Sports Headlines

Red Sox contribute as AL wins All-Star Game

Armstrong regains overall lead at Tour de France

Report: Hawks sign first-round pick Williams

Report: Chiefs CB Warfield suspended four games

Harrington pulls out of British Open due to death of father

Wie survives stroke play at Men's Amateur Public Links

Paris mayor Delanoe says city will not bid for 2016 Olympics

Missouri LB O'Neal dies during workout

United States ties Costa Rica, wins Group B

Crew fire coach Andrulis, name Warzycha interim coach

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Red Sox contribute as AL wins All-Star Game

DETROIT (Ticker) - Tony La Russa has to stop running into the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox saw their All-Stars contribute as the American League continued its domination of the mid-summer classic with a 7-5 triumph over the National League at Comerica Park.

La Russa drew the managerial assignment for the NL after leading the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series last season.

Of course, La Russa's stay in the Fall Classic was a short one as the Red Sox ended their 86-year title drought in October with a resounding four-game sweep.

La Russa was called on to end a drought Tuesday since the NL had not won an All-Star Game since 1996. He also was trying to become the first manager to win the mid-summer classic on each side after going 3-0 for the AL from 1989-91 while with the Oakland Athletics.

"I think we understand that we haven't won in a long time," La Russa said.

However, the Red Sox again got the best of La Russa. Johnny Damon, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Jason Varitek went a combined 4-for-8 with two runs scored and an RBI. Only Ramirez failed to get a hit.

Red Sox righthander Matt Clement also worked a scoreless inning.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada, who hit a solo homer in the second to open the scoring and added an RBI groundout in the third, was named Most Valuable Player. He also made a sparkling defensive play in the first to start a double play.

"When I got to the plate (against) John Smoltz, you know it's not easy," Tejada said. "I just said in my mind, '(I'm) starting in the All-Star Game, I'm going to enjoy it,' and I think that's why I hit the ball out of the park."

"Tejada got us off to a great start and we were able to just go with it from there," Varitek said.

The AL improved to 8-0-1 in the last nine All-Star Games and earned home-field advantage in the World Series for the third straight year. The nine-game run is the longest since the NL won 11 straight from 1972-82.

Texas Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer and Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki had a two-run single for the AL, which built a 7-0 lead after six innings.

"I didn't feel that much different," said Teixeira, whose previous 25 homers this season all came lefthanded. "I guess it's just that I don't get enough at-bats. Maybe this will get me going."

Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones finally got the NL on the board with a two-run homer in the seventh. The NL scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth to make the final score respectable.

AL starter Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees got the final out for the save.

"I felt really good out there," Buehrle said. "I could've kept going out there, but I knew (White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen) would go crazy if he saw me out there any longer."

Michigan native John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves was the losing pitcher. He also lost in 1989 and won in 1996.

"I was so close to pitching for my hometown team. Today, I was able to showcase myself in front of (the Detroit fans)," Smoltz said. "But I wasn't going to allow my performance to overshadow it. The last three days have been the best."

Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers, who surrendered Jones' homer, was booed during pregame introductions and when he left the mound.

Rogers' participation in the mid-summer Classic had been in doubt since he received a 20-game suspension and was fined $50,000 by commissioner Bud Selig for shoving two cameramen before a game on June 29. One of the cameramen was sent to the hospital because of the tirade that included Rogers throwing a camera to the ground.

There were an All-Star record five double plays, three turned by the AL. The contest featured 13 first-time All-Stars.

Armstrong regains overall lead at Tour de France

COURCHEVAL, France (Ticker) - Lance Armstrong has dominated the Alps and Pyrenees in his six-year reign at the Tour de France. The Alps is where he regained the yellow jersey Tuesday.

Armstrong of the Discovery Channel team eased past his main rivals in the punishing 13.8-mile climb to the ski station of Courcheval in stage 10 to take the overall lead.

"The team was super," Armstrong said. "It's very reassuring for myself and we'll just keep it rolling and try to hold on to the jersey."

Spain's Alejandro Valverde of Iles Balears won the 119.6-mile mountain stage from Grenoble to Courcheval in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 35 seconds.

Racing in cycling's most prestigious event for the first time, Valverde beat Armstrong in a sprint to the finish line but is not considered to be one of Armstrong's main rivals.

However, Armstrong believes Valverde will be a future champion.

"Everybody has seen the future of cycling," Armstrong said.

For the present, Armstrong remains the king and is 38 seconds ahead of Denmark's Mickael Rasmussen of Team Rabobank. Even a man dressed as Superman raced to Armstrong's side to cheer him with less than a mile left in the stage.

Italy's Ivan Basso of Team CSC lagged behind Armstrong in the mountain ascent and is third overall, 2:40 behind the leader.

Germany's Jan Ullrich of T-Mobile, another one of Armstrong's chief rivals, is 4:02 off the pace.

Seeking to win his seventh straight Tour de France before he retires, Armstrong took the lead after the fourth stage and held the yellow jersey through the eighth stage before relinquishing it to German rider Jens Voigt of Team CSC on Sunday.

As has become tradition for Armstrong, the Texan used the first mountaintop finish of the "Grand Boucle" to stamp his authority on the peloton. While it was predictable, it was no less impressive. Only Valverde was able to sprint with Armstrong to the finish.

Valverde rose from 72nd to fifth overall and passed Ullrich, the 1997 winner and three-time runner-up.

Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan, who was third two years ago, slipped more than six minutes behind Armstrong.

Armstrong's team set a punishing pace at the front of the peloton from the moment it reached the foot of the Courcheval. The casualties were not long in emerging with big names such as Iban Mayo, Roberto Heras, Bobby Julich and Santiago Botero faltering at the back of the peloton.

Discovery still was motoring at the front with Armstrong looking strong, although Ullrich and Vinokourov were lurking.

As the Discovery team stepped up the speed, white patches began spreading around the eyes of both T-Mobile riders before first Vinokourov then Ullrich found themselves drifting away.

"I'm not sure what happened," Vinokourov said. "The first day in the high mountains and it's been a very bad day for me. The first climb was tough, but we got over that one OK. But the last climb, I just completely lost it. That's the race. Maybe (Wednesday) I will feel better, for now I've just got to recover."

With just Basso, Rasmussen, Valverde and Francisco Mancebo for company, Armstrong overtook a breakaway group, including the 38-year-old former world champion Laurent Brochard.

Basso dropped off before the summit, which meant a straight sprint between the 25-year-old Valverde and Armstrong for the stage win.

Armstrong, 34, admitted he had expected more from Ullrich and Vinokourov.

"We always see surprises on the first big day of the Tour and it didn't disappoint," he said. "There were poor performances and there were exceptional performances."

Voigt started the day in the yellow jersey with more than a three-minute lead over Armstrong but struggled in the highest mountains and slipped more than four minutes off the pace.

The 11th stage is a 107.5-mile trek from Courcheval to Briancon.

Report: Hawks sign first-round pick Williams

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The Atlanta Hawks apparently could start seeing what they have to build around.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday night that the Hawks have signed forward Marvin Williams, the second overall pick in June's draft.

According to the report, Williams' contract is a multi-year deal which will pay him about $3.8 million during the upcoming season based on the NBA's rookie salary scale. All first-round rookie contracts are two years with separate club options for the third and fourth years.

Williams was picked behind only Utah center Andrew Bogut, who was taken first overall by Milwaukee.

In his only season at North Carolina as a freshman, the 6-9 Williams averaged 11.6 points and 6.6 rebounds despite not starting a single game for the national champions. He was a projected lottery pick out of high school after averaging 29 points, 15.5 rebounds, five blocks and five assists at Bremerton High School in Washington.

Williams is a high flyer who can go up two or three times for a rebound without losing lift. He should play right away for the Hawks, who were a league-worst 13-69 last season.

Report: Chiefs CB Warfield suspended four games

BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield reportedly was suspended for the first four games of the 2005 season by the NFL on Tuesday.

According to a report on ESPN.com, Warfield's suspension was the result of multiple DUI convictions.

Warfield, 29, was arrested for DUI on September 20 in Overland Park, Kansas. In January, he pleaded no contest to the felony charges and was sentenced to 10 days in jail and 80 days of house arrest.

A mainstay in the Chiefs' secondary since breaking into the starting lineup in 2001, Warfield has started all but one game over the last four seasons. The 1998 seventh-round pick has 308 tackles and 19 interceptions in 104 games.

Harrington pulls out of British Open due to death of father

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Ticker) - Padraig Harrington of Ireland has pulled out of the British Open due to the death of his father.

Harrington's father, Patrick died Monday night in Dublin. He was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in March.

Harrington did not play in last week's Scottish Open because his father's condition had worsened.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who was 79th in last week's world rankings, replaces Harrington in the field. Bob Estes is flying over from the United States as the first reserve.

After his father was found to have inoperable cancer four months ago, Harrington did not want to play at the Players Championship in Florida, but was persuaded by his father to go. He then returned for the Masters and last month won at the Barclays Classic with an amazing 65-foot eagle putt on the final green.

Harrington's father was too ill to watch the late night television coverage of that event, but was later shown a video.

At Sawgrass in March, Harrington praised the part his father played in his development.

"I've had the best possible background for playing golf, for playing all sports," he said. "I couldn't have got more encouragement from my dad without ever in any sense pushing or wanting to live his life through my sports. It was top-notch."

Harrington trained to be an accountant, but made three appearances in the Walker Cup and won the Spanish Open in his first full season as a pro. He then became known for the number of second-place finishes he had rather than the number of wins, but his triumphs in America have changed that.

In the British Open at Muirfield three years ago, Harrington missed out on a playoff by a single stroke, bogeying the last hole. He led the Masters that year as well, but so far this season has missed the cut in both the Masters and U.S. Open.

Wie survives stroke play at Men's Amateur Public Links

LEBANON, Ohio (Ticker) - Michelle Wie had a tough time surviving stroke play at the U.S. Men's Amateur Public Links Championship. Now the task gets even tougher.

Despite carding an uninspiring 2-over-par 72 on Tuesday, the 15-year-old Wie survived the two-round cut and advanced to match play, keeping alive the chance of playing in The Masters.

"I know match play will be a lot more intense," said the willowy Hawaiian, the first woman to qualify for a men's USGA amateur event.

Wie struggled to a 6-over 76 on Monday and completed 36 holes over the 6,966-yard Shaker Run course at 8-over 148. At that point, she was on the outside looking in, tied for 68th with only the top 64 advancing to six grueling rounds of match play.

However, dozens of players still on the course were unable to match her score and dropped back. The eventual cut was 9-over 149.

The tournament began with the top 154 male amateurs in the country. The championship will be decided by a 36-hole match Saturday, and the winner has received an invitation to The Masters every year since 1989.

Wie's quest continues Wednesday when she meets Will Claxton, who reached the quarterfinals last year. He shot a 2-under 68 on Tuesday.

The 2003 Women's Amateur Public Links champion as a 13-year-old, Wie was not nearly as erratic as she was Monday, when she had a pair of double-bogeys. But she dug herself an early hole with bogeys at her fifth and sixth holes.

She appeared to turn things around with three straight birdies across the turn but quickly undid that with bogeys at Nos. 2, 3 and 5.

"The back nine was still fresh in my mind so I think that helped a lot," Wie said. "I just had a couple of stupid errors (early in the round) and I just had to refocus after that."

Monday's round was similar to Friday's outing at the John Deere Classic, in which Wie nearly became the first woman in 60 years to make a cut on the PGA Tour but collapsed on the back nine.

Wie posted a 36-hole score of 1-over 145 in a sectional qualifier last month at Cedarbrook Golf Course outside Pittsburgh to become the first female to earn a spot in the men's amateur event.

Despite that, Danny Green, whose 5-under 65 matched the best round of the tournament and earned him one of the top four seeds for match play, said, "I just think she should play in women's tournaments."

Participating on a sponsor's exemption, Wie played the PGA Sony Open the last two years in her hometown of Honolulu. She missed the cut by one stroke the first time and fell seven strokes shy of the cut this year.

Wie finished second in the LPGA Championship and was co-leader after three rounds of the U.S. Women's Open before staggering to a final-round 82.

Paris mayor Delanoe says city will not bid for 2016 Olympics

PARIS (Ticker) - Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe confirmed on Tuesday that the city will not bid to host the Olympics in 2016 after losing out on the 2012 Games to London.

The French capital was the favorite to win the right to stage the 2012 Games, but London won the final International Olympic Committee vote, 54-50 in Singapore last Wednesday.

"Paris will not be a candidate for the 2016 Olympics," Delanoe said on French radio station Europe 1.

Delanoe also defended recent comments he made about British Prime Minister Tony Blair and London bid chairman Lord Sebastian Coe.

"I said that the rules the IOC had set up for the bids and the promotion conditions of the bids had not been maintained by London, and I stand by my words," Delanoe said. "The IOC published 117 rules in August 2003. We respected them very strictly. I think London pushed too much.

"Tony Blair, contrary to the rules, met with dozens of IOC members in his suite in Singapore. That's the truth. When London promised plane tickets and dollars to the various national Olympic committees, the IOC shook Sebastian Coe's hands. London's budget was four times bigger than ours."

However, France's former Foreign Affairs minister Michel Barnier told Liberation that Paris can only blame itself for failing to win the Games.

"There is no need to blame our neighbors for our defeat," said Barnier, who was part of the bid committee for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. "This failure is our own. If Paris had won by four votes, we would not have accepted being accused of winning the wrong way."

Missouri LB O'Neal dies during workout

COLUMBIA, Missouri (Ticker) - Missouri redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron O'Neal died during a workout with teammates Tuesday. He was 19.

According to reports, O'Neal collapsed during voluntary workouts. He later died at University Hospital.

"Aaron was a quality young man who was well-liked and respected by his teammates and coaches," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. "We are all very shocked and hurt right now, but the most important thing we can do is focus on Aaron's family and to assist them in any way we can."

O'Neal was listed third on the Tigers' depth chart at middle linebacker.

United States ties Costa Rica, wins Group B

FOXBORO, Massachusetts (Ticker) - The United States didn't need to score in its final first-round match to finish atop Group B in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Playing a conservative match, the U.S. battled to a 0-0 tie against Costa Rica on Tuesday night.

Both the U.S. and Costa Rica finished with identical 2-0-1 records in the round-robin event. However, the Americans won the group by scoring six goals and allowing one. Costa Rica scored four goals and allowed one.

The U.S. will meet a yet to be determined opponent in the quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. Costa Rica will meet Group A winner Honduras, which posted a 1-0 victory over Panama on Tuesday, in the quarterfinals Saturday.

Second in Group A, Panama also advanced to the quarterfinals.

The Americans will be a bit shorthanded in the quarters after defender Frankie Hejduk picked up his second card of the tournament. He also was booked in the opening match against Cuba.

After rolling to a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica last month in a World Cup qualifier, the U.S. did not put much into Tuesday's match. Stars Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley were used as second-half substitutes.

The U.S. improved to 5-0-1 against Costa Rica all-time in the Gold Cup.

In another Group A match, Colombia posted a 2-0 triumph over Trinidad & Tobago. Canada closed out play in Group B with a 2-1 victory over Cuba.

Crew fire coach Andrulis, name Warzycha interim coach

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) - Last in the Eastern Conference of the MLS, the Columbus Crew on Tuesday fired their coach.

The Crew relieved Greg Andrulis of his duties and replaced him with assistant Robert Warzycha on an interim basis.

Andrulis was named interim coach on May 17, 2001 but was rewarded with the full-time position after guiding the team to a 12-4-4 mark that season. His success was far less frequent this year, however, as the Crew have gone 4-10-2 in 2005.

Prior to joining the Crew as an assistant in the Crew's inaugural season of 1996, Andrulis served 12 seasons as soccer coach at Wright State.

"It is with great disappointment that my tenure with the Columbus Crew has closed after 24 years as a successful collegiate and professional soccer coach," Andrulis said in a statement. "It is the first time in 24 seasons tha I have been unable to fulfill my contractual obligations after being terminated for the first time in my career."

In four-plus years with Columbus, Andrulis was 49-43-32 and 2-4-3 in the playoffs. He coached the Crew to the U.S. Open Cup title in 2002.

"We would like to thank Greg Andrulis for his nine-plus years of service to the Crew organization," Columbus general manager Mark McCullers said. "He is a consummate professional, a gracious gentleman and has been a tremendous ambassador for the Crew. However, at this time the best interests of the Crew organization are served by a change in coaching leadership."

Warzycha, who was in his third full season as an assistant, had a 16-year playing career and retired in 2002 as the Crew's all-time leader with 61 assists.