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Sports news briefs
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CYCLING

• BOONEN WINS TOUR OF FLANDERS
: OUDENAARDE, Belgium (AP) — Tom Boonen has won the Tour of Flanders for the third time in his career, beating Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Ballan in a three-way sprint on Sunday.

On the penultimate climb, the three broke away with 18 kilometers 12 miles to go. In an open sprint to the line, Boonen held a bike-length margin over Pozzato for his first Tour of Flanders win since 2006.

Crashes marked the final stages of the classic, and favorite Fabian Cancellara was the biggest victim.



• FESTERING FEUD: JIMENEZ DRILLS TULOWITZKI IN ELBOW: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cleveland pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez nailed former teammate Troy Tulowitzki in the elbow Sunday, carrying their festering feud onto the field and causing the Indians and Colorado Rockies to clear the benches.

Tulowitzki and Jimenez jawed up close but were held back from getting at each other. The Rockies star was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays on his left elbow, which were negative.

Tulowitzki was hit by the first pitch when he came up in the first inning and left the game. The Indians initially said Jimenez would not be available for comment — later, he met the media during Cleveland’s 12-10 win and said the pitch was an accident.

“Of course I’m going to be sorry, he’s one of the superstar players in the game,” Jimenez said. “You don’t want to be in the position that you’re going to take the guy out of the game. He was my ex-teammate. I don’t want to hurt him at all. Just one pitch that got away that could happen to anybody.”

Jimenez recently told The Denver Post that he was upset he didn’t receive a contract extension while Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez got new deals. Jimenez was traded by Colorado to the Indians last summer.

Tulowitzki was quoted in the same story as basically saying Jimenez needs to get over his frustration and get on with his career.



SOCCER

• US, JAPAN DRAW 1-1 AT KIRIN CUP
: SENDAI, Japan (AP) — Alex Morgan scored in the 72nd minute to give the United States a 1-1 draw with Japan, the team that beat them in the final of the Women’s world cup last year.

Yukari Kinga beat goalkeeper Hope Solo from close in to give Japan a 1-0 lead in the 32nd.

The United States created opportunities on the right wing, but Japan’s superior speed was dangerous on the counterattack.

The exhibition tournament features three of the top four teams in the world. The U.S. is ranked No. 1 just ahead of Germany, while Japan is No. 3. The other team competing for the title, Brazil, is No. 4.

Until the World Cup, the United States had never lost to Japan — and the Americans haven’t beaten Japan since. Japan won the last encounter 1-0 in Portugal last month.



SKIING

• KELLEY TAKES GIANT SLALOM TITLE AT NATIONALS
: WINTER PARK, Colo. (AP) — Robby Kelley closed out the U.S. championships with a win in the giant slalom as temperatures soared into the mid-60s.

The 21-year-old Kelley finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 15.03 seconds on Sunday to beat Espen Lysdahl and Leif Kristian Haugen, who are both from Norway. Defending champion Tommy Ford finished a distant 22nd, more than four seconds behind Kelley.

Kelley comes from impressive ski lineage. His mom, Lindy, was a 1976 Olympian while his cousin, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, is the junior world downhill and combined champion. Another cousin, Jimmy Cochran, just announced his retirement from the U.S. ski team.



TELEVISION

• FINAL FOUR RATINGS HIGHEST SINCE 2005
: NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kentucky’s victory over rival Louisville and Kansas’ comeback win over Ohio State on Saturday night generated the highest ratings for a Final Four since 2005.

The national semifinals pitting four powerhouse programs earned a 9.0 overnight rating and a 17 share, an increase of 1 percent over last season’s Final Four, which featured upstarts Butler and VCU along with Kentucky and eventual national champion Connecticut.

The Final Four involving Illinois, Louisville, North Carolina and Michigan State in 2005 generated a 10.5 rating and 19 share.