Rollie Fingers kept handlebar mustache after all

OAKLAND (AP) - Rollie Fingers figured he would have shaved his signature handlebar mustache by now. He claims he almost did once after losing both games of a doubleheader, before changing his mind.

Sports News Briefs

BASEBALL MASSACHUSETTS INDEPENDENT TEAM SIGNS JOSE CANSECO: WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - An independent league team in Massachusetts has signed former major league slugger and admitted steroids user Jose Canseco. The Worcester Tornadoes of the Can-Am league said Friday he agreed to a contract for one season. The 47-year-old Canseco says in a statement he is grateful to the team. Tornadoes general manager Jorg Bassiacos expects Canseco to ...

Hannahan drives in 3 in Indians' win

OAKLAND (AP) - Graham Godfrey felt fine. He just wasn't sure where some of his pitches were going.

Giants hold on to beat Mets in 10 innings

NEW YORK (AP) - Jeremy Affeldt watched San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy walk from the dugout to the mound, over and over again.

BUFFALOES EYE VOL TITLE

Manteca High is one win away from capturing at least a share of the Valley Oak League championship, which would be its first since 1989.

A's capitalize on errors, hold off slumping Angels

ANAHEIM (AP) - Kurt Suzuki and Kila Ka'aihue drove in runs, Oakland scored two more on C.J. Wilson's throwing error in his home debut, and the Athletics beat the struggling Los Angeles Angels 4-2 Thursday night for their third straight victory.

American League Capsules

NEW YORK (AP) - Curtis Granderson hit three home runs in the first four innings and matched a career high with five hits, sending the New York Yankees to a 7-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

National League Capsules

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Bronson Arroyo worked eight strong innings and the Cincinnati Reds broke loose with three home runs Thursday for a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals that averted a three-game sweep.

NHL Capsules

MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 18 points and Miami tightened up the race in the Eastern Conference by beating Chicago 83-72 in a scuffle-filled game Thursday night.

Elliott leads Blues to win vs Sharks in Game 4

SAN JOSE (AP) - Brian Elliott made 24 saves, B.J. Crombeen and Andy McDonald scored and the St. Louis Blues moved one win away from the second round of the playoffs, beating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in Game 4 on Thursday night to take a 3-1 series lead.

SKI REPORTS

Woods' swing coach: criticism is 'out of hand'

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Tiger Woods' swing coach says criticism of his client is getting out of hand. "I know everyone has a job to do, and I get it," Foley said this week on "Fairways of Life," a radio show hosted by Matt Adams on XM Sirius. "But if it is about the game of golf, Tiger Woods is an extremely ...

NHL Capsules

CHICAGO (AP) - Mikkel Boedker scored in overtime for the second straight game and the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Thursday night to take a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.

Sports News Brief

COLLEGES

Colts picking Andrew Luck as No. 1 in next week’s NFL player draft

Ripon Christian rebounds from loss with blowout win

Natalie Prins and Kaylie Colyn each netted two goals apiece for Ripon Christian during Wednesday's 8-0 Southern League victory over visiting Delhi.

Warriors look to stay hot back home against Denver

OAKLAND (AP) - Sleep deprived but back in the Bay Area, the Golden State Warriors returned to work Wednesday calm and confident that their Mile High City masterpiece will be no fluke.

Crawford has 3 hits in Giants’ loss to D’backs

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Brandon Crawford saved the day twice with late-inning offensive heroics. He never got a third chance, resting in the on-deck circle when the final out was recorded.

Oakland A’s feel missed call costly in loss to Red Sox

BOSTON (AP) - Oakland's Jed Lowrie rounded first base, reached second and immediately raised his arms in the air.

Coyotes knock off Sharks

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Coming off a dramatic victory in their home finale, the San Jose Sharks had a chance to move closer to earning home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

California environmental changes could aid Kings bid

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Proposed changes to California environmental protection law unveiled Wednesday could help Sacramento's effort to keep its professional basketball team, according to the leader of the state Senate.

MLB capsules

WASHINGTON (AP) - Yadier Molina hit a two-run single off Stephen Strasburg during St. Louis' three-run first inning, and the Cardinals beat the Nationals 4-2 Wednesday to complete a sweep and give Washington's All-Star ace the only four-start losing streak of his young career.

Raiders look to reverse bad draft fortunes

ALAMEDA (AP) - For seven straight years starting in 2004, the Oakland Raiders had a top 10 pick in the NFL draft only to end up disappointed in the outcome.

Curry leads Warriors past Nuggets

DENVER (AP) - The Golden State Warriors hardly missed much of anything Tuesday night.

Colon, A’s blank Red Sox in rain-shortened game

BOSTON (AP) - The rain kept falling and Bartolo Colon kept throwing fastballs for strikes.

D-backs recover to beat Giants in 11

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Didi Gregorius had a pretty good view from third base when Giants reliever Santiago Casilla's wild pitch skipped past catcher Buster Posey and went to the backstop in the 11th inning.

Sharks clinch playoffs with win over Stars

SAN JOSE (AP) - One month after being mired in ninth place in the Western Conference, just hoping to squeeze into the postseason, the San Jose Sharks have clinched a ninth straight playoff berth and can now push for home-ice advantage in the first round.

NBA Playoff capsules

NEW YORK (AP) - Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points, Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith added 19, and New York opened a 2-0 lead over Boston with an 87-71 victory Tuesday night.

MLB apsules

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Ichiro Suzuki hit a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Tuesday night.

Sports news briefs

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