Sports

13 - 12:33am

MIAMI — The Miami Heat weren’t supposed to be in this situation. Not now, anyway. Coming home from Texas with their season on the line in 2011 was one thing. They were at the end of their first year together — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh still trying to figure it all out and clearly a long way from it. But this season they were the NBA’s best team, one that lost three games in three months and made losing three times in one series look unlikely, if not downright unimaginable.

Louisville coach lauds DeNato after 2-0 CWS loss 06/17/13 - 12:21am

OMAHA, Neb. — Louisville coach Dan McDonnell says his team didn’t play badly. It’s just that Indiana pitcher Joey DeNato was great. DeNato threw a four-hitter and Indiana looked right at home in beating Louisville 2-0 on Saturday night in the Hoosiers’ first appearance in the College World Series. The Hoosiers manufactured their runs early, and DeNato (10-2) made them stand up in a masterful 136-pitch performance in front of a TD Ameritrade Park-record crowd of 27,122.

Shawn Stefani aces 17 in US Open 06/17/13 - 12:19am

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) — Shawn Stefani lost track of the ball as soon it rocketed off his 4-iron. A roaring U.S. Open gallery tracked it for him. “Go! Go! Go! Go!” It did Sunday when Stefani aced the 17th hole, making him the first golfer to make a hole-in-one at any U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, which is hosting the major for the fifth time. “When the crowd went crazy, I knew it went in,” he said. His shot bounced out of the rough and rolled some 50 feet toward the pin before falling in the cup.

U.S. Open-Notebook: McIlroy miserable at Merion 06/17/13 - 12:19am

ARDMORE, Pa. — Rory McIlroy started the U.S. Open with a run up the Rocky steps. He ended it going a few rounds with his wedge. McIlroy was miserable at Merion and he took out his frustrations on his club on No. 11 on Sunday. His first tee shot plopped in the water. He took a drop, then sent another ball into the same creek. McIlroy then jammed the Nike club into the ground and completely twisted the head. “I think that’s what this tournament does to you,” he said. “At one point or another, it’s got the better of you, and it definitely did this weekend.”

After 10 periods, time for Stanley Cup Game 3 06/17/13 - 12:07am

BOSTON — Tyler Seguin knew something had to be said. And he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be fit for public consumption. After the Chicago Blackhawks badly outplayed the Boston Bruins in the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals Saturday night, Seguin ditched the microphone he had been wearing as part of the TV broadcast. Then he headed back into the dressing room so the team could hash out its problems in peace.

Manu Ginobili sparks Spurs to Game 5 win 06/16/13 - 11:18pm

San Antonio Spurs beat Miami Heat 114-104

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — With the old Manu Ginobili back, the San Antonio Spurs looked like champs again. One more victory and their Big Three, not Miami's, will be the one that rules the NBA.

Rodon leads NC State past Tar Heels, 8-1 CWS win 06/17/13 - 12:21am

OMAHA, Neb. — North Carolina State’s Carlos Rodon pitched eight shutout innings to continue his mastery of North Carolina, and the Wolfpack knocked out ACC pitcher of the year Kent Emanuel early in an 8-1 victory at the College World Series on Sunday. Rodon held the No. 1 national seed Tar Heels hitless into the fifth inning. He allowed five hits and struck out eight.

Rangers drop 6th straight, fall to Blue Jays 06/17/13 - 12:22am

ARLINGTON (AP) — Texas manager Ron Washington rarely addresses his team after games. Yet after another disappointing performance, he thought the club needed to hear from him. Chien-Ming Wang won for the first time in more than a year and the Toronto Blue Jays completed a four-game sweep of the Rangers with a 7-2 victory Sunday, handing Texas its sixth straight loss. Washington didn’t divulge the message he delivered after Texas lost its sixth in a row for the first time since April 2010.

Biffle holds on to win again at Michigan 06/17/13 - 12:20am

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Greg Biffle gave Ford a milestone victory — right down the road from company headquarters. Biffle raced to his second straight Sprint Cup win at Michigan International Speedway, easily holding off Kevin Harvick after points leader Jimmie Johnson smacked the wall in the final laps Sunday. It was the 1,000th victory for Ford Motor Company across NASCAR’s three national series — Cup, Nationwide and Truck.

Rose wins US Open, more heartache for Mickelson 06/17/13 - 12:23am

ARDMORE, Pa. — A steady hand gave Justin Rose the shiny U.S. Open Trophy. A wild ride gave Phil Mickelson yet another silver medal. Rose captured his first major championship on Sunday with remarkable calm and three pure shots on the punishing closing holes at Merion. A par on the 18th hole gave him an even-par 70, and that was good enough to become the first Englishman in 43 years to win America’s national championship.