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Ballesteros has surgery for brain tumor

MADRID, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Seve Ballesteros, who won five major golf championships, was listed in stable condition Wednesday at a Spanish hospital after surgery for a brain tumor.

Ballesteros, 51, underwent 12 hours of surgery Tuesday at a hospital in Madrid, Efe, the Spanish state news agency, reported. At least part of the tumor was removed during the procedure, hospital officials said.

Officials at La Paz Hospital released a statement saying Ballesteros is "now conscious and in stable condition but may not receive visitors in the coming days until he has recovered from the surgical process."

Ballesteros collapsed Oct. 6 at a Madrid airport and subsequent examinations indicated a brain tumor. On his Web site in a message dated Sunday, Ballesteros confirmed the existence of the tumor and said, "I want to be the best facing the most difficult match of my life."

Ballesteros won the British Open three times and the Masters twice. His 50 European Tour victories top the all-time list there and he had 87 total tournament victories. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999.

Rays turn to pitcher Kazmir for Game 5

BOSTON, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Left-handed pitcher Scott Kazmir gets the start Thursday for the Tampa Bay Rays, who are one win over the Boston Red Sox away from their first World Series.

Tampa Bay Manager Joe Maddon Wednesday said he was replacing scheduled starter James Shields with Kazmir for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series Thursday in Boston. The Rays own a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Shields would get the start in a potential Game 6 Saturday in Florida.

Maddon said Kazmir has had more success at Boston's Fenway Park. Shields, 0-3 with a 10.12 earned run average in three career starts in Boston, has been strong at home. He was 9-2 with a 2.59 ERA in home games in the regular season.

The change allows Kazmir, who started ALCS Game 2 and allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings in a game the Rays won in 11 innings, to pitch on a regular amount of rest. He owns a 4-4 record and 3.02 ERA in games pitched in Fenway Park.

Cyclist Bastianelli receives doping ban

ROME, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Italy's Anti-Doping Tribunal has ordered Marta Bastianelli, a former world cycling champion, banned from the sport for a year for doping.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that the 2007 World Road Race Champion received Wednesday's one-year ban after testing positive for stimulant flenfluramine in July.

The positive test precluded the cyclist from participating in the Beijing Olympic Games despite her claims that she had been using the banned substance only as a dietary aid.

Bastianelli was officially pulled from professional competitions on Aug. 8 so the cycling ban will be retroactively applied to that date.

ANSA said Bastianelli may appeal the year-long ban, which was reduced from its mandatory two-year length due to unspecified mitigating circumstances.

Browns' Wright leads AFC weekly honorees

NEW YORK, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Cleveland defensive back Eric Wright, who returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown, was selected the AFC defensive player of the week.

Wright's touchdown sealed a 35-15 Browns' win over the New York Giants and the announced Wednesday by the NFL marked his first AFC defensive player award. Also honored Wednesday were Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning and Houston kick returner Jacoby Jones.

Wright also had three tackles in the game with the Giants. The interception in the fourth quarter gave him a team-leading three for the season.

Manning, being named AFC offensive player of the week for a 17th time, passed for 271 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-3 win over Baltimore.

Jones' second-quarter 70-yard punt return for a touchdown helped the Texans beat Miami 29-28. It was his first weekly AFC special team honor.