Sergio Garcia had one of those stretches where it felt like every putt was going to drop. He needed every one of them Friday for a 7-under 65 to match his best score on the TPC Sawgrass and take a one-shot lead over Tiger Woods among early starters at The Players Championship.

Major League Baseball admitted Friday that umpires made a mistake for the second straight day, this time when they messed up by allowing Astros manager Bo Porter to switch relievers in the middle of an inning.

Matt Kenseth was in Canada when J.D. Gibbs sent him the results of their appeal to NASCAR to reduce sweeping penalties against Joe Gibbs Racing.

Rafael Nadal rallied past David Ferrer 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0 Friday in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, maintaining his bid to reach a seventh straight final since returning from a knee injury.

Three top NHL players are finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

Parity has struck the NBA playoffs, where the conference semifinals are all fit to be tied.

Rafael Nadal fought back to beat David Ferrer 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0 in Friday's quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, keeping alive his bid to reach a seventh straight final since returning from injury.

O.J. Simpson will return next week to the Las Vegas courthouse where he was convicted of leading an armed sports memorabilia heist to ask a judge for a new trial on the grounds that his lawyer botched his case.

Sidney Crosby picked up the touch pass from Jarome Iginla near center ice and sprinted toward the New York Islanders' net.

There was no way Corey Crawford could tune out the chorus this time, and he really had no desire, anyway.

Andrew "Bart" Simpson had already garnered an Olympic gold medal in sailing in 2008 and a silver at last year's games when Artemis Racing came calling with a chance to win yachting's top prize _ the America's Cup.

Matt Kenseth was in Canada when J.D. Gibbs sent him the results of their appeal to NASCAR to reduce sweeping penalties against Joe Gibbs Racing.

Tiger Woods made birdie on every par 5 for the first time since 2006 and broke 70 in the opening round for the first time ever in The Players Championship. Rory McIlroy didn't hit driver on the front nine and broke par for the first time on the TPC Sawgrass.

Cycling's governing body says it will appeal the decision of a Madrid court to destroy the blood bags and other evidence from the Operation Puerto doping case.

Eleven days after he was cut by the New York Jets, Tim Tebow's future plans remain up in the air.

Grammy-winning singer Lauryn Hill stood in federal court Monday and compared her experience in the music business to the slavery her ancestors endured before a judge sentenced her to three months in prison for failing to pay about $1 million in taxes over the past decade.

Top-ranked Serena Williams outlasted Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 to reach the Madrid Open semifinals on Friday.

Hey, mom, look at me.

O.J. Simpson will return next week to the Las Vegas courthouse where he was convicted of leading an armed sports memorabilia heist to ask a judge for a new trial on the grounds that his lawyer botched his case.

Andrew "Bart" Simpson had already garnered an Olympic gold medal in sailing in 2008 and a silver at last year's games when Artemis Racing came calling with a chance to win yachting's top prize _ the America's Cup.