Verlander fastest to 20 wins since 2002 (AP)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Justin Verlander(notes) became the majors’ first 20-game winner, grinding through six innings in the Detroit Tigers’ 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Verlander (20-5) gave up four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and three walks to become the first pitcher to win 20 games before the end of August since Arizona’s Curt Schilling in 2002. Minnesota’s abysmal offense made it tougher on Verlander than expected. Luke Hughes(notes) had a home run, a double and three RBIs and Jason Repko(notes) put one of Verlander’s vaunted fastballs into the upper deck in left field for his first homer of the season. But former Twin Delmon Young’s(notes) RBI single in the seventh gave the Tigers the lead for good and put Verlander in position for the win. The six innings pitched tied a season low for Verlander, a 20-game winner for the first time—and the first time by a Tigers pitcher since Bill Gullickson in 1991. Verlander left after giving up the second single of the day to .170-hitting Drew Butera(notes) in the seventh. Jose Valverde(notes) picked up his 39th save. Alex Avila(notes) and Miguel Cabrera(notes) hit solo homers for the Tigers in the second inning off of Carl Pavano(notes) (6-11) and Cabrera added an RBI single in the seventh for a 6-4 lead. Pavano gave up six runs—five earned—on nine hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 6 2-3 innings. Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been quoted as saying he doesn’t think a pitcher should be eligible to win the MVP award, a stance that raised some eyebrows considering the incredible season by his own ace. He tried to clarify his position before the game. “I want everyone in here to know and please print that I support Justin Verlander for MVP to the hilt,” Leyland said. “I want to make that perfectly clear. The question was asked to me if I thought a pitcher should be the MVP and my answer to that is no, I do not. But under the way the system is, I will certainly support Verlander to the hilt as a possible candidate for the MVP.” Leyland said he thinks there should be a most valuable player and most valuable pitcher award. But in the absence of that, he is supporting Verlander. In a year when no position player in the AL seems to be running away from the pack, Verlander may actually have a chance to become the first pitcher to win the award since Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992. Verlander threw his second career no-hitter in May and has taken two more into the eighth inning. He is 11-1 against division opponents and is the biggest reason the Tigers started the day with a 6 1/2 -game lead over Cleveland. No-hitter No. 3 seemed to be a distinct possibility when he took the mound against a Twins offense that had scored one run or fewer in six straight games. With Joe Mauer(notes) (neck) and Michael Cuddyer(notes) (wrist) on the bench, the injury plagued Twins sent out a lineup with eight of their nine players hitting .255 or worse. But Ben Revere(notes) started the game with an infield single and it was apparent early that Verlander didn’t have his best stuff. He needed 28 pitches to get through the first inning and gave up back-to-back homers to Hughes and Repko to start the fifth. Hughes added a two-run double that tied the game 4-all in the sixth and Verlander’s pitch count finished at 120. NOTES: Toronto’s Roger Clemens in 1997 is the last AL pitcher to win 20 games before September. … Valverde made his 500th career appearance. … Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said CF Denard Span(notes) (head), returned home to Tampa, Fla., to rest and planned to return to the Twin Cities to start working out when the Twins hit the road next week. It’s still unclear if Span will play again this season. … Official scorer Stew Thornley announced a scoring change from Friday night’s ballgame. He changed an infield single from Delmon Young to a fielder’s choice and error on 2B Matt Tolbert(notes), meaning LHP Scott Diamond(notes) now had four earned runs charged to him from the start rather than five. … LHP Brian Duensing(notes) (8-13, 5.12) takes the mound for the Twins on Sunday in the series finale against RHP Brad Penny(notes) (9-9, 4.82). Duensing has had a horrendous August, going 0-5 with an 8.65 ERA. He lasted just two innings in his previous start, an 8-1 loss to the Orioles. … Penny has been improving lately, going 2-0 with a 4.04 ERA in his last three starts.
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49ers trade S Mays to Bengals for pick (AP)
CINCINNATI (AP)—The Cincinnati Bengals have acquired safety Taylor Mays(notes) from the San Francisco 49ers in a trade Tuesday for an undisclosed draft pick. Cincinnati’s pass defense has struggled during preseason losses to the Lions and the Jets. Mays was the 49ers’ second-round pick last year, when he started six games. Mays had played sparingly in the preseason for San Francisco. Mays met with Bengals coaches on Tuesday as he started catching up on the playbook. Coach Marvin Lewis declined to say whether he might play in a preseason game Thursday against Carolina at Paul Brown Stadium.
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Michael Jordan briefly mentions an NBA player, will definitely be fined
Though few fines have been made public yet, the NBA has gotten the word out that any unapproved contact between team employees or players — or any on-record discussion of NBA players (including tweeting) — will result in a massive fine from the league. Even if the league has to fine the greatest player to ever play in the league. Michael Jordan owns the Charlotte Bobcats, and while you’d think the idea of leeway would be best utilized on someone who carried the league to then-record profits and TV ratings during the 1990s, M.J. is still technically not allowed to mention any NBA players by name in talks with the media during the lockout. He’s not really allowed to discuss any aspect of the lockout, how it relates to the players — and he’s certainly not supposed to be discussing how the lockout affects particular players while speaking to local papers in a player’s home country. Like, say, with Australian-raised Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes). As Jordan did in Oz a few days ago, to the Sydney Herald Sun. Via SB Nation: “We have stars like Bogut who are entitled to certain type of demands. But for us to be profitable in small markets, we have to be able to win ballgames and build a better basketball team.” […] “Bogut is a good piece to build around for Milwaukee,” Jordan said. “I love Bogut’s game. He’s made a very good start and he’s definitely gonna be a star. His big problem is that he’s been dealing with that elbow injury. But he is a star to be reckoned with (and) will be a star for some time.” You know that Australia has the Internet, right M.J.? And that they can put their newspapers online? Did you not read OnHoops.com, the first NBA blog, in the 1990s? The guys that ran that place were Australian, back when Bill Simmons was just a glimmer in the Boston Herald’s eye. Although, good on ya for using the word “reckoned” in Oz. It’s more than a little ridiculous that any team employee, much less someone of Jordan’s stature (as a player, at least; he’s been pretty dodgy as a team executive), should have to watch what they say on record during this lockout. Especially in a place like Australia; because while Aussies love their NBA as a whole, of course the local press is going to ask you about Andrew Bogut at some point in an interview. As long as Jordan isn’t tampering with another team’s player, then what’s the problem? Chalk it up to another thing we just can’t quite understand about the NBA’s take during this stalemate. Hope you brought your checkbook down under, M.J. Related: Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA lockout, International hoops
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Broncos WR Lloyd in brief fight at camp (AP)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP)—The Denver Broncos lost two defensive tackles to injury Monday and their rookie safety got into a brief fight with Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Lloyd(notes). The severity of the injuries to Ty Warren(notes) (arm) and Marcus Thomas (chest) were unknown. “Hopefully, it’s not serious,” coach John Fox said. Neither Rahim Moore(notes) nor Lloyd were hurt during their fisticuffs. Fox said he wasn’t surprised things got heated on a hot day with camp winding down. “This game is a tough game, physical game and when you’re banging on each other every day it can get chippy,” Fox said. “So, it’s pretty typical of camp this time of year.” But it’s not every day you see a rookie stand up to a Pro Bowler like this. Lloyd politely declined to discuss the altercation after practice and Moore, a second-round draft pick from UCLA who already has grabbed the starting free safety job opposite Brian Dawkins(notes), said Lloyd felt he cut him off in the end zone on a fade pass that fell incomplete. “He decided I did something wrong and I didn’t think I did,” Moore said. “He shoved me. I shoved him back.” On the next play, Kyle Orton(notes) hit Lloyd for a short touchdown pass with Moore in coverage. Moore said he and Lloyd talked things over a minute later and resolved their differences. “So, it’s all love,” Moore said. Denver’s defensive coaching staff had to like Moore’s moxie. “I have nothing against Brandon, but I take flack from nobody,” Moore said. “This is a physical game. So, if I let him push me, everybody would say, `Oh, Rahim let him push him.’ It’s just the competitive nature that I have. It’s like if he beat me on a touchdown, I’m going to try to pick the ball off the next time. If he pushed me, I’m going to push him back. “But at the end of the day, we’re family.” Moore said Lloyd has given him tips about covering NFL receivers and he expects those lines of communication to remain open even after their disagreement. “He has been a mentor to me, so it’s all good,” Moore said. “Tomorrow we’re going to get back at it and work hard and get each other better.” NOTES: The Broncos waived DT Louis Leonard(notes) and LB Derek Domino(notes). … Rookie MLB Nate Irving(notes) returned from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the preseason opener and grabbed an interception. … WR Eddie Royal(notes) (hip), also returned to action Monday. “I felt good out there,” he said. “Running around, my routes felt good. The rhythm and timing were there, so it was a good day.” AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton can be reached at http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
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Weekend Sports in Brief (PA SportsTicker)
JOHNS CREEK, GA. (AP) —In a major filled with unfamiliar names, Keegan Bradley delivered an unforgettable finish. Bradley was five shots behind with only three holes to play after his chip shot raced across the 15th green and into the water, leading to a triple bogey. That’s when he reminded himself that no lead was safe on the final four holes at the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. Bradley then made back-to-back birdies, including a 35-footer with a belly putter that rattled into the cup on the 17th. Then came a monumental meltdown by Jason Dufner. Unflappable all afternoon, he hit his tee shot in the water on the 15th for the first of three straight bogeys that led to a three-hole playoff. Bradley birdied the 16th hole in the playoff – his first outright lead of the day – and went on to win by one shot. The son of a PGA professional in Vermont, wearing red for his alma mater – St. John’s – Bradley became only the third player in at least 100 years to win a major championship in his first try. TENNIS= TORONTO (AP) – Eight weeks into her comeback, Serena Williams not only believes she can be as good as she once was. She can be better. The 29-year-old American star made a pretty good point by capturing the Rogers Cup in commanding fashion Sunday, dispatching 10th-seed Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-4, 6-2 for her first Canadian crown since 2001. The victory was just the latest step in a remarkable comeback from injury and illness that has seen her win two of the four tournaments she’s played since being sidelined for 49 weeks. MONTREAL (AP) – Top-ranked Novak Djokovic won the Rogers Cup for his ninth tournament victory of the year, beating Mardy Fish 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. The 24-year-old Serb, the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, is 29-0 this year on hard courts and 53-1 overall. He also won the Rogers Cup in 2007. The sixth-seeded Fish was the only player to win a set a set against Djokovic this week. Fish has lost all seven career meetings with Djokovic, but gave the top seed a battle with his awkward mix of baseline and attacking play. BASEBALL= ATLANTA (AP) – Dan Uggla was quick to acknowledge he never thought he’d have a hitting streak as long as 33 games. Now the Chicago Cubs are streaking. The Cubs stopped Uggla’s 33-game hitting streak and rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Sunday for their fourth straight series win. The Cubs have won 11 of 14. Uggla’s streak was the longest in the majors in five years. He was 0 for 3 with an RBI. COLLEGE FOOTBALL= The Southeastern Conference is staying just as it is – for now. However, the game of major college conference realignment appears far from finished. University of Florida President Bernie Machen, the chairman of the Southeastern Conference’s presidents and chancellors committee, said the group met Sunday and “reaffirmed our satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment.” Machen said no action was taken regarding Texas A&M or any other schools. He didn’t, however, close the door on change. “We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league,” Machen said in a statement. “We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion.” The Aggies reportedly are looking to leave the Big 12. The Texas A&M System board of regents is to meet Monday, and among the items on the agenda is conference alignment. AUTO RACING= LOUDON, N.H. (AP) – Ryan Hunter-Reay raced to his first IndyCar victory of the year on Sunday after a slippery, crash-marred finish that left drivers upset that it was restarted in rain with about 10 laps left. Moments after the race resumed on an overcast afternoon, Danica Patrick’s car slid sideways, starting a chain reaction that knocked out the cars of Will Power and Takuma Sato. Officials reverted to the race order that existed before the final restart, leaving Oriol Servia in second place and Scott Dixon in third in the 225-mile race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the first IndyCar competition at the track since 1998. Power, second in the series point standings, was irate as he left his car and flashed an obscene gesture that was caught on camera. But he cut Dario Franchitti’s lead from 63 points to 47 with five races left. Franchitti led for 115 of the 225 laps before being hit from behind by Sato, ending his race on the 119th. Hunter-Reay then took the lead and held it most of the way for his fifth win in 113 IndyCar races. He came in third in two of his three previous races and now has five consecutive top 10 finishes after managing just one in his other eight. DIVING= LOS ANGELES (AP) – Nick McCrory was having fun plunging 33 feet off the tower. Things weren’t going nearly as well for Olympian David Boudia, so he amused himself on Twitter. McCrory led all the way in winning the 10-meter title at the U.S. national diving championships Sunday, with Boudia failing to shake what he tweeted was his “silver medal hangover.” McCrory earned two 10s for his third dive and totaled 497.35 points in the six-dive final at UCLA. Boudia had 469.90. Ben Grado was third at 431.05. In men’s 3-meter synchro, Troy Dumais and Kristian Ipsen easily won the title at 459.00. They were fourth at worlds. SOCCER= MADRID (AP) – Cesc Fabregas is finally returning to boyhood club Barcelona. The Spaniard’s long-awaited transfer from Arsenal finally materialized Sunday when the two clubs announced they reached a preliminary agreement for the 24-year-old midfielder. The deal will be completed once Fabregas signs a contract and undergoes a medical exam Monday, the clubs said. Spanish media reports put the price of the transfer at around $57 million.
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