From The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Possibly playing his final home game in D.C., Alfonso Soriano homered in his first at-bat Thursday, and the Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants 6-5 for their season-high sixth consecutive victory.

Vince Young’s deal is done. So is Chad Greenway’s and Jay Cutler’s.

PARIS — The amazing ride of Floyd Landis took a troubling detour Thursday.

OAKLAND — Eric Chavez hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to help Joe Blanton win his third straight start, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Thursday night.

OAKLAND — Frank Thomas homered twice and drove in four runs to help Dan Haren win for the first time in six weeks, and the Oakland Athletics avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON — Austin Kearns’ sacrifice fly with the bases loaded off San Francisco closer Armando Benitez capped a two-run rally in the ninth inning, lifting Washington past the Giants 4-3 on Wednesday night, the Nationals’ fifth consecutive victory.

DENVER — The backdrop of America’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games might be the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sears Tower or the Los Angeles Coliseum — or none of these at all.

The offseason was no picnic for Kirk Morrison.He kept busy in the winter and springtime as he focused on football, going to Oakland Raider team headquarters in Alameda to look at hours and hours of film from the 2005 NFL season, to participate in OTAs (organized team activities) and minicamps, and to keep himself strong and fit.

From Register Staff

From Register Staff

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Jerry Porter made news Tuesday by demanding a trade. He was held out of Wednesday morning’s practice with a strained calf injury.

Melanie Troxel and husband Tommy Johnson Jr. accelerate their marriage a quarter-mile at a time.

SAN FRANCISCO — Wednesday’s NHRA press conference got off to a late start for the Force family.

From Register Staff

Her father said he already had a son and wanted a daughter. Her mother wanted her to be a professional ballet dancer.

This is a summer of adjustment and change for Paul McQuistan.

SACRAMENTO -- Bernard Flynn pushes branches aside as he walks down a dirt path toward the American River, stopping to point out the variety of shrubs and trees that have blossomed along its banks.

* Where to fish