LOCAL SWIMMERS HEADING TO STATE COMPETITION
Glenwood Springs—Team Sopris is coming off a fourth place finish at last weekend’s Grand Junction Invitational. This weekend, 15 of the team’s best swimmers will compete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for the Rocky Mountain State Games. The Western Slope Championship meet will be held July 19th through the 21st at Colorado Mesa University.
ROCKIES HOST THE DODGERS TONIGHT
Denver—The Colorado Rockies welcome a much improved Los Angeles Dodgers’ club to Coors Field tonight. The Dodgers are still in last place in the National League West but have won 8 of their last 10 games and are only 3 and a half games behind the first place Arizona Diamondbacks. Roy Oswalt (0-2) is on the mound for the Rockies tonight while the Dodgers counter with left handed ace Clayton Kershaw (6-5).
ELSEWHERE IN SPORTS…
LONDON (AP) – Less than 24 hours after knocking top-seed and defending champ Serena Williams out of Wimbledon, Sabine Lisicki (lih-SIH’-kee) made quick work of Kaia Kanepi (KY’-uh kuh-NEP’-ee) 6-3, 6-3 in 61 minutes.
The 23rd-seeded Lisicki advanced to her second Wimbledon semifinal, where she’ll play the winner of a quarterfinal between No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska and No. 6 Li Na.
Though the two quarterfinals began at the same time, Radwanska and Li had just finished their first set at the time Lisicki and Kanepi were shaking hands. Sloane Stephens is trying to keep the U.S. hopes alive, taking on Marion Bartoli of France. Rain has halted play.
Eighth-seed and former champ Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIHT’-oh-vuh) is set to meet Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Pirates are surging
UNDATED (AP) – Pittsburgh tries to resume its unlikely rise to the top of the major league standings when the Pirates open a home series against Philadelphia tonight. Pittsburgh has surged to the best record in baseball on the strength of a nine-game winning streak. The Pirates haven’t won that many in a row since stringing together ten in 2004. Pittsburgh has gone 20 straight seasons without a winning record.
Arizona’s Patrick Corbin tries for the sixth straight time to improve his record to 10-0 when he gets the start tonight in New York against the Mets. The left-hander is trying to become the first Diamondbacks pitcher to win his first ten decisions.
Toronto seeks its eighth straight home win when it hosts Detroit tonight. The Tigers enter the game a half-game back of Cleveland for first in the AL Central. Cleveland takes a four-game winning streak into its series opener in Kansas City tonight.
A half-game separates Texas from Oakland at the top of the AL West. The Rangers host Seattle and the Athletics welcome the Cubs to town.
The best winning streak in the American League belongs to the Angels with six straight. They host the Cardinals and ten-game winner Lance Lynn tonight.
There’s a complete 15-game scheduled in the majors.
MLB-YANKEES-RODRIGUEZ
A-Rod to start rehab assignment
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Alex Rodriguez will be in the line-up for Triple-A Charleston tonight as he begins his rehab assignment following January hip surgery. The Yankees third baseman is expected to play at least three innings in the South Atlantic League game against Rome.
Rodriguez has been working out at the Yankees’ spring training complex in Florida this year while recovering from surgery on his left hip on Jan. 16.
BOXING-KLITSCHKO-POVETKIN
Heavyweight titles on the line
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) – Wladmir Klitschko will defend his multiple heavyweight titles against mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin in a highly anticipated showdown on Oct. 5 in Moscow.
Klitschko holds the IBF and IBO belts and is also the WBO and WBA “super champion.” He has a 60-3 record. The 33-year old Povetkin is WBA’s “regular champion.” His record is 26-0 with 18 knockouts.
NFL-COLTS-LEFEGED ARRESTED
Lefeged released
WASHINGTON (AP) – Indianapolis Colts safety Joe Lefeged (luh-FEHJ’) has been released after a hearing in a Washington, D.C., court on a gun possession charge.
Lefeged was arrested early Saturday after police found a semi-automatic pistol in the car he was riding in. Police say they also smelled marijuana in the car and found a bottle containing vodka. The car had been pulled over for speeding but then sped away. Police say Lefeged and another passenger were caught after they tried to run from officers.
Prosecutors wanted to keep him behind bars, saying the gun was loaded and there was evidence of drug use. The Colts have said they’re aware of the arrest and are gathering gather more details.