Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
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Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
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Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
PHOENIX - A game that went to extra innings in unconventional fashion ended with an old-fashioned home run.
Tony Clark homered to lead off the bottom of the eleventh inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 8-7 Friday night after squandering a seven-run lead.
“It’s good to come away with a win on nights like this,” Clark said.
Clark’s homer followed a game-winning shot by Eric Byrnes the previous night, and is the Diamondbacks’ fifth game-winner this season. Arizona has won seven straight to move within one game of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Edgar Gonzalez (4-2), the Diamondbacks’ fifth pitcher, worked the 10th and 11th for the win.
“It came down to Edgar coming in, putting up the zeros and giving us the opportunity to get that one run,” the Diamondbacks’ Chris Young said.
Wilfredo Ledezma (0-2) entered the game in the 11th and gave up the homer to Clark, the only batter he faced. The Braves have lost three straight and remain four games behind the New York Mets in the NL East.
Clark’s homer was his first this season batting right-handed.
“It’s not like he hasn’t done it in the past,” said Arizona manager Bob Melvin. “He just hasn’t done it recently, and the reason is he doesn’t get consistent at-bats right-handed. He might get some more now.”
Arizona was one out away from securing the victory in the ninth, but a mental error by Jose Valverde helped send the game to extra innings.
Valverde got two quick outs before walking pinch hitter Yunel Escobar. Valverde circled to the right of the mound with his back to first base bag as Escobar trotted down the line. Escobar paused at first long enough to touch the bag, and when Valverde crouched at the side of the mound, Escobar broke for uncovered second base.
“I saw him take off and I was yelling, the crowd was yelling, but nobody could hear anything,” said Clark, who was near first base when Escobar bolted for second. “It was a gutsy call. If he gets caught it’s game over.”
Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said Escobar made the decision to go on his own.
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The next hitter, Willie Harris, fisted a bloop single into shallow center, tying the game at 7.
“It’s good that we came back but it would have been better to win the ballgame,” said Julio Franco, who was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Arizona scored the first seven runs in the first four innings — including a six-run second — only to watch the Braves rally.
Diamondbacks starter Yusmeiro Petit didn’t allow a hit until Jeff Francoeur’s single to left in the fifth, but faced only nine more hitters.
Kelly Johnson tripled, scoring Francouer, and Franco had an RBI single to make it 7-2.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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