Sports Briefs April 9, 2012
Tennis
Serena Williams capped a dominant week with another powerful performance to beat Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-1 and capture her first clay-court tournament in four years at the Family Circle Cup on Sunday in Charleston, S.C.
Williams didn't drop a set in five matches this week and lost only three games over the weekend, dispatching Samantha Stosur, 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals before ousting Safarova. She hadn't won a tournament on clay - or even gotten to a final on the surface - since taking the 2008 championship here.
• Having beaten Roger Federer's Switzerland and France on the road, the U.S. Davis Cup team now awaits a more daunting obstacle - defending champion Spain in the semifinals.
John Isner sent the Americans into the next round by winning Sunday's opening singles match in Roquebrune, France - a 6-3, 7-6 (4) 5-7, 6-3 victory over sixth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France. The U.S. is in the last four of the Davis Cup for the first time since 2008.
Basketball
Trent Johnson resigned as LSU's basketball coach, the announcement coming on the eve of his expected introduction as TCU's coach.
Spurs 114, Jazz 104: Tony Parker scored 28 points and host San Antonio won its 11th straight game, beating Utah.
Knicks 100, Bulls 99: Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 43 points and host New York spoiled Derrick Rose's return to the lineup to beat Chicago.
Heat 98, Pistons 75: LeBron James scored 26 points to help host Miami beat Detroit.
Celtics 103, 76ers 79: Kevin Garnett scored 20 points to help lead host Boston over Philadelphia.
Nets 122, Cavaliers 117, OT: At Newark, N.J., Gerald Green scored a season-high 32 points, leading New Jersey over Cleveland.
Thunder 91, Raptors 75: Kevin Durant scored 23 points and host Oklahoma City beat Toronto.
Rockets 104, Kings 87: Courtney Lee scored 25 points to lead Houston at Sacramento.
Baseball
• AMERICAN LEAGUE
Royals 7, Angels 3: At Anaheim, Calif., Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler homered and Kansas City beat Los Angeles.
Rangers 5, White Sox 0: At Arlington, Texas, Matt Harrison pitched six scoreless innings while Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre and David Murphy homered for Texas, which beat Chicago.
Tigers 13, Red Sox 12, 11 inn.: Alex Avila's two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted host Detroit over Boston.
Rays 3, Yankees 0: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Jeremy Hellickson came within one out of a three-hitter on his birthday and Tampa Bay beat New York.
Orioles 3, Twins 1: Jason Hammel took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and host Baltimore beat Minnesota.
Indians 4, Blue Jays 3: Carlos Santana hit two home runs and host Cleveland beat Toronto for its first win.
• NATIONAL LEAGUE
Diamondbacks 7, Giants 6: At Phoenix, Ryan Roberts and Lyle Overbay hit consecutive two-out homers and Arizona beat San Francisco.
Mets 7, Braves 5: Jonathon Niese took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and host New York beat Atlanta.
Pirates 5, Phillies 4: Andrew McCutchen's RBI single with two outs in the ninth lifted host Pittsburgh over Philadelphia.
Reds 6, Marlins 5: Scott Rolen drove in the winning run in the ninth, lifting host Cincinnati over Miami.
Cubs 4, Nationals 3: Jeff Samardzija outpitced Jordan Zimmermann and host Chicago beat Washington.
Cardinals 9, Brewers 3: Lance Lynn pitched two-hit ball into the seventh and visiting St. Louis beat Milwaukee.
Astros 3, Rockies 2: Brian Bogusevic drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and host Houston beat Colorado.
Padres 8, Dodgers 4: Clayton Richard and two relievers combined on a four-hitter and host San Diego beat Los Angeles.
- The Associated Press