In Brief

BASEBALL

Sandberg, Oquendo interview
for Cardinals' managerial post

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg and longtime Cardinals third-base coach Jose Oquendo interviewed for St. Louis' managerial opening Wednesday.

Both interviews took place in St. Louis, Sandberg in the morning and Oquendo in the afternoon, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press.

The Cardinals have interviewed six candidates as possible replacements for Tony La Russa, who retired after winning the World Series last month. The person said no more interviews were anticipated, although a decision is not expected until next week at the earliest.

Also: Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux talked with Chicago Cubs executives, becoming at least the third candidate to interview for the vacant manager's job.

Maddux has helped the Rangers win back-to-back American League pennants.

New director of baseball operations Theo Epstein fired Mike Quade last week. The Cubs have also interviewed Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin and Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum.

Sandy Alomar Jr. interviewed for the Boston Red Sox manager's job.

Alomar, who spent parts of 20 seasons catching in the majors -- most notably as the 1990 American League Rookie of the Year and a six-time All-Star for the Indians -- has been the first-base coach in Cleveland the past two seasons.

Alomar was the third person to interview for the job, after Pete Mackanin and Dale Sveum. The job opened when the team parted ways with Terry Francona after eight years and two World Series championships.

Jorge Posada said there is no chance he will be back with the New York Yankees next year and that his choice is move on to another team or retire. Posada said his agents had heard from about a half-dozen teams who had expressed interest. He said he probably will wait until shortly before the start of spring training in February to make a decision.

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed infielder Willie Bloomquist to a two-year, $3.8 million deal. Bloomquist became a free agent when he turned down his end of a $1.1 million mutual option on Nov. 1. He hit .266 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 97 games last season.

Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped by gunmen in his native Venezuela.

A spokeswoman for his Venezuelan League team, the Aragua Tigers, said Ramos was taken away in an SUV by four armed men near his home in central Venezuela. Spokeswoman Katherine Vilera said on Twitter that "this is sad, worrisome and true that Wilson Ramos has been kidnapped."

GOLF

Woods shoots 64, three behind
leader at Australian Open

Tiger Woods shot 4-under 68 in the Australian Open, leaving him three shots behind first-round leader Jarrod Lyle.

Following lip-out attempts for birdie on three of his first five holes, Woods made the turn in 1-under 34, then birdied the 10th, 11th and 13th holes.

Woods, preparing for the Presidents Cup next week at Royal Melbourne, is attempting to end a two-year winless streak. His last victory was at the Australian Masters in Melbourne in November 2009.

Lyle shot 65 to take the early lead on a day marked by yet another meltdown from John Daly, who walked off the course after hitting at least five or six balls -- officials weren't sure of the number -- into the water on the 11th hole.

Daly was 7 over after 10 holes and was upset with a ruling on the 10th that penalized him two strokes for a triple-bogey 7.

On the 11th, he hit ball after ball into the water, some landing in the center of the pond, before a tour official joined him. Moments later, Daly shook hands with playing partners Craig Parry of Australia and Hunter Mahan and walked off the course.

In a Twitter message, Daly said: "when u run out of balls u run out of balls. yes, I shook my player's partners hands & signed my card w/rules official."

Also: The final major of the Southern Nevada Golf Association season begins at 7 a.m. today with the Senior Championship at Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Four divisions will compete -- the Senior and Super Seniors (age 60 and over) today and Friday, and the Open Scratch and Net on Saturday and Sunday.

UNLV shot 14-over 302 to finish second in the 20-team PGA Jones Cup in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The Rebels' 39-over 615 total for two rounds was six strokes behind tournament winner North Carolina State, which shot 9-over 297 in the second round.

Sean Kennedy led UNLV at 8-over 152, and teammate Daniel Inocencio had the tourney's low round of 4-under 68 on Wednesday.

MISCELLANEOUS

Iverson's Superstar Challenge
pushed back until Jan. 6, 7

This weekend's Las Vegas Superstar Challenge professional basketball event at the Thomas & Mack Center has been postponed until Jan. 6 and 7.

Former NBA star Allen Iverson, hosting the two-day tournament originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, said in light of the continuing negotiations between the NBA and its players, it was best to push back the event.

Tickets remain on sale for the new dates. Fans who purchased tickets can either use them on the new dates or receive a refund at the place of purchase.

Also: Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., had a total pinfall of 9,361 in the Professional Bowlers Association's World Series of Bowling at South Point Bowling Center, earning the top qualifying position for the PBA World Championship on Nov. 19 and earning an unprecedented fifth consecutive television finals berth.

Rash, 29, averaged 234.03 over 40 games, beating Tom Smallwood of Saginaw, Mich., by 296 pins.

UNLV freshmen forward Salvador Bernal was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's soccer Newcomer of the Year. Bernal, who had six goals and 14 points, also made the MPSF first team. Teammates Jonny Espinoza (second team) and Nick Marshall (honorable mention) were also honored.