Tony Hunt from Lincoln won the USAC Western Sprint Car Series race on Open Wheel night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale before an estimated crowd of 5,500 on Saturday.
Hunt won his third race in the USAC Western Classic Sprint Car Series and his first since June at Madera Speedway.
Audra Sasselli from Visalia was second and Tim Skoglund from Fresno was third.
Go to Haddock in the Paddock for more on the races from Irwindale.
-- Tim Haddock
Angels Manager Mike Scioscia took a gamble Saturday by starting Ervin Santana on only three days' rest, but the right-hander made it pay off, gutting his way through seven innings to lift the Angels to an 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers in front of a sellout crowd of 48,453 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Santana was backed by a season-high five solo home runs as every Angel starter except Mark Trumbo had at least one hit. It was the first time since 1985 the Angels have had five players hit solo home runs and, with that piece of history, they moved back to within two games of division-leading Texas with 30 games to play.
Santana was dominant early, retiring the first nine Rangers in order on only 38 pitches. But he struggled his second time through the lineup, giving up two fourth-inning runs on a walk, a hit batter, a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by former Angel Mike Napoli.
But by then the Angels were ahead, 4-0, on home runs by Vernon Wells, Mike Trout and Bobby Wilson and a run-scoring single by Torii Hunter.
The teams each scored twice in the fifth inning, the Angels on a Peter Bourjos home run and an Erick Aybar single and the Rangers on David Murphy's two-run home run.
That marked the end of the line for starter C.J. Wilson (13-6), who held the Angels to one earned run in a win 11 days ago in Anaheim.
The Angels then put the game away in the seventh inning when Koij Uehara gave up a home run by Howie Kendrick and a run-scoring triple by Wells.
Santana pitched seven innings and 95 pitches before being lifted for left-hander Scott Downs. It was an economical night for Santana (10-9), who gave up four runs and four hits to win for the seventh time in his last eight decisions.
MORE:
A little too close a call for Peter Bourjos
Angels to pitch Jered Weaver on three days' rest
-- Kevin Baxter reporting from Arlington, Texas
Photo: Angels starting pitcher Ervin Santana faced the Texas Rangers on Saturday night on only three days' rest. Credit: Rick Yeatts / Getty Images
Light Heavyweight bout: Brazil Luiz Cane vs. Bulgaria Stanislav Nedkov
Luiz Cane was too casual and failed to use his left hand from the southpaw stance to defend against Nedkov’s winging overhand rights. Cane, having bloodied and possibly broken the Bulgarian’s nose, was caught by a right hand as the first round came to a close. Careless defeat for Cane.
Lightweight bout: England Ross Pearson vs. Brazil Edson Barboza
UFC 134 Great first round by Ross Pearson pressurising Edson Barbosa 10-9 Pearson. Barboza lands right which puts Pearson down in the second but he is straight up. A very competitive second round, and a great stand-up fight, Barboza in my my book takes the second round marginally. 19-19.
Heavyweight bout: Brazil Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. United States Brendan Schaub
Another shocker as Big Nog gets a great victory over Brendan Schaub with a left-right but the right hand rocked Schaub and put him down. The Brazilian followed up with several punches, having looked in some trouble himself during the early exchanges. KO for Big Nog, but this fight could have gone either way. Schaub showed he is still raw – and will need to rebuild. I still maintain that Big Nog is vulnerable – but a great victory for him in his home town – a mile from his own gym.
Light Heavyweight bout: Brazil Maurício Rua vs. United States Forrest Griffin
Middleweight Championship: Brazil Anderson Silva (c) vs. Japan Yushin Okami
The Angels don't have their backs to the wall in the American League West pennant race just yet. But they can see the wall from where they stand.
So Manager Mike Scioscia is going roll the dice Saturday in Arlington, Texas, by sending right-hander Ervin Santana to the mound on three days rest for the first time in his career. Right-hander Jered Weaver is scheduled to do the same in the finale of the three-game series Sunday.
But short rest isn't the biggest challenge the two pitchers will face, Weaver said. The slugging Rangers, second in the majors in batting and third in home runs and runs scored, make the assignment tougher, as does the humid Texas weather. It was 104 degrees just before game time Saturday, and it could be hotter Sunday.
The Angels lost the series opener Friday to fall three games back in the standings with 31 games to play.
With the Rangers starting left-hander C.J. Wilson, Scioscia also gave a start to rookie outfielder Mike Trout on Saturday. Wilson and Santana faced off 11 days ago in Anaheim, with Wilson giving up just one earned run in seven innings to get the win. Santana threw a career-high 129 pitches that night, only to lose for the only time since June 21.
The lineups
Angels
3B -- Maicer Izturis
CF -- Peter Bourjos
2B -- Howie Kendrick
DH -- Torii Hunter
1B -- Mark Trumbo
LF -- Vernon Wells
SS -- Erick Aybar
RF -- Mike Trout
C -- Bobby Wilson
P -- Ervin Santana
Texas Rangers
2B -- Ian Kinsler
SS -- Elvis Andrus
LF -- Josh Hamilton
3B -- Michael Young
C -- Mike Napoli
1B -- Mitch Moreland
RF -- Nelson Cruz
DH -- David Murphy
CF -- Endy Chavez
P -- C.J. Wilson
-- Kevin Baxter in Arlington, Texas
Eli Manning grew up in the South, playing high school football in Louisiana before going to college at Ole Miss, so dealing with severe weather is not new to him.
“We had some high school practices that were affected by hurricanes,” Manning said, according to a transcript released by the team Saturday afternoon. “During the summers and in August, we always just left early. That was my dad’s approach, to say, ‘If we can get out of town, we’ll leave a few days before and miss all the traffic and chaos. And if it changes direction and it doesn’t hit us, that’s a blessing and we’ll come home and everything will be fine.’ ”
Like most residents of the tristate area, however, Manning did not expect to have to deal with hurricanes now that he is working in New Jersey. But with Hurricane Irene advancing up the East Coast this weekend, the Giants’ game against the Jets was postponed from Saturday to Monday, leaving the Giants to hold a practice early Saturday before the players were sent home.
Manning said Coach Tom Coughlin told the players to make sure they had enough provisions for their families during the next few days, and Coughlin stressed to the players that they should avoid going outside.
“That’s why he gave us the day off,” Manning said. “He said it’s supposed to hit tomorrow morning and it’s a big storm, a wide, long hurricane, so it’s going to last the majority of the day with high winds and heavy rain. So stay in the house and have enough food and water so you don’t have to leave and let this thing full clear before we have to go out and about.”
From a football standpoint, the postponement leaves the Giants in the unusual position of playing a game on Monday and then playing again on Thursday, when they will face the New England Patriots in their final preseason game.
In the comments released by the Giants, Coughlin reiterated that the team’s starters would play the first half of the game against the Jets as previously planned. The Thursday game, Coughlin said, “would be the game we would deviate from how we’ve done things in the past” because of the compressed schedule. That could mean that some starters will not play at all against the Patriots.
“This game coming is going to be very important,” Manning said of facing the Jets. “We’re going to get some looks and see how we stand against a 3-4 team, a team that does some exotic blitzes and a top-quality team. We have to make sure everybody is on the same page and communicating and everybody is doing their responsibility.”
The strangest aspect of the situation, Manning said, is that the team will not be staying in a hotel together the night before a game. Players will stay at home Sunday night, then reconvene Monday afternoon for meetings before facing the Jets.
At the very least, the Giants have some experience with the unexpected. Manning said the Giants could be more adaptable because of what happened last season, when they were forced to play a game against the Minnesota Vikings in Detroit (and a day later than scheduled) after the collapse of the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
“Last year, we were traveling around and staying in hotels and we didn’t know where we were going to play or what was going on,” Manning said. “That was different. With this game, we know when we’re playing, we know the time. We adjusted and got to have an extra practice. I thought guys stayed mentally prepared and didn’t complain about anything. They were going with the flow of things. I think that’s the right approach. We’ll be excited about getting back on the field on Monday.”
Coughlin agreed.
“We’re getting good at mid-stream adjustments,” he said. “I don’t know if that is something you necessarily want to perfect, but I think we’re close.”
Japan scored twice in the third inning and twice more in the fourth on the way to a 5-2 win over Mexico on Saturday in the International championship game at the Little World Series in front of 10,425 at Lamade Stadium.
In Sunday’s final, Japan of the Hamamatsu Minami Little League of Hamamatsu City, will play the winner of Saturday’s U.S. championship game between Ocean View Little League of Huntington Beach and the Montana team from Billings.
Japan, which had lost to Mexico in extra innings earlier in the tournament, scored first Saturday, putting up two runs in the top of the third inning. That rally started with a leadoff infield single from shortstop Gaishi Iguchi off Mexico starting pitcher Jorge Jacobo.
Seiya Fujita followed with a double that scored Iguchi, and Fujita scored on an error on the throw to the plate. Japan had two more hits in the inning but left the bases loaded.
Japan scored two more runs in the top of the fourth inning after Asuya Otsuka led off with a single and ended up on third base when the left fielder let the ball get under his glove. After two outs, Kaito Suzuki scored Otsuka with a single to left. Suzuki then scored on an RBI double from Mitsuhiro Uchida.
Mexico finally scored in the bottom of the fourth inning. Alonso Garcia led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored when pinch-hitter Victor Bejarano slapped a tricky ground ball that Japan’s third baseman Seiya Fujita couldn’t handle. It was ruled an error and Garcia scored to make to cut Mexico's deficit to 4-1.
Japan added a run in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single from Asuya Otsuka.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Mexico got the one run back when Carlos Arellano led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout by Daniel Guillen and scored on Jorge Jacobo’s hard-hit triple
But Mexico couldn’t get Jacobo across the plate so the game went to the sixth inning with Japan ahead 5-2.
In its final chance the Mexican team, the Seguro Social Little League from Mexicali, had a moment of hope when Alvaro Valdez beat out an infield single with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch. But Kenet Delgado, after working the count to 3 and 2, struck out looking to end the game.
MORE:
Ocean View advances to U.S. championship game
Little League dreams can be nightmares on the pocket book
Umpires feel the pressure, too, in Little League World Series
--Diane Pucin, reporting from South Williamsport, Pa.
Photo: Players from Japan celebrate a home run by Sotaro Yoshida (9) during a victory over Saudi Arabia in a pool-play game earlier this week at the Little League World Series. Credit: Matt Slocum / Associated Press
Ross Pearson
UFC 134 picks:
Silva, Griffin, Schaub, Pearson, Cane
The toughest fight of Ross Pearson’s career against one of the rising stars of Brazilian MMA tonight in Rio at UFC 134. Pearson is the sole British fighter at the event, which has 14 of 22 fighters on the card from Brazil.
Victory would give Pearson a huge lift in the lightweight division, putting him within three fights of a title shot. But the elevation in this contest is immense. Many see Barboza as a nailed-down future lightweight champion. Pearson has undergone a major training camp in San Diego. Dominick Cruz, the UFC bantamweight champion, told The Telegraph:
“My take on Ross – he’s an extremely hard worker, which you’d expect for most athletes, but he also ‘wants it’ really badly. Someone with that mindset catches on quickly, and Ross really is a fast learner. He is extremely tough. Now you hear that a lot. It is one thing to say it, and another thing to see it.”
“He is tough mentally and physically. He is on another level and has what it takes to take his game to another level. He catches on very quickly and once he gets into tip-top shape, he beats the crap out of everyone training with him. Lots of guys give him a challenge in our gym, and because of that he’s like a kid in a candy store in San Diego. You have a duty when you are in camp to get beaten up on certain days, and he does that. Ross has been loving it being in San Diego, and is there sucking everything up…”
It may not be enough for Pearson to succeed in Rio tonight, but judging buy champion Cruz, he could be doing no more than he is.
Andy Benoit is previewing all 33 N.F.L. teams. Next up: The Ravens.
It has been over 10 years and the Baltimore Ravens still haven’t changed. Not that we necessarily thought they should or would. But when Steve Bisciotti assumed ownership from Art Modell, there was perhaps an inkling that this defense-only organization would become a little more balanced.
That inkling became a full-fledged expectation in 2008, when General Manager Ozzie Newsome invested a first-round pick in quarterback Joe Flacco and a second-rounder in versatile running back Ray Rice. That same year, the new coach John Harbaugh hired Cam Cameron to run his offense. Cameron had made a name for himself orchestrating San Diego’s high-flying attack from ’02-’06. The assumption was this would all shift the franchise toward a more balanced philosophy.
But here we are three years later and still yet to see that shift. It’s still middling offense, stingy defense in Baltimore. Statistically, this Raven offense has been better than those that preceded it – but not by much. And it’s gotten considerably more conservative. The ’08 Ravens ranked first in the N.F.L. in rushing attempts. The ’09 Ravens ranked seventh and the ’10 Ravens sixth. Consequently, those three teams all ranked somewhere between 24th and 30th in pass attempts.
Newsome is continuing his efforts to change this. He brought in wide receivers Anquan Boldin last year and Lee Evans this year, plus he drafted wideouts Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss. Even if the Ravens become more adroit offensively, recent history suggests they’ll still be rooted in a smashmouth style.
Smashmouth could win you a Super Bowl in the early part of this century; the Ravens themselves set that tone in 2000 and were followed by the defensive-oriented ’01 Patriots and ’02 Bucs. But lately, teams have won titles with flexible, turnover-forcing defenses and high-flying, pass-first offenses.
The Ravens have the first part of this equation. Their defense is still headlined by a Mount Rushmore of playmakers – safety Ed Reed, linebacker Ray Lewis, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and hybrid end Terrell Suggs – and has ranked No. 3 in points allowed three straight years. But the unfulfilling playoff appearances – Baltimore was ousted in the A.F.C. title game in ’08 and divisional round each of the past two years – point to missing the offensive part of the equation.
A great defense alone can’t win a Super Bowl – only an all-time defense can. This Ravens D is loaded but, unlike the 2000 defense, it’s far from flawless. Thus, if the Ravens want to take the next step from being a consummate “good team”, they’ll have to once again improve on that other side of the ball. (You didn’t really think the storyline would be any different this year than usual, did you?)
Offense
Cam Cameron removed Joe Flacco’s training wheels last season but was still hesitant to let his young quarterback bike on all of the rugged trails. That has to change in 2011. Unlike past seasons, the change now hinges on Flacco. Before, it was a matter of Cameron agreeing to open the playbook for him. Let’s assume Flacco’s earned enough trust for that. The next step is being able to get creative working out of that playbook.
Whether it’s from audibling or post-snap improvising, elite quarterbacks are a threat to burn a defense with the big play on virtually every down; at this point, Flacco only poses this threat when Cameron specifically calls for a shot downfield.
The Ravens don’t need to be defined by a high-flying aerial assault, but they do need to know that Flacco gives them that option. That comes from his making shrewd presnap adjustments and being a comfortable enough progression passer to make improvisational plays when things break down. (With elite quarterbacks, improvising is a product of having sound fundamentals and sharp mental processing systems after the snap.)
The 26-year-old Flacco is on the right track. He’s gradually improved as a pocket passer each year. As his potency throwing to the outside attests, he has the arm strength to deliver strikes with defenders around him. Consistency between the numbers is a remaining issue that suggests he’s still not entirely comfortable reading complex coverages. But this is a glitch that can be fixed with experience and film study.
Ozzie Newsome has surrounded Flacco with the necessary weapons to continue his growth. Anquan Boldin is an archetypal possession receiver. He’ll slide into the slot in three-receiver sets and make room for speedy rookie Torrey Smith outside. Ex-Bill Lee Evans, whose statistics have never told the full story of his all-around explosiveness, is the outside starter across from Boldin. Evans offers more route variations than Derrick Mason did, but it remains to be seen if he can match the chemistry that Mason had with Flacco. At the No. 4 receiver slot, fourth-round rookie Tandon Doss is well sized and should ultimately work ahead of return specialist David Reed.
The improved speed at wideout will make defenses a little less inclined to storm Baltimore’s backfield with blitzes. Flacco is hot-or-cold against the blitz mentally but tremendous against it physically. One reason he can make effective throws with defenders around him is he’s had the luxury of playing with outstanding blitz pickup blockers like Ray Rice, Le’Ron McClain, Willis McGahee and Todd Heap. Rice, however, is the only player from this group returning in 2011. McClain’s replacement, Vonta Leach, is a fervid lead-blocker but won’t play on third down. McGahee’s replacement, Ricky Williams, is a poised veteran but not a beast in blocking. And Heap’s replacement, Ed Dickson, is a nimble receiver but someone the Ravens last year replaced in running situations with a sixth offensive lineman. Don’t be surprised if Dickson yields some reps – even first-team reps – to his fellow second-year tight end, the less tantalizing Dennis Pitta, for blocking purposes.
Blocking could become a deeper issue across the board, as some of Baltimore’s fairly talented linemen are prone to bouts of inconsistency. The most obvious example is Michael Oher, who was erratic in his technique after moving to left tackle last season. Too often Oher struggled to sustain pass-blocks late in the down. If those issues continue, the Ravens will move him back to right tackle and place their trust in soft but enormous ex-Viking Bryant McKinnie.
The originally planned 2011 starting right tackle, Oniel Cousins, spent his first three years learning the basics of football predominantly from the bench. He reportedly had a disappointing camp and, in the end, was moved to guard. That’s a much better fit. He’ll work behind Marshal Yanda, who is great at nothing but good at everything. The Ravens love Yanda enough to have given him a five-year, $32 million contract this past July. In Cousin’s right tackle spot will be either Oher or intriguing third-round rookie Jah Reid.
Left guard Ben Grubbs can be one of the league’s best if he gets more consistent as a drive-blocker in the run game. He’s now in his fifth season, so there’s no guarantee that he’ll develop much further. Sagacious center Matt Birk is the glue that holds this front together. The 35-year-old has great hands and, though more of a stone-waller than mover at this point, can still operate at the second level.
It’s critical that this line – which, by the way, no longer has proven depth now that Chris Chester is gone – generate more unified power in the run game. This deficiency was why the Ravens ranked 28th in yards per carry last season. Behind stellar blocking, a fully healthy Ray Rice is easily one of the five best ballcarriers in the game. Rice has terrific lateral agility and the sturdy low center of gravity to shake off tacklers. Backup Ricky Williams still has some initial burst and, overall, is an upgrade over McGahee. However, it remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old can match his predecessor’s proficiency in short-yardage situations.
Defense
All in all, this is the same street-fighting Ravens defense we’ve come to know over the years. It’s not as schematically variegated as it was under Rex Ryan, but new coordinator Chuck Pagano (who spent the previous three years as the secondary coach and replaces Greg Mattison, who chose to coordinate the defense at University of Michigan) figures to still be more aggressive than most, especially when it comes to blitzing with slot defensive backs and other roaming edge players.
One thing Ryan had that Pagano doesn’t was a rangy Ray Lewis. The NFL Network’s Top 100 Players series this past summer was rendered utterly irrelevant when it was revealed that the players voted Lewis as the fourth-best player in the entire league. No disrespect to the greatest inside linebacker of his era (if not all-time), but Lewis these days is only the fourth best player on his own defense. To be clear, the 36-year-old is still an upper-tier Mike ‘backer. But his effectiveness is strictly a product of near-perfect tackling and incredible awareness and instincts – no longer otherworldly athletic gifts.
Lewis’s decline is offset by having two shimmering stars in the front seven alongside him: Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs. Ngata is the most dominant defensive lineman in the sport today. He has the size and strength of an elite nose tackle and the agility of a 3-4 inside linebacker (no exaggeration). He dictates the action whether he’s anchoring on the edge, shooting the gap as a three-technique or bull-rushing head-up from the nose. This multidimensional dominance is what allows Pagano to mix his fronts.
Suggs is nearly as impressive. He’s always been the league’s best run-defending outside linebacker, both on the play side and chasing from the back side, and he’s coming off his best pass-rushing season as a pro (his 11 sacks were one below the career high he set as a rookie in ’03, but this past season he was more disruptive down-to-down than ever).
The Ravens could surround their three front stars with Joe Schmoes and still be fine. Newsome has found more than Joe Schmoes, though. Outside linebacker Jarrett Johnson is excellent at slipping blocks in traffic. He’s a versatile three-down player. Last year’s second-round pick, Sergio Kindle, could see snaps this season after missing his rookie season with a fractured skull, but don’t expect him, or third-year pro Paul Kruger (who may finally be finding his niche) to take a significant bite out of Johnson’s action anytime soon.
Inside linebacker Jameel McClain has improved his run recognition and is adequate next to Lewis. His snaps can be limited sometimes, though, as he’s often replaced in sub packages by the more athletic Tavares Gooden for coverage purposes and the faster Dannell Ellerbe for pass-rushing purposes.
Up front next to Ngata, veteran Cory Redding is a high-energy penetrator. Likely seeing more snaps in 2011 will be second-year pro Arthur Jones, a squat space-eater who can untangle from blocks with better strength than Redding. Fifth-round rookie Pernell McPhee also turned heads in camp and could warrant snaps.
Last year’s second-round pick, Terrence Cody, is being handed the starting nose tackle role vacated by cap casualty Kelly Gregg. Cody flashes superb natural ability but mechanics and professionalism could be a work in progress. Fortunately the Ravens at least have serviceable veteran Brandon McKinney to fall back on if need be.
Pagano’s aggression with his front could hinge on the degree of improvement at cornerback. It’s likely that first-round rookie Jimmy Smith and rising ex-Titans seventh-rounder Cary Williams could start in Week 1, which would give the Ravens two big, physical press players – something they’ve not had in ages. That would leave Dominique Foxworth, a highly respected leader coming off reconstructive knee surgery, competing with Lardarius Webb and Chris Carr for nickel duties. Bet on Webb to win the job. True, he’s not physical enough to blitz (which may be why the Ravens now play him outside, even though he showed encouraging signs from the slot as a rookie), and he can be vulnerable to inside patterns, but he also might be the best deep ball defending corner in the N.F.L. If Carr, who can’t stay with most receivers in man coverage without drawing a flag, wins the job, it will be because of experience and short-area zone skills.
At safety, because Ed Reed has better range than any cellphone provider and baits quarterbacks into bad throws easier than Nevin Shapiro baited Hurricane players into bad decisions, the Ravens can afford to have their strong safety play closer to the box than most teams. That’s why it’d make more sense for the big-hitting Bernard Pollard to start ahead of the fleeter Tom Zbikowski.
Special Teams
Place-kicker Billy Cundiff was reliable enough in his first two seasons as a Raven to warrant a five-year, $14.7 million contract this past off-season. At punter, how about this for a compromise: Sam Koch can continue to get away with pronouncing his last name “cook” only if he finishes in the top five in net punting for a second straight year. Otherwise, we require him to start honoring the English language’s basic principles. Lardarius Webb will handle punt returns ahead of capable options Chris Carr and Tom Zbikowski. David Reed has shown explosiveness as a kick returner.
Bottom Line
Same formula as usual: stingy defense, conservative offense, and prognosticators basing their predictions on whether Joe Flacco and the offense can take that next step. Across the board, Baltimore’s depth is a little meeker than usual, but that’s an ancillary issue.
Predicted Finish: 2nd A.F.C. North
Andy Benoit is the founder of NFLTouchdown.com and covers the N.F.L. for CBSsports.com. He can be reached at andy.benoit@NFLtouchdown.com.
