Giants win NLCS to go to World Series
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Kenny Lofton's line drive single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning scored David Bell as the San Francisco Giants closed out the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1, Monday night in Game Five of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
Barry Bonds gave the Giants a 1-1 tie with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning when the Cardianals had to pitch to him because he came to bat with the bases loaded.
With the win, the Giants earned the right to represent the NL in the World Series. San Francisco will travel down the coast to Anaheim on Saturday for Game One of the best-of-seven set.
San Francisco last reached the World Series in 1989, losing in four games to the Oakland Athletics. St. Louis was attempting to reach the World Series for the first time since 1987.
The World Series is the first between wild card winners.
NBA suspends two for DUI
NEW YORK, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The NBA on Monday suspended Philadelphia 76ers forward Derrick Coleman and Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas for the first game of the regular season following separate charges of driving under the influence.
Coleman was pulled over for speeding and arrested this summer in a Detroit suburb for suspicion of drunk driving. The 12-year NBA veteran was faced with a similar charge in 1999, when he was with Charlotte, but was acquitted.
Ilgauskas, a 7-3 Lithuanian whose career has been slowed by foot injuries, was stopped in suburban Cleveland last month for erratic driving. He was arrested after failing field sobriety tests.
Both players pleased no contest to their charges.
Piniella decides to leave Mariners
SEATTLE, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Lou Piniella, who endured a trying season with the Seattle Mariners, has decided not to return to the team in 2003.
The Mariners said Piniella based his decision on personal and family reasons. A Tampa native, Piniella said the decision "had nothing to do with baseball."
Piniella, who guided the Mariners to a 93-69 mark in 2002, is under contract for next season, so if he decides to return to the dugout in 2003, the Mariners could demand compensation.
Piniella reportedly is a leading candidate for vacancies with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and New York Mets.
Several media outlets, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and New York Newsday, reported that Piniella has asked the Mariners permission to speak with the New York Mets, who fired Bobby Valentine earlier this month.
"The thing with me, basically, was the distance," Piniella told the Post-Intelligencer. "It got harder and harder, and that's the primary reason. There are family issues, and it just so happens there are a couple of jobs much closer to home. That's it."
Piniella, who lives in Tampa, Fla., apparently became disenchanted with Seattle. One story in a New Jersey newspaper quoted an unnamed Mets source saying that club would be willing to compensate the Mariners with money or players to get Piniella as manager.
Fiedler out indefinitely with thumb injury
DAVIE, Fla., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins Monday learned that veteran quarterback Jay Fiedler likely will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a broken right thumb in Sunday's dramatic come-from-behind 24-22 win at Denver.
Fiedler was hurt with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter. Team doctors say he will be sidelined indefinitely.
"It's a right thumb fracture, down near the joint," said Fiedler, who completing two passes for 39 yards to set up a game-winning 53-yard field goal by Olindo Mare with six seconds left.
Fiedler broke the thumb when he banged it off a helmet after completing a pass to running back Ricky Williams.
Despite the injury, Fiedler came out for Miami's last possession after Jason Elam boomed a 55-yard field goal to give Denver a 22-21 lead with just 45 seconds remaining. After two incomplete passes, Fiedler faced a third down play with 29 seconds left and fired a 17-yard pass to rookie tight end Randy McMichael.
Fiedler was fortunate on his next pass, which was tipped by Broncos linebacker John Mobley into the hands of Dolphins wide receiver Dedric Ward for a 22-yard gain to the Denver 35 with 11 seconds left, setting up Mare's winning kick.
The win gave the Dolphins (5-1) a two-game lead in the AFC East over New England and Buffalo.
Ray Lucas is Miami's backup quarterback, and former Washington Redskin Sage Rosenfels is third string.
The Dolphins host Buffalo this Sunday before a bye week. At 5-1, Miami is tied with San Diego, Green Bay, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay for best overall record in the NFL.
Corretja, Robredo advance at Madrid
MADRID, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Alex Corretja and Tommy Robredo made the hometown fans happy Monday with first-round victories at the inaugural Tennis Masters Series event in Madrid.
Corretja beat countryman Fernando Vicente, 6-4, 7-5, and Robredo topped Max Mirnyi of Belarus, 6-4, 6-4, in the first day of the $2.578 million indoor hardcourt event.
A fourth Spaniard in action, Francisco Clavet, was thrashed by Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian, 6-1, 6-1.
Corretja owns a pair of titles this season, although both came on clay. His last hardcourt championship was three years ago. He will next face ninth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, who received a first-round bye as one of the top-16 seeds.
In a battle of French qualifiers, Fabrice Santoro defeated Julien Boutter, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), to advance to a second-round meeting with top seed and defending champion Tommy Haas of Germany.
Also, Fernando Gonzalez of Chile dispatched Brazilian qualifier Andre Sa, 6-3, 6-2, and former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios of Chile routed Gaston Gaudio of Argentina, 6-2, 6-2. Rios avoided a three-match losing streak with his win over Gaudio. Still seeking his first final appearance of the season, the former world No. 1 has been suffering from knee problems but does not think it will be a problem this week.
In other matches, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, got past Rainer Schuettler of Germany, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); Mikhail Youzhny of Russia rolled by Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina, 6-2, 6-2; Magnus Norman of Sweden overcame Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2; and Belgium's Xavier Malisse beat Stefan Koubek of Austria, 6-2, 6-4.
James Blake, the only American in action Monday, lost to Argentine qualifier Agustin Calleri, 6-4, 6-2. Calleri goes against second seed Marat Safin of Russia in the second round Tuesday.
Falcons linebacker on injured reserve
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons placed rookie linebacker Will Overstreet on injured reserve Monday and signed linebacker Karon Riley from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Overstreet, 6-2, 259, was drafted by the Falcons in the third round out of Tennessee. He aggravated his left shoulder injury in the third quarter of the Giants game on Sunday.
Oversreet originally injured his shoulder at training camp and was held out of the first two preseason games. He aggravated the shoulder injury in the preseason-finale at Cincinnati.
Overstreet suffered a slightly torn labrum and ligament during practice on Aug. 6. He returned to practice the next day with a harness on his shoulder, but was held out of contact. After consulting with a doctor in Birmingham, it was believed at the time that the shoulder injury was manageable without surgery.
After missing the first three games Overstreet played in his first NFL regular season game vs. Tampa Bay on Oct. 6.
Overstreet is expected to undergo surgery to repair his shoulder in the next few weeks.
Riley, 6-2, 268 pounds, was originally drafted by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2001 draft out of Minnesota. Last season he played in five games in a reserve role on the defensive line and as a special teams player. He was waived by Chicago prior to the start of the 2002 season and then was signed to the Falcons practice squad on Sept. 3.
Chiefs rookie Sims out for season
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Rookie defensive tackle Ryan Sims, the first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs and sixth overall selection, will miss the rest of the season with a dislocated left elbow.
Sims suffered the injury in the first quarter of Kansas City's 35-34 loss at San Diego on Sunday. After making contact with a lineman, Sims put his left arm on the ground to balance himself and had someone fall on him.
The loss of Sims, who was just starting his second game on Sunday, is a major blow to a defense that is ranked last in the league and yielded 465 yards to San Diego. Derrick Ransom, a fifth-year player who was unseated as the starter by Sims two weeks ago, will move back into a starting role.
The Chiefs (3-3) have yielded an average of 32.2 points per game, better only than the New York Jets and Buffalo.
Kansas City ranked 27th against the run last season and traded up to take Sims in the draft. He missed all of training camp in a contract dispute. Sims reported in time to play in the season opener at Cleveland, but did not make his first start until the Oct. 6 win against the Jets.
Dokic stops slide at Swisscom Challenge
ZURICH, Switzerland, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Fifth seed Jelena Dokic snapped a four-match skid Monday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Croatia's Iva Majoli in the first round of the $1.22 million Swisscom Challenge.
Since falling in the semifinals at the Princess Cup in Japan, Dokic has lost her last three matches despite receiving first-round byes. But she has reached at least the semifinals in five of her last nine events and is second only to Venus Williams by reaching the semifinals in 10 tournaments this year.
The 19-year-old Yugoslavian, who has captured two titles this year, was runner-up here to Lindsay Davenport last season. She improved to 4-2 lifetime against Majoli, winning their last three matchups.
Spain's Conchita Martinez dispatched Swiss wild card Myriam Casanova, 6-4, 6-3. Martinez, who reached the semifinals here in 1988, appeared in her first final of the season two weeks ago in Bali. She will take on top seed Jennifer Capriati in the next round.
Two Russians moved into the second round as Elena Dementieva defeated German qualifier Anca Barna, 6-2, 7-5, and Tatiana Panova dispatched Luxmembourg's Anne Kremer, 6-4, 6-2. Panova will square off against defending champion Lindsay Davenport, the second seed, in the next round.
Sixers sign center Olden Polynice
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Center Olden Polynice, who has had his troubles off the court, on Monday signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Terms were not disclosed for Polynice, who did not play last season but is joining his sixth team in his 14-year career.
Polynice last played for the Utah Jazz in the 2000 season, averaging 5.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in 81 games. He was arrested twice for impersonating a police officer.
The 37-year-old Polynice has career averages of 7.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 1,056 games. The seven-footer also has played with Seattle, the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit and Sacramento during his career. Polynice was selected eighth overall by Chicago in 1987 and sent to the SuperSonics in a draft-day deal for Scottie Pippen.
Broken leg sidelines Rams lineman
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Rams, who finally got their first win of the season Sunday by knocking off the previously unbeaten Oakland Raiders, lost offensive tackle Grant Williams in the process for the balance of the 2002 campaign.
Williams, 28, who has been playing in place of injured All-Pro Orlando Pace, suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured fibula.
The 6-7, 320-pound Williams, in his seventh NFL season, was hurt on the second play of the second quarter, and watched the rest of the game on a monitor in the lockerroom.
Pace, who is recovering from a torn calf, hopes to be ready for next Sunday's contest against the Seattle Seahawks, one of Williams' former teams. He also has played for the New England Patriots.-
Jaguars lose lineman for season
JACKSONVILLE, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars Monday learned that they won't have the services of offensive tackle Maurice Williams for the balance of the 2002 season after he suffered a broken fibula in his right leg in Sunday's 23-14 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Jaguars Coach Tom Coughlin said in his Monday media briefing that Williams will undergo surgery Wednesday and be placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
Williams, 23, in his second year out of Michigan and had started each of the 21 games in his NFL career, had to be carted off the field late in the first quarter after a play in which he was pass blocking for quarterback Mark Brunell The 6-5, 310-pounder was on crutches after the game. With Williams out, the Jaguars likely will use six-year veteran Todd Fordham at right tackle.
a concussion early in the first quarter. He was replaced by rookie David Garrard from East Carolina.
