Kyle Busch Wins Ninth Nationwide Race of Season, Closes in on Two Records

by FanHouse Newswire

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Kyle Busch raced to his sixth victory in his last seven Nationwide starts and ninth of the season Saturday night, leading 209 of 250 laps in a dominating run at Iowa Speedway.

Busch moved a victory away from the series season victory record of 10 he shares with Sam Ard. Busch, a 10-time winner in 2008, is second in series history with 39 victories-nine behind Mark Martin’s record.

Kevin Harvick was second, followed by Jason Leffler and Brad Keselowski in front of a standing-room only crowd of roughly 55,000.

Trevor Bayne, who became the first Nationwide driver in 18 years to capture three consecutive poles earlier Saturday, finished fifth.

Harvick took the lead from Busch during a late pit stop by taking just two tires while Busch grabbed four. But Busch had the strongest car of the night, and he proved it by zipping past Harvick on the outside with 25 laps to go on the 0.875-mile oval.

For the second week in a row, Busch won without running a single practice lap.

Kyle Busch Wins Ninth Nationwide Race of Season, Closes in on Two Records originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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FanHouse TV: Trade Deadline Losers

Filed under: Astros, Rays, Reds, MLB Video, MLB Trade Deadline, Executive Take

The MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone and some teams have seriously improved their chances of playing deep into October.

Then, there are the rest.

FanHouse TV’s Steve Phillips breaks down the have-nots at the deadline and identifies the three teams who needed help the most and didn’t get any.

Click below to watch:

 

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FanHouse TV: Trade Deadline Winners

Filed under: MLB Video, MLB Trade Deadline, Executive Take

The course of the baseball season was changed with one of the most active trade deadlines in recent memory.

While some teams sat back and watched due to financial reasons or indecision about their position in the pennant race, there were three teams that clearly won the July 31st sweepstakes.

FanHouse TV’s Steve Phillips presents his trade deadline winners. Click below to watch:

 

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Earl Thomas, Kyle Wilson Both Finalize Rookie Contracts

Filed under: Jets, Seahawks

Two more first-rounders have signed on the dotted line: Earl Thomas with the Seahawks and Kyle Wilson with the Jets.

Thomas, a cornerback out of Texas and the No. 14 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, agreed to a five-year deal in Seattle worth $21.1 million, $12.32 of which is guaranteed money.

“Thank u jesus the deal is finally done bout to go sign the paperwork now,” Thomas, who could slide right into the Seahawks’ starting free safety role, wrote on Twitter.

 

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Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez Completes Cycle With Walk-Off Homer

Filed under: Cubs, Rockies

DENVER (AP) — Carlos Gonzalez hit a game-ending home run to complete the cycle, and the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Saturday night after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning.

Gonzalez became the sixth Rockies player to hit for the cycle and the first since Troy Tulowitzki did it last Aug. 10, also against the Chicago Cubs.

Derrek Lee hit a tying three-run homer in the eighth off Rafael Betancourt.

Melvin Mora, who went 2-for-2 during Colorado’s record-setting 13-hit, 12-run eighth inning Friday night, went 4-for-4 Saturday to stretch the streak to six hits in six at-bats.

 

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Jeremy Hellickson to Make Spot Start Monday for Rays

Filed under: Rays, Prospects

Another highly touted prospect is on his way to the majors — at least temporarily.

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson will be called up to start for the Rays on Monday night against the Twins, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon announced following Saturday’s game.

Hellickson is not joining the rotation, Maddon said; instead, the Rays existing starters will all be pushed back a day.

Hellickson ranked No. 8 on FanHouse scout Frankie Piliere’s midseason list of the top prospects still in the minors. The 23-year-old has been dominant for Durham this season, going 12-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 21 Triple-A starts. He has walked 35 and struck out 123 in 117 2/3 innings.

Success like that is nothing new for Tampa Bay’s fourth-round pick from the 2005 draft. He has a career minor league record of 49-16 with a 2.66 ERA.

 

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Kyle Busch Wins Ninth Nationwide Race of Season, Closes in on Two Records

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Kyle Busch raced to his sixth victory in his last seven Nationwide starts and ninth of the season Saturday night, leading 209 of 250 laps in a dominating run at Iowa Speedway.

Busch moved a victory away from the series season victory record of 10 he shares with Sam Ard. Busch, a 10-time winner in 2008, is second in series history with 39 victories-nine behind Mark Martin’s record.

Kevin Harvick was second, followed by Jason Leffler and Brad Keselowski in front of a standing-room only crowd of roughly 55,000.

Trevor Bayne, who became the first Nationwide driver in 18 years to capture three consecutive poles earlier Saturday, finished fifth.

Harvick took the lead from Busch during a late pit stop by taking just two tires while Busch grabbed four. But Busch had the strongest car of the night, and he proved it by zipping past Harvick on the outside with 25 laps to go on the 0.875-mile oval.

For the second week in a row, Busch won without running a single practice lap.

 

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Astros Near Two-Year Contract Extension With Brett Myers

Filed under: Astros, MLB Trade Deadline

There was a good deal of trade buzz surrounding Astros starter Brett Myers the last few days, but the veteran didn’t leave Houston — and might not for a while.

Myers’ agent, Craig Landis, told FanHouse his client and the Astros are close to finalizing a two-year deal with an option for 2013.

Houston general manager Ed Wade also said a resolution is near, solidifying Myers’ status as the de facto leader of the post-Roy Oswalt pitching staff. The pitcher’s current deal includes an $8 million mutual option for 2011 that can be bought out for $2 million.

Myers, 29, is in his first year with the Astros after signing with them as a free agent last winter. He has been their best pitcher, going 8-6 with a 3.10 ERA, and has pitched at least six innings in all 21 of his starts this year. Numbers like that are a big reason other teams were calling about him after Oswalt was dealt, and of course the primary reason the Astros want to keep him.

“There was a tremendous amount of interest in Brett leading up to the Trade Deadline, and in all candor, we didn’t shut it down,” Wade told MLB.com, which first reported the extension was imminent.

“We were very open to the conversations. There were some very interesting discussions back and forth between us and a number of other clubs, but at the end of the day we felt, based on the performance Brett has turned in at this point of time in our organization and trading Roy Oswalt, that we’re looking for another anchor in the rotation, and Brett clearly fit that bill.”

 

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Astros Hand Two-Year Contract Extension to Brett Myers

Filed under: Astros, MLB Trade Deadline

There was a good deal of trade buzz surrounding Astros starter Brett Myers the last few days, but the veteran didn’t leave Houston — and it turns out he won’t for awhile.

The Astros officially announced a contract extension for Myers Sunday that will keep him in Houston through 2012, and also includes a mutual option for the 2013 season.

FanHouse via Myers’ agent, Craig Landis, was first to report the terms of the deal.

The deal solidifies Myers’ status as the de facto leader of the post-Roy Oswalt pitching staff in Houston. The pitcher’s current deal included an $8 million mutual option for 2011 that could have been bought out for $2 million.

Myers will now receive a guaranteed $21 million over the next two seasons if the 2013 option is bought out. If he winds up staying for a third season, the deal will be worth $28 million and could reach $29.5 million in value if he reaches certain performance bonuses.

Myers, 29, is in his first year with the Astros after signing with them as a free agent last winter. He has been their best pitcher, going 8-6 with a 3.10 ERA, and has pitched at least six innings in all 21 of his starts this year. Numbers like that are a big reason other teams were calling about him after Oswalt was dealt, and of course the primary reason the Astros want to keep him.

 

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Jerry Jones Denies Criticizing Cowboys Coaches for Dez Bryant Injury

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East, NFL Training Camp

When rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant fell victim to a high ankle sprain on a play late in practice Friday, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t hide how displeased he was with the situation. Jones told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen he didn’t like that Bryant was out so late in practice after a long first week of training camp.

The message was pretty simple. Jones felt the Cowboys worked Bryant too hard, even though he hasn’t played in a game since September of last year at Oklahoma State, before the NCAA hammer fell and he was forced to sit the rest of the season.

While his words could have been construed as a criticism of coach Wade Phillips and his staff, Jones denied that Saturday. He wanted to be clear that he wasn’t trying to rip Phillips, even if it seemed like he was.

 

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