give tracks the flexibility to manage their business the way they need to make them operable."

Holland said an attempt was made last year to end the sport. An amendment, stating that it would be unlawful to wager on animals under 150 pounds, was attached to agricultural bill SB 382. But it was killed on the final day of the legislative session.

Trainer Catherine D'Arcy said the bills would take away greyhound people's leverage.

"They don't have a bargaining chip anymore to go to the tracks (if the bills pass), so all the security they have is gone," she said. "The tracks could run one day or 100 days a year, and you have no tool to then go to the track and say, 'This is what we need or how many days.' "

Derby Lane, one of 13 state tracks with live greyhound racing, has always been linked to the Weaver family. Chairman of the board Vey Weaver is the track's seventh president. His great-grandfather, T.L. Weaver, opened the facility.

Said kennel owner Jim Abernathy: "I always said Derby Lane would be the last track running, because that's how committed to dogs I thought Derby Lane and the Weavers were. But if these bills pass, it may be the end."

More Derby Lane: The $80,000 Distance Classic resumes tonight in Races 6 and 10.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. LOUIS — Cardinals LF Matt Holliday had an appendectomy Friday and is out indefinitely. GM John Mozeliak said the team will know more today.

Holliday was 3-for-4 and hit a go-ahead home run during Thursday's 5-3, 11-inning loss to the Padres. But he left Busch Stadium complaining of stomach discomfort.

"I think they caught it early, so I think that's good news," Mozeliak said. "I don't think it's that bad of a blow to the team."

Holliday is in the second season of a seven-year, $120 million deal. He hit .312 with 28 homers and 103 RBIs last year.

Jon Jay and Allen Craig likely will share playing time in his place.

Winn ends his career

OF Randy Winn, who played for the Rays during their inaugural season of 1998, retired after 13 seasons. Winn, 36, signed a minor-league deal with the Orioles but did not make the team.

The Rays chose the switch-hitter from the Marlins in the expansion draft. He made the All-Star team in 2002. The following offseason, he was sent to Seattle as part of compensation for the hiring of manager Lou Piniella.

Winn also played for the Giants, Yankees and Cardinals. Overall in 1,717 games, he hit .284 with 110 homers, 662 RBIs and 215 stolen bases.

"Coming from somebody who didn't get any scholarship (offers) to play baseball in college and wasn't drafted out of high school, I wasn't sure I would make it," Winn said. "Once I made it to the big leagues and had a little bit of success, I thought, 'Huh, maybe I can make it.' It was a fun ride."

Diamondbacks: SS Stephen Drew did not start because of a strained abdominal muscle but was available to pinch hit.

Giants: 2B Freddy Sanchez signed a one-year, $6 million extension through 2012. Sanchez, who will make $6 million this year, hit .292 with seven homers and 47 RBIs in 111 games last year.

Rockies: 3B Ian Stewart, who avoided beginning the season on the DL, did not start because of his tight left hamstring and is day to day.

International game: MLB said 234 players of the 846 on the 25-man rosters or DL are foreign born. That's 27.7 percent, about the same as last year and down from the high of 29.2 in 2005. The players represent 14 countries and territories. The Dominican Republic (86) leads followed by Venezuela (62).

Spring attendance up: MLB said spring games drew 3,513,720, a slight increase from last year and the third-most ever.

Tickets: Prices increased slightly for the second straight year. Team Marketing Report found the average went up 1.2 percent to $26.91, the smallest increase since the survey began in 1991. It was 1.5 percent from 2009 to 2010. The Red Sox ($53.38) have the most expensive average followed by the Yankees ($51.83). The Pirates ($15.30) have the cheapest.

Obituary: Lou Gorman, the architect of the Red Sox team that came within a strike of winning the 1986 World Series, died in Boston of congestive heart failure. He was 82. Mr. Gorman helped launch the expansion Mariners in 1976 and also worked for the Orioles, Royals and Mets. His biggest success came while GM of the Red Sox from 1984-93.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Quotable

"I'm from West Virginia. If you didn't know what was happening in NASCAR, you were on the outside. … These are my people, man. Call me a redneck, blackneck, whatever. I'm as comfortable here as I am on the football field."

Randy Moss, NFL receiver and NASCAR truck series team owner, talking to espn.com while attending a truck race last month at Darlington

Number of the week

300 Sprint Cup starts for Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray when they take the grid Sunday at Martinsville.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Raikkonen dips toe into NASCAR

Former Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen will be the latest former open-wheel driver to give NASCAR a look.

The 2007 world champ for Ferrari will test a truck Monday for Kyle Busch Motorsports on the half-mile oval at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., autosport.com reported.

The team confirmed that NASCAR gave Raikkonen the okay to compete May 20 in the truck race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"I think that some of these guys from the Formula One, or from the open-wheel background I should say, trying to take a step in NASCAR and see how it is, is pretty neat," said Kyle Busch, who was otherwise vague about his team's plans with Raikkonen.

"I think that NASCAR, as big as it is, a lot of drivers want to see how they can do over here. … I hope that he (Kimi) gets the things worked out that he wants worked out and that he can come over here and run some trucks or run whatever he is going to run."

Raikkonen, 31, of Finland has been driving in the World Rally series since leaving F1 after the 2009 season and still has rally commitments this year.

Top Fuel belongs to Dixon early

Defending NHRA Top Fuel season champion Larry Dixon took the qualifying lead Friday in the SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dixon, who earned one of his 12 season victories at the track last year, had a 3.904-second run at 312.78 mph to lead the qualifying order in the 7,000-horsepower category. Cruz Pedregon (4.145 seconds, 306.19 mph) led the Funny Car field and Mike Edwards (6.709, 205.63) topped Pro Stock. Two more qualifying runs are scheduled today; eliminations are Sunday.

Elsewhere

Joey Logano and David Setzer crashed their primary cars during the final Sprint Cup practice at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Setzer likely will not be able to qualify today as his team, owned by Brian Keselowski, did not have a backup car ready. If that team can't make an attempt, all 43 of the remaining entries will make Sunday's field. Logano will go to a backup to qualify for Sunday's Goody's 500. … Kyle Busch needs to lead 332 laps Sunday to reach 20,000 laps led for his career across all three major NASCAR series.

Times wires

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, April 1, 2011

The dish

Rays vs. Orioles

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

TV/radio: Sun Sports, Bay News 9 Español; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

Rays: RH James Shields (13-15, 5.18 in 2010)

Orioles: RH Chris Tillman (2-5, 5.87 in 2010)

Promotion: Evan Longoria Gold Glove replica trophy to first 15,000 fans.

Watch for …

Bounce back: Shields believes improved mechanics will help him rebound from last season, when he lost a career-high 15 games and allowed an AL-high 34 homers. He is 7-4 with a 3.63 ERA in 19 starts against the Orioles, including 1-2, 7.06 last season.

Stepping in: Tillman, who won the final rotation spot to make his first opening-day roster, moves up a day for scratched LHP Brian Matusz (back). He is 0-2 with a 6.53 ERA in four starts against Tampa Bay.

Key matchups

Orioles vs. Shields

Vlad Guerrero 13-for-33,

2 HR

Adam Jones 11-for-25, HR

Luke Scott 12-for-31, HR

Rays vs. Tillman

Evan Longoria 4-for-9, HR

Ben Zobrist 3-for-11, 2 HR

Kelly Shoppach2-for-3, HR

On deck

Sunday: vs. Orioles, 1:40, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (12-10, 4.07); Orioles — Zach Britton (0-0, 0.00)

Monday: Off

Tuesday: vs. Angels, 6:40, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeff Niemann (12-8, 4.39); Angels — Jered Weaver (13-12, 3.01)

Wednesday: vs. Angels, 1:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (4-0, 3.47); Angels — Dan Haren (12-12, 3.91)

Note: All stats are from 2010

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Cutting it close

RHP Wade Davis, who is having his head shaved by a young pediatric cancer patient after Sunday's game for "Cut for a Cure," said they're close to the goal of raising $10,000. The event benefits the Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Vincent Lecavalier Foundation. Fans can donate until May 6 at pcfcutforacure.org. Davis, who never has shaved his head, will get it cut on top of the dugout after the game. He said he's going to keep his beard. "I trimmed it up a little bit," he said, smiling.

Fools of the day

The Rays announced the "retirement" of longtime mascot Raymond on Friday. A new mascot, Sunny, appeared during the break before the top of the third. Sunny did a break-dance on top of the Rays dugout and was booed before Raymond popped onto the field with an April Fool's sign.

For starters

Friday marked the first opening day for a few Rays. LHP Jake McGee had never been to one, even as a fan. And it was OF Sam Fuld's first after three in Triple A. "It's a little different," Fuld said. "The Des Moines opening day isn't as nice."

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

NEWARK, N.J. — Patrik Elias scored his eighth career hat trick and the Devils kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 victory over the Flyers on Friday.

"Mathematically we're still in," Elias said. "We're trying to play well, work hard and have fun. We'll see where we're at in five games." New Jersey has to win its final five games and get a lot of help, or it will miss the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

The East-leading Flyers have lost two in a row and three of four. "We keep talking about being the top team in the league, but we haven't played that way," defenseman Kimmo Timonen said.

Game highlights: The Blackhawks strengthened their playoff position in the chaotic West with a 3-2 shootout victory over the host Blue Jackets. The defending Stanley Cup champions remained in the eighth and final postseason spot, but at 92 points, only three separated them from the fourth-place Coyotes, who hosted the Avalanche late. … Jarome Iginla scored twice and the Flames kept their fading playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 win over the host Blues. They are ninth in the West with 89 points but have just three games left.

Canucks clinch Presidents' Trophy: The Canucks didn't waste a lot of energy celebrating the first Presidents' Trophy in their 40 years. They were focused on adding a more important trophy. "It's nice, but we want another first to come in a few months," goalie Roberto Luongo said, referring to winning the Stanley Cup, after clinching the league's best regular-season record with a 3-1 victory over the Kings late Thursday.

Canadiens: Forward Max Pacioretty skated for 20 minutes in full equipment before the team practiced, his first time on the ice since sustaining a concussion and fractured neck vertebra on a hit March 8 from Boston's Zdeno Chara that sent his head into a padded stanchion supporting a glass partition.

Sabres: Injured goalie Ryan Miller did not travel with the team for a two-game road trip. The Sabres, in a tight fight for one of the last three playoff spots in the East, said only he is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

First Period—1, Phila., van Riemsdyk 20 (Richards, Meszaros), 10:50. Penalties—None.

Second Period—2, N.J., Elias 17 (Rolston, Tallinder), 6:28. 3, N.J., Elias 18 (Rolston), 8:20 (sh). Penalties—Volchenkov, NJ (tripping), 7:11.

Third Period—4, Phila., Carter 36 (Zherdev, Giroux), 4:18. 5, N.J., Palmieri 8 (Kovalchuk, Zajac), 8:55. 6, N.J., Elias 19 (Rolston, Zubrus), 17:14. Penalties—Powe, Phi (holding), 4:52. Shots on Goal—Phila. 14-9-13—36. N.J. 8-10-6—24. Power-play opportunities—Phila. 0 of 1; N.J. 0 of 1. Goalies—Phila., Boucher 17-10-4 (24 shots-20 saves). N.J., Hedberg 14-11-2 (36-34).

First Period—1, Chicago, Kane 26 (Campoli, Leddy), 2:41. 2, Chicago, Seabrook 7 (Kane, Hossa), 5:49 (pp). 3, Columbus, Mayorov 1 (Stralman, Vermette), 9:17. Penalties—Boll, Clm (roughing), 5:33; Keith, Chi (hooking), 10:31; Stralman, Clm (tripping), 16:55.

Second Period—4, Columbus, Brassard 16 (Stralman, Vermette), 14:07 (pp). Penalties—Hejda, Clm (elbowing), 1:05; Kane, Chi, double minor (high-sticking), 3:00; Toews, Chi (roughing), 9:44; Dorsett, Clm (roughing, cross-checking), 9:44; Frolik, Chi (interference), 11:18; Hossa, Chi (boarding), 13:18; Hjalmarsson, Chi (delay of game), 13:34; Kopecky, Chi (high-sticking), 17:05.

Third Period—5, Columbus, Pahlsson 7 (Stralman, Lepisto), 13:22. 6, Chicago, Bickell 17 (Keith), 14:57. Penalties—None.

Overtime—None. Penalties—None. Shootout—Chicago 1 (Toews NG, Kane NG, Stalberg G), Columbus 0 (Mayorov NG, Kubalik NG, Voracek NG). Shots on Goal—Chicago 10-7-9-3—29. Columbus 15-14-4-1—34. Power-play opportunities—Chicago 1 of 4; Columbus 1 of 7. Goalies—Chicago, Crawford 31-16-5 (34 shots-31 saves). Columbus, Garon 10-12-6 (29-26).

First Period—1, St.L, D'Agostini 21 (Backes, Shattenkirk), 12:20 (pp). Penalties—Shattenkirk, StL (high-sticking), 2:11; Backlund, Cal (interference), 5:32; Calgary bench, served by Iginla (too many men), 10:43.

Second Period—2, St.L, Backes 29 (Shattenkirk, Oshie), 14:27. 3, Calgary, Iginla 38 (Tanguay, Giordano), 15:48. Penalties—Reaves, StL (roughing), 3:18; Steen, StL (cross-checking), 10:36; Kostopoulos, Cal (interference), 12:23; T.Jackman, Cal (cross-checking), 14:45; B.Jackman, StL (cross-checking), 14:45; B.Jackman, StL (cross-checking), 17:10.

Third Period—4, Calgary, Tanguay 20 (Iginla, Langkow), 8:01. 5, Calgary, Iginla 39 (Tanguay), 14:57. Penalties—Nikitin, StL (high-sticking), 16:32; Regehr, Cal (roughing), 18:01; B.Jackman, StL (roughing), 18:01. Shots on Goal—Calgary 5-11-9—25. St.L 11-7-9—27. Power-play opportunities—Calgary 0 of 5; St.L 1 of 3. Goalies—Calgary, Kiprusoff 35-24-6 (27 shots-25 saves). St.L, Halak 24-21-7 (25-22).

Playoff chase

With nonshootout wins (first tiebreaker in determining final playoff spots) and games left. Division winners get top three seeds:

East Pts. Wins GR

1. Flyers-x102 43 4

2. Capitals-x 101 41 4

3. Bruins-x 97 41 5

4. Penguins-x 98 36 4

5. Lightning-x 95 36 5

6. Canadiens 89 38 4

7. Sabres 87 34 5

8. Rangers 87 33 4

9. Hurricanes 84 32 5

10. Maple Leafs 82 31 4

West Pts. Wins GR

1. Canucks-p 113 48 4

2. Sharks-x 99 40 5

3. Red Wings 98 40 5

4. Coyotes* 95 37 4

5. Predators 94 36 4

6. Kings 94 35 5

7. Ducks 93 40 5

8. Blackhawks92 36 5

9. Flames89 30 3

10. Stars 87 33 6

p-Clinched Presidents' Trophy

x-Clinched playoffs

* Late result not included

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — RHP James Shields said this is the most excited he has ever been going into a season.

Shields, coming off a year in which he lost a career-high 15 games and allowed a league-high 34 homers, worked hard on improving his mechanics during the offseason and said Friday that they're "exactly where I need them to be."

It showed in Shields' performance — and command — this spring, and he hopes it carries over beginning with tonight's start against the Orioles.

"I'm really eager to go," Shields said. "All the coaches have said nothing but positive things about my delivery. They think it's probably one of the best they've seen of me in my career."

Shields said his adjustments, specifically with the lower half of his body, will help him be more consistent and make adjustments quicker, "and I'll be able to go deeper in the game."

"It's one of those things where I feel really good with all my pitches," Shields said. "All four of my pitches I'm throwing for strikes, and they're quality strikes."

Shields, who is seeking his fifth straight season of 200-plus innings, also struck out a career-high 187 last year.

"I feel confident," Shields said. "You're going to go through your ups and downs in a season. As long as I can stay consistent, I'll feel good."

MANNY TIME: DH Manny Ramirez said he was nervous and excited for his Rays debut, saying a few hours before the game he wished he could "move the clock forward."

Ramirez, 0-for-4 with a strikeout and three groundouts, said the "personal reason" he missed Wednesday's spring finale was to go to Fort Lauderdale to take care of something with his kids.

Manager Joe Maddon said he expects Ramirez, 38, and LF Johnny Damon, 37, to play the entire Orioles series.

IN THE FULD: Maddon said OF Sam Fuld will often come in late in games — if the Rays are leading — for Damon, though it has more to do with getting the veteran off his feet than replacing him defensively. If the Rays are behind, such as Friday, Maddon said Damon will stay in.

PENSIVE ON PEN: Maddon spent a lot of time Friday thinking about how his revamped bullpen will set up, saying "the most intriguing part of the next couple weeks will be how that comes together."

Part of it is how to slot RHPs Joel Peralta, Kyle Farnsworth, Adam Russell and Juan Cruz and LHPs Cesar Ramos and Jake McGee.

"The first month when you're really breaking in a new group, it takes a lot of thought and maybe a little bit of trial and error," Maddon said. "I know what I think I saw coming out of spring training. But the regular season is different. Maybe some guys who were not as good there all of a sudden are going to show up well and vice versa. You've just got to be wide open."

Friday, McGee, Russell and Ramos combined for two perfect innings.

SHUTTLE BUS: The free downtown shuttle is available throughout the homestand beginning 90 minutes before game time and continuing until an hour after the game. Pickup and drop-off stops are on Second Street between Central Avenue and First Avenue S (under the pedestrian walkway connecting the Bank of America Tower and the South Core garage) and at Tropicana Field (on 16th Street just south of Third Avenue S).

MISCELLANY: RHP Jeremy Hellickson said he felt good after Thursday's six-inning, 89-pitch Triple-A outing in Port Charlotte. He remains in line to start Wednesday. "I'm ready to go," he said. … Orioles LHP Brian Matusz (back) was scratched from tonight's start with RHP Chris Tillman moved up a day. LHP Zach Britton will be called up from Triple A and make his major-league debut Sunday.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Red Sox are counting on Jon Lester, Carl Crawford and Daniel Bard to be among their leaders this season.

On opening day Friday, they shared much of the blame for a 9-5 loss to the Rangers.

Lester gave away a pair of early leads. Crawford, the longtime Rays star, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, stranding runners in scoring position each time. And Texas blew it open against Bard with a four-run eighth.

"Nobody wants to start this way," Bard said. "But I think we'll be looking back on this and laughing about it a couple of months from now."

Making his first opening-day start, Lester took the mound leading 2-0. After allowing the tying runs, his teammates put him back in front 4-2. But Boston was trailing 5-4 by the time he left with one out in the sixth.

Lester allowed three homers for the first time in his 125 outings and failed to strike anyone out for just the second time. Last year, Lester led the American League with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lester's final home run was a three-run shot by Mike Napoli.

Bard's meltdown began with a two-run double by pinch-hitter David Murphy on a ball that kicked up chalk down the leftfield line.

"My body language brought it back in. I was praying the ball would hit the chalk, and it did," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "When it hit the chalk, I lost it."

Bard said it was bad luck.

"We were going sinker down and away," he said. "It was on the knees, outer black. He just barely got the bat to it. Three inches to the left and that's a foul ball and we're having a different conversation. That's baseball."

Boston manager Terry Francona was similarly dismissive of Crawford's bad start.

The leftfielder hit a weak liner to shortstop in his first at-bat then struck out swinging his next three. The last one took only three pitches.

"That was a tough day," Francona said. "There will be a lot better days. Hopefully it'll start (today)."

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Marlins 6, Mets 2

MIAMI — Josh Johnson took a no-hitter into the seventh and John Buck hit a grand slam in his Marlins debut. Buck broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with an opposite-field shot to right-center. The Mets gave up a majors-high 12 slams in 2010 and were the only team not to hit one. The crowd of 41,237 was Florida's largest since a visit by the Yankees in June 2009.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

KEY BISCAYNE — Rafael Nadal advanced to the final at the Sony Ericsson Open by beating rival Roger Federer 6-3, 6-2 on Friday.

The No. 1-ranked Nadal held every service game and converted five of six break-point chances. Nadal, seeking his first Key Biscayne title, has held in 47 of 48 service games in the tournament.

"It wasn't easy for him," Nadal said. "I played a very, very good match, very solid and serious."

Nadal's opponent Sunday (1 p.m., Ch. 10) will be No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who beat Tampa resident Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-1.

Nadal is 16-8 against Djokovic but lost when they met in the final at Indian Wells two weeks ago.

"I don't feel invincible," Djokovic said. "I don't feel that I can't lose on the court. What I feel is big confidence. What I feel is that I'm playing best tennis of my life."

"I didn't win any of the big points," said Fish, 0-for-6 on break points. "I left a lot of shots out there."

Djokovic also is dominating long rallies, another reason he has lost only 18 games in five rounds. He has won three titles this year, going 23-0 in the best start since Ivan Lendl was 25-0 in 1986.

"He's moving better than anyone right now, no doubt about it, on a hardcourt," Fish said.

Nadal vs. Federer generated the buzz of a final, with tickets shortly before the match fetching several hundred dollars. But Federer came out flat, committing four unforced errors to lose serve and fall behind 2-1.

That was part of a stretch in which Nadal won 13 of 15 points to take control.

Federer had trouble with the velocity of Nadal's groundstrokes, shanking half a dozen shots, including one to reach match point. Then Federer put a tentative forehand in the net, and it was over after 75 minutes.

Federer shanked several shots and committed 31 unforced errors to 10 for Nadal.

Nadal improved to 15-8 against Federer, who is 0-4 this year against Nadal and Djokovic and 22-0 against everyone else.

Federer bristled when asked if proving he's still a champion is a hassle.

"The bigger hassle is being asked all the time these questions," he said. "I don't know how many times I need to answer until I just say I'm not going to answer it anymore. I don't feel like I'm 35 like you guys make me sound I am. I'm still only 29, and I have many more years left."

Sharapova, Azarenka meet for title today

Three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova seeks her first Key Biscayne women's title today when she plays 2009 champion Victoria Azarenka (12:30 p.m., Ch. 10). A victory would be her biggest title since she won the 2008 Australian Open, the last of her three Grand Slams.

Two years ago, Azarenka stunned Serena Williams to win the final at Key Biscayne.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Blue Jays 13, Twins 3

TORONTO — J.P. Arencibia homered twice and drove in five for the Blue Jays. Arencibia hit a two-run shot in the fourth, tripled home two in the fifth and hit a solo shot in the eighth. Jose Bautista, who hit a majors-high 54 homers last year, and Adam Lind hit back-to-back shots in the fifth for the Blue Jays, who led the majors last season with 257 homers.

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Seminole's Brittany Lincicome didn't have the stellar round Friday she had on Day 1 of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, but she's still in the hunt.

Lincicome had four birdies and four bogeys en route to shooting par 72 after playing bogey-free Thursday in the LPGA's first major of the year.

Her 6-under 138 put her among a trio of golfers three shots behind second-round leader Stacy Lewis.

"(Thursday) just felt more free," said Lincicome who opened with 6-under 66 and a share of the first-round lead with Lewis. "It felt like I knew where the ball was going. I could step up and hit it, and (Friday) I felt like I was guiding it a little bit."

In the three years since Lewis lost a third-round lead at the U.S. Women's Open in her first pro tournament, she traveled the globe, opened her mind and thoroughly revamped her game.

A few bad iron shots and a little desert heat just aren't such challenges any more.

Lewis persevered through more triple-digit temperatures to shoot 3-under 69, opening her lead over world No. 1 Yani Tseng, Jane Park and Lincicome.

Michelle Wie shot 67, matching the day's best round and closing within six shots in contention for her first major title.

The leaders all managed to thrive on dry, speedy greens during a second windless day at Mission Hills, with the temperature topping 100 by midday.

Lewis pulled ahead at 9 under after several big putts during the second round.

"My round was all over the place," Lewis said. "But I made some really good up-and-downs and stayed really patient on the back nine."

Big things were expected from Lewis after she burst onto the tour with a third-place finish at Interlachen in 2008, nearly becoming the first player to win a major in her pro debut.

Though she's now a solid pro, finishing 21st on last season's money list, she hasn't won.

PGA: Rookie Chris Kirk shot 3-under 69 for a one-shot lead over defending champ Anthony Kim and 2008 winner Johnson Wagner after two rounds at Redstone. Kirk finished at 9-under 135 and played his last few holes just as the wind picked up in the afternoon and made scoring more difficult. Padraig Harrington, first-round leader Jimmy Walker and Josh Teater were two shots back.

CHAMPIONS: Jeff Sluman tied a course record at 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead over Tom Lehman at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in Saucier, Miss.

Andy Villamarzo, Times Correspondent
Friday, April 1, 2011

NEW PORT RICHEY — Quality wins have been hard to come by for Pasco lately. The last time the Pirates defeated a squad with a record above .500 was March 1, when they edged Ridgewood 5-4 at home.

Against some of the other top teams in the county, though, namely Mitchell, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch, Pasco is a combined 0-4 and has been looking for a complete game since its matchup with Ridgewood.

And Friday it would be the Rams again getting nipped by their district foe, as Pasco pulled together seven hits and pitcher Cole Stancil allowed only three hits in a 7-3 win over Ridgewood at Larry Beets Field.

"The key was we were able to pitch a little bit better tonight," Pasco coach Ricky Giles said. "The kids decided when they got on the bus that we knew we had to pick it up a little bit. (Ridgewood) over there is the kind of team that if we come back tomorrow, they can 10-run rule you. I'm just really proud of my guys tonight for stepping up."

The Pirates (9-6) jumped on Rams pitcher Drake Hloska early, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. In the top of fifth, Pasco took a 7-1 lead after junior centerfielder Trey Dudley-Giles doubled home Clint Tedder and Malik Johns from second and third base.

Stancil took care of the rest, as he struck out two batters through six innings of work and allowed one earned run.

"We haven't been playing as well as we could have lately," Stancil said. "This game was to show us that we need to get ready for the districts, and that we can do something in the postseason.

"Our hitting and pitching just all came together tonight."

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, April 1, 2011

TAMPA — The Storm has traditionally had a rivalry with Orlando, but the newest in-state Arena League team is quickly becoming its biggest headache.

Tampa Bay looked crisp early but struggled as Friday's game wore on, and it lost to American Conference South Division rival Jacksonville for the third time in as many tries going back to last season, 54-30 before an announced crowd of 10,304 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"You can't score six points in the second half and expect to win," coach Dave Ewart said. "Not in this league."

Unlike last week against Utah, when the Storm didn't score an offensive touchdown until 13 seconds were left in the first half, Tampa Bay (1-3) wasted little time Friday. Quarterback Grant Gregory marched the Storm down the field on its first possession and on the fifth play of the drive hit Huey Whittaker (eight catches, 85 yards, two touchdowns) for a 4-yard score.

"Grant's starting to see (the game) a little faster now," Ewart said. "It's only his second game, and I thought he did okay."

After Jacksonville (3-1) turned the ball over on downs at its 9-yard line on its first possession, Gregory (27-of-32, 285 yards, four touchdowns) found fellow USF alum Amarri Jackson in the corner of the end zone for a leaping catch to make it 14-0.

Early in the second quarter, Tampa Bay led 21-6.

"We came out pretty hot in that first half," Gregory said. "I was much more comfortable (than against Utah), but I left some things out on the field."

The Storm scored on its first four drives and led 24-20 with 5:44 left in the half. But Jacksonville quarterback Aaron Garcia gave his team its first lead when he hit Jomo Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left to give the Sharks a 26-24 halftime lead.

Tampa Bay had a chance to take the lead when former Gator Wondy Pierre Louis picked off Garcia at the Sharks' 9-yard line 37 seconds into the second half. But the Storm's offense couldn't capitalize, and Kyle Chilton missed his second field-goal attempt of the game, this one from 24 yards.

"Our kicker left points out there (Friday)," Ewart said. "Inexcusable. … It's unacceptable."

The tide turned significantly with Jacksonville ahead 40-30 with 2:48 left in the third quarter. Storm receiver Michael Lindsey caught a screen pass but was stripped of the ball, and Jacksonville recovered.

On the next play from scrimmage, Sharks fullback Kirby Griffin rumbled in from 8 yards out on the final play of the quarter to put the Sharks up 47-30.

With starting nose tackle Richard Clebert inactive because of a knee injury sustained Wednesday at practice, the Storm had trouble getting pressure on Garcia. For the first time this season, Tampa Bay did not record a sack. Jacksonville had three.

"We were down a guy (Friday), but that wasn't an excuse," Ewart said. "We didn't have much of a pass rush. It's kind of hard to ask your DBs to play man-to-man with no pass rush."

Storm receiver Hank Edwards finished with team highs in catches (nine) and yards (93) and caught a touchdown.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays manager Joe Maddon thought left-hander David Price had "really good stuff" Friday night in his first opening day start.

Price commanded his fastball well and threw some good curveballs, too, striking out seven and walking one in his seven-inning, 103-pitch outing.

But Price's one walk — as well as a throwing error — came back to bite him. And giving up four runs in a 4-1 loss to the Orioles didn't meet the standards of the reigning Cy Young runnerup.

"I've got to throw better," Price said. "I've got to make better pitches with runners on base. When you throw against the other team's No. 1 (pitcher) and you give up four runs, you're going to lose.

"It's a rough start."

Price began his start with a bang, retiring seven of the first eight hitters, including four consecutive strikeouts. But with one out in the third, J.J. Hardy ripped a double, one of five hits Price allowed. Hardy advanced to third when Price's pickoff throw bounced past shortstop Reid Brig­nac and into centerfield.

Rays pitchers worked on their pickoff moves throughout spring training with Maddon emphasizing how important it was to limit the opposing team's running game.

"A physical mistake," Maddon said of Price's error.

Price nearly got out of it, striking out Brian Roberts. But Nick Markakis knocked in Hardy with a single to left-center to make it 1-0.

"Those two-out hits are an emotional swing for our ballclub," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

Price's lone walk, to Hardy, came with one out and one on in the fifth, and Roberts followed with a two-run triple.

"The walk to Hardy kind of set up the disaster right there," Maddon said.

"Walks score in the big leagues," Price said. "That's part of it."

Maddon liked how Price mixed in his curveball, but the ace said it wasn't consistent enough.

"It was there, and it wasn't," he said. "I've got to get better with it."

With Orioles right-hander Jeremy Guthrie throwing eight scoreless innings, Price had no margin for error.

"I got outpitched," Price said. "That's for sure."

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — There is no right or wrong way to do it. When it comes to revisiting the memory of a championship, there are a number of ways you can go.

You can do poignant. You can try festive. You might even go for a mix of nostalgic and operatic. There is really only one story line you should probably try to avoid.

On the night you raise the banner, you don't want to drop the ball.

My goodness, the Rays laid a stinker Friday. They weren't good at the plate. They weren't good in the field or on the bases. And they weren't good enough on the mound.

You know you've had a bad night when the most spontaneous cheer from a sellout crowd was for the dancing groundskeeper in between innings.

"It was a bad day for us," leftfielder Johnny Damon said.

Okay, so in the grand scheme of things, this doesn't amount to diddly. It translates to about one-half of 1 percent of the season.

In the history of pennant races, the number of teams that have managed to come from one game behind in April is, officially, more than a boatload.

So keeping the hysterics to a minimum is probably a good call this morning. On the other hand, this was like having the dean confiscate the keg before you even got out of class.

"You know what," manager Joe Maddon said with tongue in cheek, "if you don't win the first one, you can't win them all."

Yes, but as nights go, this one had promise. There was the anticipation of Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez making their regular-season debuts. There was David Price with his first opening-day start. There was a crowd worthy of a season opener.

Mostly, there was the raising of the 2010 American League East banner.

For a franchise with money woes and stadium controversy also hanging overhead, it should have been a night of nothing but bliss. Of good memories and loud cheers. And it felt that way through much of the pregame ceremonies and player introductions.

But then they showed highlights of the 2010 season on the stadium videoboard, and you were reminded of just how many players are no longer around.

Once they actually began playing, you were reminded again.

Damon and Ramirez combined to go 0-for-8 with two strikeouts. The only inning with more than one runner on base was cut short when B.J. Upton was picked off. And Price shut down the middle of the Baltimore order but was hurt twice by the eighth and ninth hitters.

The crowd booed Gov. Rick Scott when he threw out the first pitch, and he might have had the most impressive performance of anyone wearing a Rays jersey Friday night.

"I'm (ticked) off. I lost," Price said. "It's one game. Now it's over."

If you are particularly pessimistic, if you are looking for portents and omens, the two-run triple by Brian Roberts in the fifth was the most discouraging moment of the night.

It's not that Carl Crawford would have turned the ball into an out. He might be the best leftfielder in the game, but he would not have caught that ball.

But could he have gotten to the ball more quickly and held Roberts to a double? That's possible. And that's one of the shortcomings the Rays will have to live with this season.

They will not be as strong defensively in leftfield or at first base. And the issue is how often — and at what point in the game — does that come back to bite them.

If there are no men on and two outs in the second inning, it won't matter much if Damon fails to get to a ball in leftfield or Dan Johnson doesn't pick a throw out of the dirt at first.

But in a key situation with two runners on, it could be the difference between winning and losing.

Even so, that was not the cause of this particular loss. The offense was lacking against Jeremy Guthrie, and Price was not perfect, and there was no way for the Rays to overcome that combination.

"When you see a guy pitch like their guy did tonight — and our guy was pitching well, too — but they broke through and Guthrie was not going to be had tonight. He was that sharp," Maddon said. "It happens. You run into a guy that's really pitching a great game like that."

And so, for the first time since the Fourth of July, the Rays are not in first or second place in the AL East. They are tied for last, a whopping one game behind the leaders.

If it's discouraging to you this morning, just concentrate on this:

Crawford was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts while leaving five men on base in his Boston debut on Friday.

See, things aren't so bad.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, April 1, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — The night began with images, literal and figurative, of last season's success as the Rays hung their latest AL East championship banner above leftfield after a montage of highlights flashed on the videoboard.

But there was little resemblance after that as this Rays team, at least in Friday night's season opener, didn't look like, or play like, that one.

These Rays weren't sharp in the field or on the bases, failed to do much of anything at the plate against Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie and didn't win, on the wrong side of a 4-1 final.

"We got beat, period," Rays starter David Price said. "Offensively, defensively, pitching. We got dominated in baseball."

So after new Gov. Rick Scott got booed by a majority of the sellout crowd of 34,078 and Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg and St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster turned up the rhetoric in their stadium tete-a-tete, the 2011 Rays made a disappointing debut.

"It was a bad day for us," new Ray Johnny Damon said. "The good thing is we know that it could get better. You always want to win ball games, but it just seemed like we were off. And hopefully that doesn't happen too often."

"A little amped up for opening day," centerfielder B.J. Upton said. "A month of spring training and you get in this atmosphere with a full stadium of 35,000, you let your emotions get the best of you some times. I wouldn't expect this every night. I think this is a one-night thing."

Price was solid in his first opening-day start, striking out seven over seven innings, but he made some mistakes: an errant pickoff throw to second that contributed to the Orioles' first run, and a walk — his only one of the night — to No. 9 hitter J.J. Hardy at a pivotal point in a three-run fifth inning.

"The walk to Hardy kind of set up the disaster right there," manager Joe Maddon said.

It was, at least, somewhat entertaining as Brian Roberts laced a ball to left-center that scored two as it skipped to the wall, raising the question if former leftfielder Carl Crawford would have at least cut it off. Damon tried then ended up slip-sliding for it and flipping it by Upton, who had come over to help, with Roberts advancing to third. He scored on a sac fly.

Maddon lauded Damon for his creativity at least, and Damon said he had visions of the infamous Fenway Park play where then-and-again Boston teammate Manny Ramirez cut off one of his throws.

"We were trying to do that triple cutoff man again," Damon said. "Manny's not out there, so I thought I would try it with B.J."

Upton made a bad decision of his own on the bases, getting caught breaking for third to run the Rays out of a potential eighth-inning rally. Maddon said it's a play where Upton has to be absolutely sure he can make it, and Upton knew he was wrong.

"Definitely in that situation, one run is not going to make a difference. We needed four," Upton said. "Stupid baserunning by me, but you learn from it."

And the supposedly robust offense was rendered impotent by Guthrie, who was so sharp he had Maddon referencing longtime ace Greg Maddux.

The Rays had just one hit through five innings and two after seven, shut out until Ben Zobrist homered on Jim Johnson's first pitch of the ninth, with Nos. 2-3-4 hitters Damon, Evan Longoria and Ramirez a combined 0-for-12.

"When a guy pitches that well, it's really hard to do anything," Maddon said. "He was just that good."

The disappointment seemed widespread throughout the Rays clubhouse, but especially for Damon, who had 250 friends and relatives (doing his part to meet the attendance clauses in his contract) come over from the Orlando area to witness his first appearance for what he has long considered his hometown team.

"And," Damon said, "they had to see this (bad) game."

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

Friday, April 1, 2011

TAMPA — If there was one lesson Jesuit learned from its two early-season district losses, it was that playing in Class 4A-9 the Tigers couldn't waste opportunities to close out their opponent.

In both of those defeats the Tigers saw their late-inning leads crumble, including a nightmare seven-run inning in a loss to Strawberry Crest.

But in Friday's rematch with the Chargers, the Tigers showed they could pounce — and bounce back.

Jesuit broke open a one-run game with a seven-run fifth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate on its way to a decisive 10-2 win over Strawberry Crest.

The Tigers (13-3, 9-2) winners of 11 of their past 12, received a boost from the bottom half of their lineup, including No. 8 hitter Joey Altieri, who tripled and hit a booming two-run home run to right to cap Jesuit's fifth-inning rally.

"We did not want them coming back, so we had to stomp them out early," Altieri said. "We were focused on really trying to bust it open."

Cleanup hitter Pete Alonso drove in four runs for the Tigers, including a two-run, bases-loaded single that put Jesuit up 6-2 in the fifth.

"We're a different club than the team that dropped two games in February," Jesuit coach Richie Warren said. "Our approach is different. We understand the game a little bit better. We're playing harder. You can tell it's starting to mean something to them. Being so young, something just clicked."

Meanwhile, Tigers starter Spencer Trayner held the Chargers to two hits over six innings. He didn't allow a hit after the second and retired the final 10 batters he faced. Closer Lance McCullers struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win.

The Chargers (8-8, 7-5) lost their fourth game in their past five — three of those defeats being district losses.

"They put some good swings on balls and they found some holes in our infield," Strawberry Crest coach Eric Beattie said. "Some of their balls got through when last game they hit them at us."

Times wires
Friday, April 1, 2011

Royals 2, Angels 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kila Ka'aihue hit Michael Kohn's second pitch 393 feet for the game-ending homer. The Royals' Jeff Francis, coming back from left shoulder surgery that sidelined him for all of 2009 and part of 2010, allowed a homer to Howie Kendrick on his eighth pitch. And the Angels had at least one base­runner in five of the next six innings. But they could not break through, stranding runners in scoring position in the second, third and fifth.