Detroit Tigers put LHP Nate Robertson on 15-day DL, call up LHP Luke French from Toledo

MINNEAPOLIS — The Detroit Tigers placed left-handed reliever Nate Robertson on the 15-day disabled list before Thursday’s game at Minnesota and called up left-hander Luke French from Triple-A Toledo.

Indians sign free agent pitcher Luis Vizcaino to help struggling bullpen

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have signed free agent pitcher Luis Vizcaino.

Umpire Schrieber apologizes for making contact with Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez

MINNEAPOLIS — Umpire Paul Schrieber has apologized for making contact with Detroit Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez during a confrontation Wednesday night.

Scarponi wins 6th stage of Giro, while Di Luca holds overall lead; Armstrong loses time

MAYRHOFEN IM ZILLERTAL, Austria — Danilo Di Luca of Italy retained the overall Giro d’Italia lead, Lance Armstrong lost time again and Michele Scarponi won the sixth stage on Thursday.

Bode Miller says he will ski next season but won’t commit to Vancouver Olympics

MAYRHOFEN IM ZILLERTAL, Austria — Bode Miller plans to ski next season but won’t commit to the Vancouver Olympics.

Argentine player David Nalbandian out 4 months after undergoing successful right hip surgery

BARCELONA, Spain — Argentine tennis player David Nalbandian has had surgery on his right hip and will be sidelined for four months.

3 fans arrested after Italian Cup final; questions raised over Champions League safety

ROME — Three fans have been arrested and five police officers injured in disturbances connected to an Italian Cup soccer final between Sampdoria and Lazio.

Finally: Joe Crede’s grand slam in 13th inning gives Twins 14-10 victory over Tigers in 4:48

MINNEAPOLIS — After Minnesota’s bullpen sprung more leaks, Joe Crede provided the relief.

James Loney drives in 4 runs and Randy Wolf dominates former team as Dodgers beat Phillies 9-2

PHILADELPHIA — Randy Wolf had the kind of performance that used to get the fans howling in Philadelphia. Wolf dominated his former team, James Loney homered and drove in four runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Phillies 9-2 on Wednesday night.

Soccer administrators get it wrong again: Asian vote for FIFA post casts sport in bad light

Tick a box, pick a candidate to represent Asian soccer on the world stage. You’d think it would be clean and simple.

A budding rivalry: Peirsol ready to take on Phelps in 100 backstrokes _ all the way to London

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Aaron Peirsol can’t remember the last time he lost in a final of the 100-meter backstroke.

Some baseball signs are open to interpretation, but not pointing to the heavens

Signs, signs, everywhere the signs.

Joe Crede’s grand slam in 13th inning gives Twins 14-10 victory over Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Crede’s two-out grand slam in the 13th inning off a tired Brandon Lyon gave the Minnesota Twins a 14-10 victory over Detroit — hours after Dontrelle Willis made his first start of the season for the Tigers.

Joe Crede’s grand slam in 13th inning gives Twins 14-10 victory over Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Crede’s two-out grand slam in the 13th inning off a tired Brandon Lyon gave the Minnesota Twins a 14-10 victory over Detroit — hours after Dontrelle Willis made his first start of the season for the Tigers.

Talk about anticlimactic: Crosby, Penguins chase Varlamov early, beat Capitals 6-2 in Game 7

WASHINGTON — For a guy who supposedly shies from the limelight, Sidney Crosby was as good as could be in the first Game 7 of his career. The rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins were pretty close to perfect, too. Crosby scored twice to raise his NHL-leading playoff goal total to 12, his teammates shut down his big rival, Alex Ovechkin, most of the night, and the Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive season.

Cust drives in four, A’s beat Bannister, Royals

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jack Cust’s three-run double broke open a close game and helped Josh Outman win his first game of the season as the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Wednesday night.

Cueto, Taveras lead Reds to 10-3 rout of Arizona, three-game sweep of D-backs

PHOENIX — Brandon Phillips drove in four runs and the Cincinnati Reds beat the stumbling Arizona Diamondbacks 10-3 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

Angels beat Boston 8-4 with HRs by Napoli and Hunter

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Matt Palmer overcame a shaky start before retiring the last 19 batters to lead the Los Angeles Angels to an 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

Soriano ties Biggio with leadoff homer, Theriot and Soto connect as Cubs beat Padres 6-4

CHICAGO — Alfonso Soriano hit his 53rd career leadoff homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-4 in a rain-shortened game on Wednesday night.

Houston Astros pound out 24 hits in 15-11 victory over Colorado Rockies

DENVER — Lance Berkman went 4 for 4 and the Houston Astros finished with 24 hits in a 15-11 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.

Anthony, Billups lead Nuggets past Mavs 124-110 and into first conference finals since 1985

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets are leaving all the animosity with the Dallas Mavericks’ players, fans and owner behind and are heading to their first Western Conference finals since 1985. Behind 30 points from Carmelo Anthony and 28 from Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets beat the Mavericks 124-110 on Wednesday night to wrap up their semifinal series in five feisty games.

Anthony, Billups lead Nuggets past Mavs 124-110 and into first conference finals since 1985

DENVER — The Denver Nuggets are leaving all the animosity with the Dallas Mavericks’ players, fans and owner behind and are heading to their first Western Conference finals since 1985.

Blalock’s 2-run double rallies Rangers over Mariners

ARLINGTON, Texas — Hank Blalock’s two-run double in the 11th inning rallied the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.

Weeks homers for 3rd straight game, Marlins’ Gload loses HR to replay in 8-6 Brewers’ win

MILWAUKEE — Rickie Weeks homered for the third straight game and the Milwaukee Brewers rallied again, benefiting from an umpires’ video replay reversal to beat the Florida Marlins 8-6 on Wednesday night.

Padres’ Rodriguez leaves with sprained left ankle in seventh

CHICAGO — Luis Rodriguez left the San Diego Padres’ game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night after spraining his left ankle in the seventh inning.

Capitals goalie Varlamov’s playoff run ends, gets pulled in 2nd period of Game 7 vs. Penguins

WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals replaced rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov with veteran Jose Theodore after falling behind 4-0 in the second period Wednesday night in their 6-2 Game 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland ejected from game for arguing with plate ump against Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland has been ejected from his team’s game at Minnesota for arguing with plate umpire Paul Schrieber in the seventh inning.

Bartlett’s home run, Aybar’s tiebreaking single in 6th help Rays to 8-6 victory over Orioles

BALTIMORE — Willie Aybar hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-6 Wednesday night.

Randy Wolf dominates former team, Dodgers beat Phillies 9-2

PHILADELPHIA — Randy Wolf dominated his former team, James Loney homered and drove in four runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 Wednesday night.

Arizona’s Gerardo Parra becomes 100th player to homer in first major league at-bat

PHOENIX — Gerardo Parra has homered in his first major league at-bat for the Arizona Diamondbacks, becoming the 100th player to accomplish the feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.