His 24 doubles rank fourth in the Pacific Coast League and his 38 extra-base hits are third. Headley played 56 games in left field with the Beavers and eight at third base.

Headley was the Texas League Player of the Year and Padres Minor League Player of the Year in 2007 after batting .330 (143 for 433) with Double-A San Antonio.

Headley made his Major League debut with the Padres last season and finished 4 for 18 in eight games over two stints with San Diego.

He played 129 games for Lake Elsinore in 2006, hitting .291 with 33 doubles, 12 homers and 73 RBI.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson switched Derek Fisher off point guard Rajon Rondo and put him in shooting guard Ray Allen.

Kobe Bryant switched over to Rondo.

Rondo had given the Lakers fits with his quickness and penetration.

Allen had given the Lakers problems with his ability to run off screens and knock down open jumpers.

-- Broderick Turner
-- bturner@PE.com

They didn't do enough of that at the right times during Game 2.

The Lakers finished the game with 20 assists, but they had just eight in the first half.

The Lakers had eight in the fourth quarter alone.

Kobe Bryant had eight assists, five in the fourth quarter.

If the Lakers are to beat the Boston Celtics, if they are to get by Boston's tough defense, they must share the basketball.

-- Broderick Turner
-- bturner@PE.com

She'll be doing the same Sunday before the Cubs-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium.

Brooke Pernice, who is blind, recently released her debut CD, "Help From Above," which features songs about patriotism and prayer.

More information: brookepernice.com

Derek Fisher was asked what he remembered from those Lakers-Celtics classic championships confrontations during the 80s.

``That the Lakers won most of the time,'' Fisher said, smiling. ``I wasn't born in the 60s so I don't remember all those Celtics championship wins. I was growing up as a teenager for the most part in the 80s. Those are the years that I remember.''

Fisher said he was Lakers fans, even though he grew up in Little Rock.

The Lakers did beat the Celtics the most in the NBA Finals during the 80s, 2-1, losing in 1984, but winning in 1985 and 1987.

But the Celtics once beat the Lakers eight consecutive times for the championships.

-- Broderick Turner
-- bturner@PE.com

It's the first no-hitter in the Major Leagues since Sept. 1, 2007 when another Boston pitcher, Clay Bucholz, no-hit Baltimore in a 10-0 Red Sox victory.

Lester, a 24-year-old left-hander, survived cancer to pitch the clincher of Boston's 2007 World Series victory. It was the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history.

"Really, words can't describe it right now," Lester said.

Lester (3-2) allowed just two baserunners, walking Billy Butler in the second inning and Esteban German to open the ninth. He struck out nine, including Alberto Callaspo to end the game.

Lester, who battled lymphoma before the 2007 season, and manager Terry Francona met for a long, hard embrace when it was over.

"I've been through a lot the past couple years and he's been like a second dad to me,'' Lester said.

Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury made a diving catch of Jose Guillen's line drive to end the fourth -- the best defensive play of the game. Lester also got help from first baseman Kevin Youkilis, who made a nice scoop on shortstop Julio Lugo's throw after David DeJesus hit a grounder in the third.

Mel Parnell was the last Red Sox lefty to throw a no-hitter, beating the Chicago White Sox on July 14, 1956.

Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan is the only other person in history to no-hit the Royals.

--ASSOCIATED PRESS

Edmonds, 37, was hitting .178 (16 for 90) with two doubles, one home run, six RBI and six runs scored in 26 games this season with the Padres, appearing in center field in all 26 game with 24 starts.

Edmonds was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals along with cash considerations on December 15, 2007 in exchange for infielder David Freese.

The Padres, reportedly, could be on the hook for about $5 million remaining on Edmonds' contract. The Cardinals are reportedly playing about $2 additionally of what was about $8 million remaining.

The Padres, last in the majors at 12-23 and losers of 17 of their last 21, needed to do something. The team is last in the majors in hitting (.232) and on-base percentage (.304) and tied for last in runs (117).

In parts of 16 Major League seasons with the California/Anaheim Angels (1993-99), Cardinals (2000-07) and Padres (2008), Edmonds has a career batting average of .286 (1,817-for-6,362) with 397 doubles, 23 triples, 363 homers, 1,127 RBI, 1,160 runs scored, 929 walks and 65 steals.

Gerut, 30, hit .308 (33 for 107) with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored, 13 walks and four stolen bases in 27 games for Portland.

He was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the span of April 28-May 4 when he batted .462 (12-for-26) with four home runs and seven RBI.

Gerut, who signed a minor league contract with San Diego on January 27, made the Padres Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee and went 1 for 6 with a stolen base in four games with the club before he was optioned to Portland on April 5. In 324 career Major League games over parts of four seasons with the Cleveland Indians (2003-05), Chicago Cubs (2005), Pittsburgh Pirates (2005) and Padres (2008), he has batted .263 (299-for-1,137) with 75 doubles, eight triples, 34 home runs, 140 RBI, 153 runs scored and 109 walks.

Sogard, 21, batted .388 (40 for 103) with 15 doubles, one triple, 20 RBI, 23 walks and 24 runs scored in 27 games for the Single-A Storm during April.

He finished the month among California League leaders in batting average (2nd), hits (1st), doubles (T-1st), on-base percentage (2nd, .496), extra-base hits (2nd, 16) and runs scored (T-2nd) while appearing in 23 games at second base.

In 2007, Sogard combined to bat .251 (53 for 211) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 33 RBI, six stolen bases and 27 runs scored in 54 games between Short-A Eugene, Single-A Fort Wayne and Triple-A Portland.

Sogard was the Padres second-round selection (81st overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona State where he was the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

Here's a chat he did with ESPN Sports Nation last year right after the draft.

Bryant appears to be the leading candidate to win the NBA's most valuable player award this season, his first, if it happens.

``It was absolutely awesome,'' Bryant said. ``It felt like home.''

During the regular season, Bryant has heard the MVP chants.

But these are the playoffs and it was a ``surprise'' even for Bryant.

``A lot of my fans have been turning out,'' Bryant said. ``During the regular season on the road, they've all been coming out. I don't know if they've been traveling or what. But they've been coming out. They've been chanting all year. So it feels good.''

-- Broderick Turner
-- reach bturner@PE.com