In Brief

BASEBALL

Braun accepts award,
deflects talk of drug test

Ryan Braun referred only in passing to his positive drug test and possible 50-game suspension as he accepted the National League Most Valuable Player award at a black-tie dinner Saturday night in New York.

The Brewers left fielder, speaking before a crowd of around 800, thanked the Major League Baseball Players Association for supporting him through his entire career, "especially for supporting me through everything I've went through over the last couple of months."

Braun's grievance appeal before arbitrator Shyam Das to avoid a suspension began Thursday.

Also: The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Marco Scutaro from the Boston Red Sox for right-hander Clayton Mortensen.

The 36-year-old Scutaro hit a career-high .299 for the Red Sox last year, when he had 26 doubles, seven homers, 54 RBIs and a .358 on-base percentage. Mortensen, 26, went 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 16 games between the Rockies' rotation and their bullpen last season.

Pitcher Daniel Bard and the Boston Red Sox reached agreement on a one-year contract and avoided salary arbitration. Bard and the Red Sox settled at $1,612,500

MISCELLANEOUS

Dempsey nets hat trick
in Premier League win

Clint Dempsey became the first American to score a hat trick in the English Premier League, leading Fulham to a 5-2 win over Newcastle.

The 28-year-old Dempsey scored three goals in a 30-minute span in the second half.

Also: The U.S. women's soccer team lost a valuable piece when defender Ali Krieger was diagnosed with torn knee ligaments, likely ruling her out for the London Olympics.

Krieger tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in her right knee during Friday night's 14-0 win over the Dominican Republic in an Olympic qualifying match.

Ricardo Clark headed Jermaine Jones' corner kick into the net in the seventh minute of stoppage time, and the U.S. men's soccer team beat Venezuela 1-0 in a friendly in Glendale, Ariz.

The Wranglers lost two players from their roster, with Josh Lunden called up to the American Hockey League's Peoria franchise, and fellow left wing Ned Lukacevic leaving to play for Sundsvall in Sweden.

Lunden had 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) this season. Lukacevic had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists).

On the ice, Las Vegas (25-12-4) couldn't keep pace with Stockton's offensive onslaught, losing 7-5 in Stockton, Calif.

Louisiana Tech's Lennon Creer scored on a 9-yard run with 47 seconds remaining, giving the West a 24-17 victory in the 87th East-West Shrine All-Star Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Syracuse running back Antwon Bailey and Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne rushed for touchdowns, helping the National team beat the American 20-14 in the inaugural NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Carson, Calif.

The UNLV men's and women's swimming and diving teams both lost in a dual meet at UC Santa Barbara. The UNLV men fell 134-122, and the UNLV women lost, 166-134.

Dan Forsman had six back-nine birdies, shooting 7-under-par 65 to post a 12-under 132 total and take a two-shot lead at the Champions Tour's season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Kaupulehu-Kona, Hawaii.

Branden Grace of South Africa fell into a tie for the lead at the Volvo Golf Champions with Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium after shooting 2-over 75 in a wet and windy third round at George, South Africa.

Colsaerts (69) and Grace were at 10-under 209 in the European PGA Tour event.