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2B – Daily News – Monday, April 12, 2010 Rosales homers in 1st AB for A’s, has 4 RBIs ANAHEIM (AP) — Adam Rosales and the Oak- land Athletics are off and run- ning. The backup infielder sprinted around the bases after homering in his first AL at-bat, added a go-ahead sin- gle and finished with four RBIs Sunday in a 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. ‘‘I had a lot of energy. I almost had to calm myself down and take it down a couple of notches. It’s the little kid in me,’’ Rosales said. Rosales spent portions of the previous two seasons with Cincinnati before being dealt to the A’s in February. ‘‘At first, I was shocked and heartbroken when I got traded. My mind was set on making my way up through the Reds’ orga- nization and sticking there. But these guys really welcomed me to the club and I’m enjoying it here,’’ he said. The A’s, who finished 22 games behind the Angels in the AL West last season, have started off 5-2. The Angels went 2-5 on their season-opening homes- tand. They begin a road trip on Tuesday at New York, where the Yankees will receive their World Series rings. So will Angels new DH Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP, who spent his seven previous big league seasons in the Bronx. The Yankees beat the Angels in the AL championship series. ‘‘You’re always going to watch some- thing like that with interest. That’s what all of us are playing for,’’ Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ‘‘I guess we’re a little jealous because they beat us last year and went on to win the World Series. But I don’t think we need to see a ring ceremony to understand the magnitude of it and what we’re playing for, and to be motivated to get to that final step.’’ Rosales hit a solo homer in the second inning into the front row of the seats in the left-field corner. That was Oakland’s only hit through the first six innings against Joe Saunders. Saunders (0-2) retired 13 in a row before giving up three straight hits to start a three- run seventh. Rosales capped the rally with a two-run single. He also drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth as the A’s pulled away. Dallas Braden (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits over six innings. In his season debut last Tuesday against Seattle, the left- hander struck a career-high 10 in seven innings. Rookie Tyson Ross pitched three innings for his first major league save. ‘‘We feel like we can compete with any- body, and we stack up well against the entire division,’’ Braden said. ‘‘It’s a great way to start the season. We’re just full of confidence right now. I knew today was going to be a day that we were going to have guys in there who were going to be anxious and ready, and I knew it was going to pay off if I could keep us in the game.’’ The A’s trailed 3-1 going into the sev- enth. Singles by Ryan Sweeney and Kevin Kouzmanoff put runners at the corners for Mark Ellis, who delivered the first of his two RBI doubles. Kevin Jepsen relieved Saunders and struck out Jake Fox. But Rosales, the Ath- letics’ No. 7 hitter, lined the next pitch to right field for a 4-3 lead. Rosales hit four home runs in 259 at-bats over the previous two seasons with the Reds. ‘‘I thought it was pretty obvious what my role was going to be here,’’ Rosales said. ‘‘But the opportunity and the experi- ence I had last year I think has helped me know what my role is this year and know how to handle it.’’ The A’s tacked on three more runs in the eighth, all unearned because of third base- man Brandon Wood’s throwing error. Wood, a perennial prospect who has taken over as the Angels’ regular third baseman after the departure of free agent Chone Fig- gins, is 1 for 19 with seven strikeouts through his first five games. The error was his first of the season. Bobby Abreu hit a solo home run in the Angels’ first. The two-time All-Star snapped a drought of 25 at-bats without an RBI, the longest of his 15-year career to start a season. Lincecum strikes out 10, Giants win Bonds says he’s ’proud’ SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tim Lincecum struck out 10 and over- came an early home run, Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run shot and the San Francisco Giants beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Sunday night in a game that finally started after a rain delay of 4 hours, 9 minutes. Cleanup hitter Aubrey Huff and No. 5 man Mark DeRosa, the Giants’ two biggest offensive additions this winter, and Bengie Molina all hit RBI singles. Huff also scored the go-ahead run in the sixth on rookie right fielder Jason Heyward’s misguided throw for his first career error. Heyward hit a solo homer in the ninth. Lincecum (2-0), the two-time reign- ing NL Cy Young Award winner, recorded his 20th career outing with 10 or more strikeouts. He struck out the side in order in the seventh to finish an impressive 108-pitch outing that was made more challenging by having to wait around for hours on the chilly, windy spring day in the Bay Area. The clouds burst with rain again as soon as the game ended. Jeremy Affeldt allowed Heyward’s third homer before earn- ing his first save since Sept. 19, 2006, against San Francisco while with the Colorado Rock- ies. The left-hander tossed two innings. Braves starter Kenshin Kawakami (0-1) retired the first 11 San Francisco batters before Sandoval’s two-out triple in the fourth. Brian McCann hit a two-run homer in the first off Lincecum to put Atlanta ahead early. Lincecum went all of last season without allowing a homer at home in AT&T Park, and this was his first in the waterfront ballpark since Colorado’s Seth Smith connected on Sept. 23, 2008. Lincecum allowed five hits and two runs in seven innings, walking only one. The two-time All-Star has often been clutch when he takes the mound after a loss, and he helped San Francis- co bounce back from its first defeat of the season. The Giants lost 7-2 on Sat- urday night after winning their first four games. Sandoval connected for his first homer of the year with an eighth- inning shot against the wind that sailed over the right-field arcade and onto the walkway on the other side. A heavy rain began in the morning and didn’t let up until late afternoon, when a small window of good weather developed and the sides agreed to play despite a soggy outfield. The tarp was removed to cheers nearly 3 hours after the scheduled first pitch of 1:05 p.m. local time. McCann’s homer was his second of the season and he also added a sixth- inning single for the Braves, who were swept in a three-game series here last season. They lost 5-4 in 13 innings in San Francisco’s home opener Friday before winning Saturday. While a pregame ceremony had been planned for the reunion of the Giants’ 2000 NL West championship team, the players were long gone by the time the game began — some to catch flights home — so most fans never saw them. Once the rain eventu- ally stopped, Giants manager Bruce Bochy and athletic trainer Dave Groeschner took a walk to center field to assess the waterlogged conditions. Braves skipper Bobby Cox did the same several minutes later. Rich Aurilia says he’s done playing SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rich Aurilia for- mally announced his retire- ment Sunday after 15 major league seasons. The 38-year-old infielder began and ended his career with San Francisco, spend- ing 12 years total with the Giants and helping them reach the 2002 World Series. He appeared in 60 games last season in a utility role. ‘‘I’m retired,’’ Aurilia said Sunday. ‘‘I’ll say this, I’m not waiting around for a call in June or July. I know I’m not going to play any- more.’’ Aurilia’s news wasn’t surprising considering he’s already moved into the broadcasting side of base- ball. He took part Sunday in a reunion of San Francisco’s 2000 NL West champi- onship team. ‘‘It’s weird being around here. I wanted to grab a bat in the 11th inning the other night,’’ Aurilia said of the Giants’ 5-4, 13-inning win over the Braves on Friday in their home opener. ‘‘It’s time for a different phase of my life to move on to. It’s better than I thought it would be, which is good.’’ Aurilia was a career .275 hitter with 186 homers and 756 RBIs in 1,652 career games. LEFTY (Continued from page 1B) – Thank You – thanks to the generosity of these local businesses & individuals. • M & M RANCH HOUSE • ROSE HABLITZEL, ENROLLED AGENT • RED BLUFF INTERIORS • MOTHER LODE HOLDING CO. • LP BUILDING PRODUCTS • LOUISIANA PACIFIC • STATE FARM INS. KEITH THOMAS • TEHAMA ESTATES • CALIFORNIA WALNUT CO., INC. • MR. PICKLE’S SANDWICH SHOP • AIRPORT AUTO REPAIR • JOHN WHEELER LOGGING D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 • KAY STEPHENS, MD • QRC • GREENWASTE OF TEHAMA • TRI COUNTIES BANK • MOSS LUMBER & HARDWARE • BRETNEY SUTTERFIELD • HOYT-COLE CHAPEL OF THE FLOWERS • TEHAMA COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS • FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE CO. • SUSANNE WHALEN, DMD INC • PLACER TITLE CO. NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION Please help sponsor a classroom subscription Call Kathy at (530) 527-2151 to find out how. Through the Newspapers in Education program, area classrooms receive the Red Bluff Daily News every day ‘‘Phil, being the cham- pion he is, hit some great shots coming down the stretch,’’ said Westwood, who closed with a 71. ‘‘He’s been through hard times recently, and he deserves a break or two.’’ Anthony Kim closed with a 65, the best score of the tournament, and fin- ished alone in third. Mickelson became the eighth player with at least three Masters titles, and it was the fourth major of his career, breaking out of a pack that had included Ernie Els, Padraig Harring- ton and Vijay Singh from his generation. The signature moment came on the 13th, a hole Mickelson has dominated like no other at Augusta. With a two-shot lead, he was stuck between two Georgia pines and had just over 200 yards to the hole. He never considered any- thing but a shot at the green. ‘‘I was going to have to go through that gap if I laid up or went for the green,’’ Mickelson said. ‘‘I was going to have to hit a decent shot. The gap ... it wasn’t huge, but it was big enough, you know, for a ball to fit through. ‘‘I just felt like at that time, I needed to trust my swing and hit a shot,’’ he said. ‘‘And it came off per- fect.’’ Woods was perfect at times, holing an 8-iron for eagle on the seventh hole, of friend Mark McGwire SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Home run king Barry Bonds said he is ‘‘proud’’ of slugger Mark McGwire for returning to baseball as the St. Louis Cardinals’ hitting coach and for admitting his use of performance-enhancing drugs. ‘‘I have a really good friendship with Mark McGwire. I’m proud of him,’’ Bonds said Sunday. ‘‘We’ve had a great relationship throughout our entire lives and throughout our career. I’m proud of what he did. I’m happy for him.’’ While Bonds didn’t rule out also going into coaching one day, his six-minute session with the media was stopped after the question about McGwire. In January, McGwire ended more than a decade of denials and evasion and finally acknowledged he used steroids and human growth hormone during his career, including in 1998 when he hit 70 home runs and broke the single-season record. Bonds, who topped that mark when he hit 73 homers in 2001, has long denied ever knowingly using steroids or performance-enhancers in his pursuit of the career home run record — arguably the most prized record in all of American sports. Bonds was indicted on charges he lied in 2003 to a federal grand jury investigating BALCO, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Opera- tive, and obstructed justice. McGwire was told of Bonds’ comments in Milwaukee, where the Cardinals were playing the Brewers. ‘‘It’s very cool. Barry is a great player, was a great player in this game, many MVPs,’’ McGwire said. ‘‘The guy could do it all. It makes me feel really good. It’s really cool to be back in the game. ... I’m a big boy, I understand that things happen in your life and you’ve got to confront them, and you also have to move on from them and learn from them.’’ The 45-year-old Bonds, back in the Bay Area for a reunion at AT&T Park of the Giants’ 2000 NL West cham- pion team, said he doesn’t believe now is the right time to retire. Though he also insists he’s not in shape to play imme- diately if an interested club came calling. ‘‘I don’t have any plans at all,’’ he said of trying to play again. ‘‘No, it’s not necessary at the moment (to retire). The timing isn’t that important.’’ Bonds arrived separately — and more than an hour later — from other members of the 2000 team and walked hand in hand with 11-year-old daughter, Aisha. ‘‘This is weird. Where are the big guys?’’ Rich Aurilia asked of Bonds and Jeff Kent, whose flight was delayed because of bad weather. Bonds, dressed in a dark pinstriped suit and orange pais- ley tie, had a heavy security presence around him. the start of an eagle-birdie- birdie stretch that took him from seven shots behind to having some hope. But not for long. Woods hit into the trees on 11 and struck a pine try- ing to escape to make bogey on the 11th. The end came on the 14th, when he missed a 6-foot birdie putt to stay in the game, then missed the next one for a shocking three-putt bogey. Asked to sum up his week, Woods said in a terse interview with CBS Sports analyst Peter Kostis, ‘‘I finished fourth.’’ ‘‘It’s not what I want- ed,’’ he said. ‘‘I wanted to win this tournament. As the week went on, I kept hitting the ball worse.’’ Asked about his dour mood as his game got away from him, Woods said, ‘‘People are making way too much of a deal on this.’’ He also said he did not know when he would return, saying he needed time off to evaluate. For Mickelson, it’s a celebration to remember. He says his wife’s longterm outlook is good, but the medication has taken a toll on her emo- tions. They arrived Tues- day, but she stayed in bed most of the week at the house they rented. Even in the final moments, no one was sure if she was coming to the course until she walked toward the 18th green with help from Mackay’s wife, Jennifer. ‘‘I didn’t really want to look up because I knew I’d get choked up if I saw her,’’ Mackay said. ‘‘It was great to see her there, for sure.’’ Mickelson was the only player among the top 10 to play without a bogey in the final round. Just when it looked like it might slip away from him, Lefty came through with two par saves from the trees on No. 9 and No. 10, then pulled away with the clutch 9-iron on the 12th to 15 feet behind the hole. Woods teased with con- tention by making two eagles in one round for the second time this week. Most of the day, however, he was always too many shots back to scare anyone. Whatever doubts there are about Woods as a per- son, his golf doesn’t appear to be suffering. It was his first competition in five months, his first time in public since he became tabloid fodder for his ram- pant infidelity. Yet he per- formed as if he had never been gone. Choi’s only consolation was going all four rounds with Woods at Augusta and matching his score. He wanted much more, and for the longest time was poised to give Asia successive majors following Y.E. Yang’s win at the PGA Championship. He unraveled on the 13th, a hole where he had made birdie the previous three rounds. From the fairway, he tugged his approach into the back bunker, leaving him a frightening shot down a steep slope toward Rae’s Creek. He barely got it out of the sand, then three- putted for a bogey. D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY THE V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5