The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • C12

12C Sunday, September 9, 2007 THE TENNESSEAN www.tennessean.com SPORTS Sounds' year ends at hands of heavy hitting Zephyrs New Orleans 6, Nashville 0 ZEPHYRS 6, SOUNDS 0 WAYNE SCARBERRY ASSOCIATED PRESS Clint Bowyer (07) slides in Turn 4 above Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8) during the Chevy Rock Roll 400. sponsor, number to be announced soon New Orleans wins playoff series with 7 extra-base hits By JESSICA HOPP Staff Writer The Sounds went extra innings to extend their playoff appearance Friday, but on Saturday all they did was give up extra bases. Seven of New Orleans' 13 hits resulted in runners rounding past first as the Zephyrs collected a 6-0 win and eliminated the Sounds from the postseason in four games. New Orleans will advance to the PCL Championship series to face the winner of the Pacific Conference series between Sacramento and Salt Lake.

"They were the hotter team," Sounds first baseman Andy Abad said. "You have to score runs to win games, and we didn't do enough of it." Making just his second Triple-A start, New Orleans pitcher Kevin Mulvey put on a clinic in front of a Greer Stadium crowd of 3,338. He allowed four hits in seven innings and struck out eight. Mulvey, who was brought up from Double-A Bingham-ton, has thrown 13 scoreless innings in his pair of appearances for the Zephyrs. He also pitched in their division-clinching victory at Round Rock on Sunday.

"Their starter was good," Sounds Manager Frank Krem-blas said. "He was throwing three, four pitches for strikes and he located, that's tough on hitters." Sounds struggle Sounds left-hander Zach Jackson allowed four runs on six hits in 4 innings and fell to 1-4 against the Zephyrs this season. That record includes three losses at Greer Stadium. Jackson allowed New Orleans to score in two-out situations in the three consecu- GAME AT A GLANCE Winning pitcher: Kevin Mulvey (1-0). Losing pitcher: Zach Jackson (0-1).

Big stick: New Orleans' Jesus Feliciano (3-for-4, two runs, three RBIs). How they lost: Making just his second Triple-A start, Mulvey thwarted any offensive attack by the Sounds, allowing just one hitter to advance past first base. What they said: "I thought offensively we were better this season. And the pitching and defense were more consistent." Sounds Manager Frank Kremblas JESSICA HOPP PCL PLAYOFFS NASHVILLE VS NEW ORLEANS New Orleans wins series 3-1 I Game 1: New Orleans 3, Nashville 2 I Game New Orleans 5, Nashville 1 Game 3: Nashville 6, New Orleans 5 (1 0) I Saturday: New Orleans 6, Nashville 0 tive innings before being pulled. "This whole team was unbelievable this year," Jackson said of the American Conference Northern Division champions, who were making their third consecutive postseason appearance.

"It just seems like we couldn't catch a break. I wish I could have pulled through." Jesus Feliciano had the big bat for the Zephyrs, scoring two runs and collecting three RBIs, including a line drive home run over the right field wall in the eighth that drove in Jason Alfaro and gave New Orleans a 6-0 lead. Fernando Tatis, Ramon Castro and Chip Ambres each had N.O. ab bi Hrandez, ss 5 0 1 0 Nashville ab Crabbe, 2b 4 Gwynn, rf 4 Anderson, If 2 Ginter, 0 Thomas, 1 Dillard, 0 Zumwalt, 0 Nunez, 0 Macias, ph 1 Nelson, 3b 3 Abad, 1b 3 Nix, cf 3 Hopf, 3 Barnwell, ss 3 Jackson, 1 Chavez, 2b 2 Totals 30 Tatis, 3b Castro, Wooten, Tracy, 1 Ambres, If 5 12 1 4 12 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 10 5 12 1 Hrmnsen, cf3 0 0 0 Alfaro, 2b 4 110 Feliciano, rf 4 2 3 3 MAey, 3 0 0 0 Negron, ph 1 0 1 0 Muniz, 0 0 0 0 New Orleans 002 110 020 6 13 0 Nashville 000 000 000 0 4 1 Anderson (1). DP New Orleans 2, Nashville 3.

LOB-New Orleans Nashville 3. 2B-Tatis (2), Ambres (3), Feliciano (1 Hernandez (2), Alfaro HR-Feliciano (1). GIDP-Tracy, Crabbe. New Orleans ip Muhvey (W, 1-0) 7 Muniz 2 Nashville ip Jackson (L, 0-1 4.2 Ginter 1 .1 Dillard 1.1 Zumwalt 0.2 Nunez 1 er bb so 0 0 8 0 0 2 er bb so FIRST ROUND SALT LAKE VS SACRAMENTO Salt Lake leads series 2-1 Game 1: Salt Lake 9, Sacramento 8 (1 0) Game 2: Salt Lake 1 1 Sacramento 1 0 I Game 3: Sacramento 7, Salt Lake 4 I Saturday: Salt Lake at Sacramento I Sunday: Salt Lake at Sacramento, 3:05 p.m. If necessary two hits for the Zephyrs.

The Sounds' final 14 batters were retired in order, and just one Nashville hitter Laynce Nix advanced past first base all evening. A single by J.R. Hopf in the fifth put Nix in scoring position, but a pop out to center by Chris Barnwell and a strikeout by Ozzie Chavez ended the inning. "It's always frustrating when you can't get any offense," Kremblas said. "But it's tough to make plays when you don't get any pitches to hit and we didn't get many pitches to hit." Reach Jessica Hopp at 615-259-8253 or jhopptennessean.com.

the No. 8 was the right decision. "Richard was the one that really made me feel good about it," Martin said. "He had some really awesome things to say about it and unfortunately, in this business, the numbers pretty much stay with the owners. That's all they have.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets to take his name and superstardom anywhere he wants to go." More changes for Mears: The pressure is on Casey Mears, who will move to a team that has qualified for the Chase for the championship the last two seasons. Mears is moving into the No. 5 at Hendrick next year, and Kyle Busch has made that team a consistent title contender. Mears, who scored his first Nextel Cup victory in May, has yet to qualify for the Chase.

But he's looking forward to the new opportunity. "Hopefully we can just continue what the 5 has been doing and hopefully run better than what they've been doing this year," Mears said. "I think a lot of the guys are excited. I'm very excited about it." change. I hate to see the number go, but I'm actually looking forward to having a completely clean sheet of paper going forward." Hendrick said he'd like to find a number that includes an 8 for Earnhardt, and the team has applied for trademarks on the 28, 38, 51, 58, 81 and 82.

New No. 8: Mark Martin will replace Earnhardt in the No. 8 next season, and at least one person believes the late Dale Earnhardt would have approved of the hiring. Richard Childress, who fielded cars for six of Earnhardt's championships, said Earnhardt once put Martin on a short list of drivers he would like to see drive the No. 3.

The No. 3 has not been used since Earnhardt's 2001 death. "I told Mark, I said, 'I think Dale would want to see you in the 8, and he'd be proud to see you drive Childress said. "I think the 8 was made famous by Dale Earnhardt but it's also the property of DEI." Martin will run a partial schedule next season in the No. 8 for DEI, splitting seat time with Aric Aknirola.

He said Childress assured him driving By JENNA FRYER Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. His 2008 lineup finally set, team owner Rick Hendrick said he's about two weeks away from announcing a sponsor and car number for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick said he's close to completing the sponsorship part, but the number end is still a work in progress. The only NEXTELCUP thing that's cer- NOTEBOOK tain, he said, is that Earnhardt won't drive the No. 8 or the No.

25. Junior has used the No. 8 since entering the Cup series, but DEI won't let him take it with him at the end of the season The No. 25 is the existing number at Hendrick, which has been in use since 1986 when Hendrick gave it to the late Tim Richmond. But Hendrick said he's ready to "walk away from the 25." "The curse of the 25, I've heard that so many times," Hendrick said.

"(The No. 25) meant a lot to me over the years. I think now is time for a THE FORD GIANTH jJ -FJ A -Fi A A a -Ei Si Henin makes a name Largest selection of 2008 Super Dutys in Middle Tennessee! for herself too, with Henin losing a total of three games against Ana Ivanovic. Henin is making a habit of these lopsided title matches: Kuznetsova's four games matched the fewest for a U.S. Open runner-up in the past 31 years.

"The match was much closer than the score, for sure," said Kuznetsova, who might have been trying to persuade herself, given that she is now 2-15 against Henin. "When she plays her best game I have to play my best game. I didn't," the Russian added. And don't forget, Kuznetsova is hardly a nobody. She won the 2004 U.S.

Open, was the runner-up at the 2006 French Open losing to Henin and will rise to No. 2 in the rankings Monday. pinEERS DESiGN METICULOUSLY ENGINEERED REVOLUTION DT AMERICAN MOTORCYCLES NEW 20117 MODELS SALES, SERVICE, PARTS APPAREL ALL WORK GUARANTEED -COMPETITIVE SERVICE RATES WE SERVICE ALL V-TWINS U.S. Open victory leaves no doubt about her abilities By HOWARD FENDRICH Associated Press NEW YORK Psst. The name is Justine Henin Get to know her.

Might just be one of the greatest tennis players ever. Is certainly the undisputed No. 1 at the moment. As of Saturday night, she owns two U.S. Open championships and seven Grand Slam titles overall.

So let's get that correct. Everybody now: Justine Henin. Overwhelming No. 4 Svet-lana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3 in the final, the top-seeded Henin capped a dominating run through the U.S. Open in which she didn't drop a set and became the first woman to win a major title while beating both Williams sisters along the way.

"This one is maybe the most important one. The quality I played in the last few matches has been amazing, and it's a great feeling, because I had a tough draw," said Henin, the 2003 Open champion. "I had a lot of things to prove to myself. Not to anyone else, but to myself. And I did it." Yet both times she conquered New York, someone got her name wrong during the postmatch ceremony.

Four years ago, a representative of the main U.S. Open sponsor called her "Christine." On Saturday night, CBS announcer Dick Enberg referred to her as "Justine Henin-Hardenne" even though she dropped the hyphenated part after separating from her husband at the beginning of the year. That split was why Henin skipped the Australian Open; otherwise, she might have another major title. Instead, she'll have to settle for two Slams in 2007, including her fourth French Open title in five years, shortly after reconciling with her estranged ELISE AMENDOLA ASSOCIATED PRESS Justine Henin beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3 in the women's U.S. Open finals.

father and siblings. "The fact that I have my family back in my life helps a lot, for sure," she said. "That gives me peace." That French final was a rout, rfs I THE tennesseemotorsports.com TUESDAYERIDAY SATURDAY 615.376.4766 JELDSED SUNDAY'S MQRDAY 1647 MALLORY 4.ANE, BRENTWOOD Bt5.37B.47BB Conveniently located in Cool Springs THE FORD GIANT! 1550 N.W. BROAD ST. SH -800-261 -3706 www.alexanderford.com A) Stk 8T47.

All offers with approved credit, price plus.