BASEBALL: Big Hurt turns into Big Angry
Blue Jays DH Frank Thomas was livid yesterday after getting benched in favor of Matt Stairs and being told by manager John Gibbons he can expect further cuts to his playing time.
Thomas, 39, was hitless in his past 13 at-bats and has gone 4-for-35 since homering in three straight games April 5-8. He signed a two-year, $18-million contract with Toronto in November 2006. The deal includes a $10 million option for 2009, but only if Thomas makes 376 plate appearances this season. Thomas has 516 career homers, placing him 18th on baseball’s career list.
OBIT: John Marzano, 45
John Marzano, a former catcher for the Red Sox, was found dead yesterday at his home in Philadelphia. He was 45. In addition to the Red Sox, he played for the Rangers and Mariners before retiring in 1998. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren.
Marzano was popular in Seattle for his altercation with Yankees outfielder Paul O’Neill during a game in 1996. The two traded punches at home plate after O’Neill took exception to a knockdown pitch by Tim Davis.
TENNIS: Serena advances to final
Serena Williams overcame a slow start to advance to the finals of the Family Circle Cup, defeating unseeded Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-3 yesterday in Charleston, S.C. Williams, ranked ninth in the world, is looking for her third title of 2008. She will face Vera Zvonareva, who upset fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3 in the other semifinal of the $1.3 million clay court tournament.
* Top-ranked Roger Federer rallied to defeat Denis Gremelmayr 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Estoril Open yesterday in Oeiras, Portugal. In today’s final, he will face Nikolay Davydenko, the 2003 champion who defeated Florent Serra of France 6-2, 6-2.
* Top-seeded David Ferrer rallied to defeat Tommy Robredo 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 and advance to the final of the Valencia (Spain) Open. Ferrer will play Nicolas Almagro, who continued his bid for a third Valencia title by defeating unseeded Evgeny Korolev 6-1, 6-4.
* Seventh-seeded Marcel Granollers-Pujol of Spain beat unseeded Wayne Odesnik of the US 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the finals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston. The 22-year-old Spaniard will play James Blake, who posted a 6-3 7-6 victory over Spaniard Oscar Hernandez.
GOLF: Ochoa leads by one
Lorena Ochoa, looking for a fourth victory in four weeks, shot a 7-under 65, and moved to 16 under to take a one-shot lead over rookie Yani Tseng in the third round of the LPGA’s Ginn Open in Reunion Fla. Tseng shot 69. Teresa Lu (69) was 11 under, one stroke ahead of Carin Koch (70) and Suzann Pettersen (72).
* Defending champion Boo Weekley continued his remarkable run at Harbour Town Golf Links, using a stretch of five straight birdies to move in front yesterday in the Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Weekley shot a 6-under 65 to reach 15 under and move three strokes ahead of Anthony Kim (67) and five in front of Aaron Baddeley (67), Jason Bohn (67) and Cliff Kresge (68).
* Mark Wiebe shot a 6-under 71 to take a three-shot lead over Scott Hoch and Tom Watson after two rounds of the Champions Tour’s Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla.
HOOPS: Aussies shock US gals
Australia stunned the United States women’s basketball team 74-60 yesterday in their opening preliminary round game in the Good Luck Beijing Tournament in Beijing. The Aussies outscored the US 26-10 in the fourth quarter. Lisa Leslie led the Americans with 17 points.