Nationals’ Harper to see knee specialist
Nationals’ Harper to see knee specialist
WASHINGTON — The swelling in Bryce Harper’s left knee isn’t getting any better, so the Washington outfielder will see a specialist next week and won’t be coming off the disabled list when he is eligible.
Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Thursday that Harper will visit Dr. James Andrews on Monday for a second opinion on the knee that has been troublesome ever since the 20-year-old slugger ran into the wall at Dodger Stadium on May 13.
“We’ve just got to get the swelling out. We’ve got to get the inflammation out of there,” Johnson said. “We haven’t been real successful with our treatment here.”
The news is the latest health blow to the Nationals, who are struggling to tread water in the NL East after starting the season as division favorites. The club’s other marquee young star, Stephen Strasburg, was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a strained muscle in the lower back. The team announced Thursday that left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Strasburg’s roster spot.
Harper is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday, but he said he will need to play a couple of rehab games in the minors to test the knee.
Chicago surges past LA, takes 3-1 series lead
LOS ANGELES — Marian Hossa scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period, and the Chicago Blackhawks moved to the brink of the Stanley Cup finals with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
Patrick Kane tapped home the tying goal as Chicago rallied from a second-period deficit to snap the defending Stanley Cup champions’ 15-game, home-winning streak since March. Bryan Bickell had a goal and an assist for the top-seeded Blackhawks, who took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Slava Voynov and Dustin Penner scored for the Kings, who had won their first eight playoff games at Staples Center. The champs are in trouble after Jonathan Quick failed to match Corey Crawford, who made 19 saves.
Game 5 is Saturday night in Chicago.
Gatlin edges Bolt by 0.01 seconds in Rome
ROME — Justin Gatlin beat Usain Bolt by a hundredth of a second Thursday night to win the 100 meters at the Golden Gala meet, the Jamaican’s first significant loss since his false-start disqualification in the 2011 world championships in South Korea.
Gatlin was timed in 9.94 seconds and was restrained in his celebration, just clapping his hands rapidly. The American has won all five of his 100-meter races this year and is shaping up as a serious threat to Bolt at the world championships in Moscow in August.
Bolt, the world-record holder and six-time Olympic champion, struggled in the first 50 meters despite his strong start. He started to gain ground on Gatlin near the finish but would have needed a bit more track to overtake him.
In perfect conditions before a Stadio Olimpico crowd of 52,305, Bolt was second in 9.95, and Jimmy Vicaut of France third in 10.02.
Kelly says Rees will start for Notre Dame
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Tommy Rees is Notre Dame’s starting quarterback again.
After telling reporters last week there would be a three-way competition in August to replace suspended starter Everett Golson, coach Brian Kelly disclosed at a Grand Valley State University event in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Wednesday night that the job belongs to Rees, mlive.com reported.
“I’ve always moved forward,” Kelly said. “I don’t live in the past. I don’t spend too much time in the future. I live in the present, and the present is that I’ve got Tommy Rees who is the starter for us, an established player, and he will be our starter.”
The news doesn’t come as a surprise to Irish fans. Rees started 12 of 13 games for the Irish in 2011, when Notre Dame went 8-5. He also helped Notre Dame win four games last season when Golson either struggled or was injured. The Irish finished the regular season 12-0. He also led Notre Dame to four straight wins at the end of the 2010 season.
Judge tosses lawsuit by Pa. governor
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A federal judge on Thursday threw out the governor’s lawsuit against the NCAA over sanctions against Penn State related to Jerry Sandusky, calling his argument “a Hail Mary pass” that easily warranted dismissal.
U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane’s decision puts an early end to the anti-trust lawsuit Gov. Tom Corbett filed in January in which he sought to overturn a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban, scholarship limits and other penalties.
She said she could not “find any factual allegations supporting (Corbett’s) allegation of ‘concerted action’ that might nudge its conspiracy claim into ‘plausible’ territory.”
She said that even if the penalties make it harder for Penn State to recruit quality football players, that would not make it an anti-trust case.
Padres reinstate Maybin; place Alonso on DL
DENVER — The San Diego Padres have reinstated outfielder Cameron Maybin and placed infielder Yonder Alonso on the 15-day disabled list.
The moves were made before the Padres played the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.
Maybin was hitting .091 for the Padres before going on the disabled list on April 17 with a right wrist injury. He batted .323 in nine rehabilitation games at Triple-A Tucson.
Alonso was placed on the DL with a bruised right hand, a move that was retroactive to June 1. Alonso has six homers and a team-leading 29 RBIs this season. He hasn’t made an appearance in a game since May 31.
Cardinals’ Carpenter again throws to hitters
ST. LOUIS — Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter has thrown to hitters for the second time in four days as he tries to overcome a career-threatening nerve issue.
The St. Louis right-hander threw about 25 pitches to teammates Shane Robinson and Tony Cruz on Thursday. It was Carpenter’s fourth outing in a possible comeback.
The former Cy Young winner hasn’t pitched this season after feeling numbness in his throwing shoulder during spring training. Carpenter missed most of last year, then went 1-2 in the playoffs.
Carpenter didn’t speak to the media before the Cardinals played Arizona. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said Carpenter’s pitches moved well.
Cowboys’ Brent tests positive for marijuana
DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent tested positive for marijuana while he awaits trial in a car crash that killed a teammate, prosecutors said Thursday in asking a judge to revoke the player’s $100,000 bond and issue a warrant for his arrest.
Police have accused Brent of driving with a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit during the Dec. 8 car crash that killed Jerry Brown, a Cowboys practice squad player.
Prosecutors said in their motion that Brent failed a urine test taken after a May 24 court hearing in which they had sought for his bond to be revoked due to problems with his alcohol monitoring. While the judge declined to do so, he did order Brent to provide a urine sample.
Brent faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of intoxication manslaughter, though he could also get probation.
From wire sources