THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY APRIL 20
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8. 2009
SPORTS
7B
MLB
White Sox defeat Royals in opener
BY ANDREW SELIGMAN
Associated Press
CHICAGO — lim Thome got to totally enjoy his opening-day home run.
Thome hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, rallying the Chicago White Sox past the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Tuesday in a season opener delayed a day because of bad weather.
Chicago trailed 2-1 when Thome hit his 542nd career home run, connecting with two outs off Royals newcomer Kyle Farnsworth.
Thome's shot gave Chicago the victory on a day when Mark Buehrle struggled, and it erased a solid outing by Kansas City's Gil Meche.
Muche pitched seven strong innings, Alex Gordon homered and the Royals were in line for the victory until Farnsworth (0-1) came on in the eighth.
Josh Fields led off with a bunt single and moved to third with one out on Chris Getz's single. After Carlos Quentin struck out, Thome homered to center field and a crowd that had been listless went wild, drawing a curtain call from the slugger.
Winning pitcher Octavio Dotel (1-0) struck out the side in the eighth after Clayton Richard threw two scoreless innings. Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.
Gordon gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead when he connected off Buehrle in the second. Chicago tied it in the bottom half on Fields' RBI single, and the Royals went ahead in the fifth when Jose Guillen scored on Gordon's forceout.
That looked like it might be enough for Meche, who won 14 games last season. The right-hander allowed one run and seven hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter, but Farnsworth couldn't protect the lead.
It was a rather forgettable afternoon for Buehrle, who tied Billy Pierce's club record by starting his seventh opener. That bit of trivia aside, the three-time All-Star struggled with his control and consistently found himself in jams.
A 15-game winner last season,
he allowed two runs and six hits
while striking out three, walking
three and hitting two batters over
five innings.
A single by Thome helped the White Sox load the bases with none out in the bottom half. Fields hit an RBI single, but Jermaine Dye was easily thrown out at the plate when he tried to score from second.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fields, replacing the departed Joe Crede at third, also saved a run in the fifth when he stabbed Billy Butler's grounder behind the bag and threw home to force Mark Teaken with the bases loaded.
Kansas City Royals catcher Miguel Olivo, left, tags out the Chicago White Sox Jermaine Dye during the second inning of their season-opening baseball game Tuesday in Chicago.
MLB
BYR.B.FALLSTROM
Associated Press
Cardinals' rookie pitcher misses first opportunity
Motte, who won a three-man battle for the job in spring training.
ST. LOUIS — Rookie Jason Motte botched his first chance as the St. Louis Cardinals' closer. And because he threw so many pitches, it was likely that bad taste would linger for a day before he got a chance at making a better impression.
was victimized in a four-run ninth in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 6-4 opening day victory on Monday. Plus, He threw 29 pitches.
Before the second game of a four-game series Tuesday, manager Tony J. Bussa
planned on giving the hard-throwing right hand a daw off.
"I think it's a little early to push it," la Russa said. "If you've got one hitter to get out to win the game, send him out there. But I don't plan to use him."
top choice to finish on Motte's day off. The third pitcher in the spring competition, Chris Perez, is now the closer at Triple-A Memphis.
Ryan Franklin, who had 17 saves last year while the Cardinals struggled to find a replacement for Jason Isringhausen, was likely the
"It was a big deal, but I didn't let it eat me up. It's one of those things that you can't really do anything about."
Motte has Isringhausen's old locker stall. In the opener,
he inherited the former
closer's troubles.
Motte, a former catcher who moved to the mound in 2006, had a 1.46 ERA and five saves in spring training and his fastball has been timed in the high 90s. He debuted in the major leagues last season with an 0.82 ERA in 11 games.
JASON MOTTE St. Louis pitcher
PGA
After the game, he watched some video for clues. On Tuesday, he was afraid in discussing the breakdown.
"It was a big deal, but I didn't let it eat me up," Motte said. "It's one of those things that
you can't really do anything about.
"I'm not stupid to the fact that it's like, 'Oh, well, whatever.' But I can't let it bother me because if I'm already defeated I'm going to get beat up again."
Woods and Mickelson to compete for No.1 at Masters
Motte said the big problem was getting some fastballs up in the zone. He threw three straight fastballs to Jack Wilson, whose bases-clearing double was the go-ahead hit.
BY DOUG FERGUSON
Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS Patrons watch as Tiger Woods practices on the putting green in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Tuesday. Woods and Phil Mickelson will be competing for No. 1 in the Masters.
It's a familiar story for Tiger Woods each year at the Masters.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — He was on the practice range at first light, only his coach and caddie at his side. Then it was off to the putting green, where he kept pressing an Augusta National official for permission to start his practice round before the course was open.
But on that frigid Tuesday morning, the routine belonged to Phil Mickelson.
"Tiger and Phil are out there playing," one of the club members said before adding with a smile, "Not together, obviously."
They have kept different schedules this week — Mickelson playing early, Woods the late arrival with his most limited practice in his Masters career. They were one group apart Sunday afternoon when both arrived at Augusta and played the front nine.
They are not particularly close,
except in the world ranking.
but no one is surprised."
Mickelson already has won twice this year, repeating at Riviera and winning at Doral for his first World Golf Championship.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The top two players in golf — and the best rivalry of their generation could be on a collision course at the first major of the year.
Woods returned from an eightmonth break after knee surgery to win at Bay Hill two weeks ago when he rallied from a five-shot deficit to beat Sean O'Hair with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in the dark. It was the type of putt Woods always seems to make, one summed up perfectly by Geoff Ogilvy: "Everyone is impressed,
They have not gone head-tohead at the Masters since 2001, when they played in the final group and Woods won by two shots to become the only pro to capture four consecutive majors.
Mickelson has won the Masters twice, and while the first one is the most memorable it was equally gratifying in 2006 to have Woods, the defending champion, help him into the green jacket.
"I do have a picture of him sliding that jacket on me," Mickelson said with a smile. "That felt good."
They are considered the top two contenders at the Masters, which starts Thursday, even in a year when there is no shortage of story lines, from Padraig Harrington going for a third straight major to Greg Norman returning to a major he loves, but has received no love back.
Mickelson could go to No. 1 in the world for the first time in an otherwise stellar career if he were to win the Masters and Woods finished out of the top five.
"It would be an incredible feat, given who is currently No. 1," Mickelson said.
That would be Woods, who intends to stay there.
"The No.1 ranking takes care of itself, just by winning golf tournaments." Woods said.
The last time Mickelson was so prominently featured at a major was
three years ago in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, when he had a one-shot lead on the 18th hole with a chance to join Woods (who had missed the cut) and Ben Hogan as the only players to win three straight maiors. Mickelson made double bogey to lose by one, and he has not contended in a major since
"I think the whole idea is to
handle your own business and on Sunday, see where you are," Woods said.
Woods knows that from recent experience at Augusta.
He has been a Masters runner-up the last two years. He couldn't make enough birdies to make a run at Trevor Immelman last year, and he couldn't buy a putt in 2007
when he was trying to track down Zach Johnson. It was the only time he played in the final group at the Masters without winning.
Even so, Mickelson is among the few who relishes a chance to take on Woods, especially in a major.
"Hopefully, we will both play well," Mickelson said. "We have 54 holes where we have to play great
golf. I think he's playing some great golf, and I think he's going to be there. I think that I've been playing some of the best golf of my career, and I believe I'm going to be there, too."
On a tough golf course where birdies have become more rare, that might be enough to bring back some roars to the Masters.
Thursday, April 9
Death By Alcohol The Sam Spady Story and panel discussion
7:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Hawk's Nest, Kansas Union
Samantha Spady died of alcohol poisoning in a CSU fraternity in 2004. Her parents produced this documentary to educate college students about the dangers of binge drinking.
Panelists: Dr. Marlesa Roney, Office of the Vice Provost for Student Success Kim Richter, MPH PhD, Asso. Professor of Preventative Medicine, KUMC Philip Bradley, Kansas Hospitality Industry Mason Tvert, S.A.F.E.R., Denver Colorado Moderator: Phil Minkin, past-president DG CO ACLU
The Kenneth A. Spencer Memorial Lecture
BRUCE MAU Internationally Acclaimed Designer
Massive Change: The Future of Design and Life on Earth
Wednesday, April 8
7:30 p.m. Woodruff Auditorium, Kansas Union
This event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.
Additional Event | A Conversation with Bruce Mai April 9, 9:30 a.m. The Commons at Spooner Hall
www.hallcenter.ku.edu | hallcenter@ku.edu | 785-864-4798
More than just the most in-demand designer in the world, Bruce Mau is an optimist with a practical streak a mile long. He has designed everything from exquisite books to bookstores, from signage systems to a museum of biodiversity with Frank Gehry. An expert on innovation and creativity, in this lecture Mau shows us how design is improving the quality of life for millions of people around the world, and how we can extend this revolution to all of humanity.
KU THE COMMONS
The University of Kansas
The Commons is a partnership between the Co Sponsored by Biodiversity Institute, the Hall Center for the Humanities and the Spencer Art Museum
PUBLIC RADIO THE UNIVERSITY OF RAPHAEL