Astros no hit for 6 2-3 innings before rallying past Dodgers

By Lenny Ignelzi (AP)

All it took for the San Diego Padres to suddenly look alive was to face a pitcher making his big league debut.

Scott Hairston and Khalil Greene homered to spoil Greg Reynolds\' first start, leading the Padres to a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday and their first series win in nearly a month.

The Padres have been playing so poorly that their two consecutive wins match their season high, which they\'ve managed only three times. After winning for just the sixth time in 24 games, the Padres (14-24) continue to have the worst record in the majors.

San Diego...

By Lenny Ignelzi (AP)

All it took for the San Diego Padres to suddenly look alive was to face a pitcher making his big league debut.

Scott Hairston and Khalil Greene homered to spoil Greg Reynolds\' first start, leading the Padres to a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday and their first series win in nearly a month.

The Padres have been playing so poorly that their two consecutive wins match their season high, which they\'ve managed only three times. After winning for just the sixth time in 24 games, the Padres (14-24) continue to have the worst record in the majors.

San Diego...

By Steve C. Wilson (AP)

Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-115 on Sunday, tying the Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.

The Jazz went 9-for-9 from the foul line in overtime and outscored the Lakers 15-7 in the extra 5 minutes.

Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, while Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds. Mehmet Okur added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Kirilenko finished with 15 points and five blocks _ stuffing...

By Steve C. Wilson (AP)

Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-115 on Sunday, tying the Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.

The Jazz went 8-for-8 from the foul line in overtime and outscored the Lakers 15-7 in the extra 5 minutes.

Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, while Carlos Boozer scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed 12 rebounds. Mehmet Okur added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Kirilenko finished with 15 points and five blocks _ stuffing...

By Danny Chan La (AP)

Andrei Kirilenko blocked Kobe Bryant twice in overtime and converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-115 on Sunday, tying the Western Conference semifinals at 2-2.

The Jazz went 8-for-8 from the foul line in overtime and outscored the Lakers 15-7 in the extra 5 minutes.

By Steve C. Wilson (AP)

Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf was ejected early in the second quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz on Sunday for a flagrant foul.

Turiaf knocked Utah\'s Ronnie Price hard to the floor as Price drove for a layup, leaving the Jazz guard with a bloody gash over his right eye.

Turiaf came down hard with his left arm and Price went straight down and banged his head on the court. Price leaped straight up as his teammates swarmed the officials and pushed for the flagrant call. Utah coach Jerry Sloan also came off the bench immediately after the...

By VINCE BUCCI (AP)

A memorabilia dealer who profited from O.J. Simpson for many years is the latest former crony to write a tell-all book, this one alleging a groggy Simpson, high on marijuana, confessed to killing his ex-wife after he was acquitted.

Mike Gilbert also claims he helped his former friend wiggle out of the murder charges by suggesting how to bloat his hands so they wouldn\'t fit the notorious bloody gloves.

Gilbert\'s book, \"How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse\" (Regnery Publishing, 232 pages, $27.95), is due...

By Denis Poroy (AP)

Greg Maddux became the ninth pitcher in big league history to win 350 games, reaching the plateau in his fifth try and leading the San Diego Padres to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.

With Adrian Gonzalez hitting a three-run homer and the Padres ending a five-game losing streak, Mad Dog held the Rockies to an unearned run _ set up by his three-base throwing error _ and three hits in six innings. He struck out one and walked none.

The 42-year-old Maddux (3-3) improved to 350-217 in 23rd big league seasons. It\'s another milestone to go along with his four...

By Don Ryan (AP)

Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-imposing lead among superdelegates Saturday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party\'s nomination for president.

Obama added superdelegates from Utah, Ohio and Arizona, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions enabled Obama to surpass Clinton\'s total for the first time in the campaign. He had picked up nine endorsements Friday.

The milestone is important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to...

By Ann Heisenfelt (AP)

Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire says he\'ll return for an eighth season with the team. Lemaire, who announced his decision in a news release Saturday, has a career record of 500-381-168 over 14 years, including 60-52 in the playoffs.

But with the Wild, he\'s gone just 11-18 in the postseason. The Wild were ousted in the first round last month by the Colorado Avalanche, culminating what Lemaire called his toughest season as a coach.

\"I\'m getting older and maybe not as patient as I was when I started to coach,\" he said in an interview after the Wild were...

By Jae C. Hong (AP)

Barack Obama erased Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-imposing lead among superdelegates Saturday when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will decide the party\'s nomination for president.

Obama added superdelegates from Utah and Ohio, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions enabled Obama to surpass Clinton\'s total for the first time in the campaign. He had picked up nine endorsements Friday.

The milestone is important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to claim the...

By Don Ryan (AP)

Barack Obama picked up a superdelegate in Utah, bringing him within half a delegate of erasing Hillary Rodham Clinton\'s once-substantial lead among the elected officials and party leaders who will determine the Democratic presidential nominee.

The Utah Democratic party named Kristi Cumming, an Obama supporter, as its sixth superdelegate following the party\'s annual fundraising dinner Friday.

Obama also picked up nine superdelegates from other states Friday, while Clinton picked up two.

Clinton now leads Obama by a mere half delegate _ 272.5 to 272. Little more than...

By VINCE BUCCI (AP)

A memorabilia dealer who profited from O.J. Simpson for many years is the latest former crony to write a tell-all book, this one alleging a groggy Simpson, high on marijuana, confessed to killing his ex-wife after he was acquitted.

Mike Gilbert also claims he helped his former friend wiggle out of the murder charges by suggesting how to bloat his hands so they wouldn\'t fit the notorious bloody gloves.

Gilbert\'s book, \"How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret and Remorse\" (Regnery Publishing, 232 pages, $27.95), is due...

By LAURA SEITZ (AP)

Everywhere they go, \"American Idol\" contestants attract a crowd of admirers, well-wishers, gushy handmade signs and screams fit for a vintage Beatle. But when it comes to feting finalists, home is where the \"I (heart) you\" is.

In what\'s become an annual \"Idol\" rite of passage, the remaining three contestants _ David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado and David Cook _ headed to their respective hometowns Friday for a dose of family and the inevitably intense local rah-rah routine, showing just how stirred up communities get when one of their own shines on TV\'s biggest...

By Mark J. Terrill (AP)

Brian Moehler pitched five scoreless innings and Lance Berkman went 3-for-4 with a home run in a 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

The 36-year-old Moehler (1-0), filling in for the injured Wandy Rodriguez, allowed five hits and a walk while striking out five. He has spent the majority of his big league career as a starter, though has been used exclusively in relief since rejoining the club in January 2007.

Derek Lowe (2-3) gave up six runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings with five strikeouts and two walks. The right-hander has not recorded an out in...

By Eric Risberg (AP)

Freddy Sanchez lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to another dramatic win with a ninth-inning RBI single. Rickie Weeks stopped Milwaukee\'s six-game losing with a big hit of his own in the Brewers\' last at-bat.

And Jimmy Rollins stole the spotlight from both of them with a triumphant return from the disabled list.

The reigning NL MVP hit a two-run homer, an RBI double and also singled in his first game back, sending the Philadelphia Phillies past the struggling San Francisco Giants 7-4 on Friday night.

\"It was great. It makes you smile,\" Rollins said, doing just that....

By Steve C. Wilson (AP)

The Utah Jazz are back in the Western Conference semifinals thanks to another performance at home that was nothing like the way they play on the road.

The Jazz beat the Lakers 104-99 Friday night, cutting Los Angeles\' lead in the series to 2-1 with Game 4 on Sunday in Utah. The Jazz are 4-1 in the playoffs at home and went 37-4 here during the regular season.

The Jazz hit exactly half their shots and forced the Lakers into 18 turnovers, hardly resembling the team that stumbled through two losses in Los Angeles to open the series.

\"Both of those games in LA, we had a...

By Douglas C. Pizac (AP)

Carlos Boozer broke out of his slump with 27 points, leading the Utah Jazz to a 104-99 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night, cutting the Lakers\' lead in the series to 2-1.

It was the Lakers\' first loss this postseason.

Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal is Sunday at Utah.

The win made the home teams 11-0 in the four conference semifinal series.

By Eric Risberg (AP)

Freddy Sanchez lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to another dramatic win with a ninth-inning RBI single. Rickie Weeks stopped Milwaukee\'s six-game losing with a big hit of his own in the Brewers\' last at-bat.

And Jimmy Rollins stole the spotlight from both of them with a triumphant return from the disabled list.

The reigning NL MVP hit a two-run homer, an RBI double and also singled in his first game back, sending the Philadelphia Phillies past the struggling San Francisco Giants 7-4 on Friday night.

\"It was great. It makes you smile,\" Rollins said, doing just that....

By Kenny Crookston (AP)

Backstage meddling has caught up \"American Idol\" favorite David Archuleta\'s dad, who\'s been banned from rehearsals, a person working for the TV talent contest said Friday.

Jeff Archuleta was told this week by producers that he can no longer join his 17-year-old son David as he prepares for the show, the person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person wasn\'t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The show\'s action was first reported Friday by the online Web site TMZ.

David Archuleta of Murray, Utah, is one of...

By Denis Poroy (AP)

Not even reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy could bail out the staggering San Diego Padres.

Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe hit consecutive bases-loaded singles off Peavy (4-2) in the sixth inning Friday night and the Colorado Rockies won 4-2 to send the Padres to their 18th loss in 22 games.

The Padres\' fifth straight loss came hours after they released struggling center fielder Jim Edmonds. San Diego (12-24) has the worst record in the majors.

Colorado\'s Aaron Cook (6-1) won his sixth straight start, combining with two relieves on a four-hitter. Matt...

By Kenny Crookston (AP)

Backstage meddling has caught up \"American Idol\" favorite David Archuleta\'s dad, who\'s been banned from rehearsals, a person working for the TV talent contest said Friday.

Jeff Archuleta was told this week by producers that he can no longer join 17-year-old son as David as he prepares for the show, the person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person wasn\'t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The show\'s action was first reported Friday by the online Web site TMZ.

David Archuleta of Murray, Utah, is one of...

By Douglas C. Pizac (AP)

Carlos Boozer broke out of his slump with 27 points and tied his career playoff-high with 20 rebounds, leading the Utah Jazz to a 104-99 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night, cutting the Lakers\' lead in the series to 2-1.

It was the Lakers\' first loss this postseason.

Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinal is Sunday at Utah.

The win made the home teams 11-0 in the four conference semifinal series.

Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists for Utah, which atoned for two miserable performances in Los Angeles by taking the lead early in the second quarter...