El Paso Times from El Paso, Texas • 23

Sports TlinCS Sunday, July 20, 2008 Sports Editor John Erfort, 546-6170, jerfortelpasotirnes.com From the sidelines Read mote: Read our Victor Martinez writes blogs on high school and about El Paso youth sports. UTEP sports. Listen up; Download See more: View more weekly podcasts on high photos, now available for school and UTEP sports. purchase. Baseball: American Association El Paso edges Shreveport, 2-1 Sports Digest Favre sticks to plan, doesn't address rift GREEN BAY, Wis.

Brett Favre stuck to the script, declining to address his public rift with the Green Bay clpasotimes.eom BH BY wittBBJGLr baaa Hbbb bm 9t0to fl vi aH aaaaaaiai -ana ai ail Ba BaVi'dBa Packers in an appearance at Lambeau Field on Saturday. In town to present former team- groundout by Alex Derhak, tying the game 1-1. El Paso relief pitcher Derek Bennett replaced Whigham, who gave up one run on six hits in seven innings, in the top of the eighth. After the game, the pink jerseys worn by the Diablos were auctioned off to fans, with the proceeds going to the Susan G. Koman Foundation.

The Diablos (11-6 second half) will close out their three-game homestand at 5:05 p.m. today against Shreveport (5-13) in the last game before the American Association All-Star break. Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamonteselpasotimes.com; 546-6381. By Aaron Bracamontes El Paso Times The El Paso Diablos were pretty in pink, coming from behind to beat the Shreveport Sports 2-1 on Saturday at Cohen Stadium. Trailing 1-0, the Diablos, wearing pink jerseys in support of the Susan G.

Komen foundation's Swing for the Cure night, took the lead in the bottom of the eighth after second baseman Bryon Smith scored from second on a hard-hit ball up the middle by El Paso-native Eric Garcia. El Paso closer Mike Cervera stuck out Bobby Bratton with two outs and leadoff hitter Deacon Burns on third base to See more photos preserve the 2-1 lead and earn his 10th save of the season. El Paso starting pitcher David Whigham opened the game of by giving up a hit to Shreveport's Wade Robinson, who scored two batters later ot make it 1-0, Sports. The score remained in Shreveport's favor until the fifth inning, when Diablos first baseman Walter Olmstead got hit by a pitch to start El Paso's half of the inning. Olmstead later scored on a Adrians JmcM El Paso Times Jorge Alvarez of the Diablos hit the ball as El Paso played the Shreveport Sports on Saturday at Cohen Stadium.

Shifting into High gear Golf: British Open Shark circles Claret Jug with 2-shot lead at Open By Doug Ferguson Associated Press SOUTHPORT, England Gusts that approached 50 mph required Greg Norman to manufacture shots from his 53-year-old memory Saturday in the British Open, which he called among the toughest tests he ever has faced in golf. It only got harder after he finished Driver with El Paso ties has success in stock By John Erfort El Paso Times Favre mate Frank Winters for induction into the Packers' Hall of Fame at a banquet Saturday night, Favre briefly spoke with reporters about his former center's career before stepping off the stage and ducking out a side door. But before he left, Favre paused to praise the place where he used to play. "That's the thing about Green Bay," said Favre, who spoke for about 3 minutes. "It's a special place.

There's a lot of tradition. You think of the Packers, you think of all these great names, and to be a part of that and I know Frank feels honored is a special thing. I'm thankful that he asked me to be here." Dynamo gets win: Bobby Boswell and Ricardo Clark scored off assists from Brad Davis to lift the Houston Dynamo to a 3-1 victory that eliminated D.C. United from SuperLiga play Saturday night. The victory assured Houston of at least a second-place finish in Group A if it maintains a goal differential over Atlante FC.

The Dynamo will win the division if Atlante tops CD Guadalajara in a game played late Saturday. Serena injured: Serena Williams' busy summer caught up with her, making her the latest U.S. Olympian dealing with a knee injury. Williams injured her left knee and pulled out of the Bank of the West Classic on Saturday, joining sister Venus and Lindsay Davenport on the injured list. Williams retired from her match after losing the first set and falling behind in the second in a semifinal against qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak Wozniak will play in today's final against sixth-seeded Marion Bartoli, who beat Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

Lakers lose Turiaf the Los Angeles Lakers decided to match Golden State's offer for Ronny Turiaf, meaning the former second-round pick will play for the Warriors. Times staff, wire reports It started out more as something to do for fun, a good way to spend some father-son time for Jimmy Dick and his son, Jamie. But it's turned into something much bigger than either one of them imagined. Jamie, 19, is driving in the NASCAR Camping World West was Norman another chapter in this incredible script at Royal Birkdale. Norman played the perfect pitch shot over a pot bunker to within a foot of the cup for par, giving him a 2-over 72 and a two-shot lead over defending champion series and currently ranks 12th in the points standings in a field that includes 63 drivers.

His father won't take much credit for his son's Jamie Dick development, other than the tact that any driver must have solid financial backing to even have a chance this sport. "Maybe I pushed him (a little bit)," said Padraig Harrington Jtfl 1 IM Jimmy Dick, who is the owner of Viva and K.J. Choi. With so much Auto Group the sponsor of his son cars. "When he was 7, 8, 9 years old, he baggage behind him in mm mm mm mm the majors, Norman had a go-kart.

But we did it as a father-son thing. With me being divorced, it I did all he could late mm MmV BBaBTtaiS Choi Saturday not to look too far ahead. He is 18 was a good way for us to bond and spend time holes from becoming golfs oldest "He got very interested in racing when he got to his high school years, mat when he started paying a lot more attention to Am I how a car works. Jimmy raced some when he 1 aUHl aA A was younger, but he didn't push it on his son. Jamie mm mmm mi JJaWI learned to like racing all by himself though it sure didn't hurt to have a dad who raced and worked in the auto business.

VjbbbbW "My dad used to race, and then he's always been a big fan of racing," Jamie said. mm mr- "He bought me a go-kart for I believe it was my ninth birthday Just for fun. Then I got more into it and moved up (in class). "It really wasn't until I started racing he traveling series and started racing more in California (that I really began to see racing as a career). When I was racing go-karts and legends, it was mostly casual and something to Please see Driver 2C major champion, but he wouldn't bite when asked what it would feel like to win.

"Ask me that question (tonight) if that happens, OK?" he said. Norman is 1-6 when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead in the majors, his only victory coming at Turnberry in 1986. His career is defined as much by the majors he lost as the two British Open titles he won. How would he reply to those who said he couldn't possibly win? "I didn't hear any of that," Norman said. All he would acknowledge was that he was at 2-over 212, in the lead at a major with an opportunity no one saw coming.

"I've got to go out there and play my game," Norman said. "I'll answer a lot of different questions tomorrow night if I have to." The facts are that Norman played the final eight holes without a bogey and emerged from a four-way logjam at the turn to leave himself one round away from a feat that might top Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open on one leg. The rest of the details are hard to believe. This no longer is the thrill-seeking Great White Shark who used to routinely beat up on the best players in every major until it was time to award the trophy.

This is a part-time golfer who had not played in a major for three years. The only reason he entered this British Open was to practice for a couple of senior majors in the coming weeks. "It is different, no question," Norman said. "The players are probably saying, 'My God, what's he doing up He will be in the last group today with Harrington, who doesn't see Norman as anything but a two-time British Open champion. "When he's interested, Greg Norman can really play," said Harrington, who overcame his windblown mistakes with four birdies for a 72.

"He's well capable of putting it together, as he's shown in the first three rounds, and I don't think anybody should expect anything but good play from him (today)." Soccer: PDL playoff race El Paso wins season finale but fails to make playoffs I 1 American League N.Y. Yankees 4 Oakland 3 (12) Cleveland 9 Seattle 6 LA. Angels 4 Boston 2 Tampa Bay 6 Toronto 4 Baltimore 11 Detroit 10 (10) Kansas City 9 Chicago White Sox 1 Minnesota 14 Texas 2 National League St. Louis 6 San Diego 5 Florida 9 Philadelphia 5 Milwaukee 8 San Francisco 5 Houston 4 Chicago Cubs 1 Washington 8 Atlanta 2 Cincinnati? N.Y. Mets 2 Colorado 7 Pittsburgh 1 Arizona 3 L.A.

Dodgers 2 WNBA Indiana 71 New York 55 Minnesota 87 San Antonio 74 Houston 75 Los Angeles 72 (OT) Phoenix 110 Atlanta 84 MLS San Jose 0 Toronto FC 0 LosAngeles2 NewYork2 Colorado 2 FC Dallas 2 Real Salt Lake 0 Chicago 0 who scored two goals and set up another by drawing a penalty kick. "It was a good run we had throughout the last part of the season, a credit to the team, the organization and the coach to go 6-1-1 in the last eight games." The Patriots laid a good foundation for next season, as they were easily the best team in the division over the final month and a half of the season. In the finale against Austin, El Paso trailed 1-0 four minutes in but rallied to the lead before halftime and finished off an Aztex team that had its playoff spot and a division title secured weeks ago. McDonald said he would like to come back as head coach next year and the way the team played under him made a compelling case. "If 1 can come back, it will be my season, not half a season," McDonald said.

"They did an unbelievable job." Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquistelpasotlmes.com; 546-6359. By Bret Bloomquist El Paso Times Under different circumstances, the El Paso Patriots' 3-1 victory against Austin on Saturday would have been a nice microcosm of their season. They found themselves in a hole right out of the gate, they dug themselves out, they hung on and persevered against long odds. That was the good news. The bad news came 1,000 miles away, where Laredo laid a 4-0 drubbing on New Orleans to claim the second playoff berth in the Mid-South Division of the Premier Development League.

Despite going 6-1-1 in their final eight games after promoting Javier McDonald to interim coach, El Paso finished in third place, one point behind Laredo and out of the postseason. "This is a good way to close the season, but it's a bit disappointing," said Mike Griego, elpasotimes.com BbLbbV Watch our new "Sports Shorts" and "Final Four" video commentary at www.elpasotimes.com Gat all the latest pro and college sports scores and stats online a www. elpasotimes.comsports extra Vaiwu Moniitvalt El Paso Times Adam Hooi of the Patriots, front, and Marcel Uriarte of the Austin Aztex battled for the ball during the teams' game Saturday at Patriot Stadium..