Reds' Harang has appendectomy

Mets general manager Omar Minaya is expected back next season. The New York Post reported that owner Fred Wilpon said Minaya will return in 2010 despite the failings of his $136 million team on and off the field this year. Minaya in turn told the newspaper that if he’s back, manager Jerry Manuel will return as well. “I always felt I had ownership’s support and I’ll continue to work to do my job every day to the best of my abilities,’’ Minaya told the Associated Press . . . The Pawtucket Red Sox lost to Lehigh Valley, 4-2, its 12th loss in 13 games.

Changing diapers doesn’t seem to bother Papa Federer’s game. With a dominant first set, Roger Federer showed that he’s in top-of-the-world form after taking time off to become a father. A 6-1, 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic brought him the Cincinnati Masters title in Mason, Ohio, his first championship since his twin girls were born last month. “That’s the special part, especially winning for the first time as a dad,’’ Federer said. “It gets me going emotionally a little bit, because I know it’s been a wonderful summer.’’ Djokovic hadn’t lost a set all week, but was never in the title match . . . Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva picked up her third title of the year and denied compatriot Maria Sharapova a comeback win with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Dementieva’s victory was just the third in nine meetings against Sharapova, who was playing for a title for the first time since Amelia Island in April 2008 as she continued her return from shoulder surgery . . . Pat Cash defeated Jim Courier, 6-3, 6-4, to defend his singles title at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I. It was Cash’s second career victory on the Outback Champions Series, the global tennis circuit for tennis players age 30 and over . . . Anna Chakvetadze ended Nadia Petrova’s final hardcourt tuneup for the US Open with a 0-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win in the Pilot Pen in New Haven, Conn. Taylor Dent won his first-round match in the men’s tournament, beating Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-4, to continue his comeback after retiring because of back problems three years ago.

Candace Parker scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, helping the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Dream, 91-87, in Atlanta for their fifth straight victory. Parker and Noell Quinn each scored 6 points as the Sparks (13-13) used an 18-6 run at the start of the fourth quarter to break open a tie game . . . Shameka Christon scored 24 points and Cathrine Kraayeveld had a season-high 18, helping the Liberty beat the struggling Minnesota Lynx, 80-67, in New York . . . Katie Smith scored a season-high 31 points, leading the Shock to a 99-84 victory over San Antonio in Detroit.

The Boston College football team held its third training camp scrimmage, but didn’t appear to get any closer to deciding on a starting quarterback. According to coach Frank Spaziani, none of the quarterbacks stood out. Spaziani is testing four - David Shinskie, Mike Marscovetra, Codi Boek, and Justin Tuggle. “It’s still murky,’’ said Spaziani. “We have to start somebody [in the opener against Northeastern Sept. 5]. Who knows, we might play two.’’ The team’s final scrimmage is Wednesday . . . Former UMass lacrosse All-Americans Jeff Zywicki (hat trick) and Doc Schneider (12 saves) led the Toronto Nationals to a 10-9 victory over the top-seeded Denver Outlaws for the Major League Lacrosse championship in Annapolis, Md. . . . Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong pulled out of the third and final stage of the Tour of Ireland with back problems. Briton Russell Downing went on to capture the three-day race, which ended in Cork.