DiMarco leads rain-plagued Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga., April 8 (UPI) -- Chris DiMarco owned a one-shot lead Thursday when a long, wet and wild opening round at the Masters was suspended by darkness.
Heavy rain delayed the start of the first major championship of the year by 5 1/2 hours. When play did get started, blustery winds created high scores and bizarre events.
Tiger Woods putted his ball off the 13th green into Rae's Creek and also suffered a bogey at the par-4 first when a seemingly perfect shot hit the flagstick and ricocheted into a bunker.
Billy Casper, meanwhile, shot the highest score on any one hole in the history of the tournament. He had a 14 at the par-3 16th hole en route to a 106.
DiMarco was 4-under with four holes to play when darkness fell, one shot ahead of Masters rookie Mark Hensby.
Hensby was one of 21 players to complete the first round. Luke Donald was also at 3-under through 14.
Those at 2-under included defending champion Phil Mickelson through 11, world No. 1 Vijay Singh through 11 and Retief Goosen through 15.
Woods was 2-over through 12 and Ernie Els was 3-over through 11.
Van Horn helps Mavericks overwhelm Spurs
DALLAS, April 8 (UPI) -- Keith Van Horn scored 17 points Thursday night and keyed a second-half run as Dallas crushed San Antonio, 104-68.
It was Dallas' sixth win in seven games and only the second loss in seven outings for the Spurs.
Dallas had a nine-point lead at the break and then opened the third quarter with a 17-2 surge. Van Horn scored the final nine points of the outburst.
Dirk Nowitzki added 16 points while Marquis Daniels had 13. Dallas climbed within four games of the Spurs for the Southwest Division lead.
San Antonio was led by 12 points from Brent Barry. It was the Spurs' second worst loss of the season.
Indians score six extra-inning runs
CHICAGO, April 8 (UPI) -- A two-run single by Victor Martinez keyed a six-run 11th inning Thursday as Cleveland rallied to defeat the Chicago White Sox, 11-5.
The Indians faced a 5-0 deficit at one point and still trailed by three going into the ninth before Casey Blake, Coco Crisp and Ron Belliard hit solo homers to force extra innings.
Crisp got the 11th-inning outburst going with a one-out single and Belliard doubled. Travis Hafner was then intentionally walked and Martinez, with the bases loaded, ripped his single that put the Indians in front.
Crisp went five for seven with two runs scored.
Sanchez will not fight steroid suspension
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 8 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez announced Thursday he will not appeal a 10-day suspension handed out for violating baseball's steroid policy.
"After consulting with the players' association and my agent, I have decided not to pursue this matter any further," Sanchez said in a statement.
"At this point, I will serve the remainder of my suspension and then return to the field where I will work as hard as I can to help the Devil Rays organization enjoy a successful season."
Sanchez originally said he would protest the suspension because he had never taken steroids. He later said the banned substances detected in his system came from an over-the-counter supplement.
"If I am guilty, I am guilty of not taking the initiative to learn more about the contents of what I was taking," he said.
Sanchez can return to action on April 14.
No heart attack for Francona
BOSTON, April 8 (UPI) -- Doctors said Thursday that Boston Manager Terry Francona had not suffered a heart attack, but that more tests would be conducted.
Francona, complaining of chest pains, was hospitalized in New York on Wednesday prior to the final game of the Red Sox-Yankees season-opening series.
Later in the evening he was transferred to a hospital in Boston.
"The plan is to perform several series of tests on Terry," said Red Sox team physician Dr. Thomas Gill. "The results of the initial series are very good. His heart function looks strong, and there is no indication whatsoever of a heart attack.
"We plan to perform further tests tomorrow, and, if the results are consistent with what we have seen so far, we hope to be able to release Terry from the hospital soon."
