Spain downs Italy for Euro 2012 title
KIEV, Ukraine, July 1 (UPI) -- Spain became the first team to rack up three straight major championships Sunday, blasting Italy 4-0 in the final of the Euro 2012 tournament.
Spain dominated from the start as David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata scored a goal apiece to hand Italy the biggest margin of defeat in Euro final history.
The Spanish side accomplished history with the third straight win -- they also won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
After Silva opened the scoring, Spain grabbed control 4 minutes before the break when Alba collected a perfectly timed through ball from Xavi and slipped a shot past Gianluigi Buffon.
The backbreaking tally came in the 84th minute when Torres corralled a giveaway in the midfield and went one-on-one with Buffon, beating him with a shot into the back of the net.
Playoff hero Penner stays with Kings
LOS ANGELES, July 1 (UPI) -- Unrestricted free agent forward Dustin Penner opted to stay with the NHL champion Los Angeles Kings Sunday, signing a one-year deal worth $3.25 million.
Penner, 29, made a key offensive contribution in the Kings' run to the 2012 Stanley Cup championship, racking up 11 points in 20 post-season appearances, including an overtime, game-winning goal against Phoenix that sent the Kings to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1993.
The playoff burst followed a disappointing regular season, in which he chipped in seven goals and 17 points over 65 games. Penner was also hurt, missing several weeks with a hand injury.
He has amassed 135 goals and 126 assists with 306 penalty minutes through 489 career games with Anaheim, Edmonton and Los Angeles.
Yanks, Rangers dominate all-star teams
NEW YORK, July 1 (UPI) -- The American League 2012 All-Star Game starting squad will have three members each from the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, MLB announced Sunday.
The San Francisco Giants, meanwhile, will have three starters on the National League team.
The AL all-star starters as voted by fans will include outfielder Josh Hamilton, catcher Mike Napoli and third baseman Adrian Beltre from the Rangers.
Joining them in the starting AL lineup will be second baseman Robinson Cano, shortstop Derek Jeter and outfielder Curtis Granderson from the Yankees.
Other AL starters include Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder, Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista and Boston designated hitter David Ortiz.
The Giants, meanwhile, landed catcher Buster Posey, third baseman Pablo Sandoval and outfielder Melky Cabrera in the NL starting squad.
Joining them there will be Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, Atlanta second baseman Dan Uggla, St. Louis shortstop Rafael Furcal, and outfielders Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Carlos Beltran of the Cardinals.
Slovakia's Sagan wins Tour's Stage 1
SERAING, Belgium, July 1 (UPI) -- Slovakia's Peter Sagan crossed the finish line first Sunday to claim Stage 1 of the 2012 Tour de France.
Sagan barely bested Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara, taking a stage win for the first time at the prestigious race.
He finished the 123-mile course from Liege to Seraing, Belgium, in 4 hours, 58 minutes, 19 seconds.
Saturday prologue winner Cancellara was awarded the same time and remained the overall leader by seven seconds over Britain's Bradley Wiggins and Sylvain Chavanel of France.
