Jeter, Damon, A-Rod power Yankees’ offense in 11-7 win over Braves

ATLANTA — Alex Rodriguez is starting to get his groove back.

“We needed that,” he said. “I needed it. I felt like my body was reacting pretty well.”

Rodriguez tied Reggie Jackson with his 563rd home run, and Mariano Rivera earned his 499th career save in the New York Yankees’ 11-7 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. The Yankees have won two straight after a three-game losing streak. New York took sole possession of second place in the AL East and moved four games behind Boston in the AL East.

3 reasons to believe NBA has something to do with blue bloodlines

NEW YORK — There must be something about basketball bloodlines. Three players whose fathers played in the NBA were chosen in the top 15 picks of the draft Thursday night. Stephen Curry, whose father Dell played in the league for 16 seasons, was taken with the seventh pick by Golden State. The nation’s leading scorer last season as a junior at Davidson with a 28.6 average, Curry led the Wildcats within a game of the Final Four as a sophomore.

Gay runs 100 meters in 9.75 seconds in first and only race of nationals

EUGENE, Ore. — It took Tyson Gay only 9.75 seconds to prove that, yes, he’s healthy, and leave the rest of the track world wondering — and maybe worrying — about what he might do next. With a helping wind at his back, America’s best-known sprinter ran his 100 preliminary heat in the seventh-fastest time under any conditions Thursday, then exited stage right, not to be seen again at the U.S. championships.

5-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams tapes up knee, wins, then avoids direct answers

WIMBLEDON, England — Venus Williams ambled onto sun-splashed Court 1 at Wimbledon on Thursday, a slight hitch in her step and an odd-looking wrap around her left knee. White tape here, brown tape there. Good thing the five-time Wimbledon champion didn’t need to run to hit serves, huh? Powered in part by her big-as-can-be deliveries, Williams overwhelmed 73rd-ranked Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2 in the second round to stretch her All England Club winning streaks to 16 matches and 27 sets.

Come on! Shouting, scrambling, just like the old days, Hewitt beats del Potro at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England — His ballcap is turned backward, just as it always was. He scurries along the baseline, getting to nearly every ball, just as he always did, and celebrates big points with plenty of shouts of “Come on!” and fist pumps. And Lleyton Hewitt matters at Wimbledon, just as he did in 2002, when he won the thing.

Ganguly defends Kolkata school project amid protest

KOLKATA - Even as a section of residents sat on a hunger strike against his move to construct a school at the upscale satellite township of Salt Lake, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly Thursday asserted that the project was in tune with the laws and regulations of the land. “I have never in my life done anything against rules or regulations. I have never broken the law. In this case also all regulations have been followed,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of a programme at his cricket coaching centre.

Murray criticizes 80-mn pounds Centre Court roof for casting shadows

LONDON - World No.3 Andy Murray has criticised the new roof on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, complaining that it casts too much of a shadow while playing. imbledon’s 80 million pounds retractable roof built to protect the Centre Court from rain was used for the first time to shield spectators from the blistering sun. Some 15,000 Centre Court fans sweated it out in temperatures up to 92°F (33.4°C) as they waited to see British Andy Murray in action.

Injured Shane Watson almost certain to miss first Ashes Test

MELBOURNE - Australian all rounder Shane Watson is almost certain to not play in the first Ashes Test, after medical scans confirmed a tear in his thigh muscle. The injury-plagued all rounder will not be sent home, but his Ashes prospects have declined as he sat out for county game against Sussex. “Shane Watson had a scan on his left knee which confirmed a low-grade strain of one of his quadriceps (thigh) muscles,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Australian physiotherapist Alex Kountouris, as saying.

United States rains on Spain with stunning 2-0 win to advance to 1st FIFA final at Confed Cup

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa — Talk about a full reversal of fortunes. On the verge of elimination from the Confederations Cup a few days ago, the United States finds itself in the final of the World Cup test event thanks to a stunning 2-0 victory over top-ranked Spain. Goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, and superb goalkeeping by Tim Howard on Wednesday lifted the Americans into their first FIFA tournament final since starting play in 1916.

Schierholtz homer helps Johnson to 302nd win as Giants beat A’s 6-3

OAKLAND, Calif. — Nate Schierholtz hit a two-run homer to help Randy Johnson earn career victory No. 302 and the San Francisco Giants beat the Oakland Athletics 6-3 in the 2009 Bay Bridge Series finale Wednesday night. Aaron Rowand added an RBI double and the Giants captured the season series for the first time since 2001 with their second straight winning road series.

Michael Phelps earns a leading 4 nominations for ESPY Awards

LOS ANGELES — Michael Phelps has 14 Olympic gold medals but only one ESPY. That’s likely to change after he led the way Wednesday with four nominations for next month’s ESPY Awards. The swimmer is nominated for male athlete, championship performance, record-breaking performance and U.S. male Olympian. Phelps’ only ESPY win came in 2005, when he earned the male Olympic performance honor following his effort at the 2004 Athens Games, where he won six gold medals.

Ronaldo can never match the class of Beckham when it comes to gals, says ex

LONDON - Cristiano Ronaldo’s former girlfriend has suggested that the footballer may have bedded 80,000 girls since he dumped her. Nereida Gallardo, who was with Ronaldo for eight months before being dumped by text, claimed the Portuguese star crazed a new girl on a weekly basis. “Every week another girl comes along talking about him. After dumping me I don’t know how many there have been. Eighty thousand?” The Sun quoted her as saying.

Stuart Broad wants to win Ashes to shut up his dad

LONDON - England’s fast bowler Stuart Broad wants to help his team regain Ashes, in order to stop his dad Chris from talking about his triumph against Australia 22 years ago. Broad has grown up knowing all about the glory of winning the Ashes, because his father keeps telling him, The Sun reports. “Do I talk to dad about what it is like winning the Ashes? Well, he certainly speaks to me about it! I’m not saying it is boring but, well, it was the highlight of his career and what he is best remembered for. He was Man of the Series,” Broad said.

Former No. 1 Marat Safin says good bye to Wimbledon forever

Former No. 1 Safin loses final match at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England — Marat Safin’s final match at Wimbledon took place on cozy Court 18, tucked in a corner of the All England Club, closer to the exit than to the court where trophies are handed out. That was appropriate, because Safin always seemed to have one foot out the door at Wimbledon. Playing his final year on the tour, the mercurial Russian lost in the first round Tuesday to American Jesse Levine, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Andy Murray is upset being the sole British male qualifier in Wimbledon

LONDON - Britain’s No.1 tennis player Andy Murray insists that it is unacceptable he is the only British male left in the Wimbledon draw. The world No.3 beat a spirited Robert Kendrick in four sets - and the only other Brit left in the tournament is Elena Baltacha who won last night. All four other home men lost in the first round. Murray said: “It’s disappointing. The depth needs to get way better. It’s unacceptable.”

Obama to throw out first pitch at baseball All-Star game next month in St. Louis

Obama to throw out first pitch at All-Star game

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama plans to throw out his first pitch as president when he visits St. Louis next month. Obama will offer the ceremonial first pitch at the All-Star Game on July 14. He’ll also have a town hall-style meeting in Detroit that day. The White House says Major League Baseball’s focus on community service matches with Obama’s service initiative this summer, known as United We Serve.

Nicole Castrale shoots 7-under 65 to take 1-shot lead after 1st round at LPGA Championship

nCastrale hopes to break slump at LPGA Championship