WPPA / T-102 SPORTS / Friday

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The Philadelphia Phillies start the second
half of the season with a three-game series against the New York
Mets at Citi Field. Vance Worley will head to the hill tonight for
the Phils. R. A. Dickey will get the start for the Mets. Coming off
the All-Star break, the Phils have the best record in baseball.

HOUSTON (AP) - Two teams headed in opposite directions face off
when the Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates return from the
All-Star break with a weekend series. The surprising Pirates have
abandoned their usual spot in the basement of the NL Central for a
much better view near the top of the division. The Astros? They
dropped nine of 10 to limp into the break with a major league-worst
30-62 record.

NEW YORK (AP) - According to people familiar with the
negotiations, significant progress on a major sticking point in the
NFL labor impasse - soaring rookie salaries - is raising hopes a
tentative agreement could come within 24 hours. They caution,
however, other key issues remain for owners and players to resolve,
including free agency and new offseason workout rules.

UNDATED (AP) - A few weeks ago, Tito Ortiz was one loss away
from losing his job with the UFC. After a stunning win over Ryan
Bader and a fortunate twist of events, the veteran mixed martial
arts star improbably is a UFC headliner again. The UFC has
confirmed, Ortiz will fight Rashad Evans in the main event at UFC
133 in Philadelphia on August 6th.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A man charged with assaulting the wife of
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Chris Snyder during a road rage incident
has been ordered to stand trial. A Pittsburgh judge ordered Subhash
Modhwadia bound over for trial Wednesday on charges including
aggravated assault and criminal mischief for the June 15th
altercation with Carla Snyder.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The attorney for former Penn State
running back Austin Scott says his client is considering his legal
options after a federal judge tossed the civil suit he filed over a
dropped rape case he says damaged his client's NFL career
prospects. Austin Scott's attorney tells the Centre Daily Times his
client is considering an appeal of the judge's ruling or filing
suit in state court instead.

UNDATED (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison is
apologizing for using an anti-gay slur to refer to NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell in an interview with "Men's Journal." He says his
critical statements about teammates were taken out of context.
Harrison posted a statement on his Twitter account last night.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Thursday's Games
Cleveland 8, Baltimore 4
Toronto 16, N.Y. Yankees 7
Minnesota 8, Kansas City 4
Texas 5, Seattle 0
Friday's Games
Chicago White Sox (Floyd 6-9) at Detroit (Verlander 12-4), 7:05
p.m.
Cleveland (Tomlin 10-4) at Baltimore (Arrieta 9-6), 7:05 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees (F.Garcia 7-6) at Toronto (Morrow 5-4), 7:07 p.m.
Boston (A.Miller 3-0) at Tampa Bay (Price 8-7), 7:10 p.m.
Kansas City (Hochevar 5-8) at Minnesota (Blackburn 7-6), 8:10
p.m.
L.A. Angels (Haren 10-5) at Oakland (McCarthy 1-5), 10:05 p.m.
Texas (C.Lewis 8-7) at Seattle (Fister 3-10), 10:10 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Thursday's Games
Florida 6, Chicago Cubs 3
Colorado 12, Milwaukee 3
San Francisco 6, San Diego 2, 12 innings
Friday's Games
Florida (Nolasco 6-5) at Chicago Cubs (Dempster 6-6), 2:20 p.m.
Philadelphia (Worley 4-1) at N.Y. Mets (Dickey 4-7), 7:10 p.m.
St. Louis (Westbrook 7-4) at Cincinnati (Cueto 5-3), 7:10 p.m.
Washington (L.Hernandez 5-8) at Atlanta (T.Hudson 8-6), 7:35
p.m.
Pittsburgh (Karstens 7-4) at Houston (Myers 3-9), 8:05 p.m.
Milwaukee (Narveson 6-5) at Colorado (Nicasio 3-2), 8:40 p.m.
L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw 9-4) at Arizona (J.Saunders 6-7), 9:40
p.m.
San Francisco (Lincecum 7-7) at San Diego (Moseley 2-8), 10:05
p.m.

WNBA
Thursday's Games
San Antonio 69, Seattle 66
Friday's Games
Minnesota at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Connecticut at New York, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles at Tulsa, 8 p.m.
Washington at Phoenix, 10 p.m.