Game Last Night

DURHAM, N.C. -- Angel Pagan hit his first home run and drove in three runs to lead the Frederick Keys to an 8-5 victory over the Durham Bulls in a Single-A Carolina League game last night.Rachaad Stewart (8-5) allowed two earned runs and struck out 11 in seven innings to pick up the win for the Keys (40-58).The Bulls fell to 43-57.

It would be great if the only reason preseason football stinks is because of the quality of play. Any fan, coach or player can live with that. The only injury to most of them at M&T Bank Stadium last night was to their retinas, the searing pain from having to watch all the dropped passes, missed tackles and blown assignments, or the blindness brought on by the flurry of yellow flags. Injuries, though, we can all live without. Thus, the Ravens' game last night officially stunk from the New York Giants' first play from scrimmage, when Samari Rolle had to be hoisted off the field, his injured right ankle dangling clear off the ground, and carried straight to the locker room, to return later only in a T-shirt, shorts and a cap. Say what you will about Rolle, and a lot has been said about him since last season, most of it involving pleas to find someone better at cornerback.

George Varoutsos scored the winning goal at the 6:39 mark in overtime to lead the Washington Generals to a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Bays in a U.S. Inter-regional Soccer League game last night at UMBC Stadium.Tarik Walker tied the game for the Bays (1-6) with two minutes left in regulation.Washington ..0 ..1 ..1 ..-- ..2Bays .. .. ..0 ..1 ..0 ..-- ..1

So much for the Ottawa Senators being vulnerable in the first round of the NHL playoffs because of rookie goaltender Ray Emery. Emery stopped 30 shots and Martin Havlat scored for the fourth straight game last night, leading the Eastern Conference's top seed to a 5-2 road victory that pushed the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning to the brink of elimination. The Senators lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can close it out by winning Game 5 in Ottawa tomorrow night. "We've put ourselves in a good spot, but it's not said and done.

Who's hot D'Angelo Jimenez of the Reds extended his streak of chances without an error at second base to 148. Who's not Jim Thome of the Phillies is 5-for-26 (.192) during his past seven games. Line of the day Barry Bonds, Giants LF AB R H RBI HR 4 3 3 3 2 On deck The Athletics are in the midst of a stretch of 26 straight games against the AL East. He said it "I'm a baseball nut - what can I say?" Former President Bill Clinton, who attended the Giants-Mets game last night

North Carroll High's girls basketball team will have to wait one more day to find out its opponent for the Class 2A, Region I quarterfinal. The Panthers will also have to wait two more days to play in the region title game, which was originally scheduled for today.North Carroll was supposed to meet the winner of Thursday's Middletown vs. North Hagerstown region semifinal in the region title game last night, that contest was postponed because of the severe rainstorm. It was moved to yesterday but was postponed again last night because Middletown was forced to call off classes yesterday after the rainstorm.

On the field: Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken played in his 2,300nd consecutive game last night, or, in other words, more games than played by all major-league teams this year before yesterday (2,038). Ripken's batting slump continued, however: He struck out twice and has 10 hits in his last 54 at-bats (.185) with one RBI.In the dugout: Orioles manager Davey Johnson hadn't used his bullpen much, as his starters gave him six straight quality starts. But he used four relievers on Wednesday night, and last night, after Mike Mussina was pounded, Johnson called on Archie Corbin in the top of the fourth.

When Julie Allen went high into the air to block Amy Hutson's blistering kill in the second game last night, it was more than obvious that sixth-ranked Glen Burnie was in over its head against No. 1 Severna Park.Hutson had launched Glen Burnie's best shot and it was rejected impressively by Allen.Glen Burnie's best and Severna Park's best had met far above the net, and the ball went bouncing to the floor for a Severna Park point and a 5-1 lead in the second game.There would be no upset for the defending Anne Arundel county champion Glen Burnie volleyball team over Severna Park on this evening.

When No. 5-ranked Meade easily raced out to a 12-point lead against Arundel in the Anne Arundel County championship game last night at Broadneck High, it looked as if the seventh-ranked Wildcats just might be finished early.It turned out they were only a little late getting started on their way to ending a 17-game Meade winning streak.By the time Arundel's 78-61 victory was complete, coach Lee Rogers got a career night from junior center Shaunte Edmonds and typical standout performances from guards Sherice Proctor and Megan Rollins.

Nothing lasts forever, and after nearly four years, even Severna Park High School's vaunted girls soccer team has finally been forced to learn this fact of life.For the first time since Oct. 11, 1987 -- and 46 games -- the Falcons failed to win a soccer game last night. Not that they lost. They tied visiting South River, 1-1, in overtime to keep yet another streak alive -- 54 games (52-0-2) without a loss.Severna Park's winning streak was the longest in the nation, eclipsing 41 by Agura (Calif.

Could the heartbreak of Memphis be transformed into joy for Maryland? Did Pacific take care of business, and not join a crowded group of contenders for the at-large bids that the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee will award? Gary Williams and insomniacs on the East Coast probably knew the answer to the second question around 2:30 a.m. today, when Pacific and Utah State concluded their championship game in the Big West Conference. That league isn't regarded as highly as the ones that Towson and UMBC play in, but Pacific entered with a 22-game winning streak and credentials worthy of being selected as one of the 34 at-large teams by the NCAA.

As if playing baseball at its highest level isn't enough of a challenge for the Orioles, they must do it with legs pumping, no matter how tired they become in the dog days of August. All the better to outrun their recent past. Unfortunately, it appears to be gaining on them again. The Orioles lost their fourth consecutive game last night, with Josh Towers exacting a little more revenge against his former team and Chris Woodward punctuating the rout with his first career grand slam, and first home run this season, in the Toronto Blue Jays' 14-4 victory before 35,024 at steamy Camden Yards.

When the Institute of Notre Dame's Chandrea Jones grabbed a defensive rebound with two seconds to go in last night's game against No. 2 Roland Park, she was not about to let go. Jones' rebound preserved a 37-36 upset for the No. 12 Indians over the Reds in an Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference game last night at Villa Julie College, the Reds' home arena while their gym floor is under repair. "I wasn't letting that go for nothing," said Jones, an All-Metro junior guard.

By noon yesterday, Broadneck football coach Jeff Herrick estimated that he already had been on the phone for two consecutive hours. He talked to his athletic director, his players - both current and former - and family and friends, spreading the word that Broadneck would have to wait a few more days before playing for its first state championship. The wintry mix that hit the area late Thursday night and early yesterday morning, and is forecast to continue today, forced the postponement of the Bruins' Class 4A title game against Damascus last night at M&T Bank Stadium.

OK, NOW we can all stand up and say amen. The preseason is over and we can get on with the games that count. Bring on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bring on the Cleveland Browns. Finally. You have to give Ravens fans credit. That was a nice turnout last night at M&T Bank Stadium for a weeknight game, and before a holiday. At least they showed up. The New York Giants' first-string offense and defense didn't for most of the first half, and neither did the Ravens' special teams. The Giants were lifeless for most of the first half, and this basically was a rerun of the Ravens' game last week against the Washington Redskins, except the Giants were the Ravens.

Who's hot D'Angelo Jimenez of the Reds extended his streak of chances without an error at second base to 148. Who's not Jim Thome of the Phillies is 5-for-26 (.192) during his past seven games. Line of the day Barry Bonds, Giants LF AB R H RBI HR 4 3 3 3 2 On deck The Athletics are in the midst of a stretch of 26 straight games against the AL East. He said it "I'm a baseball nut - what can I say?" Former President Bill Clinton, who attended the Giants-Mets game last night

ATLANTA -- In the ninth inning of Game 1 of the World Series, the attention was focused on Greg Maddux as he completed a two-hit masterpiece. But something else happened on the game's final pitch that could have grave consequences for Cleveland.Indians second baseman Carlos Baerga rolled his left ankle after he swung at the game's final pitch and caught his spikes in the dirt around home plate. The ankle swelled, and Baerga was wearing a small brace when he took the field last night.Baerga injured the ankle in Minnesota during the regular season and has been playing most of the season less than 100 percent, Indians manager Mike Hargrove confirmed.

So much for the Ottawa Senators being vulnerable in the first round of the NHL playoffs because of rookie goaltender Ray Emery. Emery stopped 30 shots and Martin Havlat scored for the fourth straight game last night, leading the Eastern Conference's top seed to a 5-2 road victory that pushed the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning to the brink of elimination. The Senators lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can close it out by winning Game 5 in Ottawa tomorrow night. "We've put ourselves in a good spot, but it's not said and done.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Gary Williams can coach. In successive games, he has beaten two of college basketball's best in Kentucky's Tubby Smith and Connecticut's Jim Calhoun. That's impressive. So was the job Williams did in directing Maryland to a thrilling 90-82 victory against Connecticut in the East Regional championship game last night at the Carrier Dome. His moves and strategies might get lost in the euphoria of last night's game, which has to be an ESPN Instant Classic candidate because of its relentless pace, great individual efforts and back-and-forth nature, which included 24 lead changes and 21 ties.

The first Orioles game in three days came off without a hitch yesterday, despite fears that streets closed by the downtown railroad tunnel fire would cause gridlock as fans streamed to Camden Yards. City officials said they won't be able to open more streets in time for today's doubleheader, and it will probably take a few days before traffic is back to normal. The tunnel runs directly under Howard Street, a north-south artery that is used by cars and light rail. But before the street can be reopened, officials have to determine how much structural damage to the tunnel was caused by the fire and a resulting water-main break.