Sports briefs

SKIING LINDSEY VONN WINS WORLD CUP SUPER-G IN BULGARIA: BANSKO, Bulgaria (AP) - On a rough and demanding course, Lindsey Vonn showed that no woman rules this event quite like her. She captured a World Cup super-G Sunday to become the career leader in the discipline. By winning her 18th super G the American overtook Austria's Renate Goetschl for the record. HOLCOMB WINS 4-MAN GOLD AT ...

Ortmeyer's late goal costs Sharks

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Jed Ortmeyer's first goal of the season gave the Minnesota Wild the lead with 4:13 left in a 4-3 victory on Sunday, sending the San Jose Sharks home with a tough loss to finish 2-6-1 on a season-long nine-game road trip.

Teen jockey takes first-ever stakes at Santa Anita

ARCADIA (AP) - Teenage apprentice jockey Eswan Flores won his first career stakes Sunday at Santa Anita, guiding long shot Tones to a neck victory over favorite Stoney Fleece in the $81,140 Baffle Stakes, a downhill sprint for 3-year-olds.

Melzer beats Raonic to win title in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Jurgen Melzer is playing so well again that not even a broken toe could slow him down.

Huh beats Allenby on 8th extra hole

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) - Robert Allenby figured he played "like a rookie" on the final hole of regulation in the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Bryant, West hold on to win NBA All-Star game

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Kobe Bryant took Michael Jordan's record, then nearly lost the game to LeBron James.

Owner Kobe wouldn't settle for overlooking Lin

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - If Kobe Bryant ever owns a team, his personnel department better not overlook a guy like Jeremy Lin.

‘Human Pogo Stick’ wins Slam Dunk Contest

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - His nickname is the Human Pogo Stick and Utah's Jeremy Evans set out to put some bounce back into the Slam Dunk Contest.

NASCAR postpones Daytona 500 due to rain for 1st time ever

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - NASCAR has raced on the beach at Daytona, under the lights and even around a pesky pothole.

Braden makes strong progress from surgery

PHOENIX (AP) - Dallas Braden decided against being a world traveler this winter, realizing his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery took top priority.

Giants thrilled to be healthy, together

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Scottsdale Stadium went silent not once but twice Sunday.

Mahan stops McIlroy in Match Play golf

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) - Even as Hunter Mahan motored his way through the Match Play Championship by beating one tough opponent after another, he had reason to feel he was just along for the ride in the final match Sunday afternoon.

Sports News Brief

FOOTBALL

Ski Report

Stewart seeks 1st win in Daytona 500

Kansas City teen throws 1st pitch via telerobot

OAKLAND (AP) - From some 1,800 miles away in Kansas City, Mo., 13-year-old Nick LeGrande threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees-Athletics game Wednesday night.

Yankees’ Rivera surprises longtime A’s employee

OAKLAND (AP) - Posing as a pizza delivery man, New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera surprised longtime Athletics employee Julie Vasconcellos by visiting her in the mail room where she has worked going on 25 years.

Giants 2B Scutaro out with finger injury

PITTSBURGH (AP) - San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro is out indefinitely with an injury to the pinkie finger on his left hand.

Kontos suspended for 3 games by MLB, Bochy for 1

NEW YORK (AP) - San Francisco pitcher George Kontos has been suspended for three games by Major League Baseball, which said he intentionally threw a pitch at Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy has been banned for one.

Mystery of Merion starts to unfold at US Open

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) - The affection was genuine. Even better was beating Jack Nicklaus in a playoff. So when Lee Trevino got his hands on that U.S. Open trophy in 1971, the guy who never lacked for one-liners gushed, "I love Merion, and I don't even know her last name."

LeBron not backing down on vow for Game 4

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A day later, LeBron James didn't back down.

Parker has mild hamstring strain, hopeful for Gm 4

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Tony Parker, along with all of San Antonio, really, spent a restless night worrying about a gimpy right hamstring that hampered him in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and threatened the momentum the Spurs seized with a drubbing of the Miami Heat.

Belichick not judging QB Tebow after 1 practice

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - One day of practice wasn't enough for Patriots coach Bill Belichick to share his thoughts on new backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

San Antonio routs Miami 113-77 in Game 3 of NBA Finals

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Danny Green and Gary Neal aren't NBA royalty like LeBron James.

Norris, Colon lead Athletics past Yankees

OAKLAND (AP) - Derek Norris homered and drove in four runs and Bartolo Colon pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Oakland Athletics to a 6-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

Giants get 1st look at Cole in loss to Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Having won the World Series two of the last three seasons, the San Francisco Giants have rarely been an afterthought.

Giants put 3B Sandoval on DL with foot problem

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The San Francisco Giants put third baseman Pablo Sandoval on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a strained left foot.

Woods, Garcia don’t connect beyond handshake

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) - Unable to arrange a private meeting, Sergio Garcia left Tiger Woods a note in his locker Tuesday at the U.S. Open with hopes of moving on from his racially charged comment and getting back to playing golf.

Rask, Crawford take center stage in Stanley Cup

CHICAGO (AP) - Corey Crawford was in the stands when Patrick Kane slammed home the goal that secured the Stanley Cup for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.

US beats Panama 2-0 in World Cup qualifying

SEATTLE (AP) - Jozy Altidore continued his scoring run. Eddie Johnson earned a moment to remember getting a goal before his raucous home crowd that matched the hype that came with playing a World Cup qualifier in Seattle.