Kile found dead in hotel room
CHICAGO, June 23 (UPI) -- St. Louis Cardinals pitching star Darryl Kile was found dead in his hotel room Saturday. He was 33.
The cause of death had yet to be determined, although Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty said Kile may have died in his sleep at the Westin Hotel.
An autopsy will be performed Sunday. Kile's father died at the age of 44 due to a blood clot in his brain.
Jocketty said the Cardinals realized Kile was not with the team around 1:15 p.m. EDT, some two hours before their scheduled game with the Chicago Cubs, which was later postponed.
Jocketty said Kile's room was called several times before hotel security was informed. Security then used forced entry to gain access to the room, where Kile was found in his bed.
The team said there were no disruptions present and foul play was not being considered by Chicago police. Team officials also said Kile's pre-season physical examination showed no hint of disease.
"Our club is just totally staggered, devastated," La Russa said.
The Wrigley Field crowd was in place and awaiting the start of the game when, 25 minutes after the scheduled starting time, Cubs catcher Joe Girardi broke the news to the fans.
"We regret to inform you because of a tragedy in the Cardinal family that the commissioner has canceled the game today. Thank you," Girardi said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I ask that you say a prayer for the St. Louis Cardinals family."
A three-time All-Star who once threw a no-hitter, Kile was 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA during his 12th major league season and third with St. Louis. One of his best seasons came with the Cardinals in 2000, when he went 20-9 with a 3.91 ERA.
The righthander was scheduled to pitch Sunday against the Cubs.
Castillo's hitting streak ends at 35 games
MIAMI, June 23 (UPI) -- The 35-game hitting streak of Luis Castillo came to an end in odd fashion Saturday night with Castillo watching from the on-deck circle as Tim Raines completed a ninth-inning rally by delivering a sacrifice fly that gave the Florida Marlins a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Castillo went hitless in his four at bats and as the bottom of the ninth began, the Marlins needed to send seven batters to the plate in order to give him another chance.
With Florida trailing, 4-1, Cliff Floyd started the ninth with a fly out to left, after which Derrek Lee tripled. Preston Wilson then walked and both runners scored on a double by Charles Johnson to make it 4-3.
Homer Bush came in to run for Johnson and Andy Fox reached on an infield single. A throwing error on the play allowed Bush to score the tying run and Fox went to second. That brought up Tim Raines with one out and if Raines had not driven in the winning run, Castillo would have had a chance to extend what wound up being the 10th longest hitting streak in major league history.
Juan Acevedo, who relieved Jose Paniagua to start the inning, threw a wild pitch that allowed Fox to go to third and he came in with the game-winner when Raines hit a fly ball to center.
Castillo flied out in the first inning, struck out in the third and grounded out in his final two at bats.
He broke Rogers Hornsby's previous record for a second baseman when he surpassed 33 straight games with at least one hit. His streak was the longest in the major leagues since Milwaukee's Paul Molitor hit in 39 straight games in 1987.
Other interleague results: New York Yankees 1, San Diego 0; Los Angeles 5, Boston 4; Baltimore 4, San Francisco 2; Atlanta 15, Chicago White Sox 2; Cleveland 5, Montreal 4; Minnesota 4, Philadelphia 1 in 11 innings; Texas 3, Pittsburgh 2; Anaheim 8, Milwaukee 2; Kansas City 5, New York Mets 1; Oakland 10, Cincinnati 3; Houston 3, Seattle 2 in 12 innings.
South Korea pulls off another surprise
GWANJU, South Korea, June 23 (UPI) -- Once again, those officiating a World Cup game drew more attention than those who were playing it.
That was of little consequence to the jubilant South Koreans, who might not have even made it into the tournament had it been played somewhere else but who will find themselves facing Germany next Tuesday with a berth in the World Cup final on the line.
"I'd like to have a little glass of champagne to celebrate," said Guus Hiddink, South Korea's Dutch coach. "It's so outrageous, almost without limit."
Those from Spain, however, felt Saturday's outcome was outrageous for another reason. Spain had two goals taken away, one of them in an obvious mistake, and after a scoreless regulation and overtime period it was South Korea advancing on penalty kicks, 5-3.
In the evening's second quarterfinal game, there was another 90 minutes of scoreless soccer. But four minutes deep into overtime, Ilhan Marsiz ran onto a perfect cross by Umit Davala and drove it home to give Turkey a 1-0 win over Senegal.
The first semifinal game will be played Tuesday night in Seoul between Germany and South Korea. On Wednesday night in Saitama, Brazil will take on Turkey. Germany and Brazil, who have combined for seven World Cup titles and 12 appearances in the championship game, will be the heavy favorites.
Italian fans felt their team was robbed in the quarterfinals last Tuesday when South Korea advanced with a 2-1 win in overtime. And now Spain feels the same way after faulty officiating cost it the victory in the extra period.
One goal was negated by a questionable penalty, but there was no question that Spain had a complaint about a second one.
In the third minute of the overtime period, Sanchez Joaquin dribbled to the end line, crossed the ball and Fernando Morientes headed it home for the apparent game winner. But on the sideline, a linesman had his flag up, signaling that Joaquin had taken the ball all the way across the end line before crossing it.
Replays showed that was clearly not the case.
Texas wins College World Series
OMAHA, Neb., June 23 (UPI) -- Texas coach Augie Garrido played a hunch, electing to start Chris Carmichael in his final college game. The senior left fielder made his coach look like a genuis.
Making his first start since the Big 12 Conference championship game in late May, Carmichael came through with a three-run home run Saturday, helping the Longhorns win their first College World Series title in 19 years with a 12-6 victory over South Carolina.
Carmichael entered Saturday's game hitless in one at bat during the College World Series, but in the fifth inning he delivered the biggest hit of his career.
With Texas clinging to a 4-2 lead, Jeff Ontiveros reached on an error and Brandon Fahey singled to start the fifth. Carmicheal then crushed a 1-2 pitch from Chris Spigner over the right field fence, giving the Longhorns a 7-2 lead.
Texas (57-15) held off a late South Carolina comeback attempt to win its fifth title overall, tying Louisiana State and Arizona State for second on the all-time list.
Roger Clemens and Calvin Schiraldi were members of Texas' last championship team in 1983.
Columbus goes first in NHL draft
TORONTO, June 23 (UPI) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets traded up and the Florida Panthers traded down Saturday with both franchises getting their man in the NHL draft.
The punchless Blue Jackets swapped picks with the Panthers, moving up two spots to select Rick Nash, a projected power forward who was the second-ranked North American prospect.
"Rick Nash has been our No. 1 guy all year," Columbus general manager Doug MacLean said. "We absolutely love this guy."
To get Nash, a 6-3, 188-pounder who had 32 goals and 40 assists in 54 games in the Ontario junior league last season, the Blue Jackets also agreed to switch first-rounders with Florida in 2003.
Florida coveted smooth-skating defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and sent third- and fourth-round picks to the Atlanta Thrashers to ensure the top-ranked North American prospect would be available at third overall.
Atlanta general manager Don Waddell obliged, using the No. 2 pick on Finnish goaltender Kari Lehtonen to help a team that ranked last defensively in the NHL in 2001-02.
That left Bouwmeester for the Panthers, who desperately need defensive help.
Keenan likened the 6-3, 209-pound Bouwmeester to former Hart and Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger, who played for Keenan briefly with the St. Louis Blues.
One day after obtaining the fourth overall pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Philadelphia Flyers used it on defenseman Joni Pitkanen, the top-ranked European prospect. The 6-3, 202-pound Finn has been described as a finesse player who likes to carry the puck but is reliable in his own zone.
The Pittsburgh Penguins made it two defensemen in a row, using the fifth overall pick on Boston University freshman Ryan Whitney. The third-ranked North American prospect, Whitney plans to return to school next season.
The next five selections were used on forwards as the Nashville Predators picked right wing Scottie Upshall, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim chose center-right wing Joffrey Lupul, the Minnesota Wild tabbed center Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Florida went with center Petr Taticek and the Calgary Flames selected left wing Eric Nystrom, the son of New York Islanders Stanley Cup hero Bobby Nystrom.
Utah captures third straight
SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 23 (UPI) -- Natalie Williams recorded 20 points and a career-high 22 rebounds Saturday, powering the Utah Starzz to a 77-61 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs and their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Williams' free throw capped a 16-2 run that gave the Starzz a 32-20 lead with 18:33 remaining in the contest.
Utah, which has won five of its last six games, shot only 29 percent from the field in the first half and trailed, 18-16, with 6:48 left.
But the Starzz ripped off an 11-2 spurt to open a 27-20 lead at the intermission, then scored the first five points of the second half.
In the other WNBA game played Saturday, Charlotte defeated Miami, 76-63.
Kaye seeks first tour win
CROMWELL, Conn., June 22 (UPI) -- Jonathan Kaye, winless in 163 PGA Tour starts, shot a 5-under-par 65 Saturday to seize a one-shot lead over Scott Verplank after three rounds of the Greater Hartford Open.
Kaye had six birdies and a bogey at the TPC at River Highlands and had a 54-hole total of 13-under 197 as he seeks his first tour win. He has been second three times, most recently at the 2000 Pennsylvania Classic.
Verplank, who shares the course record of 61, rolled in six consecutive birdies on the back nine en route to a 63. His three-round total of 198 was a shot better than Scott Hoch and two better of Davis Love III.
