National Sports: AP-KSM-SportsRightNow

v3311ai209
r s AP-KSM--SportsRightNow     04-09 0381
^AP-KSM--Sports Right Now,<

     
^Latest Mid-America sports:<
^

     
^YANKEES-ROYALS

     Royals 5, Yankees 2

     

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ Brian Bannister (2-0) held New York to
two runs in five innings as Kansas City beat the Yankees 5-2.

     Ross Gload had two hits and two RBIs for the Royals in their
home opener.

     Four relievers shut out the Yankees on two hits and Joakim Soria
(wah-KEEM‘ SOHR‘-ee-uh) finished for his fourth save.

     Six Kansas City batters had two hits each.

     Yankees starter Phil Hughes gave up three runs in three-plus
innings for the loss, and Alex Rodriguez struck out four times.

     
^CARDINALS-ASTROS

     Cardinals 5, Astros 3

     

     HOUSTON (AP) _ Troy Glaus hit a two-run double in the eighth
inning to help St. Louis beat the Houston Astros 5-3.

     Anthony Reyes (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings of one-hit
ball, and Jason Isringhausen worked a perfect ninth for his fourth
save.

     Cardinals starter Brad Thompson went four innings, giving up
three runs on five hits.

     
^NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP-KANSAS REAX

     Kansas celebrates championship

     

     LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ About 25,000 fans turned out at Memorial
Stadium in Lawrence to welcome the Kansas Jayhawks home.

     Kansas coach Bill Self told the crowd that he couldn‘t imagine a
better place to play or coach than the University of Kansas.

     The Jayhawks won their third NCAA basketball title with an
overtime victory over Memphis on Monday.

     Athletic director Lew Perkins said the basketball program has
come full circle from 2003 when it lost its ``swagger.‘‘

     Perkins says the Jayhawks have their swagger back.

     
^BLUES-KARIYA

     Kariya to hit weights after disappointing season

     

     ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Paul Kariya says he plans to concentrate on
adding strength during the offseason after the St. Louis Blues‘
disappointing year.

     Kariya led the Blues with 65 points in the first season of a
three-year, 18 million dollar free agent contract, but he had only
19 goals.

     Kariya was a 50-goal scorer early in his career with Anaheim.
His production has declined the last three seasons, with 31 in
2005-06 and 24 the next year.

     Forward Keith Tkachuk scored his 500th career goal in the season
finale, and he says next season likely will be his last.

     
^

     

     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

     AP-NY-04-09-08 0638EDT<