Sports

Lauren Jackson had 23 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Seattle Storm to an 82-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Tim Tebow's first two series had rookie written all over them. Then he started playing with the veteran-like poise that helped him get drafted in the first round by Denver in the first place.

Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich, expected to start during Ben Roethlisberger's suspension, has injured his left knee during the first half of an exhibition game against Carolina.

Chase Utley drove in six runs and hit a grand slam to cap a nine-run seventh inning Thursday night as the Philadelphia Phillies overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Colorado Rockies 12-11.

Terrelle Pryor tossed three touchdown passes, Brandon Saine rushed for 103 yards and two scores and No. 2 Ohio State rolled over error-prone Marshall 42-7 on Thursday night in a tuneup for a big date with Miami.

The NCAA has declared Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus ineligible for two games for accepting improper benefits.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw said he hopes commissioner Roger Goodell keeps Ben Roethlisberger's suspension at six games, according to a report in the Shreveport Times.

Major League Baseball is likely to hand down a ruling on punishment for Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan on Friday, according to sources.

CC Sabathia pitched one-hit ball for eight innings to earn his major league-leading 19th win, fill-in Curtis Granderson homered twice and the New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0 Thursday for a four-game sweep.

Joey Chestnut ate 8 pounds of pork ribs in 12 minutes to win the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off's eating competition Wednesday night in Sparks.

Five-time champion Roger Federer has breezed into the third round at the U.S. Open, serving 15 aces in beating 104th-ranked Andreas Beck of Germany 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Nyjer Morgan has been in the middle of controversy for the past two days.

Eric Gordon scored 21 points and the United States pulled away after a sluggish first half to beat Tunisia 92-57 on Thursday in its final game of pool play at the world championship.

The San Jose Sharks have signed the goalie who helped knock them out of the playoffs, agreeing to a one-year, $2 million deal with Antti Niemi.

Searchers in the rugged North Cascades have found a backpack belonging to the son of Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum, but they are still looking for the missing climber.

Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops suggests giving amnesty to college athletes who expose shady agents.

Seattle Storm center/forward Lauren Jackson on Thursday will be named the WNBA's most valuable player for the third time and Seattle coach Brian Agler will also be honored as the league's coach of the year.

Rangers' Cliff Lee returns to Texas to have back pain examined

Pinch-runner Darren Ford scored the go-ahead run from second base on a wild pitch and throwing error in the eighth inning, helping Tim Lincecum end a career-worst five-start skid in the San Francisco Giants' 2-1 victory over Colorado on Wednesday night.

Sam Querrey defeated fellow American Bradley Klahn 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday.