Westplex Today Sports Page:   June 13, 2008

A four-run seventh inning snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-2 win over the Cardinals last night as the Redbirds wrapped up a nine game road trip. The loss also stopped the Cards' four game winning streak.

Joel Piniero returned from the disabled list to pitch five innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out six, but did not figure in the decision. Mark Worrell took the loss in relief. Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus ripped his eighth home run of the season which tied the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning. Brandon Phillips had three RBI for the Reds, who avoided a sweep with the win.

Tony La Russa's team posted a 6-3 record on the trip and returns home twelve games above .500 at 40-28. The Birds trail the Cubs by 3 ½ games in the NL Central Division. They open a series against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight at Busch Stadium.

Former Cardinal Jim Edmonds knocked a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Cubs pushed across a run in the 11th to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 yesterday at Wrigley Field. Kerry Wood improved to 3-1 in relief. The Cubs have won four straight games and 11 straight games at home, and they boast the best record in baseball at 43-24. Chicago opens a series in Toronto tonight.

St. Charles native Mark Buehrle had some tough luck yesterday.   The White Sox starter only gave up one run in 8 innings, but he received a no-decision in the White Sox 2-1 loss in Detroit .   Octavio Dotel gave up a walkoff home run in the 9^th inning to foil Buehrle’s efforts.

The River City Rascals were swamped by the Midwest Sliders 13-4 yesterday afternoon at T.R. Hughes Ballpark.   The Rascals have a long trip to Washington , Pennsylvania today, so they can play the Wild Things in a weekend series.

In college basketball:   The Missouri men's basketball team will play a trio of exhibition games in Ontario between August 30th and September 1st.  Mike Anderson's team is scheduled to play a pair of games in St. Catharines and another in Toronto .  Opponents are still being finalized for two of the games, but Mizzou will meet Brock University , the defending Canadian National Champion, on August 31st.

In pro basketball:   The Celtics are just a win away from their first NBA title since 1986.  Paul Pierce scored 20 points as Boston overcame a 24-point, first-half deficit to defeat the Lakers 97-91 and take a 3-1 lead in the Finals. It was quite a turnaround for Pierce, who managed to only score 6 points in Game 3. The Celtics can wrap up the title Sunday in Los Angeles .

In golf:   Despite playing in the same trio with Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson got off to slow starts in the first round of the U.S. Open.   Mickelson is at even par, and Tiger carded a one-over-par 72 in his first PGA round since knee surgery following The Masters in April.  Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman share the lead at three-under.   Ernie Els is at one-under par.

In hockey:   Capitals star Alex Ovechkin won the Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award as Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Player at Thursday's NHL Awards in Toronto .  The Devils' Martin Brodeur received the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie.   Detroit ’s Nicklas Lidstrom was awarded his sixth Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman.  He now trails only Bobby Orr, who won the Norris eight times, and Doug Harvey, a seven-time winner.  Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk won his third straight Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play and claimed his first Selke Trophy for being the league's top defensive forward.  He is the first player to win the Lady Byng three consecutive years since the Rangers Frank Boucher did between 1933 and 1935.

The man known as "Mr. Hockey" was the first ever recipient of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award.  Gordie Howe was in Toronto for the "NHL Awards Show" last night and was presented the award by Commissioner Gary Bettman.  Howe's illustrious career included six scoring titles and six Hart trophies as league MVP, in addition to being the only player in history to finish in the top-five in scoring for 20 consecutive seasons.