IN BRIEF

FOOTBALL

Giants WR Burress out with sore hamstring

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress will miss Sunday's game against Washington with a sore right hamstring.

Burress pulled the hamstring during the Giants' win over Baltimore on Nov. 16. He aggravated the injury last Sunday on the first series against Arizona, and sat out the rest of the game.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Friday that Burress "is progressing, no doubt. He is getting better."

Domenik Hixon, who has an ankle injury, will start in Burress' place.

Also: MRI tests on injured Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber revealed no significant damage a day after both were injured in the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day win over Seattle.

An MRI on Ware's hyper-extended left knee showed no ligament damage. An MRI on Barber's right fifth toe, which was dislocated, revealed no fracture.

The Carolina Panthers signed cornerback Chris Gamble to a six-year contract extension that will keep him in Carolina through the 2014 season.

Agent Carl Poston would not reveal the financial terms, but said the contract will put Gamble's salary in the top five among NFL cornerbacks.

GOLF

Jimenez, Larrazabal lift Spain in World Cup

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Pablo Larrazabal boosted Spain into a four-shot lead at the World Cup of Golf in Shenzhen, China, shooting a surprising 9-under 63 in the difficult foursomes (alternate-shot) format.

Spain has shot 17-under 127 through 36 holes. Australia (68) and Germany (69) were tied for second behind Spain, which opened Thursday with a 64 playing the easier fourball (best-ball) format.

Sweden (67) was five back, and Ireland (68) and the United States team of Brandt Snedeker and Ben Curtis (69) was six off the pace.

Also: Tim Clark of South Africa shot 2-under 70 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian Masters in Melbourne.

Clark had a total of 7-under 137, a stroke ahead of Australians Anthony Summers, who shot 68, and Michael Sim (66).

John Daly shot 73 after an opening 76 and missed the cut at 5 over.

Jeong Jang and Candie Kung beat Annika Sorenstam and Angela Stanford 3 and 2 to help Asia split the six opening alternate-shot matches in the Lexus Cup, Sorenstam's final LPGA Tour-sanctioned event before she retires.

Sorenstam, set to end her Hall of Fame career next week in the Ladies European Tour's Dubai Ladies Masters, is the International team's playing captain for the tournament being held in Singapore.

HORSE RACING

Hyperbaric captures Hollywood feature

Hyperbaric led all the way to win the $400,000 Citation Handicap by three-quarters of a length over Formal Decree at Hollywood Park at Inglewood, Calif., for his fourth straight victory.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Hyperbaric covered 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:41.29 and paid $13, $6.20 and $4.

Also: Leah's Secret captured the $150,000 Top Flight Handicap at Aqueduct in New York so impressively that it might delay her retirement to the broodmare ranks.

The 5-year-old, who joined Todd Pletcher's barn this year, rallied to beat Slewfoundmoney by three quarters of a length in the one-mile race.

The time was 1:36.40 on the fast track. The 5-2 favorite, Leah's Secret paid $7.60, $3.70 and $2.70.

Einstein won the $400,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 6-year-old stormed past heavy favorite Commentator at the top of the stretch, then held off Delightful Kiss and won by one length.

Einstein was ridden by Julien Leparoux completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.79. The winner paid $11.80, $5.20 and $2.60.

MISCELLANEOUS

Lady Rebels stumble in home tournament

Senior center Shamela Hampton scored a career-high 31 points, but it wasn't enough to save the UNLV women's basketball team from a 70-69 overtime loss to Eastern Washington during the first round of the Lady Rebel Round-Up at Cox Pavilion.

UNLV will play Cal State Fullerton, an 85-64 loser to Georgia, in today's 11:30 a.m. consolation game. Eastern Washington and Georgia will play for the tournament title at 2 p.m.

Hampton, who also had 10 rebounds, converted a three-point play with 56 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Dominique Harris supplied 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Rebels.

Tatjana Sparavalo scored 15 points to lead a five-player double-figure scoring attack for Eastern Washington.

Also: Washington Nationals right-hander Tim Redding underwent surgery to repair a bone in a joint on his left foot and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

Redding will need about six weeks to recover from the operation, the team said.

He was 10-11 with a 4.95 ERA in 2008 for the Nationals, who went a major league-worst 59-102. Redding led the team in victories.

The Texas Rangers traded pitcher Wes Littleton to the Boston Red Sox for a player or players to be named and cash.

Littleton pitched out of the bullpen in 12 games for Texas last season after making a combined 68 appearances the two previous seasons. He was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in 2008.

Pitcher Junichi Tazawa of Japan moved a step closer to signing with the Boston Red Sox after rejecting offers from three other major league teams.

The 22-year-old right-hander contacted the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves to reject their offers, Kyodo News agency reported.

Tazawa is expected to hold a news conference early next week to announce his decision.

John Robert "Red" Murff, the New York Mets scout who discovered Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, died in a Tyler, Texas, nursing home. He was 87.