Morning Briefing May 29, 2011
Basketball
A person familiar with the situation said the Houston Rockets are close to hiring Kevin McHale as their new coach.
The person said the team is negotiating a contract with McHale. The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet complete.
McHale would take over for Rick Adelman, who left the team days after his fourth season in Houston.
McHale, a Hall of Fame player for the Boston Celtics, spent 15 years with the Timberwolves in his native Minnesota. He was let go in 2009 and has recently served as a TV analyst.
The 53-year-old McHale would become Houston’s third coach since 2003.
Baseball
The No. 7-seeded Lewis-Clark State Warriors beat third-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan (40-20) 5-4 on Friday night in the first round of the NAIA World Series at Harris Field in Lewiston.
Former Lake City High standout Trent Bridges went 1 for 5 and scored two runs for L-C State (38-15). The third baseman scored his second run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, which hiked the Warriors’ lead to 5-0.
L-C State plays No. 2 seed Oklahoma City (46-10) tonight at 7.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Rays 5, Indians 0: At St. Petersburg, Fla., David Price struck out 12 over seven innings, leading Tampa Bay past Cleveland.
Red Sox 6, Tigers 3: Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford homered, leading Boston at Detroit.
Athletics 6, Orioles 2: Ryan Sweeney hit a tiebreaking single in the sixth and Oakland beat visiting Baltimore.
Blue Jays 4, White Sox 2: Yunel Escobar’s RBI double in the seventh lifted Toronto past visiting Chicago.
Angels 6, Twins 5: At Minneapolis, Maicer Izturis’ RBI single in the ninth lifted Los Angeles past Minnesota.
Royals 12, Rangers 7, 14 inn.: At Arlington, Texas, Melky Cabrera and Eric Hosmer homered in the 14th, leading Kansas City past Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pirates 4, Cubs 2: Kevin Correia pitched shutout ball into the eighth, leading Pittsburgh at Chicago.
Phillies 6, Mets 4: Domonic Brown’s RBI single in the ninth lifted Philadelphia at New York.
Cardinals 10, Rockies 3: At Denver, Colby Rasmus went 4 for 5 and drove in three runs, leading St. Louis past Colorado.
Giants 5, Brewers 4: Brandon Crawford hit a grand slam and San Francisco won at Milwaukee.
Diamondbacks 7, Astros 6: Juan Miranda hit two two-run homers and Arizona won at Houston.
Nationals 2, Padres 1: Michael Morse hit a home run in the ninth to lift Washington past visiting San Diego.
Reds 5, Braves 1: Mike Leake pitched six solid innings, leading Cincinnati at Atlanta.
Dodgers 3, Marlins 2: Dioner Navarro’s RBI single in the ninth lifted Los Angeles past visiting Florida.
Sergio Garcia (66) and Ryan Palmer (67) share the lead after two rounds at 8-under 132 in the PGA’s Byron Nelson Championship at Irving, Texas.
Spokane native Alex Prugh (70) sits 11 shots back.
Kiyoshi Murota shot a 5-under 67 to take a four-stroke lead in the Senior PGA Championship at Louisville, Ky.
The 55-year-old touring pro and golf teacher from Japan followed an opening 66 to stand at 11-under 133 at Valhalla Golf Club.
Nick Price (70) and Hale Irwin (68) are tied for second.