Posted: Jul 6, 2012 2:31 AM
Updated: Jul 6, 2012 2:32 AM
RANGERS-WHITE SOX
Quintana pitches White Sox to sweep of Rangers
CHICAGO (AP) Rookie Jose Quintana allowed two hits in eight stellar innings, Kevin Youkilis came through again with a go-ahead homer and the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 2-1 victory Thursday.
On a scorching day at U.S. Cellular Field with a first-pitch temperature of 99 degrees that hit 102 by the fourth inning Quintana (4-1) walked one and struck out a career-high eight. He gave up a leadoff single to Ian Kinsler in the first and an RBI single to Adrian Beltre in the fourth on a line drive that hit the left-hander near the hip and bounded past first.
Youkilis took All-Star Matt Harrison (11-4) deep in the sixth to break a 1-all tie, his sixth homer of the season and second since joining the White Sox in a trade from Boston last month.
ALL-STAR FINAL VOTE
Rangers' Darvish, Cardinals' Freese win fan vote
CHICAGO (AP) Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese are headed to the All-Star game after fans voted them into Tuesday's showcase in Kansas City.
Darvish, 10-5 with a 3.59 ERA, is the eighth Rangers player on the AL team managed by Texas' Ron Washington. He beat out four other pitchers: Chicago's Jake Peavy, Baltimore's Jason Hammel, Kansas City's Jonathan Broxton and the Angels' Ernesto Frieri.
Freese emerged from an NL field that included Atlanta outfielder Michael Bourn, Nationals rookie outfielder Bryce Harper and Arizona second baseman Aaron Hill. Freese is batting .285 with 13 homers.
Atlanta's Chipper Jones had been in the running before he was named as an injury replacement for Matt Kemp.
The online balloting for the final spots ended Thursday.
ASTROS-PIRATES
Pirates ride Karstens to 2-0 win over Astros
PITTSBURGH (AP) Jeff Karstens scattered four hits over eight innings and the surging Pittsburgh Pirates blanked the Houston Astros 2-0 on Thursday night.
Karstens (2-2) struck out a season-high eight against just one walk as the Pirates completed their first four-game sweep of the Astros at home since 1979. Joel Hanrahan pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save.
Garrett Jones and Casey McGehee each drove in a run for Pittsburgh, which has won eight of nine to vault into first in the National League Central.
Houston's Bud Norris (5-6) gave up two runs and five hits in seven solid innings but the Astros' offense sputtered a day after trading slugger Carlos Lee to the Miami Marlins. Houston managed four singles while losing its eighth straight game.
ROCKETS-LIN
AP Source: Lin agrees to offer sheet with Rockets
HOUSTON (AP) A person with knowledge of the deal says New York Knicks restricted free-agent guard Jeremy Lin and the Houston Rockets have agreed to terms on a four-year contract offer.
The person told The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't officially announced the deal.
Lin can sign the offer sheet with Houston on July 11, and the Knicks will then have three days to match the offer.
The contract is worth $10.2 million over the first two seasons and $9.3 million in each of the last two years. The fourth season is a team option.
The person also told the AP that the Rockets traded Kyle Lowry to Toronto on Thursday for a future first-round draft pick with lottery protection.
KNICKS-KIDD
Reports: Kidd agrees to join Knicks
NEW YORK (AP) Multiple reports say point guard Jason Kidd will leave the Dallas Mavericks and sign with the New York Knicks.
Kidd, second on the career assists list, could rotate in New York with Jeremy Lin, or inherit the role full time if the Knicks decline to match an offer the Houston Rockets made to Lin, a restricted free agent.
It was believed Kidd would return to the Mavericks, especially after they missed out on Deron Williams. But ESPN.com reported Thursday that anonymous sources said that Kidd had decided instead to join the Knicks for a three-year deal worth about $9 million.
The Knicks have been seeking veteran point guard help but lost out on Steve Nash when Phoenix traded him to the Lakers.
Deals cannot be signed until July 11.
The Knicks didn't comment on the report and calls to Kidd's agent were not returned.
BKO-FRANCE TEAM-PARKER
Parker on French Olympic team but status uncertain
PARIS (AP) San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker was included on the 12-man roster for France's Olympic basketball team despite a left eye injury that could keep him sidelined.
Parker suffered a scratch to his cornea in a fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage in a New York nightclub last month.
A final decision on his participation in the London Olympics is expected to be announced in the coming days after Parker meets with the Spurs' medical staff.
France will be missing Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who is still recovering from a left ankle injury he sustained during the NBA playoffs.
France's first game at the Olympics is against the United States on July 29.
SILVER STARS-FEVER
Hammon scores 19 to lead Silver Stars past Fever
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Becky Hammon scored 19 points to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars past the Indiana Fever 88-72 on Thursday night.
Jia Perkins scored 17 points and Sophia Young had 15 points and eight rebounds to help the Silver Stars (9-5) win their fifth straight.
Katie Douglas scored 19 points for the Fever (8-6), who made 12 3-pointers. Tamika Catchings, set for her third trip to the Olympics, had 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for her 75th career double-double.
San Antonio came from 18 points down for and finished with the second-largest turnaround (34 points) by a Fever opponent in franchise history. The Charlotte Sting a 43-point swing in a win against Indiana on Aug. 20, 2003.