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Photo: Yankees lose on walk-off hit in Toronto

AP photo / J.P. Moczulski
Rookie starter Ian Kennedy throws to first during tonight's game in Toronto. Kennedy pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, but got a no decision.

The New York Yankees fell tonight to the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1, despite a brilliant performance by pitcher Ian Kennedy. Toronto won it on Frank Thomas' walk-off RBI single against relief pitcher Chris Britton, which scored Alex Rios from second.

Toronto scored its only other run in the first inning, on an RBI double by Thomas that Melky Cabrera nearly caught. Johnny Damon tied it with a home run in the sixth. A.J. Burnett pitched eight innings of one-run ball for the Blue Jays, while reliever Scott Downs escaped a jam in the top of the ninth to earn the win.

The Yankees now travel to Boston trailing the Red Sox by five and a half games in the American League East.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 9:50 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Belichick, Patriots fined $750,000 and forced to forfeit two draft choices

The Associated Press reported Thursday night that the National Football League has fined coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots a total of $750,000 and will force the team to forfeit ''multiple draft choices'' as a result of their illegal videotaping of the New York Jets' defensive signals during last Sunday's game.

Posted by Art Martone  at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Channel 5: Belichick to be fined $500,000, Patriots to lose two high draft choices

Mike Lynch of Channel 5 in Boston -- who also hosts Patriots All Access -- is reporting that Bill Belichick will be fined $500,000, which he must pay personally, and the Patriots will be forced to forfeit two high draft choices, perhaps as high as first- and third-rounders, as their penalty in Videotapegate. The penalty is different than the one reported earlier on SI.com by Peter King and Don Banks, but it is consistent with the severe discipline King and Banks said would be meted out in the case by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. As SI.com also said, Lynch said the penalty would be announced Friday.

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

SI.com: Belichick may be facing two- or three-game suspension

SI.com's Peter King and Don Banks are reporting that the NFL is mulling suspending Bill Belichick for two or three games, and taking away a "first-day" draft choice -- possibly a first-rounder -- as penalty for the illegal videotaping last week in New York. They also say a decision is expected Friday.

Posted by Art Martone  at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments 0

Baseball Today: Thursday, September 13

Get all the news from the world of baseball on projo.com's Sox Blog.

Posted by Art Martone  at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Brazil-Mexico photo gallery

Click here to see a gallery of photos from last night's soccer match between Brazil and Mexico in Foxboro.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 8:31 AM | Permalink | Comments 0

Brazil beats Mexico in front of 61,000 in Foxboro

AP photo / Charles Krupa
Brazil midfielder Kaka celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Mexico in the second half in Foxboro.

By KEN MAGUIRE
Associated Press Writer

FOXBORO, Mass. - Kaka was pleased to score the winning goal in Brazil's 3-1 victory over Mexico on Wednesday night.

He was even happier to perform for so many yellow jerseys that packed Gillette Stadium.

"We were so thankful to be playing in front of so many Brazilians, especially playing away from home," the midfielder said after Brazil finished its 28th consecutive road international game in front of 67,584, a new attendance record for soccer at Gillette.

Kaka, a favorite to win the FIFA player of the year award for the first time this year, broke a 1-1 tie in the 80th minute when Mexican captain Rafael Marquez stopped a cross but failed to clear, leaving the ball nearly stationary for the 25-year-old AC Milan star to slam home a goal.

The hard-fought victory was Brazil's first over Mexico in more than three years. The two ejections, including Brazil coach Dunga, and five yellow cards were proof that the teams treated the game as the latest in a rivalry rather than the friendly it was.

Kaka, Milan's leading scorer en route to this year's European Champions League title, said Brazil wasn't out for revenge. Instead, they're looking ahead to next month's World Cup qualifier against Columbia.

"This is an excellent last game before we have to go into the elimination round," he said.

Brazil could have scored more goals - Ronaldinho's dazzling playmaking providing the chances - only to be frustrated by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who made several brilliant saves - 11 for the match - to keep his team in the game.

Andres Guardado set up Juan Carlos Cacho's goal in the 43rd minute, taking a pass from Nery Castillo on the left wing and drawing Brazil goalkeeper Cesar Julio to the right corner of the net before passing to a wide-open Cacho, who finished from 10 yards in front.

The lead lasted just two minutes. Ronaldinho's corner kick to the short side of the goal was met by a charging Kleber, who jumped and put his left foot on the ball, sending it to the far corner past a leaping Ochoa.

Then came Kaka's goal, which Marquez said "changed the story."

"It was one of our errors but it is something that we can only fix by working on it, and not thinking that Brazil defeated us," said Marquez, a Barcelona teammate of Ronaldinho.

Late substitute Afonso collected a goal kick and scored in the 86th minute, sealing the victory for Brazil.

Despite the loss, Marquez was upbeat, and optimistic about Mexico's World Cup qualifying round, which starts in February.

"We weren't really thinking about the score," he said. "It was the performance that was important, particularly for this team that's on its way to an elimination round."

Ochoa, who stopped Kaka from point-blank range early in the first half when Ronaldinho lofted a pass over the defense and onto Kaka's feet, said there's no margin for error against the world's top-ranked team.

"Whenever you give them an opportunity to attack, they're always successful," he said. "It's always complicated to play Brazil."

With the score still tied 1-1 in the 70th minute, he stopped a header by an unmarked Dracena Edu off a Ronaldinho free kick from 35 yards.

"We played with our heads held high," Ochoa said. "We played a good game. We're calm. We know we're doing things the right way."

Referee Baldomero Toledo threw out Dunga in the 94th minute after the Brazilian coach protested a call. Dunga didn't discuss the ejection after the game.

Elano received a red card in the 82nd minute, after trip away from the ball near midfield. Ronaldinho, Kaka and Kleber were booked for Brazil. Guardado and Gerardo Torrado were booked for Mexico.

Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez, who directed his team to a 2-0 upset of Brazil in June in the first round of the Copa America, which Brazil went on to win, said he wasn't expecting such a rough game. He said Ronaldinho and Kaka, who didn't play in the Copa America, elevated the level of play.

This was Brazil's first appearance in Foxboro, and just its second in New England. On Sunday, Brazil beat the United States 4-2 in Chicago.

The previous record high attendance for soccer at Gillette Stadium was 61,316, set at the 2002 MLS Cup, when the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the New England Revolution 1-0 in overtime.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 7:57 AM | Permalink | Comments 1