Sexson appealing six-game suspension

Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson was suspended for six games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball yesterday after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Rangers starter Kason Gabbard Thursday night. Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, cited Sexson for "violent and aggressive actions." Sexson asked the players' association to appeal, and any suspension will be delayed until after a hearing. Seattle's Felix Hernandez and Texas's Gerald Laird and Sidney Ponson also were fined for their roles in the bench-clearing fracas, which started when Gabbard threw an inside, eye-high pitch to Sexson in apparent retaliation for Hernandez hitting the Rangers' Ian Kinsler with a pitch earlier in the game . . . Alex Rodriguez took 57 swings in batting practice, hitting several long home runs, and fielded 31 grounders at third base during his first injury rehabilitation workout at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa. Rodriguez, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps, could rejoin the Yankees late next week . . . The Padres released struggling center fielder Jim Edmonds, who was acquired from St. Louis in December.

The Portland Pirates eliminated the Providence Bruins from the AHL playoffs, rallying for a 5-4 road victory in Game 6 of the Atlantic Division finals. The P-Bruins jumped ahead, 2-0, in the first before the Pirates beat goalie Tuukka Rask five times, including a pair of goals by Jason King . . . Joel Quenneville is out as coach of the Avalanche after three seasons, a week after Colorado was swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings. Quenneville was 131-92-23 with Colorado but just 2-2 in playoff series. The parting was "mutually agreed," according to Avalanche executive vice president and general manager Francois Giguere . . . Maxim Afinogenov scored two goals, Alex Ovechkin added another, and Alexei Morozov had the winner in the shootout to give Russia a 4-3 victory over Belarus in a qualifying-round game at the world hockey championship in Quebec City . . . Goalie Olaf Kolzig told the Capitals he's played his last game with them after 16 seasons . . . Swedish free agent forward Fabian Brunnstrom signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Stars after being wooed by a handful of NHL teams, including the Bruins.

Tony Stewart broke through at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, beating Nationwide Series points leader Clint Bowyer by .815 seconds to win the Diamond Hill Plywood 200. It's Stewart's fourth win in six Nationwide starts this season, but the two-time Sprint Cup champion had never won at Darlington in 19 previous races (four of them Nationwide events) dating to 1996. Stewart took a green-white-checkered finish in the first race on Darlington's slicker, repaved surface . . . Greg Biffle turned in a blistering lap of 179.442 miles per hour at Darlington to win the pole for tonight's Dodge Challenger 500 in the Sprint Cup Series, the fastest of 41 drivers to break the qualifying record . . . Rookie driver Alex Lloyd did not break any bones in a hard crash during practice for the Indianapolis 500 that left him hospitalized. Lloyd was taken off the track complaining of neck pain. Another accident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway occurred in the pits, where Dale Coyne Racing crewman Charles Buckman was knocked to the ground by Danica Patrick's incoming car. Buckman was taken to the hospital with a concussion and cuts to his face and scalp.

Serena Williams's 17-match winning streak ended with a 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) loss to Dinara Safina in the German Open quarterfinals in Berlin. Safina will face Victoria Azarenka in today's semifinals after the 18-year-old ousted Alona Bondarenko, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2. Elena Dementieva downed Jelena Jankovic, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, to reach the other semifinal. She will face either Ana Ivanovic or Agnes Szavay, who were postponed in the third set because of darkness . . . Roger Federer was beaten for the sixth time this year, falling to Radek Stepanek, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (9-7), in the Rome Masters quarterfinals. Federer lost only nine matches in 2007.

Rick Carlisle will be the new coach of the Dallas Mavericks, a decision expected for nearly a week but slowed by contract negotiations. Team owner Mark Cuban confirmed in an e-mail to the Associated Press that a verbal deal is in place. The contract "will be signed [today]," with a news conference Wednesday because Cuban will be out of town until then . . . Phoenix point guard Steve Nash expects Mike D'Antoni to be back coaching the Suns next season. "Mike's my coach," Nash said. "So I expect to see Mike back here next year." D'Antoni, who has two years worth $8.5 million remaining on his contract, reportedly has been courted by the Bulls and the Knicks . . . The Green Bay Packers have released wide receiver Koren Robinson, whose struggles with alcohol led to an NFL suspension and jail time . . . The Kansas City Chiefs waived former UNH quarterback Ricky Santos . . . Allyson Felix ran inside 11 seconds (10.93) for the first time to become the season's fastest woman over 100 meters, and also won the 400 at the Doha Super Grand Prix in Qatar.