10B SPORTS
MLB
MONDAY,OCTOBER 29,2007
Red Sox sweep their way to championship
BY BEN WALKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Boston Red Sox celebrate after Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday at Coors Field in Denver. The Red Sox win 4-3 to sweep the series.
DENVER — Gone are those pleading, pathetic days when the Red Sox were practically begging to win a World Series. There's a new monster in baseball, and it's in Boston.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Overwhelming in every way, the Red Sox swept for their second title in four years Sunday night. Jon Lester, Mike Lowell & Co. left little room for drama with a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in Game 4.
This was hardly a repeat from 2004, when the Red Sox ended their 86-year championship drought by beating St. Louis. Boston is a major league bully these days, playing in rarefied air before crowds who demand victories.
Then again, no National League team could have blocked Boston this October.
After rallying from a 3-1 deficit against Cleveland in the American League Championship Series, the Red Sox won seven straight games and won their seventh World Series crown.
At this rate, New England fans might get spoiled. Manager Terry Francona's team has become a perfect counterpart to coach Bill Belichick's New England Patriots.
The Rockies, who won a remarkable 21 of 22 games to get to the World Series, were a mere afterthought by the end. Brad Hawpe homered in the seventh inning and Garrett Atkins hit a two-run shot in the eighth that came too late.
Lester, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer at this time last year, pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning, and Jonathan Papelbon closed with his third save of the Series.
Lowell led a team that hit 333 in the Series with a home run, double and headfirst slide to score a run. Rookie Jacoby Ellsbury got it started with a leadoff double and, even without big contributions from sluggers" Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, was too good.
Coors Field was filled with Red Sox fans, many of them brazenly waving brooms they might have brought from the Green Monster seats at Fenway Park.
The celebrations started early, with converted designated hitter Ortiz raising his hand after a nice scoop at first base, and Lester pumping his fist after a key strike-out.
fled out to the wall for the second out in the ninth.
Of the seven postseason series this year, five ended in sweeps. The Rockies' last chance to avoid it came in the ninth, when Jamey Carroll
By the ninth inning, only one mystery really remained: What would happen to the ball from the final out? Remember, it took all sorts of gyrations after Boston's
most recent title before Doug Mientkiewicz donated his souvenir to the Hall of Fame.
This time, Jason Varitek caught the final pitch as Papelbon threw his glove high in the air after striking out pinch-hitter Seth Smith, and
the red Sox ran out and celebrated between the mound and first base
Rockies fans spent the night trying to outshout hundreds of Red Sox rooters — Boston folks apparently figured how to cut through Colorado's online ticket system.
NASCAR Nextel Cup championship turns into private duel
HAMPTON, Ga. — Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are quickly turning the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship into their own private duel.
A two-tire stop for Johnson paid off with a victory Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, making the Chase a virtual dead heat at the top between the reigning champion and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate and friend.
Johnson and Gordon, who came into the Pep Boys Auto 500 separated by 53 points, both struggled with the handling on
their Chevrolets most of the day. But, thanks to a wild finish, they wound up first and seventh, leaving four-time champion Gordon with a nine-point lead with three of the 10 Chase races remaining.
HORSE RACING Curlin counts victories against toughest rivals
OCEANPORT, N.J.) — Curlin has now beaten the Kentucky Derby winner twice, the leading older horse twice and avenged his most recent defeat. With one emphatic victory against his toughest rivals in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, Curlin likely ran away with Horse of the Year honors in a sensa
tional championship season.
The race — the final one in the first two-day, 11-race, $23 million Breeders' Cup — was married in the final yards when European star George Washington broke down and was euthanized on the track. While Curlin and Albarado were crossing the finish line, George Washington was in distress after shattering his right front leg.
HOCKEY Avalanche defeat Wild 3-1, Ryan Smyth's plays pay off
DENVER — Ryan Smyth came to Colorado for the chance to play with Joe Sakic. So far, that free-agent deal is paying off for
everyone. Smyth had a goal and an assist, and Sakic helped set up two scores Sunday in leading the Colorado Avalanche past the Minnesota Wild 3-1. Smyth, who has five goals, developed chemistry with Sakic while winning an Olympic gold medal and two world Championships for Team Canada. They are still clicking with the Avalanche.
"He recognizes the shooter and he reads the play as he sees it," Smyth said of Sakic.
The two connected on Colorado's first goal. Smyth stole the puck from defenseman Pierre-Marc Bouchard and worked a give-and-give with Sakic and beat Josh Harding with a one-timer at 8:29 of the opening period.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Suzann Petterson breaks
tie for lead by one stroke
PATTAYA, Thailand — Suzann Pettersen needed all of her seven-stroke lead — and then some — in the Honda LPGA Thailand. Tied for the lead with Laura Davies after a three-putt bogey on 17, the Norwegian star made up for all those lost strokes with an eagle on the Pattaya Old Course's 479-yard, par-5 finishing hole. She hit a "grip-down" 3-wood from 225 yards to 15 feet, then made the dramatic putt to beat Davies by a stroke Sunday.
Associated Press
NFLresults
Patriots 52, Redskins 7 FOXBOROUGH, Mass.
— Tom Brady threed for three touchdowns and ran for two more to help New England crush the Washington Redskins 52-7.
Colts 31; Panthers 7
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Peyton
Manning threw for 254
yards and two touchdowns
and broke John Unitas'
team record for career scoring
passes.
Steelers 24, Bengals 13 CINCINNATI — Hines Ward caught a pair of touchdown passes, as the Steeleers solidified their hold on first place in the AFC North.
Giants 13, Dolphins 10
WEMBLEY, England — The NFL's first regular-season trip overseas was every bit as sloppy as it was predictable. Ell Manning threw for only 59 yards but ran for New York's long touchdown
Lions 16, Bears 7
CHICAGO — Jon Kitna
passed for 268 yards, Kevin
Jones ran for 105 yards and
a touchdown, and the Lions
showed they're serious
contenders in the NFC.
Jaguars 24, Buccaneers 23
TAMPA, Fla. — Backup
quarterback Quinn Gray
threw an 8-yard touchdown
pass to Matt Jones that put
the Jaguars (5-2) ahead for
good with 11:37 to go.
Saints 31, 49ers 10
SAN FRANCISCO — Drew Brees passed for 336 yards and hit Marques Colston with three of his four touch down throws in the Saints' third consecutive win.
Titans 13, Raiders 9
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LenDale White ran for a careerhigh 133 yards.
Chargers 35, Texans 10
SAN DIEGO — Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, two to All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates.
Browns 27, Rams 20
ST. LOUIS — Derek Anderson threw three touchdown passes, two to Braylon Edwards.
Eagles 23, Vikings 16
MINNEAPOLIS — Donovan
McNabb threw for 333
yards and a touchdown.
Bills 13, Jets 3
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
— JP. Losman came on in relief of an injured Trent Edwards and connected with Lee Evans on an 85-yard touchdown pass with 3:38 remaining.
4