Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Angels 7, White Sox 2

CHICAGO — Tyler Chatwood pitched seven impressive innings for his first major-league win and Hank Conger hit a three-run homer to lead the Angels. After the start was delayed more than two hours by rain, Chatwood allowed just Carlos Quentin's fifth-inning homer, his third of the season and 100th of his career. Howie Kendrick also homered and had three RBIs for Los Angeles. Leadoff man Maicer Izturis had three hits.

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 16, 2011

LUTZ — Jay Don Blake is one of those names only true golf fans recognize. A career grinder on the PGA Tour, Blake won once in his professional career, the 1991 Shearson Lehman Brothers Open at Torrey Pines outside San Diego.

When he turned 50 two years ago and became eligible for the Champions Tour, he had no status. Blake had to go through qualifying school, where he finished eighth and became conditionally exempt for select tournaments. He played 12 events in 2009, and three of those were through Monday qualifying.

Last year was a little better. He played 15 events and finished 34th on the money list ($536,789). The top 30 on the money list are fully exempt, and Blake was close enough to get into most tournaments this year.

This is his first time at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, and he found himself three shots back with 18 holes to play.

"It helps with the confidence knowing you can compete and get into contention and see your name up on the leader­board," said Blake, who was at 8-under 134. "And you know it should be there. I'll just keep plugging along and see if I can keep it going."

Last year, Blake had a share of the lead at the Senior Open Championship but tied for third. A win would give him a full exemption for 2012, but he's trying to put that out of his mind.

"You're always thinking about it, but you try not to," Blake said. "I can't dwell on my position. I've just got to do the best I can and make some good progress throughout the year."

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER: Tom Pernice shot his second straight 3-under 68 and sat five shots back, tied for fourth with Joey Sindelar. Pernice made up most of his ground on the back nine the first two days. He was 8 under on the back but had three bogeys and only one birdie on the front.

Pernice, 51, has been around long enough to know golfers can't worry about what-ifs.

"I played just as good on the front, but I lipped out about seven or eight birdie putts," Pernice said. "The ball-striking has been good, but the putts didn't go in. I hit a lot of fairways and had a lot of chances but just didn't make the putts. Every guy out here can say that, though."

Pernice was only four shots off the lead in last year's tournament until the final round was rained out.

"Nothing I could do about that," Pernice said. "Just got to see what happens (today)."

PRO-AM: John Cook and amateur partner Todd Wagner led at 21 under. Russ Cochran and former Bucs LB Derrick Brooks were second at 20 under. The other celebrities still in the tournament: former major-leaguer Fred McGriff, Rascal Flatts lead guitarist Joe Don Rooney, actor John O'Hurley and actor Craig T. Nelson.

ODDS AND ENDS: Mike McCullough withdrew after 17 holes with an illness. He opened with 76. … Kenny Perry birdied five of the first six holes on the front nine Friday. On Saturday, he bogeyed three of the first four. Perry never recovered and shot 2-over 73. … With his 68 on Saturday, Hale Irwin has had 28 subpar rounds at the tournament. … Leaders tee off at 9:35 a.m. and should finish before 3 p.m. to accommodate television.

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Horses

Long shot's fast finish nets berth in derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Archarcharch, which went off at 25-1, took the lead down the stretch and won the $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

The Grade I stakes win, in a Kentucky Derby prep race, is the first for trainer Jinks Fires. He and owner (and fellow Arkansan) Bob Yagos will make their first appearance in the Derby on May 7.

"This horse is something special," Yagos said. "Jinks gave us confidence in this horse since Day 1."

The colt trailed with a second group of horses for much of the race before charging the final eighth-mile of the 11/8-mile race. He passed Dance City and Sway Away on the home stretch, then held off Nehro by a neck to earn the win in 1 minute, 49.34 seconds.

The Factor, the 4-5 favorite, finished seventh among 13 horses. Brethren, which won the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12, finished 11th.

Blue Grass Stakes: Brilliant Speed rallied from last to beat Twinspired by a nose at the $750,000 Derby prep race in Lexington, Ky. The $450,000 winner's check likely gives Brilliant Speed, which ran 11/8 miles in 1:50.92, enough graded-stakes earnings to make the Derby field. Trainer Tom Albertrani praised Joel Rosario, who made his first start aboard the horse: "He split horses, and at the quarter pole, he weaved his way right through traffic and angled him out perfectly at the drive."

Tennis

Nadal overwhelms an injured Murray

Rafael Nadal reached the Monte Carlo Masters final by beating Andy Murray 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 in Monaco. Nadal needed almost three hours to win his 36th consecutive match on clay. The start was delayed for about 30 minutes so Murray could get a cortisone shot for a sore right arm. And Murray, who did not disclose specifics of his injury, took a medical timeout while down 3-0 in the third. In a rematch of last year's final, Nadal faces David Ferrer.

Fed Cup: Andrea Petkovic beat 18-year-old Christina McHale 6-3, 6-4 and Julia Goerges beat 19-year-old Melanie Oudin 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) to give host Germany a 2-0 lead. The Americans, without the injured Williams sisters, have won the Fed Cup a record 17 times. But they lost to Belgium in the first round, and a loss in reverse singles or doubles today will relegate it to a lower tier for the first time.

Et cetera

Soccer: Yaya Toure scored in the 52nd minute as Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 at London's Wembley Stadium to reach the FA Cup final. City hasn't won a trophy since the 1976 League Cup and last reached the FA Cup final in 1981, when it lost a replay to Tottenham. On May 14, it faces the winner of today's game between Stoke and Bolton. … Cristiano Ronaldo's late penal­ty kick canceled out Lionel Messi's as 10-man Real Madrid rallied for a 1-1 tie against Spanish leader Barcelona in the first of their four matchups in 18 days. Ronaldo scored his first career goal against visiting Barcelona in the 82nd minute after Daniel Alves brought Marcelo down inside the area. Messi scored his 49th goal of the season after Madrid defender Raul Albiol was red-carded for tugging striker David Villa down inside the area.

Boxing: Amir Khan (25-1) retained his WBA light welterweight title against Paul McCloskey (22-1) in Manchester, England. The fight was stopped in the sixth round because of a cut over McCloskey's left eye caused by an accidental clash of heads. So the bout went to the scorecards, and Khan led 60-54 on all three.

Times wires

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 16, 2011

LUTZ — John Cook has a simple strategy for playing golf tournaments.

"I don't like making bogeys," he said. "I don't handle stress very well."

Saturday's second round of the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am was stress-free for Cook.

After starting with six straight pars on the par-71 TPC Tampa Bay course, Cook rattled off six birdies on his next eight holes and finished with 6-under 65. He was 11 under after two days and ahead of first-round leader Russ Cochran by one shot. Jay Don Blake was three back at 8 under and Tom Pernice and Joey Sindelar loomed five shots back.

Kenny Perry, who was third at 4 under on Friday, shot 2-over 73 and fell to a tie for 17th.

Cook's two-round total of 131 tied a tournament record. Bruce Fleisher did it in 2000 and 2002 and Mark Wiebe in 2008. Fleisher won the tournament in 2000.

If Cook holds on in today's final round, he snaps a dubious streak. He is 0-for-106 in tour-sanctioned events in Florida. He is 0-for-11 in the state on the 50-and-over Champions Tour. In 2007, Tom Watson broke an 0-for-93 Florida slump when he won this tournament.

Like Cook's first round, when he had five straight birdies on the front nine, he got hot again Saturday and started shooting up the leaderboard. He birdied the seventh hole to start his streak. Then Cook drained a 25-footer on No. 9, an 8-footer on 10 and had tap-ins for birdies on 12, 13 and 14.

At one point Cook drew three shots clear before Cochran closed the gap with some late birdies.

"If I get the right situations, I can be very streaky," Cook said. "I'm glad I'm streaky that way and not the other way. And I did leave a couple (of birdies) out there, believe it or not."

Cook had the day's low round and is trying to win for the second time this year. Cochran had the low round Friday and is paired with Cook in the final group.

Cochran shot a bogey-free round Friday and had only one bogey Saturday.

"I'm very happy to be 10 under," Cochran said. "It wasn't anything too exciting. It was one of those days where you couldn't be super aggressive. You had to battle the wind all day.

"I've been all over the charts this year. I've had a pretty good putting year at times and the driver was a little bit off. I drove it fantastic (at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic) and couldn't do much else."

Blake shot 3-under 68 in the morning. He led much of the day, until Cook got hot and Cochran started making some putts. Blake took advantage of the calm conditions in the morning.

"I knew the greens would be a little softer and I could be more aggressive," Blake said. "I started out birdieing and got to 3 under real quick. Then the winds started picking up and you had to be more conservative."

In his Champions Tour career, Cook has had the outright lead three times. He has won one of those tournaments, the 2009 Charles Schwab Cup Champion­ship in Sonoma, Calif.

He said he welcomed the challenge of trying to hold on today, and he's going to keep an eye on his position all day long.

"I don't get the mind-set that you don't look at the board," Cook said. "How do you know if you can win or not? That's crazy."

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — PGA Tour rookie Brendan Steele birdied the 17th and 18th holes for 4-under 68 on Saturday, grabbing sole possession of the Texas Open lead after beginning the day tied with six others for the top spot.

The 28-year-old Californian put his third shot within 15 feet on the par-5 18th then sunk the putt for his sixth birdie to help offset two bogeys.

"I decided to play it a little more conservative and laid it up, and it paid off," Steele said of the birdie to end his round.

He led by one at 7-under 209 over second-year tour pro Cameron Tringale, who led by two after 16 holes but hooked his tee shot on No. 18 into the deep rough — almost reaching a creek. He recovered on the approach, only to miss a 13-foot putt and settle for 4-under 68.

Winds were calmer but still blew nearly 30 mph at times, after strong gusts Friday saw the field struggle to a second-round scoring average of 75.289, the highest on tour since the first round of the 2008 British Open. Strong winds are forecast again for today's final round.

"There's going to be good shots that don't end up good and bad shots that end up worse," Steele said.

Another rookie and Californian, Kevin Chappell (70) and Brandt Snedeker (70), were tied for third at 5 under. Steele, Tringale and Chappell have a combined 62 starts on tour while Snedeker's only tour victory came in 2007.

"There's a lot of younger players getting on tour quicker now than there ever has been, and I think that's really been the difference," Tringale said. He added that he is still new enough that almost no one pronounces Tringale (Tren-gal-EE) correctly, instead calling him "Triangle" "Trin-gle" "Trin-nail" "Tri-nail" and a host of others.

Steele began tied for first at 3 under with Chappell, Snedeker, Geoff Ogilvy, Rich Beem, Kevin Sutherland and Charley Hoffman. The seven-way tie was the most crowded PGA leader­board in a decade.

TWO PASS MCILROY: Rory McIlroy completed a par 72 that included a double bogey on the par-3 15th, relinquishing the Malaysian Open lead to Alexander Noren and 17-year-old Matteo Manassero heading into today's final round in Kuala Lumpur. McIlroy was 1 over in completing the last nine holes of his third round, which was delayed by rain and lightning. Noren (71) and Manassero (67) were at 12 under. Masters champion Charl Schwartzel completed his round of 67 to get to 6-under 211.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 16, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — This time, the Rays raced out of their dugout toward first base for the meeting of the Johnny Damon Celebration Club. The veteran had just delivered again Saturday, a two-out, two-strike, bases-loaded single in the ninth inning that capped another stirring comeback and gave the Rays another unlikely victory, 4-3 over the Twins.

Damon deserved to be the center of attention for a remarkable feat, the fifth straight game in which he delivered the winning run and second in three days on a walkoff hit. But as the party moved into the clubhouse, it became obvious how, suddenly, all the Rays have much to feel good about.

The winless first home­stand, the 0-6 overall start and 1-8 mark, the injury to Evan Longoria and "retirement" of Manny Ramirez, all now seem like distant memories — "Three months?" manager Joe Maddon suggested; "Forever ago," Ben Zobrist said — as a fifth straight win pushed their record to 6-8.

"It feels great," starter Jeff Niemann said. "It feels like it should feel. We feel like we felt coming out of spring training. We know we have a good team. There's a lot of talent in this clubhouse, a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. It just shows that that start didn't put us down at all."

"This is great," Damon said. "This is exactly what we needed coming back home. We knew the crowds were getting a little scarce. Some doubts were creeping. But there's never been any doubt in here. I'm just proud with the intensity the guys have been playing with all nine and sometimes 10 innings."

Saturday had the look of missed opportunity. Niemann was pitching well enough, but they Rays weren't hitting enough to take advantage.

They trailed 3-1 in the eighth before a crowd of 16,428 that included a half-dozen Lightning players (guests of Twins DH Justin Morneau) and a loud contingent of friends and relatives of Twins centerfielder Denard Span. And they looked bad in doing so, going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and allowing a run when Span's liner skipped past centerfielder B.J. Upton for an RBI triple.

But they showed a spark in the eighth, when Reid Brignac led off with a single and Matt Joyce, still in the Tampa Chamber-chosen No. 3 spot, delivered a two-out RBI single, giving him three straight multi-hit games and a .524 average (11-for-21) over his past five.

Zobrist was the next to step up in the ninth, knocking a 1-and-0 fastball from Twins closer Joe Nathan — blowing consecutive saves for the first time since 2008 as he comes back after missing last season — over the rightfield fence to tie it.

Upton followed with a walk and after he stole second, Casey Kotchman walked. John Jaso flied out and pinch-hitter Elliot Johnson struck out, but when Super Sam Fuld walked — then joked later that he wanted to allow Damon the chance to star — Damon delivered, the first player since Troy Glaus in 2002 for the Angels to have the game-winning RBI in five straight, and the 11th walkoff hit of his career.

"It's a great way to build team confidence when you're winning like that," Zobrist said.

And something they feel could last.

"These kinds of games really teach you to keep playing nine innings," Maddon said. "You get to the point where you expect something good to happen as opposed to where you expect something bad to happen. We're at the point now where I think we expect something good to happen in the later part of the game if we're able to keep it close. And that's a great feeling to have within a team."

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

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Astros 5, Padres 3

HOUSTON — Pinch-hitter Joe Inglett had a tiebreaking single in the seventh for the Astros. With the score tied at 3, Inglett, batting for reliever Mark Melancon, hit the first pitch from former Ray Chad Qualls for an RBI hit. Houston starter Nelson Figueroa settled in after allowing two first-inning runs. Leftfielder Carlos Lee made a diving catch on Orlando Hudson's low liner with runners on first and third to end the seventh.

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

ORLANDO — Joe Johnson scored 25 and Jamal Crawford 23 as the Hawks overcame a huge game by Dwight Howard to beat the Magic 103-93 Saturday in Game 1 of their East quarterfinal.

Howard tied a career high with 46 points (31 in the first half) and added 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson scored 27, but no other Orlando player reached double figures.

"It's frustrating," Howard said. "But it's the first game. We just need to keep playing."

Atlanta was eliminated by Orlando last season in the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA history. And it lost its last six regular-season games.

But the Hawks won three of the four regular-season meetings against the Magic. And Saturday, they led by as many as 18.

"We're a confident group," Johnson said. "The last six games of the season, people kind of looked down on us. But now we have a plan. It's coming to fruition, and we just have to go out and play together."

Down 85-71 entering the fourth, Orlando put together a 10-1 run that cut it to 92-83 with 4:40 left. Howard banked in a hook shot with less than two minutes left to make it 98-90. But a steal by Josh Smith and an ensuing 3-pointer by Crawford essentially sealed it.

Nelson said there are no quick fixes: "I can't really put a finger on it right now."

Hawks 103, Magic 93

ATLANTA (103): Smith 6-12 2-7 15, Horford 7-14 2-2 16, Collins 0-1 1-2 1, Hinrich 6-10 0-0 13, Johnson 9-16 7-8 25, Pachulia 0-1 2-2 2, Crawford 7-14 5-6 23, Thomas 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 2-3 2-2 6, Powell 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 38-74 21-29 103.

ORLANDO (93): Turkoglu 2-9 1-2 6, Bass 0-4 0-0 0, Howard 16-23 14-22 46, Nelson 10-18 3-4 27, J.Richardson 2-8 0-0 4, Anderson 0-2 0-0 0, Arenas 2-5 1-2 6, Redick 2-6 0-0 4, Q.Richardson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-75 19-30 93.

Atlanta 17 38 30 18— 103

Orlando 19 29 23 22— 93

3-Point Goals—Atlanta 6-14 (Crawford 4-7, Smith 1-2, Hinrich 1-3, Johnson 0-1, Horford 0-1), Orlando 6-22 (Nelson 4-7, Arenas 1-2, Turkoglu 1-4, Howard 0-1, Anderson 0-2, Redick 0-2, J.Richardson 0-4). Fouled Out—Collins. Rebounds—Atlanta 42 (Smith 8), Orlando 54 (Howard 19). Assists—Atlanta 19 (Crawford, Johnson 5), Orlando 15 (Turkoglu 5). Total Fouls—Atlanta 28, Orlando 24. Technicals—Howard. A—19,108 (18,500).

Late surge lifts Bulls

CHICAGO — Trailing 98-88 with 3:38 left, the Bulls closed the game with a 16-1 run to take Game 1 104-99 over the Pacers.

Derrick Rose scored seven of his 39 during the run, including a three-point play and a floater that tied it at 99 with 1:27 left. He then hit Kyle Korver with a crosscourt pass for a 3-pointer that gave the top-seeded Bulls their first lead, 102-99, with 48 seconds left.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game," said Rose, the likely league MVP who missed all nine of his 3-pointers. "From the beginning, I guess we weren't prepared for it. Next time, I think we'll be ready."

Danny Granger, who led Indiana with 24 points, missed a 3 that would have tied it. At the other end, Rose hit two free throws with 14.8 seconds left. Rose made 19 of 21 free throws and had six assists and six rebounds.

Granger said the Pacers never believed they had a safe lead.

"With Derrick Rose on the other team? No," he said. "It's like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Every time you tell her you don't want to talk to her, she'll show up at your door again."

Bulls 104, Pacers 99

INDIANA (99): Granger 10-20 0-0 24, Hansbrough 10-19 2-3 22, Hibbert 4-7 3-4 11, Collison 7-15 1-3 17, George 1-2 0-0 2, Rush 2-3 1-2 7, McRoberts 1-6 2-2 4, Dunleavy 0-3 0-0 0, Price 3-6 0-1 8, Foster 1-3 2-2 4. Totals 39-84 11-17 99.

CHICAGO (104): Deng 7-13 2-4 18, Boozer 4-11 4-5 12, Noah 5-12 0-1 10, Rose 10-23 19-21 39, Bogans 0-3 0-0 0, Brewer 1-3 0-0 2, Thomas 3-4 0-0 6, Gibson 1-2 0-0 2, Korver 4-7 1-1 13, Asik 0-0 0-0 0, Watson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 36-82 26-32 104.

Indiana 27 28 24 20— 99

Chicago 23 28 20 33— 104

3-Point Goals—Indiana 10-18 (Granger 4-8, Collison 2-2, Rush 2-2, Price 2-3, George 0-1, Dunleavy 0-2), Chicago 6-20 (Korver 4-4, Deng 2-3, Watson 0-1, Bogans 0-3, Rose 0-9). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Indiana 40 (Hibbert 8), Chicago 63 (Noah 11). Assists—Indiana 21 (Collison 9), Chicago 18 (Rose 6). Total Fouls—Indiana 25, Chicago 21. Technicals—Indiana Coach Vogel, Deng. A—22,986 (20,917).

Wade, Miami hold on

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored five of his 17 over the final 1:34 as the Heat beat the 76ers 97-89 in Game 1. Chris Bosh had 25 points and 12 rebounds, LeBron James 21 points and 14 rebounds.

"The only number that matters right now is 1-0," Wade said.

Trailing 88-75, Philadelphia opened the fourth with a 12-0 run to cut the deficit to 88-87 with 7:23 left. But it never took the lead.

Sixers coach Doug Collins spent much of Game 1 pointing out the free-throw disparity to the officials. Miami finished 31-of-39, Philadelphia 12-of-15. Asked to explain the disparity, he took the high road in order to avoid a fine from the league.

"My grandkids would lose their college fund," he said. "So I'll have to dance around that one."

Heat 97, 76ers 89

PHILADELPHIA (89): Iguodala 2-7 0-0 4, Brand 8-14 1-1 17, Hawes 2-4 0-0 4, Holiday 5-12 6-6 19, Meeks 3-6 1-2 9, Young 9-20 2-4 20, Williams 3-10 2-2 10, Turner 1-2 0-0 2, Nocioni 0-3 0-0 0, Battie 0-0 0-0 0, Speights 2-7 0-0 4. Totals 35-85 12-15 89.

MIAMI (97): James 4-14 13-14 21, Bosh 8-17 9-11 25, Ilgauskas 4-5 0-0 8, Bibby 3-9 0-0 8, Wade 6-13 5-8 17, Anthony 0-3 3-4 3, Jones 4-8 0-0 9, Miller 0-3 0-0 0, Chalmers 2-2 1-2 6. Totals 31-74 31-39 97.

Philadelphia 31 18 20 20— 89

Miami 19 35 26 17— 97

3-Point Goals—Philadelphia 7-19 (Holiday 3-5, Meeks 2-3, Williams 2-6, Young 0-1, Iguodala 0-2, Nocioni 0-2), Miami 4-17 (Bibby 2-7, Chalmers 1-1, Jones 1-4, Wade 0-1, James 0-2, Miller 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Philadelphia 43 (Young 11), Miami 61 (James 14). Assists—Philadelphia 22 (Iguodala 9), Miami 15 (Wade, James 5). Total Fouls—Philadelphia 25, Miami 16. Technicals—Philadelphia defensive three second. A—19,600 (19,600).

Around the league: Cel­tics center Shaquille O'Neal will miss today's opener with a right calf injury. O'Neal missed 27 games with a sore right leg then returned April 4. But he lasted 5:29 before sustaining the calf injury and hasn't played since. … The Spurs' Tony Parker said he believe it's "almost impossible" that fellow guard Manu Ginobili won't play in today's opener. Ginobili sprained his right elbow in Wednesday's regular-season finale when he collided with teammate Tim Duncan while coming off a screen. The team lists him as doubtful.

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Braves 4, Mets 0

Game 2

ATLANTA — Jair Jurrjens pitched seven sharp innings in his return from the disabled list as the Braves completed a sweep. Jurrjens combined with George Sherrill and Scott Linebrink on a two-hitter. The Mets were swept in a doubleheader for the second time in three days and lost their seventh straight game, their longest skid since an 11-game streak in 2004. The Rockies swept them Thursday.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 16, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — RHP Jeff Niemann needed this.

After two rough games to start the season, a third-inning hook by manager Joe Maddon his last time out and mounting questions about his ability to dominate following last season's DL stint, he needed something positive.

And with seven solid innings — allowing three runs on eight hits, walking one and fanning six, throwing 108 pitches — he felt pretty good about it.

"We definitely needed to have a good one out there," Niemann said. "And I felt like we did that and gave us a chance to come back like we always do."

Niemann said he felt good, felt comfortable with C John Jaso and felt some between-starts adjustments with pitching coach Jim Hickey worked well.

"Fastball location; that's what it always comes down to," he said. "And today we were able to put the ball in better places and make it harder for them to hit."

Maddon said he thought Niemann got better as the game progressed, getting his changeup to look more like a strike and throwing his fastball with a downhill angle.

"He's got to feel pretty good about that," Maddon said. "That's a great day's work."

Though Niemann didn't get a win, he lowered his ERA from 8.31 to 6.32. In 10 starts since coming off the disabled list in August, he is 1-7, 8.87.

J.P. DUTY: The smile on LHP J.P. Howell's face said more than the words that came out of his mouth after a sharp 34-pitch batting practice session that showed how recovered he was from the shoulder surgery that forced him to miss last season.

"I feel like I'm back," Howell said. "I feel like I could be in there tonight."

He won't actually return for about a month, as the Rays plan for him to throw batting practice again Tuesday then head out for 8-10 appearances in the minors. But it was obvious how far he had come since his last time on the Trop mound, when his session was cut short by the shoulder pain that led to the surgery.

"I'm very pleased," Howell said. "Each time it gets a little better, and I get a little more confident with everything."

GOLDEN TOUCH: Injured Evan Longoria was presented with his 2010 Gold Glove before the game, his second straight as the league's top defensive third baseman, and Maddon said it could become an annual event.

"He really takes a lot of pride in that," Maddon said. "He works hard at it. When he does something not good at third base, he beats himself up more than as an offensive player. He definitely has the chance to win that award on a pretty consistent basis."

Adrian Beltre, now with Texas, had won the previous two, and Eric Chavez, now a Yankees backup, the six before that.

MISCELLANY: LHP David Price, whose "arm sleeve" is today's giveaway, and INF Elliot Johnson will sign autographs for kids from 12-12:30 along the rightfield line. … Jaso allowed three steals and is 0-for-14 in trying to throw out runners, though it's not all his fault: Runners are 24-for-27 against Niemann since the start of 2009. … RHP Juan Cruz got his first win since May 17, 2009. … C Robinson Chirinos is off to a 2-for-30 start at Triple-A Durham.

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

BOSTON — Michael Cammalleri and Mathieu Darche scored in the first 2:20 to lead Montreal to a 3-1 victory over the Bruins on Saturday and give the Canadiens a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

Boston is 0-26 in playoff series after losing the first two games. It played without captain Zdeno Chara, who was scratched after being hospitalized overnight with dehydration.

The loss was Boston's sixth in a row in the playoffs dating to last season, which ended with four straight losses to the Flyers in the East semifinals. The Bruins were booed off the ice after the first and second periods. "Let's be honest. Our team has not played at all close to the way we can," coach Claude Julien said.

First Period—1, Montreal, Cammalleri 1 (Wisniewski), :43. 2, Montreal, Darche 1 (Cammalleri), 2:20 (pp). Penalties—Seidenberg, Bos (interference), 2:14; Hamrlik, Mon (roughing), 10:09; Horton, Bos (roughing), 10:24; Gill, Mon (cross-checking), 19:27.

Second Period—3, Boston, Bergeron 1 (Marchand, Recchi), 7:38. 4, Montreal, Weber 1 (Eller, Hamrlik), 17:21. Penalties—Lucic, Bos (high-sticking), 4:34; Wisniewski, Mon, minor-major (charging, fighting), 12:23; Hnidy, Bos, major (fighting), 12:23.

Third Period—None. Penalties—Subban, Mon (tripping), 3:20. Shots on Goal—Montreal 8-15-3—26. Boston 15-9-11—35. Power-play opportunities—Montreal 1 of 3; Boston 0 of 4. Goalies—Montreal, Price 2-0-0 (35 shots-34 saves). Boston, Thomas 0-2-0 (26-23).

Flyers outlast Sabres

PHILADELPHIA — The Flyers held on for a 5-4 win over the Sabres to even their East quarterfinal at one in a game that had six goals, almost 30 penalty minutes and three goalies in the first period alone.

The teams finished with a combined 54 penalty minutes. "I think we did get a little bit too jacked up," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

First Period—1, Phila., Giroux 1 (Timonen, Coburn), 4:00. 2, Buffalo, Vanek 1 (Gragnani, Pominville), 6:43 (pp). 3, Phila., Carcillo 1 (Versteeg, Carle), 7:20. 4, Buffalo, Vanek 2 (Stafford, Connolly), 9:43 (pp). 5, Buffalo, Sekera 1 (Kaleta), 12:30. 6, Phila., van Riemsdyk 1 (Giroux, Meszaros), 13:14. Penalties—Hartnell, Phi (roughing), 4:14; Timonen, Phi (hooking), 5:52; Gaustad, Buf, major (fighting), 6:45; Kaleta, Buf (roughing), 6:45; Briere, Phi (roughing), 6:45; Hartnell, Phi, major (fighting), 6:45; Powe, Phi (cross-checking), 9:06; Sekera, Buf (interference), 10:18; Gerbe, Buf, served by Vanek, double minor (roughing), 16:02; Giroux, Phi (roughing), 16:02; Myers, Buf (interference), 16:45.

Second Period—7, Phila., Leino 1 (Timonen, Meszaros), 13:36 (pp). 8, Phila., Briere 1 (Hartnell, Carle), 15:27. Penalties—Myers, Buf (tripping), 2:57; Buffalo bench, served by Vanek (too many men), 5:18; Carter, Phi (hooking), 7:13; Pominville, Buf (tripping), 8:01; Gaustad, Buf (holding stick), 9:22; Montador, Buf (tripping), 12:25; Kaleta, Buf (roughing), 15:39; Phila. bench, served by Carcillo (too many men), 17:30.

Third Period—9, Buffalo, McCormick 1 (Niedermayer, Grier), 6:12. Penalties—Meszaros, Phi (slashing), :10; Timonen, Phi (tripping), 4:03; Timonen, Phi (delay of game), 6:21; Sekera, Buf (high-sticking), 9:02. Shots on Goal—Buffalo 10-8-10—28. Phila. 13-11-10—34. Power-play opportunities—Buffalo 2 of 8; Phila. 1 of 10. Goalies—Buffalo, Miller 1-1-0 (34 shots-29 saves). Phila., Bobrovsky (7-4), Boucher 1-0-0 (12:30 first, 21-20).

Datsyuk leads Wings

DETROIT — Pavel Datsyuk had two goals and two assists — one of the latter on a between-the-legs shot that set up a goal — and the Red Wings held on for a 4-3 win over the Coyotes to take a 2-0 lead in their West quarterfinal.

Datsyuk's trick shot in the first was saved. Darren Helm scored on the rebound. "It was a stupid thing. It worked, though," Datsyuk said. "Maybe next time, I try more easy way to score."

First Period—1, Detroit, Datsyuk 2 (Lidstrom, Bertuzzi), 10:42 (pp). 2, Detroit, Rafalski 2 (Datsyuk, Holmstrom), 15:50 (pp). 3, Detroit, Helm 1 (Datsyuk, Lidstrom), 19:01. Penalties—Boedker, Pho (interference), 5:35; Hanzal, Pho, served by Boedker (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:59; Cleary, Det (roughing), 9:59; V.Filppula, Det (interference), 13:06; Whitney, Pho (interference), 13:36; Rozsival, Pho (slashing), 15:23.

Second Period—4, Detroit, Holmstrom 1 (V.Filppula, Datsyuk), 1:11. 5, Phoenix, Vrbata 2 (Doan, Yandle), 7:02 (pp). Penalties—Cleary, Det (elbowing), 6:46; Klesla, Pho (cross-checking), 7:52; V.Filppula, Det (interference), 7:55; Helm, Det (boarding), 11:05; Doan, Pho (roughing), 18:31; Franzen, Det (roughing), 18:31.

Third Period—6, Phoenix, Doan 1 (Yandle, Vrbata), 5:49 (pp). 7, Phoenix, Doan 2 (Yandle, Vrbata), 8:37 (pp). Penalties—Bertuzzi, Det (slashing), 5:27; Franzen, Det (cross-checking), 6:38; Helm, Det (interference), 6:47. Shots on Goal—Phoenix 8-14-11—33. Detroit 9-12-10—31. Power-play opportunities—Phoenix 3 of 7; Detroit 2 of 5. Goalies—Phoenix, Bryzgalov 0-2-0 (31 shots-27 saves). Detroit, Howard 2-0-0 (33-30).

Ducks' Ryan suspended two games: Top-line forward Bobby Ryan was suspended for two games by the league for stomping on Predator Jonathan Blum's foot during a puck battle in Friday's 5-3 Ducks win. No penalty was called; Blum wasn't hurt. League disciplinarian Colin Campbell called Ryan's move "reckless and dangerous." Ryan will miss tonight's Game 3 and Game 4; the series is tied at one. He said he didn't agree with the ban but "I'll be a good teammate and move forward."

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Rays vs. Twins

When/where: 1:40 today; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

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

Probable starters

RAYS: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-1, 4.09)

TWINS: LHP Brian Duensing (0-0, 4.15)

Tickets: $12-$255 at Tropicana Field box office, Ticketmaster, raysbaseball.com, team store in Tampa, $3 surcharge within five hours of game.

Promotion: David Price arm sleeve, first 10,000 kids 14 and under

Watch for …

Instant replay: Hellickson beat the Twins in his major-league debut in August, allowing two runs in seven innings. He has not allowed more than three runs in any of his six career starts.

Right stuff: Duensing moved into the Twins rotation last season and did well, going 7-3. The Rays, though, have become lefty lovers, posting a 38-21 mark vs. them since the start of 2010.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Duensing

Johnny Damon 0-for-5

Sean Rodriguez 1-for-3, HR

B.J. Upton 1-for-3

Twins vs. Hellickson

Michael Cuddyer 0-for-3

Jason Kubel 2-for-3, HR

Jim Thome 0-for-3

On deck

Monday: vs. White Sox, 6:40, FSN. Rays — David Price (1-2, 3.92); Sox — Edwin Jackson (2-0, 2.89)

Tuesday: vs. White Sox, 6:40, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (0-1, 3.98); Sox — John Danks (0-1, 3.15)

Damon's hit list

Where Johnny Damon stands on the all-time list:

79. Reggie Jackson 2,584

80t. Ernie Banks 2,583

80t. Johnny Damon 2,583

82. Richie Ashburn 2,574

Manny Ramirez 2,574

Source: Rays

Number of the day

15 Ninth-inning runs by Rays, most in the majors.

Comparison of the day

2011: 3 wins when trailing after 8 innings though 14 games

2010: 6 wins when trailing after 8 innings over 162 games

Quote of the day

"I've been through all of it. I understand this game. It's never going to be easy except when I'm sitting at home watching the game on TV when I'm done playing."

Johnny Damon, Rays outfielder/DH

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Giants 5, Diamondbacks 3

PHOENIX — Freddy Sanchez doubled in the tying run in the sixth then put the Giants up for good with a two-run single in the seventh as San Francisco won its fourth in a row. Giants starter Barry Zito sprained his right foot lunging for a bunt in the second and left the game. X-rays were negative. Reliever Guillermo Mota pitched a careerlong 41/3 innings.

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, April 16, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG

The Rays have had some stars. Young stars, old stars, All-Stars. They've had humble stars, obnoxious stars and faux stars.

Through 10 years of futility and three years of prosperity, they have had stars who shined, stars who faded and stars of every illumination in between.

But until Johnny Damon came along, the Rays have never had a rock star.

Or is that Rock Star?

It's the hair, yes. And the beard. It's the round of golf with Donald Trump and the banter in the garage with Dale Earnhardt Jr. It's the episode of MTV's Cribs and the appearance on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

At the moment, however, it is the sight of two dozen men racing out of a dugout to jump up and down in unison around their lead singer.

For the fifth consecutive game — which neatly matches Tampa Bay's five-game winning streak — Damon was credited with a game-winning RBI in Saturday's 4-3 victory against the Twins. And for the second time in three days, it arrived on the final pitch of a seat-of-your-pants victory at Tropicana Field.

"Around the fourth inning, I said, 'It's going to be one of those games again. Somebody is going to have to get the big hit,' " bench coach Dave Martinez said. "Johnny said, 'Ah, I'll just do it.' And boom! After the game, we just looked at each other and laughed."

Damon has brought a star quality never before seen in this clubhouse. It's an aura, a swagger, a red carpet attitude that is impossible to fake.

Wade Boggs was on his way to the Hall of Fame, but his was more of a chip-on-the-shoulder sense of pride. Greg Vaughn had a presence, but it was lost on a team going nowhere. Troy Percival had a professional's impact, but not on this scale.

Damon is the guy with World Series rings from Boston and New York, a best-selling biography and AC/DC front man Brian Johnson singing at his wedding reception.

The guy who dropped water balloons from the 34th floor terrace of the Ritz-Carlton in Boston and who popularized the name Idiots for the 2004 world champion Red Sox.

He's the guy who, after a charter flight home from a seven-day road trip, turns up the volume on the bus ride from the airport and sings his signature wail from the so-bad-it's-good 2001 movie Rock Star. At 12:30 in the morning.

"Awesome," centerfielder B.J. Upton said. "It's this high-pitched, 'Eeeeeeee!' We've been doing it ever since. We haven't stopped singing it. It's pretty funny."

"Hilarious," leftfielder Sam Fuld said.

"It's like this high-pitched squeal, but it's awesome," shortstop Reid Brignac said. "It started at the (spring training) talent show when he was counting out, 'Eight, nine, teeeeeeeeEEEEEEEN!' Now he does it just about daily."

He's the guy who made a point of going from locker to locker during spring training to get to know his new teammates, some of whom were in elementary school when Damon broke in with the Royals in 1995. The guy who brought his boat down to Port Charlotte and had, well, boatloads of guys join him for afternoon excursions.

"He's the perfect fit for our clubhouse right now with all the youth out there," manager Joe Maddon said. "He really is the perfect kind of Mixmaster blender to get this thing working properly. He just has a good way out there.

"I've heard about him, now I'm seeing it. He's backing it up with five game-winning RBIs. That's ridiculous … it's exactly what we needed."

He's the guy who has the Captain Morgan rum neon sign next to his locker that is powered up every time the Rays win a game at Tropicana Field.

He's the guy who called a team meeting in Chicago even though he had been a Tampa Bay Ray for exactly six regular-season games and was sporting a .053 average.

He's the guy, along with catcher Kelly Shoppach, who arranged a hitters-only meeting at Abe and Louie's steakhouse in Boston's back bay last week. The next day, the winning streak began with a 16-5 victory.

"I know the guys look up to me. They look at me as a champion; they look at me as a veteran ballplayer who really cares about the game," Damon said. "That's why I approach the game as I do. And the day I don't, I'll walk away."

Who knows how long it will last. The Rays still are a team with serious flaws on offense, and the bullpen is still largely untested. And Damon is still a 37-year-old whose on-base percentage has decreased each of the past two seasons.

But, for now, Damon has ignited a lineup that was left for dead. And he has livened up a clubhouse that had been stripped of much of its character.

"He has time for everybody, he's got a good word for everybody, he's got a smile for everybody and he's definitely got a very succinct message for everybody," Maddon said. "He's got 'em. He's got 'em. He's got 'em all.

"They're all in with him right now, and it's a beautiful thing."

Almost makes you want to sing.

Times wires
Saturday, April 16, 2011

Cubs 8, Rockies 3

DENVER — Casey Coleman worked into the sixth and Starlin Castro hit a three-run homer to help snap the Rockies' seven-game winning streak. Colorado's previous losses both were in extra innings. Former Ray Jason Hammel became the first Rockies starter to lose a game.

Times wires
Sunday, April 17, 2011

Athletics 6, Tigers 2

OAKLAND, Calif. — Dallas Braden allowed an unearned run in five innings before leaving with stiffness in his pitching shoulder, and the Athletics got five doubles off Tigers ace Justin Verlander. David DeJesus and Hideki Matsui had two hits apiece for Oakland. The Athletics, who committed their majors-leading 17th error, still managed to get their second home win this year.

Times wires
Sunday, April 17, 2011

Indians 4, Orioles 2

CLEVELAND — Grady Sizemore homered and doubled in his first game back after major knee surgery last year, and the Indians completed a three-game series sweep. The Orioles have lost seven straight. Cleveland's hustling All-Star centerfielder and leadoff man, Sizemore hadn't played since May, when he had microfracture surgery on his left knee. "I just wanted to go up there, have good at-bats, help the team and get a win," Sizemore said.

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, April 17, 2011

BRANDON — His performance this season was disappointing, and yet no one is complaining. His numbers were insufficient, and yet nobody is counting.

It is true Simon Gagne's debut season in Tampa Bay could have included a bit more razzle and a dash of dazzle, but it is still too soon to close the book.

For the way we remember Gagne in Tampa Bay will have more to do with a handful of playoff games in April than the six months of regular-season games that came first.

Forget the $5.25 million contract that is among the highest on the team. And forget the draft pick and the prospect it cost to bring Gagne to Tampa Bay.

All will be forgiven with the right goal at the right moment.

"What people remember is how you finish the season, and how you do in the playoffs," Gagne said. "That's what it comes down to. Everybody wants the player who can do the job at this time of the season, not at the start of the season. That's the way I see it.

"That's the way I've always looked at my career."

Is this time of the season a major reason why the Lightning brought Gagne here?

"I think so," Gagne said. "Yeah, I would think so."

It's not that the regular season was insignificant or that Gagne's experience and skill wasn't valued from October to February, but a large part of his appeal was his postseason history with the Flyers.

Gagne, 31, has more playoff goals in his career than Marty St. Louis. He has more than Vinny Lecavalier. Of all the players still on the ice in the NHL, only a dozen or so have scored more than Gagne's 32 career playoff goals.

So while it may have been unrealistic to anticipate anything close to the 40-goal seasons he had in his mid 20s in Philadelphia, there has been a season-long expectation that Gagne would show up when it mattered most.

And, to some degree, it has happened that way. Gagne was invisible for most of the first half of the season, although much of that was due to a pinched nerve in his neck that kept him out of the lineup for a month and bothered him even longer.

Few people would speak fondly of a former All-Star who finished a season with 17 goals. And it would be hard to find anyone to argue in favor of a minus-12 that is tied for worst on the roster.

Still, as Steven Stamkos slowed down and Ryan Malone and Steve Downie went out with injuries, Gagne's contributions increased dramatically. His 14 goals in the season's second half were tied for second on the team, trailing only Lecavalier's 18.

And now the playoffs give him a chance to start anew. Gagne already has made an impact with three assists in Tampa Bay's Game 2 victory.

"Yes, I think (the postseason) is how he'll be remembered in Tampa," said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. "In Philly they've seen him at his best. They know who he is.

"In Tampa, obviously he's been pushing hard this last portion of the year. That's the Simon Gagne I know. Obviously, that's how Steve (Yzerman) knows him. That's why he's here. So he's not surprising me now. We're just happy that's it's finally come about to help us at the right time. He's one of those guys who had to step it up, and he did."

Gagne's legacy in Tampa Bay will be tied almost entirely to the coming weeks for it seems unlikely he will be back next season.

When dealing with its unrestricted free agents this summer, the Lightning will probably reserve most of its cash for defenseman Eric Brewer and goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

There is also the issue of coming to terms on a long-term deal with Stamkos and, in another year, Victor Hedman.

That may not make Gagne a long shot for an offer, but he is not going to be a priority either. He has expressed interest in remaining in Tampa Bay, but the Lightning will probably not offer anything close to what he might get on the open market.

Which means the coming weeks could ultimately define the relationship between a player and a fan base. Maybe, at one time, hope was higher for Gagne. And maybe, at one point, the ending seemed destined for despair.

But, today, there is still time to write a new ending. Today, Gagne has a chance to be the player Lightning fans were expecting all those months ago.

"In the playoffs, you're ready to pay more of the price. You're ready to give everything," Gagne said. "The regular season, it's 82 games, it lasts a long time. It's really hard to give everything you have for 82 games.

"In the playoffs, if you think about it, you need to win 16 games to get to the appropriate end. You've got two months. You have to be willing to pay whatever the price is to get through those two months."

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, April 17, 2011

BRANDON

His performance this season was disappointing, and yet no one is complaining. His numbers were insufficient, and yet nobody is counting.

It is true Simon Gagne's debut season in Tampa Bay could have included a bit more razzle and a dash of dazzle, but it is still too soon to close the book.

For the way we remember Gagne in Tampa Bay will have more to do with a handful of playoff games in April than the six months of regular-season games that came first.

Forget the $5.25 million contract that is among the highest on the team. And forget the draft pick and the prospect it cost to bring Gagne to Tampa Bay.

All will be forgiven with the right goal at the right moment.

"What people remember is how you finish the season, and how you do in the playoffs," Gagne said. "That's what it comes down to. Everybody wants the player who can do the job at this time of the season, not at the start of the season. That's the way I see it.

"That's the way I've always looked at my career."

So is this why the Lightning brought Gagne here?

"I think so," he said. "Yeah, I would think so."

It's not that the regular season was insignificant or that Gagne's experience and skill wasn't valued from October to February, but a large part of his appeal was his postseason history with the Flyers.

Gagne, 31, has more playoff goals in his career than Marty St. Louis. He has more than Vinny Lecavalier. Of all the players still on the ice in the NHL, only a dozen or so have scored more than Gagne's 32 career playoff goals.

So while it may have been unrealistic to anticipate anything close to the 40-goal seasons he had in his mid 20s in Philadelphia, there has been a seasonlong expectation that Gagne would show up when it mattered most.

And, to some degree, it has happened that way. Gagne was invisible for most of the first half of the season, although much of that was due to a pinched nerve in his neck that kept him out of the lineup for a month and bothered him even longer.

Few people would speak fondly of a former All-Star who finished a season with 17 goals. And it would be hard to find anyone to argue in favor of a minus-12 that is tied for worst on the roster.

Still, as Steven Stamkos slowed down and Ryan Malone and Steve Downie went out with injuries, Gagne's contributions increased dramatically. His 14 goals in the season's second half were tied for second on the team, trailing only Lecavalier's 18.

And now the playoffs give him a chance to start anew. Gagne already has made an impact with three assists in Tampa Bay's Game 2 victory.

"Yes, I think (the postseason) is how he'll be remembered in Tampa," said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. "In Philly they've seen him at his best. They know who he is.

"In Tampa, obviously he's been pushing hard this last portion of the year. That's the Simon Gagne I know. Obviously, that's how Steve (Yzerman) knows him. That's why he's here. So he's not surprising me now. We're just happy that's it's finally come about to help us at the right time. He's one of those guys who had to step it up, and he did."

Gagne's legacy in Tampa Bay will be tied almost entirely to the coming weeks for it seems unlikely he will be back next season.

When dealing with its unrestricted free agents this summer, the Lightning will probably reserve most of its cash for defenseman Eric Brewer and goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

There is also the issue of coming to terms on a long-term deal with Stamkos and, in another year, Victor Hedman.

That may not make Gagne a long shot for an offer, but he is not going to be a priority either. He has expressed interest in remaining in Tampa Bay, but the Lightning will probably not offer anything close to what he might get on the open market.

Which means the coming weeks could ultimately define the relationship between a player and a fan base. Maybe, at one time, hope was higher for Gagne. And maybe, at one point, the ending seemed destined for despair.

But, today, there is still time to write a new ending. Today, Gagne has a chance to be the player Lightning fans were expecting all those months ago.

"In the playoffs, you're ready to pay more of the price. You're ready to give everything," Gagne said. "The regular season, it's 82 games, it lasts a long time. It's really hard to give everything you have for 82 games.

"In the playoffs, if you think about it, you need to win 16 games to get to the appropriate end. You've got two months. You have to be willing to pay whatever the price is to get through those two months."

Times wires
Sunday, April 17, 2011

Pirates 7, Reds 6

CINCINNATI — Andrew McCutchen led off with a homer then singled in the tiebreaking run in the eighth, rallying the Pirates in a windy, unpredictable game. "It definitely gave me some gray hairs," said McCutchen, who had three hits and two walks.