Boston Red Sox avoid sweep against Mariners
BOSTON (AP) - David Ortiz had a tying RBI single and Mark Kotsay
added a key two-run hit during a five-run seventh inning, and the
Boston Red Sox avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Seattle
Mariners 8-4 on Sunday.
All-Star Dustin Pedroia homered among his three hits for the Red
Sox, who have not been swept at home this season. They also averted
their first three-game losing streak at Fenway Park, where they
improved to 26-12.
Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury also each hit solo homers.
Ronny Cedeno had a bases-loaded triple for Seattle, which won
its first series in Boston since 2001.
(The Associated Press) (from Broadcast News Ltd.)
Ichiro and Felix will go to the Mid-Summer classic
Ichiro Suzuki and Felix Hernandez will represent The Seattle Mariners
at the MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Ichiro is an
All-Star for the 9th straight time after being voted in as a starter in the
American Leaue outfield by the fans. Hernandez was one of 13 pitchers
added to the AL squad on Sunday. Ichiro is leading the league in hitting with
a .362 average and 117 hits. Hernandez is 8-3 with a 2.62 ERA.
Manager Don Wakamatsu will be in St. Louis as well, after being selected
as a coach by AL and Rays manager Joe Maddon.
(KPUG newsroom)
Bells knock off Kitsap for 6th straight win.
Kitsap, WA - Brady Locker hit a 2-run home-run and Shortstop Sam Richter added 3 RBI's
as the Bellingham Bells won their 6th straight game Sunday 8-to-5 over Kitsap.
Pitcher Ray Hanson picked up his first win of the year after striking out 2 over 6 innings of
work as the Bells swept the Blue Jackets in the 3-game split series.
Bellingham improves to 12-and-9 on the year with the win. The Bells play a double-header
at Spokane on Wednesday.
(KPUG Newsroom)
Slam season ends with 132-121 loss to Lightning
The Slam couldn’t ride a hot start as they were outlasted by the Los
Angeles Lightning, 132-121, in the IBL American Conference Final on Friday
at the Monroe Sports Arena. The disappointing loss ends the Slam’s season
with a 17-5 record.
Bellingham opened the game with near-perfect shooting and quickly built up a
15-point lead, at 26-11, six minutes into the game. Los Angeles was able to come
back in the second half of the first quarter, and trimmed the Slam’s advantage at
the end of the frame to seven, at 38-31.
Key Slam players, including Tyler Amaya and Jacob Stevenson, ran into foul trouble
in the second half, hampering their efforts to hold onto the lead.
A technical free throw by Tyler Amaya to start the fourth quarter would prove to be the
only time the Slam would get the Lightning’s lead under ten points. Bellingham was
able to get their offense going again, but were unable to get the defensive stops necessary
to chip into the Lightning’s lead. Los Angeles maxed out their advantage at 19, at
121-102, before Bellingham was able to score 16 points in the finals two minutes. But
solid free throw shooting by the Lightning prevented the Slam from seriously
challenging the outcome.
Ryan Diggs and Paul Hafford combined to score 58 points, 30 and 28 respectively, to
lead Bellingham. Amaya and Lukas Henne both contributed double-double, Amaya’s
with 18 points and 14 rebounds and Henne’s with 12 points and rebounds each.
Los Angeles was led by Darrick Martin, who scored 28 points thanks to 13-for-18
shooting from three-throw line. Lamond Murray added 20 points, while Fred Vinson
tallied 18.
With the victory, Los Angeles advances to the IBL championship game on July 18,
against the winner of Friday’s other conference final featuring the Snohomish County
Explosion and Oregon Waves.
(BellinghamSlam.com)
Turkoglu spurns the Blazers for the Toronto Raptors
TORONTO - Turkish forward Hedo Turkoglu will join the Toronto
Raptors after spurning the Portland Trail Blazers, according to
multiple reports.
The 208-centimeter (6-foot-10) free agent helped Orlando to the
NBA finals last season. On Friday, a person close to the Blazers
confirmed that Turkoglu ended contract talks with them. The person
spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature
of the negotiations.
Turkoglu opted out of his Orlando contract last week when the
team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Turkoglu was due
(Canadian) $7.3 million next season, the final year of his
(Canadian) $36 million, 6-year deal with Orlando. He averaged 16.8
points and 5.3 rebounds last season.
---
AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Ore., contributed
to this report. (from Broadcast News Ltd.)
GOLD CUP-GRENADA-US
US routs Grenada 4-0 in Gold Cup
SEATTLE (AP) - The United States returned home from the FIFA
Confederations Cup and used one of its youngest lineups in recent
memory to rout Grenada 4-0 Saturday night as it opened the title
defense in the regional championship of North and Central America
and the Caribbean, the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Freddy Adu scored the opening goal in the seventh minute and
Stuart Holden doubled the lead in the 31st, both fed by Robbie
Rogers.
Rogers scored in the 60th minute and Charlie Davies, one of the
few players kept on from the Confederations Cup, got the final goal
in the 68th.
The 12th-ranked Americans, seeking their third straight Gold Cup
title, outshot No. 88 Grenada 25-3.
GOLD CUP HONDURAS-HAITI
Honduras beats Haiti in Gold Cup, 1-0
SEATTLE (AP) - Carlo Costly headed in a free kick by Walter
Martinez in the 76th minute on Saturday, helping Honduras open
group play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 victory over Haiti.
Martinez took the free kick from the left of the penalty area
about 2 yards up from the goal line. He drove it into the box, and
Costly went up and flicked it off the left side of his head and
into right corner of the net, well beyond the reach of Haiti
goalkeeper Jean Dominique Zephrin.
Honduras will take on the United States next Wednesday in
Washington, D.C., in the second of its three Group B games. Haiti
will play Grenada, also next Wednesday in Washington.
Ryan Leaf says case against him has been dismissed
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A lawyer for Ryan Leaf says a fugitive
action filed against the former NFL quarterback in Washington state
has been dismissed.
The Whatcom County prosecutor had filed an interstate fugitive
case against Leaf after he was arrested by federal Customs agents
as he crossed the border from Canada in mid-June on his way to face
drug and burglary charges in Texas.
Leaf posted bond in Bellingham, Wash., and continued on to
Texas, where he pleaded not guilty to charges there, posted bond
and was given permission to return to his Vancouver home.
Leaf had been ordered to return to Bellingham for a July 16
hearing, but his lawyer, Jeffrey Lustick, said Thursday that
hearing has been cancelled. (The Associated Press) (from Broadcast
News Ltd.)
Sounders forward accused in civil lawsuit
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Seattle Sounders forward Nate Jaqua has
been accused in a civil lawsuit of sexual assault on a University
of Oregon student in 2007.
The lawsuit, which seeks more than $10 million in damages, also
names Major League Soccer, the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston
Dynamo. It was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday.
Jaqua's attorney says that his client denies the allegations and
has never been contacted by the plaintiff, her lawyer, the police
or prosecutors in connection with the alleged assault.
The plaintiff, who played soccer for the Ducks, alleges Jaqua
sexually assaulted her on July 1, 2007, as she walked home from a
night out with friends at a Eugene bar.
Sounders, Gonzalez agree to deal
SEATTLE (AP) - The Seattle Sounders have agreed on a contract
with Costa Rican defender Leonardo Gonzalez.
The team said Thursday that Gonzalez's signing will be finalized
upon receipt of his work permit and international clearance
paperwork.
The 28-year-old Gonzalez will join the Sounders after he
competes for Costa Rica in this month's CONCACAF Gold Cup,
beginning on Friday against El Salvador in Los Angeles.
He has 59 international caps with the Ticos, including three
starts in the 2006 World Cup.
Seattle coach Sigi Schmid says he values Gonzalez for being
naturally left-footed and for his ability to play multiple
defensive positions.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Seahawks open training camp to fans
RENTON, Wash. (AP) - The Seattle Seahawks are opening 14
training camp practices to the public next month.
Fans can attend practices at the Seahawks' waterfront
headquarters on Lake Washington beginning on Aug. 3 and ending Aug.
20. They must first register through the team's Web site on a
first-come, first-served basis beginning July 16 at 10 a.m.
This will be the first time that fans can watch the Seahawks
practice since the team returned camp to the Seattle suburbs from
Cheney, Wash., in 2007.
Fans will be bused to and from the facility for a $5 fee from an
offsite location at a nearby shopping center.
Practice times and bus schedules will be available at the time
of online registration.
The team will also host open practices at the University of
Washington on Aug. 7 and Aug. 18.
