Show oy ' July 16 2002 4! Ace at Birch Creek LORIENT France (AP) — Lance Armstrong isn’t the dominating force he used to be in Tour de France time trials ' The three-tim- e Tbur winner finish recorded a rare second-plac- e in Monday's ninth stage taking 11 seconds more than Colombian Santiago Botero to complete a windswept course through Brittany Armstrong’s performance allowed him to move up six spots into second place overall 26 seconds behind Spain’s Igor Gonzalez Galdeano The Spaniard finished 19 seconds behind Botero Texan Whilethe remains the overwhelming favorite to win a fourth consecu- tive Tour his rivals see the second-place finish as a dent in die Armstrong armor Mike Rasmussen used a pitching wedge from 1S3 yards our to record on the par-- 3 third hole a at Birch Creek Golf Course this past Saturday The shot was witnessed by Jeff Lowe Jason Munns and Steve Stalzman ne female ref NEW YORK (AP) — Dee Kant-none of the NBA's two female referees has been fired the NBA said Monday “Dee has been terminated" NBA vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said “There are times in a referee's development that we find that a referee is not making sufficient progress in her own development and sometimes a change is needed In this case wefelt that her termination was warranted” Kantner and Violet Palmer joined the NBA's officiating staff in 1997 It was the first time in major US professional sports that women n games in an league Both worked through the 2001-0- 2 season Before she was hired by the NBA Kantner was the supervisor of officials for the WNBA NBA officials are evaluated by Jackson the league's supervisor of officials staff observers and coaches and general managers er offi-dat- overall leader’s yellow jersey “The race has become more open” Here’s a measure of mountains one of Armstrong’s other strengths Armstrong dominated in the mountains last year winning die Tbur with a final advantage of mote than 6 12 minutes Tuesday is a rest day when the riders fly down to southwestern France The race resumes Wednes- - “The Tour has changed — Arm- ed r Armstrong’s dominance in individual time trials " Since his first Tbur victory in 1999 he had woo seven of the last nine coming into Monday’s stage Not counting two quick prologues he was seven for seven “The Tbur isn’t monotone after all” Armstrong said “It's not like everybody had said it was — there are other riders put there” Monday’s stage marked the end of a flat speedy first week full of crashes The race now heads to die strong isn't as strong in the time trial as he was a year ago” said Gonzalez Galdeano who finished fourth in the stage to retain the regular-seaso- all-ma- 4! ’AA M s w i i Rare seconder Sports briefs NBA fires y :T A8 Vr The Herald Journal hole-in-o- ' trek day with 1 911-mifrom Bazas to Pau The le V r a? i on Thursday for the first i this year of rix mocnttimp “We’ll now see if he’s as unbeatable as he once was in die mountains” Gonzalez Galdeano said Botero of die Kelrne team clocked a time of 1 hour 2 minutes and 18 Seconds for the 324-mil- e loop through Brittany from Lanester to LonenL It was the second stage victory “ Bolero's no surprise winner” Armstrongsaid Hu comments were relayed through Jogi Muller spokesman for his US Postal Service team The Colombian topped Armstrong by 42 seconds in a 25j4t mile time trial stage in the Dauphine Libere m June although jP ’ AP photo Lance Armstrong warms up on a stationary bice whin looking at hit son Luke prior to the 9th etageofthe'Tour de France See LANCE on A 11 le - v ' ’A ' to sue Raiders sign Gannon NEW YORK (AP)— The Oakland Raiders signed quarterback Rich Gan- non to a $54 million extension Monday a football source said The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the Gannon will get $8 million a year over next three seasons The agreement was first reported Monday night on USA Today’s Web sitew earat an a was Gannon lier voluntary minicamp and quarterback orientation before he came to the Raiders' final offseason mini- camp in June Gannon threw for 3828 yards last season and 27 touchdowns with only nine interceptions His pass ' efficiency rating of 955 led the AFC and was second only to Kurt Warner of St Louisi: six-ye- ar NEW YORK (AP)— The former minority partners of the Montreal Expos intend to file a lawsuit toaay charging base-ball commissioner Bud Selig and former team owner Jeffrey Loria with fraud The 1 4 ownen calleda newt' :i conference for Tuesday to announce the lawsuit to be filed in federaL court in Miami under die Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act a person close to die no-sho- - aLuraAMdJwnl Irabu hospitalized ' catcherTodd Barr tag out LogaiVt Greg Palmer al homaMontay night Palmar wm tying to tcon from Mnlbaao on a sacrifice fly to center field but Aztec center fielder Preston Perkea made the throw In time Smlttifield KANSAS CITY Mo (AP) — Texas Rangers closer Hideki Irabu vrasbospitiilizicd Monday with small blood clots in his lungs Irabu was taken to St Luke's Hospital by assistant trainer Ray Ramirez about 4 aih EDT Monday after complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath He will fly with the team back to ' night's game Iiut Robi nson leads Smithfleld Logan By WadeDeraiiston staff writer Texas-afterTuesda- tially it was reported that Irabu was expected to he hospitalized for two to three days before returning to Texas evening vs the Grizzlies Robinson helped lead the Aztecs to a 104) victoryat Park ' ss : : Wor-tfaingt- on 1 Robinson allowed Aztec 10 Grizzlies 0 only two hits and ——hade Philadelphia 11 Montreal 8 NY Mats 8 Florida 3 v I Chicago Cube 3 Atlanta 2 Cincinnati 2 Milwaukee 0 Pittsburgh 5 Houston 4 Colorado 5v San Diego 0 ' StLoufc 4 Loe Angeles 2 Sian Francisco 6 Arizona 4-- strikeouts in five innings of work He also escaped a iKHxit bases-loadjam in the fourth to preserve the shutout “Chandler has had such good sue- cess against them why would I dirow anybody elseTSmithfieldcoach Vic Bingham said ed - " valley rival Last WiEdnesday Robinson was die loser in an 0 defeat atthe hands of die Mountain Crest Mustangs “That left kirul of a sour taste in my mouth” Robinson said “I wanted to come out and pick up a win really bad I saw my stats they’re not really great in win-lopercentage (and) I really wanted this bad “A while ago some comments were made by Logan players during the ' school year when they teat us Every time now I just want to come out tnd beat them real bad" tried to make 1 game Logan of it in die fourth when it loaded the bates wfrh nobody out trailing by 10 But Robinson got out of the jam unscathed when he induced Garrett Good to lift a fly ball to Southfield center fielder Preston Perkes wbd : (8-1- 2) lalittleupthethirdbaseline " but Aztecs catcher Tbdd Barr hailed it in and quiddytaggedGrqg Palmer before die Grizzly could score Widimomoitum back on his side RoMnson struck out the qext batter he faced to get out of die i “It was an awesome he had to dive to get bun (Palmer)’ said Perkes of the play at the plate “A fly ball I was just thinking four die whole time and maide sure I had some momentum going forward and just v threw as hard as I could diere” Logan coach Eric Markworth knew how cosdy it was for his team not to take advantage of the golden opportunity it had ' 6-to--7 close to die lawyers said It alleges Loria and Marlins president David Samson con- spired with baseball officials to dilute die minority partnen’ share of die team from 76 percent to percent and never intended to keep die franchise in Montreal Earlier this year Loiria’a :: holding company sold the Expos to a company owned by the other 29 major league teams and purchased the Florida Madina from John Henry '1 yrbo became crntrolling owner : ' of the Boston Red Sox Defendants in the lawsuit ' -7 : Pioneer league 3 Billings 2 14)7 Ogden Great Falls 5 Provo 3 See EXPOS on All See AZTECS on All alkstar game WASHINGTON (AP) —Lisa Leslie isn’t ready to relinquish the WNBA spot light toa younger Leslie scored13 of herl8 points in the second half and earned hreduid All-StMVP trophy leading the'Western Confer- ence to an 81 -- 7b victory over tne Hast on r ' " V Monoay riiliL The WeMhte won all four alltor games and Leslie has been MVP in all but one She drew motivation Monday from talk of a changing of the guard in die league with high-profiroolra like $ue Bird and Tiunika Catchingt challeng-- - areanyofusdone” Houirton's Tlna Thompson led all scar: l: etf with 20 points ! ' West coach Michael Codper said he West was impressed with the play of his veter- -' ' ans Ltelie Thompson and Swoopes A ' 'ine younger mayencomihgui— the Luima Jacksons'— dm' Birds Sue the 80XMQ learn from those plucks” siud Cooper t who coachesLedie with the Los Angeles 1ESPN2— Junior welterweights iSparks “Because the passing of dp torch niit Vivian Harris (20-- 1 1)vMJbSdoh has to be done so as not mopped that V narxtez at Canton Ohio ' h 1 BASFffAl mine "die caliber of pl doesn’t dimimsh”’: Mfjis J mmis hi This was the closest of Jhe West’s vie-- : ’ eSWrrizxJraatSariFranHscoi ' ing Leslie Sheryl Swoopes and other etT tones" ' ' NBA SUMMER HOOPS ( ' “We’re hppyitwuscorrqietitive' erans for star status Noon bow all of the sudden tjiis v game because weve Mown them out so (“It’s fimny ESPN2 San Antonio vkOrtando' V f'APptwto' many times in the past” Leslie said “I year everybody is calling us : BoHoa Uaa LssSe of the tos Angeles Sparta hokfs the WNBA Gamq nut becaute a new date of young players Moat Valuable Player Trophy which she has won three Itew See means said on no WEST nas Leslie All comeln” at “By Boston SSPN2— Washington '' t ' 'y' ' t' ar On feldvlsibh -- V 18-8-- 21 le l‘ ( r : ’i 1 ‘ ‘ : stars Bait Lake 9 Omaha 1 WNBA made the catch for the first out Rather than attempt to gun down Dallas Larsen trying to tag up and take third on die day Perkes went plateWard The 8-- er al Cleveland 7 Chicago White Sox Oakland 4Tampa Bay ff Minnesota 10 Anaheim 6 ' In previous starts against die Logan Grizzlies Smithfield Aztecs pitchre Chandler Robinson has thrown a no- ' no as well as a one-hittThe southpaw added to his list of masterful porfonnances Monday : Monday's scores Kansas City 8 Texas 6 let game Kansas City 6 Texas 4 2nd game Detroit 4 Boston 3 llihnings ' ’’ Toronto 8 NY Yankees S Baltimore 6i Seattle5 This was the second consecutive ganto Robinson has pitched against a ends season he not be identified The lawsuit concerns the proposed contraction of die Expos die group said Monday in a brief statement that did not go into details The 14 corporate entities — who together owned 6407 percent of die Expos currently own percent of the Florida Marlins The lawsuit asks for corn- pensatory damages which are tripled plus $100 million in old-scho- “N j 'f l ol if-- V' S' - r:t 4m Afl-St- v ar |