Kershaw retires 18 straight in win

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw retired 18 consecutive batters and struck out 12 in eight dominant innings, Carl Crawford homered twice against Kyle Lohse and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 on Sunday.Kershaw (3-2) scattered four hits and didn’t walk a batter while lowering his ERA to 1.73. The 2011 Cy Young Award winner, who led the NL in ERA in each of the previous two seasons, hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last 18 starts ― the longest activ

BaseballApril 29, 2013

Sharapova beats Li Na to win Porsche GP again

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) ― Maria Sharapova beat Li Na 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to successfully defend her WTA Porsche Grand Prix title in a final between the last two French Open champions.The top-seeded Russian swept to her second title of the year after winning in Indian Wells. She became the first player to retain the Stuttgart title since Lindsey Davenport in 2005.“I thought it’d be the toughest match of the tournament, but I played my best tennis today,” Sharapova said. “I was able to step it up.”

More SportsApril 29, 2013

Heat down Bucks to earn playoff sweep

MILWAUKEE (AP) ― LeBron James can cross another item off his to-do list.James scored 30 points, Ray Allen had another big game against his old team and the Miami Heat got their first playoff sweep in the Big Three era, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 88-77 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.“It was our next big step as far as our growth,” James said. “It’s so hard to win on the road in the playoffs, in someone’s building ― especially when someone is playing for the

More SportsApril 29, 2013

Horschel takes Zurich Classic

AVONDALE, Louisiana (AP) ― Billy Horschel shot an 8-under 64 in the final round of the Zurich Classic, maintaining his composure through a pair of weather delays for his first career PGA Tour victory on Sunday.The 26-year-old former Florida Gator began the day two shots behind third-round leader Lucas Glover and surged into the lead with six straight birdies after the first weather delay. He finished at 20 under, narrowly holding off Shell Houston Open winner D.A. Points, who shot a final-round

GolfApril 29, 2013

Pohang, Jeonbuk face crucial AFC matches

Hopes of further advance hang in the balance for two South Korean teams at the top Asian club competition this week.Pohang Steelers of the K League Classic face a must-win situation as they host Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan in the Group G finale at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the AFC Champions League.Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have a bit more breathing room, as they take on Guangzhou Evergrande on the road on Wednesday at 9 p.m., Korean time. They can clinch first place with a win, and with some help from other te

SoccerApril 29, 2013

KBO slowest to reach 1m fans in five seasons

The country’s top baseball league is on pace to surpass 1 million fans at the slowest rate in five years, data showed Monday.The Korea Baseball Organization said its nine clubs are expected to exceed 1 million fans for this season on Tuesday, after playing 96 games. Eight of the nine teams will begin their three-game midweek series on Tuesday.Through Sunday’s games, teams have attracted a combined 955,617 fans in 92 games, for an average of 10,387 fans per contest. The KBO hasn’t been this slow

BaseballApril 29, 2013

Park In-bee earns third LPGA win of season in Texas

South Korean Park In-bee, the world's No. 1-ranked female golfer, earned her third LPGA Tour victory of 2013 in Texas on Monday, Korean time.Park captured the North Texas LPGA Shootout at Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, with a four-round total of 13-under 271. She shot a 4-under 67 in the final round for a one-stroke victory over Carlota Ciganda of Spain. Park will take home US$195,000 for her effort.Ciganda held a two-shot lead over Park and Caroline Masson of Germany after three rou

GolfApril 29, 2013

Messi’s goal streak hits 20

BARCELONA (AP) ― Barcelona gave up a tying goal in the 90th minute, spoiling a great performance by Lionel Messi in a 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao. The outcome means the leaders must wait another week for a chance to clinch the Spanish league title.With his team trailing 1-0, Messi came off the bench in the 59th minute to transform his club and in 10 minutes the visitors were in front.Messi extended his record run of scoring in 20 straight league appearances when he dribbled through a pack of d

SoccerApril 28, 2013

Choo cares for team more than his personal record

Choo Shin-soo, Cincinnati Reds' starting center fielder and leadoff man, said Friday he was more disheartened by his team's loss than an end to his on-base streak.  Choo failed to get on base in Friday's game here against the Washington Nationals at the Nationals Park, and his streak of reaching safely, dating back to Sept. 21 last year, was snapped at 35 games.  Despit going 0-for-4 at the plate, however, Choo is still batting a robust .360 on the season, good for fourth in the National League

BaseballApril 27, 2013

Late Luiz goal lifts Chelsea to beat Basel 2-1

GENEVA (AP) ― David Luiz scored with the final kick of the match to clinch a 2-1 win for Chelsea at Basel in a Europa League semifinal, first leg on Thursday. Luiz deceived goalkeeper Yann Sommer with a free kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Basel defender Fabian Schaer had equalized with a disputed 87th-minute penalty. “A draw 1-1 is a good result but 2-1 is better, and me and the team are so happy with this,” Luiz said. Chelsea, the Champions League winner seeking back-to-back E

SoccerApril 26, 2013

Masson shoots 64 to lead LPGA in North Texas

IRVING, Texas (AP) ― Tour rookie Caroline Masson of Germany shot a bogey-free 7-under 64 on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead over Carlota Ciganda after the first round of the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout. While Masson has made only one of five cuts in her first LPGA season, the 23-year-old played on the Ladies European Tour the past three years and won the 2012 South African Women’s Open. “I always felt like I wasn’t too far away really. It was just like one bad round ... just couldn’t

GolfApril 26, 2013

Chiefs may make rare pick

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) ― Playing on the offensive line is about as unglamorous as it gets in professional football.Nobody pays much attention to the guys in the trenches until flags are flying. They spend Sunday afternoons getting punched, kicked and thrown to the turf, their fingers smashed and their face masks twisted ― not to mention whatever goes on at the bottom of those piles.The best offensive tackle will never be as valuable as, say, the best quarterback, and rarely does one of the g

More SportsApril 25, 2013

Red Wings top Kings 3-1

DETROIT (AP) ― The Detroit Red Wings moved a step closer toward extending their postseason streak to 22 with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.Jordin Tootoo netted the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Johan Franzen scored on a power play with 6:26 left, lifting Detroit into eighth place in the Western Conference.The Red Wings, who have won two straight games, are one point ahead of Columbus and one behind seventh-place Minnesota. All three teams have two games r

More SportsApril 25, 2013