Third strike: Perez out for 80 games

Baseball

Detroit Tigers infielder Neifi Perez was suspended for 80 games yesterday after testing positive for a third time for a banned stimulant, a penalty that finishes his season . . . Tigers designated hitter Gary Sheffield (right arm) won't go on the disabled list. He started therapy and rehab yesterday . . . Washington Nationals starter Jason Simontacchi won't need surgery on his right elbow, opting instead to get a second cortisone shot . . . Byung Hyun Kim was claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks after the Florida Marlins placed the righthander on waivers . . . Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes could face up to one year in jail on a charge of violating a protective court order his estranged wife obtained after she said the 23-year-old rookie threatened her and the couple's children . . . Shortstop Edgar Renteria was put on the 15-day DL by the Atlanta Braves a day after he sprained his right ankle while trying to field a hard grounder . . . Pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel's power numbers at Triple A Memphis have earned him a call-up to the St. Louis Cardinals, possibly this month, manager Tony La Russa said . . . Rehabbing Yankee Jason Giambi went 1 for 3 with a home run for Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Buffalo . . . No. 9 hitter Kurtis Leonard drove in four runs as Portsmouth, N.H., beat Maine's Portland North, 7-0, in the first game of Little League's New England Regional tournament in Bristol, Conn. In the second game, Connecticut's Shelton National routed Vermont's Essex Junction, 11-1.

Basketball

Los Angeles Clipper Elton Brand, who averaged 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds last season, ruptured his left Achilles' tendon during his daily workout. Brand, 28, will undergo surgery but plans for the operation have not been finalized, the Clippers said . . . It appears Juan Carlos Navarro won't be dishing to the Celtics' new big three this season. The Spaniard is set to join compatriot Pau Gasol with the Memphis Grizzlies, Spanish club Barcelona said . . . UNLV coach Lon Kruger, 54, underwent a successful heart procedure Thursday in which doctors performed six bypasses . . . Three members of the Connecticut Sun escaped injury Thursday when one player's vehicle rear-ended the car of a teammate in Groton, Conn. Le'Coe Willingham was issued a warning for following too closely after her vehicle hit a Toyota Avalon driven by Nykesha Sales on an Interstate 95 exit ramp. Katie Douglas was a passenger in Sales's car.

Tennis

Tennis officials are investigating suspicious betting patterns on a match involving top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, who retired with an injury against a low-ranked opponent at an ATP tournament in Poland. British online gambling company Betfair voided all bets placed on Thursday's match at the Prokom Open between the defending champ and No. 87 Martin Vassallo Arguello. Betfair said it received about $7 million in bets on the match -- 10 times the usual amount -- and most of the money was on Arguello to win, even after Davydenko won the first set. Arguello won the second set and was leading, 2-1, in the third when the Russian retired . . . John Isner fired 30 aces as he upset second-seeded Tommy Haas, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-5), to reach a semifinal against Gael Monfils at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington. Andy Roddick advanced to a semifinal against Ivo Karlovic with a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win over Lee Hyung Taik . . . Venus Williams was bounced out of the quarterfinals of the Acura Classic by Anna Chakvetadze as the No. 3 seed earned a 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 victory in Carlsbad, Calif. Chakvetadze will face top-seeded Maria Sharapova, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Sania Mirza. Patty Schnyder upset No. 4 seed Nadia Petrova, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the other semifinal against Elena Dementieva, who beat Maria Kirilenko, 6-2, 6-4.

Miscellany

Michael Phelps (53.01 seconds) nearly set a world record in the 100 backstroke and also won the 200-meter freestyle at the US swimming championships in Indianapolis . . . James Harney, a former New Jersey state trooper who admitted running a sports betting ring with retired hockey star Rick Tocchet, was sentenced to five years in prison. Tocchet faces sentencing this month . . . Defenseman Patrice Brisebois signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens . . . Trent Hunter signed a one-year deal with the New York Islanders after an arbitrator awarded the forward a salary of $1.55 million for next season . . . Right winger Jakub Voracek, the Blue Jackets' top draft pick, agreed to a three-year contract with Columbus.