Channing Frye’s 3-point attempt rolled off the back of the rim at the buzzer, giving the Warriors their first win in Phoenix since March 18, 2005.

Ellis finished with a game-high 26 points, Dorell Wright had 23 and David Lee added 22 for the Warriors, who squandered a 21-point lead before rallying in the final 2:16.

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Golden State played all but 1 minute of the final three quarters and the entire second half without Stephen Curry, who strained a tendon in his right foot with 2:19 to play in the first quarter.

Frye had 22 points, Marcin Gortat scored 21 and Jared Dudley finished with 17 for the Suns, whose two-game winning streak was snapped.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Last week, several supervisors complained that the tentative agreement they approved last year had been altered, giving organizers new development rights at Pier 29 along with other financial benefits.

KCBS’ Barbara Taylor Reports:

Supervisor David Chiu went from a supporter to a no vote. “At this moment, there is absolutely zero support for event authority development at Pier 29,” said Chiu.

PHOTOS: Oracle AC 45′s Practice

He was not the only one that soured on the plan as Supervisor John Avalos said that the contract was no longer a fair deal.

“I think that we can have that win-win situation,” he said. “But the finances have to do a lot better for the city and I’m hoping we can all come to agree.”

Last weekend, event organizers tweaked the agreement, taking Pier 29 out along with some other provisions that had been deemed unacceptable.

Time is of the essence for the races to take place as scheduled as the Budget and Finance Committee needs to send the revised contract to the full Board of Supervisors for a vote by next week.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

He understands it—and he doesn’t much care anymore. He doesn’t take any of the comments directed at his girth personally, either.

“It’s part of my work, everybody wants to know what I weigh,” said Sandoval, who is set for a formal date with the scale Thursday. “I’m fine with that. I just keep working hard to maintain my weight and play hard. That’s what I’m focused on right now—playing hard baseball and that’s it. I block that out. I don’t pay too much attention. I just play my game and that’s it.”

This is a guy who’s never going to be called slim. And that hardly matters to the San Francisco slugger coming off an All-Star, comeback season. He hopes his rebound year in 2011 gives him momentum moving into this season. He has a hefty new $17.15 million, three-year contract to motivate him as well.

The Giants seem confident their happy-go-lucky third baseman’s weight will no longer be an issue. The 25-year-old Sandoval lost about 40 pounds through a rigorous regimen during the winter before last season to bring him down to about 240, then batted .315 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs in 2011.

Playing so much lighter, Sandoval exhibited improved agility on defense and better timing at the plate. He ran the bases with even more gusto than usual.

And he made the All-Star team as a late addition, selected by manager Bruce Bochy—the NL skipper based on the team’s World Series win in 2010 — subbing in as an injury replacement.

In 2009, Sandoval was one of the last players left off the team by Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

“Kung Fu Panda,” as he’s known, is eager to begin and prove himself again for any of the skeptics out there who spend their time criticizing his ever-changing midsection.

“I have to start getting ready for the season. I’ve been working hard. I have more muscle mass, I feel great,” Sandoval said.

During FanFest earlier this month, Bochy said Sandoval still had some weight to lose to get back to his ideal number heading into the year.

“Pablo looks good,” Bochy said. “He is (lighter than Feb. 4 at FanFest). That’s important for him and for us. We’ve still got two or three days here before we crank up those guys, but he’s here early getting some work in and that’s always a good sign. Feels good, looks good.”

Now, even the tiniest of fans are watching Sandoval’s every move.

“Who’s that?” backup catcher candidate Chris Stewart asked 3-year-old son, Sebastian, on Wednesday in the clubhouse cafeteria.

“Panda!” the boy said with glee.

“His favorite player,” Stewart noted.

Sandoval wants nothing more than to establish some consistency again and show that last year was no fluke. In his first full major league season in 2009, the switch hitter demonstrated his potential by hitting .330 with 25 homers and 90 RBIs in 153 games.

“That happens in your career, you have up and down years,” Sandoval said. “So, you have to focus and pay more attention to things. Last year was a lesson for me. Now, I know what I can do.  Now, I know what I have to do. For me last year was great. It’s the kind of season you want to have in your career. I got it and I’m happy to be here again—ready for it to happen again.”

The Giants don’t seem worried about their star player a year after they helped him learn better eating and training habits while challenging him to improve his fitness and lifestyle or risk being sent to the minor leagues. He shaped up, all right, and saved his job.

“He looks good,” athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said. “We will get a weight on him this week. He is getting close to where he needs to be.”

Among the latest position players to arrive ahead of Saturday’s first full-squad workout was first baseman and left fielder Aubrey Huff, fit and trim after a winter of pilates work—the same routine he did before his stellar 2010 season. Huff, never one to be modest, announced he soon would walk through the clubhouse sans clothes so everyone could see his fine offseason work for themselves.

“Huff Daddy’s here!” Bochy joked as Huff signed autographs, “playing third base and batting third.”

Huff, rewarded with a $22 million, two-year contract in the fall of 2010 after hitting .290 with a team-leading 26 home runs and 86 RBIs for the World Series champions, batted .246 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs last season. Like Sandoval before him, he’s the latest player called to task by the team brass.

“I’m coming in with a positive mind frame,” Huff said. “Ready to go.”

Notes: Ace Tim Lincecum will throw a bullpen session Thursday as long as his stiff back cooperates. He was scratched Tuesday with the back problem, which isn’t considered serious for the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner and projected opening day starter. Closer Brian Wilson and LHP reliever Dan Runzler also are slated to pitch bullpens Thursday if all goes well. … Former Giants manager Felipe Alou said he had his best winter yet as a fisherman. In fact, he caught 17 blackfin tuna on Dec. 25. He went out fishing solo on Christmas Day, “when everybody was hung over.” “I brought home so many fish I had to give them away,” he said with a smile. The 76-year-old Alou now works as a special assistant to general manager Brian Sabean. … New INF Ryan Theriot also is now in camp.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The high-scoring Knicks newcomer is on the cover of SI for the second week in a row. He’s the first New York-based team athlete to be given such treatment since the magazine started in 1954 — not even Mickey Mantle, Joe Namath or Eli Manning made two straight.

Lin became a global star after getting a chance to start for the Knicks. The unheralded point guard from Harvard is playing with a flair that has revitalized the team and the fans.

Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni was asked if all the attention on Lin could become a negative.

“It might, who knows. You never know, but we’re not afraid of it. He’s a great kid and he deserves it,” D’Antoni said. “It’s an unbelievable story, it’s fun, people are excited and we’ll see where it goes.

“Will it be a storybook ending? Everybody hopes so and that’s what we’re going to work for. But I do know he’s a heck of a basketball player, so we’ll just ride it and see where it goes.”

Lin is the 12th athlete to appear on the SI cover at least two weeks in a row since 1990. Dirk Nowitzki did it during last season’s NBA finals. Michael Jordan holds the SI cover record with three in row.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Jeff Carter had three goals—two on the power play during Columbus’ four-goal first period—and the last-place Blue Jackets handed the Sharks their season-high fourth straight loss, 6-3.

“They were much better prepared to compete than the white team,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. “The disappointing thing for me is the lack of urgency that we entered the game with.”

The Sharks fell to 1-4-1 on their season-long, nine-game road trip.

R.J. Umberger and Rick Nash, who is the subject of trade rumors with the deadline less than a week away, had a goal and an assist.

Rookie David Savard also scored for Columbus. Vinny Prospal and Derick Brassard added three and two assists, respectively.

“I think that’s kind of what we envisioned the start of the season,” Umberger said. “It just didn’t work out that way.  Confidence has a lot to do with a lot of stuff. Tonight we got it early in the game.”

Steve Mason was mostly sharp in making 38 saves to get the win and surpass Marc Denis as the Blue Jackets’ career wins leader.

Logan Couture scored twice and Joe Thornton also had a goal for San Jose. Starting goalie Antti Niemi was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots.

“Right now we should be a desperate team,” McLellan said.

“That’s very concerning.”

Carter scored his 15^th goal and the third of the game for his second hat trick this season at 1:26 of the third to give Columbus a 6-2 lead.

Couture scored his team-leading 27^th goal on a redirection on a power play to make it 6-3 at 8:35 of the third to give San Jose some life.

Then just 13 seconds later, the Sharks thought they pulled closer when Jamie McGinn batted in another high puck that went into the air behind Mason.

But the play went to video review and it was ruled the puck was hit when it was above the crossbar and the goal was disallowed.

“Even when the score was 6-3, San Jose is a good team, they kept pushing,” Blue Jackets interim coach Todd Richards said.  “But our goalie made saves at key times for us.”

Columbus started strong, scoring twice in the first seven minutes. The Blue Jackets then made it 3-0, ending Niemi’s night and added one more with 30 seconds left in the period. Niemi was replaced by Thomas Greiss, who stopped 21 of 24 shots.

“Scoring early, I think it gave us some confidence,” Richards said. “Especially on the power play.”

Umberger found the net first, poking in his own rebound for his 10^th of the season at 4:55.

Carter made it 2-0 at 6:51 on the power play with a shot from the high slot past Niemi after a nice give and go passing play with Prospal.

Then Nash curled out of the right corner, and scored on a wrister from between the circles for his 20^th at 15:18, sending Niemi to the bench.

On the fourth goal, the puck skidded off two San Jose players to Carter, who with his back to the net, redirected it past Greiss at 19:30 on another man advantage.

“In the back of our mind we were kind of thinking about that game after the All-Star break when they got us pretty good,” Carter said. “There was a little bit of a revenge factor there.”

The Sharks scored twice in a 26-second span early in the second period to cut the deficit in half.

Thornton scored his 13^th of the season at 5:11 to make 4-1.

Couture then took a pass into the zone from Michal Handzus and

ripped a shot from the left dot over Mason’s glove at 5:37.

But the momentum was short-lived because two minutes later, Ryan Clowe was assessed a double minor—one penalty for a cross check, the other for unsportsmanlike conduct when he slammed the penalty box door.

Savard sent a one-timer from the left point that hit another skate in traffic at 10:59 to make it 5-2 with Clowe in the box.

Carter scored his third of the game just 1:26 into the third on a pass from Nash, who also had an open look at the at the net.

“Our big players really stepped up tonight. … but I felt we got contributions from everyone,” Richards said.

NOTES: With the trade deadline less than a week away, scouts for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Phoenix and Detroit watched from the press box. …  Columbus’ four-goal, first-period outburst was one short of tying the franchise record, set March 15, 2003, in the first period of a 5-0 win over visiting Minnesota. … Columbus D Nikita Nikitin, playing his first game after missing 12 with a knee injury, picked up an assist on Savard’s goal. … Blue Jackets C Antoine Vermette played in his 600^th career game and Carter played in his 500^th. …  The Sharks have allowed six goals—a season high—in two of their past four games.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Bobby Evans, Giants vice president of baseball operations, says the club is hopeful the concerns of the U.S. Consulate in the Dominican Republic are “short-lived.”

“We’re hoping we’ll be able to get past the delay at some point,” Evans said Tuesday. “They cited health reasons and he’s on a visa that’s really set aside for elite athletes, which is an expectation that he’s in a certain level of conditioning that would afford him that opportunity. And they didn’t deem him where he should be, and yet we’ve been working with him the last couple of months and feel like he’s awful close, so we’re a little disappointed.”

Villalona was charged in the September 2009 death of a 25-year-old man at a bar in his Caribbean homeland. He was freed on bond that November after the family of the deceased asked a judge to drop the case. But Villalona was also stripped of his U.S. visa at the time.

Last October, Villalona said he had dropped a lawsuit against the Giants seeking $5 million in damages after the team decided to reinstate him to its farm system. He alleged the Giants kept him on the inactive list even though he had been cleared of homicide charges. Villalona had sought back wages and punitive damages.

Now, he has a locker at Scottsdale Stadium waiting for his spring arrival—if it happens, that is. Villalona was added to the Giants’ 40-man roster in November.

He received a $2.1 million bonus when San Francisco signed him at age 16 in August 2006. It was the biggest bonus the franchise had ever given to an amateur player.

He was considered among the club’s top prospects before the 2008 season and was selected for the Futures Game during All-Star festivities that year. San Francisco reportedly outbid the New York Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners for Villalona.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound slugging first baseman had drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre and Wily Mo Pena. He played in 74 games for Class-A San Jose in ‘09, batting .267 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs.

Also Tuesday, ace Tim Lincecum did not throw as planned because he is nursing stiffness in his back. Manager Bruce Bochy doesn’t consider it serious.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner and projected opening day starter played catch on flat ground on a back field before going inside for treatment. He joins fellow starter and 2011 All-Star Ryan Vogelsong as pitchers with back injuries already early in camp. Vogelsong strained his back lifting weights at home in Pennsylvania on Feb. 7 and isn’t likely to throw for up to two weeks. He also spent Sunday night and Monday fighting the stomach flu.

Lincecum should be back on the mound soon.

“General stiffness. It’s a pretty normal thing in spring training,” Bochy said. “That’s how we’re looking at it right now.  He played a little catch on a back field earlier and we’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow. I don’t see this being an issue at all. He was pretty stiff. We weren’t going to push it.”

Position players getting their work in Tuesday—three days ahead of the first full-squad session—included slugger Pablo Sandoval and second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who is returning from labrum surgery on his right shoulder and is not expected to be ready until the second week of Cactus League action next month. He also might be used as a designated hitter in some games if the opposing team agrees to that arrangement.

The Giants greatly missed having Sanchez’s sure-handed glove helping turn double plays and also his reliable presence high in the batting order.

Sanchez was a key part of the 2010 World Series championship run for San Francisco, which failed to reach the playoffs last fall after finishing second in the NL West to surprising Arizona.

“He’s a big part of it—the No. 2 hitter, also a good defender out there with experience,” Bochy said. “He could have softened the blow of losing a guy like Buster (Posey) because he can hit two or three hole or you can put him down in the order a little bit. We missed the bat, there’s no getting around it. It caught up with us.”

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

PHOENIX (CBS 5) – One of my favorite movies scenes from Titanic is Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) playing poker against a Swede who runs out of cash, so he uses his Titanic ticket as collateral.  Jack Dawson lies about his collateral and tells his playing partner, “When you got nothing, you got nothin’ to lose.”  

That’s exactly the case with Billy Beane’s strategy of signing Manny Ramirez.   We’ve seen this script before.  Beane signs a power-hitting veteran whose best years are clearly in the rear-view mirror.  As Beane told David Justice in Moneyball, he’s not paying Manny for what he did five years ago. He’s paying Manny for what he can do now, and provide some leadership along the way. 

Frank Thomas was the best example of how this low-risk gamble paid off.  He signed a one-year deal with Oakland for $500-thousand with incentives worth $2.6 million. Thomas was 37 years old coming off a season full of leg injuries, a .219 average, 12 home runs and 26 RBI in only 34 games.  He exploded with the A’s, hitting 39 home runs, driving in 114 runs, and leading the A’s to the playoffs.  Yea, I’d say he got those incentives.

Subsequent signings haven’t lived up to the Thomas deal. Piazza, Nomar, Matsui, Giambi redux have all come and gone. But Beane’s strategy is sound.  “When you got nothin’, you got nothin’ to lose.”  

Perhaps the pertinent question for Billy is why he signed a player who isn’t eligible to play until May 30.  Will the A’s be within shouting distance of the Rangers and Angels?  But again, I don’t see a risk.  If Manny produces and the A’s are long gone in the playoff race he becomes trade bait, hence, another prospect when your San Jose A’s take the field in 2016.

Yoenis Cespedes?  At four years and $36 million, that’s a risk.

By the way.  Dawson won the poker hand and the ticket on Titanic.  We all know how that ended.

See you on TV from Spring Training this weekend.

The speculation surrounding Kardashian and Lin has led gambling website Bovada.LV to post odds on whether Lin and Kardashian go on a date, settling the line at 5/1. For the bet to pay, the pair must go on a date prior to the conclusion of the 2012 NBA Finals.

Read more on this story on the CBS Sports Eye on Basketball blog.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS Interactive. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Udoh had a layup and a tying put-back dunk with 4:05 remaining that started an 11-2 run to end the game for the Warriors. Golden State snapped a three-game losing streak and avenged a Christmas night blowout loss to the Clippers. Biedrins missed the game with flulike symptoms.

Chris Paul had 25 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Mo Williams made his first six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points in Los Angeles’ second straight loss. The Clippers had 18 turnovers and shot just 42 percent.

The rematch of the Clippers’ 105-86 win in the season opener looked little like the original.

Williams made his first three shots from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, giving the Clippers a one-point lead each time. The last 3 put the Clippers ahead 89-88 halfway through the final period.

What looked to be shaping up as a back-and-forth finish turned out to be a runaway.

Brandon Rush hit a 3-pointer to put the Warriors back in front 98-97 with 2:07 left, and Ellis followed with a running floater over Jordan. Udoh lay on the floor for a few minutes clutching his left knee after the play but returned for the final minute. He shut down Blake Griffin, who had a costly turnover, and DeAndre Jordan in the process.

Griffin had 21 points and nine rebounds but was in foul trouble for most of the second half. Jordan, who the Warriors tried to sign in free agency, had five points and 11 rebounds.

Golden State’s boost at center kept it close all night.

Udoh made his first five shots to power the Warriors with a rare inside presence. The second-year center from Baylor also grabbed several key rebounds and knocked down a jumper in the second quarter to give Golden State a 33-23 lead early in the second quarter.

Udoh’s strong start slowed Griffin and Jordan in the early going. His highlights also did little to quiet critics of Biedrins, the Latvian center who is often the focal point of Golden State’s struggles.

The Clippers did find their spring. And so did Griffin.

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year had a left-handed dunk, and spun around David Lee for a two-hand slam during a 15-2 run that pushed Los Angeles ahead 38-35 in the second quarter. The Warriors had the final highlight of the half when Udoh swished a jumper with 2.3 seconds remaining to tie it at 56 at the break.

The Clippers turnover woes kept Golden State close.

During the third quarter, Reggie Evans had a pass intercepted by Nate Robinson. The Warriors grabbed two offensive rebounds before Jordan threw another turnover to Lee, allowing Golden State to take a 77-74 lead into the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Curry addressed the crowd before the game, thanking fans for their support in the final home game before the All-Star break. The Warriors won’t play at home again until March 7 against Memphis. … Entertainer Too $hort performed with the Warriors dance team during a break in the third quarter. … Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis sat courtside in an all white team outfit. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch and former Raiders quarterback and 1970 Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett also were in attendance.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

OAKLAND (CBS 5) – Spike Lee was sporting a Harvard jersey during Jeremy Lin’s latest bite out the Big Apple. At least Spike can claim he put the wheels on the bandwagon. Every other celebrity is looking for a seat.  And Warrior fans can only ponder, “Why didn’t it happen in Oakland?”  

The short answer is that the Warriors never saw this Jeremy Lin.  Over the weekend Lin said during his time with the Warriors he didn’t play his game. He said he was so concerned about fitting in and not making mistakes that he played not to make miscue.  

Last night on Gameday, Warriors GM Larry Riley said he was cheered for signing Lin and booed for letting him go. But even Riley said the team never saw this version of Lin.  And it’s likely the Knicks wouldn’t have seen it either had it been for the injuries to the entire backcourt.

So what changed?  After his release by Houston, Lin said he promised to himself that the next shot he got at an NBA team, he’d play his brand of basketball. And now we’re witnessing his high-risk, high-reward style of basketball. Of course, a 10-game sampling hardly constitutes a starting resume.  But, at the very least, he’s proven and earned a 20-minute per game role.  

Perhaps a bigger clue to Lin’s future will come in the next 10-20 games and how defenses adjust to his game, and how he counter adjusts. Double teams, disrupt his pick-n-roll, keep forcing turnovers, you get the point.

As for Warrior fans?  Don’t blame management for this one.  Jeremy never brought his Linsanity game here.

See you on TV.

Filmmaker Spike Lee, one of the team’s biggest fans, wore Lin’s former Paly jersey during Friday night’s game against the New Orleans Hornets.

Lee had agreed to wear the jersey after hearing Lin’s former high school basketball coach Peter Diepenbrock on a New York sports radio program. Diepebrock said he was coming to town to see some Knicks games and joked that his goal was to put Lin’s jersey on Lee’s back.

On Thursday, former Palo Alto High School player Chris Bobel flew to New York and delivered the jersey to Lee’s people in advance of the game, and Diepenbrock’s offhand comment became a reality.

“They did lose that game, but it was still pretty neat to see
Spike wearing the high school jersey,” Bobel said.

Bobel was also at Friday’s game, sitting with some of Lee’s friends, and wore his own former high school jersey.

“As I was walking around wearing my Palo Alto jersey, people were asking, how can they get one?” Bobel said.

Someone even asked if they could have his, but Bobel declined,
saying he had earned it by playing.

“They were just asking where they could get Palo Alto stuff,” he said.

Bobel, who was a few years ahead of Lin in school, didn’t get to chat with Lin himself and had to fly back to the Bay Area today, missing out on a lunch with Lin and a group of former Paly players who had traveled to New York over the weekend.

“They’re all having lunch with him right now,” Bobel said by phone during a midday layover in Philadelphia.

He said he coached freshman basketball at Palo Alto High School when Lin was a junior, and now works for the startup Box.com.

Bobel said the Palo Alto basketball community is small, and that he enjoyed the reunion and the excitement of watching Lin play.

“It was a good chance for a lot of us to see each other,” he said.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed)

The A’s announced the deal Monday. Ramirez is expected to report to spring training by the end of the week.

Ramirez’ contract is worth approximately $500,000, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday.

ESPN first reported earlier Mondaythat the sides had reached agreement, speaking directly to Ramirez. The person confirmed the sides were closing in on a contract, speaking on condition of anonymity because Ramirez had to take a physical and likely another drug test.

The A’s made public their interest in the 12-time All-Star, who is due to serve a 50-game suspension for his second positive drug test before he can play for Oakland. Barring rainouts, his first game could be May 30 — on his 40th birthday.

He has been working out in Florida this winter, so he will now travel to Arizona to join his new team — probably in time for Oakland’s first full-squad workout Saturday.

Ramirez was expected to sign a minor league deal, which would keep him off the 40-man roster. For the low-budget A’s, Ramirez presents a low-risk bargain. They don’t have to pay him during his suspension and will give him per diem money during the club’s stint in the desert, which is shorter than usual because of two opening games in Japan next month.

Oakland sent representatives to Florida this winter to watch workouts by Ramirez, who retired from the Tampa Bay Rays last season rather than serve a 100-game suspension. For Ramirez, this could become a chance to help repair his reputation and serve as a positive clubhouse influence on a young team.

The A’s recently agreed to terms on a $36 million, four-year contract with highly regarded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, a Cuban defector who has expressed interest in playing with Ramirez.

At baseball’s winter meetings in December, it was announced that Ramirez had applied for reinstatement. He had his suspension for a second failed drug test cut to 50 games because he sat out nearly all of last season. MLB had announced his retirement on April 8, saying he was notified “of an issue” under the drug program.

Ramirez ranks 14th on the career list with 555 home runs. He went 1 for 17 (.059) in five games last season for Tampa Bay, which had signed him to a one-year deal worth $2.02 million.

This will be the 20th major league season for Ramirez, a career .312 hitter with 1,831 RBIs.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)

During the offseason, he worked on bending his front leg to get lower to the ground and speed up the momentum the ball gains traveling to the plate. The San Francisco left-hander is headed into the sixth season of a $126 million, seven-year contract as the Giants’ projected fifth starter and is out to prove himself once again.

Zito revealed his new crouching style during a spring training throwing session Sunday.

“It’s pretty subtle from a feel standpoint. As far as when it manifests in momentum, that’s when it’s a little more noticeable,” Zito said. “It was something I was doing a little bit last year that you guys were aware of, just getting a little bit more momentum down the mound. That was something that I worked on all offseason.”

Zito’s plan is fairly simple: get back to keeping hitters guessing by disguising what he’s throwing. While he wouldn’t acknowledge whether he thought his pitches might have become too easy to pick up, he noted, “I think there’s always room for improvement.”

Zito’s nasty curveball often comes from him first establishing a reliable fastball.

That’s where he hopes the latest change might make a difference. He’s not promising a spike on the radar gun just yet.

“Your legs more into ends up meaning that you get down the mound faster,” Zito said. “And when you have more momentum that you’re transferring it might equivocate to more arm speed. I’m just trying to get late movement. If velocity comes, great. They talk about the tunnel, when all of your pitches look like they’re coming out of the same tunnel. That’s ideal.”

Zito’s extended time on the DL last year allowed Ryan Vogelsong to emerge as one of the most reliable pitchers in the rotation. He became a surprise All-Star. Now, Vogelsong is nursing a strained back for at least a week and possibly up to two.

The Giants asked Zito to arrive stronger and in better shape, and he obliged. As the No. 5 starter, the pressure should be off: eat up innings and get deep enough into the game until it’s time for the bullpen to take over.

“He looks good,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s coming in with a renewed freshness. He’s excited to get going.”

Zito spent two stints on the disabled list last season both because of a strained right foot, the second time starting Aug. 1, a day after he lost his third straight decision in a 9-0 defeat at Cincinnati. His velocity had regularly been clocked at 82 mph, a sign to the Giants he still wasn’t right.

When Zito missed time earlier in the 2011 season because of the foot that he hurt attempting to field a bunt, it was the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner’s first career stint on the DL. He won his first three outings after coming off the disabled list the first time, but then struggled again.

He wound up 3-4 with a 5.87 ERA in 13 games and nine starts, pitching only 53 2-3 innings.

The 33-year-old, who received his big-money deal before the 2007 season to come across the bay from Oakland, is ready to start fresh this spring after two rough years.

He was left off the postseason roster for all three rounds in 2010, when the Giants captured their first World Series title since moving West in 1958.

He went 9-14 in 2010 and lost to the Padres on the second-to-last day of the year when San Francisco had a chance to clinch the division. The Giants wound up doing it in their final game, then made their improbable postseason run to capture the franchise’s first championship since moving West in 1958.

Zito could only watch.

He has faced the criticism with class — knowing full he has greatly underachieved since joining the Giants. He hasn’t backed down from any challenge.

“It’s important to keep coming back out there, keep improving and keep working on things,” Zito said. “Looking back is good to learn but you’ve got to look forward.”

In 2010, he failed to reach 10 wins for the first time since his rookie season in 2000. His 4.15 ERA was the fourth-highest of his career. He went 1-8 with a 6.72 ERA over his last 11 outings and 10 starts and only had one victory in his last 15 appearances. The stretch included a career-worst nine-game losing streak from July 21 to Sept. 14.

Zito would rather not revisit the ups and downs of the past two years, or his entire tenure in San Francisco for that matter.

“I think I’ve made progress. Just keep working and move forward, don’t look back,” he said. “As long as we go out and have fun things end up pretty good. It’s just about keeping it fun and light.”

Zito understands the Giants are preparing highly touted lefty Eric Surkamp as a starter this spring and that the young prospect will be eager to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Surkamp was promoted from Double-A Richmond in late August last year to make a much-hyped debut.

And Zito still has that huge contract hanging over him at all times — as much as he tries to push it out of his mind. San Francisco released outfielder Aaron Rowand last Aug. 31 in a surprise move considering he was the club’s second-highest paid player behind Zito. At the time, general manager Brian Sabean said he wasn’t sure if Zito would even be in the plans for this season.

Zito, who got married in December, keeps going about his business. So, just how does Zito go about staying loose when the pressure is mounting?

“It’s an individual approach that I have. It’s more of something I just keep it balled up, keep the energy there,” Zito said. “It’s a magic formula.”

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)

Raonic captured a second straight SAP Open championship Sunday behind a powerful serve nobody in San Jose could solve, rolling past Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-6 (3), 6-2 in the finals.

Raonic (pronounced Rau-nitch) ripped seven aces and lost only four points on his serve the entire match, turning the tournament into a serving exhibition in the climate-controlled conditions of an indoor arena.

The 6-foot-5 Canadian has dropped only two service games in two years in San Jose.

“This really just for myself, I think, puts a lot of the injury thing behind me but also for a lot of other people,” said Raonic, whose rapid rise stalled last year following hip surgery in July. “I’m back and playing better tennis than ever before.”

Look out.

After a slip on Wimbledon’s grass last year slowed his surge, Raonic is rising rapidly again. The 21-year-old, who also had to be replaced last week in Canada’s loss to France in the Davis Cup because of a left knee injury, began the tournament ranked 32nd and will head to Memphis next week as one of the favorites.

Raonic relied on his powerful, penetrating serve to again punish his opponent.

He won 44 of 48 points on his serve in the final and has won 83 of 85 service games in two years at the tournament. In the serene surroundings of an NHL arena, Raonic roared in the final.

Raonic unleashed a 150 mph ace past Istomin at the start of the sixth game that drew stunned roars from the crowd. Istomin challenged the point — perhaps in part to try to shake up his opponent — on a ball that clearly landed inside the line, even chuckling as he watched the video screen while setting up for the next point.

“I didn’t see it at all,” Istomin said, laughing. “That’s why I challenged it.”

That’s about all he could do.

After neither player could break the other, Raonic rested on his serve in a first-set tiebreaker. He fired a backhand return right at Istomin, forcing his lanky opponent to backpedal into a miss, and followed with a forehand approach for a winner to go ahead 5-1 in the breaker.

Istomin had little room for error.

He flicked a forehand into the net and sailed a baseline backhand long to fall behind 3-1 in the second set and never had so much as a break point. Raonic pounced on Istomin again to force a backhand long and then a forehand into the net on match point, looking to the rafters and raising his hands in triumph while Istomin simply smirked.

“I think last year I was a lot more unaware of what was really going on,” Raonic said. “This year, I have a lot higher expectations. I know how to prepare, I know how to deal with things and I feel like I’m a much better tennis player than I was last year.”

The results show.

A year ago, Raonic became the first Canadian to win an ATP Tour title since Greg Rusedski won in South Korea in 1995. Now he has three career singles titles — and is the first two-time winner on the tour this year after winning in India earlier this month — and is again making a name for himself on the circuit.

Raonic joins Andy Murray (2006-07), Andy Roddick (2004-05), Mark Philippoussis (1999-2000) and Pete Sampras (1996-97) — whose serve Raonic mimicked as a kid in Canada — as recent back-to-back champions in San Jose. He took home the winner’s check for $95,860, while Istomin won $50,485.

In doubles, Mark Knowles and Xavier Malisse beat Kevin Anderson and Frank Moser 6-4, 1-6, 10-5 (tiebreaker) in the finals. It was Knowles’ 55th career doubles title in his 99th final.

But all the attention remained on the young man with a bright yellow shirt and a wicked serve on court.

Raonic rose to as high as No. 25 in the rankings last year — the highest ever for a Canadian — before his season derailed with a slip on Wimbledon’s grass. He had hip surgery in July that sliced his season short, still earning ATP Newcomer of the Year honors after such a stirring start.

The Bay Area also has been kind to other Canadian athletes in recent years.

Aleksandra Wozniak ended a 20-year title drought for Canadian women when she won at Stanford in 2008. And Raonic ended the streak on the men’s side last year in the same building where fellow Canadians such as Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Dan Boyle star for the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.

“If the real estate wasn’t so expensive here,” Raonic said, “maybe I’d buy a place.”

A few more wins and he might be able to afford a house anywhere he wants.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)

Singler finished with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists while Olu Ashaolu added 14 points off the bench for the Ducks (19-8, 10-5 Pac-12), who have won two straight at Maples Pavilion following a 24-game losing streak that dated to 1986.

More importantly, the win moves Oregon into a fourth-place tie with Arizona with three regular-season games remaining. That’s critical because the top four teams in the standings receive first-round byes in the Pac-12 tournament.

Josh Owens had 20 points and Dwight Powell scored 11 for Stanford (18-9, 8-7). The Cardinal went scoreless over the final 3:45 after taking a 64-61 lead on Owens’ dunk.

Oregon trailed by as much as nine and didn’t take its first lead until less than 9 minutes remained.

Stanford responded with a 9-2 run and led 60-56 before Singler keyed the Ducks comeback two days after his desperation heave at the buzzer fell short in an 86-83 loss to California.

Singler banked in a shot high off the glass, made a 3-pointer, scored on a lean-in layup through traffic and then made another 3 to put Oregon ahead 66-64.

Stanford, which tried to recruit Singler out of Medford, Ore., two years ago, had multiple chances to tie but missed three shots and committed a pair of costly turnovers, allowing the Ducks to complete the season sweep.

Owens had one of the turnovers while Chasson Randle missed two shots, including a layup attempt with 4.8 seconds left.

Devoe Joseph rebounded Randle’s miss and was fouled. He sank both free throws and finished with 12 points.

Aaron Bright tried a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer for Stanford but missed. The Cardinal fell to 13-3 at home.

The Ducks, who beat Stanford 78-67 on Jan. 5 in Eugene, completed the sweep of their conference rivals despite a sloppy first half when they missed their first five shots and fell behind 16-7.

Stanford still led by seven with 1:30 left in the first half before Oregon cut the gap to 31-28 following Ashaolu’s dunk and Singler’s 10-foot turnaround jumper.

Ashaolu, who went into the game averaging 8.2 points, later scored on a reverse dunk after driving the baseline early in the second half to keep the Ducks within three and added a pair of critical three-point plays. The second gave Oregon a 52-51 lead, its first lead of the game.

Powell had five points as part of a 9-2 run that gave the Cardinal a 60-54 lead with 6:20 left before Singler helped rally the Ducks again — this time for good.

While Oregon improved its outlook for the stretch run, Stanford dropped two games out of fourth place and needs to sweep its final three games to have a shot at a first-round bye.

San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who coached four seasons at Stanford before jumping to the NFL, was among those in attendance.

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Detroit, which broke the league’s single-season record of 20 on Tuesday, surpassed the 22 wins in a row the Boston Bruins had over two seasons more than eight decades ago.

Henrik Zetterberg and Drew Miller gave Detroit a two-goal lead midway through the second period and Darren Helm restored the two-goal edge 7:01 into the third.

Logan Couture scored late in the second period for the Sharks and Patrick Marleau pulled them within a goal with 4:44 left.

The Red Wings won their sixth straight game, all in a homestand at Joe Louis Arena, and have an NHL-high 84 points.

Detroit’s Joey MacDonald, filling in for the injured Jimmy Howard, made 31 saves.

The Pacific Division-leading Sharks have lost six of eight.

San Jose’s Antti Niemi gave up a goal on the second shot he faced and finished with 25 saves.

The Red Wings snapped a five-game losing streak against San Jose in the regular season, beating a team that has eliminated them in the second round in each of the past two postseasons.

MacDonald won his sixth straight game in place of Howard, who isn’t being rushed to return after breaking his right index finger. Howard is expected to play Tuesday night at Chicago.

Detroit got off to a good start against the Sharks, getting goals from Zetterberg 6:30 into the game and Miller midway through the second, but it wasn’t easy to beat them as usual.

Couture was credited for a goal after video review that bounced off the top of the net and appeared to be whacked into the net by Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader on a power play with 5:27 left in the second period.

Miller’s centering pass set up Helm for a shot from the slot in the third. Later, Marleau finished off a goal-mouth scramble by stuffing the puck past MacDonald.

NOTES: The NHL’s second-longest winning streak at home this season is eight, shared by Calgary and Colorado. The second-longest active streak at home is five, shared by St. Louis and Phoenix. … In the shootout’s seven-season era, the previous mark for the longest home winning streak was 14 by Boston during the 2008-09 season. … San Jose beat Detroit 5-2 in their previous meeting and won 4-2 at Joe Louis Arena on Oct. 28. . …. MacDonald shares the longest winning streak by a goalie born in Nova Scotia with Wendell Young and Pokey Reddick, who won six in a row for Pittsburgh and Winnipeg, respectively, two-plus decades ago. MacDonald won a combined six games the previous two seasons for Detroit and Toronto. … San Jose D Jason Demers played for the first time in nearly a month. … The Red Wings’ next home game is Thursday night against Vancouver.

Paolo Mancasola hit a pair of tiebreaking free throws with 2:36 left and DuPont scored the Aggies’ final seven points to help UC Davis (4-22) snap a 15-game road losing streak.

Durrell Norman scored a career-high 26 points for the Lumberjacks (5-22), who led 41-20 late in the first half. Gaellan Bewernick added 14 points and 13 rebounds for Northern Arizona, which has lost 14 straight.

The game was part of the BracketBusters series.

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This time it meant a costly loss for the perennial West Coast Conference power.

No. 24 Gonzaga went scoreless over the final 3:44 and the Bulldogs’ hopes for a 12th consecutive conference title took a serious hit Saturday with a 66-65 loss to the Dons.

“It’s just us. It’s nothing about this team or this building,” said Elias Harris, who had a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. “Basically, we made it really simple for San Francisco to guard us the last 3 minutes because nothing really happened. It was just our pure stupidity.”

Gonzaga held the Dons to three points over the final 7:15 but the Bulldogs had their own offensive problems and couldn’t score on their final six possessions.

Rashad Green hit a short leaner with 3.3 seconds left to send the Bulldogs (21-5, 11-3) to their third loss in a row at War Memorial Gym.

“We got enough stops to probably win, but we had a bunch of empty possessions there in the last 2 minutes,” said Gonzaga coach Mark Few said, whose team dropped a game behind No. 21 Saint Mary’s in the conference standings with two games remaining.

Gonzaga, which needed a late second-half surge to beat Santa Clara two nights earlier, shot 51.1 percent from the floor but allowed San Francisco to score 26 points off turnovers.

“It was a short preparation for this game, but we spent a lot of time on (turnovers),” Few said. “USF is always challenging you with the traps and the pressure. You’ve got to be smarter and tougher than that.”

Green finished with 16 points, Perris Blackwell added 14 points and 10 rebounds and Michael Williams scored 13 for the Dons (18-11, 8-7).

Fans in the capacity crowd stormed center court after the buzzer and mobbed San Francisco’s players and coaches.

Dons coach Rex Walters preferred his players not take part in the celebration but understood the crowd’s reaction.

“You need to understand what Gonzaga is,” Walters said. “They are a machine. They are a basketball machine and they are not a mid-major. They are a high-major program. For us to get that win is big.”

Green’s game-winner capped a frantic final 2 minutes, when a referee’s inadvertent whistle appeared to cost Gonzaga a possession with 1:07 left.

San Francisco’s Cody Doolin had his shot blocked by 7-foot center Robert Sacre, then the Dons made another critical mistake when Williams had his pass stolen by Gonzaga’s Cody Hart with 44 seconds left.

After Harris missed a short jumper for the Bulldogs, Cole Dickerson rebounded the ball and got it to Green streaking down the right side. He cut through the key and scored to stun Gonzaga for the third straight year.

Early on, it appeared the Bulldogs were headed for an easy win.

Gonzaga led by seven early in the first half behind Gary Bell Jr. and the interior defense of Sacre. Coming off back-to-back low-scoring games against Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara, Bell made three 3-pointers and scored 13 points in the first 20 minutes.

When the Dons switched to a full-court press, the Bulldogs struggled to adjust, had trouble getting the ball past midcourt and lost their lead.

Williams scored five points, Green had four and San Francisco went on a 13-0 run to bring the capacity crowd to its feet. Green later made a 14-footer at the buzzer while falling to the floor to give the Dons a 36-33 halftime lead.

The teams stayed close and traded the lead five times before Green’s decisive shot.

Bell had 16 points while Sacre finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for Gonzaga.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Allen scored after Rudy Gay missed a shot to the right of the lane. Memphis also won off a miss from Gay on Friday night, beating Denver 103-102 on Dante Cunningham’s tip.

The Warriors had one last shot after Allen’s tip-in, but David Lee was called for an offensive foul with less than a second left, sending the Warriors their third straight loss.

Gay led Memphis with 19 points, and O.J. Mayo had 18. Marc Gasol added 17 points and 13 rebounds, Marreese Speights had 16 points, Mike Conley finished with 15 points and six assists, and Allen had 11 points.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 36 points, matching his season high. Monta Ellis finished with 33 points, and Lee had 14 points and nine rebounds. Curry and Ellis each had six assists.

The game was close throughout the fourth quarter. Memphis had a five-point lead, but that was the biggest advantage either team had in the final period.

Part of that came from Memphis missing four straight free throws while trailing or tied.

There were eight ties and nine lead changes in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors took a 103-102 lead on Epke Udoh’s two free throws with 28.1 seconds left, setting the stage for Allen’s winner.

Memphis connected on its first six shots, building an 18-point lead, en route to hitting 14 of its 20 shots in the first quarter.

Curry kept the Warriors close. He connected on five of his first six shots in the second quarter, including four from long range, and, with the help of Ellis, put pressure on Memphis by opening the period with a 24-8 run to erase the Grizzlies’ advantage.

Golden State eventually would outscore Memphis 37-20 in the second period, helping the Warriors carry a 56-54 advantage into the halftime break.

The Warriors starting backcourt was a combined 15 of 26 in the half. Curry had 23 points at intermission, and Ellis added 17.

Memphis shot well at 59 percent, but the Grizzlies were hampered by 10 turnovers. Gasol and Speights had 11 points each for Memphis, and Gay scored 10 before the break.

The Grizzlies missed 10 of their first 13 shots in the third.

Memphis was able to whittle the advantage in the latter stages of the quarter, leaving the Warriors up 78-76 entering the fourth.

NOTES: Memphis wore its throwback Memphis Tams uniforms from the ABA days. … The game was the nightcap of a college-NBA doubleheader at the FedExForum. Earlier, UTEP beat Memphis 60-58. … Curry had been held under 15 points in each of the previous four games. … Memphis has won four straight in the series.

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The Racers (26-1) have already clinched the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title, but were still short of victories over quality opponents since beating Memphis in early December before hosting this Bracket Buster matchup with the Gaels.

It was never very close.

Murray State jumped out to a 10-2 lead and never trailed, building a double-digit advantage early in the second half and cruising from there in front of a sold-out CFSB Center.

Matthew Dellavedova scored 17 points for Saint Mary’s (23-5), which has lost three of four. Now the Gaels will face a 2,300-mile trek home and questions about their NCAA tournament resume.

Murray State opened the second half with consecutive baskets to take its first double-digit lead as Canaan and the Racers turned up the pressure while shooting 58.1 percent from the field.

In one sequence, Canaan curled off a screen and took a pass from Poole to hit another long 3-pointer, and Brandon Garrett blocked Brad Waldow’s attempt that led to a 3-on-1 break completed by Canaan after passes from Poole and Zay Jackson.

After Dellavedova answered with a jumper, Canaan hit another shot from beyond the arc that made it 52-35 with 11:28 left as the Racers extended it to as many as 19 late.

A banged-up Saint Mary’s squad needed two flights and a two-hour bus ride just to reach Murray on Friday. It’ll seem like an even longer trip home for the California school with a bus ride back to Nashville after the game and a stop Sunday in Houston before landing in Oakland following this effort.

Saint Mary’s was without defensive stopper Stephen Holt, who hurt his right knee in Wednesday night’s 75-60 loss to Loyola Marymount. Dellavedova rolled his right ankle in the same game, but played without a brace and appeared at times to be the only player willing to try to create for the Gaels after Rob Jones got into foul trouble early.

At times, the atmosphere resembled an oversized high school gymnasium at the CFSB Center with three seniors being honored and a nationally televised broadcast.

Murray State officials warned students earlier in the week not to try to scalp their tickets, and instead, they turned out in force to see the team that started the season with 23 straight wins and rose to as high as ninth in the poll.

Fans began cramming into every nook of the arena that opened in 1998 nearly 90 minutes before tip, with students wrapping around two sides of the building and fans standing up along the very top rows across the steps.

The Racers made it hard to sit early, jumping out to a 10-2 lead capped by 3-pointers from Canaan and Poole. The Gaels never got closer than 20-17 when Dellavedova hit a fadeaway jumper. Jones picked up his third foul with 4:38 left in the first half when he fouled Canaan, who hit a 24-footer.

Canaan couldn’t complete the four-point play, but senior Jewuan Long added a jumper, and Latreze Mushatt and Ed Daniel each hit two free throws to give Murray State a 34-25 halftime lead. Daniel finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Racers fell short of becoming the first team to reach the NCAA tournament with a perfect record since UNLV in 1991 when they lost Feb. 9 at Tennessee State at home, but rebounded to capture their third straight OVC crown with wins against Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri.

They’ve had tournament success before when Canaan and his crew beat Vanderbilt in the first round in 2010. Now they can resume the task of finishing up the OVC slate after this dominating performance should ease any doubt of their NCAA tournament pedigree as at least an at-large team.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

“I just looked at it like, `Geez, that was fast,”‘ he said.

Never stood a chance.

Defending champion Milos Raonic ripped 20 aces to reach his second straight SAP Open final Saturday, beating Harrison 7-6 (4), 6-2. The match took only 78 minutes, with Harrison unable to solve the 6-foot-5 Canadian’s punishing, powerful serve in the comfortable conditions of an indoor arena.

“I think I got a few free points today,” Raonic said.

Just a few.

After Raonic’s rapid rise stalled last year with a slip at Wimbledon, he’s making his way back from hip surgery through a similar path. Raonic has dropped only two service games in two years at San Jose and his baseline game is only growing stronger.

Raonic will play the winner of Saturday night’s semifinal between Uzbekistan’s Denin Istomin and Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

“It was all really new to me last year. I felt it all flew by really quickly,” said Raonic, now 21 years old. “Whereas now, going through all these things again and playing well and everything, I feel like I know how to deal with it all. There’s not stress around it.”

All the frustration is left for his opponents.

Raonic relied on his serve to force a first-set tiebreaker, smacked two winners past the 19-year-old Harrison for a break in the second set that gave him a 3-1 lead and leaned on his serve the rest of the way.

The future of American men’s tennis remains on hold.

Harrison, tabbed as one of the country’s promising young players, is still searching for his first ATP Tour final. He has lost three times in the semifinals, including twice last year to Mardy Fish in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Fresh off a Davis Cup debut that helped the U.S. sweep Switzerland in the first round last weekend, Harrison surged to the semifinals in impressive fashion. He was the first teenager to reach the semifinals at San Jose since eventual champion Andy Murray in 2006 and 2007, and he did it all despite an out-of-whack body clock from the 6,000-mile journey through nine time zones — not to mention switching from clay to indoor courts and coming down from altitude.

Not that it mattered.

Raonic ripped serves past Harrison from the start, with neither player able to break the other in the first set. In the tiebreaker, Raonic rested on his serve even more.

After Harrison’s first forehand landed long for an instant minibreak, Raonic zipped two aces — one up the middle, another out wide. Then he struck a backhand passing shot down the line on the American’s serve, clipping the net and sneaking in for a 4-0 lead that propelled him in the first set.

“If he served like that against anybody, it’s going to be a nightmare to break,” said Harrison, who has played against Raonic since the American was 14 years old. “It doesn’t matter who he plays. Whenever he’s serving like that, it’s going to be a tough match for any of the top guys — Roger, Rafa, Novak — all the guys that are the best in the game.”

In the only break point of the match for Harrison, he flicked a forehand return wide at 1-1 in the second. Raonic then broke Harrison’s serve in the next game with a pair of bold baseline winners.

The rematch from a more famous California tournament turned out to be a complete runaway indoors. Harrison beat Raonic 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in the third round at Indian Wells last year but couldn’t touch the hard-serving Canadian in such climate-controlled conditions.

Suddenly, Raonic is back on the rise.

Raonic rose to as high as No. 25 in the rankings last year — the highest ever for a Canadian — before his season derailed on Wimbledon’s grass. He still earned ATP Newcomer of the Year honors after his first title at San Jose.

Raonic, who mimicked 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras’ serve as a kid, now has another chance to match his childhood idol: He’s one win away from becoming a back-to-back champion in San Jose — something Sampras did with victories in 1996 and 1997.

“I think there are a lot of similarities. It’s pretty fluid for both,” said Raonic, now ranked 32nd. “I still think there’s a lot more work I need to do to serve as well as him.”

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Chiney Ogwumike added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Cardinal (24-1, 15-0), who have won 12 consecutive conference titles and 21 since Tara VanDerveer became the coach in 1985.

The Cardinal have won 21 consecutive games since a Nov. 21 loss at Connecticut and 72 consecutive conference games dating to January 2009.

Nia Jackson scored nine points for Oregon (14-13, 6-9).

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That was maybe the only time he hit his target.

Hobbled by a fresh right ankle sprain and a troublesome hamstring that forced his retirement from last month’s Australian Open, Roddick lost to Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the SAP Open on Friday night. Roddick dropped every point in his first service game and never regained his rhythm in a maddening match that took only 76 minutes.

>>SAP Open Scoreboard

“It would be abnormal if you weren’t frustrated,” said Roddick, who still plans to play at next week’s ATP Tour stop in Memphis. “The question is, ‘How do you figure your way through it?”’

Roddick is still searching for the answer.

Earlier Friday, 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison moved closer to his first ATP singles title with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Bulgaria’s Dimitar Kutrovsky. Harrison will face defending tournament champion Milos Raonic in the semifinals Saturday after the hard-serving Canadian defeated Kevin Anderson 7-5, 7-6 (3).  Istomin plays the winner of Julien Benneteau and Steve Darcis.

The field is suddenly a lot less daunting.

Already slowed by injuries, Roddick struggled to cover the court against an opponent that found every angle.

He lost the first four points on his usual stout serve before saving three break points in his second service game. At 3-1 and 30-all, Istomin’s shot caught the tape, flicking past Roddick for a winner that the American simply shook his head at.

After Istomin stuck a crosscourt forehand winner for a second break to go ahead 4-1, Roddick dropped his racket. When Roddick’s shot landed in the net in the next game, he sent a ball soaring into the curtains beyond the opposite baseline grandstand, receiving a misconduct warning from chair umpire Steve Ullrich— which infuriated Roddick more.

Roddick asked the umpire if the warning was for racket abuse.  Ullrich told him it was for the “ball.” Roddick responded, “I challenge you on that.”

He never put up such a fight against his on-court opponent.

The 29-year-old American chipped a racket after hitting another shot into the net at 40-30 and 1-all in the second set, yelling out profanity in the process. Roddick regrouped to go ahead 2-1, pumping his fist and screaming, “Come on!”

Istomin never wavered, running down every shot and waiting for the wounded Roddick to miss, which he did often. Roddick hit a backhand crosscourt wide and floated a forehand long to hand Istomin another break and a 3-2 lead in the second, and Istomin sat on his serve the rest of the way.

“I saw he got upset. Maybe it helped me,” Istomin said. “I just tried to play my game.”

Roddick, who had a first-round bye and injured his ankle in a three-set victory over Denis Kudla on Wednesday night, is still recovering from a slight tear in his hamstring that forced his retirement in the second round of the Australian Open. In what was supposed to be the start of his return to full strength, Roddick leaves the Bay Area more hobbled than when he arrived.

“It was pretty ordinary all the way around,” said Roddick, a three-time champion in San Jose. “There’s certainly a significant gap from where I am and where I need to be.”

At least one American showed promise.

Fresh off his Davis Cup debut last weekend that helped the U.S. sweep Switzerland, Harrison hastily blew past Kutrovsky in 62 minutes. Harrison rallied from 2-0 down in the second set and took advantage of two calls overturned by replay to break Kutrovsky’s serve for the final time.

“To get out there today and have a match that lasted about an hour, it was a very good thing for me,” said Harrison, who has played three straight days since an almost 6,000-mile journey from Switzerland to San Jose.

Harrison moved into his third career semifinal at an ATP event— he lost to Mardy Fish both times last year in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He does have one professional doubles championship, teaming with Australia’s Matthew Ebden last year in Newport, R.I.

Harrison is the first teenager to reach the semifinals at San Jose since eventual champion Andy Murray in 2006 and 2007, and Harrison’s doing it all despite a body clock that’s still recovering from nine time zones away.

The semifinals will be a rematch from a more famous California tournament. Harrison beat Raonic 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in the third round at Indian Wells last year.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Russell Westbrook scored 18 points for Oklahoma City, but the All-Star point guard left the game with 1:13 left in the third quarter with what the team said was a sprained right ankle. He didn’t return.

But the Thunder improved to 23-7, the best record in the Western Conference, with their third win over the Warriors in 22 days.

David Lee led Golden State with 23 points. Monta Ellis, who scored 48 points the last time the teams played, had 11 in this one. Ellis went down moments after Westbrook, with 17.1 seconds left in the third quarter. The Warriors said Ellis suffered a hyperextended right knee, but could have returned if the game hadn’t been so lopsided.

Oklahoma City, which shot 52.7 percent from the field, improved to 6-1 in games played after a loss. The Thunder had lost 96-95 at Houston on Wednesday.

A 16-2 first-quarter run gave the Warriors a 24-17 lead and Golden State was up 39-36 with 5:28 left in the first half when the Thunder scored 10 straight points.

Oklahoma City had three consecutive dunks during the run—first a one-hander by Durant, followed by an alley-oop from Durant to Harden and capped by a steal and one-handed jam by Westbrook that gave the Thunder a 46-39 lead. Oklahoma City stretched that margin to 58-48 by halftime.

Durant and Serge Ibaka opened up the second half with baskets for the Thunder and Golden State never cut the margin below double digits. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Royal Ivey and Durant fueled an 8-0 run to end the third quarter and put Oklahoma City up 84-65.

During that run, Westbrook steamed down the court after a steal before pulling up in the lane with 1:13 left in the quarter and hobbling off the court. Ellis’ injury occurred right in front of the Warriors’ bench.

Dorell Wright, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 11 points for Golden State, playing the first game in a stretch during which the Warriors will play eight of nine games on the road.  Wright added 11 rebounds. The Warriors shot 34.8 percent from the field (31 of 89).

The Thunder went 10 of 24 from 3-point range, led by Durant (3 of 3), Harden (4 of 7) and Ivey (3 of 7).

Notes: Harden’s 25 points were one off his career high. … The Thunder played without two starters, both listed as day-to-day— center Kendrick Perkins (right knee contusion) and guard Thabo Sefolosha (right foot pain). In place of Perkins, veteran Nazr Mohammed started for the first time this season, while Daequan Cook replaced Sefolosha. … Before the game, Durant confirmed he’s splitting from his longtime agent, Aaron Goodwin. Durant said he appreciates what Goodwin has done for him “but it was time for me to move on.” Durant signed with Goodwin’s Seattle-based Goodwin Sports Management when he entered the NBA draft in 2007 after his freshman season at Texas. Goodwin helped negotiate Durant’s five-year, $86 million contract that Durant signed in July 2010.  … Former Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner, attended the game.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk scored 3:03 apart in the first period for the Hurricanes, who let a two-goal lead slip away before regrouping to beat the Pacific Division leaders.

The Southeast Division’s last-place team won its second straight, earned points in its sixth consecutive game and improved to 10-3-1 in its last 14 at home.

Dan Boyle and Brent Burns scored in a 2:26 span of the third for the Sharks, who fell to 1-2-1 midway through their nine-game road swing and have lost five of seven overall.

Justin Peters made 35 saves in his first start since Jan. 7 and third of the season. His first victory came in a battle of the backups against Thomas Greiss, who stopped 22 shots in place of Antii Niemi.

A solid dump-in by Jaroslav Spacek started the sequence that led to Jokinen’s winner. Drayson Bowman cycled the puck out to Jamie McBain at the blue line, and McBain unloaded a blast that Jokinen tipped past Greiss.

The Sharks trailed 2-0 after two periods but tied it fewer than 4 minutes into the third after they received goals from a pair of defensemen.

Boyle struck 1:26 into the third when he snapped the puck past Peters from the back edge of the circles. Burns made it 2-all with 16:08 to play when he took a feed from Dominic Moore and beat the Carolina backup.

Peters stopped the last 13 shots he faced, including a sprawling save—with some help from defenseman Bryan Allen—on Patrick Marleau’s point-blank attempt with about 1:20 left.

Greiss was in goal one night after coach Todd McLellan ripped starter Niemi, saying “he wasn’t any good” in a 6-5 overtime loss at Tampa Bay.

The Sharks didn’t arrive until late Friday morning because foggy conditions in Raleigh on Thursday night kept their flight grounded in Florida, and they fell behind early after allowing a pair of goals.

Skinner put the Hurricanes up 1-0 with 12:29 left in the first with a fluky goal. His shot along the end line clipped the back of Greiss’ skate and went in for the reigning rookie of the year’s 16th goal and fourth in 12 games since since returning from a concussion.

Then, Faulk—their latest Calder Trophy candidate—made it a two-goal game just over 3 minutes later on the power play. The rookie defenseman took a pretty backdoor feed from Jiri Tlusty and buried it into an open net.

NOTES: Tlusty has points in six straight games, while Carolina C Eric Staal has points in four in a row. … Moore made his debut with San Jose, one day after he was acquired in a trade with the Lightning. … The Sharks scratched D Douglas Murray, who was hit in the throat with a puck in the Tampa Bay game. … Carolina skated without RW Chad LaRose (upper body).

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)