FOOTBALL

• Raiders sign returner Josh Cribbs to 1-year deal: OAKLAND (AP) — The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent kick returner Josh Cribbs to a one-year contract.

Cribbs’ agent, John Rickert, confirmed the deal when reached by phone Wednesday. He declined to disclose financial terms.

Rickert said Cribbs drew interests from several teams but felt the Raiders were the right fit after a visit to the team’s headquarters last Monday.

Cribbs, who turns 30 next month, had been with the Cleveland Browns since signing as an undrafted free agent out of Kent State in 2005. He averaged 27.4 yards on kick returns and 12 yards per punt return last season but did not have a touchdown. He also had seven receptions for 63 yards.

Cribbs’ eight kickoff returns for touchdowns are tied with Leon Washington for the most in NFL history.



HORSERACING

• Orb draws rail as 1-1 favorite in Preakness: BALTIMORE (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner Orb has drawn the rail in Saturday’s Preakness and has been installed an overwhelming even-money favorite in the nine-horse race.

Orb will seek to keep alive his bid to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. Orb won the Derby by 2½ lengths as the betting favorite.

The brown colt is looking for his sixth straight victory as part of the smallest Preakness field since 2007. Govenor Charlie, trained by Bob Baffert, added his name to the list Wednesday for the 1 3/16th-mile race.

The field, from the rail, with odds in parenthesis: Orb, Goldencents (8-1), Titletown Five (30-1), Departing (6-1), Mylute (5-1), Oxbow (15-1), Will Take Charge (12-1), Govenor Charlie (12-1) and Itsmyluckyday (10-1).



GOLF

• Marshals dispute account of Woods-Garcia account: PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two marshals say Tiger Woods never said anything to them about whether Sergio Garcia had played his shot. Two other marshals disputed that account, one of them saying he told Woods that Garcia had already hit on the second hole at the TPC Sawgrass.

In the days since Woods won The Players Championship, the dispute has shifted from players to volunteer marshals.

It started Saturday in the third round when Woods was deep in the trees, some 50 yards to the left of Garcia in the fairway. Woods pulled a 5-wood from his bag to play a high-risk shot through a gap in the trees, and the crowd cheered his decision — right about the time Garcia was playing his shot.

Woods said marshals told him Garcia had already shot.



CYCLING

• Tyler Farrar wins 4th stage of Tour of California: SANTA BARBARA (AP) — Tyler Farrar won the fourth stage of the Tour of California in a mass sprint Wednesday and Colombia’s Janier Acevedo topped the overall standings for the third day.

Farrar, the Garmin-Sharp rider from Wenatchee, Wash., completed the 83.6-mile stage from Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara in 3 hours, 14 minutes, 9 seconds.

U.S. Criterium champion Ken Hanson of Optum/Kelly Benefit was second, about a bike-length behind.

Belgium’s Gianni Meersman, riding for Omega Pharma-Quick Step, was third.

Acevdeo, riding for Jamis-Hagens Berman, finished in the main field to retain a 12-second lead over American Tejay van Garderen of BMC. Acevdeo won the second stage.

Van Garderen also finished in the main pack. American Philip Deignan of UnitedHealthcare was third overall, 27 seconds back with four stages remaining.



SOCCER

• Ivanovic header gives Chelsea 2-1 win over Benfica: AMSTERDAM (AP) — Branislav Ivanovic scored on a looping header from Juan Mata’s corner kick in the third minute of stoppage time, and Chelsea beat Benfica 2-1 Wednesday night to win the Europa League following its Champions League title last year.

Fernando Torres scored on a solo effort in the 60th minute, but Oscar Cardozo tied the score with a penalty kick eight minutes later after a hand ball by Cesar Azpilcueta.

Manager Rafa Benitez, who replaced Roberto Di Matteo in November, led Chelsea to the only major title the Blues had not won.



BASKETBALL

• Kansas lures top prospect Andrew Wiggins to Phog: LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The nation’s top basketball recruit is headed to Kansas, and expectations at the perennial contender are soaring once again.

The Jayhawks are losing all five starters from last year’s team, which won its ninth straight Big 12 title. But the news Tuesday that Andrew Wiggins would be attending Kansas suddenly makes the Jayhawks the team to beat once again.

Wiggins joins a recruiting class that was already ranked No. 2 nationally by most recruiting services, and which includes five-star prospects Wayne Selden and Joel Embiid.

A 6-foot-7 forward from Huntington Prep in West Virginia, Wiggins has been called the next LeBron James, though coach Bill Self said he reminds him more of Tracy McGrady. Either way, he should be enough to make the Jayhawks title contenders once again.