Buckeyes RB Hall cuts foot, sidelined 10 weeks

Buckeyes RB Hall cuts foot, sidelined 10 weeks

COLUMBUS

Jordan Hall, No. 1 on Ohio State’s depth chart at running back, will be out for about 10 weeks after undergoing surgery on Friday for a cut on the bottom of his right foot.

Hall, with 817 career rushing yards, is a senior who first-year coach Urban Meyer had singled out as one of the team’s top potential playmakers.

Hall was walking in grass outside his residence in Columbus when he cut his foot.

Meyer said Hall will be in a non-weight bearing cast for six weeks before rehabbing the injury for at least a month.

The Buckeyes open fall camp in about five weeks.

Phillies trade Jim Thome to Orioles

BALTIMORE

Slugger Jim Thome is headed to the Baltimore Orioles, whose struggling offense is in dire need of some punch.

Thome was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday for two young minor leaguers — right-hander Kyle Simon and catcher Gabriel Lino.

The 41-year-old Thome is a five-time All-Star. His 609 homers are tied with Sammy Sosa for seventh place on the career list, and his 1,689 RBIs over a 22-year career are 25th all-time.

Thome will move right into the designated hitter role with the Orioles, who have been a surprising contender in the AL East.

Cancellara takes prologue of 99th Tour

LIEGE, Belgium

Fabian Cancellara gave some joy to his troubled RadioShack Nissan team as the 99th Tour de France began on Saturday, winning his fifth opening-day prologue at cycling’s premier race in the same Belgian city where he edged Lance Armstrong eight years ago.

The 31-year-old Swiss rider proved he’s positively dominant in time trials over the 4-mile race against the clock in Liege. This time, Cancellara outclassed another Tour title favorite: Bradley Wiggins, aiming to become the first Briton to win the Tour, was 7 seconds behind in second.

Arioto’s homer lifts US past Netherlands, 2-1

OKLAHOMA CITY

Valerie Arioto hit a tiebreaking home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the United States to a 2-1 win against the Netherlands on Saturday at the World Cup of Softball.

The U.S. trailed after Nathalie Timmermans homered in the fifth for the Dutch (3-1) in a meeting of the only two teams who had yet to lose in the tournament.

Rhea Taylor reached on an error to start the bottom of the fifth, stole second and eventually scored the tying run on Stacy May-Johnson’s groundout.

Arioto, the Pac-12 player of the year from California, then led off the sixth with her second homer in as many days.

Amy Rodriguez lifts US women to soccer win

SANDY, Utah

Amy Rodriguez scored the winning goal in the 85th minute to lift the United States past Canada 2-1 in its final tune-up before the London Olympics.

Rodriguez tapped Megan Rapinhoe’s cross to Abby Wambach, who overran it just outside the 6-yard box. Wambach turned away from the net, recovered and then back-heeled the ball toward the goal where it deflected off diving Canadian goalie Erin McLeod.

The rebound popped to Rodriguez in front of an empty net.

Cammas closes in on Volvo Ocean Race

LORIENT, France

Frenchman Franck Cammas tightened his grip on the Volvo Ocean Race with a hometown victory in Lorient on Saturday.

Cammas’ Groupama team lead American challenger Puma, skippered by Ken Read, by 25 points. Puma and Camper (Spain/New Zealand) bungled sail changes in the strong Brittany breeze.

Fourth place or better on the final leg from Lorient to Galway, Ireland, would guarantee victory for France.

France has won the 39-year-old event — formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race — only once with Lionel Pean in 1985.

Vindicator staff/wire reports