Martin claims third win of season

Brooklyn, Mich. — The most surprised person to find Mark Martin in Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway was the driver himself.

The 50-year-old NASCAR star has run well but has had to deal with considerable bad luck this season. It looked like more of the same Sunday when the battery in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet began to fail before the halfway mark in the LifeLock 400 Sprint Cup race.

Martin turned off everything in the car that he could, nursing it as best he could. Then he realized the race was going to be a fuel-economy run.

“I always, always come up short in those gas things,” Martin said. “I’m probably about 2-and-25 in these things.”

Make that 3-and-25 now.

Martin saved just enough gas to hang on for his third victory of the season.

Jimmie Johnson dominated most of the LifeLock 400 and took the lead from Greg Biffle six laps from the end as Martin watched the duel from third place.

Johnson, the three-time reigning Cup champion, ran out of gas two laps from the finish, giving the lead to Biffle. But he also ran out of gas as the final trip around the two-mile oval began, clearing the way for Martin to drive to the front.

His car also was left with an empty tank on the last lap, but Martin was able to coast to the finish line almost three seconds ahead of runner-up Jeff Gordon.

Denny Hamlin finished third, followed by Carl Edwards, Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya and series points leader Tony Stewart. Last year’s race winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 14th.

Baseball

Royals’ Crisp on DL

Kansas City, Mo. — Coco Crisp was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to a sore right shoulder, joining six other Kansas City Royals on the injury list.

Crisp played in just five games since May 26 and does not have an extra-base hit since a May 14 triple against Baltimore.

The Royals recalled utility player Tug Hulett from Triple-A Omaha. Hulett had hit in all seven games, a .370 average, since he was optioned to Omaha on June 3. Cubs fire hitting coach

Chicago — The Chicago Cubs fired hitting coach Gerald Perry after 21/2 seasons on Sunday in an attempt to spark a sputtering offense that ranks among the National League’s worst.

The Cubs had high expectations after winning back-to-back NL Central titles. But with a 29-30 record and a .246 team batting average before Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Minnesota, general manager Jim Hendry decided to make a change.

Von Joshua was promoted from Triple-A Iowa to replace Perry.

Chavez out for season

San Francisco — Eric Chavez is headed for another back surgery and won’t return in 2009 for the Oakland Athletics.

The six-time Gold Glove third baseman, on the 60-day disabled list due to a herniated disk and strained right forearm, is scheduled to have the operation June 23, performed by Dr. Robert Watkins.

Francisco put on DL

Arlington, Texas — Texas closer Frank Francisco was put on the disabled list for the second time this season Sunday, a move made after the right-hander had a successful bullpen session and 11 days after he last threw in a game.

Rockies’ Buchholz done

Denver — Colorado setup man Taylor Buchholz will have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

The right-hander, who has been on the disabled list all season, will have the surgery this week.

Angels’ Shields out

Anaheim, Calif. — Angels’ reliever Scot Shields will have season-ending surgery Tuesday, manager Mike Scioscia said before the game against the San Diego Padres.

College basketball

Calhoun back home

Hartford, Conn. — Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is out of the hospital, a day after breaking five ribs in a bicycle accident.

Calhoun, 67, biked at least 16 miles after hitting a pothole and falling during Saturday’s 50-mile annual Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride bike ride.

He completed the ride but collapsed while talking to friends near the finish line in Simsbury.

Golf

Rookie wins LPGA title

Havre de Grace, Md. — Anna Nordqvist completed a long day and a memorable week in splendid fashion, shooting a 4-under par 68 Sunday to become the second straight rookie to win the LPGA Championship.

Nordqvist finished at 15-under 273, four shots ahead of Lindsey Wright in the tournament’s final stand at Bulle Rock Golf Course. The LPGA Championship will get a new sponsor and a new home in 2010.

Gay wins St. Jude Classic

Memphis, Tenn. — Brian Gay played his way into the U.S. Open in his last possible chance, completing a wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic.

Gay earned his berth at Bethpage Black with his second win in his last five events and third of his career. He beat David Toms and Bryce Molder by five strokes to grab the Open exemption as a multiple winner in the last calendar year.

Phil Mickelson, in his first event since announcing wife, Amy, has breast cancer, and John Daly, returning from a six-month PGA Tour suspension, tied for 59th at 1 over. Mickelson closed with a 75, and Daly shot a 70.

Johnson wins playoff

Knoxville, Tenn. — Kevin Johnson tied the Nationwide Tour career victory record and moved within a win of an in-season promotion to the PGA Tour, beating Bradley Iles with a birdie on the second playoff hole in the Knoxville Open.

2 U.S. Opens at Pinehurst?

Farmingdale, N.Y. — The USGA plans to hold the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 a week apart in 2014, according to a published report.

Golf World magazine, citing sources it did not identify, said the USGA would announce the unusual doubleheader this week. It would be the first time the men and women played the U.S. Open on the same course in the same year, let alone in consecutive weeks.

Immelman withdraws

Farmingdale, N.Y. — Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman has withdrawn from the U.S. Open because of tendinitis in his left wrist and elbow.

Golfer Green to lose leg

Jackson, Miss. — Champions Tour golfer Ken Green, who was injured in a recreational vehicle crash in Mississippi that killed his brother and girlfriend, will have his lower right leg amputated, his agent said Sunday.

Kevin Richardson said Green is struggling with the “double whammy” of the deaths and his own career-threatening injuries.

Swimming

Phelps loses two races

Santa Clara, Calif. — Two races, two losses for Michael Phelps. The 14-time Olympic gold medalist was beaten in the 100-meter freestyle and 100 backstroke Sunday night at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix.

Phelps finished second behind defending world champion Brent Hayden of Canada in the 100 free.

Phelps lost the 100 back to Olympic teammate Ryan Lochte.

Tennis

Murray beats Blake

London — Andy Murray defeated James Blake, 7-5, 6-4, Sunday to win the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club for his first grass-court title.

The top-seeded Murray became the first British player to win the tournament since Bunny Austin in 1938, who then went on to become the last Briton to reach the Wimbledon final.

Boxing

Lewis inducted into hall

Canastota, N.Y. — In a sport many view for its violence, Lennox Lewis said Sunday he wanted to be remembered for making it a “sweet science, a magical dance” as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“Our sport is usually looked at as a brutal, savage sport,” Lennox told hundreds of fight fans gathered for the hall’s 20th annual induction ceremony.

“I see it as a sweet science, a magical dance. For me, I just wanted to live up to that, and keep the dignity and the humanistic aspect and the positiveness of it … so that people will remember that’s what I did for boxing,” Lewis said.

Mayweather injured

Las Vegas — Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s comeback has been postponed because the boxer suffered a rib injury while training.