Chad Gaudin gave himself a pep talk in the tunnel between Oakland’s dugout and clubhouse after a shaky first inning. It worked. Gaudin struck out a career-high nine and was backed by Mark Ellis’ homer and Marco Scutaro’s three RBIs as the Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2 Monday night. After walking and hitting Detroit’s first two batters and giving up a two-run single, Gaudin retired 10…
Put this down as one of the unexpected moments of home run king Barry Bonds’ historic season: a standing ovation in Pittsburgh, the town that once booed him mercilessly. Bonds, possibly playing his final game in his former home city, singled in three at-bats as the Giants lost the first game of a makeup doubleheader to the Pirates 3-1 on Monday.
New York Jets running back Thomas Jones has a strained right calf muscle and hopes to return in time for the team’s season opener, his agent said Monday. Drew Rosenhaus, Jones’ agent, told Sports Betting News that he spoke Monday to the star running back, who updated him on the severity of the injury.
LEVEL CROSS, North Carolina (Ticker) — Petty Enterprises on Tuesday named Doug Randolph as crew chief for the No. 43 Dodge driven by 2000 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Bobby Labonte.
Tim Wakefield flirted with a no-hitter and wound up giving the Boston Red Sox what they really needed: A victory — any victory — to stop their slide in the AL East. The Red Sox knuckleballer held Tampa Bay hitless into the seventh inning, and Julio Lugo helped out with three hits on Monday night to lead Boston to a 3-0 victory over the Devil Rays.
Placido Polanco of the Detroit Tigers set a major league record for second baseman by playing his 144th straight game without an error in a 7-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Monday night. “I have to really thank the organization for giving me the opportunity to be the second baseman and play every day,” said Polanco, whose last error was July 1, 2006, at Pittsburgh.
With his place in home run history secure, Barry Bonds says next season likely will be his last. Bonds previously talked about playing in 2008. On Monday, the San Francisco slugger looked toward retirement. “(Playing) after next year? I don’t know. I don’t think so,” he said. “I don’t think two years I can make.” As for where he’d finish up, Bonds wasn’t sure.
Hanging in Arthur Blank’s opulent headquarters is a signed photograph of his star quarterback breaking away from a defender, a memento of happier times for the Atlanta Falcons. “To: Arthur. Thanks for everything. Michael Vick. #7.” Well, it looks as if that picture may soon be coming down. The Falcons said Tuesday they wanted to suspend Vick over dogfighting allegations, and their owner left open the…
HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Ticker) — Kyle Busch officially announced his decision to join Joe Gibbs Racing at a news conference Tuesday morning.
