Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — BASEBALL

Minors test for HGH

Major League Baseball implemented random blood testing for human growth hormone in the minor leagues Thursday, the first professional sports league in the United States to take the aggressive step against doping. The blood testing becomes part of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, which Commissioner Bud Selig introduced in 2001 to test for performance-enhancing drugs. “The implementation of blood testing in the minor leagues represents a significant step in the detection of the illegal use of human growth hormone,” Selig said in a statement. “HGH testing provides an example for all of our drug policies in the future.” Testing will be limited to players with minor league contracts because they are not members of the players’ association, which means that blood testing is not subject to collective bargaining. The players association has long been against blood testing. Blood samples will be collected after games by the National Center for Drug Free Sport, the organization that collects urine samples in the minor leagues.

HOCKEY

Hall make additions

Jeremy Roenick and brothers Kevin and Derian Hatcher were selected Thursday for induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Buffalo, N.Y. The three former NHL All-Stars were chosen by USA Hockey, along with administrator Art Berglund and longtime University of Minnesota physician Dr. V. George Nagobads. Roenick, a nine-time All-Star who retired after the 2008-2009 season, scored 1,216 points - including 513 goals- in 1,363 NHL games during a 20-year career with Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose. Derian Hatcher played 16 NHL season. He recorded 80 goals and 251 assists in 1,045 games - mostly with the Minnesota/Dallas Stars. Hatcher also had stints with Detroit and Philadelphia. His older brother, Kevin, spent 17 seasons in the NHL with Washington, Dallas, Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers and Carolina. The five-time All-Star finished with 677 points, including 227 goals. Berglund was the general manager of nine U.S. men’s national teams and eight national junior teams, and was involved with six Olympic men’s hockey teams. Nagobads was the team doctor for Minnesota’s hockey program for 34 years.

TRACK & FIELD

Gay wins 200

Former Arkansas Razorback Tyson Gay matched the season’s second-best time of 19.72 seconds in winning the 200 meters at the Monaco Diamond League meeting. Gay got off to a strong start and held off Jamaican Yohan Blake’s surge in the closing meters to set a meet record. Blake was second in 19.78 and Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville, Arkansas Razorbacks) third in 19.93. American Carmelita Jeter won the women’s 100 in 10.82 seconds, ahead of Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown (Razorbacks), who finished second in 10.98.

FOOTBALL

WR, Cowboys have deal

Dez Bryant agreed to terms of a contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, making the receiver the first of this year’s NFL firstround picks with a deal. Details of the deal weren’t immediately available. The Cowboys announced the deal in a news release the day before they report to training camp in San Antonio. The first workout is Saturday. Dallas traded up three spots in April to get Bryant with the 24th overall pick. Bryant was anAll-American in 2008 at Oklahoma State when he had 87 receptions for 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns. But Bryant played only three games last season because of his suspension for lying to the NCAA about his activities with former NFL star Deion Sanders. In 27 games at Oklahoma State, Bryant had 147 catches for 2,425 yards (16.5 yards per catch) and 29 touchdowns. He also returned 22 punts for a 19.6-yard average and three touchdowns.

Baltimore Ravens backup cornerback Cary Williams has been suspended by the NFL for two games without pay for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome says the violation occurred while Williams was playing for the Tennessee Titans.

TENNIS

Roddick battles heat

No. 1 seed Andy Roddick endured blistering temperatures to beat Rajeev Ram 6-1, 6-7 (1), 6-3 in the second round of the Atlanta Tennis Championships in Johns Creek, Ga. Roddick is aiming for his 20th career tournament title on hardcourts and third this year. Roddick, the world’s ninth-ranked player and highest-ranking American, improved his ATP tour-leading match record to 27-4 on hardcourts. Lateafternoon temperatures ranged in the mid-90s with a heat index of 100 at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

Andrey Golubev, ranked 82nd, upset defending champion Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the German Open in Hamburg.

Second-ranked Jelena Jankovic injured her ankle during the second round of the Slovenia Open in Portoroz and retired. Jankovic led 6-1, 2-1 against qualifier Anastasiya Yakimova then stepped awkwardly when chasing a ball on the baseline and twisted her ankle. Jankovic continued to play after getting medical help, but lost that set 6-3 and retired after losing the first game of the third.

BASKETBALL

Memphis reports violation

Memphis has self-reported a secondary NCAA violation over Coach Josh Pastner’s attendance at a summer league game last week where Minnesota forward Trevor Mbakwe was playing. The junior is considering transferring to Memphis and has made an official visit there. Pastner was in Minnesota for an AAU tournament and stopped by Mbakwe’s summer league game after Memphis’ compliance office told him by e-mail he could. University officials later learned NCAA coaches are not allowed to attend such games.

SOFTBALL

Finch homers as U.S. rolls

Jennie Finch hit a two-run home run in her first at-bat after announcing she’ll retire from softball, leading the United States to a 9-0 victory over Canada Thursday night in the opening game of the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City. Kaitlin Cochran and Jessica Mendoza also homered, and Monica Abbott (1-0) struck out 16 in a two-hitter.

HORSE RACING

Valenzuela OK for California

The California Horse Racing Board has voted to allow Patrick Valenzuela to resume riding in the state under strict conditions that require the jockey with a history of substance abuse to submit to hair follicle testing. Valenzuela, 47, has been riding in New Mexico and Louisiana the past two years after he previously failed to regain his license in California. Valenzuela’s conditional riding license in California was revoked in 2008 after a drunken driving arrest, and the board said then he wouldn’t be able to reapply. He rode Sunday Silence to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1989.