Giants take lead in World Series
ANAHEIM, Calif., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Superstar slugger Barry Bonds homered in his first plate appearance and J.T. Snow burned his former team with a two-run shot in the sixth inning Saturday night, carrying the San Francisco Giants to a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Angels in the opening game of the World Series.
It was the first World Series game in the history of the Angels and the first in the 17-year career of baseball's all-time, single-season home run record holder.
After both teams went in order in the first inning, Bonds made his first World Series at bat a memorable one, crushing a 2-1 offering from Anaheim starter Jarrod Washburn well over the wall in right field.
He became the the 26th player -- and first since Atlanta's Andruw Jones in 1996 -- to homer in his first World Series at bat.
After Bonds had put San Francisco ahead for good, Washburn retired Benito Santiago. But Reggie Sanders, who was just one for 16 in the National League Championship Series, lined a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right-center field for a 2-0 lead. It was Sanders' first career World Series homer, although he did hit .304 for Arizona in last year's Fall Classic.
Giants starter Jason Schmidt gave back one of the runs in the bottom of the second when he grooved an 0-2 pitch to Troy Glaus. It was the first of two homers in the game for Anaheim's slugging third baseman.
The game remained 2-1 into the sixth and Washburn appeared to be in control, easily retiring Bonds and Santiago. Sanders, however, lined what appeared to be an innocent single and Snow followed by hammering a 3-1 pitch over the center field wall for a home run.
As Snow rounded first base, he raised his fist and pumped it in the air. A native of Southern California who attended Angels games as a youngster, Snow spent the 1993-1996 seasons with the Angels only to be traded away following a disappointing 1996 campaign.
Game 2 will be played Sunday in Anaheim and will feature a battle of veteran righthanders. The Angels hope to get even behind Kevin Appier while the Giants counter with Russ Ortiz.
Teams that have won the first game of the World Series have gone on to claim the championship 60 percent of the time. This marked just the third instance in the last 15 years in which the home team has lost the opener.
Oklahoma flexes its muscles
NORMAN, Okla., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Whatever letdown the Oklahoma Sooners might have been expected to suffer lasted just over a minute Saturday.
That was also how long Iowa State's upset hopes survived.
No. 2 Oklahoma continued to make a case that it might be No. 1 by overwhelming the 13th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, 49-3. The Sooners showed no hangover from their 35-24 victory over Texas a week earlier.
The top-ranked Miami Hurricanes, who barely survived against Florida State last week, had this weekend off while Oklahoma built its momentum.
All but one other member of the top 10 picked up a victory Saturday, the exception being No. 6 Oregon, which suffered an unexpected loss at home to Arizona State.
Before sending his team out to face Oklahoma, Iowa State Coach Dan McCarney said he hoped his players, "would take advantage of the opportunity presented to them."
After the game, he said:
"Their defense was about the best I've coached against and I've around for a long time. I don't believe I've ever played against a defense as good as that one. They dominated our offense from beginning to end."
Terrence Simms recovered a blocked punt in the end zone just 62 seconds into the game and it was all but over. Oklahoma improved to 7-0 for the year and to 3-0 in the Big 12 South.
Iowa State (6-2, 3-1 Big 12 North) had been off to its best start since 1938. The Cyclones were outgained in the first half, 206 yards to four.
Cyclones quarterback Seneca Wallace likely saw his Heisman Trophy hopes washed away following a nightmare performance. He completed one of 12 passes for zero yards in the first two periods and finished four of 22 for 43 yards and three interceptions.
Oklahoma dominated every aspect of the contest. The Sooners picked up 25 first downs to just five for the Cyclones and held a 367-60 edge in total yardage. Iowa State was none for 12 on third-down conversions while Oklahoma was 10 of 21.
The day's biggest shocker came in Eugene, Ore., where the Ducks were trying to extend an 11-game winning streak.
Oregon built a 21-0 lead and then saw the Arizona State Sun Devils storm back for a 45-42 victory on the arm of Andrew Walter, who completed 31 passes for a school record 536 yards and four touchdowns.
A 29-yard field goal with 1:58 remaining by Mike Berth gave Arizona the winning points.
Although Oregon was the only top 10 team to suffer a setback Saturday, there were plenty of close calls.
No. 4 Ohio State had to score late to edge Wisconsin, 19-14; No. 7 survived a battle with No. 15 Air Force, 21-14; No. 8 Texas blocked a last-second field goal try to escape with a 17-14 win over 19th-ranked Kansas State; No. 9 Michigan nipped Purdue, 23-21; and No. 10 North Carolina State barely stayed unbeaten with a 24-22 decision over Duke.
Other than Oklahoma's one-sided win, the only comfortable victories by teams in the top 10 came from No. 3 Virginia Tech, which coasted past Rutgers, 35-14; and Georgia, which overwhelmed Vanderbilt, 48-17.
Red Wings hand Wild first loss
ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Darren McCarty scored his second goal of the game to snap a second-period tie Saturday night and the Detroit Red Wings clamped down in the third period to hand the Minnesota Wild their first loss, 5-3.
Unbeaten through four games for the second straight season, Minnesota grabbed a quick 2-0 lead. Detroit roared back to take the lead before the end of the first period, but Antti Laaksonen tied it in the opening minute of the second.
McCarty put the Red Wings in front for good at 3:32, swatting a puck out of mid-air and past goaltender Dwayne Roloson after Kris Draper's pass deflected off Wild defenseman Lubomir Sekeras.
Detroit protected the lead by limiting Minnesota to four shots in the third period, just one in the final 10 minutes.
Rookie Henrik Zetterberg sealed the Red Wings' third win in four road games with 25 seconds left when his centering pass hit Wild defenseman Filip Kuba and caromed past a helpless Roloson.
The game drew the largest crowd in the state's hockey history.
Other NHL results: Philadelphia 3, Washington 1; Colorado 3, San Jose 1; Nashville 2, New York Rangers 2; Carolina 3, New Jersey 1; New York Islanders 5, Atlanta 4; Columbus 4, Florida 1; Phoenix 3, Buffalo 2; Toronto 2, Montreal 2; Tampa Bay 3, Pittsburgh 3; Calgary 5, Chicago 2; St. Louis 5, Dallas 3; Boston 4, Edmonton 3; Vancouver 2, Los Angeles 2.
DiMarco keeps Disney lead
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Chris DiMarco maintained his two-stroke lead at the Disney Classic Sunday and will have a familiar playing partner Sunday when he seeks his second title of the season.
After setting the tournament's 36-hole scoring record Friday with a 9-under-par 63, DiMarco carded a 3-under 69. He momentarily lost the lead Saturday but regained it on the back nine, ending the day at 20-under 196.
DiMarco is 18 holes away from his fourth career title and second of the year, but he will have to hold off a crowd of players, one of whom is a close friend.
Skip Kendall posted a 6-under 66 to reach 18-under 198 and join DiMarco in Sunday's final pairing. In 1995, Kendall taught DiMarco the claw putting grip, which has turned around his career.
Kendall will be seeking his first win in eight full seasons on the PGA Tour. He was tied for second with Scott Hoch and Bob Burns, who also is in seeking his first career title.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods, playing in his backyard, was six off the pace after shooting a 67.
Agassi to play for Madrid title
MADRID, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Moving closer to the top spot in the ATP Champions Race, second-seeded American Andre Agassi will face 11th seed Jiri Novak in Sunday's final of the $2.33 million Tennis Masters Series - Madrid.
Agassi posted a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over seventh-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean in the semifinals Saturday and will try to become the first player to win five titles this season.
While Grosjean had a 19-4 advantage in aces, Agassi used his potent forehand for a 32-16 lead in return points.
In his first tournament since losing the final of the U.S. Open to Pete Sampras, Agassi used that dominant return on match point as he ripped a crosscourt winner past Grosjean.
The 32-year-old Agassi has reached at least the quarterfinals in 11 of 13 events this year and a win Sunday will give him 654 points. Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who did not enter this tournament, leads with 697 points. The top eight players in the points race qualify for the Tennis Masters Series Cup in Shanghai in November.
Agassi's 14 Tennis Masters Series titles are the most ever, including this year's wins at Miami and Rome.
