Torre confirms Clemens' return
Roger Clemens will start tonight's nationally televised series finale against the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees manager Joe Torre confirmed Saturday.
Clemens had been scheduled to make the start against Curt Schilling, though a blister on his foot and ligament damage to his right elbow has kept him out of the rotation since leaving his Sept. 3 start against Seattle after four innings.
"It's so remarkable, he's got an urgency to do well all the time," Torre said before Saturday's game.
Clemens threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session on Thursday and said he had "no doubt" he'll be able to pitch at Boston. He is 6-6 with a 4.45 ERA this season.
Meier rides for 4,000th win: With Saturday's fourth race win aboard the 10-1 longshot Exploited Storm for trainer Ron Goodridge at Arlington Park, jockey Randy Meier is now just 1 win away from 4,000 for his career. He's been named to ride eight horses today.
Meier's bid for 4,000 will highlight Arlington's final day in its 2007 meet, with post time at 1 p.m. Chicago-area thoroughbred racing will resume Friday at Hawthorne.
Spain, Russia make final: Spain beat defending champion Greece and Russia defeated Lithuania on Saturday to reach the final of the European basketball championship on Sunday in Madrid, Spain.
Pau Gasol of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies scored 23 points and Jose Calderon made some big plays down the stretch in Spain's 82-77 victory in the first semifinal.
In the second, Andrei Kirilenko had 29 points and three blocks, and Russia withstood 30 points from Ramunas Siskauskas for a 86-74 victory that put the Russians in their record 19th final.
Hornaday wins truck race: Ron Hornaday Jr. got a victory and a little breathing room Saturday in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship duel with Mike Skinner.
It was no contest on the 1.058-mile New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H., as the two-time series champion led 174 of the 200 laps in the New Hampshire 200 on the way to his fourth victory of the season and the 33rd of his career.
Rain washed out qualifying earlier Saturday and the field was set by points, with Hornaday and Skinner starting from the front row.