A playoff berth all but clinched, Mike Mussina pitched the New York Yankees within 1 1/2 games of Boston in the AL East with a week to go. Mussina won his 250th game, backup catcher Jose Molina had three hits, three RBIs and a key tag play and Joba Chamberlain got his first career save as the Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 on Sunday.
Carlos Zambrano got his career-best 17th win by pitching six sharp innings before leaving with cramps, and the surging Chicago Cubs expanded their NL Central lead to 3 1/2 games with an 8-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The Cubs, who have won 10 of 12, are off Monday before hitting the road for their final six games, at Florida and Cincinnati, as they try to wrap up their first…
From shoveling snow to spraying champagne. The Cleveland Indians, who slipped and slid around April’s home opener during a freakish spring storm, capped an unforgettable season at Jacobs Field on Sunday with a sun-soaked championship. Jake Westbrook struck out a career-high nine and Grady Sizemore had four hits as the Indians, fourth-place finishers a year ago, clinched their first AL Central title…
Kevin Curtis tied an NFL record for yards receiving in a first half Sunday with 205 yards on nine catches in Philadelphia’s game against the Detroit Lions. Curtis caught touchdown passes of 68, 12 and 43 yards from Donovan McNabb as the Eagles built a 42-21 lead. A free-agent acquisition in the offseason, Curtis tied the mark set last year by Buffalo’s Lee Evans against Houston.
Titans quarterback Vince Young was fined $7,500 for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in last Sunday’s 22-20 loss to Indianapolis. The NFL fined Young for throwing the ball at Colts defensive back Kelvin Hayden just before halftime and it cost the team 15 yards. Hayden had pushed at Young’s head, and the quarterback responded by tossing the ball toward the ground at Hayden’s feet.
Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett returned to his native Texas on Friday to be closer to his family for the next phase of his recovery from a life-threatening spinal cord injury. “Kevin’s trip went pretty good. He stayed awake the entire time. He’s fine,” Eric Armstead, a partner of Everett’s agent, Brian Overstreet, told Sports Betting News.
Roger Clemens is being given an extra day to rest his left hamstring and was pushed back until Tuesday night in the New York Yankees’ rotation. Clemens tweaked his hamstring while running Thursday and originally was rescheduled from Sunday to Monday. Andy Pettitte will now start Monday’s series finale against Toronto on regular rest, and Clemens will start the series opener at Tampa Bay.
Philip Humber’s first major league start will come at a critical time for the New York Mets. Humber will start Wednesday for the Mets against the Washington Nationals, a game certain to have postseason implications. The right-hander has only four appearances in his brief major league career, all of them out of the bullpen.
Brad Hawpe is providing the power for the Rockies’ late-season surge, and with a week to go has Colorado on the brink of a franchise record for wins. Not to mention a chance to make the playoffs. Hawpe drove in two runs and the Rockies matched a season-high with their seventh straight victory, closing on the wild card-leading San Diego Padres with a 6-2 win Saturday night.
Minnesota quarterback Kelly Holcomb made the 22nd start of his 13-year career Sunday, replacing injured Tarvaris Jackson after coach Brad Childress tried to keep his plans secret all week. Jackson, who sustained a groin injury last week in overtime against Detroit, was listed as the No. 3 quarterback for the game against Kansas City.
