Sat, Jul 04, 2009

Sports

sports shorts

From World Series champions to runners-up, Burrell joins Rays

the associated press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.06.2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays added Pat Burrell's big bat to the middle of their lineup, agreeing Monday on a $16 million, two-year contract with the 32-year-old slugger.
Burrell spent the past nine seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, who defeated the Rays in the World Series last year.
Burrell hit .250 with 33 homers, 33 doubles, 86 RBIs and 102 walks in a career-high 157 games in 2008. He's a .257 career hitter with 251 homers.
● Carl Pohlad, a billionaire banker whose Minnesota Twins won World Series titles in 1987 and 1991 during his nearly quarter-century as owner, died Monday. He was 93.
Gymnastics
Wildcats No. 18 in preseason poll
The UA gymnastics squad will open the season as the 18th- ranked team in the country in a national preseason poll.
"It's nice and it shows people's respect for our program," Arizona head coach Bill Ryden said in a news release. "All we can do is try and live up to that ranking and exceed it."
Arizona was one of five Pac-10 teams to show up in the rankings. UCLA led the way at No. 4, followed by No. 5 Stanford and No. 9 Oregon State. ASU is 24th.
The Wildcats have their first meet Saturday at Minnesota.
tennis
Roddick wins first match in Qatar
DOHA, Qatar — Fourth-seeded Andy Roddick moved into the second round of the Qatar Open with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ivan Navarro of Spain on Monday.
Fifth-seeded Gael Monfils of France also advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic.
● In Brisbane, Australia, top-seeded Ana Ivanovic began her 2009 season Monday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the Brisbane International. Ivanovic reached the Australian Open final last season and held the No. 1 ranking for part of the year.
● In Perth, Australia, Dominik Hrbaty upset James Blake 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1) Monday to lead Slovakia over defending champion USA at the Hopman Cup.
Hockey
Canada wins fifth world junior title
OTTAWA — Canada won its fifth straight gold medal at the world junior hockey championships, beating Sweden 5-1 in the final Monday night.
The streak ties Canada's record of five consecutive titles in this tournament from 1993 to 1997. It is its 15th gold overall.
Contains material from a news release