I Tuesday, July 27,2010 i INFUP r ~ \• i ti; ; .. ; % MLB Philadelphia vs. Arizona 7:05 p.m., CSN Pittsburgh at Colorado 8:40 p.m., FSN WNBA San Antonio at New York, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2 Phoenix at Seattle 9:30 p.m., ESPN (AP) HOF changes voting for veterans The baseball Hall of Fame has changed the way that managers, umpires, execu tives and long-retired players will be considered for elec tion. Candidates will be reviewed in three eras: Pre- Integration (1871-1946), Golden (1947-1972) and Expansion (starting in 1973). One composite ballot will be considered in each era. The Expansion Era ballot will include 12 candidates, while the Golden and Pre- Integration era ballots each will have 10. Drexel players face robbery charges Two Drexel University bas ketball players face robbery and weapons charges after an armed robbery at a fellow stu dent’s apartment in which they went looking for cash but came away only with two cell phones, police said. Jamie Harris, 21, the team’s starting point guard and leading scorer, and Kevin Phillip, 21, a backup forward, turned themselves in Monday, Philadelphia police Lt. John Walker said. A third man, Devon Bond, 21, also a Drexel student, was arrested last week. Police allege the three hatched a bizarre scheme to take money that Bond believed to be in an off-cam pus apartment in west Philadelphia. No change in Vick’s playing status An NFL spokesman says there has been no change in Michael Vick’s playing status, so the Eagles quarterback reported to training camp on Monday as expected. When asked whether a league investigation of Vick has been completed, Greg Aiello tells The Associated Press in an e-mail the NFL would have no further com ment on Vick at this time. Vick reiterated on Monday that he has done nothing wrong. Taurasi sitting out would hurt league Diana Taurasi is contem plating sitting out next year’s WNBA season due to fatigue. Taurasi, like most WNBA stars spends her winters playing in Europe. This year long cycle, along with Team USA commitments can be very draining on a player. While the need to take a step back and rest is under standable, Taurasi is taking the wrong time off. As an American, she should be con cerned about supporting an American league, especially one in desperate need of some kind of publicity boost. Q: What is the Philadelphia Phillies’ record for most consecutive regular season wins at Citizens Bank Park? Monday’s Answer: Greg LeMond became the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986. Spikes hold off Scrapp By Jake Kaplan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER In Monday night’s seventh inning, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers did something no team had done ==^=^ against the cpikpc State College Spike" jpikes since Friday. They scored a run. The four runs state College the Scrappers scored were still not enough, ,? however, as the Spikes pounded Mahoning Valley out ten hits on the way to a 6-4 win Monday night Phils win sth straight, sweep Rockies By The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA - Brad Lidge escaped another bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning and the Philadelphia —== Phillies held off R the Colorado 5-4 ' .tockies Monday to com plete a four-game sweep. Backup catcher Philadelphia Brian Schneider’s two-run triple sent the Phillies toward their fifth straight win. The two-time Colorado NL champions, still minus injured All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, pulled with in 4‘/2 games of idle East-leading Atlanta. The Rockies lost their sixth in a row and limped home after a 2-9 road trip. Seth Smith hit a two-out, two run homer off Lidge in the ninth Garza’s no-hitter leads Rays over Tigers Matt Garza throws a pitch in the first inning Monday. Punters, returners compete for ( ZjdtM GKQJL Vgga&mcrct Series note: This is the first in an eight-part series taking a look at each position heading into fall camp, which starts Aug. 5. By Audrey Snyder COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER The last time the Nittany Lions’ special teams unit stepped foot inside Beaver Stadium, there were a lot of questions. =— ———— With wide cnnTRAi i receiver Graham FOOTBALL Zi \d fi Jug am. rormer ~~ walk on Russell Nye punting, it did n’t take long for the Lions to under stand Zug’s 37.5-yard average needed a little work. However, Zug may have been the Lions’ only choice during the spring game, as Anthony Ftera did n’t participate after being cited for underage drinking. But shortly after the Blue-White game, the Lions announced punter Alex Butterworth would be a late addition to the recruiting class. With Pera and Nye offering Butterworth competition, kicker Collin Wagner said the team now has plenty of options at punter. Though Wagner was quick to at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio. First baseman Matt Curiy and right fielder Cole White led State College (20-18), combining to go 6- for-6 with three runs scored and three RBI. Center fielder Mel Rojas Jr. added two RBI on two hits. Early on, it appeared as if it might turn out similar to Sunday night’s 1-0 Spikes’ win as both teams were scoreless after four frames. However, a two-run double to right field by Rojas in the fifth inning gave State College a 2-0 lead. The Spikes increased the mar gin the next inning off Mahoning Valley (14-24) relief pitcher Kyle Smith. Two singles, a walk and three stolen bases, including a and Colorado went on to load the bases, but Ryan Spilborghs hit a tapper to the left side of the plate. Lidge came in and made a strong throw to first base for the final out, getting his 10th save in 13 chances. On Sunday, Lidge struck out lan Stewart with the bases loaded to preserve a 4-3 victory. Joe Blanton (4-6) won for the first time since beating Cleveland on June 24. He gave up two runs in the first, but allowed only three more hits before leaving after six innings with a 5-2 lead. The Phillies took the lead for good by scoring three times in the second. Ross Gload singled off Jason Hammel (7-6), Greg Dobbs doubled and Schneider hit his first triple since Sept. 22,2007. Colorado first baseman Jason Giambi then made errors on con secutive plays. First, he dropped Hammel’s throw on Blanton's comebacker. Next, Giambi fielded a grounder by Jimmy Rollins but threw low to shortstop Clint add the position is still “wide open” from 51, 52, 53 [yards] give it a heading into fall practice, he said chance from there,” Wagner said. Fera and Nye have punted pretty “It’s all different [during the sum well. mer], but as far as me just going Butterworth enrolled for the out kicking by myself, I can go out second summer session, thus 55,56 [yards].” allowing him to workout with his Wagner has been asked if having teammates before their first offi- a new quarterback made him focus rial practice. on improving his distance, but he Regardless of the punting situa- said it’s more so about him build tion, Wagner said he’s trying to add ing off the confidence he estab more distance to his kicks. fished after completing one full “I’m just trying to be able to hit season. Collin Wagner (36) kicks an extra point in a game against Syracuse last season. steal of home by designated hitter Chase Lyles, helped expand the State College lead to four. White added a two-run single to left field in the eighth to make it 6-1. Entering Monday night’s game, seven Spikes’ hurlers had com bined to throw 22 consecutive scoreless innings spanning three games. The streak reached a State College-record 28 innings before a groundout by Mahoning Valley third baseman Justin Toole scored left fielder Brian Heere, who reached base on a walk and advanced on another walk and a passed ball. Zack Von Rosenberg threw four scoreless innings to start the game, giving up three hits, while striking out three. Zack Dodson Matt Siocum/AP Brian Schneider hits a two-run triple in the second inning Monday. Schneider knocked in two runs and scored two more in the win. Barmes trying to get a forceout, gle and Schneider walked. A sacri letting Schneider score. fice by pinch-hitter Cody Ransom Philadelphia scored twice in the set up RBI singles by Placido sixth after Dobbs led off with a sin- Polanco and Raul Ibanez. Fred Goodall THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Matt Garza pitched the first no-hitter in Tampa Bay Rays history and the fifth in the major leagues this sea- Ml R son, beating the ” e Detroit Tip ' 5-0 jetroii igers Monday night. Garza faced the minimum 27 bat ters, allowing only Tampa Bay a second-inning walk to Brennan Boesch, for a team that’s often been on the wrong end Detroit of pitching gems lately. The Rays have been held hitless three times since last July, includ ing a pair of perfect games that were thrown against them. “It was one of those days where Mike Carlson/AP The Daily Collegian ers entered in the fifth, and threw 2.2 innings. He struggled with his command, walking four Scrappers, but allowed no hits and just the one unearned run before reliever Ryan Beckman took over. The Scrappers scored two more rims in the eighth off Beckman and one more off Jason Townsend in the ninth before Scrappers right fielder Carlos Moncrief was caught stealing to end the game. The Spikes, who are officially halfway through their 76-game season, have a day off today before returning home to face the rival Williamsport Crosscutters at 7:05 Wednesday night. To e-mail reporter: jyksl42@psu.edu everything lined up,” Garza said. “The defense made great plays. I really can’t say enough about them.” The last time there were at least five no-hitters in a season was 1991, when Hall of Earner Nolan Ryan threw one of seven in the big leagues that year, according to STATS LLC. Garza, the 2008 AL champi onship series MVR rebounded from one of his worst outings of the season. He retired pinch-hitter Ramon Santiago for the final out on an easy fly ball to right fielder Ben Zobrist, who made a terrific running catch in the third to rob Danny Worth of a hit. Garza’s teammates mobbed him near the mound after a perform ance that left the New York Mets and San Diego Padres as the only big league teams without a no-hitter. The Rays began play in 1998. openings As for the Lions’ return game, cornerback Chaz Powell should be receiving most of the reps at kick returner. Powell was the Lions’ top return man last season and despite his longest kick return totaling 54 yards, Powell’s 16 returns last year still make him the most experi enced. Regardless of who steps up in addition to Powell, running back Evan Royster is certain he won’t be a part of punt returns. Though he fielded six returns last season, the centerpiece of the Lions’ offense is happy to share his punt returning duties with some one else. Royster said he’s certain other players can take care of the return game and said he “doubts” he’ll be too involved with special teams. “We have some guys that can step up and do the return game and stuff like that,” Royster said. “I doubt I’ll be too involved with that, but definitely catching the ball out of the backfield and trying to split out. I think we’ll try and get into that.” The platoon of Justin Brown, Drew Astorino and Zug may be the punt returners the Lions lean on heading into the season. The Lions will have to decide which direction they want to go with the punt returners and also nail down a punter before the team prepares for its Sept. 4 opener against Youngstown State. To e-mail reporter: aass22o@psu.edu
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