Kelly Johnson gleans had four devises hits, including two homers, and Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann also hit home runs to help the Braves welcome Teixeira back to town with a 12- 4 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night " It was kind of a buzz in here " Johnson said of the anticipation in the clubhouse for Teixeira' s arrival " You could feel it out there, too It was a little bit of extra adrenalin. 321 with 33 home runs and 121 RBIs for the Atlanta Braves and Angels. 500 for his career and had to wait until mid- March for a free- agent deal " That' s in the past " said Lohse( 10- 2 " I' ve been doing a lot of stuff different this year. But, overall I think we' re getting the defense where we want to be and be more consistent " Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. That' s the biggest reason Walker, who has a no- trade clause in his contract, quickly agreed to the deal. Ponson had trouble obtaining a work visa because of his involvement in two court cases. Houston is at the back of the pack of playoff contenders, trailing Cincinnati by six games for the wild card " We lost a lot of ground the last three or four days " said Roy Oswalt( 10- 8, who improved to 16- 1 career against Cincinnati " We' ve got to go to Pittsburgh and pretty much sweep the Pirates " The Reds had won four in a row- their best streak in more than a month- but couldn' t keep it going because they couldn' t keep their thoughts to themselves.

I assume the defense will ask' Is she addicted to a drug? Is she on medication? Was she on medication at the time " of her encounter with Bryant? Bryant' s attorneys have asked the judge to determine whether the woman' s medical records can be used as evidence . The Angels improved to 13- 4 in their last 17 home games against the Yankees . Williams grew up in nearby Plainfield, located about 20 miles from where the Nets play their home games " I think you just try to manage everything and play as well and as hard as you can " Frank said " Things have a way of working out " Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press . Lee gave up more than three runs for just the sixth time in 29 starts in 2009 . Dunleavy' s free throws drew the Warriors within 47- 40 of Memphis at halftime. Chauncey Billups had 18 points to lead Detroit, which already has locked up the No. There was never a sign of a tear and he made a point to leave the media room after shaking hands with his future peers He intends to embark on a career in television next season.

The 31- year- old Burress was booked and arraigned on charges of criminal possession of a weapon relating to the shooting in New York on Nov 29 He pleaded not guilty, posted$ 100, 000 bail and left . The investigation found that players were taking 10 times more antibiotics than the general population and that linemen and linebackers seemed to be most susceptible to the infection because they have the highest number of skin abrasions] EnlargeAP Photo/ Tony DejakThe hard feelings between tight end Kellen Winslow and the Browns stemmed in part from his staph infection . Ellerman, who represented two key figures in the BALCO steroids investigation, admitted in court papers filed Wednesday that he allowed Williams and Fainaru- Wada to view transcripts of the grand jury testimony of baseball stars Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and sprinter Tim Montgomery . Thames hit a two- run homer in the fourth for his 12th of 2008, giving him homers on his last seven hits " I' m just trying not to miss my pitches " Thames said " He' s got really good stuff and you can' t miss the pitches he hangs When I saw it hanging I smiled and tried to hit it hard Both starters threw a great game . Last season he sat out the first 21 games with a stress reaction in his lower back " I love that kid " teammate Cuttino Mobley said " It' s a tough thing to happen to him- not only for the team, but also for our fans. White was fourth- round draft pick in 2007 who started 14 games the last two years. And leave it at that " Aramis Ramirez, Matt Murton and Jones hit consecutive doubles off Bush( 2- 2) to start the second and give the Cubs a 2- 0 lead.

Chicago intentionally walked Zimmerman, loading the bases for Young, batting in the cleanup spot . Baker failed to meet the terms of the agreement at least three times before being suspended indefinitely on Jan 23 . Santana also left a 2- 2 slider over the plate in the fifth to Butler, who hit it off the Royals Hall of Fame in left for a two- run homer that put Kansas City up 4- 1 . I' d rather win and learn a lesson " After opening the season with four straight losses at Oracle Arena, the Warriors have gone 8- 1 on their home floor, with the only loss coming in overtime to Southeast- leading Orlando on Dec 3 . Florence started only eight games and didn' t intercept a pass " Obviously, I endorsed them or we wouldn' t have done them, so I' m not going to go back and second- guess what was done " team owner Wayne Weaver said last month " We just have to learn from our mistakes and move on " John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN. Information from ESPN senior writer Jayson Stark and The Associated Press was used in this report. ESPN' s Jim Gray reported Wednesday that the NBA' s premier free agent is expected to announce his choice between the Lakers or Clippers around 3 p m ET Thursday, when he is expected to contact both teams.

A lot of the time, I wasn' t missing by much " Darin Erstad doubled and scored on Lance Berkman' s single in the Houston first Berkman has 12 RBIs in his last eight games Montero led off the fourth with another homer to right . He wasn' t even sure he was going to be able to make the start when he hopped a 7 a m . Jeter' s parents, watching from an upstairs box between home plate and first base, raised their arms and exclaimed in excitement " I felt proud . Toronto' s starting goalie missed Monday' s win in Atlanta while receiving treatment for a groin injury " Vesa doesn' t deserve that " defenseman Tomas Kaberle said . Green, who had two sacks last year, spent his first two NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN. Cleveland has given up a major league- high 27 unearned runs behind him. Ryu knocked the bird from its perch at Jackie Robinson Ballpark before a game in the Single- A Florida State League on April 21.

Wheeler wiggled out of trouble by getting Hunter to pop out and pinch- hitter Garret Anderson to ground to first " We weren' t able to do much in the batter' s box " Scioscia said " and they were able to do just enough " Game notes Los Angeles placed INF Chone Figgins( strained right hamstring) on the 15- day disabled list after the game INF Kendry Morales was recalled from Triple- A Salt Lake . Richard Hamilton has been a good scorer for Detroit, but that is his only role . Miles was not at the team' s shootaround Friday morning at the Rose Garden Arena . Sixers with bruised knee Email Print Share ESPN news services BOSTON- Boston Celtics forward Antoine Walker missed Sunday' s game against the Philadelphia 76ers because of a deep bruise in his left knee, and coach Doc Rivers said the star forward might be out all week Walker was injured Friday against Atlanta . I was in the middle and drove in for an underhand, two hand layup " Schectman recalled. But ESPN reported Tuesday that Williams and the Knicks could continue talks beyond that deadline- even though Williams will become an unrestricted free agent Friday if he doesn' t receive an offer from the Knicks that meets league guidelines " There' s mutual intrigue " Knicks president Donnie Walsh told the New York Post after Williams' workout " He looked good[ and] seemed in good shape, but it' s a process and could take time " Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN. Smith' s night was over with 7: 11 left and the Nuggets ahead 100- 81, and less than a minute later, Nene was sent to the sideline, too.

We were pretty focused tonight " Miettinen said " I don' t think we were quite at the top of our game, offensively . Information from ESPN senior writer John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, and The Associated Press contributed to this report . After signing a minor league contract in February, Cirillo made the team and hit . He swung the bat well, too " Blanton( 8- 7) won for the third time in four decisions . Garvey set the record with San Diego from June 1983 to April 1985. The run against McClellan ended the rookie' s streak of 13 1/ 3 scoreless innings. Louis Cardinals, who put a big dent in the Arizona Diamondbacks' postseason aspirations.

Updated: November 30, 2006, 12: 11 AM ET Warriors guard Richardson is sidelined with sore knee Email Print Share Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif- Golden State guard Jason Richardson didn' t return for the second half of the Warriors' game against Indiana on Wednesday night because of soreness in his left knee . Andre Miller scored 29 points, Carmelo Anthony had 28 and the Denver Nuggets pushed the ball and shot about as well as they have all season in a 115- 102 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday . He also missed two of three free throws with 30 seconds remaining " We shouldn' t have put ourselves in that situation " he said " If we would have executed earlier in the game we wouldn' t have come to this, but I like how we didn' t give in late in the game when people were leaving the stands thinking the game was over " Butler added 20 points and Brendan Haywood grabbed 12 rebounds for the Wizards . The points allowed were the most ever by the Huskies, who scored their fewest points since getting 30 against Portland State on Feb 13, 1976 . To replace Sierra on the roster, Minnesota recalled LHP Dennys Reyes from Triple- A Rochester. Norris Hopper also had three hits and scored twice on hits by Gonzalez. ST.

Associated PressMILWAUKEE- Edwin Encarnacion guessed he would see a fastball from Milwaukee Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo He didn' t expect the pitch to be right in his zone . Cristian Guzman singled and Zimmerman popped to short, prompting a conference on the mound with Diamondbacks manager A J Hinch . When asked before the game if he was disappointed he hadn' t seen the real Thome, Torre replied " I' ve seen the real Jim Thome . Gaby Sanchez added his first career home run for the Marlins, who won for the fourth time in five games- and eighth in 10- following a 2- hour, 34- minute rain delay at the game' s start " It was one of those amazing moments " Sanchez said " I didn' t realize what had happened until I stepped on the plate and got into the dugout " The victory pulled Florida within five games of Philadelphia in the National League East . Minnesota' s Brian Buscher matched a career high with three hits and is 5- for- 7 against Halladay in his career. 30- alone in first place in the Southeast Division by a half- game, and vaulted the defending NBA champions from sixth to third in the Eastern Conference standings. The unassisted goal broke a 1- 1 tie and snapped the Bruins' four- game overall winning streak Boston had won seven straight on the road.

The Redskins also unsuccessfully sought to trade for disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson . Bonds was 0- for- 4 with an intentional walk in San Diego on Thursday night in the Petco Park opener, then was 1- for- 3 with a walk on Saturday night . The singer/ guitarist has played several concerts in the area, the first of which was sponsored by the Reds' community fund " I think the team here definitely has embraced that part of me a little more than Boston did " he said " I think Boston discouraged it from the fact that they thought it was a little bit of a distraction to me " When the Reds approached him about an extension a couple of weeks ago and he saw their initial offer, he was receptive to working it out Arroyo gets base salaries of$ 4, 125, 000 this year and$ 3 95 million in 2008, figures set under the old contract The extension includes a$ 2 5 million signing bonus that will be paid next year Arroyo will get salaries of$ 9 5 million in 2009 and$ 11 million in 2010 . Mets 3, Astros 1NEW YORK( AP- Tom Glavine is pitching so well that he doesn' t need his best stuff to turn in a masterful outing . 7 rating for the Los Angeles Lakers at Portland opener last year The Cavaliers' season opener earned a 12. That 2- 7 stretch pushed the Rangers to their largest playoff deficit all season. Arena owner Comcast- Spectacor, which announced the plan Tuesday, has plans to replace it with a complex of shops, bars, restaurants and a hotel.

He' s not scared to say' You know what? That was my fault' He' s not scared to say that " The Bears' Web site also reported Thursday that Chicago offensive coordinator Ron Turner also would be interviewed by the Dolphins, who are looking for a coach after Nick Saban left for Alabama Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press . Updated: April 19, 2004, 8: 49 AM ET Walker found unidentified body near wooded area Email Print Share ESPN news services EVERGREEN, Colo- Colorado Rockies outfielder Larry Walker discovered the body of an unidentified man Sunday on his property near Evergreen . Alou, San Francisco' s 38- year- old right fielder, will have an MRI on his strained right calf Friday to determine his status . m, a 3 hour, 7 minute delay because of a steady rain that began in the late afternoon The skies darkened above the stadium at about 4: 00 p . Although her eyesight, hearing and mobility failed, she remained mentally sharp until the end, said Sharon Gosling, Nemasket' s activity director. Hart' s last six hits have all been for extra bases- ESPN research The Brewers acquired second baseman Ray Durham from the other dugout. But the order " illustrates the critical importance of a uniform policy for all teams in the league and why this matter should be governed exclusively by federal law " Aiello said.

Hardin said one of Murphy' s daughters, when spoken to by her father' s attorneys, has insisted nothing happened, but she apparently is telling prosecutors something different . The Bucks, who also lost starters Charlie Villanueva and Mo Williams for significant stretches because of injuries in January, are 3- 17 since losing Redd . I can handle it " Kicker David Akers, whose hamstring injury forced linebacker Mark Simoneau to attempt two extra points and third- string tight end Mike Bartrum to handle some kickoffs, saw another doctor this week . Parcells, the Cowboys' head coach in 2003- 06, joined the Dolphins two weeks ago as executive vice president of football operations " Jeff Ireland certainly was an important part of this organization " said Parcells' successor in Dallas, Wade Phillips " Miami has done a smart thing by hiring him . Asked if he has ruled Taylor out for Sunday' s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, coach Jim Zorn said " I think that, but I wouldn' t say that because we just don' t know " Taylor " He' s got to heal " Zorn said " He would be optimistic, but if he doesn' t practice I can' t imagine him playing this week, so it may be another week. Injured NL batting champion Freddy Sanchez will play shortly after the Pirates' off day on Tuesday. It gave me goosebumps " Game notesTwenty times a Mets player has hit three doubles in a game The previous time was Wright at San Francisco on Aug 21, 2004.

The museum opened in Kansas City in 1990, and a resolution announced Monday by Sen . Julio Lugo, Kevin Youkilis and Wily Mo Pena also homered for the Red Sox, who knocked Anthony Lerew( 0- 2) out of his third major league start after just two innings . Washburn settled down after the second inning, giving up four runs and seven hits in seven innings, one start after outdueling Chicago' s Mark Buerhle in a 5- 1 win " It' s pretty crazy how you can be so good for most of the game and so bad for one inning of it " Washburn said " It was night and day " The Mariners jumped all over Santana in the top of the first . Grudzielanek and Reggie Sanders also could be dealt before Tuesday' s non- waiver trade deadline . The Brewers won a series for the first time this year, beating the team that eliminated them in the playoffs last season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first meeting in almost five years between teams with better than 800 records after 20 games. The best part is that the Spurs are scoring more while still able to play the tenacious defense that' s helped them hold foes to the lowest scoring average each of the last two seasons.