URLACHER RETIRES
Bears LB Urlacher announces retirement
CHICAGO (AP) - Star linebacker Brian Urlacher says he's retiring after spending 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears.
The 8-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement through social media accounts yesterday. In a statement, he says "after spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire."
Urlacher was the face of the Bears' franchise and leaves as 1 of the game's great linebackers. In March, he and the Bears were unable to reach a contract agreement and he became a free agent.
He started 180 games from 2000 through 2012, and recorded a team-record 1,779 tackles. He has 41½ sacks, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries and 11 forced fumbles. He was the AP's defensive player of the year in 2005 and helped lead the 2006 team to the Super Bowl.
Last year, he was slowed by injuries.
CUBS-PIRATES
Liriano dominates as Pirates edge Cubs 1-0
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Francisco Liriano continued his torrid start, scattering two hits over seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Chicago Cubs 1-0 last night.
Liriano (3-0) struck out nine and walked just one to remain unbeaten since making his season debut against the New York Mets two weeks ago. Mark Melancon survived a bumpy ninth inning for his first save of the season.
Andrew McCutchen doubled twice for the Pirates and scored the game's only run on an RBI single by Garrett Jones in the first. Pittsburgh has won 10 of 12 to move 10 games over .500 (28-18).
Chicago's Jeff Samardzija (2-6) nearly matched Liriano pitch for pitch, giving up just three hits in seven innings, but received no help. The Cubs have dropped 4 of 5.
CUBS-CAMP
Cubs place RHP Camp on disabled list
PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Chicago Cubs have placed reliever Shawn Camp on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right big toe and recalled RHP Rafael Dolis.
The 37-year-old Camp has struggled this month and gave up a grand slam to Pittsburgh's Travis Snider in a 5-4 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday night. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA this season, including a 10.13 ERA in six appearances in May.
Dolis has appeared in two games for the Cubs this season and has yet to give up an earned run.
CARDINALS-PADRES
Lyons leads Cardinals past Padres 5-3
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Tyler Lyons pitched seven solid innings in his major league debut on the same day St. Louis lost Jaime Garcia for the season, and the Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 last night.
Lyons, who was promoted from AAA Memphis after Garcia went on the disabled list, allowed one run and four hits. The 25-year-old left-hander was a ninth-round draft pick in 2010 out of Oklahoma State.
The Cardinals announced before that game that Garcia will have season-ending shoulder surgery this week. The lefty went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts this year, helping St. Louis bolt to the majors' best record at 30-16.
CARDINALS-GARCIA SURGERY
Cards' Garcia expected to miss year after surgery
SAN DIEGO (AP) - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
The Cardinals announced yesterday that the left-hander will have surgery to repair tears in his rotator cuff and labrum. Team doctor George Paletta will perform the operation tomorrow in St. Louis.
Garcia is 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA in nine starts this year. He was put on the disabled list Sunday after feeling pain that had increased over the course of 3 starts.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny says it wasn't surprising news to find out Garcia needed surgery. Matheny said Garcia could get his shoulder cleaned up and be healthy for spring training.
RED SOX-WHITE SOX
Buchholz goes to 7-0, Red Sox beat White Sox 6-2
CHICAGO (AP) - Clay Buchholz pitched five-hit ball over seven innings to improve to 7-0, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 last night to avoid a 3-game sweep.
David Ortiz delivered a two-run single in the first off Hector Santiago (1-3), and the Red Sox backed Buchholz with several neat defensive plays on the way to their sixth win in eight games.
Jonny Gomes made a sliding catch on Paul Konerko's line drive to left with two on to end the first. Jacoby Ellsbury raced to the center-field warning track to snag Alexei Ramirez's liner with a runner on and two out in the fifth to preserve a 2-1 lead.
WHITE SOX MOVES
White Sox's Danks to come off DL
CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago White Sox say pitcher John Danks will be activated from the disabled list and make his first start in more than a year against Miami tomorrow.
Danks is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury and has not pitched in a major league game since May 19, 2012. He had surgery in August to repair a capsule tear and remove debris in his rotator cuff and biceps.
To make room for Danks, the White Sox optioned left-hander Donnie Veal to AAA Charlotte after yesterday's game against Boston. He is 1-0 with an 8.59 ERA in 14 appearances over two stints for Chicago.
SKY PREVIEW
Sky is the limit for Chicago, Delle Donne
CHICAGO (AP) - In seven disappointing seasons, the Chicago Sky has never reached the WNBA playoffs or even posted a winning record.
But the addition of No. 2 draft pick Elena Delle Donne could be a game changer that helps the Sky finally turn the tide.
Della Donne, a 6-foot, 5-inch All-American from Delaware, brings a scoring touch and versatility for a Sky team that has talent but has lacked consistency.
"I think she's definitely key when you think about her talent, her skill set and her size," said Pokey Chatman, the team's third-year coach and general manager. "Then you talk about the deficiencies we had and she definitely addresses that. And (she's) a player who can swing to multiple positions."
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