AP - Rookie Cory Luebke struck out seven in six sparkling innings, Luis Durango hit a key two-run single and the San Diego Padres added to their lead in the NL West with a 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.
AFP - There's a buzz around the US Open about the possibility of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer playing in Sunday's final at the only Grand Slam event where they have never met in the championship match.
AP - When Armando Galarraga steps onto the mound to face Baltimore on Friday night, the Tigers pitcher will see a familiar face behind home plate in umpire Jim Joyce.
AP - The Saints' first Super Bowl title was so big in New Orleans that Mardi Gras, a revered local institution dating back well more than a century, became popularly known as, "Lombardi Gras."
AP - Georgia star receiver A.J. Green was suspended by the NCAA for four games on Wednesday for selling a bowl jersey for $1,000 to someone who qualifies as an agent.
AP - A defamation lawsuit against Roger Clemens should be thrown out because the seven-time Cy Young Award winner was merely trying to defend himself against his former personal trainer's doping allegations, Clemens' lawyers argued Wednesday.
AP - Ryan Braun hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers roughed up St. Louis rookie Jaime Garcia in an 8-1 win Wednesday night that kept the slumping Cardinals from gaining ground in the postseason chase.
AFP - Top seed Caroline Wozniacki will play Vera Zvonareva of Russia in Friday's semi-finals at the US Open after both battled their way through wind-swept last eight games on Wednesday.
Reuters - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has warned that a deal with the players' union over a new collective bargaining agreement will be "more complicated" to reach if it is not struck before March.
AP - Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram has not returned to practice for No. 1 Alabama and while Nick Saban said the injured running back is unlikely to play against No. 18 Penn State on Saturday, the coach isn't necessarily counting his star out.
Reuters - Talk about a contract extension was the last thing on Tom Brady's mind when the New England Patriots quarterback spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
AP - Justin Morneau hasn't played in a game in more than two months, and it's been difficult for him to watch his Minnesota Twins slug through a pennant race without him — in more ways than one.
AFP - England manager Fabio Capello has ruled out the possibility that he will continue in the job after the Euro 2012 tournament, killing off speculation that recent good performances could prolong his stay.
AFP - Taking the biggest steps yet in their quest to inspire peace between their homelands, India's Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi reached the US Open men's doubles final on Wednesday.