The National League’s hottest team at the moment attempts to continue its sizzling recent play this evening at Shea Stadium, where the surging New York Mets host the Houston Astros for a second straight night.
The Mets have vaulted to the top of the NL East standings by winningಊ of their last 11 games, including Friday’s 3-0 blanking of the Astros in the opener of this three-game series. New York currently sports a 2 1/2-game advantage on rival Philadelphia for first place in the division.
Johan Santana fired seven shutout innings last night to win his fifth consecutive decision, while Brian Schneider had a two-run homer to power the New York offense.
Santana (12-7) scattered eight hits and walked just one batter while striking out five. Recently-acquired Luis Ayala threw a perfect ninth to record his first save as a Met.
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BEIJING (AP)  Hard work. Having fun. A fast track.
No doping.
Simple as could be, that’s Usain Bolt explanation for his unprecedented, breakout performance at the Beijing Olympics.
“I’ve been tested four times (in China), before I even started running. These guys took urine tests and blood tests. After every event final, I’ve been tested,” the Jamaican said Saturday, one of his three gold medals dangling from a red ribbon around his neck. “I’ve been tested out of competition so many times I lost track.”
Bolt broke world records in winning the 100 meters (9.69 seconds), 200 meters (19.30) and 400-meter relay (37.10), something no man had done at an Olympics. None of the finals was even close, and Bolt began his celebration in the dash before it was done, stretching out his arms with palms up, then slapping his chest. Read more
STAR
Sanya Richards anchored the United States to a gold medal in the women’s 1,600-meter relay, ending a streak of relay woes for the Americans in Beijing. She took the baton in second place behind Russia’s Anastasia Kapachinskaya but overtook her late in the race and won in 3 minutes, 18.55 seconds. The other U.S. team runners were Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix and Monique Henderson.
RELAY RERUN
Jeremy Wariner ran the anchor leg as the American won the men’s 1,600-meter relay in an Olympic record time. The win gave the U.S. a sweep in the men’s and women’s 1,600 relays. LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville and Wariner finished in 2 minutes, 55.39 seconds.
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