Pablo Sandoval Out 4-6 Weeks

By Justin Worsley,

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is expected to miss four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his right wrist.

Sandoval, 24, underwent a MRI exam on Saturday morning which revealed the broken bone in his throwing hand. San Francisco is expected to call up Ryan Rohlinger from Triple-A Fresno when Sandoval is placed on the disabled list.

Sandoval is batting .313 with five home runs and 14 RBIs this season for the defending World Series Champions.

The Giants have struggled in their title defense, including losing six of their last eight games. San Francisco is currently 12-13 and 4 1/2 games behind division-leader Colorado.

Shortstop Miguel Tejada started at third base for the Giants in Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals. Mike Fontenot started at shortstop.

Halladay Goes the Distance, Phillies Top the Mets 2-1

By Justin Worsley,

John Mayberry Jr. hit a solo home run that sparked a seventh inning rally as Roy Halladay and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the New York Mets 2-1.

Halladay (4-1) allowed one run off of seven hits and struck out eight batters while only walking one.

New York (11-16) took an early lead when Halladay allowed three straight singles in the fourth innings. Carlos Beltran made a clean hit to shallow center field that allowed Daniel Murphy to score.

Jonathon Niese (1-4) escaped several jams early, but gave up a leadoff homer to Mayberry in the seventh that tied the game. Placido Polanco hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly to put the Phillies (18-8) in the lead for good.

Halladay walked David Wright to start the ninth inning, but then shut down the reaming three batters. Ike Davis grounded out to end the game.

Mayberry, who started in place for an ineffective Raul Ibanez, went 2-for-4 in the game. His homer was his first of the season.

Jason Bay, Davis and Josh Thole, the Mets 5-6-7 hitters, combined to go 0-for-11 with four strikeouts in the game.

The Mets will attempt to salvage the series tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Cliff Lee (2-2, 4.18 ERA) will take the mound for Philadelphia against Chris Young (1-0, 2.65) Young's only win this season was on on April 5 against the Phillies.

GAME NOTES: Phillies general manager Ruber Amaro Jr. told reporters that he expects to hear from Roy Oswalt on Saturday to see when he will return to the team. Carlos Ruiz sat out of Saturday's game with tightness in his lower back, but has not been placed on the disabled list. Dane Sardinha started in Ruiz's place.

Phillies Place Joe Blanton on the DL

By Justin Worsley,

The Philadelphia Phillies have placed right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a medical impingment in his throwing elbow.

The move is retroactive to April 24, which mean Philadelphia can reactivate the 30-year-old as early as May 9.

Blanton, who was scheduled to start in the series opener against the New York Mets on Friday, is 0-1 this season with a 5.92 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

Philadelphia has called up right-hander Vance Worley to start in Blanton's place for the time being. Worley, 23, is 2-2 this season with a 2.78 ERA for the Phillies Triple-A club, the Leihigh Valley IronPigs.

Last season, Worley appeared in five games for the Phillies, two of which he started, and went 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA and 12 strikeouts to just four walks.

Blanton is just the latest member of the Phillies to find himself on the disabled list, joining fellow pitchers Brad Lidge, J.C. Romero and Jose Contreras along with Chase Utley, Brian Bocock and Dominic Brown.

Golden State Fires Keith Smart

By Justin Worsley,

The Golden State Warriors fired head coach Keith Smart on Wednesday after his only season with the team.

Smart, 46, was promoted to head coach after the Warriors fired Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time leader in wins.

Golden State improved from their 2009-10 campaign in which they went 26-56. The Warriors went on to win 36 games this year, but failed to make the playoffs for the third straight season.

Smart was an assistant for Golden State for seven years before his promotion.

Last year, Golden State was purchased by Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and a group of investors who promised to make changes to an organization who has only made the postseason once since 1994.

Two names have already surfaced as potential replacements for Smart: former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and former New York Knicks coach and current analyst Jeff Van Gundy.

Peyton Hillis to be on the Cover of Madden 2012

By Justin Worsley,

Thirteen months ago, an unknown Peyton Hillis was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Brady Quinn.

Quinn went on to be the Broncos third-string quarterback while Hillis went on to take the NFL by storm.

After a breakout season in which Hillis rushed for 1,177 yards and 13 total touchdowns, Hillis has been named the cover-boy for EA Sports videogame Madden 12.

Fans voted for the next person to grace the cover on ESPN.com. All 32 NFL teams had a player on their team whom people could vote on, except for the Seattle Seahawks, who were represented by their fans, known as "The 12th Man."

Hillis defeated Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who was on the cover of Madden 2004, in the final round. Hillis won by a landslide 66-percent of the votes. Over 13 million people voted in the poll, including one million people in the final round.

Hillis, the 10th seed in the bracket, ousted Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers along with Vick on his road to victory.

The Cleveland Browns, who finished 6-10 last season, will become the first team to have a losing record and manage to have a player grace the cover of a Madden videogame. Hillis will become the first running back to be on the cover of the game since Shaun Alexander in Madden 07.

Chauncey Billups to Return to New York

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Knicks announced on Wednesday that the team will pick up the $14.2 million option of point guard Chauncey Billups.

Billups, 34, was acquired by the Knicks last February in a deal with the Denver Nuggets that also brought forward Carmelo Anthony to New York.

The Knicks had until Friday to either pick up Billups' option or pay the former NBA Finals MVP a $3.7 million buyout.

"Chauncey, Amare [Stoudemire] and Chauncey [Billups] are a great nucleus, as we continue to look to improve our team going into the offseason," Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh said in a statement. "Chauncey is an extremely talented and experienced point guard...we are very happy to have him back."

In 21 games with the Knicks last season, Billups averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists per game.

New York made the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, but were swept by the Boston Celtics. Billups, who has played in the conference finals every year between 2003-09 with both the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets, said he wants to stay and see the return of championship-caliber basketball in New York.

Tornadoes Cause Oswalt to Leave Phillies

By Justin Worsley,

Last year, right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt took a leave of absence from the Houston Astros when his parent's home was destroyed by a tornado.

Nearly a year later, Oswalt is again leaving his team.

Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed on Wednesday that Oswalt left the team to check on his family in Mississippi. There have been several deaths as well as property damage near his home.

Oswalt had his worst start of year on Tuesday night, allowing five runs off of six hits in just three innings in the Phillies 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Oswalt was not present after the game and ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported that Oswalt was seen on the phone for a long period of time before the game, something extremely uncommon and normally unallowed by clubs.

There is no timetable for Oswalt's return, however, the Phillies are hoping he will return by his next start.

Sports Recap 4/17/11

MLB:
Hafner, Sizemore and Santana all homer in Cleveland's 4-2 win over Baltimore
Logan Morrison error causes Phillies to bring in go-ahead run as the Marlins lose 3-2
Jon Lester's strong outing gives the Red Sox a 8-1 win over Toronto
Andrew McCutcheon's late RBI helps the Pirates sink the Reds 7-6
Minnesota drops the Rays to end foun-game losing streak
Tommy Hanson can't shut down the Mets as the Braves lose 3-2
Haren dominates again as the Angels top the White Sox 4-2
Espinosa, Rodriguez and Desmond all homer to lift the Nations over Milwaukee 8-4
Rookie Pineda stellar again as the Mariners top Kansas City 3-2
San Diego's eighth inning rally helps them edge Houston 8-6
Another poor outing by Brad Penny gives Oakland the 5-1 win over the Tigers
Rockies score four runs in the eighth inning to break a tie game, sink the Cubs 9-5
Granderson, Cano, Martin all homer to help the Yankees nip Texas 6-5
Matt Kemp hits a two-run walk off homer as the Dodgers knock off the Cardinals 2-1
Stephen Drew's walk off single in the 12th inning helps Arizona top San Francisco 6-5
Hairston and LaRoche both homer as the Nationals sweep the double header over Milwaukee 5-1

NBA:
Chris Paul drops 33 points as the Hornets halt the Lakers 109-100 (New Orleans leads series 1-0)
Ray Allen hits a go-ahead three late to give the Celtics the 87-85 win over New York (Boston leads series 1-0)
Grizzlies win first playoff game in franchise history, drop the Spurs 101-98 (San Antonio leads series 1-0)
Kevin Durant's 41 points give the Thunder a 107-103 win over Denver (Oklahoma City leads series 1-0)

NHL:
Rangers rally in the third period, drop the Capitals 3-2 (Washington leads series 2-1)
Teemu Selanne's two goals not enough as Nashville beats Anaheim 4-3 (Nashville leads series 2-1)
Luongo stops 30 shots as the Blackhawks lose to Vancouver 3-2 (Vancouver leads series 3-0)

Sports Recap 4/16/11

MLB:
Marlins vs. Phillies game postponed due to rain
Cabrera, Choo both homer to give the Orioles their sixth straight loss in Cleveland's 8-3 win
Brewers vs. Nationals game postponed due to rain
Teixeira, Cano, both hit two-run homers as the Yankees top Texas 5-2
Ramon Hernandez hits a grand slam as the Reds rout the Pirates 11-2
Josh Beckett strikes out nine and allows only three hits in seven innings as the Red Sox beat Toronto 4-1
Atlanta takes both games in a double-header to send the Mets on a seven-game losing streak
Kansas City scores five runs, three unearned off Felix Hernandez to drop the Mariners 7-0
Joe Inglett pinch hits a go-ahead single as the Astros bead the Padres 5-3
Kendrick, Conger both homer to lift the Angels over the White Sox 7-2
Ben Zobrist's ninth inning home run sparks another rally as the Rays top Minnesota 4-3
Soriano, Castro both homer as the Cubs end the Rockies seven-game winning streak 8-3
Dallas Braden pitches five strong innings before leaving with shoulder stiffness as the A's beat Detroit 6-2
Barry Zito injured, but the Giants still beat Arizona 5-3
St. Louis bats come alive late to pummel the Dodgers 9-2

NBA:
Dwight Howard's 46 points aren't enough as the Hawks beat Orlando 103-93 (Atlanta leads series 1-0)
Bulls rally late to drop the Pacers 104-99 (Chicago leads series 1-0)
Chris Bosh scores 25 points as the Heat halt Philadelphia 97-89 (Miami leads series 1-0)
Dirk Nowitzki scores 18 points in the fourth quarter to give Dallas the 89-81 win over Portland (Dallas leads series 1-0)

NHL:
Detroit nips Phoenix 4-3 behind Pavel Datsyuk's goal and three assists (Detroit leads series 2-0)
Philadelphia's offense outlasts Buffalo, takes the 5-4 win (Series tied 1-1)
Carey Price's 34 saves helps Montreal beat Boston 3-1 (Montreal leads series 2-0)
Quick, Doughty help the Kings pummel San Jose 4-0 (Series tied 1-1)

NHL Suspends Anaheim's Ryan 2 Games

By Justin Worsley,

The NHL has suspended Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan for two games after Ryan stomped on the skate of Nashville Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs.

The incident occurred in the final 3:30 of the Ducks 5-3 win. Ryan and Blum were battling behind the Predators goalpost when Ryan slammed his skate in Blum's ankle. Blum walked away from the play uninjured.

No penalty was called on the play and Ryan, 24, scored an empty-net goal two minutes later to seal the 5-3 win and Anaheim ties up the series at one game apiece.

Ryan will miss Game 3 and 4 of the series, both of which are at Nashville.

Sports Recap 4/15/11

MLB:
Greg Dobbs bats in two runs against his former team as the Phillies fall to Florida 4-3
Braves vs. Mets game postponned
Justin Masterson silences the Orioles bats, Indians walk away with 8-2 win
Yankees ninth inning rally falls short as the Rangers top New York 5-3
Jayson Werth's legs lift the Nationals over Milwaukee 4-3 in 10 innings
Toronto tops Boston 7-6, drops the Red Sox to 2-10
Charlie Morton goes the distance in the Pirates 6-1 win over Cincinnati
Rays top the Twins 5-2 ,win four games in a row
Padres three-run seventh inning helps San Diego nip Houston 4-2
Adam Dunn's two-run homer not enough as the White Sox fall to the Angels 4-3
Mattt Garza againt can't get it done for the Cubs as the Rockies win 5-0
Hochevar, Francouer both homer as the Royals get by Seattle 6-5
Giants win their third straight game behind Pablo Sandoval's homer 5-2 over Arizona
Detroit's offense explodes for seven runs in the 10th inning to beat Oakland 8-4
Berkman, Pujols both homer twice as the Cardinals pummel the Dodgers 11-2

NHL:
Tampa Bay bounces back from poor Game 1 to even series over Penguins 5-1 (Series tied 1-1)
Neurvirth shut down Rangers as Capitals win 2-0 (Washington leads series 2-0)
Bobby Ryan scores twice to help Ducks even series with Predators 5-3 (Series tied 1-1)
Daniel Sedin scores twice as the Canucks beat Chicago 4-3 (Vancouver leads series 2-0)

Phillies Bullpen Fails to Secure Lead, Lose to Marlins 4-3

By Justin Worsley,

Roy Oswalt pitched six quality innings, but the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen could not preserve the 3-2 lead as the Florida Marlins came back to win 4-3.

Oswalt earned a no decision after pitching six innings, allowing two earned runs off of four hits while striking out six batters. Philadelphia (9-4) went to the bullpen, however, in the seventh inning after Oswalt began to suffer from back spasms.

J.C. Romero replaced Oswalt and allowed his only batter, Logan Morrison, to reach first base off of a single in the outfield. Danys Baez replaced Romero and immediately walked Gaby Sanchez. John Buck was able to load the bases with a single to shallow center field and former Phillie Greg Dobbs entered the game to pinch hit for Edward Mujica with one out.

Dobbs hit a line drive to shallow center field to drive in Morrison and Sanchez to give Florida the go-ahead run.

Ryan Webb, Randy Choate, Clay Hensley and Leo Nunez allowed only one batter to reach base in the final three innings. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco both popped out to left field after John Mayberry Jr. was walked in the ninth inning to end the game.

Javier Vazquez started for Florida (8-5), pitching five innings and allowing three earned runs off of five hits with four walks and one strikeout.

Philadelphia has now lost four consecutive series openers this season. All four of the series have been against NL East division opponents.

The two teams battle again on Saturday with Cole Hamels (1-1, 5.59 ERA) will pitch for Philadelphia against Florida's Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 6.97.)

Shogun to Fight Griffin in Rio

By Justin Worsley,

Less than a month after losing to Jon "Bones" Jones in his defense of the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has booked his next opponent.

Rua will fight Forrest Griffin for the second time as UFC: Rio on Aug. 27 in Rio De Janeiro.

Griffin, 31, made Rua submit in Rua's debut UFC fight at UFC 76 in 2007. In July 2008, Griffin won the Light Heavyweight title, but also lost it in his first title defense, just five months later, when Rashad Evans won by TKO.

Rua, 29, is just 3-3 in UFC fights, but boasts a 19-5 career mixed martial arts record, including 16 knockouts.

Griffin has won his last two fights, a split decision over Tito Ortiz and a unanimous decision over Rich Franklin, to make his overall record 18-6 with seven wins by submission.

UFC: Rio will be the first UFC event hosted in Brazil since 1998. The only other fight currently scheduled is the Middleweight Championship bout between champion Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami.

Sports Recap 4/14/11

MLB:
Cliff Lee strikes out 12 in Phillies 4-0 win over Washington
Rockies take both games in double header against the Mets, sweep the four game series
Johnny Damon's walk-off homer in the 10th inning caps the Rays rally over the Twins 4-3
Nick Swisher's sac fly lifts the Yankees over Baltimore 6-5 in 10 innings
Wilson Betemit homers in Kansas City's 5-1 win over Seattle in a rain shortened-game
Phil Coke allows three hits in seven innings as the Tigers shut out Oakland 3-0
Randy Wolf strikes out 10 as the Brewers top the Pirates 4-1
McCann, Uggla both homer, but it's not enough as the Braves fall to Florida 6-5
Strong pitching by Houston helps blank the Padres 1-0
Pujols homers as the Cardinals cruise past the Dodgers 9-5

NHL:
Gionatta scores twice and Price notches 31 saves as the Canadiens blank the Bruins 2-0 (Canadiens lead series 1-0)
Ryan Miller stops 35 shots as the Sabres nip the Flyers 1-0 (Sabres lead series 1-0)
Joe Pavelski scores in overtime to lift the Sharks over the Kings 3-2 (Sharks lead series 1-0)

Cliff Lee Goes the Distance, Strikes Out 12 in Phillies 4-0 Win Over Washington

By Justin Worsley,

Cliff Lee bounced back from a poor outing against the Atlanta Braves and allowed only three hits while striking out 12 batters in the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 win over the Washington Nationals.

Lee (2-1) and Nationals ace Jordan Zimmermann battled one another as only one hit, a double by Danny Espinosa, was allowed by either pitcher through the first five innings.

Zimmermann (1-2) actually had the Nationals bidding for a perfect game until he began to fall apart in the sixth inning. Carlos Ruiz took an 0-1 pitch deep to left field for his second home run of the year to give Philadelphia not only their first hit, but a 1-0 lead.

Philadelphia (9-3) would score again that inning when Placido Polanco reached on an infield single. Shane Victorino crossed home plate after John Hairston Jr. made a wild throw to try to get the out against Polanco. Washington (5-7) recorded six total errors in the three game series.

Zimmermann was pulled in the eighth inning after the Espinosa committed his second error of the game, a fielding error on a bunt by Lee to load the bases. Drew Storen came in, but allowed back-to-back singles by Polanco and Jimmy Rollins to bring in two more runs.

Unlike Roy Halladay's performance the night before, Lee was able to shut down the Nationals offense in the ninth inning. Jesus Flores found a gap in the outfield to get the lead off single, but then Lee retired the rest of the side, ending the game with former Phillie Jayson Werth grounding into a fielder's choice.

Rollins' RBI in the eighth inning was the first one of the year for him. Ryan Howard and Ben Francisco combined to go 0-8. Werth went a combines 3-for-11 with four strikeouts and a home run in his first series against the Phillies.

Sports Recap 4/13/11

MLB:
Roy Halladay survives Nationals rally, Phillies win 3-2
Brandon Inge's walk-off homer lifts the Tigers over Texas 3-2
Royals offense comes alive in their 10-5 win over the Twins
Orlando Hudson's walk-ff single puts the Padres on top of the Reds 3-2
A's score three runs in the 10th innings to halt the White Sox 7-4
Kevin Correia takes a no hitter to the sixth inning, but melts down after in Brewers 6-0 win over the Pirates
Jose Bautista ignites Blue Jays rally with homer in the eighth inning, beat the Mariners 8-3
Freddie Freeman breaks up Josh Johnson's no-hit bid in the eighth inning, but the Marlins roll the Braves 5-1
Jeff Mathis' sac fly in the 12th innings give the Angels the 4-3 victory over Cleveland
Troy Tulowitzki's three-run homer sinks the Mets in Colorado's 5-4 win
A-Rod, Posada both homer in the Yankees 7-4 win over Baltimore
Carlos Zambrano hits a home run in the Cubs 9-5 victory over Houston
Rays-Red Sox game postponed due to rain
Lance Berkman hits a grand slam as the Cardinals pummel Arizona 15-5
Sandoval, Fotenot both homer in Giants 4-3 win over the Dodgers

NBA:
Orlando's defense suffocates the Pacers 92-74
Boston top the Knicks 112-102 in playoff preview
Chicago clinches the league's best record in 97-92 win over the Nets
Cleveland finishes season winning four of their finals six games, top the Wizard 100-93
Dallas throttles New Orleans 121-89, but have to settle for no. 3 seed
Houston pounds the Timberwolves 121-102 behind Chade Budinger's 35 points
Detroit finishes season beating playoff-bound 76ers 104-100
Milwaukee beats a resting Thunder team 110-106 in overtime
Gordon Hayward's 34 points lifts the Jazz over the Nuggets 107-103
Despite resting their big three, Miami torches Toronto 97-79
Charlotte finishes season upending playoff-bound Atlants 96-85
Golden State thrashes the Trail Blazers 110-86 in season finale
Blake Griffin scores 31 points as the Clippers end season by beating Memphis 110-103
San Antonio can't clinch league's best record, falls to Phoenix 106-103
The Lakers top Sacramento 116-108 to clinch no. 2 seed

NHL:
Alex Ovechkin's controversial goal helps surge the Capitals over New York 2-1 in overtime (Washington leads series 1-0)
Detroit scores three goals in the second period to take a 4-2 win over Phoenix (Detroit leads series 1-0)
Marc Andre-Fleury stops 32 shots as the Penguins shut out the Lightning 3-0 (Pittsburgh leads series 1-0)
Luongo records 32 saves as the Canucks drop defending champion Chicago 2-0 (Vancouver leads series 1-0)
Mike Fisher's two goals propels the Predators over Anaheim 4-1 (Nashville leads series 1-0)

Halladay Survives Scare, Pitches Phillies to 3-2 Win Over Washington

By Justin Worsley,

Roy Halladay stopped a late rally by the Washington Nationals and pitched a complete game as the Phillies beat Washington 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Halladay (2-0,) looked unhittable in the first eight innings of the game, allowing only two hit while striking out six batters off of 98 pitches. In the ninth inning, however, it looked like he was about to have a meltdown.

The Nationals (5-6) recorded four hits in the ninth and were able to put two runs on the board before Halladay found his second wind and retired Matt Stairs and Ivan Rodriguez. Halladay finished the game with 123 pitchs (88 strikes) and nine strikeouts.

The Phillies (8-3) got on the board in the fourth inning when Jimmy Rollins reached first base off of an error by Ian Desmond. Desmond then committed a second error against Rollins in the inning when he interfered with Rollins while Rollins was running towards third base during a ground out by Ryan Howard. Ben Francisco grounded out to bring Rollins in.

Philadelphia scored two more runs in the fifth inning when Placido Polanco hit a single in the outfield with a man on first and third base. Wilson Valdez was able to score and the Phillies loaded the bases when Jimmy Rollins found a gap in the infield to reach base. Nationals pitcher John Lannan had Howard on a 1-2 count when he hit Howard on the arms with an inside pitch to bring in another run.

The Phillies and Nationals conclude the series Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Cliff Lee (1-1, 7.84 ERA) will take the mound against Washington's Jordan Zimmerman (1-1, 3.18)

Carlos Delgado Announces Retirement

By Justin Worsley,

Major League Baseball first baseman Carlos Delgado announced on Wednesday that he will retire from the league after being unable to make a comeback.

Delgado, 38, has not played since May 2009 with the Mets due to injuries. Prior to the 2010 season, Delgado underwent hip surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Last August, the Boston Red Sox signed Delgado to a minor league contractwhile he attempted a comeback. Delgado was only able to play for five games befre suffering a setback with his hip.

Delgado began his career in 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays. After 12 years with the Blue Jays, Delgado spent the 2005 year with the Florida Marlins before spending his final four years in the major with New York.

Delgado has a career average of .280 with 473 home runs and 1,512 RBIs. Along with first base, Delgado has also spent time as an outfielder and a designated hitter. He has posted 11 season with 30 homers, including three years where he cracked 40. In 2000 and 2003, Delgado was named to the All-Star team.

Sports Recap 4/12/11

MLB:
Jayson Werth hits a home run and a double in first game against the Phillies as Nationals win 7-4
Cabrera's walk-off single give the Tigers a 5-4 win over Texas
Yankees vs. Oriolas game postponned due to rain
Brewers vs. Pirates game postponned
Rockies vs. Mets game postponned
David Price outduels John Lester as the Rays beat Boston 3-2
McCann and Heyward both homer to give Atlanta a 5-0 win over Florida
Alexei Ramirez hits two homers, including one in the 10th inning to give the White Sox a 6-5 win over Oakland
Danny Valencia's RBI single in the 10th gives the Twins a 4-3 win over Kansas City
Astros pummel the Cubs 11-2 behind Myers' strong pitching
Dan Haren one-hits the Indians, end their eight-game winning streak as the Angels take a 2-0 victory
Arizona scores in six consecutive innings, beat the Cardinals 13-8
Michael Pineda wins first career game as the Mariners nip Toronto 3-2
Cincinnati offense generates six runs in the 11th innings to give the Reds an 8-2 win over San Diego
Brian Wilson gets first save of the season as the Giants beat the Dodgers 5-4

NBA:
Bulls end the Knicks win streak, take 103-90 victory
Portland takes no. 6 seed with 102-89 win over Memphis
Lakers lose Andrew Bynum in 102-93 win over San Antonio

Rangers Lose MVP Hamilton for 6-8 Weeks

By Justin Worsley,

Texas Rangers center fielder Josh Hamilton has broken his upper right arm while sliding towards home plate on Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Hamilton, 29, won the American League Most Valuable Player Award last season and was a key member in the Rangers run to their first ever World Series appearance. So far this season, Hamilton has batted .333 with 7 RBIs.

Hamilton broke towards home plate after catcher Victor Martinez vacated the area to field a pop fly. Martinez quickly ran back to make the tag and Hamilton dove head-first to the plate, but was tagged-out.

Hamilton was directed to run towards home plate by third base coach Dave Anderson after he saw that Tigers pitcher Brad Penny did not move to cover home plate. After the game, Hamilton, who was wearing a sling, called the play "stupid" and said that he "shouldn't have done it."

Texas placed Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list after the game. Hamilton will be allowed to begin swinging a bat in a month, but he will out the lineup for the next 6-8 weeks.

Chris Davis from Triple A Round Rock will be called up to play in Hamilton's place.

Kemba Walker Declares for the NBA Draft

By Justin Worsley,

University of Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker has declared himself eligible for the 2011 NBA Draft during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Walker, 20, had one year of eligibility left at UConn, but instead decided to go pro, where many experts project him as a top-three pick in the draft, which will be held on June 23.

The 6-foot-1 Walker was the star player on the national champion Huskies, averaging 25.3 points per game along with 4.5 assists and 5.4 rebounds.

Walker is expected to be the second guard taken in the draft behind Duke's Kyrie Irving, who declared for the draft last week.

Walker has not hired an agent, but has said he has been talking to several of them and that there is "no chance" of him coming back.

Prior to Walker's declaration, UConn placed Walker in the school's "Huskies of Honor" wall in the Gampel Pavilion. The wall includes a banner with Walker's name, jersey number and years spent at the school. Though Walker did not declare for the draft when the banner was hung, it was still listed that Walker's final year at the school was in 2011. Walker is the 14th player entered into the wall of honor and the only player to make the wall while still enrolled at the school. Any player who wants to wear Walker's jersey no. 15 will now have to seek his permission.

Sports Recap 4/11/11

MLB:
Texas continues strong start, beats Detroit 2-0
Tampa Bays bats finally come alive, thump Boston 16-5
Troy Tulowitzki's eighth inning homer lift Colorado over the Mets in a shootout 7-6
Hall, Sanchez both homer in the seventh inning to give Houston a 5-4 victory over the Cubs
Kurt Suzuki's home run give the A's a 2-1 victory over the White Sox in 10 innings
Lance Berkman hits two home runs as the Cardinals cruise past Arizona 8-2
Mitch Talbot shuts out the Angels as the Indians win their eighth straight game 4-0
San Diego scores two runs early, but cant offer anything else in 3-2 loss to Cincinnati
Seattle rallies from a 7-0 deficit to shock Toronto 8-7
Giants can't solve Clayton Kershaw, lose to the Dodgers 6-1

NBA:
Howard, Nelson both score 19 points in Orlando's 95-85 win over Philadelphia
Miami clinches no.2 seed with 98-90 win over Atlanta
D.J. Augustin scores with 1.1 second left to give the Bobcats a 105-103 win over the Nets
Allen, Pierce rest in Boston's 95-94 overtime loss to the Wizards
Charlie Villanueva, Ryan Hollins scuffle, get ejected in Cleveland's 110-101 win over the Pistons
Utah cruises past New Orleans behind Harris and Miles 90-78
Milwaukee's defense steps up in their 93-86 win over Toronto
Dallas moves ahead of Los Angeles for the no. 2 seed with 98-91 overtime win over Houston
Nuggets score 130 again, blow out Golden State 134-111
Channing Frye scores 33 points in Phoenix's 135-127 overtime win over Minnesota
Durant's 32 points powers the Thunder over the Kings 120-112

Final Bout Added for UFC 130

By Justin Worsley,

A final match has been added for UFC 130, which will be hosted at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 28.

The lightweight bout, which will most likely be on the untelevised portion of the event, features former "The Ultimate Fighter" star Cody McKenzie and Bart Palaszewski, formerly of the WEC and IFL.

Palaszewski (35-14) will fight for the first time with the UFC, which absorbed the WEC last December. In the last WEC event on Dec. 16, Palaszewski lost a split decision to Kamal Shalorus.

McKenzie (12-1) is coming off of his first career loss, a technical submission by Yves Edwards at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 on Jan. 22.

Headlining UFC 130 is the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard rematch for the lightweight championship.

Sports Recap 4/10/11

MLB:
Cole Hamels bounces back from first outing, helps the Phillies shut out Atlanta 3-0
Royals force Detroit to commit four errors in a 9-5 victory
Beltre, Kinsler both hit homers in the Rangers 3-0 victory over Baltimore
Mets can't put away the Nationals, lose in the 11th inning 7-3
Rays off to worst start in franchise history, lose to the White Sox 6-1
Mike Cortta issues bases-loaded walk to give Colorado a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh
Twins rally falls short, lose to the A's 5-3
J.A. Happ's pitching, batting helps the Astros pummel Florida 7-1
Jered Weaver strikes out 15 batters as the Angels top Toronto 3-1
Fielder, Braun, McGhee all hit two-run homers as Milwaukee beats the Cubs 6-5
Cleveland wins seventh straight game, beat the Mariners 6-4
Lundwick, Maybin, Hundley all homer in Padres 7-2 win over the Dodgers
Yankees can't provide run support for CC Sabathia, lose to Boston 4-0
Matt Holliday returns to the lineup, helps the Cardinals trump San Francisco 6-1
Arizona rallies in the eighth, beats Cincinnati 10-8

NBA:
Chicago edges a Dwight Howard-less Orlando squad 102-99
Miami pummels Boston 100-77, takes control of no. 2 seed
Nets rally too little too late, lose to Toronto 99-92
Memphis beats New Orleans 111-89, both clubs now tied for seventh seed
Detroit tops Charlotte 112-101, ends 11-game road losing streak
Carmelo Anthony gives the Knicks the lead with four-seconds remaining, beat the Pacers 110-109
Dallas routs Phoenix 115-90, stays alive for no. 2 seed
Monta Ellis injured in Sacramento's 104-103 win over Golden State
Lakers losing streak now at five, lost to Thunder 120-106

NHL: Devils beat Boston 3-2 in season finale
Blackhawks clinch final playoff spot despite loss to Detroit
David Jones scores in overtime as Colorado tops Edmonton 4-3
Penguins end regular season by pounding the Thrashers 5-2
Minnesota eliminates Dallas from playoffs in 5-3 win

Florida Fires Peter DeBoer

By Justin Worsley,

The Florida Panthers have fired head coach Peter DeBoer after the team finished in last place in the Eastern Conference.

DeBoer, 42, has been with Florida for three seasons, all of which he failed to help lead the team to the postseason. Florida has gone 103-107-36 in the past three seasons, including 30-40-12 this year.

In the 2008-09 season, DeBoer's first year with the team, the Panthers just missed the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker with the Montreal Canadiens. Florida has not made the playoffs since 2000.

Prior to joining the Panthers, DeBoer had a decorated career in the Ontario Hockey League. DeBoer was twice named the coach of the year in the OHL and led the Kitchener Rangers to a Memorial Cup win in 2003.

Florida was able to end their season on a high note. The Panthers halted a 10-game losing streak to beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 in the season finale.

Sports Recap 4/9/11

MLB:
Carlos Ruiz hits first career grand slam as the Phillies top the Braves 8-2
Tony Gwynn Jr. hits go-ahead single against his former team as the Dodgers beat San Diego 4-2 in 11 innings in first game of the double header
Russell Martin hits two homers as the Yankees beat Boston 9-4
White Sox stop the Rays rally to take home a 4-2 win
Ryan Raburn's ninth inning homer too little too late as Kansas City beat the Tigers 3-1
Rangers finally lose as the Orioles come up with a 5-0 win in first game of double header
Greg Dobbs' homer helps the Marlins beat Houston 7-5
Colorado scores three runs in the eighth inning to beat Pittsburgh 6-4
Brewers pound Matt Garza, beat the Cubs 6-0
Gio Gonzalez tosses six shutout innings as the A's squeeze out a 1-0 victory
Carlos Beltran blasts two homers as the Mets beat Washington 8-4
Rangers pound Baltimore 13-1 in the second game of the double header
Bronson Arroyo pitches six strong innings as the Reds beat Arizona 6-1
Maicer Izturis hits a walk-off single in the 14th inning to put the Angels over Toronto 6-5
Justin Masterson strikes out nine as the Indians get by the Mariners 2-1
Miguel Tejada hits a walk-off two-run double as the Giants prevail over St. Louis 3-2
Hiroki Kuroda can't finish the game but the Dodgers still shutout the Padres 4-0

NBA:
Haws drop fourth straight game, get blown out by Washington 115-83
Blake Griffin only manages 13 points as the Rockets crush the Clippers 99-78
John Salmons scores 32 points in Bucks 108-101 victory over Cleveland
Despite resting players, San Antonio still wins their fourth straight game, top Utah 111-102
Ty Lawson makes 10 consecutive three pointers as the Nuggets demolish Minnesota 130-106

NHL:
Rangers in playoffs after smacking rival New Jersey 5-2
Tim Thomas records 31 saves as the Bruins skate past Ottawa 3-1
Tampa Bay crushes Carolina and their playoff chances with 6-2 win
Hartnell, Meszaros both score twice as the Flyers pound the Islanders 7-4
Canadiens clinch the no. 4 seed in the East with a 4-1 win over Toronto
Panthers nip Washington 1-0 to end season with 30 wins
Kristian Huselius two goals not enough as the Blue Jackets lose to Buffalo 5-4
Jaroslav Halak records shutout, 24 saves in the Blues 2-0 win over Nashville
Ducks takes no. 4 seed from the Kings with a 3-1 win
Canucks beat Calgary 3-2 in overtime, win a club-record 54 games
Sharks capture no. 2 seed in the West with 3-1 win over Phoenix

Sports Recap 4/8/11

MLB:
Braves get to Cliff Lee, hand the Phillies a 6-3 loss
Red Sox pick up season's first win, beat rival Yankees 9-6
Rain delays bottom of ninth innings until Saturday in Dodgers vs. Brewers game, score remains at 2-2
Victor Martinez hits a three-run double to lift the Tigers past Kansas City 5-2
Twins rally in the eighth inning to take a 2-1 win over Oakland
Jordan Zimmerman hits a two-run single to list Washington over the Mets 6-2
Rangers vs. Orioles game suspended due to rain
Aaron Rowand hits a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning to give the Giants a 5-4 win over St. Louis
Rays score five runs in the ninth inning to earn first win of the year, beat White Sox 9-7
Marlins stop Houston's rally, squeeze out a 4-3 win
Jayson Nix hits a home run in the eighth to put the Blue Jays on top of the Angels 3-2
Jose Tabata's RBI double give the Pirates a 4-3 win over Colorado in 14 innings
Indians score 10 runs in the fourth inning, pound Seattle 12-3
Jeff Baker hits a three-run homer as the Cubs knock off Milwaukee 7-4
Diamondbacks combine for three homers over two innings to crush Cincinnati 12-2

NBA:
Danny Granger puts up 28 points as the Pacer top Atlanta 114-102
76ers top the Raptors 98-93 to end a three-game drought
Rajon Rondo dishes out 14 assists as Boston beats the Wizards 104-88
Bulls clinch home-court advantage, beat Cleveland 93-82
Brandon Jennings 31 points not enough as the Bucks fall to Detroit 110-100
Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both score 27 points as the Heat best the Bobcats 112-103
Willie Green torches the Suns with 33 points off the bench as New Orleans prevails 109-97
Knicks crush the Nets 116-93 to clinch their first non-losing season since 2004
Thunder beat the Nuggets 104-89 in playoff preview
Grizzlies clinch final playoff spot with 101-96 win over Sacramento
Mavericks beat the Clippers 107-96 to snap four-game skid
Lakers fail to clinch no. 2 seed, lose to Portland 93-86

NHL:
Islanders late rally not enough as the Penguins win 4-3 in a shootout
Thomas Vanek's overtime goal clinches playoff spot for Buffalo, beats the Flyers 4-3
Red Wings fall behind 3-0 in the first period, lose to Chicago 4-2
Panthers lose 10th straight game, fall to Tampa Bay 4-2
Hurricanes pummel Atlanta 6-1 to close in on playoff berth
Nashville clinches playoff berth, tops Columbus 4-1
Koivu, Bouchard, both dish out three assists as the Wild beat Edmonton 3-1
Brandon Yip's two goals not enough as the Avalache lose to Dallas 3-2
Phoenix beats San Jose 4-3, clinches playoff berth
Teemu Selanne notches two goals as the Ducks beats Los Angeles 2-1 to clinch a playoff berth

Manny Ramirez Retires

By Justin Worsley,

One of the most feared slugger in Major League Baseball, Manny Ramirez, suddenly announced his retirement on Friday, ending his 20-year career.

Ramirez, 38, was informed by the MLB that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training and would face a 100-game suspension by the league. Instead of taking the punishment, Ramirez instead decided to hang it up.

In 2009, Ramirez violated the same policy and served a 50-game ban while he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. MLB rules require second-time offenders to serve a 100-game sentence.

Ramirez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason in a move that reunited him with former teammate Johnny Damon. In five games with the Rays, Ramirez only had one hit, an RBI single against the Orioles on April 2, in 17 at bats.

Ramirez won nine Silver Slugger Awards in his career, including eight straight between 1999-2006 and is a 12-time All-Star, including 11 straight nominations between 1998-2008.

In 2004, Ramirez helped the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since 1918. For his efforts, Ramirez was named the World Series MVP.

Ramirez ranks 14th all time with 555 home runs. In his career, Ramirez has a .312 batting average and 1,831 RBIs. His 547 doubles also rank 24th all time.

Sports Recap 4/7/11

MLB:
Phillies offense comes alive again as the Mets get pounded 11-0
Base running error give the Indians a 1-0 victory over Boston
Houston wins first game of the year, dropping undefeated Reds 3-2
Trevor Cahill strikes out seven, allows three hits as the A's win a pitcher's duel over Toronto 2-1
Soriano protects lead as the Yankees edge Minnesota 4-3
Esmil Rodgers shuts down Pirates offense as the Rockies win 7-1
Ryan Braun's homer gives Milwaukee early advantage as they beat the Braves 4-2
Edwin Jackson strikes out 13 as the White Sox top Tampa Bay 5-1
Baltimore scores five runs in the seventh inning, beat Tigers in a shoot out 9-5
Adam LaRoche homers in the 11th to give the Nationals a 5-3 win over Florida

NBA:
Gerald Wallace scores 29 points as the Trail Blazers top Utah 98-87
Bulls defense halts the Celtics 97-81

NHL:
Atlanta beats the Rangers 3-0, freeze New York's playoff hopes
Filip Kuba's overtime goal gives the Senators the 3-2 win over Montreal
Brad Richards has a goal and an assist in Dallas' 4-2 win over Colorado
Ryan Kessler's hat trick helps the Canucks pound Minnesota 5--0

Gerald Wallace Scores 29 Points as the Trail Blazers Top Utah 98-87

By Justin Worsley,

Gerald Wallace scored 29 points and Portland never trailed as the Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz 98-87 in the EnergySolutions Arena on Thursday night.

Portland (46-33) led by seven points at halftime, much in part to Nicolas Batum, who scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half. Batum started the game due to center Marcus Camby being out with a neck injury.

The Trail Blazers began to put a strangle-hold on the game in the third quarter, going on a 7-0 run to but Portland up 63-52. Utah (37-42,) however, would not go down easy as Devin Harris knocked down three three-pointers withing 1:27 as Utah pulled within four points. Portland, however, responded by going on a 10-0 run to keep the game out of Utah's reach. Harris scored 14 of his 26 points in the third quarter.

Wallace came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points to help preserve the Trail Blazer's lead, including three shots from beyond the arc.

With the loss, Utah has officially suffered through their second losing season in 28 years. Portland now leads New Orleans by a half game for sixth place in the standings in the Western Conference with the win.

Sports Recap 4/6/11

MLB:
Yankees-Twins game postponned
Phillies halt Mets rally to take 10-7 victory
Dan Haren shuts down winless Rays as Angels take 5-1 win
Neil Walker hits solo home run as the Pirates top St. Louis 3-1
Rangers bats keep them 6-0, beat Seattle 7-3
Royals, White Sox again battle 12 innings as Chicago gets payback 10-7
Chris Young's two RBIs lift the D-Backs over the Cubs 6-4
Helton and Tulowitzki both homer as Colorado beats the Dodgers 7-5
Tim Lincecum strikes out 13, allows one run in seven innings as San Francisco beats the Padres 8-4
Justin Verlander nearly goes the distance, hands Baltimore their first loss in the Tigers 7-3 win
Red Sox remain winless as Cleveland takes 8-4 victory
Dallas Braden can't stop Toronto's offense as Blue Jays beat the A's 5-3
Cincinnati blows out winless Astros 12-4, remain undefeated
Marlins combine for six runs between the fifth and six innings to beat the Nationals 7-4
Prince Fielder drives in three runs as the Brewers top the Braves 5-4

NBA:
Charlotte out of playoffs after losing to Orlando in overtime 111-104
Indiana clinches playoff berth, blows out Washington 136-112
Knicks pull to 6th place in the east, beat 76ers 97-92
J.J. Hickson scores 28 points, 10 boards as the Cavaliers top Toronto 104-96
Lopez's career-high 39 points not enough as the Nets lose to Detroit 116-109
Chris Paul helps Hornets clinch playoff berth in 101-93 win over Houston
Milwaukee beats Wade-less Heat 90-85
Suns hand Timberwolves their 11th straight loss with a 108-98 win
Blake Griffin's 35 points not enough as the Thunder edge the Clippers 112-108
Denver hands falling Mavericks their 4th straight loss
San Antonio clinches top-seed in the West with 124-92 beat down on Sacramento
Lakers drop third straight game, lose to Golden State 95-87

NHL:
Ilya Kovalchuk scores goal no. 30 as the Devils drop the Maple Leafs 4-2
Boston reached the 100-point plateau after beating the Islanders 3-2
Cam Ward notches 42 saves as the Hurricanes shut out Detroit 3-0
Capitals inch closer to the top-seed in the East, pummel Florida 5-2
Jonathan Toews scores in overtime to lift the Blackhawks 5-4 over St. Louis
Jarome Iginla get hat trick as the Flames pummel Edmonton 6-1
Corey Perry's hat trick the difference in the Ducks 6-2 win over San Jose
Jonathan Quick remains undefeated as the Kings nip Phoenix 3-2

Garcia Suspended by South Carolina

By Justin Worsley,

The South Carolina Gamecocks have suspended quarterback Stephen Garcia indefinitely.

Though there has been no official release from the school citing the reason why he was suspended, sources have told ESPN.com that Garcia was loud and disruptive at a mandatory team leadership meeting last Tuesday. When approached by coaches, Garcia had alcohol on his breath.

This is the fifth suspension for Garcia, and second this spring, since joining South Carolina in 2007. Less than two weeks ago, Garcia vowed to not get in trouble again.

Garcia has been the starting quarterback for South Carolina since the 2009 season. Last year, he led the Gamecocks to their first ever Southeastern Conference Championship game and to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, where they lost to Florida State.

Last season, Garcia completed 224 of 349 passes for 3,059 yards with 20 touchdown and 14 interceptions.

Head coach Steve Spurrier, a former quarterback for Florida, has not set a timetable for Garcia's return, but did say that he, athletic director Eric Hyman and University President Harris Pastedes would meet after the spring to decide when Garcia should return.

Duke PG Kyrie Irving to Enter NBA Draft

By Justin Worsley,

Duke University point guard announced on Wednesday that he will forgo the rest of his collegiate eligibility and enter the upcoming NBA Draft.

Irving, 19, missed 26 games this season while battling a sever ligament injury in his right toe. The injury, which Irving suffered on Dec. 8, caused him to miss the rest of the regular season.

Irving returned in time for the NCAA tournament and was a force for the Blue Devils, scoring 28 points off of the bench in the Blue Devils season-ending loss to Arizona in the Sweet Sixteen.

In 11 collegiate games, Irving averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game and Duke was 10-1 in game that Irving played. He is the one of the highest rated prospects in the nation for the upcoming draft.

Along with Irving, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, both seniors, will also not be with the program next season.

Adam Dunn Out After Undergoing Appendectomy

By Justin Worsley,

Chicago White Sox designated hitter has been sidelined for at least five days after undergoing an appendectomy late Tuesday night.

Dunn, 31, played in Tuesday night's 7-6 12-inning loss to the Kansas City Royals, but needed a pinch runner in the final inning. For the season, Dunn is batting .286 with one home run and 5 RBIs.

Chicago closes out their two-game series with Kansas City on Wednesday before their home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

There has not been an announcement as to who will replace Dunn as the DH.

Sports Recap 4/5/11

NCAAW:
Danielle Adams scores 30 points as Texas A&M beats Notre Dame 76-70 to win the National Championship

MLB:
Mets score six runs in the 3rd to drop Philadelphia 7-1
Cubs holds off Diamondbacks 9th inning rally to take 6-5 victory
Adam Harang tosses six shutout innings as the Padres top San Francisco 3-1
Jered Weaver continues strong start as the Angels drop Tampa Bay 5-3
Boston drops to 0-4, lose to Cleveland 3-1
Rafael Soriano allows the Twins to score four runs in the 8th inning as the Twins make a 5-4 comeback win in 10 innings
Yunel Escobar his walk-off two-run homer in the 10th as the Blue Jays beat Oakland 7-6
Reds offense pummels J.A. Happ, take 8-2 win over the Astros
Donnie Murphy hits a walk-off RBI single as the Marlins edge Washington 3-2 in 10 innings
Alexi Ogando allows two hits in six innings as the Rangers shut down Seattle 3-2
Melky Cabrera hits a walk-off RBI single in the 12th inning to give the Royals a 7-6 win over the White Sox
Yovani Gallardo pitches a complete game shutout, allows two hits as Brewers top Atlanta 1-0
Albert Pujols two RBIs lift the Cardinals over Pittsburgh 3-2
Jhoulys Chacin outduels Clayton Kershaw as the Rockies take 3-0 victory over the Dodgers

NBA:
Orlando clinches no. 4 seed in playoffs with 78-72 win over Milwaukee
Tony Parkers 26 points help San Antonio stop Atlanta 97-90
Bobcats postseason hopes look slim after losing to Cleveland 99-89
Deron Williams 21 assists help the Nets take a 107-105 victory over Minnesota
John Wall's 26 points help Washington beat the Pistons 107-105
Celtics blowout the 76ers 99-82 to move into 2nd place in the East
Knicks beat Toronto 131-118 to earn fourth straight victory
Bulls now have three game lead for the top seed in the East with 97-94 win over Phoenix
Clippers hold Memphis to 13 fourth quarter points to take an 82-81 win
Dalembert, Cousins both record double-doubles as the Kings clip the Rockets 104-101
Kevin Durant scores 32 as Thunder earn first road victory over Denver in franchise history
Trail Blazers clinch playoff spot desppite being blown out by Golden State 108-87
Jazz snap six-game losing streak, upset the Lakers 86-85

NHL:
Pascal Dupuis scores two goals as Pittsburgh trumps the Devils 4-2
Thomas Vanek nets hat trick as the Sabres cruise past Tampa Bay 4-2
Washington clinches Southeast division with 3-2 shootout win over Toronto
P.K. Subban scores in overtime to lift Montreal over Chicago 2-1
Philadelphia drop out of first place in the East with 5-2 loss to Ottawa
St. Louis bests Colorado 3-1 in first meeting since Feb. 19 trade
Jordan Tootoo and Sergei Kostitsyn both score two goals in Nashville's 6-3 blowout of Atlanta
Kari Lehtonen nabs 23 saves as the Stars shutout Columbus 3-0
Devan Dubnyk halts 26 shots as Oilers again trump first-place Vancouver 2-0

Callahan Breaks Leg, Out Indefinitely

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Rangers announced on Tuesday that right winger Ryan Callahan will miss the remainder of the season and will be out indefinitely after breaking his right leg in Monday's dramatic comeback win against the Boston Bruins.

Callahan had an assist in the 5-3 Rangers win, but his leg was fractured when he blocked a slapshot by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara late in the game.

Through 60 games, the 26-year-old Callahan has 23 goals and 25 assists and his 48 points is the second most on the team. He is also fifth in the NHL among forwards with 77 blocks, which is a big reason why New York is second in the NHL with 672 blocked shots.

Callahan was sidelined for 19 games earlier this season after breaking his hand blocking a shot by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang in December. New York has gone 10-7-2 without Callahan in the lineup this season.

Mets Shell-Shock Hamels, Hand Phillies First Loss

By Justin Worsley,

The New York Mets offense exploded for six runs in the third inning and the Philadelphia Phillies were unable to get their offense rolling as New York won 7-1 to hand the Phillies their first loss of the season.

The Mets (3-1) sent former San Diego Padres pitcher Chris Young to the mound in his first Mets start. Young threw five and 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out seven, but his bat will be talked about more than his pitching.

Young became the first pitcher in Mets history to record two hits in the same inning when New York broke the game open in the third inning. After Cole Hamels pitched his way out of a jam in the first inning, he was unable to conjure up the same magic as New York went through their entire rotation in the third and Hamels was pulled from the game by manager Charlie Manuel.

Young got on base with a single down the left side of the infield and was put into scoring position after Jose Reyes safely bunted. Hamels walked Angel Pagan to load the bases and David Wright hit a two-RBI single just out of Jimmy Rollins' reach to put the Mets on the board.

Pagan crossed home plate after Carlos Ruiz was unable to field a pitch delivered by Hamels. Back-to-back singles by Ike Davis and rookie Brad Emaus drove in two more runs and Young hit another single down the left side of the infield to drive in the Mets final run of the inning.

Placido Polanco hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to put Philadelphia on the board, but the Mets quickly responded with an RBI single to deep left field by Scott Hairston.

Hamels pitched just two and 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs off of seven hits and three strikeouts as the Phillies (3-1) failed to open the season 4-0. Kyle Kendrick, one of the Phillies starting pitchers last season, relieved Hamels as Philadelphia relied on their bullpen to bail them out.

Game two of the three game series goes on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Joe Blanton is expected to make his first start of the season against the Mets Mike Pelfrey (0-1, 10.38 ERA)

Sports Recap 4/4/11

NCAAB:
Butler's offense goes cold as UConn wins the National Championship 53-41

MLB:
Prado, Uggla both hit homers in the eighth as the Braves edge Milwaukee 2-1
Baltimore off to best start since 1997, drop the Tigers 5-1
A-Rod and Posada hit homers as the Yankees beat the Twins 4-3
Arizona can't capitalize on a bases-loaded eighth inning as the Cubs walk away with a 4-1 victory
Andrew McCutchen returns, hits a homer in Pirates 5-4 win over St. Louis
Cruz, Andrus hit homers as Texas wins 6-4 over Seattle

NHL:
Rangers score three goals in the final three minutes to shock Boston 5-3
Six different Sharks score as San Jose blows out the Kings 6-1

Sports Recap 4/3/11

MLB:
Ryan Howard hits a three-run homer as the Phillies complete the sweep of Houston 7-3
Indians turn triple play, crush White Sox 7-1
Miguel Cabrera hit a pair of two-run homers in Detroit's shootout win over the Yankees 10-7
Joe Nathan records first save since 2009 as Twins edge Blue Jays 4-3
Ryan Hanigan blasts two home runs as Cincinnati routes Milwaukee 12-3
Ike Davis and Willie Harris hit homers as the Mets beat Florida 9-2
Brian McCann records four RBIs in Braves 11-2 beat down on the Nationals
Rookie Zach Britton tosses six scoreless innings as Baltimore sweeps the Rays 5-1
Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz homer again in the Rangers 5-1 win over Boston
Matt Treanor his a three-run homer in the 13th innings to lift the Royals over the Angels 12-9
Jaime Garcia dominance proves the difference in St. Louis' 2-0 win over San Diego
Pittsburgh scores two runs in the ninth to edge the Cubs 5-4
Arizona-Colorado game gets postponed due to weather
Mark Ellis' three RBIs give the A's their first win as Oakland beats Seattle 7-1
Dodgers stop Giants rally in the ninth, with 7-5

NBA:
Raptors snap six-game losing streak in their 102-98 victory over Orlando
Spurs rout the Suns 114-97 to snap a six-game losing streak
Nuggets win sixth straight game, stop the Lakers 95-90
Shaq injured again in Boston's 101-90 win over the Pistons
The Heat clinch the Southeast division with 108-94 win over New Jersey
Knicks clinch playoff berth with 123-107 win over Cleveland
Jazz continue to suffer without Deron Williams, lost to Kings 106-97
Wizards earn rare road victory in 97-91 win at Charlotte
Hornets hold off Pacers rally, win 108-96
Kevin martin scores 35 points in Rockets 114-109 win over Atlanta
Portland beats Dallas 104-96 in possible playoff preview

NHL:
Rangers get much needed two points in 3-2 shootout win over the Flyers
Red Wings clinch the Central Division with 4-2 win over Minnesota
Marc Andre-Gragnani scores in overtime to lift Buffalo over Carolina 2-1
Patrik Berglund scores twice in Blues blowout win over Columbus 6-1
Mike Smith shuts out Chicago in Tampa Bay's 2-0 win
Calgary stays alive in the playoff race with 2-1 victory over the Avalanche
Ducks fail to clinch playoff berth, beat Dallas 4-3

NCAAW:
UConn shocked by Notre Dame 72-63
Tyra White makes layup with 3.3 seconds left as Texas A&M upsets Stanford 63-62

Sports Recap 4/2/11

NCAAB:
Butler advances to second straight NCAA Championship game after knocking off VCU 70-62
UConn edges Kentucky 56-55, Jim Calhoun seeks third title

MLB:
Cliff Lee strikes out 11 in the Phillies 9-4 win over Houston
White Sox score early and often again, beat Cleveland 8-3
Cubs score all their runs in the eighth inning, rally past the Pirates 5-3
Rick Ankiel hits a home run in Washington's 6-3 win over the Braves
Kyle Drabek allows one hit in seven innings as the Blue Jays get the best of Minnesota 6-1
Royals rally in the eighth for 5-4 victory over the Angels
Yankees score six runs in the first two innings to beat Detroit 10-6
Aubrey Huff and Freddy Sanchez drive in six runs as the Giants pummel the Dodgers 10-0
Chase Headley hits home run in Padres 11-3 rout of St. Louis
Francisco Cordero stops the Brewers rally as the Reds again edge Milwaukee 4-2
Mets scored three runs in the 10th to beat Florida 6-4
Chris Tillman holds Tampa Bay hitless for six innings in Baltimore's 3-1 win
Rangers hit four home runs, crush Boston 12-5
Diamondbacks can't solve Jorge De La Rosa, lose to Rockies 3-1
Ichiro Suzuki becomes Mariners all-time hits leader in Seattle's 5-2 win over the A's

NBA:
Derrick Rose scores 36 points in the Bulls 113-106 victory over Toronto
Grizzlies hand Memphis their 10th straight loss with a 106-89 win
Brandon Jennings scores nine points in overtime as the Bucks upend Philadelphia 93-87
Monta Ellis drops 32 points on Dallas and the Warriors win 99-92
Blake Griffin scores 26 points, grabs 16 rebounds in Clippers 98-92 win over Oklahoma City

NHL:
Canadiens end Devils season with 3-1 win
Bruins clinch division with 3-2 victory over Atlanta
Lighting bounce the Wild from postseason play with 3-1 win
Red Wings score four unanswered goals to topple Nashville 4-3 in overtime
Kings score two goals in the third period to beat Dallas 3-1
Hurricanes within a point of the eighth seed with 4-2 win over the Islanders
Leafs hold on to playof hopes with 4-2 win over Ottawa
Ovechkin scores in oveertime to place the Capitals back in first place in a 5-4 win over the Sabres
Panthers drop their eighth straight as Pittsurgh prevails 4-2
Oilers end losing streak in 4-1 win over the Canucks
Sharks out duel Ducks 4-2 in possible playoff preview

Sports Recap 4/1/11

MLB:
Phillies rally in the ninth to beat the Astros 5-4
Neil Walker his grand slam to lift the Pirates over the Cubs 6-3
White Sox score eight runs in the fourth to breeze past Cleveland 15-10
David Murphy's two-run double in the eighth helps the Rangers beat the Red Sox 9-5
Matt Lindstrom's wild pitch proves to be deadly for Colorado as the Diamondbacks win 7-6 in 11 innings.
Blue Jays hit four homers in 13-3 rout of the Twins
John Buck hits grand slam in the Marlins 6-2 victory over the Mets
Damon, Ramirez combine to go 0-8 in team debut as the Rays lose to Baltimore 4-1
Kila Ka'aihue hits walk-off home run to held the Royal beat the Angels 2-1
Felix Hernandez throws five-hitter as the Mariners topples the A's 6-2
Dodgers score three runs in the sixth to drop San Francisco to 0-2 in a 4-3 win

NBA:
Dwight Howard scores 26 points and picks up 14 rebounds as Orlando beats Charlotte 89-77
Pacers edge Bucks 89-88, hold on to eighth seed in playoffs.
76ers clinch playoff berth as they blow out the Nets 115-90
Jordan Crawford records triple-double as the Wizards beat Cleveland 115-107
Bulls upend Detroit 101-96 despite Hamilton's 30 points
Hawks rally in the fourth quarter to beat the Celtics 88-83
Grizzlies now in tie with New Orleans for seventh seed in playoffs as the beat the Hornets 93-91
Miami's big three combine for 83 points in their 111-92 win over Minnesota
Rockets beat Spurs 119-114 in OT to give San Antonio their sixth straight loss
Suns beat Clippers without Steve Nash 111-98
Aldridge scores 32 points in Portland's 98-91 win over the Thunder
Raymond Felton scores 14 points in the fourth quarter and Denver beats Sacramento 99-90
Utah fails to hold onto 17-point lead, lose to the Lakers 96-85

NHL:
Patrick Elias has a hat trick in the Devils 4-2 win over Philadelphia
Stalberg shootout goal gives the Blackhawks the 4-3 win over Columbus
Iginla scores his 1,000th career point in Calgary's 3-2 win over St. Louis
Colorado upsets Phoenix 4-3 in a shootout