By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, July 13, 2012

TAMPA — What looked like, arguably, the best receiving trio in the Arena Football League at midseason is down to a one-man show.

"This is just something we are going to have to fight through," said the Storm's Prechae Rodriguez, the one man left. "We're going to have to go out and compete as best as we can."

No longer with Rodriguez are Amarri Jackson and Chandler Williams. Jackson went on injured reserve last week with an abdominal injury sustained June 29 against Philadelphia. Williams signed with the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.

"I don't feel any extra pressure," said Rodriguez, who sat out the game against Philadelphia with a knee injury sustained April 6 that still bothers him.

Meanwhile, what began as a promising season is down to two must-win games. A loss in either ends the Storm's playoff hopes.

Since starting 5-3, Tampa Bay has lost six of eight. At 7-9, it's a half-game ahead of Cleveland (which lost 83-63 at Utah on Friday) and one game behind New Orleans, whom it faces tonight, Georgia and Jacksonville. Those five teams are battling for three playoff spots.

To make matters worse, quarterback Nick Hill was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury sustained July 7 against Pittsburgh.

"This organization has been bit hard by the injury bug," Rodriguez said. "Even though I haven't been 100 percent, I have to finish strong. We have a lot of banged-up guys who are making sacrifices."

Rodriguez, a candidate for rookie of the year, has been outstanding. The Jefferson High graduate leads the Storm in catches (102), receiving yards (1,349) and touchdowns (30).

He now will work with Joe Hills and Michael Lindsey. In Saturday's 65-61 win at Pittsburgh, Hills caught 13 passes for 160 yards and four touchdowns while Lindsey caught eight for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

"We've been able to plug guys in and make it work all season," coach Dave Ewart said.

"Joe's a very good football player. His work ethic reminds me of some of the good ones who have come through here."

With Hill out, Stephen Wasil, who started the first 11 games, returns. Rodriguez thrived early in the season when paired with Wasil, recording double-digit catches in each of the first three games.

"I'm happy he's back because I know he has a lot of faith in me," Rodriguez said.

With the regular season winding down, there will be plenty of scoreboard watching.

"I definitely think we can make a championship run," Rodriguez said. "It's time to buckle down."

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Olympics

Hurt griffin out, davis in for u.s. basketball

WASHINGTON — The Clippers' Blake Griffin withdrew from the Olympics on Friday, and Anthony Davis, the top pick in this year's NBA draft, was added to the roster of the U.S. men's basketball team.

Griffin needs surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and joins a lengthy list of American stars that are sidelined this summer for the London Games, which begin July 27.

Davis is the third player to suit up for the United States in the Olympics without playing in the pros since NBA players debuted in 1992. The others are Christian Laettner in 1992 and Emeka Okafor in 2004. At 19, Davis also is the youngest U.S. men's player in the Games' NBA era, ESPN Stats and Info said.

Griffin hurt the knee during the playoffs. The forward felt pain in it after the U.S. practice Wednesday in Las Vegas. He flew to Los Angeles on Thursday, and an MRI exam revealed the extent of the injury.

"I'm disappointed I can't be with the guys in London," Griffin said.

He joins a list of injured Americans that includes Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Derrick Rose.

Sprinter out after positive drug test: American sprinter Debbie Dunn withdrew from the Games after testing positive for excessive testosterone. Dunn, fourth in the 400 meters at Olympic trials, was selected for the relay pool. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is analyzing Dunn's "B" sample, CEO Travis Tygart said.

et cetera

track and field: U.S. Olympian Tyson Gay won the 100 meters at the London Grand Prix in 10.03 seconds in a headwind of 1.2 meters per second, ahead of American Ryan Bailey. Gay's main Olympic competition was absent. Defending champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica sidestepped the event for tax reasons. Jamaica's Asafa Powell has a groin strain.

cycling: The coach of Lance Armstrong's teams during his seven Tour de France victories, Johan Bruyneel, will go to arbitration to fight charges he led a complex doping program for the teams.

tennis: Top seed and defending champion John Isner advanced to the semifinals at the Hall of Fame Championships by beating Izak Van Der Merwe 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) at Newport, R.I. The Tampa resident faces No. 6 seed Ryan Harrison, who was beating Benjamin Becker 6-4, 3-0 when Becker retired with a hamstring injury. Isner and Harrison meet today after the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Jennifer Capriati and Gustavo Kuerten headline the class.

soccer: John Terry, captain of English Premier League team Chelsea, was cleared of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand in an October game after four days of testimony in London. Prosecutors said Terry shouted slurs in response to insults Ferdinand shouted at him about an alleged extramarital affair. The magistrate who ruled on the case backed Terry's defense that he used the slurs sarcastically to counter the obscenity Terry said Ferdinand was accusing him of using.

wnba: Host San Antonio (13-5) defeated Atlanta 91-70 for a franchise-record ninth straight win on the last day of games before the league's Olympic break.

obituary: Norman Sas, a mechanical engineer who created electric football, a tabletop game with a vibrating metal field and unpredictable plastic players, has died at 87. He died June 28 at his home in Vero Beach, his daughter Martha O'Connor said.

Times wires

Friday, July 13, 2012

LAKE ORION, Mich. — Lance Ten Broeck chooses to carry a bag rather than swing a club for a living to make more money.

If Ten Broeck can keep his lead at the U.S. Senior Open for two more days, though, he will more than double his highest annual income on a golf course.

The full-time caddie for Tim Herron and part-time player shot 68 Friday, moving to 6-under 134 and one shot ahead of first-round leader Tom Kite.

Ten Broeck has a chance to make about $500,000 Sunday after earning less than half that in his best year as a caddie and when he made a career-best $146,568 in 1989 as a PGA Tour player.

"Caddying is a lot easier than playing," he said. "That's why you get paid more money to play."

It won't be easy for Ten Broeck to cash in at the Champion Tour's fourth of five majors because he's only a shot ahead of Kite, who has been sensational on his front nines at Indianwood.

Ten Broeck is also two strokes in front of a pack of six that includes Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin and Bernhard Langer.

"I figured I should be able to make the cut, but I never figured that I'd be in the last group on Saturday," he said.

Ten Broeck has a 36-hole lead for the first time in his playing career. He had a share of the lead after two rounds at the PGA Tour's Hall of Fame Classic in 1982, but he finished tied for 12th.

The 56-year-old finished tied for 71st in his only other senior event this year and estimates he plays about 25 rounds a year.

"I guess that means I'm well rested," he joked.

Kite, meanwhile, took advantage of what is regarded as the easier nine — the front — with a U.S. Senior Open nine-hole record 28 in the first round and stood up to the challenging back nine with 31 on Friday.

The combined 59 has offset a 4-over 39 on his second nine during the second round and 37 after the turn Thursday.

PGA: Troy Matteson shot 3-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Jeff Maggert and Brian Harman at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill. Matteson was at 13-under 129. Maggert's 9-under 62 moved him from 39th place after the first round into a tie for second.

PGA Europe: Phil Mickelson broke out of his slump with 8-under 64 at the Scottish Open, leaving him five off the second-round lead shared by Alexander Noren and Francesco Molinari at 12-under 132 in Inverness, Scotland. "We've had perfect weather, and the golf course was there for the taking," said Mickelson, who shot 73 Thursday after cutting short his family holiday in Italy to play in the tournament. "It's very helpful to see my game progress so quickly.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

LOUDON, N.H. — A week after the suspension of AJ Allmendinger, Carl Edwards said he wants drivers to pay for a drug testing system to help avoid mistakes he said could occur under NASCAR's program.

"It's an imperfect world. People are imperfect. Tests are imperfect," Edwards said Friday. "We need to have our own group that is paid by us, that works for us, to be here in tandem with NASCAR's drug testers and have them test us at the same time.

"I don't think it would be a contentious thing. I think that would remove almost all doubt in any situation of a positive test."

Edwards called NASCAR's approach "very admirable" in trying to keep the sport clean but "there's one more layer that we could put on it. You don't want to convict a guy of something he didn't do."

Brad Keselowski, a teammate of Allmendinger, criticized Edwards' proposal.

"I don't think we need more politics involved in the sport, and that's what (testing) groups like that bring in," he said. "I don't think there needs to be any committee that approves drugs or supplements or whatever it is. You shouldn't be allowed to take anything. You should just man up and drive the race car."

Allmendinger was suspended about 90 minutes before last week's race at Daytona after his "A" urine sample taken the previous weekend at Kentucky Speedway came back positive. (His business manager said Wednesday he tested positive for a stimulant, but NASCAR has not identified the substance.)

Allmendinger has requested his "B" sample be tested and plans to have his own toxicologist present when that is done, probably next week.

Even if that test is negative, Allmendinger's future in the sport is in danger, Keselowski said.

"It doesn't make a difference. It's still a death sentence," he said. "Within this sport, we rely on sponsors and reputation."

Sam Hornish replaced Allmendinger in the Daytona race and will drive again Sunday.

"I hope we get a full story," Jeff Gordon said. "You certainly like to know what it is … what could have caused it."

Kyle Busch gets pole: Kyle Busch nearly brushed the wall at the end but still got the pole for Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Loudon, N.H. Busch, the last driver of the day, had a lap of 133.417 for his first pole of the year. He edged Kasey Kahne, who drove 133.403. Matt Kenseth, first in the standings, qualified 27th.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

The Rockets have altered their trade proposal to the Magic for All-Star center Dwight Howard, offering to take back long-term salary, ESPN.com reported Friday.

Houston gave itself more cap space Friday by waiving forward Luis Scola. The one-time use of the amnesty clause allows Scola to leave without his remaining contract counting against the cap or luxury tax. He is due about $21 million over the next three seasons.

Without Scola (who averaged 14.5 points and 7.7 rebounds over five seasons), Houston can absorb the remaining contracts of forward Glen Davis (three years, $19.4 million), guard Jason Richardson (three years, $18.6 mil­lion) and guard Chris Duhon (two years, $7.6 million). Houston also can offer first-round picks and those it took in the first round last month.

Magic general manager Rob Hennigan declined to comment about a specific trade scenario with the Rockets but said little has changed. "(Thursday), I told you that nothing was imminent, and that's where we stand (Friday)," Hennigan said. "We're sort of staying in the same pattern."

Howard wants out of Orlando. His top choice, the Nets, is unlikely because they lack cap space. The Hawks and Lakers also are reportedly interested.

Any deal with Houston likely won't take place until next week, when the status of guard Jeremy Lin and center Omer Asik are resolved. Both are expected to sign offer sheets with Houston.

Lin, waived by the Rockets during training camp before becoming a national story with the Knicks, has agreed to a four-year, $28 million deal. Asik, who averaged 3.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season with the Bulls, agreed to three years and $25 million.

Once the offer sheets become official, the Knicks and Bulls have three days to match. The Knicks previously said they intend to match any offer to Lin. The Bulls have not commented.

Brand to Mavs: Forward Elton Brand went to Dallas. He was available after the 76ers used the amnesty provision to not have the $18.1 million he is owed this season count against the cap or luxury tax. Any team under the cap was eligible to bid. The winning bid wasn't revealed, but ESPN.com reported it was $2.1 million for one season.

Clippers: Point guard Chauncey Billups, who missed most of last season with a torn left Achilles tendon, re-signed. Terms weren't disclosed.

Pacers: Portland's offer sheet to center Roy Hibbert was matched, guard George Hill re-signed and point guard D.J. Augustin signed. Hibbert made his first All-Star Game last season, averaging 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and two blocks. Terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com reported the Blazers offered him $58 million over four years. Last season, George averaged 9.6 points. Augustin averaged 11.1 points and 6.4 assists for Charlotte. Terms for their deals weren't disclosed.

76ers: Center Kwame Brown agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal. He missed all but nine games last season with the Warriors because of a torn muscle in his chest.

Timberwolves: The rights to retiring center Brad Miller were traded and swingman Martell Webster waived to create cap space for swingman Nicolas Batum. Miller, who is waiting until a $848,000 buyout is formalized before filing retirement paperwork, and two second-round picks went to New Orleans for a second-round pick. When Webster clears waivers, only $600,000 of his $5.7 million salary will count against the cap. Minnesota then can submit an offer sheet for Batum (reportedly four years and $46.5 million) and try to work out a sign-and-trade with Portland.

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, July 13, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Cal Holland Jr. turned to his heart, not his head, in December when he joined Patriot kennel.

For eight years, he had been in a comfort zone as the trainer for Floyd & Porter kennel. Finally, he rose out of the comfy chair.

"I didn't really want to leave Randy (Floyd, the kennel co-owner)," Holland said. "But I've wanted to run a kennel and show my potential."

Holland, 47, showed his stuff as Patriot's manager-trainer, using "fun" as the common denominator. The kennel's record-setting dominance at the previous Derby Lane meet still has greyhound fans abuzz.

Patriot was first in every main category, including wins and purse earnings. Patriot smashed the track mark for most victories in a six-month meet with 333, eclipsing Lester Raines' 299 in 2010, and finished 63 in front of McAllister. Patriot collected $242,250 in purse earnings, $23,660 ahead of McAllister. The meet ended June 30.

"My goal when I took over was to make this fun," Holland said. "The dogs come first, and we blast rock 'n' roll music in the kennel. We do our work, show every dog attention, and take care of every single injury as soon as we notice it."

Kennel workers David Keck and Gloria Morse bought into Holland's program. Quality and quantity were key. Led by Grade A dogs Art Allen and Jim Mercedes, Patriot totaled 2,412 starts, 428 more than any other kennel. Art Allen, winner of the $10,000 St. Petersburg Consolation Derby, and Jim Mercedes tied for second in victories at 16 apiece, one behind Tiger Boy of McAllister. Patriot's win percentage was 13.8 with an in-the-money percentage (top-four finish) of 49.7.

Patriot recorded at least one victory in each of the meet's first 16 performances, and won a minimum of 10 races in 24 of the 26 weeks. Twice it won 19 races in a week. Patriot had multiple victories in 103 of 216 performances, including four five-win cards and 12 four-win performances.

"I've never seen anybody blow the doors in on these people like Patriot did these past six months," track racing secretary Jerry Miller said. "(Holland) killed them in starts, and he's certainly got the quality."

It was the largest win margin by a kennel since McAllister captured the 2007-08 crown. McAllister had 643 victories for a 218-win advantage, but that season's numbers were a year-round accumulation.

Patriot owner Vinny Savill of Whitman, Mass., claimed his second kennel title. Holland was recommended to Savill by former manager-trainer Victor Hall, who moved to Vermont.

"When I started with Patriot kennel, my goal was to win races and to win stakes," Holland said. "I want to show Patriot has just as good a dog as every other kennel that runs (at Derby Lane). This kennel had great potential when I got here. I hope it still has great potential for years to come."

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

ANNONAY, France — David Millar, a reformed "ex-doper," won a stage at the Tour de France on Friday, saying his victory is proof riders can win cleanly.

His British compatriot, Bradley Wiggins, is of like mind. Wiggins, who holds the overall lead, is looking to not only win the race when it ends July 22 but win over cycling fans troubled by the sport's long history with drugs.

"I do want to start building bridges to prove that I'm doing this off bread and water. … So if I can be as open and as honest as possible, then hopefully that will go some way to gaining people's trust," he said.

Millar's victory and Wiggins' assertions came exactly 45 years after Tom Simpson, the first Briton to wear yellow, died on the slopes of the Mont Ventoux after using a lethal mix of amphetamines and alcohol.

"It's particularly poignant that I win the day of this anniversary because I'm an ex-doper, I made mistakes," said Millar, 35. "It's a nice kind of full circle that I've now won today a clean rider — after making the same mistakes that Tommy made."

Millar, who rides for the U.S. Garmin-Sharp team, has been cycling's most vocal critic of doping for years. He says he learned hard lessons after "making a mess" of his life through drugs.

He won the Tour's 12th and longest stage by leading a five-rider breakaway as the race left the Alps. The 140-mile ride from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay-Davezieux featured two big climbs, but did not change the top of the standings because Wiggins and his main rivals finished together.

Millar, while riding for the French team Cofidis, was banned from cycling for two years in 2004 after using the banned blood booster EPO — once the drug of choice for cycling cheats.

"I'm an ex-doper and I'm clean now, and I want to show everyone that it's possible to win clean on the Tour," Millar said.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Indians 1, Blue Jays 0

TORONTO — Justin Masterson pitched seven sharp innings, Travis Hafner homered and All-Star closer Chris Perez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances as the Indians wrapped up their sixth shutout of the season. Vinnie Pestano worked the eighth inning before handing off to Perez, and Hafner provided the only run Cleveland would need when he led off the second with a towering drive to rightfield, his eighth of the season.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Cubs 8, Diamondbacks 1

CHICAGO — Alfonso Soriano hit a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the fifth, and doubled twice to drive in five runs as the Cubs waited out a four-hour rain delay. It was Soriano's second multihomer game of the season and 30th of his career. The 36-year-old slugger has hit all 17 of his homers this season since May 15. His five RBIs tied a career high.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Nationals 5, Marlins 1

MIAMI — Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run homer, Jesus Flores drove in two runs and the Nationals won for the sixth time in their past eight games. Josh Johnson lost to Washington for the first time in his career; he entered 8-0 in 15 starts against the Nationals. Zimmerman connected to left-centerfield in the third inning to make it 3-0.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Tigers 7, Orioles 2

BALTIMORE — Miguel Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta homered to help the Tigers move three games over .500 for the first time since April 24, when they were 10-7. Cabrera's homer, a shot to center estimated at 454 feet, made it 4-1 in the fifth. Four batters later, Peralta hit a three-run opposite-field shot to right. Baltimore is 6-14 over its past 20 games.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

NEW YORK — Once Nick Swisher and the Yankees kept Mark Trumbo in the park, they were ready to rally.

Mark Teixeira homered twice and drove in five runs, Russell Martin hit a go-ahead single and the Yankees overcame another homer by Trumbo to beat the Angels 6-5 Friday night.

Teixeira's three-run shot and Martin's two-out single in the eighth overcame the Angels' 5-2 edge. The Yanks have the majors' best record and have won five of six.

"It's a new start," Teixeira said. "The first half really doesn't mean anything."

Trumbo homered in his fifth straight game against the Yankees. His three-run shot in the seventh made him the first Yanks opponent to homer five games in a row since Albert Belle in 1994, STATS LLC said. Harold Baines, in 1984-85, is the only other player to do that against New York.

Trumbo nearly hit another homer, but his bid for a two-run drive to right was caught by a leaping Swisher at the top of the wall in the eighth.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

The Big Ten and Pac-12 announced Friday they were scrapping plans to schedule games against each other in all sports, the Pac-12 saying there were too many complications involving football.

The leagues had agreed to the partnership, which would have included 12 football matchups each season, in December, before a four-team football playoff set to begin in 2014 was approved.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said the league recently learned from the Pac-12 that coordinating a nonconference football schedule for 24 teams across two leagues by 2017 proved to be too difficult. Delany said those complications included the Pac-12's nine-game conference schedule and previous nonconference commitments.

The Big Ten previously discussed moving from eight to nine league games. ESPN.com reported it could move in that direction now that league teams aren't playing a Pac-12 opponent every year.

Penn St. scandal: The school plans to renovate the football locker room and shower area where former assistant Jerry Sandusky sexually molested boys. A spokesman said plans were drawn up shortly after Sandusky's arrest in November but the school can't move forward until all legal proceedings are over.

North Carolina: The school spent $467,406.49 on legal fees over 17 months due to an NCAA investigation into academics and the football program that led to a bowl ban, scholarship reductions and the firing of coach Butch Davis. A spokeswoman said no state money was used. Instead, money came from the university's foundation and athletic department.

Baseball to AD: Ray Tanner resigned as South Carolina baseball coach to become its athletic director. Tanner, who led the school to two national titles, said he was ready for the next stage of his career.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Reds 5, Cardinals 3

CINCINNATI — An error helped the Reds win their fourth in a row. Down 2-1, they loaded the bases with one out. Ryan Hanigan hit a slow roller to first baseman Allen Craig. He threw wildly to first, allowing two runs to score. The rally allowed Mat Latos remain unbeaten since April 18 (7-0 over 15 starts).

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees and the Saints gave their fans Friday news they can celebrate after an offseason of turmoil.

The sides said they had agreed to a five-year contract that media reports said was for $100 million with a record $60 million guaranteed. That would give the quarterback the highest average annual pay in NFL history, $20 million. Buffalo defensive end Mario Williams also has a $100 million deal but for six years.

The deal pays Brees $40 million the first year, the reports said. It includes a $37 million signing bonus.

"I can tell you from the start of this negotiation, I have not thought once about, 'Hey, I want to be the highest-paid guy' or what have you," Brees said in an interview with New Orleans radio station WWL-AM.

"It was more about trying to look truly, just objectively, at the numbers the last decade for a top-tier quarterback and where it has been and where it is going and just trying to do what is fair and justified."

Brees, tagged as the Saints' exclusive franchise player, had until 4 p.m. Monday to reach a long-term contract, play in 2012 under his franchise tender of $16.371 million or hold out for a better one-year deal.

"What Drew has accomplished in his time with the Saints, he deserves to be the highest paid player in the league," general manager Mickey Loomis said.

Brees skipped the Saints' offseason practices while holding out for a long-term deal. Now he is set to report for the opening of training camp July 24, good news for a club whose offseason has been plagued by the bounty scandal that resulted in the seasonlong suspensions of coach Sean Payton and linebacker Jonathan Vilma, among other sanctions.

In the past six seasons, Brees has not only led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title, but completed more passes (2,488) for more yards (28,394) and more touchdowns (201) than any other quarterback. His 67.8 percent completion rate in that time also tops the league.

In 2011, Brees set league season records with 468 completions, 5,476 yards passing and a completion percentage of 71.2.

seahawks: Receiver and former Plant High standout Mike Williams was cut two weeks before the start of training camp. Williams was a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 after his career was rejuvenated in Seattle following flops in Detroit and Oakland. But Williams couldn't develop a connection with new quarterback Tarvaris Jackson in 2011, and his season was cut short by a broken left ankle. "I have nothing but gratitude towards Seattle for giving me the opportunity … and I look forward to a healthy season in 2012," he told ESPN radio in Seattle.

texans: Quarterback Matt Schaub, coming off surgery, will be ready for the start of training camp, ESPN reported. Schaub sustained a midfoot injury against the Bucs on Nov. 13. He had surgery and missed the rest of the season.

more t.o. child support problems: Terrell Owens is $20,000 behind on child support payments and could face jail time, Atlanta TV station WSB reported. Owens did not show up for a hearing in the case Thursday in Atlanta, the station said. His attorney, David Hartin, said it was his fault because he didn't communicate with the former wide receiver, who hasn't played in the NFL since 2010. Fulton County Judge John Goger rescheduled the hearing for Thursday and said Owens could face jail time if he does not attend.

By Joey Knight, Times Staff Writer
Friday, July 13, 2012

Rays vs. Red Sox

When/where: 7:10 tonight; Tropicana Field

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

Tickets: $19-$300, available at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team Tampa store; $3 surcharge within five hours of game time

Probable pitchers

Rays LH David Price (11-4, 2.82)

REd Sox RH Clay Buchholz (8-2, 5.53)

On Price: After his scoreless inning at Tuesday's All-Star Game, Price faces a foe against whom he has been solid. Current Sox players have no homers in 89 combined at-bats against Price, who is 6-4 with a 3.22 ERA all time against Boston. In his last outing, July 4 against the Yankees, Price allowed one run on four hits in seven innings before the bullpen floundered in a 4-3 defeat.

On Buchholz: Solid at the Trop (3-2, 2.41 ERA) for his career, Buchholz is making his first big-league start in nearly a month. A stomach illness put him on the 15-day DL in late June, followed by a 2⅓-inning scoreless rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.

Rays vs. Buchholz

Carlos Peña 5-for-25, HR

Luke Scott 6-for-26, 2 HR

Ben Zobrist 3-for-23

Red Sox vs. Price

David Ortiz 4-for-22

Adrian Gonzalez 3-for-18

Will Middlebrooks 2-for-3

On deck

Sunday: vs. Red Sox, 1:40 p.m., Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (8-5, 4.17); Red Sox — Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.43)

Quote of the day

"It's so easy for people to bark when they have no idea exactly what's going on. Listen, when you pull a hamstring, that hurts a lot, not just a little bit. And it should not preclude him from getting on an airplane and flying to an awards ceremony."

Joe Maddon, Rays manager, right, responding to criticism of injured 3B Evan Longoria's decision to attend the ESPYs in Los Angeles

Number of the day

92.5

Percent of draft picks (37 of 40) signed by the Rays, who signed each of their top 28 selections.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

The Phillies, hoping to turn things around in the second half and beyond, are working on an offer to free agent-to-be LHP Cole Hamels that could end up being the largest in team history, ESPN.com reported Friday.

GM Ruben Amaro and Hamels' agent, John Boggs, declined to comment on any negotiations, but the website reported teams inquiring about Hamels' trade availability said the Phillies were optimistic about keeping the 28-year-old.

Because Philadelphia gave LHP Cliff Lee a five-year, $120 million deal in December and the Giants gave RHP Matt Cain a five-year, $112 million extension in April, the market for Hamels could be costly and might require the Phillies to guarantee six or more years, something the club has been reluctant to do in the past.

Halladay okay: Phillies RHP Roy Halladay said he was pain-free after Thursday's three-inning stint for Class A Clear­water. "I felt like for the most part everything was good at times," Halladay, who had been sidelined with tightness in his back, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Location, there were some mistakes at times, but I felt good."

Halladay is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today for the big-league club, and if all goes well, he could pitch Tuesday.

Brewers to pitch Greinke? The Brewers might be working up an offer near $100 million over five years to Zack Greinke, but the right-hander is still likely to test free agency, CBSSports.com reported.

Braves: SS Jack Wilson left the game against the Mets with a dislocated finger, forcing Martin Prado to play shortstop for the first time in four years. Wilson's status will be updated today.

Cardinals: 1B Lance Berkman, 36, expects to come off the DL today and rejoin the team ahead of schedule in his comeback from surgery for torn cartilage in his right knee.

Orioles: RHP Jason Hammel left the game against the Tigers in the fourth after his left leg appeared to buckle on his delivery. The exact nature of the injury was not immediately known.

Pirates: RHP Mark Appel, taken eighth overall in the draft, turned down the team's offer of $3.8 million and will remain at Stanford for his senior season. Appel was the only unsigned player among 31 first-round picks, which were subjected to baseball's new restrictions on amateur signing bonuses. Several teams shied away because Scott Boras is his adviser.

Rockies: 1B Todd Helton (right hip inflammation) and C Wil Nieves (turf toe on right foot) were put on the DL. C Ramon Hernandez (left hand) was activated from the DL.

Tigers: The team said Adelyn Santa, a third-base prospect from the Dominican Republic, asked for and received his release after he was unable to obtain a visa after a year of trying.

Yankees: LHP Andy Pettitte will have a checkup X-ray on his left ankle Sunday to determine how it is healing, ESPN.com reported. Pettitte, 40, threw without discomfort on flat ground Friday and said he remains on target for a Sept. 1 return after being hit by a line drive June 27. … OF Kosuke Fukudome, cut by the White Sox a month ago, signed a minor-league contract.

Dykstra pleads guilty: Former Mets OF Lenny Dykstra pleaded guilty to one count each of bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering in Los Angeles. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced Dec. 3. Prosecutors said Dykstra hid, sold or destroyed more than $400,000 worth of items without permission of a bankruptcy trustee. Dykstra, 49, is currently serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Friday, July 13, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — They held extensive meetings to talk philosophy and approach. They went through extra early workouts to go over fundamentals and refresh spring training basics. They spoke optimistically about overcoming the absence of their injured teammates and remaining contenders for a playoff spot.

And then the Rays went out to start the second half of their season by making a series of mistakes in a 3-1 loss to the Red Sox on Friday before 29,089 at Tropicana Field.

"You always want your guys to try hard, but then they get to the point where maybe you're trying to make things happen when you should just let the game play itself out sometimes," manager Joe Maddon said. "But I've been talking to them a lot, so maybe any overzealousness that you saw tonight, partly my fault."

Which, at least in theory, is why outfielder B.J. Upton got picked off first base with the Rays' best hitter against lefties, Jeff Keppinger, up to end the home half of the first inning. Why DH Luke Scott, with the bases loaded in the fourth, swung at would have been balls three and four to end the threat. And why Ben Zobrist was thrown out on a relay trying to advance to third on Upton's line out in the eighth.

"We're trying to scratch to score runs right now," Zobrist said. "We need to score more runs, and so we're trying to do everything we can to make that happen. You've got to keep battling and keep trying to force the issue on the other guys, and that's what we're going to keep doing. We're not going to be afraid to make mistakes, and keep playing hard and let the chips fall where they may."

Compounding those mistakes were a few on the mound, despite starter Jeremy Hellickson having what Maddon said "might have been his best stuff" of the season. Hellickson made a major tactical error by grooving a 3-and-1 cutter — "a bad pitch," he acknowledged — to David Ortiz for a first-inning homer. Then he followed with a messy 29-pitch second inning in which he loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter, leading to two more Boston runs on a ground ball single up the middle that somehow bounced slowly between shortstop Elliot Johnson and second baseman Keppinger.

In essence, there was too much talk and too little action as the Rays lost for the 10th time in their past 15 games, dropping to 45-42, 8½ games behind the AL East-leading Yankees and only one game ahead of the Red Sox.

The offensive shortcomings are mounting, as it was the 10th time in 87 games they scored one or no runs, the 27th time they struck out 10 or more times, the 68th time they didn't get to double-digits in hits.

"We have got to do better offensively," Maddon said.

But in the push for more offense, the Rays might be only compounding their problems by trying to do too much.

Maddon termed Upton's pickoff "more of a mental mistake" they "have to be better with."

He said Zobrist "had some good logic" as rightfielder Ryan Sweeney slid for the ball, but that "did not work out."

And he called Scott's strikeout an example of the need for "better decisionmaking or pitch selection."

"We just have to figure out a way to score four runs on a night we give up three," Maddon said. "That's what it comes down to."

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

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

A's 6, Twins 3

MINNEAPOLIS — Jonny Gomes' grand slam helped the A's overcome a career-high 15 strikeouts from Francisco Liriano, whose effort was the second most in Twins history and most since Johan Santana had 17 against the Rangers on Aug. 19, 2007. A.J. Griffin went six innings to earn his first career win and lead Oakland to its seventh victory in eight games. Josh Willingham hit two homers for Minnesota.

Times wires
Friday, July 13, 2012

Braves 7, Mets 5

ATLANTA — David Ross homered and drove in four for the Braves. He walked with the bases loaded in the first to make it 2-0 and hit a three-run shot in the third to make it 5-0. Chipper Jones' solo homer in the sixth put Atlanta up 6-4.