Jacque Jones has heard it all. Boos, catcalls and on Friday the cheers from a powerful ovation at Wrigley Field. Benched earlier this season and nearly traded, Jones made a great catch and hit a two-run homer to lead a 2-1 Cubs’ victory Friday that ended the St. Louis Cardinals’ five-game winning streak and pushed Chicago into first in the NL Central.
Defensive end Ty Warren has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the New England Patriots. “I’m glad that both sides could agree,” coach Bill Belichick said Friday night. “Obviously, both sides are happy with it, so it was executed.” Warren, who made the Pro Bowl last season for the first time in four years with the Patriots, played sparingly in Friday night’s 27-24 exhibition loss to the…
Vince Young was pounded by an aggressive Patriots defense one week after being punished by his coach. The strong scrambler was sacked four times in the Tennessee Titans’ 27-24 win over New England on Friday night. Coach Jeff Fisher had benched him for their exhibition opener for spending the night before the game at home instead of the team hotel.
Chad Pennington threw the football for the first time this preseason and completed two touchdown passes — to the Minnesota Vikings. “About the only good thing that came out of tonight is that it didn’t count,” the New York Jets quarterback said. A week after not attempting a pass, Pennington had two ill-advised throws returned for touchdowns in a 37-20 loss to the Vikings on Friday night.
After finishing a six-week NASCAR suspension, crew chief Steve Letarte was back at the track and, apparently, feeling just a little strange to be there.
Tom Glavine got win No. 301. Matt Chico got sent to the minors. Two finesse pitchers who wear No. 47 faced each other Friday night, and the visiting veteran was more at home than the home team’s rookie. Facing a franchise he has beaten more than any other, Glavine allowed one run over seven innings in the New York Mets’ 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals.
Francisco Rodriguez blew the save and earned a victory. Eric Gagne had no such consolation. Boston scored four in the eighth to take the lead against Rodriguez, only to see Gagne give it back in the ninth on Friday night when the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat the Red Sox 7-5 and split a day-night doubleheader.
Paul Byrd gave up plenty of hits — just none when they mattered. Byrd yielded eight hits but continually got out of jams, and the Cleveland Indians scored two runs early before holding on to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 2-1 Friday night. Byrd (11-5) gave up one run in six innings, striking out five, and the Devil Rays went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Joey Harrington wanted his interception back and fretted that the Falcons’ opening drive didn’t end with a touchdown. At least Harrington, taking over Atlanta’s offense from troubled Michael Vick, had a better preseason outing than Buffalo’s J.P. Losman. The Bills’ starter came up empty despite getting every opportunity to score in a 13-10 loss to Atlanta (1-1) on Friday.
The way Donovan McNabb is completing passes, it won’t matter if he has lost a step. Playing his first game since tearing a knee ligament last November, McNabb did everything but scramble in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback put on an aerial display in the first quarter, finishing 6-for-9 for 138 yards, including a…
