WPPA / T-102 SPORTS / Thursday

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The New York Mets snapped a five-game losing
streak with a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday.
Mike Pelfrey threw six effective innings and Nick Evans and David
Wright homered to help with the win.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The New York Mets have placed starter
Jonathon Niese on the disabled list and called up catcher Mike
Nickeas. Niese has been bothered by a ribcage injury. The move was
made before yesterday's game at Philadelphia.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Aaron Thompson pitched 4 1-3 scoreless innings
in his major-league debut, Jason Grilli won his first game in
nearly two years and four Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers combined on a
five-hitter in a 2-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday.
Thompson allowed four hits while walking two and striking out one.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Ryan Ludwick
has gone on the 15-day disabled list with muscle spasms in the
middle of his back. Ludwick sat out Tuesday's 11-4 loss to the
Milwaukee Brewers then underwent an MRI yesterday, though the
results weren't immediately available.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Ben Askelson hit a high 0-1
curveball onto the hill beyond the left-field fence to send the
boys from Billings, Montana, into the U.S. final of the Little
League World Series with a 1-0, seven-inning victory over
Huntington Beach, California, last night. Montana gets to rest up
until the U.S. championship game Saturday, while California must
face Clinton County, Pennsylvania, tonight.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Bruno Ruiz hit a ninth-inning
homer to break a pitcher's duel and lead Mexicali, Mexico, to a 2-1
win yesterday over Maracay, Venezuela at the Little League World
Series. Mexico advances to Saturday's international bracket final,
while Venezuela plays Japan tomorrow.



AMERICAN LEAGUE
Wednesday's Games
Seattle 9, Cleveland 2
Boston 13, Texas 2
Oakland 6, N.Y. Yankees 4, 10 innings
Toronto 4, Kansas City 3
Tampa Bay 3, Detroit 2, 10 innings
Baltimore 6, Minnesota 1
L.A. Angels 8, Chicago White Sox 0
Thursday's Games
Oakland (Harden 4-2) at N.Y. Yankees (P.Hughes 4-4), 1:05 p.m.
Baltimore (Jo-.Reyes 6-10) at Minnesota (Liriano 9-9), 1:10 p.m.
Detroit (Fister 5-13) at Tampa Bay (Hellickson 11-8), 1:10 p.m.
Kansas City (Francis 4-14) at Toronto (Cecil 4-6), 7:07 p.m.
Boston (A.Miller 5-1) at Texas (Ogando 12-5), 8:05 p.m.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Wednesday's Games
Pittsburgh 2, Milwaukee 0
N.Y. Mets 7, Philadelphia 4
L.A. Dodgers 9, St. Louis 4
Colorado 7, Houston 6, 10 innings
Florida 6, Cincinnati 5, 1st game
Arizona 4, Washington 2
Cincinnati 3, Florida 2, 2nd game
Chicago Cubs 3, Atlanta 2
San Francisco 2, San Diego 1
Thursday's Games
Atlanta (Beachy 6-2) at Chicago Cubs (Garza 6-9), 2:20 p.m.
Arizona (Miley 0-1) at Washington (Lannan 8-9), 7:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Florida, ppd., rain
Pittsburgh (Morton 9-6) at St. Louis (E.Jackson 2-2), 8:15 p.m.
Houston (Sosa 0-2) at San Francisco (Vogelsong 10-3), 10:15
p.m.

NFL PRESEASON

Thursday, Aug. 25
Carolina at Cincinnati, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Washington at Baltimore, 8 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 26
St. Louis at Kansas City, 8 p.m.
Green Bay at Indianapolis, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 27
Jacksonville at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at N.Y. Giants, 7 p.m.
Miami at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Houston at San Francisco, 8 p.m.
Dallas at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Chicago at Tennessee, 8 p.m.
New England at Detroit, 8 p.m.
Seattle at Denver, 9 p.m.
San Diego at Arizona, 10 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 28
New Orleans at Oakland, 8 p.m.


WNBA
Wednesday's Games
No games scheduled
Thursday's Game
Tulsa at Seattle, 10 p.m.


MLS
Wednesday's Game
Portland 1, Chivas USA 0
Saturday's Games
Columbus at Seattle FC, 4 p.m.
Houston at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
San Jose at Toronto FC, 7 p.m.
Portland at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
FC Dallas at Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m.