Sports Briefs 6/26/11




Chris Volstad drove in a run in an AL ballpark and pitched into the seventh inning and won for the first time since April and the Florida Marlins beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 Saturday night. In the game moved from Miami because of an upcoming concert at the Marlins' stadium, Volstad (3-7) batted for himself because the game was played under NL rules. He also kept the ice-cold Mariners to two runs on five hits before leaving with two outs in the seventh. It was Volstad's first victory since April 26 and only the third Florida victory in the month of June. Leo Nunez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 21st save of the season. Jason Vargas (5-5) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings for Seattle.

The M’s and Marlins wrap up their three-game series at Safeco Field tonight on 1030 KMAS. The broadcast begins at 6 PM.

The Tacoma Rainiers opened at four-game series in Las Vegas by pounding the 51s 12 to 2. Tacoma’s Chris Seddon held Las Vegas to two runs on six hits in eight innings. The Rainiers pounded out 15 hits scoring seven runs in the seventh inning, which included at three-run home run by Ryan Langerhans, a two-run homer from Luis Jimenez, and a solo shot by Mike Wilson. Matt Tuiasosopo added a two-run homer in the fourth. Matt Mangini also batted in two runs for Tacoma. The teams play game two today.

The Seattle Sounders FC host the New England Revolution today (Sunday) at 1 PM.

Defenders Zach Loyd and George John scored off corner kicks 5 minutes apart in the first half to help FC Dallas rout the expansion Portland Timbers 4-0 on Saturday night. Brek Shea and Jackson Goncalves also scored for Dallas, and Captain Daniel Hernandez had two assists, setting up both first-half goals with almost identical corner kicks. Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made two saves for his MLS-leading eighth shutout of the season. FC Dallas, 9-4-4 overall and 8-1-3 in its last 12 games, moved into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference. The Timbers, making their first trip to North Texas, dropped to 5-7-3. They are 0-4-1 in their last five and 0-5-2 on the road. Portland has been outscored 15-3 away from home.

Allyson Felix won the Четыресто meters at the U.S. championships in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, setting up the possibility she might compete in two events at worlds this summer. Felix already has a spot in the 200 as the defending world champion. She has yet to decide whether she will attempt the difficult 200-400 double at worlds in Daegu, South Korea, in August. She only got stronger as the race went along Saturday and held off Francena McCorory at the finish. Debbie Dunn was third. Up-and-comer Tony McQuay of the University of Florida won the men's Четыресто by blowing past former Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner on the home stretch. Wariner faded but held off Greg Nixon for second.

Ryan Dungey raced to his first AMA Pro Motocross Championship victory of the year, finishing second in the first 450 Class moto and rallying to win the second Saturday in the Thunder Valley National. Ryan Villopoto of Poulsbo, Wash., won the first moto and was second in the second. Australia's Chad Reed, third in both motos, has an eight-point lead over Villopoto in the season standings. Dungey is third, 21 points behind Reed. In the 250 Class, Blake Baggett, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider from Grand Terrace, Calif., raced to his third overall victory in five rounds, sweeping the motos. Jessica Patterson, the DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha rider from Tallahassee, Fla., raced to her second Women's Motocross Championship victory of the year with a moto sweep.

An Emerald Downs spokesman says two racehorses tossed their riders and broke loose just before a race, causing injuries to a jockey and horse owner at the track. Spokesman Vince Bruun tells The Seattle Times that the two horses - Wiley Witch and Cahill's Ride - were being led out of the paddock Saturday afternoon when they threw their jockeys and ran toward the stable area. Bruun says Wiley Witch collided with 70-year-old horse owner Tony Schiro, who suffered a broken femur and possibly a head injury. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center. The injured jockey was treated at an area hospital for minor injuries. Bruun says Wiley Witch has been euthanized.