MONDAY SPORTS, JUNE 20TH

Denver–The Colorado Rockies lost to the Detroit Tigers Sunday at Coors Field 9 to 1. The Rockies won the series and are in the thick of the National League West race. Interleague play continues tonight as the Rockies head to Cleveland to take on the Indians.

Elsewhere in sports…

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Venus Williams is in her comfort zone
on the grass of the All England Club, and it shows.
The five-time Wimbledon champion played one of the first matches
on opening day of the fortnight and needed just 59 minutes to beat
97th-ranked Akgul Amanmuradova (AH’-mahn-mur-ahn-DOH’-vah) of
Uzbekistan 6-3, 6-1.
Williams returned to tennis just last week after a five month
layoff due to a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open.
Russian Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 runner-up, overcame
115th-ranked American Alison Riske (rihsk) 6-love, 3-6, 6-3.
Kimiko Date (kih-MEE’-koh DAH’-tay)-Krumm became the second
oldest women to win a match at Wimbledon. The 40-year-old Japanese
veteran won in straight sets and will face Venus Williams in round
two.
Date-Krumm is the third oldest women to compete at Wimbledon in
the Open era and the oldest in this year’s draw. She came out of
retirement in 2008 but lost in the first round the last two years
at the All England Club.

In the men’s draw, defending men’s champion Rafael Nadal
dismantled American Michael Russell 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 in the first
Centre Court match of the 2011 Championships. It’s the Spaniard’s
15th straight win at Wimbledon.
Tenth-seeded American Mardy Fish never faced a break point while
advancing in straight sets.
Eighth-seeded Andy Roddick of the U.S. opens against Germany’s
Andreas Beck today.

MLB-SCHEDULE
Marlins searching for help

UNDATED (AP) – Still no word who the Marlins will hire as their
interim skipper.
Manager Edwin Rodriguez unexpectedly resigned before yesterday’s
game at Tampa Bay. Bench coach Brandon Hyde served as acting
manager for the team’s 10th straight loss.
The Fish will be trying to turn things around tonight when they
open an interleague home series against the L.A. Angels.
Elsewhere in the diamond this evening, Pittsburgh hosts
Baltimore, Cleveland is home to Colorado, the New York Yankees are
at Cincinnati, Boston entertains San Diego, Toronto plays in
Atlanta, Texas is home to Houston, the Chicago White Sox host the
city-rival Cubs, Tampa Bay is at Milwaukee and the L.A. Dodgers
host Detroit.

COLLEGE BASEBALL-WORLD SERIES
Heels and Horns have no margin for error

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – North Carolina and Texas will play the first
elimination game of the 2011 College World Series this afternoon in
Omaha. The Tar Heels got beat 7-3 by Vanderbilt in Saturday’s
tournament opener before the Longhorns dropped an 8-4 decision to
Florida in the nightcap.
The Commodores and Gators go head to head this evening.

NHL-RED WINGS/LIDSTROM
Lidstrom not leaving Hockeytown

DETROIT (AP) – The Red Wings say Nicklas Lidstrom will return to
Detroit next season for his 20th NHL campaign.
The 41-year-old defenseman from Sweden had been weighing
retirement. Lidstrom is a Norris Trophy finalist for the 11th time in 13
seasons. If he wins the award for being the NHL’s top defenseman
he’ll match Doug Harvey’s total of seven and trail Bobby Orr’s
record by only one.

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) – A new international golf star was crowned
over the weekend at Congressional Country Club outside Washington,
D.C. Twenty-two-year-old Rory McIlroy (MAK’-ihl-roy) is the
youngest U.S. Open winner since 21-year-old Bobby Jones won in 1923
as the Northern Irishman cruised to a wire-to-wire eight-shot
victory over Jason Day, setting a U.S. Open scoring record by
finishing 16 under par.

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