Athletics streak reaches 18
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Miguel Tejada hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning Sunday that rallied the Oakland Athletics to their record-breaking 18th straight victory, a dramatic, 7-5 decision over the Minnesota Twins.
Tejada's homer came after the Athletics had squandered a two-run lead in the top of the ninth.
The major leagues' longest winning streak in 49 years appeared in jeopardy when A's starter Mark Mulder surrendered solo homers to Matt LeCroy and Corey Koskie in the top of the ninth. Closer Billy Koch served up another solo blast to rookie Michael Cuddyer as Minnesota took a 5-4 lead.
But Ramon Hernandez drew a leadoff walk on eight pitches from closer Eddie Guardado (1-3). Ray Durham fell behind 1-2 before lining a single to right. Pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz took a controversial third strike, but Tejada -- who had a two-run homer in the third inning -- hit a 1-2 pitch into the left-center field seats for his 30th home run of the season.
It sent the crowd of 37,676 at Network Associates Coliseum into a frenzy and broke the record for the longest winning streak in franchise history. It also was the Athletics' second walk-off three-run homer against Guardado this season after Saenz hit one on July 2.
The 18-game run matches the second-longest in American League history. The 1947 New York Yankees and 1906 Chicago White Sox share the record with 19-game winning streaks. The major league mark is 26, owned by the 1916 New York Giants.
Other American League results: Boston 7, Cleveland 1; Toronto 7, New York 6; Chicago 7, Detroit 0; Seattle 9, Kansas City 5; Anaheim 9, Baltimore 3; Tampa Bay 8, Texas 3.
Smoltz saves 49th game
MONTREAL, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- John Smoltz notched his major league-leading 49th save and Kevin Millwood drove in two runs to gain his sixth straight victory Sunday, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 6-4 victory over the Montreal Expos.
Saving all six wins on Atlanta's 12-game road trip, Smoltz retired the side in order in the ninth to move within eight of the record of 57, set in 1990 by Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox.
Millwood (15-6), who has lost just once in 14 decisions since May 18, allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four, struck out four and helped his own cause with a two-run double in the fourth inning that snapped a tie and gave the Braves a 3-1 lead.
Julio Franco had three hits and scored twice for the Braves, who reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to 11.
Other National League results: Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 2; Florida 8, Pittsburgh 4; Philadelphia 9, New York 5; Chicago 5, St. Louis 4; Los Angeles 2, Houston 1; San Diego 9, Colorado 5; Arizona 7, San Francisco 6.
Serena beats Bedanova and the rain
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Top seed and former champion Serena Williams blew past Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-1, Sunday to earn a berth in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.
Because of persistent rains, the Williams-Bedanova match was the only one completed all day, leaving the tournament with a busy Monday schedule.
Williams waited out a rain delay of six hours, 40 minutes before taking the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium and then needed just 41 minutes to dispatch the 20th-seeded Bedanova.
Other singles matches were moved to outside courts in order to get as much tennis in as possible, but rain began to fall again and it forced postponement of the rest of the action.
Seeking her third consecutive Grand Slam title, Williams roared through the first set in 18 minutes and simply overpowered her opponent, producing 16 winners and just one unforced error in the set. Overall, Williams had 35 winners and five unforced errors to five winners and six unforced errors for Bedanova.
Williams never faced a break point. She has defeated Bedanova in all three of their meetings and has not surrendered more than four games in a set. They last met in the 2001 Australian Open, where Williams rolled, 6-2, 6-2.
Williams and older sister Venus are the top two seeds at the Open and are trying to produce the fourth all-Williams final in the last five Grand Slam events. Serena Williams has lost a total of 10 games in winning four matches and reaching the quarterfinals.
Virginia Tech impressive against LSU
BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Lee Suggs scored two touchdowns and the special teams blocked a pair of punts Sunday as 16th-ranked Virginia Tech rolled to a convincing 26-8 victory over No. 14 LSU.
Suggs carried 23 times for 89 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a two-yarder early in the final period.
Suggs' first score was set up by Justin Hamilton's punt block that gave the Hokies (2-0) possession at the LSU 29. In the closing seconds, Jason Lallis blocked another punt by Donnie Jones through the end zone for a safety.
Since coach Frank Beamer arrived at Virginia Tech, the Hokies have blocked 92 kicks. He has been criticized for arranging easy non-conference schedules, but this year, Tech is playing LSU, Marshall and Texas A&M before moving into its Big East slate.
In Louisville, Kentucky put together a tremendous defensive effort against highly touted quarterback Dave Ragone and the Wildcats handed the 18th ranked Cardinals a stunning 22-17 setback.
Minnesota football player killed
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- University of Minnesota defensive end Brandon Hall was fatally shot late Saturday night in downtown Minneapolis following a victory celebration. He was 19.
Coach Glen Mason made the announcement at a Sunday morning news conference.
Hall was shot near a downtown bar after a group of Golden Gophers teammates confronted three men who allegedly robbed another player, said police spokeswoman Cyndi Barrington.
The handgun used in the shooting was recovered. The incident took place on a street corner at 2 a.m.
Members of the football team and their parents were informed of the death and the university made counseling services available to them as well as to other students impacted by the tragedy.
Gordon wins second straight
DARLINGTON, S.C., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- After breaking a 31-race NASCAR Winston Cup winless streak last week, Jeff Gordon did not wait long for his next victory.
Gordon was the best at the end of a very long day at Darlington Raceway Sunday as he won the Southern 500 for his his 60th career Winston Cup victory and fifth in this race.
The start was delayed nearly two hours due to rain, but once the 367-lap event finally got under way, it was a typical race at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval -- filled with crashes and hard driving.
For most of the race, it appeared that Winston Cup points leader Sterling Marlin would win as he dominated the first 239 laps. He led four times for 113 laps. But Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo came on strong and the four-time Winston Cup champion took the lead by passing Marlin on lap 240, one lap after a restart.
Despite a few more caution periods, Gordon stayed in front and went on to defeat rookie Ryan Newman by 1.734 seconds. Bill Elliott was third in a Dodge and was followed by Marlin and the Ford Taurus of Dale Jarrett.
Sauers wins Air Canada Championship
SURREY, British Columbia, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Gene Sauers returned to the winner's circle at a PGA Tour event for the first time in 13 years Sunday, holding off a host of players to capture the Air Canada Championship.
A 40-year-old playing without a PGA Tour card, Sauers earned his third career title by shooting a 2-under-par 69 at the Northview Golf and Country Club. His 72-hole total of 15-under 269 was just good enough.
Sauers claimed the 1986 Bank of Boston Classic and 1989 Hawaiian Open but lost his tour card in 1995 and has been toiling on the Buy.com Tour ever since. Sunday's victory gives him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
It also netted him $630,000 -- more than he has won in any year since he turned professional in 1984. Sauers had collected just over $75,000 in a combined 14 events on the PGA and Buy.com tours this season.
American Solheim Cup team determined
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Emilee Klein played her way onto the United States Solehim Cup team Sunday and American captain Patty Sheehan chose veterans Kelly Robbins and Pat Hurst to fill out the squad that will try to regain the cup from Europe later this month.
The American group will include five Solheim Cup rookies in what will be the seventh renewal of the most significant event in women's team golf.
The top 10 points earners in a two-year competition earned automatic spots on the team and Klein went into Sunday's final round at the State Farm Classic in 12th place on that list -- less than three points behind No. 10 Robbins.
Klein finished tied for fourth, giving her 10 points, and she vaulted her way to ninth place in the standings.
She joined fellow-rookies Laura Diaz, Wendy Ward, Cristie Kerr and Kelli Kuehne as automatic qualifiers for the team. The other five to earn spots were Juli Inkster, Rosie Jones, Michele Redman, Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel.
Although Robbins was bumped out of the top 10, she received one of Sheehan's wild card picks. Robbins has an 8-6-2 Solheim Cup record and Hurst is 5-2-1.
Dottie Pepper earned enough points to finish among the top 10, but she will not be able to play because of a shoulder injury.
