Kraft Nabisco Championships: Two former champs starting well | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Morgan Pressel,22, won her only major -- and her first tournament of any kind -- in 2007 at theKraft Nabisco Championshipat Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Thursday she had a feisty two-under 70 that has her tied for sixth with 20 others, including defending championYani TsengandBrittany Lincicome, who won her first and only major here in 2008 and who started her first round birdie-birdie.

Former UCLA playerMariajo Uribefrom Colombia also finished at two-under.

Michelle Wie,a big crowd favorite who first played here in 2003 as a 13-year-old, just parred her first two holes, the par-four 10th and par-five 11th. There are 12 golfers yet to tee off.

Sandra GalandMika Miyazatohave both finished with five-under-par 67s and that's the standard so far.

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Kraft Nabisco Championship: Sandra Gal posts score to shoot for

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Morgan Pressel plays her tee shot at the third hole on Thursday. Credit: David Cannon / Getty Images

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Ducks, Ray Emery subdue Flames, 4-2 | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Ray Emery’sclutch goaltending, an effective power play and a favorable ruling on a debatable play helped the Ducks strengthen their playoff chances with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Emery improved to 6-0-0 in seven appearances, stopping 23 shots to help the Ducks win for the seventh time in eight games and ninth in their last 10. His work was crucial because earlier in the day All-Star goalieJonas Hilleracknowledged he was again experiencing symptoms of vertigo and isn’t ready to play again.

“I can’t make myself see the puck if I don’t feel comfortable,” Hiller said after the team’s morning skate.

Emery, signed as a free agent on Feb. 7, was steady Wednesday when the Ducks needed him to be. However, he did benefit from a ruling by the NHL’s Toronto operations executives, who said that replays ofTim Jackman’ssecond-period deflection could not conclusively prove that the puck had crossed the goal line after it struck Emery’s glove and so allowed the on-ice call of no goal to stand.

The Ducks vaulted past Nashville and into sixth in the West while severely damaging the Flames’ playoff chances. The Ducks have five games left.

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Bob Gansler, Bruce Murray, Cobi Jones and others elected to U.S. soccer Hall of Fame | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Bob Gansler, the coach who led the U.S. back to the World Cup after a 40-year absence, was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Tuesday, along with four players who represented the U.S. in World Cup tournaments between 1990 and 2002.

The players chosen include forward Bruce Murray, of the Gansler-coached 1990 U.S. team that took part in Italia'90, the first appearance by an American side at international soccer's premier event since 1950.

Also named were winger and three-time World Cup star Cobi Jones, the former Galaxy player who holds the record for most men's national team appearances with 164; midfielder Earnie Stewart, Jones' sidekick from the 1994 World Cup team, and defender Eddie Pope, a three-time World Cup player and three-time Major League Soccer champion with D.C. United.

While congratulating those elected, Kevin Payne, D.C. United's president and chief executive officer, Tuesday appealed to voters in future Hall of Fame balloting not to overlook foreign players who have been crucial to the game's development in the U.S.

"I'm disappointed that, once again, {Bolivian midfielder} Marco Etcheverry was not elected to the Hall of Fame," Payne said."Marco was the driving force behind D.C. United during the most dominant era any professional team in our country has enjoyed and he set the standard for his position, which remains unmatched in MLS history.

"I call on the voters, in future, to broaden their perspective and acknowledge the great contributions key foreign-born players have made to MLS and the game in America, and vote them into the Hall of Fame."

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Lionel Messi overtakes Beckham as top-earning soccer player

-- Grahame L. Jones

Photo: Coach Bob Gansler in 2004. Credit: Chris Carlson / AP

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Angels take advantage of ninth-inning error to beat Dodgers, 5-4 | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Dodgers second basemanIvan DeJesus Jr. booted a potential game-ending double-play grounder in the top of the ninth inning Monday night, paving the way for the Angels to score twice off closerJonathan Broxtonfor a 5-4 exhibition victory in Dodger Stadium.

Alexi AmaristafollowedMark Trumbo'sone-out single with a hard grounder to second, but the ball went through DeJesus' legs for an error, allowing Trumbo to take third. With Amarista running, top outfield prospectMike Troutgrounded a ball through a vacated shortstop hole for a run-scoring single and a 4-4 tie.

Kevin Rominewalked to load the bases, andHank Congerfollowed with a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Amarista for a 5-4 lead.

The Dodgers took a 4-3 lead in the sixth with two runs off Angels closerFernando Rodney,Juan Uribedriving in the first run with a double andRod Barajasdriving in the second with a single.

Matt Kempstarted the rally with a one-out bloop double that dropped between Trout and shortstopJean Segurain shallow center.James Loneygrounded to short for the second out, but Uribe lined a run-scoring double to left for a 3-3 tie, and Barajas dropped a run-scoring single to left for a 4-3 lead.

Angels starterErvin Santanalooked strong in his final spring start, allowing two runs -- one earned -- and three hits in five innings, striking out five and walking two. Dodgers starterTed Lillystruggled with his command, walking five in four innings, but he allowed only two runs, four hits and struck out four.

The Angels scored in the first inning onTorii Hunter'srun-scoring double, in the second onMaicer Izturis' run-scoring single, and in the sixth onHowie Kendrick'sbases-loaded walk off reliever KenleyJansen.

Dodgers relieverMatt Guerrierreplaced Jansen and struck out Trumbo with the bases loaded to end the inning. The right-hander added a scoreless seventh.

The Dodgers scored their first two runs in the first inning, onAndre Ethier's run-scoring double to right-center, and in the third whenRafael Furcalscooted home on Angels catcherBobby Wilson'serrant throw to second onTony Gwynn Jr.'sstolen base.

-- Mike DiGiovanna 

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Kyle Busch leads NASCAR's Auto Club 400 after 200 miles | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

The second 100 miles started off pretty much as the first 100 ended -- with green-flag racing. In fact, on lap 65 a record was set for the number of consecutive green-flag laps at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Auto Club 400 at Fontana.

Around lap 66, the second set of green-flag pit stops started to unfold.Martin Truex Jr.andTony Stewartstayed out a bit longer to pick up points for leading a lap.Jeff Burtonwas penalized for entering pit row too fast, forcing him to re-enter the pits as a penalty.

By lap 70,Kyle Buschwas back in front followed by Truex. At the 150-mile point (75 laps) the first caution of the day was called, allegedly for debris in the third turn.  Of course, with TV watching no doubt reaching mind-numbing proportions, the caution allowed NASCAR to gather the field together and promote more competitive racing.

Every driver but one used the caution as an opportunity to pit. Stewart  elected to stay out with only six laps on his tires. That put him in first place when the green flag was dropped on lap 80.

Stewart teammateRyan Newmanwas next to him on the restart and quickly took his turn at the front of the field, being chased by Kyle Busch and Stewart.

On lap 83, front-row starterDenny Hamlinwas experiencing problems and dropped to the bottom of the track as he and his crew tried to figure out why the car wasn't running right. He elected to stay out on the track.

Stewart moved back into the lead on the 88th lap, followed by Kyle Busch and Newman. Kyle Busch then retook the lead three laps later.

At the halfway mark of the race, 40 of the 43 cars remained on the track, with 26 of them still on the lead lap. Kyle Busch was the leader by less than a second followed by Stewart, Newman,Brian Vickers,Jimmie Johnson, Truex,Kevin Harvick,Mark Martin,Matt KensethandCint Bowyer.

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Clash between Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards continues to simmer

--John Cherwa  

Photo: The crew of NASCAR driver Carl Edwards goes to work on changing tires, cleaning the car's grill and refilling the gas tank during a pit stop at the Sprint Cup Auto Club 400 on Sunday in Fontana. Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images for NASCAR

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Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar suffers leg injury | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Kings centerAnze Kopitar, the team’s leading scorer and the 10th-ranked scorer in the NHL entering Saturday’s games, was helped off the ice at 15:39 of the second period of the Kings' game against Colorado after twisting his right leg or ankle.

Kopitar and Colorado’sRyan O’Byrnewere battling for the puck on the boards when Kopitar fell, appearing to twist his right ankle. He was lying on the ice for several seconds before play was whistled dead.

TrainerChris Kingsleytended to Kopitar, who leaned on teammatesMichal HandzusandDustin Pennerto get off the ice while keeping his right leg elevated.

There was no immediate word on his condition.

The Kings were leading the Avalanche, 2-0, at the time and are leading, 2-1, after two periods at Staples Center.

Kopitar, who scored the Kings’ first goal on a deflection of a shot byWillie Mitchell, has 26 goals and 73 points in 75 games this season. He has played a club-record 330 consecutive games.

More later atwww.latimes.com/sports.

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Anze Kopitar warms up before the Kings' game against the Sharks on Thursday night at Staples Center. Credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

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Kia Classic: Jiyai Shin is new leader | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

After seven holes of five-under par golf Friday, South Korea'sJiyai Shinhas moved into sole possession of first place at the LPGA's Kia Classic golf tournament.

Shin, who started the day tied for fourth, birdied the second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh holes and is eight-under for the tournament. She is a stroke ahead of first-round leaderAmanda Blumenherst,who isn't scheduled to tee off until 3:50 p.m.

Michelle Wie,who began the day in third place, two shots out of the lead, is now tied for fifth and is one-over par through nine holes of her second round.

Also making a strong move Friday is another South Korean,Chella Choi,who began the day tied for 17th and is now alone in fourth place and working on a round of four-under through 13 holes.

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Kia Classic: Michelle Wie hasn't made par yet

Weather delay at KIA classic

-- Diane Pucin

Photo: Jiyai Shin of South Korea poses for a portrait on March 22, 2011 at the Industry Hills Golf Club in the City of Industry, CA. Credit: Jonathan Ferrey / Getty Images

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