By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Rays at Twins

When/where: 2:10; Target Field, Minneapolis

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

Probable pitchers

Rays: RH James Shields (10-7, 4.08)

TWINs: LH Scott Diamond (10-5, 2.91)

On Shields: Coming off strong back-to-back outings, having allowed 1 run and 5 hits over 17 innings. Is 4-2, 4.24 in 10 starts vs. Twins, 1-1, 4.50 at Target Field.

On Diamond: Solid performer after early May promotion, Diamond is 2-1, 1.93 in his past three starts, including a three-hit shutout of Cleveland. Tough to read because lefties have a .314 average against, righties .251.

Key matchups

RAYS VS. DIAMOND

None have faced

TWINS VS. SHIELDS

Joe Mauer 10-for-25

Justin Morneau 9-for-26, 4 HRs

Denard Span 3-for-24

On deck

Monday: at Mariners, 10:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Alex Cobb (6-8, 4.32); M's — Blake Beavan (7-6, 5.12)

Tuesday: at Mariners, 10:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore (9-7, 3.73); M's — Kevin Millwood (4-10, 4.38)

Wednesday: at Mariners, 3:40, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 3.52); M's — Felix Hernandez (10-5, 2.74)

Quote of the day

"It's definitely a Godspell moment."

Manager Joe Maddon, referencing the musical's song Day by Day in describing Evan Longoria's status

The "Jose Molina is an All-Star" note

That's right. But it's the Jose Molina who is a 21-year-old pitcher for short-season Class A Hudson Valley, not the Rays catcher. (And they're not related.) RHP Joel Peralta has been mentoring the pitching Molina, who is from his Dominican hometown, and introduced the two this spring: "He's like a 6-foot, 150-pound lefty — they're nothing alike."

Stat of the day

9

Hits by Desmond Jennings on the first pitch of a game to the Rays.

AL wild-card race

Team W L Pct. GB

Tampa Bay 61 52 .540—

Baltimore 61 52 .540—*

Oakland 61 52 .540—

Detroit 61 53 .535 .5

Los Angeles 60 54 .526 1.5

* Late game not included

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Cardinals 4, Phillies 1

PHILADELPHIA — Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer and Jake Westbrook won his fifth straight start to lead the Cardinals. Cliff Lee retired 12 straight before St. Louis got consecutive hits to open the sixth. Holliday followed with a shot to right. Lee has allowed eight homers over his past three home starts and 19 overall on the season. He gave up 18 in 232⅔ innings in 2011.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 11, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — LF Desmond Jennings got things started quickly for the Rays again Saturday.

For the sixth time in 15 games since being reinstalled in the leadoff spot July 24, and for the second straight night, Jennings ripped a hit on the first pitch of the game to the Rays. He swung at the first pitch in four other games, with three misses and a foul ball.

You'd think the other teams might notice that on their scouting reports.

"Until it stops working, I'm going to keep doing it," Jennings said. "First pitch of the game, you pretty much know it's going to be a strike."

Manager Joe Maddon is all for the aggressive approach. "If he gets out and starts our games like that — you can't do it every night — but does it a little bit more often, he absolutely can be a catalyst for us," he said.

RECORD NIGHT: RHP Fernando Rodney broke the team record, previously shared by Roberto Hernandez (1999) and Rafael Soriano (2010), by converting his 20th consecutive save, his major-league-leading 35th in 36 tries. "What can you say — the superlatives, there aren't enough,'' Maddon said. … For LHP David Price to share the team record for consecutive quality starts (six or more innings, three or fewer runs) is no surprise. What is surprising is that he matched Julio Santana, who did so in the 1998 inaugural season. Price is also the first Rays pitcher with two seasons of 15 or more wins.

SHIELDS ROLLING: After muddling through a 15-start stretch with a 3-7, 5.16 record, RHP James Shields takes the mound today coming off back-to-back impressive outings.

One technical difference is that he has made more use of his fastball, throwing it 50 percent of the time (107 of 214 pitches, per fangraphs.com) compared to 27.7 percent previously. The change was by design, part of an overall strategy to be more aggressive, Shields said. But it also depends on him having a good feel for the fastball when he gets on the mound, the opponent and the game situation.

Another was more internal.

"I definitely wanted to do better in that stretch," he said. "David (Price) has been phenomenal all year. He's really picked up the slack for me and so have the other guys, so now it's my time to rise."

LONGO UPDATE: For the second straight day, Maddon came to the stadium thinking he wouldn't play Evan Longoria and changed his plans after talking to him and head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield. "He came in adamant that he felt way better (Saturday) than he did (Friday)," Maddon said.

Longoria, who missed 85 games with a left hamstring injury, was 0-for-4 Saturday. He is 5-for-19 in his first five games.

GLOVE LOVE: The Rays tied the team record with their 10th consecutive errorless game, continuing their marked improvement since the All-Star break. After making 71 errors in the 86 games before the break (second most in the majors), they have made only seven in their first 27 after the break, matching the fewest.

REHAB REPORT: Luke Scott was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts as the DH for advanced Class A Charlotte in his first rehab game. Scott, out since July 21 with a mild oblique strain, is scheduled to play again today and be re-evaluated Monday, looking to rejoin the Rays this week.

MISCELLANY: B.J. Upton and Matt Joyce, extending his hitting streak to 10 games, teamed for the Rays' third back-to-back homers of the season. … Upton on the 425- and 433-foot blasts: "That's all I got.'' … For just the fourth time this season, Maddon used the same lineup and batting order in consecutive games. … Ben Zobrist started his third straight game at shortstop, Maddon again praised his play. … The five-game winning streak is one shy of their season high, done twice.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Bo Van Pelt annihilated the Ocean Course on Saturday afternoon, turning in a scintillating 5-under-par 67 during the third round of the PGA Championship.

The course gave him its best shot. The winds weren't as bullish as Friday, but they were shifty. Still, Van Pelt logged birdie after birdie en route to a virtually flawless, bogey-free round.

As he walked off the course, he had pulled within two shots of then-leaders Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods.

Then, he said this:

"I did what I could do, and I'm sure before I go to bed tonight I'll know kind of where I stand."

Yeah, about that .

Heavy rains moved in late Saturday afternoon and suspended play with the leaders still on the course.

Third-round play will resume at 7:45 a.m. today, with the final round beginning at approximately 11:44. The fourth round will be played in groups of three with half starting on No. 1 and the other half beginning on No. 10.

Rory McIlroy had surged into the lead at 7 under after carding 32 through nine holes. Singh was tied with McIlroy at 6 under. Singh was on No. 8 when the tempest blew in.

McIlroy credited better pin placements and several holes where the tees had been moved up for the lower scores. He, as well as most of the leaders, will be playing 27 holes today.

"I don't mind," he said. "It's nice to go into the final day — hopefully — in a great position. I don't think you can let it affect you at all. The way I'm looking at it, I'm going into the final day of the final major of the season tied for the lead."

McIlroy's round was saved by a blimp. After beginning with a pair of birdies, his tee shot on No. 3 flew into a tree. An overhead television blimp caught the ball's trajectory and a member of the television crew directed McIlroy to its location, wedged between the bark and the trunk.

He took a drop and managed to salvage par.

"How can it be stuck in this thing?" McIlroy said. "There's no branches, no leaves for it to get stuck in, but it sort of wedged itself between the tree bark and the actual tree, so I was happy to get up-and-down for (par) and move on."

The savage downpour perhaps saved Woods, who was tumbling down the leaderboard with bogeys on three of his last four holes. He was at 1-under par overall and 3 over through seven holes.

The meanest course in PGA Championship history (Saturday's 78.10 average was the highest ever) had undergone something of a change of heart before the rains and yielded five scores in the 60s after one on Friday. Joining Van Pelt on the south side of 70 were Steve Stricker (67), Jimmy Walker (67), David Lynn (68) and Padraig Harrington (69).

Harrington said the suspension could help or hinder the cause of those who finished before the rain.

"The guys might come back out and it could be flat calm," he said. "It could be a good break, but it could be a bad break as well. We'll just have to see how it all pans out."

Several other golfers were well on their way to low scores. Among them was Adam Scott, who was at 4 under through nine, one stroke back.

First-round leader Carl Pettersson was also 4 under while playing even through eight holes.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Marlins 7, Dodgers 3

MIAMI — Carlos Lee hit one of the Marlins' season-high five doubles and drove in two. Miami rallied with a four-run fifth keyed by consecutive doubles from Donovan Solano, Nick Green and John Buck. Matt Kemp had three hits and two steals for the Dodgers.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Unlikely platform gold for u.s.

D avid Boudia was once desperately afraid of heights, particularly the three-story height of the platform used for the men's high-dive competition. Saturday he dove from that 10-meter board with such flair under such pressure that he won an unlikely gold medal, the first U.S. men's individual diving gold since Greg Louganis in 1988, its first gold overall since 2000 and the first by a U.S. man since 1992. "I dreamed about this. It didn't even feel like I was diving, it was so surreal," said Boudia (pronounced Bo-DIE-uh), 23. He won on his last dive by 1.80 points over China's Qiu Bo in the closest men's platform contest since 1988, when Louganis won the last of his four golds by 1.14 over China's Xiong Ni. Britain's Tom Daley settled for bronze after leading going into the final dive in front of a raucous home crowd. American Nick McCrory was ninth in his first Olympics. Boudia had no idea he was tied for second with Qiu going into the last round. He scored 102.60 points on a back 2½ somersault with 2½ twists pike with a 3.6 degree of difficulty. It was the highest score of any dive in the final. Qiu followed and scored 100.80, not enough to deliver a seventh gold for China in these Games. "I was very nervous," Qiu, 19, said through a translator. "I have competed so many times, but I have never had that much nervousness."

Bronze for u.s. in mountain biking

France's Julie Bresset took advantage of a mistake by defending gold medalist Sabine Spitz of Germany on a rough section of the picturesque mountain bike course in the English countryside, then gradually pulled away from the rest of the field, rolling through the last of six laps all alone to win the gold. Spitz was second, and American Georgia Gould took the bronze, the first medal for an American mountain biker since Susan DeMattai's bronze in 1996. "I knew that a medal was possible. I knew that on my best day I was capable of winning the race," Gould said. "Julie rode a great race. She was at the front at the start, which was smart."

Mexico's golden stunner

On one side of the field, Brazilian soccer prodigy Neymar fell in despair. On the other, Mexican defender Diego Reyes dropped to the ground with glee. Mexico, a decided underdog, won the country's first gold medal at the Games — and first significant international soccer trophy of any kind — with a lively 2-1 victory over Brazil at Wembley Stadium. Oribe Peralta scored the first goal of the game 28 seconds in, then added a second 15 minutes from full time to set off a wild, raucous celebration among its fans. "We had 89-plus minutes to turn the match around," Brazilian coach Mario Menezes said, "but we didn't."

U.S. drops gold to brazil

The U.S. women's volleyball team entered the gold-medal match as the favorite, and it played the role superbly early. But in scarcely more than an hour, the four years of work it put in since losing the gold medal to Brazil in Beijing seemed to evaporate. Brazil emphatically took the final three sets in an 11-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17 victory. The Americans, ranked first in the world, dominated the tournament, entering the final undefeated, including a dismantling of Brazil in pool play. But Brazil made changes that turned the match. "Once you start playing catchup, once you start reacting, it's very difficult," coach Hugh McCutcheon said.

Other sports

• Qieyang Shenjie, the first Tibetan athlete China has fielded in the Olympics, took bronze in the women's 20-kilometer race walk. She finished 14 seconds behind winner Elena Lashmanova of Russia, who set a world record of 1 hour, 25 minutes, 2 seconds.

• Bantamweight Luke Campbell won Britain's first boxing gold medal in his division since 1908, dramatically knocking down rival John Joe Nevin of Ireland midway through the third round of a 14-11 victory on the first day of medal fights. Zou Shiming of China defended his light flyweight gold medal from Beijing with a 13-10 victory over Thailand's Kaeo Pongprayoon, who angrily protested the result.

U.S. adds bronze in wrestling

American Coleman Scott made a surprise run to the semifinals in freestyle wrestling's 60-kilogram class before being drubbed by eventual gold medalist Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan. But he ended up with a bronze medal. U.S. heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev lost his bronze match to Iran's Komeil Ghasemi. At 84kg, American Jake Herbert lost a quarterfinal to eventual winner Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan that led to a postmatch dispute between U.S. coach Zeke Jones and officials over scoring.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Astros 6, Brewers 5

10 innings

HOUSTON — Scott Moore hit a walkoff single as the Astros won consecutive games for the first time since June.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

CHICAGO — Former Ray Jonny Gomes homered to tie the score, and Brandon Inge hit a go-ahead single as the Athletics scored twice in the eighth inning and beat the White Sox 9-7 Saturday night.

Oakland had a five-run third and led 5-2, but the White Sox rallied and took a 7-6 lead in the seventh on A.J. Pierzynski's RBI single off Ryan Cook.

After Gomes homered off Matt Thornton, Yoenis Cespedes and Chris Carter singled before Inge greeted Brett Myers with a single into the rightfield corner. Gomes had an RBI single in the ninth.

Former Ray Grant Balfour pitched the ninth for his first save since May 5.

Tyler Flowers homered and had three RBIs and a career-high three hits for the White Sox. Kevin Youkilis also homered for Chicago.

Chicago starter Francisco Liriano, who left his previous start after five innings with a bruised right quadriceps, didn't make it out of the fourth this time.

By Bryan Burns, Times Correspondent
Saturday, August 11, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Should the Tampa Bay Rowdies fail to earn a first-round playoff bye or homefield advantage for a possible NASL quarterfinal matchup, the team will likely point to Saturday night's scoreless draw with Atlanta as the main culprit.

The Rowdies had multiple opportunities to earn a victory and three points against the last-place Silverbacks at Al Lang Field but came up empty in front of an announced 3,027.

The Rowdies (10-4-7, 35 points) failed to score for the first time in 10 games, since a 2-0 road loss to Puerto Rico on June 9.

"I thought we played well at times, but at other times I thought maybe we let (Atlanta) play a little bit too much," said Perry Van Der Beck, who filled in as the Rowdies coach while Ricky Hill served a one-game suspension after his second-half dismissal Aug. 4 at Carolina. "Overall, we created enough chances to win the game."

The best came in first-half stoppage time after the Rowdies were awarded a penalty kick when Takuya Yamada's right-footed volley from inside the box was knocked down by the hand of an Atlanta player.

Matt Clare stepped to the spot for his first penalty kick with Tampa Bay, but his low shot toward the right post was stopped by a diving Daniel Illyes (four saves). The PK miss was the second in as many games for the Rowdies. Mike Ambersley was unsuccessful at Carolina.

"I wasn't worried at all when we missed," said Rowdies defender Andres Arango, who got his first start since a July 12 loss at Minnesota. "It was unfortunate that we couldn't come up with the result, but the good thing is we had the opportunities. They're still coming."

In the 86th minute, Rowdies midfielder Keith Savage had a goal disallowed after Ambersley was whistled for a foul on Illyes before Savage struck the ball.

A few moments later, Savage dribbled nearly the length of the field and, nearing the 18-yard box, slipped a pass through to second-half substitute Evans Frimpong on the left wing. Frimpong had an open look from close range, but his shot sailed well over the crossbar.

"We did have quite a few chances, two or three that could have gone in," Arango said.

Atlanta (4-5-12, 18 points) had only one shot on goal, that coming in the second half. Rowdies goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, a Countryside High and USF graduate, recorded his seventh shutout this season and 12th of his professional career.

The Rowdies, who travel to league-leading San Antonio on Aug. 19, are unbeaten in five games overall and their past seven at Al Lang.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

LONDON — After an unforgettable performance in the 400-meter relay, Usain Bolt wanted a souvenir with which to remember his second Olympics. His grip tightened around his object of choice: the baton he had received from his training mate, Yohan Blake, and carried across the finish line in world-record time moments earlier.

The Jamaican team Bolt anchored had set a record of 36.84 seconds to edge the U.S. squad, which tied the Jamaicans' previous world mark of 37.04. Only after he had secured his sixth gold medal in two Olympics — three in each — did Bolt lose a piece of history he considered his.

An official asked for the baton, and Bolt grudgingly relinquished it. It was no way for a legend to exit the world's stage, and by the time the medal ceremony was held, Bolt had his baton back.

"He said I have to give it back or the relay would be disqualified," Bolt said. "That was kind of weird. I guess somebody talked to the guy and said you need to give him the baton."

In adding to his golds in the 100 and 200, Bolt helped Jamaica become the first country to successfully defend its men's sprint relay title since 1976.

The U.S. anchor, Ryan Bailey, ran well but could not keep pace with Bolt. "Bolt, he's an animal, he's a beast. … I just ran my heart out," Bailey said.

Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay ran the first three legs for the United States. Also getting a silver medal for running in the preliminary was former Gator Jeff Demps.

Canada finished third but was disqualified for a lane violation. That gave the bronze to Trinidad and Tobago.

Also running her heart out was Allyson Felix, on the second leg of the women's 1,600 relay. She ran 47.8 seconds and staked the United States to a 2-second lead on the way to its fifth consecutive gold in the event. Felix, DeeDee Trotter, Francena McCorory and Sanya Richards-Ross were timed in 3 minutes, 16.87 seconds, good for a 3.36-second rout over Russia, the biggest margin in the final since East Germany beat the United States by 3.58 seconds in 1976.

"By the time I got the stick, it was basically a victory lap," said Richards-Ross, who won her second gold after taking the 400.

Brigetta Barrett took silver in the high jump, the first U.S. woman to medal since 1988. Russia's Mariya Savinova added the 800 title to her world title, and Caster Semenya of South Africa finished second.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Preseason

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

New England 1 0 0 1.000 7 6

Miami 0 1 0 .000 7 20

N.Y. Jets 0 1 0 .000 6 17

Buffalo 0 1 0 .000 6 7

South W L T Pct PF PA

Jacksonville 1 0 0 1.000 32 31

Houston 0 0 0 .000 0 0

Indianapolis 0 0 0 .000 0 0

Tennessee 0 0 0 .000 0 0

North W L T Pct PF PA

Cincinnati 1 0 0 1.000 17 6

Baltimore 1 0 0 1.000 31 17

Cleveland 1 0 0 1.000 19 17

Pittsburgh 0 1 0 .000 23 24

West W L T Pct PF PA

Denver 1 0 0 1.000 31 3

San Diego 1 0 0 1.000 21 13

Kansas City 1 0 0 1.000 27 17

Oakland 0 0 0 .000 0 0

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East W L T Pct PF PA

Washington 1 0 0 1.000 7 6

Philadelphia 1 0 0 1.000 24 23

Dallas 0 0 0 .000 0 0

N.Y. Giants 0 1 0 .000 31 32

South W L T Pct PF PA

Tampa Bay 1 0 0 1.000 20 7

New Orleans 1 1 0 .500 23 17

Carolina 0 0 0 .000 0 0

Atlanta 0 1 0 .000 17 31

North W L T Pct PF PA

Chicago 0 1 0 .000 3 31

Detroit 0 1 0 .000 17 19

Green Bay 0 1 0 .000 13 21

Minnesota 0 1 0 .000 6 17

West W L T Pct PF PA

San Francisco 1 0 0 1.000 17 6

Seattle 0 0 0 .000 0 0

St. Louis 0 0 0 .000 0 0

Arizona 0 2 0 .000 27 44

Friday

Tampa Bay 20, Miami 7

Cincinnati 17, N.Y. Jets 6

J'ville 32, N.Y. Giants 31

Cleveland 19, Detroit 17

K.C. 27, Arizona 17

San Fran. 17, Minn. 6

Saturday

Houston at Carolina, 7

Tennessee at Seattle, 10

Today

St. Louis at Indianapolis, 1:30

Monday

Dallas at Oakland, 8

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Panthers' running back tandem will be together for at least four more years.

The Panthers re-signed Jonathan Stewart to a five-year extension Saturday, locking up the 25-year-old back before he was eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

Ben Dogra, Stewart's agent, said the deal is worth $36.5 million and could reach $42.5 million, with $22.5 million in guaranteed money.

Combined with the extension received last summer by DeAngelo Williams, who is signed through 2015, the Panthers have committed $43 million to their two backs.

Dogra said the deal was finalized about 90 minutes before Saturday's preseason game against Houston. Stewart didn't carry the ball but caught one pass for 13 yards. Williams ran four times for 13 yards.

Stewart has 3,500 yards in his career. He and Williams became the first tandem in league history to rush for 1,100 yards apiece in 2009.

Dolphins' Johnson in jail for head butt

Miami receiver Chad Johnson was arrested Saturday night on a domestic violence charge, accused by his newlywed wife of head-butting her during an argument in the driveway of their Davie home.

Johnson, 34, is in Broward County Jail and will have to see a judge, which might not come until Monday, before he can be released, according to Davie police Capt. Dale Engle.

Johnson, who did not catch a pass in Friday's preseason opener against the Bucs, claims Evelyn Lozada was the one who leaned forward, not him, causing the bump as they argued in the car. Engle said Lozada, who is on the reality show Basketball Wives, was confronting the former University of Miami star about a receipt she had found for a box of condoms.

"Needless to say she has a good laceration on her forehead," Engle said of Lozada, who was treated at a hospital and released.

Johnson, previously known as Ochocinco before his July 4 wedding to Lozada, is charged with simple battery, domestic violence, a misdemeanor.

Hold that wildcat: Jets coach Rex Ryan didn't use backup quarterback Tim Tebow in the wildcat during Friday's preseason game because Bengals coach Marvin Lewis asked him not to, according to multiple reports.

"I know nobody's worried about wildcat and all that stuff. It's real easy to stop," Ryan said sarcastically, according to the New York Post. "That's why I got a call at 7 a.m. the day before we played by Marvin not wanting to see the wildcat. I guess I'm the only guy who thinks it has a place in the NFL, me and every defensive coach in the league."

Lewis and Ryan were once on the same staff in Baltimore.

Brain donation: The brain of former Titans receiver and Middleton High standout O.J. Murdock, who committed suicide last month, will be donated to Boston University researchers studying whether football injuries can lead to depression and other health problems, said his mother, Jamesena, according to an NBCSports.com report. "I'm an organ donor, and I just believe it's the right thing to do," she said. "If O.J. can help someone still living, he was the type of person who would've wanted to do this."

Falcons: Second-year linebacker Akeem Dent suffered a concussion against Baltimore and will miss next week's exhibition against Cincinnati.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Times staff
Saturday, August 11, 2012

6 a.m. – 9 a.m. Ch. 8

• Track and field (M) – Marathon (LIVE)

6 a.m. – 6 p.m. NBCSN

• Basketball (M) – Bronze, Argentina-Russia (LIVE, 6 a.m.)

• Volleyball (M) – Bronze, Bulgaria-Italy

• Water polo (M) – Bronze, Montenegro-Serbia (LIVE, 9:30 a.m.)

• Handball (M) – Final, Sweden-France (LIVE, 10 a.m.); bronze, Hungary-Croatia

• Modern pentathlon (W) – Final

7 a.m. – 11 a.m. MSNBC

• Cycling (M) – Mountain Bike final (LIVE, 8:30 a.m.)

• Wrestling – Freestyle Qualifying

8:30 – 11 a.m. CNBC

• Boxing – Final (LIVE)

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. TELEMUNDO

• Volleyball (M) – Final, Russia-Brazil

• Track and field (M) – Marathon

• Boxing – Finals

• Gymnastics – Rhythmic Final

• Basketball (M) – Final, U.S.-Spain

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Ch. 8

• Basketball (M) – Final, U.S.-Spain (LIVE, 10 a.m.)

• Volleyball (M) – Final, Russia-Brazil

• Water polo (M) – Final, Croatia-Italy

• Wrestling – Freestyle final

• Gymnastics – Rhythmic group final

7 – 10:38 p.m. Ch. 8

Closing ceremony

Midnight – 2:30 a.m. TELEMUNDO

• Recap

• Closing ceremony

(M) – men's event; (W) – women's event

All events streamed live at NBCOlympics.com.

Country G S B T

U.S.442929102

China38272287

Russia21253278

Great Britain28151962

Germany11191444

Japan6141737

Australia7161235

France10111233

S. Korea137727

Italy87823

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, August 11, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — So many good numbers were flying around the Rays clubhouse after Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Twins.

Five straight wins, their longest streak since late April/early May. David Price's major league-most-matching 15th victory and 10th straight quality start. Fernando Rodney's team-record 20th consecutive save and major league-leading 35th overall. Two home runs for B.J. Upton — at a combined distance of 858 feet. A team record-tying 10th straight game without an error. The nine games over .500 at 61-52, and the share of the lead for the American League wild-card spots.

But with their confidence growing as they may, finally, be playing up to the level they were expected to, the number they seem most interested in is the 6 that marks the games separating them from the East-leading Yankees.

"We'll worry about the wild card in September," said James Shields, who starts today. "Right now our goal is to catch up to the Yankees. I think they're still well within our grasp. As long as we keep playing good baseball and keeping winning series, we're going to creep up on them."

Manager Joe Maddon has spoken since February about how they were aiming to win another division title. But with everything going so well, when he talked about it after Saturday's game, it was a little more real.

"I think if you talk to every guy in that clubhouse, they'll echo that statement: we do believe we can do that," Maddon said. "I've always felt that we could. I thought it was important that we got the band back together again for it to happen. And so the band's coming back together now. With that, and keeping people fresh, I feel we really can make a strong statement the last month-and-a-half right now."

They certainly look more capable this past week, unbeaten since Evan Longoria rejoined the lineup Tuesday, racking up 30 runs and 53 hits in the five games.

They struck quickly Saturday for a 3-0 lead before Price took the mound. Desmond Jennings ripped the first pitch for a single, then they turned on the power. Upton bunted foul on the first pitch, then drove the next 425 feet to center for a homer, and Matt Joyce — using Elliot Johnson's lighter bat — followed four pitches later with another, into the second deck in right.

Upton made it 4-1 with a bigger blast in the fifth, his third career multihomer game, first since April 2010. "It hadn't happened in a while," Upton said. "I forgot what it was like."

Price wasn't overpowering, but he was effective, matching the Mets' R.A. Dickey and the Angels' Jered Weaver in wins. He was behind in the count more than he would've liked and didn't have great command of his fastball, but he had the velocity in the seventh when the Twins threatened with one out, getting Brian Dozier looking at a 96 mph fastball and Ryan Doumit watching 97 to end the inning.

After Joel Peralta's typical tidy work, Rodney took it from there.

"We're playing our best baseball right now we've been playing all season," Price said. "For us to be hitting our stride right now is perfect."

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

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Nationals 6, D'backs 5

PHOENIX — Ryan Zimmerman singled in two of the five runs in the fifth inning for the Nationals, who rallied to stretch their season-best winning streak to eight games. Jayson Werth and Michael Morse had RBI doubles in the big inning.

Times wires
Saturday, August 11, 2012

Mariners 7, Angels 4

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Hisashi Iwakuma took a four-hitter into the eighth inning, former Ray John Jaso homered and the Mariners ended a five-game skid. Angels rookie Mike Trout robbed Miguel Olivo of a two-run homer in the eighth inning, timing his leap perfectly at the fence in straightaway centerfield and throwing to first base to double off Eric Thames. But all it did was prevent Seattle from adding to its 7-1 lead.

Times wires
Sunday, August 12, 2012

Rangers 2, Tigers 1

ARLINGTON, Texas — Rookie Mike Olt's pinch-hit RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning scored Nelson Cruz with the winners. Olt drove Phil Coke's 2-and-2 pitch past diving third baseman Miguel Cabrera and into leftfield. Cruz easily beat the throw home. Austin Jackson led off the game with a homer for the Tigers, who remained one game behind the White Sox in the AL Central.

Times wires
Sunday, August 12, 2012

Royals 7, Orioles 3

BALTIMORE — Alex Gordon hit two of Kansas City's four homers and Luis Mendoza took a shutout into the seventh as the Royals won a game delayed for more than three hours by rain. Salvador Perez and Billy Butler connected for K.C., which has 14 homers in its last seven games. Gordon has nine homers this year, three in this four-game series that ends today.

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, August 12, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — Jeff Keppinger was surprised and a bit confused when he got to first base Sunday.

Having hit a slow bouncer to shortstop in the game's most pivotal moment — score tied in the 10th, bases loaded with one out — he had expected there to be either no play or a close play, figuring Twins rookie Brian Dozier would either throw home for the forceout or try for the inning-ending double play.

So when he was out so easily, by four steps or so, he turned to Rays first-base coach George "Cuz" Hendrick for explanation.

"I'm like, there's no way they turned that double play that fast," Keppinger said. "I asked Cuz, and I'm like, 'Did he just throw the ball to first?' And he's like, 'Yeeeeaaaaaah.' "

Hendrick wasn't the only one smiling, as Desmond Jennings scored the go-ahead run on the play and the Rays tacked on three more to post a 7-3 victory they would savor all the way to Seattle.

That kind of break — coming after a series of wasted opportunities, a sloppy day in the field with three errors, a potentially rally-killing decision to bunt by Ben Zobrist, and a good-but-not-great outing by James Shields, who gave up an early lead — was yet another example of how things have changed for the Rays.

A couple of months ago, even a couple of weeks ago, this would have been a game they lost, frustratingly so.

Instead, it was a cause for another loud clubhouse celebration as they ran their winning streak to a season-high-matching six by completing back-to-back sweeps while taking sole possession of the top American League wild-card spot at 62-52 and moving within five games of the East-leading Yankees. It was their first extra-inning road win in more than a year.

"When you win some games, you believe you're going to win," manager Joe Maddon said. "You believe you're going to pull it out somehow. There's that intangible thing that circulates through your body when you believe that you can — and we do. We believe that we can. So in moments like that, when you're in the thick of things and you're making a solid run right now, you almost will good things to happen sometimes."

The Rays looked like they would make it much easier when homers by Jennings (on the game's fifth pitch) and Keppinger gave them an early 2-0 lead, but Shields gave it back, and one more. The Rays came back to tie in the fifth, and from there the teams traded wasted chances, with Shields doing a particularly good job of keeping the Twins from converting in the seventh.

Jennings started the 10th with a single, then stole second ahead of B.J. Upton's walk. Zobrist made the decision to bunt them up a base, but in doing so rendered Evan Longoria useless as the Twins intentionally walked him to load the bases, then Maddon took him out for a pinch-runner.

But Keppinger followed with his slow bouncer, joking "all we needed was a ground ball that was soft enough that they couldn't turn two on yet that they couldn't throw home. And we got it. You've got to practice it a lot."

Then Dozier made the curious decision he defended, saying there was no way to get Jennings at the plate and "no chance" to turn the double play, even though Keppinger is not much of a runner. "It's bad luck," Dozier said, "but at the same time, you've got to make sure you get one out."

As many times the Rays felt wronged over months of bad news and bad breaks, they were quite pleased to have it go their way.

"It's good to have one every once in a while," Jennings said.

Still, Maddon said, they are far from being even.

"Not even close."

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

Times wires
Sunday, August 12, 2012

Reds 3, Cubs 0

CHICAGO — Johnny Cueto pitched eight three-hit innings and Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick homered for the Reds. Cueto (15-6) tied the Mets' R.A. Dickey for the NL lead in victories. He retired the Cubs in order in four of the first five innings. Back in the lineup after sitting for two games because of a slump, Bruce hit a two-run shot into the rightfield bleachers in the fifth off Brooks Raley. Ludwick hit a drive to left in the sixth.

By Dave Zalewski, Times Correspondent
Sunday, August 12, 2012

What's hot: Probably the surest thing for anglers in the gulf now is Spanish mackerel. Larger fish have taken up residence on most nearshore artificial reefs, 4 to 6 miles offshore. They can be targeted in several ways; the most common is to troll No. 1 planers followed by 20 to 25 feet of 40-pound leader attached to a gold or silver small spoon. The key is not blind trolling, but locating the high profile structures on each reef and trolling figure-8 patterns around it so your lines are presented to the predators attacking the shelter-seeking baitfish. Another method is using live bait either caught on site by the use of sabiki or to net white bait inshore and take it to the reefs. Attract the mackerel by anchoring over a structure and deploying a chum bag along with slivers of cut baitfish. A live baitfish nose hooked with a long shanked gold hook will produce non-stop action. If you get too many cutoffs, use a small trace of light wire.

Tip: If you troll hardware (planers, spoons, or plugs) and have to go through a no-wake zone to get to the gulf, put a No. 1 planer and spoon out. The no-wake speed is almost perfect for trolling and it is amazing what can be caught by using this method. Through the years, species we have caught include Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, speckled and silver trout and grouper.

Dave Zalewski charters the Lucky Too out of Madeira Beach. Call (727) 397-8815.

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