Mariano Rivera sets saves record

 

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera set the major league record with his 602nd career save, pitching a perfect ninth inning Monday to preserve New York's 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins.

With fans in Yankee Stadium standing and cheering from his first pitch to his last, Rivera retired Trevor Plouffe, Michael Cuddyer and Chris Parmelee to end it.

The 41-year-old Rivera tied Trevor Hoffman with save No. 601 on Saturday in Toronto. The Yankees lost Sunday, putting Rivera in line to get the milestone in the Yankees' last homestand of the season.

After the last out was recorded, catcher Russell Martin (a former Dodger) came out to the mound, placed the ball in Rivera's glove and gave him a big hug.

Rivera waved, blew a kiss and then doffed his cap to the afternoon crowd that was short of capacity but full of anticipation once the Yankees headed into the late innings with a close lead.

Rivera seems a lock to make the Hall of Fame. Just five pitchers who were primarily relievers are in the Hall: Hoyt Wilhelm (1985), Rollie Fingers (1992), Dennis Eckersley (2004), Bruce Sutter (2006) and Rich Gossage (2008).

ALSO:

Nick Adenhart's legacy lives on in Baltimore

Baltimore's Alfredo Simon throws at Torii Hunter, Mark Trumbo

-- Houston Mitchell

Photo: Mariano Rivera acknowledges the crowd after recording his record-setting 602nd save. Credit: Justin Lane / European Pressphoto Agency

 

Angels renew playoff race(s) in Toronto

The Angels will take the field beneath the closed dome at the Rogers Centre on Monday as far behind in the American League West as they've been in more than a month -- but closer in the wild-card standings then they've been since that race started.

With the Rangers idle, the Angels can move only a half-game up or down in the division standings no  matter what they do against the Blue Jays. They started their final road series of the season 4 1/2 games behind Texas with the Rangers' magic number for eliminating the Angels at six. That means any combination of Texas wins or Angels losses totaling six clinches the title for the Rangers.

But the Angels picked up a half-game on Boston in the wild-card race before batting practice had even started when the slumping Red Sox lost the opener of a day-night doubleheader to Baltimore at Fenway Park. That temporarily left them 3 1/2 games behind Boston and 1 1/2 behind idle Tampa Bay, which is second in the wild-card standings.

"We need to keep winning games," said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, whose team has 10 games left to play. "Our focus on reaching our goal hasn’t changed. And what we need to do to reach our goal hasn’t changed. We don’t have the great luxury of a lot of do-overs right now."

Scioscia held outfielder Mike Trout out of Monday's starting lineup because the rookie is still experiencing  soreness after taking a foul ball off his calf in Baltimore. Scioscia hopes to have Trout back on the field Tuesday.

The lineups:

Angels

3B -- Maicer Izturis

DH-- Bobby Abreu

2B -- Howie Kendrick

RF -- Torii Hunter

1B -- Mark Trumbo

LF -- Vernon Wells

CF -- Peter Bourjos

SS -- Erick Aybar

C -- Bobby Wilson

P -- Jerome Williams

Toronto Blue Jays

SS -- Mike McCoy

LF -- Eric Thames

RF -- Jose Bautista

DH -- Adam Lind

1B -- Edwin Encarnacion

2B -- Kelly Johnson

3B -- Bret Lawrie

CF -- Colby Ramus

C -- J.P Arencibia

P -- Ricky Romero

-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Toronto

UCLA Football: Sean Sheller to have season-ending surgery Tuesday

UCLA offensive lineman Sean Sheller will have surgery to repair two broken bones in his left arm on Tuesday.

Sheller, a sixth-year senior, was injured against Texas when his arm was caught between two helmets on a play near the goal line. The surgery will require placing plates and screws on the bones to help it heal.

The injury ends his season -- and his college career.

Sheller overcame two knee surgeries to become a key member of the offensive line. He injured his right knee in 2006 and his left knee in 2008. He recovered and started 13 of the last 14 games.

Sheller played both tackle positions, but was moved to guard for the Texas game.

Chris Ward and Albert Cid are expected to compete to fill Sheller’s spot on the line.

ALSO:

UCLA's Richard Brehaut to start against Oregon State

Bill Plaschke: The end seems near for Rick Neuheisel

-- Chris Foster

Photo: Sean Sheller. Credit: Don Liebig / UCLA Photography

Erick Aybar of the Angels shares Player of the Week award

Erick Aybar's record-setting Sunday, in which he went 4 for 4 with two homers, two doubles and a franchise-record five runs scored, helped earned the Angels shortstop a share of the American League's Player of the Week honors.

Aybar shared the award  with Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander, who didn't allow a run in two starts, striking out 12 in 15 innings to raise his record to 24-5.

Aybar also drove in four runs in Sunday's 11-2 win in Baltimore, making him the first big-leaguer since Josh Willingham in 2009 to score at least five runs while driving in at least four in the same game. But Aybar's week lasted more than nine innings. In six games Aybar batted .455, raising his September average to .434.

The honor was the first of Aybar's career. Verlander has won the award twice previously this season and five times in his career.

ALSO:

Nick Adenhart's legacy lives on in Baltimore

Baltimore's Alfredo Simon throws at Torii Hunter, Mark Trumbo

-- Kevin Baxter, reporting from Toronto

Photo: Erick Aybar slaps hands with teammates after he hit a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Credit: Steve Ruark / Getty Images

Cam Newton compiles record yardage but is far from perfect

Cam Newton continues to compile impressive statistics as the Carolina Panthers' rookie quarterback -- impressive, that is, if the main stat you're interested in is passing yards.

Otherwise, he came back down to earth a bit during Sunday's 30-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Newton passed for more than 400 yards for the second week in a row -- that's the entirety of his NFL career -- and set a rookie record with his 432 yards. According to the NFL, Newton's 854 yards are the most ever in the first two games of a career.

That's impressive, no question about it.

But the defending Super Bowl champs also forced Newton into throwing three interceptions, including two that led to Green Bay field goals during a disastrous third quarter for the Panthers.The reigning  Heisman Trophy winner now has more interceptions (four) than passing touchdowns (three).

Not as impressive.

But overall Newton is performing better than most people expected. Particularly for a rookie who had to start from Day 1 after being locked out with the rest of the NFL most of the off-season.

And if he can somehow turn those passing stats into wins for the Panthers ... now that would be impressive.

ALSO:

NFL should suspend Donta Robinson for flagrant hit

Antonio Gates a non-factor in Chargers' loss to Patriots

Michael Vick or Matt Ryan: Who would you want as your QB? [Poll]

-- Chuck Schilken

Photo: Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton rolls out against Green Bay. Credit: Bob Donnan / US Presswire

Kings announce likely lineups for first exhibition games

The Kings on Monday announced the expected lineups for their first exhibition games, a pair of split-squad contests Wednesday against the Phoenix Coyotes. One game will be played in Glendale, Ariz., and the other at Staples Center.

Goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Martin Jones are scheduled to play at Staples Center, where Mike Richards is expected to make his first appearance in a Kings uniform. Defensemen Thomas Hickey and Viatcheslav Voynov are also scheduled to play in Los Angeles, giving local fans a chance to evaluate two of the prime candidates to get more playing time while Drew Doughty remains unsigned.

Here are the expected lineups for Wednesday, subject to change:

at Phoenix

Goalies
Jeff Zatkoff
Jonathan Bernier

Skaters
D Matt Greene
C Anze Kopitar
R Justin Williams
C Brad Richardson
L Ethan Moreau
R Kevin Westgarth
C Trevor Lewis
L Dustin Penner
D Alec Martinez
D Willie Mitchell
R Brandon Kozun
L Rich Clune
D Patrick Mullen
C Justin Azevedo
C Tyler Toffoli
L Dwight King
D Andrew Campbell
D David Kolomatis
 
at Los Angeles

Goalies
31 Martin Jones
32 Jonathan Quick

Skaters
D Jack Johnson
D Jake Muzzin
D Rob Scuderi
C Mike Richards
L Simon Gagne
L Kyle Clifford
L Scott Parse
R Dustin Brown
C Jarret Stoll
D Thomas Hickey
D Davis Drewiske
R Trent Hunter
C Andrei Loktionov
L David Meckler
C Marc-Andre Cliche
C Jordan Nolan
D Viatcheslav Voynov
L Ray Kaunisto

-- Helene Elliott 

Kings sign Kevin Westgarth to two-year extension

The Kings have signed enforcer Kevin Westgarth to a two-year contract extension. Westgarth, whose current contract expires after this season, will earn $700,000 in 2012-13 and $750,000 in 2013-14.

That's a raise from the $525,000 the 6-foot-4, 228-pound winger will earn this season.

Westgarth, 27, had no goals, three assists and 105 penalty minutes in 56 games with the Kings last season.

The new contract follows another happy event in his life: Last month, he married Meagan Cowher, daughter of former NFL coach Bill Cowher. She and Westgarth met while they were students at Princeton, where she was an outstanding basketball player.

-- Helene Elliott