Arizona's Johnson (shoulder) a scratch

Randy Johnson, six wins shy of 300 career victories, was scratched from today's start against the Dodgers because of a sore left shoulder. Johnson (10-9), who turns 45 Wednesday, will be replaced by righthander Max Scherzer. Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said Johnson will miss one turn, returning to the rotation Saturday at home against Cincinnati. "We talked earlier in the season that if we ever got in a position with Randy, whether it was his back or shoulder, we don't want anything to linger if there is a little issue there where he has to overcompensate in some other areas," Melvin said yesterday. Johnson gave up four homers in 3 2/3 innings in an 8-6 win over the Cardinals last Monday. "I felt it in my last start against St. Louis, but I pitched through it and the results were what they were."

Orioles rookie reliever Jim Johnson is apparently done for the season with a shoulder injury. "There are some things in there that will heal over time with a little bit of treatment," he said. He does not have a torn labrum. "He's just having trouble getting loose," manager Dave Trembley said. Johnson was 2-4 with a 2.23 ERA and one save in 54 games . . . Evan Longoria (fractured right wrist) was activated after the Tampa Bay slugger said he felt "almost 100 percent" following 30 swings with a regular bat. Rays manager Joe Maddon wants the rookie third baseman to take two or three days of regular batting practice, meaning he likely will be available only as a defensive replacement until the Rays open a three-game series at New York Friday. He had been out since Aug. 7 after being hit by a pitch from Seattle's J.J. Putz . . . Astros minor league pitcher Runelvys Hernandez was suspended 50 games - starting next season - after testing positive for an amphetamine. He most recently was with Triple A Round Rock of the Pacific Coast League. He made four starts for Houston this season.

The dispute between the NHL and a newly formed Russian league over forward Alexander Radulov, 22, appears headed for court. The Kontinental Hockey League withdrew its appeal on five other transfers at a meeting in Zurich between the International Ice Hockey Federation and nine member countries, but couldn't resolve the Radulov case, the IIHF said. The NHL and KHL will go to court or arbitration to decide who owns his rights. Radulov had one year remaining on his contract with the Nashville Predators when he signed a deal with Ufa. The Predators suspended him indefinitely without pay Tuesday.

The Arizona Cardinals placed center Al Johnson on injured reserve, sidelining him for the season. Johnson hurt his knee in training camp and had surgery in August. Replacing Johnson, 29, was center Pat Ross, a Boston College product who was elevated from the practice squad. Today the Cardinals meet the San Francisco 49ers, who added quarterback Alex Smith to their injury report, listing him as doubtful with another problem in his surgically repaired right shoulder. Shaun Hill will back up J.T. O'Sullivan, who beat out Smith, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, for the starting job in camp. The 49ers said the injury occurred without contact during practice Friday.

Tough Tiz's Sis romped to a 12 1/4-length win in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap for fillies and mares at sloppy Belmont Park. The 4-year-old earned $180,000 for owners Karl Watson and Weitman Performances. Tough Tiz's Sis, timed in 1 minute 40.46 seconds for 1 1/16 miles, paid $10.60, $6.20, and $4. In the $250,000 Garden State for 3-year-old fillies, Backseat Rhythm beat Pure Clan by a half-length, winning the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:51.82 and paying $11.80 . . . Helio Castroneves, who sits 30 points behind leader Scott Dixon in the chase for the IndyCar Series title, was penalized for driving under the out-of-bounds line at the bottom of the banked Chicagoland Speedway oval in Joliet, Ill., during qualifying. That negated a fourth-place effort for Castroneves, whose Team Penske teammate, Ryan Briscoe, knocked Dixon off the pole and into second. In today's PEAK Indy 300, Castroneves needs to win or finish second to keep his title hopes alive; Dixon can clinch his second title by finishing eighth or better . . . McLaren's Lewis Hamilton clinched the pole position for today's Formula One Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps . . . In WNBA action, DeLisha Milton-Jones had 16 points to help the Los Angeles Sparks (19-13) clinch a playoff berth with an 84-66 win over the host Houston Comets . . . Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 21 points as the Detroit Shock (19-12) beat the host Washington Mystics, 84-69 . . . Sue Bird scored 23 points as the host Seattle Storm rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Lynx, 96-88.

Former University of New Hampshire quarterback Henri "Hank" Hendricks and three other men were sentenced to jail terms Friday for their roles in the beating death last year of a professional surfer in La Jolla, Calif. Hendricks, 22, a friend and former protégé of Doug Flutie, pleaded guilty to being an accessory in the death of Emery Kauanui Jr., 24. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years probation. A fifth suspect, Sean Cravens, whom prosecutors allege delivered the fatal blow, awaits trial next month. BOB HOHLER