DURBAN, South Africa – IOC President Jacques Rogge said Saturday he would be “delighted” if the United States decides to bid for the 2020 Olympics despite the stinging rejection of American cities in the race for two previous Summer Games.

New York failed in its bid for the 2012 Games and Chicago was eliminated in the first round for the 2016 Olympics, despite the appearance of President Barack Obama in Copenhagen for the vote in 2009.

National Olympic committees have until Sept. 1 to submit the names of applicant cities for 2020.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has said it won’t consider a bid until it reaches final agreement with the International Olympic Committee on a new revenue-sharing agreement, an issue that has festered for years and contributed to the humiliating losses for New York and Chicago.

“As far as the U.S. situation is concerned, there are declarations from the USOC that they are still waiting but, of course, if there is a good bid coming from the United States we would be delighted,” Rogge said at a news conference at the close of the IOC’s four-day session in Durban.

On another issue, Rogge said he expects half a dozen candidates to try to succeed him as IOC president when his term expires in 2013, but stressed he would not support or groom a successor.

“There is no lack of potential good successors and this is very good for the IOC,” he said.

Rome is the only officially declared bid city so far for 2020, but several other cities are expected to join the race in the coming days and weeks.

Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul are likely contenders. Doha, Qatar, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, could be potential candidates.

South Africa could still revive a 2020 bid, with Durban as the likely city, after the government said in late May that the time was not right for an Olympic campaign.

“You are as a nation ready to host the Olympic Games,” Rogge said, referring to South Africa. “It’s up to you what you do … I have felt, speaking with your politicians, there was a desire to bid in the future. It might not be 2020, it might be 2024.”

The U.S. hasn’t hosted a Summer Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

American bids have been hampered by lingering international resentment over the USOC’s long-standing 20 percent share of global sponsorship revenues and 12.75 percent cut of U.S. broadcast rights deals.

IOC and USOC officials met here Thursday for a new round of revenue talks and reported progress toward a final agreement. They agreed to meet again in the next few weeks in New York with the goal of concluding a deal.

Agreement on a revenue-sharing plan would open the way to a possible 2020 bid.

“We’re not going to have any substantive discussions or make any decisions until this is behind us,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun told The Associated Press on Thursday. “We haven’t spent a lot of time looking at whether there is still time to bid, but because it’s theoretically possible, we don’t want to rule it out.”

U.S. cities mentioned as potential bidders include New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis and Tulsa, Okla. Several IOC officials told AP that New York would be the most viable U.S. candidate.

With the 2008 Summer Olympics in Asia (Beijing), 2012 in Europe (London) and 2016 in South America (Rio de Janeiro), geography could be an advantage for North America in 2020.

The Olympics have never been held in Africa.

“Many people believe this is the right time to bid because, as the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot,” South African IOC member Sam Ramsamy said, adding the issue will be raised again by the country’s sports minister with President Jacob Zuma.

The centerpiece of the IOC’s meeting in Durban was the selection on Wednesday of Pyeongchang, South Korea, as the host for the 2018 Winter Games. The IOC rewarded Pyeongchang for its persistence in bidding for a third consecutive time after losses for 2010 and 2014.

Rogge, meanwhile, said he would keep his distance from the IOC’s presidential election campaign.

“I will look at it from the front row with great pleasure and interest, but I will not be involved,” he said.

Rogge was elected to an eight-year term in 2001 and won a final four-year mandate in 2009.

“I will absolutely not groom and I will not support anyone,” he said. “I have always remained very neutral and I will continue to do that.”

Rogge did not name any potential candidates, but they include Germany’s Thomas Bach, Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, Sergei Bubka of Ukraine and Denis Oswald of Switzerland.

“I believe in the IOC half a dozen members will have the profile and maybe even the desire to run,” Rogge said.

With just over a year ago until the London Olympics, Rogge said he was “absolutely delighted” by the “exemplary” preparations led by organizing committee chief Sebastian Coe.

“What do they have to do until next year?” he said. “I would say remain focused. Remain humble, prepare for the unexpected. Seb is an athlete, he knows that you can never, never be lazy and you have to continue to fight every day to be fit.”

___

AP Sports Writer Gerald Imray contributed to this report.

JOLIET, Ill. – Mike Neff raced to his fourth Funny Car victory of the season at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals on Sunday.

With the win, Neff gave Ford its 200th NHRA Funny Car victory as he powered his Ford Mustang to a performance of 4.246 seconds at 293.22 mph to defeat Jeff Arend, who posted a 5.168 at 186.54 in his Funny Car.

“The heat is what was hard for everyone out there today,” Neff said. “It was a challenge. With the conditions it was one of those races where you have to get your car down the racetrack if you want to win. It’s a tribute to our Ford Mustang body. It’s a great car and we have great preparation by the team because the car is so consistent right now.”

Del Worsham (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

Worsham raced to his fifth victory of the season in Top Fuel, powering his dragster past David Grubnic in the final round.

A three-time Funny Car winner here, Worsham joined Gary Scelzi as the only drivers to win in both nitro categories at Route 66 Raceway when he posted a 3.978 at 299.40 to hold off Grubnic’s machine, which trailed with a 4.055 at 294.50.

Anderson earned his second victory of the season and 67th of his career, denying Erica Enders her first win in her fourth career final round.

Anderson took his first Route 66 Raceway victory with a holeshot victory as he drove his Pontiac GXP to a 6.670 at 207.18 to cross the finish line in front of Enders, who had a quicker, but losing, 6.659 at 206.89 in a Chevy Cobalt.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Tonglet rebounded from a DNQ at the previous event to claim his second victory of the season. He pulled away from Chip Ellis in the final with a 7.047 at 188.46 on a Suzuki. Ellis, whose last final round was in 2008 at Englishtown, N.J., finished in 7.153 at 185.49 on a Buell.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects stats for Neff, Arend in 2nd paragraph. Restores previous.)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Paul Williams won a majority decision over Erislandy Lara on Saturday night in the former two-division champion’s contentious return to Boardwalk Hall.

The sparse crowd showered the ring with boos when the decision was announced for Williams (40-2, 28 KOs), who hadn’t fought since his devastating knockout loss to Sergio Martinez last November.

“He was a tough customer,” Williams said. “He came to fight.”

Lara (15-1) is a former Cuban amateur star who defected in 2007 before the Beijing Olympics. He performed well and earned the crowd’s favor in his biggest professional fight, although Williams threw nearly twice as many punches.

“I don’t know what the judges saw,” Lara said through a translator. “I thought I won the fight.”

Lara repeatedly hurt Williams with left hands, but Williams raised a serious knot on Lara’s left temple.

Judges Don Givens (116-114) and Hilton Whitaker II (115-114) both favored Williams, while Al Bennett scored it even at 114-114.

Martinez left Williams facedown on the canvas in the second round of his last fight in Atlantic City, halting the progression of a versatile, rangy fighter who threatened to be a title contender in four weight divisions.

Earlier, Rico Ramos won the WBC super bantamweight title with a seventh-round stoppage of Japan’s Akifumi Shimoda.

Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs) trailed on all three scorecards after six rounds, but won the fight with a single punch. He landed a left hook that thudded against Shimoda’s jaw, sending him to the canvas in a heap.

Shimoda barely beat the count, but referee Benjy Esteves halted the bout with 14 seconds left in the round when Shimoda (23-3-1) stumbled across the ring.

“I was throwing right hands a lot and then I surprised him with a left,” Ramos said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for 16 years. I’ve worked hard and I’m happy with my victory.”

Until the sudden, shocking end, Shimoda appeared to be on his way to defending his title, using a sharp right jab to pick at a cut on Ramos’ face from an accidental head-butt.

All three judges had Shimoda well ahead after six rounds.

WBC featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez (49-7, 43 KOs) kept his title with a fourth-round stoppage of Tomas Villa (23-8-4), ending his first title defense with a left hook to the body.

Heavyweight contender Chris Arreola (33-2) climbed back into contention for another high-profile fight with a 10-round unanimous decision over Nigeria’s Friday Ahunanya.

“I’m very disappointed in myself,” said Arreola, a Riverside, Calif., fighter who has won five fights in the last year since losing to Vitali Klitschko and Tomasz Adamek.

“No disrespect to him, he has a solid chin, but I should have knocked him out in six or seven rounds. I didn’t want it to go the distance. I don’t get paid for overtime.”

LAS VEGAS – Dominick Cruz retained the bantamweight title and avenged his only career loss, unanimously outpointing Urijah Faber in a five-round bout in UFC 132 on Saturday night.

Cruz, the aggressor throughout who utilized his awkward style to land a number of leg kicks and solid strikes. had winning scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47 from the judges.

In the co-main event at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Chris Leben rebounded from a loss in his last fight to stop Wanderlei Silva in 27 seconds.

On the undercard, former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz won for the first time in nearly five years with a first-round submission victory over Ryan Bader.

Tiger Woods’ agent says the golfer is not making any announcements Monday.

Mark Steinberg was responding to rumors late Sunday that Woods was making an unspecified announcement Monday morning on Golf Channel.

Steinberg told The Associated Press on Monday: “There’s an erroneous report that he’s making an announcement, but he’s not.”

Woods said last Tuesday he would skip this week’s British Open because of “minor injuries” to his left leg that haven’t fully healed, the second straight major he will miss.

This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Le Temps.

Yohann GÈne smiles. At 30, the Guadeloupian member of the Europcar team is the first black cyclist to take part in the Tour de France. A professional racer since 2005, GÈne is described by other cyclists as a model teammate and vital to support the leaders.

GÈne was 17 when he first moved to Europe, and soon after discovered the passion for the green open spaces where his bike could bring him. “When I ride, I see all kinds of landscapes. I feel free.” As a kid, he followed the Tour de France on television, but strangely imagined himself in another, far less well-known race. “I always dreamed of the Paris-Roubaix – because of its audience and its warrior-like competitors who always risk falling.” And all that in the rough northern weather. (See pictures of Lance Armstrong racing in the Tour.)

Having arrived with a friend, Rony Martias, the pair entered a special high school course for athletically-gifted pupils. Jean-RenÉ Bernaudeau, manager of the Europcar Team, remembers GÈne’s first steps on the European stage. “I was lucky to take both Yohann and Rony – I know the West Indies pretty well. Cycling is very much alive there. It’s the only French department where cycling is more popular than soccer, The Tour de Guadeloupe is the event of the year.”

Even though cycling has become increasingly globalized, Yohann GÈne’s presence is remarkable nevertheless. “We have been subject to racism,” says his manager. “I had to deal with a few problems and contact sponsors of two foreign teams about it. After the doping incidents, I couldn’t let racism be part of cycling.” (See how Twitter conquered the Tour de France.)

Forerunner, Jean-RenÉ Bernaudeau would have liked to hire two Eritreans this year, but they didn’t obtain their visas. “In the West Indies, cycling is a real culture. We only have to repeat what we did with Yohann GÈne. In Africa, you need three years to transform someone’s talent into a good cyclist and then help him enter the professional world. Right now there is an Ethiopian, Tsgabu Grmay, who could win the climb of the Alpes d’Huez. The cycling culture needs to open up. It’s a small world, with a homogenous culture.” That may be about to change.

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SANDWICH, England – Coming off a record-breaking win at the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy is paired with Ernie Els and Rickie Fowler for the first two rounds of the British Open.

The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland had a 16-under score last month at Congressional. He’s favored to make it two majors in a row at Royal St. George’s.

Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa will play the first two rounds with American star Phil Mickelson and defending PGA champ Martin Kaymer.

The world’s top-ranked player, England’s Luke Donald, is paired Thursday and Friday with Ryo Ishikawa and Sergio Garcia. Donald solidified his spot in the rankings with a four-stroke victory this past weekend at the Scottish Open.

AUSTIN, Texas (AFP) – Spain’s David Ferrer has beaten Mardy Fish 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5) as Spain defeated the United States to earn a berth in the Davis Cup semi-finals.

Ferrer celebrated by falling backwards on to the court when Fish’s final shot sailed wide. He then leaped into the arms of Spanish team captain Albert Costa.

The win gave Spain an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the Davis Cup quarter-final.

“This is a historic victory for us because we have never won before in the United States,” said Costa.

Spain now hosts France in a semi-final on September 16-18.

The last team to beat the Americans at home was Croatia six years ago.

“I fought a lot and it is a very special moment for me,” Ferrer said. “We practised for a week on this court. It was not the most difficult Davis Cup tie for us but it was still difficult.”

Ferrer went a perfect 2-0 in singles play as he beat former grand slam winner Andy Roddick on Friday. Spain went 3-0 overall in singles.

Spain, who are looking for their third Davis Cup title in four years, won despite playing without world No. 2 Rafael Nadal.

Ferrer said they miss Nadal but felt confident they could beat the US without him.

“We know Rafa is very important for us,” he said. “But we won with same team in Argentina. We will do it again.”

Spain had to overcome a vocal pro-American crowd to earn its first Davis Cup victory on American soil.

Ferrer’s win meant a planned final singles match between Roddick and Feliciano Lopez was cancelled.

LE LIORAN, France (Reuters) – Riders were in a state of shock on the first rest day of the Tour de France after Sunday’s chaotic and crash-strewn ninth stage.

Four riders were forced out of the race after a huge pile-up on a descent while Spain’s Juan-Antonio Flecha and Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland were hit by a television car.

Even though the number of withdrawals this year has been no greater than in the past after nine days of racing, the crashes have been more spectacular and the injuries more serious than usual.

“It’s the most particular course I have known on the Tour de France. I hope that it will become a cycling race from now on because up to now, we had the impression they were looking for the most dangerous roads,” outspoken Swiss Fabian Cancellara, who often acts as a spokesman for the peloton, told reporters.

Flecha, who hurt his elbow, and Hoogerland, who lacerated his legs on a barbed-wire fence, were recovering on Monday and the Dutchman even went for a leisurely ride with his father.

Flecha’s Team Sky asked organizers to “take appropriate action” while Hoogerland’s Vacansoleil team were pondering their options.

“We visited the teams of all the riders who crashed yesterday. Vacansoleil are waiting to see how the rider feels and if he is unwell, it could become a legal issue,” Tour de France race director Jean-Francois Pescheux told Reuters.

“As for Team Sky, they look to me like they’re not going to leave it as it is. But I don’t see the riders staging a protest.”

Asked by Reuters what the International Cycling Union (UCI) could do to increase the riders’ safety, UCI president Pat McQuaid said: “It would not be correct to react to an accident just now.

“However we must ask ourselves questions about the number of crashes, most of them taking place on straight lines. It is always the case in the first week of the Tour but the UCI road cycling committee will meet to discuss the issue,” he said.

BRUTAL SPORT

While everybody was deploring the car incident, most riders and officials described the earlier crash that sent Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov and Belgian Jurgen Van den Broeck to hospital as a mere racing accident.

Vinokourov fractured his right thigh and will be out of action for three months at least, a layoff which could mean the end of his career at 37. He was flown straight to Paris and underwent successful surgery.

“It’s terrible to think that it was my last Tour and that I won’t even make it to the Champs-Elysees. It would have been an end-of-career gift. Now everything is wasted,” he told French sports daily l’Equipe.

Experienced riders and team chiefs said cycling is and always had been a dangerous sport.

“The Tour is hectic but it always is in the first week,” said Alberto Contador’s Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis.

“The riders are also to blame because everybody wants to ride at the front. It would help if everybody was less nervous,” said veteran German Jens Voigt, who also blamed the increasing number of roundabouts in towns.

“They’re good for traffic but less for riders,” he said.

Garmin-Cervelo team manager Jonathan Vaughters, who lost American David Zabriskie to injury in Sunday’s mass pile-up, added: “That’s just the way the sport is. That’s part of what makes the sport so intriguing and beautiful. It’s also vicious and brutal. It’s a brutal, brutal sport.”

(Editing by Mark Meadows)

LE LIORAN, France (Reuters) – Riders were in a state of shock on the first rest day of the Tour de France after Sunday’s chaotic and crash-strewn ninth stage.

Four riders were forced out of the race after a huge pile-up on a descent while Spain’s Juan-Antonio Flecha and Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland were hit by a television car.

Even though the number of withdrawals this year has been no greater than in the past after nine days of racing, the crashes have been more spectacular and the injuries more serious than usual.

“It’s the most particular course I have known on the Tour de France. I hope that it will become a cycling race from now on because up to now, we had the impression they were looking for the most dangerous roads,” outspoken Swiss Fabian Cancellara, who often acts as a spokesman for the peloton, told reporters.

Flecha, who hurt his elbow, and Hoogerland, who lacerated his legs on a barbed-wire fence, were recovering on Monday and the Dutchman even went for a leisurely ride with his father.

Flecha’s Team Sky asked organizers to “take appropriate action” while Hoogerland’s Vacansoleil team were pondering their options.

“We visited the teams of all the riders who crashed yesterday. Vacansoleil are waiting to see how the rider feels and if he is unwell, it could become a legal issue,” Tour de France race director Jean-Francois Pescheux told Reuters.

“As for Team Sky, they look to me like they’re not going to leave it as it is. But I don’t see the riders staging a protest.”

Asked by Reuters what the International Cycling Union (UCI) could do to increase the riders’ safety, UCI president Pat McQuaid said: “It would not be correct to react to an accident just now.

“However we must ask ourselves questions about the number of crashes, most of them taking place on straight lines. It is always the case in the first week of the Tour but the UCI road cycling committee will meet to discuss the issue,” he said.

BRUTAL SPORT

While everybody was deploring the car incident, most riders and officials described the earlier crash that sent Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov and Belgian Jurgen Van den Broeck to hospital as a mere racing accident.

Vinokourov fractured his right thigh and will be out of action for three months at least, a layoff which could mean the end of his career at 37. He was flown straight to Paris and underwent successful surgery.

“It’s terrible to think that it was my last Tour and that I won’t even make it to the Champs-Elysees. It would have been an end-of-career gift. Now everything is wasted,” he told French sports daily l’Equipe.

Experienced riders and team chiefs said cycling is and always had been a dangerous sport.

“The Tour is hectic but it always is in the first week,” said Alberto Contador’s Saxo Bank team manager Bjarne Riis.

“The riders are also to blame because everybody wants to ride at the front. It would help if everybody was less nervous,” said veteran German Jens Voigt, who also blamed the increasing number of roundabouts in towns.

“They’re good for traffic but less for riders,” he said.

Garmin-Cervelo team manager Jonathan Vaughters, who lost American David Zabriskie to injury in Sunday’s mass pile-up, added: “That’s just the way the sport is. That’s part of what makes the sport so intriguing and beautiful. It’s also vicious and brutal. It’s a brutal, brutal sport.”

(Editing by Mark Meadows)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former All-Pro linebacker Mike Vrabel is retiring from the Kansas City Chiefs and returning to his alma mater as an Ohio State assistant coach.

Vrabel confirmed Monday morning the end of his 14-year career and that he had taken the job as linebackers coach with the Buckeyes. The position was previously held by his college roommate and teammate, Luke Fickell, who was elevated to interim head coach when Jim Tressel resigned May 30.

Vrabel played for Pittsburgh and New England before closing out his career with the Chiefs. He announced his retirement in a statement issued through his agent.

Vrabel played eight seasons with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl titles as a hybrid defender and a spot short-yardage and goal-line offensive player.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former All-Pro linebacker Mike Vrabel is retiring from the Kansas City Chiefs and returning to his alma mater as an Ohio State assistant coach.

Vrabel confirmed Monday morning the end of his 14-year career and that he had taken the job as linebackers coach with the Buckeyes. The position was previously held by his college roommate and teammate, Luke Fickell, who was elevated to interim head coach when Jim Tressel resigned May 30.

Vrabel played for Pittsburgh and New England before closing out his career with the Chiefs. He announced his retirement in a statement issued through his agent.

Vrabel played eight seasons with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowl titles as a hybrid defender and a spot short-yardage and goal-line offensive player.

BEIJING – Yao Ming’s expected retirement could diminish the NBA’s once-burgeoning popularity in China, with many fans saying they would no longer watch games.

“What’s the point of watching NBA now?” asked an online user called Lubingxia on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like site.

An online poll on Weibo by Monday lunchtime showed that 57 percent of respondents would stop watching the NBA after Yao’s retirement.

The 7-foot-6 center is expected to announce July 20 at a news conference that he’s retiring from the NBA after nine seasons because of leg and foot injuries.

He boosted the popularity of the basketball league in China and throughout Asia, spiking merchandise sales and TV ratings for games after the Houston Rockets made him the top overall pick in the 2002 draft.

The 30-year-old Yao has missed 250 regular-season games over the past six seasons.

“He is one of the most influential people in today’s society — especially to those born in the ’80s,” said Ren Bo, a 25-year-old sports trainer. “It’s probably going to be a while until we see another Yao Ming.”

Yahoo! Sports first reported that Yao is retiring. A person with direct knowledge of his decision confirmed to The Associated Press that Yao decided the risk of another injury and subsequent rehabilitation was too great.

The news upset fans in China, where he has been praised as a role model for the past decade, and strengthened that image by carrying his country’s flag during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“It is Yao Ming who makes the kids in China like basketball and it’s also Yao Ming who makes the kids know how a real professional basketball player should be,” said Xu Jicheng, a longtime basketball commentator.

“I’m not thrilled about his retirement, but I will still support him. Millions of Chinese still idolize him,” said 24-year-old Guo Ju Fei, a small business owner.

Some online comments conveyed sadness that his retirement would mean the end of a great era and that they would not get to see him at the 2012 London Olympics. There also was some anger that his injuries kept him from reaching his peak.

“I still haven’t recovered from the fact that Yao is retiring. The feeling is worse than being dumped,” wrote one online user going by the name of Xie Chen.

Others hoped a “miracle” would occur and that Yao would change his mind.

Many comments expressed gratitude to the player for being a Chinese icon and an athlete they could be proud of.

Online comments and newspapers also singled out his wit, humor and humility.

“Yao Ming is like an ambassador. With a basketball player’s height, a comedian’s humor, post-80s generation’s freshness … one does not know how many foreigners’ impressions of the Chinese he has changed,” wrote the Chinese Business Morning View, based in Shenyang city in northeastern Liaoning province.

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies ended the first half of the season with another strong outing from a starting pitcher, and a surprising outburst by their inconsistent offense.

The latter might send alarm bells to the opposition after the Phillies used a season-high 20 hits, including a homer and six RBIs from Raul Ibanez, in a 14-1 rout of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

The Phillies took two of three in the series to increase their lead to 3 1/2 games over Atlanta in the NL East. Philadelphia (57-34) matched the club record for wins in the first half, tying the 1993 team.

Cole Hamels did what Philadelphia’s heralded starting staff has done all year, making life difficult for batters. Hamels (11-4) allowed three hits while striking out six and walking two in eight innings. The left-hander, who was selected to his second All-Star team but won’t pitch due to Sunday’s start, allowed just one hit after the second inning and retired his final 13 batters.

“He threw a heck of a game,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.

Manuel has said that often about his starters, led by All-Stars Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee who have combined to go 31-13. But Manuel has seen his offense, hurt somewhat by injuries, bat below expectations.

“Our hitting came alive today,” he said.

Philadelphia had 17 hits and scored four runs in 21 innings in the first two extra-inning games of the series before Sunday’s eruption.

While he expects his club’s hitting to improve after the All-Star break, Manuel hesitates be hyper critical.

“We got enough hitting to win 57 games. Any way you want to cut it, you can say whatever you want to about it, we had to score some runs to win those games,” Manuel said, before adding. “I don’t see a reason why we can’t score more runs (in the second half).”

Ibanez said improving is a matter of consistency for the offense.

“I think we’ve had much more consistent offensive approach, definitely consistently is the key,” he said. “We have the potential to do that and if we do that, with our pitching, then things are going to be really good for us.”

Besides Ibanez, the Phillies received boosts from two fill-ins.

John Mayberry Jr., subbing in for injured All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino, had three doubles and drove in a career-high four runs. And Michael Martinez, in for injured All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco, had four hits for the Phillies.

Martinez, who entered batting .192, raised his average to .229.

Derek Lowe (5-7) allowed 10 hits in four innings, and the Phillies tagged reliever Cory Gearrin for six runs in one-third of an inning.

“They’re a good team,” Lowe said. “Sometimes you have to say you got your butt beat.”

Dan Uggla doubled to extend his hitting streak to six games and scored for the Braves (54-38), who had won nine of 10 entering the series.

Hamels was the third straight All-Star starter to face the Braves in the series, following Halladay and Lee. Unlike his two heralded teammates, who received no-decisions despite pitching well, Hamels earned a victory thanks to the offensive support.

The Phillies’ offense was about the only difference between the three games.

“We’re not going to give up runs and we’re going to pitch deep in ballgames,” Hamels said of the starters.

Philadelphia led 4-1 before breaking the game open in the seventh with six runs on five hits and two walks. All of the runs were charged to Gearrin. The scoring was capped by Mayberry’s two-run double, his third of the game. Ibanez and Brown also had two-RBI hits in the frame in which the Phillies sent 10 batters to the plate.

The crowd of 45,853, the 172nd sellout and third-largest in Citizens Bank Park history, did the Tomahawk Chop in the inning in mock imitation of Braves fans at Turner Field.

Philadelphia added four more runs in the eighth, highlighted by Ibanez’s three-run homer to right off Scott Proctor.

That was more than enough for Hamels.

“He’s pretty tough,” Atlanta’s Brian McCann said of the left-hander. “You almost have to play perfect against him.”

Despite the Phillies’ win, neither side expects Philadelphia to run away in the second half.

“This was a big series for us to win, it’s going to help our team,” Manuel said. “I think it helps us more than it hurts them. I know their team. They’re going to come back in the second half and try to prove they’re better than we are. That’s baseball and it should be that way.”

“I think we’re pleased where we are,” McCann said. “They haven’t dominated us. We know we can play with them. They’re a great team and so are we.”

The Phillies broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the third inning on RBIs from Ryan Howard and Ibanez. Martinez reached with a one-out infield single, went to third on Chase Utley’s single to right and scored on Howard’s single to center. Utley, who went to third on Howard’s hit after stealing second during the at-bat, scored on Ibanez’s grounder to second.

“The first two were great games,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the series. “This one, just forget about it.”

Notes: The Phillies and Braves are the only major league clubs not to have been swept in a three-game series this season. … The Phillies’ previous best offensive output was 18 hits at Florida on July 5. … Polanco missed his sixth straight game with a back injury. … Atlanta’s Brandon Hicks struck out pinch-hitting in the seventh and has one hit in his last 21 at-bats.

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies ended the first half of the season with another strong outing from a starting pitcher, and a surprising outburst by their inconsistent offense.

The latter might send alarm bells to the opposition after the Phillies used a season-high 20 hits, including a homer and six RBIs from Raul Ibanez, in a 14-1 rout of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

The Phillies took two of three in the series to increase their lead to 3 1/2 games over Atlanta in the NL East. Philadelphia (57-34) matched the club record for wins in the first half, tying the 1993 team.

Cole Hamels did what Philadelphia’s heralded starting staff has done all year, making life difficult for batters. Hamels (11-4) allowed three hits while striking out six and walking two in eight innings. The left-hander, who was selected to his second All-Star team but won’t pitch due to Sunday’s start, allowed just one hit after the second inning and retired his final 13 batters.

“He threw a heck of a game,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.

Manuel has said that often about his starters, led by All-Stars Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee who have combined to go 31-13. But Manuel has seen his offense, hurt somewhat by injuries, bat below expectations.

“Our hitting came alive today,” he said.

Philadelphia had 17 hits and scored four runs in 21 innings in the first two extra-inning games of the series before Sunday’s eruption.

While he expects his club’s hitting to improve after the All-Star break, Manuel hesitates be hyper critical.

“We got enough hitting to win 57 games. Any way you want to cut it, you can say whatever you want to about it, we had to score some runs to win those games,” Manuel said, before adding. “I don’t see a reason why we can’t score more runs (in the second half).”

Ibanez said improving is a matter of consistency for the offense.

“I think we’ve had much more consistent offensive approach, definitely consistently is the key,” he said. “We have the potential to do that and if we do that, with our pitching, then things are going to be really good for us.”

Besides Ibanez, the Phillies received boosts from two fill-ins.

John Mayberry Jr., subbing in for injured All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino, had three doubles and drove in a career-high four runs. And Michael Martinez, in for injured All-Star third baseman Placido Polanco, had four hits for the Phillies.

Martinez, who entered batting .192, raised his average to .229.

Derek Lowe (5-7) allowed 10 hits in four innings, and the Phillies tagged reliever Cory Gearrin for six runs in one-third of an inning.

“They’re a good team,” Lowe said. “Sometimes you have to say you got your butt beat.”

Dan Uggla doubled to extend his hitting streak to six games and scored for the Braves (54-38), who had won nine of 10 entering the series.

Hamels was the third straight All-Star starter to face the Braves in the series, following Halladay and Lee. Unlike his two heralded teammates, who received no-decisions despite pitching well, Hamels earned a victory thanks to the offensive support.

The Phillies’ offense was about the only difference between the three games.

“We’re not going to give up runs and we’re going to pitch deep in ballgames,” Hamels said of the starters.

Philadelphia led 4-1 before breaking the game open in the seventh with six runs on five hits and two walks. All of the runs were charged to Gearrin. The scoring was capped by Mayberry’s two-run double, his third of the game. Ibanez and Brown also had two-RBI hits in the frame in which the Phillies sent 10 batters to the plate.

The crowd of 45,853, the 172nd sellout and third-largest in Citizens Bank Park history, did the Tomahawk Chop in the inning in mock imitation of Braves fans at Turner Field.

Philadelphia added four more runs in the eighth, highlighted by Ibanez’s three-run homer to right off Scott Proctor.

That was more than enough for Hamels.

“He’s pretty tough,” Atlanta’s Brian McCann said of the left-hander. “You almost have to play perfect against him.”

Despite the Phillies’ win, neither side expects Philadelphia to run away in the second half.

“This was a big series for us to win, it’s going to help our team,” Manuel said. “I think it helps us more than it hurts them. I know their team. They’re going to come back in the second half and try to prove they’re better than we are. That’s baseball and it should be that way.”

“I think we’re pleased where we are,” McCann said. “They haven’t dominated us. We know we can play with them. They’re a great team and so are we.”

The Phillies broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the third inning on RBIs from Ryan Howard and Ibanez. Martinez reached with a one-out infield single, went to third on Chase Utley’s single to right and scored on Howard’s single to center. Utley, who went to third on Howard’s hit after stealing second during the at-bat, scored on Ibanez’s grounder to second.

“The first two were great games,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the series. “This one, just forget about it.”

Notes: The Phillies and Braves are the only major league clubs not to have been swept in a three-game series this season. … The Phillies’ previous best offensive output was 18 hits at Florida on July 5. … Polanco missed his sixth straight game with a back injury. … Atlanta’s Brandon Hicks struck out pinch-hitting in the seventh and has one hit in his last 21 at-bats.

NEW YORK – A rookie wage scale and free agency for veterans appear to be the biggest stumbling blocks to ending the NFL lockout.

Several people with knowledge of the talks tell The Associated Press that such key issues as splitting total revenues — the major reason for the dispute — the salary cap, fewer offseason workouts and the length of a new collective bargaining agreement are close to being completed.

The people spoke anonymously because details are supposed to remain private.

Owners and players are to meet again, beginning Tuesday, after two days of long negotiations last week. Lawyers from both sides are to meet Monday.

The sticky topics include limits on rookie salaries and signing bonuses. Another is the number of transition tags for free agents, with right of first refusal.

With training camps scheduled to open in less than two weeks for some teams, time is growing short to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-month lockout without a disruption to the preseason. With court-appointed mediator Arthur Boylan on vacation this week, the two sides plan to negotiate in New York, where last Friday talks were slowed by differences over the rookie wage scale and guidelines for unrestricted free agents.

NFL owners have long sought to restrict the huge bonuses and salaries paid to unproven rookies, particularly those selected high in the draft. Quarterback Sam Bradford, the 2010 top overall pick by St. Louis, signed a six-year, $78 million contract that included a record $50 million in guaranteed money.

The NFLPA insists that money diverted from the rookies go to veteran players; some also would go for retired players’ benefits. The main disagreement right now is how deep into the first round the rookie wage scale would apply, perhaps eight picks, perhaps twice that many. Some owners also are seeking longer contracts for rookies.

In addition, the owners are pushing for more restrictions in free agency, which the players “vehemently oppose,” one of the people familiar with the negotiations said.

“Maybe for one year there might be an extended right of first refusal as a compromise,” the person said.

Would either side hold up a deal over that, especially with the possibility of lost exhibition games no longer remote? NFL revenues would be reduced by upward of $60 million for one weekend of canceled preseason games. The first full weekend of exhibition play is Aug. 11-15; the Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams is Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.

Who pays how much to a so-called “legacy fund” to help retired players has become somewhat contentious. Originally, the funding was to be 50-50 between the owners and the players. There has been no agreement yet on that breakdown.

Whenever a deal is struck, it will be anywhere from six to 10 years. It also will include mechanisms for ending the CBA early, as happened with the 2006 agreement that the owners opted out of in 2008, leading to no salary cap in 2010 and, ultimately, to the lockout.

A topic on which there remains little disagreement is the salary cap. Some owners are not thrilled with a salary floor that requires teams spend up to 90 percent of the cap in cash on players’ salaries each year, but that is not expected to be a significant hurdle.

Players would receive around 48 percent of all league revenues, which reached $9.3 billion last year, and the owners have dropped their demand for money off the top before splitting income with the players. There still will be some stadium credits for teams that recently financed new homes or are planning to do so.

An 18-game regular season still is favored by the owners, but has been set aside for now.

Reducing offseason workouts and minicamps, and the parameters for drug testing are close to being resolved and not seen as major roadblocks.

Boylan has ordered the two sides to meet before him in Minneapolis on July 19. He also made it clear that both sides should continue their own sessions in the interim “in an effort to define and narrow the differences between their respective settlement positions.”

He also ordered lawyers from both sides to be ready to meet with him on the evening of July 18 for an “in-person agenda-setting session” that presumably would set the stage for productive talks the following day.

The owners have a labor meeting scheduled for July 21 in Atlanta.

___

AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this story.

PHOENIX – Forty years ago, the All-Star game really was played by stars.

Back then, 18 future Hall of Famers took the field at Tiger Stadium.

This year, 16 All-Stars backed out of Tuesday night’s desert showdown.

Some are seriously injured. But others managed to play for their clubs over the weekend.

No matter the reason, the All-Star game has lost some of its luster.

“You only get so many chances to play in an All-Star game in your life,” the Los Angeles Angels’ Torii Hunter, a four-time All-Star not selected this year, “but if you’re not healthy, you can’t play anyway.”

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa thinks the situation has improved from two or three decades ago. After Reggie Jackson’s memorable home run off a light tower led the American League to a 6-4 win in Detroit, the NL rolled to victories in 13 of the next 14 meetings.

“A lot of guys were taking a pass. It was really kind of embarrassing to the game. It’s like an infection that went around, and now gratefully guys are very excited to go,” La Russa said, contrasting it with the period in the ’80s when he maintained “the American League played it like an exhibition.”

Following the infamous 7-7, 11-inning tie at Milwaukee in 2002, when both teams ran out of pitchers, baseball started using the All-Star game to decide homefield advantage in the World Series. The AL won the next seven, giving them 12 straight All-Star wins in games played to a decision before Brian McCann’s three-run double in the seventh off Matt Thornton boosted the NL to a 3-1 victory last year in Anaheim.

In the eight World Series since the All-Star result determined who started the championship at home, five of the teams hosting the opener went on to win the title.

“Homefield advantage obviously matters,” the Giants’ Bill Hall said. “If you’re playing in a hitters’ ballpark in the World Series for more games than three, it would take away from us as a pitching staff than if another team had to come here. It definitely matters.”

To ensure teams would have enough players, each team’s roster was increased from 30 players in 2002 to 32 the following summer to 33 in 2009 and 34 last year. After some All-Star games, clubhouses were nearly empty after the final out, leaving the impression some players already were on private planes home during the late innings.

But larger rosters appear to have caused more withdrawals.

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, Mets shortstop Jose Reyes and Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino are on the disabled list, and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was slated to have knee surgery Monday. Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun (calf) missed his team’s last eight games heading into the break and Philadelphia third baseman Placido Polanco (back) was sidelined for his club’s last six.

Six pitchers were knocked off the rosters because they started for their clubs Sunday: the Yankees’ CC Sabathia, the Rays’ James Shields, the Tigers’ Justin Verlander, the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez, the Phillies’ Cole Hamels and the Giants’ Matt Cain.

That leaves three especially questionable opt-outs: Tampa Bay’s David Price pitched Saturday despite what the Rays called turf toe. Derek Jeter (calf) and Mariano Rivera (triceps) were healthy enough to play for the Yankees during the weekend.

La Russa, like most managers, focuses on the players who are available.

“The reason that thing’s so special is it’s a hell of a lot more reasonable competition than the other sports, and the guys generally go there to win,” he said.

___

AP Sports Writers Josh Dubow in San Francisco and R.B. Fallstrom in St. Louis contributed to this report.

NEW YORK – A rookie wage scale and free agency for veterans appear to be the biggest stumbling blocks to ending the NFL lockout.

Several people with knowledge of the talks tell The Associated Press that such key issues as splitting total revenues — the major reason for the dispute — the salary cap, fewer offseason workouts and the length of a new collective bargaining agreement are close to being completed.

The people spoke anonymously because details are supposed to remain private.

Owners and players are to meet again, beginning Tuesday, after two days of long negotiations last week. Lawyers from both sides are to meet Monday.

The sticky topics include limits on rookie salaries and signing bonuses. Another is the number of transition tags for free agents, with right of first refusal.

With training camps scheduled to open in less than two weeks for some teams, time is growing short to reach an agreement to end the nearly four-month lockout without a disruption to the preseason. With court-appointed mediator Arthur Boylan on vacation this week, the two sides plan to negotiate in New York, where last Friday talks were slowed by differences over the rookie wage scale and guidelines for unrestricted free agents.

NFL owners have long sought to restrict the huge bonuses and salaries paid to unproven rookies, particularly those selected high in the draft. Quarterback Sam Bradford, the 2010 top overall pick by St. Louis, signed a six-year, $78 million contract that included a record $50 million in guaranteed money.

The NFLPA insists that money diverted from the rookies go to veteran players; some also would go for retired players’ benefits. The main disagreement right now is how deep into the first round the rookie wage scale would apply, perhaps eight picks, perhaps twice that many. Some owners also are seeking longer contracts for rookies.

In addition, the owners are pushing for more restrictions in free agency, which the players “vehemently oppose,” one of the people familiar with the negotiations said.

“Maybe for one year there might be an extended right of first refusal as a compromise,” the person said.

Would either side hold up a deal over that, especially with the possibility of lost exhibition games no longer remote? NFL revenues would be reduced by upward of $60 million for one weekend of canceled preseason games. The first full weekend of exhibition play is Aug. 11-15; the Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams is Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio.

Who pays how much to a so-called “legacy fund” to help retired players has become somewhat contentious. Originally, the funding was to be 50-50 between the owners and the players. There has been no agreement yet on that breakdown.

Whenever a deal is struck, it will be anywhere from six to 10 years. It also will include mechanisms for ending the CBA early, as happened with the 2006 agreement that the owners opted out of in 2008, leading to no salary cap in 2010 and, ultimately, to the lockout.

A topic on which there remains little disagreement is the salary cap. Some owners are not thrilled with a salary floor that requires teams spend up to 90 percent of the cap in cash on players’ salaries each year, but that is not expected to be a significant hurdle.

Players would receive around 48 percent of all league revenues, which reached $9.3 billion last year, and the owners have dropped their demand for money off the top before splitting income with the players. There still will be some stadium credits for teams that recently financed new homes or are planning to do so.

An 18-game regular season still is favored by the owners, but has been set aside for now.

Reducing offseason workouts and minicamps, and the parameters for drug testing are close to being resolved and not seen as major roadblocks.

Boylan has ordered the two sides to meet before him in Minneapolis on July 19. He also made it clear that both sides should continue their own sessions in the interim “in an effort to define and narrow the differences between their respective settlement positions.”

He also ordered lawyers from both sides to be ready to meet with him on the evening of July 18 for an “in-person agenda-setting session” that presumably would set the stage for productive talks the following day.

The owners have a labor meeting scheduled for July 21 in Atlanta.

___

AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this story.

WASHINGTON – Roger Clemens is still not half way to getting a jury in his perjury trial.

Jury selection resumed Monday in Washington federal court, where the ex-pitcher has been intensely watching questioning of potential panelists.

The first woman questioned was excused after expressing apparent confusion over the presumption of innocence for a defendant and the prosecution’s burden of proving charges beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said she could not serve on the Clemens trial after the woman said she believes that people charged with a crime probably are guilty.

Thirty-six people need to be qualified before government and defense lawyers use their preemptory challenges to narrow the panel to 12 jurors and four alternates. Eighteen were qualified last week. Twelve have been turned away for reasons including medical issues, an inability to commit to a trial expected to last into August and biases against either Clemens or Congress for even investigating drugs in baseball.

Clemens is charged with six felonies for telling Congress under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. He stands by the denial, but prosecutors say they can prove that is a lie.

PHOENIX – Forty years ago, the All-Star game really was played by stars.

Back then, 18 future Hall of Famers took the field at Tiger Stadium.

This year, 16 All-Stars backed out of Tuesday night’s desert showdown.

Some are seriously injured. But others managed to play for their clubs over the weekend.

No matter the reason, the All-Star game has lost some of its luster.

“You only get so many chances to play in an All-Star game in your life,” the Los Angeles Angels’ Torii Hunter, a four-time All-Star not selected this year, “but if you’re not healthy, you can’t play anyway.”

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa thinks the situation has improved from two or three decades ago. After Reggie Jackson’s memorable home run off a light tower led the American League to a 6-4 win in Detroit, the NL rolled to victories in 13 of the next 14 meetings.

“A lot of guys were taking a pass. It was really kind of embarrassing to the game. It’s like an infection that went around, and now gratefully guys are very excited to go,” La Russa said, contrasting it with the period in the ’80s when he maintained “the American League played it like an exhibition.”

Following the infamous 7-7, 11-inning tie at Milwaukee in 2002, when both teams ran out of pitchers, baseball started using the All-Star game to decide homefield advantage in the World Series. The AL won the next seven, giving them 12 straight All-Star wins in games played to a decision before Brian McCann’s three-run double in the seventh off Matt Thornton boosted the NL to a 3-1 victory last year in Anaheim.

In the eight World Series since the All-Star result determined who started the championship at home, five of the teams hosting the opener went on to win the title.

“Homefield advantage obviously matters,” the Giants’ Bill Hall said. “If you’re playing in a hitters’ ballpark in the World Series for more games than three, it would take away from us as a pitching staff than if another team had to come here. It definitely matters.”

To ensure teams would have enough players, each team’s roster was increased from 30 players in 2002 to 32 the following summer to 33 in 2009 and 34 last year. After some All-Star games, clubhouses were nearly empty after the final out, leaving the impression some players already were on private planes home during the late innings.

But larger rosters appear to have caused more withdrawals.

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, Mets shortstop Jose Reyes and Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino are on the disabled list, and Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was slated to have knee surgery Monday. Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun (calf) missed his team’s last eight games heading into the break and Philadelphia third baseman Placido Polanco (back) was sidelined for his club’s last six.

Six pitchers were knocked off the rosters because they started for their clubs Sunday: the Yankees’ CC Sabathia, the Rays’ James Shields, the Tigers’ Justin Verlander, the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez, the Phillies’ Cole Hamels and the Giants’ Matt Cain.

That leaves three especially questionable opt-outs: Tampa Bay’s David Price pitched Saturday despite what the Rays called turf toe. Derek Jeter (calf) and Mariano Rivera (triceps) were healthy enough to play for the Yankees during the weekend.

La Russa, like most managers, focuses on the players who are available.

“The reason that thing’s so special is it’s a hell of a lot more reasonable competition than the other sports, and the guys generally go there to win,” he said.

___

AP Sports Writers Josh Dubow in San Francisco and R.B. Fallstrom in St. Louis contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON – Roger Clemens is still not half way to getting a jury in his perjury trial.

Jury selection resumed Monday in Washington federal court, where the ex-pitcher has been intensely watching questioning of potential panelists.

The first woman questioned was excused after expressing apparent confusion over the presumption of innocence for a defendant and the prosecution’s burden of proving charges beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said she could not serve on the Clemens trial after the woman said she believes that people charged with a crime probably are guilty.

Thirty-six people need to be qualified before government and defense lawyers use their preemptory challenges to narrow the panel to 12 jurors and four alternates. Eighteen were qualified last week. Twelve have been turned away for reasons including medical issues, an inability to commit to a trial expected to last into August and biases against either Clemens or Congress for even investigating drugs in baseball.

Clemens is charged with six felonies for telling Congress under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. He stands by the denial, but prosecutors say they can prove that is a lie.

NEW YORK – Alex Rodriguez is going to have surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee, and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

The Yankees say the slugging third baseman will be operated on Monday by Dr. Lee Kaplan at the University of Miami.

Rodriguez will likely be back in time for the final month or so of the season, when the Yankees expect to be in a race with Tampa Bay and Boston for the AL East and wild card.

Before Saturday’s game, New York manager Joe Girardi revealed the injury to the leg Rodriguez uses to push off while swinging. An MRI on Friday showed a slight tear in the cartilage.

Rodriguez, who turns 36 later this month, has already pulled out of next week’s All-Star game.

The three-time AL MVP is hitting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs this season. But the slugger with 626 career home runs has not connected since June 11 and has gone 85 at-bats without a homer, his longest single-season drought.

Rodriguez tweaked his knee at Wrigley Field on June 19, and the tear in his meniscus has slowed him on the bases. He is batting .359 with 10 RBIs in his last 16 games, but has looked much more like a singles hitter than a power hitter.

Eduardo Nunez, who provided a spark while filling in recently for injured shortstop Derek Jeter, has an on-base percentage of .317 with eight doubles and three homers in 119 at-bats.

Rodriguez was elected by fans to start for the AL in the All-Star game Tuesday in Phoenix. Boston’s Kevin Youkilis has replaced him on the roster.

NEW YORK – Alex Rodriguez is going to have surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee, and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

The Yankees say the slugging third baseman will be operated on Monday by Dr. Lee Kaplan at the University of Miami.

Rodriguez will likely be back in time for the final month or so of the season, when the Yankees expect to be in a race with Tampa Bay and Boston for the AL East and wild card.

Before Saturday’s game, New York manager Joe Girardi revealed the injury to the leg Rodriguez uses to push off while swinging. An MRI on Friday showed a slight tear in the cartilage.

Rodriguez, who turns 36 later this month, has already pulled out of next week’s All-Star game.

The three-time AL MVP is hitting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs this season. But the slugger with 626 career home runs has not connected since June 11 and has gone 85 at-bats without a homer, his longest single-season drought.

Rodriguez tweaked his knee at Wrigley Field on June 19, and the tear in his meniscus has slowed him on the bases. He is batting .359 with 10 RBIs in his last 16 games, but has looked much more like a singles hitter than a power hitter.

Eduardo Nunez, who provided a spark while filling in recently for injured shortstop Derek Jeter, has an on-base percentage of .317 with eight doubles and three homers in 119 at-bats.

Rodriguez was elected by fans to start for the AL in the All-Star game Tuesday in Phoenix. Boston’s Kevin Youkilis has replaced him on the roster.

LONDON (AFP) – Ivory Coast forward Gervinho will shortly join Arsenal, subject to a regulatory process, the English Premier League club announced on Monday.

In a statement, Arsenal said the 24-year-old would arrive from Lille, whom he helped to a French league and cup double last season with 15 goals in 40 games.

Gervinho scored 28 goals in 67 appearances during two years with Lille, having previously spent two season with rival Ligue 1 side Le Mans.

He also captained the Ivory Coast in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and represented his country at the 2010 World Cup, scoring twice in three substitute appearances during qualification for the finals.

So far, he has scored six goals in 27 appearances for his country.

The forward came through the same Ivorian youth academy — ASEC Mimosas — as new Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue, before following the right-back to join Belgian side KSK Beveren.

Gervinho will arrive at the London club at a tricky time for Arsenal, with long-serving French manager Arsene Wenger under pressure to deliver a trophy after six years without silverware.

LONDON (AFP) – Ivory Coast forward Gervinho will shortly join Arsenal, subject to a regulatory process, the English Premier League club announced on Monday.

In a statement, Arsenal said the 24-year-old would arrive from Lille, whom he helped to a French league and cup double last season with 15 goals in 40 games.

Gervinho scored 28 goals in 67 appearances during two years with Lille, having previously spent two season with rival Ligue 1 side Le Mans.

He also captained the Ivory Coast in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and represented his country at the 2010 World Cup, scoring twice in three substitute appearances during qualification for the finals.

So far, he has scored six goals in 27 appearances for his country.

The forward came through the same Ivorian youth academy — ASEC Mimosas — as new Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue, before following the right-back to join Belgian side KSK Beveren.

Gervinho will arrive at the London club at a tricky time for Arsenal, with long-serving French manager Arsene Wenger under pressure to deliver a trophy after six years without silverware.

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Front-office executives from the Texas Rangers and firefighters from across Texas were expected to arrive in Brownwood on Monday for the funeral of the 39-year-old man who fell to his death trying to catch a souvenir baseball tossed by his son’s favorite player.

Shannon Stone was to be remembered at a memorial service Monday at the First United Methodist Church, followed by a procession to the cemetery that was expected to include more than 100 fire trucks.

Stone took his 6-year-old son, Cooper, to a Rangers game about a three-hour drive away in Arlington on Thursday night. They stopped to buy the boy a new glove, and sat in left field, behind Cooper’s favorite player, Josh Hamilton. Hamilton threw them a foul ball, but Stone fell headfirst about 20 feet onto concrete.

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Front-office executives from the Texas Rangers and firefighters from across Texas were expected to arrive in Brownwood on Monday for the funeral of the 39-year-old man who fell to his death trying to catch a souvenir baseball tossed by his son’s favorite player.

Shannon Stone was to be remembered at a memorial service Monday at the First United Methodist Church, followed by a procession to the cemetery that was expected to include more than 100 fire trucks.

Stone took his 6-year-old son, Cooper, to a Rangers game about a three-hour drive away in Arlington on Thursday night. They stopped to buy the boy a new glove, and sat in left field, behind Cooper’s favorite player, Josh Hamilton. Hamilton threw them a foul ball, but Stone fell headfirst about 20 feet onto concrete.

BROWNWOOD, Texas – Front-office executives from the Texas Rangers and firefighters from across Texas were expected to arrive in Brownwood on Monday for the funeral of the 39-year-old man who fell to his death trying to catch a souvenir baseball tossed by his son’s favorite player.

Shannon Stone was to be remembered at a memorial service Monday at the First United Methodist Church, followed by a procession to the cemetery that was expected to include more than 100 fire trucks.

Stone took his 6-year-old son, Cooper, to a Rangers game about a three-hour drive away in Arlington on Thursday night. They stopped to buy the boy a new glove, and sat in left field, behind Cooper’s favorite player, Josh Hamilton. Hamilton threw them a foul ball, but Stone fell headfirst about 20 feet onto concrete.

If Americans don’t fall in love with soccer after this, well, maybe they never will.

Yes, the epic quarterfinal win by the U.S. women over Brazil featured nearly everything their countrymen hate about the “beautiful game.”

They faced off against a team with better individual skills, plus an imagination and intuition about how to play that develops only over decades. They were handcuffed by lousy calls — with no chance of appeal — then mocked by dives and fake injuries cynically designed to steal their momentum and the little time that remained on the clock.

To top it off, after hard work and a last-gasp equalizer erased all that, their fortunes still hinged on those notoriously fickle penalty kicks.

But oh, oh, oh, that ending.

Oh, so just, if not exactly swift.

“I really don’t know what to say,” veteran Abby Wambach began seconds after the United States won the penalty-kick contest 5-3.

But it didn’t take her long to come up with something.

“That is a perfect example of what this country is about, what the history of this team has always been,” Wambach added. “We never give up.”

If only this once, even the haters back in the States should be able to appreciate why the rest of the world believes there’s no greater drama in sports than watching a team trying to validate its national character in a World Cup. And for a nation wearied by a fluttering economy and political paralysis, it could hardly come at a better time.

Highlights of the game were shown between innings on the large video board in Yankee Stadium, and a crowd half a world away from Dresden, Germany, erupted as if it was there. A stream of luminaries as diverse as LeBron James and GOP presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman rushed to Twitter to pass along congratulations — humbled, one hopes, by a display of grit and teamwork that has become increasingly rare back home.

So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, a Swede, summed it up as eloquently as anyone else.

“It’s something about the American attitude, and finding a way to win,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “Unbelievable.”

As fate would have it, the win Sunday came a dozen years to the day of the previously most famous moment in U.S. soccer history, men or women, when Brandi Chastain put her penalty kick past China’s Gao Hong to win the 1999 Women’s World Cup and then stripped down to her sports bra. But that moment really said more about a paradigm shift in the culture of all sports in America than it did about the culture of soccer here.

Empowered by Title IX, the women on that team had grown up as girls determined to claim their share of the ball fields and resources that were always available to boys. And with opportunities and support for female athletes advancing faster here than anywhere else, plus a talented and photogenic superstar in Mia Hamm, the U.S. women were the class of the field when international play began in earnest in 1991.

They’ve managed to keep their place near the top of the game, coming into this cup ranked No. 1. But the small advantages they enjoyed over a handful of rivals are gone, and the even larger ones they held over the rest of the world are drying up fast. The simple truth is that even the best U.S. players, women and men, still don’t know how to play what we stubbornly insist on calling soccer and what everyone else has called football for more than 150 years.

What you won’t see in the highlights from Sunday’s game was how much more talented just about every Brazilian was than her American counterpart, or how they instinctively moved without the ball to create space and string together short, intricate passes to play their way out of tight spots or create chances close to the goal.

More than a style, what the Brazilians and every other power shares is a common purpose and identity, a swiftness of thought that comes from generation after generation playing one game — and only that game — a certain way and then passing those lessons down, in this case from fathers to daughters instead of just sons.

Here, the world game is still an afterthought. It hasn’t made a deep enough dent in the sporting psyche to rank alongside football, basketball and baseball, let alone be deemed enough a priority to develop an institutional memory. The U.S. women, at least, have benefited from having access to the best athletes a rich nation of almost 300 million can produce, something that’s never been true for the men’s team.

Even so, whatever breakthroughs U.S. soccer teams achieved over the last few decades have been almost entirely the result of a supreme effort by a dedicated corps of players who refused to be daunted by the odds. So it was one more time Sunday, by a women’s squad that was forced to play short-handed for all but a few minutes of the final hour and never gave up.

“It was a hard way to win, a hard way to lose,” Wambach said finally.

“You want the better team to always win and I think the better team did win. But sometimes,” she added. “it doesn’t always go that way.”

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org. Follow him at http://twitter.com/JimLitke.

DRESDEN, Germany – Any time she caught a teammate’s eye, Abby Wambach held up one finger. It had nothing to do with the shrinking numbers on the clock.

“I kept saying, `All it takes is one chance. It takes one second to score a goal,’” Wambach said.

Regulation. Overtime. Stoppage time. Penalty kicks. Through it all, the Americans never lost faith they’d pull it out.

Did they ever.

The Americans advanced to the semifinals with one of the most riveting victories in the history of the World Cup — men’s or women’s — beating old foe Brazil 5-3 in penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie.

When Ali Krieger hammered the last penalty into the bottom left corner of the net, the Americans let loose with a raucous celebration that soon spread back to the United States. Highlights of the game even got time on the Jumbotron at Yankee Stadium.

“There’s something to be said about this team. This American attitude of pulling everything together and bringing out the best performance in each other is contagious,” said U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, a Swede. “I am very, very proud, and I’m very, very happy to be the coach for the U.S. team.”

For Brazil, it is yet another disappointment at a major tournament. And this one is sure to sting more than any others because Marta had it won for the Brazilians, scoring her second goal of the game in the second minute of overtime for the 2-1 lead.

Wambach scored in the 122nd minute — about 90 seconds before the Americans were to make their earliest exit ever from the tournament they’ve won twice — and Hope Solo continued her mastery of the Brazilians in the penalty shootout by batting down an attempt by Daiane.

“Everything seemed to be on the safe side, but it wasn’t,” Brazil coach Kleiton Lima said. “Unfortunately there was the goal.”

The U.S. victory comes exactly 12 years to the day the Americans beat China in a penalty-kick shootout at the Rose Bowl to win their second World Cup title, a watershed moment for the U.S. team and women’s sports in general. This, the Americans insist, is another special group.

With two-time defending champion Germany and Brazil gone, the Americans figure to be favorites to win their third title. They play France in Wednesday night’s semifinal, and would face either Japan or Sweden in next Sunday’s final. Sweden beat the United States 2-1 in the final group stage game, its second victory this year over the Americans.

“We’re just fighting for each other out there,” said captain Christie Rampone, the last player left from the 1999 squad. “We were totally believing the whole time.”

Marta and the Brazilians, meanwhile, watched in stunned silence as the Americans celebrated, and Cristiane had to wipe away tears several times during postgame interviews. Despite a star-filled roster led by Marta, the FIFA player of the year five times running, Brazil has never won a major tournament. It lost to the Americans in the last two Olympic gold-medal games, and to Germany in the 2007 World Cup final.

The U.S. has eliminated Brazil at five of the last seven major tournaments. The Americans also have won their last five meetings against Brazil, which entered with a 19-game, two-year unbeaten streak.

No victory, however, was more memorable than this.

“They fought, they did everything,” Lima said. “They threw their hearts into it.”

The lone consolation was that Marta’s goals, the 13th and 14th of her career, tied her with Birgit Prinz atop the World Cup career scoring list.

“We will leave with our heads high,” Marta said.

The Americans have been questioned and doubted after uncharacteristic inconsistency over the past year. After going more than two years without a loss, they’ve dropped four just since November. And they squandered the early lead gifted to them by Daiane, who botched a clearance on a Shannon Boxx cross in the second minute, knocking the ball into her own net.

But the players insisted they would be fine when it mattered most, and they proved it in the most dramatic of fashions.

With about a minute left in stoppage time of the final overtime period and down a player since Rachel Buehler’s ejection in the 65th, Megan Rapinoe blasted a left-footed cross from 30 yards out on the left side that Andreia didn’t come close to getting her hands on. Wambach, one of the best players in the world in the air, made contact and with one furious whip of her head, buried it in the near side of the net from about 5 yards.

“I don’t think I’ve ever hit a cross like that with my left foot,” Rapinoe said. “The best header in the world went and got it. Then, I don’t know. I think I blacked out.”

Wambach let out a primal scream and slid into the corner, pumping her fists and quickly mobbed by teammates. No goal had ever been scored that deep into a World Cup game.

“I’m at a loss and I literally cannot believe what just happened,” Wambach said.

The Americans, shooting first, made their three penalty kicks only to have Cristiane and Marta easily match them. But then it was Daiane’s turn. She took a hard shot, but Solo dove and batted the ball out of harm’s way.

It was four years ago that Solo touched off a firestorm, blasting then-coach Greg Ryan’s decision to bench her for the semifinals, a 4-0 loss that was the worst defeat in U.S. history. Any hard feelings her teammates had were erased when Solo led them to the Olympic gold medal in 2008, and everyone else’s memories of those dark days get a little dimmer with every game.

“Hope, amazing. She’s the best goalkeeper in the world,” Rampone said. “We kept saying, `Hope’s gonna get one. Hope’s gonna get one. We just have to finish them off’.”

The dramatic finish overshadowed a brilliant effort by Marta.

She made a dangerous run into the box in the 65th, beating two U.S. defenders and coming practically nose to nose with Solo before Buehler tracked back and dragged her down. Australian referee Jacqui Melksham not only ruled it a penalty but a red card as well. Cristiane, who already scored one goal off a penalty, took the kick. Solo made a perfect read and smacked it away, pumping her fists as Lloyd ran toward her to grab her in a bearhug.

But Melksham ordered the penalty retaken — and gave Solo a yellow card, ruling the American left her line or a teammate encroached the penalty area before the kick was taken. Replays clearly showed Solo was on her line.

“I have no idea,” Solo said. “It is what it is.”

As the crowd jeered, Marta stepped up for the retake, staring down her old foe. Solo cost Marta and the Brazilians the gold medal in Beijing, stopping a point-blank blast from Marta in the 72nd minute of the Olympic final. This time, however, Marta got the best of the ‘keeper, burying the ball to pull the Brazilians even.

Marta seemed to put the game out of reach with another goal in the 92nd minute — though replays seemed to show that Maurine, the player who fed her the ball, was offside.

But Erika stalled when she went down on a tackle, and the delay contributed to the 3 minutes of stoppage time added to the end game — extra seconds that would prove crucial.

“That is a perfect example of what this country is about. What the history of this team has always been,” Wambach said. “We never give up.”

DRESDEN, Germany – Running low on hope and almost out of time, the Americans were surely beat, about to make their earliest exit from the Women’s World Cup.

And then, with one of the most thrilling goals in U.S. history, they weren’t.

Showing a dramatic burst sure to captivate the folks back home, the Americans packed an entire World Cup’s worth of theatrics into a 15-minute span by beating Brazil 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie Sunday night.

Abby Wambach tied it with a magnificent, leaping header in the 122nd minute, and Hope Solo denied the Brazilians — again — in one of the most riveting games in the history of the World Cup, men’s or women’s.

“There is something special about this group. That energy, that vibe,” Solo said. “Even in overtime, you felt something was going to happen.”

The United States advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals against France, which eliminated England on penalty kicks Saturday. And while the Americans will have to win twice more to win the final, they are the only one of the favorites left after two-time defending champ Germany was stunned by Japan on Saturday night.

The U.S. victory came 12 years to the day the Americans’ last caught their country’s attention in a big way with their penalty-kick shootout victory over China at the Rose Bowl that gave them their second World Cup title. This one created enough of a buzz that highlights were shown on the Jumbotron at Yankee Stadium, drawing big cheers.

For Brazil, it is yet another disappointment at a major tournament. And this one is sure to sting more than any others because Marta had it won for the Brazilians, scoring her second goal of the game in the second minute of overtime for the 2-1 lead. But Erika stalled when she went down on a tackle, and the delay added three minutes of stoppage time to the game.

That was all the time Wambach and the Americans needed, after pushing themselves to limit while playing a woman short after Rachel Buehler’s 66th-minute ejection.

“Not for one second,” Wambach said when asked if she ever felt the Americans were beat. “I kept saying, all it takes is one chance. I kept holding up one finger to the girls.”

Two minutes into stoppage time, Megan Rapinoe blasted a left-footed cross from 30 yards out on the left side that Andreia didn’t come close to getting her hands on. Wambach, one of the best players in the world in the air, made contact and with one furious whip of her head, buried it in the near side of the net from about five yards.

“I took a touch and smoked it,” Rapinoe said. “I don’t think I’ve ever hit a cross with my left foot that well. And then that beast in the air got ahold of it.”

Wambach let out a primal scream and slid into the corner, pumping her fists and quickly mobbed by teammates. No goal had ever been scored that deep into a World Cup game.

“Everything seemed to be on the safe side, but it wasn’t,” Brazil coach Kleiton Lima said. “Unfortunately there was the goal.”

The Americans, shooting first, made their three penalty kicks only to have Cristiane and Marta easily match them. But then it was Daiane’s turn — the same Daiane who’d given the U.S. a 1-0 lead with an own goal in the second minute of the game. She took a hard shot, but Solo stretched out and batted it away. Though the U.S. still had to make two more, the celebration was already starting.

After Rapinoe blistered the net with a blast and Ali Krieger converted hers, the Americans raced onto the field, their joy only matched by that of the pro-American crowd of 25,598. Wambach tackled Solo and U.S. coach Pia Sundhage even broke out her air guitar when AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” began to play.

Shake the tournament, the Americans did.

“It is a special moment for me and for this team,” Solo said.

Four years ago, Solo touched off a firestorm after the Americans were humiliated 4-0 in the semifinals by Brazil, criticizing then-coach Greg Ryan’s decision to bench her. She has lost only one game since, being particularly tough on Brazil. She’s now 5-0, including a 1-0 shutout in overtime in the 2008 Olympic final.

It’s redemption for the rest of the Americans, too, who have been roundly criticized and questioned for their uncharacteristically inconsistent play in recent months. After going more than two years without a loss, they’ve been beaten four times since November.

“It’s like a storybook,” Wambach said.

While the Americans partied, Marta and the Brazilians watched in silence. Cristiane repeatedly wiped away tears during postgame interviews. Despite a star-filled roster led by Marta, the FIFA player of the year five times running, Brazil has never won a major tournament. It lost to the Americans in the two Olympic gold-medal games, and to Germany in the 2007 World Cup final.

“They fought, they did everything,” coach Kleiton Lima said. “They threw their hearts into it and, of course, they were really sad.”

The U.S. has now eliminated Brazil at five of the last seven major tournaments. The lone consolation was that Marta’s goals, the 13th and 14th of her career, tied her with Birgit Prinz atop the all-time World Cup scoring list. The Americans also have won their last five meetings against Brazil.

None, however, was more memorable than this.

Brazil spotted the U.S. the lead in the second minute with an own goal by Daiane, who misdirected a clearance, then spent the next 63 trying furiously for the equalizer — and getting increasingly frustrated with every minute they didn’t get it.

When they finally did, it was clouded in controversy.

Marta made a dangerous run into the box in the 65th, beating two U.S. defenders and coming practically nose to nose with Solo before Buehler tracked back and dragged her down. Australian referee Jacqui Melksham not only ruled it a penalty but a red card as well. Cristiane, who already scored one goal off a penalty, took the kick. Solo made a perfect read and smacked it away, pumping her fists as Lloyd ran toward her to grab her in a bearhug.

But Melksham ordered the penalty retaken — and gave Solo a yellow card, ruling the American had left her line or a teammate encroached the penalty area before the kick was taken. Replays clearly showed Solo was on her line.

“I have no idea,” Solo said. “It is what it is.”

As the crowd jeered, Marta stepped up for the retake, staring down her old foe. Solo cost Marta and the Brazilians the gold medal in Beijing, stopping a point-blank blast from Marta in the 72nd minute of the Olympic final. This time, however, Marta got the best of the U.S. ‘keeper, burying the ball to pull the Brazilians even.

As she walked away from the spot, Marta slapped her right arm.

Fired up, the Americans repeatedly pushed forward over the last 20 minutes but couldn’t get a decent shot. The closest they came was a blast from Rapinoe in second-half stoppage time, but it was from long range and it was never a real threat to Andreia.

Marta seemed to put the game out of reach in the 92nd minute — though replays seemed to show that Maurine, the player who fed her the ball, was offside.

But the Americans, criticized after losing four games in the last eight months, have talked repeatedly about their resilience. On this day, it was on full display.

“We’re just fighting for each other out there,” said captain Christie Rampone, the last player left from the 1999 squad. “We were totally believing the whole time.”

BEIJING (AFP) – Lleyton Hewitt secured a 3-1 win for Australia on Sunday in the Asia-Oceania second-round tie in Beijing, sending his squad to the Davis Cup tennis World Group playoffs.

The 30-year-old came off the bench, replacing Marinko Matosevic, to defeat Zhang Ze 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(2).

Hewitt’s 18-year-old Davis Cup teammate Bernard Tomic levelled the tie at 1-1 on Friday, beating Zhang 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

But Hewitt, who is ranked 173 in the world and fourth in Australia, showed he still has fight in him, extending his record as Australia’s most successful player to 46 total wins and 37 singles wins in the Cup.

A victory alongside Chris Guccione on Saturday lifted his doubles record to 9-3.

China has never advanced to the elite World Group, missing by just one match in 1987 and again in 1990.

The Asian nation has had amazing success in women’s tennis, with Li Na making history at the French Open this year by becoming the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam.

While China’s male players have yet to enjoy similar success, the Davis Cup squad could represent the future of men’s tennis in the country, with players aged just 19 to 24.

SAINT-FLOUR, France – Defending champion Alberto Contador has crashed during Sunday’s ninth stage of the Tour de France.

The Spaniard lost his balance and fell heavily with about 74.5 miles left in the 129.2-mile trek from Issoire to Saint-Flour in France’s Massif Central.

The three-time Tour champion recovered quickly and was soon chasing down the main pack. He then had a mechanical problem, forcing him to change bikes just as he was about to catch up.

That was a minor glitch and the Saxo Bank rider soon caught up again and rode on without any sign of discomfort.

Contador also fell in Wednesday’s fifth stage, where he was lucky to escape with just cuts and bruises.

The 28-year-old had more bad luck earlier in the race.

He lost more than a minute during the Tour’s first stage when he was slowed by a crash that split the pack in two, and he found himself lagging behind his main rival, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.

HOUSTON – Yao Ming’s American agent would not confirm reports that the Houston Rockets’ All-Star center is retiring, saying Yao has scheduled a July 20 news conference in Shanghai to reveal his plans.

John Huizinga said Saturday night that he was “not in a position” to say whether Yao had informed the NBA that he planned to retire.

“I’m not in a position to do that,” Yao’s agent said in a phone interview. “He’s going to have a press conference on July 20. What that says is that’s the time Yao is going to make a statement, and I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to say anything before he does.”

Yahoo! Sports first reported Yao’s intention to retire. Neither the Rockets nor the NBA could comment on the reports because of the lockout.

The 7-foot-6 Yao has been plagued by leg and foot injuries late in his career, and missed 250 regular-season games over the past six seasons. He played in only five games last season, before sustaining a stress fracture in his left ankle.

Yao was hoping to return to Houston, even though his contract expired after last season. He also acknowledged earlier this year that injuries may force him into retirement.

Huizinga would not say what Yao was going to reveal on July 20, only that Yao “is entitled to make his statement on his own terms, at his own time.”

“It’s not that I worry about getting in trouble,” Huizinga said. “I just think Yao has the right to do this in the way he wants to do it. That applies all kinds of things I think he has the right to. I just want him to be able to handle this the way he wants.”

Word of Yao’s retirement triggered a frenzy in China. Thousands of fans flooded online forums on Saturday reacting to the news. One wrote: “He’s China’s top athlete … it’s a pity to lose such a sports icon.” China’s most popular online portals, sina.com and sohu.com, headlined the news of Yao’s possible retirement prominently on their homepages.

An eight-time All-Star, Yao has averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds in eight seasons. He also became a global icon, connecting the NBA to China and across Asia.

Huizinga understands the intense interest in Yao’s plans, but also said Yao deserves the right to control how they’re revealed.

“The guy has worked very hard, he’s put up with a lot, carried a lot of burden for a lot of people,” Huizinga said. “I think he would like to run this part of his life the way he’d like to run it. I understand other people don’t feel that way. I don’t like it, but I’m not going to be able to change it.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Michael Pineda took full advantage of some perfectly placed shadows between the mound and home plate.

He struck out his first five batters on 19 pitches. But once the Los Angeles Angels’ hitters were able to pick up the rotation on the ball, it was no contest.

The Angels jumped on Pineda for four runs in the third inning and beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Saturday night. The rookie right-hander gave up a season-worst seven runs and six hits over five innings, equaling his shortest outing in 18 starts.

Torii Hunter drove in a season-high five runs with a pair of homers and Mark Trumbo also went deep for the Angels, who have hit 15 homers in 12 games during this homestand, after getting just 14 in their first 35 games at the Big A this season.

“Michael came out there at the beginning and was fantastic,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “Then that inning got away from us. I think he was a little bit out of synch tonight coming out of the stretch and Hunter got him a couple of times. But he’s capable of doing that.”

Wedge was ejected during the Angels’ third. Trumbo led off with a single and took off for second as Hank Conger checked his swing on ball four. Trumbo originally was called out at second by umpire Greg Gibson after the throw down by Miguel Olivo, but that was wiped out by the walk to Conger — denying the Mariners a critical strikeout-double play and giving the Angels runners at first and second instead.

“It changed the course of the entire ballgame,” Wedge said. “I mean, two outs and nobody on to first and second with nobody out — and then they score four runs. It’s a damn shame.”

Wedge was tossed after venting his anger from the dugout at third base ump Sam Holbrook, who ruled on appeal that Conger held up in time on the swing. Then he came out of the dugout and got his money’s worth.

“It’s getting to a point with these umpires that you can’t even look at them without them throwing you out,” Wedge said. “I mean, God forbid you question something or make any type of gesture to show you’re unhappy with it. Those guys are so damn sensitive, it’s just unbelievable.

“Unless he just wasn’t paying attention, there’s no reason he should miss that,” Wedge added. “It’s ridiculous. It was obvious to everybody in the ballpark, except for him. It was just a bad call. When you have something like that that changed the course of the entire ballgame, that’s a helluva difference.”

No. 9 hitter Mike Trout, playing in his second major league game, followed the controversial call with a bunt single for his first major league hit. The throw to first by Pineda (8-6) got past first baseman Adam Kennedy, allowing Trumbo to score the game’s first run. One out later, Hunter homered to left-center on the first pitch to make it 4-0.

“They’re playing really good over there. And when their offense gets going, they’re tough on anybody,” said Kennedy, who was the second baseman on the Angels’ 2002 World Series championship team. “Michael Pineda’s been great for us, but it’s tough when these guys have little margin for error. We’re just not picking them up on a nightly basis.”

Former Mariners right-hander Joel Pineiro (5-3) allowed three runs and 10 hits over seven innings to help lead the Angels to their 13th victory in 16 games. The right-hander is 3-0 in his last five starts, after going 0-3 in his previous four.

“I made my pitches when I needed to and got out of jams,” Pineiro said. “I thought I mixed up my pitches a little bit more. I threw more sliders, curveballs and changeups than I usually have. And when you keep the ball down, you’ll have the results.”

The Mariners, who have lost 15 of their last 17 at Angel Stadium, closed to 4-3 with a run-scoring double by Olivo in the fourth inning and two-out RBI singles in the fifth by Dustin Ackley and Olivo. But the Angels responded in their half of the fifth with an RBI double by Maicer Izturis and Hunter’s 11th homer of the season, an opposite-field two-run shot that just cleared the short fence in the right-field corner and extended the margin to 7-3.

“In the last couple of weeks, I think I’ve found something in my swing and I’m just sticking with it,” Hunter said. “I have some good days and I have some bad days, as far as results, but I still feel good at the plate.”

Trumbo, who hit his first career walkoff homer Friday night, completed the scoring in the eighth against Chris Ray with his 16th of the season — tying Washington’s Danny Espinosa for the most among rookies.

Notes: Ichiro Suzuki’s fifth-inning single gave him 100 hits before the All-Star break for the 10th straight season since coming over from Japan. It’s the second-longest such streak in the majors since 1954. Pete Rose did it 12 straight years between 1968-79. … If Hunter does not make an error on Sunday, it would mark the fourth time in his career that the nine-time Gold Glove OF has played errorless ball going into the All-Star break. … Angels 2B Howie Kendrick singled in the seventh, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – A picture hangs in Bill McDermott’s basement that his son treasures more than any other.

It’s the one prominently displayed in the pool room of the family’s Philadelphia-area home with 18-year-old Michael McDermott posing next to New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

“That was the first time I ever took my son to meet another executive or sports figure, and the first thing I asked Mike to do was to take a picture with my son,” said Bill McDermott, the co-CEO of SAP and a die-hard Jets fan. “Michael’s a huge fan as well and he just loves that picture.”

As a leader at one of the top providers of business software, McDermott has rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in his field and shaken hands with a who’s who of sports figures: John Wooden, Ernie Els, Oscar Robertson and Gary Player, to name a few. A passion for sports runs deep in McDermott’s blood. After all, his late grandfather, Bobby, is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

So when an eager Tannenbaum called a few months ago to set up a meeting at SAP’s North American headquarters in Newtown Square, Pa., McDermott jumped at the chance to exchange thoughts on leadership and business philosophies.

“In running an organization, I think there are a lot of parallels, which is why I felt so fortunate that Bill allowed me to come down there and spend a few hours with him,” Tannenbaum said. “Ultimately, it’s about people, it’s about dreams and it’s about goals, and it may be business software or trying to win a Super Bowl, but I think there are more parallels than there aren’t.”

The three-hour meeting in late-May spawned an instant friendship between one man who has led his company to five straight quarters of double-digit economic growth since taking over and another who hopes to deliver on his team’s goal of winning a long-awaited second Super Bowl title — and first since McDermott rooted for Broadway Joe as a kid growing up in New York.

“I’ve never enjoyed any meeting, on an interpersonal level, more than my meeting with Mike Tannenbaum,” McDermott said by phone from Germany, where SAP’s global headquarters is located. “Not one. That’s saying something.”

The high praise is mutual.

“Bill’s a remarkable guy who has walked with giants,” Tannenbaum said. “I know I’m better off because of that meeting.”

McDermott and Tannenbaum were so comfortable with each other, that a few minutes in, the talk turned to McDermott suggesting what Tannenbaum could do to improve the Jets’ roster.

“Mike actually humored me and was interested in my opinion,” said a laughing McDermott, who watched the AFC championship game against Pittsburgh while he was in China by using Slingbox.

Turns out, Tannenbaum thought McDermott was right on with most of his assessments. And he wasn’t surprised after watching the man in action.

“Bill’s attention to detail is fascinating,” Tannenbaum said. “It’s a multibillion dollar corporation and just how everybody is treated in that building and the eye contact and the morale, it was just very apparent to me that everybody was going in the same direction.”

As an NFL general manager, the 42-year-old Tannenbaum knows better than to be complacent. That’s why he has reached out to several top business executives during the last few offseasons. He has met with Kevin Plank, the CEO and founder of Under Armour; Frank Bisignano, the chief administrative officer at J.P. Morgan Chase; and even three-time national title-winning coach Jim Calhoun of the University of Connecticut. Tannenbaum also has been able to glean leadership skills for years from his own boss, Jets owner Woody Johnson, whose family founded Johnson Johnson.

“I’ve filled up yellow pads with information, things I’ve learned from everyone I’ve met with,” Tannenbaum said. “I have an affirmative obligation to Woody and the franchise that, are we doing everything we possibly can to be the best franchise in the world? I really did look at the NFL lockout as an opportunity to get out of our comfort zones and get out of our routines. This was an opportunity for us to get better.”

Since Tannenbaum took over as GM in 2006, the Jets have been to the playoffs three times — including reaching the AFC championship the last two seasons with Rex Ryan as coach.

“You look at our stadium, look at this facility, look at Rex and look at Mark Sanchez,” Tannenbaum said. “The foundation is there to truly be the golden era of this franchise and I want us to leave footprints for a long, long time. That’s our goal.”

A lot of that success can be traced to Tannenbaum’s aggressive approach to free agency and willingness to make tough deals, sometimes parting ways with popular and productive players with an eye always on the future. McDermott has gone so far as to call the Jets his “role models.”

“I’ve been with the Jets since the 1960s and I’ve suffered through some very tough years with them,” McDermott said. “What I’ve seen Mike Tannenbaum, Rex Ryan and Woody Johnson do is nothing short of just stunning. I think if you compare that to any turnaround, whether it’s sports or business, it’s truly a case study in excellence. I wanted to learn from Mike, and I have.”

The 49-year-old McDermott often talks about how an organization believing that anything is possible is a key to accomplishing its mission. That’s why he was so fired up, just as so many other Jets fans were, when Ryan declared at his introductory press conference in 2009 that the team would win the Super Bowl.

“A leader owes an organization a couple of things: a vision about what they can be and a winning strategy,” McDermott said. “I give them unbelievable marks for the vision and changing people’s minds for what the New York Jets could become.”

McDermott is a straight shooter, much like his favorite team’s coach, and took a unique path to success. He bought and ran a deli on Long Island as a teenager, and showed a knack for doing things in an unorthodox way when he caught someone shoplifting and ended up hiring that person as an employee. McDermott later was the youngest person to become a division leader at Xerox, and eventually landed at SAP America in 2002 — and promptly replaced 13 of the 14 people who reported to him directly.

McDermott became SAP’s co-CEO in February 2010 and had his contract extended this week through June 2017 along with colleague Jim Hagemann Snabe. He recalled how the company was thriving globally when he first arrived, except in the Americas.

“It had let the company down in 24 of 25 quarters, and there were five CEOs in six years,” he said. “So, I go to a kickoff meeting in New Orleans and I basically tell them that we’re going to double the business in five years and we’re going to do in five years what it took the other guys 20 years to do.”

A deafening silence followed. Well, except for two senior executives sitting in the front.

“They were snickering as if to say, `I guess we’ll have a sixth CEO in seven years after that speech,’” McDermott said. “Instead of letting it go, I looked at them and talked to them and said, `You are the very reason I am here, because I will never let anyone rob this team of their dreams ever again.’ That was a magic moment because it was calling out the senior people. It’s never the players. It’s always something wrong with the leadership or the management of an organization.”

That’s an approach something that can be applied, McDermott and Tannenbaum say, from the biggest of businesses to the smallest.

“To me, it says so much, and that’s what we’re trying to encapsulate here, that we’re going to try to give every player that comes here the chance to be successful and work in a collaborative way and that their success is our success,” Tannenbaum said. “That’s where the business software and players like a LaDainian Tomlinson truly have alignment in that they all have dreams. As leaders, our job is to help them get there and enable that to happen.”

Tannenbaum will have plenty of big decisions to make when the lockout ends. The Jets have several big-name players scheduled to become free agents, including Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Antonio Cromartie, and McDermott has already, of course, presented Tannenbaum his wish list.

“I would advise any of the players, if you want my true gut opinion on this, to not screw around for small change when you’ve got a chance to play for the Super Bowl-winning New York Jets” said McDermott, throwing in his own Namath and Ryan-like guarantee. “That’s something you can carry around with you for a lifetime, long after you’ve blown a lot of cash. So, if I was advising any of these players, I’d say they should re-sign with Mike Tannenbaum as quickly as you can.”

ARLINGTON, Texas – Josh Hamilton knew he had a game-ending home run when he hit the ball.

While the crowd went crazy and his Texas Rangers teammates gathered at home plate to mob him and celebrate their sixth straight victory, 7-6 over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night, Hamilton put his head down and started trotting around the bases. His mind had to wander during what has been an emotional few days.

Hamilton’s two-run homer came two nights after Brownwood firefighter Shannon Stone’s accidental fatal fall at the stadium after reaching out to catch a ball tossed his way by the reigning AL MVP.

“It’s been an up-and-down, roller coaster-type weekend, with everything that happened to Mr. Stone and his family. Obviously we’re thinking about him and grieving about the situation,” Hamilton said. “Tonight takes you from one extreme to the other pretty quick. I feel blessed I had the opportunity to do it.”

Flags remained at half-staff at Rangers Ballpark and players on both teams again wore black ribbons in memory of Stone, who tumbled over a rail and fell about 20 feet to the concrete behind the left-field wall during the second inning of the series opener Thursday night, when he was at the game with his 6-year-old son. Stone died less than an hour later. His funeral is Monday.

Hamilton connected on a 2-0 pitch with two outs in the ninth off A’s closer Andrew Bailey (0-2), a 435-foot shot into the second deck of seats in right field. It was Hamilton’s fourth hit of the game, and his 11th homer of the season.

“I know as soon as I hit it, it was fun,” Hamilton said.

Elvis Andrus reached on an infield single that first appeared to be a game-ending grounder. Second baseman Jemile Weeks’ soft throw was a bit late and wide to first baseman Conor Jackson and when Jackson reached out to try to catch the ball, the speedy Andrus collided with him and both players went to the ground.

“I hit it in the right spot. I want hard as I could to get on base,” Andrus said, knowing Hamilton was waiting on deck. “He’s carried this team the last three or four years. … I get on base, and everybody saw what he can do when he’s under pressure.”

The only other six-game winning streak for the AL West-leading Rangers came when they opened this season 6-0.

“The last six days, we’re starting to play the way we’re capable of playing,” manager Ron Washington said. “I don’t think they lack confidence in that clubhouse.”

A day after Stone’s fall, Hamilton chose to play Friday night instead of taking the day off Washington offered him.

He went 1 for 5, and in the sixth inning fouled off a ball that hit a fan in the head. The fan, who wasn’t paying attention, needed stitches to close the cut but was OK.

Before his second career game-ending homer Saturday — coming exactly three years to the date after his other one in 2008 against the Los Angeles Angels — Hamilton had a pair of doubles, a single and drove in a run with a groundout.

“You’ve got to get ahead. You can’t fall behind to that guy 2-0. He’s one of the best players in the game. You can’t put yourself in that position,” Bailey said. “He’s looking fastball, he put a good swing on it and we lost. You’ve got to tip your cap to him.”

It was the first time since that 2008 game that Texas won at home after trailing with two outs in the ninth. The Rangers were 0-30 this season when trailing after eight innings.

Adrian Beltre, who will start for the AL along with Hamilton at next week’s All-Star game, also homered for Texas.

Beltre will replace Alex Rodriguez in the starting lineup after the New York Yankees’ third baseman withdrew from the game because of a right knee injury.

Coco Crisp and Josh Willingham homered for Oakland (39-52), which lost for the 12th time in 17 games and fell a season-worst 13-games under .500.

Crisp’s fourth homer, a solo shot in the seventh off reliever Tommy Hunter, had given the A’s a 6-5 lead.

Both starting pitchers — Oakland’s Brandon McCarthy and Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis — allowed five runs over six innings.

Lewis struck out nine, but was gone after throwing 105 pitches and missed a chance to join teammates C.J. Wilson and Alexi Ogando as nine-game winners before the All-Star break.

Darren Oliver (2-5) worked 1 2-3 scoreless innings.

Oakland went ahead with a four-run second, the final run coming home when Hideki Matsui reached on catcher’s interference with the bases loaded. Matsui hit what appeared to be an inning-ending infield popup, but home plate umpire Eric Cooper immediately signaled the play dead and catcher Yorvit Torrealba tabbed his chest protector as if to acknowledge his mistake.

Josh Willingham led off the second with his 11th homer before Cliff Pennington and Weeks had consecutive RBI singles.

Texas had a four-run outburst in the fifth. Beltre capped that with his 18th homer, a solo shot that tied the game at 5-all after he almost fell down coming out of the batter’s box.

Notes: Oakland 3B Scott Sizemore made a nifty grab in the eighth, reaching high over his head and leaning over the wall to catch a foul ball. … Lewis has allowed an AL-high 23 homers, 15 of them solo shots.

SILVERSTONE, England – Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso won his first race of the Formula One season at the British Grand Prix on Sunday, while Sebastian Vettel increased his overall lead in the championship by finishing second.

After starting third, Alonso took the lead on lap 28 when he pitted at the same time as Vettel, whose pit crew struggled to attach a wheel.

Red Bull driver Vettel has an 80-point lead over teammate Mark Webber, who finished third after starting from the pole.

Alonso is third in the drivers’ championship, 12 points behind Webber.

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) – Brazil failed once again to live up their favourites label at the Copa America, securing a 2-2 draw with Paraguay after they stood 90 seconds from defeat.

Substitute striker Fred on Saturday rescued a point, but unless the auriverde can beat Ecuador in their final Group B match, the holders will have to sweat on whether they have done enough to reach the quarter-finals.

On current form, they barely deserve to advance.

Then again, in a tournament which is proving a punishing experience for Latin America’s big teams, neither do their traditional rivals Argentina or Uruguay.

The trio have won 36 out of 42 past editions of the tournament between them but this year they are not having their own way.

Six matches played and zero wins is the story so far for the auriverde, the albiceleste and the celeste.

While the big guns struggle to impress, new names are emerging, not least Venezuela, who stand proudly atop Brazil’s group after first holding the samba stars to a goalless draw in La Plata, then Saturday edging aside Ecuador with a superlative strike from Cesar Gonzalez at Salta.

With Peru, whose last title came in 1975, and Chile, who have never won the event, setting the pace in their group ahead of World Cup semi-finalists the Uruguayans and Colombia keeping Argentina in their place, the established order is rocking if not yet crumbling.

Had Fred not appeared when he did for the Brazilians the holders would now be bottom of their group rather than looking forward to taking out their mounting frustrations on Ecuador.

Brazil coach Mano Menezes put a brave face on the Paraguay outcome, insisting that “they didn’t do enough to beat us and it would have been cruel if they had done so.”

But he admitted: “There was a lot of pressure on to win — we made some mistakes and almost did lose. Now we go into our third match (which will be) better than our second – which was better than our first.”

Dropping Robinho seemed a smart move when new face Jadson scored a fine opener, but he failed to appear after the break when Elano was given a chance and the Brazilians do not appear to have settled on a system on the basis of their opening two matches.

Paraguay’s veteran opening scorer Roque Santa Cruz — Nelson Haedo Valdez bundled home their second — was furious after Fred’s late intervention denied the ‘guarani’ a famous win.

“We made mistakes which a great team simply must not do. We dropped key points,” the Blackburn man said after netting his 25th goal for his country to go level with Saturnino Cardozo.

Paraguayan coach Gerardo Martino agreed the win should have been closed out.

“From a footballing point of view I am satisfied, but it hurts (to concede the late goal.) We should really have won both our games,” he insisted.

With the Venezuelans to come the Paraguayans know they will have their work cut out to gain the win they need to ensure further progress.

Venezuelan defender Oswaldo Viscarrondo, outstanding in both games to date, insisted the team have no intention of throwing it all away now.

“We prepared well and that can be seen from the performances we have turned in.

“This Copa is very finely balanced. I just hope we continue in this vein as we want to reach the quarters,” he said.

“Paraguay are a side we respect but we have been gaining respect too these past few years” – to say nothing of over the past week.

Sunday sees Colombia try to secure their quarters place with a win over Bolivia. A point should suffice for the cafeteros and that would mean Argentina having to beat Costa Rica to win Group A.

A draw in that game would mean the hosts having to sweat on bagging a spot in the quarters as one of the two best third-placed finishers.

ISSOIRE, France – Cyclists set off Sunday in the ninth stage of the Tour de France for a second straight day of climbing in the mountains with Thor Hushovd wearing the leader’s yellow jersey.

Hushovd surprised himself by keeping the overall lead after Saturday’s eighth stage. The Norwegian sprinter, twice a winner of the Tour’s green jersey for best sprinter, leads by 1 second over Cadel Evans of Australia.

Sunday’s undulating stage takes the peloton on a 129.2-mile trek from Issoire to Saint-Flour in France’s Massif Central and features several category-2 climbs.

Three-time champion Alberto Contador was cheered as he rode toward the start line, marking a change to the jeers he has received earlier in the race.