Matt Albers is showing the Houston Astros how badly he wants to stay in the majors. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Lance Berkman homered for the second consecutive game and Houston beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Thursday. “I felt pretty good,” Albers said. “My fastball was down in the zone and I mixed my curve in.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig would like to see Cecil Cooper hired permanently as manager of the Houston Astros. Cooper was named interim manager of the Astros after Phil Garner was fired on Monday. In an interview with Houston television station KRIV, Selig said Cooper has earned the opportunity to be retained as permanent manager.
With No. 7 emblazoned across his chest, the high school senior preparing for the season opener Friday night drops back and throws a dart to a receiver in the back of the end zone. Wow, this kid really is the next Elway. Jack Elway is the 17-year-old son of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who is tutoring his kid this season as Cherry Creek High School’s quarterbacks coach.
The last time the Indianapolis Colts visited for the final preseason game, their starters could have driven over in a minivan and had plenty of room left for all their equipment. Their return trip could be just as meager. Two years ago, the Colts played only two starters — both on defense — in the final preseason game in Cincinnati.
Chargers coach Norv Turner decided Thursday that quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates wouldn’t play in that night’s exhibition finale against the San Francisco 49ers. Turner “wants to see more of others,” team spokesman Bill Johnson said in an e-mail to the media. As it is, reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson has been held out of exhibition games to avoid a possible injury.
Thoroughbred trainer Patrick Biancone will serve a 15-day suspension next month after one of his horses was found to have prohibited drugs in its system after a race. The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority said Thursday that L’Aziza tested positive for caffeine and theophylline after winning the fifth race on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Footlights, one of two mares in a field of eight, earned her first Grade I victory Thursday when she won the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup steeplechase at Saratoga Race Course. Xavier Aizpuru rode the 7-year-old daughter of Pleasant Tap on the 2 3-8 miles on the turf in 4:33.01 and returned $18, $7.80, and $5.70 for the win.
Joe Gibbs Racing has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday and several published reports say the team will announce it has signed a deal to field Toyotas in the Nextel Cup series.
San Antonio Spurs center Francisco Elson injured his left eye during a game this summer and will have surgery in the coming week. Elson suffered a “blowout fracture” of his left eye orbit during a game against Belarus on Aug. 19 while playing for the Dutch national team, the Spurs said. Elson should be cleared for full-contact play by mid- to late September but will have to wear a protective face…
The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks have capped season ticket sales at 15,000 and opened a waiting list for all future orders. The team made the move to give fans a chance to purchase single-game tickets for the upcoming season. Those tickets go on sale Sept. 15. “We have decided to cap season seat sales in order to be able to continue to give fans the opportunity to watch our sport in person,”…
