An airplane of some sort flew over my house the other day, so high up there you couldn’t see it – just the long wake of silken contrail across the sky. At some point the white vapor line began to fold, like ribbon candy, then it broke apart.

Then it became a smudge, a streak of white slowly erased from a blue chalkboard.

As you know, this great little newspaper is fading away, the victim of relentless arithmetic and a soulless economy.

And nothing will be missed more than the Citizen Sports section.

Forever ragged-on as the toy department, Sports has actually been an island of sanity in a stormy sea of political, financial and crime news.

What you’ve read here has made sense, for the most part. And that’s why you turned to Sports.

Press Row has always had an essential part in the games we love to watch. I can’t imagine a big sporting event without the ink-stained wretches of the media there to tell the story.

In times like these, the sports pages are like a warm breath blown through cold fingers.

And it saddens me more than I can tell you that the Tucson Citizen is about to draw its last breath.

We’ve been there on the greatest days of University of Arizona athletics. We covered the national championships, the Olympic gold medalists, the dreams come true.

And more than a few nightmares.

It was my great fortune to join the Citizen’s Sports department in August 1976, after two years on the news side. Bruce Johnston covered Wildcats football, Steve Weston basketball, Regis McAuley wrote columns, Naaman Nickell was the copy chief and Jack Rickard was the sports editor.

For the better part of three decades, I slid in and out of various beats. After Regis retired, I stuck mostly to columns.

Johnston became sports editor after a time, followed by Peter Madrid and then the current top guy, Mike Chesnick. Somewhere in there, the late Phil Hamilton filled in briefly.

Nothing I ever covered was as much fun as the Tucson Sky professional volleyball team. The Sky was the last world champion of the International Volleyball Association, in 1979. The league folded the following year; the Sky never did.

And every once in a while, somebody will dig up the grave of that motley mascot, Spike the Skygull, and wear the costume to a party. Doug Clark owned the Sky, along with Burt Kinerk and others. Games were played at Catalina High School. At halftime, fans would go outside on the parking lot to smoke. Some used tobacco.

Bob Garrett was the general manager, the funniest man alive. I went to lunch one day with Bob at the old Cafe Olé downtown. In order to pay for his liverwurst sandwich, he first had to go to the bank and I went along. All of a sudden I noticed Bob, standing in line as if nothing were wrong, wearing the large, yellow foam feet of Spike, including ugly toenails.

The most inspirational team was the 1980 Arizona national championship baseball team, so ably coached by Jerry Kindall, Jim Wing and Jerry Stitt. The Wildcats, led by outfielder Terry Francona, now the manager of the Boston Red Sox, were dead last in the Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division (“Six Pac”) at semester break.

They roared back, winning almost every game in the final inning or two, and took the conference title. Then they came back through the losers’ bracket at the College World Series in Omaha to win the NCAA championship, UA’s first in a team sport.

Jim Young was the finest coach I ever met. He was Arizona football coach from 1973 through 1976. He was a winner here, at Purdue and then at West Point, using different offensive philosophies at each stop.

The late Larry Smith and his Arizona football teams were a joy to cover. I still can’t believe Smitty’s been gone now more than a year. His wife, Cheryl, brought the same positive influence to Arizona football that Bobbi Olson, Lute’s late wife, did to Wildcats basketball.

Lute, of course, is a Tucson monument. His 24 years as head coach brought the school its greatest athletic accomplishments . . . 589 victories, the 1997 NCAA championship, four Final Four appearances, 11 Pacific-10 Conference championships, an unbelievable 43-7 record against Arizona State.

As sports columnist, I got to travel along with some wonderful beat writers to the big games: Dave Petruska, Steve Rivera, Bryan Lee, Charles Durrenberger and then John Moredich in football. . . . Rickard, Cindy Somers and then Rivera in basketball. . . . Petruska in baseball.

It was a pleasure to work with some of the finest athletic directors in UA history . . . Dave Strack, Cedric Dempsey and Jim Livengood. And with sports information directors Frank Soltys, Bob Jacobsen, Mike Parkinson, Butch Henry and Tom Duddleston.

Covering Tucson’s La Fiesta de los Vaqueros rodeo for many years was a treat. So was the old Tucson Open golf tournament, run so well by the Conquistadores, the greatest group of volunteers in the country.

The men and women I’ve worked with in Sports, writers and editors, were dedicated, talented people. We were an afternoon paper in an age when people preferred to read their news in the morning. We felt we had to work harder than our competitors.

We were like a Jeep battling its way out of the swamp.

I wish the Arizona Daily Star nothing but the best. You’re on your own now, guys. We can’t help you anymore. Good luck.

From the perspective of a retirement which I entered two years ago, I have grown to appreciate even more the work of the two daily newspapers in Tucson.

Now there’ll be only one.

And it breaks my heart.

Former Citizen Sports Columnist Corky Simpson’s book, “Corky: 30 Years of Sports Commentary, Heroes, Egos, Gloves, Sweat and Tears,” is still available. E-mail him at jokwriter@yahoo.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A day after learning Jeremy Mayfield failed a drug test for something other than a performance-enhancer, NASCAR allowed him to drive a race car at Darlington Raceway at speeds up to 173 mph.

A person familiar with the test results told The Associated Press on Thursday that Mayfield’s positive test was not for a performance-enhancing drug.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR won’t reveal what banned substance was found in the random test, which ultimately resulted in Mayfield’s indefinite suspension.

NASCAR officials previously announced the drug violation was not alcohol-related, and the administrator of its drug testing program has dismissed Mayfield’s explanation that the positive result came from a mix of a prescription with an over-the-counter medicine.

Under the sport’s toughened policy, that leaves the possibility that Mayfield tested positive for abuse of a prescription drug, narcotics or controlled substances, such as cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine.

Ryan Newman called on NASCAR to reveal the substance.

“There should not by a mystery out there,” he said before the annual Pit Crew Challenge. “This should be public knowledge. If we’re going to do what’s good for the sport, which is also what’s good for kids that are out there that look up to NASCAR drivers, they should know what not to do.

“That’s super important to me. I don’t know the whole story for what’s happened. Knowing what the penalty is, knowing what caused the situation is extremely important.”

Because Mayfield challenged the initial positive finding, as allowed under NASCAR’s drug policy, the series did not take disciplinary action until his backup “B” sample also tested positive. That’s why Mayfield wasn’t barred from participating in two practice sessions and qualifying session May 8 at Darlington.

“There are limitations as to how quickly the process can be brought to conclusion,” said Dr. David Black, the administrator for NASCAR’s drug-testing program. “The practical reality is there is going to be a delay. In an ideal world, if the world were perfect and there was a possibility of an instant answer, we’d be able to take immediate action.”

NASCAR finds itself in a unique position in its first season under the toughened drug policy.

Other major sports leagues must focus on the effects of performance-enhancing drugs on their traditions and records, but the abuse of recreational drugs and the altered states they create can present an imminent danger in NASCAR, where 43 drivers are on the track at once, racing at high speeds.

Drivers had mixed feelings about whether Mayfield should have been allowed on the track while his “B” sample was analyzed. Newman called it “scary,” because he wasn’t sure what effects the substance might have had on Mayfield. Brian Vickers said he had no issue if NASCAR deemed Mayfield competent to drive.

HOUSTON – The shots stopped falling, the passes that worked in Game 4 were turnovers in Game 5, and every loose ball or whistle seemed to go the Los Angeles’ Lakers way.

Two days after one of the most stirring victories in franchise history, the Houston Rockets suffered one of their worst postseason defeats and now face elimination Thursday in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series with the Lakers.

“We know it’s time to man-up or else it’s going to be golf time,” said forward Shane Battier, held to five points in Game 5 after scoring 23 in Houston’s 99-87 win Sunday.

The Lakers’ 118-78 win on Tuesday matched Houston’s most lopsided playoff loss. The Rockets say don’t count them out just yet, pointing to their propensity for bouncing back after embarrassing defeats.

Houston dropped 11 games by double-digits during the season and won the next game 10 times.

At this point, the series may hinge more on how the top-seeded Lakers play.

They came out flat and uninspired in Game 4, and the Rockets built a 29-point lead playing without Yao Ming, who broke his left foot the previous game. Kobe Bryant called the Lakers’ mindset for the game a “dumb mistake,” and Los Angeles left nothing to chance in Game 5.

“Every game, you’ve got to rebuild your momentum,” Bryant said. “It doesn’t carry over.”

Howard wants bigger role

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dwight Howard wants the ball more, and Stan Van Gundy is telling fans not to panic. Orlando seems to be teetering on a Magic Meltdown.

Howard met with Van Gundy and apologized Wednesday – but did not retract his statements – after publicly challenging the coach’s strategy in their Game 5 collapse. The Magic center even added another bold comment as the Celtics look to close out Orlando in Game 6 Thursday and move on to the Eastern Conference finals.

“We can’t give up hope,” Howard said Wednesday. “We’re in this series to win it. We are going to win this series.”

It was the second time during these playoffs Howard has questioned why the Magic coach doesn’t run more of the offense through him, with the latest being the loudest and most direct.

“Getting the ball shouldn’t be a big issue for me,” Howard said. “There’s more ways to dominate the game than scoring. Me and coach, we talked about that.”

Howard’s comments have caused enough uproar in Orlando that Van Gundy even suggested that any Magic fans starting to panic need to keep their cool.

“That kind of panic wouldn’t exist in cities that are used to having teams in tough playoff series year after year after year.”

Eddie Jordan seeks 76ers job

PHILADELPHIA – Former NBA coach Eddie Jordan has expressed interest in the Philadelphia 76ers head coaching job and hopes to meet with team president Ed Stefanski by the end of the weekend.

“He needs a coach, and I’m a coach that’s looking for a job,” Jordan said by phone Wednesday night.

Jordan, who was fired by the Washington Wizards in November, interviewed with Sacramento this week.

TNT analyst Doug Collins is also a candidate for the Sixers job.

First female favored since 1988

Preakness entrant Rachel Alexandra is led off a van by assistant trainer Scott Blasi at Pimlico Race Course on Wednesday in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE – Rachel Alexandra was made the early 8-5 favorite Wednesday for the Preakness Stakes, the first filly accorded that status since 1988.

She brings a five-race winning streak into Saturday’s 1 3/16-mile race at Pimlico.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Calvin Borel, Rachel Alexandra drew the No. 13 post on the far outside.

“It’s beautiful. She’s going to be able to get position,” said Scott Blasi, Asmussen’s assistant.

Borel chose to stay on as Rachel Alexandra’s regular rider, switching off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who gets Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.

“Calvin knows this filly so well, I don’t think we have to tell him anything about where he wants to be with her,” Blasi said. “He’s very comfortable with her, and we’re very comfortable with him.”

No filly since Nellie Morse in 1924 has won the Preakness. The last filly to go off as the wagering favorite was Winning Colors at 2-1 odds in 1988. She finished third.

“I am trying to help the industry,” said Jess Jackson, the filly’s co-owner. “I hope this helps revive horse racing in the United States.”

Jackson, who founded Kendall-Jackson winery, and Harold McCormick bought Rachel Alexandra for an undisclosed price last week. They paid a $100,000 supplemental fee – above and beyond the entry fees – to get her into the Preakness because she wasn’t nominated for the Triple Crown races by her previous owners. They had expected her to only run against fillies.

“I think the fans deserve to see the best horses compete regardless of sex,” Jackson said on a conference call. “This isn’t about male or female; it’s about the best athletes.”

Rachel Alexandra has a front-running style, and hasn’t been farther back than second while running her last five races.

“It’s a good spot for her,” said Bob Baffert, who trains rival Pioneer of the Nile. “She’s out there in the clear. If you’re in the middle and you don’t break well, they can jam you up. She’s going to be (running) one, two or three; that’s a good spot for her.”

Pioneer of the Nile, the Kentucky Derby runner-up, was made the 5-1 second choice in the 13-horse field by Pimlico oddsmaker Frank Carulli. The colt drew the No. 9 post.

Mine That Bird and Friesan Fire were the co-third choices at 6-1. Mine That Bird will break from the No. 2 post, while Friesan Fire is in the No. 5 spot.

Bennie Woolley Jr., who trains Mine That Bird, was happy with his colt’s post, pointing out that speedster Big Drama is in the No. 1 hole and Musket Man will start from No. 3.

“They should clear away from us, put us in a nice spot to coast down the front side,” he said. “I like the fact that Big Drama is inside of me. He will move on. It should leave me a little bit of a spot there.”

Musket Man, third in the Derby, was 8-1.

The field, from the rail out, is Big Drama (10-1), Mine That Bird (6-1), Musket Man (8-1), Luv Gov (50-1), Friesan Fire (6-1), Terrain (30-1), Papa Clem (12-1), General Quarters (20-1), Pioneer of the Nile (5-1), Flying Private (50-1), Take the Points (30-1), Tone It Down (50-1) and Rachel Alexandra (8-5).

PHOENIX – Before the Cincinnati Reds put the finishing touches on a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks at Chase Field, new manager A.J. Hinch had a fireside-like chat with reporters in the Arizona dugout.

He said things such as his team needs to “get back to the simpler things” and “rekindle a sense of spirit” and finally, remember to “take a deep breath” and “have some fun.”

Winning, not words, is the only thing that can save the spiraling Diamondbacks, who got clobbered 10-3 Wednesday night in front of 20,443 fans.

Arizona has lost three in a row, fallen to 1-5 under Hinch and dropped 10 of its first 12 series to open the season.

It’s not getting better. It’s getting worse.

Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto improved to 4-1 by limiting the Diamondbacks to three runs on four hits in seven innings, as Cincinnati outscored Arizona 26-9 in the series.

“It’s hard,” Hinch said. “They outhit us, ran the bases better and played better defense. They just stuck it to us.

“But there’s no magic potion here. I think we’ve got to find a way to have a little more fun and get that boyish spirit back. . . . (Without it) it can create a negative momentum if you’re not careful.”

The Diamondbacks brought up two prospects from Double-A Mobile to make their major-league debuts.

Pitcher Bryan Augenstein, who was 5-0 with a 0.78 ERA for the BayBears, had an electric start by easily retiring the first three hitters he faced. But after the first time through the order, the Reds settled in against him and the right-hander left after 6 1/3 innings, having allowed five earned runs and eight hits.

“This was an amazing feeling and a great opportunity for me,” said Augenstein, who will remain in the rotation indefinitely.

Gerardo Parra, who was hitting .361 for Mobile, started in center field for the slumping Chris Young and smacked a home run in his first at-bat, hitting in the No. 2 spot.

Parra became the 100th player in major-league history to homer in his first career at-bat. He is the second player to do so this season – the other was Atlanta’s Jordan Schafer on April 5 against Philadelphia. And he’s the second Diamondbacks player to do it – the other being Alex Cabrera on June 26, 2000, against Houston.

Parra didn’t get another hit the rest of the night, however, and the 1-0 lead he gave his teammates didn’t last long.

The Reds scored three times in the third inning, getting a two-run double to right by second baseman Brandon Phillips and an RBI single to right by first baseman Ramon Hernandez.

PHOENIX – It is nothing close to fair to evaluate the A.J. Hinch era after only five days.

But the Sedona Red-clad in attendance Tuesday night didn’t seem to mind making the Diamondbacks aware of their frustration, their full-throated boos ringing out across Chase Field throughout the game.

And after the Diamondbacks lost once again, this time 3-1 to the Cincinnati Reds and ex-Diamondbacks pitcher Micah Owings, it’s tough to blame them for their displeasure, considering the body of work the team has turned in since Bob Melvin was canned as manager last week.

In the past five games, the Diamondbacks at times have appeared lethargic, other times sloppy, and certainly haven’t looked inspired. Regardless of what happens in Wednesday night’s series finale, they are assured of losing each of the first two series since the managerial change.

They are 1-4 under Hinch.

“There were plenty of chances,” Hinch said. “We didn’t really make Micah work probably as hard as we should’ve.”

Brandon Phillips had two hits, including a home run, as the Reds beat Diamondbacks right-hander Dan Haren, who allowed three runs in seven innings.

On this night, the target of the boos was the offense. Though the hitters have looked better in recent days, they could do little on this night against Owings, whom the Diamondbacks shipped to Cincinnati in August in the Adam Dunn trade.

Owings allowed just one hit through the first five innings, but gave up consecutive singles to open the sixth, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.

But the Diamondbacks failed to push a run across. Miguel Montero worked a 3-1 count but popped out to shortstop. Justin Upton followed and took three consecutive pitches – two fastballs and slider – to strike out looking.

And after Mark Reynolds hit the first pitch he saw for a fly out to end the inning, the boos rained down.

The Diamondbacks got on the board in the eighth on a Felipe Lopez RBI double. But with Lopez on second with no outs, the Diamondbacks again could not come up with a big hit.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Tiger Woods must be kicking himself for dropping out of Stanford two years early. If this golf career doesn’t work out for him, he doesn’t even have a college degree to fall back on.

OK, his game is not that bad.

But it sure can be made to seem that way.

It’s hard to believe it was only six weeks ago when Woods went through yet another coronation. He rallied from five shots behind and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a birdie putt on the final hole. He was one month into his return from major knee surgery that kept him out of competition for eight months.

And what has he done lately?

Woods tied for sixth at the Masters. He was within one shot of the lead going to the back nine at Quail Hollow, closed with nothing but pars and finished fourth. He was in the final group Sunday at The Players Championship, five shots behind Alex Cejka, then made bogeys from the pine straw, rough and sand on the front nine and wound up in eighth place.

For any other player, that four-week record would make him one of the hottest players in golf.

For Woods, it’s bordering on a slump.

“What has he won, 11 of his last 18?” Paul Goydos said. “Yeah, I’m really concerned about this flash in the pan.”

This is nothing new.

A week after Woods won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black for his eighth major championship, Golf Digest ran an online survey asking if he would break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors, and 73 percent said yes. Two years later, after Woods had gone eight majors without winning, the magazine posed the same question, and 71 percent said no.

Woods once said the media tend to exaggerate when he plays poorly – and when he plays well.

But it’s his own fault.

Woods is the one who set outrageous standards by winning the career Grand Slam at age 24, by winning one U.S. Open by 15 shots and another on one good leg. He has never lost a PGA Tour event when leading by more than one shot going into the final round. And his 66 victories on the PGA Tour are one more than the next six players combined in the world rankings.

He contributes to the expectations by what he says.

Woods now has 16 consecutive top 10s in stroke play, a streak that was mentioned to him after the Masters.

“I have a hard time looking at it that way,” he said. “It’s just the nature of how I am. You want to try and win every event you play in, and obviously, I haven’t done that this year.”

Local golf

Skyline Country Club pro Don Littrell started with a pair of birdies last week and went on to shoot a 2-under-par 70 to win the PGA Southwest Section Southern Chapter Pro Series No. 2 at Ventana Canyon.

Ex-University of Arizona golfer Brandon Smith of Ventana Canyon was second at 72 and Andrew Cochran of Stone Canyon was third at 73.

Local pros will be in pro-am action Wednesday at the Omni Tucson National.

• The Arizona Paralyzed Veterans will hold their fundraising golf tournament May 31 at Randolph North. For more information, call Karen L. Gialle at 256-5311 or Joe Chitty at 574-0129.

Citizen Staff Report

PGA TOUR

What: Texas Open

Site: San Antonio

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday

Course: LaCantera Golf Club, Resort Course (7,153 yards, par 70)

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, noon-3 p.m.)

Last week: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson won The Players Championship, closing with a 6-under 66 for a four-stroke victory over Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter. Tiger Woods shot a 73 in the final round to finish eighth, seven strokes back.

LPGA TOUR

What: Sybase Classic

Site: Clifton, N.J.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday

Course: Upper Montclair Country Club (6,413 yards, par 72)

Television: ESPN2 (Friday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.)

Last week: Cristie Kerr won the Michelob Ultra Open for the second time. shooting 69-63-66-70 for a two-stroke victory over In-Kyung Kim. Kerr, also the 2005 Kingsmill winner, has 12th career LPGA Tour titles.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

What: Regions Charity Classic

Site: Hoover, Ala.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday

Course: Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge (7,473 yards, par 72)

Television: Golf Channel (Friday, 3:30-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3:30-6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4-6:30 p.m.)

Last event: Tom Lehman made a par putt on the second playoff hole to become the 13th player to win in his Champions Tour debut, teaming with Bernhard Langer to beat Craig Stadler and Jeff Sluman on April 26 in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR

What: Irish Open

Site: Baltray, Ireland

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday

Course: County Louth Golf Club (7,063 yards, par 72)

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 7-10 a.m.; Saturday, 7-10 a.m., 1-3 p.m.; Sunday, 6-9 a.m., 1-3 p.m.)

Last week: Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik won the Italian Open for his second PGA European Tour title, closing with a 6-under 65 for a six-stroke victory over John Daly, Raphael Jacquelin and Robert Rock.

The Associated Press

Jones

BALTIMORE – Larry Jones knows something about running a filly against the boys in a Triple Crown race, and he’s not looking forward to the threat posed by Rachel Alexandra.

The trainer saddled Eight Belles to a gallant second-place finish in last year’s Kentucky Derby before she broke her front ankles past the finish line and had to be destroyed on the track.

Now Jones is preparing to send this year’s beaten Derby favorite Friesan Fire in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes against stellar filly Rachel Alexandra, who has won five consecutive races by a combined 43 1/2 lengths.

“Anytime the horse is as fast as her, you wish you didn’t have to run against them,” Jones said Tuesday. “I’ve chased her twice with fillies. If I’ve got any shot of beating her, it’s going to have to be with a boy. I ain’t got a filly that can try her.”

Armstrong loses time

SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA, Italy – Lance Armstrong looked weary, his face was drawn, and he was sweating profusely after losing 15 seconds in the first mountainous stage of the Giro d’Italia.

Yet the seven-time Tour de France champion was not upset. At 37, Armstrong is still regaining his form after 3 1/2 years of retirement and a broken collarbone in March.

“I’m happy with my performance today. This was my first big climb since retiring,” he said. “I had a good feeling and no collarbone pain at all.”

Italy’s Danilo Di Luca won the fourth stage in an uphill sprint Tuesday and Sweden’s Thomas Lovkvist of Team Columbia-High Road took the overall leader’s pink jersey from Alessandro Petacchi.

Lovkvist holds a two-second lead over Di Luca in the overall standings, while Armstrong dropped from fifth to sixth overall, 28 seconds behind Lovkvist.

Armstrong lost contact with the leaders in the final mile and declined to speak with reporters in the finish area. He was not happy when his handlers could not immediately give him a cold drink.

“Come on, guys,” said the Texan, who was also slowed by a gear problem on his bike.

Swine flu stops Japan

TOKYO – The Japanese women’s soccer team canceled a tour in the United States on Tuesday because of the swine flu outbreak.

The team was scheduled to play the U.S. team on May 20 in Frisco, Texas, and May 23 in Sandy, Utah. The team was to travel to Canada for a match in Toronto on May 25.

Japan’s health ministry confirmed the fourth case of swine flu on Sunday, a day after the country’s first three were reported.

Cincinnati's Jerry Hairston Jr. (top) gets tangled up with the Arizona Diamondbacks' Eric Byrnes after Byrnes was tagged out trying to stretch a single into a double on Monday in Phoenix.

PHOENIX – There were only 17,640 people in attendance for Monday night’s game between the Diamondbacks and the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

The smallest crowd of the season sounded twice as large as that, however, based on the loudness of all the boos directed at the Diamondbacks during their lethargic 13-5 loss.

It was bad enough the Reds were hammering on them all night, but to hear it from their own fans made it doubly worse.

The Diamondbacks were victimized for season highs in hits (18) and runs.

To be fair, there were a few bright spots:

• Right fielder Justin Upton extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a two-run home run in the second inning off Bronson Arroyo.

• Left fielder Eric Byrnes continued his torrid homestand, collecting three more hits Monday to make him 9 for 15 in his last four games since snapping a 0 for 17 skid.

• And second baseman Felipe Lopez came up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

But there was little else to get excited about, unless you were rooting for Cincinnati or got excited about Diamondbacks utility player Josh Wilson getting the chance to pitch in the ninth inning.

For the record, Wilson pitched a hitless and scoreless inning, becoming the fifth position player in club history to make a pitching performance.

Reds center fielder Willy Taveras tied his career high with five hits; he also scored four times. Meanwhile, the Reds also got three hits and three runs scored from third baseman Adam Rosales.

“They brought their bats,” Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said.

Bronson Arroyo (5-2) got the win, pitching seven innings. Diamondbacks starter Jon Garland (3-2) got roughed up early and took the loss.

“I got a lot of pitches up,” Garland said. “You’re facing a team like the Reds right now, who seem to be swinging the bats pretty well, you’re going to get hurt.”

The game featured several mental mistakes early by the Diamondbacks, namely some unwise throws with Reds runners on the move that eventually helped to plate three runs inside the first three innings alone.

Twice, the Reds turned singles into doubles because Byrnes and Lopez were either napping or weren’t on the same page defensively.

Third baseman Mark Reynolds was also charged with an error when his throw to first on a bunt by Willy Taveras allowed Arroyo to go from first to third.

And then there was Garland, who was lifted after 3 1/2 innings after allowing seven earned runs on 10 hits, including back-to-back home runs by Laynce Nix and Adam Rosales to open the fourth.

As bad as Garland was, relief pitcher Bobby Korecky was worse.

Recalled from Triple-A Reno on Saturday, the right-hander allowed six earned runs on seven hits in just two innings.

Short hops

• Right-hander Brandon Webb, on the disabled list indefinitely because of bursitis behind his right shoulder, could start playing catch during the team’s upcoming road trip, Hinch said.

After Webb starts playing catch, he can begin a throwing program.

• Left fielder Conor Jackson was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game Monday because an illness.

Hinch wasn’t sure when Jackson would be ready for full-time duty.

The Giants' Randy Winn steals second as Washington Nationals second baseman Ronnie Belliard awaits the throw on Monday in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO – Randy Johnson struck out nine in his 298th career victory, and Randy Winn had three hits and scored three runs in the San Francisco Giants’ 11-7 win over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

Ryan Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 29 games and went 4 for 5 with two homers for the Nationals, including a three-run shot in the ninth.

Zimmerman also hit a solo shot in the sixth off the 6-foot-10 Johnson (3-3), who yielded eight hits and four runs while outdueling 6-foot-9 Daniel Cabrera in the tallest pitching matchup in baseball history.

Travis Ishikawa had three hits and drove in two runs for the Giants, who produced their biggest run total of the season in their 14th victory in 20 games.

Johnson, San Francisco’s 45-year-old left-hander, threw five strong innings before fading in the sixth after a long, chilly stroll around the basepaths while the Giants drew five consecutive walks and scored five unearned runs in their eighth straight victory over Washington.

Braves 8, Mets 3: At New York, Derek Lowe outlasted Johan Santana in a matchup of aces and Atlanta ended New York’s seven-game winning streak.

Shortstop Jose Reyes’ two-out error in the seventh inning led to four runs, saddling Santana (4-2) with his second loss this season when he did not allow an earned run.

AL: Pavano leads Indians past ChiSox

CLEVELAND – Carl Pavano won his third straight start and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-4 on Monday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

Pavano (3-3) allowed four runs and 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings in his first appearance against the White Sox in nearly five years. The right-hander didn’t issue a walk and struck out three.

Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta drove in three runs apiece for Cleveland, which had 13 hits.

San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval receives congratulations from his teammates after scoring in the 13th inning Sunday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES – The timing couldn’t have been better for the San Francisco Giants, who came into Dodger Stadium for a three-game series just one day after Manny Ramirez received a 50-game suspension for using a banned drug.

The Giants took two of three against their archrivals, who were off to their best start in 26 years. In Sunday’s series finale, Randy Winn hit a tiebreaking two-run single with the bases loaded in the 13th inning and finished with four hits in San Francisco’s 7-5 victory.

The defending NL West champion Dodgers are 1-3 since their slugging left fielder was suspended.

“We’re not concerned about those things,” Giants center fielder Aaron Rowand said. “We’re concerned about winning ballgames, and that’s all that matters. We know whenever we play the Dodgers, with or without Manny, they’re going to be a tough team no matter what because they have a lot of great talent.”

Juan Pierre had three hits for the second straight game, doubled home a run and scored three times for the Dodgers, who went 8-3 on a history-making homestand in which they set a modern major league record with a 13-0 start at home.

The Giants loaded the bases with one out in the 13th against Guillermo Mota (2-1), getting infield hits from Edgar Renteria and Steve Holm around a walk to Pablo Sandoval. Winn got a fastball low and away on a 1-0 count and drove it into the left-field corner.

Cardinals 8, Reds 7, 10 innings: At Cincinnati, Colby Rasmus doubled home a run in the 10th inning Sunday, and the Cardinals overcame five Cincinnati homers – including two solo shots in the ninth.

Mets 8, Pirates 4: At New York, Livan Hernandez survived a shaky start to go six innings and New York welcomed manager Jerry Manuel back from his one-game suspension with their seventh straight victory.

Cubs 4, Brewers 2: At Milwaukee, Alfonso Soriano hit a towering two-run homer in a four-run third inning and Chicago beat Milwaukee to avoid a series sweep.

Braves 4, Phillies 2: At Philadelphia, Casey Kotchman had three hits and three RBIs, Kenshin Kawakami pitched six effective innings and Atlanta rallied to get the win.

Rockies 3, Marlins 2: At Denver, Aaron Cook pitched six solid innings and Troy Tulowitzki homered as part of a third consecutive multihit game, leading Colorado to the win.

Astros 12, Padres 5: At Houston, Miguel Tejada and Carlos Lee each drove in four runs to help Astros ace Roy Oswalt get his first win of the season.

AL: Mariners snap losing skid

MINNEAPOLIS – Ken Griffey Jr. hit a tying, two-run homer in the eighth inning Sunday to rouse the Seattle Mariners in a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins that stopped their six-game losing streak.

Wladimir Balentien added an RBI double in that breakthrough eighth, ruining seven shutout innings by Nick Blackburn and helping the Mariners bring their record back to .500.

Angels 4, Royals 3: At Anaheim, Calif., Torii Hunter made a leaping catch above the left-center field fence to rob Miguel Olivo of a tying homer in the ninth inning, and Los Angeles won.

Blue Jays 5, Athletics 0: At Oakland, Calif., Brett Cecil yielded five hits over eight impressive innings to earn his first major league victory, Alex Rios drove in three runs and Toronto beat Oakland for its seventh win in 10 games.

Tigers 5, Indians 3: At Cleveland, Rick Porcello extended Detroit’s streak of strong pitching, and the Tigers completed a three-game sweep of the struggling Indians.

Yankees 5, Orioles 3: At Baltimore, Johnny Damon hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, the biggest blow in a long-ball surge that carried New York past Baltimore.

Rangers 7, White Sox 1: At Chicago, Hank Blalock homered twice, Vicente Padilla allowed one hit in seven innings and the Rangers ended Bartolo Colon’s dominance against them by beating Chicago.

Red Sox 4, Rays 3: At Boston, Jonathan Papelbon powered his way out of a ninth inning jam with three straight strikeouts after Jason Bay doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth.

The Associated Press

They’re at 2-2 in Eastern Conference semifinal

Carolina's Eric Staal (front right) and Ray Whitney celebrate Staal's goal as Boston goalie Tim Thomas looks on during the first period Friday.

PITTSBURGH – Alex Ovechkin disappeared, at least as much as the game’s most dominant scorer can, and so did all the magic Simeon Varlamov was working.

Suddenly, the Washington Capitals are in a familiar position against rival Pittsburgh, losing their grip on a playoff series that seemed to be theirs.

The Penguins shook off an opening-minute Washington goal, scored three times in less than 12 minutes in the first period against a suddenly vulnerable Varlamov and beat the Capitals 5-3 Friday night to even the Eastern Conference semifinal at 2.

The Capitals won’t get much time to try to regain any confidence they lost up by losing twice in Pittsburgh, not with Game 5 in Washington on Saturday night.

“We’re right back in it and we have momentum on our side and we’ll try to keep it going,” said Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 19 saves.

Washington scored one-goal victories at home in each of the first two games as Ovechkin scored a combined four goals, but he was shut out on two shots while being constantly shadowed by defenseman Rob Scuderi. Penguins star Sidney Crosby had his playoffs-leading ninth goal and an assist.

“They were desperate down here,” Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Alex is only human. He can’t be unbelievable every night. He’s a great player. He just had one of those nights where he’s not going to get three goals.”

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis is unhappy at playing twice in two nights in two cities, all because of a Yanni concert in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He may be even more concerned with the Capitals’ first major letdown in the series, an opening period in which Washington’s one-goal lead quickly became a two-goal deficit as Sergei Gonchar, Bill Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko scored.

Now, the Penguins again could do what they did against the Capitals in 1992 and 1996 by rallying to win after being down 2-0 in a series.

“We said we’ve got to get two at home and now we’ve got to try to get one on the road,” Scuderi said.

Hurricanes 4, Bruins 1:

At Raleigh, N.C., Eric Staal scored two goals to break the club career playoff scoring record, and the Carolina Hurricanes pushed the top-seeded Bruins to the brink of elimination, pulling away late.

The Hurricanes lead the Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-1. Game 5 is Sunday night in Boston.

Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal at 2:52 of the third and assisted on the two goals that followed, and Sergei Samsonov added a goal for the Hurricanes.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth set a track record (179.514 mph) at Darlington Raceway on Friday to win his first pole since 2005.

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Jeff Gordon left his car with hands shaking and heart pounding after another harrowing experience at Darlington Raceway.

Gordon’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, three-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, wasn’t as lucky qualifying Friday, crashing before he could finish his lap.

“This is a nail-biter, white-knuckle experience qualifying here,” said Gordon, who’ll start second Saturday night in the Southern 500.

Matt Kenseth set a track record to win his first pole since 2005, his 179.514 mph eclipsing Greg Biffle’s mark from a year ago. Gordon marveled at Kenseth’s record-setting performance at the track “Too Tough To Tame.”

“You’ve got to push really hard. You’ve got to be committed,” Gordon said. “This track is narrow. It’s got a lot of grip, but the edge is right there. It’s really easy to break loose.”

That’s what happened to Johnson, a two-time winner at Darlington. His No. 48 Chevrolet slid in turn two, the back end crunching the wall then the front side bounding into an interior wall and coming to a stop.

Johnson’s crew ran out to help. He was taken to the infield care center for evaluation and released a short time later.

Johnson said that just before his lap, crew chief Chad Knaus’ “final words were, ‘Go like hell,’ and off I went and didn’t make it back.”

Johnson qualified on owner’s points and will start 42nd, his worst opening spot in 11 career Cup races at Darlington.

“I hate that happened to Jimmie,” Gordon said. “I know they’ve got another great car in the truck. They’re a championship caliber team. They’ll rebound, I’m sure, in a big way.”

Kenseth’s hopes his fourth career pole – and first since Kansas in October 2005 – leads to a rebound in confidence.

He won the Daytona 500 and then the next week at Auto Club Speedway in Los Angeles. However, he’s just one top 10 finish in the past eight races.

Kenseth had felt good during practice, then came an afternoon rain that threatened to wash off much of the grip Sprint Cup drivers had spent the morning laying down.

To Kenseth’s surprise, his car held its line and led to the quickest lap in Darlington’s 60-season history.

“It’s the most confident I’ve been in my car since, I don’t know,” Kenseth said.

Ryan Newman qualified third, followed by improving Sam Hornish Jr. and Darlington first-timer Joey Logano.

Washington's Nick Johnson follows through on a two-run double in front of Dodgers catcher Russell Martin during Thursday's game in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES – Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn each had three RBIs, and the Washington Nationals rallied for 10 runs in the final three innings Thursday night to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on the first day of Manny Ramirez’s 50-game drug suspension.

Josh Willingham homered for the Nationals, who had lost their previous 10 games at Dodger Stadium. Ryan Zimmerman went 2 for 4, extending the longest hitting streak in the majors this season to 25 games.

Matt Kemp hit his third career grand slam to highlight a six-run first inning for the defending National League West champion Dodgers, who lost at Chavez Ravine for the first time this season after setting a modern major league record Wednesday night with a 13-0 start at home.

Dodgers left-hander Randy Wolf allowed five hits over six innings and left with a 6-1 lead after 109 pitches. But manager Joe Torre’s usually reliable bullpen faltered.

Cristian Guzman began the rally with a run-scoring groundout in the seventh off Ramon Trancoso, and Will Ohman surrendered Dunn’s two-run double two batters later.

Other NL games

Mets 7, Phillies 5: At New York, Carlos Beltran and David Wright each hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Jamie Moyer, and the Mets won their fourth straight by beating the Phillies.

Braves 4, Marlins 2: At Miami, Jair Jurrjens gave up just three hits in seven innings to help the Braves complete a two-game sweep.

Reds 6, Brewers 5: At Cincinnati, right-hander Micah Owings pitched six innings and had a tiebreaking triple, leading Cincinnati’s flu-depleted lineup to the victory.

Cardinals 5, Pirates 2: At St. Louis, Todd Wellemeyer threw seven innings of four-hit ball and Jason LaRue hit a go-ahead homer in the fifth, leading St. Louis to the win.

Giants 8, Rockies 3: At Denver, Bengie Molina homered twice and Matt Cain threw six innings of one-hit ball to help San Francisco get the win.

Cubs 8, Astros 5: At Houston, Alfonso Soriano homered twice to lead Chicago to the two-game sweep.

Red Sox explode in sixth in win

BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox tied a modern major league record with 12 runs in an inning before making an out and Tim Wakefield won his fourth straight decision in a 13-3 over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.

Jason Bay hit a three-run homer and an RBI double and four other batters had two-run hits in the sixth when the Red Sox obliterated a 2-1 deficit and broke the American League record of 11 runs before an out was recorded in an inning.

They did it all without three of their regulars. David Ortiz was scratched from the lineup with a stiff neck, Kevin Youkilis missed his third straight game with tightness in his left side and Jacoby Ellsbury sat out his second in a row with a tight right hamstring.

Other AL games

Rays 8, Yankees 6: At New York, Mariano Rivera gave up home runs to consecutive batters for the first time in his major league career, with Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria connecting in the ninth inning as the surging Rays won.

White Sox 6, Tigers 0: At Chicago, Mark Buehrle was perfect into the seventh inning and allowed one hit over eight innings, leading the White Sox.

Royals 3, Mariners 1: At Kansas City, Mo., Brian Bannister worked six scoreless innings to outpitch Jarrod Washburn and the Royals won again.

Athletics 9, Rangers 4: At Oakland, Calif., Jack Cust hit a grand slam and Matt Holliday added a three-run shot for Oakland.

Angels 6, Blue Jays 1: At Anaheim, Calif., Jered Weaver allowed three hits in his first career complete game as Los Angeles cruised.

Orioles 5, Twins 4: At Baltimore, Lou Montanez singled in Melvin Mora with the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning.

Sabino grad J.J. Hardy helps Brewers run streak vs. Pirates to 17

Boston Red Sox's Jason Bay follows through on a three-run home run in the first inning of Tuesday's game against the Yankees in New York.

NEW YORK – The Boston Red Sox are 5-0 against the New York Yankees for the first time in 24 years, doing a lot better at the new Yankee Stadium than the home team.

Jason Bay hit a three-run homer in a four-run first inning against Joba Chamberlain, and the Red Sox beat New York 7-3 on Tuesday night for a rainy two-game sweep in the first trip to their rival’s $1.5 billion ballpark.

“I think Jason Bay is the only guy that thought it was a nice night out there,” Red Sox manager and ex-Arizona Wildcat Terry Francona said.

Weather was suited more for winter sports than baseball for the second straight night, with a cold rain falling throughout the late innings that made the mound slippery.

“I’d much rather take this,” said Bay, who was born in Trail, British Columbia, “than 95 and humidity, as weird as that may sound. This is a nice spring/summer day sometimes where I’m from, so, you know, I enjoy this.”

Bay, 10 for 18 (.556) with three homers and 10 RBIs against the Yankees this season, homered into the left-field seats. Johnny Damon hit a three-run homer to right in the third for New York.

There have been 38 homers at Yankee Stadium, two shy of the record for the first 11 games at a big league park, set at Houston’s Enron Field in 2000.

Boston has outscored the Yankees 38-23. In 1923, the Red Sox lost their first five games at the original Yankee Stadium.

Other AL games

Tigers 9, Twins 0: At Detroit, Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer, Clete Thomas had three hits in his season debut and rookie Rick Porcello threw seven scoreless innings for Detroit.

Blue Jays 10, Indians 6: At Toronto, Adam Lind hit a three-run homer and Scott Rolen added a solo shot in Toronto’s seven-run seventh inning.

Rays 6, Orioles 3: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Matt Garza pitched eight strong innings and Evan Longoria drove in three runs for Tampa Bay.

Rangers 7, Mariners 2, 10 innings: At Seattle, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a grand slam that capped a six-run burst with two outs in the 10th .

Angels 5, Athletics 3: At Oakland, Calif., Gary Matthews Jr. drove in three runs, Shane Loux provided another solid start by Anaheim’s patchwork rotation.

Royals 8, White Sox 7, 11 innings: At Kansas City, Mo., John Buck lined a game-winning single with the bases loaded in the 11th inning.

NL: Brewers run streak to 17 over Pirates

PITTSBURGH – Sabino High grad J.J. Hardy drove in four runs on three hits and Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 8-5 for its 17th consecutive victory over the Pirates, the majors’ longest winning streak by one team against another in nearly 40 years.

The Brewers’ domination of the Pirates is the longest since Baltimore won 23 consecutive games against Kansas City during the 1969-1970.

Reds 7, Marlins 0: At Miami, Brandon Phillips tied a career high with six RBIs and Edinson Volquez allowed three hits in eight innings for Cincinnati.

Mets 4, Braves 3: At Atlanta, Livan Hernandez earned his fourth win in 25 career starts against Atlanta.

Phillies 10, Cardinals 7: At St. Louis, Shane Victorino was 4 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs and Jayson Werth had a three-run shot and four RBIs for Philadelphia.

Giants 6, Cubs 2: At Chicago, Tim Lincecum allowed four hits over seven innings and Bengie Molina hit a three-run homer for San Francisco.

Nationals 10, Astros 10, 11 innings, susp.: At Washington, the game was suspended by rain with the score tied at 10 in the bottom of the 11th. It will be resumed July 9 in Houston.

Padres 2, Rockies 1: At San Diego, Brian Giles doubled in the winning run in the 10th inning and the Padres snapped a six-game losing streak.