In Sports from United Press International
Arizona leads Atlanta 1-0 in NLCS after Johnson shutout
PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Randy Johnson ended the longest personal losing streak in postseason history Tuesday with an efficient three-hitter and Craig Counsell scored both runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks edged Greg Maddux and the Atlanta Braves, 2-0, in Game One of the National League Championship Series.
Johnson had dropped seven straight postseason decisions, dating to the 1995 American League Division Series--when he was with Seattle. But the three-time Cy Young Award winner was more masterful than overpowering against Atlanta.
The 38-year-old lefthander allowed a two-out single to Chipper Jones in the first inning and retired 20 consecutive batters before Bernard Gilkey walked in the eighth. He retired pinch hitter Mark DeRosa and rookie Marcus Giles easily to open the ninth but surrendered two-strike singles to Julio Franco and Jones.
With runners at the corners, Johnson completed his gem by striking out Brian Jordan.
Counsell, who hit a home run for Arizona in Game Three of the Division Series against St. Louis, had a hand in both rallies. He singled with one out in the first and took third when Braves second baseman Giles failed to field a bouncer up the middle by Luis Gonzalez. Reggie Sanders followed with a line drive up the middle for a 1-0 lead.
In the fifth, Counsell lined a two-out double just out of the reach of Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones and Gonzalez, who had just one RBI in the NLDS, pulled a single into right field for a two-run cushion.
Maddux again took a hard-luck loss in October. The four-time Cy Young Award winner allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five but remained winless in his last nine starts.
Game Two is Wednesday in Arizona, where Atlanta sends veteran lefthander Tom Glavine to the mound against Miguel Batista.
The American League championship starts Wednesday with the New York Yankees at Seattle.
TCU wide receiver out for season
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Texas Christian wide receiver Shane Hudnall suffered a broken leg during practice Tuesday and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Hudnall, a sophomore, was blocking when he rolled into another player, breaking both his right tibia and fibula. He was taken from the field by ambulance and was to undergo surgery Tuesday night, when a rod would be inserted in his leg.
"It's a big loss for us," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "He's a chemistry player for us. You can win with players like Shane Hudnall. Shane's a player who came in and did a great job."
Hudnall, who also handled the kickoff duties for the Horned Frogs, ranked third on the team 12 catches for 78 yards. He was TCU's leading receiver in last week's 48-22 loss to Tulane, grabbing five passes for 45 yards.
New York Jets fine Damien Robinson
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The New York Jets announced Tuesday that they have fined starting free safety Damien Robinson, who was charged Sunday with possession of an assault weapon.
Robinson was arrested several hours before New York's game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon for trying to enter the players' parking lot with an assault rifle in the back of his sports utility vehicle.
State police officers took Robinson to the facility inside Giants Stadium where he was processed. After posting $7,500 bail, Robinson played in Sunday's game and had six tackles.
The Jets fined Robinson a game check for conduct detrimental to the club and set up a counseling program for him. Robinson will also be required to perform community service.
Kuerten loses in second round
STUTTGART, Germany, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil was ousted in the second round of the $2.95 million Tennis Masters Series event on Tuesday when Russian Max Mirnyi rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 victory over the 2001 U.S. Open semifinalist.
Kuerten, the French Open champion, is followed in the seeding by Australian Open winner Andre Agassi of the United States, Hewitt, Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero, and 1998 finalist Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia.
Of those highly-seeded players, Hewitt was the only one in action and also posted a comeback victory, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 over Slovakian Bohdan Ulihrach.
Seventh-seeded Tim Henman of Britain easily dispatched Germany's Axel Pretzsch, 6-3, 6-0, and Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, the 13th seed, defeated hard-serving Aussie Mark Philippoussis, 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-3.
White new Oklahoma quarterback
NORMAN, Okla., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Jason White, who spelled Nate Hybl as Oklahoma quarterback during the past two games, will get his chance to start this Saturday when the second-ranked Sooners (6-0) host Baylor in a Big 12 Conference game, Coach Bob Stoops announced Tuesday.
Hybl started the first six games, but White came off the bench and played well in wins against Texas and Kansas.
White entered the Texas game when Hybl was sidelined with a shoulder injury. He completed 16-of-23 passes for 108 yards and rushed 12 times for 38 yards. Last Saturday at Kansas, White again replaced Hybl in the second period and proceeded to complete 18-of-29 passes for 151 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
White rushed 12 times for 117 yards to mark the first time since 1997 that a Sooner quarterback had broken the century mark in rushing.
Bears re-sign Shane Matthews
LAKE FOREST, Ill., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears re-signed veteran quarterback Shane Matthews Tuesday.
The Bears released Matthews before Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals to make room for Ryan Benjamin, who filled in for injured long snapper Patrick Mannelly. The move was made with the intention of re-signing Matthews sometime during the week. Jim Miller replaced Matthews as the Bears' starting quarterback two weeks ago. Matthews is the backup with Danny Wuerffel listed as third string.
Matthews completed 28-of-49 passes for just 171 yards with two interceptions in Chicago's first two games of the season. Miller came off the bench and threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 17-10 win over Minnesota in Week Two and was named as the starter by coach Dick Jauron the following week.
The 31-year-old Matthews has started 14 games over the last three seasons with the Bears. He threw for a career-best 1,645 yards in 1999 and 964 yards last season. Matthews served mostly as a third-string quarterback in his first five NFL seasons, with Chicago (1993-96) and Carolina (1997-98), before returning to the Bears in 1999.
Jamal Anderson undergoes surgery
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson, who is out for the season, underwent reconstructive knee surgery Tuesoday to repair the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee.
Anderson, who started all 16 of the Falcons' 2000 games after returning from an injury that kept him out all but two games of the 1999 season, suffered his injury on the opening drive at Arizona on September 30.
Anderson rushed for 1,846 yards in 1998 when he led the Falcons to their first Super Bowl. He rushed for 1,024 yards in 2000. He had just 190 yards this season before his latest injury.
