European PGA: Harrington leads windy Irish Open

Limerick, Ireland (Sports Network) - Local favorite Padraig Harrington shot an incredible round of four-under 68 in very demanding conditions Friday to move in front at the Irish Open.
The Irishman finished two rounds at three-under-par 141 and is one clear of three players at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort.
The second round featured a difficult combination of 40 mph winds, rain at various points and temperatures in the mid-50s. Only 11 players broke par on Friday and Harrington's was one of two sub-70 rounds.

MLB: Seattle begins interleague set with Padres

Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners hope to maintain last season's success against the National League when the club entertains the San Diego Padres tonight in the opener of a three-game interleague series from Safeco Field.
The Mariners posted an impressive 14-4 record in interleague games last year and have historically performed well when facing the senior circuit. Seattle is 98-78 all-time against the NL, the fifth-best winning percentage among all major-league clubs in interleague play.
Seattle also took five of six matchups with the Padres in 2006. San Diego lost all three games of last year's trip to Safeco Field and has lost five consecutive contests there.

MLB: Minor setback for Oakland

(Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics have not been able to put together a string of victories during the month of May. Each time the A's threaten to put a winning streak together they seem to come up short in the end. This past week was no different for Oakland, as it managed to take two out of three games from the Cleveland Indians, only to lose three out of four to the lowly Kansas City Royals. The recent swoon has dropped the A's to 20-20 on the year and moved them to three games back in the American League West Standings.

MLB: Rockies place McClellan on DL

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies placed right-handed pitcher Zach McClellan on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
The move is retroactive to May 14.
McClellan is 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Colorado this season. He has 13 strikeouts in 14 innings.
To take his place on the roster, the club has recalled right-handed pitcher Darren Clarke from Tulsa.

MLB: O's smacked back to reality

(Sports Network) - After winning four straight games just a week ago, the Baltimore Orioles have fallen back into a funk. The O's have now lost five straight games and find themselves 10 1/2 games back in the American League East standings.
The Orioles recent stumble could not have come at a worse time, as all five losses came to division foes in Boston and Toronto.
The losing streak began last weekend when the Orioles lost the final two games of a three game set to the Boston Red Sox. The losing spilled over into the Toronto series, as Baltimore was swept by the Blue Jays earlier this week. The three straight losses to Toronto dropped Baltimore into last place in the AL East standings.

MLB: Tough week for St. Louis

(Sports Network) - Just when you thought the St. Louis Cardinals were going to turn things around, the defending World Series champions have once again missed a golden opportunity.
The Cardinals failed to take advantage of Milwaukee's four-game slide this week, as St Louis dropped two straight series of its own. The losing began over the weekend, when the Cardinals dropped two out of three to the San Diego Padres. St. Louis followed that series by losing two of three games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLB- Duke of Hurl: Hamels rules the mound

(Sports Network) - He appears as if he should be serving french fries on roller skates at a local food spot, or a member of the boy band Hanson.
But don't be fooled because Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels is mowing down opposing batters like a Club Cadet in someone's backyard. Hamels, the long-haired surfer from San Diego, has quickly established himself as one of the top pitchers in the National League with his quick work ethic and excellent pitch placement.

NBA: Rockets fire Van Gundy

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets fired head coach Jeff Van Gundy on Friday.
Van Gundy had an option year remaining on his current contract and reports last week indicated that he did not want to return to the team. He later denied those reports and according to the Rockets on Friday the two sides were unable to come to an agreement.
Van Gundy was offered the opportunity to stay within the organization in a senior consultant capacity, but he declined.

NBA: Nets try to force Cavs into a Game 7

(Sports Network) - The New Jersey Nets try to force the Cleveland Cavaliers into a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series, as the teams battle tonight at Continental Airlines Arena.
The second-seeded Cavaliers leads the best-of-seven series 3-2. If necessary, Game 7 of this semifinals set is scheduled for Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.
In Game 5, Jason Kidd scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out six assists as the sixth-seeded Nets, despite six fourth-quarter points, staved off elimination and defeated the Cavaliers, 83-72, on Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

NBA: Suns try to stave off elimination in San Antonio

(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs attempt to eliminate the Phoenix Suns and advance to the Western Conference Finals, as the clubs square off tonight at the AT&T Center.
San Antonio leads the best-of-seven set 3-2. If necessary, Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday at US Airways Center.
The winner of this series will meet the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz, who knocked out No. 8 Golden State in five games in the other Western Conference semifinals series, in the conference finals.

Horse Racing: Can Street Sense pass the Preakness test?

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - A year ago this time, the whole world was watching the Kentucky Derby winner first jump through the gate prior to the race, and then to everyones astonishment, pull up lame as the field was passing the grandstand the first time.
Barbaro was the horse most likely to break the Triple Crown hex that has befallen the likes of Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Funny Cide and Smarty Jones over the course of the last decade. The wait has grown to 29 years, the longest its been since Sir Barton won the first Triple Crown way back in 1919. Affirmed, trained by the late Laz Barrera, was the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1978.

MLS: Beckham left off All-Star ballot

Carson, CA (Sports Network) - David Beckham was left off Major League Soccer's All-Star online ballot released Wednesday, but the future Los Angeles Galaxy star could still play in the game.
The online voting helps determine the starting lineup for the July 19 game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado against Scottish power Celtic. Online votes are 25 percent of the total, with league coaches and general managers, media and players also accounting for 25 percent apiece.
Beckham, the former captain of England's national team, signed a five-year deal with Galaxy in January but won't join the team until his contract with Spain's Real Madrid expires at the end of June.

MLB: Carmona, Indians baffle Twins

Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Fausto Carmona baffled the Twins, hurling a four-hit shutout to outpitch Johan Santana as the Cleveland Indians edged the Minnesota Twins, 2-0, to complete a three-game sweep.
Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko ripped back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning off of Santana, and that was all the offense the Indians would need to win their fourth out of five. Carmona (5-1) struck out four and walked two, needing 121 pitches, 76 of them strikes, to earn his fifth straight win.

Nascar: Elliott to race in Coca-Cola 600 and more

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Bill Elliott has agreed to run in the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27 at the Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team. He will also run in an unspecified number of races through the remainder of the season.

Horse Racing: The one to beat in Preakness is again Hard Spun

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Round two of the new rivalry between Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and runner-up Hard Spun takes place Saturday afternoon at Pimlico Race Course in the Preakness Stakes. Along with these two colts six other three-year-olds will attempt to pull off a big upset.

With only nine horses entered in the second leg of the Triple Crown series, traffic problems should not be a factor during the 1 3/16 mile race. Two weeks ago traffic problems had no effect on Street Sense who miraculously encountered no impediments.

MLB: Hawpe, Rockies storm past Diamondbacks

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Brad Hawpe homered twice and drove in four runs to pace Colorado past Arizona, 5-3, in the second of three between the clubs at Coors Field. Willy Taveras was 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Rockies, who had dropped two straight coming in. Matt Holliday doubled and also scored a run. Aaron Cook (3-1) went six-plus innings, giving up five hits and three runs, and Brian Fuentes picked up his 10th save of the season.
Mark Reynolds had a two-run double in his major-league debut for the D-Backs, who have lost three of four. Miguel Montero knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly and Eric Byrnes collected two hits in the loss.
Brandon Webb (3-3) yielded six hits and five runs -- four earned -- fanned three and walked a pair in defeat.
After an early two-run lead evaporated, the Rockies rebounded thanks to Hawpe. Holliday started the sixth with a double and moved to third on a Todd Helton ground out. John Mabry followed with a walk, and Hawpe took a ball to the opposite field for his second homer of the night, a three-run shot that put the Rockies up 5-2.

Hockey: Red Wings aim for Game 4 win against Pronger-less Ducks

(Sports Network) - The Detroit Red Wings will try to grab a two-game lead in the Western Conference finals this evening, when they visit the Anaheim Ducks for Game 4 at the Honda Center.
The Red Wings made a statement in Game 3 on Tuesday night as they routed the Ducks to take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
On top of trailing in the series, Anaheim will also be without defenseman Chris Pronger for this evening's tilt, as the Norris Trophy finalist was handed a one-game suspension by the NHL for a blow to the head of Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom in Game 3. Pronger is leading the Ducks with 12 points on three goals and nine assists in the playoffs.

Baseball: Phillies' Howard set for rehab

Lakewood, NJ (Sports Network) - Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who has been sidelined with a left quadriceps strain, will begin a rehab assignment in the minors next week. Howard will begin a two-day rehab stint with the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League starting on May 23.
On May 12, the Phillies placed Howard on the 15-day disabled list in a move that was retroactive to May 10.
The 27-year-old and reigning NL MVP is hitting just .204 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 29 games this season for Philadelphia. Howard spent the 2002 season in Lakewood, hitting .280 with 19 home runs and 87 RBI.

NBA: Bulls, Pistons clash in Game 6 at the United Center

(Sports Network) - The Chicago Bulls try to force a Games 7 against the Detroit Pistons in their Eastern Conference semifinals series, as the teams battle tonight at the United Center. After dropping the first three games of the series, Chicago has come back to win the last two contests. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven set.
On Tuesday, Ben Gordon scored 28 points as the fifth-seeded Bulls moved halfway to NBA history by pounding the top-seeded Pistons, 108-92, in Game 5 at the United Center

NHL: Blackhawks sign top pick Toews

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks signed their first round pick in the 2006 draft, center Jonathan Toews, to a three-year entry level contract on Wednesday.
Toews, 19, was the third overall pick in the draft and recently helped Canada capture the Gold Medal at the Hockey World Championships in Moscow. He posted two goals and five assists in nine games during the tournament.