Sports
Westplex Today Sports Page: June 27, 2008
By Jay Murry
Jun 27, 2008 - 6:36:43 AM

Westplex Today Sports Page:   June 27, 2008

The Cardinals suffered through a frustrating series finale against the Tigers in Detroit yesterday.   They had 14 hits, but the Cardinals also left 12 men on base; and to cap the frustration, Mike Parisi walked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning and Detroit edged the Cardinals 3-2 yesterday.  Parisi dropped to 0-4 with the loss. 

The Cardinals were poised to gain the victory, after taking a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning.   However, Tiger outfielder Gary Sheffield hit a solo home run off Ryan Franklin to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into extra innings. 

On the positive side, Redbird first baseman Albert Pujols returned from the disabled list and went 4-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.  Redbird right-hander Todd Wellemeyer took the mound after missing a start with elbow stiffness.  He threw five shutout innings.  Jason Isringhausen pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.  The Redbirds are 3-3 on this current nine-game road trip.  They open a weekend series in Kansas City tonight before returning to St. Louis to open a homestand on Monday which will feature the Mets and Cubs.  

The Royals swept the Cardinals last week in St. Louis , but that was without the presence of Pujols, who usually wears out Royals pitching.   Pujols has a batting average of .394 against Kansas City in his career, with 10 homers and 38 RBIs in 33 games.

To make room on the roster for Pujols, thhe Cardinals sent Randy Flores to the DL.  The left-handed reliever was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left ankle.  Flores is 1-0 with a 4.66 ERA.

A five-run third inning was all the scoring the Orioles would need as they beat the Cubs 11-4 at Wrigley Field yesterday.  Aubrey Huff had four hits and two RBI for Baltimore .  Jay Payton added a pair of hits and three RBI for the O's, who took two of three from the National League Central Division leaders.  The Cubs fell to 33-10 at home.  They lead the Cardinals by 4 ½ games as they get set to open a weekend series against the White Sox tonight.

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella will be one of the coaches in the National League dugout during the 79th All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.  Piniella replaces Willie Randolph, who was fired as manager of the New York Mets earlier this month.  Piniella joins a staff led by Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.  San Diego Padres manager Bud Black will also be a part of the NL staff.

The Houston Astros placed pitcher Shawn Chacon on waivers on Thursday.  The move comes in the aftermath of a violent altercation between Chacon and Astros general manager Ed Wade.  The "Houston Chronicle" reported that Chacon exploded in the team's clubhouse prior to Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers.  Chacon admitted to the paper to grabbing Wade by the neck and throwing him to the ground after the two exchanged words.  Chacon lost his spot in the starting rotation on Sunday after allowing six runs against the Baltimore Orioles on June 19th.  The 30-year-old was 0-3 with a 9.35 ERA in June, and was 2-3 with a 5.04 ERA overall.

The River City Rascals lost to the Windy City Thunderbolts 11-8 at T.R. Hughes Ballpark last night.  The Rascals committed a season-high six errors in the loss.  The final game of the three-game set is tonight at 7:05 .   It’s “Christian Family Night”, with appearances by former Cardinals closer Todd Worrell, two members of the Veggie Tales animated series, a concert by “Broken4One”, and there will be a fireworks display after the game.

The Blues wrap up their four-day development camp with two practice sessions this morning and a scrimmage tonight.  The Blue team will skate at 9:00 and the Gold team will take the ice at 10:30 .  The two squads will face off in a 7:00 scrimmage.  All sessions are being held at Scottrade Center and are free and open to the public.

Athletes will compete for coveted spots on the U.S. Olympic team, during the Olympic Track & Field Trials that begin today in Eugene , Oregon .   The top-three finishers per event qualify to compete in the Olympic Games in Bejing later this summer, and competition will be spirited during the 10-day meet on the hallowed grounds of the Hayward Field track at the University of Oregon .   Among the athletes to watch are sprinter Tyson Gay, who is favored in both the 100 and 200-meter races; American pole vault record holders Brad Walker and Jenn Stuczynski; women's 200-meters world champion Allyson Felix, 400-meters favorite Sanya Richards, Alan Webb in the men’s 1500, and Kara Goucher—who won a bronze medal in the 10,000-meter run at the World Championships last fall in Japan.

On a sad note, Alicia Shay will not be able to compete in the 10-thousand at the Trials.   She was hoping to honor her husband’s death by gaining a spot on the Olympic team, but an abdominal injury has stopped that dream.   Her husband Ryan Shay collapsed and died during the early stages of the men’s Marathon Trials in New York last fall.

The Chicago Bulls surprised few by selecting Memphis guard Derrick Rose with the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft on Thursday.  The 19-year-old Rose grew up in the " Windy City " and averaged 14.9 points and 4.7 assists over 40 games in his lone collegiate season.  The Miami Heat chose Kansas State forward Michael Beasley with the second overall pick.  Beasley played in 33 games during his only season with the Wildcats, and averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per contest.  USC guard O.J. Mayo went to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the third pick, but the T'wolves have reportedly agreed to send his rights to the Grizzlies as part of an eight-player swap.  The Seattle SuperSonics took UCLA guard Russell Westbrook at number-four, while fellow Bruin and forward Kevin Love was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies at number-five.  Love would be part of the package headed to Minnesota .

Kansas City native Brandon Rush will be involved in a trade, after he was selected 13^th in the first round.   ESPN.com reports the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to trade guard Jarrett Jack, forward Josh McRoberts and the draft rights to Rush to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Ike Diogu and the draft rights to the highly-touted point guard Jerryd Bayless. 

Former Wimbledon women's champion Maria Sharapova was upset in the second round Thursday at the All England Club.  Americans Andy Roddick and James Blake were also second-round casualties among the top 10 seeds.   The third-seeded Sharapova was ousted by fellow Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2, 6-4.  However, second-seeded Jelena Jankovic and defending champion and seventh-seeded American Venus Williams were Day Four winners.  Jankovic soundly defeated Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-3 while Williams ousted Britain 's Anne Keothavong.

On the men's side, Janko Tipsarevic stunned the sixth-seeded Roddick 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).  Blake was defeated by Germany 's Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.  Second-seeded Rafael Nadal was a second-round winner.  The two-time runner-up at the All England Club dropped the first set to Ernests Gulbis before coming back to win 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

Pat Hurst and Ji-Young Oh both fired six-under 67s to move into a tie for the lead after the opening round of the women's U.S. Open.   Defending champion Cristie Kerr is in a group of golfers tied for 21st at one-under.  Lorena Ochoa, the top-ranked women’s player in the world, is in a pack at even-par, while Karrie Webb and three-time U.S. Open champion Annika Sorenstam are in a group tied for 66th place at plus-two.   Sorenstam is playing in her final U.S. Open before retiring at the end of the LPGA season.

Corey Pavin is among three golfers tied for the lead after Thursday's first round of the Buick Open.  The 15-time PGA Tour winner carded an eight-under 64 to share the first-day lead with Dudley Hart and Bo Van Pelt.   St. Louisan Jay Williamson fired a four-under-par 68 and trails the leaders by four strokes after yesterday's first round.  U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate is at one-under, seven shots off the lead.

Indiana University Athletic Director Rick Greenspan has announced he will be leaving his position as a sixth allegation is brought against the department by the NCAA.  Greenspan's resignation takes effect at the end of the calendar year.  He said in a statement that "a new person will be in a stronger position to lead IU Athletics moving forward."  Greenspan added that he is "extremely disappointed" in the new NCAA charge.  The Committee on Infractions decided on the "failure to monitor" infraction after IU gave presentation earlier this month on the first five allegations.  The six infractions center on telephone calls against guidelines to men's basketball recruits by former members of the coaching staff.  Greenspan hired Tom Crean as head basketball coach on April 1st.

Trial in Virginia for NFL quarterback Michael Vick on dogfighting charges has been delayed until next summer.  The prosecutor in Surry County tells the Richmond "Times-Dispatch" Vick and three codefendants won't be tried until after July 20th, 2009 , when Vick is expected to be released from federal prison.  The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is serving a 23-month term on his guilty plea to federal charges in a dogfighting case.  He still faces two state charges in Virginia . 

The prosecutor ways tiny Surry County cannot afford to transport Vick and his codefendants from their federal lockups.  He also said the small courthouse in Surry isn't equipped to handle the crush of reporters who would cover the trial.  Vick's Virginia trial was first slated for April 2nd, then rescheduled for today.  Now, the trial will be sometime next summer, unless a plea bargain is struck.  Vick avoided a federal trial and pled guilty to federal dogfighting allegations last August.