LONDON—Great for most of the Olympics, then just good enough for gold.The U.S. men’s basketball team defended its title by fighting off another huge challenge from Spain, pulling away in the final minutes for a 107-100 victory Sunday that gave the Americans their second straight gold medal.And just like 2008, they had to work for this one.LeBron James capped off one of basketball’s most brilliant individual years with a monster dunk and a huge 3-pointer in the final 2:50, helping the Americans win the competitive game that few would have seen coming after they had been so dominant for so long in London.Yet four years after beating Spain 118-107 in a classic in Beijing, the Americans found themselves in another tight one, unable to ever really slow the Spanish down until the closing minutes.Kevin Durant scored 30 points and James had 19 on a day he joined Michael Jordan as the only players to win the NBA title, regular-season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and Olympic gold.Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has said he’s retiring as national team coach after restoring the Americans to their place atop world basketball, emptied his bench in the final minute.James stood with both arms in the air, then held Durant in a long hug before they both headed to the bench.The Americans, who insisted they were better than their 2008 version and even good enough to take a game from the 1992 Dream Team, may not have been at that level.But they were better again than Spain — though not by much.The Americans hugged at midcourt, and then after being handed flags, this group of NBA players — and one kid just out of college — who grew into a tight-knit group during their time together, paraded around the floor, the Stars and Stripes flowing off their backs like capes. Then they were Olympic super heroes again, but they had to fight until the finish.Kobe Bryant, now with a second gold medal to go with his five NBA championships, added 17 points for the Americans.Pau Gasol scored 24 points and Juan Carlos Navarro had 21 for Spain.

Brandon Inge knew as soon as he made a diving stop in the seventh inning what was wrong with his shoulder and what he needed to do as quickly as possible.
So, he just popped it back into place and stayed in the game Saturday night.Two batters later, he started an inning-ending double play at third base, and then in the eighth he delivered the go-ahead single for the Oakland Athletics in a 9-7 victory over the White Sox.

“I dislocated it. I just had to put it back in the socket,” Inge said of his right shoulder that came out of place after he made a diving stop in the seventh on Alex Rios’ infield single down the third base line.”It might get a little sore tomorrow, but I’ll do my best,”

The White Sox went on to score in the seventh on A.J. Pierzynski’s RBI single for a 7-6 lead. But Jonny Gomes homered off Matt Thornton (4-8) in the eighth, and after singles by Yoenis Cespedes and Chris Carter, Inge greeted reliever Brett Myers with a go-ahead single into the right field corner.

“I guess it just shows two teams that don’t want to give up. I like that,” Inge said.

Inge said he would do what was best for the A’s on Sunday but hopes to be in the lineup.

“I plan on playing. If I feel like I’m going to be a detriment to the team, I won’t come back in,” he said. “If I feel like I have something to offer, I’ll play through some pain. Just make sure I’m somewhat smart about it.”

Gomes added an RBI single in the top of the ninth before Grant Balfour pitched the bottom half for his eighth save in 10 chances, his first since May 5. Balfour took the closer’s role back from Ryan Cook (5-2), who gave up Pierzynski’s single in the seventh but got the win.

“I was surprised he stayed in the game. He felt like the shoulder may have come out of the socket and went back in,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of the veteran Inge.

“He stayed in, made a great play on the double play and ends up getting what ends up being the biggest hit. We all know he’s a very tough guy and can play through a lot of pain.”

Tyler Flowers homered and had three RBIs and a career-high three hits for the White Sox. Kevin Youkilis also homered and was hit in the left forearm by Balfour’s pitch in the ninth.Thornton took the blame for the pitch he made to Gomes.

“It’s really frustrating. We’ve been playing well and I didn’t do my job,” he said. “One-run lead and I thought it was a good idea to throw him a breaking ball. He jumped all over it.”

Francisco Liriano, who left his previous start after five innings with a bruised right quadriceps, didn’t make it out of the fourth this time. He surrendered seven hits and six runs in 3 1/3 innings.He struck out four of the first five batters Saturday before he got in trouble in the third when the A’s loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit batter. Carter delivered a two-run single, Inge walked to reload the bases, and Derek Norris had a two-run, ground-rule double. Adam Rosales then drove in the fifth run of the inning with a single as Oakland sent 10 batters to the plate.The Sox scored two in the second on an infield out by Dayan Viciedo and an RBI double by Flowers. Josh Reddick had an RBI single for Oakland in the fourth, and Flowers added a run-scoring single for the White Sox in the bottom half.Youkilis hit his 14th homer in the fifth to make it 6-5. It was his 10th since joining the White Sox in a June 24 trade from Boston. Flowers’ third homer of the season tied it at 6-6 in the sixth.Oakland’s Travis Blackley, in his first start since July 29, gave up five runs and six hits in five innings.

NOTES—Cook has been removed from the closer’s role, at least temporarily, by Melvin, who said he wanted to get the rookie some work in lower-pressure situations. Cook has converted just two of his last six save opportunities, and 12 of 19 for the season…..Paul Konerko will take it easy this weekend and will be re-evaluated by doctors after suffering a concussion earlier this week and being placed on the 7-day DL. Robin Ventura said Konerko won’t be on the first part of next week’s trip that starts in Toronto…..Dewayne Wise was called up from Triple-A Charlotte to take Konerko’s roster spot.

Ryan Ludwick has hit like Joey Votto the past three weeks.With Votto hurt the last three weeks, Ludwick continued a torrid month with a two-run double in the eighth and the Cincinnati Reds rallied to a 4-2 win over the  Cubs Saturday afternoon.After Drew Stubbs doubled and Brandon Phillips singled off Cubs reliever James Russell (5-1), Ludwick looped a pitch down the left-field line and into the corner.The comeback made a winner of Bronson Arroyo (8-7), who held the Cubs to two runs and five hits over eight innings. Arroyo gave up both runs early, but settled down to improve to 5-0 in his last seven starts at Wrigley Field.

“With a runner on third, especially when I got to two strikes, I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Ludwick said. “I didn’t want to strike out and obviously I was fortunate enough to hit the double and get two [runs] instead of one.Big hit being able to get Bronson a win and win two in a row after losing those five.”

Ludwick has driven in 28 runs since the All-Star break to go along with eight home runs.

“He’s deserved everything he’s gotten,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “Once a veteran guy gets his stroke, once his confidence level is high, he can continue that for an extended period of time.”

Reds closer Aroldis Chapman continued his recent dominance by setting down three straight in the ninth and converting his 27th save, including his last 19 straight.Chapman last blew a save on June 24, he’s thrown 20 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out 44.Before the game, the Reds announced Votto had flown from Chicago to Cincinnati Friday after feeling soreness in the left knee he had arthroscopic surgery on July 17. The 2010 NL MVP had a minor procedure to remove a piece of floating cartilage, but will likely miss an additional week. The Reds don’t expect him back until mid-August now.

“I think everyone in here is praying and wishing he can get back as soon as possible because we definitely need him on our team, but I think some of the guys have taken it as a challenge to pick one another up,” Ludwick said.

Wilson Valdez’s RBI single scored Chris Heisey as the Reds tacked on a run to complete their three-run, eighth-inning rally. Todd Frazier drove in a run and reached base three times.Cubs starter Travis Wood held Cincinnati to five hits and matched a career-high with eight strikeouts but finished with a no decision despite leaving with a 2-1 lead. Wood had posted an 8.78 ERA in losing his previous five starts.David DeJesus provided the Cub offense, stroking a two-out, two run single off Arroyo in the second inning.Russell allowed three runs and five hits in the eighth and the Cubs lost for the 10th time in 11 games.The first-place Reds have won two straight after snapping a five-game losing streak on Friday. Cincinnati’s 21-8 mark since the All-Star break is the best in the majors.After DeJesus singled up the middle just past Arroyo to plate the Cubs’ runs in the second, the Reds’ right-hander retired 12 straight hitters.Despite his recent struggles, Wood was sharp in his first appearance against his former team. He was dealt to the Cubs during the offseason for LHP Sean Marshall after going 11-10 over two seasons with Cincinnati.The only run against Wood came in the fourth on an RBI double by Frazier.

NOTES—Dusty Baker said Votto felt soreness in his knee after participating in a sliding drill. The 2010 NL MVP was injured while sliding into third base on July 17….Baker said slumping Jay Bruce will be back in the Cincinnati lineup on Sunday. Bruce is 1 for his last 16 with seven strikeouts….The Cubs activated RHP Lendy Castillo from the disabled list and optioned LHP Scott Maine to Triple-A Iowa….The Cubs promoted Tim Wilken to a role as a special assistant to general manager Jed Hoyer and team president Theo Epstein. Jaron Madison was hired from the San Diego organization to take Wilken’s place as director of amateur scouting.

LONDON—Naperville’s Candace Parker scored 21 points and the heavily favored U.S. women’s basketball team won their fifth straight gold medal with an 86-50 victory over France on Saturday night.The win was the latest in an unmatched run the Americans have been on over the past 16 years. The U.S. has now won 41 consecutive games in the Olympic competition since taking the bronze medal in 1992.The Americans haven’t just been winning, they’ve been blowing past opponents.Only one team has come within single digits of them since the streak began in 1996. They’ve won by nearly 30 points a game. The U.S. has only lost once in major international competitions since the Atlanta Games – the lone blemish coming against Russia in the semifinals of the 2006 world championship.The names change on the U.S. uniform change but the results don’t.

Jordan Danks hit his first major-league homer in the bottom of the ninth inning and the White Sox overcame a three-run deficit to beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Friday night.With two outs in the ninth, Danks sent the first pitch he saw from Pat Neshek (1-1) deep into the right-field seats for a solo shot.Brett Myers (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning to help the AL Central leaders win for the 11th time in 16 games. Dayan Viciedo tied it at 3 with a solo homer in the seventh, snapping a 5-for-43 slump.A’s starter Brandon McCarthy came off the disabled list to make his first start since June 19. He had been sidelined with a strained shoulder.

LONDON—Kobe Bryant took over the first quarter, Kevin Durant handled the third, Carmelo Anthony made his mark in the fourth and LeBron James displayed his dominance throughout.Any doubt why the U.S. men’s basketball team destroyed Argentina 109-83 in a Friday night semifinal at North Greenwich Arena? It’s called scoring depth.The U.S. advances to Sunday’s gold-medal game against Spain in a rematch of the final won by the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Spain downed Russia in the first semifinal.Durant led the way with 19 points. Anthony and James each scored 18 and Bryant had 13 points.Bryant, who sank six 3-pointers in the second half of Team USA’s quarterfinal victory over Australia, made another to open his team’s scoring. He later powered home a reverse lay-in over former Bull Andres Nocioni and sank two more 3-pointers as the U.S. jumped to an 18-6 lead.But Argentina closed to within five by quarter’s end despite Nocioni and Luis Scola each leaving with two fouls. Carlos Delfino sank four 3-pointers to keep Argentina hanging around, and Manu Ginobili swished a 3-pointer from in front of the U.S. bench to beat the halftime buzzer and trim the deficit to seven.Just like in their Monday meeting to close pool play, Durant took over the third. He sank four 3-pointers as the U.S. started pulling away. For good measure, Anthony made three straight 3-pointers in the fourth.There were no physical incidents marring play. On Monday, Facundo Campazzo punched Carmelo Anthony in the groin and refused to apologize afterward. However, U.S. guard Russell Westbrook reportedly suffered a mild ankle sprain, and his availability for Sunday’s game is uncertain.This marked the third straight Olympic semifinal these teams staged, with Argentina winning en route to the gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the U.S. winning in 2008.

Rookie Todd Frazier doubled twice and drove in four runs, Aroldis Chapman came out of the bullpen to stop an eighth-inning rally attempt and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Cubs 10-8 Friday to end their season-high losing streak at five games.Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run homer into a 24 mph wind in the third against Justin Germano (1-2) as the NL Central leaders built a 5-1 lead. Ludwick also doubled, walked and matched his career best with four runs.Homer Bailey (10-7) won for the first time in four starts since July 20, allowing four runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings. He set his career high for wins, topping last year’s nine.After the Cubs closed to 9-8 with a pair of runs in the eighth, Chapman struck out Anthony Rizzo with a runner on third. Chapman retired the side in order in the ninth for his 26th save in 30 chances and 18th in a row.

Peyton Manning got intercepted by Major Wright near the goal line on the game’s opening possession and watched from the sideline the rest of the night as the Denver Broncos beat the Bears 31-3 in the preseason opener on Thursday.All eyes were on Manning and the results were mixed for the four-time MVP. Considering he missed all of last season with a nerve injury in his neck that weakened his throwing arm and led to his tearful farewell from the Indianapolis Colts, it was hardly a surprise.Manning is trying to show he still has something left with Denver, and on a cool and rainy night, he completed 4 of 7 passes for 44 yards.
Jay Cutler warmed up for the Bears but sat out, one day after his fiancee Kristin Cavallari gave birth to a boy named Camden Jack.Julius Peppers,Brian Urlacher,and Matt Forte all did not play either. The 48,225 that were in Soldier Field had little to get excited about. Rookie Shea McClellin did have a sack, Brandan Marshall caught one pass for 4 yards, and Rookie Alshon Jeffery grabbed 4 passes for 35 yards. Jason Campbell started at QB and was 4-5 for 13 yards,then Josh McCown went 6-10 for 56 yards. Former Bear Caleb Hanie,was booed when he entered,but he hit on 7-14 for 79 yards.

NOTES—The Bears host Washington a week from Saturday night.

LES

Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and the Cubs snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the slumping Cincinnati Reds on a rain-soaked Thursday night.With the score tied at 3, Reds reliever Sean Marshall (4-4) walked Anthony Rizzo. Just as the skies cleared up, Soriano cracked a two-run shot to center field off Logan Ondrusek.Shawn Camp (3-5) pitched a perfect eighth for the win and Carlos Marmol worked the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart homered for Cincinnati after the start was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 20 minutes. The NL Central leaders lost their fifth straight but remained 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Pittsburgh.

ROSEMONT—Nearly a year ago, then-rookie defensive back Vic Hall took home Defensive Player of the Year honors for the Chicago Rush. This year he passed along the good luck to a teammate as the Arena Football League announced Rush wide receiver Jared Perry as the Net10 Rookie of the Year. He captured the award on the strength of his 133 receptions, 1,811 receiving yards and 33 total touchdowns.

“We’re a team that believes in giving rookies an opportunity to play right away. This is the second year in a row a player has taken advantage of the situation and gained recognition by the entire league. Jared Perry is an explosive player who proved he could thrive in this league,” stated head coach Bob McMillen.

The former Missouri Tiger has spent the last few years traversing NFL and CFL camps and took his initial opportunity in Arena Football to brand a significant impression. The launching pad for his productivity began in Week 4 when he caught 10 passes for 175 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 29-point win over Kansas City. The incredible performance began a stretch of recording at least 100 receiving yards in nine of the next thirteen games.

“I’d like to thank the (Rush) coaching staff for giving me the opportunity and my teammates for the support throughout the year. God has been good for (football) not to stop in my life as I still have more plays to make,” stated Perry.

The La Marque, Texas native had nine games where he scored two or more touchdowns and even touched nine or more receptions in eight contests. The 133 overall receptions broke the team record for catches by arookie in a single-season.Never falling below four catches per game for the entire season, he completed the year strong by having at least 109 receiving yards in four of the final five games. A Week 17 matchup against San Jose marked a second time this season he notched five touchdowns, catching three and rushing for two.Teammate and fellow Rush rookie receiver Terrance Turner reflected on Jared Perry’s ability to be a complete player.

“Everyone discredits him on the eye test because he’s a slender guy. But then you see him routinely beat his defender and increase points on the scoreboard. I see defensive backs scared of his speed and playmaking ability and I know it’ll translate to the NFL if he gets another chance,” said Turner.

Overall it was a productive year for both rookie wide receivers on the Rush. Turner himself nabbed 83 catches for 867 yards and 13 touchdowns.  Together with Reggie Gray all three formed a potent trio that quickly gained notoriety throughout theleague as a force for quarterback Russ Michna to split completions to.
The Rush look ahead to the beginning of free agency in September as they’ll have first rights to re-sign Gray, Turner, and Perry. Together they combined to represent 81% of the team’s receptions and 86% of the passing touchdowns.