SPORTS - Garcia proud as Lille end league title wait (AFP)

SPORTS - Garcia proud as Lille end league title wait (AFP)

AFP/File – Lille's football club's French coach Rudi Garcia, pictured, has heralded his players and predicted …

by Tom Williams Tom Williams – Sat May 21, 9:13 pm ET

PARIS (AFP) – Lille coach Rudi Garcia heralded his players and predicted that they would be "friends for life" after they captured the French league title with a 2-2 draw at Paris Saint-Germain.

Second-placed Marseille's 2-2 draw against Valenciennes rendered Lille's result immaterial, but Garcia's side still managed to procure the point they had needed prior to kick-off to end a 57-year wait for French football's top prize.

It also completed a famous double -- the second in their history -- following last weekend's 1-0 defeat of PSG in the French Cup final.

"There is a lot of pride," said Garcia, who invited his entire back-room staff to join him at the post-match press conference at Parc des Princes.

"There was a lot of work from the players. They realised that work was the essential quality.

"It's a victory for the squad. They don't realise that in 10 or 15 years, it will be unique and they'll become friends for life."

With 65 goals in 37 games, Lille are the division's top scorers and have earned plenty of plaudits for the quality of their attacking football under Garcia over the past two seasons.

"It's strong," added the Lille coach. "We've always wanted to go forward, to have the ball and play our game. The players thanked us (the staff) in the changing room."

Lille are one of 11 clubs to have completed the league-French Cup double, having previously achieved the feat in 1946.

Garcia believes this season's success has secured his team a place in the pantheon of the country's greatest ever club sides.

"There are some special reference points among the teams that have won the double," he said.

"The Bordeaux of Aime Jacquet (1987), the Marseille of Jean-Pierre Papin (1989), the Auxerre of Guy Roux (1996). We've done it."

Polish winger Ludovic Obraniak, Lille's French Cup match-winner, put Lille ahead after five minutes at Parc des Princes on Saturday, only for France striker Guillaume Hoarau to equalise in first-half injury-time.

Hoarau was sent off early in the second half after receiving a second booking for diving, with PSG coach Antoine Kombouare also being given his marching orders for losing his cool with the fourth official.

Moussa Sow put Lille ahead with his 22nd goal of the season -- moving him clear of Lorient's Kevin Gameiro in the top scorer standings -- but Mathieu Bodmer rescued a point by crashing home a fine goal off the crossbar in the 73rd minute.

"It's a big disappointment but there's also a lot of pride at the players' performance," said Kombouare, whose side must win at Saint-Etienne next weekend to stand any chance of pipping Lyon to a Champions League place.

"Yes, I lost it, but it doesn't matter... I won't talk about the refereeing but you (the media) are big enough to judge for yourselves and realise what happened... We fight on despite all the blows we receive."

Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, who led his side to last year's Ligue 1 title in his first season in charge, was gracious in defeat.

"They've been the most consistent, so congratulations to Lille; to all their players, to Rudi Garcia, to their staff and their directors," he told Canal+.

"There's only one thing to say: bravo."

Lille's players will celebrate their league success with their fans at the city's Place de la Republique on Sunday.

The city's mayor Martine Aubry, head of France's Socialist Party, said the team had helped reverse some of the damage inflicted by the France national team's bad-tempered first-round exit at last year's World Cup.

"The dream we've been waiting for since 1954 has become reality and fills with happiness all the people of Lille, of the north, and all football lovers who have become passionate about this team," she said.

"LOSC have reconciled the French with football and made us forget about the World Cup."

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SPORTS - Tagliani takes Indy pole in early qualifying (AP)

SPORTS - Tagliani takes Indy pole in early qualifying (AP)

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SPORTS - Mavericks withstand late Thunder rally to take 2-1 lead (Reuters)

SPORTS - Mavericks withstand late Thunder rally to take 2-1 lead (Reuters)

AP – Chris Horner, left, and teammate Levi Leipheimer cross the finish line together during Stage 7 of the …

– Sat May 21, 9:39 pm ET

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. – Levi Leipheimer slipped ahead in the final yards to claim the mountainous seventh stage of the Tour of California on Saturday, while RadioShack teammate Chris Horner finished second just behind and solidified his pending overall race title.

After going to the front with Horner with just less than two miles left, Leipheimer, the former three-time race winner, completed the 75.8-mile stage from Claremont to Mount Baldy in 3 hours, 33 minutes and 1 second.

Horner, who began day with a 38-second cushion over Leipheimer, eased at the line and was second in the same time. Laurent Ten Dams (Rabobank) of the Nertherlands finished third, trailing by 42 seconds.

The weeklong race ends Sunday with the 82.3-mile stage from Santa Clarita to Thousands Oaks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

MOUNT BALDY, Calif. (AP) — Levi Leipheimer slipped ahead in the final yards to win the mountainous seventh stage of the Tour of California on Saturday, while RadioShack teammate Chris Horner finished second just behind and solidified his pending overall race title.

After going to the front with Horner with just less than two miles left, Leipheimer, the former three-time race winner, completed the 75.8-mile stage from Claremont to Mount Baldy in 3 hours, 31 minutes, 1 second.

Horner, who began day with a 38-second cushion over Leipheimer, eased at the line, gave Leipheimer a nudge forward, was second in the same time but maintained his same race margin.

Laurent Ten Dams (Rabobank) of the Netherlands finished third, trailing by 42 seconds.

Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervelo) moved up to third overall, trailing by 2:45.

The seventh stage featured nearly 25 miles of climbing and its finish at Mount Baldy (elevation 7,930 feet) was the highest in race history.

"Barring anything catastrophic happening, I don't see much chance of losing the (race) leader's jersey tomorrow," said Horner, 39, the oldest rider in the field who finished fourth in the event last year, one position behind Leipheimer.

Horner and Leipheimer rode much of the race surrounded by teammates protecting the race leader's advantage. As the steepest sections of the course approached, Horner and Leipheimer pulled away from their teammates.

"I'm happy. I showed that I could have won (the overall title)," said Leipheimer, who had early season injuries. "But my teammate was better and there's nothing wrong with that."

Leipheimer won the event three consecutive years beginning in 2007 after winning time trials in Solvang en route to his titles.

Leipheimer also won the prologue the race's first two years, but had never won a road stage. Leipheimer finished second in the stage 6 time trial, while Horner placed sixth.

The weeklong race ends Sunday with the 82.3-mile stage from Santa Clarita to Thousands Oaks.

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SPORTS - Tyler Hamilton gives gold medal to USADA (AP)

SPORTS - Tyler Hamilton gives gold medal to USADA (AP)

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SPORTS - UCLA, LSU's Ernst win NCAA golf titles (AP)

SPORTS - UCLA, LSU's Ernst win NCAA golf titles (AP)

AP – FILE - This Aug. 18, 2004, file photo shows Tyler Hamilton, of the U.S., holding up his gold medal after …

• Play Video Olympics Video:Defense Rests In Kerrigan Trial WBZ Boston
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By STEPHEN WILSON, AP Sports Writer Stephen Wilson, Ap Sports Writer – Fri May 20, 7:12 pm ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Tyler Hamilton turned over his 2004 cycling gold medal to the United States Anti-Doping Agency on Friday, putting Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov in line for an upgrade from silver.

The International Olympic Committee had said it could strip Hamilton of his time trial gold at the Athens Olympics after he told CBS' "60 Minutes" he doped and said Lance Armstrong did as well. But USADA released a statement Friday saying Hamilton already had handed over the medal.

"I can confirm that Tyler Hamilton has given his gold medal from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games to USADA, and that we will continue to work with the IOC and the USOC as appropriate concerning the final implications of our overall investigation," Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said in a release.

The IOC can retroactively strip Olympic medals if proof of doping emerges later or an athlete admits to cheating. The IOC took away Marion Jones' five medals from the 2000 Sydney Games after she admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.

The IOC had provisionally investigated Hamilton for doping after he won in 2004. An initial test at the Athens Games suggested the American had received an endurance-boosting blood transfusion. But the case was dropped after his backup sample was mistakenly frozen, leaving too few red blood cells to analyze.

The Russian Olympic Committee failed in a 2006 appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have Hamilton's gold given to Ekimov, Hamilton's former U.S. Postal Service teammate.

Ekimov, a longtime member of Armstrong's U.S. Postal and Discovery Channel teams, already has two Olympic golds. He won in track team pursuit at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when the Soviet Union edged East Germany for gold. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he won the road time trial ahead of silver medalist Jan Ullrich and Armstrong in third for bronze.

Armstrong posted a message for Ekimov on his Twitter page late Thursday.

"Congratulations to (at)eki_ekimov on his 3rd Olympic Gold Medal!!" the seven-time Tour de France champion wrote.

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SPORTS - Leipheimer wins 7th stage of Tour of California (AP)

SPORTS - Leipheimer wins 7th stage of Tour of California (AP)

AFP/DPA – Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber celebrates victory in the doubles ATP Team World Cup match in the …

– Sat May 21, 2:37 pm ET

BERLIN (AFP) – Victory in the doubles handed Germany a record fifth World Team Cup title on Saturday as the hosts sealed a 2-1 win over defending champions Argentina in the final in Duesseldorf.

Having lost to Juan Ignacio Chela earlier in the singles, Philipp Kohlschreiber partnered Philipp Petzschner and enjoyed some revenge as the pair earned a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) win over Chela and Maximo Gonzalez to win the title.

Chela had earlier levelled the scores in the two singles matches with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) win over Kohlschreiber to make it all square after Germany's Florian Mayer had earlier sealed a straight-sets 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 win over Juan Monaco.

This was the third time Germany have triumphed over their south American rivals, having also beaten Argentina in the 2005 and 1989 finals.

"This title is very special for us and to play in a team like this is always great fun," beamed Kohlschreiber.

Germany are the first country to capture the team title five times in the tournament?s 34-year history.

"It's always nice to win something in Germany in front of a home crowd, we hope to take this form into the Davis Cup," said Petzschner.

Mayer, ranked 21 in the world, made an emphatic start for Germany as he defeated Monaco in just one hour and 33 minutes.

Victory for Mayer means he will break into the top 20 rankings for the first time on Monday.

"Today I played for the Top 20," he admitted.

"I was extremely motivated and am happy that I achieved my goal.

"The first set was very tough with just a few points being decisive, but the second set was much easier."

This is the first time they have won the team title since 2005 having also captured the title in 1989, 1994 and 1998.

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SPORTS - Drake wins 1st college football game in Africa (AP)

SPORTS - Drake wins 1st college football game in Africa (AP)

AP – Atlanta Thrashers season ticket purchasers record the sights from inside Philips Arena on Saturday, May …

By GEORGE HENRY, Associated Press George Henry, Associated Press – Sat May 21, 7:59 pm ET

ATLANTA – About 200 Atlanta Thrashers fans gathered on Saturday to tailgate outside Philips Arena for perhaps the final time.

With the Thrashers reportedly close to being sold and moving to Winnipeg, fans blamed the team's ownership group, the Atlanta Spirit, for the club's seemingly imminent departure next week.

The annual "select-a-seat" event, that the Thrashers debuted in 1999, is staged for current and potential season-ticket buyers to come and check out the seats, look at the ice and talk about the upcoming NHL draft.

Now the future is uncertain, at best.

"We've been lied to for six years," Jenn Peters, 30, said while choking back tears as she flipped through a collection of ticket stubs. "It's hard to watch as a fan because there's nothing you can do but show up. You can voice your opinion and you can show up, but that's all you can do."

It hardly helped the mood that Harry the Hawk, the mascot of Atlanta's NBA club that is also owned by the Atlanta Spirit, rode up on a scooter, hopped off and handed out some high-fives before stopping to put his mouth over the head of Zanna Huff, a bystander wearing a Thrashers jersey.

"Now he's trying to eat my girlfriend's head, which is disgusting," said Bryce McNeil, a 33-year-old professor at Georgia State. "Having Harry the Hawk here — it's not that I have anything against the Hawks, but it's the Atlanta Spirit shoving their other asset in our face, which is just deplorable."

Thrash, the hockey team's mascot, didn't make it out in the 90-degree heat until three hours into the event, but no players or members of the front office were in attendance. On the Internet, atlantathrashers.com didn't mention the gathering, but salespeople were inside the arena processing credit card orders.

Howard Baron, a 54-year-old CPA and investment adviser, blamed the Spirit for all that went wrong, but also held out hope while holding up a small sign that read, "Dewey Defeats Truman."

Baron had just walked into the arena with his son, Michael, to buy four more season tickets and push his total to 16.

"This city will support a team," Baron said. "You've just got to get rid of the management. It's a very poorly run organization and what (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman said the other night was true — that it's a funny way to show it by not buying tickets — but the problem is if you come and buy tickets you're stuck with this ownership group forever. It's a double-edged sword."

It seemed appropriate that the team had no promotional presence at the "Gulch," the local nickname for the poorly paved parking lot outside Philips Arena and the Georgia Dome.

This get-together was all about the fans and ownership's betrayal, said Deborah Petersen, a 36-year-old massage therapist.

She and her husband, Joe, were engaged at a December 2006 game. Those were great days for the Thrashers, who were legitimate playoff contenders and had two compelling scorers in Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa.

"There it was on the scoreboard scroll, 'Deborah, will you marry me?'" Petersen said. "We haven't missed a game in six years. It's a big deal to us."

Blame also spread to the NHL and Bettman for seemingly being complicit in rushing the team's sale and move. Around the parking lot, a Bob Dylan quote from the 1965 song, "Desolation Row," was posted in several spots — "And here comes the blind commissioner. They've got him in a trance."

"If this goes through, I can promise you I will never go to another hockey game or an NHL event as long as I live," Peters said. "I won't give them another dime of my money. They have not stood up for this team. They stand by and watch everything go down. If they hadn't touched Phoenix (to keep the Coyotes from moving to Winnipeg), we wouldn't be in this mess. They wouldn't be rushing to sell to this group."

It won't be the first time for NHL ownership to betray Bill Sengstacken, a Thrashers season-ticket holder every season and a local marketing and branding executive. He was a Hartford Whalers fan when they moved to Carolina and became the Hurricanes.

The Thrashers' potential move is more hurtful to Sengstacken, who oversees a fan group called Nasty Nest in the 300 section of Philips Arena. The group often travels together to support the team on the road.

"We've been like the redheaded stepchild of Atlanta sports," Sengstacken said. "(The Atlanta Spirit puts) money into the Hawks, and I appreciate that for the basketball team, but hockey is a great game, too, and in this market in particular you've got to market."

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SPORTS - Lee beats former team, Phillies down Rangers (AP)

SPORTS - Lee beats former team, Phillies down Rangers (AP)

AP – Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee throws against the Texas Rangers in the first inning …

By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi, Ap Sports Writer – Sat May 21, 10:42 pm ET

PHILADELPHIA – Cliff Lee saw the trainer running to the mound and waved him off. A liner off his back wasn't going to stop him.

Lee threw eight dominant innings against the team he led to the World Series last year, Ryan Howard hit a solo homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Texas Rangers 2-0 Saturday night.

Lee (3-4) allowed five hits and struck out 10 to earn his first win since April 14. The lefty helped the Rangers capture the first AL pennant in franchise history after joining them last July. But he turned down more money from Texas and the New York Yankees to return to Philadelphia, signing a $120 million, five-year deal.

"He was outstanding, tremendous," manager Charlie Manuel said. "He was aggressive and he kept going at them."

Rangers starter Colby Lewis (4-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. He didn't get any support from a struggling offense that's scored only 11 runs in the last five games. Texas is 1-4 in that span.

Howard snapped a career-worst 0-for-23 slump when he connected to give the NL East-leading Phillies a 1-0 lead in the second. He ripped a 1-1 fastball a few rows deep in right.

That's all Lee needed. Ryan Madson finished for his ninth save in as many tries.

Fans and everyone in Philadelphia's dugout had a scare in the third when Lewis led off with a liner off Lee's back. The ball caromed to shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who threw out Lewis. In his typically nonchalant style, Lee shrugged it off and didn't even take a warmup pitch.

Maybe that extra adrenaline facing his former teammates kicked in.

"It's a little different when you pitch against a team you just played with," Lee said. "It wasn't off-the-charts different."

Lee was back to himself with excellent command after walking a career-high six batters in his last start. He struck out the side on 10 pitches in the fifth and walked two.

"He pitched a great game," Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "He had a good fastball and moved the ball around well."

John Mayberry Jr. hit an RBI single with two outs in the sixth for a 2-0 lead. Lewis ran into trouble after striking out Placido Polanco and Howard. He walked Raul Ibanez and Carlos Ruiz before Mayberry lined a hit to left.

Lee hasn't received much run support lately. The Phillies scored 11 runs in his previous six starts.

He tried to help his own cause with a two-out single that kept the fifth going. Lee then swiped second for his first career steal. After Rollins was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Domonic Brown flied out to end the inning.

"They weren't holding me on and Colby wasn't really paying attention to me," Lee said of his steal. "Shane (Victorino) started yelling at me from the dugout to take off and I was already thinking it so I went."

Lee began last season with Seattle after the Phillies traded him on the same day they acquired Roy Halladay from Toronto in December 2009. He was dealt from the Mariners to the Rangers before the All-Star break and went 4-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 15 starts for Texas. Lee was dominant in the first two rounds of the postseason, going 3-0 with an 0.75 ERA to help the Rangers beat Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees.

Lee entered the World Series with a 7-0 record and a 1.26 ERA in eight postseason starts before losing twice to the San Francisco Giants, who beat Texas in five games.

The Phillies had eight hits, snapping a streak of seven straight games with six or less. They've scored just 15 runs in their last eight games, going 3-5.

NOTES: Rangers manager Ron Washington said AL MVP Josh Hamilton will DH when he returns from the disabled list. Hamilton (shoulder) and OF Nelson Cruz (quad) continued their rehab stints at Triple-A Round Rock, and could return Monday. ... Five-time All-Star 2B Chase Utley (knee) is moving closer to returning to the Phillies. He played in his fourth straight rehab game Saturday night at Single-A Clearwater and was 2 for 5. ... RF Brown, the Phillies' top prospect, made his first start after starting the season at Triple-A following hand surgery in spring training. He batted second and was 0 for 4. ... A crowd of 45,604 was the 160th straight sellout at Citizens Bank Park, including postseason play. ... Polanco struck out twice in a game for the first time since last Sept. 8 vs. Florida. ... Kinsler snapped an 0 for 18 skid with a single in the sixth. ... It was Lee's 14th career double-digit strikeout game.

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SPORTS - New boxing champ Cleverly stops Kuziemski (AFP)

SPORTS - New boxing champ Cleverly stops Kuziemski (AFP)

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SPORTS - UFC a knockout as Couture gets rousing send off (Reuters)

SPORTS - UFC a knockout as Couture gets rousing send off (Reuters)

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SPORTS - Germany claim record fifth tennis World Team Cup (AFP)

SPORTS - Germany claim record fifth tennis World Team Cup (AFP)

AP – IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani, of Canada, dances his wife Bronte after he qualified with an average speed …

By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer Michael Marot, Ap Sports Writer – Sat May 21, 10:34 pm ET

INDIANAPOLIS – Alex Tagliani broke up the monopoly in the top-heavy IndyCar series and became the first Canadian to earn the pole for the Indianapolis 500.

On a day each of the series' three top teams — Andretti Autopsort, Target Chip Ganassi and Team Penske — made big mistakes, it was a 37-year-old Canadian who got it right twice with a four-lap average of 227.472 mph on the day's final run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday.

One of Ganassi's drivers, Scott Dixon, will start next to Tagliani on the front row. Defending champ Dario Franchitti could have joined them had he not run out of fuel on the final qualifying lap. Spain's Oriol Servia will start third.

"I'm getting tired of the Penske and Ganassi domination, here especially at the 500," Tagliani said after the morning run that gave Sam Schmidt Motorsports the provisional Indy pole. "I think a lot of people are craving for it, and if we can do it, it would be nice."

He did it twice Saturday — once in the morning and again in the evening.

Meanwhile, the big boys struggled to keep up with Tagliani.

Seven drivers from the vaunted Andretti, Ganassi and Penske teams failed to make the field. Among them are three top Americans — Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick and Graham Rahal. Ryan Briscoe, one of two Aussies expected to contend for the pole, also failed to lock up a spot for the May 29 race.

The biggest bungle Saturday was Ganassi's fuel miscalculation.

After running three straight laps over 227 mph, Franchitti suddenly slowed down and wound up coasting back to pit lane. Ganassi threw his arms up in disgust just as Dixon, the 2008 winner, was about to take the track. Dixon also ran out of fuel in the final turn.

"He (Dario) ran out in one and I ran out just getting to turn four. I think that cost us the pole," Dixon said. "It was frustrating, and I think Dario's a little more ticked off than I am. You come so close and not quite get it, it was real frustrating."

A few minutes later, Tagliani capitalized by reclaiming the top spot he had held for nearly 6 hours. Dixon completed the four-lap run at 227.340 and was little consolation to Franchitti, who dropped from the front row to the outside of Row 3.

Franchitti wasn't the only member of the tough-luck club Saturday.

Brazil's Helio Castroneves missed out on an unprecedented third straight pole and wasn't even fast enough to make the day-ending shootout with the nine fastest qualifiers. Castroneves will start 16th, the inside of Row 6, his worst starting spot in 11 career races at Indy.

For Michael Andretti, it was even worse. He watched disbelievingly as all five of his drivers qualified near the back of the top 24 and then got bumped from the field. Some fans cheered when Patrick was knocked off the starting grid.

Patrick, Marco and John Andretti all failed to requalify on their second attempt, and it wasn't until John Andretti's third and final attempt of the day that the team finally put someone in the race by going 1 for 10.

Andretti's other four drivers will try to fill the remaining nine spots on the 33-car grid.

"It wasn't a Hail Mary," said John Andretti, who qualified 17th with an average of 224.981. "It was more like 'Here are the adjustments we made and the rain is at I-465, so let's go.'"

Tagliani was one of the few who followed the script.

He was among the fastest drivers all week, got a favorable draw and had the best qualifying attempts in both rounds.

Tagliani will now have the most prestigious achievement of his career — leading the centennial celebration field into the first turn at Indy. It comes just two years after he was bumped out of the field on the weekend's last qualifying attempt. He later took over for Bruno Junqueira in the cockpit of another car, started 33rd and was named Indy's 2009 rookie of the year.

"To do it here, and at this particular time, if you start here for the 100th, you won't do the 200th, it's special," Tagliani said.

Tagliani's jump to the top seemed fitting given how wacky the day turned out.

Australian Will Power is the only Penske driver starting in the top 15 but failed to win a fifth consecutive pole. He'll start fifth, the middle of Row 2.

Townsend Bell and Dan Wheldon, the 2005 Indy winner, will make their season debuts alongside the points leader. Bell will be on the inside, Wheldon on the outside.

Ryan Briscoe, thought to be a pole contender, may have had the worst day of all. He wrecked his primary car Saturday morning, then scrambled to get a backup car ready and was one of 16 drivers to get bumped. Three of them requalified.

Rookie Ho-Pin Tung also may have lost his chance at becoming the first Chinese driver to start the race because of a crash on his final qualifying lap. He was released from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with a concussion but hasn't been cleared to drive. Jay Penske's team also does not have a backup car for Tung.

The day included drama, too.

Swiss driver Simona De Silvestro, who sustained burns on both of her hands in a crash Thursday, received a standing ovation when she finally put the No. 78 car on the grid on her third and final attempt. Then, after moving back to the 24th spot, showers washed out the rest of qualifying except for the final attempts by the nine fastest drivers.

"My body was shaking," she said. "I was pretty nervous out there. A day ago, I wasn't sure if I wanted to get back in the car. This morning, I felt pretty good."

By the end of the day, it was Tagliani — not the drivers from the high-profile teams — who was feeling best.

"Everyone that came and cheered for us and bet on us, I'm happy we didn't make them lose money," Tagliani said. "But I've felt the pain and the sacrifice of this musical chair, pulling out of line and not going again. Here, I think it's a very good place to show that the team is strong."

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SPORTS - Thrashers fans gather for possibly the last time (AP)

SPORTS - Thrashers fans gather for possibly the last time (AP)

AFP – Polish Boxer Aleksy Kuziemski (L) moves in against Nathan Cleverly, during their WBO World Light-Heavyweight …

– Sat May 21, 10:27 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – Nathan Cleverly's first defence of his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) light-heavyweight title has ended with a fourth round stoppage win on cuts against Poland's Aleksy Kuziemski in London.

The Welshman had been due to face previous title-holder Juergen Braehmer at the O2 Arena.

But the German pulled out and was stripped of his title, with Cleverly promoted to champion.

The 24-year-old Cleverly was then due to face Tony Bellow, only for his fellow British boxer to be ruled out after problems making the weight.

Eventually, the Welshman was paired against the 34-year-old Kuziemski.

Cleverly, warned for holding and hitting early on, buckled under a left hook from Kuziemski in the third round.

But, despite being hit again, Cleverly finished the round strongly.

However, the fight ended in unsatisfactory fashion in the fourth.

A cut opened above Kuziemski's left eye and referee Mark Nelson waved the bout off without even asking for the opinion of the ringside doctor.

Not that Cleverly cared, telling BBC Radio Five Live: "I felt it was my destiny tonight.

"Ever since I first put the gloves on when I was 11 this was the night I've been dreaming of.

"Now I'll say Nathan Cleverly is the light-heavyweight champion of the world," he added.

As for the fraught few days leading up to the bout, Cleverly said: "What a rollercoaster week it has been, but I picked myself up and stayed mentally focused. I was happy with that, I'm going home a world champion."

Some fans booed in response to what they thought was a premature stoppage but Cleverly said: "I thought if the ref had kept it going on a little bit longer I would have put him on the canvas.

"But the ref stepped in. That doesn't matter to me now. This is a great feeling."

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SPORTS - When will NFL players begin to get restless? (AP)

SPORTS - When will NFL players begin to get restless? (AP)

AP – Arizona Diamondbacks' Chris Young, left, runs in to score as Minnesota Twins' Phil Dumatrait (54) tries …

By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer Bob Baum, Ap Sports Writer – 11 mins ago

PHOENIX – Kelly Johnson hit a grand slam off Matt Capps in a six-run eighth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 9-6 on Saturday night for their fifth straight victory, their longest streak in two seasons.

Arizona overcame a season-worst five errors, three in the eighth inning, for their seventh win in the last eight games.

Johnson, batting .185 after going 0 for 4 up to that point, lofted the 2-1 pitch from Capps (1-3) deep into the seats in right field, the second slam of his career.

Danny Valencia went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Twins, who led 6-3 after 7 1/2 innings.

Juan Miranda doubled twice and drove in three runs for Arizona. Gerardo Parra had a pair of bunt singles, one of them driving in a run.

J.J. Putz threw a scoreless ninth for his 11th save in 11 tries, the longest string of consecutive saves to start a season in franchise history. Aaron Heilman (3-0) was the winner.

Capps, Minnesota's closer, entered the game in the eighth after reliever Glen Perkins left with an injury, the extent of which was not immediately known.

Miranda's second double of the night brought in Arizona's first two runs of the eighth. Parra followed with a bunt single over Valencia's head at third base, then Roberts singled to load the bases for Johnson.

Minnesota led 6-3 after scoring twice when the Diamondbacks committed two errors on the same play in the eighth.

The first was charged to right fielder Justin Upton on a throw home that was off the mark as one runner scored on Valencia's single. Heilman, backing up the play, threw wild to second trying to catch Valencia advancing. Shortstop Stephen Drew threw home after that but Michael Cuddyer was called safe on a close play.

Valencia's bare-handed play on a ground ball helped the Twins to hold on after the Diamondbacks scored two in the sixth to make it a one-run game.

The rally spoiled a strong outing for the Twins' Scott Baker, who gave up three runs on four hits in five-plus innings. He struck out seven and walked three, one intentionally. Micah Owings, just called up from Triple-A Reno, went 5 1-3 innings for Arizona, giving up four runs, three earned, on seven hits.

The Twins broke a 1-1 tie with an unearned run on the second baseman Johnson's throwing error in the fifth. Delmon Young singled and took second on a wild pitch. After two outs, Johnson fielded Denard Span's grounder but, as he was falling backward, threw a bouncer to first base that Miranda failed to scoop up.

Jason Kubel's leadoff home run to deep right in the sixth boosted the lead to 3-1. Justin Morneau singled, took second on a wild pitch, then scored on Valencia's single to make it 4-1, ending Owings' night.

Stephen Drew and Young started the Arizona sixth with doubles and Baker was finished. With runners at second and third and one out, Parra put down a bunt down the left field line for a single, sending Young home on a safety squeeze to cut the lead to 4-3. With runners at first and second, pinch hitter Willie Bloomquist hit a slow bouncer to third. Valencia barehanded it and threw the runner out, then Ryan Roberts flew out to right to end the inning.

NOTES: The crowd of 39,776 — on All-Star game garden gnome giveaway night — was Arizona's second-largest of the season. ... After a major league-worst 18 home runs through 41 games, Minnesota has eight in its last three contests. ... Arizona rookie left-hander Joe Paterson allowed a run for the first time in his 20 games this season. ... Arizona has two grand slams this season. Drew had the other.

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SPORTS - Johnson's grand slam leads D-backs past Twins (AP)

SPORTS - Johnson's grand slam leads D-backs past Twins (AP)

AP – In this image provided by Global Football, Drake University athletic director Sandy Hatfield-Clubb interviewed …

By LUKE MEREDITH, AP Sports Writer Luke Meredith, Ap Sports Writer – Sat May 21, 4:35 pm ET

The fans lined up three hours before kickoff, awaiting their chance to see America's version of football played for the first time in Africa.

The locals in Arusha, Tanzania, weren't quite sure what, when or who to cheer for during the game between the Drake Bulldogs and an all-star team from Mexico. But the 12,000 or so who took in the college football game seemed to enjoy it.

Drake, a non-scholarship program from Des Moines, Iowa, beat the CONADEIP All-Stars, 17-7, in the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl on Saturday.

"It truly was a magical day," Drake coach Chris Creighton told The Associated Press by phone from Tanzania. "I think everybody had the sense that we were part of something way bigger than ourselves, just bigger than a football game. It was emotional, kind of the realization of something very special to all of us."

The trip grew out of a vision by Creighton and took more than a year of planning by Global Football, a company that's been taking U.S. college football teams around the world for 14 years.

The exhibition is part of a two-week trip organized by Drake that includes include youth clinics, a safari, an orphanage project and a five-day climb to the summit of the 19,340-foot Kilimanjaro.

Officials had hoped to fill the 20,000-seat Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium, which normally hosts soccer. But Creighton said tight security measures held up lines of fans and kept the stadium rather empty at kickoff.

However, the seats were quickly filled and the game turned out to be entertaining even for those who didn't know what they were watching. It also proved that turnovers will kill drives from Tijuana to Tanzania.

Jose Reyes gave CONADEIP its first and only lead in the fourth quarter on a TD run that put the Mexican team ahead 7-3. Drake freshman quarterback Nick Enis — making his college debut in Africa — answered with a crucial first-down toss to Joey Orlando and found Orlando with an 11-yard touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead.

CONADEIP quickly drove to Drake's 2. But the Bulldogs defense raised its arms to pump up the crowd just like they'd do back at Drake Stadium. Bulldogs linebacker Tyler Moorehead said that got the fans as fired up as they'd been all day.

CONADEIP followed with its second botched field goal snap of the day to help Drake stay ahead.

"There were a lot of people there, but not a lot of people really understood the game," said Drake linebacker Tyler Moorehead, who led the Bulldogs with six tackles. "It was interesting to see them kind of just examining. It was unique. What was cool after the game was just how excited they were to meet the people that were on the field."

The Mexican all-stars fumbled once more for good measure, and Patrick Cashmore's touchdown run late in the fourth quarter sealed the win for Drake.

Reyes was the star of the day, rushing for 124 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

"No matter where you play, football's the same game. And these guys were good," Enis said of Drake's opponents from Mexico. "When you're on the field...it's back to football, back to getting the ball in the end zone."

Of course, the game itself was merely a footnote to the historical nature of the event. Creighton said he got emotional once the game was over, having seen his dream of taking the Bulldogs to Tanzania come to pass.

"Everybody has a dream. Everybody has a vision. But very few or seldom are reached," Creighton said. "I felt as though we part of history."

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SPORTS - Hopkins becomes oldest champion at 46 (AP)

SPORTS - Hopkins becomes oldest champion at 46 (AP)

AP – FILE - In this April 6, 2011 file photo, DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, …

By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg, Ap Sports Columnist – Sat May 21, 2:29 pm ET

Just a few days after the owners regained the momentum in the NFL labor dispute, union leader DeMaurice Smith stood before graduating seniors at the University of Maryland and gave the kind of speech he should have reserved for rallying the troops for what figures to be a long and uncomfortable summer.

The message was passion, though it seemed somewhat lost on graduates who showed little of it in return.

"Go ahead, I dig it, you can clap," Smith implored them at one point.

Nothing wrong with Smith's speech, except perhaps the awkward moment when he tried to lead the students in a chorus of "You suck." They seemed more interested in grabbing a sheepskin and heading out to party than listening to the keynote speaker.

So far, Smith's players have listened better. They've formed a unified front behind him as the union that technically is no more tries to fight off the NFL's efforts to slice up the lucrative deal that has made many of them rich.

Just as the 2011 graduates at Maryland will now find, though, the easy part is over. Flush with its early success in court, the union now finds itself playing defense as the league settles into the lockout that owners wanted all along.

It's not going to get any easier in the upcoming weeks. Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of summer, is but a week away and pressure on the players is starting to build. Training camps are supposed to open in just two months, and players soon will have to adjust to the reality of losing both bonus checks and paychecks to the impasse.

By then, Smith may need his best oratory skills to keep them from cracking.

"The players have had great solidarity to this point, but that will get tighter as players go longer and longer without their workout and signing bonuses and get closer to the season," said Robert Boland, professor of sports management at New York University's Tisch Center. "The longer we go without any kind of sense of when they will get paid again, the more their internal resolve is tested and the harder it becomes to hold them together."

That's true in almost any labor dispute, though this one is different from most. Players are widely viewed as millionaires, but a large portion of the decertified NFL Players Association toils for a lot less than most people would think.

Even at, say, $500,000 or so, they are well paid compared to the average American. But their contracts aren't guaranteed, careers are notoriously short, and there are many players — rookie free agents and veterans alike — whose job prospects depend on who they can impress in training camp.

Without an agreement in the next few months, they may not get that shot. And the fact their earning power declines with each lost day means they will begin worrying even more as the weather warms and thoughts turn to the traditional opening of training camps around the country.

It's those kind of players the NFL will be counting on to crack first, and it will take all of Smith's skills to keep them from bolting the ranks. No union chief has to serve more diverse constituents than Smith, who must balance the needs of multimillionaires like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning against those of players simply hoping to make as many paychecks as they can before being drummed out of the league.

Attorneys for players returned to court Friday, trying to convince a federal appeals court to lift the lockout. This time, though, it was with what seemed to be a renewed sense of urgency, with attorneys arguing the lockout threatens players with career-ending harm and may deprive the public of the 2011 NFL season.

The urgency is well-placed. Training camps are supposed to open in just two months, the first preseason game is Aug. 7, and the regular-season opener in Green Bay is Sept. 8. While talk about real games being missed seemed to be just abstract speculation a few months ago, it now is beginning to seem like an increasing reality.

All that could change of course if the two sides return to the bargaining table for real, though that won't happen until sometime after the June 3 hearing before the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the validity of the lockout. Should the players lose — an outcome many expect — their options will narrow considerably and the pressure from within will begin to grow exponentially.

The wild card here is the union doesn't even technically exist anymore. Players voted to decertify so they could go to court to block the NFL from imposing a lockout.

That means there can't be any real talks until after the appeals court makes a final ruling. Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking.

And Smith may soon find himself needing a speech that really counts.

____

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or follow at http://twitter.com/timdahlberg

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SPORTS - Edwards rolls to easy win in All-Star Race (AP)

SPORTS - Edwards rolls to easy win in All-Star Race (AP)

AP – Carl Edwards celebrates after winning he NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star auto race in Concord, N.C., …

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer, Ap Auto Racing Writer – 1 hr 13 mins ago

CONCORD, N.C. – The race was billed as a throwback to the Wild West, and track officials practically promised scores would be settled in the $1 million Sprint All-Star Race.

Only the knock 'em down action never came, and the only fireworks were those in Saturday night's post-race show at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The only drama came after Carl Edwards took the checkered flag during his celebratory slide through the grass.

Although he appeared to hit either a manhole cover or a drainage device, his car instead seemed only to dip hard into the grass — contact that crumpled the front of his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

After his trademark celebratory backflip, Edwards needed a tow truck to take him to Victory Lane. He left behind a deep rut in Charlotte's infield grass.

"You never know what comes from misfortunes and it was definitely unfortunate," Edwards said. "Pretty wild twist of fate that we tore it up, but I'm going to have faith something good will come from it."

Edwards had a sheepish grin as he climbed out his window for his customary celebratory backflip, and he apologized to crew chief Bob Osborne for wrecking the car.

"That's a million dollars. We just won a million dollars," Edwards said from Victory Lane. "I feel so bad about tearing up the car. But I'm sure Bob's got a better one."

Edwards won three of the four segments in the 100-lap race, but still had one last pit stop and a 10-lap sprint to the finish before he could claim his first All-Star victory. NASCAR brought the field in for a 10-minute break following the third segment, then sent the cars back to the track for parade laps before they were required to return to pit road for a four-tire stop.

The stop is where the pit crews have their chance to shine in this event, and Edwards' team delivered. He came in as the leader and left as the leader, beating Busch back onto the track.

Edwards then got a terrific jump on the restart and easily pulled away.

"As far as he jumped out on me really surprised me," Busch said. "He took off so far, I was like `Damn, there ain't no way I am going to be able to run him down in this short period of time.'"

Edwards praised his Roush-Yates engine for the speed he had throughout the race, and for the restart that helped him pull away from Busch.

"The restart was good, and man, that thing, it really runs," Edwards said.

Busch, who has a history of wrecking cars capable of winning the All-Star race, settled for second in a Toyota and will bring the car back next week as his backup for the Coca-Cola 600.

"Considering our fleet has been getting a little bit low, this is pretty good," Busch said of his second-place finish. "I didn't put a scratch on it. It was a good one."

Edwards had little time to celebrate. He was off after the race to catch a flight to Iowa to run the Nationwide Series race on Sunday.

"I really can't wait to go," he said. "The most enjoyable thing I can do is go race another car."

Most everyone else will have to wait for next week's Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the NASCAR season. The All-Star race is usually the warm-up act for the 600, and the final 10 laps of Saturday night have always been billed as a wild, dash for the cash.

But the excitement never came, as the drivers raced clean and caution free.

"This was a pretty tame night, at least from the All-Star perspective," Tony Stewart said.

David Reutimann was third in a Toyota and followed by Stewart, who celebrated his 40th birthday a day earlier.

Greg Biffle was fifth, Matt Kenseth was sixth and RFR teammate David Ragan was eighth to put all four of the team's car inside the top eight. Ragan won the Sprint Showdown qualifier earlier Saturday to earn his spot in the field.

Denny Hamlin was seventh. Kevin Harvick was ninth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top 10.

Kurt Busch's struggles continued Saturday night and he sounded despondent over his team's performance for much of the event. He finished 13th. His teammate, Brad Keselowski, finished 18th after moving into the All-Star race with a second-place finish in the qualifier.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., made his way into the race by winning the fan vote that puts a third driver from the Sprint Showdown into the main event. But he had nothing for the contenders in the All-Star race and finished 14th.

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SPORTS - Breaking Loose: Shackleford wins Preakness (AP)

SPORTS - Breaking Loose: Shackleford wins Preakness (AP)

AP – Shackleford, third right, ridden by Jesus Castanon, works down the stretch in front of Animal Kingdom, …

By BETH HARRIS, AP Racing Writer Beth Harris, Ap Racing Writer – 20 mins ago

BALTIMORE – Soaked with sweat, Shackleford bucked and kicked until crewmen finally shoved him into the No. 5 gate at the Preakness.

One ton of horseflesh all but screamed, "Get me out of here."

Less than two minutes after the gate sprang open, the nervous colt was a cool classic winner.

Shackleford held off a late charge by the 2-1 favorite Animal Kingdom, spoiling yet another Triple Crown try and beating the Kentucky Derby winner by a half-length Saturday at Pimlico.

The chestnut colt, who led into the stretch in the Derby two weeks ago, finished the job at 12-1 odds, covering the 1 3-16 miles in 1:56.47.

With jockey Jesus Castanon aboard, Shackleford battled Flashpoint for the lead through a quick opening quarter-mile of 22.69 seconds, just a fifth of a second off the Preakness record.

They continued their duel until midway on the final turn, when Shackleford dug in to hold off the onrushing Animal Kingdom before 107,398 fans.

"He was a little hot in the beginning, but he was able to calm down," Castanon said. "He's a good horse and able to handle it."

It was the first victory in a Triple Crown race for Castanon and trainer Dale Romans, a Louisville, Ky., native, who watched Shackleford finish fourth in the Derby.

Shackleford's pre-race antics weren't unusual. He often gets nervous and sweats excessively, not normally a good thing on a day when temperatures hit the 80s in sunny Baltimore.

"He wasn't acting that bad. It's a hot day, so that wasn't worrying me too much. I was more concerned at the quarter-pole if he was going to hold on," said Romans, who had one Breeders' Cup victory and a win in the $6 million Dubai World Cup to his credit in his long career.

"I've won some big races, but none as exciting as that one," he said, meaning the Preakness, where he finished second last year with First Dude.

"For as hard as he ran in the Derby and to come back, Dale did a fantastic job with him," said trainer Bob Baffert, a five-time Preakness winner. "I'm happy for Dale because the poor guy ran second last year with First Dude and it looked like he had it won. He did a great training job."

Shackleford paid $27.20, $10.20 and $6.80.

Animal Kingdom returned $4.20 and $3.60. Astrology paid $8 to show.

Dialed In was fourth after finishing eighth in the Derby as the beaten favorite.

"They went fast enough early, but then they slowed out," trainer Nick Zito said. "It didn't work out."

Dance City was fifth, followed by Mucho Macho Man, King Congie and Mr. Commons. Isn't He Perfect was ninth, then came Concealed Identity, Norman Asbjornson, Sway Away, the Baffert-trained Midnight Interlude and Flashpoint.

Once again, fans' hopes to see a Triple Crown winner at long last will have to wait until next year.

The last horse to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes was Affirmed in 1978. Big Brown was the last to attempt a Triple, in 2008.

Trainer Graham Motion, full of hope and expectation at the start of the race, looked on glumly as Animal Kingdom couldn't catch Shackleford in time.

"He ran huge. I was hoping he was going to get there," said Motion, who had kept the Derby winner at his stable 60 miles away in the Maryland countryside until race morning.

Shaking off his jitters, Shackleford broke alertly, as did another speedy horse, Flashpoint.

"It was fast, but he kind of pulled everyone else out of the race," Romans said.

As they sped along, Animal Kingdom and Dialed In, the second favorite, were running at the back of the 14-horse field.

"I kind of had to hustle him out of there," said John Velazquez, riding Animal Kingdom. "We lost a lot of ground in the first turn."

Velazquez tore through multiple sets of goggles as the dirt kicked back into Animal Kingdom's face, which he clearly didn't like.

"He broke so far back the dirt started hitting him," the jockey said. "He had to make up too much ground."

Castanon was able to get Shackleford to relax into a comfortable rhythm as the pace slowed going down the backstretch. That proved to be a key moment.

"That kind of hurt us," Motion said. "That middle quarter really affected the outcome of the race."

Midway through the final turn, Flashpoint gave up, leaving Shackleford as the lone target for the closers. Animal Kingdom started to pick up the pace entering the final turn. Unlike in the Derby, he couldn't find a clear path and Velazquez had to pick his way around traffic to get to the outside.

"I can't believe what Johnny weaved through the last three-eighths of a mile," Motion said. "But he was coming and coming. I'm not sure what is better, if we were that close or to be beaten further."

At the top of the stretch, Animal Kingdom emerged as the main threat to Shackleford. He passed horses in pursuit of the leader while Astrology made a strong run along the rail.

"I felt somebody coming at the sixteenth-pole," Castanon said. "I knew that Animal Kingdom was the only horse who was able to come get me."

He and Astrology had Shackleford in their sights, but the winner refused to give up through the long run to the finish line.

Shackleford's victory, along with his participation in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and a top-three finish in the Florida Derby, netted bonuses for the owners and trainer.

Michael Lauffer and W.D. Cubbedge walked away with $1.1 million, including the $600,000 Preakness winner's purse and a $500,000 bonus. Romans earned $50,000 in bonus money.

The biggest bonus went unpaid. Dialed In could have won $5.1 million if he had finished first, including $5 million for running in the Holy Bull Stakes and winning the Florida Derby.

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SPORTS - Gary Carter diagnosed with brain tumors (AP)

SPORTS - Gary Carter diagnosed with brain tumors (AP)

AP – FILE - In this 1988 file photo, New York Mets catcher Gary Carter poses in uniform. Hall-of-Famer Carter …

– 1 hr 39 mins ago

NEW YORK – Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter said doctors discovered four "very small" brain tumors after he had an MRI on Friday in Florida.

The 57-year-old Carter said he expects to learn more about his diagnosis when he is examined again Thursday at Duke Medical Center.

"My wife, Sandy, and our children and family thank you for your thoughts and prayers," Carter said in a release issued Saturday by the New York Mets and baseball's Hall of Fame. "We ask that you please respect our privacy as we learn more about my medical condition."

The statement did not say whether the tumors are malignant or benign.

Friends and former teammates were stunned when they heard the news.

"The last time I saw him a couple months ago, he looked well. He was Gary," said Mets first base coach Mookie Wilson, a teammate of Carter's in the 1980s. "He seemed himself. No indication anything was wrong.

"Whatever the situation may be, of course I wish him well. And I hope things turn out for the best."

Lee Mazzilli, another teammate on the 1986 Mets, was on his way to Yankee Stadium when his wife called with the news about Carter. He said he plans to reach out to Carter and his family when the time is right.

"You hope that it's not what you think it is," said Mazzilli, who works in corporate sales and sponsorships for the Yankees. "It breaks your heart. But I think if anyone has an optimistic outlook, he has one."

Fox broadcaster Tim McCarver, a Mets announcer in the 1980s, said he immediately thought of Carter's bright smile.

"The ear-to-ear smile that only Gary has. And obviously a smile is very important at a time like this," McCarver said. "I think everybody is kind of in that wait-and-see mode. ... But certainly he has occupied our thoughts since we heard the news."

McCarver was at Yankee Stadium preparing to broadcast the Subway Series game between the Mets and Yankees.

"It's tough to go on the air without thinking about him and being reminded once again how great the game is that it takes you away from the travails of life," he said.

Carter hit .262 with 324 homers and 1,225 RBIs in 19 seasons in the majors. The 11-time All-Star played his last game with the Montreal Expos in 1992 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

"I'm shocked at the news. It gives us all a sense of our mortality. Gary was a great teammate and naturally my prayers are with him and his family," Keith Hernandez said in a statement released by the Mets.

The effervescent Carter, nicknamed "Kid," is perhaps best known for helping the Mets win the 1986 World Series. He had 24 homers and 105 RBIs that year, then drove in 11 runs in the postseason.

"On behalf of the Mets organization, our thoughts and prayers are with Gary, Sandy and the entire Carter family," said Jeff Wilpon, the club's chief operating officer.

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SPORTS - Mavericks avoid collapse, beat Thunder 93-87 (AP)

SPORTS - Mavericks avoid collapse, beat Thunder 93-87 (AP)

AP – From left, Oklahoma City Thunder players Nate Robinson, Kevin Durant, and Kendrick Perkins react on the …

By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer Jeff Latzke, Ap Sports Writer – 48 mins ago

OKLAHOMA CITY – Even when he is off his game, Dirk Nowitzki can still get the job done as the Dallas Mavericks' closer.

Nowitzki shrugged off a rough start and made a few key jumpers in the fourth quarter, helping the Mavericks hold off the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 93-87 victory Saturday night and a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.

The big German had missed 10 of his first 14 shots, but Dallas kept going to him with the Thunder trying to become the second team to rally from a 23-point deficit to beat the Mavericks in these playoffs.

"He's our guy. In the fourth quarters, he's going to touch the ball as frequently as we can get it to him," coach Rick Carlisle said. "If he misses a few shots, he's not going to get deterred, he's not going to get discouraged. He's got the kind of will, he's going to keep going at it."

The Mavericks didn't care that Nowitzki couldn't seem to make a shot most of the game. They still gave him the ball on 10 of 11 possessions at one point, and he scored three times — enough to keep Oklahoma City at bay.

Nowitzki finished with 18 points on 7 for 21 shooting.

"We didn't really have a lot going in the second half offensively, so I've got to keep attacking for this team like I have for the last 13 years," Nowitzki said. "This team needs me to score and to keep being aggressive."

NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant also struggled from the field, hitting just 7 of 22 shots to finish with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Russell Westbrook responded to a fourth-quarter benching with 30 points, helping the Thunder make it interesting in the final minutes.

Dallas had already blown a 23-point lead in the final 13 minutes in the first round at Portland, and led by 22 with 17 minutes to go this time.

Westbrook and Daequan Cook each missed 3-pointers that could've gotten the Thunder within three, and Westbrook then lost the ball out of bounds before Jason Terry's jumper stretched the advantage to 86-78 with 1:42 remaining.

Nowitzki added a jumper from the left elbow to put the lead back at eight after Durant hit two free throws, and Dallas held on from there.

"We fought through a lot in the second half there, we stuck together and we grinded it out," Nowitzki said.

Shawn Marion also scored 18, and Kidd and Terry each chipped in 13. Tyson Chandler had 15 rebounds, including six on the offensive end.

The Mavericks, who tied with Miami for the league's best road record during the regular season, won for the fourth straight time outside Dallas in these playoffs and reclaimed home-court advantage just two nights after letting it get away in Game 2.

"In a game like this in someone else's arena, coming off a loss, you have to come out with anger and an intensity," Terry said. "We did that."

The Thunder leaned on their bench again in the fourth quarter, but this time Westbrook was on the court instead of the bench like he was in Game 2. Reserves Nick Collison, James Harden and Cook joined the All-Star tandem of Durant and Westbrook on the floor, but the bench didn't come up nearly as big in this one — scoring just 16 points after besting the Dallas reserves 50-29 in Game 2.

The Thunder missed their first 16 3-pointers — including all eight by Durant — before Westbrook made one in the final minute to get Oklahoma City within 88-83. Dallas made five of its six free throws to close it out, and Terry swiped the ball with 10 seconds left and ran out the clock on the win.

Oklahoma City fell behind by as many as 23 after a dreadful start, and it didn't get much better for a while. The Thunder had made only 10 of their 41 shots when Dallas bumped its lead back up to 58-36 by scoring the first six points after halftime.

"Frustrating," said Durant, his head in his hand. "It's tough to start a game, not make shots and you give teams easy baskets. That's like a backbreaker."

Harden — the bench star with 23 points in Game 2 — started a rally by driving for a layup and then taking an elbow from Chandler to draw a technical foul. That started a burst of eight straight points to get the Thunder within 65-52, the closest they'd been since the end of the first quarter.

Westbrook continued the comeback in the fourth by exploiting a matchup against J.J. Barea to get to the rim and the foul line repeatedly. He had the first eight points in a 10-2 run for Oklahoma City, with Harden's two free throws getting the deficit down to 80-74 with 5:36 to play.

The rally fizzled after that, though.

Westbrook also picked up his fifth technical foul of the postseason for shoving Nowitzki in the back after a third-quarter whistle. He and Chandler are each two shy of earning a one-game suspension.

The Thunder missed 15 of their first 19 shots and committed eight turnovers while Dallas rushed out to a commanding 35-12 lead, finishing the impressive start by scoring the first eight points of the second quarter.

Oklahoma City had its worst first quarter of the season and couldn't get much of anything going through the first 14 minutes, scoring two of its four baskets on tipped-in misses and losing Westbrook briefly after he picked up two fouls in the opening 9 minutes.

"There's no question they started the game really hitting us and knocking us out of our offense," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said "And we missed a lot of 3s. Those 3s weren't all contested."

NOTES: Brooks said before the game that Harden has played well enough to earn consideration on whether he should start ahead of Thabo Sefolosha — but not until after the playoffs. "There probably will be some long and hard thoughts about him being a starter. He definitely has that ability," Brooks said. "This year, no." ... Dallas coach Rick Carlisle on what he thought about Durant's highlight-worthy monster dunk in Game 2: "I thought it was unfortunate." ... Hanson sang the national anthem. ... Oklahoma City hasn't lost consecutive games this postseason, but is just 1-6 after its last seven wins.

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