Westplex Today Sports Page:   June 25, 2008

The Cardinals are back in the win column after doubling up Detroit 8-4 last night at Comerica Park in the opener of a three-game interleague set.  Redbirds outfielder Brian Barton went 2-for-3 with two RBI including a solo homer from the lead-off spot.  Cards starter Braden Looper allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings of work to grab the victory and improve to 9-5 on the year.  The Cardinals moved within 3 ½ games of the Cubs for the NL Central lead.

The Cardinals square off against the Tigers tonight in the second of a three-game interleague set at Comerica Park .  First pitch is 6:05 , and KWRE has all the action for you at 5:22 .  Redbirds right-hander Kyle Lohse goes for his 10^th victory of the season for the Cardinals, after he was claimed off the scrap heap during spring training.   The Tigers will send fellow righthander Armando Galarraga to the mound tonight.

Despite his frequent setbacks when he has pitched rehab assignments at the Triple-A minor league level, Cardinals southpaw Mark Mulder is still an option to pitch for the big league team on Saturday in Kansas City .  According to club's website, Mulder is one of two candidates to make the start against the Royals even though he was scratched from a rehab appearance with Triple-A Memphis on Monday due to back stiffness.  He will be re-evaluated by doctors sometime today and a decision on a starter is expected within the next few days.  Cards rookie hurler Mitchell Boggs will get the nod if Mulder is unable to toe the hill.

The Cubs' 14-game home winning streak came to an end with last night's 7-5 setback to the Baltimore Orioles.  The Cubs tried to rally from a six-run deficit, but wasted a bases-loaded opportunity with none out in the ninth to take their first defeat on the north side since May 17th.  Sean Marshall was saddled with the loss in his first start of the season after giving up four earned runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.  Michael Wuertz was charged with three unearned runs in one frame.  Jim Edmonds clubbed a three-run home run, his 6^th homer of the season.   Kosuke Fukudome added a solo shot for the Cubs, who host Baltimore again this evening.

Dave Bush tossed seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball and the Brewers held on to beat the Braves 4-3 in the second game of a three-game series at Turner Field.  Bush struck out five and walked only one to move to 4-7 with the win.  J.J. Hardy went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, and Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun and Corey Hart plated a run each for Milwaukee , which has won four straight and eight-of-nine overall.  Salomon Torres gave up two runs in the ninth, but hung on to record his 13th save.   The Brewers are 7-1 in their last 8 games, and they are within 5 ½ games of the Cubs in the NL Central.

The White Sox snapped their nine-game road skid yesterday by dumping the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 at Chavez Ravine.  St. Charles native and Howell North alumnus Mark Buehrle won for the fourth time in his last five decisions.  The lefthander scattered six hits over eight innings of one-run ball and struck out a pair to record career strikeout 1,000. 

The Yankees’ first visit to Pittsburgh since 1960 went as well as that World Series played that year for them.   Jose Bautista and Ryan Doumit homered as part of a 19-hit attack as the Pirates pounded the Yankees 12-5 before the third-largest crowd in PNC Park history.  Bill Mazeroski, who hit a walkoff homer to win Game Seven of the 1960 World Series, threw out the ceremonia first pitch.   That World Series was very unusual, since the three Yankees victories were by blowout margins.   However, thanks to the usual light-hitting Mazeroski, the Pirates won that World Series in 7 games and began the end of the Yankees’ dynasty that stretched all the way back to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the late 1920s.

Gateway is riding high after edging River City 4-3 last night at GCS Ballpark.  Grizzlies infielder Chad Rothford nailed a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to help his team take two of three matchups from the Rascals.  Gateway hosts Evansville this evening while River City welcomes Windy City to T.R. Hughes Ballpark.  Both squads get underway at 7:05 .

The Missouri Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association has released its all-state high school baseball teams.   In Class 4, the first-team all-state selections are Tim Melville of Wentzville Holt, Nathan Orf and Preston Aldridge of Francis Howell, and Cody Asche of Zumwalt West.   The Class 4 all-state 2^nd team includes Zack Gronek and James Allen of Francis Howell.

In Class 3, the first-team all-state selections include Charlie Lowell of Winfield; Kyle Kiely, Alex Larkin, and Tony Schulte of St. Dominic; Larry Schimsa of Pacific; and Spiker Helms of Borgia.  

In Class 2, Zach Pugh of Orchard Farm is a 1^st-team all-state selection.   And, in Class 1, Scott Sory and Blaine Abbott of New Haven are 2^nd team selections.  

In hockey:   The Blues' four-day development camp continues today at Scottrade Center .  Prospects will take part in a pair of practice sessions at 9:00 and 10:45 this morning.  Each workout is open to the public and free of charge.  The event runs through the end of the week and wraps up with a scrimmage on Friday night at 7:00 .

In tennis:   Day 2 of Wimbledon produced a big upset, as 4^th seed Nikolay Davydenko was beaten in straight sets by unseeded Benjamin Becker.   On the men’s side:   Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Richard Gasquet, and James Blake were among the top-10 seeds that won their 1^st round matches.   Among the women:   Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, and defending champion Venus Williams were the top-10 seeds that posted first-round victories yesterday.

In golf:   Tiger Woods had successful surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee yesterday.   This was more serious than the surgery he had on that knee in April, after the Masters tournament.   The surgery on the ACL will force Tiger to miss the rest of the PGA season, including the British Open, PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup.    There is no timetable for his return next season.

There will be a deciding Game Three at the College World Series to decide college baseball's national champion.  Fresno State spotted Georgia an early 5-0 lead before storming back for a wild rollercoaster 19-10 win in Game Two Tuesday night at Rosenblatt Stadium.  Fresno scored six times in the bottom of the third to take a 6-5 lead.  After Georgia tied the game at six in the top of the fourth, Fresno State scored five more in the bottom half to take the lead for good.  A four-run fifth inning stretched the advantage to 15-6 and, after Georgia tallied four in the seventh to get within 15-10, Fresno answered right back with three in the bottom half and another in the eighth.  Tommy Mendonca hit a three-run homer and Steve Susdorf added a two-run shot and drove in four for Fresno State .  The two teams will play Game Three to decide the battle of the Bulldogs and college baseball's national championship Wednesday night.

The top two picks in Thursday's NBA Draft may not be clear cut after all.  The Bulls are expected to take Memphis guard Derrick Rose first, but ESPN.com reports the Heat want to trade down for USC guard O.J. Mayo rather than take Kansas State 's Michael Beasley.

Former Steelers quarterback and current FOX NFL analyst Terry Bradshaw said he used steroids at times during his playing career in an interview on the "Dan Patrick Show".  Bradshaw said the doctor-prescribed cortisone-like injections were used to help heal from injury.