Yankees send Cabrera to minors

Slumping center fielder Melky Cabrera was demoted to the minors yesterday, the biggest move in a mini shakeup by the struggling New York Yankees. The 24-year-old Cabrera got off to a strong start this year but has struggled at the plate since May. He was batting .242 with eight homers and 36 RBIs, and had a .296 on-base percentage. The Yankees also designated backup first baseman Richie Sexson for assignment and placed pitcher Dan Giese on the disabled list. The club brought up three players from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre: outfielder Brett Gardner, infielder Cody Ransom, and reliever Chris Britton . . . The Yankees fired two scouts under investigation in a probe of possible skimming from contracts with Latin American players. The contracts of Carlos Rios, the director of Latin American scouting, and Ramon Valdivia, the Dominican Republic scouting director, were terminated, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity.

Tampa Bay Rays closer Troy Percival was put on the 15-day disabled list with a cartilage injury to his right knee, his third stint on the DL this season . . . Atlanta Braves lefthander Tom Glavine went back on the 15-day DL with a sore elbow, a day after the two-time Cy Young Award winner was hit hard in his first start since June 10 . . . Los Angeles Angels shortstop Maicer Izturis will have surgery and miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb . . . The Texas Rangers agreed to terms with No. 1 draft pick Justin Smoak on a minor league contract with a $3.5 million signing bonus . . . San Diego Padres agreed to terms with first-round draft pick Allan Dykstra, an infielder from Wake Forest . . . First baseman Yonder Alonso, the seventh overall pick, agreed to a $4.55 million, five-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds . . . San Francisco Giants signed their top pick, catcher Buster Posey . . . Christian Donahue singled in the fourth and scored on a wild pitch to lift Hawaii over Connecticut, 3-1, in the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Andy Roddick was upset by Viktor Troicki, 0-6, 6-2, 6-4, at the Legg Mason Classic in Washington, while Juan Martin del Potro won his 17th straight match, 6-4, 6-4 over John Isner. Del Potro will face Tommy Haas, a 7-5, 6-1 winner over Alejandro Falla. The other semifinalist is Igor Kunitsyn, who beat Somdev Devvarman, 6-4, 6-1 . . . Nathalie Dechy defeated Aleksandra Wozniak, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, to move into the semifinals of the Women's Open in Mason, Ohio. Dechy will face Amelie Mauresmo, who beat Vania King, 6-2, 6-4. Nadia Petrova defeated Lilia Osterloh, 6-2, 6-3, and Maria Kirilenko beat Sabine Lisicki, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, to also advance . . . John McEnroe beat Karel Novacek, 6-3, 6-1, to improve to 1-1 in round-robin play in the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I. McEnroe got tossed against MaliVai Washington Thursday for cursing, arguing with the chair umpire, and making an obscene gesture at fans.

Glasgow Rangers midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who played for Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire, was added to the United States roster for next week's World Cup qualifier at Guatemala. The US, trying to qualify for its sixth straight World Cup, is in a semifinal group that includes Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago . . . Brian McBride practiced with the Fire, and coach Denis Hamlett said the US Olympian would be available for tonight's match against D.C. United. McBride logged 253 minutes of Olympic action and captained the US to a 1-1-1 record . . . Defender Cory Gibbs agreed to a contract with the Colorado Rapids and is expected to be available for today's match at Kansas City. Gibbs was picked for the 2006 US World Cup roster but injured a knee against Morocco and missed the tournament . . . Toronto FC signed former US under-20 national team forward Johann Smith . . . The US women's team will play Ireland in a three-game exhibition series at Philadelphia, East Rutherford, N.J., and suburban Chicago following the Olympics.

Detroit Shock forward Cheryl Ford has had surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee. Ford was injured during a WNBA home game against Los Angeles July 22. She fell to the court while trying to restrain a teammate during a fracas with seconds left in the game . . . New Orleans Hornets guard Jannero Pargo signed a one-year deal with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian League, said his agent Mark Bartelstein . . . Brian Vickers took the pole for tomorrow's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., with a lap of 188.536 miles per hour.