Sports News

Exactly why the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays tangle so much is hard to tell. Blame it on a high-and-tight pitch here, a hard slide there. Whatever, this much is true: The teams playing in the AL championship series sure get into a lot of scraps. "There's no hatred," injured Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling insisted Tuesday in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds made a rare public appearance Tuesday and said he is enjoying life away from baseball. "I'm happy now that I have more time," Bonds told the crowd at the kickoff event of the Macy's Christmas tree lighting. "I've actually enjoyed myself immensely."

DENVER - The Colorado Rockies let go three coaches after a disappointing 74-88 season.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Orleans Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter will miss the rest of his rookie season after dislocating his right wrist during Monday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the NFL's television network reported.

METAIRIE, La. - Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter will miss the rest of his rookie season after dislocating his right wrist during Monday night's game against Minnesota.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Darryl Blackstock has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's policy on banned substances, the league said Tuesday.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson skipped Tuesday's exhibition opener against the Utah Jazz because of pain and swelling in his lower legs, a team spokesman said.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Ronnie Brewer and Paul Millsap each scored 13 points, Deron Williams had 11 points and eight assists, and the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 on Tuesday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Greg Oden announced his delayed arrival to the NBA with a dunk two minutes into the preseason.

LONDON (AFP) - FA chairman Lord Triesman on Tuesday said English football had total debts of more than three billion pounds (3.9 billion euros) and warned of its danger to the well-being of the sport.

DUBLIN (AFP) - Damien Duff is back in the Republic of Ireland squad for next week's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus after missing last month's games against Georgia and Montenegro.

GLASGOW (AFP) - Darren Fletcher will lead Scotland into battle with Norway on Saturday after the Manchester United midfielder was handed the captain's armband for the World Cup qualifier.

PHILADELPHIA - The Flyers finished their preseason Tuesday with a 4-2 loss to their minor league affiliate, the American Hockey League's Philadelphia Phantoms.

BENSENVILLE, Ill. - Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin is expected to start the regular season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin left practice early Tuesday, but the reigning NHL MVP is expected to play in the Washington Capitals' season opener Friday at Atlanta.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Quarterback Jamie Hampton ran for two touchdowns to lead Troy to a 30-17 victory over Florida Atlantic on Tuesday night.

BOULDER, Colo. - Colorado coach Dan Hawkins and the university agreed to a contract extension that could keep him with the Buffaloes through 2012.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - One of the most closely watched injuries in college football belongs to an 81-year-old man who hasn't played a snap in six decades.

SYDNEY (AFP) - The singles winners at next year's Australian Open will each take home 1.62 million dollars (1.11 million US), according to organisers, as they announced a 22 million dollar prize pool.

MOSCOW (AFP) - Top seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia advanced to the second round of the 2.4-million-dollar ATP and WTA Kremlin Cup here on Tuesday, beating Frenchman Florent Serra in straight sets.

VIENNA (AFP) - Top seed Stanislas Wawrinka was beaten 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) by German qualifier Philipp Petzschner in the first round of the Austrian Open here on Tuesday.

MADRID, Spain - Seve Ballesteros was admitted to a hospital Monday after feeling dizzy and fainting.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. - Paula Creamer could finally look to all those supporters who have seen her through every stage of her young golf career and know she'd made them proud while playing right in her backyard.

VERONA, N.Y. - When the final round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship began, six players near the top of the leaderboard had a chance at that elusive first PGA Tour victory. Rookie Dustin Johnson was the last man standing.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Patrick Carpentier was released from Gillett Evernham Motorsports on Tuesday, and Mike Wallace and AJ Allmendinger will finish the season in the No. 10 Dodge.

INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials insist that a world championship should include an American race. Or at least a North American race.

INDIANAPOLIS - Goodyear may have an answer for one of Indianapolis Motor Speedway's toughest challenges: softer tires.

LONDON - The future of men's road cycling in the Olympics could be threatened unless the sport cleans up its doping record.

LONDON - Olympic organizers intend to "bear down" on costs in the wake of the global financial crisis and do everything possible to avoid overruns on the $17 billion budget for the 2012 Summer Games.

BEIJING - International gymnastics officials aren't the only ones who want more information on two members of China's 2000 Olympic team.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - A woman has been charged with stalking Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton. Stacy Elizabeth Beshear of El Segundo was arrested Sept. 18 after she pulled up to his car and pretended to fire gunshots at him with her hand, police Sgt. Steve Tobias said.

BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox brushed aside the 100-win Angels in four games, dismissing their best-in-baseball regular season as last month's news.

PHILADELPHIA - All-Pro running back Brian Westbrook broke two ribs in the Eagles' 23-17 loss to Washington on Sunday, though he stayed in and finished the game.