ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning’s first appearance in blue and orange at Sports Authority Field on Saturday drew the largest crowd ever to watch a Denver Broncos practice.
Big crowd flocks
to see Manning
at scrimmage
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning’s first appearance in blue and orange at Sports Authority Field on Saturday drew the largest crowd ever to watch a Denver Broncos practice.
More than 29,700 fans had gone through the turnstiles 20 minutes before the scrimmage started, and fans were still streaming into the stadium.
That topped the old mark of 20,782 fans who watched the team’s summer scrimmage two years ago.
Broncos sign
safety Jim Leonhard
DENVER — The Denver Broncos signed free-agent safety Jim Leonhard on Saturday.
The Broncos needed a reinforcement in the secondary after second-year starter Quinton Carter injured his right knee and hamstring in a nasty fall inside the team’s practice bubble July 27.
Leonhard is a seven-year veteran who spent the past three seasons emerging as a fan favorite with the New York Jets, who didn’t sign him in the offseason after he underwent surgery in December to repair a tendon in his right knee.
The injury generally takes between eight and 10 months to heal.
New England guard Robert Gallery retires
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England guard Robert Gallery retired Saturday, 41⁄2 months after signing with Patriots as a free agent.
The 2003 Outland Trophy winner at Iowa as the nation’s best interior lineman, he was drafted second overall by Oakland and spent seven seasons with the Raiders. The 31-year-old lineman spent last season with Seattle.
The Patriots also signed defensive back Derrick Martin and fullback Kareem Huggins on Saturday and placed fullback Tony Fiamettta on the exempt/left squad list.
Titans C Amano
out for season
with arm injury
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans center Eugene Amano will miss the 2012 season with a torn triceps muscle in his right arm.
Amano started at center the past two seasons for the Titans. He was injured in Thursday night’s practice when hit by a helmet while blocking on a pass attempt. He will have surgery next week.
Amano was competing for his starting spot with Kevin Matthews and Fernando Velasco, who had been getting work at right guard. Now it’ll be Velasco or Matthews who will open the season at center. Matthews, though, has been out since Thursday with a concussion.
Browns LB Gocong injures Achilles
at practice
BEREA, Ohio — Browns linebacker Chris Gocong injured his right Achilles tendon in practice Saturday and is likely out for the season.
Cleveland already was faced with not having Scott Fujita for the first three games because of his league suspension for being part of the bounty scandal in New Orleans before joining the Browns two years ago.
Gocong was in obvious pain after crumpling to the ground during morning practice. Covered in sweat, he grimaced as trainers removed his right shoe and gingerly checked his ankle. As he was lifted onto a cart, Gocong kept his leg straight in protection.
Beckett likely
to start Wednesday
BOSTON — Red Sox right-hander Josh Beckett is expected to return to the rotation on Wednesday against Texas.
Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday against Minnesota. He had left his previous outing after 22⁄3 innings because of a back spasm.
Boston manager Bobby Valentine said Beckett threw on the side Saturday afternoon and “felt great.”
Beckett has had a subpar season, going 5-9 with a 4.54 ERA in 18 starts.
All-Star catcher
Ruiz placed on DL
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies have placed All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz on the disabled list because he has plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
An MRI revealed Ruiz has a partial tear. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Infielder Hector Luna was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley before Saturday’s game against Arizona.
Ruiz was hitting .335 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs. All were career highs for the 33-year-old veteran.
Luna batted .246 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 26 games for Philadelphia previously this season.
Rockies put Cuddyer, Friedrich on DL
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have put outfielder Michael Cuddyer and left-hander Christian Friedrich on the 15-day disabled list.
The Rockies made the moves before Saturday night’s game against San Francisco.
Orioles add OF McLouth to roster
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Baltimore Orioles have purchased the contract of outfielder Nate McLouth from Triple-A Norfolk.
The move was announced Saturday.
McLouth was a National League All-Star in 2008. He hit .244 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs in 47 games with Norfolk.
Sadler wins Nationwide at Iowa
NEWTON, Iowa — Elliott Sadler rebounded from the disappointment of his jumped-restart penalty last week in Indianapolis to win the NASCAR Nationwide Race at Iowa Speedway on Saturday night.
Sadler denied Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a fourth straight victory at Iowa Speedway, and increased his lead in the series standings to 18 points over Austin Dillon.
Sadler won the pole with a track-record qualifying speed of 135.141 mph and was near or at the front of the pack the entire race. He overtook Justin Allgaier on the 192nd lap and went on to his fourth victory of the season.
Allgaier was second, followed by Sam Hornish Jr., Michael Annett and Stenhouse.
Haas advances
to Citi Open final
WASHINGTON — Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas beat top-seeded Mardy Fish 6-3, 7-5 Saturday to reach the Citi Open final.
Second-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov defeated No. 8 seed Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 in the other semifinal.
In the women’s final, Magdalena Rybarikova defeated top-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 6-1.
By wire sources