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

NBA Playoff capsules

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Ray Allen scored 23 points and broke the NBA career playoff record for 3-pointers, and the Miami Heat used another of their patented runs to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 104-91 on Thursday night for a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.