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2B ♦ TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2006 STANDINGS, MORE CURTAIN CALL American League EAST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LIO NY Yankees 77 52 .597 - 39-23 38-29 734 619 Won 1 6-4 Boston 71 59 .546 6.5 39-24 32-35 700 669 Lost 3 2-8 Toronto 69 61 .531 8.5 41-27 28-34 667 635 Won 1 5-5 Baltimore 59 71 .454 18.5 36-34 23-37 632 713 Won 3 7-3 Tampa Bay 52 79 .397 26 34-31 18-48 561 688 Lost 4 4-6 CENTRAL W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO Detroit 82 49 .626 - 40-24 42-25 656 520 Won 1 3-7 Minnesota 76 53 .589 5 44-20 32-33 651 570 Lost 1 6-4 Chicago Sox 76 54 .585 5.5 42-25 34-29 726 624 Won 1 4-6 Cleveland 60 69 .465 21 34-31 26-38 707 646 Lost 1 7-3 Kansas City 47 85 .356 35.5 29-37 18-48 605 793 Lostl 4-6 WEST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO Oakland 74 56 .569 - 36-26 38-30 597 568 Lost 1 6-4 LA Angels 69 62 .527 5.5. 34-31 35-31 642 620 Lostl 7-3 Texas 67 65 .508 8 32-33 35-32 680 646 Won 1 5-5 Seattle 61 69 .469 13 36-30 25-39 592 618 Won 4 5-5 National League EAST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO NYMets 79 49 .617 - 42-23 37-26 681 576 Won 1 8-2 Philadelphia 65 64 .504 14.5 33-35 32-29 682 673 Lostl 6-4 * Florida 63 66 .488 16.5 34-30 29-36 603 612 Won 7 8-2 Atlanta 61 68 .473 18.5 28-34 33-34 674 646 Won 2 6-4 Washington 55 75 .423 25 30-30 25-45 596 695 Lost 2 2-8 CENTRAL W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO St. Louis 69 60 .535 - 38-24 31-36 630 618 Won 3 6-4 Cincinnati 67 64 .511 3 35-33 32-31 645 668 Lost 3 5-5 Houston 63 68 .481 7 34-31 29-37 597 600 Won 3 5-5 Milwaukee 62 68 .477 7.5 39-26 23-42 592 666 Lost 3 5-5 Chicago Cubs 54 76 .415 15.5 27-36 27-40 544 666 Lost 3 2-8 Pittsburgh 50 81 .382 20 33-33 17-48 568 666 Lost 3 4-6 WEST W L PCT GB HOME ROAD RS RA STRK LlO LA Dodgers 68 62 .523 - 39-26 29-36 646 597 Won 2 4-6 San Diego 66 64 .508 2 33-36 33-28 576 573 Lostl 6-4 San Francisco 65 66 .496 3.5 38-31 27-35 605 596 Won 3 7-3 Arizona 63 67 .485 5 31-33 32-34 637 654 Lost 2 2-8 Colorado 61 69 .469 7 34-30 27-39 593 584 Won 1 3-7 Kenseth's wins, continues to bund momentum for the Chase By DON COBLE Morris News Service BRISTOL, Tenn. - Much like the final 100 laps of Saturday night’s Sharpie 500, Matt Kenseth has been saving his best for the stretch drive. As the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series draws clos er to the Chase for the Championship, Kenseth is kicking his season into overdrive. He led 99 of the final 100 laps Saturday night at the Bristol Motor Speedway to win his second consecutive race - and his fourth top-two finish in his last four races - to clinch a spot in the championship playoffs. But Kenseth wants more. He wants to hit the Chase - which starts Sept. 17 at New Hampshire - at full speed. “I feel like we’re definite ly a contender, but in this business you’ve got to prove your worth each and every week,” Kenseth said after pocketing $336,516. “What you did the first 26 races is important, but it’s not as important as what you’re going to do the last 10 (dur ing the Chase). I feel right now like my team is operat ing at a championship level. That’s tonight; that’s last week. We’ve had ourselves a few weeks this year where we didn’t, so it’s really important to keep that up each and every week.” A year ago Kenseth used up a lot of his emotional and mechanical momentum just to get into the Chase. He jumped from 17th place in the points to eighth in the seven races leading up to the Chase. But once he got there, his surge ran out of gas. He had three fin ishes of 26th or worse in the Chase and wound up seventh. This year, the focus is building momentum head ing into the playoffs and keeping it. CLEATS ( TORTUROUS! jf TROWCEP Ur>, \ j-t// but tmat was. a S?ws?; y A sßeat workoui; / “We have been taking it one race at a time and putting forth 100 percent effort each and every race and we’re going to continue to do that the next two weeks and continue to try to do that throughout the Chase,” Kenseth said. “But, like I say, we’ve got to do it. We’ve got to do the work. We’ve got to do it each and every week and not make mistakes and put together good runs like that.” Kenseth now is just seven points behind series leader Jimmie Johnson, who has been the leader in the point standings for all but two weeks this year. In fact, Johnson has been the regular season points leader in 57 of the last 76 non-Chase weeks, but he’s never been able to carry that momentum over into the playoffs. Jack Roush, Kenseth’s car owner, said he’s going to do his part to make sure Kenseth stays on a roll in the next two races, and then through the 10-race Chase. “We’re going to look at all of our resources, everything that we’ve got,” he said. “If we’ve got an engine that we think would have the best prospect for durability and reliabil ity - they’re all the same - but if we’ve got the best valve spring and the best valve and the things that we know the most about of it in terms of part selection, we’ll turn those things. Robbie (Reiser, crew chief) will look at his control arms and all of his parts in his car and he’ll think about the minimum risk he can have. You’ve got an infant mor tality problem potential for any part you put on the car, so you have to weigh put ting new parts on against a part that’s been run just a little bit. It may be the case that some of the parts that get run through some of (c) 2006 Bill Hinds, Dist by Universal Press Syndicate H Iv\-- -v V ' v, vrv}TXAy these other cars may wind up on the (No.) 17 car if Robbie decides they’ve got less risk as we head in, but we’ve just got to work and just be sure that we can’t look at this thing after it’s over in December and say, “Man, if we’d only done this or done that. We should have thought of this other thing.’ We’ve got to think of it right now.” Kenseth was a top-five driver all night at the bull ish half-mile short track, but he waited until the final 100 laps to pour on the pressure. Once he got out front, he drove away from second place Kyle Busch and third place Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scott Riggs finished fourth, while Jeff Gordon was fifth, Denny Hamlin was sixth, Carl Edwards was seventh, Ryan Newman was eighth, Jeff Burton was ninth and Johnson was 10th. The results help shape the race for the Chase. Not only did Johnson and Kenseth clinch a spot in the playoffs, Kurt Busch (finished 37th) and Newman were officially eliminated from champion ship contention. The Chase was created after Kenseth easily won the 2003 championship. NASCAR decided it wanted a point system that would be exciting at the end of the year. “It feels like ‘O3 in a way that we’re not making mis takes,” he said. “They’re really good on pit road. Our car has been prepared good at the shop. We haven’t had stuff break. All of that stuff compares, but our cars have just been running so much better. In ‘O3 we were slightly disadvantaged aero wise when we were transi tioning over to a new car. We were able to run in the top five a lot and top 10 a lot. We were real consistent, real competitive. We were in position to win a lot of races.” SPORTS Weekend Sports Transactions By The Associated Press ■ BALTIMORE ORIOLES - Traded 18-0 F Jeff Conine and cash to Philadelphia for a player to be named. ■ CHICAGO WHITE SOX - Recalled OF Jerry Owens from Charlotte of the IL and placed him on the 15-day DL. ■ CLEVELAND INDIANS - Optioned RHP Fausto Carmona to Buffalo of the IL. Recalled RHP Edward Mujica from Buffalo. ■ DETROIT TIGERS - Optioned RHP Colby Lewis to Toledo of the IL and OF Brent Clevlen to Erie of the EL. SEATTLE MARINERS - Recalled INF-0F Mike Morse from Tacoma of the PCL Optioned OF T.J. Bohn to Tacoma. ■ CHICAGO CUBS - Recalled LHP Les Walrond from lowa of the PCL. Optioned RHP Jae Kuk Ryu to lowa. Transferred RHP Kerry Wood from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. ■ LOS ANGELES DODGERS - Designated RHP Giovanni Carrara for assignment. Recalled LHP Tim Hamulack from Las Vegas of the PCL. ■ SAN DIEGO PADRES - Placed RHP Scott Williamson on the 15- day DL. Recalled RHP Jon Adkins from Portland of the PCL Added INF-OF Russell Branyan to the 25-man roster. Optioned OF Ben Johnson to Portland. Giles wonders about future with Braves ATLANTA - The way Atlanta Braves second base man Marcus Giles sees it, he might very well be audition ing for his current job. Hitting well lately to boost his average to .273 has helped that perceived cause - he’s gone 3-for-5 in consec utive games - but Giles said there’s some writing plainly visible on the wall that he might be shopped in trades this offseason. “I’m probably on the top of the list, I’m sure,” Giles said before the team’s 13-6 win Sunday against Washington. Reason being, because of his five-plus years of ser vice time, Giles will com mand between $5-6 million to avoid salary arbitration in his final season before he obtains free agency status. Even though it’s beyond his control, Giles admitted he’s already thought about his near future with the team. “At this point in anybody’s career, going into your fifth year on the verge of being a free agent and the talented guys behind you, you’re not blind,” Giles said. “You can see the obvious.” Giles was alluding to youngsters Willy Aybar and Martin Prado, a pair of play ers that can play second and are nearly ready for every day action. And both Aybar, 23, and Prado, 22, are still on the cheap. “It’s the economics of it,” he said. “I think you’d be kidding yourself if you try to think around it. It’s not bad; it’s •.' JL * A * JB Sf; '-./> Weekend Major League Llnescores Detroit 102 011 020 - 7 13 0 Cleveland 100 000 000 -1 5 0 Rogers, Zumaya (8), TJones (9) and IRodriguez ClLee, Sikrski (6) Mujica (8), ABrown (9) and VMartinez. W - Rogers 14-6. L - ClLee 10-10. HFte - Detroit, Granderson (131, Thames (23), CGuillen (15), IRodriguez (10). Kansas City 012 012 000 - 6 80 Toronto 014 030 02x -10 15 1 OPerez, Wellemeyer (5), Sisco (61, JoPeralta (7) and Buck Lilly, League (6), Accardo (9) and BMoßna. W - Lilly 11-11. L - OPerez 1-2. HRs - Kansas City, MiSweeney (5). Toronto, VWells (30), BMolina (14), Zaun 0). Minnesota 100 000 000 - 1 101 Chicago 002 031 OOx - 6 13 1 CSilva, DReyes (7), JRincon (8) and Redmond Buehrle, MacDougal (8) and Pierzynski. W -*• Buehrle 11 -11. L - CSOva 8- 12. HRs - Chicago, Pierzynski (12), Crede (28), Oribe (16). Tampa Bay 000 211 000 - 4 13 0 Baltimore 000 200 111 -5 13 0 Howell, RLugo (7), Switzer (7) Miceli (8), McClung (8) and Navarro Loewen, Hoey (6), Byrdak (8), Williams (8), Hawkins (9) and Widger, RaHemandez (9). W - Hawkins 2-2. L - McClung 4-12. HR - Tampa Bay, Witt (1). New York 215 000 210 - 11 17 2 Los Angeles 002 100 131 - 8 11 0 just part of the game. It’s just the way it works.” That said, Giles was ada mant in conveying the mes sage that he wants to remain a Brave. Giles debuted with Atlanta in 2001. “My first choice of places to play is here, no doubt about it,” he said. “I’m comfort able here with the staff, with £*ss£lfc IP NOTEBOOK R. Travis Haney Morris News Service Bobby (Cox). When you’ve got that kind of comfort zone, you don’t want any thing else.” CAN’T HOLD FRENCHY DOWN: He’s still quite a ways from Cal Ripken Jr.’s consecutive games played streak - OK, a couple thousand - but Jeff Francoeur did man age to talk his way into the inish air rußir n:RS I I \ i: ; I ... i There s nothing quite like walking outside and taking a deep breath of fresh, clean air after a thunderstorm. Wottldn’t you like to be able to step back inside and enjoy that same fresh air all the time? We would like to introduce you to Fresh Air by Eco Quest: By duplicating the same processes nature uses to clean the air outside, Fresh Air by Eco Quest™ keeps indoor air fresh and clean-smelling day and night. Collectively known as SvnAirG™, these processes work together synergistically to eliminate smoke and odors as well as kill bacteria, mold , and mildew in unoccupied areas. C ail NOW for a FREE trial offer! jjfe clean water, fresh air is essential to Independent Distributor our well being. Now, having the fresh air Elton & Vernea«! turker you want is as easy as pressing a button (478) 923-4111 when its Iresil A,r E co Q ues,n< _ 00035341 Great CD Rate! sca% 11 month CD Security Bank Houston 722-7130 • Bibb 722-6300 Membar FOIC www.securitybank.net * Minimum opening deposit is $1,001). Annual f'montage Yield (APY) is efjiruw August 24, 2006 and subject to change. Special rates amiiabk jar a it wised time oak A fienahy may be imposed for early unthdnneai. Some mtrietiom may apply THE HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Karstens, Proctor (7), Farnsworth (8), MRivera (8) and Posada Saunders, Gregg (3), Romero (7), HCarrasco (8), Donnelly (9) and Napoli. W - Karstens 1-0. L - Saunders 4-2. HRs - New York, Jeter 2 (12), BWilliams 2 (11). Boston 000 012 000 - 3 2 2 Seattle 010 050 00x_6 10 1 Snyder, Tavarez (5), Delcarmen (7) and JvLopez Baek, Green (6) RSoriano (8), Putz (9) and RRivera. W - Baek 1-0. L - Snyder 3-3. Sv - Putz (27). HRs - Boston, DOrtiz (47), Lowell (15). Seattle, Ibanez (25). Oakland 000 000 000_0 4 0 Texas 021 000 00x 3 7 0 Haren, Gaudin (8), Sauerbeck (8) Witasick (8) and Kendall Padilla, Otsuka (9) and Laird. W -Padilla 13-8. L- Haren 12-10. Sv - Otsuka (28). HR - Texas, Stairs (10). Milwaukee 000 020 001 -3 80 Florida 000 000 211 - 4 8 0 Capuano, Capellan (7), Kolb (8), BShouse (9) and Rivera Sanchez, Pinto (7), Mitre (8), Borowski (9) and Olivo. W - Borowski 2-2. L - BShouse 1- 1. HRs - Milwaukee, Daßell (7) Florida, MiCabrera (23), Willingham (19). Washington 301 020 000 - 6 12 0 Atlanta 206 300 11x -13 16 2 Traber, SRivera (3), Bergmann (6), CCo'rdero (8) and Schneider Villarreal, Cormier (4), Mcßride (7), Yates (9) and McCann. W - Mcßride 4-1. L -Traber 3-3. HRs - Atlanta, CJones (21), AJones (30), Francoeur (24). lineup Sunday. Francoeur’s left shoulder was banged up after he induced a bone crushing collision Saturday with Washington’s Nick Johnson. “He called me at 8:30 (Sunday) morning and said, dl’m in there, I’m in there. Don’t count me out,”’ Cox said. “He wants to play them all.” Francoeur scored twice and had a key three-run homer, and the 22-year-old is the only Brave to start every game this season. He would become the fourth Atlanta Brave to do that, the first since Andruw Jones in 1999. Prime Rib Seasoned to Perfection greggJtffry 1-7# ffxit 13® * 007-0077